IONIZED IDEALS

For a world in the far future.

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Getting questioned by a deity after being chased away into caverns by a surprise super storm.

Truly a Hoenn™ moment.

"May I have an easier question?" A soaked Gwyar asked wryly, tucking his bangs away from his eyes as he dropped atop a boulder in front of the Deep Black Pokemon.

Headed towards an uncertain future... Well, then.

"My ideal world..." He said, a smile sliding over his lips as he cupped his chin. "I can't say I've ever thought about it."

For all his eccentricities, he wasn't one to fantasize about things he couldn't have.

"Perhaps... one where my children can grow, prosper and live their lives as they choose, free from danger and... tradition." He said. He grew silent but for a moment, before smiling up at the dragon. "As long as they are happy and well, I can accept a great many unideal circumstances for myself... and others."

One's selflessness wasn't necessarily spread equally amongst all.

"And— I am willing to do a great many things." He said. "As I've already have."

The sound of the storm wasn't growing dimmer, but he had no more to say— and he couldn't be at ease near such an imposing creature.

"Is that enough? Then... Good day, Zekrom." He said, turning the same way he came. "Give my regards to his Highness, please."

---

The storms had drawn Ranger attention - and by extension, El's own. What was causing this - and what could it portend? Not wanting to risk exposing the flying-type Akero to electricity, they instead ascend with Ysera to investigate - the serene Hydreigon touching down at the peak of Meteor Falls. As the rain picks up in intensity, the duo are eager to shelter.

Entering the great cavern, El is not sure what they expect to find - but the Black Yin is certainly up there on the scale of unexpectedness. Recognizing the Legend from during the fighting against Kyurem though, El is able to swallow down the apprehension that nags at the back of their head as they step forward. "Is everything okay?" They ask, wondering if something had Zekrom agitated or upset, to make the storm.

But rather than an answer, a question was posed. A question of ideals. El blinks a bit - the booming voice of the dragon a strange sensation, even though they are used to their psychic pokemon 'communicating' with them with telepathy. They take a second to consider - to mull over the question...

"I mean... The easy answer, would be something like world peace, right? That everyone can work together, to better eachothers' lives - that no one has to suffer or go hungry... But that's not really something that's perfectly realistic, right?" El muses, visibly thoughtful. "Like... Human beings aren't always going to live in perfect harmony - as much as I wish we could. We're messy, in that sense. And it's not like we can exactly stop things like natural disasters or sickness from happening, or even half of the weird stuff that goes on here in Hoenn alone. But..."

There's something of a wistful smile to their expression, as they continue "I still would like to see a world where we can set aside our issues when trouble rears its head. Rocket, League... As far as a lot of the stuff that bears down on Hoenn cares? It's either indifferent to the fighting, or maybe even wants us to keep fighting. Fighting each other isn't going to stop Kyurem, or the Paradox Pokemon that come into reality, or whatever may come along."

"It's not like I can directly change it on a wide scale - I'm just one person, and I'm not like your friend, or my brother, or any of the others who have a god on their side, Avatar or not. But... I do hope that maybe, if I show enough people some kindness and talk to them, it'll get them thinking. About the fighting, about the things going on around us regardless of it... Yaknow?"

Smiling to Zekrom though, they'd remark "Even if I'm just one person... Surely, if I try hard enough, it'll cause a chain reaction among the people who hear me out - right? All it takes is for each of us to get a few others thinking about it, for an idea to spread."

For a few long moments, the silence hangs there - broken only by the crackles of electricity in the fog, and the storm outside. El seems to bask in the peace, at least, until another thought occurs to them.

"Do you... Know of that weird Galar dream, that a lot of us had?" They asked, voice soft, contemplative. "I guess some people had their own version of the dream, so it's sometimes hard to say if someone wouldn't understand, even if I don't have an inkling of who they are. But... I think that dream - even for all of the troubles it had - kind of... Gives a good picture of what I mean, by us setting aside Rocket and League to focus on what matters."

