Paldean Knights - Chapter 4

Back at the palace, at least, I was able to retreat away from all of the hubbub.

After the King and Queen got their greetings in.

The summation of everything was that all of the adults thought I was very brave for doing as I had, but that it was most decidedly not my job to do so despite being the elder sibling, and that I should leave future situations to those trained to deal with them.

Oh, and they were allowing me early enrollment in Uva Academy as a reward.

Which might not seem like much of a reward, but…

Uva and Naraja were Pokemon Academies.

You couldn't get enrolled unless you had, at the very least, registered as a trainer and possessed one trainable monster.

Which meant…

I sighed, and looked to the egg in the incubator resting on the stone floor right below me. “This isn't on you or anything, I was going to grow up sooner or later, just... thought I had more time.”

A soft pulse of emotion pushed back at me and I chuckled.

“I know, you want to get out and take on the world already, but take your time. Even pokemon... only get to be young once,” I stated, sighing melancholically and looking out over the distance from the parapets.

The moon was rising against the starry night sky as things began to wind down in the castle below me. Out across the castle walls, the small collection of buildings between and outside them, and finally the clean grassy lawn beyond that... then there was the Bosque de Rey or, in a more familiar tongue, the King's Woods.

It was a reserve for certain specific types of wild game and pokemon who wouldn't prey on them, meant to serve as both grounds for a young royal trainer to make their first pokemon catch or participate in a boar hunt with their pokemon to demonstrate their skill.

Honestly, it sounded a lot more impressive than it really was.

Most of the truly powerful pokemon had been overused by my family through the generation until their local populations went into decline and they died out. What was left were a number of insect, flying, and ground types... along with a smattering of dark and ghost types, because you couldn't turn over a fucking rock in Paldea without finding a ghost, apparently.

Just... so many ghost types.

Not that I was complaining, of course, ghost types were awesome.

But it meant that the King's Wood wasn't somewhere most people went for pokemon, anymore. Especially royalty, ironically, who could simply purchase the more powerful breeds on the open market in this day and age.

Not that we did.

Usually.

That kind of behavior set a bad precedent for the nobility and turned the battling culture of the region into a pay to win system. Not that it wasn't already, but there was a difference between having it be so out in the open and keeping the corruption and nepotism behind closed doors.

I sighed again at the reminder of the world I was walking into.

It was a world of expectations, for me at least. People had readily made it known that they wanted things from me, saw the potential for greatness within me that they could attach themselves to and ride my coattails. I didn't precisely regret revealing how smart I was at such a young age, but... being both very smart and very creepy had created a certain divide between myself and everyone around me. It had marked me as 'other.'

Unusual.

Perhaps that was why I preferred interacting with pokemon?

Maybe innately understanding the reasons why people do things isn't productive for interpersonal relationships. Who knew?

I scoffed at the thought and turned back to contemplate the night in the meditative silence falling across the world.

It was an almost magical time for me, the night. As people fell asleep, the world slowed down and seemed to get bigger... or at least emptier, without the presence of so many people in it. Sleepers' thoughts and emotions wandered, it appeared, becoming more diffuse and less substantial.

Being here, now... it was relaxing, especially after the mess at the party.

Somehow, some when, this castle had become home.

This world had become home.

...and I had no idea what I wanted from it.

Even after eight years, it was an awkward thought. I had an entire life ahead of me in a wonderful and awe-inspiring world full of monsters and heroes and villains. I could go on adventures! Meet creatures and people I'd only ever dreamed about! See things no other human had ever documented!

Even just here in Paldea there was plenty to ensure I had fame and glory to last several lifetimes if I wished it.

But did I wish it?

It seemed a waste not to, didn't it?

I grimaced as I realized that was the problem. I'd been given a gift beyond anyone's wildest expectations and I didn't want to squander it. But fulfilling life – for me – wasn't the same as some fanciful adventure. No, I was the kind of person who was happy eating pizza and burgers and watching old cartoons as I kicked back and relaxed.

