Thanks for all the support on my Patreo-n so far! 3 advanced chapters at /xlucqs.

  discord:

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  Please join! Let's make it active and easier to speak with other members of the community! The community is growing and is quite active at the moment! If you wanna discuss about Pokemon, send artwork and memes, or just speak to other people, then go ahead and join! There is also information about the story which is useful to have on hand such as William's Pokemon.

  Also, I'm in the process of setting up a Cobblemon server where members of the community can join and play. So if your interested, join the discord server!

  Shelly kneeled over, the strength in her knees gone, legs digging into jagged concrete. Each breath felt difficult—heavy, hot, suffocating. She had to force herself to breathe. Her back was hunched, and her hands hung awkwardly at her side. She summoned the strength to look up around her.

  The remains of Team Aquas' base were buried in black bubbling rubble, covering all the bodies buried beneath it like a blanket. There were small angles in which she could see the remains of an arm or a leg, or a tail or a wing.

  The air was thick with the smell of smoke and sulfur and death, feeling like poison every time she sucked in air. Her body craved air, but the air was harmful. How ironic, Shelly thought. The mask over her head—covering her identity—didn't help. It trapped the air, making it even hotter and more unbearable than it already was. She supposed if she was going to die, her secret identity didn't matter much anymore.

  In her surroundings, the battlefield still burned around her with thick fire and pockets of magma. Shelly coughed. Hades seemed entirely unaffected—like the smoke didn't exist. Behind him, the remnants of his team stood. Behind her, the remains of Team Aqua grouped. One side stood tall and proud, the other bent and kneeling.

  How was he so strong? The thought circled back to her.

  The fight was over before it even started. Shelly believed she had a chance, truly, but from the first couple of exchanges down to the last desperate moves, her hope slowly dwindled to ash in her mouth.

  Hades was a completely different calibre of trainers from what she had seen. Trainers were loud—passionate, predictable, led by the crowd, with weaknesses that could be exploited. Hades was no such thing.

  Throughout the fight, he had remained completely calm, fueled by nothing but logical intellect. When the fight began, she initially held hope that she could win—every fight she always did. However, as the battle progressed and more of her Pokemon fell, that hope slowly dwindled. First, she settled on reaching a stalemate.

  "If I play my cards right, we will draw," she told herself.

  How foolish she was. Then the idea of defeat soon settled in her heart. She understood she was going to lose. But that didn't stop her. If she weakened Hades enough, maybe—just maybe—he would retreat.

  But reality soon sank in. She never stood a chance at defeating him, forcing a stalemate, or forcing him to retreat.

  His Pokemon were too strong—too big and too fast, brought up with the sole purpose to fight. It was strange; they fought almost robotically—no wasted movement, no wasted energy with attacks, and certainly no mercy or hesitation. They mirrored Hades to a T. She had never seen a trainer who battled as if it couldn't matter more and it couldn't matter less at the same time. It threw her off her game. And she suffered for it, and the team suffered for it.

  She glanced behind her, where the rest of Team Aqua—the team she had been put in charge of—stood. Matt was still alive, though, judging by the regretful look on his face and the wounds covering his body, there was nothing left—Pokemon or physical body—for him to fight with.

  On the other side, Team Magma still had a very healthy Hades and his team, the girl she had fought before, another important member right beside her, as well as a much larger force of grunts behind them. Some of the grunts were tending to a much larger man, the one whom Matt fought, if she recalled correctly.

  "Tell me where Poseidon is, and we will let you and your Pokemon live," Hades said. "We have healing items for Pokemon: Full Restores and Potions and Antidotes and Burn Heals. Just tell me where Poseidon is. Tell me his plans, his team, his identity if you know it—give up Poseidon and we will give up trying to kill you."

  "Never," Matt spat. His words from a few days ago rang true in her mind.

  "I'm not talking to you," Hades said. "I'm positive you know nothing. However…" He turned toward Shelly. "A new recruit. A strong and powerful trainer, instantly promoted to an admin, left in charge when he is gone. You must know something about Poseidon, right? Tell me and you live; don't and you die."

  All eyes were now on Shelly. A deep breath of smoke forced its way into her lungs. The weight of the question pressed on her shoulders. An ultimatum—life or death.

  She searched her mind for an answer—she truly didn't know what to choose. William, for all he had put her through, had done it for her; he had made her the woman she was today. He had looked at the deep wounds she carried and hid over years and years and decided to bandage them up, toughen her, and shape her into who she was. Shape her so she couldn't be hurt like that again. Without him, she would still be the woman who froze at the unexpected—the woman who let things happen to her, passive and scared, never taking anything with the strength she had. A pathetic woman she never wanted to become—one she never wanted to be again. William had helped her conquer that.

  He had given her a second home. Her father's job meant relocation had been constant; she'd moved from region to region, never calling any house home. The ship she lived on with her father wasn't what she called home—it was him. Whenever he was there, that was home. It took her too long to realise that. The day she left him to attend the Pokemon Trainer School was the last time she felt at home. It was as though a part of her had vanished. When he died, the possibility of returning vanished along with it. Since then, she had no home, like a drifter wandering from place to place, trying to find one, trying to find that feeling again.

