Team Trebuchet's Story

The incident with the Family and the Krookodile passed on by without Margriet or Radegast's knowledge. The former was having lunch with Janine at the zoo. The latter, however, was on a boat once again.

The ferry to Hoenn was equally as large as the previous vessel- in fact, Radegast had a feeling that it was actually the same boat. The shape was the same, and the same pocket he stowed away in was in the same place. Elder noted a lack of evidence that they were ever there. "Isn't that the point?" Radegast asked.

"I'm just saying that it's not very likely that the same boat that was used to cross the ocean from Alola to Kanto would be the same used to move from Kanto to Hoenn."

"They're both graded for ocean travel," Radegast reasoned, "It can't be impossible."

"It's two different paths going through very different climates."

"Tell you what," Radegast said, "If you search the ship and can't find any familiar crew members, then it's a different boat, and I'll buy some crepes."

"You're on," Elder jabbed a claw towards Radegast, shortly before dissolving into mist and vanishing through the walls.


Oh wait... Radegast thought soon afterward. He had gotten used to this Gallade body now, after so much training with Janine. I can't buy crepes...

It didn't matter anyway, for the Gengar later returned with a disappointed look on his face.

"Did you realise I couldn't buy crepes?" Radegast asked.

"Yeah," Elder said, "And also this is the same boat."

--- TWO WEEKS AGO ---

The beaches of Hoenn were particularly beautiful nearly year-round. The white sands, kept clean via crews of water and grass-type Pokemon, were a tourist trap known all across Ruula. The most impressive beach was often a note of rivalry between the small town of Dewford and the immense societal hub of Slateport.

In the latter, larger city, a single woman lay bare-backed along her long beach chair. She relaxed as she soaked in her nice even tan, with her hair parted over one side. With sunglasses on, it was difficult to tell if she was even awake.

Her Pokegear beeped at a rhythm- someone was calling. With a sigh, she hooked her swimsuit top back on and leaned back in her chair. With her hand-held decide in-hand, she answered the call. "Talk to me, Tracy."

"We've reached the Kor of the issue."

"Good news," She continued to lounge in her seat as she processed the news. Tracy Levine was the leader due to her charisma, but the woman on the beach was the star player.

The woman parted her hair from one side to the next, revealing the left half of her head had been shaven. Her left eye was covered in an eyepatch. A somewhat conspicuous strip of metal snaked from the edge of her covered eye over to several pads that dotted the side of her head. "You like the sound of my voice?" she asked half-heartedly.

"Always, darling," Tracy replied, "Remember where we first met?"

"Yes," The woman replied. It was before she had these upgrades.

"We'll meet there, start a new life together, and we can feel young again."

This was all code to the woman, who simply said, "That would be wonderful." She replied, although deep down she did desire something that was mentioned.

She produced a cable from her bag and plugged one end into the pokegear. The other end was plugged into an otherwise covered port at the back of her skull. Within her hidden eye, she could see a black screen with applications syncing and booting up within the display. She closed her normal eye in order to focus, and sifted through folders with mere thoughts. If the Pokegear were to be plugged into any other system, no one would be able to access them, for they were files programmed with a very specific operating system in mind: her own.

Among the folders were some named "PROJECT 193 - SIREN", "PROJECT 219 - WITHDRAWL", and "PROJECT 95 - MECHA". She paused on one of the oldest folders, simply called "PROJECT VANDAL II". She opted not to open it, however, and moved straight to one of the most recent folders, simply titled "PROJECT 212".

The entirety of the folder contained notes and digitally preserved drawings that had since been destroyed without a trace. Satisfied with her organization and the integrity of her hidden information, she closed everything and unplugged herself. With a pass of her hand, her thick brown hair covered the shaven side once more.

Some would consider her quite intimidating- with her strong jaw, her razor-sharp eyes, and her toughened feminine frame, and the similar cybernetic ports that ran down her back. Others would view her as quite attractive, if not for the implants. When she covers the side of her head, however, she carried the air of a mysterious femme fatale.

Despite being in hiding, she found a particular joy in the gazes that followed her. A Reginald carries themselves with dignity, as she had always known, We are natural leaders.

Sometimes her thoughts drifted to her two uncles, Tarma and Marcus. Traditional, and stagnant, were always the first two words in mind. How dare they and the Lion disown Patricia- their own sister- for daring to break the mould. The Reginalds could've led Ruula to a new age with their control over the Shadow Realm.

They took everything from me... they humiliated me, and then Radegast, sweet cousin...

She knew he ran away, she knew he was different. They had weighed the options of what to do with him when they had him captured, opting to force a ransom from the Reginalds... but he acted of his own accord. Damn him for his sabotage... Despite that, she couldn't help but admire the tenacity and dedicated to his principles... But now he was dead. No one could've survived the virus.

---

She wore a long flowing dress, exposing her bare, toned arms. Her legs stepped lightly as she moved, flowingly, down an empty, out-of-the-way path to a park gazebo. Five hours had passed since she vanished from the beach. "How's your leg?" She asked.

"It's been fine for a while- you worry too much, dear Lucy." Tracy stood, wearing a short flowery dress that seemed very low-key comparatively.

"Samson," Lucy nodded towards a hulking man in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts that matched with Tracy's getup. They looked almost like a couple until Lucy came along. "You came out of hiding."

"Received news," Samson replied quickly, "Radegast lives. Uncovered family chatter a few months ago- he was last seen in Unova, but vanished once more."

Lucy felt a twitch in her hidden eye, but the normal, razor-sharp eye betrayed no emotion, "I'm almost glad."

"As family, it would be strange to me if you weren't," Tracy smiled as she wrapped Lucy Reginald in a girly embrace. Lucy's eye softened and closed as she returned the hug. "It's been too long, darling."

"Too long," Lucy agreed. Her eye opened once more to focus on Samson, "How many of us are left?"

"Enough, but..." Samson replied, "Our base and resources had been destroyed in our efforts to prevent anything falling into the wrong hands."

"Resources are what everyone requires," Tracy rolled her eyes at the universal truth after disengaging.

