Your blood is burning as hot as the orichalcum upon your skin. Your heart is as relentless as the sun beating down upon the shore. You don't even know why you're here, but you know it's where you need to be. This is it, your instinct whispers to you, its voice as certain as it is clear. This is our destination.

Mossdeep City.

How long has it taken? To follow the leylines from their beginning to their end? From Area Zero to the Silent Icelands to Route 103 to Route 126 to here? It's been days. Maybe even weeks. You hope it hasn't been longer, but... To be honest, it's hard to tell. Even when the sky was dark and the moon was high, even as it poured with rain and lashed with hail, even as the air was cold and still and quiet, you were always bright and you were always warm.

Not once, not even for a single second, has the sun above your head faltered. Even now, as your Walking Wake emerges from the waters and steps onto the beach, it continues to shine. Watching, waiting, witnessing.

As you dismount your Paradox Pokemon, the beast lets out a low, long growl. Though you couldn't hope to decipher its meaning, it sounds oddly... deferential? As though its trying to warn you of what lays ahead. But what you could possible have to fear? No, better question: What could cause this superpredator, bolstered by Protosynthesis and pushed to its absolute limits, to hesitate?

"I didn't come this far just to come this far." You reply. "C'mon. We're seeing this through."

It's a fine line, between determination and obsession. But you walk it without hesitation.

As a lone hawk circles overhead, you press forward. Across the golden sands, up the rocky cliffs, and into an open clearing. There, the harsh sunlight is joined by the buzz of Electric Terrain. There, crude machines pump and pulse, thrumming with power drawn from their surroundings.

And there, standing in front of the finish line, is a familiar face.

"...You."

---

june sleigh

As soon as the stranger called out, June whipped around like her life depended on it. It did, given the figure that now stood at the other end of the clearing. Every hair on her body stood at attention, slick with sweat underneath the suddenly hot sun. With them was a Walking Wake.

As terrifying as the rest of them, within the Giant Chasm.

“SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

“Yea, yea,” June balled one fist and put the other to her belt. A handle was gripped, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. It wouldn’t stop the Pokemon, but it would hopefully stop the trainer. She recalled Matchstick.

“Y’know,” June rose from the sand, “Most people just say hi. Or just kill without giving themselves away.”

The amalgamation of bandages and flesh haad come from the same place as the Walking Wake. Why? This was supposed to be an easy job, with little problems. Now, it had become a hard job with big problems. Maybe… maybe he’d just go away? Leave her alone? This wasn’t her fight.

Even if he’d maimed Annalise and put a bullet in her side. “Look, I’m just here to fix the shit. If you wanna wreck it, then… please don’t? But also can you wait for me to leave at least? I don’t want fight or nothin’.”

“Just wanna do my shit and leave,” she said. Both hands rested on her hips, ready to deploy a problem solver at a moment’s notice. People who sic their Pokemon on people weren’t winning awards in the sane category.

---

Shred

Fate is a real bitch, isn't it?

Only one person left standing in your way, only one last obstacle to overcome, and who is it? Grigori Sokolov's "daughter". howard slayte's "ward". One of the few names that graced Rocket's exclusive "whitelist". Of all the people in the world it could've been, of all the enemies you could've faced, it just had to be June Sleigh.

If only it were Greyson Connors. If only it were annalise henderson. If only it were illeana reyes. If only it were simple.

But it's never simple. Not for you. As you stand so close yet so far, you hear an all-too-grating voice echo in your head. "I told you this would happen, but you didn't listen. Now what will you do, Beast Shred? Will you kill her, or will you die?"

Your hand clenches into a fist. You grit your teeth. An unpleasant taste fills your mouth. But, it's not all bad.

Now's your chance to prove him wrong.

"You're not leaving." You growl, taking a step forward. Your Walking Wake follows, fangs bared as it stares down the Pokeballs hanging from June's belt. Prey in the making. But what would be the first hunt? You place a steadying hand upon the Paradox, as though trying to hold it back. "Not until we've finished here."

Until you've leapt the last hurdle. Until she's been punished for her mistakes. Until you finally find what you've been looking for... Whatever that may be.

---

june sleigh

Finished here? Finished with… what?

Her defeat? Her death? Whatever it was, it involved the front end of a Walking Wake and a guy who gave her the worst stare known to man. One filled to the brim with hatred and agony. Escape wasn’t an option, even if it seemed all too easy.

He’d chase her down to the end of the earth, if necessary. She knew it. Cause she’d do the same sort of thing. Anything to quench the flame that burned within, to find relief. To be at ease.

“Finish? Or start?” she shot back. “Our fight in the chasm was just business. I get it. Whatever. You got to play villain and put the fear of Arceus into us, we got to live another day. It’s over.”

