24

We explored the cavern for a little while longer, an extra two or so hours. As far as I could tell, there were no more Pokémon to be found save for more common ones, like Geodudes and Zubat and Sandshrew. I could have caught a Zubat, but… eh. They're just so common.

…I've gained some elitism, methinks. Gonna need to watch out for that.

Regardless, with the amount of destruction my team caused, any other fossils that might have been salvageable were certainly not anymore. Disappointing, since I was hoping to find more Fossil Pokémon or possibly some rarer items, but I got what I wanted, so it's all good.

In any case, I felt it was time to leave. Not only did I want to check up on my newest captures, I also wanted to not be in the middle of a canyon in beach clothes. Grampa Canyon was chilly and dry all the same, which did not mesh well with my shirtless status. Flip flops on rocks do not a happy man make.

I returned my team and had Baelish Teleport me back to the Blackthorn Gym.

And from there, things took a strange turn.

Claire and her Gym trainers and Winona and even Lance were rushing around like headless turkeys. Jasmine was still here, not running around but definitely looking antsy. I really didn't know what to say about whatever the hell was happening.

Jasmine caught sight of me and then yelled out that "HE'S BACK!"

They zeroed in on my form like bloodhounds on a hunt. Claire rushed over to me, intent on saying something, but Lance beat her to it. He literally shoved her out of the way and grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me hard enough for me head to loll.

"Where did you find them?!"

"Whaaaat aaaare yooouuuu taaaalkiiing aaaabooooout?"

It's hard to speak properly when you're being treated like a rag doll.

"The Fossil Pokémon!" Lance clarified, forcefully. He was literally frothing at the mouth. "The Aerodactyl! Where?!"

Claire and Winona pulled him away, Winona laughing and Claire harsh due to his having shoved her. Jasmine was kind enough to sit me down and explain.

"Professor Oak called while you were out," she said. "He's freaking out, Jon. Normally, you've got to have a license to have a fossil revived, but he said you caught nine Fossil Pokémon. Nobody but a Sinnoh Gym Leader named Roark have that many, and the reason he has that is because he somehow found a still living Rampardos in a mine and bred it relentlessly."

…Ah.

I probably should have thought that out.

True, I intend to use these Pokémon for an easy lifestyle, but I never bothered to research the reaction their emergence would cause. The regional professors would indeed have freaked out, breeders too once information went public.

Staring at the fight between brother and sister and booty call, then returning my attention to Jasmine, I made a quick decision. I snuck over to my room while Jasmine distracted everybody for me and grabbed some new clothes and my fanny pack that held my Pokédex and Pokégear. Remember, I didn't know all of this was going to happen today, way too much has happened today

"Baelish!" I barked, the super-circle-bird atop my head shifting in acknowledgement. "Back to Pallet Town!"

He did as I asked.

But he also shat on my head because he didn't like my tone.

…I needed a shower anyways.

.

Baelish brought me to the front door of the Ketchum residence, the only place in Pallet Town I'd released him at. I didn't trust him in Professor Oak's area, but this was a need and needs must.

Deliah was home though, luckily enough. She saw the white substance that came from Baelish dribbling down my cheek, sniffed it, and didn't even let me ask to use her shower. She just dragged me inside and threw me into her bathroom, taking Baelish from me at the same time.

She's a saintly woman. Really.

I didn't want to be a total bother though. I took a fast shower and quickly changed into my fresh clothes, taking less than five minutes. Waddling into the sitting room of the house, Delia was casually feeding Baelish berry bits.

Normally speaking, I would have him follow me and be done with it. However, Baelish has been gone for over a week at this point, and he deserved a treat.

"I have to go to Professor Oak's lab," I said to Delia, idly scratching Baelish on the space between his eyes. He closed them blissfully.

"It wasn't hard to figure that out," Delia offered, waving her hand lackadaisically. "I was planning a day to myself anyways, Ash and Gary and a few other kids are at school sanctioned camping trip for the next few days. I'm planning for the full service: face masks and massage chairs and soap operas, the works. I'll just have some company."

That her company was to be Baelish was unspoken.

I thanked her once more and left her home, trekking my way to ranch. The walk was comfortable and quite funny. Funny because I'd finally looked at my Pokégear. I had a grand total of twenty-four calls and over forty messages, most from Professor Oak with a coming from the lab of Professor Elm.

I'm a popular boy.

