ECHOES OF THE CRIMSON QUEEN

On an exuberantly plush couch, a crimson-haired woman with a pair of enigmatic white eyes sat in the midst of palpable excitement. Beside her, a Pokémon companion shared in the anticipation. Instead of the usual fare of hilarious comedies or spine-chilling horrors, the duo was immersed in an old battle footage from the Alola region, featuring two young boys and their formidable Lycanrocs.

"That young man certainly knows how to wield powerful aces," Azalea remarked, crossing her arms as her gaze shifted to her companion—a regal Zoroark, her stalwart ally in both battles and leisurely moments.

Zoroark!

Glancing at the clock, Azalea observed the advancing hour and realized that the evening had stretched into the realm of lateness. With a graceful rise from the plush confines of the couch, she directed her steps toward the television. There, a small portrait captured the essence of seven individuals facing the camera, accompanied by a little girl lingering in the background, her gaze turned away. While a flicker of recognition crossed Azalea's eyes, she chose to dismiss it, focusing on the task at hand.

A firm press of the red button on the remote extinguished the glow of the screen, the room plunging into the soft embrace of darkness. The audible click echoed through the room, signaling the conclusion of their nostalgic viewing, and Azalea's next move in the quietude of her dwelling.

As the sun cast its first rays upon the world, Azalea was already awake, slipping into her attire for the day. Her gaze briefly swept across her room before she departed, landing upon a small box that seemed untouched for an eternity, cloaked in a layer of dust. Descending the stairs with her loyal Zoroark by her side, she intended to grab a quick breakfast before venturing out. However, an unexpected sight halted her in her tracks - Tsareena and Espurr had materialized in the living room.

"Oh, good morning, you two." Azalea waved hello, and her Pokémon mirrored the greeting with their own gestures, creating a harmonious exchange of morning sentiments.

Azalea's eyes gravitated towards the table, where a steaming cup of coffee and a meticulously prepared breakfast awaited her. Beside it, a portion of nourishing Pokémon food had been laid out for her loyal companion, Zoroark. Together, they settled in, ready to savor the meal lovingly crafted by Tsareena and Espurr.

As Azalea indulged in a sip of her coffee, she directed her attention to the screen, which flickered with echoes of past battles. Her Rotom phone illuminated the memory of her battle from a decade ago at the Arata League Tacita Conference. It was a pivotal moment during the semi-finals, a round demanding six Pokémon to advance. Yet, as the scoreboard displayed, she had only unleashed two of her Pokémon, while her opponent had exhausted their roster without managing to eliminate a single one of hers.

'The winner of this round is Azalea!'

With a decisive snap, Azalea closed her phone and set it aside. The league might have concluded a decade ago, but the echoes of her victories in the conference still resonated through the fervent discussions of Pokémon enthusiasts. What irked her more than the persistent adoration was the moniker they had bestowed upon her - Arata's Crimson Queen. To her, it seemed more of a trivial title than a prestigious one. In her view, focusing on the training and development of a select few of her strongest Pokémon negated the need to employ her entire roster.

With the day ahead wide open and no pressing engagements, Azalea's curiosity tugged at her like a gentle beckoning wind. She resolved to explore the recently inaugurated Pokémon lab.

Upon savoring the last bite of their meal, Azalea and Zoroark shared a brief moment of connection in the backyard. She bid farewell to her Pokémon companions before embarking on her journey. As she ventured forth, her cap pulled low to shield her from prying eyes, she navigated her way toward the new Pokémon lab. The path led her through a lush forest, where curious wild Pokémon began to trail behind her like silent admirers.

"Hello there." Azalea waved at them, noting their demeanor to be less menacing than typical wild Pokémon.

In the midst of her journey, a sudden cry of a Pokémon rang out not far from her. The urgency of the situation spurred Azalea into action as she rushed towards the source of the commotion. Upon her arrival, a disconcerting scene unfolded before her eyes – a menacing group of bandits encircling a woman and a frightened little boy standing behind her. Recognition dawned as Azalea noted the distinctive attire the bandits wore. Shaking off her initial shock, she resolved to step in and aid the imperiled woman.

"Zoroark, use dark pulse." Azalea called out an attack, not loud enough for the bandits to hear.

