River Devereux and the Secret of the Pyraxian Tribe[WWC]

Prologue​

East of the Unova region, past a large range of mountains, lies a rich jungle untouched by modern man. Tribes of humans who still worship the Sun and the Moon live together with the wild Pokemon of the jungle. Until recently, the existence of these people was completely unknown to the rest of the world. In a freak accident, a cartographer’s plane crashed into the jungle on a survey expedition. Fortunately, the research team was saved by the Pyraxian Tribe, the largest of the various tribes in this dense jungle. Over the course of a year, the researchers were taught how to live off the land, and in exchange they shared the knowledge of Pokeballs with the natives. Their story was shared with the world in a stunning documentary using footage captured by the cartographer’s cameras. The Unova region began making plans to expand and welcome the Pyraxians to the region, but those plans would take years to finally unfold. More pressing issues had arrived in the jungle, a corporation of scientists and thugs took an interest in some of the tribe’s art. Several tribal women welcomed the corporation’s CEO as he stepped out of his helicopter. Their eyes were drawn to a piece of jewelry around his neck, adorned with a curious rainbow-colored gem...

The Wild World Company​

　　
　　Lavender Town, a sullen city in the Kanto region where trainers came to lay their Pokemon to rest, before the Kanto Radio Tower was built of course. One of the Unova region’s former Pokemon Champions took residence in this city. At the prime age of 27, Champion River Devereux had retired from his castle on Victory Road and chose to resume a life of adventure. This brash decision is what led to the birth of the “Wild World Company”, a mercenary company of sorts where people could hire the former champion to assist them on an adventure or with other odd tasks. Using his connections as a former champion, as well as his Hall of Fame quality Pokemon, River had visited many places to solve many cases. From settling land disputes to officiating weddings, and notable case where he acted as a second in a boxing match, there was not much that the WWC had not accomplished. Still, River had begun to miss the life of a champion, while he had many new adventures, the quality of his battles were at a lifetime low. He had grown bored with his opponents and the champion’s self-imposed limitations put his clients’ cases in jeopardy on several occasions. While he did not wish to return to the Pokemon League, his passion for competition still burned deep in his heart, waiting for the fateful spark that would engulf his life in a heated struggle for survival.
　　
　　It was a day like any other in Lavender Town. After returning home from another easy case, River had spent another nonproductive week in the Wild World Company’s office waiting for more work. He was in the middle of a heated internet debate when the Unovan National Anthem chimed from the doorbell. River turned to the small television that was connected to the security camera that was installed in the front door’s peephole. On the other side of the door was a woman with long brown hair past her shoulders. Her dark green eyes stared straight back at him, and the lack of wrinkles told River that this woman was either very serious, or very young. His focus shifted downwards, towards her white blouse and the slight cleavage he could see at the edge of the screen.
　　
　　“She can’t be that young if she has a pair like those,” he told himself, “damn, I really should lower that peephole.”
　　
　　The former champion stood up and darted for the door. A mirror hanging next to the door caught his attention, so he stopped to fix his appearance. Not only was the Unovan trainer very bored, but being the only person in a business made him very lonely. Desperate to make a good first impression, River quickly straightened his shaggy black hair with his hands. He gaze his reflection a smile, and once he was sure that there was no food stuck in his teeth, River opened the door.
　　
　　“Hello, I’m River Dever-WHOA!” he yelled.
　　
　　Giving him almost no time for an introduction, the woman’s arms reached through the crack in the door. Her gentle hands found the collar of River’s brown coat and clutched it tightly. Using her body to throw open the door, the attacker twisted her body and pulled River out of his house by lifting him over her shoulder. Reacting quickly, he grabbed her arms as she threw him away, sending both combatants flying into the dirt road in his front yard. River was the first to recover, pushing himself off the ground and taking the chance to put some distance between him and the stranger. His “guest” stood herself up and began to dust off her blouse and long black skirt. She stood at roughly 170 centimeters to his 188, and her figure was much thinner than his too. River laughed at himself for being taken down by somebody much smaller and paler than him.
　　
　　“I guess the rumors are true, the champion has gotten pathetic,” she said in a harsh tone, “I did not expect basic judo to work on somebody at the world level.”
　　
　　“Hey hey hey,” he retorted, “excuse me for letting my guard down in front of a pretty woman. But I assure you, River Devereux is still as good at Pokemon battling as he was in the Unova League.”
　　
　　“Very well, let’s test that,” the woman replied as she pulled a red and white ball from her bra, causing the right side of her blouse to collapse.
　　
　　“Ugh, I feel so betrayed,” River whined before pulling a Pokeball out of his pocket.
　　
　　Both trainers threw their Pokeballs forward, where they met in the center of the makeshift battle before popping open. Two white lights began to take the shape of Pokemon in the middle of Lavender Town. Several tourists who were visiting the Kanto Radio Tower noticed the beginning of Pokemon battle and quickly crowded the champion and his mystery woman. On the opponent’s side was Krokorok, a short, brown reptilian Pokemon with black stripes and a red underbelly. The Ground-type Pokemon stood on two feet and stared at River’s Pokemon intently. On the champion’s side was a tall humanoid Pokemon. It wore a karate gi that was tied together at the waist by a black belt, and the beast’s blue skin was decorated with scars from various hard fought battles.
　　
　　“Unbelievable, that’s Champion Devereux’s Sawk!” somebody cried out from the crowd.
　　
　　“Isn’t that the same Sawk that he used to defeat Alder in his championship battle?” another person asked.
　　
　　The battle began with the woman calling out the first move, Mud-Slap. Krokorok dug into the ground with its tail and flung a large amount of mud at River’s Sawk. Using his long arms, the Karate Pokemon was able to deflect the mud using quick chops. However when he turned his attention back to Krokorok, the Desert Croc Pokemon was nowhere to be found. Seeing the hole before him, Sawk began to frantically search the ground in an effort to find where the Ground-type Pokemon had buried itself. Some of the spectators began showing concern for the former champion. Letting the opponent use two moves without calling a single command for their own Pokemon was a dangerous decision for a trainer to make. River ignored their whispers and focused on the ground underneath Sawk’s feet instead. He was waiting for the moment when the ground would begin to move, signaling that Krokorok was about to attack. After several intense seconds of concentration the ground began to crack, the chance he was waiting for had arrived.
　　
　　“Sawk, use Endure to absorb the hit, then follow up with Low Sweep!” he commanded, his voice booming like it did when he served as champion.
　　
　　Sawk’s entire body began glowing as he dedicated his energy to defense. The opponent’s Krokorok popped out of the ground underneath River’s Fighting-type, but the impact from the Dig attack did not shake Sawk’s endurance. Before the foe could recover from the failed attack, a blue leg struck the side of its body, leaving it helpless in the air. Its trainer pleaded with it to recover, but the Desert Croc’s secondary Dark-typing meant it was vulnerable to Sawk’s Fighting-type attacks.
　　
　　“Send it flying with Power-Up Punch,” River said with a hearty grin.
　　
　　An orange glow surrounded Sawk’s fight as it struck Krokorok in the center of its chest. While the effects of the punch were brief, the orange glow lingered on the Karate Pokemon’s hands, serving to increase the strength of future attacks. Heaving a great sight, the woman raised Krokorok’s Pokeball and retrieved her Pokemon. The crowd groaned, disappointed that the battle had been cut short.
　　
　　“Quitting so soon?” River asked, recalling Sawk to his Pokeball.
　　
　　“I’m here to ask for a favor,” the woman replied, “humiliating you in front of all these people wouldn’t solve anything.”
　　
　　Less than two hours had passed, but River was already on a plane bound for the Unova region with the woman who attacked him and a third person. Sitting across from him was a middle-aged man wearing a brown safari jacket and brown slacks. His round glasses and short white hair contrasted greatly with his tanned skin and unkempt facial hair. Somehow this man had the appearance of both a super nerd and a hiker.
　　
　　“Thank you for agreeing to help us Mr. Devereux,” he said, extending his hand to the former champion.
　　
　　“No problem,” River responded, ignoring the handshake and focusing on the woman next to him, “but did you really have to attack me first?”
　　
　　“Sorry about that,” the man replied, “I told Ariane to make sure you were still in shape, she tends to take things a bit too far though.”
　　
　　“I just wanted to make sure we hired the right guy,” the woman interrupted.
　　
　　“Anyways, I guess it’s time we properly introduce ourselves,” he continued, “I am Doctor Salvador Boothman, and this is my daughter, er... Aide, Ariane.”
　　
“Boothman? Aren’t you the guy who did that documentary?”
　　
　　“Why yes, yes I am,” Dr. Boothman replied, “the Pyraxians are a wonderful people, free from the corruption of modern man. That’s why I need your help to protect them.”
　　
　　“What’s going on with the tribe, and why all this secrecy?” River asked.
　　
　　“Well you see Mr. Devereux, what I need you to do is technically terrorism,” Salvador explained, “the Unova region hired Stone Enterprises to handle the expansion into the Minorean Jungle, but Walter Stone has ulterior motives.”
　　
　　“What could he possibly want with the jungle?”
　　
　　“Mega evolution,” Ariane answered, “apparently some of the footage of one of the Pyraxian shrines depicted cave paintings similar to the ones depicting Primal Kyogre and Groudon in the Hoenn region. Walter tried to get the Pyraxians to take him into their temple, but when the tribe refused he began launching attacks on the village.”
　　
　“That’s right!” Dr. Boothman shouted, “he wants to desecrate their holy land, and he’s recruiting the other tribes to help drive off the Pyraxians just because he wants to find new Mega Stones before Steven can.”

