Pokémon Legends: Court of Kings

[Jump Einatz]

The complex maneuvers Shuriken used made it difficult for Banksy to keep up with her Flamethrower. At certain points in his flight path, she had to take short breaks to reposition herself with a Rapid Spin before firing again.

Salieri noticed these breaks and was preparing to take advantage of one for her jump. The Air Cutters sliced through the Fire Spin, which would reform shortly after. It was just like when Dune sliced through her White Smoke on the ground. Except the rapid influx of oxygen into the Fire Spin caused the flames that were cut off to explode. Alright. That's new. It does give me and idea though…well, here goes nothing. "Veillantif! Ready?!"

"Prrriiii!" she squeaked, happily flapping her flippers. She had never skydived without a parachute into an exploding fire tornado onto a flying turtle before! It looked like it could be fun!

Far below, Mia watched up with her telescope, sighing at the audacity of the two trainers while sipping on her beer. The other Gotengo kids cheered and hollered up at the sky.

"She's gonna do it! She's gonna jump!"
"That flying is SICK!"
“AUUUUGH MAH GO~D!”
“But this Taco guy, though!”
“Mmm yes, quite elegant indeed.”
"Has anyone seen my glasses? Boy, my mom’s gonna kill me…”
“I like his hair!”
“Someone take a selfie with me and that fire tornado!”
“JUMP JUMP JUMP! Guys c’mon!”

And then everybody was chanting for the jump as TK flew Shuriken up to the top of the Fire Spin. Sal looked down below at Banksy, the eye of the storm. This was the best chance she’d get. The bandanna girl stood up, took a deep breath, and put a hand on TK’s shoulder. “Good flying, kid. Now we’re even.”

In the calm of her adrenaline rush, she decided to ruffle his hair. Then she dived.

The chant went silent. The flaming funnel got narrower as she fell through, and the heat practically reached out to touch her. Time seemed to slow down as she aimed her Horsea downwards and commanded a “Dragonbreath!”

The Dragon type green gust of force acted like air, but wasn’t. It punched through the narrowing flames momentarily without the combustion, and with a forward flip Salieri stomped down onto Banksy’s shell.

The Fire Spin cancelled immediately as Banksy tried to regain control, giving everyone full visibility again. With a practiced swish of her hand and Veil’s red ink, Salieri finished tagging the sun emblem. “DONE!”

Banksy snorted steam in surrender. A wave of cheers went up for Salieri as she held up her arms in triumph while Banksy lowered to the ground, and another wave of cheers went up to the guest appearance of ‘Taka’. Youngster and DJ Anais flipped another record on and restarted the dance party. The kids all filed back into the house, more amped than ever.

The Torkoal deactivated her White Jet, popping out her legs and thumping to the ground. Salieri jumped off and admired her tag, instantly dried due to the Fire type’s body heat. “You wouldn’t have come out here if you didn’t think I could beat you,” she teased, sticking out her tongue through a playful smile.

Banksy frowned and withdrew in her shell. She rocked back and forth, until a pokeball burst from a small hole at the top of her shell. The pokeball sizzled on the ground, and in a flash of red light Banksy went inside.

The ball still looked hot, so while it cooled down and she caught her breath, Salieri returned her other, tired pokemon. “You guys killed it,” she told them as they were recalled, pleased with themselves.

She’d look to wherever TK was, the sky or the ground, with her hands on her hips and a confident grin. Winning was nice, it put her in a good mood. Now she had a powerful pokemon and a good ride traveling with her. It’d take some time before she could tame Banksy, but she wasn’t going to concern herself with that now.

The mystery of who Takamaru was still had to be addressed, however. A newcomer showing up on her territory always needed to be screened, in case they were a rat or a jerk. Even if he had paid off the debt she thought he owed her, and even if that match had left her exhausted, Salieri still had a responsibility to the wellbeing of Gotengo.

“Alright, welcome to Gotengo.” As if the sign on the main house wasn’t obvious. “I’m Salieri Soledad, but you can call me Sal. This is my turf. So, uh, Taco, right? How’d you find this place?”  

[Zamaku]

Lumiose - Gotengo

Takamaru frowned as Sal ruffled his hair, a small blush creeping up across his cheeks and nose before getting his head back in the game and having Shuriken dive below the Torkal. Ready to catch Sal should she fall. As it turned out, she succeeded in her defacing of Bansky's shell, causing the crowd below to erupt into sheers and applause, TK joining in as well, grinning and enjoying the rush of victory for the second time that day.

As Sal and Bansky descended, TK and Shuriken would glide down to the ground so the silver haired trainer could dismount. "You flew fantastically, now would you please stop showing off?" The silver haired trainer complained with a fond smile, recalling Shuriken.

[Why? should the world not bask in my Regal-ness!] Shuriken exclaimed before he was recalled into his Pokeball.

A few of the crowed high-fived him and cheered at him, causing the Timid trainer to blush a shade of scarlet and duck his head in embarrassment. "T-Thanks, but i really didn't do much..." He mumbled along with a few other humbled words before being addressed by Sal.

TK faulted and sighed as Sal referred to him as 'Taco'

Although, that is a new one...