Lucy smirked knowingly, Tracy and Samson caught it. "How was your vacation?" Samson asked.

"Very fruitful," Lucy's smirked turned into a lovely, heart-warming smile, "I've found Hell. I'm going to make a deal with the devil."

"I thought we already were," Tracy teased.

"Let's just say we're kindred spirits," Lucy flicked her hair and winked. "This time, everything changes, and we'll all be closer to our goals."

"I'd like that," Tracy replied, "Let's do it together, you and I."

"We will," Lucy promised, "But you mustn't come with me. You and Sam... you can't come with me."

Tracy and Samson stared in shock, but neither could bring themselves to argue against Lucy. She had that look in her eyes, a determination, and an ancient emotion, broiling to the surface. They hadn't seen it since she implanted the virus that nearly killed her cousin. It was the eye of determination, and a clue to how she truly carries herself away from prying human eyes.

--- A FEW DAYS AGO ---

"You ever hear of this Rebellion of Psychics?" A woman in a long flowing dress stepped lightly, soundlessly around the table, where a Nuzleaf was strapped down, held in place by a series of unusual machines. The Nuzleaf remained silent, glaring at the woman with daggers.

The safe house was characteristically dark, with a single light flooding a spot with warmth. Lucy Reginald, in her long dress, looked almost inhuman with the hard shadows covering parts of her face.

"It's not polite to leave a question hanging," she smirked lovingly. However, it didn't appear the pokemon was planning to spill anything.

"Why does that matter?" he spat back, "Why do you think I know anything about them?"

"I don't, but wildlings are well known for avoiding humans," Lucy replied as she adjusted her dress and sat down on a stool in front of the Nuzleaf. "You're just the next one in line."

"Well obviously I avoid you all," he gave her a no-duh stare, "You all like to torture us in your little fighting competitions."

Lucy snorted, but her eye sharpened. "You think I'm like one of those Champions?" She spat at the ground seemingly uncharacteristically. "While I can get what I want with ease, I refuse to torture a kind dear like you," she admitted as she produced a pokeball. "I never tortured a single one of the darlings who didn't have what I needed." Her eye gazed towards a table to the side. If the Nuzleaf could see out of the corner of his eye, he would see a series of pokeballs- stacked rather high, neat and organized. "The most I would use you for is a bargaining chip. As soon as I get what I need, every one will see freedom, and never see me again. If not... well, I'll ask the next one, and the next one, and the next one." Her visible eye brimmed with determination; she was not lying.

Still, the Nuzleaf remained skeptical, "You say that and yet here I am, trapped by this...whatever this is." Hie eyes glanced around at the unusual contraptions set around him. "Sorry to say you didn't make the greatest first impression."

Lucy's smile returned, "None of the previous ones said that... You do know something, don't you?" This time, the Nuzleaf remained silent. She stood up. "And such professionalism too." She inched close to the Nuzleaf's face, a light in her eye. "It would be so fortunate if you were a part of them, wouldn't it?"

"I wouldn't DARE associate with those monsters!" the Nuzleaf suddenly grew hot, venom in his words at the mere thought, "Not in a million years."

A crumpling series of cracks and snaps, like shattering plastic, filled the small room. The burning excitement in Lucy's eye vanished. "That's a shame," she said after a pause as she stood once more. The Nuzleaf watched, eyes the size of saucers, as the pieces of the Pokeball fell from her seemingly bare, seemingly human hands. "You're against them. I was hoping to find someone who could introduce me."

His voice was less confident as he stammered, "I-If you want to work with the Psychic Rebellion, y-y-you're just as bad!"

"Bad?" she was taken aback, offended, "What's bad is stagnation." An eerie purple glow flared to life from behind the lock of hair that covered her left eye. "What's bad is traditionalism! What's bad is this... Human imbalance!" Her eye grew wild, and her dress rippled with an unseen force. After a moment, the glow faded and her dress grew still. "Oh, I'm so sorry..." She waved the same hand delicately in front of her face, giving herself some air. "I've just had... a rough upbringing..."

The Nuzleaf just stared, confused and scared. It was evident he'd never seen a human do that before.

"Have you heard anything about the Reginalds?" She asked, almost as if that had just happened had never happened. She folded her arms behind her back, accentuating her bust as if no one was looking.

The Nuzleaf hesitated before shaking his head.

"They've declared war, you know...on the Rebellion." Her slender hands gripped on another pokeball. "Tradition, versus evolution," she smiled at the thought. "But they have the Key. They can strike down all who oppose them with the key."

The Nuzleaf blinked. "The Key?"

She continued as if she didn't hear the question. "I can give them the Reginalds, that is why I want to find them," She once more sat down, and made sure she didn't break a second pokeball. "I must find them. You know where they are, don't you? Any rumours, or anything?"

The Nuzleaf sighed, unsure of what to do. He sat there for a moment, since he couldn't do much anything else, occasionally looking around at the predicament he was in. Finally, he glanced back towards the lady in front of him, "Look, I don't know all that much. Just that they exist and that I don't want to have any part with what they're about."

"You haven't seen any members you could describe?" Lucy asked, spinning the pokeball slowly in her hand.

This time, a note of familiarity entered his eyes, "Well...there are a couple Pokemon that like to do what you do not far from here. I believe they're Psychic Rebellion members."

A giggle emerged from her mouth, and she put a finger to her cheek. "You'll give them to me, won't you? Then you and all these other darlings will be free to go."

The Nuzleaf noticed the way she held out the PokeBall, understanding what she was saying, "You promise?"

"You are what I strive to be," Lucy replied, reaching forward and softly caressing the Nuzleaf's cheek with that hand- that same hand that crushed metal and hard plastic. He flinched in response. "You will have your freedom. A Reginald always keeps their word."

---

The field teemed with scared, uncertain life, as Lucy Reginald watched over the released captives with a warm smile on her face. She glanced to the Nuzleaf that had also been released- the one that finally gave her what she wanted. "Until we meet again," she waved cutely as she turned and headed back towards the road with a bounce in her step. As she left, the Nuzleaf could see what appeared to be cybernetic plating and unusual open ports snaking down her neck and back. She hadn't shown her back to her captors before, so such a sight would seem especially unnerving.

