Belial Stone spends his time in the memory doing what he does best: mercenary work. In fact, his FIRST YEAR in MOTOSTOKE is spent gathering a formidable team of warriors and naming them the ATLAS BRIGADE. Many of these men and women are blue-collar workers who feel underappreciated by the royalty. Some of them are tasked with helping mine the DYNITE ORE, but come to prefer mercenary work.

Despite their grievances, however, they come together under Belial's banner to protect the city when need be... or, more often than not, at the right price. In the meantime, Belial Stone keeps himself from participating in skirmishes he considers small and instead focuses on uncovering the secret of DYNAMAXING for himself. This leads him into the cavernous reaches of each POWER SPOT often.


The years have not been good for Belial. His search for the secret of DYNAMAXING has yielded nothing. He absolutely hates the lack of amenities in this reality compared to that of his original. And, though he's garnered plenty of experience and knowledge of it, he desires nothing more than to be rid of this world and return to the one he knew best.

To make matters worse, the ATLAS BRIGADE is nearly wiped out when NECROZMA attacks. He'd sent them to help out of the kindness of his own heart— to save a neighborhood filled with families, specifically. And, naturally, it had cost him. He no longer carried the same influence as before now.

Nevertheless, he emerges from this battle with at least one good thing to show for it: BLACK METAL which he uses to forge a special BLADE. A blade capable of granting him EXTREME SPEED. He uses this blade to forge a new path out of spite and frustration with what remains of the ATLAS BRIGADE. If ending seeing this conflict between the BLACK KNIGHT and the SKELETON through was the way out of this damned memory, then he would help see it through.

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
MOTOSTOKE
✦

Warning bells ring and immediately draw the attention of Belial and his Chingling. The wave of poison sludge had been diverted underground, but another threat soon approached. And, though the telltale glow of a GIGANTAMAX Pokémon in the stadium nearly lured him away, the sight of a purple ARTICUNO proved to be a little more interesting to the mercenary.

As a veteran who had served in various conflicts throughout the world, he knew enough about Gigantamax Pokémon and their applications in warfare. He'd never witnessed a GALARIAN ARTICUNO in action, however. This could prove beneficial to SPECTRA in the long run.

As a result, though he hurries to go meet it with his Chingling in tow, Belial does not intervene as quickly as he could have. Instead, he watches with great fascination as it moves and attacks the barricades and others. Every so often, he is forced to shoot down a rabid Pokémon with his harpoon or have Tink blast them away with its PSYCHIC power.

It isn't long before he sees Leonidas Stone emerge onto the scene as well. Standing at the edge of a rooftop nearby, the half-masked mercenary smirks at the younger man. "I didn't know EVENTIDE's CEO liked to get his hands dirty," He remarks, watching as the man's SHINY DECIDUEYE attempts to pin the opposing bird down with an arrow.


Meanwhile, his Chingling places itself forward for action. Without further ado, Belial orders an OMINOUS WIND that takes advantage of the previous attack and attempts a SUPER-EFFECTIVE knockout on Articuno.

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
MOTOSTOKE
✦

Belial finds himself in MOTOSTOKE before long and is alarmed at the scenes surrounding them. He'd been here before, in the real world, once. Apart from the waves of sludge and weird peasants walking about, it looked as drab and dreary as he had remembered it. Not unlike RUSTBORO, he thought.

Nevertheless, the black sheep of the Stone family finds himself in immediate danger as a wave of that poison sludge suddenly rounds a corner and rushes in his direction. "Tch!" Belial is swift to recall the Spewpa on his shoulder before summoning a CHINGLING to his side instead. "Tink, PSYCHIC!"

Though the wind chime Pokémon is most certainly alarmed by its surroundings, it is given little time to soak it all in before summoning its psychic power to save them both. Like a conductor's wand, it gracefully sways itself in the air as it seizes the wave of sludge telekinetically and gently guides it down another street and into a sewer drain nearby.

