Thursday, May 11 th , 1989

The incident the day before had been plastered all over the news, not that Lioa could read it that well. However, the school paper had a good picture of the battle. Lioa slumped down at his homeroom desk and groaned. The thought of having to sit through another class drained his soul from his body. He imagined seeing it being sucked into the wooden floorboards and gliding out the door carefree. He looked at his timetable and felt relief at the saving grace of only being in classes for three hours. He grinned and remembered that his first period was Chemical Substances, and they had been promised the opportunity to meet a muk. The door opened and caught his attention, and he saw Lieutenant Tomilson come in. The room suddenly quietened down, and all eyes locked on him.

"Yes, yes, I have a scratch on my face. Moving on. You may notice two of your number is missing. Before you have a complete breakdown over it, James is in hospital with a broken collar bone, and Kitiku is in his room. They might come along, they might not." He stretched his arms and sat down at his desk. "Oh, the first and second periods are cancelled." The sound of the students getting up from their desks flooded the room. "Excuse me! That doesn't mean you can leave. We have some important things to talk about." Lieutenant Tomilson sighed. As well as I can play this part, I really hope they get their shit together in the capital and send teachers to Colran. Soldiers are not cut out for this job at all. They have their duties to adhere to. We are not trained teachers, damn it.

The door opened, and Kitiku crept it. However, every pair of eyes stared at him. His face went bright red, and he shivered. He crutched over to Lieutenant Tomilson, looked down at the floor, and shuffled a little. "S-s-s..." He trembled where he stood. The words he had wanted to say refused to come out. He tried to raise his hands to sign what he wanted to say.

"It's okay, Kitiku. Take a deep breath and go." Lieutenant Tomilson plopped his hat on the desk.

"Sir, can we talk?" Kitiku signed. He briefly glanced up and saw Lieutenant Tomilson nodding at him. He turned around to take his seat, but a pot of ink struck his blazer. Octillery ink went everywhere, all down him, all over the floor. His head started to spin at the sound of snickering and laughter.

"That's what you get for being an Elktan's pet!" Lioa called out and swung on his chair.

"Takui! Sit the fuck down. I am not dealing with your bullshit today. People died in that fight. Your friend could have died, and instead of acting like a fourteen-year-old, you are behaving like you are ten. Do I have to send you to the Junior School, or are you going to behave like you belong in this school? You could at least have the decency to get my nationality correct! It is Elkran, not Elktan." Lieutenant Tomilson paused and put his hand on his dragapult's poké ball. "Kitiku, sit down. We can talk after class, okay?" He smiled at him before leaning against his desk.

"So, it is May. That means that for you, there is one month until the first Kirot Akalt Academy exam. This exam gives you the opportunity to go to the best school in the whole of Coltar, be it Colran, Elktan or, in some people's eyes, even Kilgor. This, if you can get in, would give you a huge advantage in the future. However, only maybe fifty of you would make it in – not fifty in this school, fifty in the entire of Colran and Elktan combined. To clarify, there are two types of exams: the Guard's Exam and the Student's Exam. You will all be blood tested, and if you have a quarter or more Elktan blood, you are forced to take the Guard's Exam; the rest of you have a choice, and that is what today is all about. Dr. Smith will be doing this class's blood test. Please, do not upset her; I don't want to deal with a pissed-off Lady." Lieutenant Tomilson got up and walked to the door. "Stand when she comes in and bow; don't, for the love of giratina, make a scene."

Lieutenant Tomilson opened the door, and the class stood up, except Kitiku and the boy in a wheelchair sitting in the back. He knelt in front of her and moved his hand to his left shoulder. He closed his eyes and breathed out as she touched his shoulder. She looked at the class and then back at him.

"They don't look the material, but we shall soon see. Also, you have a missing space. I suppose that is the child in the hospital? The one who had a full-on tantrum." She nodded and walked to the front, and pulled out a needle. "Who wants to go first?"

Lioa raised his hand. "Bitch, please, let's just get it over with. No one likes you, Elktan twats, anyway. I'm Lord material, just not yours." He smirked and swung on his chair.

"Oh, for fucks sake..." Lieutenant Tomilson muttered under his breath.

