Adept

Outside Mahogany

Taking a bit of time to unwind was needed. Tasslehoff came with his own set of issues and a lot of it would take time to mend. Really, for how old the ghost was I couldn't imagine I would dent his problems for years. What we could do was to simply enjoy being done with another major hurdle as well as getting to know some of the gyarados. The transfer of them took some time, as even if we were prepared somewhat, that many giant hyper beam monsters being settled didn't happen at once. It sounds exciting, knowing the species usual attitude, but really they are just pokémon the same as my team are.

Time there led to a few mock battles and some worrying looks from tourists (seriously why would you think visiting the Lake of Rage for a holiday is a good idea?) but ultimately it led to a lot of preparation for their future partners down the road.

I haven't spoken much of the organization I've got planned save for with a few people I've spoken to from the various recommendations I've been luck to get from the two Professors. And they don't even know what its actual name will be. A lot of it is while I have a lot of great ideas about it, I have no experience what it would take to bring it about. Besides certain pokémon I'm after and various meta knowledge I'll abuse. There are a lot of decisions I know I'm not fully able to commit on past recruitment.

That's not why people are following me though. Most of who I have hired are getting a bit of the idea behind it. The charizard partners that Liza has already been setting up has led to some cautious hope for the future. Along with the Professors' word that I was an aura guardian, things are going well, slowly. I've given them hope, curiosity and quite a bit of money for now. An actual step forward will be when we become active. Doing good deeds with purpose and planning. Preparation. All this starts in earnest with the end of the Silver Conference.

I'm going to win. I only plan to do one. Just a single league. At least that's the current plan. Only my team knows what I'm going to do at the end of this first journey. Maybe in the future if they insist enough we'll go through a second challenge. My family has a lot of influence over me after all. I'm getting all introspective about this. Forget it. Time to move on to more interesting things than plans that could change tomorrow. Mars tends to shift my ideas a lot after all. Its very nice having someone who knows my goals and is quite a bit better and planning than I am.

Just a few more days here and then off to Charicific Valley for training and more training. Time to get ready for the hardest fight I can imagine. Mother may not have any single pokémon that can take on Momma solo but all of hers are...Yeah. I'm fucking nervous. I've got a lot of half-formed tactics against what I know of her style. The thing is, she flat out told me that she'd be training from the moment I left to take me down. She might not know my full team but I can't imagine all the gym leaders didn't forward our fights to her.

So I'm a bit afraid. Terrified. And utterly excited.

Damnit. So much to do. Right. Wattson and Zaela are laughing like we're still out at sea. Gonna go make sure we don't cause another Rage. Then tomorrow we'll be in the Valley. Shit. Home Base? Aura Command 1? Well. Hopefully I get impressive names soon.

And considering we're going to spend months there training for Mom and building up the proto form of my dream? Best to get a good name settled.

The Foundry

Charicific Valley

So I should have known putting groups of talented, driven people in a place to found something would have birthed its own name. Its super appropriate and its owed to Liza's riolu for the name. Foundry. Where heroes come to be forged. His words and wow do I like them. A bit over the top but that's what I came here to do. To be a big fucking hero or die trying. Hearing it said like that by my own thoughts makes me feel as if I'm chasing the dream of it again. Fuck it. I'm still committed to doing it. The arrival here was pretty amusing. At my own expense no less.

I can't even say how much I adore the ability to teleport anywhere now. Flying will still be my favorite way of getting around but I know how utterly ragged I'll be run once this all gets headway even with instant transportation. The meetings will be atrocious by themselves but to be a global power? Teleport is amazing. Angel hadn't been in the Valley proper so she blinked us just outside of where she peered at my team and I while following us. I didn't mind the distance as I really wanted to make a statement. So much of what I have planned relies on being larger than life. Might as well start here.

"Thanks darling Angel. Zaela and I will take it from here. I'll let you and the rest out when we're settled." A series of pleased emotions flowed over me as well as an image of a Nurse Joy slowly shrinking. That threw me for a bit until I realized Sunny probably told Angel of all the people we'll see here. Small Joy. Hah! "Yeah. Rose will be here. You'll get to see her Center. Its new and should have a lot you can study."

Angel has made it a point now that she can travel in cities/towns without fearing capture to visit each and every Joy to learn as much as she can about treatment of pokémon. Not just the emergency sort of healing that Tru and Sunny specialize in but long term aid. Tass has been just as fascinated but prefers hiding in Angel's shadow in such trips as opposed to actually showing himself. Long years of isolation have made him the most wary of strangers among all of my family.

Returning the gardevoir I pause and take in what I've already accomplished. Not even done with my first league and I've gotten so much power to my cause. The pokémon are a big part of it, yes, but infrastructure is something I've always wanted to focus on. A single base for now. Nothing truly impressive compared to what a government can do but the start is bright. So hopeful.

But someday? Someday every major settlement will have a Guardian if I have my way. Police and League agents are great but they are reactive. Guardians will seek out the evil that seems to plague this world at times. Its not as awful as death worlds of course, but almost every 'Team' would lead to world ending problems.

Shaking off the thoughts I let Zaela out. Usually she's about to roar and rampage but this time simply blinks about with a heavy yawn. Aww. Cute. She was asleep.

"Oh. We're back here. Hrm. Whatcha got me up for sis? Ride in and all that?"

"Somewhat. Had a silly moment of reflection. I wanted to be with my sister before we have to be leaders." Having such a big family is great. Wonderful. But a part of me will always remember that first year with just my starter. Of how special our bond began. Leaning against her, ignoring how her skin bites into my bare arm, I let myself close my eyes and take in her scent. Rich earth and power. Dragons smell like power. Lightning about to strike. The first spark to begin a bonfire. The taste of the air before rain.

"We have come a long way haven't we? Shit. You're infecting me. Human things!" Snickering at her way of bringing me back to attention has me ignoring the want to simply slack off. Some of my old self is around it seems. The desire to let someone else step forward and cause change. Naw. I'm Ella Mita now. And she has great ambition.

Moments later Zaela and I fly into the Valley and to where I've heard my soon to be base is being constructed. Zaela dances in the air compared to when she started and lets us take a long, slow look around the cluster of buildings that are the start of my Order. The Pokémon Center is the largest building easily. Its sturdily built as per my instructions. Thick stone walls around a massive building for a usual Center. Considering my initial plans called for charizard, gyarados and aggron as usual Order task forces? Yeah, I wanted Rose to have a big place to work with.

Its made to last and to take a lot of damage. The harsh reality is that while I'm going to do my best to keep this place a secret until we have a lot more presence around the world, its very likely that we'll come under attack at some point. It might not end up being here but definitely when we are sticking our noses in where they don't belong. At other Order bases.

Especially once we start killing people. Oh yes. Team Assholes are gonna die. Lives will be spared if able but given a choice between my Order's lives? And those of people who steal and murder for a living? Of course I'm going to allow lethal force. Its part of the reason some of the folks joined up so far as trainers. They were disenfranchised by heading back to having less permanent responses after the Rocket conflicts. Its understandable, wishing peace and its not at all as bad as it might sound, but I plan to be ruthless.

Even if I don't really think about it as much as perhaps is healthy, I can't help but think of Petrel and the Rockets my orders led to death. And how I really don't feel anything but sadness I didn't get to them earlier… Am I too ruthless? Questions for future Ella. Yep. Super healthy.

The next few buildings are mostly disguises for quick exits from the underground hive we're building into the Valley walls. Some of them at least. Others will be much more hidden and are. The Center has to be up top to receive signals for emergency pokéball recalls and transfers. There will eventually be an option for the entire Center to descend underground but we need more ground types for that along with some of the crazy technological gadgets this world has. A few other buildings are still being constructed by many of the people I've hired and quite a few charizard partners as well as whatever pokémon they might have already had.

I haven't been noticed just yet save for some of the Valley's usual population. Fire lizards start announcing challenges, noticing us finally, and Zaela finally gets fed up with it. The echoing, angry roar of my King shuts them the fuck up and gives us time to view what is the first step of my dream.

"Good job sis. I'm simple. A good fight. Harsh training and decent food. And I suppose seeing you happy. So great job. This makes you very happy." She's only saying what she feels in my heart right now. The bond between us hums with my shared contentment as she carries me down.