Zoroark charged at them and used its strong dark pulse on those bandits and they all went away. Quickly, she went to check up on them.

"Hey, are you two alright?" Azalea rushed to the woman and the little boy, noting the distinct hue of violet in their hair. Beside the woman, an Incineroar stood guard.

"Ah yes, I'm okay now. Thanks to you and..." The woman's gaze drifted behind Azalea, landing on an unfamiliar Pokémon.

"Zoroark. It's my Pokémon. Don't worry; despite its intimidating appearance, Zoroark is quite gentle." Azalea signaled the Pokémon to approach, and it did so with measured grace.

"Wow, such strong Pokémon you have." The boy's eyes widened in awe as he gently reached out to touch Zoroark.

"Thank you," Azalea responded with a warm smile.

"My name is Azalea, from Tacita city in the Arata region."

"It's nice to meet you Azalea. I am Eclipse from Littleroot town in the Hoenn region and this is my little brother, Solar."

Hoenn?

Observing Eclipse's attire, Azalea noted a distinct Alolan influence in her clothing, a fusion of styles that spoke volumes about the diversity of trainers she encountered.

"Hello there," Solar greeted Azalea with infectious cheer.

Eclipse, on the other hand, seemed momentarily taken aback, her eyes reflecting a flicker of recognition. Did she just hear her name correctly? Was this woman truly Azalea?

"Ah! You were the winner of the Tacita conference 10 years ago. I watched it alongside my parents and my brother. You were amazing," Eclipse exclaimed, her memory stirred by the recollection.

"Ahh, thank you." Azalea nervously chuckled, a bit surprised that her legacy had traveled across regions.

Great, I bet my name is spreading around other regions, like a virus, Azalea mused sarcastically.

Curiosity gleamed in Azalea's eyes as she inquired, "So, what are you two doing here in the Arata region?"

"We heard that a new Pokémon lab has opened here in the Arata region, and since my brother's 13th birthday was yesterday, he gets to have his own Pokémon," Eclipse explained, her attention divided between Azalea and her brother, still engrossed in the gentle interaction with Zoroark.

"I see, let's go together." Azalea's smile radiated warmth, inviting collaboration.

"Great idea!" Eclipse enthusiastically concurred.

"Yay!" Solar's laughter echoed the shared excitement.

The trio embarked on their journey to the Pokémon lab, the watchful eyes of Zoroark and Incineroar ensuring the safety of their trainers and Solar. As they emerged from the forest, the vibrant Calla Town unfolded before them, a picturesque canvas adorned with blooming flowers.

"Well, here we are. This is Calla Town. The best area to get yourself some flowers," Azalea remarked, glancing at Eclipse and Solar. Their expressions, captivated by the town's beauty, revealed their unintentional distraction from her words. A chuckle escaped Azalea's lips, acknowledging their enchantment with the town.

Drawing closer, they observed a gathering of young trainers, each accompanied by their starter Pokémon—representatives from regions like Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and beyond. Their gaze extended to a Pokémon lab, marked by a sign that read "Medora's Laboratory."

"Zoroark, why don't you stay here? In case something happens to the children, I want you to help them," Azalea directed, tenderly patting Zoroark, who seemed to grasp the importance of its protective role.

Zor!

(Okay!)

The trio stepped into the new Pokémon lab, brimming with anticipation to meet the Arata region's new professor. Suddenly, a tap on their shoulders redirected their attention to a woman.

"You three must be here for the Pokémon, correct?" The lady crossed her arms, seeking confirmation.

"Not really," Eclipse replied, shaking her head.

We're here so I can get my first Pokémon," Solar chimed in, his excitement palpable.

"Hmm, I see." The woman chuckled, clearly amused by the little boy's enthusiasm.

"My name is Azalea from Tacita City."

"I'm Eclipse, and this bundle of excitement is my little brother, Solar. We come from Littleroot Town in the Hoenn region."

"I'm Medora, the new Pokémon professor in the Arata region," she introduced herself with a chuckle.

Entering Medora's office, they were greeted by an array of starter Pokémon representing regions far and wide. Medora commenced the introduction, calling forth the iconic starters:

The Kanto Starters, Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur

The Johto starters, Cindaquil, Chikorita and Totodile.

