PARAGON
Remnants of the Great War Arc [7]
Chapter 16 : Platebearer
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AZ could feel their stares on him from behind. Anticipation and anxiety leaked from them like gas. They were beginning to disturb his reading. Books surrounded him in haphazard piles on the floor of the mansion. In front of him, a machine called a television displayed moving images of the ancient past, while a disembodied voice described what was happening.
“What is it?” AZ rumbled, flipping through another page without moving to turn around.
Lord Vandrick had been patient, eager as he must have been to finally meet his master after so long. He’d let AZ sleep undisturbed on the flying machine called a helicopter, and when they’d arrived at Vandrick’s house, he explained everything.
AZ still had allies. After the Great War, many of his vassals and retainers were imprisoned, exiled, or executed, but not all of them. The survivors hid themselves, changed their names, and swore fealty to their enemies. But they never forgot who they truly served. They knew AZ was alive and knew he’d return one day. House Vandrick had been the most powerful of the remaining houses, and over the years, they had consolidated AZ’s remaining forces. Through their leverage in business, finance, and government, House Vandrick never let control of Kalos fall into the hands of outsiders. Each new head of the family was raised from birth to understand their true purpose, and it just so happened that AZ returned to the world while Lord Brian Vandrick was head.
“Apologies, your Grace. The others were wondering when they might meet you. They want to see the man their families have dedicated their lives to for the past three thousand years.”
AZ flipped through another page. His power could’ve siphoned all the knowledge in this book, all the knowledge in this room, straight into his head in an instant, but he hadn’t read a book in three thousand years. It was another experience to savor, and he was in no hurry. “I am still learning,” he said. “Tell them to wait.”
“At once, your Grace.”
He heard Vandrick walk away with his guards and servants. AZ couldn’t have asked for a better lieutenant. Vandrick was courteous and wise, beyond his paltry thirty years. The man had immediately surrendered his own master bedroom to AZ, and had met any and every accommodation AZ requested. He did not speak out of turn, and offered his wisdom only when it was asked for. Most likely, he’d never answered to anyone but his parents in his entire life, yet the man knew his role and played it beautifully.
They were in a city called Anistar. It hadn’t even existed three thousand years ago. Eastern Kalos was little more than farmland in AZ’s day, but now, great towers of iron lined the smooth black paths of the city, and there wasn’t a single acre of pumpkins or cabbage or winterpeas in sight.
Before it could fester, AZ dashed the nostalgia from his mind. He knew if he dwelled for too long on how much he’d missed, he’d really start to go insane. He was not so proud he thought himself infallible. He was still a human, albeit barely, with human emotions. And an emotion like nostalgia at a time like this was lethal.
AZ glanced up from his book, an atlas with maps of the entire world and all the states, or regions, that comprised it. The man on the television was talking about the history of Kanto. At least that was a name he recognized. Kanto and Kalos. The west and east, they’d been. Now, it seemed a land called Unova was the most powerful state in the world, and Kanto and Kalos were little more than accessories to greater powers.
He was hungry again. Three thousand years he’d gone without so much as a drop of water, but after just a few meals, he already couldn’t imagine going back to such a destitute existence.
Vandrick returned, with a soft knock on the door before he entered and a tray of food in his hand. “I thought you might want lunch, your Grace, it is noontime now. This is roasted venison with red cran garlic mashed potatoes, and a summer salad with tangerines on the side. The beverage recommended by the chef is fresh blackberry cider.” He placed the tray on the table behind AZ and folded his arms behind him. “I hope this is to your Grace’s liking. Anything else you desire I can provide.”
AZ stood with his book and lumbered over. Vandrick dipped his head as AZ sat, and he grabbed his cutlery. It was normal-sized, like the chair and table, but AZ specifically requested that Vandrick not go overboard with replacing everything in his house to accommodate him. This would suffice. “Thank you,” he said, and started eating.
Vandrick bowed and turned to leave.
“Sit with me,” AZ said. “We have spoken enough about the past. Let us talk about the future.”
Even Vandrick, with all his decorum, could not completely hide his interest, and he spun on his foot a little too quickly. “Of course, your Grace.” He sat across the width of the table from AZ.
“I don’t want you bringing me my meals from now on. Let your servants do it. I’ll not have you doing servant’s work in your own house.”