“So you want me to use my position as a former champion of the Unova region to beat up Walt?” River asked, cracking a wide grin, “Sounds like fun.”
　　
　　The plane landed just outside of the Minorean Jungle, where a jeep was waiting to take the trio into the village. Along the makeshift road River could spot dozens of different Bug-type Pokemon, some much bigger than they were in civilization. Visiting parts of the world where few people have explored was what made him abandon his duties as champion to become a trainer-for-hire. It did not take long for the loud of the jeep’s engine to be drowned out by the gentle sound of moving water.. Much to River’s surprise, the jeep had stopped on top of a waterfall. Looking over the edge of a steep cliff revealed not only miles of uncharted foliage, but at the base of the waterfall was a humble village built among the trees. Dr. Boothman honked the jeep’s horn, catching the attention of the entire village.
　　
　　“River Devereux, welcome to the Pyraxian Village,” he said as he stepped towards the waterfall.
　　
　　“Should we really be parked this high up?” River asked as he was pulled from the jeep, “the ground here is really slippery too.”
　　
　　“Don’t worry River,” Ariane said before shoving him into the water, “the Pyraxians won’t eat you if you die here.”
　　
　　River’s girlish screams were overpowered by the massive roar of the waterfall as he fell down the sheer current. He shut his eyes tight and could feel his body tense up as he neared the bottom of the falls at an astonishing pace. However, instead of falling to a rocky death, the base of the waterfall extended deep underwater, creating a current that gently sucked him down before shooting him back to the surface. As a pair of Pyraxian children helped pull River to the surface, Ariane and Salvador took their own leaps into the water. On the shore they were met with a small group of Pyraxian men. Their dark skin glistened in the sunlight, and they wore impressive clothes made of Pokemon skins and vegetation. The oldest of the Pyraxian men wore a black crown adorned with two large orange horns and white cloak that reminded River of a rare Pokemon he had once heard about in the Unova region.

River Devereux and the Secret of the Pyraxian Tribe​

　　
　　“Friend Salvador, is this the hero you spoke of?” the old man asked, his English surprisingly fluent.
　　
　　“T-that’s right,” Sal replied, shivering from the cold swim, “Chief Kaiminus, this is River Devereux, a powerful trainer from the Unova region. He agreed to help us get rid of Stone Enterprises.”
　　
　　“Hail to you, Devereux, Champion of the River,” the chief replied, bowing before River, “the Pyraxians wish to welcome you as an honorary hunter.”
　　
　　“I’m honored,” River replied, bowing before the white-haired chief, “but you can just call me River, and I don’t think I’d be much of a hunter.”

　　“No worrying,” another Pyraxian man spoke, “we hunters teach you River. By end of second moon, you will hunt with the kings.”
　　
“But first we need to change clothes,” Ariane called out, already taking shelter in one of the wooden huts.
　　
　　Pyraxian women wearing long grass skirts led River and Dr. Boothman to a small hut made of straw which would serve as their campsite for their stay. The women then produced two outfits that matched the ones some of the men were wearing. Closing the cloth door behind them, the two outsiders changed out of their wet clothes and into the native wardrobe. River’s designer shirt was replaced with a white cloth held to his body with straw, his back was covered by a hard blue shell that he recognized as a Heracross carapace. He was given a pair of slippers made from wool, and an oddly comfortable pair of briefs made of spider silk and a pouch made of leaves was enough to barely cover his private region. Salvador Boothman wore a similar outfit which revealed his wrinkly body that reminded River of a dehydrated fruit. They finished changing and returned to the villagers, where Ariane was already waiting for them.
　　
　　“Look at hero’s muscles,” one of the Pyraxian children cried, “t’ey round like a bab’ melon.”
　　
　　River blushed as the villagers took turns squeezing his arms and poking his stomach. Though he tried to avoid exercise like the plague, the amount of work involved in being a Pokemon trainer kept him fit. Feeling a chilling stare, he turned to catch Ariane quickly turning away. He sat down next to her on a large stump and admired her figure. She wore her light brown hair in a ponytail, and the Pyraxians had provided her with a tube top of sorts fashioned from a furry creature’s pelt.
　　
　　“You aren’t hiding any Pokeballs there are you?” he asked, motioning to her chest.
　　
　　“Idiot!” she responded with a swift slap, causing the villagers to erupt in laughter.
　　
　　“In honor of the arrival of a new friend and a hero, the chief declares tonight to be a festival!” Chief Kaiminus shouted.
　　
　　The entire village once again roared in joy as they scattered around to prepare for the party. While the women and children were preparing food and decorations, the Pyraxian men led River deeper into the jungle. They each carried a long spear made of ivy and tipped with a sharp rock, and in their dominant hands was a small round shield made of rock and tree bark. One of the hunters explained that the jungle creatures were aggressive when provoked, so finding prey would be easy. After several minutes of walking, the party discovered a small pack of deer Pokemon. A small herd of Deerling was led through the jungle by a single Sawsbuck. The Season Pokemon was a large, brown deer with massive horns that sprouted leaves, making them resemble small trees. The Deerling accompanying it were small green fawns with flowers on their heads.
　　
　　“What luck, a family of Deerling on the night of a feast!” one of the Pyraxians whispered.
　　
　　“Deerling? You mean you aren’t going to hunt the big guy?” River asked, clutching his spear tightly.
　　
　　“No no River. Sawsbuck is much too strong for Pyraxian spears,” another hunter answered, “we must surround them and kill the Deerling, but run away before the Sawsbuck can catch us.”
　　
　　“Well then,” River replied, reaching into the leaf pouch and pulling out a Pokeball, “you guys catch the Deerling while I take care of the Sawsbuck then.”
　　
　　The hunting party nodded silently and began silently moving to circle the family of Pokemon. River waited until the hunters were in position before released his Pokemon of choice. His Pokeball spun through the air and cracked open, releasing a flash of light that caught the wild creatures’ attention.
　　
　　“Glaceon, use Roar,” he commanded.
　　
　　Standing before the deer was a pale blue cat-like creature with a spear shaped tail and long ears. Glaceon loosed a loud cry that scattered the Deerling, sending them running straight into the Pyraxian ambush. While the tribesmen worked to subdue the smaller Pokemon, River and Glaceon positioned themselves to trap the Sawsbuck. Realizing that escaping was difficulty, the Grass-type chose to gallop towards River’s Pokemon, then spinning on its front legs in order to kick the Ice-type aggressor away. The Double Kick attack landed successfully, sending Glaceon reeling backwards. Taking the chance to launch a second attack, Sawsbuck galloped once again while its horns glowed brightly with a pale light.
　　
　　“Slow it down with Icy Wind,” River called.
　　
　　Glaceon quickly rose to her feet and exhaled a freezing wind with tiny snowflakes blending in. Her cold breath clung tightly to the charging Sawsbuck and began to frost over the deer’s fur, slowing its movements to a crawl. The other hunters celebrated as River had managed to turn the prey’s strongest attack into a chance for victory. All of the men, River included, charged into the battle. Sharp spears pierced Sawsbuck’s flank from all angles, causing it to slow down further from the multiple wounds. Glaceon continued slowing its movements with Icy Wind until the Season Pokemon finally collapsed in defeat. Standing in the center of a mass of dead Pokemon, River began to feel sick to his stomach. While hunting these beautiful creatures was natural to the Pyraxians, the former champion had never purposefully taken another life. Once the prey was tied up tightly, the hunting party marched back to the village. Along the way they came across a large structure made of clay bricks. On the face of the structure was a carving of an insect Pokemon radiating beams of light much like the Sun. Across from the picture of the Sun was a picture of the moon with sharp fangs and large horns. Between the two pictures was a tower holding a stone ball with a double helix carved into it, resembling a Mega Stone.
　　
　　“What is this place?” River asked, stopping to observe the paintings.
　　
　　 “This is the Sky Shrine,” one of the hunters explained, “one side is the Sun God, Volcarona. The other is Glalie, the Moon God. We Pyraxians worship Volcarona for the light it gives us, and the neighbor Firnontor praise Glalie, fearing another long cold night.”

