//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - Hidden Power // Story: A New World, A New Way - Swarm // by Kingofsouls //------------------------------// Chapter 15 Hidden Power Day 3 Guard duty. Easily the most boring of all duties in the guard. Verot yawned, catching the attention of her partner, whom had two bottles of water held in his magical grip. “Rough night Verot?” “Yeah, didn’t get that much sleep.” “Honestly not surprised,” Verot’s partner replied, passing over a bottle. “I mean, this sounds like some weird science fiction book.” “I hear that,” Verot replied with a smile. “I overheard that some of the civilians are starting to call it ‘the Day Equus Stood Still.’” “Sounds legit to me,” her partner joked. “Honestly wish I was patrolling instead of just standing here watching the trees. At least in town it can get interesting with preparations for that big battle tomorrow.” “Still can’t believe the Emperor is negotiating with those things.” “Yea, this reminds me of when he wanted to declare war on the Griffins because one of them stepped on his precious plants.” “If I hear the rumors right, that black fox that’s working with us actually got arrested for doing damn near the same thing,” Verot mused. “No kidding?” “Seems legit to me. Good thing too; I hear that Fox, Naruto’s his name, fought a giant turtle with cannons coming out of its back to a standstill before the Emperor arrived. They beat it together. Didn’t know something that skinny could fight a giant turtle.” “Okay now that is hard to believe,” laughed the partner. “I mean come on, a turtle with built-in cannons? Isn’t that a little out there?” “Hey, when I walked here I found sheep that loo…” Verot’s ears twitched, ending her speech in mid-sentence. “Hey… Verot…?” “Shh… the trees, they’re shaking. Something’s coming.” Her partner focused, closed his eyes, and listened closely, “You’re right.” Several moments passed, the almost inaudible rustling of trees and bushes filled the air. Without warning, Verot’s horn began glowing brightly, a magic sphere forming just above her horn. “COME OUT WITH YOUR HOOVES IN THE AIR!” “DON’T SHOOT!” A figure came out of the trees, followed by a large Pokemon that kinda looked like a green, overweight giraffe with fruit growing on his chin. Several red-maned lions limped out of the jungle behind them, followed by the very odd (and honestly worrying) sight of a large hedgehog-like creature garbed in a green spiked cloak being dragged by the fat giraffe with the aid of several yards of vines. “IT’S ME, NELL! I’M THE DAUGHTER OF CITEL! LET US IN! WE HAVE WOUNDED!” Verot let her spell die, turning to face the rapidly approaching wall guards that were with her and her partner. “You heard her. Let them in, and hurry!” X opened his eyes, and beheld the sight of a gentle lime green ceiling with fluorescent lights. The lights were not the concern of his thoughts. At the moment his more pressing concern was how he got there. He struggled to get up, but he quickly regretted it as pain jolted through his body. Looking down, he saw his entire body covered in gashes and assorted claw markings. Some were shallow, and were minor damage when compared to the more troubling scars. They looked pretty deep. Another jolt of pain made itself known, and this time X responded with a quick groan of agony. Sounds of movement from beyond his range of vision were heard, and before X could react a duo of a Chansey and Audino rushed in, uring X to lay down as he struggled out of confusion while a third (A Blissey) began to apply medical aid in the form of Heal Pulse. During the chaos, X spied a sleeping changeling beginning to stir from her slumber. Nell awoke with a yawn, and when her eyesight unblurred, she saw X sitting in a magically reinforced bed that was capable of holding his weight up. His cloak sat next to his bed, the shell of wood standing in silence vigilance. On a small table next to X was a plate of assorted berries. yet they sat untouched. It took a moment for X to realize that Nell was awake. “Hey…” the words came out hoarse and weak, as if it was a small struggle to speak them without harming himself. “Hey yourself.” Nell answered. “Are you feeling okay?” “I feel like I just walked through a blender,” X spoke as softly as he could while remaining audible. “Last thing I remember is punching followed by more punching…” “You punched a chimera in the faces. Repedietly. And when it tried to go back on your deal you rolled up into a ball, knocked it on it’s side, and then threw it into the trees like you were bowling.” Nell explained. “I never knew you were that strong. But then again, I don’t really know you well.” “I’m not that strong,” X answered in turn. “Humans aren’t that strong. The most I could carry on my own comfortably was about fifty kilos. But now that I’m a Chesnaught, I have no idea how much I can lift. What about the Pyroar. Are all of them… well…?” “Alive?” X nodded, and Nell smiled. “Don’t worry, the entire pride is alive, but they’re pretty hurt. All of them except one are still out of it, resting while they get healed up. But …” “But?” “... Well, the other Pyroar aren’t going to be well enough to rush into another battle, and the Litleo are just cubs. I’m not going to let them fight a bunch of scary bugs. So… I went through all of that for just one Pyroar.” Nell sighed, her ears flapping down as she curled up into a ball. “Some hero I am.” “Nell… don’t say that.” A confused Nell looked at her injured friend as he shook his head. “That pride of Pyroar would have been in a lot of real trouble if you hadn’t of found them when you did. And you were pretty brave, trying to do something important like that.” Nell smiled before frowning again. “My dad’s going to ground me once he finds out I almost died again isn’t he?” “Probably. I know that’s what I would do.” There was an awkward pause as Nell and X just looked at each other, unsure how to continue their conversation. After several tense minutes, Nell found the courage to speak first. “Why did you do it?” “Do what?” “Come into the jungle. I thought you didn’t like fighting.” X sighed. The tough conversation had revealed itself at last. “I don’t. But… I couldn’t just let you go in there on your own. Don’t you know how dangerous that jungle is?” “Yes…” “I don’t care about my personal safety. I can be beaten, slashed, crushed, set on fire, frozen… and I’ll take it. But I won’t let anyone I care about get hurt for a stupid reason if I can take it for them.” “... You care about me?” “Well, yeah,” X smiled, rubbing his head (a habit he found himself to be doing a lot in the recent days). “Once Rizen told me what was in there… well, I didn’t know exactly