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
MOTOSTOKE
✦

Despite a strong attempt to try and shield itself, Garand is nonetheless struck down by a spear of ice cast by the unhinged GLASTRIER. Belial curses as he returns his mercenary Pokémon to its ball. The dialogue between CALYREX and the others, however, is far too important to ignore out of anger. He committed every response to memory.

Afterward, the black sheep of the Stone family watches as Calyrex undergoes a gruesome death. A satisfied grin spreads from behind the cover of his mask. To see something so high and mighty finally meet its end grants him some hope for the future. He watches the events unfold afterward before realizing that not enough of his compatriots were heading towards one particular portal. It was time to try and change that.

Catching up with soyeon kwan and granting her a nod in greeting, he pauses to summon a SHINY SPEWPA onto his shoulder before advancing into the portal headed for MOTOSTOKE. "Let's stick together, yeah? We don't know exactly what we're walking into..."

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
✦

He recognizes the PRECIPICE BLADE that spears through the STATUE & TROUGH for what it is. SPECTRA reports on MATIAS SILPH and GROUDON had been accompanied by photos and first-hand accounts of past battles. Though he's blown backward by the initial blast of wooden splinters, it is the second that is liable to kill him.

Thankfully, the few seconds granted are all the Hisuian Samurott needs to swiftly reach Belial and shield him with its SHELL ARMOR. Explosive flame does little against the armored veteran Water-type. Belial, on the other hand, seethes in pain as he addresses his injuries from the initial blast. They're not life-threatening, at least. Just a tattered cloak, a few cuts, and plenty of damnable wooden splinters.

"You just moved up the list, asshole..." The mercenary captain hisses, tearing off his aforementioned cloak before letting the biting wind take it away. As he turns to look for MATIAS SILPH and his GROUDON, however, he sees that the former has been possessed (with others) by the strange bunny-like king he'd seen as the statue earlier.

As it speaks, the SPECTRA co-captain makes his way toward familiar faces for support: namely, jayden cross , fern delaney , Zev Harcourt , and Felix Gallagher . He offers them little more than a nod in greeting, however, as his attention remains fixed on the situation at hand. Then, when this 'KING OF BOUNTIFUL HARVESTS' begins to lose its mind, Belial is a second away from ordering its death when...


The king's GLASTRIER appears far more afflicted with madness than its rider at the moment, however, and his Hisuian Samurott nonetheless braces itself as it tries to track the trajectory of each GLACIAL LANCE that it launches. Belial, in the meantime, steps forward to ask a question:

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
✦

"Tch." Belial casts a glare at the MAGIC ROOM that disarms his harpoon shot from the Zamazenta. He can't stay mad at Cillian Quinn 's Pokémon, however, seeing as how it affects the legendary dog negatively as well. And, perhaps, even aides in Garand's CEASELESS EDGE when it successfully makes contact.

Team Rocket makes splendid progress against the League afterward before disarming the Zamazenta of its shield. Belial watches as its forme changes, taking note of the CHIEN-PAO nearby as well with genuine fascination. Where did that wild cat come from? What was its deal? He yearned to know.

He certainly didn't expect to be teleported to the CROWN TUNDRA after said wild cat tainted the treasure.


The cold bites at his bare skin. He takes a moment to wipe the snow off his jacket while his Hisuian Samurott shakes it off like a wet dog just across from him. Upon seeing  Madeline McKenna and soyeon kwan nearby, he offers them a nod in greeting as he pulls out a cigarette tin from his inner jacket pocket and pulls down his mask to expose his mouth.

"We're in the Crown Tundra, right? I came here once for school." He remarks, gazing at their scenery as he sticks the cigarette in his mouth before pulling out a lighter. "Got expelled for taking bets on underground Pokémon matches, though. Go figure." The mercenary captain scoffs with a fox-like smile, lighting up his white stick with the small flame before stuffing the lighter away again.

As he takes a slow drag, he walks onward towards the STATUE and the WOODEN TROUGH nearby. Garand joins him, but the Hisuian Samurott's hair stands on end as it notices unfamiliar LEAGUE personnel nearby. It snarls as some dare to approach (SWORDS DANCE).