Ten minutes later, Daisy brought me inside, her grandfather hidden in his basement laboratory. She brought me downstairs, and I watched, gawked, as Professor Oak and Professor Elm, who was here for some reason, staring at the inside of a glass cylinder, one of my newly captured Kabuto inside of it, bug eyes closed in sleep.

They weren't looking at me, too caught up in their setup. I was curious as well, certainly wanting to know what they were doing. So I just saddled on up next to Professor Elm, intent on asking my questions. It's not like the subtle route would do me any favors.

"So how is it?"

"She." Elm corrected. "She is doing well. Fantastic, even. We've learned a lot just by being near her!"

Then he realized that I was the one that asked the question and promptly screamed like a bitch, startling Oak out of his own musing. Both stared down at me after their panic subsided, looking manic. A different type of manic when compared to how Lance was acting, but manic all the same.

I already knew where this was going to go.

Raising my hand, I forestalled their line of questioning. "I'll tell you where I found them if you increase my carry limit."

"Done," was Oak's instant answer.

Wait. Huh? "Really?" That's it? Just a quick done?

That was way easier than I thought it would be. Way easier than it should have been.

My bullshit meter was starting to tick…

"My boy, just from initial tests on this Kabuto alone, we have learned that it's fertile. A Kabuto that can breed means we can study the growth habits of the species from egg to evolution, giving us a far better understanding of not only the Kabutops line, but of other ancient Pokémon. This is a discovery most researchers would offer a leg for. This is the stuff that builds careers."

"That's why Samuel brought me in," Elm piped up. "To see what breeding groups would work for this one, along with the others." The others being the other Fossil Pokémon I caught.

"Here," Oak said, walking away from Kabuto and towards a computer on the other side of the room. I followed along, looking over his shoulder. Some quick typing on a keyboard, screens shifting quickly, my shitty picture in a tab on its own, and the number 8 turned to 9. "Now you have your ninth carry."

And now I had to talk.

Moreso, I had to make up a story. One that was believable.

"I've been crashing in the Blackthorn Gym for the past week," I began. "But before that, before I left Pallet Town even, Baelish, my Natu, flew off. He knows my signature and can Teleport to me whenever he needs to, so I figured he'd be fine. He finally showed up this morning and told me he found something."

"A Natu that knows how to speak through the mind?" Elm queried. "How rare. Most don't have the psychic power to do so"

"Rarer," Oak corrected. "A Natu that speaks the human tongue. I've wanted to study it ever since I learned it existed, but…"

"But Baelish only let me capture him on some conditions," I said. "And he's been good to me, so I don't intend to break them. I have to hold his Poké Ball at all times, so I can't deposit him."

Not that I would, mind you.

"A trainer that bargains with his Pokémon seems unusual…" Elm muttered, brow knit.

I shrugged. "A Pokémon that can tell you what it wants is unusual too. It's worth working around though."

And wasn't that the truth?

"Anyways," I plowed on. "Baelish returned to me and said he found something, and then he Teleported me to a cave. Didn't really give me the chance to say no. It was dark, really dark. The only light I could see came from a small hole, barely large enough for a Natu to fit through."

"But where?" Oak stressed, Elm leaning in.

I took a deep breath, widening my eyes so that they looked to be in awe. Awe or surprise, either works. "Mt. Hideaway."

A protected land sectioned off from industrialization by accordance of League law. The training ground of Bruno of the Elite Four, well known for being home to powerful Rock and Ground type Pokémon and for being largely unexplored. There have indeed been fossils found there, so it wasn't entirely impossible.

I could have just said Grampa Canyon and been honest about things. As far as I'm aware, I've cleared out the most valuable thing about the place, so there's nothing else to be found.

But I didn't. As far as I'm aware is the key phrase in this. I could be wrong; I only really looked through maybe one percent of Grampa Canyon's mass. If there were other Fossil Pokémon to be found, then telling a pair of regional professors with massive resources and too much time to spare would not do. The money I was banking on my own Fossil Pokémon to make for me would be drastically reduced.

Which did not suit me well at all.

Oak frowned, looking contemplative. "If you speak the truth…"

"I have no reason to lie." I frowned back, lying.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking suitably annoyed. "Mt. Hideaway might as well be in my back yard, it's not even fifty miles west of my lab. How could I have missed this?!"

"I feel much the same," Elm commiserated, looking similarly annoyed. Funny. "Mt. Hideaway is directly next to the southern marches of Mt. Silver. It's only a scant hundred or so miles off from New Bark Town."

They wallowed in their grief together, hugging one another as tears streamed down their cheeks, shoulders and lab coats soaking in the salty liquid. This was just sad to look at.

