Steven Stone stood at the edge of what had once been a peaceful clearing and was now a circular battlefield made of sand.

  The sand pit stretched before him, easily forty meters across, the earth transformed into a sea of golden particles that shifted and settled with each breath of wind. At the far edge, a massive trench cut through the landscape where a Hyper Beam had vaporized everything in its path. The glass-fused sand along its edges still radiated residual heat, and he could see where several trees had simply ceased to exist.

  Metagross hovered beside him, their red eyes scanning the scene with clinical precision. 'The control Tyranitar shows over her ability is noted. The Hyper Beam was a warning shot, but used was enough to vaporize environment. If this was indeed a warning her full power is higher than initially estimated.'

  "A warning that was apparently heeded," Steven observed, noting the complete absence of bodies or injured Pokémon and mentally filing away Metagross' comment. The clearing was empty save for Lazarus sitting near the center of the sand pit, one hand resting on Tyranitar's side as the massive Pokémon was calmed from her rage.

  Steven approached carefully, his shoes sinking slightly into the sand with each step. Lazarus looked up at his approach, and Steven noted the resignation in the young trainer's expression. He wasn't panicked or upset. Just tired, a look of acceptance. This complication no doubt was going to cause issues. Steven tried to give him a reassuring smile. Before he could say anything Lazarus spoke.

  "Team Aqua and Team Magma," Lazarus said without preamble. "Both groups showed up at the same time, started fighting each other right in my camp. Tyranitar... handled it."

  "I can see that." Steven surveyed the destruction again. "No casualties?

  "She gave them a warning they actually listened to." Lazarus's hand continued stroking Tyranitar's side in a slow rhythm. "But Steven, they found me and while I don't know what they want I have a faint idea already."

  Steven pulled up the security report on his tablet. "Clay Morrison was arrested yesterday. The former officer from Oldale who leaked your information. He's facing thirty years for leaking your designation as a Displaced person."

  "Thirty years won't undo the damage though." Lazarus looked down at the sand. "I didn't really think too much about the guy when I first saw him but it would make sense."

  Steven nodded. "The lack of battle record didn't help either."

  "Yeah." Lazarus finally looked up. "I didn't understand how important badges were here. In the simulations I knew, they were just progression markers. Here they're... everything to a trainer. Social standing, legal authority, and proof of capability to handle strong Pokémon." He scratched his head getting a look of thought and mumbling, "Actually there was something like that but it didn't ever come up for me... I never traded Pokémon or over leveled so I never had that issue."

  "It was an oversight on my part," Steven admitted. "I should have explained the system better, or insisted you challenge at least a few Gyms to establish credentials." Steven heard his mumbling but didn't comment on it. He picked out that it was something relating to the simulations he'd mentioned before.

  "You had other priorities. Also I should have piecd that together myself." Lazarus's tone wasn't accusatory, just factual. "But we both know I can't stay in Hoenn right now. Not with both criminal organizations knowing where I am and probably selling that information to anyone interested. Plus this display likely won't do me any favors even if I was approached by criminals."

  Steven had prepared arguments for why Lazarus needed to leave temporarily, rehearsed explanations about political pressure and safety concerns. But the young trainer had already reached the same conclusion on his own.

  "The other Champions have been requesting meetings with you," Steven said carefully. "Lance of Johto-Kanto wants to host you. Something about the Blackthorn's wanting to thank you personally. Alder of Unova is offering mentorship through Elite Four member Grimsley. The man is a bit eccentric but he's good people. Then there is Cynthia," Lazarus shivered and he actually gave Steven a wide eyed look that screamed, 'Oh dear Arceus, not her.' "She has sent fourteen requests in the past month about your aura theory and knowledge of ruins and several other historical things you happen to know."

  Lazarus shook away the horror on his face before responding. "Fourteen? She's... Persistent."

  "That's one word for it." Steven pulled up the travel authorization forms on his tablet. "I don't really have any grounds to tell you where to go. Each region offers different opportunities. Some will be more...

  "Intense?" Lazarus supplied likely due to Cynthia being on that list given his reaction to her name.

  "Yes." Steven met his eyes. "Whichever region you choose, you'll be expected to participate in their League circuits to some degree. Gather as many badges as you can. Building that battle record will be important. I have to ask to stick to Mightyena, Umbreon, and maybe Zweilous. At least in the beginning. The other two... They are quite a bit too much for gyms."

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Tyranitar rumbled softly, and Lazarus resumed his soothing motions Having stopped when Cynthia was mentioned. "Yeah, that's a long the lines of what I was thinking too. Although I don't know if Umbreon will want to fight at all. She's my brave girl but I'll have to ask her about it." He paused a moment clearly thinking. "How long would I leave Hoenn?"

  "A few months at minimum is what I hope. Honestly? However long it takes for the situation here to stabilize and for you to establish proper credentials. Although you're still under contract with the Hoenn League so you'll be coming back anyway. When you return to participate in the Ever Grande Conference as a guest specialist. That hasn't changed."

  "Right, that..." Lazarus didn't seem all that excited about it.