The Hoenn starters, Mudkip, Torchic and Treecko.

The Sinnoh region, Piplup, Chimchar and Turtwig.

The Unova region, Oshawott, Tepig and Snivy.

The Kalos region, Froakie, Chespin and Fennekin.

The Alola region, Popplio, Litten and Rowlet.

The Galar region, Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble.

Finally, the Paldea region, Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly.

Solar's eyes sparkled with delight. "Wow, so many choices!"

"I've never seen the starters from other regions before. This is amazing," Eclipse hummed, captivated by the diverse selection. Yet, she couldn't help but notice the absence of starters from the Arata region.

"It's quite nice to see all of them together like this," Azalea nodded, appreciating the diverse assembly of starters. However, she couldn't help but notice the absence of Arata region's own representatives as well.

"I've made my decision," Solar declared, surprising the women.

"Huh, already?" Eclipse widened her eyes, intrigued by her brother's swift determination.

Solar approached a group of starters from the Hoenn region, going down on his knees to meet a curious Mudkip.

"Hello there, Mudkip. My name is Solar. Would you like to be my partner?" Solar's earnest question echoed in the room.

Mudkip's eyes went big and Azalea could see a small blush on his cheeks. Knowing full well Mudkip's decision. Immediately, Mudkip jumped into Solar, letting out a happy cry.

"That's good; it looks like Mudkip also chose you as his trainer, Solar," Eclipse observed, a genuine smile gracing her face.

"Oh, thank you so much, Mudkip!" Solar hugged his newfound partner tightly, radiating pure joy.

Witnessing this heartwarming moment triggered a nostalgic reverie in Azalea, recalling the day she officially became a Pokémon trainer. The excitement was so overwhelming that she ended up vomiting from the sheer joy of receiving her pokémon despite it was in an egg. Chuckling at the memory, she noticed Professor Medora's perplexed expression but dismissed it.

"From this day forth, I hereby announce that you are now an official Pokémon trainer, Solar," Professor Medora declared, presenting him with a Rotom Phone, an upgraded Pokédex, and six Poké Balls.

"Thank you so much, Professor Medora!" Solar's exclamation filled the air, his joy evident as he received the Poké Balls and Rotom Phone.

Zoroark!

Once Azalea heard Zoroark scream, she quickly left the office and following behind her were Eclipse, Solar and professor Medora. When they went outside, they saw Zoroark battling a pokemon, Torterra.

Azalea knew why they were here. They came here for Zoroark, after all, her Zoroark did shoo them away earlier in the forest when they tried to attack Solar and Eclipse.

Eclipse stood in front of Zoroark and brought out a pokémon from her pokéball and it was Incineroar.

"Leave this to me." Eclipse said, feeling all confident.

"Don't get too cocky you brat!"

A bandit brought out another pokemon and it was Blastoise.

"Damnit, it's a water type. Not only that, it's the final evolution of a starter." Eclipse groaned. Noticing that she was at a disadvantage.

Professor Medora brought out her own pokemon. It was a grass type pokemon. However, Eclipse and Solar didn't recognize the pokemon but Azalea did. Eclipse than used her rotom phone to scan the unfamiliar pokemon.

Verdantaur, the captivating Grass/Fairy Pokémon and the final evolve form of Sprigleeve. This majestic creature maintains its tree-like form adorned with leaves that emit an enchanting luminescence, akin to twinkling fairy lights. The gentle glow of its foliage adds a magical aura to its presence, emphasizing its affinity for the mystical Fairy element. Verdantaur's eyes shimmer with a gentle radiance, embodying the serene and enchanting nature of this extraordinary Grass-type Pokémon

"That's Verdantaur, one of the fully evolved starters of the Arata region." Azalea chuckled, gazing over at Eclipse and Solar who had a confuse pikachu face.

But how did Medora get her hands of one of the Arata's starters, I wonder?

"Eclipse, you and Incineroar handle Torterra while Verdantaur and I take care of Blastoise." Professor Medora smirked, standing next to her starter. Eclipse quickly nodded.

