Here we are with another chapter. The lockdown has given me more than enough time to write stuff up, just one of the many bright side of an already grim situation. If you're interested, please go ahead and check out the new fic on my profile, as well as my profile for details on 'In Another World' that you might like to know about.

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Dialogue format:

"Talking"

"Pokédex speaking" (has normal quotation marks but italic speech)

"Telepathy" (everything in italics!)

In our last installment, our heroes finally arrived at Blackthorn City, where they seemingly made a new "friend" in the form of the enigmatic Rei Ayanami. Just when things seemed to be looking up, a Gyarados attack caused our dear protagonist to be laid up in the hospital for the foreseeable future. Much to his surprise and disbelief, he is visited by Clair during his hospital stay and informed of his parentage and status as a member of the Blackthorn Clan.

While young Jareth is doing everything to come to terms with this information, one can only wonder what is going on behind the scenes...

Lake of Rage, Johto

S̶e̶c̶r̶e̶t̶ ̶T̶e̶a̶m̶ ̶R̶o̶c̶k̶e̶t̶™̶ ̶B̶a̶s̶e Definitely not a Secret Team Rocket™ Base

Prof. Sebastian smirked as the data appeared on the widescreen before him. Rocket grunts and lesser scientists scrambled across the lab ground floor as they took their stations. The bespectacled man leaned on the banister as the markers appeared on the map of the lake, an excited expression spreading across his face.

Much to his displeasure, Sebastian's colleagues did not share the sentiment.

"I don't understand why Project R is getting so much attention," an orange-haired man beside the Professor said hotly. His large eyebrows flared up as he twiddled his spiky moustache. "My Sea Ghost plan has far more merit…"

"Well, Dr. Namba, the amount of resources it would take to capture a fully grown Legendary Pokémon would be astoundingly high," a man with curly white hair and matching moustache chided. "As much as I'd love to study one, it's not exactly feasible at this time...Dr. Fuji, are you paying attention?"

The bearded scientist jolted at his colleague addressing him, and turned to the other three with a nervous look. "M-My apologies, Dr. Zager, I was just thinking to myself…" a wistful expression wormed its way across his visage as he watched the display. "While I am...appreciative for having a break, my thoughts are still stuck on the cloning project."

"Right, the very 'hush-hush' project that the boss has you on…" Zager adjusted his glasses as he turned to the bearded man curiously. "Uh, w-what was it that you're cloning, again?"

"...My dead daughter," Fuji replied sadly.

The three stared at him, then let out exasperated sighs at his statement.

"What a useless thing to test it for," Zager muttered.

"Using it for an...emotional reason...what a waste of science," Namba grumbled.

"To each their own, I suppose," Sebastian mused. The Professor steepled his fingers as the livefeed connected. "Perfect! Are we ready to start emitting the EIW?"

"Just about, sir!" one of the technicians called out. "There are 27 individuals in range for the test. If things go well, we estimate that at least half of them should feel the full effects."

"Even if the number is lower, we can still continue testing," the Professor took a deep breath, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "We'll have more than enough time to iron this out before next presentation quarter. Start the Emitter!"

"Yessir!"

"Dr Zager, Dr. Namba, Dr. Fuji...I'm glad you could be here to witness this revolution," Sebastian adjusted his glasses as the livefeed rippled slightly. "No longer will we need to wait while they flounder around and dawdle as weaklings. We can simply force them past that limit whenever we wish."

A small frown spread across Fuji's face as the lakewater rippled slightly on screen. "While I can understand how some would find this...helpful...I have to ask...why them?" the bearded scientist turned to his colleague with a nervous stare. "They have enough potential to handle even Legendary Pokémon. Are they really the best test subjects?"

The water quickly began churning and boiling, causing the Professor's smile to widen. "I think they're the perfect test subjects, Doctor."

*FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHH*

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRR!"

The massive eruption of water into the air was accompanied by a painful cacophony of roars and primal shrieks. Blood-red eyes and vicious fangs glinted in the early day as the pack of newly evolved Gyarados vocally assured the heavens of their all-consuming rage. Around them, less deranged members of the species began a hasty retreat, and those that couldn't escape in time were quickly beset by the rampaging group. Magikarp that were caught in the crossfire were gobbled up in single bites, or thrown into the air and flung onto the nearby beach.

Sebastian shivered in delight as the Atrocious Pokémon began shearing through the denizens of the lake. "Just wonderful! How many of them evolved?"

"Over half of the individuals we had detected. Those that didn't...well…" the technicians nervously eyed the feebly fleeing Magikarp and elderly Gyarados. "I think it's fairly obvious what's going on, sir."

"Good, good! Keep the EIW running. I want the data updated every hour, by the hour," the Professor turned to his colleagues with a smirk. "Gentlemen, I believe we have much to discuss…"

As the Professor left the room with the other scientists, he failed to notice a small flash of gold disappearing beneath the churned waves...

Blackthorn City Hospital

"Ughhhhh…"

"Relax, you only have a broken arm now...how's the leg?"

"Still a bit stiff," I said tiredly. "My toes are fine at least...my stomach still hurts from all the wood splinters and metal bits," I tugged at the collar of my hospital gown and scrutinized my torso. "Huh, a bunch of new scars then. Hopefully they don't look too ugly or something."

"If you were a Lucario, they'd be a sign of status...depending on what you got them from, at least," Viggo tilted his head thoughtfully. "Not that I know what you'd get for Gyarados. Most Lucario aren't crazy enough to try that."

"...J-Just use Thunder Punch. It's a good move against something like Gyarados."

The jackal-like Pokémon blinked owlishly at me, then stared at his paw. "Thunder Punch? I can't actually learn that, right?"

"You can learn Thunder Punch...and Ice Punch, also. Which is really cool, because that could be useful for catching dragons," I made to rub my hands together like a scheming mastermind, only to wince when I tried to wiggle my right arm forward. "Ugh, painful...guess I can't help you out with hands on training."

"H-Hands on training? What are you going on about?"

"Oh, well...I kinda wanna learn to fight too," I said sheepishly. "I mean, obviously since I'm gonna try to harness my Aura I'd need to learn how to use it. Plus, it'd be useful in case I ran into those Team Rocket idiots again...or...well…"

"What, Darkrai?" Viggo shrunk back slightly at my nod. "I mean...I think the last time you went against him, you got a couple of punches in-"

"That was 'cause I confused him and got him by surprise...also, he was on fire at one point, so there's that…" I rubbed the back of my head with my free hand. "I don't wanna let you guys do all the work on certain things. I'd feel useless if I did that, honestly."

My starter tilted his head blankly. "Isn't that how it's supposed to work? I mean, most of us don't know any strategies aside from 'hit it till it dies'. You can't really give orders while you're also fighting."

"V, you can talk, and I know most Pokémon are intelligent enough to think for themselves. If I can get strategies worked out that are easy to remember, you guys can be self-sustaining in a fight, and my only input would be on-the-fly work arounds…" a smirk tugged at my lips as I contemplated different strategies I knew of. "One strategy I can think of, is telling you to use a move you don't know, and it's really a signal to use one that you do know. For instance, I'll say 'use Fire Punch', and instead you use Blaze Kick."

"...That's...cheap as hell…" Viggo let out a short giggle. "I like it! It sounds perfect!"

"And of course there's Dragon Dance. Can't have a badass dragon type without that...I mean, you can, but if one can learn it in any way, they should have it."

"Sea! Sea, Sea!" Callie jumped onto the hospital bed and tilted her head head curiously. "Sea, Sea?"

"Hmm? Lemme guess, you wanna know what Dragon Dance does," my mouth formed into a soft smile at the water-type's eager nod. "Ok, think the move Agility, which helps you be a little faster."

"Sea, Sea!" Callie nodded, clearly enraptured by what was going to be my explanation.

"Now, mash it up with Bulk Up, and also add dragon-type energy to the mix," I waved my free hand in a nonchalant flourish. "And that's basically Dragon Dance."

"That...doesn't sound like much. What, it just makes dragons faster and increases their dragon powers?"

"Well, if my math is correct...it would turn even the weakest dragon-type into something that could bring down a Legendary," I tilted my head at the fighting-type's shocked expression. "That's only if you get like...two or three Dragon Dances in, of course."

"Nuh uh! No way! That's not even possible!"

"It is. Take for instance...Gyarados. I'm planning to get a Gyarados, and they're pretty strong. One Dragon Dance in upgrades its speed and strength to stupid levels," my face fell slightly at Viggo's disbelieving look. "You still don't seem very sold on this."

"It still sounds freaking impossible. I mean...how? Strong and fast enough to handle Legendaries? That's just too good to be true."

"Callie seems pretty sold on this," I motioned to the excited water-type. "And yes, you do learn Dragon Dance naturally, sweetie."

"Sea! Sea!"

"Mmmmmm...Dreeee…"

"Ooh, sorry Maggie. I keep forgetting about the whole 'nocturnal' thing," I patted the ghost-type's head apologetically. "How are you doing by the way?"

"Dre, Misdreee…"

"Yeah, I know...on the bright side, I got an interesting message from Lucia last week," I leaned over the side of my hospital bed and pulled my Pokédex out of my bag. "Apparently Val has taken well to her physical therapy. She should be home by next month or so, and we can use the Pokémon Center to call her."

