Chapter Text
Charmander spent the rest of the day and the next in the recovery ward to finish his recuperation. Once the bandages came off, Nurse Joy gave Ash an empty Pokéball, which he used to “capture” Charmander and officially add him to his team.
As with Airavata and Astrid, Ash gave Charmander a nickname. They went through a few, before settling on the name ‘Chase’.
Chase was still relatively young, as Ash discovered. So when he stopped for meals and training sessions during the one-day journey along Route 25, Ash made the Charmander go easy on the physical exertion. Ash quickly found out, however, that once he peeled back the layers, Chase was a very headstrong Pokémon. The Charmander would often push himself far more than what he was capable of at present. He even challenged Airavata to a battle in what Ash perceived was an attempt to show his new trainer that he was willing to work hard and show that he was a reliable team member.
Realising that Chase was not going to take ‘no’ for an answer, Ash instructed his starter to not go overboard in this mock-battle. Needless to say, Airavata wiped the ground with Chase. When training ended and lunch was prepared, Ash came over to his newest team member, who was, understandably, sulking at his loss.
Ash tapped the fallen log that the Charmander was sitting on to not startle him. When Chase turned to him, he signed, “Chase, do not think for a second that you are weak. Airavata has been training for over two years now, and as far as I know, Damian didn’t really physically train you that much, did he?”
Slowly, Chase shook his head, affirming Ash’s conclusion.
“That’s what I thought. Realistically, Chase, you won’t be able to take on a Pokémon that has much more experience than you have. But that does not mean you are useless. Damian might have drilled that constantly into your head, but I will tell you, up front, that what Damian said is wrong. You do not need to prove to me that you are capable. Once I see potential, I will never give up until I see that potential fulfilled. I am not Damian. I do not set unrealistic expectations. I will train you in ways that are natural and beneficial for your growth. I will guide you, and we’ll work together as a team. Are you okay with that?”
“Char…” Chase nodded.
“Alright, now come join us for lunch, yeah?”
It took a bit more coaxing, but Chase eventually relented. Leading him back to the camp, Ash sat down next to Rotom and Astrid, the latter having finished her food and was now dozing on the ground. Chase felt something approach him from behind. He looked up, and realised it was Airavata.
“Sea…”
Chase blinked. The Seadra gently pushed a bowl of food towards the Charmander with his tail.
“Sea.”
Chase nodded after a moment, “Char…”
Just like a parent would for their young child, Airavata kept watch as Chase ate his food, occasionally using his tail to wipe away bits of pellet that got stuck around the Charmander’s mouth. Watching the entire interaction from the side, Ash nodded in satisfaction, before returning to his own MRE.
“Given our current GPS location, we should be arriving at Mr. Montgomery’s lighthouse within the next fifteen minutes.”
As Ash and Rotom reached the tail-end of Route 25, the landscape became noticeably different. Where there was previously open fields and hills, was now replaced by rocky terrain and mountains. Ash had to do a bit of trekking and climbing to get over the fallen rocks and boulders that blocked the path from previous landslides that weren’t properly cleared away. The sun had also almost disappeared below the horizon, forcing Ash to use a flashlight to keep himself centred on the path.
Finally, at just after seven in the evening, the lighthouse came into view in the distance. It was perched on the end of a cliff, its rotating lights punctuating the growing darkness at regular intervals. Behind the tower itself and what appeared to be a stone wall reinforced by buttresses that surrounded the tower, was a two-storey cottage, which Ash presumed was where Bill resided in.
As the preteen approached the imposing lighthouse, the wall piqued his curiosity. Upon closer inspection, he realised that every alternate piece of stone was an engraving of a Pokémon. Using his flashlight, he was able to make out a Charizard, a Kingdra and a Dragonite.
‘Interesting…but what are the odds that the first three I am able to make out are the final evolution forms of my current team members?’ Ash wondered to himself.
Deciding to push that thought away, Ash moved away from the wall towards the front door of the cottage. Despite its rustic exterior, the presence of a very modern, high-tech doorbell momentarily caught Ash off-guard, but he quickly rationalised that modern technology was something easily up Bill’s alley.
Without further waiting, Ash pressed the button.
Something akin to a loud gong being hit reverberated over the land, startling Rotom.