"Incineroar, unleash the fury of Fire Blast on Torterra!" Eclipse barks out a command. Incineroar channels its fiery energy, forming a colossal, red-orange inferno at the heart of its fiery belt. With a powerful punch, the blazing sphere transforms into a colossal fire projectile, hurtling towards Torterra with intimidating force.

"Torterra, defend against that Fire Blast with your Frenzy Plant!" The grunt shouts. Torterra responds swiftly, enveloping itself in a vibrant green aura. Slamming its colossal front legs into the ground, gigantic, spiky roots erupt, intercepting the incoming fire blast in a clash of spectacular energy.

Torterra's body becomes outlined in a green aura and it slams its front legs into the ground. Giant, spiky roots then come out of the ground and blocked the fire upcoming fire blast.

The collision results in a resounding explosion, catching the attention of Azalea, who observes Blastoise fixating its gaze intensely on her Zoroark. "Oh, you want a piece of the action?" Azalea challenges, hands on her hips, her excitement palpable. "Bring it on!"

Blastoise retaliates, releasing spirals of water from both hydro cannons at Zoroark. However, with unparalleled speed and finesse, Zoroark effortlessly evades the aquatic onslaught.

"Go Zoroark!" cheers Solar, his Mudkip joining in the excitement, jumping exuberantly in support of the dark and elusive Pokémon.

Azalea, however, sighs at the chaos unfolding. Disappointment etches her expression as she scolds the two bandits, "You know, Calla Town was supposed to be the quietest part of the Arata region. And you two wrecked it."

Eclipse steps forward, determination blazing in her eyes. "Let's settle this, you and me," she challenges Azalea, who glances at her Zoroark, finding an unspoken agreement.

"Alright then!" Azalea grins, impressed by Eclipse's fiery resolve.

"Zoroark, wield your psychic prowess to lift both Torterra and Blastoise!" Zoroark's eyes gleam with a bright teal aura as it telekinetically elevates the two opposing Pokémon, suspending them mid-air.

"Remarkable, Azalea. Truly remarkable," Professor Medora whispers in awe.

"Strike while they're vulnerable! Incineroar, execute Throat Chop!" Eclipse commands. Incineroar, propelled by determination, leaps towards the suspended Pokémon. Purple energy engulfs its hands as it delivers a resounding Throat Chop, slamming both Torterra and Blastoise forcefully back to the ground.

"Argh, we'll remember this!" groans one of the defeated bandits, hastily returning Blastoise and Torterra to their pokéballs. The battle reaches its climax, leaving an echo of victory in the air as Azalea and Eclipse stand tall amid the aftermath.

Zoroark transformed into a Zorua and rested on top of Azalea's head. Instinct entered her, she looked back to check up on Solar, who was with Professor Medora the entire time.

"Solar, are you—"

"Both you and Eclipse were amazing, Azalea! Truly the best!" Solar laughed enthusiastically, raising his arms in the air.

Azalea was confused. Usually kids in the Arata region are usually scared when a criminal organization suddenly arrives and disrupt the peace. But for Solar, he wasn't scared one bit. The woman chuckled, her hands patting Solar's head while the other was patting Mudkip's head.

"Glad you two aren't hurt." Azalea smiled in relieved.

"Thank you Incineroar. You deserve a good rest." Eclipse praised her Incineroar before returning him back into his pokeball.

Azalea gazed over at professor Medora, who was praising her Verdantaur. Azalea can't help wonder how in the world was she able to get her hands on one of Arata's starters. Before she could ask her, Eclipse approached the Professor.

"By the way, Professor Medora, do you know anything about those bandits that we just fought?" Eclipse asked the professor, curiosity got the best of her.

Professor Medora sighed. "Yes, they're boss, Scarlet leads the group."

Suddenly, Azalea felt like time had stopped moving. Just by hearing that man's name made her furious.

"Scarlet? That name sounds familiar." Azalea hummed, trying to control her temper.

"That's right. It was him who caused destruction in the Arata region 10 years ago. Thanks to brave trainers, they stopped Scarlet's evil plan and became heroes in the Arata region." Professor Medora nodded, explaining the destruction and how they were able to survive.

"Wow." Solar said in awe.

It was now at dawn and the trio said goodbye to Professor Medora. While they were walking, the women were gossiping on what they just experienced today while Solar was playing with Mudkip. They were now close to Azalea's house.