“Is this the shrine that Walter wanted to see?”
　　
　　“Yes, the man called Stone begged Chief Kaiminus to take him into the heart of the Sun Temple, but we do not allow outsiders into Volcarona’s chamber.”
　　
　　River took note of the shrine and its potential contents. He was aware of Glalie being able to Mega Evolve, but nobody has discovered the Mega Stone for Volcarona yet. If Walter Stone had taken an interest in the shrine, it must be because he believed that the Volcaronite was still inside the Sun Temple.

　　 “Don’t worry guys, I’ll protect the shrine,” he finally said before resuming his march.

Night of Festivities and Afternoon of War​

　　
　　Night had fallen when the hunters had returned to the village with their game. Several bright campfires lined the riverside, and the tribal elders had carved several totems resembling Volcarona. Everybody gathered around a large wooden table as River and the hunters took turns laying their Pokemon out for the women to begin preparing. One of the men, who had already begun drinking from the sweet water tap, stood on top of the chief’s hut and addressed the entire village.
　　
“Welcome, my Pyraxian people!” he yelled, “ tonight we honor our hero, and the greatest hunter I have ever seen. When you feast on the Sawsbuck’s hide, I want you to thank River for every bite you take of the meat.”

“No, no, you guys don’t have to do that,” River bashfully refused, “just enjoy the party.”
　　
　　“And furthermore,” the drunk continued, “if I don’t see at least two women follow River into his tent tonight, then I will refuse to take part in the next gathering season!”
　　
　　“Ok, I’ll accept that offer,” River laughed, climbing onto the hut with his new friend.
　　
“Two women? Does that mean I get one too?” Dr. Salvador asked, taking a sip of the sweet water.
　　
　　“No, you’ll be sleeping outside, or else I’ll tell mom!” Ariane shouted as she pulled on the cartographer’s ear.
　　
　　The festivities began with River being swarmed by curious Pyraxians. While the food was being roasted over a large bonfire, the tribe engaged in games of chance and feats of strength. Salvador Boothman sat among the tribal elders, drinking sweet water and showing off a small digital camcorder that he used for surveying the land. Eventually the Pyraxians were so drunk and hungry that they abandoned River, giving the champion time to slip away and join Ariane by the bonfire where the Sawsbuck and Deerling had finished cooking.
　　
　　“What’s the matter, too much booze?” he asked, ripping a small leg off the fire.
　　
　　“No, I just can’t believe that we’re all celebrating such a jerk,” she replied, looking away in disgust, “leave me alone.”
　　
　　“Come on, you really should lighten up,” River replied while chewing on his drumstick.
　　
　　“Why do you still act friendly with me, even though I’ve been so rude?” Ariane’s frown turned into an expression of genuine concern.
　　
　　“Because finding an attractive woman willing to shoulder toss you into the dirt is hard when you’re 30,” River answered in earnest.
　　
　　“So is that why you agreed to help us, to get closer to me?”
　　
　　“Of coursh,” River responded with a mouth full of meat, “if shome guy had attacked me and then tried to get me on a plane bound for the middle of nowhere without explaining what I was shupposshed to be doing, I’d totally shay no.”
　　
　　“So you came even though you thought we were dangerous? That’s pretty dumb.”
　　
　　“Yeah well, I’m pretty dumb I guess,” River smiled back.
　　
　　Ariane returned to staring at the fire, her usually cold face curled into a sad smile.
　　
　　“But now I’m glad I came,” River continued, staring into the fire, “life felt pretty empty for a while, but these people helped remind me what I needed. This was the adventure I was looking for when I quit being champion, and now I really want to help these people.”
　　
　　The two of them sat quietly by the fire for a while before Ariane finally spoke.
　　
　　“I don’t mean to be so harsh,” she said, “Dr. Boothman isn’t my biological father, he abandoned my mother and I when I was four. Mom moved on and dated various men, but they were all jerks, same with the guys I met in school and at the university. When mom married my geography professor, I was so mad, but eventually I warmed up to Salvador. Of course, by the time I realized that there were good men, I was already so used to treating them cold that I didn’t know how to be nice. Trying to undo all the damage my father caused has been hard, you know?”
　　
　　“Don’t worry Ariane, you’ll find a decent guy who isn’t a total jerk eventually,” River replied, patting her on the back for comfort, “it probably won’t be me though.”
　　
　　“You’re not THAT bad,” she laughed in response, “I’ve seen much worse.”
　　
　　The festival’s disorganized partying was soon brought to a halt by Chief Kaiminus, who declared that it was time to begin the ceremonial dance of the Pyraxians. River, Ariane, and Salvador were sat at the chief’s table while the tribe prepared the costumes and instruments for the ancient dance.
　　
　　“We saw this dance on our third night here last year,” Dr. Boothman explained, “it actually tells the history of both the Pyraxian tribe, and Firnontor tribe to the North.”
　　
　　Several villagers wearing long grass skirts with their faces adorned with white paint lined up in front of the giant bonfire. Wooden drums pounded out a gentle rhythm as the men and women of the tribe danced together for the outsider’s amusement. A Pyraxian man hiding in the shadows doused the fire with water, reducing the violent flames to a soft smolder. As the dancers pretended to shiver and huddled together for warmth, a large wooden ball with demonic eyes and horns emerged from behind the fire, being kept aloft by four of the tribe’s hunters. The hunters began throwing blue clay at the dancers, covering their bodies in the blue mixture.
　　
　　“These are the first people to live in the Minorean Jungle,” the scientist explained, “the large ball is Glalie, which they believed to be the God of the Moon. If I was to make a guess, the tribe endured a miniature ice age, where Ice-types like Glalie thrived. Minorean Jungle must not have been a jungle during this time.”
　　
　　While the wooden Glalie continued to wreak havoc on the ancient dancers, several wooden horns began crying softly in the background of the drum’s violent rhythm. The villager that hid near the bonfire began pouring a jug of their sweet water onto the smoldering embers, and slowly the flames gave rise. As the fire began to grow and the horns played louder, a woman wearing a white dress and large leaves on her back dyed red to resemble wings began dancing alongside the villagers. Their dancing slowly grew more and more frantic until the woman let out a scream, and the rest of the sweet water was thrown onto the fire, causing it to explode in a marvelous crackle.
　　
　　“This part should be pretty obvious,” Boothman continued, “Volcarona emerged during the cold wave and began melting the snow over the village, curing their frostbite and fighting back Glalie.”
　　
　　The original dancers retreated for a brief moment, returning with masks and weapons. One side stood with Volcarona, wearing black masks adorned with red horns, much like the chief’s crown. On the other side were those who supported Glalie, wearing round white masks with black horns and eyes carved into them. As the music grew louder and faster, the two groups began fighting. Spears clashed with swords and shields as the two factions fought for their respective gods. In the center of the fight were a Pyraxian man and a Firnotor woman were fighting much softer than the others, resembling an elaborate dance more than actual combat. Eventually the couple dropped their weapons and began waltzing together, causing the rest of the fighters to stop. The villager elders and children began cheering loudly as the dancers began dancing together once more.
　　
　　“This is my favorite part,” Salvador whispered, “the Fironotr and Pyraxians began warring over whether the Sun or Moon should be worshiped. Eventually two warriors fell in love, creating an ancient parallel to Romeo and Juliet. Both tribes agreed that the Sun and the Moon deserved the same respect, and so they built the Sky Shrine and lived on opposite sides of it.”
　　
　　The festival ended with an open invitation for everybody to participate in the dance. All of the Pyraxians and their guests, save the older generation, gathered around the bonfire and began dancing wildly. As the night wore on and the children began falling asleep, the group grew closer and closer until the bonfire had become a couples only dance. Ariane and River danced together, clumsily attempting to imitate the traditional Pyraxian dances, until the entire tribe fell asleep. Even though there was mention of returning to their huts, the entire village fell asleep in a large pile in front of the bonfire.
　　
　　After spending a night in pure bliss, the loud screams of horns and men shook River awake. All around him were Pyraxians fighting off people wielding the same weapons used in last night’s dance. Several Pokemon battles were also underway with men wearing labcoats and suits as he slowly came to the realization that the village had been invaded by Stone Enterprises and the Firnontor tribe. Ariane and Salvador were close, both involved in a heated battle with the men in suits. In the back of the war, River noticed a silver-haired young man wearing a fancy purple suit adorned with precious stones. Hanging from his neck was a pendant tipped with a rainbow colored stone. River slipped through several smaller fights to challenge the man directly.

