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Derrion Town - Northern Unova Region
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The roads to Unova proper may have been packed, but once more, Pokémon proved how invaluable they were to the human race, most of whom could no longer even imagine a world without them in it. Teams of flying Pokémon who knew Flamethrower, which were primarily Talonflame, Charizard, or dragon types, had been clearing the numerous roads to Opelucid City nonstop since the snowstorm ended.
Alex, Jess, and several other members of his family who had Pokémon, had opted to ride them down, as did many other Trainers. It was simply superior to traveling in cars.
They flew over the outer southern edge of their small town, and noticed someone below was flagging them down. A line of cars was backed up all the way to the main road through Derrion Town, and none of the locals had fire types on hand.
The Pokémon usually responsible for clearing the roads was an Arcanine, but Alex had learned that he was getting on in years, and had been sick since before Festivus began. The local nurse had given him a month, and he'd lasted three, when his Trainer had become depressed by the imminent loss of his friend.
Now, it seemed, this Festivus would be his last. Sad as that was, the more callous individuals in town were eager to get on with the celebration, and given that both Alex and Jess were on 'fire breathing lizards', as they put it, the people were all but demanding the Pokémon Trainers help them.
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Almost hesitant to comply after being all but ordered by people from his own home town, Alex had Blaze Mega Evolve, and as his form changed, the area around him became much hotter. Not hot enough, however, as the snow was piled up five feet high.
Alex nodded at him then and said, "Heat Wave." Blaze flew into the air, and then unleashed his attack. It took about a minute before the golden grass was visible again after being melted by the blazing waves of heat. Looking around, the circle of now uncovered golden grass extended all the way back to town. The residual heat and sudden dampness made it almost feel like springtime. Almost.
Deciding to give Blaze and Chari a rest after expending so much heat, Alex took out Shruikan, and he and Jess opted to ride him southward at a leisurely pace, which for his new form, was almost as fast as Blaze while mega evolved. Shruikan got looks wherever he went, as they soon came upon a flock of other Trainers from similarly small towns, all heading to Unova.
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The large black dragon stuck out in the late afternoon sun, and relatively cloudless sky. Naturally, requests to battle a Pokémon that unique were constant, and eventually, a bit annoying. Shruikan indulged a few of the stronger ones, again mostly Charizard, but his new Charge Beam and Thunder Fang ended them quickly.
After the fifth such battle, the air around them had become packed with flying Pokémon, and when it became evident that these Trainers weren't going to take 'no' for an answer, Alex told them they could battle his dragon if they managed to beat the Victory Plateau. In the few days since his battles there, nobody had made it past the Four, or the other Champions.
Alex had taken the chance to summon his Elite Four, and had emphasized in them the importance of filtering out all but the strongest. He assigned Nick to the task of giving them a training regimen, and while Damon did not complain, Will and Shauntal were disappointed at how much the training would cut into their new date-filled romance life. Given that they were both senior Elite Four members, Alex had Nick cut back, slightly, on their own training. Nick agreed, rationalizing that any Trainer who could beat him and Damon would likely also beat Shauntal and Will, no matter how hard they trained together.
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The Unovan Elite Four wasn't at the Victory Plateau today, though. The New Year was upon them, and the Champions, past and present, alongside the Elite Four, were expected to be in New Tork City for the ceremony in Entral Park that would mark the start of a new year. Tao was already there, from what Alex could sense, and thankfully had not been attacked or stolen.
The thing about large gatherings of humans, however, was that they were always a good place to strike if one wanted instant infamy, and to remove the power structure of the entire region. This time, measures had been taken.
Alex was greeted in the air by two Pokémon Rangers as he flew over Opelucid City, and though Shruikan could've outpaced them, he had nothing to hide, and no reason to quarrel. Normally, the city of Dragon Tamers would've been clogging the streets to see such a unique dragon, but everyone, including Nate, the newest Gym Leader of the 'dragon borough', was already at the park.
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As were more Rangers. As a rule, most of them didn't capture Pokémon in Pokéballs, preferring other methods of temporarily requesting their aid. This time, it seemed some had indeed brought along Pokéballs, though none of the Rangers he passed had a full team. Close partners, then, or perhaps their Pokéballs were temporary.
Whatever the reason, Alex was glad they had others on hand. Wild Pokémon were usually weaker than ones bonded to Trainers. Every study done on the subject had proven that it was humans who could bring out the greatest potential in their Pokémon. While older Pokéballs had used the Infinity Energy of their occupant's life force as power, that practice had been deemed inhumane, and was discontinued several decades previously. The balls of the modern era were heavier, but did not weaken their occupants in the slightest.
As Alex landed, he did a double take. Just north of Entral Park's center was the ever-recurring symbol of balance. Light and dark, yin and yang, the Taijitu symbol, or so it first appeared. Alex soon realized it was actually just the Original Dragon, lying coiled on the grass. It seemed that even while resting on the ground, Tao embodied eternal balance.
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The Legendary dragon's mind connected with his, but his focus was on Shruikan. They exchanged 'words', of a kind, through emotions and images. Alex understood about a quarter of it, but was yet again impressed by the dragons. He felt Jess was as well, as the two had remained mentally linked since he peered into her mind. They couldn't bring themselves to part, and seeing as how they had a month and a half left before they'd split again, they saw no reason to unlink their minds until then.
It wasn't as personal as it had been in the lab, and was more akin to the bond he now constantly shared with his team. She had connected with her team as well, and Alex wondered if there was a limit on how many mental connections he could maintain, and what would happen if he surpassed said limit.
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He sensed amusement from Tao as the three finally landed, and the dragon's voice thundered in their heads. "There is no limit to the connections one may make…when one life touches another, something new is created. However, the Humans I've known have had difficulty keeping track of them all in the past. You would be wise to organize them…when you have advanced." The dragon focused one massive pure golden eye on the pair. "You've begun to train her? Hmmm."
