Daydream Believer by: Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters and transformative content. You have been warned.
It had been a long week. One where the school week had dragged on indefinitely, or so it had seemed. The constant onslaught of assignments and tests had become something of the norm. With the bell, chiming the students of the local primary school all bolted from their chairs to get out of there first. Only to be met with the well-regimented nature of dismissal and the denoted "Hallway Monitors" who did their best to maintain order. Still, occasionally things happened but it was less often than it might have been otherwise.
Nait was one of the many members of the school population. At 10 years old he was almost at the end of his first stay at an institution. As a young lion cub, he was considered one of the "top dogs" simply because of his species. Though, for the young kitten this was merely a misnomer that he didn't abide by. Still, those kids who got to know him became aware of the gentle nature of his demeanor.
It was a private school, one where the many cubs of the community were expected to wear uniforms. The typical blazer or vest tops with slacks for boys with dresses or blouses and tops for girls. There was very little variety in them except in the someone limited range of colors offered by the top garments for both genders. Its rules were regimented and its policies were strict. Every single procedure had a method to it and the students were expected to follow it regardless of their age.
Dismissal went like it always did. The administration was out and about making sure there was no mischief. Both the principal and her staff were well known to not take any nonsense. They didn't play favorites, nor did they care for excuses. It was one of the reasons the many students of the academy had brought the cubs here. They sought out the discipline and character traits that embodied the very nature of the institution.
Nait finally arrived outside. It was solemnly quiet with only a few whispers of chatter around him. Even out of the school, things were subdued. Two of the gym coaches stood by the door making sure everything continued the way it was supposed to. Both of them harbored whistles with small clipboards in their hands Punishment was something that was regularly dished out by various members of the staff. A fact that kept all of the students on their best behavior.
The lion made his way over to a small group of friends. They were in different classes than he was but he had grown up knowing them all the same. His best friend, an Arctic Fox kit, by the name of Samaliel, was the one he knew the best. The others were a young Pelican girl who went by the name of Shartrice and a Walrus pup who was simply known by his nickname Vick. It was a small group of friends but they were quite close.
Vick and Shartrice were already busy trading Pokemon Cards. The long-lasting fad of the Pokemon series had pre-dated the cubs by several generations. Even still, the boys and girls of the school found some enjoyment in it. Nait's group of friends was the most involved, even going as far as to participate in tournaments. The lion cub stood next to his fox friend and the two watched the others trade some of their various cards.
"Hey, Sama. What do you have planned for today?" The bigger boy asked the Salt and Pepper furred cub.
Samaliel panned his head over towards him. "My brother is making me study but he said I can do whatever I want after."
"For the History test? But that's on Monday. You have the entire weekend to prepare for that." Nait arched his eyebrow at the other boy's statement.
The Arctic fox sighed. "I know but you know Pent…he doesn't put up with me being lazy about tests. He expects me to get the same grades he does…."
"Good luck with that one….haha. Maybe we could study together if you want? Then we could play some Pokemon Violet when we're done?" Nait wasn't planning on studying on a Friday but he figured it was a good enough compromise.
The smaller cub hummed a moment. "Yeah, he'd probably be okay with that."
"Alright, I'll text my parents. How much longer til your bus gets here?" The lion cub grabbed his phone out of his pocket.
Samaliel looked at Nait's phone. "Probably like 10 minutes. It's never here at the same time. It's Route 991."
Nait nodded and texted his parents. Of course, they were alright with him going over to the fox cub's home. It wasn't the first time he'd done something without planning either. It was something his parents put up with since they seldom got alone time. So they took advantage of it when they could. The bigger cub let his friend know and the two of them said goodbye to the other kids who were still busy trading Pokemon cards.
They waited by the bus stop where the school buses came and went. It took a few minutes before the bus numbered 991 came through the loop. Both the lion and fox boarded the transportation and made their way to one of the center seats before taking them. Immediately both of them began talking about their Pokemon team compositions in the most recent Scarlet and Violet titles. Promising each other that they'd come out on top when they finally got to battle later that night.
Samaliel's home was about halfway through the busses entire route. The yellow cheese wagon pulled in front of the apartment complex with the usual hiss of its break. Nait had been to the other cub's home a few times before so he was familiar enough with the stop to know when it was time. Both of them got up to disembark the vehicle, filing their way through the center pathway that led back out of the bus.
Back outside it took their eyes a moment to readjust to the light. Nait and Samaliel fixed their backpacks over their shoulders before they pushed onward. The distance to Samaliel's apartment complex was but a short distance from the bus stop. They could see the small grouping of buildings clumped together, all of which set three stories by design. The young fox's family lived on the second floor on one of the plots on the side.
They made their way up the stairs and Samaliel let them inside. It was warm inside with a gentle breeze flowing through the windows. The only sources of light were coming from the sun outside but it was more than adequate for the small space. Nait shuffled his shoes off and the other boy did the same. The smaller cub motioned for his friend to join him and the lion quickly followed along.
Once they were inside the room, Samaliel took his bag off and tossed it over to the office desk in the corner. Nait had been inside the small bedroom before but it never stopped to amaze him the differences in how the room was decorated. One side of things was the younger fox's interests, things like video games, superheroes, and even a few plush animals lying around. On the other…were posters and books displaying the various realms of Science with some neatly placed scopes of various uses scattered across the room.
The salt and pepper fox took a seat by the desk pushing it to the side so his friend could fit next to him. Nait soon joined him and sat at the table. The lion knew from before the older fox wouldn't be home for a bit.
"Let's get this done so Pent will let us play games later." Samaliel pulled the history book out from his bag.
The bigger cub nodded and they got off to it. History was not the lion's favorite subject and the moment he saw the book, he yawned. Samaliel playfully shoved him in hopes of gaining his attention back.
They eventually got to studying. The lesson they were learning in History was far from complex but for cubs their age it was difficult to remember. Nait and Samaliel worked through it. The lion cub tried to not get bored of it. Constantly telling himself that the goal of playing games with his friend was not far off. As time went on though…his eyes began to glaze over and his mind began to wander towards other things….