Did I have it in me to be great?

To even want to be great?

“I suppose that's the question,” I muttered unhappily.

Then I stopped and sat up a bit.

I was overthinking this, I really was.

This was my life, not theirs.

I’d live it the way I wanted to, not according to how the world around me dictated it. This time around, I’d do what I wanted, without the regrets I still had from my previous life.

I rolled my eyes in a sudden bout of irreverence and reached down to pick up the incubator. “Look at me swooning like a Disney Princess, ugh. I'll just try to take things as they come, planning is for chumps anyway.”

…

I realized precisely three seconds after stepping into the room that I should have had a plan.

Past-Me had really fucked Present-Me over, there.

“-hey Mom, you wanted to... see... me...” I trailed off, taking note of the assemblage of people in the room. The first, and most important, was obviously my mother. My grandmother was also in attendance, the queen herself, which was a tad unusual. Even if she played favorites with her grandchildren, the relationship between mother in law and daughter in law had never been a particularly cozy one. Of course, Lehonor being there as well explained things better. While Aldonza might not be very fond of Lani, she adored her only granddaughter.

That was all very normal.

The problem was…

“Gym Leader Tulip, I wasn't aware you would be in attendance,” I stated evenly as I mentally scrolled through the secret passageways near this particular sitting room. Quickly, before anyone could respond, I continued. “I can see you're entertaining a guest, Mother, so I'll just-”

I turned and bumped into the amused and exasperated face of Lyra, my personal bodyguard.

I stared at the woman's red eyes, one equally fiery eyebrow arched high as she crossed her arms in front of me, an impassable wall.

“So it's come to this,” I stated quietly, “betrayal of your very prince, himself. What did they promise you?”

The woman huffed a silent tone of amusement and shook her head, her eyes never leaving me for a moment. Sadly, she was too used to my shenanigans and knew that any moment of inattention on her part would see me escape.

“My prince does have a love of drama,” she replied, her tone low. “Now go sit down with your mother, Her Majesty, and their guest.”

I sighed.

Yeah, really could have used a plan right about now.

Turning and walking forward with the air of someone approaching their own execution, I walked towards the three women and my younger sister. Grandmother and mother, at least, both had indulgent looks on their faces, still apparently too busy overcoming the shock of my near-death experience to get angry at me acting my own age for once.

“Well, if it isn't the man of the hour... should I feel slighted that you're suddenly too popular and famous to even greet your Aunt Tulip?” The tanned beauty asked, looking for every inch like she'd just stepped off a Talosian runway with her exquisitely tailored blouse, skirt, and miniature scarf... thing wrapped around her neck? Cravat? Or was that only men?

“I beg your pardon, Aunt Tulip,” I stated, giving her a little bow. “I've simply learned that discretion is the better part of valor when a trap has obviously been laid for me.”

My mother laid her face in the palm of one hand with a sigh even as Grandmother scoffed in that way old people do when they want to sound upset, but secretly think what you just did was amusing. Lehonor, on the other hand, just frowned cutely as she amused herself with her poke-doll. Today's favorite was the rare and exotic bellossom, a limited edition line that she'd received from one of her age group during one of their playdates.

Hmm... mental note, if Lehonor still wants a bellossom when the time comes, let her know about the sun stone.

It was one of the few real 'secrets' that I remembered from way back when I used to play the games and watch the movies.

In response to my sardonic accusation, though, Tulip simply laughed gaily, throwing one hand over her mouth to block it from view. “Oh my! You're quite entertaining as always, Aznaro! A shame that you still have the fashion sense of an undertaker, though... the things I could do with a complexion like yours...”

“Hence why I consider this to be a trap. Even if I admire your skill in battle, Aunt Tulip, I still haven't forgotten the outfit you put together for last year's harvest festival,” I stated bluntly, my tone deadpan.

