"Ooh~"
Vulpix, small and warm, was held in Lucien's arms and gently stroked. Its eyes immediately squinted in comfort, a soft gurgling sound escaping from its throat.
This was the first time it had ever been treated this way by a human.
It felt… wonderful.
On the journey here, Cobalion and the others had spoken of Lucien many times.
They said he was different from other humans, someone who did not harm Pokémon, someone who genuinely cared for them.
At first, Vulpix had been doubtful.
But now, wrapped in warmth and kindness, it believed every word.
Seeing this, the nearby Oshawott, Budew, and the others gathered around as well, circling Lucien, tugging at his clothes, bumping into him playfully.
The ecological park filled with soft cries and laughter.
Lucien looked at the innocent Pokémon surrounding him and took a slow, steady breath.
His decision was made.
He gently patted Vulpix's fluffy head and then stood up.
Vulpix blinked.
"Vuu?"
"I still have something important to do," Lucien said softly. "You all rest here. Elif will take good care of you."
"Vuu…"
Vulpix nodded, tail flicking lightly, signaling it would wait for him.
Lucien smiled faintly and turned away.
He recalled Kyurem into its Poké Ball, then summoned Elif.
"Elif," Lucien said, "I need to see my father. I'll leave the territory in your hands for now."
"Your Highness?" Elif was startled.
"There are things I must say to him," Lucien replied calmly.
Elif paused, then bowed deeply. "Yes, Your Highness. Please go without worry."
Lucien nodded.
Moments later, Dragonite took to the sky, wings beating powerfully as they flew toward Eindoak.
Earthsword Castle
This time, Lucien did not sneak in.
He descended openly from the sky.
The moment Dragonite landed, the royal guards tensed, weapons raised.
"W-Who goes there?! This is the royal city, no unauthorized entry!"
Lucien stepped forward.
Recognition flashed across their faces.
"P-Prince Lucien?!"
"But, Prince Landon has ordered a full lockdown! No one is allowed to enter!"
"I know," Lucien said calmly. "You are only following orders. I don't wish to harm you."
"Please, step aside."
The guards hesitated, but duty prevailed.
"We cannot obey, Your Highness."
Steel rang as swords were drawn.
Lucien sighed softly.
Behind him, Dragonite roared.
A crushing dragon aura erupted outward. With a single sweep of its tail, the guards were sent tumbling back, weapons clattering across the stone.
Lucien did not look back.
He ascended the steps and entered the inner palace.
The King's Bedchamber
"Lucien?!"
The old king stared at him in disbelief.
"I heard a disturbance outside, was that you just now?"
He had heard some noise down below, as if someone had broken in.
The old king hadn't expected it to be Lucien...
Lucien nodded slowly.
"Father, the war has already begun."
The old king paused, then let out a bitter smile.
"I know," he said softly.
How could he not know? Two armies of princes, two dragons tearing at the sky, this was a calamity no king could ignore.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Then the old king lifted his gaze to Lucien.
"It seems… you've already made your choice."
Lucien lowered his head slightly.
"I'm sorry, Father. I cannot follow the path you prepared for me."
The old king stiffened.
"What are you planning to do…"
Lucien's voice was low, steady, and filled with conviction.
"When war begins, the ones who truly suffer are never kings or nobles. It's the civilians. The magical beasts. Ordinary people who only wish to live."
"In just three days since my eldest and second brothers clashed, countless humans and magical beats have already lost their homes. Their lives."
"If this continues… even if one side wins, the kingdom itself will be ruined."
The old king clenched his fingers.
Lucien continued.
"I could wait. I could stand aside, watch the war escalate, and only intervene once resentment fills the land, acting as a savior."
"But I can't."
His eyes were clear.
"If I have the power to stop it now, yet choose to do nothing… I would never forgive myself."
The old king whispered, almost involuntarily:
"Lucien…"
"I want to walk my own path," Lucien said calmly. "If nobles resist me, I will give them one chance."
His gaze hardened.
"The second time, I will show no mercy."
"As for the civilians and the magical beasts," Lucien's voice softened slightly.
"They know who protects them. They will choose."
The old king was silent for a long time.
Then he spoke again, worry unmistakable in his voice.
"Zekrom and Reshiram are not ordinary dragons. You would be facing nearly four hundred thousand soldiers, both your brothers combined."
"That army could erase everything you've built."
Lucien met his gaze.
"I alone can withstand a thousand armies."
The old king searched his son's face.
"Are you prepared?"
Lucien nodded.
At last, the old king exhaled deeply.
"Very well."
"If this is your resolve… then go."
"I will help you however I can."
Then, after a pause, he added quietly:
"But promise me one thing."
"If you win… spare your elder brothers."
Lucien did not hesitate.
"I promise, Father."
Then he extended a hand.
"Come with me to Lucien City. Victini will be relieved to see you safe."
The old king chuckled softly.
"Very well. I should see this city of yours, this place where humans and magical beasts live together."
This time, he did not refuse.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed outside.
The door burst open.
Royal guards poured into the chamber, weapons raised.
"Prince Lucien!" one of them shouted. "Release His Majesty at once!"
Lucien looked at them calmly.
"It will be over soon."
Dragonite exhaled a surge of purple dragon breath.
The crushing pressure forced the guards backward, stumbling, unable to advance.
Lucien mounted Dragonite, helped the old king aboard, and rose into the sky and flew towards Lucien City.
Soon, they touched down at the foot of the castle.
The guards spotted Lucien and hurried over at once.
"Your Highness Lucien!"
Then they noticed the elderly man walking beside him.
That was… His Majesty?!
Shock rippled through the line. For a moment, no one seemed to breathe.
Lucien gave them a brief nod and led the old king inside.