As she left, her bouncy exterior seemed to calm down somewhat. She mentally prepared herself for her first meeting, her first contact. Despite her mental preparedness, she couldn't help but feel excited.

Later in the day, not soon enough in her eyes, she arrived at the location the kind Nuzleaf indicated: A small wood-cluttered path that was barely visible and snaked through the surrounding forest. Were it not for the wear and tear of Pokemon tracks that walked through the area on the daily, she wouldn't have even known it existed. As it stood, it was practically unnoticeable to the naked eye, especially from the path she took to get here.

Her eyes flickered as something caught in her peripheral. Turning right, she took notice of a small gathering of Pokemon just off the beaten path and her eyes lit up. There they were indeed, a Lunatone and Solrock floating around a small gathering of Pokemon, all clumped together and trembling in fright.

An Electrike managed to find his voice to shout at the two floating rock-like Pokemon, "Let us go!"

They made no reply, continuing their encirclement around the group.

The twenty-some young lady strolled up with silent steps, although her bounciness returned in full. "Hiii~" she greeted from a non-threatening distance.

All eyes turned her direction, including those of the Lunatone and Solrock. One of them mentally projected into Lucy's mind, "I suggest you leave, human. This meeting doesn't concern your race."

They would be surprised to hear a voice respond in turn. "I want to join you." Her visible right eye opened slightly, giving a knowing, somewhat sultry look.

The two turned to each other, bewildered, before turning back. Another voice filled her head, "What do you mean by your request?"

"I mean I want to join the Rebellion, the Rebellion of Psychics." Her face did not change.

The Solrock hovered forward, glancing back towards the Lunatone and telepathically telling it something. The Lunatone turned around and continued to circle while the Solrock turned back to her. The first voice she heard answered her request, "How did a human like you come across our whereabouts?"

She giggled, and put a hand to her mouth, "A little bird was kind enough to direct me." The Solrock would find it unusually difficult to pierce her mind beyond projecting simple words, and thus would not be able to discern that the unrelated Nuzleaf blabbed. "But I imagine champions of evolution such as yourselves wouldn't take on a stranger like me without some..." The hand removed, and her bubbly eye sharpened, "Real offerings."

The Solrock seemed to accept this information and continued his interrogation, "What is the rationale behind your interest? And what offerings have you brought?"

"The Reginalds," She spoke, rather than project through her mind. "I know you're at war with them. I can help you win." Despite her feminine charm, she exuded an aura of power, and with it the confidence to make such a bold claim out in the open. Her sharp eye darted towards the group that was held captive. As if to say "If you inconvenience me by attempting an escape, these two will be the least of your concerns."

The Solrock continued to hover there while she addressed their captive group, emotionless. It seemed to be contemplating her request. Finally, it mind-spoke a reply, "Remain in the vicinity for a few minutes. Our Officer will be here shortly."

The sharp eye returned to bubbly softness. She flicked her hand into a salute. "Roger dodger," she giggled as she replied with her mind. She then spotted a smooth rock nearby, adjusted her long dress, and sat down delicately while the Solrock rejoined it's counterpart.

Not too long afterward, steps could be heard off in the distance. A few seconds later, a small crowd of Pokemon broke through the dense forest. Lucy saw mostly Psychic-Types among them, though a number of Dark, Fairy, and even a couple of Steel-Types were among them. Leading the pack was a Metagross, the blue steel-colored Iron Leg Pokemon hovering a few paces in front of everyone. It's red eyes glanced around for a second before landing on the group of Pokemon the two Psychic Rebellion subordinates guarded. Lucy would get the pleasure of watching as the Metagross glanced back towards the troops he commanded, ordering them to do something. The large pack of Psychic Rebellion members nodded and began walking towards the group. Some even took to running, as if the activity excited them.

Lucy watched with a pleasant smile. The sight of some taking to running seemed to tickle her fancy. However, she was the picture of patience as she sat, relaxed, as these souls went about their business.

While the party encircled the captive Pokemon, the Solrock and Lunatone hovered forward to address the Metagross directly, explaining the situation. Their telepathic conversation was out of mind for the woman, but she picked up context clues that it was about here simply by the Metagross's hard stare that shot her direction every so often. The Officer nodded it's head towards the group and the Solrock/Lunatone duo joined the party. It then turned to face her.

"They told me you know telepathy. An impressive feat for a human like yourself." it said.

She gave a pleased smile as her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Oh stop it, you." The words filled the Metagross' mind as Lucy waved a hand.

"They also said you knew a few things about the Reginalds," it continued, ignoring her playful banter, "Said you could help us in dealing with them."

"They are stronger than they seem," Lucy warned, albeit not betraying her bubbly expression, "They are a terrifying enemy to have, if you know your history."

"Influential in the past," it mentally pressed, "But a small threat today."

"Then you underestimate them." Lucy stood. "But I know them like family. You probably heard already, but I want to join. I'll give you the Reginalds, but I would need a few things in order to do it."

"You have a strong will, I take," the Officer hummed, "But you are mistaken in our ambitions. The Reginalds are a small hurdle in the grand scheme of things. They are more like an opportunity to take advantage of rather than a real threat. There are multiple ways to reach the same goal. The Reginalds are simply one of them."

"Why not take advantage?" Lucy asked.

"We already are."

"Then we are in agreement. Are we not?" Lucy stooped a little lower so she was at eye-level with the Metagross. "All I need is a lab, and the Reginalds will be broken within the week."

The Metagross hovered back a foot, indignance in it's eyes, "Do you really think we need your help to take care of our pests? It doesn't matter how strong you are mentally. You're still human." Somehow, it spat the word at her. "The lowest of the low."