"Hold still." The Lady grabbed his arm and jabbed him. She saw him jolt up and close his eyes as tight as he could. "All done. Now let's see if you are worthy, boy." Carefully, she placed some of the blood on a small circular disk and sealed it. She held up his blood sample so the class could see it and then pulled out a small device from her inside jacket pocket. "This device is linked to the Elkran blood network, and it will check your blood for matches in the Elkran database." She noticed the machine's infernal beeping made some of the teenagers scrunch up nervously. "And done. Negative. You have no Elkran matches. Oh, right, I should do your hospitalised classmate's blood, too." Once again, she placed the blood sample on the device, and the beeping began. "What the... that's at least a 50% match. He must have an Elkran parent, or two Elkran grandparents, etc."

Lieutenant Tomilson looked at her, unsure at first. His screwed-up face stood out, and she looked at him. He felt the cold stare pass over him, so he dropped the look and stared down at the floor. James and Kitiku will inevitably have different results. Then what? He watched as a few others in his class flagged as potential candidates for the exams. So, James's mum or dad was an Elkran Guard, possibly? If that is the case, then surely his grandparents will take him in. A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned, hand on his blade.

"Nearly done?" Captain Bourbabel asked.

"Oh, um, yes. I was just thinking." Lieutenant Tomilson looked at the Lady who had just taken Kitiku's blood. Here we go, he thought. However, nothing was said as Kitiku came up as negative. I suppose she didn't realise. "Thank you for your time. Those who came up positive will receive a letter in your post-boxes soon. Now, Captain Bourbabel is here to talk to you about what he needs to."

"Alright, so James is adopted. That is why he has test results that are different from those of his brother. He wouldn't want me to tell you this, but considering a lot of you seemed not even to know he existed up until he turned up on day one, it makes sense. My understanding is his parents died before the war. Please respect the fact he won't want to talk about it, and please treat him the same as you would any other person." Captain Bourbabel glanced over the group, and he saw them nod.

"... excuse me..." Lieutenant Tomilson said, hurrying past Captain Bourbabel and out the door. I need to get closer to that boy. I need to find out the reason why Hanson Rei attacked them on that train. It is my duty to my nation to find and kill that man if I can.

Captain Bourbabel waved at him as he left and turned back to the classroom, filled with faces expectantly looking up at him. He smiled back at them and sat on the desk.

"Can we just get on with shit?" Lioa blurted out. "I'm so tired of being stuck in this damn school."

"Of course, Mr. Takui. I know you are a little twitchy after the events that have been going on. So... so... so... so, what do we do, hmm? We have a powerful trainer on the loose and she is armed and dangerous. We certainly do not go looking for her. We absolutely do everything in our power to not get arrested or take the Elkran army's or police's focus off of her. She has killed, and she could kill again. As can he – Hanson Rei. They are not your friends. They are not on your side. I don't want to have to take your lifeless bodies to your parents and explain how, despite being told not to, you put yourselves in danger and died. Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

The class nodded at him without a word, and Captain Bourbabel felt some relief wash over him. "On another note, the rogue charizard from the Marsten Hall incident has been allegedly spotted nearby. Under absolutely no circumstances are you to approach it if you see it. It is a high-level strength. It could very well kill you. As per the law, we are obligated to execute all of the evolution line. Do you understand?" Once again, the glass nodded under the muffled Yes, sir. "And with that, you may go. All classes are cancelled today."

But what about our conversation? Kitiku thought as he looked around for Lieutenant Tomilson. He slumped into his chair and tucked his head down against his desk for a moment. He felt Captain Bourbabel place his hand on the desk and pull up a chair beside him. He looked up at Captain Bourbabel, and his tears dripped down his face.

"I think he wants to talk to your mum and dad about you and James. You miss your big brother? Would you like to go to the big memorial in the capital and celebrate him? We can talk to your mum and dad, and see if they want to come too. Would you like me to tell them how you feel?" Captain Bourbabel asked.

Kitiku raised his hands and signed, "Yes. I miss my big brother very much, and I'd do anything to be with him again. For him to be here. There is a tree memorial for him in the cemetery." He smiled a little at Captain Bourbabel's nod and slowly stood up from his desk. He picked up his bag and crutched out of the room behind Captain Bourbabel.

"It will be great!" Lioa said to Andrew and glanced at Kitiku and Captain Bourbabel coming out of the room. "Kitiku, you twat! You gotta come! We are going to go catch some pokémon." He looked at Captain Bourbabel with an icy, cold stare. "Oh, I see how it is. Do you think you are better than us? Whatever. Come on, Rew-Rew." Lioa stormed out the school door with his brother in tow. The rain started to patter down his clothes.