“I am grateful to serve your Grace,” Vandrick said, but nodded in acceptance.
“Had I not returned, what would you have done with all the wealth and power you’ve built?” AZ asked.
“We would continue to administer the Kalos Region in your stead, and ensure it continued to prosper.”
Az sawed through his meat and stuck a large bite in his mouth. “And if I had different plans for Kalos? If the path I led you on would force Kalos to give up its prosperity? Say, to engage in war? What would you do then?”
Vandrick’s gaze met AZ’s. “Then we would follow your Grace dutifully. Your wish is our command.”
AZ nodded. Truly, he did not deserve them. “Good. Then we will begin immediately.” He opened his atlas to a map of Kalos and set it in the center of the table. “There is a place we will need to visit. It was known only to my closest generals, and they’re all dead, so it should not have been found. It’s here,” he placed his finger on the map, “at this place called Geosenge. Buried within is a weapon that will win us the war.”
Vandrick frowned. “Geosenge? I see. We will have to be discreet. Geosenge is not well populated, but modern communications would put us in danger of alerting our enemies nonetheless.”
“I trust it won’t be an issue?”
“I’ll disburse the order immediately.”
“Tell only those you trust. We will need smiths and engineers to repair the weapon when we arrive as well.”
“I can assemble a team by day’s end.”
“Good. And get the word out to all of our allies that I have returned. We will need to raise an army to fight this war. ”
“It will be done. We have secret channels that we have maintained for centuries to hide our activities. We also already have a number of trainers loyal to us. They will be alerted that their skills will be needed shortly.”
Right. Trainers were ubiquitous now. “Excellent. Before we depart, I will meet with the other retainers. Arrange a council before week’s end.”
“At once, your Grace.”
There was a soft knock at the door, and Vandrick stood. “Excuse me for a moment.” He walked over to the door and pushed it open slightly. A servant on the other side handed him something, and walked away with a bow. Vandrick returned to the table with a small wooden box in hand, black and lacquered in lavender.
“What is this, Lord Vandrick?”
“Apologies, your Grace. I figured now would be as good a time as any to give you this. Or rather, return it to you.” He pushed the box across the table gently.
AZ stared at it, then slowly lifted the lid off. His breath caught in his throat. “Where are the others?”
“I’m sorry, your Grace. This is all House Vandrick recovered after your imprisonment, and we have passed it down across generations as our most precious heirloom. Unfortunately, the others are lost to us.”
AZ’s mouth stretched into a white line. “Leave me.”
Vandrick bowed, and left.
AZ’s elbow hit the table as he clutched his face, and his other hand fell upon the content of the box. He closed his fingers around six faded pokéballs, and tears began to fall on the table beneath him. A different agony lanced through his entire body, and his throat tightened and stiffened.
Six would do. Six was more than he deserved.
But the one he missed the most had never lived in a pokéball. And she was gone forever.
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“So why am I here again?” Ash asked as he and Cynthia ascended one of the many skyscrapers in Saffron City in an elevator.
“I need your person,” Cynthia said. “I’ve only spoken to him a couple times since he became World Champion, but the man is like a steel trap. He’s divulged nothing about his motivations or intentions to the media, and he’s given little more than that to the League. I want to dangle you above him so I can see exactly where he stands. The last thing we need now is the World Champion becoming a liability while AZ is on the loose.”
“What does that even mean? You think they’re working together or something?”
Cynthia glanced over at him. “No, not necessarily. But the world is changing now more than it ever has in recent memory. AZ’s escape is just the beginning. There was the appearance of one of Arceus’ Plates, a rogue Aura Guardian, and now this. Everything that’s been going on lately… it feels like it’s all connected, I just don’t know how. At the very least, I’d like to be able to put Albrecht out of my mind as soon as possible, and the fastest way to do that is to get him to talk to you. He wanted something from you that night two years ago. I’d like you to entertain him for now.”
“Does he know I’m coming?”
“He will soon. Watch his reaction for me. Watch everything he does, and listen to what he says. You don’t need to worry about any of the other politics at play. I know you left the Championship behind to get away from all this, so I’ll deal with the rest. That would just be rude of me to expect you to play the main attraction at another one of these parties.”