Tao's eyes were pupiless orbs of gold, and they examined Jess for a long moment. His voice thundered again, "Your insight serves you well. She may indeed be worthy…" His voice and tone shifted then, echoing in the deepest recesses of his mind, away from his connections to the others. "Always remember my friend…only one can truly become a Master."
He responded immediately, taken aback, "Are you saying I'll have to turn on her? On anyone who has the same goals I do?"
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The dragon blinked once. "No. I am only warning you of a potential conflict in the far future. You may want to share your ultimate goal with her, lest it become her own."
He noticed she was staring at him, giving him the Spockian eyebrow raise, and he winked at her, pulling her closer with the arm that had reflexively wrapped around her waist. He spoke so she could hear as well, then. "I know who she is. Whatever conflict may one day arise, it won't sunder us. Nothing is more important to me."
The dragon lifted his head from the golden grass covered ground then, and stood. He almost seemed larger than before, but that was likely due to once more being in balance. Captivity and months of meditating had left him somewhat gaunt before, but now he was restored. "As you say. I've seen few bonds among your kind as strong as yours. Cherish it…such things are not easy to find twice."
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Alex let the dragons converse then, in their own tongue, and he could already sense Jess' confusion. She might not be able to read fast, but she could tell when she'd missed part of a conversation. "What was that about?" She whispered, keeping her voice low.
Alex responded mentally, as he saw who was approaching, "Later." He let his mouth form a smirk. "Well well. The newest member of the Four. It's good to see you."
Nick had picked out his younger friend's form quite easily, as all eyes had been drawn to the Black Salamence that had landed near Tao in the middle of the crowded clearing. "It's been a while since I've seen you outside of work, Champion. I haven't even gotten a text. Where have you been?"
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Alex shrugged, "Oh, you know, here and there. I went south to the Swamp with Hilbert around the end of summer. I got back a few days ago. Naturally, there's no Pokénet down there."
Nick gave him a look, seemingly unconvinced, then noticed the woman by his side, and blinked in recognition. "I see you've brought another League Victor with you…is she the one you never shut up about?" Alex nodded. Nick continued, "I remember she thrashed my team pretty hard with her Empoleon. It'll take more than Aerial Ace to beat us now, though."
It was Alex's turn to raise a brow, "Oh? That sounds like a challenge…are you sure your team is ready?" As soon as he finished speaking, Nick's Medicham, Shifu, appeared from his ball, and took a fighting stance. Arthur was beside Alex a moment later, arms extending into swords.
Nick grinned, "Fighting and Psychic typing versus Psychic and Fighting, one on one, no substitutions…I like it…but you'll have to do better than last time. We've perfected our battling style, and Shifu has been itching for a rematch." Alex responded by turning his hat backwards, and smirking.
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The two were already walking towards the nearest open area of the park. Nick spoke first once they found a big enough space. "Shifu, make us a battlefield." The Medicham nodded, and then proceeded to Mega Evolve. Flashes of psychic power appeared from under the golden grass, lifting the turf up, and outlining the field with the removed dirt. Alex supposed they could always put it back later, with minimal damage to the grass.
As soon as people heard that one of the Four was battling the Champion, a crowd began to gather. Arthur glanced at his Trainer, and Alex looked down at the Plate crystal they'd thus far been reluctant to use, then nodded. "Don't hold back." Shifu looked like most Medicham who reached that level of power, save that the circles on his legs were now sporting a familiar pattern of eternal balance.
Arthur's form had minor differences as well, as the crystal finished its work. The spiky 'hair' that his species had now curled up around the green 'helmet' that covered his head, not unlike his Trainer's did to his hat. In other aspects, his Mega Form did not differ, though the pinkish blades on his arms began shining gold as he readied his favored move.
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They knew Shifu's weaknesses well, for they were the same as Arthur's, and as the Sacred Sword met and blocked the multiple Force Palms from the Medicham's six arms, the collisions sent shockwaves through the air. Arthur was a master of close combat, but fighting an opponent with six limbs tested even his skill. There was a reason most Victory League challengers saved Nick for last.
After the fifth exchange of fighting type moves, Arthur noticed that neither Nick nor Shifu seemed to need commands to battle. "His typing is still Normal and Fighting, right?" Arthur asked mentally, growing irritated by the seemingly impenetrable defense.
Alex looked again at his friend, and nodded. They spoke with the speed of thought, but that didn't make it any easier for them to talk mid-battle. It was still a distraction. "He is. Shifu must be connecting them…but that means his entire team isn't sharing the link."
For whatever reason, aside from Sages, he'd noticed most psychic Pokémon could only form that kind of mental connection under specific circumstances, and with only one or two others. He had no clue why humans seemed to form them so much easier.
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Arthur watched the flurry of palms, and saw his opening. His arm blazed with darkness, and he weaved through the attacks, hitting home with a Night Slash. Shifu countered with a Focus Blast soon after, as he had when Arthur had managed to get past his arms before, and the Gallade was knocked away once again as his opponent followed up with more Force Palms.
"That's it…I'm trying it. We can't hold out forever." Arthur straightened his body then, and turned sideways as he dodged each of the Force Palms with the grace few other Pokémon species possessed, then flipped backwards once more, out of his opponent's range.
Alex raised a brow at his Gallade's words, and shrugged. "If you want…just be careful. You haven't perfected that, and it could seriously injure Shifu."
Arthur glanced back at him. "Do you have a better idea?"
Alex nodded. "We get creative, and incorporate some classic moves." He smirked, and let Arthur read his thoughts.
