fanfiction [CW: Not a One-Shot anymore] A little Reborn fanfic

[kithas]

Well, I've always had the idea of developing my MC, and, well, this is what came out of it. It's a One-shot for now, but I might update it if I feel I have something else to say about it. Also, you can read it in AO3 here, and if you're spanish or can read spanish, the original version that was translated is also here. Thanks for reading!

 

Spoiler

The sun shined between the crowns of the trees, warming pleasantly the slope of the mountain with the spring sun. If the visitors of that place had turned around, they could admire that landscape. The mountain range that separated the region of Orre and that of Reborn rose as far as the eye could see. However, none of them would look: The white-haired woman, because she had seen it too many times, and the one with the black hair, because she had more urgent tasks to do.
- You know you'll always be welcome in the city, Avani. – Said Victoria, who, despite her martial arts training, was falling behind. – After everything you did for us, we owe it to you.
- After everything I did… - Avani repeated, with a sigh, and, yes, she turned back to look at the landscape. Her Mamoswine, Beatrice, who was clearing the path, also stopped. – That is exactly why I’m out here, Victoria. Too many things happened down there in the city for us to say everything is cool now. I’m happy with my Gym Leader gig out here, and, well, it’s not like I don’t get to see other people. I have my pokémon, and Heather lands sometimes near the lake to bring back news. Did you know she was thinking about raising a Minior again? – Beatrice growled, ending the silence that had made its way full of “A Salamence-riding teenager with a burning passion for races does not count as socializing” vibes, and the woman working in the City’s hall finally yielded. – Okay, let’s go back to the reason you’re here. – Avani continued. – Did you just say a “man in green” came to warn you?
- No. – Victoria replied, stiff at first, but she went again. – I’m not sure. It was a green man. Literally. A green being in the shape of a man, appearing like a week ago, at Obsidia Park. I know it doesn’t make any sense. Adrienn thinks it could be some Zygarde variation.
- Yes, and xe knows everything. – Avani looked at Victoria, trying her. – Just kidding. Well, it that “Green man” wasn’t an actual Zygarde as Adrienn said, it had surely some relation. Because it is true that something happened East of here some days ago. At first, we thought It was some Tyranitar, who decided to nest, but I think we’ve got everyone well located. Right, Beatrice? – She slightly slapped the side of the Mamoswine, who growled, annoyed, and picked up a faster pace, much to the amusement of Avani. – The other day a buck Tyranitar thought too high of himself and we had to put him back in his place again. She still hasn’t got over the landslides. And, well, here we are. – She finally stopped, and allowed Victoria and her Lucario, who had been jumping from tree to tree, entry to the clearing. It wasn’t a big clearing, circling just around a small pond with a little island on the center, full with its tree shining under the sunshine. In front of the island, there was a bench and a picnic table, under a willow.

 

- Now. – Avani kicked the ground once with the boot. - If you really enter that pyramid your green man has told you about, first we need to get approval from the boss. There’s nobody who knows everything happening around here than the Mountain Master. – Victoria looked around, confused, but Lucario pointed her, with its snoot right to the island.
- Wait a minute, that’s not an is… - The island moved, raising above the water, making a few Lotad and Shellos flee around the pond.
- You always wanted to know where was my starter pokémon, didn’t you? – Avani looked amused at her dazzling. – He went with me in all my travels around the Reborn region, but when I finally ended up here, he stopped working for me. He got promoted, so to speak, and he is the one who actually controls the mountain. My dear Victoria, from now on, we will be working on his behalf. – The huge Torterra rose from the pond, shaking a little the tree on his shell and making a flock of Starly escape. He was way bigger than a normal Torterra, but it was not the most shocking part. It was the vines who covered him from head to toes, and from Victoria’s experience, burrowed deep into the pond, into the ground beneath the pond, and everywhere around there. Suddenly, all that behavior, that huge lush forest around the mountain… Alarmed, she looked at Avani, but the ground-type leader calmed her. – I know what you must be thinking, I also remember what happened in Reborn City with all those Tangrowth. It’s not an actual PULSE, just… - She tried to think, fruitless. – Well, it’s a long story. Do you remember that ginormous Steelix who actually lives deep down below us, around Tanzan Cove? Well, something like that. It doesn’t matter, we’re not responsible for him anymore.
Torterra moved a bit inside the pond, making the Lotad on the surface to move around the waves he created. The growl he made was clearly for Avani. – Yes, there is something strange in the mountain. Somewhere plans do not dare to enter in. – Avani replied, with her hands inside her coat’s pockets. – You were not the only one to detect that place, Tuin. That’s why Victoria is here, do you remember her? She came all the way here from the city just to have a look at it.
Curious to the scene, Victoria paid attention to the Gym Leader, with a relaxed Mamoswine next to her. Maybe that wasn’t the usual appearance of a Torterra, but nobody was worried except her, and it was a fact that both Avani and Tuin had gotten to the point of being able to understand the others without words. – We would like to take a look at it, to investigate it, if you will. I left Excadrill and Hippowdon in charge of the Gym zone, so if something goes wrong you know they both will be able to take care, right? – The Torterra growled back something that felt pleasing to Avani. Victoria thought that it had to be difficult to control an actual mountain, but then she realized it was actually very close to having to manage a city. And then, she realized that, ironically, both needed Avani to do her thing.