Suddenly, the air grew incredibly heavy. Every Pokemon in the area, as if grabbed by a terrible vice, slammed into the ground. The grass around them flattened so harshly that the water squeezed out, leaving an enormous circle of brown. The branches of the trees around them bent straight downward, and some even snapped. The Metagross could do nothing as an immense force pressed down upon him. It felt like a hand was simply holding the Metagross in place, suggesting that all it would take was a little more force to flatten the hard metal exterior into a pancake.

Lucy's hair flaired skyward, flapping like a blazing fire. The eerie purple glow showed from behind the eyepatch.

"I am more than a mere human!" her voice crackled and boomed. "I AM..."

With that, the force vanished as quickly as it appeared, and Lucy began adjusting her hair. She cleared her throat softly. "Ahem, I'm sorry for my outburst. That's not how you make allies at all." She rapped a knuckle on her head before she glanced at the now-dead greenery around them. "All I need is a lab," she repeated, "Would you be so kind to provide one?"

The Metagross began hovering once more, shaking the dirt particles off it's underbelly before continuing with much less harsh conviction in his voice, "We don't have those."

"Then we will have to take one," Lucy replied simply.

"Implausible," the Metagross was taken aback, "We don't go near the human civilizations."

"You... don't?" Her now-sharp eyes glared daggers into the Metagross' soul. "You, the Rebellion, who consider the Reginalds a... 'small threat'... and you fear to venture near human civilization?" Lucy crossed her arms.

"We don't fear the humans. We keep a low profile for now," the Metagross explained, "Until we're ready to take over without interruption or resistance."

"No battle plan survives contact with the enemy." Lucy quoted, "You're familiar with the Reginald history- it is bloody on both sides, despite their might, their wit, their tactics. They did not avoid loss. You won't be able to avoid loss either, so long as someone steps up to oppose you." She uncrossed her arms, and clenched her fist. The unseen force rippled through her long dress. "It cannot happen in one fell swoop, believe me, I have tried. Many have tried." The revealed cybernetics seemed indicative of the costs she had paid in the past. "We break the Reginalds, and claim what they have hidden away. That is when everything changes."

The Metagross hovered around her, examining her appearance, before hovering back, "I predict it wouldn't be a bad idea to have your help. Where do you reside?"

"I have no home- the Reginald boy made sure of it," she replied.

"I mean currently. You're too nicely dressed to be homeless."

"I have a safe house, and a select few friends," Lucy continued, "They are a means."

The Metagross sighed, "Oh. My. Arceus. I mean where should we come looking for you?"

"You only need to send a signal. I will catch it," Lucy replied, confident the Metagross knows exatly how she could say such a thing, Her bubbly demeanour then returned in full force. "Until I have my lab, I walk the roads."

The Officer nodded in understanding, "A small red beam will appear in the sky. When you see that, come directly to this spot. Come alone. We will let you know what our Lord says."

"Easy enough, I'm always alone," Lucy replied cryptically.

"Then we will meet then." The Metagross looked behind him, noticing that the small group of Pokemon had been rounded up, chained together and formed into lines of four. The Officer nodded at Lucy and she nodded back. With that, the two took off in their respective directions, until the next encounter.

--- PRESENT TIME ---

The red beam indeed appeared in the midnight sky, and Lucy swiftly left her safe house upon seeing it- a cabin hidden under thick, featureless foliage. It was a lovely stroll in the dark of night. Normally young ladies would be fearful of things in the dark. Lucy Reginald was very clearly something else. As she strolled down the featureless meadows and forests, down an obscure human path, and finally into another forest, her steps were light...unnervingly light. Whether in the dirt or the grass her simple, elegant slippers tapped soundlessly. It was almost as if she hovered in her long flowing dress. She wore a different dress compared to last time. Equally long, it was white with a fading green gradient reaching a full hue at the bottom hem. In actuality, she could see everyting as if it were as bright as day. Every little pebble on the ground, every bug-type that rose from their slumber to avoid predators, every blade of grass. Lucy Reginald could see it all- albeit only psyonically. At her side, a suitcase was gingerly held with a delicate grip.

The dead grass of their last meeting had been cleared, thus avoiding the potential smell of compost. This allowed new grass leaves to reclaim everything from the outside. She regarded it as an unfortunate, "happy accident", but that darling Metagross needed to be shown why this was an opportunity that could not be missed.

As she entered said circle, a familiar form hovered in front of her, stopping her short. It was the Lunatone hovering before her, making it's circles around her and emmitting small hums of noise as it did so.

"See something you like?" she teased as she struck a pose.

The Lunatone ignored the comment, it's voice floating through her mind, "Officer Ankh is waiting for you."

"Everyone's a critic," Lucy shrugged, but she followed the Lunastone anyway. She seemed to dance as she crossed the circle. Floating on the outskirts was the Metagross accompanied by the Solrock, both turning to face her as she approached. The Metagross spoke first.

"You made it," he thrummed, his tone of voice stoic.

"How could I miss such an exciting new chapter in our lives?" she winked.

"I sent your request off to our Headquarters," he began, "And it turns out Lord Zane is far more interested in you than I imagined he would be. Which is fortunate, in your case. He instructed me to let you know that he has effectively surrounded the Reginald Estate and would like for you to lead the charge upon the compound."

Lucy's smile grew ten sizes. "I like that name, Lord Zane. It screams overlord!" She giggled, but slowly grew more serious, her eye sharpened once more. "I am ready to go," she said. Over the past week or so, she had stolen lab materials and secured them in her safe house. She had to make do with what she could get, but she was confident the things in her case

Officer Ankh nodded, glancing down towards the suitcase in her right hand, "Good. Because he expects you to make it to Fuchsia City within two days, or he starts the siege before you get there."

"How gentlemanly," Lucy commented as she raised the suitcase, "With this, I'll only need a few hours."

"Then I wish you the best on your travels, Lucy Reginald." The Metagross turned to go, the Solrock and Lunatone falling in behind it.

"Oh, so you know who I am?" she asked as she opened the case with a gleeful expression. Not even the dropping of her last name seemed to affect her, "I love competent friends. I like this relationship already."

“The True Soul Link. A fusion of two into one in every way. It’s only a theory, but I think it could be possible with just the right… something.”