The Gallade rolled his eyes, and focused on his opponent, who had taken the initiative, and charged. "Fine. But I seriously doubt that's going to work."
"Trust me. It'll work." Alex smirked at Nick, whose brow furrowed at that unflinching confidence on the Champion's face. "Do it."
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Arthur nodded, and shot forward again, taking two Force Palms before he was able to slide under Shifu's guard, and ready his kick. It wasn't an attack persay, and had he not been a fighting type, it probably would've failed.
Once under his opponent's guard, he was in a kneeling position, and with a backwards flip, he brought one of his feet up under the Medicham's chin, hard enough to launch him into the air. Arthur finished his flip, landed, and then jumped as he formed a Shadow Ball between his palms, rapidly weaving and condensing the ghost energy he summoned.
He'd always had trouble controlling ghost type energy, and even though he'd managed to condense it into a similar attack that the rest of his teammates used, it required both his arms to do so, which left his guard open far more than he liked.
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He sailed above Shifu, who was still smarting from the surprise kick to the jaw, and opened his eyes just in time to see Arthur's arms shift, as he slammed a condensed Shadow Ball into his midsection. Shifu went down spinning before he landed, hard, and the ground shook from the impact.
Arthur landed as gracefully as ever, and when Shifu didn't rise again, and lost control of his Mega Form, the battle was over. Nick was staring at Alex in disbelief. He had, in essence, ordered his Pokémon to use a particular set of moves from a fighting video game they had both played in high school.
With the combination Nick had spammed to consistently beat him, no less. He'd never used any other series of attacks, making the whole thing frustrating for Alex back then, but now, revenge was all the sweeter for it.
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Alex flashed his friend the victory sign, and turned his hat back around. His Gallade shared his smirk, and was already helping the dazed Shifu to his feet. They set about fixing the disturbed ground caused by their clash as the two Trainers met, and clasped arms.
"He's gotten better…but that Shadow Ball should be a Shadow Claw. It leaves him too open, unless he finishes with it." Nick was eyeing Arthur, who had let his own Mega Form fade, and was now signing autographs from the spectators who'd watched them.
Alex nodded, "That's actually what he's been practicing lately…but he doesn't have control of it fully. Yet. I didn't want to risk hurting Shifu."
Nick thanked him, and then looked towards Tao, who had, alongside Shruikan, raised his wings and flown into the air, headed for the center of the park. "Looks like we're about to start. We should get to the center." Alex sighed, as his ride had taken off without him. Adult dragons did as they pleased, it seemed.
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The two recalled their partners, and looked around. The forest on the raised circle of land in central Unova was slowly emptying, as people gathered in the lower ring surrounding it. The paved concrete ring had once been home to water Pokémon, but they had been safely relocated to a much larger circle of water that the humans had made for them in response to a growing population.
Now, the original circle surrounding the centerpoint of Unova was paved, and an ideal place for Unovans to come for the end of Festivus. Not everyone fit into the circle however, and many locals opted to picnic in the trees, and watch the ceremony from afar, once everything got started. As the reigning Champion, and a member of the Elite Four, Alex and Nick headed to the raised bit of land, the area that had always been known as the center of the region. Entral Park.
The 'Entree', a massive spiraling tree of black and white, towered above Unova's central point. It had grown so massive over the years, that now the area around it was only occupied by visitors when Festivus ended. Each year, the Champion addressed the region, and marked the end of the old year, and the start of the new.
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From up there, they had a good view of almost all of the people who had come this year. Given the relatively recent events, Entral Park was packed with people who still hadn't seen Tao in the flesh. Alex spied him curled up again, Shruikan beside him, speaking to the other Champions, and members of the Victory League's Elite Four.
Upon closer inspection, Alex realized Tao was primarily speaking with N, and his conversation was kept private. Tao often blocked his link to his Trainer when other humans confided in him, and though Alex had never minded much, he was admittedly burning with curiosity. N was a legend, he'd saved Unova more times than anyone could count. If you grew up in Unova, there was a one in five chance he was the Hero you styled yourself after.
Or so that had once been the case. Alex felt Nick nudge him. "Look, Champion. Your fans are already mimicking you."
Alex looked to where his friend was pointing, and squinted in confusion, then he did a double take as he finally noticed. The crowd was filled with copies of his hat, sporting the symbol of eternal balance. While Unova had not initially understood how the new Champion had reformed the Original Dragon, over the past several months, it had been repeated and simplified enough for even the dullest tools in Unova's shed to grasp.
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The response had been a positive one, evidently. Unovans were once more embracing the concept of balance, and applying it to literally everything. Tao's voice reverberated in his skull, "There is no such thing as too much balance. Be proud of what you've accomplished so far. It's done more good than you know. Once more, the land is on the right Path."
As always, the Legendary dragon type left his Trainer pondering his words, that is, until he noticed N was tapping his shoulder. "Come with me…we have a technicality to address."
Alex blinked, "A what?" But N was already marching towards the southern edge of the raised land.
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"People of Unova!" The crowd quieted as N began orating. He had the bearing of a king, and a voice to match. He'd changed quite a bit in the months Alex had been gone. He no longer lacked balance, and it showed. He'd found his center, and his belt held six partners, ensconced in balls of their own.
"There has been some talk of late about the confusing events surrounding the return of our Region's favored dragon. While Mr. Redwood did indeed beat the challenge I issued, I never got the chance to declare him Champion, and mark him in the Hall of Fame. The two challengers who came after him did receive this honor after defeating Nate and Hilda respectively, and as you can imagine, the official judgement of who is actually the reigning Champion became somewhat muddled for some time, on the League's end."
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The crowd murmured in confusion. The message had been broadcasted on every connecting terminal throughout the region. Alex Redwood was the new Champion, and the Original Dragon was made whole once more by his hand.