"N-no, that's not..My names not Taco..." TK explained, a bead of sweat falling down the side of his face in embarrassment. "Im Takamaru Takashi, but, if you want you can call me TK," he explained with a shrug of his shoulders.

Scratching the back of his head, again, embarrassed he explained, "I kinda er...got lost, im not used to such a big city you see." He purposely left out the fact that about his zero percent sense of direction.

"What is this place, its way different that the rest of the city..." He asked trailing off, looking around in detail at the Gotengo itself, taking note of the exterior and the giant tree in the center.  

[Jump Einatz]

"TK, huh?" Salieri rubbed her chin. Within seconds she had become fond of the nickname 'Taco'. But if he truly had a preference, she'd respect it and call him what he wanted. "Fine. TK it is."

She stepped back and spun while gesturing to the urban ruins, giving high fives to the stragglers that hung back to congratulate her before going inside. "This building was supposed to be replaced with a hotel once, but no one wanted to pay for renovation costs for something in this corner of town." 'This' referred to dirtier, poorer portion of Lumiose City. The part you didn't see in the brochure.

"A bunch of us found this tree some years back and we turned it into...well, this. We're free to live how we want here. As long as no one is a d**k about it." Salieri said this with a tinge of pride, moreso than her usual amount. The music pumped from the speakers in the main house. "Every year before the league parade we throw a party. It's pretty dope, we just fixed up the speakers. It's a good send off for the new trainers."

TK seemed like he could be somewhat of a dork, but Salieri liked that he could roll with the punches. The kid was alright in her books, so he passed the official Gotengo test of initiation. "You wanna come in and unwind before you get to where you're headed? Maybe grab a drink or two?"  

[Zamaku]

Lumios - Gotengo

"Go-ten-go.." TK mumbled to himself, tasting the word before smiling to himself. He liked it, the name seemed to fit the area. It was something TK could get behind, making something yours, taking something no one else wanted and giving it a purpose.

Sal's seemed to glow with pride as she showed off the Gotengo.

"Ahh, sure, i could go for something to drink" TK replied to her offer with a polite grin before following Sal 'Inside.'

"Wow, this is much better than the public space's over in Santalune..." The trainer commented as the made there way inside. "Most of the people in the region are so... unnecessarily uppity, i dont even know if that's the right phrasing for it." The area inside the tree wasn't as s**c and span, but the people who were present didn't seem to be judging people by their appearance or what they were wearing. Just generally having a good time. "B-but not you Sal, you and everyone here seem cool" The trainer quickly amended.

Assuming they would grab a seat together somewhere where ever they ended up, TK would turn down any offer for alcohol, remembering Adrianns's warning about the stuff. Instead, grabbing/ordering a Sprite. If not, Then TK would merely follow Sal's lead.

"So, are you participating in the league too? Or are you just an overzealous Pokemon fan?" TK asked, trying to get a better handle on Salieri as a whole.  

[Jump Einatz]

When they entered the interior, Salieri was greeted with many 'Congrats' or 'Nice job' from those she passed by. "You like it? Yeah, we try to keep this an 'anti-snob' zone. That's the word you're looking for, snobbish." She almost asked him if he was a noble out of habit, but opted not to as he revealed his colors.

They stopped at the bar (re: long table with coolers and mismatched stools) so TK could get his Sprite. Salieri continued to lead him up the spiral staircase out of the main house to get up to the crow's nest.

She grinned at the word 'overzealous'. "I'm a pokemon trainer. This year, I'll be the league champion," she informed TK matter-of-factly. "I was gonna head out to the parade after I finished my drink, actually. There are some faces I want to see in that crowd."

There was something a little malevolent about how she said that last remark, something a little bitter, but she kept her playful tone all the same. "What about you?" Sal asked as the ascended up the tree. "You're also a trainer, right?"  

[Zamaku]

Lumiose - Gotengo

With a sharp snap TK opened his beverage of choice and would lean against the edge of the crows nest if Sal didn't climb any further, or follow her higher into the canopy one handed. either way, he would sigh appreciatively as the cool liquid made its way down. In TK's head, Sprite was the king of the beverage world, how anyone could want such a bitter tasting drink as beer, was beyond him.

"Yup, So that makes up rivals then, huh," The silver haired youth replied with a polite smile. So far she seemed competent when it came to Pokemon, but seeing as after TK arrived in the Gotengo she was doing most of the combat with assistance from her Horsea, he couldn't really be sure just how apt she was as a trainer herself, which is what prompted the next question.

"Do you have any badges yet?" he asked, curiosity in his tone, hoping to glean a bit more into her person and as an opponent he may or may not end up facing. "I just got my first one today, you people act nicer if you have badges? I wonder why...?" He continued more to himself rather that Sal, his tone betraying his youthful ignorance about the whole concept of betting on trainers during the league...  

[Jump Einatz]

When they got to the top of the crow's nest, Mia wasn’t there anymore. Salieri assumed it was because she was looking for her: trying to run into someone at a teenage party was difficult when everyone was moving around. But the delinquent knew her friend would return to the crow’s nest eventually, so she decided to stay put.

