"Nii~"
A short while later, outside Skyspire University's main gate, Auron stood there with a drowsy Dratini cradled in his arms, enduring the stares of every student who passed by.
Another minute ticked by. He sighed and murmured to the sleepy bundle in his arms. "Dratini... if you're this tired, why did you insist on tagging along?"
"Nii~"
"Okay, okay. Don't pout. Tag along, tag along. I never said you couldn't come."
The instant he said that, Dratini stopped fussing and burrowed back into his arms to doze peacefully.
"Where are these people..."
Dratini was beyond reasoning with, but Tim and the others? Fair game. Auron started grumbling.
"Coming, coming! I was waiting for the girls. You know how it is with girls—they take forever to—OW."
Tim jogged over mid-sentence and got whacked on the back of his head by a tail.
"Hehe. Deserved that."
Serena watched Milotic and Dragonair drift past Tim, their expressions utterly indifferent, and giggled.
"Master, Master! Let's go, let's go! I can't wait for my new Pokémon!"
Lucas hopped right over Tim's crumpled form without so much as a glance.
In the end, it was Altaria—reliable as always—who pulled Tim back to his feet.
"Let's go. Stop crowding the entrance, or we'll cause a jam." Auron watched Tim with amusement. He could stand up just fine on his own—Milotic hadn't even hit him that hard—but no, he had to lie there waiting for someone to pick him up.
"Go, go, go! Move out!"
Lucas was already speed-walking through Skyspire's front gate and into the subway station.
Auron watched his retreating figure, puzzled. "Hiss... wait. Did I ever say I was picking out a new Pokémon for him today?"
Serena gave a light laugh. "I don't think so."
"Then why is he in such a rush?"
Auron shook his head, baffled, and followed everyone into the station.
Large or dangerous Pokémon weren't allowed on the subway—Munchlax, Aggron, Ursaring, and the like. Small Pokémon were fine: Dratini, Altaria, Darumaka, Larvitar, Abra, and so on.
But long Pokémon, even if they could coil up and didn't take much floor space—Dragonair, Milotic—were best left out of the subway cars.
So after entering the station, everyone recalled their Pokémon, each keeping just one out.
Auron held Dratini. Lucas had his Abra. Serena cradled her Darumaka.
Simon's and Lena's Pokémon were all Ghost-types, so Simon released Gengar, who hid in the couple's overlapping shadows. The rest stayed in their Poké Balls.
Tim was the only one with nothing. Not a single Pokémon out.
Dragonair was too long. Altaria's cotton wings took up too much space. That left Garbodor and Deino.
But Garbodor was technically toxic—classified as dangerous—so no subway rides for him.
That left Deino. But Deino was socially anxious. One look at the crowd and he refused to leave his Poké Ball, no matter what.
"Serious question. Are there any cute Dragon-types?" Tim looked at everyone else cradling a Pokémon while he stood there alone, and asked with a dark expression.
(What about Simon? Simon's got his wife. Holding your wife is its own reward.)
Auron stifled a laugh but answered earnestly. "Sure. Axew before it evolves, Jangmo-o, Gible—all pretty cute. But after evolution? Probably nothing you'd want to carry in your arms."
"Great."
The despondent Tim decided to close his eyes and rest. Nothing else to do. His heart ached.
Skyspire was close to the city center's Pokémon shops, so the ride was short. They arrived quickly.
Once they climbed out of the station and the crowds thinned, Tim immediately pulled Deino out and held him close.
"Hehe."
Everyone stared. Seriously? Holding a Pokémon made him that giddy?
Just as Auron's group entered the Pokémon shop, Rayquaza was picking a fight with Darkrai.
Rewind to a few minutes earlier. After leaving Auron's house, Cyrus had first stopped by the Cardinal interrogation site. Seeing that none of the Cardinals were willing to talk, he didn't particularly care. He also had no intention of meeting with the Church's negotiators—let them stew.
From there, he headed to a different research facility in the capital—not the one where Grandpa Flint and Grandpa Ashford worked. This one focused on technology rather than Pokémon.
At the tech lab, Cyrus picked up a location tracker. After inputting the codes for Auron and Victini, the tracker displayed their real-time positions.
At the same time, a new red dot appeared on Auron's and Victini's own trackers—Cyrus's.
Satisfied, Cyrus then produced the Lunar Wing and began summoning Darkrai.
After all, he'd made a promise: once they were back, Darkrai would get a Lunar Wing and be summoned via its power.
So Cyrus didn't overthink it. He just went ahead and called Darkrai over.
Darkrai didn't overthink it either. When he sensed the summons, he was delighted and immediately dove through the shadows toward Cyrus's location.
But both of them had forgotten one critical detail: this was the capital. And the capital had a Rayquaza parked in it.
Normally that wouldn't matter. But right now? This was a Rayquaza who'd just eaten well, who hadn't gotten to spar with Hoopa, and whose claws were itching for action.
So the instant Darkrai entered the capital's airspace, Rayquaza felt it.
At the same time, Rayquaza sensed Cyrus's energy signature right next to Darkrai. Rayquaza's immediate conclusion? Cyrus had brought a new sparring partner since Hoopa was out of commission.
That thought sent Rayquaza over the moon. He rocketed straight to the research facility.
The moment Cyrus spotted Rayquaza, he realized the problem and opened his mouth to explain.
But Rayquaza cut him off with a raised claw and waved dismissively.
("I know, I know. We'll fight outside. Won't wreck the city.")
Then he beckoned to Darkrai. Follow me.
Darkrai froze. He looked at the slack-jawed Cyrus, looked at Rayquaza, looked down at the location tracker in his hand, then decided... sure, he'd follow.
(End of Chapter)