N continued, cutting through the murmurs. "The League has decided that Alex and I shall have one final match, to determine who will officially hold the Champion's title. Win or lose, he and his team will still be recorded in the Hall of Fame. We could think of no better way to kick off the final party of the year!" The crowd roared in approval. Matches on this level were rarely so easy to watch, especially live.
N turned to Alex, and the crowd quickly went silent. Then, N spoke. "So, Challenger…do you accept?"
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His hat was already backwards, and Terra's ball was in his hand. Alex smirked. "Like I could refuse. You're on." There was a large gust of wind as Tao launched into the air, and perched upon the sturdy branches of the Entree. "If he smokes a bowl again, I'm done." Someone from the crowd muttered, eyeing the dragon.
Tao stared down at both of them, amused at how N was clad in white, and Alex remained in the black garb he'd been training in. "I will officiate."
His telepathy thundered through the surrounding area, and the crowd murmured again softly. Nobody was going to dispute Tao as a judge, though having a Pokémon officiate was irregular. Not because it wasn't allowed, but because Pokémon who had the mental prowess required for the job rarely associated with humans, or were Rotom.
"Begin!" The Unovan dragon punctuated his mental word with a roar, and before Alex could call Terra out, he paused. Shruikan lumbered onto the field in between the two Trainers, and stared N down. Electricity sparked from his maw, but the older man only grinned under his hat as he looked downwards and chuckled. "It seems someone finally evolved…Dragon and Electric…a tough combination. But familiar."
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One of the balls on N's belt opened, and a Mammoswine appeared in a flash of light. It stomped the ground once, then paused, as it saw the fury in Shruikan's eyes. All were intimidated before the unholy offspring of lightning and death. There weren't many type combinations he was susceptible to, but Mammoswine's was one of them. It didn't matter though. Shruikan was determined to win.
N pointed across the field, "Manny, Earthquake!" The mammoth Pokémon responded quickly, but he might as well have been moving in slow motion. Shruikan was already in the air, and now fire, not electricity, leaked from either side of his mouth. Wordlessly, he arced around the field in the air, and came in low over the upturned ground, bathing it in a Flamethrower.
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The next attack came swiftly, as N shouted, "Blizzard!" Though weakened, Manny managed to comply, and the air was filled with ice. Shruikan was pounded by it, but his own defense came before the storm could knock him from the air. His Flamethrower burned a swathe through the attack, and finished off the Mammoswine. He landed then, panting. He'd taken more damage from that than he'd expected, and Alex recalled him as N did the same.
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A Scizor as green as his Trainer's hair appeared next, and Alex called Arthur out. The two circled each other twice, then bumped claw and sword arm together once, before leaping back in front of their Trainers. N used a Mega Stone, and Arthur drew on the Mind Plate shard's awakened power. Once both Pokémon had reached their peak of power, the fight began in earnest.
Arthur had a clear advantage with Psycho Cut, but this Scizor's Night Slash proved as useful for defense as it was for attack. Alex and Arthur switched their tactics then, and instead of using Psycho Cut from a distance, Arthur's arms shone with psychic power, and each strike physically slammed into the Night Slashes.
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It took N longer than it should have to realize what Alex was doing by using a psychic move on a dark one, and by the time it became obvious, Arthur's contact with his enemy's dark type attack had done its job, raising his attack power. He sliced through the dark typed energy with Sacred Sword, and scored a direct hit on the Scizor, fainting it with a single, decisive blow. His attack strength was almost quadrupled after that exchange, and he shared his Trainer's smirk as he readied himself for the next opponent.
Next up was N's Zoroark, and while its Night Slashes were able to block Arthur's rapid Sacred Sword assault several times, they only powered Arthur up even more. The Zoroark tried loosing several Night Daze attacks, but the Mega Gallade was too quick. Eventually, the powerful fighting move struck home, as the Gallade's flexible body helped him get past the Zoroark's guard. One hit was all it took. An empowered Sacred Sword was nigh unstoppable when he was maxed out for physical attack boosts.
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A Shiftry came out next, and though he managed to parry Arthur several times, eventually the Sacred Sword struck home as well, and another Pokémon went down to the Gallade's absurdly powerful physical attacks. His speed was hard to match, and in his Mega Form, few could challenge him.
N chose his next partner, throwing a familiar looking ball into the air. A Luxury Ball. The one Alex had given him not so very long ago. His Aerodactyl took the field, and as it soared through the air, it mega evolved. Few Pokémon were as strong, or fast, and Alex knew none of Arthur's moves had an advantage. They were both reluctant to admit it, but Arthur would likely lose this round if he stayed in.
The Gallade was recalled, ending his boosted attack power as he switched out and before Alex could summon Hydrus, Blaze made an appearance in a fiery flash of red light from his similarly colored ball. The two combatants locked eyes, and the fire lizard wasted no time mega evolving as well, and taking to the air.
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Out of all his team, Blaze was by far the most independent, and Alex could sense his desire to fight an opponent this strong on his own. Alex wasn't having any of that this time, however. They needed to win.
He was shocked as Blaze began the battle regardless, and blocked out his Trainer's link. Alex glared at the Charizard. "Prideful fool…"
He crossed his arms, and continued to glare. N noticed, and slowly, a smirk of confidence came over his face. "Having trouble controlling your Pokémon? With a name like 'Blaze', I'd rebel too. Do you have any idea how many Fire Types share that name?"
Alex turned his attention to his smirking opponent, face neutral as he raised a brow. "You don't know why it's so common? I thought everyone knew." Above them, the two Pokémon traded blasts of flame and dragon fire.
Though Blaze was clearly the better flier, and scored more hits, he was only half as effective as he normally was. Being part rock, the advantage went to the Aerodactyl. His Charizard was going to learn the hard way the cost of fighting on his own in a battle like this.