“That’s what you say all the time, but have you figured out that something yet?”

“I know it requires the ability to link souls in general. At least we have that.”

“So you say, Mario. Have you considered the question of how this true soul link would affect the two parties?”

“I have, but I cannot answer. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. That is the how Mario Reginald rolls.”

--- (Co-written with NeverEndingFlip)



Late at night, in the wilderness of Hoenn, Radegast and Elder moved quietly through grasses taller than the average human. On the relatively tall horizon, off to the side, the two of them could see the lights adorning a large weather station. Elder's ghostly vision allowed him to see in the dark. Radegast learned a similar thing from Chrome, a psychic vision of sorts.

“Oh!” Elder’s eyes lit up in a sudden realization. He had seen this place before- although it has changed drastically through the passage of time. The two of them changed course and headed into a thick forest.

The trees were too thick for Radegast- who opted to simply climb up and squeeze through the less dense brush. Elder, on the other hand, had no issues at all- although he kept pace with the Gallade.

“It must be here. I remember it!” Elder began to dart ahead as Radegast continued clambering through the forest. On occasion, he had to snap some dead branches with his bladed elbows. “Here!” The Gengar called. With a burst of excited adrenaline, Radegast picked up the pace, and slid down a fallen stump towards his friend’s voice.

Squeezing past a few shrubs, Radegast came across a tiny clearing- barely the size of a small cabin. The Gengar was up ahead, seated on a small stone.

A simple marker sat near the base of an interestingly gnarled tree. Time and water had rotted away most of the wood used for it, but a single flower left at its base looked fresh.

“It’s been here a day at-most,” Radegast noted.

“She still cares,” Elder sniffled, “But who is she?”

Radegast then realised there were a couple of husks. Each one appeared to be little more than tiny dried sticks, but the overall structure told him that they were the same flower. “Once a year,” the Gallade realised. By that logic, there should have been at least six flowers. Radegast figured previous ones must have been taken away by natural causes.

Elder stood once more and melted into the ground. Radegast picked out his own spot, and sat down cross-legged, as he waited for Elder to complete whatever he planned to do. Soon enough, Elder returned. “The bone structure,” he muttered.

“You examined your own skeleton?” Radegast thought the idea somewhat absurd.

Elder smirked for the first time in a while, “By the shape of the skull, I think I was previously a Toxicroak. Whoa!” He clutched at his head.

Radegast raised a hand, but realised there was nothing he could do. Even if he could do anything in his new form, ghost-types were not affected by Psychic types.

“I remember,” Elder said, “It was a clan.”

Radegast scratched his head. Clans were no surprise given everything he had dealt and learned about throughout their travels. Rage had a clan, Crystal had a clan, Weyloran and Suros too. This wasn’t exactly news to him at this point.

“A clan far north, in a jungle across the channel.”

Now there was something they could work with. Radegast smirked. “So we’re leaving Hoenn already… Although… there must be some way for us to cross from Hoenn to the wilderness mainlan-“

“Young Master,” The blade emerged from its pokeball. Its robotic voice seemed suddenly shakey. “Something is wrong.”

“Huh?” Radegast asked. The blade appeared uncharacteristically on-edge, no pun intended.

“By this distance… I could make it back in 15 minutes…”

“What’s happening?” Radegast grew more concerned.

“I feel Tarma’s mind. The Estate… is being attacked.” The blade tapped on the wood-finish Pokeball set in Radegast's belt. “Do not lose this- it is the only way to bring me back to your side.” The Aegislash then rocketed away at incredible speeds. It soared into the sky and then sped down the horizon back to Kanto.

Elder and Radegast exchanged concerned looks. “They’ll be fine- they’re my parents and uncle,” Radegast didn’t agree with their principles, but not even he could doubt that they were incredibly powerful trainers. That said, he couldn’t help but worry. No one attacked the Reginald Estate unless they had great confidence in their abilities or their plan. “They have to be…” Was Margriet there? The Gallade clenched his jar as anxiety began to well up.

The grass and foliage around him began to ripple, and Elder called it out. Remembering Vorpal’s training, the Gallade ran through some calming exercises. He couldn’t afford to lose control. Such were the terrible risks of being a psychic-type.

---

All was quiet around the Reginald Estate, initially. The midnight moon hung in the sky at waning crescent, low in the east, but high enough to where it was recognizable above the treetops in the crystal clear sky. There was a small biting wind, one that rustled the leaves around them softly and with serenity. It was a perfect night to walk about.

However. no one within the estate was doing something as leisurely as walking out. Many guards with full teams patrolled the interior gardens with tired, yet focused eyes. High above the estate, Logan led a small team of flyers on a sky patrol. Marcus and Celadon stood by the front door, arm in arm, with Percy and Gregory Fletcher on either side. They seemed to be sensing the very air itself, tasting the cold for some sort of sign- some form of omen. Margriet was inside, alongside her uncle. Tarma, with his failing body, used Soundwave and a cane as his supports while the rest of his team stood on-guard throughout the house.

Despite the pleasures of the night, things couldn't be more tense.

Marcus' Golurk sat in a meditative position directly outside of the front gate. Unmoving, the massive stone creature was like a sentinel that guarded the front gate to its dying breath.

Marcus suddenly felt a shiver. Within a few seconds, Tarma opened the door. "You felt it too, brother?"

"An omen?" Tarma asked.

"I felt it too," Margriet spoke up, with a hand on her belt. "What does it mean?"

Celadon said nothing. She merely disengaged from Marcus and reached for two Pokeballs. Marcus did the same.

The wind picked up slightly, causing the trees to sway. The guards kept careful watch for anything that seemed out of the ordinary, a tough job given the conditions of the surrounding forest and how much movement there was. But they were trained specialists. They knew what to watch for and how to watch for it. Even then, they also had an enormous network of Nincada spread throughout the surrounding forest, with hidden webbing strewn throughout. If anything so much as breathed in the surrounding property, they were going to know about it.

The wind whistled. And then...