Ash grumbled to himself, but he wasn’t entirely displeased with this assignment. Ever since hearing Albrecht had become the World Champion, he’d been eager for another chance to talk to him. Cynthia seemed totally paranoid about him, but this was her scene after all, so he trusted her instincts. Even for a simpleton like Ash, the peculiarities of Albrecht’s crowning, and even the man himself, were not lost on him. He wanted answers too. Hopefully Albrecht would have them, and be willing to offer them.
The elevator pinged, and they walked out into a lofty ballroom. This was one of many luxurious apartment buildings in Saffron City, but this penthouse at the very top was on another level. Various men and women dressed in various degrees of attire milled about, speaking and laughing with each other, while waiters attended to the food and drink tables scattered throughout the room. One of the walls was open to the outside, and Ash could see a steaming pool of cerulean water sloshing by the edge of a large balcony, with some partygoers within.
Clearly, Albrecht enjoyed a different level of extravagance.
Ash turned to Cynthia and saw that she’d already donned her public persona. An enigmatic smile rested on her face, and she was already addressing a few people with her gaze who’d noticed her arrival.
“So, what’s the plan?” Ash asked.
“No plan,” Cynthia responded without taking her eyes off the crowd. “I’ll enjoy the party. You find Albrecht and let him talk. Whatever happens, happens. Very casual. If he offers you something, tell him you’ll consider. I’ll take care of your fans.”
A trio of young people who seemed to be around Ash’s age had spotted him and were already approaching him, but Cynthia quickly cut in front of him.
“Roger, Brandon, is that you? How have you been since the Solaceon Conference? Have the Contests been going well for you, Amber?”
Ash smirked and made his getaway further into the party. He could feel them watching him leave, but they were no match against the full force of Cynthia’s wiles and were swiftly enraptured by her instead. Luckily, it seemed like no one else had noticed him yet, though with his usual cap and Pikachu on his shoulder, he was sure it wouldn’t last long. He picked a small slider off a food table as he passed it and gave it a bite. Maybe a full mouth would act as a line of defense against any potential fawning, however paper-thin.
As expected, it didn’t. He felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around. Before him stood a man of equal height and similar age to himself. He looked like a stereotypical engineering student at some college, with his slightly oily hair and wiry build. “Ash Ketchum, I thought that was you. I guess it makes sense you’d be here.”
Ash grinned and fake chuckled. “Yeah, I had to stop by and check it out. I don’t think we’ve met.” He held out his hand.
“I’m Rosen,” the man said, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze. “Saffron’s gym leader.”
“Oh, really?” he said, his interest piqued. “So you’re Sabrina’s replacement?”
“Yes, I took over shortly after she abdicated her position. Similar to you in that way.” He laughed nervously and didn’t make eye contact.
Ash chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah, I guess so. So is it still a psychic gym?”
“Oh no, I’ve no proficiency with psychic-types. We’re a steel gym now. I worked with a lot of electric-types in university but Surge already has that, so this was my second choice.”
Ash nodded. He didn’t know the gyms worked like that, and it was interesting to get a peek behind the curtain of challenging so many of them.
“Of course, there was already a psychic gym in Celadon when Sabrina became gym leader, so maybe the rules can be bent a little? Though I did hear there were some extenuating circumstances in her case.” He laughed nervously again.
“Oh, I didn’t know that. So Kanto had two psychic gyms at one point, huh?” Maybe he’d ask Sabrina about it. Though he had a feeling the answer would have to do with her tumultuous childhood. “Say, Rosen, do you think you could point me in Albrecht’s direction? I don’t want to be accused of avoiding him at his own party.”
“Oh, yeah! Uhhh, I think I saw him, yeah. Right over there,” he said, pointing further into the ballroom.
Albrecht seemed to be talking with a couple others, though he looked exactly as he did at Ash’s party two years ago, with his silver hair and spotless white suit.
“Great, thanks! It was nice to meet you, Rosen! Let’s chat again some time!”
“O-Oh, yeah. It was an honor to talk with you, Mr. Ketchum.” He smiled and waved.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Now that Albrecht was in sight, Ash made a beeline for him before he could get roped into another conversation. Some he passed clearly recognized him, but after seeing who he was walking toward, they seemed to decide against impeding him.