Rose, Bruno and Liza are already there, the two girls waving up at me with wide grins and Bruno just being Bruno behind them. The massive onix wrestling with two charizard in a large cleared out area must be his. As we land I can see the rest of his team instructing more of the charizard partners in physical moves and weight training. Considering that I want them to carry troops into battle? Yeah, I am very, very glad I've stolen from Lance.

Rose is wearing practical clothing much as the rest. Huh. Even Bruno. Is he wearing shoes? Whoa. Never thought I'd see the day. Liza can't contain herself and launches her body at mine the moment my feet hit ground.

"You're back! There is so much to show you! Thank you so much for Knight. He's a bit odd but I can't imagine life without him and Charla." The beaming face over my now prone body (should have expected a girl who bosses charizard around to be very strong physically. Ow) is lit up with happiness. She's thriving with this goal in her life. Every bit of her aura explodes with excitement and wonder.

"I'm glad...Mind letting me up?" Ahhh. There's the deep blush. As we stand I'm smacked on the arm lightly as Rose grins at me with a slow wink that has me sighing. A few years. Then I'll see what that wink might mean. "Hey Rose. I hear you're the leader of this place now?"

My smirk has her just shaking her head. A few of the people here that came from Professor Oak's recommendations have kept me up to date with how things have been. Rose is talked of with admiration and a bit of fear.

"Someone had to do it. Straightfoot wasn't going to do it." Her thumb jerks back over her shoulder at Bruno and I mouth her nickname to him. His response is the most emotion I've seen him physically show. A slight sigh and the ever so tiniest roll of his eyes. Wow.

"Nurse Joy has taught me new things. I am grateful. Tomorrow I would like to show you some of what I have started." With that he turns around and simply heads back to his team. Huh. Onix is fighting two new charizard already. I'm happy they are so active. Still, I raise an eyebrow at Rose.

"What? You've met him. Small talk for him is no talk. Come on. Lets get you settled in. I've got to meet your team too. " There is a deep sense of satisfaction from her as she wipes some of her pink hair away from her eyes. Both her and Liza feel like this is all they could have hoped for. I'm more than a little humbled by it all. When I sought change I didn't think of what the impact would feel like through aura.

The walk to her Center takes a bit of time as she points out what is being planned. There are designs for greenhouses to be made underground (mental notes to bring in sunny day using grass types) as well as anything a small town could want. Some of the few employees of mine that I've met in person have us pause to get a few words in and feel of satisfaction at what they have accomplished. A lot of it will be in meetings later but I make sure to get to know them too. They're the first after all. The first to join this all.

The work has a lot of benefits though. Strength for trainers. From training to chances at rare pokémon. Personal and constant care of a Joy. A chance to do something grand. As well as good pay and lots of leeway in their home.

The vastness of the Valley and its surrounding area means that giving whatever they wanted for their personal dwellings underground within reason created a lot of positive morale. Nothing crazy but each of the rooms I've been shown are quite different from each other. Personalized. Some of the members of the Foundry have a fair amount of ground/rock types that they have offered to help the construction in a barter system. All types have their special skills, from psychic types providing help understanding problems that might occur in communication to water types figuring out the best ways to flow water easier.

It goes on and on. Even bug types have figured out fantastic ways to create defenses. Most bugs are small and often have hives to defend. Thus a honeycomb of tunnels for smaller mons to use to get around the Foundry faster than most would be able to. Whether to bring supplies, send messages or just socialize easier, things are not just being made with the people in mind. But with the pokémon that will be our partners.

Those with flying types or who already have charizard partners have helped some of the digging groups get paired up with the gyarados already streaming in. Once I'd told Rose of my plans to get aggron and gyarados as other members of my growing order she immediately put Bruno on task to get an underground bay linked to the Foundry.

"Everything is coming together well. I've had to be pretty firm but this has been a joy. Hehe! No pun intended." Rose's eyes glitter at me as Liza pushes open the doors to the Center. They would usually be automatic but the defensive nature of my plans make the heavy steel doors appropriate. Probably going to spend a lot of money on air conditioning because of this. "You said you were going to bring my partner along if you were impressed? So. Do you have them?"

Alright alright. I could feel your excitement overflowing from a city away. "Well, is your receiver up and running?"

Rose's smile bursts out, blinding all of us and she grabs my hand to tug me around the wide counter where she would normally be posted and pushes me excitedly at the video phone.

"Geeze. Alright alright." A moment later Joy and Becca greet me with twin smiles. Joy's Lucario holds up a pokéball with a solemn expression. I don't want to make Rose wait any longer so I just give them a quick promise to call back later as well as to make sure Rose checks in once they are introduced. A swift transfer later and Rose is staring at the ball in her hands, trembling a little.

"Did you just get me the child of the Joy of your home?" Her voice is hushed and filled with that awe I know so well. Of your first. Your starter.

"Of course. I asked ages ago if Joy's Lucario would let me choose one of her children to aid whichever Joy came to my Guardians. Frankly I wasn't sure if she would. Never really saw her interested in anyone." Liza snickers a bit and nudges Rose with her shoulder. Huh. Who did Joy's Lucario pick in the den? I sense gossip. Maybe.

Liza releases who I assume is 'Knight'. The riolu immediately starts talking.

"Is this the one?! The Princess' Chosen! I am unworthy! Please! If you require anything, I would be hono-"

I'd probably be still staring at his words if Tru hadn't immediately released herself and started dragging him away to words of "Princess! I am even more unworthy!" and "Of course I must call you Princess! There is no other choice!"

What the hell just happened?

Rose is of course ignoring this as she releases her riolu, though Liza just snaps her hand over her face and walks after Tru and her own riolu muttering something I'm not sure I want to hear. Something to figure out later.

"Hello Rose Joy. It is a pleasure to meet you. My mother has taught me much to help others. If it would please you, I would enjoy finding out more of yourself." The voice is male and he's well built, this boy. He can even talk already with aura. I'm not that surprised. Joy's Lucario was quite fluent before we even started with Tru. Rose just leans down to hug riolu who appears flabbergasted as to what to do other than pat her back.

"Uhm. Hi? Right. There there?"

Oh. Rose is crying. Well, I suppose she did just meet her starter. "Of course I'd love to talk more with you...Sorry, Ella...But-"

"Say no more. I understand completely. I'll go find Liza to give me the tour further. See you tomorrow after Bruno shows me whatever he wants to do?" Rose just gives a bit of a scary smile at that but nods and stands, wiping her eyes without any sort of embarrassment.

"Lovely. Come Riolu. Do you want a nickname? Call me Rose. None of that Mistress BS that Knight gives Liza?" She walks off, explaining about the other resident riolu and more about what their current duties are. Her new starter is utterly entranced, likely because of the strong, giving nature that Rose's aura pulses with her every heart beat. Already I can see how well they will pair with each other.

I don't immediately go after Liza as its nice to simply be alone for a moment. There is so much pressure to this all. I'm here. At the real start of my dream being realized. Everything depends on this year. To make or break my opportunity. I know it can succeed. Not many people can look at a goal and know they have a good chance at it because literally Fate decreed it possible.

The Conference. I have to succeed. Things would still work, I think, without it, but a win would make things so easier.

My feet take me to Tru's signature and to Liza laughing behind her hand next to a charmelon that must be Charla. Plans to be had there later today if I have time. Tru is dictating things to Knight who is on his knees as a samurai would be to their Lord.

"Even if my parents lead the Kingdom I am simply another soldier of Aura. You insult me by deferring to me because of my birth. Get to know me and view me for how I am. If you find myself admirable after that then you may speak with respect that has been earned. Do you understand Knight? Or must I put you through light training?" Wow. She's really mastered that way of saying 'don't fuck with me' politely.

"Don't worry Liza. Light training won't break him that much." Seriously have to make sure Tru is not going to go for our actual light training. Plus Knight looks more like a brawler than the precise counter fighter that Truthseeker is. Liza snickers and shakes her head. Huh. She's got that snicker down. Is Liza full of mischief? I must find out.

"Even if it were torturous I'm betting Knight would be fine."

"I am sorry! I shall judge you faithfully as you direct Pr-Mist-T...Truthseeker!" Well. At least he tried. It still sounds like he's saying 'princess' by the tone but what can you do? Tru just sighs and looks to Liza.