Nait got up to use the restroom, excusing himself from the table. As he left the room, he could smell something off in the air. An acrid smell of something he was unfamiliar with. It was neither fair nor foul but rather just an awkward smell he wasn't expecting. The lion's nose perked as he became increasingly interested in whatever was causing the small. After he relieved himself, he began to follow the track of the smell.
The cub had a strong enough smell that he found it became even stronger as he approached a side of the home. Nait had never noticed the door before and turned the knob. The door creaked as he opened it, causing the smell of whatever it was that tantalized his sense of smell. He found himself descending a small set of stairs. The old wood of the frame of the platformed steps creaked as he made his way down it.
When he got down, Nait found himself in a makeshift lab. The Lion had always imagined Pent as the mad scientist type but had never actually seen the older boy indulge. Yet in front of him stood the older fox cub, tinkering away at some chemicals. The white fox wore a matching lab coat, the thing a bit too large on him as he was hyper-fixated on what he was working on. He was so taken with his work that he didn't hear the other cub coming down the steps, despite the room only having white noise as a backdrop.
"Pent?" Nait seemed confused in his questioning of the cub's presence as he wasn't even sure the cub had gotten home/
The older boy turned around, his face grizzled in the grime of his latest project. "Yes?"
Nait looked at Pent, almost as if staring at him. The blue tufts from the older cub's ears looked unfamiliar to the younger lion. The boy knew his brother's friend as a pitch white fur who had no variation in his fur color. Yet standing before him, the pointed and unkempt nature of the fox's fur looked to be almost foreign. Nait began to wonder if maybe the chemicals he was working with had caused this.
"What happened to you? The fur in your
ear is blue." Nait couldn't help but be curious and asked bluntly.
Pent scratched his snout. "Ah, yes. I have repeated the experiment of Professor Bill of Kanto."
"Kanto?...Like the Pokemon region? What are you talking about Pent?' The Lion thought the older boy was acting rather strangely.
The white fox arched his eyebrow. "Yes, Kanto. The region over the Vermillion Ocean. I figured old Bill's experiment could be recreated. Isn't this neat?"
Pent showed off a small notebook with poorly drawn sketches and various notes scribbled about. Some of the drawings appeared to be Pokemon, and one of them seemed to resemble a Fennekin. Nait looked at it for a moment and suddenly it dawned on him. The older cub in front of him very much looked like an ice version of the fire fox.
"You turned into a Fennekin? But I thought Pokemon were fake?" The smaller cub was still trying to make sense of things in his brain.
The bigger boy waved his indeed. "In reality…things are not always as they seem."
Nait still had no idea what was going on. He had always dreamt of living in a world with Pokemon and now one was standing before him. A small smile cracked across his face as the possibility of it became more real.
"Yeah!" Nait's tail wagged behind him, buying into whatever was going on without any more hesitation.
Pent smirked at him, touching the smaller cub on the shoulder. "Come with me then, we have a lot of work to do."
The lion had no idea what the older boy was talking about. Curiosity had taken over his young mind. Yet the prospect of the fact that Pent was now a Pokemon had infinite potential for him. Nait wasn't about to waste it. The two of them made their way up the stairs. Each time Pent's foot paws picked up off the ground, Nait noticed they now had blue pads on them instead of the black ones he was used to.
Nait didn't comment about it as he was still mystified with the whole situation. His head was swirling with possibilities and hope. Stepping outside into the outside apartment complex he thought he was inside, but he instead found the surroundings to be more open. No longer were there multiple units joined together. Instead, they were all separated as if the community was one for stand-alone homes instead of multiplexes.
The grasses and greenery surrounding them were overgrown, looking like they hadn't been tended to in some time. Small pathways wove through the lengthy blades of grass providing some way to travel in between them. Above him, Nait could see several birds that seemed to be unfamiliar to him. Squinting at them, they almost seemed like they were more like Pidgy's and Starlings than anything else.
Pent looked back at the lion, noticing that the younger cub was distracted.
"Coming? Team Rocket needs to be taught a lesson and I need your help." The fennekin waited for the other boy's attention to be returned to the issue at hand.
Nait heard a name he was only familiar with from video games. "Team Rocket?"
"Yes. They have been ravaging Kalos for some time. I can't take them on alone." Pent folded his arms as if expecting Nait to agree to help.
The lion's ears perked up as the reality of things took shape in his mind. "Yeah! I will."
"Awesome. We need to get to their tournament. The only way we can enter is if I have a trainer. I want you to pretend to be my trainer." The fox was fairly confident he could handle himself even if the other boy had no idea what he was doing.
The younger cub's face smiled at the thought of it. "Really? Let's do it. That would be awesome."
"Alright, follow me. We need to head to Lumiose City." The bigger boy motioned for Nait to follow him.
The lion nodded and turned motioning to fall in behind Pent. The two boys headed towards the path leading in between the tall grass. As they got closer to it, Nait noticed how tall the grass was. Even though they weren't walking through it, the occasional blade of grass bent over into the path as the wind passed through it. As it brushed against Nait's leg, he found that it came almost up to his thigh.
They began walking through the path through the tall grass which surrounded them on both sides. The sound of various call signs of some critters could be heard in the distance. Nait looked around him, through the skies watching as a Fletchling flitted through the sky. Its small frame seemed to show a similar flying pattern to a hummingbird. Its wings were moving so fast that it seemed like a single movement.
Nait continued walking along the path, not paying attention to where he was going. As they were going along, a Litleo pounced out from the tall bushes. The thing jumped right into the path of the Lion cub who was still distracted by looking at the alien surroundings. The little Pokemon easily knocked the boy to the ground. Pent chuckled at the other boy, shoeing the Litleo off him so the other boy could get up.
"You should pay attention. Wild Pokemon live all around these parts and some of them will be more aggressive than that." Pent offered his hand to the other boy to help him up.
The lion nodded and picked himself up. He felt a bit foolish that it happened to him but the whole situation was a bit surreal to him.
Nait dusted off the dirt from his clothes. "So if I'm going to be your trainer then what sort of moves do you know?"
