After a heavy snowfall, the streets and rooftops of Nimbasa City were blanketed in thick white.
No. 32 Pidove Street—this was the home of the Scholar Derrick.
Several months earlier, he had been lured to Nimbasa City by its Grand Library. After only a few days, Derrick decisively moved his parents and his fiancée's family here to settle.
Time proved his judgment excellent.
On the Nth day after arriving, Lord Draconis of the city became King of Unova, and Nimbasa was declared capital of the Kingdom of Eindoak.
Property prices soared along with the city's new status.
Whenever he recalled that decision, Derrick felt nothing but pride.
At dawn he rose early, ready for another day of study.
His mother Lina prepared breakfast in the kitchen while his father Ashe cleared last night's snow in the yard.
"Ding-dong!"
The doorbell rang.
"Good morning—your newspaper is here!"
The Royal Press Agency had released a new issue.
The words perked Derrick up; memories of past articles about magical creatures flooded his mind, and anticipation stirred.
Which creature would today's edition feature?
Heart racing, he opened the door.
The carrier was a young lad accompanied by a Pokémon called Pidove.
"Here you go!" the boy said with a smile, handing over the paper.
"Thanks for your trouble." Derrick accepted the newspaper, shut the door, and settled onto the soft sofa to read the morning edition.
The first thing he saw were several bold, enlarged headlines.
"Important Notice: In view of greatly improved relations between humans and magical creatures, His Majesty Draconis decrees that from today onward the term 'magical creatures' shall be officially replaced by 'Pokémon', meaning 'pocket monsters'."
"Furthermore, Nimbasa City's Poké Mart will now sell Poké Balls—items that allow Pokémon to shrink and be carried inside. Those who wish to keep their beloved Pokémon close at all times may purchase a Poké Ball there!"
"What? Such an incredible thing exists?" Derrick exclaimed.
Staring at the tiny Poké Ball printed on the page, he found it hard to believe something so small could hold a creature of such size.
How did it work?
No—he mustn't call them magical creatures anymore.
"Pokémon…" he murmured, picturing slipping a Poké Ball into his pocket and strolling about with his partner inside.
The name fit perfectly.
Fascinating—everything about Pokémon intrigued him.
His gaze drifted downward to the article he most wanted to read.
"Ralts: a Psychic-type Pokémon. It senses emotions via the horn on its head and rarely appears before humans, but will approach when it feels positive feelings. Its final evolution is Gardevoir."
"Gardevoir will risk everything to protect a Trainer it trusts. When danger threatens, its body unleashes peak Psychic power, warping space to create a small black hole that shatters foes."
Below the description was an illustration.
A humanoid Pokémon in an elegant white gown stood with regal poise, proud and queenly.
At first sight, Derrick's heart quivered.
"S-so beautiful!"
If only he could catch a Gardevoir—field research would no longer be dangerous.
Sadly, no Gardevoir were known to live near Nimbasa City.
With a sigh he read on.
"Celebrations for the completion of the Grand Colosseum! A Pokémon exhibition match will be held inside on New Year's Day!"
"The contestants are Trainers from the Trainer Association, who will command their Pokémon in battle to deliver a spectacular show!"
"His Majesty Draconis will attend with the dragon Kyurem to bestow blessings upon all!"
"Seats are limited; citizens wishing to attend should purchase tickets at the Colosseum as soon as possible!"
"The Grand Colosseum?" Derrick had heard construction was underway, but never expected it finished so soon.
A Pokémon battle—two Pokémon fighting each other?
And what exactly was a Trainer?
Yet, trusting Draconis, he felt sure the show would be magnificent.
After breakfast he hurried to the Colosseum and bought two tickets—one for himself, one for his fiancée Natasha.
At the same time, invitations from Nimbasa arrived in Twin Dragon City, Liyong Territory, Nacrene Territory, and beyond, inviting lords to a joint human–Pokémon exhibition.
Twin Dragon City.
"The Grand Colosseum… a show match between Trainers and Pokémon?" Lord Sharon studied the seal-stamped letter with interest.
He narrowed his eyes, sensing deeper intent behind the invitation.
King Draconis's summons was far from a simple performance.
"His Majesty means to warn those with divided loyalties," Sharon murmured.
He had seen Kyurem's power on the battlefield—an army of tens of thousands frozen in an instant.
"My lord, shall we attend?" asked butler Klan.
"Of course we'll go." Sharon smiled, sipped his honeyed black tea, and added, "A performance personally arranged by His Majesty is bound to be spectacular."
Besides, he harbored no disloyal thoughts.
This trip to Nimbasa would be purely for the show.
Castelia Territory.
Since First Prince Lando's defeat, the territory had been governed by Gross.
Once Lando's loyal minister, Gross could scarcely accept the sudden loss.
They had readied nearly four hundred thousand troops, seized several cities within a week—yet still succumbed.
In the end, Draconis ended it all with a single battle.
The might the Dragon revealed was so overwhelming that resistance felt impossible; merely beholding it stirred an urge to kneel.