"Mistress Liza. Forgive me. Would you mind if I took your charge under my wing while we are here? Perhaps with Joy's riolu as well? Actually, since I believe my Mistress will be busy with other things I could help train you as well. Mistress Ella and I spent many years now training together and I can only imagine it will be much easier with you as we learned much from mistakes."

I hadn't even considered that! Shea after all has aura that she actively uses even if just communication. Liza hops up and down and looks at me for permission. Right. I'm the leader. Shit.

"Of course. Don't look at me like that. I'm not quite the big boss yet." I'm mostly joking to deflect the idea. Dealing with my pokémon is a bit different. They all seek to train just as hard as myself. People are...harder. They tend to find shortcuts or take easy ways compared to pokémon.

"Oh! But what about your tour?" I grin at that and wave towards Charla who already has that bow she's so famous for.

"If I could borrow Charla? After she shows me around I could let my starter and Mars show her a few things." And perhaps get her to evolve really quick. Or within a few days with how working with stronger of the same species tends to happen here.

"Oh! Of course. I forgot you can talk to me. We haven't met before but I guess Liza has talked of me in calls?" Charla's voice is surprisingly shy but has quite a bit of warmth in it as she speaks of her trainer. Damnit. I never get tired of hearing that deep feeling of loyalty so many pokémon have for their trainers.

"Sure! If Charla doesn't mind. " Liza smiles fondly as she rubs a spot on Charla's neck I know tends to be rather sore from movement back when Mars was a charmeleon. The resulting purring growl makes me smile too. Charla soon waves off her trainer and starts heading deeper underground. I release Wattson to stay with Tru and be her punching bag as she starts into a lecture about physical attacks boosted by Aura.

"Thank you Miss Mita. Liza is so very happy all the time. There is a lot of work but all the charizard she's grown close to, including my parents, enjoy what is happening. Unity isn't something we are overly known for but this? This appeals to us." I could see that from how the aura of the fire lizards sang through the air. Violence is common here. I felt that the first time we came to the Valley. But now, in the Foundry? Its got purpose.

"Already we've had more evolutions than any season in the memory of the oldest who joins in the spars. Plus all the people who have come are strong. The charizard who have become trained pokémon have gained great strength and fight above where they ranked before this started."

Wow. Charla speaks very-wait. Liza's aura brought out her intelligence more? Maybe? What is it about affecting the charizard line that makes aura so compatible? Okay, going to have to push different mons at aura users to see if it does this to any species. I have noticed that all of my family are much more advanced than others but that might just be my destined twelve.

"That's great to hear. Mind if we go to my room, wherever that is, first? I've got to drop off a few of my pokémon and stuff." Charla simply gives me a toothy grin and leads me down a few levels passing the almost hatch like doors to the base's few shops. A legitimate Pokémart and simple food stand are all that really stand out so far. Which frankly is amazing since I know this place is not even a year old. Not even half a year.

A few more levels down has us reach obvious residences and mine is the biggest. About the size of the hotel room we stayed at in Olivine. Rank has its perks after all. Its a big bare room for now but that was requested. We'll set up things when this becomes home in earnest. Just a bit of furniture, a small kitchen like nook and light. Simple for now.

My team pops out quickly as they realize where they are at, scattering for the most part. All but Zaela and Mars who know what I've got planned for Charla more or less. Sunny and Joker move off together in a new project they've gotten into. Joker apparently really likes the idea of knitting as he saw how much Angel liked his gift. Sunny knew a bit from my mother and Becca so she's teaching him how to make a scarf. Its coming about pretty well actually.

Query starts to help Aurora figure out the pots and pans in the small kitchen as her usual assistants are off with Tru and Joker. Query hums a request in my head that I take Angel with me. Yeah, my boy is still overly paranoid about my safety and likes having one of us with instant movement around me at all times. Apparently Ally Switch works with me and I hadn't know until I noticed that Query always had him or Angel around me since the fight at the Lake of Rage.

Angel moves over to Charla and starts sending her images of herself and pulses of hoping to be great friends as she considers Mars her best friend in the family after myself and Sunny. Charla is quickly and easily charmed to bits by how bright my gardevoir is.

Tass? Well.

"Huh. So this is fine. I guess. When do we get to more experiments? Don't mons and humans get hurt all the time? I guess I can go with that Joy we saw." His voice is very, very bored but his feelings read as an almost obsessed need to try and help more people. Oh hell. Is he House? Or like, a not as funny version of House? I named him poorly.

"Soon. I would imagine there are a lot of battles here that result in the need for more healing. For now follow along. Best to know where everything is."

"Whatever. I guess its nice to be around Angel." There's that respect for our Angel. Tass isn't fitting in all that well yet but he's definitely worked hard at training. Every bit of power he can harness means more of himself that he can give to others.

Its so weird feeling his emotions. He's very jaded so he's at best neutral to us so far but the staggering amount of gratitude he has towards Tru, myself and Angel give me hope that he's going to become just as important to the family as the rest of us. Everyone else fit in so easily, I should be patient about this. Not expect everything to go so smoothly.

Tass slips into my shadow without another word and Charla starts tugging Angel along to show her the rest of the compound. Much of it is just neat stone walls and a lack of furniture and flavor until we head down a newly made elevator that ends at a giant, well lit cavern with a huge lake. This is our bay that will have squads set up to leave underwater.

All of the gyarados that have already been transferred over are with their potential partners or exploring the deep rivers about the Valley. In the actual bay are a few already partnered with crews digging and constructing, which is rather touching, as they feel so calm. Its admittedly only a few but to see creatures I nearly lost Angel to suddenly finding a potential new path?

Yeah I'm glad to be making this whole Guardian thing real.

About the bay there are hooks for hanging various supplies for quick exits and shaping has started on the walls walls for what look like control/engineering rooms can be added in easier. Various golem, exadrill and a host of other ground types are aiding under direction. Every once and a while a gyarados will tug some gathered rocks out and into the water to be molded into supports by the odd quagsire and whiscash.

Humming thoughtfully I tap Zaela's ball and toss it out. My King arrives with a matching hum of pleasure as she dips into the water as easily as she does into the ground and goes help speed things up tremendously. The ten or so workers stare at the massive garchomp bringing up earth in droves and pulling excavated rocks from quite the distance away.

"Just getting the tour. Show Zaela where things need to be when she's done there." Alright, the awed looks are starting to grow on me. Zaela's satisfaction pushes through our bond with a large dose of 'I told you so' as she's been wanting to awaken my draconic pride for ages. She really hates it when Tru and I tend to be overly polite instead of telling people they suck. Or are weak compared to us.

Charla gets a few looks as she watches Zaela with barely controlled excitement but the workers ignore me as directed, mostly cause the gyarados are crowding around Zaela with waggling fins. After the fight they were all fans of my massive dragon and her ability to put two of them down fairly easily. I find many pictures of her admirers watching her on the Foundry's post it board up near the Center later. How massive sea dragons look cute I don't understand but they managed it somehow. What I don't notice is a small shape flying through the water after us.

Liza's starter guides me through another tunnel that she explains leads to an underwater training ground. Isolated as opposed to open to the Valley as a whole.

Another fairly large cavern appears that houses all those who specialize in water pokémon. There are much more closely knit apartments dug into the sides and a giant pool in the middle that acts as a sparring zone for water types. It also leads outside in a much smaller tunnel than the bay we just left. What attracts my attention is the deep sigh Charla gives at what we see.

"She's at it again! I wish she wouldn't. Or let herself be caught. If she weren't so impressive for her size I would worry for her health. On the other hand gyarados don't really hurt magikarp. So since she's about the same size they don't go fully enraged at her. I guess we did disturb her 'territory' as she calls it."

Charla huffs at what we're seeing. And I? I'm just gaping. This has to be number eleven and Angel feels it in my head. She's even more amazed and is second away from trying to hug the female feebas that is swatting the fuck out of a gyarados in the pool. It must be flail or something but every attempt of the obviously pissed off sea monster to bite her misses. Brilliant uses of confuse rays, hypnosis and mist blind the dragon in all but name and I wince as the sound of a missed crunch that sounds like boulders snapping.

