From Trainer to Beast Tamer Pokémon Trainer! Reader x Twisted Wonderland

Lost in Briar Valley AU Pt 3

Okay, this time, I swear we'll wrap up the first visit.
Lost In Briar Valley Pt 3

Reuniting with the rest of the group, they and the rescued Pokémon raced back to Meleanor's castle. Unfortunately, by then, the castle had been surrounded by Iron Ones and Silver Owls likely from different camps given their numbers, all shouting demands that the princess duel with the Dawn Knight or surrender the castle. With little room to maneuver, Lilia teleported himself, Baul, (Y/N), and Marshtomp inside the castle, racing for the throne room.
"Princess Meleanor!" Lilia said as they all entered. "We've returned. The castle is surrounded on all sides."
"Oh, is that what that pesky noise is?" Meleanor asked calmly, Chansey at her side. "I thought for certain only boars could make such noise."
"We freed the Pokémon." (Y/N) reported. "But they were already marching on the castle. I tried to slow them down with the Drampa, but they can't hold out forever."
"You did what you could, human." Baul said as Chansey raced over to start healing the bruises on her face. "To face down a thousand enemies alone is no small feat."
Meleanor got a curious look on her face, standing up and waving to Chansey to stand aside. Remembering their previous conversation, (Y/N) didn't look the princess in the eye.
"I see your own kind treated you just as harshly as us. To think they'd stoop as low as to injure a child."
A green aura suddenly surrounded (Y/N) and in an instant, she felt her bruises disappear. Even Lairon's bite wound felt like it was sealing. Meleanor simply turned to Lilia.
"The Silver Owls will swarm the castle and their numbers will only grow." The General reported. "With our numbers, even with the support of the Pokémon, we won't be able to fend off the swarm. I say this with deepest regrets: we must retreat. The treasures of the castle and the castle itself are the pride of our people, but they are not worth the life of our heir."
"It's not just the castle." (Y/N) said. "Henric told me he was after something called the Princess Glow. The Dawn Knight thinks it can heal someone important to them. And..." She took Marshtomp's hand and got him to lie on top of her. "He's also after the egg."
"What...?" Meleanor seethed as thunder could be heard.
"The idiot doesn't know it's your egg, princess! He thinks it's an actual dragon! I tried to tell him the truth, but he wouldn't listen!"
"That's all the more reason to retreat." Lilia said. "Princess, you must make a decision!"
Meleanor smiled and began to laugh in a concerning way. "Did you ask me to retreat? Are you saying I would lose? If it were anyone but you, I would turn you to ash in a single breath, Lilia."
Meleanor decided to switch it up, breathing green flames that had Baul snatch Marshtomp and (Y/N) out of harm's way.
"Princess!" Lilia flinched.
The flames disappeared as Meleanor turned to her egg. "They want the Princess Glow, the gem of my staff, and my egg. If those humans dare challenge me, they have some nerve. If they want to be destroyed so badly, I'll happily oblige."
"Wait." Lilia insisted. "It's a trap.
"I don't care." Meleanor shot back. "I'll destroy their pitiful plan."
Lilia seemed to scream to whatever god that was willing to pity him. "Aah! That's enough! You spoiled princess! You should listen to advice when asked for it! Remember that time when we were kids and you escaped the castle and sent the whole kingdom into a panic!? Or when you messed with the Queen's staff and broke it!? Or that marriage proposal with a foreign dignitary you ruined!? Have I ever been wrong when I told you to stop!? Every single time, I was the one who got into trouble with the Queen and those old senators. This time, I will make you listen to me!"
Meleanor looked pleasantly shocked. "It's been some time since you've spoken to me like that. But even when you said stop, there was never a time you didn't lend me a hand."
"This isn't the time to be laughing! You're not a mischievous little girl anymore! You're strong, stronger than anyone in this country, but there are always risks. With Levern gone, who will take care of the child?"
"It is because I am the mother that I am going. If I respond to the duel, the humans' attention will be on me. In that moment, you will escape with the beasts and the egg."
"Wha-!?" Everyone yelled.
"What the hell are you saying!?" Lilia demanded. "Fighting is the job of the Kingsguard!"
Baul nodded in agreement. "The General is correct! What is a Kingsguard if we cannot protect the princess?"
"You lot have been marching endlessly for days and you're covered in scratches. Are you going to protect me with those frail bodies? Don't make me laugh. I'm telling you to get out of my way."