what they were, but I knew it wasn’t good. What made you want to go back into a place like that?” “... I needed to lend a hoof. No-one else was,” Nell answered. She stammered for a moment, backtracking and trying to replace what she said with what she meant. “I mean… everyling was lending a hoof but me? I wasn’t doing anything important. And when I realised I knew where some Fire-types were, I thought… I could get them. Even knowing that...” “You were willing to risk everything for someone you barely know,” X answered. “Yeah, isn’t that what friends do? I mean, I’m not sure they think I’m a friend, but I’d like to think I’m their friend.” X said nothing as he mulled over Nell’s response. No-one said a word, letting the silence govern the conversation. A Nurse Joy (the Blissey from earlier) entered the room, ready to give X another look over. Nell rose to her hooves, shaking one as she walked out of the room. “I’m going to get something for us to eat. Any preferences?” X just shook his head as Nell left the room as the nurse started to give X a basic check up, hands holding bandages they intended to use. Minutes passed as the Nurse Joy was wrapping X up with bandages. ”So, rough night?” she asked. “You could say that.” “I’m surprised by how beat-up you look. Your friend said you ran into a chimera. Not sure what that is, but it must’ve been a real monster to have done this to a Chesnaught. Even if you are an Arrow.” “... you know who I am?” X replied. “Sure do.” The Nurse wrapped X’s arm with her gift of bandages as she continued. “Your friend brought you here with that pride of Pyroar and that Tropius. She told us everything, and she told us your name was X. As in Jacob ‘X’ Arrow.” “Not a lot of people use both my real name and my prefered name,” X noted. “It feels nice, that’s for sure.” “I would hope so. I’m not sure if you remember a job you did for my husband: a simple clubhouse for our daughter in Coumarine City.” “Oh yeah, I remember that job. Your Audino insisted on giving everyone of us a check up.” “The living room never really was the same after that,” Nurse Joy chucked. “Still, I never expected an Arrow to be a construction worker. Consider me pleasantly surprised. You know I recommended you to all of my friends.” X simply nodded before changing the subject, “What time is it?” “It’s about two hours before dawn according to the locals,” she replied. “Everyone is getting ready for that big battle if they’re not sleeping. Huge waste of time in my opinion.” “Good.” X lifted himself off of the bed, gasping once his legs touched the ground. He felt the weariness in them, hear them screaming for rest. But it was a request that X had to deny them. For what he had to do was more important than an extra hour of rest. “What. Do you think. You are doing?” “Going. I need to get things square away, try to control my power. My family will go to hell and back for me. About time I did that for them on the field of battle as they do.” Nurse Joy could not believe what she was hearing. “... Wait just a minute mister! You honestly can’t expect me to just let you leave! Have you noticed the wounds you’ve sustained or is that just me?” X hefted his cloak, putting on with deft precision. “I noticed. I just don’t care. Naruto, Inti, the Changelings. They need me. And I need them. I am going.” “You just can’t go!” The nurse pleaded. “As I already mentioned your body is covered in nothing but scratch marks and wounds! You look ready to bleed out at any moment! As a Nurse Joy, I cannot in good conscience let you leave this room. Of wit h the cloak, and back into bed.” “Well why not just use Heal Pulse and fix me up? You said you already did it to me when I was out. Why not just do it again?” The nurse huffed and eyed X like he was asking why the sky wasn’t green. “Because mister, Heal Pulse is dangerous for your health if used continuously! Heal Pulse uses psychic energy to accelerate the natural healing process of the target’s body. If it’s used too much in a small time frame the rapid regeneration of the body actually causes more damage than it is trying to heal. That’s why it only heals partially rather than completely!” “... Okay, good to know. But it’s not changing my mind.” The indignant Chesnaught marched toward the door, cloak on his back, but the Blissey quickly got in his way. “... Please?” “No. As a nurse, I cannot let you leave.” “Nurse… I’ve gotta do this,” X pleaded. “Naruto is my best friend- no, my brother in spirit, and right now he hates my guts. And you want to know why? It’s because he knew what was important when I had forgotten. And now this is my only chance to make things right with him. Because Naruto has always been there by my side, through thick and thin, and without him… “It’s lonely. I felt a lot of mixed emotions towards what I was even thinking about doing, and now that I look back I can’t believe I even entertained those thoughts. But we always have the chance to makes things right. We just have to be brave enough to make that choice. So please… let me do what I need to do.” Nurse Joy was about to say no, but then she saw X’s eyes, framed with scars. It was as if those eyes were were steel monoliths, standing tall in the middle of the greatest hurricane. They showed resilience, determination, resolve… an absolute refusal to simply let things lie as they were. Resigning to the steel in his eyes, the Blissey sighed, stepping off to the side to let X through. “... Thank you.” “Don’t thank me. I’m just doing my job.” This statement confused X, and Joy continued, “I’m a nurse. It’s my job to not only physically heal but to mentally and spiritually heal. You body doesn't need the healing process as much as your spirit does. And letting you get hurt even more is not my idea of proper healing, but it is what you need to spiritually heal. So go, before I change my mind.” X said nothing as he exited his room with a smile, the thankful Chesnaught leaving with nothing more to be said. Outside of the room, Nell was snacking on a large pile of berries, a mix of strawberries and pomegranates. “That’s a lot of Berries.” Nell gulped, swallowing her mouthful before gazing up at the towering X. “I get nervous and I snack.” “... Three plates?” “... I have a large appetite,” Nell shrugged. Her wings buzzed with excitement as she flew and landed on X’s cloak, the Chesnaught smiling as he walked. The fires of the forge burned brightly as stacks of armor lay scattered in neat piles, each piece poetry in steel. The clanging of the hammer was the only sound to be heard as the old forgemaster Firequake struck a red hot blade over and over, each strike shaping it into the shape Firequake willed. He stopped