"Things were dangerous, and difficult, sure - and people still squabbled at first, but... It didn't matter who you were before you entered the dream, once we all settled in. All that mattered then, was that there were people taking up their swords and shields and pokemon to just.. Help. To help the villagers that relied on us, help eachother, and help Galar as a whole."

It was their hope, that... Perhaps someday, more people would understand the need to focus on the real threats out there.

The legendary pokemon of the world must have had a meeting and decided that these next few months were the best time to call upon the public to share their opinions. Oscar was drawn in by the power emanating from Meteor Falls, and relentlessly traversed its treacherous paths to locate the power's source. He was confused when he came upon Zekrom, who was never seen without its Avatar Remiel Calcifet. Then the great dragon spoke into his mind, and all was made clear--though to be honest Oscar nearly just left.

Between Zekrom and the Bunny Oscar was getting sick of talking at physical gods hoping to get---what, their approval? A clap on the back and a lollipop? That would be nice actually. No! There shall be no lollipops, just woes that would consume his intrusive thoughts all night! He must turn his back on this nonsense and protest by not partaking...

...Then again he did come all this way. Plus he had nothing else planned for this Saturday, he cleared everything to be here. Alright fine just once more! He clapped his gloved hands together, twisting them outward to crack his knuckles. After a roll of his shoulders, he would begin his oration.

"Hey there, glad to have an audience with my favorite frienemy. I feel like my ideal world is not one you're gonna like, because you're not in it. Well, maybe you are but you wouldn't wield as much power as you do now. I tell ya, I have been sick of how easily Hoenn has been assaulted by apocalyptic threats. I mean, Kyurem just showed up once day and massacred who knows how many people! We couldn't even kill it, we were sitting ducks! I mean no offense to you when I say this, but humanity should not have to surrender themselves to all powerful forces of nature to justify their right to exist. Would I do so personally? In a heart beat, no question--but I shouldn't have to."

"Our survival, clings to the factor of how many gods can we get on our side before the next big calamity occurs. That's not the future I want, nor is it the future humanity deserves. In order to thrive in this world, humanity must take control over nature. Using technology, we must take control of our own destiny and shed our reliance on gods. The means to do so are already within our grasp. I have a plan in motion that shall allow humanity to reclaim its dominance! I'll make it happen, even if I have to rip apart the crust of the Earth and beyond to do so! Just you watch, you overgrown beedril!"

Oscar paused, realizing that he was getting a little carried away. "Um--sorry that got a little personal. Truth be told I haven't really let go of the last time we uh--you remember. I'm not over it, I'm sorry!" Oscar scratched the back of his head, slowly coming to the conclusion that he had nothing else to say. "Alright peace."

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Amidst the storm, among the ruins, you stand and face down the Deep Black God.

God. "God". Hah! What a joke. After everything you've been through, you're supposed to be afraid of a God? No, looking up at the dragon as it is perched upon its altar, you feel nothing but contempt. You don't see a divine being seeking counsel, but another obstacle in your path. No different than the hundreds and thousands of other Pokemon that the League has at their beck and call.

Except out of all of them, Zekrom might be the most infuriating. Even moreso than the Blacephalon of illeana reyes, who burnt your flesh black. Even moreso than Palkia, who was responsible for rending your reflection asunder. And how could you not hate it? It asks for your vision of an ideal world, for the future you desire most, for everything you are and everything you could be. Yet on that day, when it came time to make that ideal into truth, it stood on the opposite side and opposed you.

You won't call it a hypocrite. Everyone's a hypocrite. That's just human nature. With every second and every minute, their philosophies shift and change like water. Nobody is the same person they were yesterday. That's not a failure. That's just life.

But that doesn't stop you from hating your enemy.

"My ideal world is Kyurem whole. And I won't let anyone stop me from realising that ideal. Not even you."