 

Avani’s talk with the “Tuin” Torterra went on some time. Even them, living isolated in that mountain range, felt the need to catch up on things. And Victoria couldn’t help it but smile. When was the last time she had caught up with her own starter, Incineroar? It was true he had him always with her in his pokéball, but she decided they would share an ice cream just when they got back to Reborn City, just like the old times around the Pier. While they walked to the mysterious pyramid, Victoria remembered the good old days, when Reborn City wasn’t anything but a garbage dump. Anna said she saw Avani glowing, like the destiny of the region rested over her back. Until she said that Avani didn’t glow anymore. But up there, away from the city and its troubles, Avani seemed ho have found her place. Yes, she had to deal with a few things, like keeping in check the populations of Aggron and Tyranitar so they didn’t tear down the place with their fights, and those cultist fools who had tried to take advantage of the Giarados on the Lake of Wrath, named like that in honor of the Lake of Rage in Kanto. The Gyarados were able to fend off the poor idiots, and Avani only had to take out the remainders of their machines and to make sure those fools wouldn’t go near the lake again.
There was also the Gym leader thing. Victoria was pretty sure Avani only had taken the mantle of the Ground-type gym leader for the healing machine and PC connection, because, for the updates she had from the (admittedly few) trainers who aimed to take the Ground badge, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for them to go through the whole mountain just to find Avani. There even was a trainer who, after weeks of complaints for the unjustified absence of Avani from her workstation, ended up finding her and battling her at Teknite Range, right up the northwest, almost at the other side of the region. But even that was also part of the experience, wasn’t it? Absent leaders, too busy to fulfill their duties, or even actually nonexistent for a period of time, like what had happened with Adrienn. Reborn League’s style, so to speak. Everyday, Victoria crossed paths and worked along people who had come to Reborn with the intention take on the League, months and even years before.  And, in that strange world, when joys went hand to hand with letdowns, even Avani had found her own place. Kiki would have respected that.

 

Looking up, Victoria found themselves just in front of the enigmatic pyramid, right above the trees, and under the shade of the mountain. Avani and her Mamoswine had stopped before her, and, after an unaware Trevenant who moved aside in response to the cold breath from Beatrice, there it was. With the same color from the surrounding ground, it could have been a mountain like the others around it. It wasn’t the regular pyramidal structure or its particular height what gave it away, but the simple but unsettling fact that it was completely lacking on vegetation. A brown stain in that green region. – That wasn’t there before. – Unnecessarily said the white-haired woman.
- And it has an entry. – Victoria noticed, going near the building, into the clearing. After her, Lucario cracked her knuckles. – So, what you say, Avani? Do you want to remember the good old times?
The old times, the ones when Reborn region was still out there, chaotic and wild, looking to consume them. Avani was still one of the trainers arriving into Reborn City trying to take on the League, and Victoria was only Kiki’s pupil, in Apophyll Academy. A lot of bad things had happened since they met in front of the Grand Hall at the Opal Ward, but at the moment of truth, they had both found friends and people willing to team up with them. And now, again. In front of that mysterious monument, that pyramid that had manifested itself right into Torterra’s and Avani’s territory, they weren’t alone, they wouldn’t have to deal with that without any help. Beatrice, too big for the tunnel that went inside the pyramid, was replaced (not without complaints from her that left both Avani and Victoria shivering from the cold) by Kaijuu, Avani’s Nidoking, who, unlike the eager Beatrice, was happy to let his trainer lead the way. After a turn took from them the light coming from the entry left them in darkness, Victoria took the pokéball to release Incineroar and lightning up the place, but Avani stopped her by switching on the electric flashlight. Nidoking breathed, relieved, when he was able to see again. – Better not to waste our resources. – Avani explained. – I have the feeling we’re going to need them.

 

The tunnel was narrow, and although they could spread their arms freely, it was certainly too narrow for an adult Mamoswine to turn around. Kaijuu, however, walked right before his trainer, same as Victoria’s Lucario, while they both looked around in the presumably vast net of tunnels and passageways entering the enigmatic building, and, at first, they thought they could find the railroad tracks that entered the Railcave, from the line Orre-Reborn, south of Spinel Town. – Even though, it has no reason to. – Reasoned Victoria, while they entered a bigger chamber. – If this place was not supposed to be here…
- I don0t know. – Avani looked around the walls, who, unlike the entry passage, looked like they had been chiseled with ancient geometric designs, strange point patterns and humanoid shapes. – Maybe… Maybe it was originally a temple. – Her fingers went through the shape of a four-legged pokémon, something akin to an antelope with a disk right in the middle.
- Do you think it has something to do with…? – Victoria hesitated, looking at the flashlight’s light go down. Her voice became a whisper, even though they were alone. - …With Luna’s birth father? – Elias wasn’t Luna’s father; everyone had accepted that fact as true. It was simpler that way. After everything that happened, nobody wanted to reopen old wounds.
- I don’t know. – Avani replied dryly. – And, if it has, I don’t want to know.
Luckily, Lucario took their attention to the door opposite from the one they had entered through, with some strange marks, regular prominences that projected funny shadows when illuminated by the flashlight, deforming the triangular pattern embedded in its only intact half. The other leaf had been tore out of its hinges, and rested well inside the next tunnel. Nidoking sniffed it, but everyone knew what did it mean: Danger. – I should have brought Beifong. – Avani’s voice sounded muffled inside the claustrophobic passage they were going through. And she was right. That didn’t look like a maze, but it did look like somewhere they were not supposed to enter. Maybe an ancient tomb, or a temple, some desolate ruins that should have been desecrated. Lines and lines of engravings around the walls and ceiling, with different scenes, and everyone felt observed. They didn’t like it.
Avani wasn’t stupid. She was in charge of stabilizing the eastern part of Reborn, from the Wasteland up to the east of Iolia Valley, a region full of mountainous terrain at the top, and a huge cave system underneath. She had spent full months down there, dealing with larvitar nests, enraged steel monsters more than twenty meters long, and had even caught her two stronger teammates in the depths under Tanzan Mountain. She didn’t fear darkness. It was the quietude, the silence. It worried her. – Not even a Diglett, some Sandshrews, Geodudes… - She swallowed. – This isn’t just a cave.
- Well, we already knew that. – Victoria replied, trying to keep high spirits. – It’s probably home to a cult, or an ancient altar, for Giratina, I don’t know. – She raised her eyebrows, when both Avani and the two pokémon looked at her. – Well, the pyramid warped itself here, it wouldn’t be ridiculous.
- You know, Victoria… - Avani let up a finger. – I would love not being in the situation of having to deal with a Giratina.
- I’m only saying it could be a reason for it being so empty. In one week not even wild pokémon have gotten in? I mean… - She shoudn’t say that, but she did. – There are people who prefer to be alone, don’t they?