"I know most of the ice moves. My main skills are icey rain, frozen fury, arctic blast, and snowdrift." The fennekin continued walking down the path between the two hedges of grass.
The younger cub was impressed. "So…you know more than that? I guess it's because you're not a Pokemon?"
"Not quite. Let's just say I'm not your average Fennekin." Pent winked as his eyes glimmered a bit.
They continued down the weather-worn dirt road that led away from the smaller town towards Lumiose City. Signs along it made it easy enough to tell that they were going the correct way. They were now almost to Route 4 and found themselves blockaded from continuing. Some people wearing black tightly fitting clothes with white gloves and shoes to contrast it. A bright red "R" emblazoned on their chests.
"Team Rocket is blocking the way to the city. I didn't think they'd be this far out but it seems we will need to battle them to move on. Are you ready, Nait?" The bigger boy looked back at the other cub, awaiting an answer.
Nait puffed out his chest and nodded, after all, he'd battled Team Rocket countless times across the Pokemon games that he had come to know. They continued to make their way towards the blockade. The two team rocket grunts stationed there immediately noticed the two boys approaching them. Both of them stared at the Fennekin who was not only larger than his breed but out of a Pokemon ball.
"Stop! You must pay the toll to use this road. It costs 750 Pokedollars to pass." The two of them stood in the way, making it apparent neither would move.
Pent looked back at Nait and then back at the two Team Rocket grunts. "We don't have that."
"Then you can't pass." The grunts didn't find it strange that the Pokemon boy talked…after all, they were fairly familiar with the talking Meowth within their ranks.
The fennekin folded his arms. "Oh? And Just how are you going to stop us?"
One of the Team Rocket grunts threw out a Pokemon ball just near where the fox was standing. A thin stream of light emitted from it before protracting out into a more solid form. From within emerged a Serviper. The black snake slithered in front of them.
"Serviper use poison jab to attack these twerps." The female member of the troop commanded her beast to do her bidding.
The snake snapped forward to get a quick crunching jaw strike on the Fennekin. Pent easily hopped back a few times, dodging each of the strikes with ease. He waited for Nait to deliver his command.
"Pent…use…uh….frozen shard." The lion had already forgotten the moves the other boy had told him.
Pent smirked and snapped his finger. A thin jet of ice bolted out as it pounded into the Serviper's tail, pinning it in place. The small snake slithered and writhed as it attempted to get out from where it was stuck.
"Serviper, use coil!" The grunt hoped it would shatter the shard to free itself.
Yet the movement got it nowhere. Instead, the snake hissed in frustration. The woman called the thing back, a look of frustration in her eyes.
The man next to her immediately sent a Pokemon hurling forward. A similar beam of light projected from it as it released a Walrein. The seal creature flopped in place as it gave a loud groan of its call.
"Walrein, roll out!" The male grunt flicked his wrist forward.
The walrus Pokemon rolled out into a ball, hurling forward against the ground. It headed right towards the Fennekin who once again kept his distance from the creature.
"Ice blast!" Nait said excitedly, not thinking about his other options for the moment.
The fox rolled his eyes, not even bothering to attempt the move. After all, Walrein was also part ice. It would do very little.
Pent continued to run away before vaulting off a nearby tree. Thrusting his elbow into the head of the walrus Pokemon. The thing was immediately knocked out from the impact of the below. Both of the Team Rocket grunts looked amazed by the ease at which the Fennekin had bested both of their Pokemon in one blow. They recalled their Pokemon immediately running off, wanting nothing more to do with the seemingly over-trained fox before them.
"Come on, Nait. Lumiose city shouldn't be much further." The white fennekin motioned for the younger boy to follow him.
The lion followed in behind him and they began down the beaten path again. Making their way through Route 4 which directly led towards the big city. In the distance, they could see Lumiose. Prism tower could be seen looming in the distance with the large city encapsulated by somewhat small city walls. The
larger homes and buildings within provided very little ability to see through to the inner parts of it.
A large bridge led into the city itself. Some police officers stationed around the entrance did not attempt to bother the two cubs as they went past. Of course, the lion and his Pokemon partner were no different than any other visitor to the city. Little did they know that Team Rocket had been causing problems in the city and the police had been doing what they could to stem the cause of mischief.
"Let's make a stop by the Pokemart before we head to the tower. Team Rocket set up shop there…or at least that's what the rumors say." The fennekin darted quickly to the left from the main road into the city.
Lumiose was a city made out in the layout of a circle. 4 paths led from a central path where the tower was. Each of the areas was color coordinated with the pavement of the cobblestone streets matching where they were. The Pokemart was set over in the Magenta part of town, just off to the side of where the tower was. Occasionally small blue and white cars filtered through the streets as they were the main system of transport along with the shuttle for commuters within the big city.
Pent allowed Nait to take the lead once they were near the entrance of the Pokemart. The familiar blue and white Pokemon ball symbol was visible over the front banister of the entrance. Once they were close enough, the door opened automatically They were greeted by the storekeeper who was an elderly woman stationed behind the desk. She waved at the two boys, surprised to see a Fennekin as large as Pent was just walking around outside of the ball.
"How can I help you, boys?" She asked the lion cub since she wasn't used to having Pokemon who were able to talk.
Nait thought about it for a moment and looked at the lanky crane. "We'll take some potions, revives, and lum berries."
"Alright, we have a promotion going on today that if you spend 25 Pokedollars you get a free dynaberry." The woman said before she turned around to fetch some of the items.
The lion cub looked back at the fennekin who simply nodded to him. "Alright, we'll take 25 Pokedollars worth then."
"Very well, here is your merchandise. Thank you for your patronage." She placed the items into a bag and handed it to the young boy.
Pent handed her 25 Pokedollars as she warily looked at the Fennekin. It was the first time a Pokemon had ever paid for something in her shop. Still, she wasn't about to stop him and turn down the money so she simply deposited it into the register. The two cubs made their way back out of the Pokemart and back into the main part of the city. Nait took a moment to look around to gather his surroundings.