Instantly the little witch was wide awake, an excited smile stretching across her face. She floated over my shoulder and leaned forward to stare at my Pokédex, a bemused giggle escaping her mouth at the image of a much healthier looking Valerie holding her hands in a peace sign.

"So, you still wanna learn how to fight for yourself?" the fighting-type rerouted back to the original subject.

"Yeah, maybe so that I don't have to worry about myself on the road," I set my Pokédex down and rubbed the back of my head nervously. "There's still some issues I have to work through though."

"Well, whatever they are, you'll have to deal with them eventually," my starter blinked as the door to my room opened. "Speaking of dealing with things…"

"Uh, heya Clair."

"You know you can call me 'Cousin Clair', right?"

"I...it's still just a bit weird…" I shuffled in place as I sat up straight in the hospital bed. "So, what's up?"

"Well, you're getting released from the hospital later today."

"Finally! We've been stuck running in between here and the Pokémon Center for the past four weeks," the fighting-type groaned. "And it's like a half an hour walk from here, so we're always getting up early and stuff."

"I still don't know how you're used to that," I told the bluenette.

"Hmm? Used to what?"

"He means the whole 'talking Pokémon' thing."

"Oh, that? I've seen plenty of those from Gym challenges…" Clair rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "It's mostly Lapras that I see it from, if I'm being honest."

"Ah, that sounds like the usual suspect," I said thoughtfully. "I mean, that's supposed to be a common thing among the species."

"Lapras speak with Aura?"

"N-No, they use Psychic telepathy. I'm imagining that Aura telepathy works differently from the Psychic stuff."

"Ah, that makes sense."

"So, know any good motels around here?" I asked my first cousin.

"...Beg your pardon?"

I quickly pulled a dictionary from my satchel, and opened the correct page, fingering the words until I reached the one I was looking for. "Motel, also known as a Lodge, Inn, resort, or Roadhouse," I began. "A motel is a roadside hotel typically designed with motorists and travelers in mind, most often having the rooms arranged in-"

"I know what a motel is," the bluenette said in exasperation.

"Oh, ok then. Know any good-"

"You are not going to a motel, Jareth," Clair said sternly. "You're going home."

"Haha, very funny. My old apartment back in Pallet Town has probably already been leased out, no way I can go back-"

"I meant your house," my first cousin waved her hands around. "You know...the one you own? The one you inherited from your parents."

"...Wat?!"

"T-Technically we haven't worked that part out yet, since it's still in mine and Lance's name," she said nervously. "Also, you're still only 13, so you can't take ownership of it until next year."

"I...have...a...house?"

"Sort of? There's certain...extras, I guess is the best terminology. They're included with the house."

"I'm imagining that it's a hot spring and a flat-screen TV."

"You have both of those, yes, but I wasn't talking about that," the bluenette said blankly.

"Ooh, this sounds like some big mystery...I'm really looking forward to finding out," I reflexively made to rub my hands together, only to wince at the spike of pain in my right arm. "Agh, keep forgetting about that. Don't you guys have something with Heal Pulse?"

"I...I don't think that would work…" Clair said flatly. "I mean, we don't even have any Pokémon that could learn-"

"The entire Slowpoke evolution line," Viggo deadpanned. "The only reason I know that is because of him...and he knows that because of his tech box."

"This thing really is the best," I said cheerfully as I closed the Pokédex. "So, I'll just get ready to leave when you-"

*CRASH*

"HIYAAAAAAH!"

I blinked wildly as a familiar bespectacled brunette in a fancy suit charged into the room after having kicked the door down. Behind her, a tired looking fire-dragon filed in alongside a slightly bruised fairy-type.

"I finally found you!" Caitlin pointed to me, a stern glare locking me in place. "You...are in so much trouble!"

ゴ ゴ ゴ ゴ ゴ

"...Oh shit!" I wheezed. "I totally forgot I was supposed to contact her after the whole Beedrill thing."

"Y-You...you forgot?"

"Yeah, we were so busy with getting to Blackthorn, dealing with ghosts and a murdery legendary, so I forgot!" I hissed lowly. "Oh man...I am soooo fuc-"

"Language!" the brunette shrieked. "Jareth, you and I are gonna have a long talk about-" Caitlin blinked owlishly upon spotting the bluenette. "C-Clair?"

"Caitlin? Ohmyhelix!" my first cousin let out a high-pitched squeal as she pulled the other woman into a hug. "It's so good to see you again! I haven't seen you in years!"

"Well, you know how it is, I'm always pretty busy."

"Oh, I heard. You actually became a social worker? That's great!"

"Well, y'know I've always wanted to work with kids, so everything worked out."

"Eeep! That's incredible, I'm happy for you!"

I stared at the two women as they hugged and conversed, then rubbed the inside of my ear with my pinky in confusion. "I...I'm sorry, do you two know each other?"

"Oh yeah, we met a while back when Cait was doing the Gym Challenge for Blackthorn," Clair shrugged at my blank expression. "Of course, I was also training to take over the Gym from Lance since he was going for the championship, but that's another story."

"Yeah, Sara and I were having our normal rivalry, and then suddenly some girl with a Gyarados comes out of nowhere and knocks us and our Pokémon flat on our asses."

"You had Charizard then, right?"

"Yeah, but Togekiss hadn't evolved yet…" Caitlyn let out a tired sigh. "So when she went up against Dratini, Clair actually got a handle on us."

"Lemme guess, Iron Tail?"

"Yeah, that, and then I flunked out of dragon school-"

"Wait, you went to dragon school?" I asked the bespectacled woman.

Caitlyn instantly shrunk at my surprised look and twiddled her fingers nervously. "So, the Blackthorn Clan has this trial where if you prove your worth to them, you can get a Dratini. One of the ways you do it is to reach top marks at their dragon school…" a bead of sweat fell down her forehead as she turned away from me with a shaky grin. "I had top marks everywhere...except...well…"

"...Dragon riding."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. The poor woman shrunk in place further, looking as though she wanted to be anywhere other than my hospital room. Some of the Pokéballs on her belt jiggled slightly, no doubt her team was more than familiar as to why she failed.

"Hold on, I don't get it."

I let out a short sigh at Viggo and Maggie's confused looks. "So, Caitlyn is a flying-type specialist...but she can't fly her flying-types," a snort escaped me at their wide-eyed expressions. "Yeah, I know right? She can stay in the air, but you wouldn't want to be a passenger."

"Shut up!" the woman in question whined petulantly. "So I've crashed every flying-type I own! It would've been different with a Dragonite!"

"No it wouldn't," Clair deadpanned.

"It says a lot about you when your own team flies better without you at the reigns than with…" I cupped a hand to my chin in thought. "On the bright side, I got plenty of flying experience."

"As a passenger! That means...wait a minute! This isn't about my past, this is about you running off into the woods after not contacting me for over two months after a hospital stay, only to end up in another hospital in a different region!"

"Ah...so, I was dealing with a few things, alright!" I rubbed the back of my head nervously. "First, I was still a bit wigged out cause I got stabbed by a bunch of Beedrill, and then I found out Viggo could speak-"

"Heya, I've been able to do this since we met."

"And then Prof. Oak wanted me to deliver a package," I shrugged sheepishly. "There was a bunch of other stuff, like a ghost girl and we fought a Darkrai, and then I got bitch-slapped into a building by a Gyarados, and that's-"

"I'm sorry, you fought a what?!"

"Darkrai, the Legendary Pokémon that causes nightmares...they also eat people having them, apparently."

"Why aren't you weirded out by me? I'm literally speaking in your head!"

"Oh, that's not really that odd," Caitlyn tilted her head in thought. "I mean, my Natu and Xatu do it all the time, and I get a few words from Swoobat here and there. I think the only one I don't have is Sigilyph."

"I don't get this!"

"You're so used to people being confused, it must throw you for a loop sometimes when people aren't," I hummed thoughtfully.

"Wait, how do you know him, Cait?" Clair stared at the woman skeptically.

"Oh, well I've been his caseworker since he was a kid. So I'm kinda responsible for him."

My cousin's face became shadowed as her mouth formed into a small frown. "So, he's been in Kanto's system, huh? We have a lot to talk about…"

A couple hours later

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Caitlyn knelt by the side of my bed and clasped her hands in front of herself while bowing her head low. "I'm sorry!"

"Cait, it's fine...I mean, it wasn't even really your fault. Baby carrier found in a ripped up clearing with blood could be anything," I shrugged blithely as I gave the bespectacled woman a reassuring smile.

"Still, I should have realized it! With Sara's Altaria he was all for your head pats the moment you met...I mean, you befriended Charizard the first time you met...Charizard! He's a Tsundere!"

"Raaaar?!"

"I know, right?! Just because these bakas can't vibe with our emotions, they shame us!"

"D-Dre…"

"I know I'm not helping my case by saying 'Baka', alright!"

"Cait, it's not that big a deal. You've been like a big sister to me for years, you were practically the only one there for me," I patted her gently on the head. "So, thank you for that. Even though things weren't exactly good for me, I'm glad I had somebody like you watching out for me."

Caitlyn stared at me with a shaky expression for several seconds before pulling off her glasses and laying them on the table beside my bed. Then she burst into tears and pulled me into a hug, mindfully avoiding my injured arm and ribs.

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she sobbed out. "I've always been worried I'd screw things up for some of the kids I worked with, that I'd make things worse for them...I'm glad that I was able to do right by you. And thank you for saying that, that I'm like a big sister to you. You don't know how much it means for me to hear it."

