"That's a magic beast!"
"It looks terrifying..."
"Is that man a magic beast master?"
Iono caught onto the murmurs and asked, intrigued, "Magic beast master? Is that what they call Pokémon trainers here?"
Naoki nodded. "Seems like it."
As they walked down the street, the crowd instinctively parted before them like a river split by a boat. People stepped aside, creating a clear path in the middle.
"In this era, humans still call Pokémon 'monsters,'" Naoki explained. "It took a long time before the concept of training Pokémon and battling together became common."
Back then, those who traveled with Pokémon and fought alongside them were called beast masters or aura users. They often wandered the land, and when they encountered people in trouble, they'd step in to help, together with their Pokémon.
"'Monsters'... that really doesn't match the image of Pokémon at all," Iono muttered under her breath.
"Ah gah," Koraidon grunted in agreement.
Naoki raised an eyebrow. "You're not exactly as harmless as you look, Koraidon."
There was still quite a range when it came to Pokémon personalities. For some Pokémon, like Hydreigon, Tyranitar, or even Eternatus, the word "monster" didn't seem so far-fetched.
But Iono had grown up with modern ideals. To her, all Pokémon, regardless of how powerful or scary, were precious partners.
After a pleasant stroll through the town, the two eventually found a small restaurant and decided to stop for a meal.
Upon noticing Naoki's outfit and the powerful beast behind him, the waitstaff quickly became respectful and cautious.
Naoki, a little uncomfortable with the attention, reached into his pocket and pulled out a shiny golden bead that Flutter Mane had found in the wild earlier. He showed it to the server and asked if they could exchange it for a meal.
The waiter quickly called over the owner of the restaurant.
The owner, a round and cheerful man, came bustling out. Upon seeing Naoki, he immediately bowed and said:
"Respected magic beast master, if you're willing to help our establishment, we'd be honored to offer you a grand meal for free!"
Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
The man sighed. "Recently, a fearsome magic beast took over the incinerator behind our kitchen. No one's been able to go near it without being attacked. We haven't been able to dispose of any leftovers. The smell's becoming unbearable."
Naoki smiled faintly. "Take me there."
Led by the restaurant owner, they made their way to a narrow alley behind the building. At the far end stood a brick structure, surrounded by a foul stench.
"That's the place," the owner said nervously.
Naoki covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve and approached.
Inside the waste area was a hulking, sludge-colored Pokémon.
"A Garbodor...?"
As soon as Garbodor noticed their presence, it assumed they were there to steal its food. In defense, it released a cloud of thick, purple gas from its body.
The toxic haze filled the alley instantly.
Mew and Teddiursa both recoiled, covering their faces in disgust.
"Be careful!" the restaurant owner cried. "That gas is poisonous!"
"Mew, take care of it!" Naoki ordered.
"Miu!"
Mew's eyes lit up with a radiant blue glow, and a powerful psychic force erupted from its body. The dense purple smog began to twist and fold under Mew's telekinesis, condensing into a tight sphere.
The poisonous air no longer posed a threat.
With one flick of its tail, Mew gently sent the condensed ball of gas drifting upward, where it safely dissipated into the sky.
Under the grip of telekinesis, Garbodor's massive body floated out of the trash pit, flailing slightly in a panic.
"Do you have any leftover scraps or waste from the kitchen?" Naoki asked.
The restaurant owner blinked, then quickly nodded. "Yes, yes, we do!"
"Please bring them here," Naoki instructed.
Though confused, the owner rushed off to obey.
In this time period, beast tamers were held in incredibly high regard by the townsfolk.
As the man left, Iono glanced at Naoki and easily guessed what he was thinking.
"You're trying to…" she started.
Naoki nodded. "Garbodor probably didn't attack out of malice. It's likely it mistook the kitchen staff as competitors trying to steal its food, which is why it's been guarding this dump so aggressively."
For a Pokémon like Garbodor, this garbage pile was basically a five-star buffet.