Mud sports pepper the gyarados and finally they have had enough. A surf is formed and a red beam of light takes the monster away from the fight as his trainer glares at the smug looking feebas. A remarkably bright feebas. Hear aura screams feisty and dripping of pride. Fuck. That could be good maybe?

"That's right! Brightscales rules here! All who come here must bow to me or face humiliation! Hmph!" Double fuck. Is she a tsundere?

"What the hell! You need to stop! We get it! This was your place! We've offered to find you someplace new or even build it but...Argh!" The man, who I recognize as a researcher that Professor Redwood suggested just throws up his hands and storms away, likely to release his gyarados someplace that it can rage.

Brightscales the Feebas

Abilities: Swift Swim, Oblivious and Adaptability(Hidden)

Nature: Bold

Moves: Splash, Tackle, Flail, Mud Sport, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Mirror Coat, Tickle, Haze, Mist, Dragon Pulse, Dragonbreath, Captivate, Brine

The bright scaled fish swims up towards us with shocking speed. The not so dopey looking face stares up at me. Tass chuckles hard from my shadow which the feebas ignores with a large helping of annoyance in her confident aura.

"You! Fire lizard! Does this one speak as well?"

Charla is about to say something pretty unpleasant from the way her emotions surge so I intervene.

"Yes. I do. Mind telling me why you are beating up my troops?" Inside I am screaming 'wtf' over and over and Angel lays a hand on my shoulder to pulse her own confusion but also slight amusement at how off balance I am.

"So these are your dullards?! You have much to answer for! This was my domain and you took it! Or yours did. Whichever! I demand you either leave or give me something in return! It took me years to fight all that dared come here!"

The smug, overly happy way she says this suggests a lot of mons suffered many, many face smacks from how she was beating the snot out of a creature almost a hundred times her size.

"Oh? Well. I suppose that is fair. What would you consider proper restitution?" My eyebrow raises and I'm more than a little pleased that she thinks, grudgingly, that my single eye is worthy of respect. Or at least that's what I believe from the small bit of admiration I get from her eyeing me over. Scars for most pokémon are proof they are stronger than what tried to kill them.

"A new home! Of equal grandness! Obviously. The best for Brightscales! Or..Uhm" There is something there now. Something she doesn't think is worth the trade from how she feels. She wants it desperately though. Oh its eating at her for certain. But what could it be compared to a whole other home?

Tass ruins it a bit by snickering again from my shadow and a bright flash of a dragon pulse makes me start at how quick it comes out. My grumpy one gets blown out of my shadow with a short cry of pain. The shadow ball he charges immediately explodes in his face and I realize Brightscales mixed in a confuse ray that has Tass drunkenly tossing a magical leaf that is immediately turned around with a mirror coat. It would go on if not for Angel sending up light screens and my voice full of aura and authority.

"Stop. Now. No deal if you keep smacking Tass. He might be an ass at times but this is beneath you as well." That shuts her up in shock but there is very little humility. Just annoyance that she let him get to her. But honestly he probably used taunt. Given she tossed it off to use status moves almost immediately speaks much of her strenght.

Or terrifyingly, she considers status moves attacking moves.

Tass is all set to disobey until I wink at him over my shoulder. Jerk that he might be I do let him prank those I think deserve it (Mostly Wattson at times) but only at the appropriate moment. Thus, my grumpy ghost puts on a pretty good show.

"Fine. Fine. I'm sorry. But if you're going to fit in here you gotta learn to accept teasing." As if he isn't already plotting how to get even he dips back into my shadow with a contrite, fully lying, expression.

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"Hmph! Fine indeed! Very well...Back...To the cost. I uhm. That was...Your king yes? If...If she were to gift me a particularly special scale. To aid in evolution….And a way to the ocean! Both. If you were to give me both I would call the debt paid. Barely!" The intense guilt she feels at asking for too much in her mind makes me want to tease her more.

"Oh? Are you certain that is a fair deal? It takes an elder milotic or a dragon like pokémon who has mastered multiple elements to grow such a scale." Nevermind the fact that Zaela can't yet create a prism scale. My starter is still quite the ways away from that power mostly from how young she is. Feebas probably thinks because she's a King that she's older than she really is. I'm all set to continue putting her through the ringer a bit but Angel basically gives me the raspberry and takes over without prompting.

Angel could feel that feebas' desire isn't just for evolution but the companionship she lacks in this lake. None of the charizard take her seriously and the water pokémon here are not strong enough to offer her a challenge. Mostly magikarp and the very occasional woopers or poliwags. There is no easy way to the ocean to find possible friends and no trainer comes here save for the charizard. Lonely is this feebas and Angel senses how jealous she is of the gyarados that have arrived. Each with a happy and willing partner. Since she's been here many have tried to catch her but she's not let any succeed since she has more or less danced around all their pokémon.

She wants her trainer to be special. Just as she knows she is. Any who have gyarados who can't keep up with her aren't worth it even despite her loneliness.

Angel gives special to her. Flashes of my family project in her unique way of speaking. The massive battle with the gyarados and how we tamed them just enough to give them hope of a future of battle and glory. The group of charizard up above us with the same dream. Our brutal and relentless dive into the Rocket base. Shared memories of our team laughing together as a family. Then more.

Zaela's terrifying power, forged by a lifetime of constant effort. Query's insatiable desire for sense of self and his kind attitude. Truthseeker's tempered spirit, formed from personal growth and desire. Sunshine and all that she does to make the world brighter for any who meet her. Mars' genius and single minded want to grow for his family. Aurora's gentle emotions constantly making us warmer in heart despite her beloved cold. Wattson's laughter, infecting us all with its constant joy. Joker's simple but savage need to protect all of us. Angel's pureness of emotion, shared with everyone. Even Tasslehoff, bitter and angry that he is. Of all of us, his hope for the future is the most brilliant. A lifetime of suffering to be used to save others.

Feebas can't speak and I'm not much better. Angel is the best of us. Her and Sunny. It shows truely and I just sigh, all thoughts of teasing forgotten. Tass' emotions scream of regret and actual apology, even if he doesn't speak it, at Angel's 'words'. Maybe I should let her train him.

"Zaela can't yet create prism scales I'm afraid. However...If...Angel's message means anything to you, I'd welcome you to my family. Either way, there is this for you." As I planned so long ago I hold up one of Momma's scales. Garchomp do not create prism scales easily as so much of what a prism scale is contains water. Momma however overcame any weakness well before I was born. Feebas gazes at the glittering scale I took from Momma's lighter chest scales and looks over at Angel, then Tass, hidden in shadow.

"I've waited. There are others of my kind here. But I was special. Ready for more...I..You...Well! Of course you should welcome me."

Her emotions are roiling about in her heart, speaking of that amazing desire all pokémon have to grow stronger and of how badly she wants to be a part of something that fits her greatness. This is worthy. To stand with a King and those who can challenge her.

I simply chuckle and offer up my second to last premier ball for her in one hand. In the other I hold the prism scale.

"You get the scale regardless. Last chance to walk way with that alone."

Brightscales simply moves forward, tapping the ball and sucking within with a click. All of my catches have been without battle and this is no different. My heart is steady and any guilt I have is washed away by how Angel pulls my thoughts to how much each of my family desires to be with me. With all of us. She even hammers Tass' picture into my head multiple times as if she's beating me with it. I laugh, which spreads to her and confuses the ghost in question. Mostly I think because Angel's laugh is a mental picture of her chuckling without sound, her hands over her belly.

I think I'm finally over the crushing thought that I destroyed much of some of my partners' lives.

All of my family feel like they are at home with me, even Tass. Its impossible to deny that feeling. So I won't any longer.

Brightscales pops out a moment later, berating me.

"What are we waiting for trainer?! I'm yours! Feel proud! But lets do this already! Come on dimwit!"

I'd feel more insulted if she wasn't swimming about in excited circles as if she just hatched. More laughter shoots out from Angel and I can't help but join her this time as I lean over the pool's edge and dip my hand into the water for Brightscales to touch.

She slows and her eyes can't leave the dream she's had for ages. Not to evolve as much to grow into who she believes herself to be. Its not as if I doubt her. Above any of my family I can see her sense of self is the strongest. There is no doubt. No uncertainty. Gently she presses her lips to the scale and brightness overtakes her.