The Golurk's head moved. It detected movement. Around the same time, Marcus caught something high above. With a flick of his wrist, a Swampert emerged. Celadon tossed the two balls she had in her hands, and summoned her Flygon and Shedinja. Tarma eyed the skies with a youthful, serious energy, but slipped back inside regardless. Margriet summoned her Poliwrath.

"Rotom," Marcus spoke simply. Marcus' Rotom had free reign throughout the electrical system of the entire Estate. A series of spotlights flared to life, filling the immediate area with an almost day-like level of light. Yet, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Everything was in place, the garden looking exactly how it looked throughout the day.

In front of the Golurk, however, there was a single figure approaching. The Golurk got to its feet and stood its full height. A young girl in a long, flowing dress, stepped forward without a sound. Her left eye was covered by flowing brown hair.

"It is not safe at the moment," The Golurk called to the woman, "Please return to your home."

"I am," the girl replied. The Golurk then noticed that the woman wore a pair of gauntlets- which she rose to point at the Golurk.

At that moment, a glass shattered nearby. Common sense told any active listeners that a window had been breached with something. Careful onlookers would've seen a blur of green fly through said window and cause the sound.

Margriet heard the glass shatter, and prepared the other pokeballs, summoning her full party, save for Raikou- who would've been too large for even the spacious estate. Tarma positioned himself in between his own team of friends.

"Crobat, Poison Gas!" Margriet's four-winged bat began belching and flooding the upstairs with the titular gas, aiming to flush out whoever or whatever had broken in upstairs. Margriet's Weavile poised itself to strike first against any who attempted to escape down the stairs.

Most would fail to look at the breaking glass, however, as the sound of splintering timber and smashed stone would flood the skies with sound, as the Golurk was launched through the gates, rolling through the front gardens. With a quick wordless bark, the Swampert braced himself and caught the Golurk before it could crash into the mansion.

Marcus peered around to see what had launched his bouncer with such immense force. Another crash soon followed...another window breaking. Now across the front lawn, random blurs were landing from the skies, cratering the ground around the Estate.

The sky patrols began hearing the sounds of battle, and they all swooped down to join the fighting. They launched ranged attacks as they descended. All of them found their mark. In fact, the Pokemon didn't even seem to be moving, nor did they look like they were standing.

Marcus' eyes widened as he realised what was happening. "Decoys! Decoys!" he called, only to feel an unseen grip around his throat. Celadon's own eyes widened, albeit in fury, as she unleashed the remainder of her team and barked orders to take down the culprit who was choking her husband.

The woman in the long dress stepped across the threshold. With a flick of her wrist, Lucy Reginald launched Marcus through the front doors. Even the tough oak wood cracked as the door came off its hinges and Marcus was sent sprawling into the expansive living room.

Tarma beheld the sight of his brother flying through the door with an air of confusion. "Bro..." he said.

"It's her!" Marcus groaned as he struggled to push himself onto his feet. "Damn it all! Why is she..." The anger and pain in his eyes betrayed an emotion he had never displayed openly: fear.

Tarma's eyes widened, but he stumbled anyway to his brother's side. He summoned the remainder of Marcus' team and barked in the Reginald voice, "Support your comrades outside!"

Celadon, on the other hand, was barking commands at an incredibly rapid pace, sending an enormous variety of attacks at the approaching Lucy Reginald.

"Ma'am," the Shedinja spoke robotically, "Movement detected. The Old Wearer's brood are detecting breaches in all directions."

"I'll handle her!" she called, referring to the woman in the flowing dress and the cybernetic gauntlets that connected to her back via coiling cables, "Everyone stay focused on the Rebellion!"

Lucy smirked. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Celadon."

The wind was starting to howl, growing stronger and stronger by the minute. At the same time, the treeline leading to the wall was growing more and more restless, looking like a moving entity in itself. And then the first set of Pokemon attacked. A couple of Zubat swooped out of the forest first, tackling the first two guards. A few Psybeams shot out into the wall, causing a few chunks of concrete to break away, revealing a layer of ice within. The number of attacks slowly grew, however, with more random Pokemon striking at the guards and multiple ranged strikes putting more holes in the wall.

Soon, the entire perimeter became a pandemonium, with attacks of all kinds darting back and forth, exchanged between combatants. Commands were drowned by the immeasurable volume of noise caused by blasts of psychic energy, undead auras, and everything in between. Many guards were knocked down, but others used their respective Pokemon combatants to cover their fallen comrades, allowing them time to summon their own fighters.

Then it was Celadon's turn to be sent through the door. After several minutes of blocking and returning attacks, Lucy swept Celadon's whole team off to one side. "Oh, it's great to be home," Lucy smiled widely as she continued stepping toward the home of her childhood- of her mother's childhood- of her grandfather's childhood. "But nostalgia gets in the way..." she rose both hands, palms facing the mansion, "... Of progress." The walls around the open doorframe began to split and crack as she tugged on the architecture with unseen hands.

"Mom!" Margriet called as her mother was launched through the doorframe as well. Marcus, having recovered enough, managed to catch her.

"Margriet!" Tarma called, "The Coat should be here soon! We need more time!"

The young girl gulped nervously, but she took one look at the woman stepping slowly outside, and then she nodded. With the rest of her team covering the interior defense, Margriet summoned her Raikou, and moved to press the attack on Lucy.

"Oooh!" Lucy's visible eye lit up, "I think this will suffice." She finally stopped her approach and widened her stance. "What do you think, Zane?"

"I think..." the sinister sneer in the Common Tongue spoke from behind Margriet, "That's perfect. Sonya?"

A small giggle was heard directly to her right, "That'll work."

"In that case," Lucy thrust a hand forward, which launched Margriet away. The young girl could only watch as she was flung away from her companion. There, she saw the figures of a Zoroark and a Meowstic. They both oozed satisfied expressions. This time, her Poliwrath leaped in to catch her.