"Cait, thank you for being my friend," I let a sly grin spread across my face. "Also, one of these days I'm gonna mop the floor with you."

"...Pfft!" Caitlyn pulled away from the hug and wiped her tears away with a smirk. "I'll hold you to that one, kiddo," the brunette turned to Clair with a curious expression. "So, he's gonna be staying with you then?"

"Well...technically he's self-sufficient enough to be on his own, since Trainer License and all...but yeah, I'm his de facto guardian until he's 14," the bluenette tilted her head in thought. "But I have a place in mind, since my place is a bit crowded."

"W-Wait, what? Where is he gonna live?"

A few hours later

I blinked at the building in front of me for several seconds before rubbing my eyes with my free hand. Even after coming to terms with the fact that, yes, this was actually my house, I still couldn't believe it, nor could I believe the amount of associated land around it that was also mine. I turned around to stare behind me, then I turned back around to look at the house again, hoping that it had just been a hallucination from the last of the hospital drugs.

...Hmm, nope! This was definitely my new house...somehow.

While it wasn't a full on mansion by any means, it was quite large, at least four stories, with what I assumed to be many rooms. It had a very medieval aesthetic, with castle-like battlements and a few fanficul looking towers making up the roof, which I assumed could be accessed like an actual castle. Even the entrance to the house were a set of wide, stone stairs that led one of those classic double doors, like something you would see leading into a fortress.

The property line was made up by a miniature rampart wall that, fittingly, wrapped around the area like a sleeping dragon chewing on its own tail. At the far back, the wall split slightly as it connected to a small bridge that went over a large brook and drained into a sizable pond that took up a third of the backyard.

The things that really edged towards breaking the castle-like aesthetic were the modern-styled windows, and the more sensible design of the front door. The trash cans off to the side of the house, the funny looking mailbox at the front gate, and of course, the connected power and phone lines, were all what truly broke away from the medieval appearance.

"Wooooooow!" Caitlyn stared up at the house in awe. "Your parents...this place just...it's a castle?"

"Yeah, I would say it's going overboard on the whole 'dragons like castles' thing," I said nervously.

"Eh, Connie and Aerl really liked all the ones they saw in Unova, Kalos, and Galar…" the bluenette blinked at my confused look. "T-The castles, that is. They never actually caught a lot of dragons in Kalos and Galar."

"It's...so...why is it so big?" the bespectacled woman asked.

"I wish I knew," I glanced at Clair from the corner of my eye. "N-No, seriously, I really wanna know why."

"Well, your parents both won a lot of championships. It was sort of a competition between them...your mom also knew that they'd need a lot of room for their Pokémon...as well as the, uh…" the bluenette blinked at me before shying away. "Well, it might become a bit obvious later on...maybe?"

"Clair, please just tell me," I deadpanned. "Cause as much as I wanna figure out my parents, they're not exactly here to make it easier."

"Oof, that's dark."

"Right, you're right...grandkids," Clair sighed at my shocked look. "Yeah, your folks didn't have an easy time conceiving due to...a lot of factors, so when your mom found out you were definitely going to be a boy, she wanted a house that could contain all her grandkids...which she is never going to meet, unfortunately."

"Hehe...was she insane or something?" I wheezed out. "How many did she even want?"

The bluenette's lips puckered up like she had eaten something sour, and she glanced away nervously. "H-How would you feel if I said...5?"

"I'd say that's a slightly reasonable number, but that could be a bit of a handful."

"Ok, good...she didn't want just 5 though," Clair sweatdropped at my facevaulting. "I'm guessing you wouldn't feel too well if I said it was in the double digits, huh?"

"I'd say that is extremely concerning!" I held my arms over my chest in an 'X' pose. "Listen, even if I were old enough to really start thinking about that, I'm like one guy. The spirit may be willing, but impotence is nature's way of telling you to say 'no'."

"Gaah! I can't believe you're having those thoughts!" Caitlyn cried out.

"Cait, I'm 13 years old. The fuck do you think is running through my head?"

"Language!"

"I only speak one though," I deadpanned.

"So...we gonna go inside?"

I chewed the inside of my lip at my starter's question. "I...I'm not sure…"

"Boss, this is your place now," the fighting-type said sternly. "You have nothing to worry about."

I gave the jackal-like Pokémon a blank stare before shaking my head. "Technically it's our place now, bud."

"I...uh...I don't-"

"V, I know we still have a bit of a…'complex' relationship…" I knelt down to the fighting-type's eye level and gently laid my free hand on his shoulder. "But even though we've been partnered up for only a few months, I still care about you a lot."

Viggo blinked at me in awe for several seconds, before a small smile stretched across his furry face. "T-Thanks, boss. I mean, I know I keep telling you that you don't need to say stuff like that, but…" he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as his aura-sensors wiggled upwards. "I'm glad I get to hear it."

"Dre, Misdre!" Maggie floated down from my hair and gave us a happy smile. "Dre, Dre!"

"You're right, we're wasting too much time out here," I stood up and looked at the house before me with a fierce look. This was my house, somehow, and I was gonna make the most of it. "Alright, let's go!"

The thing about going inside a house that hasn't really seen any human occupation for over a decade…

"*Cough**Cough* W-Why?!"

"Is this a bad time to...ah...ah...CHIII!" Viggo rubbed his nose in annoyance. "B-Bad time to mention I have a dust allergy?"

"Oooh, yeah...might have skipped out on cleaning most of the place," Clair said nervously as she snuck past us through the large doorway. "I mean, I mostly focused on the front and back porch, the family pictures, the like."

"...Please tell me I have an actual room," I felt a bead of sweat going down my head at the bluenette's deadpan look. "Oh man...so, I'm gonna have to dust with one hand and buy new furniture."

"Y-You have a room-"

"Which I can only assume still has a seldom-used crib, right?" I felt my expression falling at her nervous look. "Yeah, I'll see if I can't get a storage container or something...I guess when you get past all the dust, this place actually looks pretty nice."

The living room was quite large and well decorated, as expected of a house this size. At the center were a few large couches and coffee tables sitting in front of a brand new wide-screen TV, all of which had clearly been used lately. At the back of the room was a large bookshelf filled with many books for dragon-type care I was already familiar with, as well as several family photos.

Two that caught my eye were front and center on the top of the shelf. The first was of my mother, or a much younger version of her, sitting in front of the camera. Atop of her head was a pink scaled Dratini giving the camera doe-eyes. Next to that picture was one of my father, both younger and in a much more ragged outfit than I had seen in the last picture of him, clearly unhappy that his Gible was chewing on his head.

I clicked my teeth silently as I scrutinized the pictures. "So...what's the story behind both of these anyway?"

"For your mom, it was pretty cut and dry. She wanted a Dratini before everybody else, and she didn't want to go through the Gyarados test to get it," Clair let out a small chuckle before shaking her head. "That's definitely something you didn't inherit from her. Your dad was a lot more patient."

"So...she just ran off one day looking for a Dratini?"

"Yup! Honestly, she lucked out with the Shiny, otherwise she would have had to wait longer than she did before," the bluenette tilted her head curiously at the other picture. "Your dad...it's a bit more complicated. His people in Hoenn, they're just as nuts about dragons as we are. So depending on your first dragon-type, you get a sign of status based on it," Clair cupped a hand to her chin in thought. "Your Aunt got a Bagon, that's usually something they always look for...your dad somehow found a Gible while he was looking for a Trapinch, since he didn't really care which dragon-type he got."

"I have an Aunt?"

"You do...she's busy," the woman said quickly before I could pry. "Let's just say she has to deal with issues involving her tribe, so she hasn't visited in a while."

"My dad was in a 'tribe'?" I blinked before squinting at the picture again. "Okay, that actually explains the low quality at least."

"That hair though…" Caitlyn chimed in. "It really explains so much. Was his also hydrophobic?"

"...Yes, actually."

"Yeah, I always figured it was genetic," I said blithely. A flash of light reflecting towards me caught my attention, and I turned to see some strange, clear crystal ball at the far end of the shelf. "What is that?"

"Oh, that's supposed to be an ancient artifact that can help you do magic," Clair shrugged at my incredulous look. "Yeah, I think it's a crock of sh-crap too, but it looks neat. I guess they just thought it was a neat decoration."

"Pfft, yeah can you believe that? I mean, magic? Really?" Caitlyn flinched at my deadpan expression. "Whaaaat?!"

"Magic is real though."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah, it is. Scientifically proven," I held a hand up in triumph. "I mean, we don't know how it works or functions, just that it exists and is useful...for some things...okay, turning people into Pokémon isn't that useful, but still-"

Clair let out a small cough to grab our attention. "Listen, I know you probably wanna explore your parent's stuff and their bedroom, see what yours looks like after all these years...maybelookattheonesthatareforyourgrandkids!"

"Wait, what was that last part-"

"But I think I should really show you the backyard."

"B-Backyard? What is it though?" Caitlyn asked absently.

"It's a yard behind a house or other building, but that's not important right now," I reassured the bespectacled woman. "What's in the backyard that's so important anyway?"

"Oh...just come and see!" Clair said cheerfully, before grabbing me by my free arm and pulling me towards the back of the house. "I promise you'll like it."

"Wait, I haven't finished-Ooh, this is a really nice kitchen," I said absentmindedly as we passed through. "Like, it's really big and there's a lot of cupboards-ooh, my last kitchen didn't have an island-"

"Jareth, focus! We're going to the backyard."