(Y/N) frowned before turning back to the egg as the baby inside cried, as if they knew what was about to happen.
Meleanor, seeing this, walked over to the egg.
"Child of man, come here." Hesitantly, the child joined her by the podium. "What do you see?"
"The egg?" (Y/N) answered, confused.
"Is that all?"
(Y/N) looked again, her eyes widening as a green pulsed through the egg, revealing the shadow of the hatchling inside. Meleanor nodded, as if she had seen it reflected in the child's eyes.
"You are an odd one, child of man, but I believe you were brought to us for a reason. I will entrust you with a task. Do not fail me." To everyone's shock, Meleanor placed the egg in (Y/N)'s arms. "Swear to me, upon your true name, you will protect this egg."
The child was just baffled that the princess that had just been throwing lightning at her was now entrusting her with her child. The egg was warm, and there were pleasant pulses of movement from within.
(Y/N) nodded. "I promise, I'll protect Malleus."
"Good. Lilia."
The General was shocked as Meleanor picked (Y/N) up by the scruff and threw her at him. Lilia gasped, catching poor (Y/N), who was in shock over the whole.
"Don't just throw children!"
She ignored him. "Lilia, Baul, I will give you my orders: escape from Wild Rose Castle with the creatures and deliver the egg and the child of man to Black Scale Castle. I will not allow for defiance. Now, go!"
"There's no way we'd listen to that order!" Lilia shouted, still holding onto (Y/N) and the egg. "I'll stay behind-,"
"Do not disobey me!" Meleanor struck out with lightning again. "I told you to go. Did you not hear me?"
"There's no way I'd listen to that order!"
"You fool!"
Once more, lightning came down, but this time, Marshtomp ran in front of Lilia, taking the blows without hesitation. The water/ground type growled at the princess.
"Insolent creature." Meleanor hissed. "You dare stand against me?"
This time, she threw fire, prompting Marshtomp to use Water Gun. His attack instantly turned to steam as he skidded back towards Lilia, refusing to back down.
"Princess Meleanor, stop!" (Y/N) yelled. "I know you're trying to protect Lilia and your egg, but do you really want to do it this way!?"
"Human..." Baul said before turning to Meleanor. "Princess, I hope you will heed the General's advice."
"Please, Meleanor!" Lilia begged. "Don't accept the duel! Give up the castle and escape! If I were to lose you and Levern both...what would I do?"
"Hush." The princess ordered. "I won't lose to them. No matter their numbers, I'll squash every last one of them. But, in case I don't return, my child will be here."
"If you're not here, the egg won't hatch!" Lilia argued.
"Then you will hatch it."
"Don't be absurd! A dragon can only hatch with a parent's magic and love, true love! I don't know anything about a parent's love! I've never loved anyone!"
Meleanor smirked. "The way you hold and protect that child of man says differently. Besides, don't you love me, or was that marriage proposal when we were young fake?"
"That was 200 years ago!" Lilia yelled back. "We were kids! Why are you bringing that up now!?"
"You loved Levern too. You and him spent more time together than we did. There is no way you can't love a child from the two of us, especially when you've already let another child into your heart."
"What kind of nonsense is-Gah!"
Lilia tightened his grip around (Y/N) and jumped back as thorny vines began to grow around them. Marshtomp darted away too as Baul comedically picked up Chansey.
"Vines!?" (Y/N) shouted as Lilia looked at the princess, desperate.
"Meleanor, please! Don't do something stupid!"
The princess turned her back to them. "Malleus will eventually become a blessed star that shines brightly on the fae of Briar Valley, and for humans, a deadly star to fear."
The vines grabbed hold of everyone, dragging them away.
"Princess!" Baul shouted. "Please stop this! Princess!"
Meleanor just smiled. "Malleus, my precious child. I trust him to you both, Lilia and child of man. May the blessings of the night be with you."
The princess then vanished in a flash as the vines dragged them off. Lilia attempted to go after her, but he refused to loosen his grip on (Y/N). When the chaos finally calmed down, the human found herself in darkness, the sound of water rushing around her.
"Are you all right?" She heard Lilia's voice ask.
"I'm fine." She answered. "Marshtomp, are you and Chansey okay?"
"Mar mar!"
"Chansey!"
"Good. Where are we?"
"If I had to guess, the underground waterways of the castle."
(Y/N) felt Lilia tense. "Damn this. Baul, take (Y/N) and the egg, I'm going back up!"