　　 “Hey Walt, it’s been a long time,” he said, reaching into the leaf pouch that carried his Pokeballs.
　　
　　“I had heard that the poor mapmaker was calling for help, but for YOU of all people to show up pisses me off,” the sharply-dressed man replied, “you always did support Steven being the favorite Stone child, even though I’m the oldest.”
　　
　　“That’s because Stevie was never a manipulative brat like you were,” River responded angrily, “you never did you own research in school, and that’s why Mr. Stone turned over the company to Steven instead!”
　　
　　“Enough of this,” Walter Stone replied, pulling out a yellow and black Pokeball, “I’m tired of this jungle and these savages! Once I obtain the Volcaronite, I’ll make Stone Enterprises a far greater company than the Devon Corporation ever was. Go get him Glalie!”
　　
　　“Go, Cofagrigus!” River shouted, throwing his own Pokeball.
　　
　　The Firnontor men cheered at the sight of Walter’s Glalie. A floating black ball with sharp horns that was covered in icy armor floated before River, its very presence chilling the air around the village. River’s weapon of choice was another Pokemon from his days as the Unovan Champion. A large yellow sarcophagus with ghostly appendages and menacing red eyes stood between the two rivals, patiently waiting for a command from its trainer.
　　
　　“Cofagrigus, use Power Split!” River commanded.
　　
　　“Glalie, stop it with Ice Fang,” Walter called in response.
　　
　　Cofagrigus began focusing its mental energy into the small face adorning its sarcophagus. River was attempting use Power Split in order to drain some of Glalie’s offensive prowess and improve Cofagrigus’ in a single move. Glalie revealed its large fangs, now extended with long frozen icicles, as it flew towards the Ghost-type. River’s Pokemon tried to focus on using an attack, but the sight of Glalie’s fierce expression and long fangs caused it to hesitate in fear. This gave Walter’s Pokemon the chance to bite into the hard coffin, managing to pierce the ghostly figure lurking beneath it. Upon contact with Cofagrigus’ ghostly essence, inflicting a curse on the Face Pokemon making it unable to call upon its hidden abilities. River used Cofagrigus as a sturdy tool for weakening the foes, and Walter had fallen into the same trap that many challengers had before.
　　
　　“Don’t worry about your abilities Glalie,” the CEO of Stone Enterprises explained, “exploit his weakness with Dark Pulse.”
　　
　　“Cofagrigus, hold steady and use Trick Room to cover the village!” the former champion cried.
　　
　　“Impossible, do you intend to throw the entire battle into chaos?” Walter laughed.
　　
　　“Of course not,” River replied, “check the other Pokemon in this party.”
　　
　　Walter’s smile quickly turned to shock as he noticed the difference in speed between the two sides. Many of the Firnontor Pokemon, as well as Stone Enterprises’ combatants were slim Pokemon with incredible speed, while the Pyraxians preferred slow moving Bug-types. Walter Stone’s only hope was that the focused beam of evil intent Glalie unleashed would be enough to cause Cofagrigus to lose focus again. The attack landed successfully, causing the coffin to quiver from the damage, but Cofagrigus held strong. Using a mysterious energy, it covered the village in a large blue dome that was capable of altering the very fabric of time itself. Inside this new battlefield, slow became the new fast, giving slow Pokemon the ability to move faster than naturally possible. Now that the heroes’ Pokemon were able to strike first, the Pyraxians were able to overpower the invasion force.
　　
　　“Damn it!” Walter swore, “if you’re going to ruin my plans this way, we’ll have to get rid of you first. Glalie, use Sheer Cold on River.”
　　
　　“You would rather kill me than fight fairly Walter?” River yelled back, “What kind of businessman are you if you don’t fight fair?”

　　“A very smart one,” Walter answered coldly, “I never cared for you anyways.”
　　
　　“Cofagrigus, hit Glalie with as many Shadow Balls as possible!” River commanded, “we aren’t going to let Walt win this way.”
　　
　　Already Glalie was focusing intently in order to turn the air around it into solid ice. Sheer Cold was a highly unpredictable attack, but if it was used successfully it could freeze an enemy instantly. This was one of the rare moves that would not only automatically knock out a Pokemon, but could kill a human if they took the hit. Walter’s Cofagrigus took advantage of the Trick Room to teleport wildly around the battlefield. Every time it appeared in a new location, it would gather the countless shadows that roamed the village and launch them at the grey ball of ice and rock. Not wanting to disappoint its trainer, Glalie endured a countless barrage of Ghost-type attacks in order to kill its target. It finally opened its eyes and focused on River, but before it could freeze the air around the trainer, a Shadow Ball struck it and pointed the attack elsewhere. The massive waterfall at the base of the village was frozen rock solid, halting the flow of the river.
　　
　　“No more tricks Walter,” River said sternly.
　　
　　After having the source of their water ruined, both tribes turned their weapon on Stone Enterprises and their CEO. Even the Firnontor, who worshiped Glalie as a god, were not happy with their idol blocking all water from flowing. Walter slowly retreated backward, his hired thugs having already retreated when the spears and swords were pointed at them. Dr. Boothman stepped forward, recalling his Pokemon who had fallen in the battle.
　　
　　“It’s over Mr. Stone,” he said, “you’ve caused enough trouble for these people. Void the contract with the Unova government and leave this place, and maybe we’ll keep your attempted murder a secret.”
　　
“You have no proof,” Walter replied, “do you really think any self-respecting court would accept testimony from these filthy savages!?”
　　
　　“Of course not,” Salvador continued, gesturing towards the chief’s hut, “but videos don’t lie.”
　　
“My people are not savages,” the Pyraxian chief called from the hut, “we Pyraxians are fairly quick learners.”
　　
Standing on top of his hut was Chief Kaiminus, holding the small camcorder that Dr. Boothman had showed him during the festival, and it was pointed at the man in a bright purple suit. Walter clutched his head in panic, knowing that a video of his crime would ruin his life forever.

　　“Nice one Doc!” River cried out, “no judge would be greedy enough to rule against video footage,”
　　
　　“I’ve had enough of you all!” Walter yelled, reaching for the pendant on his neck, “Glalie, evolve and use Explosion.”
　　
　　Walter’s pendant began glowing brightly, revealing itself as a Mega Keystone, a stone necessary in order to invoke Mega Evolution. Inside one of its rocky horns, Glalie’s Glalitite began to glow brightly, slowly enveloping the Pokemon in a faint rainbow glow. The ice covering the lower half of its body began to melt and revealed the black rock underneath and refreezing to form two horns under it as the original horns grew longer and froze. A fifth horn grew from its forehead, then finally the energy from the evolution completely shattered Glalie’s jaw, leaving it unhinged and forever exposing its mouth. The Mega Evolution left everybody frozen in fear, giving Glalie the time needed to build up pressure inside its body before creating a massive explosion, which combined with its ability to turn attacks into ice to form a large wall of snow. Friend and foe alike were engulfed by the blizzard, the cold hurting extra hard with everybody wearing simple leaves and silk outfits. When the blast subsided, River looked up to find Cofagrigus looking back at him, having used its back as a shield from the explosion. It collapsed after confirming its trainer’s safety, having taken critical damage from Glalie’s final blast.
　　
　　“River, Walter’s ran to the shrine! ” Ariane screamed, climbing out of a hole her Krokorok had dug in the snow.
　　
　　“But the Pyraxians need our help,” he replied.
　　
　　“No, you go. I stay,” one of the hunters said, digging himself out from the snow.
　　
　　“God abandoned my people,” another Pyraxian said, translating for the leader of the Firnontor, “we two will rescue our brothers and sisters. You protect the Sun God.”
　　
　　“I’m coming too,” Ariane added, “Walter’s desperate, and he might be planning something dangerous.”
　　
　　“That’s why you should stay behind,” River warned, “Walter holds a grudge against me for supporting his younger brother’s campaign to become a Pokemon Champion. I’m not going to let anybody else get caught up in this stupid rivalry.”
　　
　　“Yeah well, I guess I’ll be stupid too then!” she stubbornly replied, “we have to hurry before he gets away.”

