Garchomp's warning snort was like an invisible verdict, shattering the last scraps of defiance in Scream Tail and Iron Bundle. Faced with absolute, overwhelming power, their irritation at being interrupted suddenly felt ridiculous—beneath notice.
Seeing the two Paradox Pokémon now thoroughly spooked, Jason decided the time was right. He hopped lightly down from Garchomp's broad back and strolled, unhurried, to stand before Scream Tail and Iron Bundle.
The moment the "little guy" approached, neither showed the slightest aggression—on the contrary, their eyes filled with gratitude, as if they'd just seen a savior.
Jason blinked—then, a second later, understood. Clearly, they'd completely misunderstood his hopping onto Garchomp and patting her to calm down. In those not-so-bright Paradox heads, he'd… saved them from the terrifying blue shark?
Sure enough—
"Thank you!"
"You… you're such a good Pokémon!"
Scream Tail even brushed Jason's body gingerly with its fluffy long tail, offering the sincerest thanks it knew. "That big one is way too scary!" Iron Bundle's metallic voice trembled. "You actually jumped on her and patted her—and she really stopped! You're incredible!"
Jason couldn't help a wry smile at their heartfelt praise and worship. He was also a bit surprised—since when were Area Zero natives this easy to talk to? He remembered clearly, back when he first crossed over, every Paradox Pokémon he met had been a snarling brute itching for a fight. That's why he'd clawed his way out of Area Zero with his life.
And yet here were two… as meek as house kittens.
One glance at their cringing posture—and those scared, sneaky peeks toward Garchomp—told him the truth. This wasn't their nature. They were still shaken to the core by the aura of a top predator.
Right—power is what decides everything, he thought. Be strong enough, and even the fiercest will sheath fangs and claws.
He didn't waste the moment. Clearing his throat, he began to question them. They answered honestly, stealing glances at Garchomp as they spoke.
From their overlapping accounts, Jason quickly pieced together the major changes shaking Area Zero lately. It had become chaotic—fights everywhere. Peaceful zones had been seized by powerful Pokémon and turned into personal territories. For timid Paradox species with middling-to-poor strength, life had become grim. Their old dens were stolen; they fled and fled, ending up barely surviving at the outermost rim.
When he asked if they knew the cause, the root of the mess, the two exchanged a look. Scream Tail shook its head; the heart-curl on its brow bobbed. "Nee… we don't really know the exact reason," it said, innocent and puzzled. "I just… saw everyone running for their lives, so I ran too."
Jason: "…"
He resigned himself to not expecting too much from the pink puffball's IQ. Thankfully, Iron Bundle seemed a touch more reliable.
"I did hear rumors on the way out," Iron Bundle said, voice steadier, more organized. "They say in the deepest depths a few very, very strong Pokémon suddenly started… building their own forces. They challenge everywhere, fight everywhere, then use sheer might to subjugate others and make them underlings." Its blue optic flickered—there was fear there. "I heard they're planning something big."
Jason's eyes narrowed. He pondered. A few strong Pokémon growing their forces… subjugating others by force… It sounded familiar. That Iron Boulder that fled Area Zero had done the same—stoking conflict between Armarouge and Ceruledge, aiming to fold both clans in.
So… the "strong Pokémon" these two meant might well be the same kind of beings as Iron Boulder. And likely stronger—Miraidon had fled wounded, after all.
As he mused, the wilier Iron Bundle spoke up again, tentative. "Um… can we… go now?"
Its optic darted to Garchomp, who was pretending to nap, then back again. Jason eyed its guilty, flighty look and suddenly felt like teasing. He shook his jelly body in a very human "no."
"Don't rush off," he said kindly. "We met—call it fate. Why not join our party for a bit and lead us deeper in?"
It wasn't just a joke; he had an angle. They were weak, yes—but his Pokédex didn't have them yet. In a place this dangerous, he needed to conserve energy for unknown heavy hitters. Bleeding himself to scan two small fry was a bad trade. But if he could rope them into the group… he could observe at leisure on the road and fill their entries without lifting a finger. Maximum efficiency.
To their ears, though, his "friendly invite" meant something else entirely. Scream Tail stole a glance at the blue terror. It flinched hard—and shook its round head like a rattle.
"Ah? N-no, that's okay! We, um, have other things, so we won't bother you!"
Iron Bundle's optic flickered as math ran at high speed. It looked at Jason… then at the tough-looking human women behind him and their fearsome partners. The light blinked decisively—
And before Jason could clock the shift, it moved.
It whipped out the round device it always hugged. With a command, a blast of frigid power spilled out, conjuring a slick, solid ice slide right in front of them. It grabbed the still-processing Scream Tail, and jumped.
Whoosh!
The two Paradox Pokémon shot away along the ice, hurtling deeper into Area Zero. As they slid, Iron Bundle continuously spat freezing energy to extend their getaway chute.
Jason clicked his tongue and didn't give chase. He'd only meant to spook them a little—if they didn't want to, fine. There would be other chances to run into Iron Bundle and Scream Tail.
He turned back to the others. Even if they'd bolted, he'd learned the key parts. He relayed everything he'd gathered—and his own inferences—word for word.
Cynthia's gray eyes lit up. There was zero fear on her face—only the gleam of battle hunger. "So," she said, unmistakably itching, "we're likely to run into opponents on par with Iron Boulder? Maybe more than one?"
Jason chuckled at the warmonger look. "Possibly stronger."
"Good!" / "What are we waiting for?" / "Let's go!"
That one line was rocket fuel for the three combat junkies: Cynthia, Nemona, Iono cheered in chorus. Liko, swept along, felt curiosity bloom over fear. Deep down she was still scared—but every time she remembered Jason at her side at the crucial moment, the fear shrank.
Only Gast sighed at the humans thrilled to face danger. "Keh~" She drifted close, tiredness in her tone. "When will I be as strong as you? Living on edge every day is exhausting…"
With destination clear and consensus set, the ad-hoc expedition moved out again. They cleaned every scrap of trash; Jason "swallowed" picnic mats and surplus supplies. The clearing returned to pristine, as if no one had ever been there.
At Cynthia's signal, they tightened formation. She and keen-eyed Lucario took point to scout and handle anything sudden. Iono and fiery Bellibolt followed to cover. Nemona, Liko, Jason, and floating Haunter were tucked into the safest center. Faces were graver than at entry; Miraidon's panicked flight weighed like a stone on their hearts.
As they headed for the depths, the environment grew ever stranger. Soon they reached a vast underground lake, the water like liquid crystal. Immense jade-leaf plants floated on the surface.
Not far into the mists beyond, a faint, peculiar sound drifted back. Cynthia's hand came up; the line halted. They held their breath and listened. At first weak and muddled, the sound sharpened and swelled.
Pokémon roars—layered, overlapping. Between them, a clash of metal that set teeth on edge.
Clang! Klang! Like colossal iron plates smashing together at incredible speed.
Screeech! Like talons scraping armor.
There was no doubt: a battle was raging somewhere ahead.
~~~
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