Wednesday, May 10th, 1989

The Colran heat was blistering. Hot enough to make Lieutenant Tomilson take his jumper off and throw it into a bin in the corner of the pub. The Colran people brushed against one another shoulder to shoulder. People coughing, smoking and drinking. Glass bottles were strewn all over the tables. Tipped glasses and empty berry bowls were everywhere in sight. The worst part about it all, in Lieutenant Tomilson's eyes, was it was barely 10 am. His eyes wandered over to an empty table where he sat down. The wooden varnish had been stained by drink. He raised his fingers to the barmaid for two and leaned back in his chair.

The door rang as a tall man with ginger hair came in, waving. His red short-sleeved shirt was marked with paint, and his brown shorts were stained with mud. His eyes were blue-green, and his face was sprinkled with freckles. He pushed through the Colran and sat down at the table.

"So, it is true. You actually got married," Lieutenant Tomilson laughed.

"Indeed," the man responded. "It must drive you nuts being a teacher. I mean, I want kids, but..."

"Nah, they are mostly good kids: even the bad ones, Cohnen. Take, er... this one kid, Archipelago, for example. He lost both his legs in the attack on the capital city. He moved here with his Aunt and Uncle. His dream is to play scoof at the top league level. He can do it, too. He's leader material. There is a kid here called James. Now, that kid is one of the bad ones. Disruptive has been in trouble with the law... but underneath it all, he is just hurting. He thinks just because he is fostered or adopted or whatever his situation is, he's got something to prove." Lieutenant Tomilson picked up the bottle that the barmaid placed in front of him and started to chug it down. "Teaching and being a soldier at the same time is killing me, though. I can't wait for them actually to send teachers from Elktan."

"Being adopted is tough. I take it he doesn't tell people, but it is obvious? I beat the shit out of you when you called me out on being adopted." Lord Kek touched the beads on his wristband.

"If I recall, I won that fight." Lieutenant Tomilson nudged Lord Kek's shoulder. "Boy or a girl?"

"One of each. Sara and I want them to have a sibling so they never feel alone. You know my dad was adopted, too? It's a Kek tradition at this point." Lord Kek smiled and held his band tighter.

A crash from outside crept through the busy pub. Lieutenant Tomilson stood up and placed a wad of coins down on the table, and beside him, Lord Kek also stood up. They both looked at each other and pushed past the crowd and through the door. Lieutenant Tomilson saw Sergeant Sutton running down the street after a ragged boy.

"Trouble making sod," Sergeant Sutton puffed and looked to Lieutenant Tomilson. "S-sir? Sorry. Ha- James stole my damn keys and my volcarona." Sergeant Sutton took a deep breath in and sprinted after him.

Lord Kek looked at Lieutenant Tomilson and grinned. He sprinted forward and overtook Sergeant Sutton. His arms pressed against the top of the wall, and he jumped over it and ran into the street. He looked left to right and then straight ahead. He grinned and ran towards the park. His undone laces flicked up, hitting his shins as he ran into the grass.

"Who the fuck are you?" James shouted. "Stay back, or I'll battle you!" James pulled out a green poké ball from his pocket and sent out his onix. Her golden body shone in the sun's rays. She opened her mouth wide and let out an almighty screech.

"So, you like to battle, huh? Me too!" Lord Kek took a blue poké ball out of his pocket. He bowed in place and under arm threw his poké ball forward.

"Cohnen... don't kill him!" Lieutenant Tomilson shouted next to Sergeant Sutton, struggling to catch his breath.

"No worries! This will be fun! My copperajah hasn't seen an onix before," Lord Kek said, jumping on the spot. He threw his hand forward, and the copperajah raised her large green trunk. The golden lining on her body glimmered in the sunlight. She raised her sturdy, thick front legs before slamming them into the ground. The ground shook as she did, creating cracks which danced from side to side. However, James's onix rolled forward into the ground and split the already cracked ground into dusty fragments.

"Come on, Okta! Take it out!" James turned to his side, holding Sergeant Sutton's poké ball in his left hand. His eyes widened as the copperajah refused to stop her charge, heading straight for him. Over 1000 kilos of steel pokémon, double his height, unwavering and unyielding. His face turned, and his heart raced.

"James, look at this. Your dad left this for you."