In the Heart of the Shrine​

　　
　　And so River and Ariane chased after Walter, both still wearing the frozen outfits the Pyraxians had given them. Several minutes North of the village they arrived at the Sky Shrine. They stood in the middle of the shrine, where the pole holding the Mega Stone sculpture stood.
　　
　　“All this trouble for a dumb rock,” Ariane sighed.
　　
　　“You saw firsthand how strong Mega Evolution is,” River replied, “and Glalie isn’t half as strong as Volcarona.”
　　
　　“I shouldn’t have pushed dad to publish that documentary,” she replied calmly, “this is all my fault.”
　　
　　“No, this is Walter’s fault,” was his answer, “he’s always been a little crazy, this is just another page in a long book.”
　　
　　“So you and the Stones have history then?” Ariane asked.
　　
　　“Yeah, my parents had work in the Hoenn region,” River began explaining, “Steven, Walter, and I all went to the same school. Stevie was the younger brother, but he always got better grades than Walter and I. Of course, Walt would always bully Steven until I would step in. He always thought I was just trying to get friendly with Steven for his money, and that if I wanted money I should serve Walter instead. As time went on, his jealousy got the better of him. That’s why he was ignored by the Devon Corporation and forced to start his own company in a different region.”
　　
　　“And now you’re just as responsible for family issues as Steven and Mr. Stone,” she replied, “glad my family was never that complicated.”
　　
　　“We’ve wasted enough time here,” River said as he found the entryway to the Sun Temple, “we can pity Walter after we kick his ass.”
　　
　　Together they stepped foot on a stairway leading underneath the Sun Shrine. At first the walls were lined with the same clay bricks that built the outside, but eventually the shrine turned into a natural tunnel dug underground long ago. Even though they were deep enough to hide from the Sun’s rays, luminescent mushrooms scattered along the walls provided enough lighting to navigate the cave. Slowly the walls expanded, leading into a large cavern split in half by a massive fissure.
　　
　　“Looks like we’ll have to fly across,” River said, pointing at a doorway across the gap.
　　
　　“Do you really think Walter made it across?” Ariane asked, peering over the edge of the cliff.
　　
　　When Ariane peeked over the edge of the cliff, a strange noise echoed throughout the cavern. She let out a cry and quickly jumped back, narrowly dodging a small burst of flames aimed directly upwards. River quickly dropped to his knees and looked into the pit from a different angle. Hanging onto the side of the wall was a rickety wooden bridge that looked older than the temple itself. A hairy white worm with strange red horns was clinging tightly to the broken bridge, making angry noises at the two humans.
　　
　　“I don’t believe it,” he said, gesturing to Ariane, “there’s a Larvesta stuck on the bridge!”
　　
　　“No way,” she gasped, “does that mean Volcarona have been breeding in this shrine?”
　　
　　“Looks that way,” River replied, “maybe they keep Glalie in the other shrine.”
　　
　　Larvesta held on desperately as the two trainers prepared to stage a rescue. River pulled a red ball from his pouch and popped it open, releasing a pudgy orange dragon with a flaming tail and large wings. Using Charizard’s thick skin as a shield, River was able to slowly descend deeper into the chasm, until the helpless bug was in arm’s reach. Its bright blue eyes were swollen with tears as it let out another terrified cry.
　　
　　“Don’t worry little guy,” River said calmly, “Charizard and I won’t let you fall.”
　　
　　After a brief moment of consideration, Larvesta pulled its sticky feet off of the rotten bridge. Using both his arms to cradle the heavy insect, River was able to pull Larvesta onto the safety of Charizard’s back. The Flame Pokemon slowly ascended to collect Ariane before gliding across the huge chasm to the other side. Once everybody was safely on solid ground, River recalled his Pokemon and turned back to the rescued bug. Without warning, the Larvesta ran deeper into the cavern, following the sound of human screams. River and Ariane gave chase, and soon reached the deepest part of the Sun Temple. There they found Walter, his purple suit torn to pieces and covered in flames. In front of him was a large Bug-type Pokemon with a blue body and white fur, its large orange wings resembled the strange outfit the Pyraxian dancers wore. This moth-like creature was radiating an incredible heat, enough to make River sweat from the farthest end of the room.
　　
　　“All of my hard work for nothing!” Walter yelled, shaking his fist at the giant bug, “I came here for a Mega Stone, not an overgrown housefly.”
　　
“Oh boy, he’s throwing a fit,” Ariane casually remarked.
　　
　　“Knock it off Walter, it’s all over,” River warned, stepping forward to face his old rival.

　　“No! It’s not over!” Water cried, “even if I can’t have my Mega Stone, I can still get rid of you. Excadrill, spring the trap now.”
　　
　　 Several pebbles dropped onto River and Ariane from the ceiling. A faint grinding sound could be heard in the cavern, originating from the rocky wall.
　　
　　“Look out!” River cried as he pushed Ariane forward, mere seconds before he and Larvesta were buried under a pile of rocks.
　　
　　“River!” Ariane screamed, struggling to move the fallen rocks.
　　
　　“Wonderful,” Walter laughed, “now I’ll capture this Volcarona and leave you all here to suffocate.”
　　
　　A large brown mole with drill-shaped claws fell from the ceiling. Excadrill brushed the dust off its large steel horn before joining Walter’s side. They both took a fighting stance as the wild Volcarona began to move violently. As the rocks had fallen, it took notice of its young child standing next to the human male. The Sun Pokemon increased the heat it produced, preparing to punish Walter for harming its child.
　　
　　“Excadrill, use Drill Run!” Walter commanded.
　　
　　Excradill dove into the ground claws first, the metal claws lining up with its sharp horn to form a perfect drill. It quickly shot forward, ripping the ground apart as it raced towards Volcarona. At the last possible second, the Subterrene Pokemon popped out of the ground, maintaining the spin it had used to cut through the earth. Before its foe could drill through its chest, Volcarona let out another cry and flapped its wings. Hundreds of orange scales flaked from the large appendages, and then burst into flames from the intense heat. A large wall of fire surrounded Walter’s Excadrill, burning the metal mole to a crisp.
　　
　　“So strong...” Ariane muttered.
　　
　　“No, no, no!” Walter screamed, desperately trying to find another Pokeball.
　　
　　Having knocked out the opposing Pokemon, Volcarona covered itself in fire and began wildly dancing around. Long streams of flames quickly filled the cavern, leaving Ariane little room to dodge. There stood Walter, in the center of the fire, with nowhere else to run. Volcarona scattered another round of scales, covering Walter before once again being ignited by the heat. Walter Stone’s screams filled the cave as he was burned alive. The flames quickly dispersed, leaving nothing but a pile of ash where a man once stood. Scared for her own life, Ariane curled into a ball and watched as Volcarona rose upwards, using the flames that covered its body to melt through the cavern’s ceiling. She finally calmed down once she was sure of her safety, but then had a realization.
　　
　　“I need to get to the others,” she said to herself, “but how do I get out?”
　　
　　Left with no other exit but the hole in the temple ceiling Volcarona had made, Ariane’s next task was to find a way to fly out. Seeing something sparkle among Walter’s ashes, she guessed that his Pokeballs had managed to survive the heat wave. After a moment of hesitation, she unceremoniously blew away the ashes, leaving a pile of Pokeballs and stray metal bits remaining in the pile. After checking each of the different colored balls Walter carried, she found the golden pendant with the Mega Keystone in the pile. Taking all of his belongings and stuffing them into her straw satchel, Ariane rode on the back of one of Walter’s Pokemon and flew out into the open air again. A storm had formed while they were inside the temple, creating powerful gusts of wind that made flying difficult. Still, she rode above the dense jungle until she found Volcarona, attacking the Pyraxian’s village with powerful gusts of wind!
　　
　　Back inside the chamber where Walter had met his demise, River struggled desperately to free himself from the pile of rubble. As the rocks fell on top of them, the young Larvesta managed to cover them in a shell with webbing. By using the String Shot and the hard Heracross shell he was wearing, River was able to protect them both from the falling rubble. The only problem was that they were now pinned with no way to muster the strength to free themselves. A lot of time had passed, and he could feel the air begin to thin.
　　
　　“Listen Larvesta,” River spoke quickly, trying to conserve as much oxygen as possible, “we both need to get at this leaf pouch on my waist. If we can knock any of the Pokeballs loose, one of my Pokemon can save us.”
　　
　　Both River and the wild bug began to squirm around inside the silky cocoon. The Fire and Bug-type’s orange horns tickled the human as they scratched at his belly. Realizing how close the horns were to River’s leaf pouch, the two of them began moving in opposite directions to increase the chances of collision. Finally, one of the horns clipped the pouch and knocked down a pair of red balls. While one had fallen out of reach, the other was just close enough for River’s elbow to press the button and release the monster inside. The white light formed into a large creature, whose sudden appearance sent the heavy rocks flying off of the trio. River and Larvesta took the chance to stretch their limbs before thanking Charizard. The orange dragon Pokemon had once again come to rescue them in their time of need.
　　
　　“Looks like everybody left us behind,” River said, “including your mother.”
　　
　　Larvesta stared up at the huge hole in the ceiling, it knew that its parent had melted through the rock in a fit of rage. Rain was pouring down from the hole, slowly filling the cavern with water. Before he tried to escape, River’s attention was drawn to a set of carvings on the wall. Much like the carvings on the Sky Shrine itself, these depicted Volcarona floating in the center of a sun. However, these paintings depicted crudely drawn humans being set ablaze by the bug’s rays. It seemed to River that neither Glalie nor Volcarona were as nice as the villagers expected. In fact, judging from the design of the two temples, it was if the Sky Shrine was meant to seal these two “Gods” away.
　　
　　“But where does that Mega Stone come in?” River asked, scanning the cavern for any more clues.
　　
　　Charizard interrupted him with a loud roar, drawing River’s focus to the rising water. If they waited much longer, the water would be deep enough to extinguish the orange beast’s tail flame and make it too weak to fly all the way to the surface. Using its long blue wings, Charizard quickly began to rise upward, carrying its trainer and the wild Larvesta along with it. As they flew upward through the large hole Volcarona had made, River noticed a room in the center of the wall.
　　
　　“Hold on Charizard, let me check out that room,” he said.
　　
　　Charizard let out a gentle growl before he flew closer to the hole in the wall. While the hole wasn’t large enough for his Pokemon to follow, River was able to climb into the room that was hidden among the rock. Inside was another wall carving, as well as a stone ladder that seemed to reach all the way up to the Sky Shrine. River signaled for Charizard to fly upwards while he searched the room. The center of the wall carving was a deep sphere, similar to the Mega Stone that sat between the Sun and Moon Temples. On the left side of the indentation was Volcarona, now emitting powerful tornadoes from its body. Carved into the other side was Glalie, covering the ground with frozen ice and snow. There, floating above the Mega Stone, was the real Sun. Inside the stone sun was another creature, but unlike the other carvings, this art depicted a dragon-like Pokemon with three long horns and frayed wings. At the bottom of the creature was what appeared to be fire, but when River leaned in closer, he noticed that the flames originated from the creature’s tail.
　　
　　“Is that a... Charizard?” River asked, recognizing one of his own Pokemon anywhere, “but Charizardite was already discovered by Steven. There shouldn’t be another one like it in Unova.”
　　
　　As he inspected the carving closer, River noticed that the Mega Stone was a different color from the rest of the wall, as if it came from a different rock. Using both his hands, he was able to grip the round indentation and pull the ball free from the ancient painting. Inside was a beautiful marble, similar in design to the Glalitite that Walter had used to Mega Evolve Glalie. This marble was decorated in a hue of orange, red, and yellow colors, making it look like fire trapped inside a ball.
　　
　　“So there was a Mega Stone here after all,” he laughed, “I can’t wait to rub this in Walt’s face.”