“So, what’s this about then?” Her hair bristled, and she stomped one foot forward. She wasn’t going to lay down and die like a dog– the same thought she had back then too. “Cause I won’t let you do it. Whatever it is.”

“Cause this is just business to me, nothing more,” she lied. There wasn’t any business about this: fight, or perish. That’s why a ball on her side erupted, and a massive beast emerged. Half-moon wings, red and blue, flexed to their maximum length. Another ancient creature stomped its feet into the sand and growled back. Defiant.

And it shot forward, its Jaw Locked and ready to sink into the foe’s beast.

---

Shred

"And that's why you're going to lose."

Because "her business" is not her business. She's not fighting for herself, but for the League, for her debtors, for nebulous ideas she doesn't even believe in. But you? You're fighting for yourself. Because you want to fight. More than anything she's wanted in her entire life.

"Enough chatting shit." You hiss. As her Roaring Moon launches forth, you take your hand off of your Walking Wake. "LET'S DO THIS!"

And as though it had just smelt blood in the water, the Paradox Suicine rushed forth to meet its foe with an Aqua Jet.

It's a vicious clash. Two beasts, underneath the harsh sunlight, battling for supremacy. Two dragons, standing atop a leyline, struggling to achieve dominance over their lesser. Winning it won't be easy.

But nothing worth doing ever is.

---

june sleigh

Two beasts clashed.

Such was the tradition of this world: a good-fashioned Pokemon battle. Two sides let the creatures fight it out, risking blood and life for the whims of others. Indeed, the battle between the Roaring Moon and Walking Wake was brutal. Bloody. Water and bites and dragon rage followed every booming step, every thunderous howl.

But June couldn’t afford to revel in the fight. No, this was much, much worse. Deadly. Even as beasts clashed, she locked her gaze onto the foe— hidden ideals that clashed in the background of the physical scuffle.

Two souls who fought against the world itself for their struggles to be realized. One, the world tried to crush underfoot at every attempt. The other, the world did not even acknowledge. 

For what she desired could never come to fruition. Shred was lucky. He had a physical end goal, something to forever reach for, even if unknown. The world had reminded her that no matter how far away she reached, how hard she struggled, it’d always be in the land of tomorrow. It did not care.

She clenched her fists. “What the fuck do you want, huh? What’s the point of this!? If you’re going to tear me down, I have a right to know why!”

And then, a momentary lull in the fight. The two beasts were knocked back, back to where they started. Their energy a physical manifestation of their wills, amplified by the scorching sun and electrifying currents. Midnight charged forward once more, surrounded by draconic energies. It aimed to end the fight, and the Dragon Rushed forward to seize victory.

“TELL ME!”

---

Shred

"Because you've made a MISTAKE!"

It's a howl of contempt, for her actions and her words. Your eyes make no effort to hide the sheer overwhelming disdain you feel for the girl in front of you. Like a Garchomp looking down upon a Joltik. Despite that, there's a softness to them, their biting edge surprisingly blunt. But make no mistake, they still bite.

"Look at you, tangled in the League's web. Fighting their battles and waging their wars! The money was probably too good to pass up, wasn't it? But you're too deep now, aren't you? You didn't notice the chains around your neck until it was too late. YOU'VE FUCKED IT ALL UP!"

While the Roaring Moon rushed forth, your Walking Wake plants its feet. Its scales grow hot and its mane begins to billow as it rears back, sucking in a breath of hot sunlight. And then, it unleashes a blistering torrent of Hydro Steam upon its prey, a pure and burning exhalation. Though the Roaring Moon was mighty, it was not the apex. It was no king, and it could not overcome the royalty of the wilds.

And as the burnt body of the faux-Salamence hit the ground unconscious, you step forward, and your Walking Wake follows.

"But there's still one way to fix it. To make everything right. And everyone else might be too weak or too cowardly to do it, but I'm not. I've had to make hard choices since the moment I was born. So, for their sake and for yours, I will do what must be done."

You're sure howard slayte and Grigori Sokolov will hate you for it. But one day, when it's little more than history, they will look back and know that it was the right choice.

---

june sleigh

“You think I want the chain there?! I don't have any other options!”

Debt. A mountain– no, a continent’s worth of debt. It kept her locked up and bound, chained to the hell that was current Hoenn. Once Rocket sank their fangs into the land, nothing was ever easy. But she couldn’t leave. Not until she had paid it all off.

Or she died trying. Not the worst thing in the world. But that wouldn’t happen.

But as the two met, Midnight did not come out on top. Roaring Moon fell to the wayside, unconscious underneath the visible wafts of hot white smoke. June’s eyes widened, and she took an instinctive step back. That shouldn’t have been possible.

