Chapter 260.5: House of the Dragonite
As the Pelipper glided past the rocky mountain range, Violet Mizuhana clicked her laptop shut and rubbed at her eyes to dispel the dizziness — trying to do work while dangling in a Fly Basket was a discomforting affair.
The blue-haired woman scoffed. “Damned cowards… If you’re too scared to build a Teleport station in your city then at least have the courtesy to et sowhere more convenient.” She shoulda gotten Nina to Fly her in with that Dragonite of hers. It was the least she could do for dragging her into this little ss.
Violet was, of course, referring to the Blackthorns whose fortress city lood in the distance; towering spires and monolithic granite walls surrounded by rocky, inhospitable terrain and nestled between a deep valley. It was all very imposing, but the Kantonian noblelady could only feel disdain towards the excess. “Urgh… Goth is so passé. Get with the tis already.”
But then again, the fact that the Blackthorns insisted on eting in their ho ground showed just how insecure they were towards the coming negotiations. “They’re scrounging for every little scrap of advantage they can find… That’s just how desperate they are to get hold of Nina’s Dragoninite.”
Violet’s eyes shone with greed and cackled like a madwoman while her Pelipper just rolled his eyes in disdain, thinking that his human was conniving again.
As the pair descended into the valley, a number of black specks could be seen launching from the city wall to co greet them — a pair of Dragonites and their respective trainers.
“Lady Violet, welco to Blackthorn City. We’ve been eagerly expecting your arrival.”
Violet kept her back straight and responded with an indifferent nod. When dealing with a bunch of stuck up Dragon Tars, one must never falter. Pride and confidence, anything else was considered a sign of weakness.
It was why they invited her to their grim little fortress — to cow her into submission. But Violet would never yield, not to such pathetic posers. The truly dominant do not heed such frivolities.
The Dragonite Rider returned the nod. “Please, allow us to show you the way and extend a word of apology on behalf of the clan. Lady Clair is presently indisposed — ergent League matters as I’m sure you can understand. In the anti, we’ve prepared a reception for you while you wait.”
Violet snorted and waved for them to lead the way as she tried her best to maintain her footing on the Fly Basket. “Should have stayed seated. Note to self; buy one of those ostentatious, back-breaking throne chairs for next ti.” Tripping over her own Fly Basket was embarrassing but arriving while seated in a lawn chair didn’t exactly ooze dignity.
They ultimately landed in front of Blackthorn Castle, and as expected, the welco that Violet received was equally as garish; about a dozen mbers of the clan all lined up, dressed in shining armour and dieval halberds in hand, standing side by side with their respective Pokemon and saluting the woman in her wake.
Violet held back her scoff. “Even after all these years, they’re still clinging to their foreign traditions. And to think we allowed such outlanders to rule Indigo… What a disgrace.”
The insides of the castle was of a similar aesthetic; cold stone tempered by lush carpets and gleaming silver and gold fittings, the walls adorned by eye-catching baroque paintings. Although, to Violet’s modern sensibilities, the stylized canvases only ca across as hopelessly archaic. “No doubt they’d fetch a hefty little price tag with the right collectors though.”
“We have arrived.” The Blackthorn guide opened the door for her to a luxurious sitting room. “We appreciate your forbearance while Lady Clair concludes her business. In the anti, you may request for servants by pulling on this call bell — refreshnts will be by shortly. Is there anything specific you would like for us to provide?”
Violet wordlessly dismissed the guide with another wave and sat down with a huff. “This place… It has no windows.” It was painfully obvious to her that this was yet another petty ploy. Because despite the opulence, it was pretty clear that she was led into nothing but a glorified jail cell.
The woman sneered. “That bitch! So this is how you want to play, huh?” Violet released her Pokemon into the space; the Pelipper who ferried her here, her starter Poliwrath, a Starmie, Slowking, Azumarill, and an Omastar. Pretty much her full team, because who knew what might happen in hostile territory.
With a glance at her two Psychics, Starmie and Slowking went to work scanning the room for any unwelcod company. anwhile, she flicked open her laptop to unleash the Porygon contained within as well — to check for the presence of any spy implents.
“Nothing, huh? Guess it is a little out of character for Clair to stoop so low. Bitch is about as subtle as a Rhydon.”