for a moment as he caught his breath, whipping off the sweat from his brow, and spied his works of art. “Pawn. Pawniard!” The elder changeling stopped his work for a moment and looked up to see his friend Pawniard escorting Nell to him. “Hi Firequake. AM i interrupting anything?” Firequake laughed before placing his blade in the water to let it cool. “Never for a family friend. But isn’t it early for a girl like you to be running about?” “I… had some things that needed to be done. But I’m not here to chat. I need something for a friend,” Nell replied. Firequake nodded in a knowing way before turning to Pawniard. “You think you can handle this?” Pawniard saluted, and started his work on the blade. Pleased, Firequake let the forge with Nell, and headed towards the front door of his workshop. “So what does a young lass like you need with an old forgemaster like myself? Thinking about joining that brouhaha as a soldier?” “I’ve had enough fighting, thank you very much,” Nell replied. “But I do know someone who may need one of your weapons.” “Oh?” Firequake then heard soft sounds outside, and when he went out to look, he saw X, the mighty Chesnaught swinging his fists into the air, fighting an unseen foe. His eyes were like steel, focused only on the foe that was not there. Firequake whistled. “So… do you have something that X can use?” “I think I have just the thing for a big guy like him.” The sun rose and cast its morning rays on the armed forces of the Changeling Empire congregated around the western gate of the city. Many citizens were with them, wanting to watch the contest to be held at the Staging Grounds. Their city was at stake. This was an event they needed to see. Among the crowd was Naruto, yawning as he noticed Azisa approach with a worried look in her eye. “Rough night?” the tree asked Naruto, the Zoroark nodding. “Let’s just say that our little trip to this world is bringing the worst out in some of us. The less said the better. What about you? Where’s Inti and Apocalypse?” Azisa shook her head. “I couldn’t find them. Me and the two sisters split up in the night and tried to find Apocalypse. As for Inti, when I went to check up on her, someone told me she went missing.” “That is troubling.” “Apocalypse is just a child. I should be looking for him… but here I am playing the hero of this city. What a horrible mother I am.” “Don’t say that.” Azisa felt the soft hand of Naruto grip the closest analogue to a shoulder she had as he gave her a hard stare, eyes shining with care and understanding. “This is a terrifying situation for all of us, I know. We’re all in the same boat. And I understand that since you were the one who hatched Apocalypse, you and him have a special bond nothing can break. But think of it from another angle: maybe Apocalypse doesn’t want to be found. You said it yourself: He’s just a child. A Pokemon his age waking up in a different universe where nothing is the same? He’s sturdier than we give him credit for. I think he just needs a moment to decompress.” “Forgive me for not feeling completely okay with a child walking around a city which may or may not suddenly have a change in ownership,” Azisa countered. “We’re not going to lose. We have too much to gain and too much to lose. Losing simply is not an option.” “Your confidence is truly amazing.” The Pokemon turned to face the speaker, whom was Carapace. The elder changing was garbed in heavy armor covering every part of him save his face and wings, along with several members of the royal guard, Rizen and Silver Heart among their number. “Even I have a shred of doubt in me, and that’s because I dread the paperwork that’s going to come out of this.” “... Really? Paperwork? That’s what you’re scared of the most?” “You try ruling an empire for a thousand years and then we’ll see how much you and paperwork enjoy each other’s presence.” The two shared a laugh, the mood lightening for just a moment before the grim reality of what was occurring settled in again. “You look like you had a hard night. Are you going to be okay?” "I had a hard time sleeping," explained the Zoroark. "But I assure you it will not deter me from what needs to be done." "I appreciate what you are doing for us. We're strangers to you." Naruto paid this no mind. "Someone needs to stand for what they believe in." Carapace nodded as he faced the crowd, a mix of Changeling and Pokemon with the Changelings outnumbering the Pokemon by a fair amount. On their faces was a mix of emotional tells: uncertainty, fear, confusion, confidence, hope… the spectrum of facial expressions was as wide and varied as the peoples of the world. Finding several boxes, Carapace climbed atop of them, cleared this throat, and spoke with a commanding boom. “Citizens of the Changeling Empire! I am your Emperor Carapace! I speak!” All noise died when the Emperor spoke, all attention focused on him, and all other concerns banished for their Emperor demanded their attention. “I am not going to mince words. What is waiting outside of your home is a foe we of Equus have never seen nor heard of before. Never before in our dreams have any of us even imagined the kind of creatures the Pokemon are. Yet here they are, walking among us in the flesh, as real as you or your neighbor. “And waiting for us are those metal ants that have been running around, acting like they own the ground they walk on. Do you know what I say to that? To that I say this: This is our home! This is our land! They are guests, visitors from a world beyond our own! They feel that because we are not the same they can take what they want by force because they are deluding themselves with false superiority! “But here I say this: If we do not make our stand here, we give them the authority to treat us as servants, obstacles to be removed at their own discretion! If we let them this one time, they will come a second time, and third, and continue until we choose to stand up against them when it is too late! We must make our stand against these ants now, stand up and defeat them in the the art of war that they worship, and tell them that this is our home, and that they must follow our rules! Who is with me!” The crowd roared as they stomped the ground, some morphing into minotaur form so they could calp and thrust their arms into the air. The Pokemon present cheered as well, simply going along with the crowd. “Then no more needs to be said. Citizens of Eintel and Pokemon… MOVE OUT!! “Hold up a bit.” The Emperor turned to face the speaker, whom was an incredibly wounded Anteater. An axe was slung across his back, and scars covered his body. “Got room for one more?” “Aren’t you one of those changelings we found in the jungle?” The mercenary