Sovereign Rank & A Dark Side

I followed Blue farther into the lab until we saw Professor Oak sitting at a computer and typing furiously. I called out to him and he spun his chair to face me.

"What's the situation Professor? It must be serious if you needed to tell me in person."

Professor Oak looked at me, then to Blue, and then back to me. I knew what he meant.

"If the situation is what I think it is you might as well let him hear it now. I'll shoulder any blowback from higher up."

The Professor nodded and then filled me in on what he had discovered.

"It's all bad news Green. The Arbok you sent me does possess the genes necessary to mutate into a Totem but they are still completely dormant, which means this Arbok grew to it's abnormal size without becoming a Totem. This in and of itself would be bad news but on top of that according to the genetic testing I preformed not just one but both parents are fully awakened Totem Pokemon. Before you ask yes I double checked, I ran the test three times to be sure and each test came back positive within one percent of each other. The lowest was at ninety-five percent."

"I was afraid you would say something like that, we are potentially dealing with a Sovereign ranked Totem Pokemon."

"How do you know what a Sovereign is? That knowledge is supposed to be classified and on a need to know basis."

"Do you remember the Sovereign Onix case about eighteen years ago?"

Seeing Professor Oak nod I continued.

"I was in Rock Tunnel trying to catch an Onix for my Pokedex and got caught up in the hunt. As a civilian, at the time, I was given two options, help or get lost. I stayed to help and got a briefing on Totems and Sovereign Totems while I was there."

Blue tired of being left out shouted.

"Would one of you please explain what a F*cking Sovereign Rank Totem is!"

The Professor and I looked at Blue and then back at each other, I nodded to him and he started his explanation.

It appeared that nobody noticed a young boy sitting in a chair off to the side listening to every word.

"Most Totem Pokemon cannot coexist in the same area even if they are the same species, most but not all. If a Totem Pokemon has a large strength advantage and is able to get another to submit by force it will sometimes allow it to live and serve him. The stronger Totem is then referred to as a King Totem Pokemon, this is the threshold of the Sovereign ranks. The more Totem Pokemon that submit the stronger the King and his subjects become. The natural aura of the Totem Pokemon will begin to build growing stronger and stronger. The strength of the aura of a King Totem Pokemon nest can be roughly calculated as x + y where x is the King and y is his subdued vassals, up to three."

Blue nodded to indicate he was keeping up and then with a puzzled look asked.

"Up to three? What happens if there are more than three?"

"More than three is referred to as an Emperor Totem Pokemon. You can usually interpret it as King Totem Pokemon are on the same level as Pseudo Legendary Pokemon and Emperor Totem Pokemon are on the level of true Legendary Pokemon."

Getting a look from the Professor I shrugged my shoulders.

"Sorry Professor I'll let you finish."

"The way Green put it is accurate, you can calculate the aura strength of an Emperor Totem Pokemon nest as x + y × z. X and Y are the same as for King rank but Z is any number past three. So if all together there are ten Totem Pokemon including the King it would be (1+3)×6=24 meaning the power of the aura of ten together is equivalent to twenty-four individuals."

"Professor I need to inform the Commandant, do you have a secure line we can use?"

"Yes, conference room one."

I pulled out my tactical radio, every Ranger team leader is issued one, and called Pokemon Ranger headquarters. When the call was answered I heard.

"Pokemon Ranger HQ how can I direct your call?"

"This is Squad Captain Green Grady I have a high priority message for the Commandant, Ranger ID 8675309."

"One second Captain while I verify...ID accepted, what is the message?"

"Tell him there is a possible Code Black in Pallet Town. He can reach me on the secure line at Professor Oaks lab."

"I will inform him immediately, stand by to accept his call."

With that final remark the call was disconnected and Professor Oak led us to conference room one. Right as we entered the room the phone rang, when I answered a middle aged man with blue-green hair appeared on the wall display. Blue and I snapped to attention and game a crisp salute. The man on the monitor returned the salute and spoke.

"At ease, what's the situation?"

