Ch. 17 - Adept and Parents

When we planned this I was to do something I really didn't want to do, even if it made a lot of sense. All that 'sense' was a bitter taste in my mouth as I retreated from the cave and Angel teleported us away from the already bright fire that Zaela's sire started forming in his giant maw.

Our landing spot was some hundreds of yards away on the opposing Valley's edge. Even from that far away I could hear the cave collapsing as Zaela brought her father's house down around him. Fights between dragons rarely involve anything but brute strength but there is a very large bit of pride forming in my chest at the idea of my sister dropping a mountain on her father with the combination of earth power and earthquake to make it that much more violent.I can only imagine what is going on. An age of a minute goes by as the ground shakes. We're across a gorge and the ground still shakes on the outcropping my gardevoir took us to. Angel nervously sends me soothing emotions and confidence in Zaela's strength. Ideally Zae's father would never be able to use his wings from how she's got him trapped. Zaela might be quite a bit more skilled in flight after all our practice but there is a reason charizard are classified as flying types.Another minute passes and I start to hope a bit more that things will go towards our most ambitious plans. Of course they are dashed the moment I bring them up. The massive charizard that caused Zaela's early years to be full of fire dreams rips his way from the mountain with a roar that echoes throughout the entire Valley. There never was much hope to keep this fight a secret. Even from here I can feel the pressure of the two powerful dragons unleashing their fury on each other. My blue-black dragon follows her father out, dragon pulse after dragon pulse tracing along the massive fire lizard's wings like lasers, attempting to limit his speed or at the least make him have to lose momentum to really become mobile.Baddad is strong enough he can fly as a dragonite does without much actual wing movements but his wings make his maneuvers greater than anything Zaela can match. If it came to the air (and we both believed it would) then she was to snipe at him constantly while unfortunately tanking or deflecting his attacks. At least to start. Pride comes before the fall.I almost imagine I hear his breath inhaling as white hot heat gathers in his mouth. Flame bursts that look like fire blasts explode around Zaela, causing her to waver and dip in the air so that the flamethrower he sends engulfs her completely. My starter doesn't even have time to blunt it with a stone edge with how swift the combo comes. Zaela might be very resistant to fire but the power behind it does more than just burn. It explodes and sends her crashing hard into the side of his volcano.Years of constant fighting mean Zaela is up in an instant but I can tell she's a bit rattled at how easily her massive form was tossed from the sky. Despite the grim situation I'm highly amused that she wraps a flamethrower around her body in a bastardized Dragon Blitz. Her father is a bit shocked that his next blast of searing flame is blunted so heavily that his rough skinned daughter hammers into his form without pause or any hint of slowed momentum. The crack of their bodies colliding hits my perch like a small earthquake with the aftershocks and Angel keeps a firm grip on me with her psychic hold from that point on.The first of the Valley's inhabitants flies up into the sky to watch the battle in its center. Charizard after charizard follow but I ignore it even if my senses tell of their invested interest in daughter versus father. After all, a new ruler of the Valley may be crowned. That she is not a charizard does not matter in truth. Only her strength.Zaela stubbornly refuses to let her father dictate where she will be. Every attempt to fly away from her results in a crunch on a body part that he has to hammer her with scale rending slashes. Every curving attempt to peel off is met with carefully prepared rock slides to foul his chosen path but cost her another brutal wing attack that snaps up shockwaves with the force behind them. She's not the only one though. Any try for her to set up a stealth rock or stone edge are met with pin point focus blasts or embers the size of normal flame bursts. Every single time she tries to control the terrain her father simply blows it away with an ease that has me aching in worry. And excited to see my sister win. I can be utterly sure she'll succeed but it doesn't mean I'm not going to grimace at how much experience her father shows almost casually. If not for his constant howls of anger and fury.His stubbornness costs him though. Out of all my family Query is the worst to find yourself up close to but Zaela is a very, very close second. Massive as he is my King garchomp is larger. His claws are brutal and sharp but hers are meant to rend and damage far more than his. Even as much as I dislike him I wince when one of her dual claws enforced by a slash tears fully through his wing and down, cutting through the entire flesh and making it a flapping, awkward mess. She's kicked away for the attack but he can't muster up the speed to truly escape her anymore. Manipulation of air cutters directly in front of him take care of that issue but she's struck the first true wound. And his anger had dimmed to something more calculating.My eye widens and Zaela lets out a roar of annoyance as he turns his head, snaps the wing and burns the tear closed without hesitation. Every attack he's made forms its own sunny day as the air distorts constantly with the heat he's giving just by breathing, both of them a blur as they come together again. Zaela used the brief moment of recovery to bring up stealth rocks out of his vision and hides it with dragon breath and double teams. While dragon pulses would hurt him more, the breaths cover a greater area and both obscure her rocks and have him constantly matching the attacks so his muscles don't lock up with the disruptive nature of the attack.A quick heat wave erases her clones but it doesn't matter as he dodges away from her next rush. The stealth rocks activate and she stays in close so he doesn't see them until its too late. Even still her father twists mid air, turning in a rapid circle and drops with steel wings, steel claws and a massive crunch to take care of all but two of the stealth rocks. The giant sound of pain he makes at the last two crushing one of his wings fills me with such savage need to cry out with victory. Its not over but that had to have eroded a bit of his spirit.Zaela has come far. She still has a crippling weakness to ice but fairy and dragon moves really have no sway over her from how often she fills herself with fire. The tone of the fight changes as she descends upon her father with the full force of her newfound strength. Five or so months of constant training have built upon all that we worked for in the seven years she and I have been joined. Never has she forgotten her first true lesson though. A wave of water explodes from the cliff she's tossed her father at. From the very start she has been pulling the water from the bottom of the valley upwards. Energy she would usually use to keep up a sandstorm has been forming a tunnel in the cliff with earth power. A pipe she's been tugging a surf through from the canals down far, far below. Dragging her first real attack upwards until she has the ancient charizard in position. Even the stealth rocks were to slow him down more than actually hurt him.While I may have though when I asked for her to be adamant so many years past would make her physically as powerful as she is. Its her single-minded desire to be the strongest that has had her spend so much time working on her special moves.A roar of a tidal wave has the Valley silent save for the massive explosion of liquid create a mockery of his own volcano. Hers bursting with water to his lava. One she already imploded to make sure he couldn't draw on it.The wall of water crests and its almost comical as he turns to watch it crash down. Brief flashes of deep orange scales and heavy curses of pain follow as he's dragged out of control into the valley. Even as jets of steam cause explosions from his natural heat barrier, the attack is devastating just for the weight alone. My starter thrusts stone edges from the cliff face to batter him further and keep his body out balance in a way Query would admire. She cuts off escapes and constantly rolls the water over him. While she'll never be able to make water into something that could cut through steel, she's easily go the power to keep a giant mass of it up to slam down between the walls of the turns and dips of the Valley.The crowning point of the attack is the snarl of anger as Zaela continuously shoots down dragon pulses to keep him from trying to get out of the attack. Moments pass as the heavy impact of tons of water and rock bury her father in ruins.I'm sure its not over. There isn't a chance this was enough just yet and I'm right. Zaela knew it too so she dodges the incoming attack even as I can feel shock from her at the power associated with it. Blast burn isn't something I've seen yet in this world. Its just, if not more so, as dangerous as a hyper beam and currently Query and Zaela are the only two of my team I let take hits from the normal beam without heavy light screens. The light from the blast burn is so very bright it is almost a flash attack from how much it strobes. A star of fire is at the core of the attack and every inch of the line of damage causes an explosion if it doesn't simply cease existing.Zaela's attack wrecked most of the cliff face but the remains simply vanish at her father's anger. Heavily damaged and with both his wings shredded, her sire springs upwards into the air without pause. Draconic energy pulses in waves to keep him afloat and with barely any rest another blast burn forms. Zaela dives down and dodges most of it but even with her severe resistance to fire the beam tosses her around like a fly in a hurricane purely from the proximity. Showing incredible control, even in his anger, her father trains the attack onto her the moment she's even remotely sent off balance and this time my starter is slammed into the cliff face.Of course she immediately dives in but it looks like she's being burned alive. Her father curses hard as the fire finally begins to subside and starts to pump himself up in some manner I don't recognize, releasing more massive flame bursts as he begins to play battleship with Zaela's position within the cliff walls.Without emerging Zaela begins tossing rock slides, stone edges and occasional double teams. Any double team that is hit provokes her giant mouth to expose itself somewhere else for a split second and another dragon pulse to fire out. Her father may be able to fly but his ability to turn on a dime is completely lost. About a year ago my whole team could barely take on a monster of a dragon who we knew how to fight. Her father is more powerful than Momma certainly. But…. But. Zaela was a gabite then almost as large as her mother.Every single day has been a trial for her. Losing constantly to Aurora. Five months of fighting gyarados, charizard and Mars in his mega form. I realize then that she probably bugged Mars for so many battles to prepare for today. Bruno nearly broke my starter with how much he added to her already bone shattering training. Rose constantly scolded my starter for sometimes an hour to take it easier but me? I knew she would never relent. I didn't know it was for this specifically but all I can feel from her, even as far away from me as she is physically, is the single overriding desire to prove herself. Not for approval from her