I turned to Daisy, who'd been sat on the stairwell since I came in. She too looked at the sight of her grandfather crying on the shoulder of another man strangely, only hers was a different sort of strange. Her cheeks were pink and her breathing heavy in a very familiar sort of way-...

NoooOOOOOOooooooo~.

I shuddered. A wild Yaoi fangirl has appeared and I can't escape. Alright, that's basically told me what I needed to know regarding Daisy Oak. Hot though she may be, she's not worth the chase once my body can even partake in said chase. I don't need that kind of shit in my life.

Ellie was much the same. I'd already lived with one of these women during the teenage years of my first life, no way in hell am I going to try and date one. It's a nightmare waiting to happen.

I cleared my throat, and they let go of one another, their faces serious. One would not have known they were crying just a moment ago unless you'd seen it and caught sight of their dripping shoulders.

"So, yeah." I said, trying to return to the track. "Baelish brought me to a cave and I was loud, mainly because I wasn't expecting to be Teleported. I'd just been at the Lake of Rage, so… Anyways, my being loud woke up some natives in the cave, natives that weren't supposed to exist. Two members each of the Kabutops and Omastar line, evolved and unevolved. I wasn't going to just not catch them."

"Certainly," both professors intoned, nodding.

"So, I caught them, but I made a ton of noise in the process, noise enough to wake up an Aerodactyl of all things. It attacked, I defended. It was really strong, actually. The only reason I was able to take it down without destroying the place was because it was attracted to my Skarmory."

"Ah, I might know the answer to what that is!" Elm exclaimed. "Aerodactyl are the ancestor of all Skarmory. There was once a theory that introducing a Metal Coat to an Aerodactyl would produce a Skarmory, but we've later learned that it was a longterm change as opposed to an evolutionary phenomenon. A Skarmory is quite likely to hold the interest of an Aerodactyl."

"Er, right." Didn't really know that, didn't really care either. "Uh, I caught it and then explored the cave a bit. Then I went back to the Blackthorn Gym, saw you left me all those messages, and figured I'd better just come back here while I'm still in the area."

"In the area?" Oak inquired.

"I'm heading to Hoenn, Winona is taking me on as a Gym trainer."

"Hm." Oak hmmed. What? There literally isn't a better way to describe that action. "Well, did you find anything else in the cave?"

Yes. Yes, I did. But did I want to show these two what it was? What if they took it from me?

…Nah, if they tried to do that I could just report them. Plus, it's not like I knew what it was either. They might even be able to tell me.

Thus, I reached into my fanny pack and withdrew the blue sphere that neatly fit the palm of my hand.

And of course, they went bug eyed. Daisey actually gasped, her fangirl induced state basically gone. But no, no fangirl could truly lose such a state, only mask it, cover it up until alone or indulging.

Such was the way of the fangirl.

"Amazing," Oak breathed out. "The Fossil Pokémon alone would have given you status, but this! Professor Sycamore is going to be green with envy."

"Who?"

"The regional professor of the Kalos region." Ah, so somebody I've never heard of and probably won't ever interact with. Neat.

"Well, what is it?" I was curious!

Oak and Elm traded glances, silently communicating something. Then Elm broke eye contact and spoke to me.

"Have you heard of Mega Evolution?" He asked.

Sorta. I mean, I've heard the term, but didn't really know much else. I thought Pokémon stole from Digimon or something and that was it. There was even a meme about Mega Evolution for a little while.

So, without any real knowledge and wanting to gain it, I just shook my head and waited for a proper answer.

Elm nodded, gently taking the sphere from my palm. "Mega Evolution is in its name, it's a type of evolution. Certain Pokémon are able to go beyond their natural abilities and temporarily evolve. To do this, they need to be hold these stones, called Mega Stones."

"He's not going into depth enough," Daisy piped up, moving next to Professor Elm. She pinched his thigh, he yelped, Oak stoically ignored anything that might have just occurred. What is wrong with this family? "I interned under Professor Sycamore for a little while, so I understand it more clearly. There are two items needed, a Mega Stone and a Key Stone, meant for Pokémon and trainer respectively."

"That seems… convoluted." Interesting to be sure, but yeah, convoluted. Why do you need a trainer for a power increase? Plenty of Pokémon are badass all on their own.

She shrugged. "In a way, it is. In another, it makes perfect sense. Using the bond of a Pokémon and their trainer, they can both go beyond their natural state."