She reached for her side. While Shred monologued, June pulled out her revolver. Its barrel shook as she held it with one hand, the other feeling the way backward. Away from the remnant. Away from reality. Frustration bubbled underneath the surface, and her eyebrows slanted.

“You think killin’ me will fix anything?” She yelled. Another step back. “Open your fucking eyes! At best, I get my name in the paper!" Another step back. “Only good that comes from this is the banks I’m in debt with. They get fucked over. You still live your shitty life, and the world won’t care.”

And the world looked on, uncaring for her plight. It’s why for her next step, she fell. It only took a small, wayward branch to trip her. Her weak grip meant the gun flew backward, way out of reach. Her Poke balls rattled against the sand, and a very special one dug into the earth.

Without knowing, it clicked. Steam released. “Nobody will miss me, you hear?! NOBODY! GO AFTER SOMEONE ACTUALLY WORTH A DAMN!”

Blinding light emerged, which rivaled the passive yellow glow and the oppressive ball in the sky. Its energy immediately sent all the machinery in the background into overdrive. Various emergency beeps and whistles flared as the golem emerged. June looked to the sudden appearance, only now terrified.

Regieleki. It bounced casually, uncaring yet overwhelming. Why? Why was it out? Fury spilled across the lip, and hot tears streaked down her cheeks. “Go. AWAY!”

Command received. Lighting from the terrain quickly rushed to the aid of the battery, which sent forth a Thunderbolt that rivaled the ones Shred saw in the Power Plant. Time was a flat circle, and history would repeat itself as it struck the Raging Bolt square in the chest. Arcs of power snaked from it to the water in the distance, now a field of yellow 'flowers'. 

---

Shred

Debt was a problem. Long-lasting and lacking in morality. But just like a real chain, it was not inescapable.

"I never said I was going to kill you, did I?"

Your mind begins to swin, formulating the specifics of a plan that until now was simply vague. Faking a death is trivial, especially for someone like you. You might need a little "donation" of blood, sure, but nothing too debilitating in the long term. Just enough to make it convincing, to leave enough DNA to prove it was her "murder", hers and nobody elses. Just enough to leave a nice splatter in a public-but-not-too-public space, so that it'll be found before too long. And after that? You just need to pull a few strings, get a transport ship to haul an unmarked box across the ocean to somewhere nice and quiet and peaceful.

Orre, maybe. You hear it's lovely this time of year. Wild and pure and forever free. Somewhere that the grasping hands of loan agencies and debt collectors can't reach her. Where nobody will recognise her face and nobody will know her name. She would be able to live out her remaining days in peace. With regrets, maybe, but alive and hale and whole. And wouldn't that be good enough?

Shouldn't that have been good enough for her?

It should've been good enough for her.

Alas, as a click of ancient metal and rushing steam filled the air, it quickly became apparent just how little june sleigh deserved that mercy.

REGIELEKI.

You freeze. There is no pause, no hesitation, no confusion. You could not mistake that blistering yellow glow for anything else in this world, nor anything in any other. Across a million worlds, a million universes, a million realities, there is only one wretched creature that shines with such an uncanny light.

"How...?"

Memories of your time with howard slayte and Grigori Sokolov flash in your mind's eye. A frantic battle against an undefeatable foe. And yet, here it is now, defeated and domesticated in the hands of... Her, of all people.

A Thunderbolt lashes out towards you. Powerful enough to power the entire region of Hoenn for a day, if not longer. Power enough to reduce you to little more than a crumbling pile of ash. It is only thanks to your Walking Wake, thanks to its Protection, that you manage to survive.

But that does little to soothe your anger.

"...How? HOW? HOW DID YOU GET THAT?!"

---

june sleigh

How else could she have possibly read the situation? Even with the sudden revelation, what else could it mean? Beaten within an inch of her life? Wish he’d finished the job? As one door shut, a million others opened.

But based on his reaction to the golem, those shut alongside the first one. Even as he avoided the second brush with death from behind the protection of Walking Wake, it was only pushed back. Through teary eyes, she looked on to the pair. Pushed onto their back foot. They did not fear her.

But they couldn’t disrespect her anymore. For better or worse, she held a modicum of power. It felt… empty. It meant even less.

“Does it matter?” She asked. Smoke erupted from the generators and sensors, overloaded by the electrical surge. It burnt her lungs and caused half the tears that flowed down her cheeks freely. “I have it. Can’t get rid of it.”

Regieleki had cost her the little she had. “I’ll never be free. And nobody cares. They only see the golem. Even you.”

Never herself. A blessing, but a much bigger curse. Even as the world carried on with its indifference, it couldn’t help but ensure she couldn’t reciprocate the feeling. Everyone in the world would acknowledge the asset in her hands. True freedom existed in the realm of her Dad.

And that’s why she pointed straight to Shred. “I said. Go. Away.”