She picked up the beer she had left behind and took a swig. "Rivals, eh? I could use one of those." Sal rose an eyebrow when TK mentioned he got his first badge. She wasn’t surprised, since a decently trained Skarmory would wipe the floor with Viola’s Bugs if used properly. Still, she couldn’t help but be a little envious. Other trainers must not be waiting for the parade to be over to challenge the gym. Guess I’ll have to get an early start tomorrow. Bleh, I hate mornings.

“I’m getting my first badge tomorrow.” It was stated as a fact, not speculation. She bent over the edge of the crow’s nest next to TK, looking down at the courtyard. Her match with Banksy proved her pokemon were getting stronger, but she still had much to teach them. It was hard not to think about the match when the Torkoal’s pokeball was still warm in her pocket.

“What do you mean you people?” she asked pointedly, before revealing it was meant to be a jest with a small smirk. “Nah, I mean, I know you’re talking about Kalos in general…” It dawned on her that as a foreigner, especially one that didn’t seem to have a grasp yet on the more mundane aspects of her country, TK might really have no idea what the answer to his question was.

Salieri’s eyes narrowed out into space, and her tone became more focused. “Do you know what makes the Kalos league different from other countries, TK?”  

[Zamaku]

Lumiose - Gotengo

Taking note of Sal's confidence in her prospects at winning her gym match, TK tipped the last of his soda's contents into his mouth before tossing the empty can into a small cardboard box being used as a trash receptacle.

"Hm, what do you mean?" Was the Kalos league really so different than the leagues held in other countries? How exactly did they deviate from the tried and true variation?

"...I probably should have read the Term of agreement...."

But honestly, does anyone?

Speaking of other counties, holding his Holo-caster up, TK took note of the time difference. His siblings back in Johto would be fast asleep. The thought made the silver haired youth feel...disconnected.

Letting his Holo-caster fall back down to its place on his chest, connected by a lanyard around his neck, he'd try not to let his unease show on his face. trying to distract himself from his own home sickness like feeling, TK turned to look over the edge of the crows nest like Sal. The Tiki torches set warm glows around the entire Gotengo, The music was a steady beat down below.  

[Jump Einatz]

Salieri's ears perked up when she thought she heard sirens. Turns out it was just the transition Youngster and DJ Anais used to get to the next track.

"The winners of the Kalos league don't just become champions. They become nobility too."

The topic was making her antsy. She turned around to lean back on her elbows, hands balled into fists. "If some connard is nicer to you after you got your badge, it's because they think if you win the league they can ride your coattails." Sal put on her thicker accent and mimicked the stereotypical busybody voice of a posh Kalosian elitist. "Like, 'Oh, I was there when he won your first badge! We're very close'. Or, 'Yes, I was harsh, but only to teach him everything he knows.' Ugh. Bon dieu."

Her head fell back as she looked at the stars. A hint of bitterness seeped through as she said, "...trainers with blue blood get sponsored by the nobles themselves. The good ones become the best trainers money can buy, favorites to win the league. Everyone else is a darkhorse. There hasn't been an honorary nobility title given out in years."

If he's any good, maybe I should warn him about what happened to Moze...then again, winning would be easier if he doesn't know...but if I don't...

Salieri stood up and faced TK entirely, arms crossed. "There's lot of money placed betting on the league. And the blue bloods don't like it when a commoner becomes a noble. To make sure a nobililty sponsored trainer wins, people will do anything to keep the darkhorses from the top. Some of those darkhorses...sometimes you never see them again."

She shook off the dark rage that was simmering inside her and replaced it with a flippant, "Yeah, you're not gonna hear that part from a lot of people. It isn't a conspiracy theory or something. Everybody's living with their heads in the clouds, not seeing what's on the ground. If no one else was gonna tell you...well, I thought you oughta know."  

[Zamaku]

Lumiose - Gotengo

TK's brow furrowed as he processed this new information, his features betraying his unease on the topic. This wasn't what he was expecting...Not in the slightest. TK could be pretty youthfully ignorant at times, but he was pretty sure that he was picking up what Sal was throwing out.

If he understood her correctly, That meant people have been murdered in prior Kalos leagues. For no other reason than being a commoner who had bigger dreams than working nine to five in a convenience store. The thought made his stomach churn. Whats worse, it sounded like Sal knew someone that fit that bill. He was tempted to ask, but figured if Sal wanted him to know, she'd have let on more...details.

lightly pushing himself off the railing his was leaning against, TK stood up a bit straighter as well. "Thank you Sal, that's really...a lot to take in. But still, thanks. Ill keep my ear to ground-" just then, TK's holo-caster started making an obnoxious fluxuating beeping sound.

"Oh...The parade, its gonna start soon," TK mumbled, silencing the alarm on his Holo-caster and letting it fall back down to its place on his chest, held up by the lanyard around his neck.

Turning his attention back to Sal, "Its not a very pleasant revelation, but, er...its good to know at least, good to know how dangerous this league is..." the youth sighed, still kind of slumped, running a palm through his hair before stopping at the back to scratched the back of his head. A habit of his when he's troubled or concerned.

On one hand, Adrianna would murder him herself if she found out he didn't tell her what the deal was with this league, but if he did, there wasn't a continent he could run to get away so she couldn't find him and drag him off back home. But he wasn't just participating in this league for the fun of it. Tia needed the money gained by winning this league, her spinal injuries alone would cost a royalty.