“You shouldn't live in the past so much, Little Azi!” Tulip giggled, shaking her head. “But, still... I can at least assure your mother and grandmother that you're no more psychic than you were the last time I saw you.”

I blinked, honestly taken aback for a few moments.

Why would they... Oh, right.

I turned to my mother and the queen with a frown and crossed my arms. “You could have just asked, you know?”

“Aznaro, even if you are my dear grandson, getting anything out of you is often harder than pulling teeth from your grandfather's skeledirge,” Aldonza informed me with a narrowed gaze.

“At least when it isn't about the latest discovery of some historical site or esoteric pokemon research project,” Lani chimed in.

Ouch, a rare moment of agreement from the two of them and it's about me.

Although…

“I suppose that's fair,” I muttered, acknowledging my own fault.

“Now, now... leave the little genius alone, ladies,” the gym leader chimed in, and I narrowed my gaze at the fashionista, wondering what she wanted that she was willing to speak up in my defense like that. “He's a born academic, and a boy besides. You can't very well expect miracles.”

Oh no, wait, conversational feint to burn.

Elegant and irritating.

Bravo, Tulip. Bravo.

“If all you wanted to do was make sure I wasn't developing psychic type energy, may I be excused, Mother? I was looking round the old stables to try and pick one out to refurbish since I'm to be given my starter soon.” Although I didn't really need to go looking. I already knew which one I wanted.

Although I didn't know if the secret passage in the cellar was built before the stable itself or if the stable was built later to conceal the entrance and exit.

“Oh?” Abuela asked, sitting up straighter. “So eager? This is unlike you, Aznaro. Do you have your eye on a specific pokemon?”

“Nincada, Grandmother,” I answered promptly.

The older woman's face soured. “That's... a bug-type, isn't it?”

“An especially weak one, actually,” Tulip spoke up, tapping her lip with a manicured nail as she looked at me closely. “I don't think even Katy keeps them around for her lower badge challenges. Of course, that might also be because they aren't traditionally found in Paldea.”

“Importing a weak bug type just for the prestige of possessing a niche... ah,” my grandmother started, then stopped herself as she turned back towards me from Tulip. “You know something.”

I delved into a trace of the calm, my spirit still a bit tired from the Garchomp Incident a few days ago, and blanked my face out. “I have no idea what you could mean, Abuela. They're simply an interesting variety of nocturnal bug-type pokemon with good defense that I think could be a useful addition to whatever team I end up building.”

My grandmother studied me for another long moment, then sniffed and looked away. “Fine. Keep your secrets, Aznaro. I do hope you won't embarrass the family name with whatever you catch.”

As talked a great deal without exactly saying anything specific in my defense, I kept my smile to myself. While I didn't have all that many 'secrets' I could use to my benefit, I did have a couple. One in particular was something I'd been reminded when slipping through the incomplete pokedex textbook I'd acquired. It was,, as with most things my parents purchased for me, a complete and modern edition of the book.

I'd found it startlingly incomplete.

For instance, nincada were known. They were fairly well-documented as well, even. But they'd been written off as just another weak insect pokemon, one that wasn't even easy to acquire on top of that. They were almost wholly nocturnal, hibernated for significant portions of the summer and winter, and mainly lived in subterranean dens under large trees where they ate worms and other non-pokemon insects.

There was a not-so-subtle line of suggestion in their pokedex entry that, if a trainer wanted to waste their time, there were more interesting ways to go about doing so.

Ninjask, coincidentally, did have a completely unrelated pokedex entry, though it was just a bare blurb of a paragraph. Basically the damn things were so hard to catch on film because they were the fastest bug type on record - originally thought to have been able to turn invisible -  to the point it was now thought that they could actually teleport rather than moving. As a result, only a bare few trainers ever managed to catch one and whatever they knew about ninjask was a well-kept secret.  Oh, and they were apparently fairly hard to train, leading many of the trainer-owned ones to start emitting loud locust-screeches when unhappy or bored.