"Damn it, boy, when will you learn you can't leave?"

"Make it stop. The poison hurts!"

"Oh, Okta, without you, I can't keep going..."

James opened his eyes, and to his amazement, his onix slammed into the copperajah, clashing the gold and green caught his eyes. The sound of rock grinding against metal grated his ears, and he gritted his teeth. The ground rumbled, and the copperajah was knocked to the side. That's it, Okta. Beat this guy, James thought.

"Nice job dodging both my attacks. But..." Lord Kek gestured to James's side. "You left yourself open."

"James, you little terror," Sergeant Sutton said, grabbing him by his right arm and then wrapping his arms around him from behind. "You can't just go and steal people's pokémon." He grabbed James's wrist and took the poké ball from his hand. "My volcarona wouldn't listen to you." He lessened his grip on James and stepped back. "Continue."

"You could have warned me, Elktan arsehole!" James scrunched his face up and crossed his arms.

"Elkran," Sergeant Sutton corrected.

"Fuck you." James looked down at the ground and kicked the ground. "How did you manage to use two moves at once anyway?"

"It's straightforward. He is a Lord. I am a Lord. Move out the way, kid." A figure emerged from the treeline. His face had a sour, twisted grin painted on it, and his teeth had been carved into fangs.

"Oh hey, it's that guy, you know, the blond-haired one. You know he is totally cute. Did you guys know that? Spitzy, did you know he is cute? I'd totally date that," Lady Smith said, chipper. She was still dressed in her Colran Lady's uniform. The forest green blended in with the trees. "Oh wow, there is a ginger one too. He is even cuter. If you weren't Elkran, I would totally ask you out on a date. Anyway, since I can't because we are at war, I'll just kill you or even more fun, I'll take you prisoner and then Spitzy can introduce you to Lord Elite Madison. He can fix you and make you less... that and more like Spitzy. Spitzy is a Lord Interrogator. Did you know that?"

Silence fell across the park as she smiled and swayed from side to side. The moment dragged on long enough for James's stomach to churn. What does she want? He looked at her grin and her large circular glasses, which he noted were far too big for her. His eyes glanced at Sergeant Sutton.

One, I am married. Two... just... no. Sweat broke through his skin into the tiny droplets dotting his face. But if she beats us in a fight... I shudder to think. He imagined being brought before the Lord Elite from Colran. The elderly man would be shorter than him and physically weaker than him, sure, but his battle experience would make Sergeant Sutton feel like a child on his first day of school. Sergeant Sutton squeezed his poké ball tightly and looked to the others. He could see James with a vacant yet confused expression on his face and Lord Kek with an outright scowl. Lieutenant Tomilson, on the other hand, looked calm. His hands were tucked in his pockets, and his eyes narrowed in on the target.

"Reinforcements will be here in a moment, and if you used the electric stone to prevent that, you'd have weakened yourself. Forgive me, my dear Lady, but there are three of us, four if you include the kid. You are injured from your previous fight on top of that. Two of you against three of us? It will be another victory for the region of Elktan." Lieutenant Tomilson stepped forward and bowed mockingly towards her. His eyes, however, didn't blink for a single second. They remained focused on her and her poké balls.

Lady Smith's movement was still fast enough to knock him off his feet if she so wished, and he knew it. The Lord Interrogator of Colran, Markus Spitz, was less of a threat in his eyes. A remnant of the Spitz bloodline, yet to be extinguished. Lieutenant Tomilson heard footsteps behind him and saw a tally of Elkran Lords rush over, swords drawn and hands gripped on their poké balls.

"Oh wow, you are totally ready to fight, huh? Let's fight then." Lady Smith grinned. "Oh yeah, there aren't just two of us. There are six." She tossed a poké ball in her hand and sent her electrode, luxray, ampharos and rillaboom onto the grass. She looked at her followers and nodded.

"I won't let you hurt anyone here." Lord Kek stepped forward, and his copperajah locked eyes with Lady Smith. I can manage two pokémon at once. She has four out... but still, I can try and help, he thought. He grabbed a second poké ball and flicked his wrist. As his mightyena's large grey and black paws struck the ground, his copperajah bellowed out to get his attention. His fingers twitched, and he shuffled back to the side of his copperajah. He fixated on the electrode rolling around in place. "High horsepower! Sucker punch!"