  Then William appeared. His methods were harsh, but after joining him, she felt the same safety she had with her father. She felt protected. Just like with her father, whenever she was with him, she knew she would be safe. William was someone she looked up to—not only for strength, but for how he acted and carried himself—like the older protective brother she never had. Even if she died, she wouldn't let the place she called home die with her. She made that mistake before. Her sanctuary died, and she continued to live.

  But if she chose to betray William here, history would repeat itself, her sanctuary would die, and she would continue to live. Not again. Never again. She wouldn't be able to live with herself—so death was a much better alternative. Better to die in victory than live in defeat.

  "I refuse," she said, voice resolute. There was no going back now, but she didn't care. She glared at Team Magma, determined to make sure her last moments weren't spent cowering. She didn't cower no more—no matter what happened to her.

  Hades, as she expected, did not react. "I see. I initially thought Poseidon made a mistake making you an admin. Our informant told us all about you. The report was everything you're not. I can see you are a strong and loyal woman, sure of yourself. I wish I had someone like that on my team," behind him, the small girl tensed up. "I'm looking forward to meeting him," he zoned out for a moment.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Boss," one of his subordinates said.

  "Ah, yes. Well, I did say what the consequences were," he sent out his Camerupt. Big, beefy, unmovable, with thick orange fur which glinted in the light, casting a figure as though the Pokemon was sent from the sun itself. It fought like it. His strongest Pokemon. It was that Pokemon she had the biggest trouble with.

  "Camerupt, use Flamethrower."

  The fire burned in her eyes. It bubbled and baked, turning into a thick sludge of magma. She closed her eyes and spread her arms out wide, accepting the heat like long-lost family. She would see her father soon, and William after that. But Shelly hoped he lived as long a life as possible—she could wait.

  She took one deep final breath. It was still hot, smoky, like death in her lungs, but that final, releasing breath was the most euphoric feeling she had ever experienced. She let go of it all…

  The fire wrapped around her like a blanket, warm and inviting. It didn't burn. And then…it stopped. Shelly opened her eyes. The figure cast a humongous shadow, further stretched and widened by the fire it battled. It was blue, with strong muscles and razor-sharp fins.

  Lochness…

  Relief rushed back to her all at once. She turned, and on the top of a smouldering black pile of rubble, Poseidon sat—William sat.

  And she knew she was safe again—she knew the team was safe, she knew it would survive, just because of his presence. Now she could rest knowing everything was ok. And so, looking at William, she collapsed with a smile beneath her mask.

  (Just after the phone call)

  "Well, that went well," Wes said just after the call disconnected. Rui shook nervously beside him.

  Justy bit his lip hard. "How did you know all this?" he asked.

  "Information is my trade," William responded. "Team Cipher would never abandon Orre so easily. Many of their operatives are here—many of them were born here. They won't work elsewhere. They have placed too many eggs in the basket to let them be destroyed. If we want to succeed—Team Cipher must be taken care of first. They are our biggest challenge," he turned to Justy. "So let me ask you, are you in?"

  Justy looked down, feet shuffling with uncertainty.

  "The time for neutrality is over," William added. "Sooner or later, the region will be engulfed in a war which will decide its fate. You need to choose a side."

  Justy met his eyes. "I choose the side of the government," he protested.

  William tilted his head, laughing. "The government? Oh? The same government that let the leader of Team Cipher parade around as mayor? The same government that allows evil teams to flourish and run the region? You heard what I did, you've seen it. In the span of a day, I've done more for this country than your so-called government has done in years. It's laughable. Your government is pathetic."

  "Then help it," Justy replied, voice pleading. "Use your skills, your strength and your information to help the government get rid of the teams."

  Wes snorted.

  William tilted his head, "You don't understand. Why would I lower myself to work for people who are weak and indecisive? If you give a weak trainer a powerful Pokemon, it won't change anything. They won't know how to use it. They would only make it weaker." William shook his head. "What this region needs now is a regime change—someone strong and powerful who can lead it out of ruin and out of the grasp of Team Cipher."

  "And do you believe you are that man?"

  "You saw the body, didn't you?"

  "I did," Justy said.

  "You need to choose, Justy. I could use a man like you." He met Justy's eyes. "With Es Cade gone, now you're in charge—you get to decide what happens, the direction the town takes. Think of your people, the town. What's your choice?"

  Justy sighed. "Fine."

  Wes smirked. "A couple more and we can do a proper vote." He turned to William "So, what next? Are we going to another town, liberate them from the evil of Team Cipher, maybe hijack the news and tell everyone about us and our party?" He looked at William expectantly.

  "How about saving all the Shadow Pokemon?" Rui added.

  "I need to leave," William said.

  "Huh!?" Wes and Rui exclaimed.

  William sighed. He understood their disappointed expressions, but he couldn't stay here any longer.