"I'm not exactly following this either," Viggo said exasperatedly as he kept pace beside us. The fighting-type looked up to maggie with a curious expression. "Do you have any idea what's up with her?"

"Dre, Misdreee!"

"Okay, I walked right into that one…"

When Clair opened the back door, I was greeted by the smell of pine trees and crisp mountain air. The babbling sounds of the brook gave way to loud hoots from different flying-types and tree-dwelling Pokémon. The center of the large pond bubbled like a hot spring, and a large green rock nestled deep into the bank on the far left.

"...Right, my new backyard," I leaned over to the bluenette with a confused expression. "Clair, what's supposed to be back here?"

"Just give it a few seconds," Clair said lowly. "Once he realizes I'm here, he'll be wide awake."

My two Pokémon and I blinked at the woman's statement. My old social worker/big sister figure blinked at the woman's statement. I stared at the backyard for several seconds before letting out a small cough.

"D-Doesn't seem like he knows yet."

"Do the Blackthorns always act all cryptic?"

"No, just the really old ones," Caitlyn said nonchalantly.

"What was that you just said?" Clair hissed ominously.

"I'm saying you sound like your grandpa," the brunette wiggled her finger teasingly at my cousin. "Seriously, I remember when I first saw him at dragon school, and he always spoke in cryptic word salads. You're starting to go down the same route~"

"I ain't old just you young missy!" the bluenette sagged slightly once she realized what she had just said. "I'm really not helping my case…"

"So, what? There's a guy I'm supposed to meet?"

Clair perked up suddenly and glanced to the side, before giving me a wide smile. "There's two actually, and you'll figure it out soon enough…"

"Ugh, more cryptic bullshit? Why is-"

*BLUB**BLURP**BLUP**BLUP**BLUP**BLURP**BLUP**BLURP*

Viggo blinked as the pond churned and boiled as some black shape undulated beneath the water. The green rock on the bank jittered a bit, but remained nearly motionless as the pool rose around it. A familiar serpentine shape emerged from the pond, water cascading from around its massive form as it raised its head to stare at us from his left eye.

While my last experience with a Gyarados had been...less than pleasant, there was something very different about this one. Instead of the mindlessly rage-fueled glare that was so fresh in my memory, his gaze was extremely calm and calculating, if not curious. No sneering and snarling either, his teeth remained sheathed and his mouth formed a flat line rather than a deep frown.

And this one was old, I could tell. Aside from the myriad of scars that must have been from decades past, several of his scales were either chipped or missing. For the ones that weren't, their once deep blue coloring now borderlined on dark-grey in his advanced age. This guy was too old to get seriously mad at every little thing like the one that had bitch-slapped me into a house, the only way he'd ever rampage was if you were trying to make it happen.

As he turned to acknowledge Clair, I felt my heart seize up slightly. A massive pair of jagged scars ran over his right eye, and the once blood-red orb was now completely white. When his good eye zeroed in on me, he went completely stiff, and his expression morphed into one of shock and confusion, as if he were seeing a ghost. The water dragon slithered forward, still giving me an owlish look, and leaned his massive head towards me.

Then he warbled. No, no roaring, growling, hissing, or even grumpy old man grumbles. He full on warbled like a singing bird. While it was extremely jarring to hear that from a Gyarados of all things, it was almost...familiar. Not just the noise, but rather the water-type himself.

I reached up with my free hand and gently rubbed the sea dragon's trident-shaped horn, much to his delight. I flinched back slightly at the deep rumbling noise, but my nerves settled once I felt the familiar vibrations running through my body and the ground.

"Are...are they supposed to purr?" Viggo asked from behind me.

"Most dragons purr, but people don't really hear anything about it because they usually focus on the negative...t-the positive too, but for Gyarados it's usually negative," Clair cleared her throat before taking a step towards me. "Do you remember him, Jareth?"

"...Nope."

"E-EH?!" the bluenette half-facevaulted at this. "B-But...you're petting him and everything! You did the same thing as a baby!"

"Yeah, normal infants start forming actual memories at around 3 years old," I said nonchalantly, continuing to rub Gyarados's horn despite his equal amount of confusion. "That said...I mean, I always knew that I recognized the sound of a Gyarados purring, and I couldn't have gotten that from anywhere else," I winced slightly as the water-dragon nuzzled close to my chest, but chuckled regardless as he continued purring happily. "I guess it's good to see you again too, big guy...all things considered."

"So...that's...his mom's?" Caitlyn asked nervously. At her old friend's slow nod, the brunette twiddled her fingers nervously. "Hehe, I didn't think a Pokémon Battle would get so out of hand, for him to have lost his eye and all."

Clair's expression darkened as she eyed the woman stiffly. "He didn't lose it from a Pokémon Battle…"

The bespectacled woman blinked for a few seconds before going ghost pale. "You mean, he lost it when-"

"Yeah, he's one of the only four who survived," the bluenette said sadly. "I always wondered if the-ugh, if whoever did it just left two Pokémon alive per trainer, just because."

"And suddenly I feel both pissed off and concerned at the same time…" I furrowed my brows in confusion before turning back to my cousin. "Wait, you said two? What do you mean by that?"

"Two of your mom's Pokémon survived, same with your dad's. His were taken in by his family, but one went back to the wild...it's complicated…"

Suddenly, my mom's Gyarados lifted his head away from us and turned towards the large rock nearby. He let out a loud hissing sound, almost like a growl if he were rolling the noise on his tongue. The rock on the bank wobbled in response, then it expanded...or rather, it unfurled from its curled position.

I knew it was shiny from the pictures, but seeing a Dragonite in person regardless was always going to be like a dream come true for me, just for the pure majesty they emitted. While he didn't have as many scars as Gyarados, they were there at least. One of his antennae was shorter than the others, likely for the same reason the water-type lacked an eye. As he lifted himself off the ground, I felt my heart drop; one of his wings, which would have been strong enough to power him through the air at three times the speed of any airplane, was missing to the point that there wasn't even a stump.

His antennae wiggled around as he gave the water-type a tired glare, and he let out an annoyed cry. Gyarados responded with a trilling warble and nodded his head towards me, causing the dragon-type to furrow his brows in confusion before turning to us. When the shiny caught sight of me, he made a few confused sniffs before tilting his head with a look of disbelief.

I blushed a little bit as I gave him a small wave. "Uh...heya...I don't actually remember you, but-"

"BWAAAAAAAAA!"

"Eh?!" I blinked as the dragon-type began charging towards me, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. I took a small step back as he grew closer. "Uh...Clair...I am very concerned."

"Well, I hope he understands that you're still sort of injured...but…" Clair sweatdropped as Dragonite let out another cry. "He's also a hugger."

I cringed as I was suddenly pulled into a bear hug by a crying dragon-type as he nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. Despite the bead of sweat going down the side of my face, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips as my hand moved to rub the area around his horn.

"Hey, it's alright. I'm here, I'm real, I promise."

"B-Bwaaaaa!"

"Calm down, everything is gonna be ok…" I tilted my head to look at my cousin. "So...mom's first Pokémon?"

"Yup!"

"What happened to his wing?" I sweatdropped at Gyarados's grim expression. Dragonite froze slightly before pulling away from the hug with a solemn expression, to which I held a hand up defensively. "Uh, hey! I'm sorry if it's a sore subject!"

The dragon-type blinked at me for a few seconds, then smiled happily as he wiped his tears away. "B-Bwaaaaa!" he then pulled me into yet another bear-hug, barely holding back from crushing my already injured torso. "Bwaaaaaa!"

"He lost it when your parents...yeah," Clair rubbed the back of her head nervously. "It's kinda hard for him, since flying is everything to Dragonite."

I frowned at this and gave the dragon a gentle neck rub. "I'm glad I get to see you again, even if I don't remember you," I let out a small chuckle as Gyarados slithered over and coiled around us in a serpentine hug, purring all the way. "Yes, you too big guy."

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Maggie floating over slowly. The ghost-type flew towards Gyarados with a suspicious expression, before descending towards Dragonite. Then she pressed herself into the larger Pokémon's chest, to which he let out a happy cry in response.

"Hey, V! Come and get in on this!"

"I...I mean, Gyarados, Dragonite...flying-types, so I don't-"

"You're not gonna get hurt by touching them, V," I said gently. "Come on, dragon hugs are awesome!"

"I don't really think-EEP!" the fighting-type squirmed as a blue glow outlined him, and he was lifted into the air and pulled towards us. He sent a comical glare to the little ghost as he fell in between me and Dragonite. "That was not fair! I didn't-Oooh, Dragonite hugs are nice…"

"Bwaaa!"

"I have no idea what you mean by that, but your scales are really soft for some reason…"

"So, you're gonna have a talk with your superiors?"

Caitlyn glanced at her old friend out of the corner of her eye. "Y-Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's just a little bit fishy that we didn't check with the Johto system for this."

"It does seem pretty strange, for them to just ignore a possibility like that…" Clair's shoulders sunk as she cupped a hand to her chin in thought. "I mean, it wouldn't be too weird, since they've been having a lot of issues after that war and all."

"...You know something, don't you?"

"W-Well, I'm not saying that there was some shady stuff going on, but I think I have an idea as to why we didn't know he was still alive."

"And what would the reason be?"