Lord Kek's copperajah raised her legs, and she slammed into the ground. The cracks shot underneath the feet of guards and pokémon alike. Her feet struck back down on the ground, and Lord Kek looked around for the electrode and luxray. The sound of metal being sawed and grated grabbed his attention. He slammed his hands against his ears and caught a glimpse of the electrode burning and electrocuting against the trunk of his copperajah. He staggered backwards in shock as the burn marks scarred her. He looked around, left to right; his mouth hung open, and words couldn't come out. He was frozen in place.

"You okay, kid?" Captain Bourbabel asked his blue jacket barely on his shoulders. His tie's trinity knot was more of a knot.

"Er... yes, right... use iron defence!" Lord Kek shouted and shook his head.

"Hishrak, Barook!" Captain Bourbabel tossed the two pokémon's poké balls onto the glass and reached his hand out. The stone held by Lady Smith started to shake. A bolt of lightning shot towards him, and the sparks twisted around. However, the bolt darted past him and into the ground.

Captain Bourbabel looked back to Hishrak, who rolled his eyes. "Thanks, buddy." He crossed his wrists and took a single step forward. Energy sparkled around him in a pink whirlwind. The whirlwind burst, and the alakazam teleported out. His spoons floated just above his hands, and Captain Bourbabel's sword floated above his head, twirling in place. A pinsir snapped at one of the Elkran guards. Deal with that. Protect them. He turned his head and glanced at the battlefield. One, two... "James!" he shouted and scowled at him. What if you get hurt? Why are you even here?

The alakazam flew at the pinsir and built a swirling ball of shadows in his hand. The pinsir opened his large pincers, and the white spikes on them pulled together gleefully at the thought of crushing another pokémon in them. His face dropped into a scowl, and he snapped rapidly. A groan left his vertical jaw.

"Get over it. You two are on the same side!" Lord Spitz called out, irritated that his muk had reached out and punched his alakazam squarely in the chest and interrupted the pinsir's desires.

"Sutton, can you handle that muk? Get James behind you first, though!" Captain Bourbabel called out.

The stench of the muk filled Sergeant Sutton's nostrils, and the noise surrounded him, but he understood what Captain Bourbabel had tried to say. His feet planted into the grass, and he ducked under a rouge dragon pulse.

"Sir! The building!" Sergeant Sutton called out. He grabbed James by the arm and pulled him back. He saw that the protective field had shot up in front of the dragon pulse, but not before the alakazam had been knocked down into the ground.

"Ha-... James, listen to me; I know you think I am an Elkran jerk, but please... stay safe. These people are dange-" The ground beneath Sergeant Sutton's feet shook. He pressed the button on his poké ball and sent his Volcarona into battle. "James, be careful. If they attack you, defend yourself or run." He saw the marowak in the distance, whom he believed was responsible for the attack. Okay, I need to deal with that guy. However, I must help the Captain first. He drew his sword and ran at the Muk.

"Lord Interrogator Spitz, huh? You are one of the ones who must die!" Sergeant Sutton's face turned red, and the wind and noise swirling around him pulsated. He stabbed with his sword and called out, "Air cutter!" The blade caught Lord Spitz's arm, and a little blood came out. The air around him swirled, pushing the sound waves back into the Corlan attackers. The muk spat out gunk at him. However, the powerful air cutter pushed it back into him and the porygon-z. That's the porygon that shot electricity at the captain. "Ah ha!" Sergeant Sutton dived at the Lord and grabbed his arm, digging his fingers into the cut on his arm.

The Lord reacted to his grab quickly, punching Sergeant Sutton in the chin and kicking him in the knee.

Sergeant Sutton felt a leather strap on the Lord's wrist. A shiver crept down his spine, and he dug his nails in. With his other hand, he unfastened it. The Lord punched Sergeant Sutton hard enough for him to cough and vomit before he flung Sergeant Sutton back across the grass until he was under the copperajah's raised feet. Sergeant Sutton, dazed, saw the large stomping feet coming crashing down on him. He raised his hand to protect his face but was flung out of the way.

"Sir. I got it! I got his mega stone!" Sergeant Sutton held up the leather strap and the stone attached to it. "Air cutter, one more time! Clear the air!" His volcarona flapped her wings, pushing the air in a thunderous manner, swirling, and ripping up the grass as it pushed the against the Colran forces.