Ohhhh. It's the power of friendship bullshit that Japan likes to spew out. Now I get it.

"So, every Pokémon can Mega Evolve?"

Oak shook his head. "No. We're still discovering what species of Pokémon can Mega Evolve, and we can only tell by way of the Mega Stone in question. Currently, should the stone you've found be for a different species than what we know, it will have been the twenty-ninth Mega Evolution discovered. When near a Pokémon they are compatible with, a helix pattern appears within the stone, similar to a strand of DNA. Here, let me show you an example."

He went through some files on his computer and pulled up a video, dated from a few weeks ago. It was of the Hoenn Elite Four, Sidney, facing off against… Brent Moore.

What the hell was he doing facing the Elite Four?

Actually, he was on the far side of the arena, the designation of the defender. He was a member of the Elite Four? Or at least, a former member?

How am I meeting all these important people?!

But the battle was really interesting. Sidney was indeed worthy of being a Dark Master, and Brent was a powerful and deserving Fire Master. The battle between them was tense and destructive, each of their Pokémon being knocked out until all that remained was Brent's Typhlosion and Sidney's Absol.

Then, Sidney tapped a stone on a bracelet on his left wrist, a stone that looked like a miniature of my Mega Stone. Absol howled, a collar wrapped around its neck holding a Mega Stone of its own, and then it changed.

It wasn't like evolution, not the silver-white light that I was familiar with. It was a rainbow, every color available in the spectrum, a light so bright and mesmerizing that I reached out for it and belatedly remembered that I was watching a video.

Absol changed, quite spectacularly. Its fur elongated and thickened, so much so on its back that it appeared to have wings. The spikes on its heels and elbows grew larger and sharper, and its sickle-shaped horn widened while an additional, smaller horn appeared on the opposite side of its head. Its tail gained a saw-like shape and the oval marking on its forehead became a more rounded triangle.

"Naming isn't the strong suit of Professor Sycamore, but this was his discovery, which meant it was his to name." Oak admitted, fondly watching the drastically changed Absol basically pummel Typhlosion into the ground. "A Pokémon that is Mega Evolved, Absol in this case, is simply called Mega Absol, the Mega Stone regarding it referred to as an Absolite."

The video ended with Mega Absol defeating Typhlosion, the announcement of Sidney now being a member of the Hoenn Elite Four ringing clear and true. The feed went black, and Daisy regained my attention.

"We don't really know where Mega Stones come from," she admitted. "We've only known about Mega Evolution for about three years, and the people in the know don't have a ton of free time to search for them. But the ones that have been found were inside of nests teeming with Pokémon able to use the stone in question. The theory I subscribe to is that they form when a Pokémon or group of Pokémon of the same species stay in one place long enough. Their energy and essence culminate to become a Mega Stone, though the how and why of this is lost to me."

"Of course, that's not the only theory." Elm added, slyly looking at the now pouting Daisy. "Professor Sycamore once said that Mega Stones are created by Xerneas, a Legendary Pokémon of Kalos. Apparently, it's so mystical and generous it can alter the very being of other Pokémon."

Daisy huffed, arms now crossed and face unamused. "You'll forgive me if I don't think that's the case. There's no evidence to be found with that."

He held his hands up. "I'm just saying, it's what he believes. And he'd the authority on the matter."

"Just because he's a professor doesn't mean he can't be wrong," she said, poking Elm in the chest. "I've been around you and grampa long enough to know that."

…Maybe she's not a Yaoi fangirl, or at least not to the level that I at first feared. Based on this back and forth, the natural chemistry these two seem to have, it could simply be that they're boning.

Oak's face was decidedly neutral, staring at the black video clip while they bickered.

Totally boning.

It could be argued that this was immoral. Daisy is seventeen and Elm is in his thirties, but this isn't Earth and the Pokéverse has its own laws. The age of consent is sixteen here, and Daisy was very mature for her age. Elm also seemed to be immature, or at least twitchy, so I could kinda see why this might have started.

Mind, when I'm Elm's age, I won't be going for a seventeen-year-old, no matter how hot or mature she is. The law of the Bro Code is clear. Half my age plus seven.

Elm, I proclaim thee a creep.

But I don't really care about that. The argument they were currently going through held my attention, in a different way. Daisy's theory is that a Mega Stone appears when a Pokémon spends a long period of time in one area.

Fossils tend to not move.

"Do you think the Mega Stone I found is for one of my Fossil Pokémon?"