father but to know that she could defeat the echoes of her past.Every inhabitant of the Valley, old and new watch without speaking, the cracks of power that could take any of them out easily begin to reshape the area as if a force of nature. I ignore Liza's dad winging in with Rose and his daughter landing next to me just as I ignored my whole team releasing themselves minutes before that. Even how Query adds more screens to protect us along with Angel and Sunny. My eye is only for Zaela. To watch her take her place in the world in earnest.Her father inhales deeply and fire bakes the cliff face in a wide, napalm like spray. A flamethrower a Legendary would be proud of. The heat is so intense I can feel Zaela's anger at how the rock begins to melt, making it harder for her to travel. She slips up and out of the top only to pull more of the almost lava-like rock to pelt her sire as she begins her next run. As if he doesn't need to take a breath, more and more heat races at my sister, the flame consuming everything. The pain is fully engulfing her from the way her aura screams but at the same time there is such joy. No one on our team truly pushes her in the way she desires. Mars stops before they get fully injured and Aurora just has too much of a one sided advantage. For now.Here, with her father, she finds someone who will leave her a ruin on the ground unless she does the same to him. Coating her head in draconic energy, she ignores the flame as best she can. Bursting forward, her massive head impacts her sire's chest as he brings dragon claws down to rip into her. Blood drips from the sky like rain and hisses as it makes contact with the still burning ground. There is no real strategy from Zaela's father as she drives him up against the cliff again. Just to savage his daughter for daring to challenge him. That is his weakness though. He has no trainer. No other types to regularly force him to adapt new ways of attacking. Just charizard after charizard.No inspiration from Mars to hide draco meteors in burning rocks. No constant defeat to make victory that much more of a goal. No learning how to sacrifice to secure a sure strike. Zaela roars louder and louder, screaming at her father with the anger of someone who simply wanted to know her other half of origin. Her father rips at her shoulders to weaken her attacks and detract from her own ability to fly. She lets him so she can stab both her claws into his sides and bring him in close as if embracing him. Much as she set up Momma over a year past she turns him around, setting her back to the wall she's crashed him in and letting her body drag him in as much as she can with him fighting her the whole way. Finally she releases her meteors, each pulling molten earth up with them. His body starts to shake as he desperately attempts to break free but my starter just digs in further and her jaw grips her father's neck in the crunch she so loves to use.To keep him from noticing the long held attack, she had to leave them low. So the angle of the attack tosses them both into the sky in a wreck of earth, fire and dragons. Zaela pulls all of her anger and dissatisfaction into a unending determination to keep her father in her sights. As staggered as they are, every draco meteor lands as she displays just how far she's come with the attack that was so key to defeating Momma. She pays for it with a bloody midsection, a mauled arm and a heavily damaged head as her father continues to struggle madly.But every meteor hits, arcing them in the most angry of arcs. The last drives them into the ground and through cherry hot earth, cartwheeling the entire way. Zaela never lets go until she's over him, making sure he lands first with her weight cratering him in a sound that could be an attack on its own. Staggering upright, she brings her head back and right back down in the mother of all head butts straight into his gut. Wounded, nearly broken, he still somehow stands up, using an iron tail to force himself out of her grip. One eye is closed in a mess and an arm joins his ruined wings as obviously hurt beyond use. The death aura he holds about him parts in such pride I gasp out loud. For a moment I hope that perhaps, just maybe, he'll take the beating and respect whom has given him it.Its not to be. Not today."King! King! KING! KING! KING!" The Valley roars. Admiration. Awe. Submission and acceptance. All resound in every voice as they let out their choice of leader. For a split second her father thinks it is himself. His one good eye moves upwards, watching his fellow fire dragons gaze at his daughter. Downwards he views the gyarados calling up to the sky, reveling in the power Zaela has displayed.Pride for her dies as pride for himself is shamed. There is no lesson he will learn today, just yet. Perhaps never. Zaela has spent months working with them. Teaching them how to fight others. How to grow strong like her as well as let them see how she has gained from them. She is King. And he is nothing. That is what I feel compared to the speck of emotion he had for my sister.Anger explodes from him as his tail bursts into a flame that is almost as tall as himself. The heat burns him just as much as it empowers him and its easy to see why Zaela dreamed so long of fire. My starter is dead tired, burned and has to have much of her body broken but she doesn't hesitate an instant. Before the blast burn to end all fire attacks starts she ducks in and snaps his mouth closed and her claw comes down and up, straight into her father's gut, skewering him with no sense of mercy.The fire dies as her father sputters, eye open with complete surprise as Zaela tosses his body to the ground and steps over his wound with her foot. A dragon pulse forms at point blank and she shatters him. Over and over she lets her rage empty upon her father until he's still. Alive. Barely. I can feel how she kept his wound from spilling blood with her foot. Each pulse broke his bones but not his organs. She's gotten very good at holding back in ways she wishes.There are words spoken I don't learn about till later."Look at you father. Ancient. Without equal." Spite laces Zaela's tone, bitter and angry. "Beaten by a seven year old. Speak up dearest father. Tell me that your way is right. Give me a reason to kill my kin."Silence, broken by wheezing coughs of bloody lungs."Look at what my family has created. Do you hear then chanting what I am? King. Of all that you thought yours. Fuck you. They feared you. Now they revere me. Because I am not alone. They are all mine. My sister is mine. My family is MINE! You however! Nothing! Pathetic! Weak and alone!"Roaring she pulls her foot free and sears his wound closed, the heat of her flamethrower almost a match for his as she realizes where her fire comes from. Rage, anger and the complete knowledge that she is made from it. The scream her father gives makes my starter satisfied in a way I am not fully comfortable with but still. She is a dragon and her enemy is ruined."This is mine now! My Valley! Mine! Flee, father, and do not return until you are not this. I am no longer your daughter. Come back something else if you dare. Come back the same and the death you don't deserve will be my final gift. Don't speak. You had years to do that. Seek to harm anything under my care and I shall drag your half-dead corpse to the world to show what it means to defy Zaela! I AM KING!"My sister's spirit soars, all the anguish and desire she had to know her father is wiped away by the gift she truly considers given by him. That he is nothing compared to what he helped create. She owes him nothing now. Dragons overcome dragons to become stronger. Now she has surpassed both of her parents. One is rejected. One is still beloved."ZAELA! KING! ZAELA! KING!" The sound is deafening as her father picks himself up, barely. Blood covers both of them and his eyes do not waver from his daughter, rejected as he is by her. For a long minute everything seems to stay still as he finally lowers his head and carries himself to the sky, barely able to stay in the air. His aura reads of coldness still but also a hint of confusion. As if he can't imagine this is real. Zaela sets her face to the sun and roars again to her first new subjects. Converts. Worshipers.She is battered, broken and much of her self is lost from grieving for a father she never had but nothing stops the sound of my starter becoming all that was promised at her birth. Only when her former kin is a spec in the distance does she thrust herself into the sky and land in front of me."I did it.""Of course you did sister. You showed the world who you are." My eye is wet as I move my hand up as she bends to let me rub one of the few spaces on her hide that isn't damaged. My palm becomes raw instantly but I don't care."Its your turn now my heart." Tears really go down as she speaks and I nod swiftly, our family silent behind me."Yes. It is."LaterNeedless to say we had to stay a bit longer before my own battle with my kin. Zaela has never been so wounded or exhausted. I'm not really paying attention to her injuries, mostly because Rose will tell us both all about them later, so furious that she couldn't even speak to us. Which is good. You only get angry at someone's health like she does if you care about the idiot who got hurt. I know I'm going to be their field medic along with Tru and Angel, but I can't concentrate on anything but the fight. What it meant.The Valley becomes a party of sorts over the course of the rest of the day as my starter obtains her birthright. King pokémon tend to be leaders of their species but Zaela is special. Of course she is. Something changed in her fight. The last gift from her father, even if he didn't mean to give it. Fire is finally a part of her just as dragon is a part of Mars. And with it? The key to her weakness. Or at least we hope. She's got some recovery first.The gyarados and charizard gather together before her after Rose works her magic. No one speaks to me just yet about what happens. Liza, because the emotions rolling about us are almost overwhelming in the respect and reverence the pokémon have for my sister and Rose because I can feel how utterly annoyed she is that both Zaela and I appear to not care a whit at how close she was to dying.Rose will learn how dragons work eventually. Our family is uncharacteristically silent as they each seem to reevaluate how they view Zaela. She's always been the strongest of us overall but watching her achieve something she's desired since she knew who her sire was and the subsequent uplifting of her name has most of them questioning a lot of previous notions.Aurora is simply very proud. Worried, but utterly sure that this is what Zaela's destiny is. Query is not sure if he can stand on her level anymore and it brings quite the conflict within him to get stronger in new ways. Mars, actually, admires her not for her power but for the conviction that he so readily finds in himself. There is, also, just the tiniest bit of desire that has me sighing.Tass is even more terrified of her but also feels a bit of remorse for thinking her just a simple brute. Not that he'd ever admit it. Wattson wonders if he'll ever find something that powerful to believe in but also doesn't seem to change his opinion of Zaela at all. Joker's response is to worry endlessly that he can't imitate her properly now because she's so far out of his power level. Hah.Sunny and Tru are the most dramatic though not unexpected. Sunny simply moves up and puts her ribbons around Zaela without one hint of fear or hesitation. Zaela's eyes tears up just a bit and all I can feel is Sunny's sorrow that Zaela doesn't have a father who loved her. Even if Sunny's father gave her up to me she knew that it was out of a desire to see his child