The Fires of Battle​

　　
　　After storing the rock in his pouch, River turned his attention to the stone ladder. While it had obviously not been used since it was built, the stone rungs were still in perfect condition. At the top of the ladder was a stone tube, sealed off with a large slab. While the entrance was almost airtight, River was able to spot rainwater leaking through a small crack near the ladder. It took a bit of effort, but he was able to push the lid open, exposing himself to the jungle’s pouring rain. Huddled under the entrance to the Sun Temple were Charizard and Larvesta, struggling to keep themselves dry while waiting for the champion. The trio regrouped on Charizard’s back, taking flight to search for signs of life. Harsh winds made keeping a straight path difficult, forcing Charizard to fly low to avoid being tipped over. After clearing several groups of trees, a blue creature with large white plumage came into view near the Pyraxian village. Altaria’s rider spotted River and made a fast approach, the dragon’s cloud-like body seemingly unaffected by the rough weather.
　　
“River, you’re alive!?” Ariane sobbed, her tears being obscured by the downpour, “but, how?”
　　
　　“A bit of luck and Pyraxian fashion,” River replied, pointing the cracked blue shell on his back, “Isn’t that Walter’s Altaria? Did something happen?”
　　
“River,” she replied glumly, “Walter is, dead. That Volcarona went on a rampage after we thought you and Larvesta died, and Walter tried to capture it. He was defeated instantly and burned. Now that Pokemon is attacking the village and creating Hurricanes.”
　　
“Damn it Walter,” River paused for a moment to grieve for his fallen rival, “he was jerk, but nobody deserves to die like that.”

　　“What should we do about Volcarona?” Ariane asked.
　　
　　“I’ll take care of it,” River answered, revealing the wild Larvesta he picked up, “she’s mad because her baby was almost hurt.”
　　
　　“Okay, be careful,” Ariane replied.
　　
　　River nodded and gestured for Charizard to fly forward. Pyraxians and Firnontors cheered as they watched their hero fly overhead, approaching the raging beast. Using its six powerful wings Volcarona was able to create powerful bursts of wind that shred the wooden walls of the village’s huts. River tried to scream for its attention, but the wind and rain drowned out his pleas. Forced to overcome the hurricane-force gales, the large orange dragon weaved in between sharp blasts of air while River held onto Larvesta and clung tightly to his Pokemon’s neck. The violent Sun Pokemon was completely unware of their presence until the trio had finally flown right in front of it.
　　
　　“Hey Volcarona!” River yelled, lifting the Larvesta higher, “your kid is okay, we survived the cave-in together.”
　　
　　Volcarona had been rampaging wildly for half an hour by this point. Many of the tribesmen and their Pokemon had stepped forward to challenge the powerful bug, only to be quickly struck down by its powerful Hurricane attack. The sight of another Pokemon owned by a human managing to fly into its personal space blinded it to the sight of its own child. It let out a murderous screech and flapped its orange-red wings violently, calling forth another huge gust of wind. River’s Charizard was barely able to dodge the attack, but the sudden movements sent its owner and the wild Larvesta flying off. Volcarona ignored the human and continued attacking the human village with its powerful wings as its own child plummeted towards the earth. Ariane and Walter’s Altaria made a frantic dash towards River, catching him and the young Pokemon in mid-air.
　　
　　“That’s not good,” she said, “if it doesn’t even stop to save its own child, there’s no way for us to calm it down.”
　　
　　“I guess I’ll have to battle it,” River said, waving for Charizard to come pick him up, “take care of Larvesta for me.”
　　
　　“You can’t River,” Ariane urged, “that thing was able to knock out Walter’s Excadrill in a single move, I doubt anybody’s Pokemon could beat it while carrying a person on its back.”
　　
“No offense Ariane, but I’m the only Unova Champion to retire with an undefeated record, I know what Pokemon are really capable of,” River replied, mounting his Fire-typed Pokemon.
　　
　　Cradled in the young woman’s arms, Larvesta let out several shrill cries. Its white fur was unable to hide the fearful expression on its dark black face. Ariane’s own face was flush with anger and pain, she had already watched one man day today, another casualty would devastate her.
　　Seeing these downcast faces, River hesitated for a moment. If he ignored the problem, would Volcarona eventually tire himself? Was fighting an uphill battle in unfavorable conditions really worth the risk to both his life and that of his Pokemon’s? These thoughts raced through his head as he tried to come up with another solution. A loud crashing sound brought him back to his senses. Down below, the large tree that Chief Kaiminus’ hut was built under had fallen over, crushing many of the villagers’ houses. If Volcarona’s rampage continued, an entire civilization would be left homeless. The wild Pokemon had been trapped underground for an incredibly long time, and there was no guarantee that it would ever stop rampaging. Memories of the tribe’s dance the night before flashed in front of his eyes as he remembered the words he spoke by the fire. After making such a dramatic speech, abandoning the Pyraxians in their darkest hour would be the ultimate symbol of hypocrisy. Left with no other option, River resolved to subdue Volcarona and protect what was left of the village. Before he flew off to battle, the young man leaned forward, smiling at the trembling Larvesta in Ariane’s arms.