No, this was something he had to do, no two ways about it. And so, even if it meant lying to his elder sister about the happenings of the darker side of the Kalos league, TK would. He wasn't so faint of heart that something like this revelation would put him off his chosen course. for just a moment, There was a faint flicker of fierce determination In the youths eyes.

So with that, TK snatched up a scrap of paper from off the floor of the crows nest, and a pen that was on the edge of a small table also occupying the Crow's nest, before jotting down his Holo- caster number and holding it out to Sal.

"listen, I don't wanna sound pretentious or anything... but, uhm, if this league really is as rigged as you say, it wouldent hurt to have some friends in the league ready to help each other out...not that you'd er..need it? just a precaution if either of us get into some sorta trouble. And also, i owe you, for telling me how it really is over here." This gesture was every bit for himself as it was for Sal. That, and she was cool, a hot head sure, but cool (Something Shuriken would scoff at) and easy to get along with, someone TK could see himself calling a friend.

Assuming Sal took the holo-caster number, TK would store the rest of the information he gleaned from his conversation with Sal to sort through later, right now, as trainers, they had the opening ceremony parade to attended, and TK wasn't going to let the unfairness of the nobles of the Kalos league spoil it for him. If Sal proposed it, TK would tag along with her to the opening ceremony parade. If not, well he would find it on his own...eventually.

If the question was brought up about flying over on with Shuriken, TK would explain that the armored bird Pokemon was fast asleep in his Pokeball, and is prone to temper tantrums if woken up mid-sleep.  

[Jump Einatz]

Salieri stared at the holocaster number in TK's hand. The trainer had skills, but he seemed cautious in going forward. Sal was planning to be anything but. In fact, she had a few audacious plans for the nobility in store. The path she was headed on was the difficult one. She didn't want to involve somebody else in that if she could help it, and she didn't consider TK to be indebted to her for the advice since it was free.

More than any of that, it was just strange to hear him call her a friend. That never happened to Salieri.

She took the paper anyway. Then she wrote down her pokegear number and handed it to TK. "Likewise." Then she'd offer to show him the way to the parade, and he'd say yes, and she'd say, "Cool, I just need a minute."

Sal went down the treehouse, stopping in each of the small shacks to search for Mia. She passed someone rolling up a cigarette, a few kids playing games with pokemon, a teenage couple making out in a bedroom. Finally, she came across Mia playing a racing videogame with a few other kids.

"Dude. You're a maniac," Mia told Sal flatly without looking up from the screen. Her tone was level as always, but she had a small smile on her face. "Congrats."

Sal was beaming. "I can't believe you thought I would lose."
"Your odds were pretty awful."
"My odds are always awful. My luck is on point."
"Uh-huh. Speaking of lucky strokes-"

Mia won her game, passed the controller onto another kid, and stood up with Sal. They walked out of the shack together for a private talk.

"What's up with that Taka kid?" Mia asked. Sal shrugged.
"The usual foreign-trainer-entering-the-league thing. I dunno, I didn't really ask him about himself. We're going to the parade now, if you wanna come."
"Oh? I'll stay with the party, thanks. That's adorable, though." Her expression didn't change, but Mia's words had a very serious implication to a teenage girl. Sal blushed.
"Shut up!"
"What? He's kinda cute. I like his hair."
"And not my type."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Yeah. No one's 'been your type' since that mystery boy. Prince Charming only showed up for one night and you're in loooove-"

Sal punched Mia on the arm, causing the other girl to chuckle while clutching her new bruise. "Shut up!" she commanded with a loud whisper, more embarrassed than before. "...I've hooked up with other guys since-"
"And they drop like flies. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm just saying, you're about to enter the ocean. There's plenty of fish."

Mia rose up her hands defensively. Sal pouted. "I hate you." She spun away, leaving Mia chuckling to herself before heading back inside to reclaim dominance in videogames.

Salieri found TK again and together they walked out to Gotengo's courtyard. She tried to get Banksy out of her pokeball for a ride, but the Torkoal was already napping defiantly. Shuriken was in a similar boat, so Salieri proposed an alternate route.

"Do you climb or, uh, jump off of stuff ever? We can get to a great spot no problem if you think you can handle it."  

[Zamaku]

Lumiose - Gotengo

After Sal stepped out, TK used the time to log her pokegear number into his Holocaster. Aside from his two sisters and two others, it was the only one. It was no biggy, friends for the most part were just extra weight. His family was his number one priority and befriending Sal was just a precaution.

...Or at least that's what TK kept telling himself.

Truth was, he liked the idea of having a friend.

A real one this time... he thought bitterly, a brief flashback playing through his minds eye. His facial features not betraying his bitterness at what ever it was he was remembering.

So when Sal returned, TK would be standing there looking just as innocently calm as always.

"Mh-hmm, I can handle it." the youth replied politely, wearing a small smile.

Takamaru wasn't a physically strong individual, but he was fast, and could free run aptly enough. A skill he honed during his time spent working as a delivery boy back in Johto, as well as his training under Byron.

What are you?! A Steel type, no? Than stay the hell outta the way...idiot kid.... Tk sighed inaudibly, fondly recalling one of the first things Byron of Canalave yelled at him, just a few hours into there training on the Iron isles.  