become better. Zaela gives my sylveon the gentlest of hugs and goes back to watching her new subjects or whatever they are fight each other in pure joy at how pumped up they are. Junkies.Tru? Tru sits by Zaela's side and says only one thing. Zaela and Tru have never really seen eye to eye because of their natures. Tru is very much about serving others and Zaela lives to become strong and hoard what is hers."Well done."Simple words, but coming from Tru it also hits my starter harder than expected.As for Angel? She simply treats Zaela as if nothing happened. That her friend did something amazing but at her core, Zaela was still the same. My sister is just a little miffed at that, her pride pricked, but considering Angel loves her just as much as the rest of it its hard for her to get riled up more than being a little pouty.The night passes with everyone beating each other to a pulp in what I'm certain will become a party tradition. More goodbyes are said along with Rose glaring a bit at me but ultimately it helps the Foundry immensely.Its one thing to find trainers and tell them of a grand idea but a King dethroning the asshole in the volcano? At the level and weight it showed? I get messages not even a week later that almost every single charizard in the valley has started training with the Order. That the trainers were starting to see that things could be exactly as I dreamed.Bruno is overjoyed. Or so I hope. Oh? His response to Zaela's victory? A brief smile and a nod. I'm setting Tass on him the next time I'm back home. Because that is what the Foundry is now. My new home. Now I just have to say goodbye to my old one.Lastly, Mars and I search the dormant volcano after Zaela opens it back up. At the heart of her father's den is what I had hoped. What Mars was certain was there. Baddad was made of fire. The mega stones we find there are too. And there are enough to change the course of any battle. We keep one, obviously, but the rest go to the Foundry.Now though. Finally. Back to the Den and Mom.Dragon's DenAngel doesn't have the Den memorized for a teleport but flying on Mars gives me time to reflect anyway so I'm not too upset. Zaela will need roughly two weeks to fully recover anyway even with the ridiculousness that is pokémon healing. Full Restores are insane but there were holes in her skin and muscles. Replacing them was easy. Making sure they can stand up to her power takes a bit more time.Mars has things to tell me along the way anyway."This is it. Isn't it? Saying goodbye to Grandmother. To our previous life. I know how much our family is shaped by dragon behavior but you and Zaela seem so bittersweet about it. If you could explain this Mother? I don't quite grasp it.""Some of it is dragons and hardship, certainly. A lot of it is Mom's gift to me. The moment she saw how serious I was about my dream she put me through such painful preparation. Whatever she has planned for us when we get there is more of the same but on a bigger scale. Defeating Momma last year made her realize that what she was doing wasn't enough. At least that's how her aura felt like."I have been talking with her a lot over the year by way of calls and short emails. All of them suggest that she's been working hard to give me one final test of sorts. Knowing Hannah Mita, it will be both a learning experience and reassurance for herself. That I can stand on my own against the world."If I'm to affect change as I wish we're going to go through a lot. We've been spoiled a bit Mars. Even as hard as all of us push each other we've been blessed with relatively little true violence." Just the Rocket Base, really. And that Stone bastard. The odd thugs or asshole trainers don't count compared to the murder and torture Rockets are known for. "I'm sure mom will always have our backs if we really need it but to gain the power we need? It'll have to be away from the Den. For good.""I suppose that makes sense. Its just...Angel has been helping me understand things in different ways. You love your mother more than just about anything. Save us. Perhaps it is the influence of this life. I've never been without you Mother. I could not imagine saying goodbye to you."Oh. That hit right in the feels. My hand moves down to stroke his neck and shoulder as we fly ever closer to Mom. "If I thought you needed it or you wanted it I'd let you go. Mom is just doing the same thing. Most trainers go on a journey and return home to start in a career they find on their journey. I'm doing the same. Sadly there's no guidebook for my path. Besides, you can't fool me Mars. The Foundry speaks to you."At that he remains silent. Mars did indeed seem to enjoy what is being built in the Valley. Once our league was done we'd be moving there pretty permanently. And not just because Zaela has claimed it as her realm. Territory. Kingdom? Alright, I'm going to have to tease her about this later.Winging into the Den leads to a lot of reunions. The first are the various dragons guarding the Den. All are quite pleased to see me and join along with Mars, chattering as much as dragons do.Okay fine. There are gossips in all walks of life. I'm given a lot of ammo. Its delicious. While I desperately want to see my family and Momma I know the first place to go.Aaron Royce is adorable. He's around six but looks a bit under that. Our healing of him months ago caused years of sickness to fade and give him a perfectly healthy body. He's just small for his age. Tasslehoff is in my shadow but all of his focus is on the boy we're watching run around in the grass and make explodey sounds as if he's fighting robots. Or maybe evil knights. Dreadful pirates? Whatever it is I can't help but grin at how much Tass wants to know him but is terrified that he'd scare the child."I know you weren't ready when we left Mahogany, but if you want to spend time with him I'm pretty good at putting people at ease." Translation: Have Angel or Tru assure people my monsters are not overly dangerous."Aren't you afraid I'll choose to stay with him?" That's a good question actually. He joined up with me very easily due to his desire to find a way for his sorrowful existence help the world at large. Its working, slowly. Rose was rather amazed at the possibilities and Doctor Bell was almost ready to move to the Foundry full time."If that's what you want, sure. We both know that your method of healing isn't anywhere ready for you alone to do it. But...If you want us to set up a way for you to come visit him often? That'd be great. I know things are not exactly ideal with us Tass but we do want you along." The months of training had brought us together more as a team but the interpersonal aspect still hasn't quite hit Tass. Even Bri has gotten along easier despite her loner sort of attitude at times."Let's make sure he doesn't run for the hills at the sight of me then we can decide." Back into my shadow he goes. Wonder if its comfortable there. I know that most of the Den looks after all the children of the Clan but mom wrote that Aaron looks to a couple who never had children, herself and Momma. Yep. Apparently once Momma heard that I sent Aaron here she was all for trying to turn another human into a dragon.Walking up to Aaron is pretty amazing as his aura tells me he already knows I've been watching him. He's curious about me but kept to his playing. That is absolutely Momma's doing to get him to know fully his surroundings. Of course I was just talking out loud too. Might be over thinking it. When I come closer and he finally takes a peek at me there is immediate recognition."You're Ella! Momma talks about you a lot! Uhm. I mean. Well. Lucario says that's what she means." Oh? I suppose it is wise to send Joy's lucario to make sure that Aaron and Momma get along fairly well. I was a bit of a special case. "Brent and Meera said you were the one who saved me! Thanks!"Brent is one of the salamence riders and his wife works with the league in some way if I recall. I only sorta know Brent from visits to deliver things to my father. Aaron has overly messy hair that I know comes from exploring Momma's territory, deep green eyes and a wide smile. There is such pure excitement at living in him. Considering how his life was before? I get it."That's right. Ella Mita. Did your uhm...parents? Caretakers? Actually what do you call Brent and Meera?""Welllll. They are kind of like a mom and dad but we just got to know each other. Momma is Momma's name so I can call her that! Even if she isn't my actual momma. I think. You're her kid right?" Lots of curiosity now."Sort of. But you should always just say yes to her requests. Safer that way. Don't be afraid to stand up to her if you believe something fully though. I'm forgetting though! I came to introduce someone. Not myself."Two eyes focus on my single one with more interest. The few letters I've gotten about Aaron tell of just a tad bit of trouble. He was so confined to the hospital that he doesn't really have instincts to be a bit wary of others. Reminds me of early Sunny problems come to think of it. "Who? Is it another dragon? Gym Leader Mit-Oh! That's your mom mom isn't it? You have the same last name!"I might have giggled here. Maybe. "That she is. But my friend is a bit scary. Most of my pokémon are a bit intimidating but they are all quite kind." Slight lie here. Zaela is not overly friendly and Tass still has issues but its mostly true. Right. "This one though...He helped save your life. But he's also a ghost and just a tad worried you wouldn't like him. I think he's being silly since you've lived with dragons for a while now!"Aaron is showing his indoctrination quite well as he puffs up his chest and attempts a serious face. "Of course I can be brave! Momma was very scary at first but now I know she just wants me to be strong. Everyone here does." Shit. Shit. Sniffles. Crap. Uhm. No...No distraction. Work through it Ella."Yeah. I bet that means a lot considering how you lived before. Its okay to let it out Aaron." There are a few minutes here where this poor child gives thanks for the life he almost didn't have. Which fucking sucks. That he already knows so much about death.Tasslehoff peeks his hat out of my shadow and darts back down anytime Aaron catches a glimpse. Its a simple game but it lightens the mood as he tosses a few low powered mystical flames and juggles them about behind me. I act like I don't know what is going on and turn around to see what Aaron is looking at just as Tass stops his show. This goes on until Aaron is giggling himself and I ruffle his hair."This guy is Tasslehoff….And he's been around a long time. Way, way long ago he was one of your great great great...A whole bunch of great grandmother's pokémon. You could say he's a part of your family." Aaron seems to get that a bit and his aura turns equal parts excited, scared and nervous. "Ever since you were born he was trying to cure your illness. And he succeeded. Moreso than I ever did."Its true, really. If he hadn't been there, waiting I wouldn't have found Aaron. Sometimes I am so very happy with how Fate set things up. Tass rises from my shadow and hums a greeting to Aaron with more friendliness than I've even remotely seen him display since I met him. It makes sense. This is the last of his beloved trainer's line. And the turning point of his life. He speaks a bit then looks to me to translate."Tass wants me to let you know that you have a lot of the same features as his trainer. That you're the spitting image of her second son and that he's been proud to see you grow up so well. He..." I glare at him but he insists. " He also wants to say he's so very sorry that he couldn't help you sooner and that while he'd love to spend time with you he understands if you don't want to be around him."Aaron just tilts his head in that