　　“Don’t worry you guys,” River whispered, petting the young Pokemon, “I’ll beat Volcarona and calm her down safely.”
　　
　　River pressed his feet into Charizard’s stomach, signaling it to fly again. This time they approached Volcarona carefully with the intent to do battle. While the howling winds made commanding Charizard difficult from the ground, River was in great danger as a fall from this height would kill him if nobody could catch him again. It took a great amount of trust between Pokemon and trainer to attempt a mounted sky battle, and few trainers had even mustered the courage to attempt it.
　　
　　“Catch it’s attention with Flame Burst,” River commanded, grabbing his Pokemon’s neck tightly.
　　
　　Charizard leaned back as it inhaled enough oxygen to ignite the various gases inside its body. While a normal Flame Burst from Charizard was very large, the wet air dampened the combustible gases, resulting in flames half their normal size. Expelling all of the flames it had created, the Flame Pokemon launched a fireball at its foe. Seeing the incoming attack, Volcarona quickly shook its body to free more of the orange scales on its wings. The ember scales ignited in the air, forming a wall of fire that absorbed Charizard’s attack. While the wet weather made creating flames difficult, the ember scales were about to create large bursts of heat that would fade away quickly. This made Charizard’s own Fire-typed moves at a disadvantage when compared to Volcarona’s.
　　
　　“No good, huh?” the former champion sighed, “let’s exploit a weakness then. Ancient Power, Charizard!”
　　
　　The orange Pokemon’s body began glowing in a pale white glow. Separating itself from its creator, the light took the form of second Charizard. Ancient Power was a strange Rock-type move that actually drew power from the user’s own bloodline. The spirit of Charizard’s ancestor wrapped itself into a large white ball as it spun at the flying Volcarona. Rather than use its flames to shield itself again, the Bug-type Pokemon dove headfirst towards the rocky ball. As it recklessly charged forward, its black head began glowing with a purple aura. Using the psychic energy as a shield, Volcarona was able to shatter Charizard’s attack and continue charging forward with Zen Headbutt. River patted his Pokemon on the back, silently encouraging itself to defend rather than avoid the attack. It straightened out its body and reached upwards with its small arms. Seconds before the large moth’s attack connected, Charizard’s sharp claws caught hold of its horns, stopping the wild Pokemon in the air.
　　
　　“Alright!” River cheered, “now use Seismic Toss.”
　　
　　Volcarona flapped its wings helplessly as Charizard began to slowly rotate in the air. Little by little, the two Pokemon began picking up speed as River desperately clung to his creature’s nape. When they were spinning at the maximum speed, the two Pokemon resembled the Earth and the Moon, with Charizard’s momentum resembling the Earth’s gravity. After one final spin, River’s Pokemon released the wild Volcarona, sending it careening straight towards the ground. Taking advantage of the foe’s dizziness, Charizard began a suicide dive straight downward in pursuit.
　　
　　“Use Air Slash,” River commanded.
　　
　　As they dove downward, Charizard began shoving its large wings forward. The force of the wings slicing through the air created large shock waves resembling saw blades that sliced through the air with ease. Being hit by the Flying-type attack was enough to spin Volcarona around and awaken it from its daze. The Sun Pokemon retaliated with Struggle Bug, a powerful move that released a large red explosion from the user’s body. While Charizard’s typing allowed it to shake off the Bug-type attack with the greatest of ease, the smoke from the blast obscured its vision long enough for Volcarona to fly behind it. River cried out as he was now fully exposed to Volcarona’s attacks. The angry moth flapped its wings wildly to create another powerful Hurricane attack, taking advantage of the already turbulent winds to widen the range of its move.
　　
　　“Charizard, Fire Blast now!” River yelled.
　　
　　Quickly spinning around to face its foe, Charizard once again inhaled the moist jungle air. Releasing more gas than before, it was able to create a large fire than Flame Burst, but it was still much smaller than normal. It expunged the fiery attack, which was then quickly snuffed out by Volcarona’s Hurricane, ripping through Charizard and River in the process. While they had been struck with a direct hit, River’s quick thinking and Charizard’s Fire Blast were able to change the direction of their fall to create space between them and their opponent. Before Volcarona could chase them down, the blue dragon with wings made of clouds struck its side with its beak. This distraction allowed Charizard to regain its balance and land safely on the ground, where Ariane and Larvesta were waiting for their return.
　　
　　“Crap, we aren’t making any progress,” River swore, wiping the sweat and rain from his eyes.
　　
　　“Hurry up and think of something,” Ariane warned, “I don’t know how long Altaria can hold off Volcarona.”
　　
　　“I’m trying, but this rain is making it impossible to fight back,” River shouted, “and I don’t have anything else that can fight in the air like Volcarona.”
　　
　　Disappointed in its performance, Charizard let out a sorrowful cry. River reflected on his attitude, and turned to reignite his Pokemon’s pride. Meanwhile, Altaria fought bravely to try and avenge its master’s death, but was being consistently forced back by the much stronger opponent. Tears rolled down its face as it realized the futility of its actions, without a trainer by its side Altaria would quickly fall. As Volcarona once again set its sights on Charizard, Ariane desperately grabbed River in an attempt to pull him off his Pokemon. River responded by grabbing her arms as he had done when they first met, making contact with the small bag she had stored Walter’s possessions in. A bright rainbow light shone through the bag’s straw material, catching both of their attentions.
　　
　　“What is that?” River asked, opening her bag.
　　
　　“It’s Walter’s Mega Pendant,” Ariane explained, revealing the gold necklace, “but why is it shining now?”
　　
　　It was then that River was reminded of the mysterious creature in the shrine, and the Mega Stone he had picked up. He pulled out the marble stone from his pouch and gave it to Charizard before grabbing the Mega Pendant from Ariane’s hands.
　　
　　“What are you doing?” Ariane asked.
　　
　　“This is the Mega Stone Walter was searching the shrine for,” River explained, “I’m going to use it to Mega Evolve Charizard.”
　　
　　“But that’s impossible!” Ariane protested, “I’ve seen the Charizardite, and that’s not it. You’re wasting time, Volcarona is going to be here soon.”
　　
　　“We’re screwed anyways if I don’t try,” River replied, before kissing Ariane on the lips, “a kiss for good luck, now get out of here.”
　　
　　“Jerk,” she blushed, stepping away from River and his Charizard.

　　“It’s now or never buddy,” River said, raising the Mega Pendant high into the air, “let’s Mega Evolve!”