Albrecht’s eyes flicked over to him as he neared, and he immediately put his hand up to kill whatever conversation he’d been in. A curious smile curled onto his face as he looked Ash up and down.
“Ash Ketchum,” he said once Ash was close enough. “To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure?”
“Well, I’ll say congratulations to you, first and foremost.” He held out his hand and Albrecht shook it.
The World Champion narrowed his eyes and pointed at Ash. “You look like a different man from when I last saw you. These past two years seem to have changed you immensely.”
“You think so?” Ash chuckled. “Sorry for inviting myself. I came here with Cynthia.”
A puzzled look flashed across his face, but it was gone as quick as it’d come, and he nodded. “Our old friend Cynthia, eh? Well, this is embarrassing. I was actually going to give her an invitation for you to my next get together.”
“Sorry, should I not be at this one?”
“No, no, not at all. I would’ve invited you to this one, if only I’d known how to reach you. You are a difficult man to track down after all, and seeing as she was the last person I saw you with, I figured she might be able to get it to you.” He pulled an envelope from his suit vest and handed it to Ash, who looked it over before pocketing it. Albrecht drained the rest of his glass of champagne and handed it to a passing waiter. “So, what brings you here anyway? I thought you hated gatherings like this.”
“Er, well, I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to meet the new World Champion.” Can’t exactly say I’m here to suss you out on behalf of the Paragon Organization.
“Hmm, I thought you abdicated your position precisely because of parties like this. It almost makes one wonder if there’s an ulterior motive.” He winked.
Ash’s chest tightened and a film of sweat appeared over his forehead. Shit! Does he know about Paragon? No, wait. Calm down, Ash.
“I apologize, I’m being rude,” Albrecht said. “I’m honored you came, really.”
It’s now or never. “Actually, you’re right. I was wondering if we could talk. Privately, if possible.”
For such a suave man, Albrecht did not hide his excitement at Ash’s request very well at all. The smile dropped off his face while he processed what Ash said, then reappeared once he had, brighter than ever. “Of course! Absolutely! Shall I put something on the calendar? I don’t know when you’re free. Perhaps we can get lunch together…whenever? My schedule is clear.”
Is it really? Why does he want to talk to me so badly? “ASAP, if at all possible.”
Albrecht shook his head in acknowledgement. “Say no more.”
As a waiter walked past him, Albrecht put his hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The waiter frowned, but nodded, and hurried off.
“Party’s over,” Albrecht said. “Let’s talk now.”
Ash just stared at him. “Huh?”
Around him, the other waiters were cutting into ongoing conversations to deliver the news and ushering confused partygoers toward the elevators. Those in the pool got out and started drying themselves without really even knowing why yet.
“Wait…what’re you…?”
“Not to worry,” Albrecht smiled. “The party’s already been going for several hours, I think it’s fine to pull the plug here.”
Ash stayed speechless as the many guests slowly filtered out of the massive ballroom. In the sea of people, Ash caught Cynthia’s eye, but after seeing him with Albrecht, the only two not moving to leave, she seemed to understand the situation and filed out with everyone else. After several more minutes, the entire room was empty, save for the wait staff.
“What…what did you just do?” Ash breathed.
“Made things private,” Albrecht said, sounding very pleased with himself. “With your help. Not even the most pompous dignitary would protest an order from two World Champions. I’m sure the sight of us alone made them understand the urgency of the request.”
Right, I guess that makes sense. Ash gulped. Now it’s all up to me.
“So,” Albrecht began, “have you come to give your dear successor a bit of wisdom?”
“You’re funny.”
Albrecht chuckled and walked over to an empty table, bussed and cleaned by the wait staff already, and sat down, and motioned for Ash to join him.
“Sorry again for showing up unannounced,” Ash said, taking his seat.
“Oh, not to worry. Most of the people here came unannounced, that’s just the nature of these sorts of gatherings. Your appearance was a surprise to be sure, but very welcome.” He crossed his legs and raised an eyebrow. “So, what can I do for you, Ash Ketchum?”
Here we go. “Well, I just wanted to get to know you a little better is all. I don’t know if ending the whole party was necessary.” He rubbed the back of his head involuntarily, as he always did when he was nervous.
