A New Dawn

"You should never have come back. You could have lived the rest of your life in peace. But no, you had to go ahead and collude with the League and target my family," Arthur bellowed as he wiped the blood off his face. It wasn't his blood, but the blood of his enemies. Both Dexter and Lance were in pathetic conditions, each having lost a limb, and Dexter's heracross had already met its demise.

A legendary stage Pokemon was killed—the fight between the three legendary-class trainers had been going on for hours. Now, it was already dawn, and with Heracross' death, the battle completely tilted. Arthur's Medicham became much more ruthless, concentrating its efforts on quickly bringing down the Scizor while Kangaskhan still held both Nido King and Nidoqueen back alone. Arthur had yet to use his mega evolution stones in the battle, showing the disparity between the two sides.

"Arthur, you bastard! Sooner or later, someone will come along and kill you. Don't keep thinking that you are invincible. You will eventually meet your match," Dexter spat in defiance. However, just as he was about to continue, a hand pierced through his back and through his heart.

Even Arthur was surprised because the one who sneak attacked Dexter was none other than Lance.

"You bastard, what do you think you are doing?" Dexter coughed in a fit, his eyelids heavy. The battle with Arthur had already taken its toll on him, and this sneak attack was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Forgive me, my friend. I cannot die here. I need a way out, and killing you is the only way I can think of," Lance remarked with fake remorse on his face.

However, Dexter only looked at him as if he were a fool. "Lance, for someone who calls himself smart and cunning, you sure are a fool. Do you think that monster," he pointed at Arthur, who was smirking at them, "will let anyone walk out of here alive after making all this preparation? You just destroyed your only chance of getting out alive from here."

The Scizor, witnessing its partner being attacked, desperately tried to rush to its rescue. Arthur, with a cruel smirk, commanded his three Pokemon that were besieging the Scizor.

"Let him pass through," he ordered, and the moment his command was given, the three legendary-stage Pokemon retreated from the Scizor's side, returning to where the clash between Kangaskhan and the two other legendary Pokemon was happening. Medicham, however, remained by Arthur's side.

With rage burning through its entire being, the Scizor rushed at blinding speeds in the direction of Lance and Dexter. Lance immediately understood the threat and frantically shouted for his Pokemon to defend him. Despite being a level 8 Aura Grandmaster, in front of a legendary-stage Pokemon, he would be killed in mere minutes, if not seconds, even if he tried to dodge all the attacks.

Just as before, Arthur allowed Nidoqueen to pass through to its master's rescue while his Kangaskhan, Dragonite, and Swampert surrounded the Nidoking, which was the stronger of the two of Lance's Pokemon. Arthur's current strategy was simple: let Nidoqueen clash with Scizor while his Pokemon took care of Nidoking, and then his Pokemon could take out the remaining Pokemon.

As the Scizor was about to slash through Lance, a hyper beam from Nidoqueen intercepted its flight path, securing its master's safety for the time being. Suddenly, the battlefield shifted as Dexter fell to the ground, limp. Even though his heart was pierced through, the vitality of the legendary-class trainer was no joke, so he was still hanging on.

Lance panicked as he soon realized his situation. Just then, a deafening roar cut through the area. He instinctively turned around to see the Dragonite ripping apart the Nidoking's tail while the Kangaskhan pinned it to the ground. The Dragonite roared defiantly as it swung the severed tail like a victor's spoil.

Then, at close range, it charged its arm with thunder and punched right at the place where the Nidoking's tail was severed and its spine was completely exposed. Lightning jolted through the legendary Nidoking's entire being as it started spasming despite its awesome defense, the attack connecting directly to its central nervous system.

On the other side, the Scizor was giving its all to help Dexter. It was half driven by the instinct to save its master, while the other half of its senses was consumed by wrath, the need for vengeance to shred Lance to pieces. However, the Nidoqueen was defending its trainer with all its might. As the fight progressed, the situation turned worse for Lance. The Nidoking was being ripped apart by the three legendary Pokemon.