"Hey, why don't you three stay here for the night? My parents won't be back for a long time." Azalea insisted on them staying.

"We would love that." Solar nodded immediately.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Eclipse smiled.

When they entered the house, Mudkip went to the back and Solar followed him. They were in awe to see many wild pokémon just relaxing in the backyard.

"Wow, so many wild pokemon!" Eclipse said, noticing many wild pokemon.

"Oh, they're not wild. Those are all the pokemon that I caught." Azalea brought a bowl and a box of pokemon food for them.

Solar widened his eyes. "Huh?! Really, that's amazing!"

"Come on, let's go eat." Azalea nudged her head to the kitchen. Signaling that it was time to eat.

They took a seat and ate dinner. While they were eating, Eclipse looked outside and noticed some Pokémon from other regions.

"Tell me Azalea, I noticed that some of the pokémon have regional forms and can only be found on certain regions." Eclipse asked, taking a closer look at some of them.

"When I was young, I traveled to many numerous regions and caught a bunch of Pokémon." Azalea said as Zoroark went and nudged her foot.

"Oh wow, that's amazing. That must mean you have a lot of experience when it comes to Pokémon." Solar gasped as he was in awe.

"Guess you could say that." Azalea nervously laughed.

After they are done eating, Azalea gave some clothes to sleep for Eclipse before taking a shower and for Solar, he was busy having fun playing with the Pokémon in the backyard. Since Azalea is now alone in her room, she decided to take an opportunity to take the time to write a letter.

Dear Leah, today was quite an interesting day. Woke up with Zoroark by my side and drank my morning coffee like usual. Even now, videos about The Tacita conference 10 years ago on social media are viral, maybe getting even more popular than ever. Maybe I shouldn't have only used two Pokémon and maybe used at least four of them. Anyways, back to the matter at hand, today I planned on visiting the new Pokémon lab that was opened in Calla Town. While I was heading there, I met two strangers who are siblings from the Hoenn region and they came here to see the new research lab. The oldest was named Eclipse and the youngest was Solar. When we arrived there, we met this woman called Professor Medora, she's in charge of the research lab. Out of all the 27 Pokémon, Solar picked Mudkip. A starter from the Hoenn region. Just as we were about to leave, we heard Zoroark's voice outside the lab. I rushed outside to see what was up, turns out, it was Team Phoenix. Well, there were like two of them and I guess they wanted to get revenge on Zoroark from attacking them earlier in the forest. Here comes the weird part, I thought Professor Medora would send out a grass type starter from one of the regions but turns out, her starter was Verdantaur. Yeah, one of the fully evolved starters in the Arata region. In the end, I invited Solar and Eclipse into the house to stay for the night. We've eaten dinner and now it's time for us to head to bed. Yup, this day was not really a relaxing one. I'll update you on what's going to happen tomorrow, love you!

-Your sister, Azalea 🤍

It was now time for lights off. Zoroark, Solar and Mudkip were fast asleep. But Azalea and Eclipse weren't able to sleep after what they experienced today.

"Hey, Azalea.." Eclipse  said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to accompany me and my little brother on our journey?" Eclipse looked up and stared at Azalea, who was already staring at her.

Azalea was unsure. This is the first time that she'll journey around with companions. Well, not the first time since she did once explore the Arata region with other people as well but that was over 10 years ago.

Although it was a simple question. Azalea thought hard about this. Hesitant but wanting to try something new for a change. She decided to do something different this time.

Azalea got up, with eyes full of excitement, loudly whispered "Alright, I am in!"

It was now past midnight and everyone, including Eclipse, were all sound asleep. Despite trying to get some sleep, Azalea couldn't close her eyes. She quietly groaned, clearly annoyed. Quietly, Azalea got up and tippy toed to her drawers. Azalea slowly opened, revealing an unlocked box. It was the box that the champion had given to her not too long ago. Letting out a deep sigh, she put on the locket around her neck, while for the Z-ring and mega stone, she decided to put it inside of her backpack, which she'll use during her new journey.

'Here I come, World Coronation Series.'

3385 words

Take note that Eclipse is also 20 years old like Azalea