"Fuck you. Kill him!" Lord Interrogator Spitz ran at Sergeant Sutton and drew his sword up.

"Thanks, Incaresta! Now I can think!" Captain Bourbabel raised his hand forward, and the pinsir flew back; it snapped its jaw relentlessly, trying to grab hold of the alakazam. "Barook keep battering the porygon with brave bird. I know you are hurt, but keep putting pressure on it! Hishrak, let's go." The alakazam bounced back up onto his feet and raised the sword. He sent it hurtling towards the Lord, slicing the side of his leg with a glimmering blade. Good, that should slow him down. He isn't drawing his shield, though. Did Sutton draw that much rage?

The boy is the same. Kill him, Clarence. Cleanse the world of evil like him.

James isn't anything like this man, but he has the same bloodline. I could kill him here and make it look like an accident. No. Why would I think that? You won't get in my head, stone. Not now or ever. Captain Bourbabel pointed his finger at the pinsir. "Shadow ball." A swirling ball of dark, twisting shadows merged and fired into the pinsir. The pinsir bowed its head and snapped away at the ball. It grabbed the ball and crushed it in his pincers. The explosion knocked it back to the ground, but it leapt back onto its skinny legs. It stood still, shaking.

"Guillotine!" Lord Spitz called out. His words caused Captain Bourbabel and Sergeant Sutton to turn and stare at the pinsir. The pinsir grabbed hold of the alakazam's head and pressed down. "No!" Lord Spitz screamed. He knelt and grabbed his injured leg. His eyes' piercing stare locked onto the pinsir as he flew through the air and into the side of the large copperajah.

A cracking sound caught Sergeant Sutton's attention. He swung around and grabbed James, pulling him in close before he pushed him behind himself. He froze and stared at the body on the floor. He saw a sword swinging around in a Lady's hand. Sergeant Sutton reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. She wasn't grinning like he had expected. Sergeant Sutton stepped back and held James's hand. He saw James reach into his pocket, pull out his onix's poké ball, and return her to it safely.

"Come on, James, let's get away from the copperajah. She almost crushed me. That was horrifying." His volcarona flew back, flipping in the air and firing another air cutter into the muk. Oh, right, I have that to deal with, too. I don't think I am cut out to fight a Lady or a Lord. Sergeant Sutton muttered, "Fuck."

"I'll deal with it! Focus on your battle!" Lord Kek called out. His sword clashed against Lady Smith's. Without a shield, he felt a sickness in his stomach. This is life and death, and she is more prepared than I am. She moved faster than he could see. Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but a blur. She was only slowing down to swing. Lord Kek took his focus off his copperajah and switched to his mightyena. "Keep going, girl. High horsepower, again. Come on, boy! Use sucke-"

The blade struck Lord Kek's lip. He could feel it tingle, and he staggered back. He heard his mightyena growl and snap his jaw. The sounds he heard became muffled, and he felt dizzy. His stomach pounded, and he looked down to see a knife blade just above his ribs. Fucking hell. No, don't pull it out. Focus. "Use sucker punch on the luxray!" The earth under his feet shook. He looked up, and his hands trembled. The mightyena dug its claws into the ground and bared its fangs at the luxray. The silver and black mane of the dark type barely stood out against the black and blue fur of the electric kind as they collided on the floor. They rolled around, growling and slashing their claws around, trying to injure one another. Lord Kek slouched down, holding his side. He closed his eyes tightly.

"Don't fall asleep. You must stand up and fight. Give yourself your adrenaline shot if you must." Captain Bourbabel grabbed Lord Kek's arm and pulled himself up onto his feet. "It stings, yes, it is probably worse than a stinging pain, but you must stay focused, young Lord." Captain Bourbabel swung both of his hands in front of him and pushed the Lady onto her back. "Ugh," he muttered, keeled over and threw up. Damn it. Using my powers too much makes me just... No. Focus Clarence. His braviary dived down, and he jumped up, stood on his tail and grabbed hold of the tuft of feathers at the back of his neck. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and placed his goggles on his head as he flew up. The battle raged below in a messy splodge of colour. 

The battle rages, and lives are on the line. How will things end up going? 

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