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They were a team, and if he'd really forgotten that, a powerful move like Ancientpower would hopefully remind him without taking him down in one blow.
The confidence on N's face faded slightly. "Enlighten me."
Alex allowed himself a smirk, "Well, aside from the obvious fit with his species, many Charizard Trainers use their tail flames to 'blaze it up'." He used air quotes, hoping the exchange of words would give the younger Pokémon pause. It didn't. It seemed this Aerodactyl was as eager to fight alone as Blaze was.
Comprehension came over the former Champion's face. "I see. Communal Leaf smoking sessions around a tail flame. Is that really the reason it's so common?"
Alex smirked, shrugging. "That, or perhaps I'm just unoriginal."
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N looked up suddenly, and shouted, "Stone Edge!" Alex swore quietly. N was no novice, but Blaze had had an advantage, for a moment, and had almost landed a Dragon Tail. N had countered at the right moment, after letting his Pokémon battle solo for several rounds. Meanwhile, Alex's own Pokémon still refused to link with him.
He paid dearly for it. The rock-like protrusions on the Aerodactyl's wings shone with rock type energy, and had Blaze not been mid-swing into a Dragon Tail, Alex had no doubt the move would've knocked him out.
As it was, the collision mitigated some of the damage, but his Charizard was hurting. Alex closed his eyes, and forced his mind through the block, surprising Blaze as he spoke silently, "Listen. I know you can Battle well alone, but you need me if we're going to win this."
The response was not unlike Shruikan's method of speech, a mix of emotions and images, followed by words. "He…has no…link. Isn't fair."
"The word you're looking for is 'honorable'. Perhaps it isn't even, but right now, you're one hit away from losing. In front of all of Unova." He sent an image of Tao, perched atop the Entree even as they spoke with the speed only thought had, followed by the millions of eyes in the crowd. "We're a team. Use our link. N is fully capable of establishing his own, or he should be, it's not our fault he hasn't."
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He could sense it still didn't sit well with his proud Charizard, but the only thing he disliked more than an uneven battle was publicly losing. The connection flowed once more as Trainer and Pokémon linked, the logic of his human was too sound to ignore. The Sage had warned him of his pride, and the prideful Charizard had ignored the warning.
Thankfully, his Trainer had kept him from making a total fool of himself. That was his role, after all. "Use your speed, not your power. You're outmatched here. Hydrus should be battling, but we might still salvage this." He switched to a verbal command then. "Go high."
Blaze sensed what his Trainer had in mind, and wondered for a moment if that would actually work. When flying horizontally, a mega evolved Aerodactyl was just as fast and powerful as his Charizard's form was, but now Blaze went vertical, and the sudden shift in direction slowed the Aerodactyl as gravity did its work.
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It also kept him far above his Trainer, unable to hear commands. As they went higher, eventually, the unfamiliar added weight from his Mega Form finally caused the younger Aerodactyl to lose his balance.
He let it happen, and turned down towards the ground again as he figured the Charizard would follow him, but Blaze had already corkscrewed through the air, and much as he had against Lizardon, came down hard with a Dragon Tail that he followed through all the way to the ground.
There was a loud boom as the lower level Aerodactyl hit the ground, and lost its Mega Form. Blaze roared, triumphant, but was clearly weakened by the battle, panting this time, rather than spewing flames of victory. Alex gave him a Max Potion, and then let him rest.
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N kept his face neutral, but Alex sensed a shift in the tone of the battle then. He'd been beaten on every match-up so far, and simply did not have the ability to sweep a team like Alex's with only one Pokémon left. That didn't mean he couldn't try, however.
He drew a black Pokéball from his belt then, and tossed it, saying, "I summon thee…Helix!"
An Omastar appeared then, and Alex summoned Terra to counter. N held out a blue Plate crystal then, and gave the command, "Mega Evolve!" Alex blinked as he tried to recall what Omastar's Mega Form was…and then realized that there was no record of one that he knew of. He couldn't resist grinning. He loved it when this happened.
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The shell on the spiral Pokémon's back extended, making it look more like a squid, in appearance. The tentacles grew longer, suckers appeared on the ends of them, and then, out from under the shell came two long, thin, folded blue wings. Omastar gave a terrifying screech as it extended them, and began floating in the air. From what Alex could tell, it had traded the rock typing for dark typing. He drew Terra's ball to his hand, and tossed it high, as the grass tortoise appeared with a heavy landing that didn't faze him.
Rain began to fall over them as the sky darkened, and Alex let Terra draw from the Meadow Plate crystal's power. Once in his Mega Form, Terra slammed his clubbed tail on the ground, shaking the entire area as he faced down Helix.
"Ice Beam!" Alex smirked as N called the attack. The beam of ice glanced off Terra's shell, as his Thick Fat kept him protected. He retaliated then as his Trainer simply pointed at the floating Omastar. Ground moves wouldn't really help, but grass moves would, and Omastar had impressive defense against physical moves. Not special ones.
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Another Ice Beam cut through the Energy Ball launched toward it, and Alex sighed. Terra might have been immune to his greatest weakness now, but his moves weren't.
There was one move, however, that might just do the trick. First, he had to make sure this winged squid stopped moving long enough for it to hit. His words went to his oldest friend instantly. While he'd refrained from using Terra lately, due to the cold and how much the turtle had despised the previous winter's temperatures, he remained his Trainer's closest friend, thus, all it took was an image from his Trainer's mind for him to grasp the plan of attack.
Razor Leaves filled the air, the wind accompanying the storm clouds only helped whirl them around. N didn't notice at first, until they began covering Helix's aerial avenue of escape.