  "I know it isn't the greatest but the work you've done here matters. The rehabilitation methods you've developed, the progress toward Dark-type acceptance – that doesn't disappear just because you have to leave temporarily and the people need to see it on a grand stage."

  Lazarus was quiet for a long moment, his gaze distant. "You know what's funny? I spent years being the unambitious one back home. The friend without big dreams or clear goals. Now I'm being sought after by important people and sent away across regions because I am good at something."

  "You're not being sent anywhere," Steven said firmly. "Just a small vacation. The choice of where to go, who to work with, what to focus on. That's yours to make. I'll handle things here in Hoenn. When you're back I'm sure you'll be ready for anything."

  The sound of Pokéballs releasing drew Steven's attention. Lazarus's other team members materialized around them – Mightyena immediately moving to his side, Umbreon leaping into his arms demanding attention, Absol positioning himself between Lazarus and the tree line, and Zweilous both heads swiveling to sniff at him but staying out where they were.

  Steven watched the interaction with interest. Lazarus didn't command or direct. He simply sat with them, in the sand, the others gathering close. He began explaining in quiet tones what had happened and what came next. The Pokémon listened, asking questions through sounds and gestures that Lazarus somehow understood after his face screwed up in thought like he's only getting vague impressions on what they mean but managing all the same.

  'It is fascinating,' Metagross observed privately. 'The bond depth suggests deep partnership, spanning much longer than a few months. Their emotional patterns alone support closer to a few years. The only different one is Zweilous. It however has a steadily growing emotional tether...'

  "Trauma and loneliness creates fast connections," Steven murmured back. "When you save someone or they save you, time becomes less relevant."

  After several minutes of discussion with his team, Lazarus looked back to Steven. "I need to think about it. Which region, I mean. Can you give me until tomorrow to decide?"

  "Take the time you need. I'll be back in the morning to get you." Steven stood, brushing sand from his suit. "One more thing. Whichever region you choose to go to, remember that you have leverage. They will want access to your knowledge, whatever you wish to share. Don't let them push you into sharing what you're not comfortable with. Especially Cynthia." Steven allowed himself a slight smile watching him shiver slightly at her name. He wasn't sure why he was so wary of her but it was amusing. "She's used to getting her way through sheer persistence. Setting boundaries early will be important."

  He turned to leave, then paused. "Ah Lazarus? The simulation experience you mentioned, becoming Champion across multiple regions in those... games. That knowledge is valuable, but don't let it make you overconfident. Real battles have variables simulations can't account for."

  "I know." Lazarus's expression was sober and serious. "In the games, Pokémon didn't have trauma or trust issues. They didn't need emotional support or patience. This is the real world... It is completely different in that regard."

  "Good. As long as you understand. Though I'm sure you have since the moment you arrived." Steven gestured to Metagross, preparing for departure. "Contact me when you've made your decision. Stay safe. No more camping in easily accessible clearings at least for the time being." Lazarus nodded giving Steven a smile and a slight nod.

  As Metagross teleported them away, Steven's last view was of Lazarus surrounded by his family, all of them gathered close in the center of Tyranitar's sand pit. A strange, damaged collection of souls who'd somehow found each other in a world that didn't want them.

  The badge system was important. Credentials mattered in society. But Steven suspected that when Lazarus did eventually participate in official battles, people would realize that simulation experience combined with genuine bonds created something far more dangerous than standard training ever could.

  After all, someone who'd been Champion countless times, even in another world's games definitely understood victory in ways most trainers never would.

  The Ever Grande Conference in a hand full of months was going to be very interesting.

  Sitting down in his plush chair he sighed slightly looking down at the papers on his desk.

  'Steven, I noticed something odd.' Looking over to his partner Steven nodded for him to go on. 'Lazarus' mind... It is harder to detect than it was before. During our first meeting in Petalburg City, his mind had been easy to locate. It was thinly veiled but easily detected. Today, it was like looking at something that doesn't exist at all. Hypothesis, with each dark type Pokémon Lazarus associates with increases the level of dark type energy his body is exposed to. It is within estimated projections that his mind and eventually his body will be incapable of being effected by Psychic Pokémon.'

  Steven leaned back in his chair and let his gaze lift to the ceiling. Metagross was many times smarter than he was. Steven knew that, but the idea that Lazarus was effected by Pokémon to such a degree? Was it a good thing? A bad thing? He wasn't exactly sure.

  The positives he could think of right off the bat lifted a few concerns off his plate but added one he didn't want to think about. The mind of a dark type Pokémon was only able to be read by a psychic type with their permission and actively baring through the less than pleasant experience it causes.

  Now that he thought a bit about it Janice's report did say he got a nose bleed and started to react negatively to the mind reading. If Lazarus was naturally aligned with the dark type as some of the limited aura study he's looked into because of Lazarus. His aura must be being colored as black as pitch. He might need to take Cynthia up on her offer of raising a Riolu into a Lucario. Having a Pokémon capable of reading it might give him answers to his new questions.

  Steven actually hoped Lazarus chose to go to Sinnoh first he could ask Cynthia to have her Lucario read his aura to see what is there.