 

- Where did that come from? – Avani’s voice sounded annoyed, and Victoria knew right off she shouldn’t have said that. At least, she should have been more subtle. She was supposed to control her feelings, right? Kiki trained her in that since her childhood. But she ended making the same mistakes all over again.
- I-I don’t know. I’m sorry. – She rubbed her eyes. That darkness was oppressive. – It’s only Adrienn and Aya went off to another region, and, you know, it won’t be long and I’ll be able to coordinate things for a bit. But it isn’t easy, you know? Sometimes I think somebody with your capabilities and authority being there would make everything better. – Now, he said it. She had never been good and keeping things to herself, and she had always done just that, with disastrous results. The only thing she hadn’t put on Avani’s shoulders was the classic “you owe us”, and it was almost implied. The passage had gotten wider again, but it looked claustrophobic. And it didn’t have anything to do with its dimensions.
- Vic… - Avani still had her back turned, and even Nidoking looked worried. She was a stoic trainer, able to put up with a lot, but then she reached her limit and fell where he stood, an only the care of Beatrice’s tusks carrying her back to her place let her go back on her feet.
- I-I’m sorry. – Victoria had done it again, to push Avani and press her. She promised herself she would mature, for Kiki, for Cal, everything. But she was still a hot-headed girl unable to do well anything that wasn’t punching something. – I shouldn’t have said anything, I know…
- Be quiet. – Avani replied, without looking at her.
- No, Avani, I… - Victoria wanted to explain herself, but Avani’s hand in her mouth made her shut up, and her eyes seemed to point at the circle of light. The flashlight moved slowly upwards around the shape in the wall, upwards… Only to reveal a Golurk, imponent in the darkness, ten feet tall, immobile, like it was actually a…
- I think they are statues. – Avani whispered, removing her hand, showing her another one at the other side of the wall. – But it wouldn’t be the first time.
Yes, Victoria knew that. She remembered about that cave in the Tourmaline Desert, with all those Garchomp statues that had suddenly came to life. They took their pokémon inside their pokéballs again, and sneakered between the statues, careful not to make any sound, and listening just in the event of any creaks or unknown menacing lights coming from the centinels.  Actual sentinels, switched off until the time come, or just statues meant to scare any potential thieves? Luckily there weren’t any, and they avoided them, entering in another chamber, slightly bigger than the last one, but again full of shapes and strange dot patterns carved into the walls. The atmosphere was oppressive, and the darkness seemed to watch them. The silence, barely broke by whispers that froze them both in fear, thinking something had come to take them, accompanied them around the corridors and stairs while they went through the insides of the pyramid. There weren’t any more statues, but they found a lot of Claydol shapes in the walls and Unown patterns that had probably a lot to do with the warping of that pyramid to the Reborn Region. Because it was a temple, there wasn’t any doubts anymore.

 

- Avani. – After a while, Victoria dared to broke the silence. – I’m sorry. It’s just that… Everyone misses you, you know? – The white-haired gym leader turned around looking at her. – Shelly doesn’t say anything anymore, and the twins make it look like everything is good. – She sighted. – But, well, I guess your place is still empty.
- My place is right here. – Avani replied, looking around the walls. – These are the kind of things that appear when I’m in charge, do you really want to know what does when there’s nobody to take care of it?
- Come on, we both know that’s not the actual reason you are here. – If every ecosystem in the world had to be balanced by a human for it to not going to hell, then…
- Thinks are like that, and that’s it. I don’t want to talk about it, Vic. 
- But I’m not saying you have to participate or anything. – Victoria went faster to keep up with Avani. – I… We all miss you. Don’t make it so difficult to meet you. – Some time ago, they had been friends, and together with the rest of the gang, they had made it possible for Reborn City to become the prosperous meeting place for the League that was the pride of the whole region. They won. And, besides understanding they had lost a lot in the way, why… Why did Avani reject her place in all that? Why did she choose the life of solitude? – After all we went through together, you tore yourself from our lives and you expect us to be good with it?
- Do you really want to know, Victoria? Do you really want to know why I’m out here and not living inside the city where everyone could see me? – Avani sighted. – I swear I tried, Vic. Do you remember when I lived in the Jasper Ward, just next to the forest? – She remembered it, when everything ended, for a while, everything went right for once. – I tried. It was just… - She gestured, trying to explain herself. She failed.
- No, Avani, Tell me. – Victoria Insisted. – What happened? What pushed you away?
- You did, Victoria! – Avani lashed out. – You, Adrienn, the people at large. I don’t expect you all to understand it. – Her breathing became agitated. – There are places you just can’t come back from. Do you remember Pyrous Mountain’s top? Do you remember the things you could not prevent? – She did, Avani knew full well those things would live with Victoria until her last breath. The white-haired girl leaned against the wall. When you have the weight of a whole region’s future, it leaves deep marks. – I already remember those things. I saw how the soul of somebody whose worst crime was to follow orders until they didn’t burn in flames. People suffering because of me, get betrayed while I couldn’t do anything. People looks at me and see a hero. Everyone, even Adrienn and you, expects me to be a hero. Well, sorry, Vic. I only want to be Avani.
After all had been said, the stillness fell between them once again, weighting a ton. – You never told me these things. – Said Victoria, quietly, as if her voice could break the moment.
- You never asked.
- Avani, wait. Where are you going? Wait! – Not even bothering to listen to her answer, Avani had taken up walking again, with her face and the flashlight away from Victoria. She couldn’t leave it like that, with her friend thinking she was alone. But it was too late.