adorable way kids and puppies do to make you sell your soul for whatever it is they want after. "I dun get that. He's a ghost! They dun save people until him right? Your mom told me it was incredible how I got better so...Uhm." Hands go out in the clear 'hug me' sign and my ghost loses himself. His aura pulses with remorse and a firmness to do better. Floating slowly he makes himself tangible as much as he can and hums lowly as Aaron tugs him about."Tass? Want to play with me? Momma teaches me a lot but most of it is kind of scary. Even if you're spooky I think we can have fun right?" Twisting his body back and forth shyly destroys both Tass and my ability to do anything but inwardly squee and I leave my ghost to heal his heart. Once dreadfully afraid of letting himself love his late trainer's descendants, Tass' heart pulls a grinch and grows three times, ten times. Over the next few weeks before our fight he spends every waking hour he can with Aaron. The boy takes to enjoying having Tass in his shadow and I'm a bit worried I'm going to lose Tass save for the fact that he comes back each night and demands even more time learning to use his otherworldly form to save lives. Joy takes him under her wing while there and her lucario helps streamline our current method to use pain split.Ultimately Tass and Aaron choose to have a receiver set up so Tass can visit often. Aaron adores my ghost but Momma makes it pretty clear she's going to choose dragons for her new human. Tass is actually a bit relieved. While he's learning again how to be around humans, he's a bit too adult in his thoughts and sense of humor for Aaron's good. We agree to revisit him being Aaron's pokémon when he's around thirteen or so.Speaking of visiting. The first week has both Joker and Sunny taking a trip to Oak's Ranch to visit his family and Latias respectfully. Latias has become almost beloved by the ranch in general for her easy demeanor, joy at life and the ability to get to the heart of matters save for the occasional dark type. The good Professor has sent me a lot of research he's been gathering which is a bit over my head but Mars has spent a worrying amount of time pouring over it. Seriously. If he learns out how to turn invisible somehow I will go into the mountains and become a hermit.Joker spends the entire time there searching out places for emergency dens and getting to spend time with his family. All but one oddish have evolved as far as they can without evolution stones and I promise him the next stones we come across will go straight to his family. Later I find out that while he was there he more or less took over control of some various bullies by disguising himself as them and slowly fooling them into a battle royale in front of Professor Oak's dragonite. Said dragon took offense and beat the snot out of them. When the idiots came out of their unconsciousness they found Joker over them with warnings to fall in line or he'd introduce them to an even less kind dragon.The various dark/ghosts types that were the bullies were so impressed with his trickery that they followed him around for the rest of the week and took it upon themselves to join his little family as guards and trainers while he's away. I couldn't help but think of him in one of his formal vests that Aurora tends to put on him with all the new recruits bowing and calling him 'senpai' left and right.So I might be a bit of a coward. I visited Joy next and had a long conversation about riolu and lucario in regards to what I've learned. Visiting the twins as well was really, really interesting. They have stronger aura than me. Its a bit more generalized but that might be because I heavily focused mine on support. They'll be stronger than me when they grow up. Probably be able to take on mid-level pokémon without an issue. Joy and Becca still haven't said if they want them to train for the Order but I can feel they just want to see what their kids want first.Still a coward. The next visit was to Momma. Zaela went with me along with Mars and it was...Shit. Crying a bit. Momma has changed so much and not at all. She still growled and demanded we respect her as this was her territory but after it was done she looked around, carefully making sure none of the other elder dragons was nearby then dragged both of us into the equivalent of a hug. Really just a sand tomb with all of us buried (me carefully with just my head and shoulders above ground) and the thrumming sound she makes when she's happy. She nuzzled Zaela quite a bit but was careful not to tear my skin up when she butted me with her head."Daughters. Good. Back. Strong and powerful. I've missed you both." Then her eyes widened as she sniffed hard at Zaela and the thrumming was even more powerful. It was almost shaking me free of the tomb and back up onto the ground. "Fought your sire. Good. Now that you have defeated both of us I can teach you more. Elder things. Pink daughter can stay. She is your second half. Do not tell anyone else though."Know how in some stories a legendary or whatever just doesn't seem to take damage from anything? Even super effective attacks? Well after a certain level of ability pseudo-legendaries have the same option. Its not as strong as it would be for a legendary but Momma more or less thinks Zaela won't have that restriction. King after all. I stay to learn the secret then let Momma start conditioning Zaela for the process. Its finally starting. Soon, perhaps in a year or two, Zaela won't have her crippling weakness to ice anymore. Or at least dialed down enough that only legendaries of ice will threaten her.After that I let out my team to explore the Den, especially those who haven't been here before. I shamelessly give Tru the job of showing them off and stop being a coward. Angel alone comes with me as I head home after almost a full year away. Part of me wants to find out why Aurora is yelling at Wattson behind me and why Query suddenly has the urge to find some sausages. But no. Its time to see mom before she becomes my enemy. The Silver Conference isn't at all the fight I'm worried about.Our home has changed a lot since I got Zaela. Most of the two story building is dwarfed by a huge add-on that looks like a garage that would serve several houses. Instead it can contain most of my team and mom's. Kingdra is already waiting for me and his aura has such love and welcome in it that I can't help but hug him, not caring that I'm crying all over his scales. He just blows light bubbles into my hair like he did to make me laugh as a child. Angel introduces herself in her unique way and Kingdra is just proud that I gathered such a strong teammate. I leave her to draw embarrassing stories from mother's starter as I pull out my key and enter. I can feel mom in my room and dad in the kitchen.I hesitate a moment then enter the kitchen first to see dad pouring over some gadget as he looks up at me. "Hello there Ella Bella. If you would leave your shoes there?" Okay. He's noticed me. And yeah best not to track mud in from Momma's den. Once I'm done he moves close to lay a hand on my shoulder. "You got bigger. Hmm. I'll get some more backpacks ready for you. Your mother is waiting for you upstairs. Best not keep her."That's it? A year gone and 'go see your mother'. Not a word about my team. My chosen family. Watching his back hits me hard. I don't like reading mom and dad as they tended to be fairly lusty early in my life. Mostly mom but I pull hard to see what dad feels. Satisfaction? A bit of affection and a surprising amount of worry. Love there too but its...So muted. I would have been happy with a simple hug. Fuck. He loves me but...I mean. Just...show it. Just a bit. Forget it. Gotta get to mom. Not more of the same with dad. Of our disconnect. Maybe I just can't read him correctly.Finding my room unchanged isn't surprising. What is surprising is mom's new look. She looks like Lance looks like in the games. A cape with a full combat outfit. Her hair is pulled high similar to mine but lets more hair down and about as if it were a crown. Given her status she could probably get away with a true crown. I'm worried she's going to insist we fight immediately before she wraps me in her arms and we're both sniffling a little."I've missed you Ella. I know what is to be. I know what we both must do but until you are ready to face Hannah Mita, Gym Leader, I would love for you to simply spend time with your mom."I can barely speak and just nod my face into her arms. We don't talk for a while, just letting our hearts remember what it is to be near each other."Zaela took on her dad. She can't fight for a week or so. I'd like our battle to be a week after that if you don't mind? I've so much to tell you of the Foundry and my team."Mom just grins and strokes my hair as she looks me over, seeing those little things that moms everywhere can suss out of their children like magic. Angel picks that time to pop into existence next to us and immediately bombards mom with images of me , good and bad, from when she first started watching us to the day before we arrived. She immediately has mom's instant approval as my gardevoir refuses to hide anything, sensing just how much my mother worries about me. I have a few things to explain, like taking on a lake full of sea monsters...Lake monsters? Also I get teased a bit by how Rose seems to like me but most of it is just talking about my family.Its a long, long day and night and we fall asleep in my bed.The next two weeks pass by far too quick after that. Training is light but plans are hatched as I note every one of my mom's team tends to be more often at home. They all look stronger and give me wicked grins when I come to talk to them. I mean her full team too. Over the years gym leaders tend to collect a lot of pokémon. She has over twenty dragons she can call on for upper level fights though only eight of those are truly monsters. The few hours a day I train is with my team and Momma. Aaron adores the battles that we go through and its easy to see where his life is going. A trainer who can explore the world indeed.When Sunny and Joker come back we start in earnest, focusing hard on teamwork as much as individual power. Months of effort with Bruno have our one on one potential pretty down so we take time to review what our true strength is. Team tactics. Joker is the most inventive here and its downright scary what he's come up with since coming to the team. Tass still focuses on being Angel's wingman. She's utterly capable by herself offensively but her priorities will always be support and healing. Query barely actually fights when we train like this. His mega form only lends more and more ability to control eleven (including me) teammates who can respond at the speed of thought to his overwatch.Mars shows more and more of his tricks, especially in his two mega forms though we'll likely be only using x for now. The ability to overpower a draco meteor is too big of a deal. Zaela's method of being able to bring her full power into one strike has infected Mars a bit. He's mastered ancient power as draco meteors and that's just one of his many, many projects. He spends a lot of time with Dad but I don't ask about it. I'm petty and bitter still. Yeah I know it. Just don't care all that much. Or too much. Whichever.Aurora and Zaela focus more on defense of others as they can so easily create terrain and various barriers. Sunny is the queen of this as when directed by Query and the images he gets from everyone involved make me really want to make a joke about Pein that no one will understand. Wattson, Tru and Joker are still mostly single target specialists but gain a lot of practice in defending that will be nasty, nasty surprises to foes. Finally, Brightscales. She's not stopped for an instant