grinned. “Yeah, and I thank you for saving me and my team. Our lives are in your debt. And I have a score to settle with those bugs. I don’t care what you’ve gotta do to get me on that battlefield, but I want in.” “Such tenacity. You sure you can stand up to it? Those wounds look deep, and fresh.” “Oh, these are nothing. You should have seen the ones I got from that one drunk Buffalo nomad,” Anteater laughed. “So, we going?” “Indeed. Everyone, MOVE OUT!” "WAIT!" All heads turned to face the speaker, a rapidly moving X with Nell riding him, approached. To Naruto and Azisa's surprise, a large hammer was tied to his cloak. The hammer was as tall as its owner, and its tan and green color reflected the owners color scheme as well. A spike was on each side and the top, thankfully not very sharp when compared to other spikes of the same size. he skid to a stop as Nell lept off of her mount. "Got room for two more?" "X!" Azisa raced to her trainer, hugging him. "Where were you!?" "I was having an existential crisis," X replied. "I need to talk to you guys... especially to Naruto." Naruto scoffed. "In case you haven't noticed Jacob, we're about to march to our battleground. Being on time is something we plan on achieving." At that, Azisa gasped rather loudly. That earned her a sceptical look from Silver Heart. "... Really? A gasp that loud?" "But Naruto called X Jacob!" Azisa was amazed at what she just said and heard. "He never calls X Jacob. None of us call X Jacob. It's just something we don't do." "... Okay..." Silver just shrugged, deciding to just roll with it. Carapace marched to Naruto's side, and spoke. "Naruto is correct. We do not have time to chat. So whatever you have to say, say it quickly. Too much is to be lost if we fail, and I will not have the reasoning be 'I was talking to a hedgehog.'" X took a deep breath before continuing "I'm sorry...for being...." "Afraid? Cowardly? Spineless?" Naruto spat out. X replied with a blunt "Yes." This caught Naruto a little by surprise, allowing X the opportunity to continue. "You're right. I am afraid of them. I'm afraid of the Durant that almost killed me. I'm afraid that the Changelings are going to lose their homes because the very same Durant are too proud to simply ask for help and would rather steal it. And I'm afraid of what would happen if I wasn't here to support my family. "I'm not gonna lie. Iron Shell came to talk to me yesterday." Carapace was expecting everything but that. "What?" "And you were planning on telling me that when exactly?" Naruto demanded. "... not at all actually. But it needs to be said." Naruto simply stared as X continued. "Iron Shell told me something. She told me that in order to test the student, you must test the master. And to prove it, she kicked my ass in a quick fight we had. "Because of that… I was afraid that you weren't strong enough to fight them because for a second… I thought I was holding you back. Because I didn't train you to fight. I let that fear control me. "But then I thought on it after Nell risked her life for a pride of Pyroar." The Pyroar that joined them purred in response to being mentioned. "And she helped me realize something..." "Naruto, didn't you try to calm that Blastoise down, and even when it refused to talk you fought back, knowing that it was stronger than you?" Naruto nodded. "Yes, but how is that..." "And didn't you tell me that the Silver Heart guy fought him as well, not knowing who or what he was but still doing it anyway?" Silver beamed at that. "Or how Nell, Apocalypse, and Azisa rushed to the aid of those guards when the Durant said hi? Or when Inti rescued Nell's brothers? How about the time you guys tried to spring me out of jail due to that misunderstanding while risking arrest yourself?" Naruto was reaching his limit. "Your point?" "My point is this: I didn't teach you, or Nell, or anyone you or I met how to fight." X gripped his hammer tightly at that. "I taught you how to be brave. And if you can test the student by testing the master, when where did you guys learn how to be brave if I was your master?" "Good point..." "I forgot what I taught you guys, of every peril I leap in the middle of to lend a hand. Of every problem that isn't mine but I make mine anyway. I let the fear of these Durant blind me. "I'm afraid that they are going to hurt you. I am afraid that they are going to hurt the Changelings. I am afraid that the Changelings are going to lose their homes, their land that is rightfully theirs because of the Durant. Afraid that… I was the one who was holding you back because I didn't want to fight… when I needed to. Something you guys clearly know better than me. "But now? Now... I am not afraid of standing up for what I believe in, not anymore. And what I believe is that those Durant do not scare me so much that I will abandon everything I believe in for one day of false peace. "Iron Shell and her colony can do whatever they want to me. They can hurt me, burn me, even kill me. But as long as it’s me, then I don't care what anyone does to me. You and the others have always shed blood for me. Now, let me shed blood for you. And this time, I need to be the leader, the warrior I need to be." A tense moment arose, Naruto simply looking as X. It was hard to tell what any of them were thinking as their faces and bodies tense yet showing no emotion. The emotions that could be felt mixed with so many other emotions it was to hone in on any one emotion. X raised a hand, hoping that Naruto would take it. "So… can you forgive me? Forgive me for just… forgetting what was important?" Naruto said nothing as he looked at X's hand in the air, inviting the Dark type to take it. Time inched to a crawl as the two just looked at each other, Azisa's eye darting between looking at X's hand and Naruto's expression. She wasn't sure what either one would do. The moment then happened: Naruto raised his arm, the limb hovering in the air mirroring X's arm. "Where the hell have you been X?" X smiled as both Chesnaught and Zoroark clinched their hands into fists and lightly bumped them. "I was off to find myself," X replied. "Looks like it was a success." Naruto could honestly feel a mix of anger and happiness at that. "I'm still mad at you. But at the same time… I'm glad to see you." "Let's save the day first, then mend fences later. Considering our day job, not as hard as it seems." Nell smiled as the web of emotions around them unravel, revealing the core the invisible strings were constricting: Love towards one-another that was stronger than steel. A good snack before the battle ahead. Azisa walked to the two, putting a hand around Naruto's shoulder and addressed the two. "Friends, while