The water refracts the light of her evolution into rainbows, matching the scale. Her body grows tremendously, sleek and lovely. Red scales grow from her head as her creamy body elongates. The back fin to her serpentine body forms an azure tail with black and red markings. My newly evolved milotic croons out a beautiful sound that matches the voice her aura already spoke of.

Opening her gorgeous red eyes, her emotions roar out as she presses her head to my hand in thanks. Gently I scratch along her form and she can't help but let me ease the lingering pains of her rapid growth with my aura.

"Thank you trainer. My name is Brightscales. Please. Tell me your name."

"I'm Ella Mita. I'm going to be an Aura Guardian. Welcome home."

Later

After that is a bit of history, teaching Brightscales of who I am and what my goal in life is. There were snapshots through Angel's show but a more in depth story is needed.

She's suitably impressed, even if only in her emotions, and says she'd be happy to teach the world to respect our power. Already she's moving about without trouble. At least as she slithers along next to me. Angel is beside herself with joy at another of the family she's dreamed of for years joining and Brightscales can't help but be infected by the happiness that is shared with us all.

Tass doesn't speak but he starts offering up apologies by snagging berries from my pack and feeding them to Brightscales until she finds a favorite. She, of course, accepts this with a slight upturn of her nose but also speaks a bit more polite to my ghost.

Charla just stares, wide jawed, and keeps on pointing her claw back and forth from where we were to Brightscales. My trolling senses tingle and I just wink at her anytime she tries to talk to me about it. At least until we make it back to the Bay. Zaela comes out of the water as we approach and there is another hush as those who didn't get a good look at her size when she dipped in see my monster come over to me.

"Huh. Another one? So soon? Neat. Hey….Right. You're very pretty. Are you a good fighter?" Zaela has never really thought being pretty meant you weren't tough, but she also likes to prick at people's possible weaknesses. Temper being an easy one.

"Yes King. Queen? I am. It is good to see another of such prestige as yourself. I, of course, know how lovely I am but I must say you're beyond even my pure form." Yep. There is admiration in droves. Something about Brightscales must respect regal nature. Right. Milotic. What did I expect?

"Hah! You got a good one this time sister. I'm Zaela. Let me tell you of the rest of the lot before they make you think they aren't all weirdos." Joke's on Zaela. They'll do that themselves! Hah!

The rest of the journey back up is with Zaela throwing everyone under the bus except Sunny. No one makes Sunny cry. Aurora isn't spared, which should make for interesting sparring later. I should note the floors of the Foundry are built large.

Zaela has to duck some but not as much as one might think and the thickness of each level means most ground types can easily dig through without breaking something in earnest. There is already a rule that any such pokémon has to be skilled enough to firm the stone behind them for such travel or go to specially set pillars that act as places for them to dig down and up through giant stone edges that multiple rock types made as safe spots for such movement.

While I very much want to introduce Brightscales to everyone right away I did promise Charla some attention. Before heading back to my new apartment we go right back up to the top and out to the now deserted warzone that is the sparring field.

"Thanks for showing us around Charla. As a reward...Well just actually because you're impressive I'm going to let Mars and Zaela show you some things." Charla jumps a bit in joy but is halted by the low, disturbing laughter my starter begins to let go. Brightscales backs away and I think tries to return herself from the way she's staring at her new pokéball on my belt.

Which is funny cause everyone we passed by stared quite a bit at my newest family member and holy Arceus did she lap it up as if it were her due. Given it was over Zaela's presence at times she just kept on adding to her smug look.

"Don't worry sweet Charla. There won't be anything you can't recover from….Mmm. Such lovely toys my sister lets me play with." Charla is all set to make a run for it but Mars springs free to block off escape.

"Greetings Brightscales. I shall enjoy speaking with you later. Forgive the rudeness of the moment but there is one of my kind I must break and mold into terrifying power and ability. It requires all of my attention. Later, I shall focus solely upon you. Ah ah ah. Charla. It is only for your own good." My son sounds polite but the way he's restraining the flailing Charla and how his eyes are gleaming with sadistic pleasure tells me he's taking his training even more serious these days. Brightscales shrinks away from this and Mars probably makes the wrong first impression.

Okay. Maybe Zaela and Mars do have a future together as they drag the panicking charmeleon away to the horror that is our usual training. Or rather what it used to be until we got adjusted to it. Brightscales shivers a bit at the presence Zaela is letting leak out and I idly wonder if Mars is going to try and turn Charla into a dragon type as he more or less could be classified with his skill in it.

"Oh don't worry Brightscales. You'll get to go through training just as soon as Rose clears you. She's our resident healer. Now now. Don't try to run. You can't flee fast without water." Idly I return her as she tries anyway and each and every time she attempts after until I let her off the hook. Do I lie and say that we'll ease her into it? Yes. Absolutely. But then again she doesn't know that four of our family are healers and any pain she endures will be immediately taken care of.

Besides, I know in her heart that she's able to handle it. There was no faking her absolute desire to stand with all that she saw in Angel's memories. Is it odd that this former feebas who was attacking gyarados is so timid all of a sudden? Not really. She's not in water. She truly felt how strong Zaela is and considering that she's probably very familiar with Charla who just tried to flee from us?

I don't blame her. But it also won't save her. Muahahaha.

Speaking of Angel, she's just humming mentally along as if nothing horrifying was shown to our new family member. Shit. We're already lowering her idea of what is cruel.

Skipping ahead a bit, Brightscales needs a bit more food and new nutrients to support her evolution but is otherwise in great shape. Apparently she'd been getting fed by a few of the gyarados trainers who enjoyed seeing their partners get beat up by something so small. Probably helped with big headed pride issues. For the gyarados. Not my new family member. The rest of the team greeted her well.

"Welcome. New family. Gift." Yep. The horribly knitted scarf/blanket/towel he was working on? Joker and Sunny give Brightscales one that is the same shade of purple that most of my team wear. Angel apparently sent images of me capturing feebas and they shifted their design halfway to be a hammock for her. So when a milotic showed up they just tied it around her neck. Surprisingly she took it quite well despite how utterly deformed it was. I sensed a fear of rejection swiftly dispersed at the obvious joy Sunny has to see her and how Joker carefully ties the cloth about her neck. His sharp, dangerous claws never come close to even scratching.

"You're so beautiful! Angel was so pretty when she joined but you look like a rainbow! Do you like rubs? Zaela and Mars both have scales and love rubs! Here! Let me show you! Oh I'm so happy you're here! Oh! Oh! I'm Sunshine Mita. That's my mom!" Sunny does her dance of happy and goes to get the heavy brush she uses to help me groom Zael and Mars. Brightscales barely has time to greet Sunny back before she's crooning that lovely tone of hers at the way Sunny's ribbons stroke up and down my milotic's scales.

"As always it is lovely to see how quickly you find friends. Greetings Brightscales. I am Aurora. Welcome to this family. Later after you have settled I would adore if you told me of what you enjoyed eating." Brightscales perked up a bit there and stared upwards at the only other of my team to approach Zaela's size. She probably didn't have a lot of different types of foods even if feebas can eat almost anything from what I remember.

"Thank you...I..Am a bit overwhelmed. This is obviously my...Due." A pause here as she watches Aurora's lips twitch in mirth and Brightscales sighs. "Thank you. I would love to speak with you soon."

Wattson buts in here as he and Tru were in our apartment already when we returned.

"Hah! Its hard to keep up anything but your best behavior in front of Mom eh? That's who Aurora is basically. I'm Wattson. The quiet one here is Tru. We're together. Like I adore her and she's my girlmon."

Tru of course blushes hard and smacks Wattson over the head without looking. Nothing hard and he's used to it anyway. He beams at Brightscales with a massive thumbs up.

"He speaks truth, if stupidly. Welcome Brightscales. Mistress Ella's emotions felt full of joy at your arrival. Acceptance is yours with us. Forgive those of us who are….Exuberant."

"...I like you. Perhaps later we can speak of these emotions? I only know a bit of what an Aura Guardian is but Ella did say you helped her learn much of her abilities?"

Tru smiles ruefully and links her paw into Wattson's to keep him from heading off to help Aurora with food just yet. Ignoring his satisfied snickering Tru simply lets a bit of her aura into her words to express her willingness.