[Jump Einatz]

Salieri rose an eyebrow, mildly impressed with Takamaru's blind confidence. "Alright, try and keep up."

She'd skate out of the Gotengo building and into Lumiose's streets, with TK following her. The bandanna girl would lead him through pedestrian zones, street vendors stands, trashy alleyways, fire escapes and a network of rooftops. Obstacles were everywhere, but Salieri was making as much of a beeline towards her destination as she could, using her agility and explosive strength to bypass what was in her way with spins flips and jumps, much to the chagrin of the people and pokemon she tricked off of.

TK kept up just fine. In her head, Salieri admitted she was impressed. It was hard to tell since he had to follow her, but the silver haired kid might have been even faster than Sal herself. Acknowledging this, she actually took them on a more difficult, but faster route, than originally planned.

From roof to roof they'd leap, until they reached a roof garden on a building in

Lumiose City - Centrico Plaza

Even though she still had to catch her breath, Salieri didn't stop as she scanned over the edge of the garden. "Hmph. The parade's still down the street. Looks like we beat them here...bunch'a Slowpokes."

She pointed up at the shiny skyscraper that was the Prism Tower. The base of the glass building was partially illuminated by the streetlamps, while the rest reflected the darkness of the night sky as it pointed higher into the clouds. "They'll light that up once the opening speech begins...or ends. I can't remember, I don't really pay attention to the speech."  

[Marsuru]

Vernal Avenue - Pokémon Center

The fabric of space and time tore apart in a brilliant flash of light, warped in, on, and around itself, then knitted back together with a quiet crackling noise. Serene's Teleport took Zack and Helena from Route 3 to the middle of Lumiose City in a heartbeat. It wasn't the first time Zack had ever teleported, but he doubted he would ever get used to the sensation; like every joint on his body had a gentle pressure applied to it, as if he was being pulled apart at the edges, then let go.

Lumiose had a public teleport zone for every pokémon center, and some private ones used by the nobility. To avoid the nasty business of botched teleportation, each city had designated areas used for teleporting. While the law didn't specifically enforce the use of the teleport zones, the benefits of accidentally reappearing inside a wall or another person were rarely worth the hassle of being dead. Shaped like giant silver discs mounted on the roof of a pokémon center, teleport zones had trainers from all over the region reappearing in flashes of light. As soon as the Redgrave siblings arrived, a circle section of the zone disc beneath their feet gave way, and floated downwards like an elevator.

From their position on the disc, the two trainers would be able to see the rest of the Vernal Avenue Pokémon Center laid out before them. Normally, this place would be a hive of activity; trainers buzzing about, having their pokémon tended to, buying new items and arranging rooms, meeting friends and battling rivals. People of all colours, sizes and nationalities together in one place. But apart from people warping in for the parade, it was practically deserted. It reminded Zack of being in school after closing time, with familiar walls fallen silent.

"I guess they knew we were coming," he said, nudging Helena. Once they stepped off the floating disc and onto the hard tiles of the pokémon center's upper floor, the disc would rise back into place in the teleport zone, blotting out the orange light of sunset. "Come on, we can't have missed much."

---

Southern Boulevard

Hundreds of people screamed in excitement as the legendary Ho-oh burst into flame. House Leroux had outdone itself this year; their main float could have passed for a real Ho-oh were it not the size of a small plane and still like a statue. Its wings were unfolded, with car-sized claws angled forward and its beak hung open, posed as if it were caught in the middle of a swoop. Flame glimmered in the float's glassy eyes as hidden ports ejected fire from between its feathers, angled just right to avoid igniting the whole thing, while still giving off such an impression. It was the shining beacon that lead the parade clockwise through the Southern Boulevard, the outer ring of Lumiose City.

Citizens stayed behind the roadside barriers, kept strictly to the sidewalk while the parade filled the main road. Banners were up on buildings, along with streamers and brightly lit signs. Confetti gently fluttered from the sky, and just before touching the floor, it vanished and reappeared where it started, resembling a dense shower of slow, multicoloured rain. Every hundred yards, there were small prefab stations where announcers were seated with sound equipment, their voices coming out of nearby speakers as they described the who's and what's of the parade, practically yelling over the fruity parade music.

Rooftops were as crowded as the pavements and twice as drunk. The more accessible the building, the greater the number of people gathered on top. Squashed lines of spectators watched the parade at the edge of the rooftops while others mingled more leisurely behind them. A solitary silhouette owned the tallest building; too high up for the masses, the tower may have been designed to be stylish and contemporary, appealing to young creative types, but right now it was the least popular place in the city. Ratio looked half his age in this disguise. His hair was dyed its natural auburn, pulled back loosely at his neck, and his skin smoothed by a Ditto-based chemical compound, leaving only the sparse, shallow wrinkles of a man still years away from middle age. He discarded any semblance of the Creature, wearing unremarkable clothes that had never seen the inside of a Kalos boutique, doing little to mask his imposing frame. The commenters' voices blurred with the music this far up, so he knelt at the edge to get a better look.