They were now in Centrico Plaza, the centralmost part of Lumiose. Some travelers could be seen nearby taking pictures of the grand tower before them. Large trees surrounded the roundabout where some traffic circled them in areas they were removed from foot traffic. Just in front of them was Prism Tower, the large stone and glass structure that dominated much of the city. At the top of it flew an unmistakable black flag with a red "R" emblazoned at the center of it.
Nait and Pent made their way into the tower. No one was out front of it so getting inside was easy enough. Once inside they found themselves inside the lobby of the tower. The city's symbol was engraved on the marble tile but a red "R" had been sprayed over top of it. A large staircase swirled around the perimeter of it, seemingly leading upward. The only light filtering into the place was coming from the glass on both sides of the building.
Another member of Team Rocket spotted them. The burly woman was chewing some bubble gum rather loudly as she stood right in their way, making sure they made no further progress.
"What do you dweebs want? No one is supposed to be here except those on official business." She placed her hands on her hips as if seeming offended by their presence.
Nait spoke up. "We wanted to enter the tournament. We heard Team Rocket is holding one here at the Tower."
"The tournament? Entry is past due. But I suppose if you can beat me in a battle, then I will allow it. Prepare yourself!" She bounded backward and quickly reached into her pocket to pull out a Pokeball.
She threw the ball forward, causing it to break open and eject a beam of light revealing the beast within. Seconds later a Tyrunt appeared from the ball.
"Go, Pent. Show 'em whose boss." Nait smirked as he knew the small dinosaur was weak to ice.
Pent padded up to the makeshift arena and looked at the small critter before him.
The Team Rocket member showed no hesitation as she called out. "Tyrunt use charm."
The Pokemon showed its best puppy eyes in an attempt to win Pent over but the Fennekin was not buying it.
"Pent…use Blizzard!" The lion said as he said the first ice move that came to his mind.
A small cloud emitted inside the building, billowing with a grey puffiness to it. Nait couldn't believe such a thing would appear indoors…but such was the way of things in the world of Pokemon. Within moments the temperature dropped, causing the woman in front of Nait to shiver. Seconds later….hail followed with small shards of ice pummeling to the floor. The small Tyrunt did what it could to dodge the move but there were just too many and it fainted.
"Tyrunt return. Weezing go!." She recalled the first Pokemon and sent out a second one.
The purple two-headed floating monster soon emerged with clouds of smog circulating it. The weather inside the building cleared up before long as Pent stood there waiting for the other trainer to make her move.
"Choke him with Smog!" The woman said, hoping to use the Pokemon's poison affinity to her benefit.
A bulbous smoke emitted from the creature's mouth, filling much of the room between the two Pokemon. The scent was overbearing and foul, reeking of rotten eggs and skunk odor. The fennekin held his breath, eager for Nait to make his command.
"Icy wind!" The lion announced, hoping it would clear the air and perhaps strike a blow to the opponent.
A cold air brewed up, swiftly breezing between the two trainers. Causing the temperature to drop sharply again. The smoggy air lifted at once changed to a much more brisk and free-flowing one. The Team Rocket member huffed as her plan was foiled. She needed to make her next move count as she didn't want to let this kid win.
"Self Destruct, Weezing!" The woman immediately hid herself behind a wall knowing the brunt force of the move was a bit much without some barrier.
Pent quickly reached behind him, grabbing the other cub. In a quick gut instinct of the moment, he summoned a block of ice to protect them. His own body was the only sense of warmth protecting Nait from freezing to death inside the arctic permafreeze. Seconds later there was a muffled thud. The ice shattered from the explosion outside, freeing the two captive boys from within. Pent let the other cub go and nodded to him.
"Let's go, I think we've earned our next match." The Fennekin said with a slight grin on his face.
Nait nodded and they began to head up the ramp that led further up the tower. The tile of the ramp was blue and white, reflecting the sunlight that peered into it. They made their way up the first ring of stairs that platformed onto another floor. A few trainers were there with some members of Team Rocket taking their information. It seemed like this was the registration area so the two boys made their way to the line.
As each of the other trainers signed off on the docket, they filtered off into one of the various routes that spun off from the enclosed area. Soon Nait and Pent were ushered up to the waiting area. A younger man sat at the desk and eyed the Fennekin before speaking to the Lion.
"Name and badge number?" The Team Rocket member tapped his pen on the table in front of him.
The lion thought about it a moment. "My name is Nait and my badge number is 595105."
"Very well. Is this….Fennekin you're only only Pokemon?" The man waited once again for a response.
The young boy nodded and the older male made another scribble before speaking again.
"Very well. Proceed down to Room 10. You can find it down that path." The man pointed down one of the narrow halls leading out of the room.
Nait's excitement billowed inside of him. Never before had he imagined that he'd be participating in a gym challenge. The prospect of this plus foiling whatever plan Team Rocket had in store for the city of Lumiose.
The two cubs proceeded through the narrow path into a more isolated room. A rather wide open space with a small bench stadium on both sides of it looked down at them. In front of them was a huge monitor that flickered and showed moments of fuzzy black-and-white interference on the screen. A dark face soon appeared on the screen.
"Welcome to Lumiose City's Gym Challenge for the Rocket Badge. You will be tested against one of our most adept members. Should you come out on top, you will proceed to the quarterfinals. As with all gym challenges, you must proceed through the ranks to get to the end. Should you come out on top, you will challenge our most Senior associate. Are you prepared, young trainer?' A muffled voice came from the intercom.
Nait nodded and the screen flickered off. Moments later the floor started to rumble as a small separation appeared in the tiled floor in front of him. Slowly a figure emerged from it, another Team Rocket member wearing the usual regalia of the group. They were wearing a mask over their face to hide their identity. Without a word they threw out a pokeball, ejecting a thin light that soon revealed a Pangoro.
"Go Pent, show 'em who is boss." The younger boy chirped to the older one who was still standing aside of him.
The mysterious member of Team Rocket made a hand motion as the Pangoro leaped
into the air, slamming its body right next to both of them. The tile floor to their side cracked from the sudden impact of the move. Pent swiped his paws to the left guarding Nait with his body. The lion club slowly eased back before making his call.
