Ultima - A Pokémon Story

2020

"Come on Fortuna! Let's burn off some of that energy with a Flare Blitz!" Ren's voice echoed through the roaring stadium where his opponent—a woman near his own age held tight in anticipation. The both of their nerves clenched tight into energies channeled through their Pokémon.

Ren's Charizard, Fortuna—his partner since he was a young boy—roared at the command. Heat seared around his scaly body and his beating wings fanned the flames from his tail until they covered him. He swooped down from the sky.

"Night Daze!" The other trainer called. Her Steelix grinned as a dark energy formed in-between its gargantuan jaws, preparing against the burning sun headed toward it.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" Ren asked, a grin of his own formed. "The same old tricks, huh?" He looked up to Fortuna, "That's her Zoroark! You know what we have to say to that!"

Fortuna glanced back at Ren and the connection between them grew—that special bond that connected trainer and Pokémon.

"Let's go! Mega Evolution!" Ren yelled, as he pressed his hand to the circlet around his wrist—the fire that consumed Fortuna bent inward and bathed the dragon in a deep black color—cobalt flames extended from his jaws—from which he let loose a burst of sparks to match the Night Daze headed his way.

"You managed to Mega Evolve. I can't say I ever expected you to get the hang of it," the woman said. "But I guess even old dogs learn new tricks. Well, I guess your ruse is up, Brynn." The Steelix looked back to its trainer and nodded as it shrunk down to the canine appearance of the familiar Zoroark. Crimson highlights shone against the black-as-night fur. It had been her partner Pokémon from all that time ago.

Thinking back...the times that led up to this championship tell their own stories. There were plenty of adventures that led up to the world the way it was. Ren figured he could talk about some of those old adventures—the ones that didn't hurt as much remembering, but realized he'll have to come to terms with them soon enough. They all came back in the end.

Fortuna fended off the Zoroark's Night Slash attack with a Dragon Claw of his own. The two creatures locked in close combat sends a shiver down his spine as he sees the two children play fighting on top of the roof of the orphanage clear in his mind like a ringing bell.

And he's taken back.