Feeling assured that she wasn’t being spied on, Violet sat down on one of the armchairs to get so work done. Only to curse out loud when she tried to connect to the Pokenet. “That Sneasel fucking, Koffing shitting, Muk sniffing, Garbodor kissing Arbok!!!”
The room she was in was a Dark Spot, there was no Pokenet access whatsoever. Not even with a fucking Porygon in her computer!
“That’s it! No more gas!” Violet trudged over to the call bell, nearly ripped the cord off with how hard she pulled, and summoned a flustered maidservant to the door.
“How may I be of assistance, milady?”
“You dare?! You clan of Goodra fucking pricks! Putting in a room with no Pokenet access?! I am Violet Mizuhana! Not your gran’s fucking Growlithe! You made co all the way here and now you deign to waste my ti?! Do you honestly expect to wait in limbo for that Diglett sucking mistress of yours to co calling like a good little puppy?!”
“M-Milady, please. This is all just a misunderstanding—”
“Misunderstanding?! MISUNDERSTANDING?! Listen here, girl! You’re gonna go and you’re going to tell that Hypno shagging bitch to co see right away before I feed you to our Gym’s Gyarados! Do you understand?!”
The maid whimpered, but to her credit, she did not cow — working in a mansion full of ego-bloated aristocrats must have steeled her nerves. But before she could reply, she felt a regal Aura emanating from beyond the door.
“No need to fret, my dear lady. And here I thought the enterprising mbers of the Cerulean Gym had more composure than this.” The voice was deep, sultry and brimming with power.
The maid promptly stepped aside and greeted her mistress with a bow, as well as to hide her flushing countenance. Strong, beautiful, wise and brimming with an assured confidence that the lesser mbers of the clan could only envy, Clair Blackthorn was everything that the girl aspired to be but could never beco. Being in her presence always stirred the little Butterfrees in her heart.
The acting Matriarch of the Blackthorns strutted into the room with a genial smirk and extended a hand to Violet. “I would apologise for my tardiness but I believe that was already conveyed by my subordinates. To repeat myself would be unbecoming, don’t you agree? Lady Violet?”
Violet scoffed and returned to her seat, blatantly ignoring the proffered hand. “And the Dark Spot? How much longer would I have been made to wait had I not caused a scene? Or is the Blackthorn clan so arrogant as to believe that only their ti is worth a damn?”
Clair chuckled and called out to the maid. “My dear Lola…” The maid shuddered, not expecting to be addressed by na. “May I trouble you to go bring so refreshnts for our guest? One of the Kalosian vintages from my private collection should do just nicely.”
“Of course, milady. Right away.”
The aqua-haired matriarch nodded in approval before proceeding to join Violet in one of the other armchairs. “While we await the return of our lovely servant girl, allow to dispel your doubts. Your placent in this room was never ant as a slight, Lady Violet. Rather, this is a specially prepared room that we use for all of our more… clandestine etings. A asure against prying interests from without — not from within.”
Violet sneered. If this was a ga then she had already lost by losing her cool. So no point keeping up with pretenses any longer. “So what? Did you expect to sit here and twiddle my thumbs until you deign to grace with your exalted presence, milady?”
The woman chuckled. “Admittedly, that was an oversight on my part.” Clair confessed. “Next ti, I shall have my people bring you to a more conducive environnt while you wait. You are right that ti is a precious commodity. So why don’t we begin our discussion without further ado?”
Violet waved at her counterpart in lieu of a response.
“Though I have to say. I’m disappointed you didn’t bring your little Pikachu with you. I had been looking forward to formally eting her.” Clair added.
Violet chuckled. “I didn’t bring her for the sa reason you didn’t bring that feisty Charmander of yours.” Because their two prodigies were simply too friendly with one another. Intimate, even, if the tabloids were to be believed. Truthfully, Violet didn’t know nor did she care to know. They’ve all had their own little flings during their journey years, who hadn’t?
And all things considered, Nina and Lilian’s little ship had been well-received by the public and touted as a beacon of reconciliation between the two Indigo regions. If it weren’t for the fact that their Gym only had rights to one half of the pair, Violet would have comrcialized their likeness ages ago.
Clair nodded. “Such is the folly of youth. But I am thankful to young lina for coaxing that Shelgon out of her shell. Lilian has been beset by expectations since her childhood. It is good to see the girl gratify herself in the banalities of youth, if only on occasion."
