Chapter 355: Yveltal: "What, Can't Handle a Real Fight, Guys?"
The Eternal Flower Floette — how to describe it, exactly?
It's technically a "variant" of the regular Floette. As most people know, Floette's own evolution is Florges, a Fairy-type Pokémon with genuinely respectable stats. The Eternal Flower isn't an evolution as such, but its stat total actually holds up perfectly well against Florges regardless.
In-game, Florges carries a base stat total of 552, while Eternal Flower Floette sits right behind it at 551. Worth noting — even though the game technically has data for Eternal Flower Floette, there's never been any legitimate, official way to actually obtain one, up to and including this point. No legitimate method whatsoever. Prior to this, the Eternal Flower Floette could only be accessed through cheat devices — it's never even been distributed through an official in-game event.
The Eternal Flower Floette also carries its own exclusive signature move, the Fairy-type Light of Ruin. Light of Ruin boasts a power rating of 140 — currently the single most powerful standard Fairy-type move in existence.
As a form existing purely within the game's storyline, the Eternal Flower's origin is well documented: it was AZ's own regular Floette, originally killed in the war, later revived and mutated into its Eternal Flower form after being bathed in the Ultimate Weapon's light.
The Pokédex entry for the Eternal Flower reads as follows: "That ominous flower conceals a terrifying power within, yet it waves it about with utter innocence."
No question about it — the Ultimate Weapon was what transformed this Floette, since activating it required an enormous quantity of life energy. Exactly how many Pokémon lives AZ sacrificed to bring this single Floette back — that, presumably, only AZ himself could ever truly know.
Honestly, Mammon was genuinely interested in this Eternal Flower — but not enough to consider tearing apart AZ and his three-thousand-year-separated friend for it. Mammon might not consider himself a good man, and sure, he'd resort to whatever means necessary to achieve his goals more often than not — but he genuinely did have his own limits.
Otherwise, this world would have already descended into total chaos long ago. Take Hoopa, for instance — he'd genuinely coveted it, but he understood full well the bond between Confined Hoopa and the Baraz siblings ran deeper than most actual families ever managed, so he'd never forced the issue there either.
"I'll try it out when the time comes," Mammon mused. He'd need a regular Floette of his own to bathe alongside him when he eventually stood in the Ultimate Weapon's light to claim his own eternal life. Who knew — maybe it would mutate too?
Either way, bathing a Floette in that light wouldn't cause it any harm regardless. If it didn't work, no real loss — but if it did, that'd be a genuinely pleasant surprise.
After a while, AZ and the Eternal Flower finally settled from the emotional rush of their reunion.
"Congratulations to you both. Looks like I might have a gift for prophecy — I did just say I believed you two would be reunited."
Mammon said with a smile.
"Thank you. Genuinely, thank you, stranger." A sincere, heartfelt smile broke across AZ's weathered face as he thanked Mammon.
The Eternal Flower Floette perched on AZ's shoulder, watching Mammon with curiosity.
"My name's Mammon."
"I'm AZ." AZ found the name faintly familiar, though he didn't dwell on it much, extending a hand toward Mammon.
Mammon shook AZ's hand — though compared to AZ's own, Mammon's hand looked genuinely tiny by comparison. AZ's body really was of an outlandish, non-human scale.
"Mammon, you're interested in the Ultimate Weapon, aren't you?"
AZ glanced at the Ultimate Weapon; he could tell exactly how much attention Mammon had paid it.
"That's right. Not going to hide it — I want to achieve eternal life alongside my beloved, and the Ultimate Weapon can help me do that."
Mammon didn't deny it — there was really no point in doing so.
"I see..."
AZ fell quiet, though having already resolved his own inner turmoil, he made no attempt to talk Mammon out of it.
Sure, this "curse" of eternal life had brought him nothing but suffering for three thousand years — but he couldn't deny that, in this very moment, reunited with the Eternal Flower at last, he genuinely had to be grateful for that same "curse." Without it, how could he ever have experienced this joy and this overwhelming emotion?
"Activating the Ultimate Weapon requires a key, though. Originally I held that key myself, but it was taken from me some time ago."
AZ shared this detail — the one who'd taken his key had, of course, been Lysandre.
What AZ didn't tell Mammon was that, strictly speaking, he'd actually handed over that key voluntarily. Because Lysandre was descended from his own younger brother — yes, AZ was, in fact, Lysandre's own ancestor.
