Episode 20: The Sixth Hero

Lute was the first to come to. His awareness that returned to him in a flash. One moment he was gone from the world, the next, fully aware that he had fainted and sprung to his feet.

“Sophitia? Everyone?” He glanced at their collapsed bodies. They all seemed to wake up at the same time, so he sighed. He turned his attention to the surroundings instead, and quickly concluded that they were still in the temple.

“What was that all about? I feel like I slept in a wet barrel or something,” Esther complained as she stretched her back. “Everybuddy alright?”

“Stiff, but I’m okay,” Infia replied.

“Awake,” Phoenix said.

“I think we’re all dead inside. Did we at least do it?” Sophitia commented. “Naivie. Where’s Naivie?”

“Oh yeah, Naivie. Where’s- what is that?” Lute cried.

He choked as he realised he was stood in the shadow of a towering plant. Whatever this blooming flower was, it would make a Wailord look like a Joltik in comparison, or that was at least how Lute felt about it. Massive broad leaves hung above them while roots appeared to have torn through the rock, claiming a pot for the plant in the cave floor. The pink bud of the plant hadn’t fully flowered, where a few of the leaves cradled it protectively.

“Holy Miltank look at the size of that thing!” Esther cried and fell back.

“I-is that really the ancient flower? I wasn’t expecting it to be massive,” Sophitia said.

“What were you expecting it to be?” Naivie said.

“I dunno. Something a little more magical and not as intimida- Naivie! You’re okay?” Sophitia gasped.

“Intimidating? Man, you Pokémon sure are weak if you’re getting intimidated by a little giant flower,” the Carbink teased. “Thanks for passing out, too. You only left me bored for a good several hours. I’ll have to charge you for sleeping on hotel property.”

“Little giant used to describe one thing. Now I’ve heard it all,” Esther said.

“Look, here. See that sleeping cutie here? That’s a Shaymin.” Naivie brought everyone’s attention to the tiny creature at the foot of the flower. It was a hedgehog Pokémon half of Lute’s size, but instead of spines, smooth, vivid green grass covered its back. Its body was white and plump, and was curled up to sleep comfortably. Between the Shaymin and the ancient flower, it was as if the two mimicked each other, coiled up and hugging themselves for comfort.

“We won’t be able to wake it up now, but this is the physical manifestation of the ancient flower’s will. While the flower is alive, the Shaymin will also be. But the flower is asleep now, as you can see. So none of your precious V Waves will come out of it just yet,” Naivie explained.

“So how do we make it? Or at least, will the weather be better?” Lute asked.

“The Shaymin all have to wake up in perfect sync, or the seasons will be out of order and stuff. That’d be a bigger disaster. So, we have to plant all four seeds and grow the flowers first. You’ve done this one, so three to go,” Naivie answered. “It’s not all bleak, though. You should notice some very slight changes in the weather. I hope that’s good enough for you.”

“Aww, I was excited to say hi to the cutie. She looks adorable,” Esther said, crouched by the Shaymin. “Let’s get outta here. I feel like I could eat a whole Grumpig.”

“You as well? Lucky us, not getting jumped by that powerful Eevee, too. I still can’t sense him at all,” Sophitia said.

“That’s a good thing, right? Let’s get out of here while it stays that way,” Lute said.

As soon as they got outside, Lute couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment. The fog was still heavy in the area, and if anything, was even heavier than before. Just when he felt they made a step forward, things remained unchanged.

“U-um, Lute, can you carry me?” Esther said. He raised an eyebrow while everyone else turned to her, making her blush. “I-i-it’s nothing really, I’m just like, dying of hunger back here. I don’t think I can walk very far, that’s how hungry I am!”

“I mean I’m starving too, isn’t that just exaggerating? But fine, I’ll carry you,” Sophitia stretched her feelers over.

“Na-uh, it has to be Lute!” Esther cried.

“Esther.” Phoenix rolled his eyes.

Oh. I didn’t take you for the lazy type,” Naivie said.

“It’s not lazy! I’m genuinely too hungry to go far, that’s all. And I’d love it if a big strong male were to help me out a bit of the way, nothin’ more, nothin’ less,” Esther said.

“Big strong male and Lute in the same sentence is hilarious to think about. In fact it’s so hilarious that nobody’s laughing,” Naivie commented.

“Why me?” Lute sighed.

Esther paused for a moment, and then moaned. “Oh stuff it, life’s too short to play blind Zubat.”