since we got her. After the initial tour and introductions she's spent every moment trying to get to our level.The results are amazing and she's easily the best team player. Not in power or ability but in pure willingness to help the rest of the team. We're the team she believes deserves her so she's become downright scary at taking hits that would drop many others of our team. The combos she suggested as well? Oh my.The last night before my battle with mom I take my entire team home and let them get to know her as she is to me. The caring woman who lets me stand on my own. The one who adores spas and will go out of her way to make sure we visit any we even hear rumors over. A woman who will become a murderer in a moment if I am harmed in earnest. The flawed person who can't seem to truly push dad to be more for me. Though that is just my own feelings. Its far more complicated and I'm a bit ashamed at how I feel...But its there.My family meets my mom after weeks with Momma and those who haven't known her see how much I am her daughter. My first six stay close, knowing that we'll be saying goodbye soon. Aurora cooks and mom can't stop laughing as we get a second show of Ice Hell's Kitchen as Wattson calls it.I sleep well, wrapped in her arms. Home will always be here but I think I might have grown up just a bit too fast for her.Blackthorn GymThe Den was here. All of it. From smallest hatchling to Momma. The clearing mom picked was far away from any home and was cleared out for this purpose. Part of a river ran through the battlefield and large rocks littered the area. It was a terrain that looked like it was made to be harsh to train in. Many, many psychic pokémon were set up near where everyone had gathered to watch us. The barriers were so abundant and powerful that they refracted light slightly even when not taking damage.Hannah Mita. Gym Leader and Clan Matriarch stood in front of me. No referee appeared to be nearby and if there were cameras to record this I couldn't find them. I don't know what my mother planned but it must be….Special."Daughter. Ella Mita of Blackthorn. This is yours."A Rising Badge is tossed to me and I catch it, my eye wide a bit before I wait for the twist."There is nothing here that you don't know. The fight against the elder Garchomp a year past would have given you this badge. However. The Dragon's Den is mostly underground and our Clan make their homes around the entrance or within if given enough prestige. Beyond the waterfall lies something more. A Holy Land for all dragons. I offer you this. Face me and I will take you there. Merely accept your badge and you will forever be barred from the Holy Land so long as I am the Leader here."This isn't my mother. Not at all. She knows well I wouldn't leave here without fighting her deal or no deal. This is for the clan to know that she would never go easy on anyone. My musing is cut a bit short as she drops the true hammer. But also a huge advantage for me."You have eleven pokémon. If you wish to visit the Dragon Holy Land then you must face eleven of my team all at once with your whole team. You've chosen to become a trainer to act as a team before all else. Eleven versus eleven. Prove to me that you can walk this dangerous path you've chosen. Only then will I find you worthy."Shit. This is what she's been training all year. To break my team at what we're the best at. I have a huge advantage here. Almost half my team are very, very good against dragons. But. This is Hannah Mita. The strongest gym leader of Johto. Already I'm thinking of possibilities. Her eyes stare down at my single and she just raises an eyebrow, waiting for my reply."Of course I'll accept your challenge. Always. Don't expect this to go as you would like...Gym Leader."Mother just smiles faintly and turns to walk to her side of the field. Her voice carries back with one last warning. "Treat this like that base Angel showed me or you will fail. Good fight, challenger."My hands are shaking as I reach my side of the field. I can't help but let those words shake down my spine. I'm going to have to have no mercy. The distant pops of pokéballs turn my head to see who she has picked.Two dragonite, an altaria, salamence, Kingdra, an alolan exeggutor that I've never seen before, hydreigon unusually calm, goodra, noivern, kommo-o and a haxorus. All feel determined and burst at the seams with aura and confidence. It goes further as both salamence and altaria mega evolve with bursts of light. My breath catches as I shake off the instant of true intimidation.The dings of my team releasing themselves pull my head back in the game and I can feel Query already discarding hundreds of plans as he nudges my mind to reach for my key stone. Mars, my metagross and Angel are pulled into their most powerful forms a moment later and I stare so far away at my mother, her team ready to bring the hammer of the gods down upon me and mine. She's testing my resolve. To make sure I can make it in this more dangerous than it looks world. All this year she killed herself and her team in training. Just as I've been since I found Zaela. To give me this chance to see if I can do what I've dreamed of doing.If a tear flows down my single remaining eye I refuse to wipe it away. She loves me so much.A mental voice I recognize as our main gym alakazam projects to all gathered here to watch daughter against mother."This is an eleven on eleven team battle between Ella Mita of the Foundry-" Ouch. I knew that would be true but you just had to dig the knife didn't you mom? "and Hannah Mita, Gym Leader of Blackthorn. No substitutions. The battle ends when all of the opposing force are incapacitated."Oh? Mother. Are you telling me something there? Very well. Let's see how well you trained your team. Mine can fight without me almost indefinitely.Moments pass again as we watch each other. The first movement is hydregion and his roar of savage anger. Everyone follows as mega-salamence breaks the sound barrier to attempt a strafing run, two safeguards from the paired dragonites helping keep him safe and aid in slipstream as they follow along in his wake, faster than normal with his ability helping them move. Kingdra draws the river up and around himself in a giant weapon and defense both, then morphs to cover exeggutor and mega-altaria. Haxorus, goodra and kommo-o fall behind hydreigon in a wedge formation as the burly dark type's three heads start to channel different attacks, burning energy into something so very dangerous. Noivern flitters about, tossing double teams to confuse movement and whips up air to make Kingdra's moving waterspout that much more potent.It is beyond impressive and any who would see such a thing should be rightfully shaking in terror. Before the first of three hyper beams even starts to form from mega-salamence and his wingmates Query has gone through perhaps a few thousand different ideas on how to fight what occurs. Our first target is already locked its just a matter of surviving until we can start dictating the battle's flow.The fist thing that occurs is a hail sandstorm from both Zaela and Aurora that covers our entire team. Its not as concentrated as usual but we're all moving (myself included) to positions as Joker becomes the linchpin of the first stage of our attack. Hundreds of double teams flow out of the sand/hail wall, eight or so of which hide substitutes that buffer the incoming hyper beams. They won't last an instant, but they have the dragonites and mega-salamence hone in on the targets.The rest of the force is canceled by Sunny and Angel's light screens shattering one after the other like glass. Wish upon wish restore Joker as he uses substitute in ways that will come about later in the fight.Query barely moves, his full attention on the steps Zaela can feel through the earth as well as Tru and my aura sensing each and every signature of mom's team. His minds direct each other like a conductor, angling the various light screens in ways that kick up more dust.Angel and Tass immediately teleport upwards to get a view of their target and out of range of hydreigon already starting to cover the area with dark energy to disrupt our teleports, each of his three heads coating the area with ice and fire, giving Kingdra even more water to work with.Mars and Aurora dig ancient power stones up and drop them around at random for Zaela to turn them into stealth rocks. Brightscales and Tru stand front and center as we already feel the rain dances of at least five signatures start to attempt to take over our terrain. Sunny hides behind Zaela's bulk and starts to set up screens where Query directs her and Wattson just takes the electrical energy from the new rain to start powering himself up with motor drive. All while beginning pulsing thunder waves in massive crashes towards the encroaching force.Flashes of razor leafs, dragon pulses and the occasional thunderbolt show how effective the double teams have been for a moment, as each substitute takes another hit before fading. Mom's team would strafe the attacks if they didn't actually hit something. Thunderbolts as each are attracted to Wattson's motor drive. Each time it hones in on him Angel teleports him to another part of our side as mega-altaria and both dragonites immediately shoot long range attacks to where the bright arcs of energy flow. They stop that fairly soon when they realize they are wasting energy.Aurora's hail coats the water, merely using the rain dance as more fuel but Zaela's sandstorm, powerful as it is, can't keep up with the dominance of so many dragons seeking the heaven's for its blessing of water. The tactics are simple. Stand firm and delay until our first target is down. My heal spheres constantly tag Joker as he continues to flood the zone with double teams. Both Aurora and Zaela popped up various rocks for my cover, scattered everywhere as I dart from them under their cover. I'm taking damage from the hail and sandstorm but pull my aura around me to keep myself constantly healing. Its draining, but I can do it for a while.Query focuses us and we let them strike in earnest first. Mom's fliers have been hitting nothing but spikes of rocks mostly. The shattered remains just help Zaela get ammunition. Mars stays back next to me, preparing his own tricks and my official bodyguard. He'll get me out quick and have the power to delay whatever targets me.So far they have been doing a great job of being what dragons are. Dragonite, dragonite and mega-salamence have cracked our shields with strafing runs that would wipe out city blocks. Mega-alteria strives to lure us into sleep with glorious singing and then snipe at Zaela with incredibly accurate moonblasts and dragon pulses. Exeggutor is fighting the terrain that we've been building. Grass knots, ingrains and whips ruin much before its restored. Draining our energy.Haxorus and goodra protect hydreigon's slow advance, shattering the potshots that Aurora, Zaela and Tru throw at the the dark dragon. Tossing up earth, flames and heavy physical weight to make sure he's close enough to ruin my psychics. Noivern flits about, surprising me with how he's using his whirlwinds and air cutters to hit our shields at the exact right spot to make holes for mega-altair's snipes. Easily dodging Wattson's follow up thunders with pure speed.And while their teamwork is fantastic. Amazing and intimidating. They are working as dragons. And my team fights a dragon every single day. Our chance comes when they choose the wrong target to draw their first coordinated strike.Query is the heart of our tactics. Who they truly should target. But they seek out a double team that looks like Angel and the deepest pit of ice where Aurora really is, though surrounded now by walls of stone save for one particular circle that points