Finally, after a few more minutes of fierce struggle, the Kangaskhan ripped the throat of the Nidoking amidst its defiant roars and crushed its windpipe, completely silencing the legendary Nidoking for good.

"Arthur, I give up. I will never bother the Blackthorn family again. Please let me live. I don't want to die here. For old time's sake, let me live," Lance pleaded, completely panicking as all his avenues of escape were closed. With his strongest legendary Pokemon now dead, his status was being maintained temporarily by the Nidoqueen, who was holding the Scizor back, and Arthur's four Pokemon were free to attack him.

"Hahahaha, spare you, seriously? Lance, do you take me for a dumb fool? Why would I let go of a prey that willingly jumped into my jaws?" Arthur smirked as he eyed Lance with pity.

It took only a few more minutes for the conflict to end. Arthur sat on the sidelines, observing as the Scizor and Nidoqueen tore each other apart. The entire surroundings were completely destroyed by the clash of eight legendary Pokemon. If not for the barrier that Arthur had erected at the start, the destruction would have spread even beyond the confines of the barrier.

"Maybe I should turn this place into a large lake," Arthur murmured as he surveyed the surroundings. "Let's finish this. We still have a lot of things to do after this," Arthur spoke to his four Pokemon, who immediately moved in to kill the last two legendary Pokemon. Medicham, however, teleported back and forth, capturing Lance in its psychic field. Lance was completely spent, so he had no resistance against a legendary stage Pokemon.

"Please..." Lance started to plead, but before he could complete his plea, Arthur swung his arm, his aura blade covering it, beheading the legendary stage trainer.

****************************

"Pikachuuuuuuu!!!!" A massive thunderbolt struck the Moltres from behind as it prepared for a Brave Bird attack. The battle between Charizard and Pikachu versus Moltres had reached a stalemate, with both parties trying to overpower the other. Despite their efforts, victory remained elusive. Mega Charizard was doing its absolute best to keep Moltres in check, while Pikachu acted as support. Whenever Charizard fell into a disadvantage, Pikachu pestered Moltres relentlessly. Though Pikachu's attacks, individually, weren't too strong, their cumulative effect proved substantial.

"Moltres, you need to take a step back. If you persist, there are only two possible outcomes: either you will be chased from your current home, because we Blackthorns won't tolerate an unruly guest like you," Cecilia spoke, noting Moltres's signs of hesitation. Despite its desire to vent its anger, Moltres understood that if more people joined the fight, its situation would become dire.

"The other option is that you will be hunted down and captured, and if you refuse to yield, then we will have to slaughter you," Cecilia said seriously, and Moltres realized that the woman wasn't joking.

Weary-eyed, it finally decided to back down. With a resounding cry, it casually flew towards a new peak, as the last one was completely obliterated. Within minutes, the entire snowy ice peak was converted into a new nest, and Moltres settled in to nurse its wounds. Despite their outward appearance, both Mega Charizard and Moltres were riddled with hundreds of wounds, and both would need weeks to recover.

As Moltres departed, Charizard reverted back from its mega-evolutionary state. Fatigue hit it like a raging tide, and it found it difficult to keep itself airborne. With a few powerful beats of its wings, it glided towards Cecilia, then crashed, completely drained of energy. Even Pikachu was sound asleep. Red carefully cradled his Pokémon in his arms.

"Why don't you consider evolving your Pikachu? Maybe it might give you a possibility of breaking through the legendary rank," Cecilia remarked as she recalled Charizard into its Pokéball after administering a few vials of medicine. She tossed a couple more vials towards Red, who caught them deftly.

Red looked at his Pikachu lovingly as he caressed his partner. "He doesn't want to evolve. He wants to stay a Pikachu, so I will respect his wishes. As for becoming a legendary trainer, I am sure I will find a way to achieve it," he commented while carefully feeding Pikachu with the serums provided by Cecilia.