“Esther? Wah!” he cried as she dove on top of him. She latched to his mane and wrapped both paws around his neck.

“You handled me last time, you can do it here, too.” She giggled at his bothered groan.

The others palmed their faces, but chose to ignore her as they made their way back to Everend. Lute took note of Phoenix’s especially frustrated look, however. The way the Fennekin silently snarled and turned away, he felt guilty for it, despite not knowing why.

Their return home was as degrading as the trip to the temple. Lute was silent and smothered by negative thoughts about the weather, though he also thought hard about how he failed to stay awake during the prayer. He was sick of getting into these situations where he had to put effort into something, only to pass out despite his efforts to stay strong. It was like no matter what he did, his body would remind him of how weak he truly was.

Even when they made it home and Marina met them all with celebrations and a grand meal, he couldn’t bring himself to pay attention to everyone’s merriment. Naivie’s comment was surely a joke, but it stung, hard. It was far beyond a joke how much he struggled, and if he was still serious about becoming a hero, then he needed to make a miracle happen. Those thoughts followed him all the way until bedtime.

Tomorrow, I put in one hundred and fifty percent, he kept telling himself.

He envisioned battles and situations similar to what he had been through recently, and what he could do to deal with them. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t notice Esther sneak up to cuddle him from behind. The moment she did, he flew into a frenzy and threw his tail high into the air.

“Wah, wait Lute stop it’s only—” Esther cried.

“Get off!” Lute screamed as he balanced on his front feet. He spun with astonishing force to throw his attacker into the wall so hard they stuck there, upside-down. “A-ah! Esther?”

“Whoa, Lute! Cool move. Where’d you pull that one from?” Sophitia praised.

“Right when he didn’t need it, too,” Naivie said. Now he definitely felt guilty.

“E-Esther I’m so sorry, you surprised me and stuff.” He rushed over to her. She sunk to the floor with her eyes swirling.

“No worries. ‘Twas a good counter,” she gurgled.

Lute gulped and stepped away. Silence took over the room. He dared to glance at Phoenix, and met that fierce, overly aggressive gaze. “I-I need to go out for a little bit. Sorry.”

“Lute,” Sophitia said as he left, but he ignored her.

Thankfully for him, Marina wasn’t in the front room, allowing him to quietly stroll right out. Everend was dark and quiet, but lit just enough for him to wander around to the back of the house where there was space. He looked around for a few moments to ensure he wasn’t followed and that all was silent, and then let out a breath.

Here, he would throw out his attacks and try to replicate that electric move he used. To master his attacks, or at least give them enough power to damage another Pokémon; that was his aim. That was his aim until he walked a little further to the next house over and bumped into Infia, who was hugged up against the wall.

“L-Lute?” Infia gasped.

“Infia?” he gasped as well.

Neither said a word for a moment. Seconds later, he realised he was staring and looked away.

“I didn’t expect to find you here. I didn’t even realise you weren’t in the house. You’re so quiet sometimes,” he said with a blush.

“Sorry. I won’t intrude. I didn’t know you go out like this,” she said, doing the same.

“No no, you’re not in the way. This is sort of new to me, too,” he said.

“Oh.”

Another moment of silence.

“Uh, this is sort of the first time we’ve gotten to talk alone since you-know-what happened… Sorry about that. So much has been going on. How’ve you been?” he asked.

“I’m okay. I’m just worried about being useful. The V Pocket stuff really upset Esther. And you too, didn’t it?” she said. She played with her paws and twiddled her feet as she spoke.

“I don’t fully get it, but if it means you have all these cool powers, then that’s great, right?” he said, and walked around to sit with her by the wall. She kept her head down and eyes closed. “Did you know about it?”

She didn’t answer.

“Uh, I came out here because I’m feeling weak, too. Esther, Sophitia, and Phoenix are so confident in their fighting, and their attacks actually do damage and stuff. I wanted to start practicing so that mine could do damage, too. If we’re both going to get stronger, then why don’t we train together?” he proposed.

She slowly looked up. “Hey, Lute? Do you trust everyone?”

“Huh?” he didn’t expect the question. “Of course I do. Legend brought us together. If we didn’t trust each other, the whole world would be in danger.”

“But you asked if I knew I was a V Pocket. If I did know, that would mean I’m still keeping secrets from you. And you suspected that,” she replied.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way! Even if you did know, I wouldn’t blame you for keeping it secret. It’s the same as the underwear thing, there’s no need for everyone to know, so you didn’t tell anyone. I-I was just sort of nosy there, that’s all.” He scratched his face. “I’m nosy about what you being a V Pocket really means, too. Athens didn’t specify other than Helping Hand.”