Positioned just behind the giant Ho-oh figurehead, on a raised section of the float where all could see, Elliot Leroux stood proudly to attention, unaware of the man far above who watched him like a vulture. He had an extravagantly crafted throne, coloured gold and red like his house standard, but refused to sit on it. Elliot stood like a man used to power; in his late thirties, Elliot was the young head of House Leroux, one of four in the Court of Kings. He waved to the people of Kalos, to television cameras broadcasting globally, keeping one hand in his crimson tailored coat. His family were on a step below, his dignified wife and eager sons sitting on their thrones. The two boys shared their father's white-blond hair, keeping it swept back neatly. They grinned and waved excitedly while their mother offered a polite wrist movement.

New cheers rippled through the crowd as Ho-oh drew into view, and new streams of confetti appeared in the sky to mark its coming. Just behind the premier float marched a square of fire-breathers who danced in feathery outfits, then spat flames into the sky in unison, eliciting a fresh wave of screams from those who had already seen Ho-oh. Jugglers tossed flaming swords, while miniature floats carried blazing rings that pokémon leapt through adroitly. Ratio ignored them, carrying his gaze further down the street to another float. Standing at its fore was Malva, known to the public as a newscaster and member of the Kalos Elite Four. She was House Leroux's official champion, and a hurdle any would-be league trainer had to overcome. She waved her arms like the conductor of an orchestra while a pair of dragons battled in the sky. The Mega-evolved Charizard, one black and the other orange, arced in complex patterns. Every beat where the dancers breathed fire, so too did the pokémon, acting in perfect synchronicity. Blue flame met red, long fingers lacing in an embrace, then scattered to the wind in a shower of embers.

The procession moved too slowly. Ratio stood, thick muscles protesting more than his youthful appearance would suggest, and scouted a new vantage point further east. Before the parade brought the two Charizard too close to his position, where he might be noticed by sharp-eyed onlookers, Ratio leapt from the tower. Freefall whipped through his clothes as he felt the wind's refreshing sting. The alleyway floor shot towards him and he tapped a pokéball on his belt, which cracked open with a burst of enveloping light. Anyone watching the alleyway with intent would have seen it glow white one second then fall back into darkness. Ratio was gone.

---

Even more massive than the Ho-oh effigy, the first float of House Taine cradled a statue made of ice. It depicted Suicune in a graceful yet predatory posture, its body poised for battle, head bowed as its ribbon-like tail fluttered around it. Firelight from the Leroux parade shimmered on its icy, translucent flesh, and any confetti that drew too near simply vanished. The craftsmanship was superb; the rigid, unmelting ice held the impression of a living thing that could burst into motion at any moment, aided by the flickering light of flame. In her forties and slightly muscular, Lady Madeline Taine was as elegant as any Suicune, even ones made of ice. Her long dress was sleek to her form, its colours drifting from sky blue to the deep colour of the ocean, the material flowing onto the floor like water. She stood at the top of the Suicune float with Elite Four member Siebold at her side, both appearing very proper, very disinterested and prim.

Ratio moved through the crowd, darting between openings to avoid causing a disturbance. Not ten feet away, Taine marchers, dressed in white suits with blue accents and high, ridged collars keeping with Kalosian formal dress. They walked in strict formation, their faces half-hidden by metal visors. Closer to the barriers, bannermen rode on the backs of Samurott, holding up standards with the Taine's crest scribed on billowing cloth. The Taines were practically a non-entity. Though holding rank in the Court, they were by far the least powerful of the four houses. Some mistake long made had caused them to fall out of favour with the royal family and the house had been paying for it ever since. Ratio supposed that the current Lady Taine's strict, icy demeanour stemmed from a raging, fiery desire to prove the worth of her clan. He memorised her face, ignored the display of water types that matched the Leroux's fire turn for turn, and slipped into another alleyway. Once he was sure that all eyes were on the parade, Ratio tapped the pokéball and disappeared once again.

---

Once the Leroux and Taine portions of the parade had passed, the music on the speakers switched from bold and celebratory to more sombre and militaristic. Kalos was a nation steeped in a long history of war, and while it presented itself as carefree and beautiful, no acknowledgement of its culture could be complete without reference to its military might. House Balibar was the embodiment of that might. Traditionally charged with commanding Kalos' armies, every house leader was a trained master in the art of war, and held the rank of Lord Commander. Bertrand Balibar was a giant of a man, broad in the shoulder, balding, and the owner of a thick black beard. He wore long, stone-coloured robes that ballooned slightly at the gut, the lapel adorned with glimmering emblems and medals. He leant in his throne, resting his chin on a knuckle, and surveyed his legion.

House Balibar had no giant statue of their patron pokémon, the Heatran. Instead they displayed their dominance by marching battalions of soldiers ahead of Bertrand's float. Human troops, wearing grey uniforms, were organised into square formations, separate from the pokémon soldiers. Ratio noted that pokémon in the Kalosian military were predominantly steel, fight, and dark types. He saw several hulking Machamp in combat fatigues, towering head and shoulder over people in the crowd, as well as Bisharp who had the red sections of their bodies repainted with neutral patterns. Kalos was not currently in open conflict, but Ratio could tell that these pokémon were experienced, likely trained throughout times of peace for any sudden onset of war. Not simple opponents to face. This was a silent show of force; the eyes of the world were on Kalos, and now they were on Kalos' army.