Oak looked away from the computer, eyeing me gratefully. Totally boning. "I do indeed," he confirmed. "Let's go to the top and test out whether or not this is to be."

And get away from that which he did not wish to see, was the secondary reason for leaving.

.

Oak grabbed three Poké Balls from storage, and I retook my Mega Stone from Elm before we headed to the back. Each Poké Ball Oak grabbed held one of the fully evolved Pokémon I possessed: a Kabutops, an Omastar, and my Aerodactyl.

"I've not healed them yet," he began, his face furrowed in concentration. Alakazam appeared next to him. "The Kabuto in the lab was the only one still unconscious from her state of capture. Fossil Pokémon are aggressive enough as is, I didn't want to risk my equipment getting them in shape."

I hummed, releasing Thoros and Valyrian. They looked about the ranch in interest, recognizing the land.

"I understand releasing your Skarmory for Aerodactyl, but why your Gliscor?" Oak asked, appearing curious.

"They'll remember him." It's hard to forget the Pokémon that distracted them by way of Dark Pulses and projectile shits.

"If you're certain," he shrugged. "We'll do this one at a time, Omastar, then Kabutops, then Aerodactyl. All you need to do is touch them with the Mega Stone. If the symbol appears, it is a Mega Stone for the Pokémon."

Please be for Aerodactyl. I don't need a super charged set of ancient crustaceans.

Oak released Omastar first, as stated. I never was able to get a proper look at it, the dimness of the cave and the fact that it hid in its shell when defeated hid much from me.

Omastar was indeed ancient in appearance. With several sky-blue tentacles and a pale-yellow helix spiraled shell on its back, it made for a curious and antique looking Pokémon. With sharp spikes on its shell and intensely slit eyes, its sclera yellow and its pupil red, it did not appear happy.

But I didn't need to fear anything. Alakazam held it at bay with Psychic, lifting the Spiral Pokémon out of harms way. I quickly approached it and tapped the Mega Stone against one of its many flailing tentacles, silently relieved that there was no reaction.

Oak nodded shortly to my shake of the head, returning Omastar. Kabutops came out next, glaring boldly. Its body resemble a living skeleton what with its half-moon, disc shaped head with its two small, forward facing red eyes. Its sharp, gray scythes clacked against one another, an obvious show of defiance that I became accustomed to when Arakh was on my team.

Once again, Alakazam kept it from attacking us. Blue lines of telekinetic power encompassed Kabutops, turning it on its head, faced away from us. Thoros snickered boldly.

I was just as quick as I was with Omastar, tapping the Mega Stone alongside the spine of Kabutops. Once again, nothing happened.

Oak returned Kabutops and I turned to Valyrian, who was trying to make herself comfortable on the grass.

"We're going to release Aerodactyl next," I told her. "Remember, the Pokémon from earlier today?"

She nodded, head tilted in curiosity. That didn't really tell me what she was thinking.

I wished Baelish was here to translate.

But he was having a spa day and I wasn't going to ruin that for him. Not yet.

I gave Oak my attention once more. The Poké Balls of Omastar and Kabutops were now in his pockets, the Ultra Ball that held Aerodactyl in his palm. I nodded, and he released the Pokémon without further ado.

Unlike Omastar and Kabutops, I knew exactly how Aerodactyl appeared. And he knew my appearance as well. His release brought about a confusion in him, scoping the area out shrewdly. When his eyes landed on me, he hissed boldly, clawed hands at the bend of his wings poised to rip me in half. Valyrian bodily got in front of me, and he went from hissy to puppy in a scant second.

"Interesting," Oak commented, eyes trained on the panting pterodax. "It appears that it does indeed have a sexual desire for Skamory's. Is this because Skarmory's are attractive, or because there are no other known Aerodactyl with which it could have mated to… Hrm…"

Valyrian approached Aerodactly, snuffling noises escaping her throat. Aerodactyl mimicked these noises, and the two circled one another on land. As they did this, Aerodactyl's tail got close, so I maneuvered myself over and touched the Mega Stone to its tip. The symbol that Oak told me of, the twisted helix that looked like a strand of DNA, appeared, if only for a few seconds.

I backed away when Aerodactyl lunged, Valyrian doing the same with a vicious screech. They wrestled for dominance, Valyrian slippery but Aerodactyl strong.

I gave Oak my attention. "Why aren't you stopping this?" Why wasn't Thoros doing anything? Or Alakazam for that matter?

"Erm," he scratched his cheek, turning away. "Well, the thing is…"

The dance is not to be interrupted came the voice of Alakazam in my mind. It is not the way.