Albrecht shrugged. “I’m always looking for new friends. Though I have some questions for you as well, if you don’t mind. How about I give you an answer for each question of mine you answer.”
A waiter delivered a couple glasses of water and Ash took a sip. “Fine by me.”
“Do you mind if I start?”
“Go ahead.”
He turned away. “What is your relationship with Cynthia? If it’s the sort that desires discretion, rest assured I can keep a secret,” he quickly added.
“It’s nothing like that,” Ash smiled, shaking his head. “We’re just friends.”
“Are you very close with her?”
Ash shrugged. “Close enough.”
“I’m sorry. I only ask because we’ve met only twice, and both times she’s walked you in.”
Damn. He’s good. He shook his head. Luckily, he’d already thought of a cover story. “I work for her on one of her projects,” he said, which was technically true.
Albrecht nodded. “No need to say more, I understand. All these Champions are secretive in their own ways. I asked Lance where he got all his Dragonite from and he looked at me like a Stunky just stepped on him.” He smiled. “All business, that one. Anyway, go ahead.”
Ash stirred his questions around in his mind, and picked one out to ask first. “Why did you become the World Champion?”
Albrecht pursed his lips, then grinned. “Can we come back to that one?”
“Er, okay. Where are you from?” Guess I’ll start small and work my way up.
“Kanto. Like yourself.”
“Alright, your turn,” Ash said. Albrecht seemed like he’d be willing to talk about what he was really after, but Ash didn’t want to provoke him too much.
“Ask another, that one was too simple,” Albrecht said.
Ash shuffled through his questions again. “Tell me about how you became a trainer. You didn’t strike me as the type when we first met.”
Albrecht smiled. “I’ve been around pokémon for as long as I can remember. Where I came from, pokémon were more used to battle, which made me used to battle. In my boyhood, I loved the art of battle, but as I grew older, I suppose that side of me grew up. Perhaps in a way, me becoming the World Champion was a nice reminder of my origins. As I’m getting older, now is as good a time as any to fulfill that dream.”
“But you didn’t battle to get this position, right? You were elected.”
“That’s right. But I assure you I am fully capable of defending the title if necessary.”
Ash took a few moments to study the man. It was true he hadn’t pegged Albrecht as a trainer, but now that they were speaking more closely, he was starting to see it. Albrecht’s eyes held the same sharp light that all trainers possessed, always studying what was before them. Without his gloves, Ash noticed his hands weren’t entirely princely, and they were slightly toned, likely from years of use. And in his last answer, Ash had sensed the passion he held for pokémon. He almost reminded him of himself, with his talk of dreams. But there was a strange wistfulness in his voice that Ash couldn’t quite place.
“Now it’s my turn, though this is really more of a statement than a question. And more of a confession than a statement.”
Ash raised a brow.
“The truth is, I’ve been watching you for quite a long time. Longer than most, I suspect. In a way, you could say I’m a ‘superfan’ of yours. I’ve no doubt one of your questions for me was why I came up and talked to you two years ago. I wasn’t being very subtle, cool as I tried to make myself sound. I hope I wasn’t too offputting.”
Ash didn’t react at first, then broke into a grin. “Ha ha ha, not at all! I just hope I’m everything you’d hoped for.”
“Well, that remains to be seen, I suppose. Now, your turn.”
They seemed to be having a good rapport. Ash figured it was time to get serious. “What do you make of this AZ situation?”
As expected, Albrecht’s expression darkened, and this time, it took longer for his smile to return. “AZ… yes, that monster.” He chuckled once. “I’d planned to talk to you about him when we met again, but I suppose that time is now.”
Ash stared at him, absorbing his every word. He could tell he was about to get what he came for.
“The League and the International Police both seem to be focused on what he plans to do now that he’s escaped. It’s not lost on me that they’ve breezed right past the mystery of his character and are focused entirely on stopping him. Killing him.”
“As part of my answer to your question, I’ll ask another. How familiar are you with the Plates of Arceus?”
The Plates! “Not very,” Ash said, trying to keep a poker face. “I’ve heard of them, but that’s about it. Like all legendary artifacts, I’m sure they’re powerful. And dangerous.” He couldn’t mention Zagreus or that he’d just been on a mission to retrieve one.