away from the battle at a perpendicular angle. Water pulses and ranged attacks pepper the fake Angel in massive explosions but the lack of reaction from us has haxorus, goodra and the two dragonites immediately switch to Query who simply aids the still hiding Sunny to tank the attacks with shields. His eyes make it so that she doesn't have to see where her shields need to be, still very much behind Zaela.Kingdra and mega-altaria are setting up long range finishers, each hydro pump or moonblast aided by the hurricane level winds my mom's starter is sending our ways to batter against Aurora's hail and corroding the various reflects and light screens with how much water is pounding them.Kommo-o is picked up in an instant by mega-salamence and is about to drop behind Zaela to punish Sunny as the first of our two devastating attacks fires. Aurora, constantly boosting with ancient power that Mars is moving into the sky, hidden by the hail he's enduring by constantly setting himself aflame shoots through the one hole in her defense behind her. I continue to pepper my son with heal spheres to keep him steady until the attack goes final. For a moment out of his reach to make it count. I throw myself again behind the cover they gave me and start up more healing, waiting.The fully powered, refrigerated Hyper Beam screams out into the distance and hits Brightscales dead on, a split second before Query hits hydreigon with miracle eye and forces the teleportation block to fade for a few seconds. It takes three of his four minds to do it but its worth it as Sunny vanishes from behind Zaela, dodging the descending steel scaled dragon who is immediately sunk into the quicksand that Zaela had formed under Sunny. Sunny simply stood on one of her reflect screens.Another pulse of energy teleports Brightscales channeling her mirror coat directly in front of hydreigon. The three heads open in outrage and with crackling energy of a tri attack in shocking speed but it isn't enough as Sunny appears on his back, Moonblast ready. Angel's presence to his right has him surrounded and he vanishes in the explosion of a double powered ice hyper beam, one four times effective moonblast and another boosted by Sunny's helping hand, timed a split second after her first attack landed.I wince as his aura is immediately shut down in unconsciousness but Zaela takes no chances when pulling hydreigon underground immediately to join the struggling kommo-o. His heavy body struggles to get free from the muck and rain. None of mom's team can risk being so close to Zaela just yet so he's on his own. Dual claws and Mars' ancient power batters him further into the doom of Zaela's domain.They don't take it lying down. Sunny is hit hard by a steel wing from the still close by mega-salamence and is nearly out of it before Tru is there, ally switched by Query from afar. She jumps high and slams down on mega-salamence's back for an instant. He turns to toss her off but she holds on gamely until a massive thunder homes in on her metal form. She just grins and is pulled by Angel out of danger. Wattson's attack sends mega-salamence soaring but he's hit hard by the two dragonite who probably have the best teamwork of all the team. Two hurricanes toss Wattson into the air before Query ally-switches and slams into the ground, taking the damage easily. Every random pot shot my team fires at the two dragonites is blocked by the other's safeguard and is immediately retaliated upon. I wince as Wattson's form is cartwheeled from Kingdra's sniper-shot anticipating Query's switch. Both my hands toss more heal spheres his way as I dart into a sinkhole that Zaela set up for me if I thought I'd be targeted.Kingdra's set up is complete and its hard to hear anything with the howling winds and sleet that cover the battlefield. Steel piercing blasts of water seek out Aurora in her own storm and mega-altaria is healing up any damage we can possibly do. Kommo-o is still stuck halfway underground but Zaela can't finish him as goodra and haxorus flank her, each moving in to slap her with dragon pulses, tails and claws. Sunny returns to her side to provide defenses and bathe the area with fairy wind around my sister in such incredible precision that I know she's been practicing far after our usual training. It doesn't put goodra and haxorus down but they falter and kommo-o is wracked with crushing earth power.Angel darts around to heal up Brightscales, who mostly does it on her own anyway, and to pull people away from the massive psychic blasts exeggutor has started slamming into light screens and barriers. Mom's team wises up and starts after Query who switches himself with Sunny at any dragon type attack and flips gravity on himself to dodge. Even so he's taking a massive battering that we can't seem to blunt fully as mega-salamence, healed up, starts to send bombing runs of dragon pulses and flamethrowers into gaps of the rain soaked area. Mud rules the floor now but Zaela has such control over water now that she's started sending muddy surfs into her two opponents to foul their footing.Noivern, who has been able to avoid all of the friendly attacks begins hounding Angel with great success, the nimble dragon can hear the snap of her teleport with ease and each new location is immediately assaulted with boombursts. Tru has to move from trying to aid Wattson's increasingly hurt form to start flinging aura spheres at noivern. Angel is too important to our plans and her aura is pained at leaving her love defenseless, even if he's gotten a bit of help from rapid fire ice beams from Brightscales. Her confuse rays and hypnosis waves start to mess with the dragonites' teamwork enough that Wattson can stay in one place for me to tag him with more heal spheres. Years of using the move have given me a lot more stamina and effectiveness but I'm already feeling the pull.Luckily, Tass has finished his own tricks. The area already has made all the shadow he has needed. Wattson grins broadly as he vanishes into a shadow sneak, his arm already drawn back to crack haxorus in the face with an ice punch from behind, running away in a flash even as Tass vanishes into another shadow, pumping a will o' wisp into both haxorus and goodra. A heaving spite has them both drained as well before he vanishes with a cackle, giving Zaela some wiggle room to bring down two massive dragon claws on them both. Even as Query barrels into the bladed dragon. Its a threat from how much physical power it can bring, even possibly staggering my starter.But my ghost isn't done. Its chaotic enough. They're distracted.Mega-altaria and mega-salamence revert to regular. The shock they feel is delicious as Tasslehoff completes his mission. No one noticed the shadow moving through all the massive attacks or through the crackling thunder. Alakazam said opposing forces and mom heavily implied this was to test what I would go through in the real world.Layers are something Query puts into all his plans. While we gave Tass all the areas he needed to shadow sneak, Query would also have a few paths towards my mother. A combination of a mild (for a pokémon) hypnosis and then hiding mom's key stone away someplace she couldn't reach ensures two of her greatest weapons can't work.Altaria's reversion sets up our next plan. Immediately we abandon delaying tactics and Query allows a brutal swing by haxorus to hit him, but actually Joker's illusion pops as he's switched and a fully buffed payback sends haxorus slamming out into a stone edge that Zaela times perfectly to send him spiraling into the air. Brightscales is deposited straight in his path and an ice beam slams him downwards into Sunny's next moonblast. He doesn't get up. Goodra manages to slip away to regroup after sending multiple pulses of water and dragon energy into Zaela's bulk.My starter is continuously hammered by Kingdra's increasing control over the area as well as altaria's fairy barrage. Zaela takes the damage with groans of increasing pain but also spends the time finishing off kommo-o who passed out beyond frustrated at how little he got to do. Tasslehoff emerges under altaria's shadow, tanking the storm's damage and puts her to sleep. He's immediately swapped with Angel and she traces Cloud Nine before popping out in an instant, back immediately with Aurora and Mars. The rain vanishes as her new ability erases everything back into the sunny day that this all started as.Kingdra may be swift in water but the rapid loss of his terrain and ability leave him unable to dodge the freeze dry that Aurora spends every bit of her energy on. The helping hand Sunny gives her only makes it that much more brutal of an attack. Zaela pays the price as both dragonite and salamence start to wear her down until she's forced to dip underground. Tru immediately goes to a spot where Query directs Zaela and heals her the second her head peeks out. Wattson sends out shock wave after shock wave to distract the fliers who switch to long range hyper beams. Both Brightscales and Angel burst forward, meeting the attacks with a psychically boosted hydro pump that erodes the attacks enough that Query and Sunny can set up more screens to block the rest.My mother's starter sends out razor winds tinged with dragon breaths and twisters but its to no avail as the next set up attack takes him out. Every single ancient power fired is pulled by Mars up and into the sky. The roar of the meteors falling down are louder than mega-salamence breaking the sound barrier earlier. Kingdra vanishes in an explosion that breaks the ground so hard Zaela is tossed out of the earth momentarily with a startled sound I'll tease her about someday.Unfortunately while the attack does retire Kingdra, Mars can't recover in time to dodge the hyper beams that were carefully aimed by the twin dragonites and salamence. How? Noivern directed them with careful sonar pulses and added his own boomburst. It could have been easily dodged but it was our mistake. Everyone is a bit too occupied and Tru and I didn't notice the attack in time while Query was momentarily blinded by a very pissed off haxorus' shadow claw disrupting his psychic link. I return Mars as he falls and reverts, then again to Joker as he is unable to see goodra sneak up through the bit of fading rain that is left. The payback he gave earlier wasn't fully healed and substitute use was just too much.Altaria, awake again but now barely off the ground, desperately weaves about as exeggutor finally starts to channel solar beams that come out quicker than most fire attacks. Most of his attacks were used before to blunt incoming damage or set up shields. The team retreats a bit to gather around Wattson who is quickly heal pulsed back up to full even as the dragonite twins and salamence are treated by altaria. Our next plan is immediately set into motion as Zaela finally takes flight. Sunny is tied quickly into my harness and constantly sets shields around Zaela like a flying battleship. Fairy wind surrounds Zaela who draws up a sandstorm. Solarbeams, strong as they are, only barely damage the mobile shielding of weather and Sunny's screens and reflects.Angel loses her cloud nine so her telepathy comes to the forefront, keeping our attacks from becoming friendly fire. Wattson and Tru take off at incredible speeds to harry altaria to keep her from using her own ability to get rid of Zaela's new weather effect. The bait is taken as the twin dragonite move to press in safeguards and start up twisters to block off the couple from their target. Angel simply ports in and flies through the two attacks, negating them and altaria can't get away fast enough before Wattson is already playing ping pong with her head, ice punches slamming as fast as he can breathe. Motor drive making him able to push past his limits. Tru guards