"Yes, Commandant. At roughly two o'clock this afternoon an abnormally large Arbok crashed a party at my home, it was defeated and captured. Due to it's abnormal size I had it brought to Professor Oak for genetic testing to see if it was a Totem Pokemon as it's size suggested."

"How big is it?" The man on the call interrupted to which Professor Oak replied.

"It measures twenty-one feet nine inches and weighs three hundred and seventeen pounds."

The Commandant nodded and turned back to Green.

"The rest would be better coming from the Professor as he preformed the tests personally."

"Yes, the testing shows that the captured Arbok has the Totem genetics but they are currently dormant, the information that prompted us to call you is that the tests show with a ninety-five percent probability that both parents are fully awakened Totem Pokemon."

"So there is a ninety-five percent chance that an entire clutch of Arbok eggs could become Totems soon?"

"Yes Commandant. We called as soon as we put that together ourselves. My team is ready to begin scouting the surrounding area as soon as you give the word."

"Very well, find the nest, I'll begin assembling a subjugation squad. Also who defeated the Arbok you captured?"

"That would be my...son." Realization dawned on my face, I had completely forgotten that I brought Jake with me, quickly looking around the room I spotted him sitting in a chair by the door. I looked back to the monitor and again snapped to attention.

"My apologies Commandant. The information about the possible situation caused me to forget that I brought my son with me today. He has heard everything we discussed."

"It's understandable in this situation, your son looks very young. Did he really defeat the Arbok himself?"

"I have video footage, I'll send it over now."

After a few minutes the Commandant looked up from his computer.

"An impressive fight for a young boy. Was the Growlithe trained by you Green?"

"No sir. That Growlithe is our family pet, it has received no training at all."

"He defeated a double sized Arbok with a Pokemon that has received no training? Your son and that Growlithe must be naturals."

"I agree sir, that's why I brought him with, I was going to put in an application for a Pokedex even though he is much younger than is normally required."

"That could be arranged. Young man you heard a lot of sensitive information today, will you be able to keep it to yourself?"

What my son said next shocked me so much I almost walked over and spanked him.

"Yes sir, I could be persuaded to keep my mouth shut."

The whole room went quiet, I looked from my son to the Commandant only to see his face. He looked pissed, then he smiled threw his head back and roared with laughter. It took him a few minutes to stop and when he looked down there were tears in his eyes.

"Never agree to something without getting something in return, did your dad teach you that? How about I fast track your Pokedex application, it will arrive with the subjugation squad."

My son copied my earlier action and gave the Commandant an awkward salute.

"You have a deal Commandant, but your wrong about one thing. It was my mom who taught me."

This time everyone burst out laughing.

"Sounds like you have it rough at home Green."

"You have no idea sir, and on that note I better get this young man back to his mother."

"Copy that Green. Now go and find that nest, I want to have a target location within five days."

And with that the call was over, as we left the conference room Jake tugged lightly on my sleeve.

"What about the Arbok dad?"

"Oh. That's right. Professor is the Arbok still sedated and in a containment room? Can you take us to see it?"

"Yes it's this way. Follow me."

The Professor led us around a few turns and took us to a viewing room overlooking a large room separated from us by thick safety glass. Inside the room the Arbok lay stretched out with machines and lab technicians surrounding it.

"WOW! It looks so much bigger when it's not hidden in the grass."

"Yes it is Jake, and this Pokemon is rightfully yours if you want it."

"Now wait just a minute. This Pokemon is a valuable research specimen, it would help us greatly to study it. We might even be able to learn more about Totem Pokemon evolution from it. You can't just take it away."

"Professor! I understand that but this is up to Jake, he defeated it so he gets to decide what to do with it."

I watched my son as he gazed down at the Arbok, he turned and spoke to the Professor.

"Professor, there appears to be a stone on the Arboks forehead, if I can have that as a souvenir of my first Pokemon battle the Arbok is yours."