"Pent…use Flurry!" The cub moved himself to the side of the arena so he didn't get in the way anymore.
The fox rushed forward as the claws on his fist turned into ice. He thrusted and swiped several times at the Pangoro who bellowed back onto its feet. The mysterious member of Team Rocket once again made a hand motion to the Pokemon. The bear-type creature swiped its legs underneath the Fennekin, tripping him from below. Following up with an elbow slam which Pent caught the brunt of on his shoulder.
Pent squinted his eyes as the lion shouted once again. "Arctic blast!"
The fox's fingers glistened with a shimmering light as he pistoned his arms forward. A beam protracted from his hand, projecting through the Pangoro who was still on top of him. The sudden hit of it ejected the panda right off the Fennekin's body and right onto the floor. The thing grunted as it dealt with the forceful nature.
"Quick, Pent. Finish it off with Flickering Frost!" Nait wasn't about to let it recover.
The Fennekin snapped his finger as icicles formed around it, trapping it within a makeshift cage of ice. The mysterious member of Team Rocket called the thing back into its Pokeball before sending another Pokemon out. An Illumise soon appeared from the second Pokeball. The thing squeaked at Pent before the mysterious member of Team Rocket made another quick hand motion. Insects soon swarmed the room, flying all around Pent to distract him from his next move.
"Frosty breath the flies, Pent." The lion figured the cold wind could make the insects disperse.
Pent cupped his right-hand paw over his maw and blew into it. A chilling air blew into the air, visibly showing the mist coming from his breath. Some of the insects remained even still, though most of them flew off. The mysterious member of Team Rocket once again made a quick hand motion as the Illumise rushed forward, its head aimed right at Pent. But the Fennekin was much too quick for it, easily hopping over the beast and landing right behind it.
"Frozen Fury, Pent." Nait wondered if this was a move Pent would know, after all, it was one of the signature moves of the legendary Articuno.
The fox kit smirked as he snapped his finger. Frozen shards of ice erupted from the wall, shattering through the tile floor beneath them. The Illumise found itself trapped between the two of them. Pent hopped upward as he projected his arms forward, ejecting a thick beam of ice from his paws to the ground below. There was no hope for the bug creature as the thing was solidified in a matter of a split second.
The dark face on the screen above them soon reappeared. Its somewhat familiar muffled voice sounded once again.
"Game, set, match. Victory to the lion cub. Please proceed to the promenade for your next match."
The screen flickered again and went dark. The mysterious member of Team Rocket across from the two cubs called back their Illumise. Without a word, they retreated the way they came.
"Nice work, Pent. That was pretty cool." The younger cub said as the white Fennekin approached him.
The bigger boy ruffled the other cub's fur. "You too but our work is not done. We need to win so that Lumiose is freed from Team Rocket's control."
Nait nodded and the two went back towards the main hallway. Once they were inside the circular atrium area, they found that a few of the other trainers were waiting around. It seemed they too were victorious over the first round of events. One by one each of them was called to the front desk where they were given a small sum of Pokedollars for the victory. Not long after everyone got their pay, they were told to wait.
A screen flickered in the main room. The dark figure on the screen reappeared again. This time there was no interference so a definite shape could be seen. They soon started to speak, still in a masked fashion with a modulator to their voice.
"The next round will pit you against the Elite members of Team Rocket. These members are battle-hardened and will put you to the test. Should you come out on top, you will then face against each other in two elimination rounds. The winner of these elimination rounds will face off against me. I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you in the arena."
The screen went off and each of the split-offs from the atrium showed names over top of them. Nait saw his name over the rightmost corridor and headed to it. He soon found himself in an arena that was dominated by molten rock. A thin pool of lava surrounded the small platform. It seemed to be set up for Fire Pokemon. Nait looked over at Pent who didn't seem to be that concerned that his opponent would be one focused on his weakness.
Soon a woman wearing a crop top, cut-off dress, and knee-length booths appeared from the door opposite of them. The woman's long red hair, blue eyes, and green earrings were the only things on her besides the Team Rocket symbol that was not pitch black. The woman snickered at the lion cub before them. Little did the two boys know that this woman was the infamous "Jesse" from the now high-ranking Team Rocket duo.
"Go Growlithe, melt that ice fox with your fiery breath!" She said as she hurled the ball forward onto the floor.
Pent took his spot in the arena as he tried to ignore the heated-up environment in which he stood.
"Take him down, and bite him!" Jesse chirped with an air of confidence about her.
The dog Pokemon leaped forward, rushing its way toward Pent. Each time it got close enough, the thing snapped its jaws forward. Pent was able to avoid all of them but once, the blow left a small bite mark on his inner thigh. He grimaced a bit but dealt with the sudden fit of pain.
"Pent use Whiteout." Nait hoped that it would at least drop down the temperature enough for it to not be sweltering.
The Fennekin drew a quick line in the air, waving his hand back and forth. A frosty chill soon filled the environment causing the lion cub to shiver. The temperature shift was so drastic that the magma in the room frosted over. The stuff sizzled as it caked into a more solidified volcanic rock The look on Jesse's face was one of complete shock as she wasn't complete the fox could pull off such a feat.
"Melt his ice with Flare Blitz, Growly!" The woman said with an upbeat tone as she was confident it would put the Fennekin in dire straights.
The puppy opened its mouth as a swirling funnel of flame erupted from its jaw. The spiraling twister quickly circled Pent as the cub dropped his body temperature, even more, to deal with the attack. The burn singed his fur and he could smell the cinders of the flame as it sent some of the tip of his fur crumbling downwards.
Pent wasn't about to go down without a fight and he didn't wait for any orders from his trainer. Instead, he solidified his entire body in a block of ice. The fire quickly melted through it but it was enough time for him to gather his thoughts. The fox pistoned his hand forward, running right through the fire causing it to melt the icy fissure that he created for himself. Launching it right toward the Growlithe as his frozen attack dissolved into a watery one.
The shift in type had caught the small Pokemon by surprise. That one attack was enough to send the small dog reeling. Jessie quickly recalled the beast as she smirked at the Fennekin. Never had she seen a Pokemon do its moves before. It was time to take things to the next level. She looked backward and quickly whistled. From the shadows emerged a figure from the back of the arena.