  "The hard part isn't defeating Team Cipher and overthrowing the government—although that certainly will be difficult. No, the hardest part is managing a country, managing it well enough that it doesn't fall back into old habits. We need capital, structure, laws and declarations, a stable and steady handover of the region in order to govern it properly. We can take over the region, yes, but we must run it so it doesn't return to how it is now."

  William adjusted his outfit, patting off the remains of dust and sand. "So I need to leave. Gather funds, allies, strength." The statement was partly true—Orre is a much bigger undertaking than a single trip and a few fights. It was an entire region they were dealing with. He walked over to Wes and put a hand on his shoulder. "That now leaves you in charge of the party. I trust you," he said honestly.

  "Do I get the voting privileges as well?"

  William rolled his eyes.

  Wes cleared his throat. "Sorry." He turned serious, nodding. "Thank you. I won't let you down."

  William nodded back. "Good. Use our reputation, spread the news of the enemies we have defeated. Use Rui's power, Justy's council, and Phenac as your base of operations. Consolidate, gather strength, expand, train, and prepare. War will come to this region sooner rather than later, and we need to be ahead when it does."

  (Present)

  William sat on a piece of blackened stone as Lochness protected Shelly and the rest of the team. Lochness battled mightily against the thick lava, fighting it back with sheer will. William took in the aftermath of the battle—the dead bodies, the fallen Pokemon, the destroyed base. His lip trembled and quivered. He bit down on it hard, turning grief into rage as blood stained his lips red.

  If he had arrived even a moment later, it would've been the end of Team Aqua. Only William would have been left. Fuck! He cursed himself. An attack…how could he not see it coming? Why didn't he see it coming?

  He should have known Team Magma would act against them—he should've taken care of Maxie straight away. He tried once…but he failed.

  The problem was stability. He had gone to Orre, thinking his situation stable. Neptune Shipping was stable, and so was Team Aqua, or so he believed. Too headstrong, too eager to advance his plans. In truth, Orre could have waited a year or two. He started in Hoenn, then moved operations to Indigo, and now Oree—all within a short span of time.

  He had spread himself too quickly. And now he suffered the consequences. In dividing his attention, he had almost destroyed Team Aqua. Team Aqua was not his creation, but it felt like it. William still remembered the days of his past life, when he played Pokemon Sapphire on the GBA, and then the remakes many years later.

  Team Aqua was one of the only things he carried with him from his past life. It had a special place in his heart. That was partly why he joined, and then shaped it to align with his goals. William spotted a tattered Team Aqua logo, black and blistered instead of blue. Destroyed…all for what?

  His eyes bore deep into Maxie. His team seemed to be calling him Hades. He chuckled despite himself. Greek Mythology didn't exist in this world. Was it a cruel twist of irony and fate that he somehow ended up with that name?

  "Poseidon," Maxie said, voice rising. "I've been looking forward to meeting you—"

  Lochness surged forward, ground cracking beneath him as he went straight for the kill on Maxie. His Camperupt responded, using its thick frame to block the way. It didn't budge. Strong, William noted.

  "Time for talking is over," William spat. "You killed members of my team…my team! So because of that, I'm going to kill each and every one of you. No matter what it takes."

  "You're one against many," Maxie pointed out, gesturing towards his team.

  "And your many is weakened from fighting," William rebutted. His Pokemon slowly began filling the field: Leviathan, Juggernaut, Raiden, Vortex, Britney. They spread out, positioning themselves on vantage points.

  Maxie narrowed his eyes. And then the shots began to fly. Bond, hidden behind broken concrete, began to snipe at the red crowd. Maxie was first, but his Camperupt—surprisingly fast for its size—protected him. Bond remained undeterred, moving on to other members who fell from well-placed shots.

  "Lochness, Earthquake on the area ahead!" The ground where Maxie stood began to shake and collapse in on itself, bits of dust and blocks of concrete falling like rain.

  "Attack them!" William followed up, and the rest of his Pokemon released their moves. It was an attack of overwhelming force

  "Too crowded, too disadvantageous…" Maxie muttered as a block of concrete hit the floor next to him. Bond tried to shoot Maxie again, but he couldn't get through. Maxie sent out another one of his Pokemon. "Alakazam, teleport us out of here!"

  A purple field appeared below them, shimmering with energy. The spoons the Alakazam held began to float in the sky as it concentrated on the mass teleportation. A few more of the members fell to the attacks.

  "I'll be seeing you Poseidon, I'll be seeing you very soon," Maxie disappeared with the rest of his team. The attacks hit nothing but air. The silence returned, like deafening white noise in his ears. He truly took in his surroundings, all of the death, of Team Aqua, of his team. They entrusted him to protect them—and he failed.

  He knelt on the floor, running a hand through the rubble. His eyes gained a sharp glint. For the first time in a while, William was truly pissed.

  "If it's war you want, then you've got one," he muttered. "Team Magma, I'm going to destroy you."

  AN: So, I ended up not deciding to go the romance route with Shelly. Considering I've never written romance before I didn't want to write one involving a boss and a subordinate, stockholm syndrome esc, team aqua drama.

  I felt like it was better to go this route. We actually did a vote on Discord for who the romance would be with, and I think I've already decided.