"Hey!" (Y/N) shouted, not wanting to be handed off.
"General." Baul stated firmly. "To us, the Kingsguard, the orders of the Draconia family are absolute. Your body will only be pierced by the princess's lightning of judgment."
"Then I quit the Kingsguard! I'm used to being hit by lightning anyways!"
"You need to stay calm!" Baul shouted. "The egg you and the human are holding will be the future king of Briar Valley. We must protect the egg and reach Black Scale Castle. Let's trust Princess Meleanor. She will defeat the Dawn Knight and return."
"Princess Meleanor's so strong even all of you together couldn't stop her." (Y/N) quoted, trying to calm Lilia down. "Isn't that what you said?"
Lilia growled under his breath, but he stopped arguing. Still holding the human and the egg in his arms, Lilia led the way through the tunnels. After a time, a very troubling rumble came from above.
"What was that?" (Y/N) asked.
Lilia scowled. "Meleanor's letting them have it. Get down!"
Lilia pulled (Y/N) and Marshtomp in close as debris came crumbling down around them. Something came crashing through the roof as everything went still.
"You okay, Marshtomp?" (Y/N) asked.
"Tomp!"
"Wait, something else fell!" Baul shouted, pulling Chansey out of the rubble.
A groan filled the air as a man emerged from the rubble, that man being the Dawn Knight. Lilia pushed (Y/N) back.
"Did Princess Meleanor seriously launch him all the way here?" (Y/N) shouted. "And he survived!?"
Th Dawn Knight shook his head and looked at the people and Pokémon who surrounded him. "General Vanrouge. So that egg the child is carrying must be-,"
Lilia hissed like a feral animal, completely blocking (Y/N) from the Dawn Knight's view.
"Stand back, General." Baul insisted. "I'll handle this."
Another quake stopped Baul in his tracks and before (Y/N) could react, Lilia had pushed her out of the way as large chunks of the ceiling crashed down on him.
"Lilia!"
(Y/N) and Marshtomp began trying to dig Lilia out, only to hear the sound of paws as Kangaskhan, Lairon, and Manectric came charging into the hole. With their combined strength, they made quick work of the rubble, Manectric pulling Lilia to safety.
"Thanks guys." (Y/N) said as she knelt by Lilia. "Lilia, are you okay!?"
He spat out rocks. "It'll take more than that to kill me." His expression then softened as he saw just how concerned (Y/N) was. "I'm fine. I promise."
"Are you both safe?" The Dawn Knight asked.
The Pokémon growled at him lowly and untrustingly as Lilia glared at him.
"Why would you care?"
The Dawn Knight stepped forward, but Manectric had had enough, blasting a Thunderbolt at him. The man jumped back, but his mask, already loosened by his launch, fell off, revealing a rather handsome man with aurora colored eyes. He seemed to realize that there was no point in trying as he turned his back.
"Take her and run far from here."
They all blinked in shock, surprised he was just letting them go. As he began to march off, (Y/N) spoke.
"Don't think this fixes anything. Everything that happens today is still a result of your choices."
"I know." He said.
"Then you also know that as long as you guys keep choosing violence against anything you don't understand, it's never going to end. You're eventually going to have to learn to share this world."
He stopped before smiling sadly at her. "You're a wise young lady. Perhaps in another life or in your world, things may have been better."
The Dawn Knight departed, and given the battle appeared to growl even more violent, the fae, the human child, and the Pokémon all fled for their lives. However, despite everything, the Silver Owls refused to give up, chasing them down into the woods.
"Halt!"
Several Pokémon turned to fight, protecting the fae even at the risk of themselves. Lilia was too occupied keeping (Y/N) and the egg safe, and realizing the creatures needed someone to lead them, Baul turned to face their opponent.
"General, flee!"
"You can't fight them alone, Baul!" Lilia yelled back, dodging the swing of a sword.
"You can't fight while holding the human and the egg. Besides," Carbink, Swablu, Lairon, Kangaskhan, and several angry looking Drampa came to his side. "I'm hardly without allies. This one will surely defeat the enemy and catch up with you. Now, move!"
Lilia growled. "Damn it. I won't forgive you if you lose!"