At this point, a knock sounded and the young maidservant from before returned with a trolley full of food and beverages which she proceeded to set atop the coffee table. While that was happening, the two noblewon remained silent, just intently watching the proceedings, much to the distress of the poor girl working.
“Is there anything else that I might provide, miladies?”
“That should be all, Lola. Please, close the door on your way out and ensure that no one interrupts.”
“Of course, Lady Clair.” The girl bowed and expediently vacated the room with stilted grace.
“Please, help yourself.” Claire gestured as she took a sip of her Shuckle wine. “This bottle is one of my favourites. Leave it to the Kalosians to make the most delightful brews.”
Violet smirked. “Of course you would be partial to Kalosian wine.” She said, taking a little jab at the Blackthorn Clan’s exile from the region. The woman then sipped at her wine glass, savouring the tannins with a swirl of her tongue. The ga had officially begun.
Clair smiled. “It can’t be helped. Us Blackthorns hold ourselves to the highest of standards — even the wine we consu must be the finest. If the opulence of this bottle is too much for you, Lady Violet, I’m sure we can procure so rice wine from the kitchen? Or would you be more partial to… ale?” The word was said with an underlying tone of disgust, as if the woman had been forced to decant a bottle of urine.
“No need.” Violet returned. “Beer, or ale, as you called it, is a working class drink. I hardly expect a personage as esteed as Lady Clair Blackthorn to keep such a humble beverage in stock.”
“Oh my, you’re quite the humble one yourself, Lady Violet. Not many would deign to spare our servants even the most fleeting of glances, let alone engage them in such a passionate exchange. Truly, the Mizuhanas live up to their magnanimity.”
Violet chuckled. “What can I say? I simply cannot abide by ignorance. Perhaps, if your clan had been more competent in the girl’s education, I would have been less inclined to intervene. They do say the best servants are the unseen ones after all. Or perhaps your clan adheres to an opposing view? After all, what’s the point of having capable servants if they can’t be seen?” That old Sneasal shadowing Lilian was certainly showy enough.
And on and on they went, the two won exchanging barbed pleasantries until Clair relented and finally diverted their conversation to the main topic of today’s eting.
“Now that we have sufficiently quenched our thirsts, allow to once again thank you for coming all the way to our proud city today, Lady Violet.”
“Not at all.” Violet said, with a shake of her head. “As you said, my family is known for our magnanimity. I could hardly expect a city so bereft of Teleport facilities to co et us in our bustling little tropolis. No doubt it would have been quite the jarring experience for one as… conservative as yourself.”
Now it was Clair’s turn to chuckle. “Indeed, you are very kind, Lady Violet. That being the case, I trust you will be generous in restituting us for access to the Dragon’s Den?”
Violet cocked an eyebrow in amusent. “Oh? And here I was under the impression that it was your clan that would be restituting us for permission to fabricate our Dragoninite — the only one of its kind in the world, if my knowledge holds. anwhile, power spots are just Oddish in grass if you know where to look. In fact, dear Nina should be training in one as we speak.”
“Oh? Did you not consult your charge before coming here? Little Nina is seeking knowledge — permission to access our ancestors’ shrine so that she may engage in academic pursuits. Such comndable diligence, it’s no wonder why all the professors are so endeared to her. Must be her noble bloodline… Oh, pardon , I forget myself sotis. Young lina is not your direct kin, is she? I suppose that explains things.”
“You’re not wrong.” Violet affird with a twitch. “That girl does not understand the value of what she has in hand. And since we both agree that her request is a frivolous one, it’s all the more reason that, as her better, I negotiate a fair exchange for her find. A few hours of access to so slly old cave is hardly worth the discovery of a lifeti.” She then reached into her shoulder bag to produce a folder that she had prepared beforehand.
“Fortunately, I ca prepared… In this folder, you will find a comprehensive list of demands that the Cerulean Gym is requesting in exchange for permission to fabricate our apprentice’s Dragoninite. I even took the trouble of printing everything out for you in consideration of your clan’s… archaic ans.”
Clair grabbed hold of the proffered docunts with a subtle huff. “My, how kind of you. Excuse while I peruse your proposal.”