I looked at the Arboks head and sure enough there was a gem like stone on the Arboks forehead. Turning to the Professor he thought for a moment and then pressed a button on the intercom, causing one of the technicians to look up.

"Chris, there is a stone on the specimens forehead, see if it can be safely extracted. If you can remove it without harming the Pokemon do so and bring it to me."

The technician named Chris approached the Arbok with a scanner. After a minute or so he nodded and picked up a tool that looked like nothing more than a spoon and scooped the stone right out before walking out of the room with it. A knock was heard on the door and Chris walked in and handed the stone to Professor Oak before returning to his work.

"The stone in exchange for possession of the Arbok. We have a deal."

Professor Oak handed the stone to my son and that concluded our business there for the day. We left the building and retrieved both Emily's and my Arcanine before heading home.

** Professor Oak's POV **

Watching the father and son leave I let the smile fall from my face no longer needing to keep up the friendly facade, I really hated that man. When his family first moved to Pallet Town thirty years ago I was just starting to teach Red and Blue about Pokemon and I invited the new kid as well thinking it would be a good way for him to make friends and settle in.

Right away I knew I had made a mistake, not because Green was a bad kid but because he had a natural charisma that I could not match. I wanted to be front and center as a role model in the minds of these young children but I couldn't find the right way to get them to understand my lessons, but Green could, now I was sharing the spotlight with someone else. I realize that competing with an eight year old was irrational but I couldn't help myself I wanted to be my son's hero.

Any time one of the boys would ask me a question I would give them my answer and then they would go ask Green the same thing, it was frustrating. I tried to rationalize it by saying I just couldn't dumb my intelligence down enough for children to understand and moved on.

Then an incident happened that pushed me farther from the spotlight and focused it more on Green. All three boys had decided to go on an adventure into the woods around Pallet Town without telling anyone. When they didn't come home for dinner I started to worry when it got dark out and they still were not home I officially became afraid. I called the Pokemon Rangers and reported Red and Blue missing and was told the search would start at first light, I argued and argued but nothing I said would make them start searching any sooner.

It took them four days to locate the boys. When they were found they were sitting around a fire eating roasted Pidgey and having a merry time. Turns out that Green isn't just good at helping them understand my lessons he is skilled in wilderness survival as well.

When the boys finally realized that they were lost it was Green who said they shouldn't move around much or any search parties would have a harder time finding them. They found a stream and made a small camp right there, Green set some snares with some vines and showed them how to use a hole dug beside the stream to filter the water before drinking. He killed, cleaned, and cooked the Pidgeys he caught in the snares and all in all made himself look so cool in their impressionable young minds.

Even when they went off on their Pokemon journey at eighteen, every time they would call or visit, the stories they told alway had Green coming in to save the day in one way or another. Then I got a call from Blue, he had defeated Pokemon Champion Lance and was going to be the new Champion. I was so happy and proud of my son, I dropped everything, packed a bag, and headed straight for the Indigo Plateau to congratulate my son.

On the way I was informed that Red was challenging Blue for the position of Champion, I arrived in time to watch the match and it was intense, unfortunately Blue made a bad command at the worst time and Red won. I was very proud of both of them because they both had reached the top. It was during our celebration that Red was told that Green was issuing him a challenge. I thought that finally Green would be taken down and my two protégé would finally see that Green wasn't all that.

The day of the match came and it was a spectacular defeat for Red. Green sent out one, and only one, Pokemon the whole match. Red was down to his last Pokemon and was about to lose when Green forfeited the match. He told Red that no matter how good you are there is always someone better and then he walked away. He shattered Red's and Blue's confidence and ego's all in one move. It was at this point that all the little resentments I had for Green coalesced into hate, I wanted him to disappear and never come back.

Instead of disappearing, he settled down in Pallet Town and started a family and now it appeared that the son is just as impressive as the father. I want them gone. I want to get rid of them. If the current situation wasn't so bad for all of Pallet Town I would try and make it work in my favor, but no, now is not the time. I'll be patient and wait. Wait for the right moment to take everything from them and make them disappear for good.