 

A light beam in the chamber in front of them took their attention. A beam that fell from the ceiling lightning up some blue round object in the center of the chamber. Avani, leading the way, left the passage first, entering to an enormous dome not less than thirty feet tall, with an opening on the ceiling from where the sun beam stroke on he strange egg-shaped object, surrounded from a distance by some slabs of stone, most evidently with a ritualistic meaning. Something looking like a big wall was behind, but Avani, obviously happy to leave the conversation behind, got near to the object in the center of the dome. – Wait a minute… It’s a pokémon! – Alarmed, she looked to her friend, who was also looking at the object, small enough for Avani to easily surround it with only one arm. The mystical sigils, those things on its sides shaped like limbs… - A Golett! – After all, they were in some kind of temple, right? And they had seen a couple of Golurks, right? The body of the Golett wasn’t in good shape, unfortunately, as a huge crack went from its left shoulder down until its right side, with a faint spiritual energy beating inside it.
- It’s badly wounded. – Avani had left the flashlight in the floor while he looked through the pockets on her coat for some remedy. – We should… We have to take him, but I don’t know what could have done it.
- “This is the offering” – Victoria read, engraved in the slab of stone just before the Golett. – “For the Many to become the Three, to become the One. For the World Builder, the true rex of men”. – Worried, they looked one another. – It’s a sacrifice. For Arceus. It… it makes sense, look, that ritual wall also has Arceus’ colors, white and golden. – She pointed at the formless thing just some yards away from them, with the circle of light by the flashlight on it.
- And I thought people didn’t do those things anymore. Savages… - Avani stood up, with the wounded Golett wrapped with her arm. – Don’t worry, little guy. I’ll take care of you.
That was Avani. Victoria couldn’t help it but smile. Always so stoic and strong, she was an unstoppable force by sheer determination, by not giving rest. But, if somebody wanted to actually know Avani, they only had to look at her pokémon. That ferocious Nidoking she was so proud about was once a scared little Nidoran curled up in some alleyway on the Onyx Ward, and that brave Mamoswine with her eagerness to battle powerful enemies, was found as an already brave but little Swinub, that had to deal with the disastrous consequences of battling an adult Beartic. The scars were still there, but her fur hided them away, and her large ham helped them forget how everything would have ended too soon. Yes, that was indeed Avani’s place, with that wounded Golett, thinking about what to do. – Listen, we can still save it. – Vic kneeled to get to her friend’s level. – If we can take it outside, my Togekiss will be able to fly it to the Healing device on your gym, right?
- Right. I’ll catch it in a… - A little quake made them froze. And another one. And a deep-sounding growl that could only come from the depths. Then, Avani realized. – White and golden. – She looked at the wall, with two pillars fallen by its sides. – The World Builder. That isn’t a wall… - In her eyes, Victoria saw something that looked like fear. – It’s a Regigigas!

 

The Titan with capital letter, who according to the lore had moved the continents with its bare hands. One of the “fallen pillars” moved on its own, with a crunching sound, revealing itself as an arm, and the colossal pokémon started to got up, probably for the first time in decades. Avani stepped back, doubting on her three pokémon, regretting again not bringing back her best fighters. Mamoswine? Or would it be better Nidoking? Or maybe…? – Get back! – Lucario went out of her pokéball, and Victoria stood between the colossus and Avani. Nobody asks heroes if they want to do it. The situation arrives and that’s it. Now, it was her time to make up and save her friend. And she knew he only had a couple of minutes of Slow Start, before everything went straight to hell. – Come on, Lucario! We’re going with Aura Sphere!
Promptly following orders, the pokémon threw herself into the battle, fearless, shooting energy spheres to the Titan. She had trained all her life for that along with Victoria, just like Kiki taught them, and now, at the moment of truth, Lucario climbed up the stones around the ritual site to get a better shot and made a few Aura Spheres more, while the Regigigas towered over them, slowly moving its arms trying to catch her unsuccessfully, allowing Lucario to climb right up its actual arm and jump over the colossus, charging another pair of spheres to shoot at him. It was an enormous and very resilient enemy, and their only hope was switching him off again before Regigigas was finally awoken. Their only hope. A lost hope, that Victoria knew when she heard a screech coming from one of the three passageways in the opposite side, followed by several spots of light sparlking in the shape of a cross. A familiar and feared crystalline shape appeared then, and similar things happened in the other passageways, with different, but no less recognizable shapes. – No… - Victoria whispered. Her heart skipped a beat. Regice, the Ice Golem, shining like quarz. Regirock, with its head like a tombstone and its arms spinning slowly around, made of rocks. Registeel, driving his metal claws on the doorframe before appearing himself, its seven red eyes fixated on its new victims. And, behind, the Titan, the Regigigas, who was able to finally hit Lucario. They were too much, too numerous, and too strong. But, just after Victoria lost hope, just before she would turn to warn Avani, she heard another roar, a familiar roar. A Nidoking roar. And it wasn’t that roar who gave her hope again, but the huge Flamethrower that Kaijuu released between the trainers and the golems, lighting the whole dome with its flames. The women looked one another, no words needed.