Regieleki sprang into action once more. This time, it zipped around the landscape. It blinked in and out of visibility multiple times. Little more than a blur, its physical body clashed with the Walking Wake at every intersection. Its Extreme Speed couldn’t be rivaled. Speed beyond parallel, and power beyond recognition.

---

Shred

Once again, you stand opposite of a Regi. Why does this keep happening to you? Why do you always find yourself on the wrong end of these fucking golems? Every battle you've had with them, every piece of lost knowledge and forgotten lore you've learned of their existence, has been involuntary. You suppose, in part, you can blame that on your choice of company. howard slayte always had a fondness for these bastards... No, actually, more of an obligation to them. As though the moment he was given custody of Regice, he was burdened with the impossible task of gathering them all. Bringing together these superweapons, scattered far and wide. Regirock, searching for something in Area Zero. Registeel, wreaking havoc in the desert. Regidrago, lost to another world.

And Regieleki, standing side by side with the absolute last person that should have it.

"Of course it matters!" You snap. All of a sudden, you feel a swell of irritation rising from the back of your throat. Memories of your first encounter with the electric titan are still burned into your brain. And here it is again, that electric nightmare, fighting on behalf of an average everyday deliverygirl. And, despite that, all she can do is mope and cry and whine? "You... You...!"

You've both reached the end of the road, and neither of you like what you've found it.

Your Walking Wake is battered, beaten, struck again and again and again. Every crack of static is a hard blow, cracking bones and bruising flesh. With a desperate roar, the beast bursts into an Aqua Jet, a last ditch effort to outrun its opponent.

But much like its master, it's sorely outmatched.

---

june sleigh

Walking Wake is a capable foe.

But what is a creature birthed from a dream compared to one molded and made material by a god? The Aqua Jet-driven beast made it a quarter of the way across the clearing before Regieleki zipped to the side in the blink of an eye.

Then entrapped it in a Cage of Thunder. Coated in water, it only took moments to electrocute the creature. Smoke fizzled all over its body like the water had burst into flames. Salt and burnt flesh mixed in the air and created an awful stench. June nearly gagged.

“It doesn’t matter,” she croaked. Electricity crackled in the water softly, the machines behind her long forgotten. Overloaded, they had ceased their incessant blares a minute ago. “It can’t. Because if it does…”

Then she’d made a mistake. That the journey had been pointless and meant nothing. A responsible person would step up into the mantle of whatever having Regieleki meant. Become a puppet of the League and drink her sorrows away when she inevitably wiped a city off the face of the earth.

She rose quickly from the ground. Sand flittered down, and yellow arcs tickled her hair. “Then the chain around my neck will only get tighter.”

Frustration bubbled beneath the surface, but she kept it covered. He wouldn't stop coming after her. Never. Even as she tried to get out of his way, he'd keep going until one of them burned out. Nothing had changed in the last few minutes. To stop him would be picking a side, and that was the last thing she wanted. A true Catch-22.

“Eleki. Stop him.”

But she could buy herself some time. 

---

Shred

"You..."

Didn't understand. She had Regieleki. It was HERS! The power of thunder and lightning, stolen from the skies and crafted a corporeal body. You've SEEN Regice. You've SEEN what it can do. And if its brother has the same power that it does? Then it has the power to break her chains and then some. So why?

"You..."

Know this isn't going to end well. Once howard slayte finds out? He'll know it, too. And once Team Rocket finds out? Then everything is going to crumble. Not only is she coming off the whitelist, but she'll be a priority target. Everyone will be gunning for her. And if that happens, then Grigori Sokolov will die. He'll throw himself on the sword to protect his daughter, and his body will be nothing more than a stepping stone. And after that? howard slayte won't be able to live with himself. He'll defect. He'll run. And he'll die, too. And then, you'll be all alone. Brotherless.

"You..."

Know you're not strong enough. To protect June, Grigori, and Howard all at once. Not from Palkia. Not from Darkrai. Not from Pecharunt and the Loyal Three. Not from Eternatus or Necrozma or Ruination. But...

"YOU..."

Can't say you care much about that right now.

As Regieleki rushes towards you, your mind flashes back to the Ultra Plant. Back to your first visit. Howard is running backwards, heading for the exit. Grigori is running forwards, to try and stall the titan. And you? You're in the middle, standing still. You could move forward, or you could move back. You could flee, or you could fight.

Back then, you were a different man. You wanted to escape, but in the end, you changed your mind and stood your ground. This time? There is no hesitation. As you grab your Pokeball, there is nothing but pure killing intent in your eyes.

As you throw the Pokeball, your Great Tusk bursts forth with a Headlong Rush, and for a second time, your Paradox Pokemon clashes with the giant.

"...YOU BITCH!"

---

june sleigh