Naoki stepped forward and gently reached out with the calming Aura energy.
"Garbodor, please calm down. We're not here to take your food. No one wants to fight you over it."
Sensing the warmth in Naoki's aura, Garbodor gradually relaxed, lowering its head and glancing over with confusion rather than hostility.
Naoki nodded to Mew, who gently released Garbodor with its psychic powers just as the owner returned, alongside a young waiter pushing a wooden cart overflowing with scraps and leftovers from the kitchen.
"Dump the waste here, into the pit," Naoki said calmly.
"Uh… what?" The owner and waiter looked baffled.
"Don't worry. It won't attack you," Naoki reassured them.
The two men glanced at the Garbodor, which now looked relatively peaceful, and then cautiously approached. Holding their breath, they tipped the contents of the cart into the garbage heap.
As the fresh waste tumbled in, Garbodor's eyes lit up with joy.
"Go ahead and eat. This is all for you. No one's taking it from you," Naoki said kindly.
With a gleeful cry, Garbodor dove into the garbage and began feasting, clearly content.
The restaurant staff stood dumbfounded.
"It's all good now," Naoki explained. "This magic beast specializes in eating waste. It attacked before only because it thought you were taking its food. Now that it understands you're helping, it won't be a problem anymore."
He added, "Just keep bringing the trash here. It'll be happy, and you won't have to incinerate it anymore."
The waiter blinked, then bravely approached. When Garbodor ignored him and kept eating, he grinned in delight.
"This is great!" the waiter exclaimed. "We won't need a furnace anymore!"
Naoki nodded. "Exactly, as long as nothing unusual happens."
The owner's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Thank you, Master Beast Tamer. Dinner is already being prepared in the kitchen. Please, enjoy yourselves while we finish!"
Naoki grinned. "Thank you kindly!"
And so, with Garbodor gaining a home and the restaurant gaining an efficient garbage disposal system, everyone came away happy.
That night in the restaurant, Koraidon devoured his dinner with gusto, his mouth full of oil. Mew and Teddiursa were just as cheerful, munching away with satisfaction.
Naoki and Iono exchanged amused glances. Watching the Pokémon eat made them smile.
"The role of Trainers in this era really is different," Iono commented.
Naoki nodded. "Most people here are ordinary. Almost no one thinks to bond with Pokémon or battle alongside them. To them, Pokémon are still wild and dangerous creatures."
And those who could control them, called beast tamers or magicians, were seen as powerful and mysterious figures.
Just then, the conversation at the next table caught Naoki's ear.
"Hey, did you hear?" one of the guests whispered. "The two princes' armies clashed recently on the Vale plains. It was a brutal battle…"
"What happened in the end? Who won?"
"No one knows. I heard the battle was brutal. The Vale Plains are drenched in blood, with fallen soldiers everywhere."
"And the two princes? Wait, do you think they'll march on the royal city?"
"I don't know. There's been no word yet. But... attacking the royal city? That seems unlikely. I heard the princes were trying to avoid alarming the old king. They want a fair fight, and whoever wins will take the throne."
"Still, from the look of things now... who knows? Those two are consumed by ambition. Who's to say they won't attack the capital next?"
War…
Naoki fell silent for a moment, his thoughts darkening.
So the conflict between the twin princes chosen by Reshiram and Zekrom had already begun.
Reality versus ideals.
If things continue as history recorded, the path ahead is grimly familiar: the two princes will both be wounded. Reshiram and Zekrom, exhausted, will revert to their dormant stone forms. The dragon energy flowing through the land, known as the dragon vein, will spiral out of control. The people of the kingdom will fall into ruin.
And once again, it will fall to the old king and Victini to raise the Earth Sword and suppress the dragon vein.
A loop bound by fate.
A disaster destined to happen.
...
Bonus @2000 $tonks
Read 50 chapters ahead @patreon.com/Keepsmiling818