his back while Copycating his attacks when she isn't hurling heal spheres at Zaela and Sunny shooting attacks at the twin dragonite desperately trying to protect their increasingly battered healer.Brightscales supports with ice beams, matching dragon attacks and giving Tass more shadows to pop into, constantly sapping their strength with spites and now much more safe toxics. Highly concentrated scary faces and mean looks start to wear on the fliers, making it harder and harder to dodge or go too far to build up speed for runs.Goodra attempts to retreat some, working his way towards exeggutor but Brightscales heads him off, fully buffed by coil. She smacks him with a dragon tail that sets him out of position more than he expected and then she bombards his senses with attract, hypnosis and confuse ray until he can't move save to walk in circles, hitting himself with dragon pulses erupting too closely.Noivern and exeggutor constantly hammer Aurora who can't move with Angel and the rest occupied with getting altaria out of battle. Sunny, even from far up, manages a few light shields to help with Aurora's barriers but every attack the two attempt on her have to be tanked or hit Brightscales who is slowly whittling away at goodra behind my ancient dinosaur.A bright cry of pain and determination mark Aurora going down but not before she sends a massive avalanche that has noivern and exeggutor panicking. Noivern is merely clipped by the attack but exeggutor lacks the speed to get away and is covered by it, tipping over in a block of ice, out and defeated. I return Aurora and my eye goes up to Sunny and Zaela as the twin dragonite are fed up with it all.Two massive blizzards form from them, probably knowing of Zaela's huge weakness and the moment they send them out our last big counter is formed. Tasslehoff pulls out of Sunny's shadow and endures both blizzards with a massive screech of pain but his shadow sneak to one of the twins results in a pain split that sends them into a short dive of equal pain. Zaela puts on a burst of speed and crashes into the other twin and Tass finally has the ability to attack openly with how crippled both dragonite are from the pain.The massive power thrown about through the whole fight made sure my ghost was patient and now its paid off. Unable to break away from Zaela, Tass starts to pelt that dragonite with thunder waves, toxics, will o' wisps and spites, sharing them happily with her twin. Hexes follow the moment he senses a weakness as both twins can't muster up safeguards or anything to block just yet. To make matters worse he hits the slowly recovering other twin with a destiny bond and starts to block their attacks as they try to aide their twin against Zaela and Sunny.Query finally has enough leeway to enter the battle and he's switched with Angel, hovering near salamence. My boy is switched already in momentum and crashes into salamence with a giga impact that sends them hurtling toward the ground. Every second they fly is met with a meteor mash into salamence's body. The dragon burns Query constantly with flames but he can't stand up to the damage for long. Every attempt to adjust his flight and not hit the ground is disrupted by Psi-Fist and the rapid flashes of Query's body make sight impossible. The massive crash of dirt and earth pelt altaria and block a bit of Wattson's electric attacks but salamence is out. Query emerges pissed off that he didn't get to smack down more and altaria is snagged from the air by psychic and gravity into Wattson's ice punches and Tru's close combat to join her teammate in unconsciousness.Haxorus, enraged beyond believe finally gets out of an earth power quicksand Zaela set up after Joker went down right into Brightscales point blank blizzard. Already incredibly hurt from Tass's slow draining will o' wisps and sneaky toxic, he falls, cursing things I won't repeat.It goes quick from there as the dragonite Zaela and Sunny harass with dragon pulses, flame throwers, and pixillated hyper voices. The revolving fairy wind/sandstorm and Sunny's pinpoint accurate moonblasts makes him use draco meteor in desperation. His twin desperately tries to warn off the attack as Tass cackles and flies up, making sure to get hit by as many as he can.The destiny bond triggers and the second dragonite crashes into the ground with a dull thump. I return Tass as he disperses into shadows. Zaela redirects the rest of the draco meteors with a massive force of will boosted by Sunny's helping hand and the last dragonite skids to a heap next to his twin, taken out by his own attack. Noivern has been frantically trying to knock Brightscales away from goodra after my newest family member went to slap him about with dragon tails. A flash has Angel appears right in front of him and echoing Zaela's massive effort teleports him directly into my sister's sandstorm. Angel takes a bit of damage but its nothing compared to noivern being crunched and made to stay in the fairy storm. His purple-green body escapes, wobbly and is easy pickings for Wattson's prepared thunder. The agile dragon lands on top of hydreigon's body and I wince.The attack that took out Kingdra knocked up the big guy out of the hole Zaela stuck him into. Ouch.Goodra is all that remains and rather than wait many awkward minutes for Brightscales to confuse him to death, Query smacks him into unconsciousness.The area is wrecked. Muddy furrows of land are split in massive rents of damage. Water soaks everything and mom's team is scattered about in ruins. None are in danger of dying but recovering will take a while. I move from my hiding spot to hop onto Query's head and he floats me over to where mom is still unconscious. I hadn't tossed a heal in a while, the fight still a bit beyond my ability to safely navigate. Something to work on later.Carefully Query takes her pokéballs and returns her team. Angel passes out the moment she knows everyone is alright and I return her quickly even before she fades from her mega form. Sunny follows suit but with the biggest smile on her face. Everyone else elects to stay outside.I reach down to shake mom awake and I can't help but smile tremulously at the way she looks at me. Its only an instant for her to know she lost. The pride and love she gazes at me can't be put into words. She stands slowly and looks over my team to the destruction. Both of her hands lay down onto my shoulders and she leans down to kiss my forehead, mud and all."Well done. Its all that I could have hoped for. And nothing less than what I expected." My throat chokes up as Wattson, Zaela, Tru and Query keep close. This is the most, by far, of my team that has been taken out. But that's to be expected. My eye turns back to see Brightscales moving around the area, reliving the fight in her mind and her aura singing with such joy that I know she's truly found her place with us. Its easily the most dirty I've ever seen but she survived. Thrived and protected us. For someone who so wants to stand out, she's giddy with how she felt she proved herself."Come daughter. Your prize awaits. I guess it is two. If you wouldn't mind, Zaela, would you carry us both?" My mother looks up to my sister, who simply turns and lets us climb up. I return the rest of the team. Words for them will be for later when we're all back up. Zaela's back is easily big enough to carry us both and if mom uses the time to hug me tighter than is needed? Well. Who cares?We fly over the crowd, who was quiet most of the fight, or at least I couldn't tell through the destruction. Dragon and human alike simply stare at us in respectful awe. The feeling they give is so much more than when we defeated Momma. Then it was shock and an inkling of what we'd become. Now? Its reaffirmation and the respect of equals. Another moment I can't speak.Mom's team was incredible. Every attack they fired were honed to the extreme. Attacks we dodged often aimed at someone behind if not for all the doubles Joker provided. We still had a massive advantage. Team tactics are what we trained for but I shudder to think what would have happened if we didn't take out hydreigon immediately or if mom had been able to train more in such methods. Its a bit of a weakness that dark types can disrupt us so. Wreck our communication. Something to work around.Into the Den we descend and through the waterfall without a drop soaking us, so firm is Zaela in her control now. Then upwards in a curving, spiral path. My starter is pleased. Most of her time in the fight was defending Sunny or being a big target. She didn't get to use her massive power because it could easily harm others in the team. Yet she is very, very proud because those who she trains with every day showed just how powerful they were. Most of the damage was done by Aurora, our two faries and Wattson. Everything else was misdirection into single attacks or shifting about the battlefield. Zaela has truly grown. A leader and tank more than a single destructive force.When we finally get out of the tunnel I can barely breathe. How could I not sense this? Life and aura explode in the teeming fields we come upon. Even Zaela's emotions run with shock as I turn back and see some sort of barrier around the area. Something keeps this place safe. We fly slowly around, guided by mom as I feel something, no, someone amazing over the peak. I vaguely remember this place from the anime but its far more incredible. Flowers everywhere. Tangled vines that look more like carefully placed artwork flow in carpets of green. The air fills me almost as if it were a drug so giddy I become as we peak over the last hill before we see him.The dragonite is not overly huge but his concentration of aura and power scream of a long lived life."Daughter. This is the dragonite of the very first Blackthorn Gym Leader. This Holy Land is his to guard. But. Today, as you have proved worthy without a shadow of a doubt, his present is twofold." Her hand reaches up, helping me down as both myself and my sister can't stop staring at a dragon we know we can't face. Awed.The ancient merely stares at me, not speaking but projecting deep pride that one of the inhabitants of the Dragon's Den, two with Zaela here, have found themselves able to stand tall in his domain.Turning, he stamps his foot and a pillar rises up and splits. Gemstones are within, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and all manners of colors associated with every dragon type. The wealth is incredible but its what is at the end of the splitting earth that makes Zaela and I gasp.Mega stones. So many. All of dragons. Enough for generations of trainers. What we know is ours though is the last that is pulled up. As if from the core of the earth its glittering double helix calls to Zaela and I. Garchompite.Gently I reach down and take the stone then turn around to my sister. She just hums a bit in pleasure as I attach it to a strap on her saddle. We'll find something appropriate later."Take it daughter. Use it in your life's journey and know that I will always be here for you. The second gift is to come here whenever you like. To train or simply be home. Even if you call other places such a title. And finally, I love you Ella. I'm so very proud." My heart melts again as we look across the Dragon Holy Land. One of the founders of the Clan stands beside us as my mother and sister flank me. I'm not nervous about the last stage of my plan. The beginning of the Order. I've learned so much from home. Its time to go out and pass it on.My sister and I are bloody, covered in filth and dirt. But...Zaela roars, shaking the earth, and for once I join her, crying out until my voice is hoarse. Victory.BaddadCharizard grew up as his kind should. Through toil, danger and violence to be savored. Every minute of early life was a struggle