The king slowly looked around, taking in the towering walls and the bustling life beyond them.
"This town… this castle… Did you really build it all, piece by piece?"
"Of course." Lucien's tone was calm, almost matter-of-fact.
"That's what magical beasts make possible. With their help, we save an enormous amount of labor, whether it's farming, construction, or everyday life."
He paused, then added quietly, "Unlike my older brothers, this is the path I've chosen. I want humans and magical beasts to live together, not as masters and slaves, but as partners, using each other's strengths to build a better life on this land."
"Incredible…" The old king couldn't help the awe in his voice.
Just then, a familiar chirp sounded from ahead.
Victini had been in town, watching people bake cookies. The smell had made it hungry, and when it went looking for Lucien to beg for a treat, it couldn't find him anywhere.
Hearing Lucien's voice outside, Victini came zipping over.
But the moment it saw the figure beside Lucien, it froze midair.
"Nini…?"
The old king's expression softened into a gentle smile.
"Victini. It's been a long time."
"Nini!"
Victini's eyes lit up. It darted forward, circling the king in quick, excited loops, as if it couldn't decide whether to hug him or just keep flying.
"From today on, Father will be living here in Lucien City, with us," Lucien said, smiling. "So you don't have to worry anymore, Victini."
"Nini…" Victini looked a little embarrassed, as though it had been caught.
Lucien really had found out.
When Victini heard war had broken out, when the first and second princes turned their blades on each other, it was terrified. No one understood better than Victini what chaos could do to a kingdom.
"Nini!" Lucien was the best.
"Father, I'll have a room prepared for you," Lucien said. "Until then, let me show you around Lucien City."
But the old king waved him off, then looked to Victini instead.
"Don't fuss over me. Go handle your own affairs." His gaze softened again. "Let Victini be my guide. I'll wander at my own pace."
"Nini!" Victini puffed up with pride immediately, as if accepting an official mission.
Lucien didn't argue. He simply nodded. "Alright."
Lucien City was safe enough that he didn't need to worry about his father's security.
After so long in confinement, the old king stepped out of the castle with Victini at his side. He stopped beneath the sunlight, tilted his head back, and stared into the endless sky.
For a heartbeat, it felt like he'd stepped into another world.
"Nini?" Victini hovered close, turning back to look at him.
"It's nothing," the old king said with a smile. "Come on, Victini."
"Nini!"
He changed out of his royal robes and walked the streets like an ordinary old man.
As he wandered, he found himself staring at things he'd never seen in his own capital: newspapers being sold on corners, shops stocked with goods made with Pokémon assistance, a Trainer Association building with people coming and going, children enthusiastically directing friendly Pokémon battles, and Pokémon living alongside humans everywhere he looked.
Under Lucien's rule, the city ran with startling order. More than that, the bond between people and Pokémon felt… genuine. Natural. As if it had always been meant to be this way.
The old king's chest tightened with emotion as he took it all in.
Lucien… he's really grown up!
Inside the castle, Elif was stunned by what Lucien had said.
"What? Your Highness, you brought His Majesty here?"
Lucien blinked, surprised by the reaction. "What's wrong?"
"The capital is crawling with Prince Landon's men and Prince Lance's men," Elif said, panic creeping into his voice. "The moment they realize you took His Majesty out from under their noses, the news will reach both princes. We'll be exposed!"
Those two each commanded an army of two hundred thousand. Lucien City, on the other hand, had fewer than two thousand soldiers.
With a gap like that, even without relying on their Pokémon corps, Landon and Lance could still flatten the city Lucien had built with his own hands, simply by marching a human army straight through it.
But Lucien remained completely calm.
"You're underestimating Kyurem," Lucien said, steady and reassuring.
"Elif, Lucien City wasn't built overnight, and I didn't build it just to watch someone burn it down. No one is destroying this place. I know exactly what I'm doing."
Elif exhaled, his shoulders loosening.
Lucien wasn't the type to boast. If His Highness said he had a plan, then he had a plan.
Southern Unova
Within a massive castle, a handsome man with sharp, deep-set features and thick, sword-straight brows lounged on the throne. Even sitting still, he radiated arrogance and authority as he listened to his subordinates' report.
"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! Prince Lucien stormed the capital with a powerful magical beast, injured the guards, and took His Majesty right in front of us!"
"Lucien…" Landon narrowed his eyes. "So he's finally showing himself."
So his third brother intended to interfere in the struggle between him and Lance.
If Lucien chose to side with Lance, it would be troublesome.
But if Lucien didn't oppose him…
Landon's lips curled slightly, almost approving.
Still, there was one question that mattered.
"Have you located Lucien?" Landon asked coolly.
"Yes, Your Highness." The scout bowed. "The Third Prince is currently in a town called Lucien City. Our investigation shows the total population is under ten thousand. It's a tiny place."
Under ten thousand…
Landon fell silent, tapping a finger against the armrest as he considered it.
"Your Highness, Lucien is a variable," one minister said cautiously. "If he allies with the enemy, it could become a serious threat."
"Don't overstate it," another minister scoffed. "Lucien probably has fewer than a thousand troops. With Your Highness's two hundred thousand soldiers, you could crush that town without breaking stride. The real problem is Prince Lance, rumor says many more magical beast have joined his forces these past few days."
The ministers bickered back and forth.
"Your Highness, please decide!"
"Hm." Landon thought for a moment, then spoke. "Given my third brother's current strength, he isn't a threat."
He lifted his gaze, voice hardening.
"The priority remains my dear second brother."
"Also, issue orders to the imperial generals. Prepare for war on multiple fronts. Nimbasa Territory, Driftveil Territory… all of them should belong to us."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
...
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