The General took off, leaving his loyal second-in-command behind. Several Silver Owls attempted to chase after him, but Baul would not let them pass, his declaration of battle echoing across the forest. Lilia continued to run as fast as he could in the direction of Black Scale Castle, not one stopping to rest even as the storm Meleanor had created continued to rage on. The Silver Owls remained on their tails persistently, despite the efforts of the remaining Kingsguard and the Pokémon to deter them. Despite being exhausted, Lilia managed to get them to the foot of the magic mountain. (Y/N) eventually wiggled from his grasp, looking up at the daunting climb ahead of them.
"Can we even climb that?"
"We'll have to. (Y/N), get on my back."
"Lilia, you're exhausted! You can't keep carrying me!"
"And you can't make the climb with the egg in your arms. Come!"
A call rang out as the leader Drampa emerged from the woods. (Y/N) beamed as the Pokémon immediately greeted her with a lick.
"Just in time, Drampa! Can you fly us up the mountain?"
"Dra!" He roared, settling on the ground to allow her, Lilia, Marshtomp, and Manectric to hop aboard before floating up the side of the mountain. Despite his refusal to drop his guard for a moment, Lilia was grateful for the brief moment of respite. However, it was short lived as the storm seemed to swell into a typhoon.
"It's getting worse!" (Y/N) shouted, trying to keep her grip on the egg.
Lilia immediately wrapped the two in her cloak, gritting his teeth as he hung on. "It Meleanor's anger, it's resonating with the earth!"
"Look!" (Y/N) said, looking over at the grasslands they had just come from. "It's being covered in thorns and black fog. What's happening!?"
Lilia gritted his teeth before pushing the girl's face forward. "Don't look, (Y/N). Drampa, faster!"
The dragon type complied, eventually finding a path leading to a bridge leading deeper into the mountains.
"Once we cross, we'll be safe." Lilia assured.
Just he said this, the ground rumbled and from behind them, a Iron One emerged from the mountain side to give chase.
"You have got to be kidding me!" (Y/N) yelled, completely done with this nonsense. "Marshtomp, Mud Shot! We just need to slow it down!"
The water type complied, firing off the move to no avail. The machine quickly began to gain on them, when suddenly, a small army of Pokémon leapt at it from behind, all led by a familiar face.
"Baul!" (Y/N) called as he and the Pokémon who had helped him from before attempted to stop the machine.
"You'll go no further!" The knight declared as several Silver Owls emerged to try to chase off their attackers.
Lilia recognized there was no way any of them had the strength to stop the behemoth at this point, but (Y/N) saw a possible way out.
"Lilia, how angry would the fae be if we took out the bridge?"
"Not as angry if we let them cross."
"BAUL! GET TO THE BRIDGE!" (Y/N) shouted at the top of her lungs.
The knight, fighting three humans at once, decided to trust (Y/N) and hopped onto a nearby Drampa who flew to catch up with them, the Pokémon all barely managed to tail after them as the machine threatened to gain on them.
"We can't destroy the bridge safely." Lilia said as (Y/N) took a deep breath.
"We can if we slow it down for a second. It's still a machine, meaning...so, electricity might stop it." (Y/N)'s eyes drifted to Manectric, knowing with the rain pouring down, there was one move to use. "Manectric."
The electric type looked at her and she flinched under his red eyed gaze, however, she steeled her nerve. She had to do this, for Lilia, for Malleus.
"Manectric...Manectric use Thunder!"
With a fearsome howl, the electric type summoned a massive bolt of lightning to crash down upon the Iron One, which stopped it in its tracks. In the time it took for the Silver Owls to regain control of the machine, the runaways made it across the bridge and to assure they could not be followed, destroyed it. When it was all said and done, (Y/N) curled up, looking as though she was about to throw up. Marshtomp pushed against her side and Drampa nudged her cheek comfortingly. She even felt small pulses from within the egg, as if Malleus could sense her distress. However, it was only when she felt Lilia's hand on her shoulder that the world only slightly stopped spinning.
"(Y/N), you protected us."
She bit her lip. "I know. It doesn't make me feel better."
Rather than dwell on it further, Lilia urged them forward. Before long, they finally arrived at the gates of the capital, a large ominous castle looming over a cliff's edge in the distance.
"We made it." (Y/N) said with a relieved sigh, the arduous journey finally catching up to her.
Lilia, seeing how exhausted and off-color she appeared to be, took the egg from her arms and ran towards the fae guards who greeted them.
"Hurry, take the egg to the castle! Tell Queen Maleficia to prepare the Cradle Tower, now. Hurry!"
The guards seemed hesitant to touch the egg, instead running off in the direction of the castle. Lilia gritted his teeth before walking back over to (Y/N).