"Blizzard!" N shouted, as he saw what was happening. Helix aimed for the leaves above him, and exhaled a devastating flurry of ice, blowing straight through his opponent's attack. Which was all the distraction Terra needed.
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The green crystal in Alex's hand flared as his massive earth turtle slammed the ground with both front legs. The ground shook, and N seemed to smirk for a moment, as he mistook the attack for an Earthquake.
The smirk vanished as massive roots shot up from the shattered ground under Helix, binding its wings long enough for the rest of the Frenzy Plant's roots to hit home. Helix struggled, shooting multiple Ice Beams in vain at the attack, but the roots were endless, and pummeled the unnerving Pokémon into unconsciousness.
The disturbing form faded from the Omastar. Terra let out a cry of victory as the clouds began to disperse, and the crowd echoed it. The smirking grass turtle gave the crowd a slow nod, and then glanced at his Trainer, who recalled him, and placed him back in the point position.
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The two Trainers met in the center of the battlefield, which had been repaired by Terra, and his manipulation of the earth. It almost looked like a battle had never occurred there. The two shook hands, and N turned to address the crowd arms wide as he shouted, "Unova! Your newest Champion shall continue his reign!"
There was thunderous cheering, so loud that Alex almost didn't notice what was descending from the clouds against the violet sky that signified dusk had arrived. Tao, however, did notice, and warned his Trainer mentally. Alex grimaced, and pointed up at it, directing the more attentive people in the crowd towards the ones who dared to intrude on the end of Festivus.
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A voice rang out over the area, emanating from a large, black airship that looked uncannily like the one Team Plasma had used in their second bid for power, save for a few key design differences. The mast had been replaced with the Arcean's symbol, but the ship was still recognizable. It had to be the one that had frozen Opelucid, and it seemed the Arcean's income from their followers had paid for upgrades. Even though Colress had eventually gone 'straight' and aided the International Police and Aether Foundation, it seemed he'd sold the ship to the highest bidder anyway.
"And now, his reign is at an end!"
N's eyes narrowed, "I know that voice…"
The voice continued, "And not short enough it was! Release them!"
Alex's eyes narrowed as well as the speaker began cackling. His hands curled into fists. "How many times must I defeat the same damn criminal? How do they always escape?"
He felt N's hand on his shoulder, "I know your pain. I was raised by the man. He's very…persistent." Alex nodded. N had clashed with his adoptive father many times. "This is my mess to clean up. Not yours."
Alex nodded again. "Take Tao. Do what needs to be done. I still have a few on my team that can Battle." Tao landed behind them with a boom, and N climbed on his neck, gripping the icy horns and sitting somewhat comfortably on the crest of ice that ran down the dragon's back. The two gave each other a final nod. N could handle Ghetsis, Alex would handle whatever he decided to throw at Unova.
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The dissipating clouds returned with a vengeance, and darkened until they were black. The crowd was already evacuating at the behest of the Four, who had their Pokémon out now, ready to shield them from attacks.
Thunder boomed, and the wind picked up. Ghetsis' voice rang out again, "Storm, Earth, and Air, heed my call! Eradicate the Champion, and any who bear his mark!"
Alex swore, loudly, as much of the crowd was wearing the symbol of balance on their hats, shirts, anywhere really. They'd all just become targets. The Pokémon Ghetsis was ordering appeared then, as the clouds parted. The three Forces of Nature, Landorus, Thunderus, and Tornadus, already in their altered forms, floated above the Entree.
Their forms were twisted, however, their auras turned dark by what Alex assumed was more Shadow energy. It was more obvious to his eyes this time though, and he wondered if that was thanks to his new way of seeing the world. Their eyes burned red, and Alex felt three pairs of them center on him as they descended to carry out Ghetsis' orders.
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He felt a hand on his shoulder before he could draw a Pokéball, and sensed Jess beside him. They'd temporarily dulled the link between them for the battle, but now, it returned. "Take Landorus." Jess said, drawing a Pokéball of her own. "The other two are mine."
He nodded, sensing her thoughts, and called out Hydrus. Blue light surrounded him as he mega evolved, and roared a challenge at Landorus. The three responded as one, with Stone Edge, Thunder, and Air Slash.
Hydrus slammed a fist into the ground, and a large chunk of earth rose up to absorb the impact. He needn't have bothered however, as Lassi, Jess' Froslass, had lanced the three combined attacks with an Ice Beam. The beam had disrupted the air and the stones, leaving only the Thunder to crash harmlessly into Hydrus's now ruined earth shield.
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The ghost's hollow, icy body howled ominously as Tornadus' wind blew through her, and she focused on Thunderus then, launching another Ice Beam. Hydrus shot one as well, this time at Landorus, who took both attacks for his brother, before falling towards the central mound of earth that the Entree rested upon in an icy heap.
Hydrus leapt into the air with help from his arms as they unleashed jets of water, and Alex ran after him, leaving Jess to handle the other two. Lassi had begun gracefully weaving between Air Slashes and Thunder attacks, and Amphi had joined her. Between the two of them, Alex had a feeling Jess would be fine. Her Ampharos wasn't to be trifled with.
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Alex found Landorus rising from the crater he'd made when he fell, still covered in bits of ice. He recognized the growing orb of bluish purple energy in Landorus' maw, and Hydrus countered quickly with another Ice Beam, hitting the orb in its center as it formed. The Outrage attack fizzled and shrank in the face of the entropic cold, and the enraged Legendary roared in fury before charging his opponent.
Several Hammer Arms came down on Hydrus' own arms as he blocked them. Swampert was not the fastest Pokémon, but after several Hammer Arms, he was fast enough to finally counter. He'd taken damage, true, but that would only help in this instance.
Alex gave the command once he mentally confirmed that Hydrus' Torrent had activated after taking such powerful attacks, and the Swampert lowered his arms to retaliate. The Hydro Cannon, an already devastatingly powerful move, was now doubled in strength.