 

And they fought, and gave hell to those beings designed by the Powers that Be to set in motion the world. The Regis were legendary pokémon, but the were also strong, a high level gym leader and one of Reborn City’s administrators, and they and their pokémon weren’t to be taken lightly. Regice went back, dripping from the burning flames, and Registeel started to malfunction because of the melting, while Regirock had fallen, victim to Kaijuu’s Earth Power. And, Regigigas… The Colossus was a terrible thing to battle, Victoria was aware of it, but it finally started to get back, and Victoria felt like she could actually win over the Titan when she saw it resting against the back wall. She was wrong. They were both wrong.
The rocks that had made up the defeated Regirock moved on their own to their original place on its body, while Registeel went back up sparkling and reforming himself, and Regice, expelling steam, got back to its own form. Then, a quake again. Another quake. The Titan roared. And every light in Regigigas’ body lightened up at once. And the Slow Start time ended. Now, the real battle was about to begin. A single step from the Titan made the structure start to break apart, and Lucario tried to get away from it just by instinct, deafened by the bellow of the Legendary pokémon. – Vic! – Victoria almost didn’t hear Avani through the roars, almost identical to an earthquake. – Hold on! – With Nidoking defeated by a devastating Ice beam, Mamoswine was the only one out of her pokéball, but she wasn’t going to fight. There is a moment for everything. A moment for presenting fight, and a moment for running away. Regigigas, now completely awoken and angered, stepped again towards them, and the rubble from the pyramid who had contained it for a thousand years thanks to the sacrifices started to fell around them. – Run!

 

Beatrice the Mamoswine hated running. She hated fleeing from a good battle. But she wasn’t stupid. And something in her antediluvian instinct screamed at her that that Titan wasn’t something that could be defeated just like that. The World Builder wasn’t only a pokémon. So Mamoswine ran over the Regirock, and wen through the passage without looking behind. Avani hold to her with one hand, with the other holding to the wounded Golurk, and Victoria also grabbed Beatrice’s fur, while Lucario, riding her backwards, shoot the Aura Spheres she had left to impede the golems that pursued them. Everything in the temple crumbled, everything fell before the World Builder. And the only thing they could do, was to get out.
So, with the strength that characterized her, the Mamoswine charged at that wall, seemingly at the end of a dead-end, and, running over it, opened a hole in the exterior wall of the pyramid. The heros and their pokémon rolled down the building, eating dirt and ground, losing their directions until they got to the forest outside of the clearing. But at least, they thought, they were safe and sound, so to speak, and the Golett was still there, still beating. – Victoria, back off! – Avani grabbed her by her arm and took her away just as the pyramid collapsed on itself, as a landslide from the mountain it was against buried it. Good bye to the World Builder, to the Guardian Regi, collapsed and buried under the landslide sent by Torterra, the Mountain Master. The pyramid disappeared under the pile of rubble and the terrain, and the temple would see the light of day no more, at least if Avani had something to say about it. Down there were left the three Regi with their King, the Worldbuilder, dreaming, maybe, with more worlds to build. Because this one was already finished, they had already made it, and, most importantly, they had managed to save the Golett.
 

* * *

Yes, she saved it. Avani saved it that time and at least a hundred more. While the Psycho Boost shot it backwards, and Golurk fell to the ground rolling over its body, it felt every time Avani had taken care of it. When she healed it, when she taught it how to fight, how to fly (admittedly, that was more to her benefit that its) or when they both sat through old fantasy movies when the pokémon was about to evolve. Golurk felt the cold tact of the floor under its body, and the droning when its adversary got up again.
- ¡TALOS! – Golurk heard the call from Avani, behind the body of Hippowdon, who would protect her until its last breath. Yes, every would do the same. Avani had taken everyone under her care, he had saved most of them and taught them everything. TALOS tried to stand up. The worst enemy up to date, a weird starfish alien from outer space. The Deoxys reshaped themselves, after resisting Golurk’s Phantom Force thanks to their Defense Form. Three spikes, like a crown, went up from their face, while its tentacular arms sharpened and created a psychic energy orb. A new Psycho Boost. It would be the last. Both them knew. TALOS tried again standing up, with effort, taking an arm behind. For Avani, for the rest of the team, defeated around them. For everything they had lived together.
That mutant alien was very different, superior, to everything TALOS battled up until them. But it wasn’t afraid. Not anymore. Because it had its trainer’s trust. So it closed the fist it was preparing, and covered it with energy. Come on, once more. A last Dynamic Punch.
“You are dead” Said the alien, in its mind.
“No”. Replied TALOS. “I. Am. Ironman”.

And he Jumped.