"Certain people, with certain connections, may have used those connections to wipe him off the face of existence," the bluenette sighed tiredly as she rubbed the back of her head. "I have no idea why, since Aerl and Connie never did anything to them, or gave them a reason to do it, but it isn't the first time they've done this."

"It's just supposed to be less random, I'm guessing?" Caitlyn hummed thoughtfully at Clair's slow nod. "Who...who was it?"

"What?"

"The people who killed his parents, who are they?" the brunette frowned when she saw her old friend stiffen. "You don't wanna tell me, is that right?"

"It's just...I'd like to tell him before I tell anybody else," Clair turned back to her first cousin with a soft expression as she watched him and his team hug the two elder dragons. "I don't plan on telling him until he's at least 14, when he can hopefully handle it...he hasn't been a trainer for more than a few months at best, so it'd be a lot to push on him."

Caitlyn sagged a bit before turning back to the boy in question as he hugged all of the Pokémon around him. "He seems really happy…like, way more than I've seen him in a while," she tilted her head in thought. "I mean, his summer camp was like a close second to that, but this is just..."

"Imagine what he'll be like when he gets an actual dragon-type," the bluenette snorted as the image appeared in her head. "I'm worried he'll have a heart attack or something. Hopefully he handles it like a mature-pfft! What am I saying?! He's Connie's kid, of course he's gonna act like she did."

"You remember it?"

"Che, yeah I was like 5 or something, and I still remember how happy she was," Clair shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm guessing it's gonna be about the same...what do you think he'd manage to grab?"

"Knowing him, it'll be something exotic," the brunette chuckled as she cupped a hand to her chin. "Probably something like a Drampa. Those are pretty nice, right?"

"Oh yeah, I have one! He's pretty sweet...but I doubt he'd find one all the way in Kanto," the dragon-master squinted at the boy. "Considering all the cave routes in Kanto and Johto, I'm betting something in a cave, so...Noibat would be my guess. I mean, we haven't had a population of them in centuries, but they're not too on the nose."

"Ah helix! Please continue to remind me of the many flying-types I never got to catch...but yeah, it'd probably be something small."

"I'm personally hoping he can just be given a Trapinch, or an Applin," Clair let out a small sigh. "As long as he gets something that's not high maintenance, I can sleep easy."

"...I'm still not sure about this," Viggo said nervously.

"Quiet! Dragon huggies best huggies!" Maggie giggled as she bounced on the large dragon-type's stomach. "Ma~, Onee-chan is gonna have the best life...and Onii-chan's mom wanted grandkids! That means little nieces and nephews!"

"I...I think you're a little bit too obsessed with that," the fighting-type sweatdropped at the little ghost's giggling. He turned to the aged dragon with a curious expression. "So...his mom, huh? What was she like?"

Dragonite held a claw to his chin in thought. "I guess she is -was- about the same as you described Jareth," he shook his head to rid himself of his solemn expression. "I mean, the first time I met her, I was just hanging out on a rock, and then suddenly some strange girl came up to me and was talking so fast that I couldn't understand her...aside from the whole 'pink Dratini' stuff she was going on about."

"At least yours is better. I knew a family of Shinies back home...all that yellow was just...tacky…" the jackal-like Pokémon flinched as he noticed their water-type slithering over to Gyarados. "Uhh...that looks really bad."

"Relax, it's just a thing water-dragons do," Dragonite lifted himself off the ground, much to the annoyance of the ghost-type, and motioned for Viggo to step forward. "Here, check this out!"

Calypso tilted her head at Gyarados, unflinching beneath his monstrous frame and frigid gaze. The smaller water-type puffed up her cheek and let out a small huff, an action that was matched by the water-dragon's snarl and low rumbling.

Then she spat a glob of water onto his face.

"...Why?!" the fighting-type wheezed out in his actual voice. "That looks so very dangerous! Is she trying to get herself kill-"

Gyarados then spat a glob of water onto the small Horsea, completely drenching her in water. Callie blinked slightly before shaking herself, and letting out several happy bubbles. The larger water-dragon purred in response.

"W-What just happened?!"

"Oh, that's just how water-dragons introduce each other," Dragonite said nonchalantly.

"They...they spit water on the other?" Maggie asked confusedly. "What does that do though?"

"It let's them figure out the other one based on how the water vibrates when it hits them...or how well it seeps into their skin? I never really asked, they just do it alot," the aged dragon shook his head tiredly. "Even Gyarados to other Gyarados...and you'd think they'd do the combat thing…"

"C-Combat thing?" Viggo asked nervously.

"Oh, right! So, if you ever meet a random dragon-type, be prepared for a fight," Dragonite twiddled his claws nervously. "We uh...we like to introduce ourselves to humans and Pokémon by fighting the strongest of the group…"

Viggo stared at the dragon-type with an owlish look for several seconds, before sighing. "Maybe I should figure out that Ice Punch thing…"

"Alright, so sleeping on the couch...huh, haven't had one to sleep on in a while, now that I think about it," I snorted as my 'seat' purred happily. "Although, I guess I'm not technically on the couch, just at the bottom. Still way comfier here though."

"Bwa!"

"Pfft, yeah this is nice…"

"Dre, Misdre!"

"Wait, I was busy hanging out with your mom's mons. Where'd your cousin and that crash girl go?"

"Eh, Caitlyn went out to call her job, and Clair...I think something to do with Dragon Taming school," I shrugged before grabbing the nearby remote. "What matters is that we now have an actual TV, with actual televised shows."

"That's kinda what a TV entails…"

"And from what Clair said, we have on-demand too," I flicked the TV on, furrowed my brows at the subpar documentary that was on, and went to on-demand in a heartbeat. "Alright, just gotta find it...AHA! There it is!"

"W-What? You're acting all nuts over...oh!" Viggo frowned as he saw the artistic cover of the show I had picked. "An Anime? Ah shit, here we go again…"

"V, this isn't just an Anime-"

"Okay, before you start with 'this isn't just an Anime', let me tell you exactly how many times I've heard that from somebody and it just ended up being about this high school girl with huge boobs," the fighting-type let out an annoyed sigh. "And I mean like some serious honkers...a real set of badonkers, packing some dobonhonkeros...massive dohoonkabhankoloos, big old tonhongerekoogers!"

"I...what?!"

"And just when you think it can't get any weirder, this new transfer student shows up with even bigger bonkhonagahoogs...Humungous hungolomghnonoloughongous!"

"Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is not about that!" I said with a highly offended tone.

"Yeah, sure boss," the jackal-like Pokémon leaned back with a dissatisfied look. "I'm 99% sure it's gonna be like-"

*CLICK*

[Play: Jojo (Sono Chi no Sadame) - Hiroaki "TOMMY" Tominaga]

"...What...is...this?!"

"One of the greatest masterpieces of all time...well, not as great as Lucky Star," I shrugged slightly before leaning forward, smiling as the opening reached its climactic point. "I just know you'll enjoy this. The main characters are always nuts about justice and honor, kinda like the Riolu line."

"That...that doesn't mean I'll enjoy it-Oh wow, is that Pokémon power he's using?"

"You'll see in a bit," I said cheerfully as the opening finished.

"SONO CHI NO SADAMEEEEEEEEE! JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOO!"

*A few hours later*

"Farewell...Erina…" Jonathan choked out on screen as fire obscured his newlywed wife from his view.

"L-Let me go, Jojo!" Dio hissed angrily. "Think about it! You'd like a shot at eternity, right? I can heal your wounds...you can live forever with Erina, Jojo!"

Dio's eyes widened at Jonathan's lack of response. The vampire's rage grew by the second as his adoptive brother remained silent.

"Jojo!" the blonde's anger faltered when he looked at the blue-haired man's face once again, and he finally noticed the now dull blue eyes staring off into space. "He...he's...he's dead…"

At this, Jonathan's head slumped forward lifelessly. The scene began fading to white as the two dead brothers were locked in what seemed to be a final embrace. Lines of text popped into existence near the hero, telling us what we already knew.

"Jonathan Joestar. Died February 7, 1889."

"I...I can't believe it...the main character...died…" Viggo stared in shock at the scene before him, then tears began to well up in his eyes. "That man...that wonderful man! Why must the good die young?!"

I held my hands up as tears flowed freely from my own eyes. "Look how they massacred my boy…"

"I was wrong! I was so wrong! I thought it was gonna be fanservice meant to cater to the ideal male fantasy! I shouldn't have been so doubtful!"

"Woah, hey! Jonathan is my ideal male fantasy," I blinked as my Pokémon stared at me in shock. "No homo…"

"And the fights! The strategies! The powers they used! Incredible!" Viggo held up a clenched paw as a fierce look spread across his face. "I'll find a way to recreate it! I'll become a Hamon master!"

"I'd say we'll figure out how to weaponize Sunny Day? Maybe use it to power Thunder Punch?" I shrugged. "I mean, I'd be up to helping you figure it out. Sounds super cool."

"It is super cool! That really was an incredible watch!"

"Dre, Misdre…"

"Bwaa…"

"Oh yeah, you guys are right," the fighting-type snorted at my confused look. "They liked it too, but they're sad that it's over."

I blinked for a few seconds before letting out a full on barking laugh. The Pokémon around me gave me concerned looks as I figuratively burst my guts out for several minutes. Finally I wiped a tear from my eye and gave them a sly grin.

"Who said it was over?"

"...Say psych right now!"