Pikachu's bloodline wasn't highly regarded in the Pokémon world. Not many Pikachu would be able to reach the Palladium stage, and even a Raichu would typically reach its species limit at the Aurora stage. However, Red's Pikachu was an exception. Even without evolving into Raichu, it defied all odds and made it to the pseudo-legendary stage. Red had an inkling that if Pikachu chose to evolve, it might easily step into the true legendary rank, but he never wanted to force his partner.

"So, what's next?" Red couldn't help but ask. It wasn't every day you could witness battles of legendary Pokémon, and this clash had provided him with valuable insights. Secluding himself on Mt. Silver was his attempt to find a way to break through into the legendary rank.

"Next, well, we Blackthorns don't like to be poked. We're like sleeping dragons, you see. Too lazy to go out and cause trouble, but once provoked, we make sure to raze everything," Cecilia declared, a cruel glint in her eyes. They already had plans for retaliation. Once the tide subsided and the situation was under control, a bloodbath would follow.

Meanwhile, just outside Johto's borders, inside the Kanto region, four people cautiously moved towards Cinnabar Island. These were the only four Team Rocket members who managed to escape the Blackthorns' hunt. Originally, after losing more than thirty Team Rocket members, out of the hundreds, they had managed to make it out. For some odd reason, Moltres hadn't chased them, but their troubles weren't over.

The moment they descended from Mt. Silver, Blackthorn family trainers lay in ambush. If not for the Water Seat Holder's Slowbro, they might have succumbed, even with Mr. Blaine's Magmortar by their side. Besieged by three Epic class trainers from the Blackthorn family, surrender wasn't an option. Ariana, smart enough to stick by Blaine's side, had lost two of her Pokémon during the ambush and was still running for her life. Despite the dawn breaking, they dared not stop running, knowing the Blackthorns were scouring the skies in search of them.

"Hundreds of our best trainers, and we couldn't even put a dent in the Moltres. Damn it, Blaine, who was dumb enough to suggest capturing a natural legendary Pokémon? You better pay me everything you promised, and more, remember, I saved your life today, so you owe me one," the seat holder exclaimed, disheveled, running for their lives.

"Well, if you want to know who exactly planned this mission and where the information came from, it all came from the leader. Do you still have the guts to confront him?" Blaine asked nonchalantly. Originally, he had grand ambitions of capturing Moltres for himself, but now he was in a precarious state. He had even lost three of his epic-stage Pokémon. He needed Giovanni's support now more than ever, or his enemies would surely swallow him whole.

"Forget about the rest; think about how we're going to explain the mission failure to the leader. He won't take the news kindly," Ariana remarked. She knew a certain measure of things about their ruthless leader. This mission had been years in the making, and they had mobilized the best of the best among Team Rocket. Yet, all that remained were four people who couldn't even complete the objective.

"You guys don't have to worry about it. I'll personally explain the matter to the leader. Although the loss of seat holders is worrying, what concerns me more is the retaliation from the Blackthorns. The ambush was timed too perfectly; it was as if each and every one of our actions was part of their plan. If my fears come true, even the leader might be hunted down by these madmen," Blaine stated, his voice filled with concern.

He had guessed correctly; such an intricate trap could only be orchestrated by someone with intimate knowledge of their movements.

With their identities exposed, survival in the open was no longer an option. The Blackthorns would actively hunt them, leaving them with only two choices: spend the rest of their lives in a secure, hidden base or attempt to relocate to a new, undiscovered region, perhaps living in the wilderness.

The other three recoiled in shock at Blaine's words. The thought that even their revered leader might not escape the aftermath sent shivers down their spines. To them, their leader was absolute, and they couldn't fathom a scenario where he would have to run and hide.

"Shouldn't we be much more worried about the Blackthorns catching up? We're still not in the clear. Although we've passed into the Kanto region, that's not going to stop them from hunting us down," Proton remarked, his tone laced with concern.