"We helped each other. Ella taught me as much if not more than I did her. While not all of us share the exact dream that she and I do, we are all committed to each other certainly. Even the ghost is here for the long haul despite his desire being a bit more self-centered. Not in a bad way. Just very personal. It would be my honor to help you understand more of this family."

The rest is pretty much just a nice night. There is a bit of a shock when Zaela and Mars pop out of a wall but that's easily explained away as I blush, forgetting that Zaela can't really get through most of the tunnels easily so of course she made her own. Mars takes Brightscales off to have his promised conversation with Angel there to help translate his awkwardness. He's learning more and more though.

Zaela though comes up to me and grunts.

"I don't want you going anywhere here without me for a while. I spotted Dad and it felt like he was...Angry. Momma told me a bit about him. She only really respected his power and otherwise felt he was an asshole. She didn't care except to have strong kids. So yeah. Before we leave I'm going to beat the shit out of him. Killing you to draw me out earlier sounds like what Momma would have expected of him."

Oh. Okay. Ancient big charizard that can beat Momma after my head out of spite. Fun. I simply lean against Zaela and close my eyes. I've gotten used to her roughness. Sleep takes me soon after.

Later

Bruno's Works

The Foundry

Brightscales refuses to let me call her 'Bri' as apparently her self chosen name is too grand to be shortened. So. Of course, I'm going to call her 'Bri'.

I can be spiteful too!

The next day has the start of a routine. Tru takes the two riolus and their trainers off to her own brand of boot camp with Sunny and Angel along to help show Rose a lot of what they are capable of. Its not that Rose hasn't been trained as all Joys are. Its just that Sunny and Angel have so much practical experience. Those small little things that healers pick up over time. That Angel can translate in such a profound way makes the lessons that more effective. Rose tells me later that she really wants a sylveon for how useful her ribbons are both to read everything about a patient in an instant and basically extra limbs for emergencies.

I don't get to spend a lot of time with Rose as she's soaking up my team's hard earned knowledge about emergency care like mad. We get to eat dinner or so sometimes but my time is spent learning more of the Foundry's people and pokémon. There is no shortcut to proper leadership. Knowing of them all will just make my goal that much more doable. Rose understands this but I will admit I'm just a bit sad I can't be around her more. Her aura is much like Angel's. A balm. Its hard to find people to be friends with that aren't intimidated by me or related.

Brightscales joins Mars and Charla in boot camp as Zaela refuses to leave my side as promised.

I spend a lot of the next few months with them especially as Zaela has so much to offer in draconic energies that both my milotic and Charla can use. Liza joins quite often as well when Tru takes Knight and Jordan (Dunno why Rose named him that but he likes it so who cares?) off to impart lucario things to them.

Whenever my first convert joins us I pretty much only talk through aura and force her to keep up at a blistering pace. She hates me for it at first even if she does fantastically at it compared to when I started. Probably because she grew up with the charizard line. There is no easy way to deal with them.

Charla evolves pretty soon after the brutal training begins and Liza is beyond joyful. Even our way of helping Charla learn to fly doesn't dampen their spirits. Basically Charla is a fly and stone edges and ancient power are the swatter. It leads to a lot of forced agility and a surprisingly quick steel wing. Its unpleasant but also leads to a lot of new recruits among the Valley. I guess charizard like the idea of having to go through a gauntlet of dangerous, possibly fatal attacks to get stronger. Duh me.

Liza surprises me in other ways. She's got an amazing head for organization. Not the easy leadership and fear that Rose can radiate in an instant but she can maximize our time spent in amazing ways. That combined with her expert knowledge of the area lead us to find new ways to train that even have Bruno looking her way with admiration. I mean. It is just a normal blank look but I can feel the admiration. Back to Bruno in a second.

Liza's way of using aura suits her perfectly. She almost mimics Query in the balance of things. Hers is a bit more spiritual though. Its how she's dealt with all the charizard in the Valley. She sees where they need to go to attain balance and guides them to it. Usually that's just fighting someone in particular or learning a new move or perhaps a mate they want. When its trained though? She starts to see within a pokémon where they need more work. Or even diets. Nutrition become second nature to her and she can immediately find where a strain is. This helps Rose immensely and Liza is demanded by many people.

None so much as Bruno. Right. Fine. I get to talk about both the most boring individual in the Foundry and its most inspiring.

Bruno is everything I expected and more. As are all canon persons I've met have been. The only surprise was the first day which honestly I should have predicted. The long night of getting to know Brightscales took its toll. I woke grumpy but satisfied. No regrets until I went out to meet Bruno at dawn. I've been getting up before dawn since I was four so it wasn't any huge deal but again, long night.

The first flying fist at my head missed only because he pulled his punch. While I've been trained for years by both Tru, Joy's Lucario and Mom I will never be a real fighter of legend or anything close. I'll have enough with my aura abilities to take on any person below Bruno's skill and some low level pokémon but my true strength will always be in supporting others. Thus, the next ten minutes of basically fleeing Bruno's steady effort to put me in the dirt were among the most frustrating of my life.

Zaela, the traitor, just watched and busied herself trying to pull rocks from the ground further and further away. Eventually I was on the ground panting despite my usually massive stamina. About a minute into dodging and attempting counters I started tossing aura spheres that he either batted away with strikes or took on his massive shoulders. I shouldn't have been surprised he tanked the hits from how notorious he is for sparring with his own pokémon.

Defeated, I just groaned from my place in the dirt and glared at him.

"Right...this...what you wanted to show me?"

I felt like a giant bruise but honestly it wasn't that bad. Bruno had no mercy in his emotions but there was a pleased satisfaction to it.

"Its good you know to fight defensively. We shall develop your style as such. Rise. I will show you what I have started."

Cursing a bit in my head I run aura through my body and follow, already healing as he leads me down into the Valley. Zaela trails behind, her eyes on the sky. Bruno leads me to a simple cave, massive, but simple. Inside are his team. A hitmonlee, hitmonchan , machamp, onix, poliwrath and a surprise charizard. Then again he has been here a while.

"My team has started on a way to train all that reside here. My gyarados is starting with the others today." Right. I suppose he'll have an aggron when they show up later as well. "Much of it is simple power and stamina for now. Once they have achieved the desired strength I will show where accuracy comes in. Both gyarados and charizard are somewhat fast but their true ability lies in precise, overwhelming power."

Bruno's charizard is soaking this up like its the most delicious thing in the universe. Fuck. Even her emotions are so much more disciplined than all the others I've met save Charla and Mars. Hitmonlee moves up to me and bows once before heading over to Zaela and doing the same then without speaking strikes up a ready pose.

Zaela simply snorts and moves out of the cave a bit with a welcoming growl and sounds of destruction and the occasional boulder tell of the spar starting out of my vision.

"Good. He has wished for a challenge. The charizard in particular have been pleasing to train against. Burns are unfortunate but it has taught me much speed." What. Right. Of course he's just charged head first into flamethrowers or some other bull shit. What have I unleashed?

"Much of it is as you expect. Weighing down limbs. Repeated movement. True results will not happen for a few years but I am glad I am here. Foundry. An apt name."

I suppose it would be. The simple cave suits him. Some books, a kitchen and a bed are all that he has here. The water and our training ground upstairs are far enough away to be a trek. Then there are his emotions. Bruno doesn't seek to get stronger for power but to learn more of himself. His martial arts is very pure as far as I could ever understand things. There isn't an overly huge desire for conflict but the quiet way he's starting to feel more pleased at what is happening in the Valley give me hope he's going to stay here for good.

"Thank you Bruno. I know its yet early to really see how this is affecting things but-" We pause as hitmonlee crashes into the cave with what looks like a draco meteor (just a single one) carrying him into the wall with a brutal crash. He simply stands after a moment of quiet contemplation, dusts himself off and walks a few steps before running into a high-jump kick. Zaela's cry of enraged pain tells us that it was a hit and more crashing follows.

"...but I can already see some of the change you've caused. Liza hasn't complained once to me in letters about the anger of the Valley's original inhabitants. That's amazing right there."

Bruno pauses, still giving me that stupid neutral stare. I like the guy but would it kill him to just even frown?! Something?