Then with both hands out, Lucy began to grip at the Raikou psionically. The Raikou roared in annoyance, and readied an enormous discharge of electricity. "Not quite," Lucy smirked as she swung both arms outward. In-sync, the Raikou's legs were flung outward, sending it sprawling on its stomach with an impactful thud. "All yours," Lucy said as the unseen force began to press down on the Raikou, forcing it to leave an impression of itself in the ground. The woman in the gauntlets then continued stepping toward the house.

The Meowstic giggled again as she brought forth a machine. It looked fairly plain in design, a small gray gun that resembled nothing as big or as menacing as the Master Blaster's cannon. However, there was a small circular opening built into the side that would be visible from Margriet's perspective...a circular slot that was filled with the presence of a Master Ball.

"No!" Margriet called as she regained her breath. All of the guards were preoccupied. Logan's team were engaged in a battle that quickly became a losing one, now that all of the heavy hitters were brought to their knees in the Reginald living room.

She could only watch as Sonya pulled the trigger, unleashing a controlled beam of red light that enveloped the Raikou. The beam then retracted, pulling the legendary Pokemon with it akin to a Pokemon being recalled into it's PokeBall. When the beam dissipated, there was a whir and a click. The Master Ball uncharacteristically stood still during this exchange, unable to shake like PokeBalls did. Finally, there was a second click, a more recognizable one...the click of a Pokemon successfully being captured.

"Aaaaand done!" Sonya turned to Zane, the look of pure giddiness on her face, "Ya ready to head out?"

"Indeed," Zane nodded as he turned to Lucy, "You may do what you wish. Give us the signal when you've cleared the area so we can perform our little test."

Lucy smiled sweetly. "You got it!" she spoke in a bubbly voice.

Sonya and Zane bolted, running out the front door and into the fray going on outside.

She lowered her stance, slowly took in a deep breath, and bellowed a battle shout as she thrust both arms forward. An immense wave of psychic energy emerged and slammed into the Estate. Walls cracked and buckled as the force slammed like the world's greatest wrecking ball.

Just when it seemed like the entire estate would come crashing down, the psychic wave was suddenly dissipated. The gleaming silver blade and the faded green shield hovered. The air around it rippled with power, as the Reginald Coat of Arms blocked the attack launched by Lucy.

"Her..." the Aegislash muttered. "I should have known there was a reason why you were having trouble with the Rebellion."

“Reggie, there's no time to chat.” Tarma tossed one cane, and extended a shaky, boney hand. “Everyone…” he added to the members of his party, “The Family comes first.”

With grim, yet determined expressions, the sound-type Pokemon all nodded.

“Tarma!” Marcus called, wincing at the pain of his injuries.

“Marcus!” The elder brother returned, as the Aegislash’s paper-like arms snaked all around his frail body, “The Family… is yours.”

“No!” Margriet shrieked.

The team of five dissolved with a flash of white and purple, siphoning into the one figure that combined souls with the mighty Aegislash. The old frail body was betrayed by a sudden liveliness, as if a healthy monster took its place that very instant. Tarma’s eyes opened, glowing pure-white, and emitting rippling purple flames without heat.

Lucy’s eye widened in excitement. “The key!” She laughed as she adjusted a few dials on her gauntlets, staring unblinking at the immense power that was unleashed.

“Sir!” The Palkia slashed open a portal. “We must go.”

Marcus could only grit his teeth. “Everyone, to the portal. Tarma will… hold them off.”

The Rebellion forces charged, rearing to pursue and finish off the rest. However, one swing of the blade, and Tarma unleashed a wave of kinetic energy, a wall that shoved all away from the evacuees. Everyone except for Lucy, who had lifted both gauntlet-clad fists and nullified a section of the wave with a projected field. “The key!” She repeated, giddy with anticipation, she then charged to meet Tarma in combat.

“Fool!” Tarma’s voice sounded like the shrill cries of thousands of the damned, combined with the powerful bass of the Aegislash itself. He braced his stance, and took a great counter-swing. The blow was caught between both gauntlet-clad hands. “Wha-“ Tarma’s blazing eyes widened.

Lucy’s teeth grit with strain as her implants whirred within. “So much power, I can almost keep up!” Her hair flew back, revealing her false eye. The patch was open, revealing a strange black eyeball wth a glowing purple iris.

“Mother’s little trick,” she said, “Grandpa took fifteen minutes to murder her. How many do you have, when I’m even stronger?”

Tarma’s memories paired with Reggie’s, recalling the terrible battle of attrition. The immense power of Giratina in its own element proved to be equal to the Aegislash even with a fully unleashed fusion. This girl was doing the same thing… but on her own.

“What have you done?” Tarma’s voice crackled with more energy than any living thing could handle. He pressed the assault regardless- his priority was allowing the family to escape.

“History is written by the victor, dear uncle- whatever is left of you in there.” Lucy ducked and weaved past more slashes. “The Vandal was always a true Reginald!”

The exchange of blows continued. Blasts of deflected energy inadvertently kept up the cover Tarma initially wanted, in order to buy time for the Family to escape.

“You’re not even going to kill me?” Lucy taunted.

“Reggie… cmon,” Tarma’s voice began to waver as his time drew closer and closer to its limit. “This is like last time. She’s no longer family, don’t hesitate! I am trying, but… Lucy… She’s gone Primal!” Reggie realised, though his voice was shared with Tarma’s, “I should’ve known! Primal?? What is Primal?”

Lucy’s mouth curled into a grin. “You never told them the truth?”

Reggie did not respond, but Tarma continued the attack with a desperate vigour. More clangs and whiffs that sent mighty gusts slamming against the surrounding walls and trees as the two of them duelled with incredible power.

All of a sudden, Lucy cringed as the blade met her shoulder- sinking down to her collarbone as it passed. She emitted a sudden cry. “C’mon,” Tarma repeated, more to himself than anything. He made a good hit, but he almost hit the artery. It’s not over yet. Lucy’s excitement gave way to an adrenaline-fuelled anger, but the pain had stunned Lucy enough for a follow-up. The blade came down in an overhead slash.

But the blade never struck. An inch before a killing blow, the momentum ceased, and Tarma’s body dissolved within the embrace of the paper-like arms. The blade and shield were flung away from the sudden release of energy. Almost as soon as it had appeared, the great blaze of fusion vanished without a trace.