*CLICK*

[Play: BLOODY STREAM - Coda]

"F-FOR REAL?! But Jonathan died!"

"So? He had a fun night with Erina beforehand at least," I let out a small chuckle. "What do you think that leads to?"

"...But, h-how? I know I have no idea how that actually works, but it should at least take a while to-"

"He probably used Hamon Overdrive on his...well…" I shook my head as the dark forms of the Pillar Men came into view. "All parts after part one follow Jonathan's descendants...well, except for part 7, that's after the universe was reset, but we'll get to that one later."

"This is amazing! I wonder what this new one is gonna be like!"

"Dre, Misdre."

"Okay, come on! So maybe Jonathan was a tiny bit boring, doesn't mean things weren't interesting. This guy might be good-"

"Dre, Misdreavus."

"You'll believe it when you see it? Well-"

"Then get ready to believe Maggie," I said happily. "Because we've got all week to get through this show."

One week later

"Alright, what else do I need...pens and pencils?"

"Check!"

"Notebooks?"

"Check!"

"Textbooks?"

"Check!"

"Maggie?"

"Yare Yare Daze, she's in your hair…"

"Just have to make sure," I said nervously. "I mean, this is my first day in dragon tamin school, and I'll be there for a few months just to make sure I know everything I can."

"I mean, you already know every random dragon fact there is. Like...I wouldn't have known that Dragonite antennae are like crazy strong sensory organs. I just thought they were for show."

"Hey, there could be something I don't know…" I furrowed my brows in thought as I cupped my free hand to my chin. "Clair said she'd meet me at orientation...I wonder how I'm gonna get through it with one arm."

"Eh, should be fine. I mean, they'll probably give you a pass on certain things…like tests and stuff...this is that kind of school, right?"

"They probably do give exams, yes," I finished packing everything into my satchel and turned to the door. I felt a dryness in my throat for a few split seconds before sighing. "Alright, time to head out then."

"Bwaa?"

"Relax, Dragonite! I'll be back, I promise," I gave the dragon-type a small headpat before heading out. "Oh, Callie is still hanging around in the pond with Gyarados. I left some food for her in case she wakes up, do you think you could make sure she gets it?"

Dragonite held a hand up and gave me a cheerful grin. "Bwaaa!"

"Thanks! Oh, and don't freak out if she eats too much, she kinda has a complex about it and whatnot."

"Bwaa."

"Yeah, I'll see you later bud," I called out to the aged dragon. I turned back to my starter and patted him on the head. "Alright, time to get going!"

Once I had gotten out of the house, and more than a few feet away from the front gate, I quickly realized my problem...I had no idea where I was going. I fought down a cold sweat and continued along like I knew exactly what I had to do, all while hoping that Viggo was none the wiser. It was after we made the third circle around the same block that the fighting-type caught on.

"Hey boss? Do you...know where we're going?"

"...N-No, I don't."

"Ah, damn! So what's the plan then?"

"I was just gonna wait for Clair to figure out she didn't tell me...or for some insane stroke of luck to happen that would put me in the right direction," I flinched at my starter's owlish look. "What?! Don't give me that look, knowing me it'll probably happ-"

*BANG*

"AAGhghaHAa!" I winced as I fell back on my ass, and turned to glare at the person who had run into me at high speeds. My rage faltered a bit when I found myself looking at a familiar blue-haired kuudere with red eyes. "R-Rei?"

"Oh hey, it's that girl that doesn't emotion right...you think she's heading to Dragon School?" Viggo turned to the girl before I could even respond. "Hey! Are you heading to Dragon School?"

"V, she's probably heading to Dragon School...Ugh, I'm gonna have a bump on my head now. At least I didn't land on my arm," I lifted myself off the ground while tilting my head at the girl. "So, nice to run into you I guess...or, you ran into me…"

The bluenette stood up and bowed slightly. "My aporogeezz fer hithng yu…"

"...Oh, I see what's going on! So you like to run at high speeds while holding a piece of toast in your mouth," I nodded towards the bread she still carried between her lips. "And I thought the PSAs about how dangerous that could be would have reached the entire generation by now."

"He's right! I've seen massive traffic pile ups because of that!"

"Just toast your toast earlier, like I do."

"I thee," Rei blinked a bit before shaking her head and pulling the toast from her mouth. "Thank you for the...unwanted social commentary and breakfast advice. And again, my apologies for hitting you."

"So, you're heading to Dragon School, right?"

"I am heading to the school for Dragon Tamers, not the one for dragons," the bluenette cocked her head to the side. "But yes, I am heading to Dragon Taming school."

"Aww, sweet! Is it cool if I follow you?" I shrunk slightly at her confused look. "I...I have no idea where it is, and I've literally been walking around in a circle just to make it look like I'm doing something."

Rei turned away with a small hum and began walking. "Do as you wish…"

"Alright, cool beans!" I smiled as my body contorted into Giorno's classic pose.

"...May I ask why you and your Riolu are posing like that?"

I blinked when I noticed Viggo posing like Joseph from part 2. "Uh...Chronic Compulsive Posing Disorder," I shrugged nervously at the girl's deadpan expression. "It's a real condition, you can look it up."

"I see…"

I sweatdropped as the girl continued walking away. "I'm never gonna be able to read that girl."

"You'll probably figure her out," Viggo said nonchalantly as we started walking. "I'm just confused as to where she fits."

"What does that mean?"

"Okay, so you mentioned how you had your childhood friend, and then we also have Valerie-oh, don't say a word about this to Maggie," the fighting-type somehow pulled a clipboard from nowhere and began jotting something down. "Also we have the twins...and to be honest, we'd only need one pink-haired girl in the harem-"

"Viggo!" I hissed lowly. "I do not have a harem!"

"Sure, sure! As I was saying, maybe we should drop one of the joys, that way we have only one pink-haired girl. We gotta make sure it's orderly...at least, that's what all my 'research' says."

"I thought you didn't even like those shows!"

"I don't, but the market is saturated with them."

"Just wait until the Isekai genre blows up," I said hotly. "I'm pretty sure we'll really see what oversaturation looks like."

...Ironic that I would say something like that, huh?

"Do you think she's creeped out that we're following her?"

I blinked at the question, and glanced at the bluenette nervously. "She said 'do as you wish', so I don't think so…"

"Something about her is just off in general," the fighting-type tapped a paw to his chin. "I can't figure it out thought."

"It's probably something that'll be relevant later on," I tilted my head in thought as a sour look spread across my face. "Speaking of relevance, it's been a while since I've said my old catchphrase."

"You have a catchphrase?"

"Oh yeah, when I was in summer camp I used to say 'Tra la la' a lot when I was doing stuff," I shrugged nonchalantly at my starter's bewildered look. "It was a different time...still, that gives me an idea on my outfit...nice black boots, super cool fantasy-esque cloaks, a sparkly jacket with a frilly shirt underneath, and contoured pants that make my ass look good*."

"I...I think that sounds weird…"

"I dunno, I think it sounds cool. Definitely the kind of style I'd like," a small grin tugged at my lips as I straightened my collar. "It'd be total cash."

"I doubt that," the fighting-type deadpanned. "So, how do we know when we're the Dragon Tamer school anyway?"

I tilted my head as a large building came into view. "I think it's pretty obvious…"

The building looked almost like the stereotypical 'Magical Academy' that you would see in anime and movies. A red roof, wall systems made of gold-colored stone with red bricks interspersed throughout, and windows that gleamed like bright crystals, with the large oculus at the top holding a flower-like symbol within it. Atop the gate sat two Dragonite statues that faced each other with menacing stances.

"...Wait a minute! Isn't this the Blackthorn Gym?"

"It is, but it also serves as the Clan's school for Dragon Tamers," Rei tilted her head thoughtfully as she walked up to the gate. "There are also classes for those who aren't in the Clan proper."

"Doesn't Clair have Gym challenges sometimes?"

"The students are allowed to watch," the bluenette said offhandedly. "If only because some of the younger children enjoy watching it."

"Pfft! Why would I wanna watch a battle…so-"

"I would advise against challenging me," Rei said calmly. "Mostly because it would save yourself the embarrassment."

"Okay, hurtful!" I whined. "Also, I think that-"

"Brrrrrr…"

I blinked slightly as a small grumble resounded from beside me and a puff of hot air blew across my face. When I turned to look, I found a familiar blue and fishy face staring back at me with a permanent scowl etched on its face. The Gyarados I had met months prior, and while I was glad I knew I had a family, the chain of events that caused it...oh shit!

"Oh no no no no!" Viggo backed away and prepared an Aura Sphere. "It's that guy that threw you into a building!"

"Yeah, and he's also a flying type!" Aura Sphere ain't gonna do shit!" I turned back to the water-dragon with a nervous smile. "H-Heya, Gyarados...so, lovely day we're having, huh?"

"Bagon!"

*FWOOSH*

I shook my head as Rei released a little blue dinosaur creature in front of the water-type. The bluenette darted to my side and gave the larger dragon a dark glare.

"Not that I'm not against the whole 'protective girl' thing goin' on here, but-"

"I would rather not have a repeat of your 'sorcery' saving my life," Rei deadpanned. "Now stay behind me while Bagon and I handle this."

"Bay, Bayyygaawn!"

"I'm certain you will survive. Deino needs to rest anyway."

I tilted my head as Gyarados shuffled back slightly, and I finally noticed the way his jaw was set. The poor thing was cringing, and the way his eyes darted around to look anywhere but towards me...oh man…

"Wait! Rei, stop!"