"I see. I had not considered that. Their attacks have been seeming to become more intense and less hostile." Wait? Where is the difference there? Arceus help me understand this man.

"I'm a bit afraid to know what changes between those two things." My hand goes up to stop him from attempting to tell me. "Whatever the case I've some months here and I'd appreciate your help in training. I, of course, have much to teach you of aura as I know it if you are interested."

Now his eyes gleam and inside I'm doing that happy dance you do in your pjs that no one is supposed to see. Ever. I'm not sure if Bruno has ever met an Aura Guardian before that taught him anything. That his emotions spike in severe interest make me purr almost in a very Zaela manner.

Speaking of Zaela.

"Oh I'm going to get you you flying, dipping, dodging piece of shit! Come back here! I'll show you how to really get hit!"

Ignoring that, and the subsequent sound of part of the cliff breaking, I simply nod. "It'll be fun showing you what I can do. Tru will come along sometimes as well and help with her fighting style."

Bruno's lips twitch just a tiny bit and I can feel the smile in his heart. He'd make a shit dragon with his utter lack of passion for destruction but the way he thrives under adversity would fit in just fine.

"Indeed. I'll do my best to help you forge this dream I find more and more worthy daily."

I left that day feeling great about the future. Of course. That was before he put me through the Foundry in earnest. While the name was from the slowly growing community, it was Bruno who truly made it stick.

The weeks went by more or less like this. Two days with Liza and Charla, two days with my full team to train together, one day to rest while getting to know the Foundry's new citizens and two days with Bruno.

Every day I trained with Bruno was more brutal than five others without. He always seemed to know what little more I could give. If I thought I was brutal on myself before it was nothing compared to what Bruno expected of me. It was flattering in theory. He knew exactly how badly I wanted my dream to succeed. How? Because his dream was just as important to him. That single overriding goal to become more aware of himself.

Thus he tore me apart and helped me put myself together as I desired. My team was the same.

Zaela of course adored it. The harder the better for her and by the end of it she could defeat all of his team one on one. We've always had great ideas about moves and tactics but I never really fully brought out her true inner strength much to my shame. I didn't know this of course. Zaela is seven years old now and is almost at her peak already. At least what Bruno described as the first step. Whatever the fuck that means. Truly Zaela has grown into her King's Nature past any expectations I've had, at least this early. We're still a ways away from the Legend but its not such a pipe dream anymore.

Query improved the most in the technical aspect. He's always had an amazing style of combat but having all of Bruno's team kick, punch, crunch and crush at him day after day helped with his already scary awareness. No one can face him in melee from the sheer amount of attacks he can throw but his defenses have skyrocketed. Every brain can not only attack but defend at the same time, sometimes with multiple minor attacks.

Tru has always had a fairly melee heavy style as well but once Bruno found out she's our emergency medic he turned her into a tank. Out of all of us she was treated to the most weights and the hardest attacks. Protect was now her most effective move not for herself but to be used in front of allies. Speed and toughness became her creed and she flocked to it with intense determination.

Sunny improved the most overall. It is still difficult to see her suffer, even if just in training but she didn't complain once or hesitate despite the effort. Bruno's team was a bit wary of her delicate stature but the man himself just let her dictate what she could take. Wish is almost automatic with almost no wind up. But that's not what truly has made her shine.

All of my pokémon have their own place in things but up until this training Sunny didn't have her place to show her stuff. Barriers of all varieties and status effects are the name of her game now. Support in the truest sense to confuse foes and lower their ability to hurt her family. She's able to use double teams that create reflects and light screens. Not from themselves but she can project them over quite a large amount of distance. That combined with her ever increasing range with moonblast has truly carved out a spot for her to take pride in. She's grown up.

Mars remains the genius he is. While he didn't learn new moves every single one he possesses has combined in shocking ways. Wings hum with steel energy and draconic at the same time in his strikes. His claws pulse into different types of moves mid-swing to confuse foes and any ancient power, probably his favorite move, can now be pulled from the earth as draco meteors even without mega evolving. Zaela's compliments on him have become downright filthy when she wants to screw with me but I can't blame her. Mars barely used Bruno's methods save for constant sparring with his team. The scary thing about it? I'm sure he hasn't shown us everything.

Aurora didn't change that much ability wise but her defenses have taken a dramatic turn. Long days of horrible pain were common for my ancient friend. Fighting and steel are some of her worst weaknesses and all of Bruno's team used such moves quite a lot. Even fire, while not as bad for her, was still pushed over her constantly. Even harder than watching Sunny be smacked down the screams Aurora had when this training started were almost enough to make me stop the whole idea. She convinced me otherwise but Angel spent a lot of her time working on Aurora over the months. Even more than Zaela, Aurora used terrain to fight.

Once she got used to taking the damage she couldn't avoid she started to redirect attacks with precise movement of her terrain. Hail gathered around her like a spiraling tornado and she combined sandstorms into everything she did. Her earth sense, aided by Zaela's teaching, became almost as good as a ground type at making sure she knew where opponents were. Finally, her core ability got to the point where she can maintain a magnet rise even with her giant form for ages. Zaela loves and hates it that Aurora can beat her even quicker now.

Wattson's changes were mostly about ranged attacks. Bruno actually found Wattson's melee abilities fairly well thought out but brutally took on my electrivire's poor defenses. While he didn't really like it to start Wattson has started to pick up ways to keep enemies away until he can bring in devastating single attacks buffed up with hitting himself with lightning or meditating. Shock wave is his new friend and he's been learning how to thread thunder waves in sneakily. Bruno had a lot of fun (I felt it obviously, he didn't show it) with the idea of a single attack with all your strength.

My idiot of a friend named it THE Punch. Yes. Capital letters. The idea was to fully buff himself with his ability and carefully set up an earthquake (or thunderbolt a flyer into position) and combine a thunderpunch and focus punch into one game ending attack. Complete with end pose. Bruno was impressed by the power of it, but not the grandstanding. Ice or Fire punch would substitute for those not vulnerable to thunderpunch. Those were still a work in progress but so far it hasn't failed to knock out anything he hits. The issue is the set up but its very promising.

Joker's entire time was learning how to dodge and new fighting styles. Zoroark are never going to be the most burly of fighters but Joker's speed is becoming something of legend and by the end of his training it was a struggle for even two of Bruno's team to land a hit on him without restricting his movement with a dedicated move for it. The reaction time of my zoroark has become beyond belief as the hyper awareness he needed to copy forms was brought up to such a level that Bruno wants very much to gain a zorua of his own.

Much of martial arts are deception of the body and Bruno's interest in seeing how to develop a style just for Joker's species is intense. Every movement Joker makes now leads to damage. Every dodge sets up his claws or an elemental attack or some way to fuck with his enemy's senses. Spars with Joker ended up with much healing on both sides but its been beyond fruitful.

Angel hasn't improved in ability power as she has in skill. Her attacks were already brutal as can be with her tactics not far behind but what we truly focused on was dealing with massive amounts of emotion. Most of Bruno's team is fairly calm but a few of them have great desire for combat and it reaches a passion. They just don't show it. Angel more or less fights the same but we've managed to get her to maintain her cool and focus on priorities in a split second without being overwhelmed. Query helps a ton when he can by lending her a mind but she can do mostly perfect on her own. As she's mostly a special attacker it was a lot of resistance training for Bruno's team and dodging for her. Frankly with how fast she can dart with teleport into perfect position I think we got the better end of the deal.

Tasslehoff learned patience. We had barely gotten into training when we arrived in the Valley and it showed quite a bit with him. He was used to causing status effects and hiding. Typical ghost fare. What he's developed now is perfect timing. He'll never really be a one on one fighter in any other manner but with destroying an opponent's system. What he is in team combat though? He can take a hit that would wreck others on my team and send it back with payback while unleashing a cascade of effects. Combined with Angel and Sunny's (Bri too now actually) methods of sleeping an opponent he can easily heal back up even without pain split. Yay Dream Eater. What is even worse is how easily he can dart from one ally's shadow to another with double teams and confuse rays. Angel and him are the worst to face off against.