Dance? What dance?

…I got my answer when Aerodactyl had the advantage and started to rhythmically move his waist against Valyrian, their bodies positioned in such a way that it became quite obvious what was happening. Valyrian's screeches pitched to a higher octave, eyes closed.

Nope. I'm outa here. I do not need to see my Pokémon, any Pokémon for that matter, get it on. I'm a trainer, not a breeder, and certainly not a voyeur besides.

I grabbed the Poké Balls of Omastar and Kabutops and returned Thoros, heading into to the lab, Oak and Alakazam hot on my tail.

.

While they were rutting, Oak and I got down to work. Both of us wanted to breed the Fossils, me for money and him for understanding, and so we came to an agreement.

Though rarely used, he did indeed have a breeder's license, as did Daisy and his other assistant, a man named Charley, and plenty of Ditto that were ready and willing, whores that they were. The first batch of Pokémon eggs would go to him for the sake of research, while the others would be sold. Payments discussed would have him getting 30% of the profit and myself receiving 70%.

Being the trainer that captured them gave me a lot of leg room when it came to prices, and Oak was already willing to spend his own money to study them. That he was going to be paid, and 30% profit was still going to be a good sum for him, made things even easier.

I was expecting drama and arguments, but there was little of that. Whether or not this was due to his excitement or being distracted by the screeches Valyrian let out (for two hours), there was no drama to be found.

Then, I hopped onto his computer and looked up the Mega Stones that had been found so far, as well as their limitations.

According to what Professor Sycamore discovered, Mega Evolution lasted for however long the bond between Pokémon and trainer was strong. There was no real time estimate, but his experiments showed a range of between five and thirty minutes for these occurrences. And, further research showed that a Mega Evolution could only be done for one Pokémon at a time with regards to a single trainer.

For example, if a trainer had both an Aerodactyl and an Absol with Mega Stones for each, that trainer could not Mega Evolve both Pokémon. It was possible, however, to Mega Evolve them in succession. Say Mega Aerodactyl was knocked out in battle. Undoing the Mega Evolution and returning Aerodactyl for Absol meant there was space for Absol to Mega Evolve.

Overpowered. Just how I like it.

Of the Pokémon that were discovered to have been able to use Mega Evolution, not including my Aerodactyl, there were twenty-eight.

As follows, in the order they were found, the Pokémon that can Mega Evolve are: Gengar, Pidgeot, Blastoise, Kangaskhan, Pinsir, Metagross, Venusaur, Gyarados, Tyranitar, Swampert, Aggron, Charizard, Mawile, Absol, Garchomp, Lucario, Blaziken, Houndoom, Alakazam, Beedrill, Steelix, Slowbro, Camerupt, Glalie, Salamence, Gardevoir, Gallade, and Altaria.

Which meant, of the known Pokémon that could Mega Evolve and were of an interest to me, I would be focusing on the Mega Stones of Altaria, Charizard, Salamence, Pidgeot, and Gyarados.

And lookie here, it even says who owns these Mega Stones.

Gyaradosite – Claire Blackthorn

Charizardite – Lance Blackthorn

Altarianite – Lance Blackthorn

Salamencite – Drake Briney

Pidgeotite – Falkner Corbine

Fuck man. I'm living with the woman that can turn Nagga into the ultimate Pokémon and my own father holds the second highest count of Mega Stones for different Pokémon. Lance has two, but Steven Stone holds three: the Metagrossite, the Aggronite, and the Mawilite.

Exact locations aren't specified in Oaks notes, but it does state where these Mega Stones were found in general area. Claire found hers in the Lake of Rage, which makes sense. According to Falkner, the Pidgeotite had been a treasured gem of the Violet Gym for decades, and it was only upon Professor Sycamore's research that he understood its importance. He didn't know where it came from, and it was only known that it existed.

Lance found the Charizardite in the Dragons Den, likely in the subsection where a handful Charizard nest. They were way meaner than the Charizard in the Charicific Valley, and that's saying something. His Altarianite was found in Sky Pillar, a place I know well for being the roost of Rayquaza.

…I won't deny that I want Rayquaza, but I'm not suicidal enough to challenge it. Certainly not without the Shamouti Trio in my pocket. That is a dream that is farther away than I can even begin to imagine right now.

Maybe later.

Then there was Drake, former Champion of the Hoenn League and current member of the Hoenn Elite Four. I don't really know his backstory and don't really care. What I do know is that he found his Salamencite at the Meteor Falls.