“I do know for a fact that doorbells do not sound like that!”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed, “Identify yourselves.”
Ash turned to Rotom, who knew what to do next, “Good evening! My name is Rotom Dex, and this is my travelling companion, Ash Ketchum! Ash here is mute, and therefore cannot identify himself by speaking. We’re here to see Bill Montgomery, who requires Ash’s assistance according to the revered Professor Samuel Oak.”
Silence followed for a few moments.
“Please stand where you are, and do not move,” the voice spoke.
Ash raised an eyebrow, when a small pair of doors opened on the doorbell’s surface. A metallic arm extended from the device, with what appeared to be a small camera attached at the end. A flat, horizontal beam of light shot out of the camera, and travelled down the whole length of Ash’s body. The arm then retreated back into the doorbell, and the doors closed.
“Identity confirmed. Please come in.”
The front door of the cottage opened on its own accord. Ash and Rotom entered, and the door closed behind them. At first, the interior was completely shrouded in darkness, leaving no clue of what was inside. Then, all of a sudden, lights turned on as if sensing the preteen’s presence. Just like the doorbell, what appeared to be a surprisingly modern sitting room filled with all kinds of electronic gadgets came into view. However, what caught Ash’s attention was what looked like a large Pokémon that resembled a horseshoe crab at the other end of the room.
‘A Kabuto…but…how?’
Rotom immediately went into Pokédex mode, “Kabuto, the shellfish Pokémon. While widely thought to be extinct for tens of thousands of years, it is possible to resurrect one through a fossil. However, some claim that they have encountered living specimen, but no physical evidence of such specimen have ever been documented.”
Then, to both Ash and Rotom’s surprise, the Kabuto seemed to actually talk, “Wait! I’m not actually a Kabuto.”
“A-A Pokémon that can speak?!”
Ash shook his head, “Rotom, I think this is Mr. Montgomery. Professor Oak did say that he was stuck in a costume.”
“Oh…” Rotom sweatdropped, “I see. So, um, are you actually Bill Montgomery?”
The “Kabuto” appeared to nod, “That’s me, indeed. Ash, could you come over here and help me out of this costume? It’s been a couple of days already.”
Ash hurried over.
“There’s a button under the front pair of legs here,” Bill gestured to the small silver button, “I realised that a Kabuto’s legs are too short to reach it.”
Ash found the button, and pressed it. Stepping back, Ash and Rotom watched the costume come apart in different pieces. An average-built man in his early thirties stepped out, taking a huge breath that was saturated with relief.
“Thank you so much, Ash! I was beginning to worry that I’ll be stuck in that costume forever!”
Ash had one question, “Mr. Montgomery, why were you in the costume to begin with?”
“Ah, well, you see,” Bill went into presentation mode, “As you might know, Kabuto are believed to be extinct. But even so, I firmly believe that Kabuto have hearts too, just like every living creature on this planet. So I created and put on that costume, in an attempt to grasp what they think and feel while they were still alive.”
“You can understand what Kabuto think and feel just by putting on a costume?”
“Well…I had hoped I would make some starting progress, but any inkling was overshadowed by me getting stuck inside,” Bill admitted, “That being said, I hadn’t had a proper meal since I got into that costume. Fancy anything?”
“I’m fine with anything, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Call me Bill,” said the man, “My last name is too much of a mouthful. Speaking of which, I think you should contact Professor Oak. You can use the PC over there, while I go whip something up for the both of us.”
“I’ve eaten not too long ago, so I don’t need too much.”
“More for me then!”
Bill went off down a hallway which Ash presumed led to a kitchen. Leaving Rotom to explore the rest of the room, Ash headed over to the PC, booted it up, and sent a video call request to Professor Oak. A few seconds of dial tone later, and the screen booted up the video feed on the researcher’s lab as the call connected. Ash sweatdropped as he watched his teacher eat a hotpot over a Bunsen burner.
“Hello Ash! You caught me in the middle of eating dinner. Sorry, I can’t use sign language as one of my hands is currently occupied. How have things been?”
“I just reached Bill’s lighthouse,” Ash signed, “And I helped him out of his costume as requested.”
“Oh good!” Professor Oak beamed, taking a bite of mushroom, “How is he, by the way?”