After a moment of hesitation, Lucy stepped forward. She had planned to outlast the fusion, but she was still in shock at how close she had cut it. She dropped to her knees, and brought a gauntlet-clad hand to her shoulder. It came back red, but not light red. Her smile returned. “Farewell, Uncle,” she spat blood. The exchange of blows had shaken her right to her core, causing immense internal bleeding. and microfractures. However, her implants whirred with life as fractures were mended and burst blood vessels were patched together. The source of this healing might was, in fact, a Full Restore.

Lucy Reginald was laughing. "Now then," she grinned widely as she stood up once more. As she began to head around the remnants of the mansion, she saw the blade and shield of the Aegislash stir with recovering might. All of a sudden, it washed in red light, and shot away, through a wall, in a general south-east direction.

"Damn," she muttered, "But that must mean..." It wasn't something she could pursue now. The Psychic Rebellion had their little test with their toy. Lucy had bigger plans, and she had to move quickly or else try to test her mettle at handling a shot from the superweapon.

The pink petals of the giant ancient tree loomed over her with an almost nostalgic shade. For a moment, the memory of reading with her mother flashed across her eyes. "Mother..." she muttered as her smile faded. "This is for you, and for me."

With no gestures, the twin stone doors of the Catacombs swung open. Lucy headed down with silent steps. For a few minutes, she left the outside world, on her personal mission.

She didn't take long, later emerging with an ancient coffin hovering over her shoulder. Unlike the others, this one seemed like one solid slab, with no visible crease to separate a lid.

The Vandal was a true Reginald, the words echoed as she stared into the direction the Aegislash vanished into. After taking a deep breath, the false eye glowed once more, and she shot into the sky, leaving behind a streak of crackling purple energy.

"There's the signal," Zane pointed towards the purple streak in the sky. "She's gone."

"Perfect," Sonya's smile was much more sinister this time around, "Let's see how much firepower it's packing now."

On her shoulder was another device, this one resembling a large cannon crafted with smooth metal plates and a lot of menace. This was the Master Blaster. Sonya pushed a button, and a small whining noise began to emanate from the cannon. A smal light began to appear within the barrel, growing more and more intense with each passing second. The whirring grew louder and the Meowstic's eyes began to light up, both out of the intensity of the light and the enjoyment she was feeling.

3...2...1...

The noise that erupted was deafening. The current of energy seemed to explode from the cannon, illuminating the area around them with a hot white glow. It felt like the very air was being sucked out from their surroundings. As for the beam, it burst through and eviscerated any trees in it's path...which was five times bigger than the previous time it had been fired. The humongous beam traveled uninhibited and unstoppable where it finally found a stopping point...

Directly into the Reginald Estate.

The entire length of the grounds, building and all, was washed in the intensity of the Master Blaster, completely eviscerated by the stored energy of the four legendaries that powered it. It lasted for about a second or two before it was gone, plunging the world around it into the darkness of night once more. Sonya had to rub her eyes to let them adjust to the sudden light changes as she surveyed the collateral. What was left behind was a massive crater at the point of impact, charred black and smoldering with heat. The smoke began to billow as she realized nothing remained. The house, the garden, the catacombs...they were all gone.

The Reginald Estate was no more.

"Oho ho ho hooooooah!" even Zane's jaw was dropped at the spectacle, "That's insane!"

Sonya let a smile escape, "Well, that's what you get when four legendaries combine their might for a common goal. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to report this in and tell Zane the good news."

Zane slowly began to morph, his body starting to melt, but Sonya stopped him short, "No. You keep your disguise, Commander Dot. It's better that way."

The bulbous mass of color reshaped into the Zoroark, nodding when complete, "Of course, Master Sonya."

"Take command and lead your armies back to where they came," Sonya ordered, "And tell them to be ready. We will begin the uprising soon."

"Yes ma'am," the Commander answered back before taking off into the forest to do what she had asked.

Sonya, in turn, began making her own way towards her transportation: a boat parked outside of the city limits. She held the greatly strengthened Master Blaster on her shoulder and the Capture Gun on her left hand. Her eyes were brimming with victory.

"Ready or not, Crimson. Here we come," she said, solely to herself.

---



Radegast held up the ball with the wooden finish. He felt a pit form in his stomach all of a sudden, and he pressed the button. Nothing happened for a good few minutes, but suddenly a blast of red energy darted from the sky and into the ball.

“Reggie!” Radegast called as the Aegislash emerged, unscathed, but still rippling with residual purple flame. “You fused! I could… I could feel it from here!”

“Tarma is gone,” Reggie said.

“Wh-“

“The Estate is lost.”

“No…”

“Marcus, Celadon, Margriet, and all surviving guards were successfully evacuated- Tarma sacrificed himself to ensure it.”

Radegast’s legs gave out, only to be caught by Rage.

"Where are they?" Radegast asked, "Who else was lost?"

"I do not know," the Aegislash admitted, "Palkia evacuated everyone via portal."

"That's good, at least..." Radegast muttered.

"But not before the Rebellion captured Margriet's Raikou."

"To add to that weapon..." Radegast grit his teeth. "We're running out of time."

"There is one more piece of bad news: your cousin spearheaded the attack."

"Who?"

"... You don't remember your aunt and cousin?"

Radegast shook his head. He was a mere infant when Gregorovich left for the last time, the last time he had seen that great lion's mane. "Why didn't I know?"

"They were disowned from the Family. It's a long story, but... we do have a lot of ground to cover..." Reggie dipped back into the wood-finish pokeball, emitting an aura of sadness. Radegast felt it, and returned it in kind.

First Grandpa Greg, now Uncle Tarma. Radegast clenched the Limiter gauntlet into a fist. "All I wanted was friends..." the words seemed empty to him now. Between the Rebellion, the Regicide Crew, and now this unknown cousin...

Cousin... Working with the Rebellion? Just what the hell is up with this family?

Despite the overwhelming odds, Radegast knew that it didn't change anything. He still had his goal.