In short, it was very rare to see someone actually train a ninjask up to what they should be.

Shedinja, though?

Nothing.

With a side of jack and shit.

For the record, though, deciding to be the asshole wasn't a plan.

It was pretty fun, though.

“Anything more... interesting you have your eye on, grandson?” Grandmother asked. “Although I don't usually recommend ghost types, surely there are some interesting ones you have your eye on?”

“I haven't really thought too much more about it, Abuela,” I replied in a negative tone. “I figure since I have plenty of time with starting the Academy early, I can plan out a good team in the next few months.”

“Just keep an eye on the time, Azi,” my mother warned. “Tomorrow comes faster than one would think.”

“I hope you've at least given thought to your choice of starter, other than your mystery egg, of course,” Tulip stated, looking at the incubator I'd slung over my shoulder. “Speaking of which... give it here, Little Azi. Let's see if we have a psychic type...”

I hesitated for a moment, having thought I'd need to wait until it hatched before I knew what pokemon it was, but...

I had never been one for delayed gratification.

Passing the incubator over, Tulip's eyes widened dramatically. “Oh my... yes, this is definitely a psychic-type egg. I'll need to leave you some care and feeding instructions for when they hatch. Depending on what species they turn out to be you'll need to be careful introducing them to a larger group...”

I frowned and nodded, taking mental notes as I internalized the fact that my starter – or one of them, at least – was going to be a psychic type.

That had... potential.

“Any clue about which pokemon specifically?” I asked, looking back at Tulip.

“Hah!  I’m afraid I’m not quite that much of an expert, Little Azi,” Tulip giggled and twirled her fingers.  “I might specialize in psychic type pokemon, but my own gifts in that area are fairly modest.”

“You’re still sure that he’s not psychic himself, though?”  Lani asked, frowning as I sighed and rolled my eyes.  “Aznaro, I know you don’t think you are either, but the way you took control of that Garchomp…”

Tulip, though, simply shook her head.  “Definitely not.  I’ve been poking him quite a bit over the conversation, mentally, and would have gotten a reaction if he had any level of sensitivity.  Still… it is interesting…”

“Interesting?” Aldonza asked, her gaze suddenly intent. “Would you care to elaborate?”

“I’d always put it off as a personal quirk,” Tulip stated thoughtfully, looking at me closer as her eyes flickered with inner light. “But Aznaro is… well, a bit fuzzy for the lack of a better term, to my supernatural senses.  Now that I focus, it’s less like he’s failing to react and more like I’m failing to connect with him.  Hmm…”

I frowned, cocking my head. “Huh.”

My mother turned to me, raising an eyebrow as she did so. “You wouldn’t be able to shed some light on this, would you, Aznaro?”

“I’m not sure?” I hedged, not even lying… though I was still omitting more than a little bit. “I’ve been experimenting with channeling my ghost-type energy?  Maybe that’s it?”

That, though, was definitely a lie. I had a good idea what it was.

Lani stared at me for another long moment, then sighed. “Well, if you do happen to have any ideas you’d like to share, come talk to me or your father, okay?”

“I promise,” I nodded, then paused. “Ah… when is Director Harrington going to have my starter ready?”

The adults all shared a smile.

“Well, at least this mess has gotten you excited about something,” Aldonza muttered. “He’ll be coming by tomorrow to offer you one of the standard Paldean starters, don’t worry.”

I wasn’t worried.

I was… excited, actually.  For the first time in a while.

~~~

I hate flying so much.

Wanted to have this out earlier (story of my life), but flying for eighteen hours in a single day just wiped me the fuck out. Finally got home and slept for a solid twelve hours.

Anyway, I've got part of a Mind Games chapter written, look for that either tonight or tomorrow.

Hope everyone likes this and I'm really looking forward to not going anywhere out of the country for a long time.

I might put together a best-hits compilation of some of the pictures from my trip, if people want to see that.