He tried to lighten to mood with a little giggle, but she stayed silent. He struggled to look at her as a result and wished that she would say something, anything that could get him moving. But she didn’t, and long enough for him to start sweating and clear his throat. “U-um, what’s on your mind? If you want to talk about it, that is.”

“I can’t explain it. It’s some kind of feeling,” she said so softly he barely heard her. She stood up with a sudden determination in her eyes, and clenched her paws into fists. “Lute. I want to try something with you. But I need you to trust me with this.”

“You know I trust you. What’s wrong?” he replied.

She stuttered on a word, and then leaned away. Her face grew brighter than a tomato, too. “Oh gosh, this is really embarrassing. I don’t know if this will actually work and if it doesn’t, it’s going to look really, really weird.”

“Well, what is it? I can be okay with it if I know what’s up.” He tilted his head.

“I can’t explain it. It really is just… there’s something I know I can do and know how to do, but I don’t know how to do it? Like this feeling that something’s in my code. That small moment when I was in that liquid Athens put me in, it gave me an epiphany,” she said as she paced. She smiled awkwardly at him, still blushing. “It’s also super embarrassing for some reason, too.”

“O-kay?” he replied.

“Are you really okay with me trying it with you?” she said.

“If it’s bugging you, then it can’t hurt to try, can it?” He smiled.

“Okay. Thank you, Lute,” she breathed out. “St-stand up on your hind legs, please.”

“I can’t stand for long, but I’m trying,” he said. He used the wall for balance, but he still wasn’t able to stay still.

“Okay, here goes,” she said as she skipped a few paces back. She took a deep breath, and then glared with determination in her eyes.

At this point, Lute played along with her because he wanted the awkwardness to end. He didn’t know what was going to happen, but since he was with Infia, nothing he expected could have been bad in any way. That was until she crouched and rose up with steady, rhythmic sways of her paws.

She danced to her feet, and he was very quickly reminded of how good of a dancer she was… and how beautiful she looked in his eyes. Her paws, her feet, her skirt, her ears, and the serene look on her face – when she danced, everything impressed him on a level that stole his breath and focus. The whole world seemed to vanish around her as passion exuded from her perfectly coordinated moves. She controlled that world by moving in perfect harmony with her surroundings, swaying and drawing curves with her paws as if to pull the very elements of nature toward her.

Lute could see the artistic style in those moves and he loved it. What he didn’t realise was that unlike the last time he saw her dance, she was edging towards him, and once close enough, made him a part of her moves. She was crouched right by his hind feet at one point, rose up, and then linked their paws in an aggressively intimate manner. Their faces were close enough to feel one another’s breath, which drove all the heat in his body to his cheeks.

She didn’t seem to be bothered at all, though. That fact made him keep quiet besides a nervous utter, even when she continued to move. She danced with their paws linked and legs tangled. He feared he might backflip somehow, nut Infia prevented it, guiding him the same way she guided those natural elements in her dance. He let her guide him, but his breath gradually became unsettled. He hit turmoil when she broke into a spin, and their paws wound up wrapped around one another in a romantic embrace.

That wasn’t even the last of it. She bent him back and nuzzled his nose, which of course he recoiled and fell to the floor. It didn’t hurt or anything, but the loss of balance made his heart jump. That shock took him back to reality, and he finally realised exactly where he was. She was sat on top of him with their paws linked together, digits interlocked and all. Her eyes were shut so he wondered if she even realised what she was doing, but when she began to lean in, his mind screamed code red.

“Gah, okay okay okay, that’s it that’s enough!” He tensed up.

She froze at his cry, but moments before their faces would reconnect – if that was what she was planning to do. Her eyes shot open, and her whole body went just as rigid. Just then, for a lengthy moment, Lute felt a powerful jolt of fear caused by her. Her eyes were flickering. Not blinking, but flickering with static within the irises. Her eyes looked like a broken computer screen with multicoloured graphical glitches, but when she blinked after a moment, they went right back to normal.

“Oh my gosh, ah!” she squeaked. She flinched back and screamed, but jammed her paws in her mouth as she stumbled away. She tripped over and tried to hide herself from view, pulling her shirt over her reddened face.