Knowing that, AZ had willingly given up the Ultimate Weapon's key; otherwise, Lysandre genuinely wouldn't have had any way to obtain it from AZ at all. Sure, AZ had spent three thousand years drifting through life in a numbed daze — but as a trainer, his actual skill remained genuinely respectable, arguably Champion-caliber.
At the very least, considerably stronger than Lysandre himself.
"I know. I've already obtained the key," Mammon said — a detail he certainly hadn't overlooked.
AZ nodded.
"So, AZ, what do you plan on doing next?"
Mammon asked him.
"I don't know yet. But I've decided I want to pick myself back up and start genuinely living again."
AZ said with a smile — his entire demeanor had genuinely transformed. Where he'd once been utterly listless and lifeless, he now felt a real spark of anticipation for life again, a genuine yearning for the future.
Since he now had eternal life to spend, he wanted to walk into that future alongside the Eternal Flower — and naturally, that meant getting his own emotions sorted out first.
"Since that's the case, I actually have a suggestion — want to hear it out?"
Mammon considered for a moment.
"What kind of suggestion?" AZ was genuinely curious.
"Actually, I'm the leader of Team Rocket. I have quite a few businesses under my name."
Mammon gave him a brief rundown of himself.
"Team Rocket — no wonder. I did hear people mention your name a few times during my wandering," AZ said, catching on. That explained why the name had felt familiar earlier — he'd overheard passersby talking about it not too long ago.
"Just a bit of a reputation, that's all," Mammon said, humbly.
"I'm setting up a few businesses here in Lumiose City — inns, restaurants, a jewelry store, that sort of thing."
"If you're willing, AZ, I could put one of these enterprises in your hands to manage. After all, now that you've been reunited with Floette, you'll need some kind of livelihood, won't you? Surely you don't want your adorable Floette here going hungry, unable to even afford Energy Cubes."
"That's..."
AZ hesitated, glancing at the Eternal Flower Floette, who blinked back at him.
"But Mammon, I have no management experience whatsoever, and I've never run a business in my life..." AZ said, genuinely conflicted.
Honestly, he was genuinely tempted — and he understood well enough that Mammon was, in his own roundabout way, offering him real help. But the problem was, he simply didn't know how!
Sure, three thousand years ago he'd been a king — but that was three thousand years ago, and after three thousand years of aimless wandering, he had absolutely no grasp of anything modern like this.
"That's fine — you don't need to know it already, you can learn as you go. I'll arrange for someone experienced to serve as your deputy."
"I have absolute faith in your capabilities. Someone who built the Ultimate Weapon single-handedly? Your talent's beyond question."
Mammon said, teasingly.
"...Thank you, Mammon." AZ pressed his lips together, his gratitude toward Mammon now genuinely overflowing, beyond words.
He didn't refuse. Mammon was right — even just to give Floette a good life, he needed some kind of livelihood. AZ had already privately resolved that he would find a way to repay Mammon for this kindness someday.
"No need to thank me. Well then — welcome to Team Rocket."
"Thank you."
"I said, no need to thank me. And besides..."
The corner of Mammon's mouth curled up slowly, giving AZ a meaningful look.
"We're going to have a lot of time together, aren't we?"
At that, AZ blinked, then let out a small laugh himself. Right — Mammon had already said he wanted eternal life too.
Their shared time together really would stretch on, and on.
But how to put it —
AZ didn't find that unpleasant at all right now. If anything, he found himself genuinely looking forward to it — because this way, Mammon would truly become his "companion" for real.
After a brief further exchange, Mammon turned his attention back to the Ultimate Weapon.
"You want to activate it now? Running it requires an enormous amount of energy, though."
As the very creator of the Ultimate Weapon, naturally, no one on this earth understood it better than AZ.
"No, I think my body could still use another year to finish growing — locking myself into this stage permanently would be less than ideal."
Mammon shook his head.
Hearing Mammon's reasoning, AZ was a little surprised, but on further thought, it did seem reasonable enough.
Caitlin found herself lost in thought too, glancing down at her own chest. Hmm — was there still time for a little more development, she wondered?
"I've already arranged with Xerneas to use its energy to activate the Ultimate Weapon when the time comes, so there's no need to worry about the energy source."
Mammon glanced around — a device this massive really wasn't especially practical to keep hidden out here. Given that, better to just bury it back underground.
"Mewtwo."
Mammon released Dark Mewtwo once more.
"Stuff it back underground."