The ultimate water type move took the enraged Legendary down, knocking him into the northern tree line surrounding the Entree with a hard crash. The Shadow energy pervading Landorus' aura faded, and Alex recalled Hydrus as he walked towards the fallen force of nature.
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Jess, meanwhile, was battling admirably, as were the Pokémon Rangers around her. Arceans had dropped from the airship at Ghetsis' order, and the battling had broken out all over the central part of Unova. Rangers and local Trainers in the crowd now once more battled the Arceans as those without Pokémon, or who were better suited to evacuation, helped the crowds of people get away from the sudden combat.
The symbol of the Alpha Pokémon loomed over the scene as thunder boomed in the sky repeatedly. Any hope the Arceans had of sweeping their failure in Castelia under the rug was now totally gone. Pretty much all of Unova was witness to their attacks. There was no question as to whose account of the Castelian Civil War had been accurate, and whose had been patently false. That wouldn't matter to Arc News watchers though, buried as they were in BS.
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While Alex had managed to handle Landorus with relative ease, the other two were not so easily brought down. They worked well together, united in their Shadow-fueled rage, and they were Legendary Pokémon. Every attack Amphi launched at Tornadus was absorbed by Thunderus. Each Ice Beam was blocked by a Hammer Arm from Tornadus' tail, and Blizzard was only so effective against a Pokémon that literally controlled the wind.
Now sufficiently irritated by the ghost before them, the two Legendary Pokémon shot a unified Dark Pulse at Lassi from two directions. Amphi stepped forward then, taking one, and blocking the other with a Focus Blast. It wasn't the first time she'd had to take a hit for Lassi, and this one effectively knocked her out of the battle.
The two furious Legendary Pokémon prepared another pair of Dark Pulses, and as they shot towards Lassi, a bolt of Thunder shot through them horizontally, canceling the attack entirely. It wasn't Leo's though. This one had much more power behind it. Jess had vaguely sensed her rescuer, and Alex seemed just as surprised, though he was distracted as he communicated with an angry, confused Landorus.
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Thunder seemed to boom again, but this time, it was on the ground, and was followed by a blur of orange. The blur moved both Lassi and Jess as another pair of furious Dark Pulses blew apart the area they'd been standing on only a moment earlier.
It took Jess a moment to realize she was on the back of a Pokémon, and a moment longer to recognize it. She looked up at her brother, who she hardly recognized. He was garbed not unlike Tao's followers, though where their colors were white, he was mostly in black.
She gave him a hug, and asked, "How on Earth did you get a Raikou?"
Connor waved her words away. "Later. Right now, we have bigger things to deal with."
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The two furious Legendary Pokémon had prepared another pair of attacks as Raikou ran and turned, though once more, they were stopped in mid-air, and redirected back at their owners. Arthur, in his Mega Form, had bounced them back with his Sacred Sword, and now Alex and a recovered Landorus were close behind him. Being the most sensible of the trio, he'd agreed to help the humans calm his brothers. Evidently his Shadow infusion was just not as effective as what was infecting his brothers.
Once more in his normal form, the guardian of the earth pointed at Jess, and motioned her over. "When I give you the opening, freeze them where they stand. They will not calm down otherwise." Landorus' deep baritone seemed fitting, as he was rumored to be the strongest of the three brothers, but he didn't ring quite as loudly in her head as Tao and Alex's Sage had.
She nodded, regardless, and Lassi approached the two again as they recovered from the surprise redirection of their attacks. Their tails both glowed with the fighting type energy of Hammer Arm as they saw their icy opponent return for another round, and as they swung towards her, Landorus acted.
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Normally, a decent Trainer would wonder how a ground type could possibly lord over a flying and electric/flying type. It became obvious as the lord of the land raised his arms. The gravity around Lassi, and his two brothers, increased dramatically, and all three were brought to the ground. Tornadus and Thunderus hit harder, as they had been in mid-attack, and that brief pause was all Lassi needed.
"Blizzard!" Jess gave the command, and her partner summoned the wind that had previously been hard to control, infusing it with ice, and freezing the two grounded Legendary Pokémon where they'd crashed.
The Shadow energy slowly bled from their battered bodies, and Landorus floated over, now in his 'Djinn form', and with two Hammer Arms, freed his fainted brethren from the ice. Alex and Connor had followed him, and gave the two weakened Pokémon Max Revives. Their bodies also returned to normal, and as that happened, the Shadow left them.
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The group turned suddenly, as an explosion, and waves of concussive force, rocked the immediate area. The airship had an enormous hole in it, and Tao was no doubt responsible.
Thunder swirled around him as he came zooming out of the massive hole in the ship's hull. He arced gracefully in the air then, and flames engulfed his serpentine form as his icy tail changed its Teravolt generator's shape from Zekrom's to Reshiram's Turboblaze generator, and he tore through the ship again, giving it a second hole. Tao flew up from the other side, and with a roar, a beam of ice struck the main deck for good measure.
A figure jumped on his back as the ship began to plummet towards the water, and the Pokémon in the immediate vicinity of the crash zone were urged to move with another roar from the Original Dragon.
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Tao arced towards the group then, and landed with a hard thump. N jumped from his neck, and nodded at Alex after glancing at them all. "It's done. Ghetsis won't be bothering any of us again. Ever."
Alex nodded, figuring that after all he'd done, there was ultimately only one way to stop him. He turned to Arthur then saying, "Help the Rangers. Capture as many Arceans as you can. If we let them go, they'll try something again." He glanced over at Tao as Arthur leapt towards the nearest sound of battle. Gren soon leapt after him, and the two made short work of whoever they came across.
