Chapter 70

After visiting his teacher, Jax was on his way back towards the Count's estate. With no other plans for the day, he just wanted to relax until the fireworks show. He was planning on watching it with Ally on the balcony but from her recent behavior, he didn't know if that was still an option. As he was walking through the streets, the soldiers told him that the parade was about to start and that he couldn't go that way. With no other choice, Jax had to make a detour through the back alleys eventually leading him to the main street where the parade was taking place.

Looking around to see if there was any way he could pass through, Jax sighed in resignation since it was way too packed. Spreading the psionic particles throughout his body, Jax started levitating and then raised up over the adults head. With no one else in the air, Jax could freely fly directly to Count Freiders' estate. Just as he was about to fly off, something else flew out, grabbed him, and pulled him towards a float in the parade!?

Whatever had a hold on him was too strong for him to break out of so Jax could only let himself be pulled through the air onto the float. 'What the heck!? What is this claw? And why the heck is it pulling me towards the royal family!' After being dragged through the air by the metal claw, Jax landed on the royal family's float directly in front of the emperor!

"U-ummm. Greetings, Your Majesty? I don't know what happened but I'll get off right away!" Jax bowed before Emperor Augustus and explained that he didn't know how he got on their float. About to dash off, Emperor Augustus grabbed him from behind made him sit down on one of the empty seats.

"Don't look so stiff. I'm the one who told the soldiers to drag you up here. I saw your battle yesterday and was very impressed. While this boring parade is going on, why don't you entertain me with stories?" With an emperor's aura, Jax had no way of refuting! Shaking his head and wondering how he ended up in such a situation, he could only comply with the Emperor's orders.

As Jax was telling the Emperor about stories of his battles over the years, a curious girl glanced in his direction. Watching the boy who was talking to her father, the girl was reminded of his battles from yesterday. After some digging around, she found out that the boy who placed in the top 20 was a year younger than she was! Shocked, Princess Charlotte hadn't been able to get the boy out of her head for the past two days. Now, that same boy who had been plaguing her thoughts was finally in front of her!

After watching the battle yesterday, Princess Charlotte was immediately drawn towards the Metagross that was different from the regular ones she had seen. Impressed by its prowess, she immediately demanded for her father to find one just like it for her. After searching around, Emperor Augustus was able to find one just like it but it belonged to the son of a huge corporation's CEO that he didn't want to make into an enemy. After telling his daughter that shiny pokemons could only be chanced upon and not sought after, his little girl immediately threw a tantrum.

Seeing a little boy floating in the air, Emperor Augustus recognized the boy as the same one from yesterday with the shiny Metagross. As luck would have it, this was his chance to appease his little girl's demand. Although unsightly as an emperor to pressure a boy his daughter's age, he didn't want to let his baby girl down even more.

From what he had investigated, the boy was currently staying at the dorms at the prestigious Pokemon Academy. He tried to investigate the boy's background but found that it was under wraps. Even one of his counts, Count Freiders' daughter's information wasn't so tightly kept hidden!

Now for his own curiosity, Emperor Augustus looked for Headmaster Leon to get to the bottom of things. Many years ago, Leon had come to his aid on one of his missions and has been a dear friend for just as long. If he asked, Leon wouldn't refuse him not just because he was an emperor but because the two men were just as tightknit as brothers. Unfortunately, Leon was away from the academy traveling around the world again. Stumped, Emperor Augustus decided to ask about the boy's opinion first to see if he would be willing to part with his pokemon if he was compensated.

After listening to the boy's tales, Emperor Augustus was very shocked. Being only 7 years old, the boy had already battled countless pokemons out in the wild, explored most of Thora Forest, searched low and high on Yulti Mountains, traversed through Ryul Woods, and had even stepped foot in the Great Beyond that even seasoned trainers stayed away from. Him placing into the top 20 wasn't just by luck, the boy was already a very experienced trainer it seems. As the stories were coming to an end, Emperor Augustus it was finally time to ask about the boy's opinion.

"Ahem. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences with me. Even though this parade is in celebration of the Empire's hundredth anniversary, even I can't deny that it can be incredibly boring just sitting up here."

"The honor was mine, Your Majesty. Um. If you no longer have use of me, I'll be taking my leave now." Spreading his powers once again, Jax was about to fly off when he heard the gruff voice of the man he had just been conversing with stop him.

"Wait there for a second. I can't just have you go off after indulging me on my whims. How about I gift you something? Also, I have a tiny favor to ask of. You see, my daughter is very interested in your shiny Metagross after laying her eyes on it yesterday. I have looked around but the only one like it belongs to someone even I dare not poke. As such, I was wondering what you would like to part with yours?"

Hearing the Emperor's question, the smile on Jax's face was replaced with a scowl. Jax considered each and every one of his pokemons to be his family member. For someone, even if they were an emperor, to ask him to give away one of them for a little compensation made Jax livid. Trying to hold his anger back, Jack gave the Emperor a very short and curt reply, "If I may, Your Majesty. How much are you willing to sell your son, daughter, or wife for?"