“He hasn’t eaten anything solid in the time he was stuck in the costume. He’s currently making something for himself and I.”
“Poor chap, but at least the matter’s resolved. It’s quite late now, actually, so why don’t you spend the night at Bill’s lighthouse?”
“I don’t want to intrude…”
“Nonsense!” Oak waved his free hand dismissively, “Bill will appreciate the company! He hasn’t had many visitors recently, so it would be a lovely change of atmosphere for him. Also, I think you can learn quite a bit from him about his branch of research.”
“Alright,” Ash nodded, “Shall I call you when I return to Cerulean?”
“That would be most appreciated,” Oak replied, “Oh by the way, did anything interesting happen on your way to Bill’s lighthouse?”
“Well…I got a Charmander on my team now.”
The noodles that the researcher was about to eat slipped off his chopsticks and splashed back into the soup, “Ash…you caught a wild Charmander?”
“Not caught, adopted,” the preteen corrected, “His former trainer…didn’t make it out of a wild Pokémon attack alive. Rotom and I found Charmander near Gardenia Town along Route 24. He was not in good shape, so we brought him straight to the Pokémon Centre for Nurse Joy to fix up.”
“I see. Poor thing, it is always difficult for a Pokémon to witness their trainer dying. I presume Charmander is healing under your care then?”
“That’s right. I’ll do my best to raise him in his former trainer’s place.”
“Make sure you do that, Ash. Now, I won’t hold you back any longer, plus I need to finish my dinner. We’ll talk again soon, yeah?”
“Yeah, take care, Professor.”
“You too!”
The call ended.
“Ash! Dinner’s ready!” came Bill’s voice from the sitting room.
Ash headed back, where Bill stood by a small dining table with two plates of steaming-hot omelette rice topped with ketchup. One portion was noticeably bigger than the other, unsurprisingly so. When one hasn’t eaten solid food in days, no portion is too big.
“I hope you like it, Ash. It’s an old recipe from my mother.”
“To be very frank with you, Bill, any home-cooked food is better than the MREs they sell at PokéMarts,” Ash signed, sitting down and digging in.
Bill laughed, “I don’t blame you, Ash. They don’t really put much effort or variety in those MREs. During my short stint as a trainer, I quickly grew bored with the pouches and decided that if my whole life was going to be swallowing that kind of standardised mush, being a trainer was not worth it.”
“And you became a researcher as a result,” Ash deduced, “If you’re willing, Bill, can you tell me what do you specialise in?”
“I’m glad that you asked, Ash!” Bill exclaimed, in the midst of a mouthful of food. He swallowed, before continuing, “As I mentioned earlier, I hoped to discover whether I could experience a Pokémon’s thoughts and feelings by becoming them, in a sense, through costumes. Obviously, my experience with the Kabuto costume was not ideal with oversights on design, but I am confident that future attempts will yield results. Alongside that, Shiny Pokémon is a field of research that has always fascinated me. There are still so many questions regarding Shiny Pokémon that we simply do not have the answers for. Like, what makes a Shiny? Is it their genetic makeup? Or is it external factors like the environment? It doesn’t help that Shiny Pokémon are among the rarest specimens of living creatures on the planet. According to my calculations, we would only find one Shiny out of a population of at least ten-thousand.”
Ash was in deep thought, ‘Bill is really into Shiny Pokémon. How will he react to the fact that I have two on my team though?’
“So anyway, I’ve been rambling for too long. Tell me about yourself, Ash. How has being a trainer been for you so far? Have you caught many Pokémon yourself?”
“I haven’t actually been a trainer that long, not even a month if I’m not mistaken,” Ash signed, “And I’ve only caught three Pokémon. I’m not a generalist or someone who throws Pokéballs at anything that moves. I want to become a Dragon-type Master, and I want to have a close relationship with my Pokémon, not someone who catches Pokémon for the sake of catching Pokémon.”
Bill’s eyes took on an interested gleam, “Oh? Dragon-types you say? May I perhaps see them?”
Ash shrugged nonchalantly. He just hoped that Bill wouldn’t have too extreme a reaction when he saw Airavata and Astrid.
Getting up from his seat, Ash unhooked Chase’s Pokéball and released him. The young Charmander looked around curiously at the new environment he was in.