I am glad you two are talking things out..." her sentence dangled unfinished as she pointed around her. Everyling was moving, and had been moving towards the Staging Grounds, wanting to get there in time so the Durant could not pull a 'you are late therefore we win' routine. Apparently the drama was not a concern for the crowd. "But I think that the crowd’s attention is somewhere else." X and Naruto shared a laugh, the fact that they were ignored somewhat soothing. "Guess we're not that entertaining." "Guess not," Naruto smiled back. The two then got moving, Azisa and Nell close behind. "So, where did you get the hammer?" "Well… after I escaped from the hospital Nell took me to a family friend of hers." “I think I have just the thing for a big guy that him.” At that, Firequake left the two, delving into his home and business. In the few moments we was gone, he returned, straining under the magical exertion of moving a heavy object. The heavy object in question was a large hammer, almost as long as X was tall. It bore a massive head, with a single spike on each side. “Ain’t she a wonder?” “Wow…” was Nell’s reply. “Yep. See a few weeks ago a merchant friend, not your father but another one of my merchant friends, came by. He spent a while in Minos, one of the Minotaur cities far from here. And one of his minotaur friends had gotten this warhammer from a noble up there. Noble complained and didn't want it, something about not feeling like it belonged to him.” X raised an eyebrow, and before he could ask Firequake continued, reading his mind. “Minotaurs are warriors at heart. They’re practically born with a weapon in hand, and they have a strange connection to them. Like they can feel if a weapon or piece of armor isn’t right for them. To them, going into battle and using a weapon that wasn’t made for you to wield it is worse than going into battle without one.” Hesitantly, X grasped the weapon in his hands, gripping it tightly. Then with a yell, he swung the hammer down, crushing the nearby rock he smashed the hammer on into rubble. He smiled. “This feels right. I’ll take it. So… how much?” “You can take for free.” X shook his head. “No, I insist.” “How bout this. You can give the hammer back if you and the others lose our homes to those grimy ants. But if we win and keep our land, consider that hammer your reward.” “You sure?” “I’m never going to sell it. No market for a weapon like that here. No, I feel that hammer belongs to you,” Firequake explained. “Now, one last thing before I let you walk away with that fine piece of steel.” “Yes?” “It needs a name. All weapons need a name.” X nodded before taking one long hard look at the hammer. WIth it, X felt strong, empowered, like the fear he fell victim to was in turn afraid of the hammer he now held. “Dreadnaught. Because with this hammer, I dread nothing.” "I would have paid him, but I'm not sure what they use for cash here. We are unfortunately bankrupt due to a rather unexpected moving day." The wounds were healing, and that was all needed. The Staging Grounds. It was simple elegance to put it simply. The entire training ground was surrounded by a massive wooden wall, the ends of each log sharpened to a point. Inside the training grounds were all sorts of training devices and structures: slopes, weights, bows and arrows, obstacle courses... Quite simply, it was the pinnacle of military training facilities. And in the middle of the staging grounds was an arena, affectionately called ‘the Pit,’ dug ten feet into the ground and easily a hundred and fifty feet at the least in diameter. Wooden logs served as a wall reo reinforced the sides of the pit, and above it were hastily build stands encroaching the edges of the Pit for the audience to watch. And on one side of the circle was the Colony. Durant were the most populous of the Colony’s Pokemon, with Chespin, Quillaldin, Whirlipede, Venipede, and a few other pokemon staring at the pits other side, sneering at the Changelings and wishing doom upon them. Carapace was not intimidated in the least. Silver Heart and Rizen however were. "You think they're going to go for it?" asked Silver Heart. "Only one way to find out." And with that, Carapace marched into the arena with Silver Heart and Rizen behind their emperor. In turn, The Leader and Iron Shell mirrored the Changelings, confidence oozing from their strides. The two sides meet in the middle, and all of the idle chatter that filled the air suddenly died, eager to let the two leaders speak in peace. "I will be the first to say that I did not expect you to arrive this morning," spoke the Leader. "I am glad that to say that I enjoyed being wrong this time." "I'm honestly not sure how to respond to that," Carapace sneered. "I do not take kindly to anyone taking anything I own. My garden, my respect, and especially the lands of my empire. No one in the last seven hundred years has had the nerve to try and take my land from my people and my self. And no one in that same period of time has actually succeeded." "Then it will please me to be the first!" the Leader taunted. "So, are you ready to yield victory this day?" "Yes, about that. I would like to propose a change to our previously agreed upon rules." "... I'm listening." Carapace sighed. At least he was willing to listen. Always a plus, though it did not always guarantee success. "I was thinking that instead of having one giant fifteen on fifteen battle, instead we could have fifteen one on one battles? A last man standing tournament variation so to speak. You see, I propose this: We each send one combatant to battle the other, and they battle until the other is unable to battle. Doing so gives your team a point. "However, neither side can retreat unless they are declared unable to battle unless they wish to yield the point to the other side. And this continues until eleven points are scored. Does that seem fair?" Iron Shell leaned down to her father, and whispered. "Father, I smell trickery. They are afraid of all of us at once, and are trying to gain the advantage by removing ours." "It is as you say, but I heard tale of just two of those Bugs defeating an entire group of Durant with speed unlike that of lightning," The Leader countered. "What if they all have that power? We would be setting ourselves up to fall." "A valid point Father. But I still must make my point clear." "Do you doubt me, my daughter?" "Ever since the day you saved me, the one thing you can never give me is doubt." Iron Shell smiled with warmth towards her adopted father. "I just wished for you to hear my thoughts." The Leader turned to face the Emperor of all Changelings. "Very well. We accept these terms. But let me remind you that