Chairman Darrell Paulson officially began the Trial of Austin Jared Rhodes. The ten council members acted as the jury. Since Rico was there for part of it, He served as AJ's defense. Rico had just five minutes to prepare his opening statement. Turns out, He only needed four and a half. He stepped in front of the council and began talking.

     "Grand Council of Terra Doma... My name is Ricardo Rhodes, but you probably knew that already. If you were expecting a plea for the life of AJ or cries for mercy, sorry to spoil your fun. I'll be doing none of that. My Brother, AJ, only assaulted those two because they made the choice to insult our mother, who after our father's Surfacing, is our only parent and provider. And suddenly, he's labeled a menace to everyone for defending his family's honor, sentenced to banishment? Are morals so dead, that even down here where we're thousands of feet below the nearest grave on the surface, that this very sanctuary we've called our safe haven has become the grave of our very principles on which we started this Council? Pride, Justice, Equality... You make these rules for the sole purpose of disposing of every opposition... is that for our protection, or yours? To maintain your privilege? Chairman, We invoke the right to a fair, unbiased trial, not this premeditated Council dictated affair!"
  
        After his statement, The video evidence caught on security cameras was played. It showed AJ getting shoved out of his seat as they were insulting him. "There's the catalyst. Right there. That made things go downhill." Rico stated to the Council. However, one Council member demanded to see the carnage. Rico nervously watched as the Council members uneasily watched AJ break bones and take down guards. Amber was the only one who didn't seem bothered. After all, Luke was one of her oldest sons. This was mild compared to what Luke could do! After some deliberation, the Council took a Preliminary vote, meaning it would be up to either the defense or the prosecution to change the Jury's mind, based on which way they were swinging. After Deliberation, A Gardevoir stood to deliver the report. "9 to 1, Guilty of Aggravated Assault with intent to kill. Punishment, Surfacing."

        Rico couldn't believe it. "You're still going to surface him?! Where radiation may be strong enough to kill him in minutes? He's only 15!" Darrell looked down, distraught. The gardevoir to his right, named DeLeah Arias, stood up and spoke on behalf of the council. "Chairman Paulson's newer laws have been voted on by the residents and were approved. Therefore, it's the only course of action we can take, Mr. Rhodes. Your Brother did act out violently..." But Rico cut her off. "Out of Retaliation! Those two were insulting our mother, Who's sitting on this very council! They called her all sorts of things I cannot mention in an official trial!" 
    
        Arias countered, "This is as official as a trial can get! We are the Law down here! You are just the spawn of a great woman, but you have none of the rights she does! Your mother is more than you little violence-loving DOGS will ever be!" Amber grumbled while Paulson barked from his seat. "Arias! Control yourself or you will be removed from this Court!" She nodded and sat down again, allowing Rico to continue. "Allow me to accompany him." Amber objected from her seat. "Absolutely not! I refuse to lose you too! You know you'd be leaving me with nobody, right? Rico, you don't have to do this!" But Rico wouldn't budge. "Either I go with or neither of us go. I'm telling you, this is not a mista..." However, Rico was silenced by Councilwoman Arias. "It doesn't matter! He blatantly broke the law! He must be punished accordingly! Austin Jared Rhodes will be sent to the surface, whether it kills him or not!" An eerie Silence filled the room as Amber slowly rose to her feet. "If he dies, I demand every mon on this council resign as a result for ridding me of my entire family! I have no husband because of this Council. I lost a son because of them. I'm about to lose my youngest. God forbid you Surface my last one with him!" Rico's ears perked up, having an idea. Amber saw the look in his eyes and knew very well what her son was thinking. "Very well." She said, beginning to tear up and run to the exit. "I QUIT THIS TRIAL!" She exclaimed. A guard began to chase her, but Paulson stopped the guard. "These are her sons. It's an emotional thing for any family member to get surfaced, let alone to be the one to vote on it. Rhodes, talk. You had a look in your eyes that obviously upset your mother."  

"How're the Oxygen tanks doing? Hard to live with only a few months left, Ain't it?" Rico was putting his own life at risk here. Arias rose, furious. "We will have you executed if you even dare speak to the public!" Rico grinned. He had the ball in his hands now. "No thanks. Here's my offer: Let me go to the Surface or I make some more information public; You're sending 7 groups of 20 mons each to the overworld for testing. Send me and A.J. with them. We'll be off your hands and helping your little experiment, plus you get rid of any chance of insurrection. But if you'd rather execute A.J, I can always go public before leaving. So this choice isn't mine to make. I've made my move. And since the only way to get what you want is to do what I want..." When councilwoman Arias states "The Council does not listen to the requests of delinquents, much less domestic terrorists like you!" Rico responded with a grin. "Yeah, about that... That wasn't a request." Paulson stood and announced "Dismissed. Surface AJ, Put Rico in Luke's old cell. He's too dangerous to be in the public." Rico sighed. "I guess I have no other move to make." He walked to the door, both guards blocking his way. Unexpectedly, He Knocked one out with a punch to the neck, then was struck in the face by the other guard. Rico only got more mad from this. He blasted the other one with a Dragon Pulse. It was also a crime to use your moves to harm another resident. Rico looked at the council, then at AJ, then to Paulson. He walked to the Defender's stand and said one word before he and AJ took off. "Checkmate."
    
    
        In her apartment, All Amber could do was cry. All three sons, plus her husband. Why'd she even take the job in the first place? She heard a knock on her door, which she opened. Paulson was there. The Typhlosion entered, with no opposition from Amber. "Hey, can we talk?" He tried being as kind as possible, but she was having none of it. "Shut the fuck up and turn around before I do something I'll regret, Darrell." He slowly backed up. "Amber, look, I'm sorry!" She threw an empty tequila bottle at him, which barely missed and shattered against the wall, but it got him to step back far enough to be out her front door. "Like hell you are! You only feel bad because you've known me for what, 35 years? You dated me in high school and Never moved on after I dumped you? You surfaced my Husband, YOUR BEST FRIEND! You can't tell me one damned word about Sorry, because your lying ass only looks out for you and the rest of those stuck-up over-privileged PRICKS!" She slammed the door in his face, then locked it and turned her back to the door. Then, she slouched down to the floor and began crying. First Jared, then Luke, Rico, and AJ on the same day. Could her life get any worse? She went to check on some things of Jared's that she always kept to remember him by. Something was amiss, however. Jared loved making weapons from metal. It was a side hobby of his. Two of his most prized items were gone; A Perfected Katana and a set of Daggers. "Rico..." She said, looking out her window. "Use them well. Protect AJ. Find your Father. And please... Send him back to me."

          Meanwhile, at the Selection station, Pokémon were being grouped into groups of 20. Rico and AJ hopped into line with a group under the Greek letter for "Omega". AJ looked up at his brother. "What do we do now?" Rico looked at the 18 others in the group. "We survive."

Among them were:
-2 Zoroark, one male, one female.
-female Lucario
-male gallade
-male Jolteon
-3 Lycanroc, 2 male, 1 female
-female Blaziken
-Male Zeraora
-Male Quilava
-Female Persian
-Female Raichu and Ampharos
-female Houndoom
-Female Charizard
-Male Rhydon
-Male Scyther
-Male Cinderace

(Just an intro to the Omega squad. To debut them next chapter!)