Dark Mewtwo's body slowly rose into the air, its eyes brimming with psychic energy. It raised a hand, and blue psychic power enveloped the entire Ultimate Weapon.
As Dark Mewtwo's hand slowly pressed downward, accompanied by a thunderous rumble, the massive Ultimate Weapon gradually sank into the earth.
Eventually, the whole thing disappeared entirely underground.
"Level the ground."
Dark Mewtwo said nothing, once again channeling psychic power to churn up a wave of earth, and in an instant, the Ultimate Weapon was completely buried, the ground left perfectly smooth and natural once more.
"Amazing~!"
AZ couldn't help a genuine exclamation — this was the first time he'd ever seen a Pokémon wield psychic power with this level of natural, seamless precision.
Genuinely incredible.
"That should keep the Ultimate Weapon from being exposed. Next time we need it, we can just dig it back up."
Mammon nodded, satisfied. He'd also assign a Team Rocket squad to station themselves in Geosenge Town going forward, keeping watch over the site for him.
That would put the matter fully to rest.
"One last thing left to handle, then you can come back to Lumiose City with me, AZ."
"Sure." AZ nodded. "If there's anything you need help with, just say the word."
"It's fine. It's just — my newly-caught Pokémon might be a little unruly, so I need to give it a little discipline."
Mammon pulled out Yveltal's Poké Ball, a mischievous smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
Disciplining a newly-caught Pokémon? How exactly does that work?
AZ looked at Mammon, puzzled.
But it didn't take long for him to understand.
—
In an open, wide expanse of wilderness, Mammon released Yveltal's Poké Ball.
"Come on out."
"SCREEEE—!"
White light flashed, and the still badly-injured Yveltal let out a furious shriek, its demonic, claw-like wings snapping open.
Yveltal's temper right now was absolutely, thoroughly foul!!
That damned rainbow deer — how DARE it stomp on it with its hoof, over and over, again and again!
Every single time, the instant it stirred back to consciousness, still hazy and disoriented — it got kicked right back into unconsciousness!
Goddammit, taking advantage of a bird while it's down — if it hadn't already been badly wounded at the time, there's NO WAY that damn rainbow deer could've humiliated it like that!
This was completely unacceptable! It was going to lose it!
Yveltal let out another furious, piercing shriek, its whole body flaring with a dangerous, ominous crimson glow. It was going to end that damned rainbow deer!
But...
"Cool down for a second, calm yourself. I know you're genuinely furious right now, and in a hurry to act on it — but let's not rush into anything."
Mammon watched this, genuinely amused, addressing Yveltal.
At that, Yveltal lowered its head, its pitiless gaze fixed squarely on Mammon.
"You already know, don't you? You're already caught by me. So let me ask you — are you willing to become my companion? Someone who can rely on and trust each other?"
Mammon's tone was genuinely gentle.
"SCREEEE!!"
But all Mammon received in response was a cold, defiant shriek.
Ridiculous. Companion? Yveltal had never once considered the idea of having a companion. It didn't need one — it was YVELTAL, damn it!
"Not interested, huh? Well then, why don't you take a look around and answer me again?"
Mammon raised an eyebrow.
"SCREEEE!!!" But Yveltal paid Mammon absolutely no mind.
Look around and answer? Please. Yveltal had nothing but contempt for the suggestion. What could possibly be around here that—
Yveltal glanced around — and its eyes went rigid.
To the left, a shimmering glow of blue and gold — the legendary Primal Kyogre, watching it with calm, silent composure.
To the right, the pure, majestic Reshiram stood tall, its clear blue dragon eyes carrying an icy, aristocratic dignity.
In front, Mega Mewtwo Y slowly rose into the air from behind Mammon, its eyes flickering with deep violet flame, radiating a genuinely crushing presence.
Behind, purple-black Shadow Lugia's blood-red eyes stared back, thoroughly terrifying and dreadful to behold.
Yveltal felt an overwhelming wave of dread wash over it instantly — but there was more!
It sensed another intense, oppressive weight, bearing down from directly above.
Yveltal tilted its head up, and what filled its vision was a massive, ceaselessly churning black spatiotemporal vortex.
The Lord of the Shattered World, the Creator's own raging splinter, Origin Forme Giratina, its head half-emerged from the Distortion World, radiating both savagery and icy calm.
Already badly wounded, Yveltal's entire body instantly went rigid.
Surrounded on every side! Completely surrounded!!
What, guys? Seriously???
Can't handle a real fight??
(End of chapter)
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