Albrecht narrowed his eyes, and he paused just long enough to make Ash uncomfortable. “Is that right?” He shrugged. “I see. Well, in that case, what I’m about to tell you now is extremely important, so please listen carefully.” When he saw Ash fully focused on him, he continued. “The Plates of Arceus are, without a doubt, the most powerful legendary artifacts in the entire world. They are so powerful, in fact, that in every era, the powers that be have conspired to hide their true potential from the common man, and suppress the legend of Arceus himself, lest their study into the God Pokémon lead them to learning more than they should about the Plates.”
“In truth, the Plates are pieces of Arceus’ own divine power. Arceus, who created the universe and everything in it. It is no exaggeration to say that even a single Plate holds enough power to destroy this entire world.”
Ash couldn’t stop himself from swallowing. Had he really gotten so close to something like that? He’d touched it, and lived.
“Now, as you might expect, the Plates are sought after by those who know of their true power. Some have good intentions and some have evil, but all who seek the Plates do so with a respect for their inconceivable power. Of course, in a competition with such high stakes, it only makes sense that those with the greatest resources would be fortunate enough to acquire the Plates.”
“So…that would mean the International Police and the League have some of the Plates? And maybe the regional governments?” Ash asked.
“A logical conclusion. Indeed, the Plates have found themselves in the possession of many authoritative entities across the world, across history. The Great Founders and old families alike both enjoyed possession of the Plates at various points in time.”
“But Arceus is a sentient being, and this world is his creation. As such, the Plates move according to his design. That is why they appear and disappear across the world, seemingly at random. Even if one were to acquire a Plate, one may wake up the next morning to find it gone, without any trace it was ever there at all. There is only one way to truly gain the power of one of the Plates.” Albrecht fixed Ash with a silver gaze. “The true secret of the Plates is that they can be assimilated, to grant one certain abilities, such as inhuman durability and longevity.”
“AZ,” Ash said. “AZ has one of the Plates.”
Albrecht nodded. “Most likely. We call men like him ‘Platebearers.’ It would explain his invulnerability to time, and the futility of all attempts at his execution. Once a Plate has been assimilated, the Platebearer commands its power indefinitely.”
Ash shuddered, and even Pikachu seemed to be engrossed in Albrecht’s explanation, as he stood unblinking on Ash’s shoulder. Everything was starting to come together. “So AZ has the power to destroy the entire world…”
“Not necessarily. As I said, the Plates are extensions of Arceus’ very being, so the power granted to the Platebearers is based on Arceus’ own whims, impossible to predict. But just because he lived for three thousand years without destroying the world doesn’t necessarily mean he isn’t capable of it either.”
“How do you even stop someone like that?” Ash said incredulously. “Someone who’s immortal and indestructible? Is it even possible to kill them?”
“Ordinarily, no,” Albrecht said. “But by other Platebearers, certainly. Although when a Platebearer dies, the Plate disappears along with them, to reincarnate at some later point in time and space. So a Platebearer cannot simply kill other Platebearers to acquire more Plates.”
Ash’s head was spinning. This was way more information than he expected. At most, he’d expected a possible lead on AZ’s location via Albrecht’s personal investigations or something. This…this was something else completely, and Ash was struggling to keep everything in his mind as Albrecht pushed on relentlessly.
“So this is the true nature of power in this world. For centuries, humanity has fought over the Plates, in the shadows of history. This ongoing conflict has never been written about in the history books, for its mere mention invites more contenders to the contest. For the same reason, those who are party to the game exercise extreme caution when it comes to sharing their knowledge with outsiders.” Albrecht glanced up at Ash.
Ash met his gaze as the realization dawned on him. “But you’re telling me… And you’re one of them. You’re searching for the Plates too.” Ash frowned and shook his head in disbelief. “But why are you telling me this?”
“Because I want your help. I’ve been in this game for some time, and things are beginning to swell. Perhaps you’ve felt it, even if you haven’t been privy to the existence of the game until now. The Plates have been appearing more and more often, and the conflict is beginning to spill into the public eye in subtle ways. AZ’s escape, though confidential for now, is a part of this. You are one of the greatest talents of your generation, and from what I know of you, you have an impeccable character. I want to stop this foolish conflict from destroying everything, and the only way to win the game is to play.”