“I-Infia?” Lute said, jaw-dropped.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, aah, why did I think it’d work? It didn’t work I’m so sorry!” she let out a shrill scream. She had become a complete wreck of shudders and blushes. She couldn’t stand up straight and tears fell from her eyes. Seeing that, Lute composed himself, but the moment he rolled over to stand up, she was off and crying out loud.

“Aw, Infia,” he said, and blinked. He looked back and forth, and then growled. “Damn it, all the girls are going nuts!”

…

The next morning, Infia avoided Lute of course. He didn’t care though, as he resumed his attempt at training after her departure. The late night left him yawning at breakfast, but aware enough to take part in the conversation. The important parts that Naivie had to tell them, not the questions about why he was so sleepy or why Infia avoided him.

Their next destination was Angard. Despite the city being drained of all life, the place was still home to a functioning temple where an ancient flower could be grown. Esther and Phoenix already confirmed the existence of a Teleportal there, so perhaps there was more to the ruins now that Naivie was with them.

And so, after a restock of supplies and a wave of good luck from Marina, they began their next trip. They remembered the rule of not being allowed to transport there using the Deposit Box, which meant they had to use a gondola. Sophitia lost all strength once they set foot on the vehicle, Esther went about trying to ride Lute’s back again, and all the other bits of banter he had grown used to killed the time.

“O-okay, looks like we’re arriving in two. I’m surprised that a place like this has a gondola station,” Sophitia shuddered, still crouched by the seats.

“It may be that the transport was already there before the country withered. With the gondolas still functioning, there is not much reason to remove the station,” Phoenix explained. “There are a few theories like that around.”

“But who’d wanna go to a run-down joint like this? You guys could’ve at least tried to spruce it up rather than being lazy,” Naivie said.

“Gen sort of stops anyone from doing that,” Lute said. “She’s serious about preserving this country’s state.”

“Plus, it makes for a pretty interesting place to explore, ya’know? We might’ve never run into you if I wasn’t so nosy,” Esther added.

“Hmm. I’ll never understand you Pokémon. You do such weird stuff sometimes,” Naivie commented as she settled on Lute’s head.

When they arrived, a curious look around unveiled that the gondola station was as small as expected. Just two platforms for arrivals and departures, with each trip nearly an hour apart. The station was devoid of staff, too. Lute dashed out into the one room the station had, but still had to look left to right for the Pokémon he could hear.

“It is Gen. Hi,” he called out once he spotted her. She was with another Pokémon, and they both went quiet when they saw everyone.

“Wait a minute, you’re that guy,” Sophitia gasped, hopping to Lute’s side.

Besides the Meowstic was the same burly Chespin they were with when they rescued Infia. He responded to Sophitia with a cocky smile and a flexed muscle, to which Gen palmed her face.

”The one and only. Fancy meeting you kids here… provided I knew who you were,” Chespin greeted.

“What’re you doing?” Gen grumbled.

“You do know us. Remember the Radial Castle? The fight against that giant Risen that fused?” Sophitia said. Chespin looked to the side, then lit up.

“Oh yeah. That mess. That was a while ago. Good to see the little girl’s still alive and kicking,” Chespin said, and approached. “Now then, let’s not beat around the bush, ‘cos we’re always busy here. What’re you here for?”

“Are you serious? We’re the ones with a bone to pick with you,” Sophitia cried. “What was with all that when we left? And what’s with that attitude now?”

“So it’s a fight? You want to fight me?” Chespin said.

“Carry on like that, and maybe I will,” Sophitia said.

“Glad to hear it. And maybe you’ll gimme a workout, too!” he laughed.

“Oh no you freaking don’t.” Gen pulled the Chespin by one of his leaves. That made him yelp and cringe, but he pulled back on her.

“Baby, please! They’re the ones who challenged me,” he complained.

“I’m not your baby. And remember what I told you about the hot-headed stuff? When you act like an ass and fight everything in sight, I’m the one that takes the heat for it in repairing this place,” Gen said. “So get your head in the game. Besides, these kids aren’t enemies.”

“We’re here because of the legend of Aseria. We can awaken the ancient flowers and restore the seasons and V Waves,” Lute informed. “Sorry for intruding in Angard again.”

“Again?” Chespin folded his arms.

“Yes, again. I told you they were here. And you didn’t tell them your name, either,” Gen clarified.

“Mercenary’s code. Either way, you believe them?” he said.

“Oh come on, you knew we were coming! I already told you in advance,” Naivie popped up between them. “Seriously, I’ve had it up to here with you. Can you not be a pain to work with for one minute?”