when you lose..." "If." "When you lose, your city is ours to do with what we wish." “Such confidence. I haven't seen that before,” duly replied the ancient Emperor. “I wish you the best of luck.” “And to you I say this: do not disappoint us. We wish for battle, one that will be remembered for all time. I hope you are able to give us that.” A worried Rizen whispered to Carapace as his Emperor began to leave the Pit. “Bloodthirsty, aren’t they?” “Yes. But if a good fight is what they want, let’s give them one. Lets show them that we are not the weaklings they think we are.” “Hold Emperor.” Carapace did so, noticing he and his daughter did not move at all. “DId I forget something?” “You did.” The Leader answered. “Who shall oversee our battle?” “... You mean you want a referee?” Carapace asked. “I thought you were hardened warriors?” “Of course we are, but even we follow the rules in organized battles,” Iron Shell scoffed, almost insulted. “You thought were were mere beasts, bloodthirsty like rebels without causes, didn’t you? That we simply fought and fought and fought because we could.” “I’ll be honest, the thought did occur to me at first,” admitted the Emperor. “You did a good job of fooling me.” “Without rules, training has no real meaning,” Iron Shell counted. “We are warriors, not monsters.” “Pardon me for a moment.” Carapace faced his trusted warriors and Silver Heart. “Any ideas?” “I got nothing.” “We could ask one of those pokemon,” Rizen replied. “One of them, a yellow fox one holding spoons, said she was a… Gym Leader I think? That sounded important. Maybe she could help out?” “A Gym Leader? A good choice. They are few of the humans we respect without question.” The Leader explained. “That will do. Now go. Prepare your forces. I expect nothing but unyielding power for your kind.” “I assure you, you have not seen all of what my kind, and our allies are capable of.” “So, who’s going first?” shouted the Emperor. The Leader grinned as he turned to face a Durant under his command. The Durant said nothing as crawled down the walls of the Pit, eager for battle. It didn’t take long for a challenger to reveal himself from the changelings’ side. “I got this,” Anteater gruffly replied. He menacingly revealed his weapon of choice: an obsidian axe that shined in the morning light. The axe’s handle was oddly shaped, as if it was decines to be held in hooves rather than hands. “I got this.” “You sure about this?” Carapace eyed the changeling mercenary, wounds from two days ago still evident on the warrior. “You don’t seem to have fully recovered.“ “Nonsense, Lord Emperor,” he grinned. “I gotta show these bugs exactly why my name is Anteater.” “Then good luck.” Anteater said nothing as he marched towards the center of the Pit, axe held tightly in his mouth. Nell was the one who stared at the warrior with the most intense gaze among all the changelings. The two wasted no time in clashing, Anteater screaming louder than the roar of the wind. The mighty axe of Anteater clashed with the mandibles of the Durant, neither weapon yielding to the other. Again and again the two steel weapons clashed, the clanging of steel striking steel ringing throughout the staging grounds. Just as Anteater was about to strike, the Durant buried into the ground, the axe swinging over it’s head. Just as Anteater was about question where his opponent had gone, the Durant shot out the ground underneath him, landing a decisive blow against the warrior. The force launched him into the air, the pain searing through his bones. Thinking fast, his wings buzzed to life and he took to the air. To his dismay he had dropped the axe, a treasure the Durant was intent on taking with him underground. Anteater’s wings buzzed louder and he rushed towards the ground, blazing as fast as he could to rescue his weapon. It was a task that he completed, barely snatching the axe from the jaws of the Durant. The Durant snarled in anger before getting slashed by the axe. To the durants surprise the axe was rather sharp, leaving a sizable scar on the back of the Durant. The Durant hissed as his mandibles covered themselves in eldritch energy. “I had no idea Durant could even learn that move,” mused Azisa as the Durant charged Anteater, the changeling shifting his axe into a more guarded position. The shadowy mandibles smashed into the guarding warrior, pushing him back. The changelings around her face her in confusion, not knowing a thing about what she just said. “And what move is that?” asked Rizen. “That kind of magic simply seems… not of this or any world.” “That is Shadow Claw,” the tree spirit replied. “It calls on the energy of shadow, energy akin to that of my ghostly brethren.” “You mean like… necromantic magic?” Rizen gasped. “Similar, but not quite,” Azisa replied. Rizen shrugged, turning his focus back onto the battle, which had returned to the two warriors trading blows, steel and shadow dancing the waltz of battle. Anteater screamed another battle cry, raising his axe above his head as he reared on the back of his legs. The Durant had just enough time to leap out of the way of the falling axe, dust billowing from the impact site. Anteater had just enough time to counter the next Shadow Claw with his hooves. The warrior hissed as he held strong against the encroaching force. The energy of the shadows was slowly but surely damaging him, like the attack was made of several tiny yet very shape blades that made touching it a fools errand. With a mighty thrust upwards, Anteater valiantly forced the attacker to back off, the Shadow Claw dissipating as that happened, and took off to the air. The colony started to boo, the act of Anteater taking to the air seen as cowardly to them. To Anteater however, it was an act of strategy, for he was in the one place the Durant could not reach. The sky was the domain of his kind, at least during this battle against the ground bound ants. ”Okay, I’m up here, and he’s down there. Good time for me to think something through. My axe definitely can scratch that thing up pretty good, but it’s just as good blocking my attacks. I could transform into something just a bit bigger than I am right now, but...then I might not be able to properly use my axe. “Call me old fashioned by I prefer my axe when I’m a changeling and natural weapons when I’m not. Not like that fancy new style where a weapon can be used in any form. Still doesn’t… what’s it doing now?” Glaring at his cowardly foe, the Durant banged it’s mandibles together, the Shadow Claw forming around it again. To the surprise of the changelings (and horror of Anteater) the Shadow Claw extended into the airspace Anteater was occupying. The warrior juked out of the strikes