Moments later a Mewtwo emerged from the shadows. The large white bipedal Pokemon slowly walked forward as it glared toward Jessie. Just by the looks of it, the monstrous Pokemon didn't seem like it wanted to be there. Jessie began to laugh at the opponent, thinking they were not up to the challenge of the mighty Pokemon before them.
"Pyscho cut them down to size." Jessie shouted once again.
The Mewtwo's hand glowed purple as it disappeared. Moments later the thing reappeared right behind Pent, jabbing him from behind. The sudden impact of the blow sent him reeling against the floor. The fennekin huffed. Quickly Nait threw him a potion which the fox cub drank to recover his energy. Instantly he felt renewed, no longer bothered by the blow.
"Pent…use Freeze!" Nait had hoped to stop the Mewtwo in its tracks.
The fox cub summoned a block of ice that surrounded the bipedal Pokemon in front of him. The Mewtwo grinned at him, seemingly still able to move despite the solid hindrance now holding it. Without even a shred of effort, a burst of psychic energy erupted forward shattering the ice in a single instant.
"Mewtwo…recover and entomb this boy in rock." Jessie was frustrated enough now to not pull any more punches.
Moments later rocks began to pour from the sky. Boulder after boulder rained down as it cracked and shattered the very foundations of the floor in which they stood. Pent made swift movements, deftly breaking in between each of them. The attack lasted several seconds, leaving the cub to catch his breath once the brunt of it was over. Yet the gleam in Mewtwo's eye reflected another thing entirely.
The bipedal Pokemon quickly lifted its hand upward, causing one of the rocks to emerge from the ground. It motioned its hand forward, controlling the boulder with its psychic powers. The psychic Pokemon slammed the thing on the ground, trying to squash Pent beneath the weight of its' earthen make. Each time the Fennekin moved, the Mewtwo again followed him with another strike of the rock.
Pent kept himself ahead of the game, flitting in and out between the boulder craters that were
being created. Just as another one was sent hurling towards him, the cub lost his footing against the now uneven floor that had been set asunder from the constant impact. He watched as it came towards him, throwing his hand up as a shard of ice erupted from the ground and broke the rock in two.
"Pent, now's your chance. Use Glacial Geiser." Nait had kept his cool despite the scene unfolding in front of him.
The fox kit picked himself up and brushed off his fur. The debris from the rock now sat on all sides of him. Pent fisted his paw as he stood there idly. Suddenly the ground began to shake as he stood there unconcerned about the disruption. Within moments pillar after pillar of cold water rocketed up from the ground. One after another pounding the Mewtwo as the thing couldn't keep up with the assault.
Pent wasn't about to stop there as he knew the opponent was on its heels. He snapped his fingers as clouds emerged around the arena. Hail soon emerged from it with the little bits of ice pelting the Mewtwo, making the thing even angrier. He then rushed forward, vaulting his body from the ground, and jabbed his fist forward. The dual action of movements sent the psychic Pokemon reeling against the wall.
Jessie stood astonished. Never in her life had she expected some kid and his basic Pokemon to beat Mewtwo. Yet the look on the bipedal creature's face was unmistakable. She quickly called thing things back. A look of subdued reservation was obvious on her face.
"You win kid, good game." The red-haired woman turned around and made her exit from the arena.
Nait couldn't believe they had just beaten one of the strongest Pokemon. He quickly rushed forward to check on Pent who was catching his breath. The fennekin had stopped the weather moments earlier so the only remnants of it. The younger cub handed the older one another potion in hopes of perking him up. The white fox thanked him before taking it and drinking the thing down.
The two boys made their way back to the Atrium where the reception desk was. The man at the desk congratulated them They were instructed to wait as the rest of the matches came to a close. Both of them sat down at a bench near one of the walls watching one of the matches unfold. Pent was glad to get a chance to rest. Only one of the winners from each of the other matches emerged from their sectioned-off rooms.
Once they were back in the main promenade, the screen at the center of the circular area came on again.
"There has been a slight change of plans for our match qualifiers. This will be the final round that will decide who will be pitted against me. Please proceed to the staged area shown by my assistants. You will only be permitted one Pokemon in this round so choose wisely."
The screen went back again and Nait the remaining competitor was shown into another offshoot of the area. Once they entered it, they were escorted by waiting members of the organization to stairs that pointed in opposite directions. Nait and Pent made their way up the stairs. The sectioned-off platform was closed in with a glass in it. A small lift served as the drop-off to the arena below with a screen where the action could be lifted.
The two cubs remained there for some time. Nait was wondering what was going on. The member of Team Rocket who had escorted him up there was oddly quiet. The woman just stood there as still as a guard.
"What's going on? Why hasn't the match been stated yet?" Nait asked as his patience had spent.
The woman looked at him and then at her watch as if gauging time. "I'm not sure. Let me find out."
She disappeared back through the stairs in which they came. It was a few more minutes before she came back. The look on her face was one of confusion as she started to explain what she believed had happened.
"The other trainer and my partner have disappeared. I have notified the boss. He will be contacting me soon. It seems you win by default."
Nait looked over at Pent who was looking at him with the same sense of uncertainty. How could a trainer and the escort just go missing? There was no exit from the tower on the second floor of the tower. Yet, the boys weren't about to question it. They had no idea of what had happened and could only guess. It seemed they had to play along with whatever was about to happen.
The woman's watch buzzed and she brought it up to her face as she listened to it. "Yes, boss."
She motioned for the two boys to follow her back down the stairs and through the hall to the Atrium. The reception desk where the whole thing had been managed was now empty. Most of the lights had been turned off. It was like things were being toned down. It didn't entirely make sense and neither of the cubs knew what to make of it. They continued to follow the woman as they proceeded behind the desk.
A large door was situated just behind it. It automatically opened as they approached it. Heading through a small tunnel that was encompassed in glass. Beyond the transparent tubing, they could see the city of Lumiose just beyond them. In front of them, they could see it was connected to another one of the larger buildings in the city. On the top of it was the flag of Team Rocket unfurled and waving against the wind.