An entourage of six knights marched the back line. They were clad in ornate black armour, which gleamed under the parade's decorations more than the waning sunlight. Each knight was identical, their movements perfectly synchronised, each standing at almost seven feet tall. Not an inch of their bodies could be seen, revealing no signs of weakness. They were the Royal Guard, the Quillon, and they moved with such a terrifying command of power that most just called them the Death Knights. A Metagross hovered in the air between Bertrand's float and the battalions. Wikstrom stood on its back, leaning on the hilt of an oversized sword and appearing stern. As well as being House Balibar's champion, the Elite Four member was Bertrand's second-in-command.

"Oy, oy! I told you, man, this is our roof!" the annoyance said again, raising its voice. Ratio glanced at it silently. It was thin, malnourished, adorned in old, spiked leather that hung from its bones. It had styled its hair into a tall, bubblegum-pink mohawk, and waved a burning cigarette around as it spoke. "What, don't I interest you? You gonna develop selective deafness where I'm concerned? You too macho to respond to someone who's talkin' right at you?"
"Fade, c'mon go easy on him," the disturbance said. It was around the same age as the annoyance, somehow thinner but clearly female. "He prob'ly just wants to watch the show."

There was a murmur of agreement from the other half dozen punks who had formed a semi-circle behind Ratio. The parade was currently row after row of human and pokémon soldiers, with the occasional tank or military vehicle. He could afford to take a moment to deal with this issue. Rather than being dissuaded, the annoyance grew even louder, though not loud enough to grab attention from the crowds far below the tower's rooftop.

"Yeah? Well he can watch the show from some other roof 'cause this one's taken!" It punctuated its shouting with a spray of spittle and jab of its cigarette. Whether by accident or intention, the cigarette's hot tip scraped against Ratio's arm. The annoyance would soon learn that Ratio didn't react to pain the same way most people would have. Rather than flinching back, Ratio's arm shot out and grabbed the annoyance by the throat, lifting it off the ground so that its feet dangled uselessly.

"Ice-Iceburg!" the annoyance gasped, eyes bulging wide. Ratio heard a grunt to his right and one of the punks lurched forward. It was a good six inches over Ratio and powerfully built to match, with a waistline that suggested it had more than its share of food. Still, it would be foolish to judge such a large opponent as trivial, thus Ratio mentally dubbed it 'the problem'. Clearly mindful of the deadly drop from the tower's roof, the problem crept forward, its fists a cluster of fingers like slabs of meat, with knuckles obviously used to hitting things hard.

"Let 'im go or I'll smash yer teeth in," the problem growled. Ratio tilted his head quietly then made a play.

Swinging his arm out like a crane, Ratio turned on the spot and dangled the annoyance over the side of the building. While not as high as his initial vantage point, this was still one of the largest buildings on the Lumiose City skyline. Unless the annoyance could sprout wings, falling from this height would be like running into a moving train. It didn't stop it from kicking and screaming, but luckily Ratio's grip was steel.

"Now," he said, "Tell me your name."
"W-what?" the annoyance spluttered with all the air of a man being strangled by his own body weight, "Fade! It's Fade!"
"No, that's what your friends call you," Ratio tightened his grip, "Tell me your name."
The annoyance went quiet, and seemed to be calculating the actual likelihood of being able to sprout wings before he hit the street. "It's... it's Trevor..."

Despite themselves, the surrounding punks burst out laughing. Even the problem lowered its fists and held a smirk. The annoyance summoned pink to its cheeks that rivalled the hue of its hair and kicked angrily, but couldn't reach Ratio. Frustration and rage were a dangerous combination, Ratio thought, capable of overwhelming even the strongest survival instinct. The grey of the Balibar procession gave way to the green of Nostrad. The moment was almost up.

"I'll get you for this, you freaky b*****d!" the annoyance roared, using both hands to try and prise Ratio's open. "We've got pokémon you stupid piece of s**t! You try anythin' and I'll 'ave your bloody c**k for a necklace!"
"Interesting," Ratio said quietly, which was all it took to shut the annoyance up. "The faith you have in your pokémon is astounding. Will they be able to reach me before you evolve into a street decoration? What do you think, Trevor?"

Dangling above an unsuspecting crowd, in the grip of a man unfazed by its taunting, backed by a crew that could do nothing to aid it, the annoyance finally fell silent. Ratio pulled him in until their noses were almost touching and said, "Now get off my roof."

---

Jullien Nostrad was a man in his late sixties. He had been the head of House Nostrad for the past forty years, and was in charge of the organisation and general training of all noble trainers. At one point or another, all trainers of noble birth were put through one of Nostrad's specialist training schools, tutored by the best, given privileges befitting their high station. He took pride in knowing that thanks to him, no trainer of common birth had, bar one trifling exception, been able to champion the Kalos pokémon league and ascend into nobility for decades. While he secretly cursed the damned tradition, Nostrad tolerated being paraded about Lumiose for the league's opening ceremony. Though far from noble, it was a duty he was obliged to fulfil.

It wasn't every year that the pokémon league came to Kalos. Originally, the host of the league rotated yearly from one region to the next, allowing him ample time to prepare for the peasant invasion. However, some time in the past decade, it was decided that each region would put in a bid to become host. Naturally, Kalos had been the winner for the majority of those bids. Three of the previous four years alone had been Kalosian tournaments, leaving Nostrad's systems feeling strained. Thankfully, he thought as he clutched his sceptre, that would no longer be a problem.