path but just barely: the edge of the shadow just missed his leg. “It can do that!?” Another Shadow Claw shot out of the Durant’s mandibles, answering the rhetorical question. Anteater dodged again, but the attack was faster than expected; the Shadow Claw had hit, but just barely, leaving a cut on his leg, the pain jolting like a sudden bolt of lighting. Unnerved by the strike, the warrior lost his grip on the axe, and it tumbled downward, landing on the ground in a clatter. Anteater took no time at all racing towards his axe, only to be suddenly struck by another Shadow Claw extending farther than any attack of that manner should. The warrior was undaunted, escaping from the attack with a quick juke out of the grabble (Anteater was thankful the Claw wasn’t actively attempting to grab him, if so he would have likely been unable to escape). To the warriors displeasure, the Durant had reached his axe, and threw it into the hole before he, at least Anteater assumed the Durant was male, it was hard to tell, before burrowing a new hole. Landing near the center of the Pit, Anteater surveyed the battlefield. Aside from two or three visible holes, the battlefield was remarkably calm and currently devoid of his foe. The wind blowed gently, the warrior eyeing every inch of the battlefield, hoping to find anything that could remotely be classified as his enemy’s movement. Focusing, Anteater’s horn glowed yellow and his hooves crackled with an electric aura. Just as he thought that the Durant burst out the ground, cleaning it’s mandibles as if it was taunting the changeling. Anteater howled as he threw a hoof to punch the taunting ant in the face. Just as the changeling swung the Durant ducked down into the earth, the attack hitting nothing but air. The Durant then burst from the ground again, only this time behind Anteater. Spinning around quickly Anteater swung again, but like the previous swing the Durant ducked below, letting the attack miss yet again. To Anteater’s annoyance, the Durant popped up and down from all places around the electrically charged warrior, like they were playing a one sided game of whack a mole. ”It’s just playing with me! By the time I actually do land a hit i’m gonna be too tired for a follow up and then it’s goodnight Anteater. Jolting pain in his hindlegs alerted the warrior to the sudden Crunch the Durant had landed. That Durant was rewarded with a quick kick to face, the Durant disappearing within the darkness of it’s tunnels, ready to resume it’s taunting game. ”Wait a minute… it’s digging tunnels… I hope by the hive this stupid idea I just thought up of works.” Buzzing his wings, Anteater took to the sky yet again amongst a new chorus of hisses and boos from the collective of unfriendly ants. He didn’t say in the air for long. Hovering above the pit just long enough to spot his target, he dove downwards, the glow of his horn leaving a yellow trail of light that chased it’s master. As he dove, Anteater stated to spin like an equine shaped drill, lightning coating the stallion as he flew toward the ground. Before anyone could utter a single sound, Anteater dove into his target: a hole. Moments passed, and with a pained shout the Durant was shot out of one the openings like a living cannonball out of its cannon, the flashing lighting aura of Anteater impaling the ant on the electric aura. WIthout warning the spell dissipated, and the Durant impacted the ground with a heavy thud. With a pained wheeze the Durant struggled to get up, to roll off of it’s back and get back into the fight, but it could not. The Durant finally stopped moving, unable to move, and silently admitting defeat. As soon as his opponent fell, Anteater heaved labored breaths, finally allowing himself a chance to rest. “And that is how we changelings fight!” he shouted. All who watched were silent, some amazed at Anteater’s victory. Yet no changeling spoke, all of them were simply in awe of what they had witnessed. Rizen groaned, then climbed onto X before facing the crowd. “Oh for the love of the Hive, can we some noise here?” The noise was brought. “Father, that changeling is quite powerful,” Iron Shell observed. Said changeling was currently searching the tunnels for his weapon while a Nurse Joy and her Audino carried the K.O.-ed Durant out of the Pit. The changelings observing were still cheering in the name of Anteater’s victory, and this concerned the Daughter of Durant. “Power? What he faced was a child,” the Leader replied. “Anyone can beat a child. But can they beat a titan?” “.... You wish to bring out our mightiest now?” Iron Shell asked her father. The Leader grinned as the Shiny faced his loyal colony, each one champing at the bit for the opportunity to battle. All they needed was the word. “Daughter, we did not come here to fight them. We came here to crush them. And as warriors we must respect our opponent by sending our strongest warriors to face their strongest warriors, by forcing them to ‘step their game up’ if the term is correct. Besides… you know victory is hollow if it is given rather than earned. I only wish for them to provide us that simple truth.” Iron Shell said nothing, smiling as the Leader snapped his mandibles. The sound resonated, and the colony made a path for their next champion to enter the Pit. Dust billowed as Anteater climbed out of the hastily made tunnels below, dragging his axe from underneath. He dusted it off, and gripped it as he was readying himself for battle. He saw a flash of dark magenta out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to face it. Anteater tried to resist the urge to laugh, and failed miserably, as his next opponent looked like a giant pill bug without the shell. “Wow. That is one seriously goofy looking bug,” he jested. Without warning the “pill bug” unrolled itself, and Anteater suddenly stopped laughing. The “pill bug” was in reality a eight foot-tall centipede with two magenta horns that slightly resembled blades. Purple circles marked each section of the magenta, and the creature bore a gray underbelly. The Pokemon glared at Anteater, whom was briskly backing away from the Pokemon, a task Anteater was failing to complete as the Pokemon was moving closer with every step Anteater took back. “You’re big for a bug!” Anteater shouted. “And you’re small for one as well!” the Pokemon taunted back. “I am Scolipede. And I will show you the price of arrogance.” Anteater was the first to attack. He raised his axe and sliced his foe, the taller Bug roaring in pain from the axe’s freshly inflicted wound. Anteater had no time to celebrate or even follow up as Scolipede quickly body checked in anger, launching the warrior Changeling a few feet