They were brought to the entrance of the building. A lacquer-red door with a large bronze knocker stood in front of them. The woman who brought them there knocked on the door as it opened with a loud creak. She stood to the side and motioned for her hand as if in a welcoming motion. Nait and Pent took it as a sign to enter and made their way through the large door.
Once inside the door was shut behind them with a muffled thud. They stood on a velvet purple rug with a glass chandelier shining brightly overhead. In front of them was a wooden desk shrouded in darkness. The chandelier was hardly enough to illuminate the room and it seemed like the drapes were closed. Behind the desk sat a matching large swivel chair that had been spun around so it faced against the closed drapes.
"Good afternoon, you have done well to make it this far. My name…is Giovanni."
The man turned around in his chair, giving some light to his still-shrouded form. From what the two cubs could see he wore a traditional black business suit with a lapel emblazoned with a red "R" on it. He was sipping on a glass of team, petting a Persian which rested on his lap. The man brushed the thing off his lap before standing up, making his way around the desk to the other side of it.
"What happened to the other trainer and escort?" Nait was still curious about it.
The man smirked and sat on the desk. "They are fine. My colleague has simply made it easier for you to meet me."
"Meet you? You mean…you planned this all along?" The lion said, slightly shocked about it.
Giovanni sipped on his tea. "Do you think your little battle with Jessie went unnoticed? Not every trainer can beat Mewtwo."
"Erm…so why am I here then?" The boy began to think this was about something else entirely.
The man reached behind him and grabbed a Pokeball. "You're here for a gym battle are you not? Well, let's get to it. Shall we?"
Nait nodded and motioned for Pent to take his position. The leader of Team Rocket hurled the Pokeball forward onto the ground in front of him.
"Go, Xerneas." He said with a casual and calm voice.
The deer Pokemon emerged with a glowing aura about it. It was one of the Legendary Pokemon of the region and it took up most of the floor space in front of them.
"Moonblast, Xern." The man didn't wait to make his move on the young cub.
Pent was caught off-guard as the beam of light projected from the deer's mouth. The thing blasted against him, sending him reeling against the wall. The fennekin grunted as he dealt with the impact of it. Quickly he picked himself up, brushing off the debris of the wall.
"Pent…use Frozen Tundra to slow it down." The lion said in hopes of stopping the Pokemon's photosynthetic properties.
The fox touched the floor as the tiles solidified into ice. The Xerneas seemed none too worried as Giovanni chuckled at the foolish move.
"Giga impact, shatter this icy terrain." Giovanni snidely smiled with the man continuing to sip on his tea.
The deer pokemon jumped up and in a simple stamping of its hooves, the ice that accumulated on the ground shattered. Nait was in disbelief. It seemed this Pokemon was much stronger than he thought it would be.
"Freeze him, Pent." Nait figured it could buy them some time.
The Fennekin fisted his palm as he curled up his finger. A huge block of ice emerged around the Xerneas. The ice surrounded it as it solidified around the beast. Its eyes still glowed from within the permafrost. The solidified sleet began to rumble as the deer shrieked from within. Within moments the hailstone began to shatter and the Xerneas freed itself from its icy tomb.
The Team Rocket boss bellowed with laughter again. "Night slash him into darkness."
The light in the room flickered as the Xermeas' eyes glowed purple. The thing disappeared in an instant, racing forward towards Pent. Its horns extended outward as it looked to impale the Fennekin in a single move. The fox quickly jumped over the beast, no longer in the mood for playing with the legendary Pokemon. Reaching from behind as punched the side of it with a frozen blow.
Giovanni was staggered by the retaliatory move. "Heal pulse."
The deer Pokemon glowed a bright pink color as the light emanated from its entire body. The thing looked at Pent with renewed vigor. The Fennekin wasn't about to stand down. He had one move up his sleeve which he thought could work. The cub snapped his fingers as a dark cloud billowed inside the room. Shards of ice soon fell from it, sleeting onto the ground below one after the other.
Xerneas found itself darting between each of the icicles. Each of them shattered as they touched the
ground. One of them plowed itself into the legendary Pokemon's back end. The thing saddled downward as the deer was trapped underneath. It squealed from panic as it looked to its trainer for some sense of solace. Giovanni looked stunned but he wasn't done. Quickly he recalled the beast to its Pokeball.
"Not bad, kid. But this is not over. I have one more test of your skill before I call it quits. Let's head outdoors." The man hopped down off his desk.
Giovanni waited for Nait and Pent to follow him. They were led into an elevator where an awkward silence was shared between them. The Lion wasn't entirely sure what to make of what was happening but he was so close to winning that he didn't care. They proceeded outside once they were at the ground level and continued to an open field. The man soon threw a Pokeball in front of him which expanded wildly before calling forth the Pokemon it had inside.
A huge explosion of light erupted as a hulking Reshiram arose from the illumination. A red and black cloud swirled around the thing's head. Pent looked up at it, seeming uncertain of himself for the first time the entire day. His opponent was huge. Nait thought to himself. This seemed familiar to the Gigantamax mechanic he'd learned about in the games.
Nait looked in his bag. He recalled the owner of the shop giving them a berry called "Dynaberry" and wondered if it was the same thing. Giovanni laughed heartily at the now tiny boy in front of his seemingly giant Pokemon.
"Stomp him beneath your claws, Reshiram." The man shouted at the top of his lungs.
The large dragon barely stepped forward before pounding its right foot into the ground. Pent jumped out of the way just in time as the impact of it sent him reeling on his behind. Nait knew this was his chance and reached into his bag where he'd stored the supplies. Quickly he took out the small berry and threw it to Pent.
"Eat this…quick!" The Lion shouted to the older boy.
The fennekin had no idea what his friend had in store for him. Still, he wasn't about to question it. He stuffed the berry into his maw. The treat was sweet and juicy as it tickled his tongue. Engulfing it in a single swallow, it tasted no different than many other fruits he'd had in the past. He looked at Nait as if expecting something more from him. Giovanni waited for them impatiently as he announced another move.