and he grew by making corpses of his enemies. The Valley was his crucible and while he eventually left it to seek out more power he would always return to remind all there who deserved to be its king. Not even worth killing. But there to respect his majesty.Years upon years past as he traveled Johto and sought out greater challenges. More power. Sometimes he lost but never was he defeated. Everytime he was smashed into the ground he'd claw his way out and build the fire of his hatred until it would consume everything. Sometimes he would attempt to sire a child that could continue his glory.Unlike some of his kind he didn't think it was bad to be surpassed. It just meant you could become stronger. But eventually, disappointed with his own kind's strength he sought the dragons that were so close in desire as he strived for. To conquer the world with their might. Someday he would die and then what would come after? A child is what he needed. His lust for power found its match in a land dragon who had no weakness. Even her fire was strong. Not as mighty as his but enough to make all the females of his kind pale in comparison.Naturally, they fought. It was a long, brutal courtship and his scars grew twice as many. It was glorious. Whatever happened he knew no other female would be his mate. Nothing could compare to her. Years later when she finally accepted him they created what he hoped for. A legacy bred true. The moment he saw the egg he could feel his fire within it. Dormant, but there. Once awoken the fire would consume far past whatever he was able to.It was glorious.Then it was pathetic. His mate lived close to humans. Pathetic creatures. They stole power from the mighty and made slaves. Many times in the past he had destroyed towns until teams of slaves grew in such numbers that he could not enjoy putting humans in their place without serious risk.It was only a pastime for him but he still resented that he couldn't enjoy it anymore. Now his daughter was going to be a slave? The legacy he'd been after for years upon years upon years? Never. The desire to kill was so strong he did not mind if he would die himself if only his daughter would grow true. Then his mate fell to the disgusting humans. Lost. Not even one of the humans with strong slaves! A child! A nothing! Speck!Charizard came then to wreck the den. He knew he would die. Some of the strongest free dragons lived there and would take his destruction poorly. As long as the child died it would be fine. He was thwarted. His mate was always weaker than him but when he came, ready to take what was his she gained something.He couldn't place it. But it tasted of death. Even if he defeated her there would be no way he could get to the child in time to set his daughter free. Fine. He would be patient. Someday his daughter would seek him out. Her flame spoke to his. When that time came he'd show her the power she would achieve without her slave master. So he left, vowing to never return until his daughter was at his side. To show his mate who was right.Years passed and he slept. Being awake only made him more angry and while taking it out on the others in the Valley was pleasant none could challenge him. Longing for his mate persisted but he snuffed it out until he could claim her again after he was proven true.Then he felt it. His daughter was in the Valley. Still he was patient. If he went to attack now he'd provoke all the others he felt near her. Another battle he couldn't be sure of just yet. Once his daughter was by his side though? Then he'd teach her of how a king became strong alone. That you ruled through fear and power.Another half a year or so passed and he spent his time observing what his daughter was doing. Her strength was impressive. Beyond that. Almost past belief. This is what he had sired? Truly he knew himself to be the pinnacle of his kind. To make a dragon so young this powerful with his blood.Finally it was the day. He could feel her coming. Along with her slave master. Perfect. Everything would go as planned.The girl was just as pathetic as before. Small. Weak. The only good part is that she lost an eye. There was the tiniest bit of respect for going on with such an injury but also a curl of his lip at being so weak as to lose it in the first place.Even as his voice shook the volcano the speck didn't waver. Brave fool. Ashes to become.But then his daughter released from those slave tools humans made to capture all pokémon and he realized just how much of a King she was. Truly, he was mighty for his daughter to be born to rule.Of course they fought. It is the way of things. To show who is right. Never before has he been pushed so far. Never before has such pain occurred. That she could withstand his fire was impressive. That she could fly close to his level was shocking. The way she fought though? That was beyond him. His kind fought power to power but she used that with trickery.What kind of daughter was she to not face him fully?! Over and over they clashed and he thought that his way was right when the Valley erupted in cheers. But then her name. His daughter. For a brief instant he felt it. That pride he wished to have for his offspring. But it turned to ash when he realized they approved of her way. Fighting with trickery and deceit. From not taking something front on with your might.Anger was a soft word for the rage that he felt. Determined to smite her and try anew with another offspring someday in the future if she would not listen he couldn't be prepared for when she finally fought him head on.His power was less. His fire and passion diminished compared to her own. Nothing stood in her way. Looking up at her form, taller than his already, he could barely believe her words. Her contempt. Anger he could understand. Welcome even. But the disgust? For his way? True, he felt the same for hers but the utter loathing in her voice pierced him hard. It couldn't be denied though. A mere seven years and he was defeated by her. Did she say it was her own strength? No. She credited her...slave...family. Not him.The world shook as her presence spoke it true. She did not know how to use it as he did. But without thinking she put her life into her words. Everything she said was real. That is how true kings show their power. When they say something, their entire being makes it the truth of their lives. His is fear and anger. Hers though? Power and family.For once in his long, brutal life he didn't know what to believe. Only that he had lost and lost completely. Her fire blazed hotter than his. More pure. Because of the speck. While flying away, unsure where to go, ruined and broken, he thought more than anything.Was he wrong? Was his mate right? Would he ever see his daughter again? She gave him a chance to return. Under her terms. As was right for the victor.Should he change?Or should he become stronger and destroy her?He didn't know. Not yet.Hannah MitaIt all happened so fast. All these years. So short. From that tiny little baby in her arms. To this.Hannah's daughter was everything she hoped for but also a trial on her nerves. Ella learned incredibly quickly which must have come from Rickard's genius but it was almost alarming how adult their daughter acted. From simple things as cleaning her messes without asking (and in practical ways, what two year old knows how to use a vacuum?) to somehow getting her starter to give her a ride in the lake and take careful precautions to stay on kingdra's back.Everything happened too quick but ultimately Hannah didn't mind. That her daughter adored them was obvious and she was so bright and happy that Hannah couldn't do anything but enjoy the ride. Years passed and she grew to enjoy the quirks Ella displayed even if some were downright terrifying.It all started around her fourth year. Zaela and Momma came into their lives. Elder dragons have no real rules. Seeing her baby girl playing with a garchomp that could defeat her entire team if she truly let loose was beyond normal fear.At least until Ella revealed something more shocking than her obvious genius and maturity. Aura.Aura.Rarer than psychics and more powerful than almost any ability humans could achieve. And her daughter had it in droves. Enough to partially tame 'Momma'. The bond between the massive egg and Ella grew quick. At first Hannah panicked but then her nature got back to her. Hardship was her daughter's path but that didn't mean she couldn't make it a bit more achievable. Favors were called in and Tru came from it later.The years were rocky but perfect. Hannah always enjoyed the work growing up and seeing Ella take after that brought them even closer together. Then she discovered Ella's dream and a lot of things came into place. How frantic Ella and her growing team seemed to be training. The odd books on political aspects of the world and tactics that she'd find in her daughter's room. Query starting to direct his teammates without Ella saying a word.This time she wasn't shocked. Amazed, but still she couldn't do anything but push more. If her daughter dreamed big then she would push herself to stand behind her. Supporting her. But never stifling her.Rickard grew distant more and more. He couldn't understand the drive. For him only the next problem to solve mattered. But then, he had a good excuse for his behavior. Sadly. She didn't love him any less as she could see that it just wasn't in him to relate to their confusing daughter but she couldn't help but resent him some for not trying harder to at least help Ella understand. To know that he loved her just as deeply as she did...But. Well. She'll know someday.Then her baby lost an eye and was a baby no longer. Not even a child. Rage and guilt honed Hannah into a weapon. She directed it at the Stones and only Ella's calm acceptance kept her from declaring war in ways not seen since feudal times. That wasn't to say she didn't give up her hatred and vindictiveness. Even after 'peace' was made she didn't stop from letting them see her anger at every meeting. There would be no friendly harmony. They would pay in every moment. Petty was a small word for how she treated their overtures.Its good that Ella wasn't around to see how she acted. It was never fun to have one's child point out childish behavior. Deserved or not.With Ella's leaving a lot of her life felt empty. Not because Ella was growing up. She started that far too early. No, it was the real knowledge that there wasn't going to be much more for her to teach Ella that her daughter couldn't experience herself. Then the idea of giving her one last brutal teaching. To test her for them both. That she could know Ella would be fine. Not safe. But able to endure what she has set herself upon. Training as in the old days came and she enjoyed seeing just a bit of what Ella has worked for.It was exciting to know that she was behind her own daughter in this aspect of battling. That she'd be the underdog in this fight. One on one only a few of Ella's team could take on hers.Every fight that was sent to her of Ella's victories and single loss were...Amazing. Such pride. Every parent wants to see their child grow beyond them. So she'd bust her ass until she couldn't move every day to give Ella's last fight with the Den as her home something to show them both what they needed to see.Tomorrow her daughter would return and she couldn't wait. Placing her battle garb out for the next day she simply curled up in Ella's bed and closed her eyes. Hannah Mita is her daughter's greatest fan. Tomorrow she'd be her clan leader if needed. Strict trainer and teacher. But right now? Looking over the scattered notes written neatly in Ella's (some Mars') hand about her team and the books stacked in careful piles, Hannah could just think that she'd never been more grateful to be a mother.