away. Quicky, Anteater got back up on his hooves, and charged again, leaping when he got close and swinging his axe again, hoping to turn the scar he left into a mark. This time Scolipede was ready, changing his stance into a more sturdy position. “Iron Defence!” Anteater was mildly surprised when Scolipede coated itself in a metalif aura, but he paid it no mind as he continued his swing. The axe slashed across the underbelly of the titanic insect, but to Anteater’s horror the axe swing did no visible damage. “What the-?” “Iron Defense, little bug. What do you think it means?” Scolipede then reared up, towering over Anteater as sickly purple goop bubbled out of it’s mouth. “Sludge Bomb!” Anteater quickly discovered that being covered in sludge was not fun, enjoyable, or recommendable in any convertible way, shape, or form. He screamed as the poisonous attack seared his skin, and before he could mount any resistant Scolipede body checked him again, sending the changeling flying. With much strain, Anteater willed himself to stand, almost buckling from under the weight of his own fatigue. He heaved heavy breaths as Scolipede simply stood and waited. Anteater pointed his axe at the Poison Bug, narrowing his eyes as he shouted. “It’s going to take a lot more than gunk to stop me!” “Maybe, what about your little toy little bug?” Anteater soon discovered what the Bug meant: the Sludge Bomb had corroded the axe just enough to render it dull, and thus worthless for battle. With a sneer, Anteater threw his weapon away as magical covered him like a cocoon. The magic quickly shattered as Anteater revealed his new form: A minotaur bearing blue fur covering his upper body and black fur covering his legs complete with rippling muscles and short curved horns. Scolipede simply gave Anteater a look of confusion, unsure of what he was seeing. “... What the hell?” “DODGE!” Scolipede had a fraction of a second to think it over before Anteater charged at Scolipede and punched him. Scolipede staggered before getting punched again by the mercenary, who promptly grabbed him by the throat and started pummeling. However, Scolipede quickly got his wits back, and spat a glob right into Anteater’s face, forcing him to let go. “HA! Take that you… horny… thing?” “... You need to work on your insults, cause that just came out wrong,” Anteater deadpanned despite the situation. “And besides, whatever you did to me was just as pathetic.” “Oh so you don’t feel the toxins infest you?” “Toxins?” Anteater asked. Suddenly his eyes blurred for a moment, the urge to cough rising. His body suddenly felt invaded by a foreign substance. A familiar substance. It almost felt like… ”you poisoned me.” “Exactly,” Scolipede taunted. “What self respecting Poison Type would I be if I lacked our Type’s mighty Toxic? Poisoning our foes is a Poison-type’s trump card, but we also wield a higher potent version of it in the form of Toxic. You'd better finish me before my toxins do the same to you." “I intend to!” Anteater then charged, ready to slam his first into the cocky disgusting bug with enough force to crack his plating. Just as he threw the punch…. “PROTECT!” A wall of energy, what kind Anteater did not know nor care, flashed into existence and intercepted the punch. The force of the blow created a shockwave, and to the horror of the transformed merc Scolipede did not budge. The Poison Bug sneered as Anteater in rage punched again and again hoping to bring it down. “Silly horny thing. You cannot hope to bring down Protect. Only a few attacks can do that, and I highly doubt you know them,” taunted the titanic insect. ”Hate to admit it but tall, dark, and ugly has a point.” The thoughts in Anteater’s mind became to feel sluggish somehow. Sweat began to flow from this brow, the tiny beads traveling down his face, irritating him as he desperately searched for an answer. ”Damn… that poison works quick. If I could only break this shield… but I punched it a lot but it doesn’t even look cracked… Plan B it is.” Backing off for just a moment, Anteater quickly buckled, and jumped into the air amid a chorus of gasps from those watching. His hands gripped the edges of the Protect, the edge surprisingly sharp and dull at the same time. Before Scolipede could realize what was happening Anteater lifted himself up, the strength of Anteaters form granting him the strength to do so despite the powerful poisons coursing through Anteater’s veins. Scolipede looked up and was greeted with a knee burrowing into his face. “DODGE!” The Protect faded as Scolipede crumpled underneath the weight of Anteater, who began to wail on the helpless bug, wailing on him as Scolipede struggled to regain control of the battle. As the beatdown continued, the blows came less and less frequently, each punch striking the fallen bug feeling less and less harmful. Scolipede managed to turn it’s head enough to look at Anteater. He was heaving heavily, every breath labored as the beads of sweat became more noticeable. The strikes had ceased, Anteater struggling to stay conscious. Scolipede grinned as purple venom foamed at his mouth. “Venoshock!” Venoshock, by Poison Type standards, is an odd move. The attack, like most if not all poison type moves, involved the manipulation of toxins in the target’s body. The toxins within Venoshock was not poisonous when compared to the other posions at a Poison type’s disposal. Instead, these toxics manipulated other toxics, like the toxins within Toxic, and the merging of the two toxins causes existing poisons to violently react once the two combine into one. Streams of purple poison fired from Scolipede’s mouth and dove into Anteater. Anteater could do nothing but scream as his body burned from the unbearable pain, recoiling in pain as he stumbled off of the Scolipede. The pain was unlike any he ever felt before, like the blood inside of him was turned into a never ending bonfire. Soon, all Anteater knew was pain; pain so intense that all other sensations ceased to exist. That included the twin horns of Scolipede striking him down, and sending Anteater into pained slumber. Nurse Joy and her assistants wasted no time rushing to Anteater’s aid, the mercenary shifting back to his true form as he crashed into the ground. Scolipede surprisingly was lending a horn, the hostility he showed now gone in favor or kindness towards the one he defeated. On the sidelines however X felt a chill go down his spine. He gulped, reality setting in. “Anyone else realizing the shit just hit the fan?” “You and the rest of my empire,” Carapace glared at the Scolipede, the titanic insect that was a surprise in all ways. “... something tells me that he is not going to be an easy victory.”