"Eh?" I blinked as a trainer began speeding towards us from further down the path. "Is that his trainer?"

"That would be Carrie, yes."

"...Hey, boss...she kinda looks like…"

I could figure out what Viggo was getting at as Carrie slowed down, giving me a view of her finer features. Give me a slightly less conservative outfit, remove the poofieness of the hair, give me a lighter skintone, change my nose just a tad to be a little crooked...also, make me a girl, and you'd get the picture.

"...Are we...related by any chance?" I asked the new girl nervously.

"Oh, right!" the purple-haired girl stood up and held her hand out. "I'm Carrie, I'm one of your cousins...distant cousins...my mom was your mom's cousin."

"So, same as Clair?" I asked as I shook her hand half-heartedly.

"Yes, that!" Carrie shook her head before jumping to her water-dragon's side and pulling him into a hug. "Listen, this isn't what it looks like! Gyarados is really sorry about what he did, and he's not normally like that, I promise!"

"...So, he wants to apologize?"

"Y-Yeah...well, obviously he can't apologize himself," my newly identified cousin twiddled her fingers nervously. "Because he's can't speak people speak...but if he could, he would-"

"How do we know he isn't going to attack again?"

"Rei?!" I wheezed out.

"A Gyarados can fly off the handle at any time, regardless of whether or not it has a gentle nature," the bluenette cocked her head to the side with a deadpan glare. "I will bring Deino out if I have to…"

"Please do not do that!" the purple-haired girl croaked. "Once Deino start biting, they don't stop and it becomes a big problem, and yours is worse because it has Thunder Fang, and-"

"Hold on! I have an easy solution to this!" Viggo took a few steps towards the water-type, patted his chest, and cleared his throat. "Ri, Riolu?"

"Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…"

"Alright, he says he's sorry," the fighting-type said cheerfully.

"Alrighty then, problem resolved!"

"Did your Pokémon just talk?!" Carrie cried out.

"...Oh man, this is gonna be a regular thing, huh?"

"I mean, I'll get used to it, but you're right about curbing it."

I waved my hand towards my cousin as I walked towards the front doors. "I'd like to get to know you more, since we're family and all, so let's walk and talk," I turned to the bluenette as she returned her dragon-type. "Rei will just...not talk like she always does, I guess."

"That is what I'd prefer, yes…"

Several minutes later

"So, you're just waiting for the year to be up, and you'll get your Dratini?" I asked as we walked through the Gym hallway.

"Yeah, but I have to prove I can keep Gyarados from rampaging," Carrie sweatdropped as the water-type looked away from her bashfully. "Easier said than done though. Whenever he does, I have to be there to constantly make sure he's getting beaten up-"

"Woah, woah! No! That is not how I would do it," I said hotly. "Listen, have you tried figuring something else out?" I heard a huff behind us and turned to Rei with a deadpan expression. "What? You have some input?"

"Using stronger Pokémon to reign in a rampaging Gyarados is the only way to keep them under control."

"You're not controlling their rampages properly, you're just giving them a Pavlovian response to it," I growled. "Think about it! If you have the strongest members of your team gang up on your Gyarados, is he gonna rampage again?"

"W-Well, obviously not," the purple-haired girl said nervously. "Once they start beating him up, he usually calms down. Last time was the outlier because I couldn't get set up in time, but with enough time he should be less likely to rampage at all."

"And why do you think he'll be less likely to rampage?"

"Because being wailed on...calms him down?"

"No, no it does not," I said flatly. "It makes it so that he associates rampaging with getting beaten up. The reason he'll stop rampaging is because every time he gets close to it, he remembers that the rest of your team ganged up on him and beat him to a pulp, not because he's calm," I held a finger up and cocked my head to the side. "It's like those old experiments they did in Kalos with Furfrou. They rang a bell and fed them, and then every time they rang the bell the Furfrou reacted as though they were about to be fed. It works with humans too, so it's not just Pokémon psychology at play here."

"So, you're saying I'm not helping Gyarados by beating him up?" Carrie asked in horror.

"No, you're psychologically damaging him in order to get a negative trait under control."

"Be that as it may, there are no other ways to reign in a Gyarados," Rei said matter-of-factly. "Even your mother had to do it, from what I've been told."

"...Well that's her, not me," I said hotly. "I'm gonna train my Gyarados the right way...when I get it, that is."

"And what is the 'right' way to train a Gyarados?"

"Uh, I dunno, be nice to it like normal Pokémon? Maybe give it a correct outlet for its rage? Make it so that it can rampage during a fight if it wants, and only if you're sure it can hold itself back when doing so," I shrugged and clicked my teeth. "I mean, a rampaging Gyarados is a healthy Gyarados. I just feel like something is wrong with it if it isn't just slightly angry at everything in existence."

"Uh...w-what about your mom's?"

"He's still pissed off at everything, V. You can see it in his eyes...eye...it's just, he's really old, so he can't do much about it."

"Your method would be liable to get somebody killed...several somebodies," Rei said flatly. "I think it would be better if you followed the normal method. As the saying goes, 'do not fix what is not broken'."

I held a finger up, then dropped it. "I...if I can't tame a Gyarados by being nice, then I'll concede defeat. But I just have a lot of hangups on hurting Pokémon, even in self-defense."

"That is...understandable, I suppose."

"So, what's orientation for the place like anyway?" Viggo shrunk back just a bit as the two girls sent him varying looks. "If you don't mind me asking, that is…"

"I still can't get over the fact that he talks," Carrie shook her head before turning to the fighting-type with a smile. "Well, we go to this big room where the Gym Battles usually take place, and then-"

"Carrie!"

"Hmm?" I tilted my head as a tall man with dark, spiky hair walked over.

"D-Dad? Uh...I was just walking with-"

"Your cousin?" the man cocked his head towards me and gave me a soft smile. "It's good to see you again, Jareth."

"Lemme guess, held me as a baby?"

"Yeah, but you probably wouldn't remember it," he laid a hand on my shoulder and leaned down just a bit. "My name is Theo, but you can just call me Uncle Teddy. It's good to see you alive, kiddo."

"W-Wait, aren't you technically my first cousin removed like Clai-"

"Uh, Carrie...why is Gyarados out?"

The purple-haired girl hopped on one foot and twiddled her fingers. "Uh...he wanted to apologize to Jareth."

"I see...he's gonna need to be in his Pokéball for the orientation."

"Ugh, I've been in this school since I was six, and they still have that rule? If I can't have Gyarados out, why does Rei's mom get to keep her Garchomp out?"

"She isn't my mother," the bluenette said curtly as she began to walk away.

"R-Right, sorry Rei!"

"Woah, guessing there's some backstory here I don't know about," I hummed thoughtfully as Rei stormed off.

"Sweetie, you know the reason why," Theo said gently. "Some of the really little kids will get scared of him."

"That's no fair! Gyarados is a big cuddle-bug...when he's not rampaging," Carrie let out a huff and gave the water-type a sad look. "I'm really sorry about this…"

"Brrrrrrrr," Gyarados rubbed his face against the girl gently before allowing himself to be returned in a flash of red light.

Carrie let out a groan as she followed alongside her father. "Really stupid rules…"

"W-Wait, are parents supposed to be with their kids for the orientation?" I asked nervously.

Both of them froze and turned to me with apologetic looks, their lips twitching as they did everything in their power to not cringe. My shoulders simply sunk as a short sigh escaped my mouth, and I walked past them with a tired expression.

"Come on V, let's get through this orientation thing."

"Uhh...yeah, okay."

The fighting-type padded behind me as we headed to what we assumed was the auditorium for the school. When we entered, I found it was essentially the Gym's battlefield temporarily repurposed for a large gathering of people. From snack tables, to fold-up chairs lain in front of a large stage and podium, it was like Prof. Oak's summer camp all over again.

"Hey, boss! We're getting some stares, y'know."

"Hmm?" I blinked and tilted my head, noting that yes, there were several people staring at me with varying expressions of shock and awe. Most likely more relatives from the clan, or people who knew my parents. "V, people thought I was dead, of course they're gonna-"

"No, not like that! I mean, sure there are some really old guys giving you this weird look like they're trying to read your mind or something," Viggo shook his head before nodding towards a dark corner. "I'm talking about them…"

I sweatdropped at the jackal-like Pokémon's remark before looking to where he was motioning me towards. The corner itself was darkened, but...it was almost artificial, like somebody had made that specific spot dark on purpose. And there was just an itching at the back of my neck that told me somebody was watching me from there.

Apparently the fact that V and I were looking meant that the jig was up, because the darkness quickly dissipated as a Hydreigon slithered out of the shadows. The dark-type was followed by two redheads, one of whom I assumed was it's trainer. Both of them were staring at me in a way that chilled me to the bone.

The first was a boy around my age, with curly red hair, gold-colored eyes, and the obvious pasty skin and freckles. He was also dressed as a vampire, and I don't mean that as some passing joke, because his clothes were literally what you would see on a vampire. A fancy red suit with a frilly undershirt, leather pants that were overtaken by large boots, and he even wore an amulet with a bright red oval gem decorating his neck.