“Take your ti.” Violent smiled as she leaned back with a colourful little tartlet of at and pickles in hand.
anwhile, Clair’s steely countenance only beca more rigid with every subsequent page of Violet’s proposal before outright collapsing when she ca upon a handwritten piece of paper grafted conspicuously among the tidy stack of printed sheets.
“Team Rocket… Giovanni's ambition to cross dinsions and… break reality?” The woman looked perplexed, unable to fully comprehend what she was reading. “Is this ant to be a prophecy?”
Violet snorted at Clair’s confusion. “Welco to my world, bitch. See what I have to deal with?” Then sighed. “As you know, trying to act on prophecy never ends well. This, according to Nina, is from Celebi.” And, no doubt, w as well if Lily was to be believed. “Which makes it as credible as anything.”
Clair frowned. “I see nothing actionable regardless.” What was handwritten on the wayward page — by lina Jones herself, no doubt — was sparse and broad, utterly lacking in specificity aside from the end conclusion.
“The brat said she was working on it.” Violet shrugged. “Said that she would call upon the League’s aid when the ti cos — she only hopes that our actions won’t be delayed by… systemic impedints.”
Violet still rembered the ss that was Celadon City last year, and that was the League being uncharacteristically expedient, no doubt due to the direct involvent of a Blackthorn scion. If they had acted on Nina’s report sooner, the girl wouldn’t have been hurt. And had they been delayed any further, her clan might have lost one of their brightest talents.
That said, the perfect scenario would have been Nina and her friends informing the League about their recklessly moronic sche from the very beginning. But after the Blackthorn girl revealed her findings and exposed just how deeply rooted the corruption in their governance was, one could hardly bla the girl’s discretion.
“This ti, at least, Nina actually had enough brains to lay down so proper groundwork before diving head first into danger.” Violet added, assured that her counterpart probably shared in her exasperation with regards to her own charge. “So credit where credit is due, I guess…”
Clair shut her eyes and breathed in deep to center herself. lina Jones was not wrong in her caution; prophecies truly were fickle things and their recent betrayal by yet another high-ranking mber of the League did not exactly inspire confidence. “I suppose we can only trust in your Pikachu’s judgent then…”
The woman sighed then promised that she would discretely prepare for Nina’s inevitable call. Even going so far as to provide Violet with an ergency phone line they could dial to reach her directly.
“Aside from that, it is regrettable that the matter of Giovanni is beyond our control at present. So let’s move on to your actual demands.” Because far be it for Clair to defy the will of a Mythical Guardian — if Celebi indeed chose lina Jones, then it must have been for a reason. “The Gyarados Act,” Clair continued, “was enacted for the sake of the region’s people… Keeping them captive as a showpiece in an aquarium and parading them in ticketed shows pose too big a risk to public safety.”
Violet scoffed as her mind shifted. “Don’t patronize us, Blackthorn. The Mizuhana clan has been handling Gyarados since ti immorial. And unlike you, we do not pump our Pokemon full of hate just to stir their aggression. Our Gyarados Evolves the proper way — the right way. Or are you telling that keeping a lake full of tenuously sedated Gyarados just to farm them is sohow more acceptable?”
It was only through common decency that Violet’s ancestors abstained from involving their clan’s horde of Gyarados in the war. Else, that senseless conflict would have escalated to untenable degrees.
“It is about damn ti that us Mizuhanas reclaim our spot as the number one Water Clan in the Eastern Regions. Or, would you rather allow those garish pricks in Hoenn to continue undermining us?!” Violet was sick of their Gym playing second fiddle to Wallace’s. And with Beverly and Nina in their roster, the Cerulean Gym now had a semi-direct counter to Lisia. Which left shoring up their battle prowess and kicking their ass in the World Tournant.
Clair sighed. “I will… bring it up in the next conference.” This was an argunt she was destined to lose — their clan’s recent blunder in Mahogany had deprived them of any ground to stand on. So in a way, she was willing to concede the matter as a gesture of good will. The true negotiations would co after.
“Not good enough!” Violet rebuked. “Pass it on to Lance and have that useless bum push it through.” Despite being the nominal head of the clan, Violet knew why the Indigo Champion was not invited to this eting. It was because if that hothead was here, he would have just thoughtlessly agreed to all of Violet’s terms, as desperate as he was to get ahold of a Dragoninite — great for the Cerulean Sister but not so much for his beleaguered cousin.