Imagine it. Her dancing around healing the team and at each stop a wil o' wisp or toxic from her shadow while she protects the supported mon. The applications are staggering and we just barely got it started. He'd found his way to help and more so than his increase in ability was the slow thawing of his emotions. It wasn't quite joy yet but warmth comes more and more from my ghost. The lots and lots of healing practice probably helped. Just a little bit of improvement there. Still hurts like hell but its getting easier.

Finally. Brightscales. Power leveling is a thing and only the pride of my newest family member kept her from breaking in earnest. Every day was a slap in her face at how far ahead we were. I wanted her as a feebas because I thought that more than any of my other more evolved members that the transition would be better with a trainer. I was right for the most part. Instinct played a big part of her picking up new things but the growth into the tank she is was brutal and very, very difficult.

Still. The results are amazing. Literally nothing can take her out in one hit so far. Endure was the first thing I had Tass teach her and everything from that point has led to something unmovable. Aqua ring, recover and refresh combined with her marvel scale means its beyond difficult for even Aurora's freeze dry to significantly harm Bri. Half the time Wattson is charmed by her and wants nothing to do with throwing more punches. Constant coiling while she redirects attacks along with her abilities to confuse mean she can wait patiently until she's built up enough strength to where it matters.

Ice beam taught by Aurora just makes it more difficult to get to her and frankly Bruno's team hates fighting her. No attack puts her down. Nothing. She doesn't yet have the power to truly cause a lot of return damage but at no point will she be defeated without concerted, difficult effort. The months of training were hard for her but her pride carried her to stand tall. She's a bit of a loner like Tass but much more than him she's willing to 'lower herself' to be friendly. We're all aware she adores this life of acceptance but the excuse is funny enough that we let it go on. All of us.

The months pass so quick. Mom is around the corner and there is one last thing left to do in the Valley.

My own growth has gone past what I believed would be possible until I was older. Bruno can still put me down but I make him work for it now. Much like most of my team I work the terrain and whittle down the fighting master with ranged attacks and quick movements. The long year of constant aura enhancement has paid out in droves and I really feel confident these days that I can keep myself alive in what is to come once the Order really takes off.

My relationship with the future members of said Order has become something special. I know everyone well enough that they've all become precious to me. Working together in hardship builds bonds. And the Foundry is absolutely a hardship.

I know I will be sending some to possible death and heart ache but they all have gotten to see my drive. Angel has been broadcasting memories of our training to motivate the charizard and gyarados but also to show my employees just how committed I am to becoming stronger for my dream. Just because she's the best doesn't mean she can't be somewhat sneaky. I didn't find out about her doing that until a week before we left when someone commented they'd miss seeing me get pounded into the ground.

They might have been slightly bitter about Mars taking on his partner the day before. Not in true negative fashion. Just joking. Mostly. What really comes of it is that they aren't just employees anymore. They're of the Order. Or whatever I eventually call it. Crap. Really got to think of that.

Rose and I had time to get to know each other a bit better. Nothing too much as I just didn't have enough time. She's very pretty when she's worked up about something and its great to see her thrive. Jordan is her perfect helper and Tru tells me he's going to be a better medic than her once he's older.

Liza has become something special. Much as Sunny is the heart of my team, Liza has become the heart of the Valley. A bright spot for all. When the pokémon need to let off steam she organizes tournaments that lead to the winner's name being carved into a raised boulder for all to see until the next brawl. When the humans become restless she gets everyone to visit random cities for a few days. Violet City is just as visited as the others so patterns aren't made to show where our base is. Sadly this means that the charizard are often kept in their balls at more famous locations. The way Liza sees balance has brought us closer together than even I could have done.

Bruno is Bruno. Seriously. Its the same every day up till the last. I get a 'good job' and that's his goodbye. Even after we finally got him to form an aura sphere. It took an entire month.

I'm going to prank the shit out of him the next time I'm here.

None of these things are the last thing though. Mom is standing right in front of my vision. Just a quick trip back to the Den. Zaela and I have one last thing to do though. The goodbye and hugs I get from Liza, Rose and a few of the others make me sniffle. I'm properly teased and fly off (read: flee) on Mars' back to the center of the Valley.

We will not fear anything in this place nor leave a possible enemy for the Foundry.

I return Mars at the massive entrance to the dormant volcano that has made me look over my shoulder all these months. No more. The rumbling, dark voice that echoes out of the hole feels primal. Already I can see the almost white color of his flaming tail. Dragons never truly stop growing and this charizard, much like Mars, is a dragon.

"Come alone little speck? Did you think your 'Guardian' title would mean anything here? Or is it arrogance that drives you? Fine enslaver. Come try and tame me like you did my daughter. I'll burn you so fully that your corpse will be ashes to cover that abomination of a home you've taken from the Valley's true purpose."

Thud after thud follow as Zaela's sire comes into the light. Large scars cover his body, nearly ten feet tall. Thick cords of muscle pulse as if his heart is the remnants of the volcano, trapped in his chest. Teeth longer than my hands curl over his lips as he growls loud enough to disturb the earth. Fear is gone from me at the stark feeling of his power. Despite the very physical heat he gives off his aura tastes of nothing but cold. Death.

The ding of a pokéball's release stops him in his tracks.

"Father. I've come to say hello."

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Brightscales

This is boorish. Uncouth! You are better than this! I cannot accept such a tra-

Okay I can't do this anymore. Do you remember when I spoke like that? I was so full of myself. So proud of every little thing. Its a bit embarrassing to remember those first few years. So silly. Everything was about catching up and being 'worthy'. Psh. As if you cared. As if any of our family did.

I should have listened to Angel first and foremost. Our legendary girl truly got me to open up fully as you know but that's to be expected. Only a legendary can truly communicate with my glorious self.

Ahahahah. Its good to laugh. I miss how free it was back then. At the start. Every day was so difficult as I'm sure you've heard from each of us. Even Sunny I would imagine. Everything has found its place except, ironically, you. Oh I don't mean about your dream. That I would almost say could survive even if you were gone tomorrow.

That's how powerful an impact you've had Ella. My beloved trainer. From this corner of the world to all of them I doubt there isn't a person or pokémon alive who don't know again what a Guardian is. Perhaps not who you are personally but definitely at the very least rumors.

Rumors are the start of legends. I'm being cheeky I know. Its good to be. Tass was yelling about his letter. He's angry. Big surprise. Oddly enough I know this means that he is so very worried about you. My former arrogance gained me a lot of time alone to observe as Query does.

While he does that well he still misunderstands emotions a bit more than he thinks. Yes you do Query. Don't be stuffy about it. You'll remind me of me.

Hehe! That shut him up.

So, because of Tass I truly am worried now. Not about you dying or falling into despair but for lost opportunities. You may miss them if you let this consume you for much longer. I almost did when we met. There was an instant, before you met me, where I almost fled. Zaela…

You must never repeat this. For love of me. Never say this Query. Or you Ella.

Zaela flowed into the water of the bay and I was so very frightened of her presence that I fled to where you met me so I could escape. I truly thought she was here to kill me for being a pest. King pokémon are not often kind in the wild. That Zaela has turned out as she has speaks highly of this family.

What was I? Lovely and strong? Compared to Zaela's glory? Nothing. Then Charla showed up with someone that was talking to her. Just like Liza. So many hours envying them. I would have let Liza capture me for that but she was never interested in the sea. Knight at least turned out to be someone fun to hang around with at times. I regret that Charla and I are not closer with how much time we spend in the Foundry.

I digress. If I hadn't have been so curious about you I couldn't even imagine where I would be now. Your past aside I don't believe in Fate as you do. I chose you as much as you chose me. You offered me a way to have what I wanted without cost. It was so very tempting to take the scale and leave but Angel's memories brought out what I truly wished. To belong to those I considered peers.

Back then it was very selfish. Only the best for me. It took so long for humility to take root but here is what I want you to pay attention to. The greatest gift you ever gave me was acceptance. At all points. When I was a bitch or cold or stubborn. Never did you show regret for taking me along with you and our family. Query won't write it unless I tell him to so do know I'm crying now. In reverence. For this life you let me experience with you. Them. Us.

A lonely, stuck up snob for years. Yours. And not one regret ever that I could see. Even when I was at my most difficult.

So my beloved. Please take this to heart. Do not let a single regret form of this sorrow you find yourself in.

As always,

Your Brightscales.