 

[kithas]

And, as I knew I would eventually update it, here it is the second part! (not plot-related, but somewhat an independent sequel). Or the time Avani goes back to Reborn City and realises it's not without its memories. Again, you can read it here in Archive of our Own (this time only in english because I just wrote it like that) or just scroll down and do the same thing. Thanks for reading!

 

Spoiler

The place could have been bigger. A lot bigger. There were plenty of candidates to fill it. But, no. Avani was glad the cemetery were small and secluded. Deep into the Beryl Ward, the calmest ward on the City, and surrounded by trees, only an iron fence, its gate always opened for everyone who wanted to honor the dead. People who had to be there already knew where the Beryl Cemetery was, so there was no point on marking it into the map. An, so, Avani was able to feel the still atmosphere, the chill air, as if time didn’t dare to pass through that area. A few flocks of Spearow and other small flying Pokémon, some Meowth that entered from the mountain at night… It was a nice place. Full of memories. – I know, I know. – The Ground-type leader muttered to the tombstone, which only answered with its silence. – There has been an eternity since I was here last.

At first, when dust settled, Avani thought of making Beryl Ward her residence first. It had everything one could have wanted: The place, the mountain field, the sights, even a Gym she could have redecorated for her type. Once Reborn was made anew, Beryl had become a good ward, a quiet ward, and once, Avani had thought she could get peace up there. But she was wrong. Maybe it was her fault. To think she could live with her regrets, just like that, with memories of him mere steps away from growing again, big and dreadful like a Tangrowth out of control. People think Beryl Cemetery is empty, but it’s actually full of memories. And they still live inside the people who are still alive.

Taka should have been alive. He was the one that was right at Team Meteor. Didn’t ask for his life, his father, his destiny. Didn’t ask for his partners in crime, but learned to live with them. To put a façade and to make himself seen as another bad guy. If he had done what was supposed of him, if everyone acted as they were supposed to, Taka would still had lived. Things would have been different. Maybe he could have convinced his father and his people, make them change their ways… No. Team Meteor was Team Meteor. I was no use to think like that, to think what could have been. Not again, Avani had promised herself she wouldn’t do that again. The point was, she had broken her promise a lot lately.

– You probably wonder what am I doing in the city, after all this time. – She opted for talking to him like he was an old friend. In some ways, he was one. – Well, at first, I thought it had nothing to do with you, or anything else. But, now… I don’t know. I came here to see my people, after all.

This morning

The starting point was the poison. Maybe a virus or just a change in the water composition on the pond back home, by the mountain. The Pokémon in the water were falling ill, and when her own Gastrodon managed to be out of combat just before a Gym match (luckily, Avani had a replacement), she knew it wouldn’t just go away. And there she was, back in Reborn City, with a sick Gastrodon and making her way to Azurine Nature Center, where the scientists would probably have a solution for the problem. – Look, I’m not saying people don’t have the right to have a good time. – Victoria was saying, gesturing, nervous. – But what about the Academy? You know it’s supposed to be an isolated place to know yourself? What’s with that?
- Come on, Victoria, It’s not like they made the Academy into a holiday resort, right? You still have your place. – Heather replied, one hand around Shelly’s shoulders, and the other busy with an ice cream. – People deserve a place to wind down, after all. The city’s a busy place, you know it better than anybody. Don’t tell me you’ve never wanted to take a few days off. The beach is perfect for that.

- I wouldn’t feel relaxed with all those people going around with their beach umbrellas and their towels, and all those Pokémon teams free to roam around the sand. – Victoria didn’t allow herself to be persuaded easily. – I can’t believe Adrienn did let this happen just like that.
- I don’t know, it’s nice. – Shelly intervened, always calm and always conciliatory. Since she was with Heather she was better than ever, but some habits were more difficult to let go than others. – It might be a little noisy… - Victoria gestured a “thank you”. – But I think the city needed this. It feels nice, you know? To relax and know you’re not responsible, even if it’s only for a while…
- So you are with her in this! She took you there, didn’t her? – Victoria made a face. – I trusted you, young woman, and that’s how you repay me… - The three of them laughed. The age difference seemed to have become some sort of practical joke since Avani’s last visit.
- So, what do you think, Avani? – Shelly turned to their friend. – Do you think it’s a good or a bad idea to have a holiday Reborn southwest of Peridot Ward? – The Ground-type leader felt their eyes on her.
- I’m sorry, I thought I saw somebody. I don’t know. I think that people deserve a place of rest, and a beach… But it’s also true that I wouldn’t want a tourist attraction back in Tanzan’s mountain range.

- Oh, come on. – Heather said. – You can’t not pick a side. Tell the truth, people deserve their beach.

- I’m sorry, kids, but Avani’s on my side. – Victoria took her friend’s back. – I’ve known her longer than you, and I think she’s… - A loud noise cut her words short, followed by a shake. Around them, the Coral ward people looked around, scared, but Shelly was the one who first identified it.
- The smoke…. – A big column of smoke rose from the north of Reborn City after what could only have been an explosion. Right around the Grand Stairwell. And the same thought formed inside everyone’s minds. – It’s happening again… - Shelly said, in a whisper, eyes fixated on the smoke. – The smoke… Heather’s dad…  Team Meteor is…
- No. – Heather was the first one to jump in to shake her partner out of it. – It’s not, you hear me? I’m here, Shelly, do you hear me? I’m right here, I’m with you, and I won’t leave you alone again, you hear me? – Taking Shelly’s trembling hands between hers, Heather looked up to Victoria.
- Yes, we’ll have to deal with whatever happened. I’ll go fetch city officers, Avani, and you… Where is she?