　　The Mega Stone Charizard held in its claws began reacting to Walter’s Mega Pendant, surrounding the dragon in a bright multicolored light. Charizard’s wings suddenly opened wider, ripping the blue fringes open and fraying them. Its wide snout begin to thin as its head widened and a third large horn grew between the original two, all of them now pointed with a sharp tip. Charizard’s body continued to thin, releasing an incredible amount of heat as its arms and legs lengthened and smaller wings grew from its elbows. The final step in this new Mega Evolution was the flame on its tail growing incredibly bright, shooting a beam of light into the sky that parted the storm clouds. The indigenous villagers emerged from their hiding places to watch the Sun break through the clouds, shining brighter and hotter than it ever had before. Charizard let out a powerful roar, loud enough to cause Volcarona to hesitate. River smiled confidently, his wet black hair shining brightly in the sunlight.
　　
　　“Look, the Hero Devereux has returned!” one of the Pyraxians shouted.
　　
　　“And he has brought the true Sun God to help smite the false idol we once celebrated!” Chief Kaiminus yelled, rallying the rest of the tribesmen.
　　
　　“River! Charizard! Fight!” they all yelled, joined by Salvador and Ariane Boothman.
　　
　　“Are you ready big guy?” River asked.
　　
　　Charizard nodded confidently in response, leaning forward to allow River to climb onto its slimmer body. Using both the wings on its back and its arms, Charizard took flight to face Volcarona once more. This time the intense sunlight would dry the oxygen, strengthening both of their Fire-type moves rather than dulling them. The heated battle began with Volcarona taking the first move. It danced violently, scattering a large amount of scales that quickly caught fire. The waves of flames from the Fiery Dance flew towards Charizard as they scorched the air around them thanks to the increased heat.
　　
　　“Deflect the attack with Air Slash,” River said.
　　
　　Just as it had done before, Charizard began lunging forward with its wings. Their larger size formed bigger saws of air before, showing everybody the strength Mega Evolution bestowed. Both combatants attacks collided, canceling each other out in a smokey explosion. Despite all the smoke in the battlefield, the Sun’s rays were bright enough to reveal both silhouettes, making sneak attacks impossible. Together they flew upwards, emerging from the top of the cloud of smoke to continue fighting. Volcarona sucked in air and blew hard, creating a large stream of flames that threatened to engulf Charizard and River.
　　
　　“Counter it with your own Flamethrower,” the trainer commanded.
　　
　　Using the same process that Volcarona had used, Charizard created its own wall of flames. Fire fought fire as both sides were caught in another stalemate, where the first one to relent would take damage from the attack. The center of the flames shifted from one side to the other as both Pokemon slowly increased their flame output in this heated battle of tug-of-war. With one final push, Charizard was able to overwhelm Volcarona, engulfing it in flames.
　　
　　“Go forward with Fire Punch,” River said.
　　
　　Securing the advantage in battle, Charizard raced forward to continue attacking. Tightening one of its claws into a fist, it engulfed its hand in fire and punched Volcarona square in the chest. River began to sweat from the sweltering heat both Pokemon were producing, he was nearing the ends of his endurance. The enemy moth Pokemon recovered and began radiating even more heat than before. Its body grew so hot that it was starting to catch fire, but it persisted in preparing its strongest attack. An incredibly massive beam of fire burst from its body, it had taken the ultimate gamble with an Overheat attack. Thanks to the sunny weather boosting the strength of Fire-type attacks, the move’s range was too wide for Charizard to dodge without endangering River. Left with no other option, he decided that retaliating with Charizard’s strongest attack was the only option.
　　
　　“Charizard, time for Blast Burn!” he yelled, “I’ll be trusting you to catch me, so don’t take too long.”
　　
　　Sensing the desperation in River’s voice, Charizard began preparing its final attack as its trainer jumped from high in the sky. The mega evolved dragon’s body became alight with bright blue flames, burning hotter than even Volcarona’s Overheat. As the flames began burning too hot for even the Fire-type dragon to bear, Charizard began falling at breakneck speeds, passing River on the way down to the ground. Like a flaming meteor, it dropped into the earth, creating a massive crater with just its fist. The flames that had covered its body funneled into the hole it had created, diving down towards the planet’s core. Charizard was left exhausted by the powerful attack, but summoned the last of its energy to take flight once more. As it flew up to catch River from falling, the Mega Evolution faded, reverting Charizard back to his fat appearance. Now incredibly exhausted, it could do nothing but slowly descend back to the ground. Volcarona followed them down, letting out several infuriating screeches as it scattered more scales. The Pyraxians watched on from down below, and began praying for a miracle to save their hero and his Charizard.
　　This miracle came in the form of Charizard’s Blast Burn attack. Having reached the center of the Earth, it pulled forth a large geyser of scorching flames. Melting the ground above it, a pillar of white hot fire erupted from the ground, completely engulfing Volcarona in an intense inferno. Charizard and River landed safely, where they were greeted by all of the friends they had made in the jungle. There they stood in front of the hole Charizard created, which was slowly sealing itself with molten earth. The victory celebration was brought to a halt as Volcarona crashed into the ground nearby. Larvesta wriggled its way through the ground to be by its mother’s side. After several attempts to wake up its parent, the Torch Pokemon let out a painful cry.
　　
　　“Oh no,” Ariane gasped.
　　
　　“Did we go too far?” River asked as he ran to Larvesta’s side.
　　
　　The white warm snapped and forced River back using a small volley of flames. Its bright blue eyes were clouded with tears and it curled up next to its departed parent. Pokemon were incredibly resilient, but they were not invincible. All of the damage it had been taking slowly took its toll on Volcarona, and being struck by an already powerful move boosted by both Mega Evolution and the sunny weather pushed it to the breaking point. Even though it had brought destruction to their village, the Pyraxians began grieving over the death of their former God.
　　
　　“I’m sorry,” River apologized, keeping his distance from Larvesta, “nothing I do can make up for you losing your mother. I understand if you hate me, because I deserve it. I made a promise to keep her safe, but I chickened out and killed her in order to protect my own life.”
　　
　　“We’ll take care of the little one,” Chief Kaiminus said, “and together with the Firnontor, we will rebuild this village into something even greater than before. Starting today, we will no longer be Pyraxian or Firnontor, we will form a new tribe. From now on, we shall be the Glurak Tribe!”
　　
　　The people from both tribes cheered for the declaration of a union between the two people. Before beginning clean up of the village, the group created two graves. One empty hole marked with a purple material tied to a stick was made for Walter Stone. While he had been an enemy of the tribes, he was still a man who deserved a respectful send-off. The other grave was dug for Volcarona, whose headstone was carved into one of the totems that had been made in its honor. Having successfully completed his mission, River was offered compensation from Salvador Boothman’s private fund. He turned it down however, claiming the Charizardite and Walter’s Mega Pendant as his reward instead. When transportation arrived for the outsiders, Dr. Boothman announced that he would be staying with the Glurak to help them rebuild and to teach them the ways of the modern world. Formally retiring from his position as a professor and a cartographer, Salvador left Ariane free to make her choice for the future. She chose to leave with River, who had opened her eyes to love and courage. When they reached the Unova region, the pair tried to release Walter’s Pokemon into the wild. While some of them had left properly, Glalie and Altaria remained behind. Walter’s personal Mega Pokemon wished to stay with the Mega Pendant, refusing to be separated from the tool that enabled its evolution. Altaria however, had grown fond of Ariane as a trainer, and agreed to become her own Pokemon. And so, time continued onward...

And They All Lived Happily Ever After​

　　
　　Several years had passed since the incident in the Minorean Jungle. Once again River found himself sitting alone and bored in the Wild World Company’s Lavender Town office. The radio was broadcasting the latest bulletin, an update in the long line of scandals that had been linked to Stone Enterprises and its founder, Walter Stone. After news of his death reached the Devon Corporation, Steven Stone agreed to buy out Stone Enterprises, in order to preserve as much of the legal research he could. While he was being slammed with multiple illegal charges, Walter Stone was given credit for the discovery of Charizardite-Y, which led to the belief that multiple variations of a Mega Stone existed in the world, and that one Pokemon could have multiple stones.
　　River quickly sat at attention as the door opened, a beautiful woman in a white sundress walked in holding a letter. Her long brown hair was kept neatly in a ponytail, and her smile lit up the room as she happily danced around. On her finger was a silver ring, adorned with a small diamond. Mrs. Ariane Devereux sat on the desk in front of her husband and presented him with a photo. In the photo were River’s in-laws, Dr. Salvador Boothman his wife Eliza. They had chosen to live in the Glurak village in order to act as guides for the process of joining the Unova region. The couple were happily living among the tribe, and had adapted to living in the wild quite nicely. Floating among them and the Glurak people was a large white bug with orange wings and bright blue eyes.
　　
　　“So he finally evolved,” River said, fondly remembering the Larvesta he had met.
　　
　　“There’s more,” Ariane smiled, passing another picture.
　　
　　This photo contained a large wooden statue, depicting the Glurak tribe’s hero and their new symbol of worship. River had been given the title of prophet after revealing to the former Pyraxians and Firnontors the “one, true Sun God” and denouncing the false beings they had worshiped. Now the Glurak tribe prospered in harmony, taking in all technology they were given and slowly becoming a modern civilization. The rate of their growth astounded historians, and Dr. Boothman was given a Snowbelle Prize for his work with the tribe. Much to everyone’s surprise, Chief Kaiminus had been given an invitation to Pokestar Studios, the world’s largest movie production company. As a hobby, he had been using the camera gifted to him by Salvador to film the wildlife and the activities of the tribe. Eventually, he was recognized by an art institute as a “natural born cinematographer” and was given permission to enroll in the school’s film-making classes. His debut film, “History of the Glurak”, received top honors at the Unova Film Festival, making him a very popular director. Mr. And Mrs. Devereux’s reminiscing was interrupted by loud cry of the WWC’s phone line. On the other end of the call was a young photographer who claimed to have spotted the Legendary Pokemon, Jirachi, near Mt. Coronet in the Sinnoh region. Tired of being called an attention-seeking liar, the photographer requested River’s help in tracking down and obtaining a photo of Jirachi. The former champion rose from his seat and gave Ariane a kiss good-bye before heading out the front door. A few seconds later, the door opened once more, River’s hand reaching for the hat rack. He pulled a navy hat off the rack and placed it on his head before heading out.
　　
　　“Fedoras are for old adventurers,” he said, “newsboy caps are the mercenary hat of the future.”
　　
　　And so, River Devereux set off on another adventure, wearing his ridiculous hat from the 50’s, hoping that one day it would become an icon rivaling that of world famous explorer, Hariyama Bones.​

Target: Larvesta(Demanding - 40,000 miminum)
Character Counter: 75,943​

 

I'm slightly impressed and frightened by the dedication and time that went into this story.... Anyways, reserved!

 

Grade was posted, deleted, and sent to author because WWC.