“A Charmander, quite an expected starter for someone who wants to be a Dragon-type Master,” Bill remarked.
“Chase isn’t my starter, to be honest,” Ash signed, piquing the researcher’s interest again, “It’s a long story, which I’ll tell you later. Let me show you my actual starter.”
The preteen unhooked Airavata’s Pokéball and released him. Bill’s eyes went comically wide as the Shiny Seadra materialised into existence. Airavata turned to the researcher, eyes narrowed. He wasn’t sure why this unknown person was staring at him so weirdly. He hoped he didn’t have to attack.
“A-Ash - ”
“And here is my final Pokémon,” Ash took out Astrid’s Pokéball and released her. Bill’s jaw literally fell open at the behemoth of a Shiny Dratini that appeared before him.
“A-A-A…”
“Bill, are you okay?”
No further words came out of the researcher’s slackened jaw. Ash completely understood the floored look, but he didn’t expect for Bill to keel backwards and crash onto the floor in a dead faint.
He simply had no words for this unexpected turn.
“Ash, I will say it again and again, as many times as possible, you are the greatest friend I have never had, and I am forever indebted you.”
The preteen sweatdropped, as did Rotom. Once he had Airavata revive Bill with a Water Gun to the face, the researcher literally begged him to let him do some tests and examinations on his Pokémon. After giving his tentative assent, Bill essentially pounced onto Airavata and Astrid with a look of pure hunger, as if he was a starving man presented with an all-you-can-eat buffet. (Incidentally, the omelette rice had been forgotten and was growing cold.)
Airavata remained impassively neutral, almost bored even, as Bill took swaps from his scales and mouth. Any bits of old scales were carefully taken off and stored in zip-lock bags for subsequent DNA analysis. Astrid was a bit more…unsettled about this creepy man poking and prodding at her scales and her wing-like fins, muttering incoherently as he took down notes on a notepad that he pulled from somewhere. Bill thought it was a pity that Astrid wasn’t due to shed her skin for about another month at least, for apparently the old skin carried a lot of valuable information preserved within the fibre. When Ash signed that he was more than willing to mail Astrid’s old skin to him whenever it was ready, Bill literally pounced onto the preteen, bubbling his thanks and eternal gratitude for moving his research so much further than he could have ever dreamed of.
Not used to physical hugs other than from his mother and Professor Oak, Ash awkwardly petted the older man’s back. Watching the entire scene unfold, Chase looked on with curiosity. Airavata was unbothered, and Astrid was still a bit wary of the creepy man who was now clinging onto her trainer as if he was the human incarnation of Arceus himself.
She really didn’t understand humans at all.
“Ash, I simply must repay you for all the help that you have so graciously given to me this evening. It can be anything – money, favours, whatever! Just name it and I will give to you!”
The preteen really didn’t want to be given anything in return for what he thought was just a small gesture. But seeing Bill’s manically determined expression made it abundantly clear that the researcher was not going to take ‘no’ for an answer.
For a few moments, he considered the possibilities. Money sounded attractive. After all, he could use whatever sum Bill gave to him to finance his airfare tickets to foreign regions, thereby allowing him to build up his team. But at the same time, the idea of taking money from Bill didn’t sit right with Ash. With that possibility a no-go, Ash thought of something that he wasn’t sure if Bill was able to achieve. But there was no harm in asking, was there?
“Bill…I’m not sure if this is possible, but I wish to have my roster increased.”
One could literally see the question marks flickering over Bill’s head, “Increase your roster? Why would you want that? I have plenty of money, or-”
Ash shook his head, and signed again, “I can legally carry up to six Pokémon on my team. Any more than that and they will be sent to Professor Oak’s corral. I would only be able to see them again if I switch them out for someone on my team at the Pokémon Centre. I…don’t want that. I want my Pokémon to experience my journey by my side, not through fragmented moments of being switched out. As I said earlier, I want to be a Dragon-type Master, and to do that, I have to foster strong relationships with all my Pokémon. If not, they might not respect me as a trainer, since they might think I’m merely using them for my own needs. That’s something I want to avoid. Dragon-types are notoriously difficult to earn their respect, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. I would not be surprised if a Dragon-type would think nothing of eliminating me simply because I am not a person worth respecting. That is the last thing I want to happen, so I hope that you help me with this request.”