“Well pardon me for deciding to live my life rather than go full hobo.” Chespin looked away.

“Is that why you came back, honey? To work with everyone?” Gen asked.

“Of course not. I came back to see you, my lovely wife who spends every minute worrying about my wellbeing.” He put his arms around her.

“Oh behave yourself. We have guests,” Gen huffed. She still allowed him to bring her into a hug, where they shared a quick but flaunty kiss.

“What, it’s true. You’re not gonna deny you’re happy to see me, are you?”

“It’s been too long, but there’s a time and a place. Later, you big dolt.”

“Aww wow, they’re just the cutest icon,” Esther said.

“You and I have a very different definition of cute,” Sophitia groaned. “Can we get going? If possible, I’d like not to spend the night here.”

“Yuck. Love stuff is so gross,” Lute muttered.

“Pardon us. He can be a real idiot sometimes,” Gen led the way. “What exactly are you all looking for?”

“A temple used by ancients. Apparently, there’s a Teleportal there. It’s like this big shiny platform,” Lute said.

“I know what a Teleportal is. I’ll take you there. Hope you don’t mind a walk,” Gen said.

“Gen honey, you’re way too trusting,” Chespin sighed.

“Naivie being here tells me all I need to know. And if I’m reading between the lines correctly, you and Naivie already know what’s going on,” Gen added. She tucked her paws behind her back. “You six are the ones responsible for the Radial Tower flying off. And now your journey has brought you here.”

“That’s right! Wow, you’re good,” Esther nodded.

“But how did you know?” Infia said.

“Oh, right. You’ve not met me before, have you? My name is Gen. I am a Pokémon who lives in the past in this modern era,” The Meowstic reintroduced herself. She gave her bright yellow dress a loose brush. “I know all about Aseria’s old ways. The ancient flowers, the guardian Naivie, the Mega Stone and Aseria’s champions… I’m not surprised at all to see foretold events taking place.”

“And you’re also aware that Spirle wanna mess about in any petty way that they can. Run your mouth too much to everybody, and one of ‘em is sure to find out something they shouldn’t,” Chespin interrupted.

“Do you have to be so antagonistic? I really don’t like you,” Sophitia complained.

“I’m only spouting facts,” Chespin smiled cheekily.

“And you still haven’t told us your name!” Sophitia cried.

“As obnoxious as he seems right now, this guy is my husband. And he’s got just as much love for ancient Aseria as I do” Gen smiled. Lute was surprised to see how angelic the Meowstic looked all of a sudden, as if a sense of genuine, relaxed happiness had taken over her whole being. “That’s why you were chosen, wasn’t it, Kuri?”

“Aw geez, my name and everything,” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Don’t get edgy on me now. If you knew, I wish you’d told me sooner. I’m super relieved to know that Aseria is in good hands,” she said.

“I’m selective with information, Gen. Seriously, you can’t just go around telling these guys everything about me,” Kuri said. “Yes, I’m one of the heroes of Aseria. But I’m not a hero. I’m here to do this task and then go about my real mission.”

“What’s—” Sophitia said.

“Don’t even bother asking.” Kuri shrugged.

“Just tell us, darn it! You did this last time, too.” Sophitia stopped walking. “I worked with you last time because we had to to save Infia. But now, we know we can grow the ancient flowers without you. So unless you have something really important, I’m happy to leave your edgy butt behind.”

“Huh. Sophitia really does not like him,” Phoenix said.

I don’t blame her, to be honest. Something about him just feels off, Lute tilted his head. But what could be so bad that he doesn’t want to work with us? And not call himself a hero?

Kuri was hesitant, but a serious expression took over his look. “I’m a mercenary. I do fighting work for money, from bodyguard stuff to infiltration. Don’t be surprised to learn I’ve got a kill count. I’m pretty sure I’m near the top of Aseria’s most-wanted.”

“Wa-wait, you—” Infia squeaked and shrivelled up.

“I can’t afford to work with a bunch of Agents of King’s Shield, especially when they’re tattletale kids,” Kuri stated.

“Do I look like a snotty little snitch to you? But either way, how did someone like you get chosen to be a hero? There has to be a mistake, right Naivie?” Sophitia said.

“The only mistake is you questioning my accuracy. Kuri is a hero, case closed. If you’re gonna bicker about it, then you might as well kill yourselves now,” Naivie replied. Everyone silenced. “No more objections? Good. Now get along, kids.”