"Fire Spin…burn that Ice Pokemon to a crisp." Giovanni shouted to the dragon.
The Reshiram roared as a spiraling flume of flames erupted from its mouth. The tornado of fire spun right down until it encircled the Fennekin. Pent's body began to feel warm as his very insides began to tense up. The energy inside of him began to tingle until it started to explode, leaving him feeling antsy and energetic. He looked at himself, the flame had completely encompassed him and yet he felt nothing except this strange feeling inside him.
Within moments his body began to creep upward. His form slowly grew ever larger as the effects of the dynaberry began to take hold. Pent's body slowly emerged bigger and bigger, his shadow lengthening but his figure maintaining the same lithe frame it held when he was normal size. As the effects slowed down, the Fennekin found himself now eye to eye with the giant Reshiram.
Nait looked up at the giant fox cub before him. The boy's foot paw was only mere meters from where he stood. The seemingly "tiny" lion boy didn't even measure up to the top of Pent's foot. The cub shouted at him, somewhat in awe of the other boy's newly acquired size.
"Pent…use Blizzard!" Nait knew he had to shout as the gym leader was doing or the other cub wouldn't hear him.
The fox grinned as he pointed upwards. The clouds above him swirled in a rage, turning grey. The temperature around them dropped as small bits of hail soon fell to the ground. The flurry and ferocity of the weather overtook Reshiram who groaned from the sharp change in environment.
Giovanni shouted once again. "Fusion Flare!'
The dragon pointed its snout upward at the sun opening its mouth. The energy from the sun seemed to be absorbed by the beast, creating a blinding ball of light near its open orifice. It slightly tilted its face and aimed right towards Pent. The beam of light projected forth in a huge explosion of light as it raced towards the fox.
The fennekin quickly reacted, not waiting for his trainer to give him a command. Summoning his beam of ice from the innermost core of his being. The solid shimmering cylinder of ice erupted from his hand paw to meet the dragon out. The two rays soon met at just beyond the Fennekin's reach. The fox squinted as he was putting his entire focus into pushing back to win the show of strength.
Nait felt helpless watching the struggle. Looking in his bag again for anything that might help. He found a potion labeled "X" and went over to spray the fox's foot paw. He was sure it would be of any help but he wanted to do something. Pent suddenly felt a new rush of energy in his body as the power inside him grew exponentially. His shaft of ice grew even thicker as he continued to send it ever forward.
Bit by bit the beam of ice took over to one of flame. The constant meeting of the two powers melted some of the ice. Yet even despite the overbearing heat, the hyperthermic chill of the ice was too much for it. Pent continued to hold steadfast as the ray of ice projected further and further. Giovanni stood dumbfounded as the Reshiram was steadily losing ground.
The moment the powerful attack hit the legendary beast, its entire body solidified in ice. Pent finally released as he caught his breath. Standing there in a moment of relief the cub tried to catch his breath. The combined energy from the berry and x-attack was beginning to wane. Slowly his body began to diminish as the effects of the dynaberry wore off. Nait watched as he shrank back to normal.
Giovanni stood stunned. He couldn't believe that both of the legendary beasts he had painstakingly trained had been beaten. His mouth stood agape as he tried to absorb it. The man placed his hands in his pocket. He slowly stood there before approaching the young lion cub and his Fennekin. The two of them eyed him warily.
"Good job, kid. Here's your Rocket Badge. You have successfully cleared the Gym. I wish you the best of luck on your journey."
The Team Rocket handed Nait a small badge shaped like a rocket with the engraved symbol of the organization on it. Giovanni's signature had been scribbled across it as further proof of their victory. The man recalled the still-frozen dragon back into its ball before making his way back to the tower. It seemed like he had no intention of leaving the place and that Team Rocket was to remain there.
Nait turned around, proudly showing the badge to Pent. The fennekin cub smiled at him before giving him a high four. The Lion felt proud of himself. Of course, Pent was a big part of this but he like he had accomplished something important.
"Earth to Nait…" A voice beckoned to the young Lion boy as he was still sitting there daydreaming.
The lion cub shook his head slightly. His vision of the fantasy of the Pokemon world had been shattered in that instant of a moment. He looked over to see his friend Samaliel still next to him.
"Oh, sorry about that. Where's Pent?" Nait half expected to see the white fox boy still around somewhere.
The salt and pepper cub seemed confused. "He just got home. Why?"
"I'll be right back…I promise I'll help you study when I get back. I need to use the bathroom." The bigger boy just wanted to be sure things were back to normal.
Nait made his way out of the bedroom and into the hall. He could hear the water running from the kitchen and assumed that Pent was probably in there. The cub picked up pacing, not quite running but walking as fast as he could. The lion poked his head around the corner once he was close enough to the kitchen to look inside. Peering within he could see Pent working on dinner, still in his school clothes.
Looking at him from afar the older cub looked much like his old self. No longer was he a Fennekin with blue paw pads or blue tufts of hair coming out of his ear. His monotone fur looked very much the same as the younger boy had remembered him. The whole thing seemed to be so real and yet he knew in his mind that it was just fantasy. Without saying a word, he returned the way he came.
Nait would to the bathroom and return to studying with his friend. The lion wouldn't daydream again about the Pokemon world. Instead, his mind entirely focused on studying for the history test they had in a few days. The whole experience stayed in his mind for the remainder of the night even if he was mostly focused on the task at hand. Only occasionally did he drift off to think about it again.
When Samaliel finally asked him about what was distracting him, the Lion told him. The salt and pepper cub couldn't help but laugh. The tale of Pent as an overpowered Fennekin who had overcome several legendary Pokemon under the control of Team Rocket. It was a funny idea and one that he couldn't help but smile at. They even went as far as to share it with Pent who thought it to be just as entertaining as they did.
After dinner, the two cubs finally got to play games. Of course, they returned to playing Pokemon. After all, it was one of their favorite past times. Each time Nait pulled out his Delphox, the other cub joked at him that it was the evolved version of Pent. The two simply laughed it off and enjoyed the rest of their night together. After all…the height of imagination is nothing more than what one makes it.