The preteen glanced to the side, “Though to be fair, I’m not sure if that is entirely possible.”
Bill blinked, before going into deep thought, “You know…you actually raise a good point that so many of us completely overlook in our lives. I must admit, that humans can be really selfish. We only think about our needs and wishes, not about those who help us get to where we want to be. It really reflects badly on us as a species, but you, Ash, are the exception to the rule. You do not want money, instead you crave something even more precious than monetary value. If that isn’t a reason for me to help you with your request, I will throw myself off the top of the lighthouse.”
Now it was Ash’s turn to blink, partly from the sudden shift into something slightly morbid, but more on what Bill was implying.
“How do you intend to help me?”
Bill gave an expecting grin, “Do you know…exactly, who I am? Beyond a researcher?”
Ash pursed his lips. Try as he might, he couldn’t come up with a connection, “I’m sorry, I don’t have any idea.”
“I’ll give you a hint,” Bill now had a teasing look, “What do you know about Silph Co.?”
“That they are the leading organisation in Pokéball and technological development, rivalling that of Hoenn’s Devon Corporation.”
“Correct, and who is the president of Silph Co.?”
“Robert…” Ash’s eyes widened, “…Montgomery.”
His hands were frozen for a moment, before he managed to sign, “Bill…are you by any chance related to President Montgomery?”
“Ding ding! You got it right in the nail!” Bill replied jubilantly, “I’m actually his first-born son. But enough about familial relationships, here’s what I can help you with. As you might know, Ace Trainers are allowed a maximum roster of fifteen Pokémon, and that is the highest number that is allowed by League laws. At Silph Co., we are legally allowed to raise an individual’s total roster based on recommendations from the League itself or established professionals, such as myself really. In one click of a button, I can have your roster increased in mere seconds.”
Ash was stunned, as were his team and Rotom. He signed, “For real? Like, you are not pulling my leg?”
Bill smirked, “Do you have a Pokédex?”
Ash pointed to Rotom.
“Ah yes, Rotom Dex. I heard about you from Professor Oak. Really goes to show how far we come in putting Pokémon and technology together, haven’t we? If you could follow me to this computer here.”
Ash watched silently as his companion followed Bill to an unremarkable monitor. The researcher connected Rotom to the system, booted it up, and began pressing keys.
The changes came quickly.
Rotom seemed to seize up, before speaking, “System updating…updating…completed! Trainer Ash Ketchum’s maximum roster has been increased from six to fifteen, courtesy of Bill Montgomery in return for providing valuable data as a private research associate to Silph Co.. ”
Ash’s mouth fell open.
Bill disconnected Rotom from the system, “And that’s done!”
Rotom hovered about shakily for a moment, “That was truly an unusual experience!”
Ash shakily signed, “Bill…I…don’t know what to say, other than thank you.”
Bill held up a hand, “No thanks needed. You have done me a great service tonight. So great, I am almost afraid to ask another favour from you.”
Ash raised an eyebrow, “What is it?”
“Will it be okay for me to take a sample of Astrid’s saliva?”
“For what, exactly?”
“Shiny Pokémon are not the only branch of research I specialise in,” Bill explained, “By any chance, have you heard about the Legend of the Seven Monarchs?”
“No…I can’t say that I have,” Ash signed back. Even Rotom displayed its cluelessness on-screen through an emoji.
“I’ll give you both a brief run-through,” Bill slipped into lecture mode, “Many, many millennia ago, the landmass that is now currently the Kanto and Johto regions were jointly ruled by seven draconic monarchs. They were what we call a Charizard, Dragonite, Kingdra, Altaria, Salamence, Garchomp, and Druddigon.”
The researcher began pacing around the room, “They harboured not the immense, infinite power of Legendary Pokémon. But compared to most regular Pokémon that roam the world, their power is unmatched. Some might even say that they are the equivalent of what we call Mythical Pokémon today. Not as powerful as Legendaries, but essentially demigods.”
Ash nodded, prompting Bill to continue, “As the legend continues, a great darkness invaded the world. This taint, this abomination, dare I say this eldritch monstrosity tried to swallow the world for its own sick, twisted gain. Despite the combined power of the Legendaries, it was not enough to stop this abomination. It was only when the seven monarchs volunteered their assistance did things begin to turn around for the world. Mind you, half of the Legendaries were too proud to accept help from what they deemed to be inferior beings. But with the world and their very existences at stake, Arceus overruled the doubters and recruited the monarchs to their side.”