"(Y/N), I need you to hold the egg for a bit longer, just until the guards return for it. Stay with Baul."
"What?" She asked as he attempted to push the egg back into her arms. "What about you?"
"I must return to Wild Rose Castle."
"What are you!?" Baul shouted. "It's too dangerous to return to the battlefield after such a journey! Besides which, the bridge is destroyed!"
"I'll take one of the Drampa and Manectric. That will be enough for me!"
Suddenly, thunder echoed in the sky as all eyes turned east. In the distance they could see the storm dissipating.
"No..." Lilia uttered. "Don't tell me, this light is...!"
All at once, the skies cleared, revealing a pinkish glow.
"Dawn?" (Y/N) said. "But why-?"
Lilia dropped to his knees and screamed as Baul was equally as frazzled. The girl, forgetting her exhaustion, immediately jumped off Drampa and knelt by her friend, Marshtomp at her side.
"Lilia! What's wrong!? Are you hurt!? Baul, what's happening!?"
"Princess Meleanor's magic has...disappeared..."
(Y/N) blinked in shock, turning towards the east. How could that happen?...unless...
"Meleanor..." Lilia said before screaming. "MELEANOR...! If I had more power, I could have forcibly brought you back to Black Scale Castle! Why, why...! Levan, I also promise you...I, I...! DAMN IT!"
(Y/N) felt tears on her cheeks. "No...no, she can't be gone. She said she'd win..."
Suddenly, three mysterious lights appeared before them, voices echoing from them.
"How could this be? Princess Meleanor has returned to the stars..."
"She didn't back away even when dealing with humans. How dignified. She was the pride of the Descendants of the Night."
"Rest in peace, dear Child of the Night, blessed by the night."
"Baul...who are the ghosts?" (Y/N) asked, now a bit off put.
"The Senate." Baul said, worried. "Human, keep quiet for now."
"Meleanor is dignified?" Lilia said, sounding on the verge of a breakdown. "The pride of the night? THAT'S BULLSHIT! DIGNITY AND PRIDE, SCREW IT ALL!! After she returned to the stars, it all meant nothing!"
"Silence your dirty tongue, you filthy bat!" One flame scolded. "You left the princess on the battlefield and escaped her shamelessly!"
"What Kingsguard are you if you couldn't protect the princess. Escaping from the enemy. Shame on you!"
"Oh, your highness, how pitiful you are to have a foolish subordinate who doesn't understand the pride of fairies."
"We advised her many times, a bat covered in mud isn't suited to stand beside a noble dragon."
(Y/N) felt herself go numb. What were these people talking about? Why were they blaming Lilia for this? Lilia had done more than anyone to save Meleanor and Malleus, who was kind and cared for his people, who would've given life a limb to protect people, why was he being blamed? Just because some fancy nobles think they're above people like him? A seething rage boiled in her chest as she clenched her fist.
"You people think Lilia's to blame for this? Arceus, you're dumber than Henric, all of you."
"Human!" Baul said sharply, but (Y/N) refused to be slightly.
"YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING ABOUT LILIA! Lilia is brave, and selfless, and kind! He did everything to protect everyone! He fought harder than any of us! He was ready to get hit by lightning over and over again to save Meleanor! It's not his fault she sent him away! And even after that, he still fought to get Malleus while you cowards hid in your fancy towers!"
"Insolent outsider!" One senator shouted. "You should not even be tainting this land with your filth, you and these...pathetic monsters from your world!"
"SHUT UP! You're calling us pathetic!? We did more for your people then you did! We fought alongside the Kingsguards, we fought against the Silver Owls, and you still think you're above any of us?" She then chuckled. "It's funny really. You fight the humans in your world, but at the end of day, you're no better than them."
"Respectless whelp! How dare you think you have the inkling of the right to say such dribble! As if some foundling ape with only a monster to care for her could ever think she could stand on par with the proud Descendants of the Nights!"
"You betrayed the kindness of the Draconia clan...HOW USELESS YOU ARE!"
Just then, Marshtomp let out a sound that bellowed deep within his chest as all of the Pokémon journeying with them bore their teeth. Not just them, but in mere moments, all of the Pokémon who had been rescued seemed to appear from nowhere, lining the cliff sides and preparing to battle for their friends' honor.
"What is this!?" The Senate demanded.