If the kid was ginger Dracula, then the man who could only be his father must have been Frankenstein's Monster. He was half-bald, with what remained of his red hair going down to his shoulders, and his head was borderline banana shape ending in a cleft chin, his already pale skin had a slight greenish tint, and I swore the whites of his eyes almost looked yellowish beneath the lighting of the auditorium. Instead of some vampire aesthetic like his son he went for a more medieval look, donning leather armor with spiked pauldrons and boots.

"You noticed us even though we hid in the shadows," Frankenstein mused with a suave, british-sounding voice as his dark-dragon coiled at his feet. "Tell me, how could you tell we were there?"

"My Riolu could sense your Aura, and he notified me about it," I furrowed my brows as Dracula clicked his teeth. "Also, a shadow that dark is way too over the top, even in a dark corner. I've dealt with plenty of strong dark-types to know that."

"It's only just the one," Viggo deadpanned to me with singular telepathy. "Unless you have some stories from your camp-"

"Fascinating! You're much sharper than you appear to be…" the balding ginger leaned forward with a toothy sneer. "Just like your mother, bless her soul."

"...You knew my mom?"

"Knew is a strong way to put it. She and I would regularly get into childish squabbles, of which I was more often the victor...until I wasn't, of course," Frankenstein put his hands on his son's shoulders and smiled. "My name is Ruber Grimborn, and this is my son, Lucas. A pleasure to see you alive and well, Jareth Blackthorn."

"...So, rival then? And I can imagine my mom never took it seriously?" I pursed my lips as Ruber's smile fell just a bit. "Well, I can assure you that I'm not going to be prone to making the same mistakes my mother did...probably…"

"Mistake?" the balding man cocked an eyebrow at me before smirking. "Oho, you're quite amusing, Jareth. I'm certain you'll provide interesting company for Lucas."

"I guess...if I get around to it," I said nervously.

"You were the one they were talking about a few months ago, correct?" Lucas spoke up, revealing an almost velvet sweet voice that nearly made me shiver. "You saved Rei from that stupid girl's Gyarados, didn't you?"

"Uhh...yeah, I did...obviously not without some collateral damage," I motioned to my broken arm and gave them a strained smile. "But hey, I found out I was a Blackthorn, so everything turned out for the best, huh?"

"And I'm ever so grateful for that," Lucas did mock bow as a half-sneer tugged at his lips. "After all, Rei is quite important to me, and I'd be absolutely heartbroken if she had died. That'd be two less things to amuse me."

"Hehe...wait, what do you mean 'two things'?"

"I think you already know what I mean, Jareth," the boy let out a perverse chuckle at my initial confusion, causing bile to well up in my throat. "I do hope to see you in class...though one wonders how you'll do on written exams, for obvious reasons."

I chewed the inside of my cheek at the clear dig at my injuries, and made an attempt at an underhanded retort. Any further conversation cut off when the two walked off, their dragon-type following along stealthily as he slithered through the air.

"It was a pleasure to truly meet you, young Jareth," Ruber said offhandedly. "I can only wonder how entertaining my son's school life will be with you around."

Once I was sure they were out of earshot, I clicked my teeth angrily. "What a pair of dicks," I tilted my head to my starter. "Hey, did those two scream 'evil', or what?"

"You're assuming I didn't gleam that off from their Aura...also, 'evil' might be a stretch," Viggo shrugged. "Their Aura wasn't 'evil', more of just general asshole-ishness. I've felt evil Aura before, and you know where."

"R-Right...still, talking about that, really?"

"Wait, what's got you pissed off?"

"Well, he called my second cousin stupid, and then he mentioned he only liked Rei because of her breasts," I felt my free hand clench into a fist. "Not only does the first thing infuriate me, but the second really grinds my gears."

"What, really? You've admitted to being a total perv!"

"Yeah, but I'm a normal 13-year-old boy, and I have something called 'restraint'. That ginger nut didn't even mention who she is as a person...I mean, we haven't seen much of that either, but she's not mean or anything," I gave the fighting-type a sideways glance. "Also, me a pervert? Mister 'massive dohoonkabhankoloos'?"

"I was doing a meme thing! Don't judge me!"

"Yeah, figured that was what was going on there," I said boredly. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Clair walking across the stage in front of several Clan officials, no doubt to give a speech. "I think this is the part where I start paying attention."

"You're supposed to pay attention in school?" Viggo asked owlishly. "I just sorta tuned stuff out whenever my mentors were going on about boring stuff."

"...Okay, I'm gonna need to really help you out during training," I said exasperatedly.

Clair tapped the mic slightly before it turned on, and flinched at the loud mechanical screeching as it came to life. "Alright, that's...annoying...so, I wanna make sure this thing really works, so...if your name is Micheal or Michelle, please stand up," the bluenette pursed her lips as several people seated stood up in confusion. "Sweet! That concludes my Mike check."

I snorted, along with most of the crowd, as the Mikes sat back down. "Oh man, that was good…"

"Ah, so it's genetic."

"So, as you all know, we have a lot of new students, some of whom are only here for the temporary curriculum."

Please don't shine a light on me! Please don't shine a spotlight on me!

"And for the new students specifically, I know it can be a bit embarrassing, especially if you feel as though you're 'too experienced' for remedial lessons on dragon taming, or you think you have everything handled," Clair's eyes darted icily to Lucas and his father for a split second, then to me with an exasperated look, before she continued. "But I promise, this isn't just a boring and obligatory class. The lessons you learn here, even for just a brief period, go back for centuries."

Clair stood up straight and set the crowd of young trainers and trainers to be with a fierce expression. "All of you are our Clan's legacy, the younger generation, and what we're going to teach you will be things you need to know," the bluenette chewed the inside of her lip for a few seconds before sighing. "Whether for better or for worse."

Many of the adults stood up and applauded, ignoring their nervous children. Behind her, several of the Clan elders were nodding to Clair in approval at her speech. I stood at the far back with a strained smile as my cousin stepped off the stage to several fellow clansmen hounding her.

"What was up with that last part of the speech anyway?"

"Oh, that's cause there was this big war a few decades ago," I tilted my head at the fighting-type. "What, you do remember that, right?"

"I never had history lessons, man!" Viggo wheezed out. "I just had boring stuff, like 'how to harness your internal core energy' or 'produce waves of nthory blue' or stuff like that."

"Well, there was a big war a few decades ago, and while the core armies were duking it out, the people still back home here in Blackthorn were besieged by a rival clan," I put a finger to my chin and hummed thoughtfully. "I don't actually know what it was all about, but tensions are still really high, and Dragon Taming school probably covers combat for that reason."

"Helix, that's...dark…" the fighting-type folded his arms as a contemplative look spread across his face. "Hey, you said rival clan, right? Do...do you think that has anything to do with your parents?"

"...I'd have to ask Clair, and I doubt she'd tell me," I said offhandedly as I began walking away from the crowd.

"So what do you think the first lesson is gonna be?"

"Written exam...with my luck that is."

"Oh...ohohohohh…" Viggo shrunk in place as he eyed my still broken arm. "Yeah, that's probably gonna be an issue."

"Not really, I'm ambidextrous," I held my left hand up and wiggled my fingers. "So I should be good."

"We didn't really get into any wacky shenanigans or zany hijinks this time…"

"Eh, next time will be better...probably."

And with that, our hero's temporary stop begins, as young Jareth acclimates to his new life within the Blackthorn Clan. Only Arceus knows what strange conundrum he'll find himself mixed up in next.

Trainer Name: Jareth Blackthorn

Pokémon team:

Viggo (Riolu):

Known moves: Aura Sphere, Screech, Quick Attack, Force Palm, Shadow Claw, Bullet Punch, Mind Reader, Meteor Mash, Blaze Kick, Vacuum Wave, High Jump Kick, Drain Punch.

Maggie (Misdreavus):

Known moves: Astonish, Confuse Ray, Psywave, Telekinesis, Sucker Punch, Ominous Wind, Screech, Spite, Nasty Plot, Shadow Sneak, Curse, Memento, Psychic, Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, Mean Look, Hex.

Calypso/Callie (Horsea):

Known moves: Bubble, Smokescreen, Leer, Water Gun, Dragon Rage.

At home:

Dragonite, inherited from late mother (Shiny, Crippled): Moves unknown

Gyarados, inherited from late mother (Crippled):

Known moves: Brine

*Literally half of the outfits David Bowie wore while playing Jareth in Labyrinth.

One done, and after this a short break and focus on FnR. Now, onto the reviews!

Flygar: Not even close, Ruber has nothing to do with it. If you're a man of nostalgia, you'll recognize where I pulled him from.

coldblue2015: He hasn't trained to use Aura at all, so there's not really much for him to tell his cousin. Dreepy could probably sense Giratina's presence, but they wouldn't know if somebody has encountered him or not unless they had been in physical contact with Giratina. As for Caitlyn...I think you can see what happened there. Finally, I have 3 rivals planned out for Jareth: One is Lucas up there in the last bit, the other is a female who will be his serious rival/another nother love interest, and the other one will probably just be Paul, because everybody drags Paul into things for some reason so I thought 'eh, why the hell not?'.

verycoolname: Noodle incident...well, right up until it's too late (*Ominous organ riff*)

lazyguy90: You'll see plenty of the clan politics in chapter...eh, 9-ish, I guess.

Jackal(guest): It literally states in their dex entries that Dragonite can circle the globe in under 16 hours. You see them flapping them in the Anime.

teodo: Yes, but I'm dead on the inside T_T

Thank you for reading and reviewing, please leave any thoughts, questions, and constructive criticism in your reviews.