Ash would have to admit that he was really into this story, as Bill continued, “A vicious battle was fought. A good portion of the landmass was decimated. Eventually, the abomination was vanquished, but not without the monarchs suffering losses of their own.”
“What happened?”
“In the chaos of the battle, one was lost to the Distortion World, their fate unknown. Three were weakened so terribly they decided to return their bodies to the world. One delivered himself to the magma of the volcano we now call Mt. Moon here in Kanto. Yes, Mt. Moon was once an active volcano,” Bill said, seeing Ash’s surprise, “but it went extinct about five thousand years ago when the fabled asteroid came, struck into the mountain, and vaporised its entire magma chamber in one go, but I digress. The second let the waves of the ocean consume her. The third, incidentally the Charizard, let his dying fire consume him whole, and his ashes rained down over an expanse of land, what we know today as Charicific Valley.”
“Isn’t that the place where dozens of Charizard go to train and become stronger?”
“You’re absolutely correct, Ash,” Bill beamed, “Yes, it is indeed a place where Charizard make their pilgrimage to train and become stronger. Although a few have decided to make the valley their permanent home, as I have discovered. When your Charmander evolves, Ash, you should bring him to Charicific Valley. The constant flow of magma from the volcanoes, the searing temperatures, and the belief that the fallen monarch’s power literally pulsates through the valley, it would do Chase a whole world of good to spend some time there and become a powerhouse on his own right.”
Ash nodded, as Bill continued the story, “The fifth monarch sacrificed her life in an act of bravery to protect the seventh, and the sixth died peacefully as he chased the abomination out of the planet into the cold reaches of outer space. Only one, the seventh monarch, who the legend calls Rex Dragonite, survived the battle.”
Bill’s eyes took on a faraway look, “For the past five years, I have searched long and far for Rex Dragonite. When I rebuilt the lighthouse, I had hoped that he would answer my call and reveal himself to a world that has changed dramatically since that fateful battle.”
Ash’s eyebrows furrowed. He signed, “But what if Rex Dragonite doesn’t want to be disturbed? I, for one, wouldn’t appreciate it if someone kept disturbing my rest and daily existence.”
“One can always hope, can they?” Bill replied rhetorically.
While Ash could at least understand that perspective, he still wasn’t entirely sure if what Bill’s activities were a good idea.
A loud beeping noise interrupted his thought process.
Bill gasped, and rushed towards one of the machines dotted around the room. Out of curiosity, Ash and Rotom followed suit.
“Researcher Bill, what’s up with this machine?”
Bill looked almost giddy with excitement, “This machine measures the electromagnetic energy levels in the atmosphere within the surrounding area and several kilometres out to sea. If there is a spike, it immediately picks it up and informs me of what could possibly be causing the increase in energy. I have a theory, that since Rex Dragonite is so powerful, his mere presence is enough to send a massive disruption to the otherwise stable electromagnetic field around us. And this…” he gestured to the wildly spiking p-waves on the monitor, “is just astronomical. Never have I ever recorded such a huge distortion in energy. Which can only mean one thing…”
In the distance, a loud, echoing roar shook the world. The lighthouse trembled ever so slightly.
“He’s coming. Rex Dragonite. He’s on his way.”
“You can’t be serious!” Rotom was both excited and frantic.
“I am deadly serious,” Bill replied, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness something completely out of our leagues. Ash, bring your Pokémon out too. They should get a chance to see this spectacle as well.”
Without waiting for a reply, Bill rushed up a winding flight of stairs to the second floor, and towards a set of doors that led out to a balcony. Ash, his team and Rotom followed suit. Outside, the sky seemed unusually overcast. When he first arrived at the lighthouse, Ash noticed that the waves crashing against the rocky coast were calm. Now, though, the sea was crashing against the rocks below with far more aggression than what could be deemed safe. The wind blew harsh, whipping Ash’s hair back and sending his scarf fluttering hard against his neck. Unused to such ominous weather, Chase sought shelter from Astrid. The long Dratini wrapped her serpentine body around the Charmander, protecting him from the worst of the winds.