I was going to Hoenn soon, and these notes state that it was possible and proven for Mega Stones to form once more in area's populated by the Pokémon they alter, Steven found two Metagrossites in the Beldum colony his family looks over and Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four found two Gengarites inside the basement of the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town. That meant I had a chance with an Altarianite and a Salamencite, and if I found a suitable Mega Stone for Claire, unlikely though it may be, I might be able to trade it for her Gyaradosite.

Actually, Lance has his own Aerodactyl that he uses for his Champion team. I could always trade Claire one of Aerodactyl's eggs along with the Mega Stone for the Gyaradosite. Nagga going Mega is more important than Aerodactyl doing so.

Yes… Plans were forming in my mind, hypotheticals being made one after the other.

Hoenn was where I would shine.

Valyrian's screeches had died down by this point, letting me know that the deed was done and I could return to the outside.

Doing so, I came upon the sight of Valyrian snuggled into Aerodactyl's side, the Fossil Pokémon's wing draped over her, eyes lidded in a pleasured sort of pride.

How to go about this…

As if answering my question, Alakazam appeared next to me, casually taking out a pair of ear plugs.

"Would you be willing to help mediate a talk with Aerodactyl?" I asked the Psychic type.

The ancient one is calm, was my answer. And so, I shall.

Great.

Taking a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, I approached the pair. Valyrian eyed me in content, whilst Aerodactyl tightened his grip on her and bore his teeth.

I took a seat about two yards away from them, space enough to not aggravate him while also allowing Alakazam enough room to protect me should it be needed.

I focused on Valyrian first. "So, you've gotten that itch settled."

She purred, nodding.

"Do you know if you're carrying?" If she was, and if her personality was going to go in the way I think it will, then I'll have an egg to trade for Jasmine's Murkrow.

She rolled her wings, her version of a shrug. Then she stretched her neck and licked Aerodactyl's jaw, eyeing me knowingly.

The steelbeak notes that if she is not, she will soon be. Alakazam translated.

…Why?

At least I could use this to an advantage.

"You might not be able to keep at it," I said. Valyrian snapped her head towards me, barking with eyes narrowed. Aerodactyl hissed.

She queries why this is. Said the voice in my head.

"Well, in order for you to keep doing this, you would need Aerodactyl here." I clarified, waving towards the Rock type. "But, see. Every time I get close, every time I try to talk to him, he wants none of that. Why would I take him with us if he's going to be so difficult?"

Ignoring the fact that I only captured Aerodactyl earlier today and certainly didn't talk to him during that time. Yes, every time I've tried to get close, he got mad. All three of those times, I was pissing him off. The first, I invaded Grampa Canyon. The second, I released him in an unfamiliar area. The third, this exact moment, I was in the middle of his post coital cuddles.

Aerodactyl yowled, standing up with his free wing extended. Would have grabbed me too, had Alakazam not erected a barrier of some sort.

Valyrian came to that conclusion too, and wasn't happy to have had her trainer threatened in a manner that wasn't just verbose. She threatened me all the time, Baelish being the helpful translator that he was, but she never acted on those threats.

She rolled away from Aerodactyl and stood in front of the barrier, her wings wide in their extension. She hissed and Aerodactyl recoiled, looking genuinely hurt.

I stood, keeping my hands open. "Valyrian, it's alright."

She craned her neck over to me, confused.

So she could understand my words, I walked up to Aerodactyl, Alakazam's barrier following my movement. There was nothing to fear with that keeping me safe. The Fossil Pokémon looked suitably annoyed, and more than a little wary, but did not make a motion of attack this time.

Good.

"Aerodactyl, I get it." I said, staring him right in the eye, amber meeting green. "I don't know how long it's been for you, but you were stuck in that cave for a while… right?"

Slowly, he nodded, his wariness not leaving by any stretch of the word.

"Years, decades, maybe even centuries," I went on. "It's been a long time, and then you meet Valyrian, the prettiest thing you've ever seen. She's the best representation of a Skarmory I've ever seen, so we know you've got good taste."

Valyrian puffed up, preening in pride at the compliments being thrown her way. Aerodactyl didn't seem to understand some of my words, but he got the gist of 'em and nodded along.

"You want to stay with her, right?" His nodding was quicker now. "Would you rather go back to your cave, or be with her?"

He crowed at me, wings spread wide, staring boldly at Valyrian.

The ancient one wishes the steelbeak more than his den.

Thank you, Alakazam.