Now

The chirping around Beryl Cemetery made her feel at calm with herself. Feel like all her worries had taken a step back and let her breathe for once. – I know, keeping tabs with each other, being true to oneself… - She thought time would somewhat help her to come to terms with everything. But, to be true, she was still that mess deep inside, that house of cards threatening to fall down at the first blow of wind. She then felt somewhat like Titania was right when she ran out to the desert just to flee from the past. But sometimes you don’t get the luxury of forgetting. – Sometimes past comes back just to bite your ass.

This noon

Avani hadn’t wait to see what was happening. She knew the smoke and the explosion could only mean bad things. Did Julia lose control again? Did one of her Gym fights go where it shouldn’t and one of the Electrodes had… She ran through the streets, keeping the possibility of Team Meteor out of her mind. That was the first time she thought of all that situation. The things she couldn’t change. The people waiting for her at the Cemetery. If there was something trying to take that peace away again… The shopping district in Obsidian Ward, the Opal hall with some of the Grand Hall’s workers looking outside, confused. She didn’t have time for that. She didn’t have time for it being too late. The fear was there, like a claw grasping her heart. A breath taken from her. A cold feeling through her gut. If Team Meteor had come back…

It would usually end in a false alarm. But not here. Not in Reborn City. After taking the Espurr that tried to flee the crime scene, Avani looked at the one who started it all, and felt a clear shiver through her spine. The worn-out grey outfit, with the X-shaped motif clearly visible, the four-colored familiar pattern… The Meteor Grunt stood on the top of the Grand Stairway, just between the Grand Gates and the hole his bomb had helped create. – How cute. Do you think you can help? You can maintain this city for what it is? – The voice the man showed his deranged state of mind. Avani looked at the injured people, left and right of the Stairway (luckily nobody seemed to have been fatal) but she didn’t look more, because the sun shining on the steel distracted her. He unsheathed his Aegislash, and between the sword Pokémon, the injured civilians, and the Team Meteor, that was the point where the memories came back to her again. That time in the Water Treatment Center, when another person wielding an Aegislash showed how savage could a human be against the ones of his kind. The blood on the WTC was gone, but the images weren’t.

She saw the Aegislash being unsheathed, her reaction was more an impulse than a thought: Beifong, her Excadrill, wasn’t fully out of the pokéball when the first quake shook the whole Stairways area. It wasn’t happening again. Not Team Meteor. Not a human Aegislash wielder. Not a terrorist threatening Reborn City’s peace.

Now

- That’s when I thought of you. – Avani kept talking to Taka. – The first time, down the WTC, we weren’t in a good state of mind enough to stop Titania from going haywire, and look where it got us. – Ironically, while that was the first time Taka had to confront Titania’s Aegislash, that wasn’t the place where he met his maker. But it was that Aegislash. – I just wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again. I always thought it actually boosted Titania’s feeling, being like it is a Ghost-type. And I thought it also had something to do here. So, I had to defeat the guy and the Aegislash.

This noon

After Aegislash flew out of the Grunt’s hand and fell to the ground’ defeated by Beifong’s Shadow Claw, the Meteor Grunt seemed somewhat disoriented. For an instant, Avani thought she had done right and it was the sword Pokémon possessing the grunt and boosting his bad feelings. But then, the Espurr Avani still held growled, in fear, and the man went again with it. A Malamar, a Gengar straight form his shadow… The good thing was that the fight helped to stop Avani’s feelings made her lock into her fight instincts without allowing her to remember anymore. It wasn’t the strongest enemy she had faced, not for a big stretch. Girafarig was easy to take down, and Gengar was finally out thanks to a last effort from Golurk before passing out. But when Avani tried to take out Mamoswine to deal with the Grunt’s Palossand, she realized something unprecedented: half her team, usually close-by at her belt, was missing. It was no error. The pokéballs had not fallen out. She hadn’t forgot to take them; she was actually intending to try and go to the beach Heather and Victoria were arguing over before. Somebody had taken her team, and when she turned back, she felt herself a fool: It was the Espurr, who ran at full speed towards North Obsidia Ward, about to get lost into the crowd. Avani started to pursue the Pokémon, but she felt the waves of energy before the Earth Power attack exploded just before her, knocking her into the ground. That’s where the Espurr stopped and turned back to her. And the “Meteor Grunt”, behind, started talking again. – What, you didn’t know you can’t flee from a Trainer Battle? Humans are truly stupid… - The Espurr in front of her, with half her team with its little hands around it, and the towering Palossand with the trainer behind her. – That’s why I think y’all should let us get the wheel. I mean, can you do this? – The man moved closer. – Just a wandering bum from the shelter, and old Meteor Outfit I found on 7^th Street, and we’ve already put in check all Reborn City and given them a grim reminder. – It was the Espurr, it had been the Espurr from the beginning. – I’ve spent almost years planning to do this, you know? Recruiting all those thugs and convincing them to fight along with me… It was easy moving around the city, you know? The only times people talked to me were when they were saying how cute I was. – It was kind of strange to hear those words from a grown-up human, from where Espurr was talking. Avani tried to get up, or to take out another of her Pokémon, but a Shadow Ball from the Palossand exploded right over where her left hand was a moment ago. – That’s why we never understood who made you humans the bigwigs of all this battles thing. You, the little, weak and puny normal-type beings who actively refuse to engage in them and let us do the dirty job… Well, from now on, it will be different. – The little Pokémon went around where Avani was, and got close to the hole. – Now that I’ve opened the door from where our psychic-type friends were enclosed, from the sacred sanctuary where the power is stored, you weak ones will have to yield. – Looking at the Espurr, Avani would have sworn it was smiling maliciously. The Gengar went out of its shadow-form just to support the idea with its big grin. - ¡today the era of Pokémon starts again! ¡Rise, comrades! ¡Come out of the hole you’ve been all your lives, and…