Another roar shook the world, this time much louder since they were out in the open.
Ash tugged on Bill’s sleeve, and signed, “Are you sure this is a good idea? What if Rex Dragonite attacks the lighthouse?”
“I will admit, there is always the possibility,” the researcher replied, looking distracted as he stared back out into the rough sea, “but there is also a possibility for great hope, isn’t there?”
‘I just hope that we don’t get killed for this…’ Ash thought to himself.
A third roar, and the very air seemed to shift drastically.
“There he is…” Bill looked almost manic, “Here he is!”
Out from the darkness, a towering shape emerged. Ash felt his mouth go dry. It was easily as tall as both the lighthouse and the precipice it was perched on, perhaps even taller. Rex Dragonite’s wings easily spanned more than fifty feet in length, but unlike the more draconic, bat-like wings a regular Dragonite has, the seventh monarch had wings that resembled more of an angel. Across his head, the monarch had markings that looked like a tattooed diadem, which Ash thought was extremely fitting. Rex Dragonite’s arms were corded with thick muscle, and his body was more…shapely than the globular shape a more typical specimen would sport.
Ash unconsciously took a step back, while Bill rushed to the railing, “Rex Dragonite…Garunarth!”
The preteen flinched. If there was one thing he learnt from all the fantasy books and novels that he has read in his short life, was that one must never, ever, call a monarch by their name, as if they are nothing more than a friend to one.
Rex Dragonite spun on Bill. Before, his eyes were neutrally-cold, now they burned with affronted offense, “You dare…you worthless, arrogant human. You dare call me by my name?!”
The researcher realised that he had made a grave mistake. He fell to his knees, “Your majesty, Rex Dragonite, I mean no insult! I have sought after you for so long, and I only wish to grace my eyes upon your mighty presence-”
Whatever Bill was rambling, the Rex paid no further attention. His fiery eyes were on Ash, who took another step back from the heated look. Chase tried to hide himself in Astrid’s coils, while the Dratini and Airavata tried to stay strong in the face of an opponent they have no hope of defeating.
The last living monarch’s eyes shifted from Ash to Astrid, then back to the preteen.
“You, boy, are not like this foolish wretch,” the Dragonite’s booming voice seemed to reverberate in Ash’s head, as well as his team, “My descending blood has tied her loyalty to you. This alone saves you, and by extension, this miscreant who dare call me by my true name, as if I am nothing but an object to be gawked at. Your purpose is noble, one which will be rewarded. But be warned, boy, become like this man next to you, and I won’t be so merciful next time.”
Before anyone could react, Rex Dragonite roared. An orb of golden light coalesced inside his maw, grew in size, before shooting out in a beam straight towards Ash. When it hit, the preteen’s body was engulfed in the golden light, which then split into three separate beams that shot each of his team members. The light would last for exactly ten seconds. In that time, Ash felt something change within him. There was no pain, but it was such a surreal experience that he fell to his knees, writhing uncontrollably.
Then, as a final show of power, Rex Dragonite flapped his wings so hard that a great rush of wind as strong as a hurricane slammed into the lighthouse. The outer wall surrounding the tower fell to pieces, the buttresses unable to sustain the power of the wind. Ash, his team, Rotom and Bill were thrown back into the lighthouse, which miraculously, remained standing despite the pummelling that it took from the last monarch.
Still reeling from the sudden beam of light and being thrown like a ragdoll, Ash remained on the floor amidst bits of broken glass. Bill, completely shaken by the whole ordeal, slowly picked himself up.
“Is this…what happens when I overstep boundaries?”
Despite still being unable to move, Ash gave the researcher an incredulous look. Shouldn’t someone as smart as Bill know that by now?
Taking a shuddering breath, Bill turned to Ash, “Do you need help getting up?”
Ash nodded.
The older man grabbed the preteen’s hand and gently lifted him up to his feet. Then, Bill noticed something.
“Ash…your eyes…”
The preteen raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
Rotom came over, “Your eyes, Ash! They look different!”
“I don’t understand.”
Rotom quickly turned on its camera function, and switched into selfie format, “See for yourself, Ash!”
Ash took a look at his reflected image. His breath caught in his throat.
‘What…the fuck?’
To Be Continued.