The preceding displays had been quaint shows of fire, water, and steel military force, mere appetisers for Nostrad's dragons. Speakers and confetti showers went dead as his parade approached. Sun had set, with the final ribbons of orange and pink light disappearing behind Lumiose's cityscape. Twin files of bannermen marched alongside the barriers, leaving the middle of the road clear for Nostrad's elegant emerald float. As if by some unspoken command, the crowds fell quiet, even people drunkenly peering from the edge of rooftops were soberly silent. It was then, once all other sound was dismissed, that the ghostly singing began.

It sounded like a harp had taken on voice-like qualities. An eerie melody echoed down the boulevard as it filled with rolling mist, billowing tendrils creeping through the crowds, enveloping them in partial darkness. In the blackening sky, distant will-o'-the-wisps flew over the parade, singing sweet melancholy. They swooped over the cobbled streets, a dozen Altaria joined in hymn. Nostrad's float carried through on great spoked wheels that were taller than the float itself. Glowing orange lanterns dangled from masts mounted on its rear, illuminating Lord Nostrad. He had the look of a wizened old man, his receding hair a bright white and slicked back to the base of his skull. He wore bright green robes with silver embellishments, and several rings on each finger. Now, especially in the ghostlight, his features were narrow, taking on the hollow look that one assumed close to death. But for all this, Nostrad directed powerful dignity, barely moving to breathe as he sat, hands crossed on the head of a sceptre crafted in the image of Zygarde.

The mists broke, parting for Nostrad's parade as it came out in force. Tyrantrum led the way, yawning roars as their massive scaled legs stomped forward in a rigidly slow gait. Noivern screeched, swooping in overhead, a small colony of the bat dragons flying beside the Altaria, entwining with them, their cries adding new depths to the birds' harmonic chorus. Joining the Tyrantrum, acting as Nostrad's marchers, were Haxorus and Garchomp. They bore their fangs, jaws snapping as they prowled through the boulevard, mist too thick to tell their exact number. As the Altaria's song reached a crescendo, Dragonair shot through the mist, swimming in the sky as thick grey cloud lapped at their lithe bodies. House Nostrad's dragons were exquisite and perfectly trained. An orchestra of singing, roaring bodies backed by thick, secretive mist. They too were a show of power.

Jullien Nostrad may begrudge the league's opening ceremony, but he'd be damned if he wasn't the best part. He almost allowed himself a smile, when the sensation grew in the pit of his mind. Psychics were fairly few in number, most never discovering the full depths of their abilities, or spending a lifetime in complete ignorance of them. Nostrad had been sensitive to the ebb and flow of psychic power since he was a boy. While it allowed him certain benefits, it also made him acutely susceptible to intrusion. He recognised this feeling as originating from a pokémon, but the voice was distinctly human. It was, after all, a distinct human.

'Nostrad.'
'You!'
'Ah. So you do remember me.'

Nostrad seethed, biting his teeth as he instinctively clutched his aching shoulder. It was him, back from the dead. He gathered himself. To the rest of the world, Lord Nostrad was sat alone atop his float and surrounded by a legion of dragons. He wouldn't tip them off to the contrary.

'What do you want, Ratio?'
'You know exactly what I want. I'd have thought Gabriel Leroux would be fair warning. You seem confident.'
'I'll show you just how confident I am, you son of a b***h! Come out here and face me.'
'Another day. You'll see me again. I'm certain you're looking forward to it.'

The sensation vanished as if a part of his skull that had been packed full was suddenly emptied. Though he knew no connection remained, Nostrad couldn't help but psychically shout out for Ratio, to demand his return. Mental intrusion was terrible enough, but leaving him with the silence? He felt sweat drain down his temple, realised his breathing had become ragged. The ache pounded worse than ever, worse even than the night it had appeared. He rubbed his shoulder, groaning lowly as the pain died down. To lose his composure, that was exactly what Ratio wanted. Nostrad's grip on his sceptre grew tighter. Now, more than ever, he had to proceed with the plan.  

[Spinne Biss]

Lumiose City - The Parade

There existed no medium on the face of the planet that could do this justice. Not television, radio, word of mouth, overly exaggerated retelling from people that had been here in the past. All of them could only convey small bits of the real experience - none of them truly spoke of the passion that danced palpably in the air.

The coordination of the dancers, who moved about with grace and skill, synchronized with others around them. Helena could feel it, and this was only one part of the show. Every part of it spoke of this passion - this dedication and she found herself suddenly afraid that she might miss even a single, small part of it.

Excited, Helena stepped her way through the crowd. She slide sideways between two men and managed to hop around a woman who she almost ran into. She turned as she did and muttered an apology and turned back in time to see another opening as an auburn haired man past by. She continued to make her way through the crowd until she was stopped by the wall of people that stood at edge of the crowd.

She looked down both ways and saw no opening and so she jumped to see what was going on directly ahead of her. "Come on," she said as she hopped a second time.

It wouldn't do any good, she realized, as the men before her had several inches on her. "Tall people should stand at the back!"