“Good gods. That one stung,” Sophitia muttered.

“Even I felt that. And I am not even arguing,” Phoenix said.

“At least try to explain how? I’m not against Mister Kuri coming with us, but I am a bit confused how the heroes get chosen. He doesn’t seem to want to be one,” Esther wondered.

“The heroes get chosen by fate. But supposedly, it’s those with a passion for the ancient ways of life who will work the hardest to keep Aseria alive,” Genesis began. She laid a paw on her chest, and looked happy. “Knowing Kuri, it’s truly an honour to see him become one. I could only wish I got chosen.”

“You’re a little too important for that, don’t you think?” Naivie commented.

“Speaking about Kuri,” Gen raised her voice suddenly. She calmed down quickly, though her happy appearance faded. “If there’s anyone who loves the natural ways of Pokémon as much as I do, it’s him. I have every bit of faith and trust that with him fighting alongside you, your journey will not fail.”

Lute’s thoughts had an explosion, one so sudden that he visually shivered and felt afraid. “Wait a second. If we awaken the flowers, there’ll be more V Waves, right? And then the weather turns back to normal. Why do we need to have an interest in ancient Aseria?”

“I knew this shit would come up. Here we go.” Kuri rolled his eyes.

“Didn’t we answer this already? It just means society has a sustainable resource,” Sophitia put a feeler to her chin.

“Did the Lassic tell ya that one?” Kuri folded his arms.

“Naivie, actually. Lassic told us not to awaken the flowers because technology will stop working if we do,” Lute said.

“Well, he’s right,” Kuri said. Lute felt like he literally froze. “We awaken the flowers, and all of the fancy tech in Aseria stops dead in its path. Lassic’s society will cease to function, and he’s no longer the top of the world.”

“Are you serious?” Lute cried. There was no response. “We can’t do that. If all technology just stopped working, the whole world would be in trouble. There’s nothing heroic about that!”

“Because you don’t have an automatic door or gondola to travel on?” Kuri joked.

“Well… no but… some Pokémon need that stuff. A-a-and life in general is so much better with it all. If it all stopped working suddenly now, Pokémon around the world will suffer for sure,” Lute said.

“You’re a young kid. You’ve been conditioned to believe that you need all this to simplify your lives. The reality is, Pokémon existed way before all of it was invented. We built doors out of nature, and ferried each other across the sea or sky. We can live without technology, but many Pokémon rely on it so greatly that they’re practically forgetting they’re Pokémon altogether,” Kuri argued. “The real question should’ve been why you’re a hero. If you value the world as is so greatly, then why are you even here?”

“Hey, don’t test me! I’ve been interested in ancient Aseria, too.” Lute leaned toward him. There was a pause, and he shrunk back. “S-sure, I only know stuff I’ve learnt in school, but… but back then, Aseria was a feral world. Pokémon had to go through great lengths of danger like mystery dungeons just to go to school every day. Now everything’s safer and we don’t have to do things like that. If we go back to that, we’re little better off than we are now.”

“’Little better off’? What’re you, stupid?” Kuri raised his voice. “Look around you! This is Angard. This is a world devoid of nature and weather. The whole world will be like this if we don’t awaken those flowers. Would you rather live in this than learn to fight with Pokémon attacks, the thing every Pokémon is capable of using?”

“Oh boy, this is getting real,” Esther leaned away.

“Lute,” Infia said, but she was silenced by Sophitia slipping a feeler in front of her. She kept Esther and Phoenix back as well, and watched intently.

“Some Pokémon can’t use attacks. Some Pokémon can’t even walk, they’re born like that! With disabilities, and poorer life circumstances. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Those Pokémon can do things and live normal lives thanks to V Wave technology. And regardless of what you think, a world where we don’t have to fight should be ideal.” Lute grit his teeth as he spoke.

“Then what’re you going to do? Beg Lassic to change the way his machines work?” Kuri snapped. Lute leaned back and shook. He couldn’t find the worlds to reply with, and had to put all his effort just to keep eye contact. “Get out of here. You’re no hero. You’ll never be a hero. You’re just another one of Lassic’s puppets.”

“Kuri,” Gen said. The Chespin shook his head and walked away.

“Oh and by the way,” Kuri slowed to look back at them over his shoulder. “Since you’re Agents of King’s Shield, it’s your mission to try and apprehend me for my previous crimes. But if you dare, I won’t hesitate to kill you. So pick your next move wisely, kid.”