Tao was conversing with the three Forces of Nature. From what he could glean by Tao's mood, he was arguing with them over something. Once the argument ended, the three brothers clasped their palms together, and light formed between each pair of hands.
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Eventually, the three turned, and approached Alex, Jess, and Connor. They extended their hands, with slight frowns on their faces. Landorus spoke for them, "The Dragon has commanded that we reward you for your aid. Thus, we grant you gifts that will aid you in your adventures. Use them well, they are not lightly given."
In Landorus' palm was a Zap Plate crystal, which he handed to Alex. Thunderus met Raikou's gaze with a mutual nod of respect, and then handed Connor a green Plate crystal of his own. Tornadus approached Jess as well, and handed her a shard of the Mind Plate. The humans shared a glance, then bowed.
The three Legendary Pokémon bowed their heads in return, and then ascended into the clouds. The clouds dissipated soon after, but any trace of the trio had vanished. Only smoke from the crashed ship and the numerous battles now filled the sky. Connor and Jess gave Raikou and Delphi similar instructions as Alex had with Arthur, and they too zipped off to help quell the fighting.
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Alex meanwhile approached Tao, and spoke with him in the comfort of their minds. "I didn't know the brothers could create such powerful items. I thought they were a piece of Arceus himself, of his Plates."
The dragon seemed amused for a moment, then answered, "They do not have the means to create such things. However, there are numerous places across the world where such pieces exist, that have yet to be uncovered by Humans. It is from one of those areas they pulled the crystals. That ability tires them though, so they use it rarely, and never for lowly Humans."
Alex raised a brow at him, "Lowly Humans? If we're so inferior, why did they agree?"
Tao's lips pulled upwards in a smirk. "Because I am the Dragon of Unova, and they know better than to test my patience. You helped free them of the foul energy controlling them, as you did for me. This was the very least they could do to thank you." Alex felt a newfound appreciation for just how strong his partner was.
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Alex thought for a moment then spoke again, "If you're so much stronger, could you not do as they did, and pull more crystals?"
The dragon brought his head to his Trainer's level, and stared at him with one large, golden, pupiless eye. "Be wary of your greed, Alexander Redwood. It will consume you if not controlled."
Alex rolled his eyes, trying and failing to not be unnerved by the dragon's gaze. "I wouldn't call it greed…they're just useful to have around. The more I have, the more Taijitu Moves I can pull off, the stronger we are against threats like Ghetsis."
The dragon blinked once, "By my count, you now have one for your entire team. What more do you require?"
Alex blinked, then fished his stash of Plate crystals from their hiding place. Fire and Grass from the mountain, Connor's former Splash shard, the psychic crystal from Joey, Dragon from N, and now Electric as well. He hadn't even realized how close he was.
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He'd learned early on that lying to Tao was futile at best, so he stuck to the truth when speaking with him. "You're right…as always, Dragon of Unova. I have all I need…for now…"
The Dragon chuckled with minor amusement. "Not quite yet, Champion. In any case, that ability is not one I possess…however…hmm." Tao examined Alex again, then nodded. "Give the Draco Plate crystal to your friend, for his Garchomp. I know of something much stronger, and suited for your Salamence."
Alex glanced at the crystal N entrusted to him. Then at N himself, who nodded. If the Original Dragon was sure of his choice, neither Champion had an issue as to who should guard the crystal.
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Alex blinked as he sensed the dragon thinking of the cave atop Draconis Mons, and then walked back over to the siblings, lost in thought. He handed Connor the crystal then, pressing it into his hand. "The Original Dragon has suggested I give you this. If you can control Raikou, I've no doubt your Garchomp has advanced as well."
Connor took the crystal, eyeing the symbol of dragon types within it. "He has…but what about Shruikan?"
Alex glanced back at Tao, who had walked over to the battle-torn earth around the Entree's plateau, and made it whole once more. The damage compared to Alex's battle was significant. Legendary Pokémon always managed to cause such devastation, when enraged.
"Shruikan will be fine…Tao said there's something else better suited for him, and is still capable of helping him Mega Evolve."
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"Good…" Connor pocketed both crystals, glancing up as the orange form of Raikou leapt over the nearby trees to the south of them, and landed before them. "There's something I need your help with. The Arceans have been busy today, and were it not for time zone differences, I might've arrived too late to help you."
Connor gave the tiger-like Legendary a scratch beneath his chin, which made the fur on his back ripple. Gren and Arthur reappeared soon after, and returned to their balls. "He says the fighting has been quelled for the most part…which is good. We're running out of time."
Jess and N joined them then as her Delphox returned, and went into her ball as well. "Time for what?" She asked.
"The Arcean's leader…he's headed to Norstad in search of Xerneas. He's after Eternal Life. We need to stop him." Connor glanced between the three as he spoke, trying to impress just how bad a man like Pravus gaining eternal life would be.
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Alex glanced at N. "Can you handle the clean-up? We're burning daylight."
N nodded. "I'll make sure things stay in balance."
Alex smirked. "Have Tao help you. I know you two are friends, don't feel awkward about Battling with him. I could never claim sole ownership of a dragon that was once three."
N gave the three a short bow, before heading over to Tao. The dragon looked at the three of them, then back to N. He called out his Aerodactyl, and after being bathed in golden light from Tao, it seemed entirely rejuvenated. The two flew off then, headed south towards Castelia as Tao walked towards them.
"Before you go…" His voice echoed in each of their heads, "There is something we must do. You can depart for that icy wasteland after we pay Draconis Mons a visit."
Alex glanced at the other two, then shrugged. It was hard to argue with a Legendary dragon. Tao lowered his head, and the three humans climbed atop his ice-crested back. Tao flew into the air then, and arced northwards towards the faint outline of the Dragon Mountain in the distance.