“Fine. Despite my reservations, it is one of your more reasonable demands. Along with the request for a Gengarite.” A direct request from Nina, no doubt. “We would be happy to negotiate with the Ecruteak Gym on your behalf. And given your protege’s friendly relations with Morty as well as the man’s more… liberal nature, I’m confident that this is yet another request we may oblige.”
The next condition was pretty standard; an exclusivity period where the Blackthorns were not allowed to fabricate the Dragoninite until after Nina was done with her conference run. Clair held back a wince. It was not ideal, since that ant Lilian would be entering the conference with a disadvantage, but it was hardly a precedent that she could argue with.
If anything, the Mizuhanas were being very generous by conceding such a brief exclusivity period. Not that they had any other Dragonites on hand that could capitalize on their find, making it a completely lossless compromise on Violet’s part.
The main purpose here was to allow enough ti for Nina’s sole ga Dragonite to dominate the conference uncontested. Thereby centing the girl’s reputation as the first ever Pokemon Trainer in history to ta a ga Dragonite. And no doubt greatly boosting her image and comrcial value along the way.
“Hopefully, Lilian will have enough ti to master her ga Dragonite before challenging Lance for the Championship. The supplental condition attached to the exclusivity clause however…” Clair’s eyes pierced through the fine print with a vicious smirk on her face. If she was reluctant before, she now found herself mollified.
“As expected of those conniving Mizuhanas…” No doubt the supplent was ant to harm the clan’s interests. But in this instance, Clair wholeheartedly agreed to it with vindictive glee, earning her a knowing smirk from Violet. “This should take that belligerent Houndoom down a peg.”
“As for the rest of the conditions…” Clair summarized the demands one by one. “Election of one of your sisters to the Elite Four, access to the Johton starters, exclusive distribution rights to Water Stones in Indigo, permission to breed Dratinis, and access to our archives for all Kingdra, Gyarados and Legendary related records… These are all too audacious to even consider!”
“Oh please.” Violet waved. “You and I both know that little Charmander of yours isn’t ready for the Championship just yet. The girl has red hair but her na isn’t Red! The best thing to do in the anti is to push that stuck up Psychic bitch onto the throne, which ans there’ll be an opening in the Elite Four. Misty’ll be perfect for the spot — she’s already thinking about retiring as Gym Leader anyway and I’ll be damned if I allow the most talented trainer in our clan to devolve into a ek little housewife.”
Technically, there would be two Elite Four seats vacant. But the Indigo League had already decided on who would fill Koga’s seat after much bickering. The final candidate was soone of a neutral disposition who was not one of the acting Kanto Gym Leaders.
Two Elites from Kanto and two from Johto, that was the accord that was agreed upon at the unification of Indigo. And if Sabrina ascended, that would leave another Kanto seat open — one that would be completely free for contest.
That said, they were still in the midst of negotiating with that reluctant vagabond to take up that initial vacancy. So circumstances may still be subject to change. “But a commitnt of support from the Blackthorns here would pretty much seal the deal in Misty’s favor.”
The only other Leader who might be looking to contest was Surge, but the credibility of that loudmouth fool had been thoroughly decimated by his prior association with Koga. “That volatile Electrode should still be licking his wounds from the tribunal they subjected him to.” Which ant his prospects were completely neutered for the foreseeable future.
Surge’s only viable path forward would be to push his son to the fore, providing a fresh face for the region’s Military Clans to rally behind. “It was either that or see his Gym be stolen from underneath his feet.” Violet held back a scoff. Rumors had it that the Matsumoto clan had been restless as of late, thanks to so prodigious child who erged from one of their branch families. A girl with an Arcanine whom Nina soundly trounced at so point, much to Violet’s pleasure.
“Seriously, what is with all these geniuses coming out of the woodwork recently.” Violet’s own clan had Nina and, to a certain extent, Beverly, the Blackthorns had Lilian, and even Sabrina had that little freak of hers.
The two opposing clanswon continued to bicker, all the way until the sun began to set. The eting went on for so long that Violet ended up staying the night, only to continue negotiations once again co the next morning.
“Damn you, Nins… Making spend all this ti.” Violet swore that she would make the twerp work her spunky little ass off after this in recompense.
***
Sorry for the late release, I forgot to schedule the chapter for today.
s/zebraunicorn
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