The words were cut short when something big and winged swiped the small pokémon out of thin air, with a deafening Buzz. The Espurr started crying when the flying pokémon took it high, and the possessed grunt cried too. – No! Don’t do it! Take your claws off me! – The Yanmega spinned wildly with the pokémon firmly grasped into its jointed appendages, until it stopped, righ in front of its owner. – Well done, Heather! – Said Shelly, who had already catched up to the battle. Her girlfriend kissed her on the cheek, and Shelly laughed. – Well done, other Heather! – Avani finally got to stand up, and realized she was not alone anymore, as a lot of trainers had gathered all around them, all of them prepared to stand up for her. The Espurr meowed, trying to make them feel sorry for it, but everyone, and specially higher-ups from Reborn League, had seen how things were.

The fake Meteor Grunt let a scream out and kneeled, hands over his head. – I’m sorry! – Le said, almost crying. – I don’t know what’s happening here, this outfit is not mine! I don’t affiliate with them anymore, please, don’t shoot!

Now, at last

Avani looked around. Was something around? It was probably some Meowth loitering around after something shiny, after all, it was getting dark. – Turns out, that Espurr was actually behind it all. Just a superpowered pokémon with an unusual ability and a tendency to crime. It lost its original owners in the chaos the city was when you… - She sighed. – When Team Meteor was winning, and, well, all those things leave a mark. – That had been the third time she had thought of the past. Sometimes she remembered feeling resentment towards Taka and Mr. Copperman Lumi and Eve, and all those people who defected from Team Meteor, because those too, had lend their power to sink Reborn City. But then, if failures were everything that mattered in people, all those good things they did would be in vain. Life was worth living. Corey was wrong.

- After the Espurr was discovered and defeated, the situation de-escalated. Palossand and the other pokémon were returned to their pokéballs, the poor guy is safe and sound, being made a check-up at the hospital, and the other victims are recovering well. I think. The only thing left is what to do with the little guy. In one hand, it is a pokémon. But, in the other, it’s a criminal. Ah… I’m glad it’s not up to me. -  It was in a cage for now, and Reborn City would take care of it form now on. The only thing left for Avani to decide, was what to have for dinner in the Spyce. After all those memories from the past, she finally noticed she needed to have new memories, with her friends.  

That was her reason to be there, after all that time, finally facing Taka’s tomb again. I’m here again, she wanted to say. I’m not afraid of memories anymore. She was. But this time, she knew she was not alone. She turned around, and was about to go towards the gates, when a faint voice, Taka’s voice, replied. “Bye”. Avani froze in site. “Bye”, the voice repeated, softly. “Bye”. Shaken for a minute by the implications of that voice, Avani turned again, only to find, much to her relief, a small pokémon, just a little bigger than a Spearow or a Pidgey, landed in a low branch near her. “Bye”, the Chatot chirped, and Avani smiled as one does when meeting with an old friend. – You were with him the whole time, did you? – The Chatot chirped again, and a small flock of smaller Chatot landed around him. Yes, Avani thought. Old memories stick around the most, and it’s no easy feat to get out of them. But, sometimes, our friends are there, to remind us we are not alone.

 

A few hours later

The cell zone of the jail was dark and it smelled bad in there. Troublemakers, drunkards, thieves, were placed there temporarily while awaiting their trial, and for the time being, the criminal Espurr was no different. The pokémon looked around with his big purple eyes, leaning against the bars, wondering which of those people would be easier to make help him escape, when a sudden noise made him look to the door, from where the light slipped through from the police station. – Okay, ma’am, take your time. That damn ball of fur is in there. – The white-haired girl Espurr was about to defeat before was there, with her penetrating glare that rivaled over Espurr’s, and her hands in her pockets. – Oh, great, you’re here to laugh at me, don’t you? – The Espurr rolled his eyes as high as he could. – Who am I kidding, you cannot even understand me, can you?
- In fact, I can. – The visitor surprised him with a grin. Was she listening such a long list of profanity when they defeated him? – I only wanted to say how fun it was to see you struggling to get all that people’s attention, what you really craved.
- Hey! – The small pokémon took offence.
- What? You had a pretty good spot with that guy, and you blew it. Literally. You know why the og Team Meteor did as damage as they did? Because they didn’t go for a quick and flashy show once they got their hands in some power. They infiltrated, they made a net under the city, and then started knocking down Reborn City from the insides. Then they got flashy.
That was strange. When Espurr had faced the white-haired ground leader, Avani, she didn’t seem to be the scheming type. – Come on, girl, I am no legendary, cut me some slack, will you? Besides, if you let me try again, I will try better next time, deal?

- The point is, my dear Espurr, you won’t. Because all you want is to get flashy and get seen. It must have been alone, with nobody to look at you for so long. Do you want to know how I know? Because that game you’re playing as a newbie, some of us are already playing as masters. – The young woman with Avani’s appearance stepped back again and turned towards the halfway closed door to the cell ward, with one last stop to look down on Espurr. – You know what they say, little one… - In an instant, the figure flashed, and instead of Avani, the shocked Espurr saw and old woman with a cane, and the Zoroark who actually was smirking at him, before turning back to the fake Avani. – “We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when…”