To say that so frankly to one instrumental in ripping Kyurem apart was tantamount to a threat. But you're not here to fight, and it isn't either. If it was, you would've been obliterated by lightning the moment you set in foot in here. So, you take a moment to revel in it. Here and now, you can drink poison like booze, and you simply won't die.

It's a grand and intoxicating feeling. One of the greatest in the world. Yet, once the moment passes, so too do you.

"...Well, be seeing you."

With one last wave goodbye, you turn around and leave the way you came.

---

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In his own strange way, Josh was a storm chaser. As a Pokémon rider who loved the thrill of going fast, he was always seeking ways to elevate his team's speed. Having raised so many electric Pokémon, he had learned that the already swift Pokémon type could run faster than normal in stormy weather; the more intense the storm, the more speed it bestowed upon him.

As Josh was heading east from Fallarbor Town, he received a weather alert: a severe thunderstorm warning covering the Meteor Falls area. His eyes peered west, witnessing the black clouds above the mountain. Reining his Manectric around, Josh slapped the helmet visor of his Sygna Suit down and faced westward, Saber galloping toward the storm as fast as the municipal speed limit would allow. Once he was on the plateau west of Fallarbor, he dug his heels into his Manectric's sides. The electric dog responded by bolting forward, absorbing the ambient plasma in the air and discharging it through his paws, propelling them to Raikou-like speeds. Josh was whooping and hollering loudly, as though he were in control of the Beast instead of his Sygna Pokémon. JOLLY as could be, the two were in perfect sync with one another, butning Infinity Energy as propellant to maintain their spine-chilling pace.

Their parade would be rained on as the storm grew more intense. A normal storm's rain wouldn't bother him as much, but it was clear this was no ordinary storm. Its raindrops were large, their high speed impacts with the racer's Sygna Suit deafening. He had little choice but to take cover inside Meteor Falls. Deep within, Saber would arrive at the Draconid Ruins - and Zekrom. It was a legendary Pokémon he was more than familiar with. The electric dragon inquired as to what Josh's ideal world would be.

"O Holy Zekrom," Josh answered, "my ideal world would be one without large-scale war. People are going to disagree; that much is human nature, constant and without change. If I could reshape the world, it would be one where war is waged with the wrath of the pen, the weight of one's accomplishments, and the eloquence of the mind, not the brutality of the sword. A world where Instead of people worrying about whether they'll die to a League or Rocket airstrike, their biggest worries are whether they'll land that promotion at work. How to line up schedules for a vacation. Where to go out to eat for a birthday or a holiday. Who to bet on in the Silph Cup." The list could have gone on and on. Even the most ideal world would never be conflict-free. He could do his part, though, to make that world a reality. "You ever wonder why Hoenn is one of the few Pokémon Leagues that militarizes their Gym circuit? This war is why."

"O Holy Zekrom, I want to see a world where freedom actually means something. In Hoenn today, freedom means living in terror. Freedom should mean fighting for sport instead for the right to rule. I would want to see not only Hoenn's war, but war all over the world, to end. And Zekrom? If I had to be a martyr to ensure that my descendants could live in this world without the fear of war and with the assurance that their freedom would be everlasting, I would. The Great One will pay it back to me in heaven. Whatever it takes to eradicate war from this planet, I will do. It is a small price to pay to ensure hundreds of thousands -- no, millions of people and Pokémon, can live their lives to their fullest, most natural ends."

Infinity Energy flared between Josh and Saber as the air became electrified with both Zekrom's plasma and Saber's electric discharges. It was only the Gym Leader's Sygna Suit that made him able to survive the hostile environment around him. "We have enough gods trying to end the world. We don't need petty wars accelerating us down that path. The world would never know true peace. But Zekrom, we do not need governments waging war against one another, or in Hoenn's case, upon itself. Zekrom, I tire of fighting. I just... want a world where no one has to fight anymore." As his words crescendoed, the electricity around him did as well. A controlled DISCHARGE expanded outward from them both, not as an attack, but to dance alongside the legendary creature's electric aura.