Belial, in the meantime, smokes his cigarette for a little while longer as he admires the statue and the manor behind it. Then, when he's finished, he FLICKS whatever is left of the charred butt into snow piled within the wooden trough.

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
✦

HATRED fills the air with the putrid aftertaste of FEAR. Though others may be sickened by these emotions, however, this was not the first time Belial Stone had endured as such. It was that hatred— and yes, that fear— that had brought upon the rise and success of ANVIL INC. It was the reason he was here today as Team Rocket's CO-CAPTAIN of SPECTRA.

And what greater opportunity to study AVATARS and LEGENDARIES than on the field and in combat? Riding upon the back of his HISUIAN SAMUROTT, the mercenary enters the fray with his sights set on ZAMAZENTA. An AVALANCHE summoned by CHIEN-PAO diverts that attention, however, and he watches with a toothy smirk as Eva Morales descends from the sky upon her RAYQUAZA.


Taking advantage of the path she has cleared with her dragon's flames, however, Belial is sure to steer his Hisuian Samurott through it before unlatching a HARPOON GUN from his back. As they close in on Zamazenta, the mercenary hops off and orders a CEASELESS EDGE. He readies his gun for the opportune moment as he observes his Samurott attempt to attack the shielded canine with its razer sharp shell.

GOODBYE GALAR: RUSTED SHIELD
✦

He'd always been a fan of the KNIGHTS OF THE ROUNDTABLE when he'd been a child. The AGGRON swarm below reminded him of them. Like all children dazzled and awed by the legends, Belial had imagined himself being like King Arthur someday. The legends his mother used to read him, however, soured over time with his place in the Stone family hierarchy.

Knights in real history were more likely than not inconsiderate pricks born from wealth and privilege. Much like the Aggron below, they were known to have thrown their weight around to harass, terrorize, and even take the lives of those weaker than them. Because of this, the mercenary captain gestures for his MIENSHAO to leap down from the cliff they stand upon and engage one of these armored bruisers in battle.

A DRAIN PUNCH to the side of the cranium makes quick work of the first to dare. Whether or not the others will grant Belial a chance to lob his Heavy Ball at it, however...

AGGRON SWARM (RUST & RUIN)
✦

Belial squints at the younger Pryde. He might have been offended if Asriel Pryde didn't remind him of himself at that age. "Relax, kid. I've seen worse. Teach yourself not to come into these sorts of things without expecting it." He adds with a smirk, patting the man on the shoulder as he walks past.

Life as a mercenary had certainly not been all sunshine and roses. Some people in Team Rocket didn't know exactly how good they had it. And he figured the brother-son or whatever of a wealthy criminal scientist like Raphael Pryde had more reason to be oblivious to that fact. It's also why Belial doesn't shy away from the latter's final proposal here.

"Garand and I can handle this if you want to punch out a little early," He says, stopping to address Ruby Garcia after she's said her piece with Asriel. Though, by the time he's done so, she's already bolted off. He laughs before swiftly mounting his Hisuian Samurott. "Or not!"

Unlike Ruby, however, Belial and Garand did not have time to really gaze at the hellish sight below. Instead, they were forced to employ one AQUA JET after another to avoid being SCALDED by torrents of water the VOLCANION blasted at them as it gave chase. Angered roars filled the chamber.

RABR#2
Asriel Pryde
Raphael Pryde
Ruby Garcia

Belial happens to be attending a meeting in LILYCOVE CITY when reports of the SPACE-TIME DISTORTION come in. Never having experienced one himself, the mercenary captain suits up quickly before setting out. His sources had told him, more or less, what to expect... but he expected to be surprised.

Once he's in the thick of that electrifying storm, he summons SOCORRO the GROWLITHE and BEREGISO the TEDDIURSA to join him as his guardians. In the midst of his exploration, however, something unusual begins to happen. Socorro and Beregiso whine as the strange energy that fills this realm begins to change them completely.

In the end, the black sheep of Stone can't say he's disappointed with the metamorphosis of the two. Not only had Socorro and Beregiso evolved, but they had gained a powerful new forms as well. This newfound power would do well in their endeavors as mercenaries.

SPACE-TIME DISTORTION #14