"Well, here's where things get tricky. I want you to stay with her too, but she's my Pokémon and she travels with me. But," I said, just as he made to interrupt. "You could come with us. Be my Pokémon, let me train you and battle with you, and you can stay with Valyrian for however long you'd like."

I bit my lip, hoping beyond hope that this would work. If it didn't, I was just going to have to follow the rules of beatdown and have Aerodactyl lose so many times against my team that he'd give in. I didn't like doing this, but it's worked in the past with Umber and Thoros.

He stilled, pupils dilating. Aerodactyl shuffled around, head moving between myself and Valyrian, back and forth and back and forth. Five minutes he did this, before resolving himself and coming to a decision.

Crawling towards me, he reached a claw forward. Alakazam's barrier was not up any more, and so the claw was able to reach me. My breathing turned heavy, worry quickly internalizing itself within my person, but I stayed as outwardly calm as I could.

Aerodactyls claw, when extended all the way, took up almost the whole of my torso, two of his three claws scraping each of my shoulders while the third trailed along my bellybutton.

Then, he nodded, crooning lowly. It did not sound deferential, but neither did it sound hostile.

That was it. I had an Aerodactyl.

Awesome.

And then, of course, the moment was ruined. One moment, I'm basking in the presence of my newest Pokémon. The next, I'm flat on my back, breathing erratically, ribs strained, as Aerodactyl let out a cackle.

He shoved me into the ground. I was coughing hard, a little bit of blood in my spittle. That had him laugh even harder.

He was laughing at my pain.

Then he glided towards Valyrian and the wrestling started anew.

…Did he just get off to my suffering?

Okay, y'know what? I thought I was going to struggle through this one, Aerodactyl seeming hard to name. I was planning on using one of the Targaryen dragons that were dead, representing his being a Fossil Pokémon. But now? Now that was a dead and done idea; I have the perfect name.

He is Ramsey.

Because he's a fucking bastard.

Winter/Pidgeot – Male

Moves: Tackle, Gust, Sand Attack, Agility, Double Team, Whirlwind, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Twister, Fly, Hyper Beam, Sunny Day, Heat Wave, Attract, Rest, Sky Attack, Aerial Ace

Ability: Keen Eye

Umber/Delibird – Female

Moves: Present, Icy Wing, Peck, Rest, Attract, Ice Beam, Hail, Blizzard, Sky Attack, Double Team, Aerial Ace

Ability: Hustle

Thoros/Gliscor – Male

Moves: Sludge Bomb, Slash, Poison Sting, Metal Claw, Dark Pulse, Dig, Guano, Attract, Steel Wing, Iron Tail, Sandstorm, Ice Fang, Crunch

Ability: Sand Veil

Valyrian/Skarmory – Female

Moves: Steel Wing, Wing Attack, Fly, Cut, Peck, Screech, Metal Claw, Metal Sound, Slash, Night Shade, Steel Wing, Icy Wing, Sky Attack, Iron Head, Attract, Dark Pulse, Aerial Ace, Iron Defense

Ability: Sturdy

Drogon/Charmeleon – Male(Shiny)

Moves: Growl, Scratch, Ember, Ancient Power, Attract, Iron Tail, Metal Claw, Sunny Day, Bite, Flamethrower, Dragon Rage, Dragon Claw, Dig, Protect

Ability: Blaze

Viserion/Dragonair – Male

Moves: Leer, Wrap, Thunder Wave, Water Pulse, Attract, Water Gun, Fly

Ability: Shed Skin

Baelish/Nate – Male

Moves: Peck, Leer, Night Shade, Calm Mind, Protect, Teleport, Flash, Confuse Ray

Ability: Synchronize

Nagga/Gyarados – Male

Moves: Splash, Tackle, Bite, Leer, Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave, Ice Fang, Crunch, Body Slam, Headbutt, Iron Head, Twister, Dragon Rage

Ability: Intimidate

Aerodactly/Ramsey – Male

Moves: Iron Head, Hyper Beam, Wing Attack, Bite, Roar, Crunch, Take Down, Supersonic, Headbutt, Rest, Stealth Rock, Earthquake

Ability: Rock Head

Jon Snow – Male

Date: Mar 4

Orange League: Complete

Held Pokémon: Pidgeot, Delibird, Gliscor, Skarmory, Charmeleon, Dragonair, Natu, Gyarados

Stored Pokémon: Shelgon, Onix, Kabuto(x2), Kabutops(x2), Omanyte(x2), Omastar(x2)

Currency: 12,740