“So you want…?” His voice trailed off, then he whipped his head back in Albrecht’s direction. “Wait, are you a Platebearer too?”
Albrecht smiled. “No, I’m not.”
Ash fell silent, and Albrecht seemed to expect it because he didn’t interrupt the silence. Ash had come here today to get a handle on what Albrecht’s endgame was, to figure out if he could be trusted while Paragon focused its attention on AZ. But now the two situations were tied together, in a certain sense, along with the Zagreus incident now as well. And at the end of it all, Albrecht only became even more mysterious.
This is not my wheelhouse, Ash cursed. He hated when his friends called him a dumbass, but he really wasn’t suited to these types of cerebral workouts. Either way, he’d gotten what they came for, and then some. And as expected, Albrecht had made him an offer. And a tempting one, at that. He seemed destined to encounter the Platebearers whether he joined Albrecht or not. And here was someone who seemed to know all about them.
“If I were to help you, what would that entail, exactly?” Ash asked.
“That would depend on you. If you do decide to accept my offer, then there’s something I need to show you first. But I’m confident this path would help you to become a true Pokémon Master. That is what you desire, is it not?”
True. I can’t exactly call myself a Master with these de-facto demigods running around who could pulverize me in an instant. But is it really possible to stand up to the power of Arceus? He grinned. I’ll do it, no matter what! Together, with my pokémon, I’ll become a Pokémon Master that can defeat the Platebearers!
With his thoughts as streamlined as they could be as of now, Ash decided to end their conversation with one last question.
“Can I see your pokémon?”
Albrecht cocked a smile. “Of course. I’ll take you to the park downstairs.
They got up and took an elevator down. True to Albrecht’s word, he did take Ash to a park, though they didn’t even have to leave the building.
The elevator stopped at floor twenty, and when the doors slid open, Ash was immediately assailed by the scent of fresh grass and flowers. Floor to ceiling windows lined the walls, letting the sunlight pour in, and lush grass and bushes covered the floor as far as the eye could see. A pebbled path curved through the grass, and iron benches lined the path just as they would for a traditional park. Pikachu jumped off Ash’s shoulder and scampered over to a nearby flowerbed, and began sniffing around.
“This entire floor makes up the park,” Albrecht explained. “Very relaxing to visit during the day, and sometimes, wealthy trainers will even battle here if they’re staying in one of the apartments.”
He pulled a pokéball off his belt and released its contents onto the grass. A dark Corviknight unfurled its metallic wings and cocked its head curiously at Ash.
Ash brought his hand up slowly and caressed its bearded chest. Despite being made of metal, it was warm, and its feathers felt malleable. “Oh yeah, you’re definitely powerful, I can tell. A World Champion’s pokémon for sure.”
“Impressed?” Albrecht asked, and Ash nodded. “Fly about fifty meters away, Corviknight. I want to show Ash something.”
The bird screeched and took flight. The ceiling was just as high as Albrecht’s penthouse, and it easily soared through the air.
“Watch this, I think you’ll be surprised, based on our conversation earlier.” He walked backwards a short distance. “Corviknight, use Hyper Beam on Ash.”
Ash didn’t even have time to blink before a shaft of light tore toward him. His eyes seared from the blinding attack, and he screamed as he fell to the ground. A deafening roar accompanied the beam, and smoke burned his nostrils. He trembled as all five of his senses were completely overloaded, but soon, the beam stopped.
It had missed.
Ash slowly opened his eyes and clutched at the ground, his ears still ringing from the assault. He grabbed his head, but didn’t feel anything unusual. Good. He moved his arm before him. White strands of electricity crackled on his skin, and he yanked it back involuntarily.
“So there you have it, Ash.”
The sound of Albrecht’s voice brought him back to reality. Ash stood and turned, glaring at him, but his attention was swiftly captured by his surroundings.
He was standing in the dead center of a blackened circle. All the grass around him had burned away, and a path of death followed a straight line back to where Corviknight stood.
It didn’t miss at all! But then—
“This looks like the work of a Plate to me. The Electric Plate, I reckon. So tell me again, Platebearer Ash. How familiar did you say you were with the Plates of Arceus?”
Next — Chapter 17 : Ancient Weapon
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