Yet Gross simply could not accept it.
They had been defeated just like that, without even the strength to fight back.
"Lord Gross, what should we do?" a nearby attendant asked anxiously; instinct warned him that this trip to Nimbasa City would bode ill for them.
Countless thoughts flashed through Gross's mind—feigning illness to refuse the journey, or simply ignoring the summons.
But… Gross suddenly recalled what Lord Sharon of Twin Dragon City had said earlier.
He had warned, "Watch out—His Majesty Draconis might ride the Dragon straight to your doorstep!"
Gross truly feared that at dawn he would see Draconis perched outside his window astride Kyurem.
He would probably die of fright on the spot.
"Forget it—that Dragon's power is simply beyond us," Gross sighed heavily.
They were now fish on a cutting board; whatever His Majesty Draconis chose to do, they could only endure it.
"Prepare yourselves—we depart for Nimbasa City at once!" Gross decided on the spot.
He feared His Majesty might strip them of their authority, but he feared death even more.
After all, a man must stay alive!
*
"Your Majesty, all the Pidove have returned to the castle; the lords should have received the message by now."
Inside the castle, Alfred reported.
Not long ago Draconis had used the technology [Messenger] to train a flock of Pidove for courier work, relying on letters to contact the various territories.
"But… Your Majesty, are we truly doing this?" Alfred sounded worried.
Draconis's actions would strike at the very interests of those lords; if they united… "Don't worry, Alfred," Draconis said calmly. "They won't. Even if someone dares, Kyurem and I can crush them in an instant."
"Moreover… given the kingdom's current state, each territory is too independent; Commoners and Slaves are counted as a lord's property, making communication between people extremely difficult," Draconis continued gravely.
This exhibition match was a veritable Hongmen Banquet for the lords: he would display Kyurem's absolute might to intimidate them while reclaiming part of their authority.
The feudal system long followed in the Kingdom of Eindoak hindered Unova's future development.
Draconis intended to shift it gradually to a centralized system headed by the king and assisted by the Champion.
As for the lords, they need only behave and serve as "mayors," managing their territories' affairs.
Only then could the major cities of Unova unite, bridging humans and Pokémon.
When winter passed and spring arrived,
they would officially begin building Pokémon Centers and Poké Marts in other cities.
As for steam engines, steam trains, and factories, those technologies still needed time before they could be manufactured.
The leap from an agricultural age to an industrial age could not happen overnight; they had to advance steadily, one step at a time.
Laying rails across Unova for steam trains, for example, was a colossal project that could not be finished quickly.
The more he thought, the more Draconis felt pressed for time.
"Hmm, I must also prepare early for the journey to Kalos in search of Xerneas and eternal life," Draconis mused.
Once Unova stabilized, he would set out for the Kalos Region.
With an eternal lifespan he could slowly shape Unova into an ideal land shared by all humans and Pokémon.
"How are the children at the academy doing?" Draconis asked.
"Your Majesty, they have been studying the textbooks you compiled; according to the teachers, ninety-five percent of the students have mastered Pokémon types and their matchups."
"They can command Pokémon in battle proficiently, and more importantly… many of their Pokémon have evolved."
"Oh?" Draconis looked intrigued. "Who, for example?"
"Alex has a gift for raising Pokémon; after repeated battles his Tepig evolved into the far stronger Emboar."
"Melanie's Buneary also evolved into Lopunny."
"The other children's Psyduck, Watchog, Drilbur and so on have improved greatly; though they haven't evolved, they've learned many powerful moves," Alfred reported.
Draconis nodded slightly.
"In that case, let the academy students handle the first round of the coming exhibition!" Draconis said.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Afterward would come the display by the Pokémon corps led by Gerolt.
Aggron versus Altaria, Flash Cannon against Draco Meteor—a feast for the spectators' eyes.
Third, Gerolt and Haxorus would battle Anna and Zoroark.
Fourth, Draconis himself would appear, dispatching the Taoist Dragon Kyurem to accept challenges from all brave comers.
Thus he could intimidate the lords while earning a huge wave of approval.
*
With many matters settled, Draconis finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He returned to his room and looked at his Pokémon.
Seeing him back, Dragonite at once rushed over pitifully, burying its round head in Draconis's arms and wrapping its large claws around his waist.
"Wuu…"
Draconis had not spent proper time with them in ages!
"There, there," Draconis said, stroking Dragonite's head. "Once this next task is done, I'll spend the New Year with you properly."
Saying this, he turned his gaze to the other Pokémon beside him.
Serperior, Larvesta, Minccino, Golett, and a petite Vulpix.
It was one of the Pokémon that had arrived in Nimbasa City with the three swords of justice.
The Vulpix preferred a house with a fireplace and soft carpets to the wild-like garden.
So Draconis kept it here.
The group frolicked with him for a while; then Draconis looked toward Virizion, Cobalion, and Terrakion nearby.
"What do you plan to do from here?" Draconis asked.
....
Power Stones PlZZZZ
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