"Actually, Lioa, I'm going to go home. It's raining a lot..." Andrew whispered.

"You know what? Fine. Be like that!" Lioa slammed his foot into a stone and sent it hurtling into the school wall. He pushed his hands into his pockets and walked toward the town. He saw the street lampent tuck themselves in, under door overhangs, tarps or even beg to come inside as the rain poured down. He saw his hair in a puddle, which had turned to a darker shade of cyan as he stared down at the ground. He walked through the town and into the Happy Gastrodon. The bell rang as he walked through the door. Lioa noticed the cashier was staring at him. I suppose there are no Guards or soldiers on duty today.

Lioa quickly walked down the aisle and picked up a small parcel of pokémon treats, stared at them, turned them over and pretended to read the ingredients on the back. He waited a few moments, glanced back to the cashier, and the second he turned around, Lioa picked up three poké balls and stuffed them into his pockets. He walked over to the desk and placed the treat box on the desk.

"This please, and um... a pack of the salac berry boosters please," Lioa pointed at the pack on the wall shelf, and placed some coins on the desk.

"Do you have ID?" the cashier asked. To his surprise, Lioa took out his ID card and placed it on the desk. "Alright. You don't look fourteen, but that's what it says. Here you go, kid."

Lioa nodded at the cashier, left the shop, and walked out the door to the edge of town. His clothes orange blazer had turned dark, and he refused to take any more water in. He glanced around the street. That's... odd. There are no patrols? After that tauros shit lecture, they gave us... He huffed and pulled down on his blazer. With those super 'dangerous' people on the loose, they would surely be more twatty and put more patrols out. When I came in, there were Guards and soldiers everywhere.

Lioa's hair dripped down his face, and he approached the forest. The trees looked dauntingly down at him, leaving Lioa with a twisting feeling in his stomach. However, he brushed past the low-hanging branches and marched on. The muddied trail covered his white shoes and his socks as his feet were sucked down into the path. The mud beneath his feet almost wobbled as a roar echoed out from deeper into the forest. A shiver danced down his spine, and he looked up to see the starly, staravia and even the staraptor of the forest flee. Close behind them were the other flying type pokémon rising above the forest. Even from where he stood, he could see their faces were filled with fear. That must be a powerful pokémon... Lioa trudged through the mud. His path was blocked by pokémon fleeing the mysterious pokémon in the distance. If it roars again, I might be able to determine what it is. He put his hand on his poké ball and ran into the trees.

The twisted path was filled with scorch marks on the trees and fallen branches. Lioa touched the marks on each tree he passed and felt the wood get hotter with each metre he ran. The trees started to appear contorted, bending over and twisting in on themselves, blackened and covered with ash. Lioa slowed himself as he felt his heart pound in his chest; he reached the nearby tree, whose wood disintegrated in his fingers. The roar echoed again, and Liao covered his ears as the soundwaves smashed into him. He felt a little blood on his hand. Covering his ears hadn't been enough, and a tear snuck down his face. Fuck. My eardrum... this pokémon must be super powerful, he thought, and up ahead, he saw the clearing from where the sound emanated.

Silence fell for a few moments, and Lioa took a deep breath. Much to his annoyance, in front of him, stretched a yellow tape. He crouched down and squelched through the mud, slipping beneath it and into the clearing. He saw a toxricity in the clearing attacking some Elktan soldiers. Lioa craned his neck up to see its blue mohawk buzzing with electricity. Damn. That thing is well over two metres tall. Toxtricity aren't meant to be more than like... one and a half. He covered his ears and tucked himself behind a log. He peered over the top of his temporary shield. Fuck me, they all have burst eardrums or worse. He stared at the toxtricity, waiting for it to make its move.