He had borne the brunt of the damage, losing all his Pokémon except for a single Palladium stage companion. His gloominess was palpable, driven by an instinctive fear of the name Blackthorn, akin to trauma or phobia. He was desperate to escape the Blackthorn territory as soon as humanly possible.

With that realization, the others understood they hadn't yet escaped danger and stealthily made their way through the lush forest. Luckily for them, the tide had just subsided, and most of the wild Pokémon had retreated, recuperating from the recent chaos.

******************************

Pallet Town, Kanto

The shoreline near Pallet Town had undergone a complete transformation due to the intense clash between Articuno and Alfred's two legendary stage Pokémon, Charizard and Blaziken. For miles around, the landscape had been reshaped dramatically: one side was now covered in pristine ice, while the other blazed with rivers of lava and flames. In the center, a vast body of boiling seawater churned tumultuously.

After hours of epic struggle, the battle had reached its climax. Alfred's Pokémon emerged victorious, but not without heavy tolls. Articuno, once majestic and graceful, now struggled to stay aloft. Its once-pristine body was marred by hundreds of scorch marks, cuts, and bite wounds, each severe and debilitating. One of its wings hung limply, almost torn from its body.

Meanwhile, Charizard lay in a dire state, nearing death's door. Its once-mighty form was now feeble, its tail flame flickering dangerously. The aftermath of the battle left the shoreline forever changed, a testament to the power and ferocity of legendary Pokémon locked in combat.

Out of the three, Blaziken seemed to be in relatively decent shape. Articuno eyed the two Pokémon who stood against it wearily, understanding that while it might have a chance to take down Charizard, the presence of Blaziken made its victory uncertain. Even fleeing was no longer an option.

Alfred, observing the situation, realized that committing to killing the natural legendary might cost him his charizard. After much contemplation, he chose to seek dialogue. As he moved closer to the battle zone, he bellowed to get Articuno's attention.

"Articuno, the battle is over. Do you still wish to continue until your defeat?" Alfred's words were meant to convey his intent to negotiate, knowing that legendary Pokémon possessed wisdom beyond that of humans.

With a loud screech, Articuno descended, landing a few dozen meters away from Alfred. Blaziken and Charizard stood by Alfred's side as a show of strength, despite Charizard's weakened state.

"Human, just because I am at a disadvantage doesn't mean I will go down easily. If you continue to provoke me, I will not fall alone. I will take one of your Pokémon with me to eternal slumber," Articuno's regal voice echoed in Alfred's mind.

Alfred pondered the situation. "Even if I release you, what guarantee do I have that you will not cause further chaos and destruction in the future?" he questioned, knowing the inherent risks involved. However, seeing Articuno weakened, he entertained the idea of subduing the legendary Pokémon.

"So, what do you propose, human? I'm certain you wouldn't seek dialogue without a sinister plan in mind. Humans are all the same in that regard. And don't forget, it was you humans who provoked me first. I was living peacefully in my own domain, thousands of miles away from human territory. It was you who destroyed my home. Do you expect me to do nothing after such an open provocation?" Articuno cried out in anger as it conveyed its thoughts to Alfred.

Alfred considered Articuno's words carefully. "How about this: become my partner. I'm sure you've seen the extent to which I've grown my Pokémon. As long as you join me, I can help you ascend beyond your current limits in the future."

While speaking, Alfred began administering various serums to his two Pokémon, putting Articuno on the back foot as it witnessed their rapid healing. Even Charizard, on the verge of death, steadied its aura and its flames burned steadily, albeit weakly.

Articuno's mind raced, but it couldn't accept the human's offer of subservience without a price. "You have decent talent, but if you think I would serve a human, you are mistaken. I would rather die than serve your kind," Articuno declared using its thoughts, though tempted by the offer, it couldn't bring itself to trust a human completely, thus refusing Alfred's proposal.

Natural legendary Pokémon are the embodiment of nature itself, so their hierarchy in the world is much higher than humans'. Since ancient times, humans have never been able to subdue a natural legendary by force, as these Pokémon choose death over serving a species they consider inferior.