Lioa felt a chill down his spine, looked around and felt the static electricity in the air brush over him, like he was a bump in the street. He felt a little nausea creep in when he saw the large pokémon fire, which was a discharge bolt across the clearing. He ducked down behind the log once again and heard the screams and yelling of the soldiers being flung back into the trees or collapsing onto the floor. He peered back over the log to see the toxtricity. His legs shook, but he felt a tingle in the back of his neck, and his heart started to pound faster and faster. He stepped out from his hiding spot and pulled his gurdurr's poké ball up to his chest. His eyes locked onto the toxtricity. The toxtricity let out another loud boomburst and he fell back over. His stomach churned a little as silence, with the exception of the newfound ringing in his ears, fell for the first time. He peered down at his aching wrist, now with a deep cut. Lioa scrambled onto his feet and glared back at the toxtricity. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadowy creature cast a dark cloud over the area.

"Good. Such a strong toxtricity, now rest," Hanson Rei stepped out from the treeline. The poison stone glowed in his hand, shining a slight purple light on the two figures behind him. "Grektox, take these soldiers to the site."

Lioa tucked himself back behind a tree and held his breath. Whatever they are talking about, it mustn't be good. Rei is bad news. Who are the other two?

"Look, Hanson, you have enough blood. Like, what are you even going to do? The prophecy states that six people are chosen randomly - two kids, two adults and two gone," Grektox said.

"There is more to the prophecy than just that," a cloaked figure said, stepping forward. "Many people forget or are unaware of the rest of it. You see, Rett had three daughters, all illegitimate. All except for one bloodline died out..." the figure stopped and turned. "Do you think we are blind, boy? We know you are here." He stepped closer to Lioa.

Lioa felt his heart race. His palms started to sweat. He felt a heavy hand on his shoulders, pulled out from his hiding place, and thrown into the mud.

"It is the boy from the train. The one who threw his friend off to save himself," the cloaked figure laughed as he spoke, pulling down his hood to reveal his green but greying hair and green eyes. "Aren't you that boy that Bukar plans to adopt? No idea why. You are a Colran child."

"Hurry up and execute the brat," Hanson Rei said, tapping his bandaged hand against his leg. "I want to get on with this."

"Now, now, that would be very rash. You want to get the ground stone? Why don't we use the boy? Lure them to the old crypt and take the ground stone. You can kill or torment the boy you are so obsessed with... everyone is happy," Grektox whispered in Elkrat. His hair flopped down over his eyes, and his tone softened.

"What did you say, fucker?" Lioa shouted; his wrist ached as he pushed himself up in the mud to face the trio, noting Grektox's demeanour being of a different calibre to the other two. Somewhat calmer, screaming a different agenda, at least in his eyes. "What about the soldiers? What did you fucking do?!" He tightly clenched his fist around his poké ball, his heart pounded faster, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. With his closed left fist, he swung clumsily at the hooded figure. However, the figure grabbed his fist and flung him back down into the mud.

"I said you will help us get the ground stone from your friend and tell no one, or we will string you up and feed you to Hanson Rei's charizard while you are still alive. Oh, and your family, too," Grektox said, leaning against a tree. "All we want is the stone."

Lioa looked down and whispered, "O-okay... I'll get it for you. Where do you want me to bring it?"

"Holy building, crypt, tonight. Bring your friend, the one who has the stone. Try anything, and I, General Greiss, will ensure your death. Oh, and I am giving you my name because I might have use for you again later. I am stationed in the office buildings. If I call for you, boy, you come. Understand? Let's go." The General walked off into the trees, turning his back to Lioa. "Remember to dispose of the soldiers. Tie them up and take them to the crypt around the back of the building. We can make it seem like a Colran attack, just like he wants."

"It was written in the stars a long time ago that one of his blood would unite the Coltese people and rule alongside that beast of a pokémon locked away. Don't you read the scriptures, Rei?" General Greiss remarked.

Hanson Rei kicked a rock as hard as he could, screaming, "Of course I read them. The only issue is that thing in the prophecy about the other fucking side, you dumb fuck. Kilgor knows. You know Kilgor are aware of the connection between the Piscar line and the Rett line through the birth of Ellio Piscar, or did you fucking forget? He had two kids..."

"One is dead, and the other doesn't want kids or an heir. It is all good..." General Greiss reassured. Ellio Piscar was a monster. His son Erik was a fool, and his youngest son, Aaron... that man is stronger than any other ruler. He could have a dynasty if he wanted... but... after what his father did, I can't blame him for not wanting to continue his lineage. At the same time, he is a damned fool. I hope Lord Captain Smith sees eye to eye with us...

What could General Greiss, Hanson Rei and the others be planning? Will Lioa betray his friends?

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