(Y/N) pointed to the army now at her back. "This is what loyalty looks like! In our world, we're ready to fight for our people, our friends, no matter who or what threatens them! You wanna prove that you're not some sniveling cowards? Then you have to go through all of us! If you can't, then exactly why do you get to say a word about fighting the Silver Owls. But no matter what happens, don't you dare EVER insult Lilia while I'm around. I show you what humans do to people like you who try to put down the people we care about!"
The Pokémon all roared in agreement, but Lilia's voice rose above them.
"(Y/N), ENOUGH!"
She looked at him in shock. "But Lilia-,"
"It's not worth it." He said firmly before turning to the Senate. "The fault is my own. I resign my role as general. My subordinates only followed my orders, I plead for your mercy on their behalf."
"Lilia, no!" (Y/N) pleaded. "This isn't your fault!"
"Resigning from your role is a light punishment! You are not allowed to enter this capital ever again!"
"Remove your dirty hands from the heirs egg! To even allow a human to touch it! How filthy!"
Lilia complied as the egg began to float away, however as it passed (Y/N) and Marshtomp, who looked on helplessly, again it shone for the girl, revealing the hatchling to be squirming angrily inside. Thunder roared again from nowhere as the Senate seemed to be seized by fear for a moment, but (Y/N) didn't feel afraid, she felt angry...and sad. A moment later, the egg and monster of the Senate disappeared, only one remaining.
"Lilia Vanrouge, you are banished from the capital. As for the human, she and the beasts that followed are to be returned to their world immediately. They will step through the gate and leave our world."
With that, the final Senator vanished, leaving an ominous gateway behind.
Lilia sighed. "Goodbye, Malleus. (Y/N), you need to go."
"What?!" She looked at him desperately. "You think I'm just going to leave you alone after that!?"
"(Y/N), it's better this way!"
"No it isn't!" Her voice cracked. "You think it better for you to be all alone just because this happened!? You didn't do anything wrong, Lilia! You don't deserve to be punished!"
"(Y/N)." He walked over to her and held her shoulders. "This isn't about me, this about sending you and the Pokémon back where you belong, where you'll be safe. I won't have anyone else lose their life on my watch."
"So I should just go back!? Leave you behind!? What is there for me there!? Besides, Marshtomp, no one else is there for me back there!" (Y/N) hugged Lilia, sobbing bitterly. "You were the first person who ever cared about us."
Baul looked on sadly as Lilia kept his face stoic, though he hugged her back.
"(Y/N), I know what it's like to feel alone in the world, to have no one to rely on but yourself, but believe me, you are the last person who could ever be alone. You are the kindest, bravest, and most selfless being I have ever met, and you have a bond with these Pokémon, a gift. But it's a gift wasted on this world. I know that in your world, you will have the power to reshape it for the better, and I dare anyone to stand in your way. Besides," He turned her to face the Pokémon who all looked at her sadly. "They need someone to lead them home, they need you to protect them. Lead them back to where they belong, where they'll be safe."
Despite it all, (Y/N) knew Lilia was right. Someone had to make sure the Pokémon could get home. They were willing to follow her into battle, so she had to be willing to lead them home.
She looked at Lilia sadly. "Will I ever see again?"
"I don't know." He answered honestly. "I don't know what force conspired for all this to happen, for us to meet, but it did, and I am so grateful it did. You've taught me much, (Y/N). Keep that joy and that kindness, and the drive in your heart, and I believe that same force that brought us together will let us meet again someday."
(Y/N), now joined by Marshtomp, hugged Lilia once again, who hugged them back. All too soon, they separated as the duo took their first step towards the door home. She turned to Baul.
"Hey, Baul? Can you look after Lilia? I don't want him to be alone."
"I will do my best, hu-...(Y/N)." He placed his fist over his heart. "It was an honor."
She smiled sadly before taking another step towards the door. She looked to her partner.
"Ready to go back, buddy?"
Marshtomp nodded before the two turned to see their friend one final time.
"Bye, Lilia. We'll come back, I promise."
With that, the two stepped through the door, and the world went black.

(Timeskip)

After what felt like an eternity, (Y/N) began to stir as she distantly heard the sound of dull beeping. As her vision focused, she realized she was in a bed. Her mind clear and she realized she was in a hospital, IV tubes hooked to her arms and a heart monitor beeping steadily beside her. She was in a hospital gown and her arms had fresh bandages on them. For a moment, she panicked before spotting Marshtomp sleeping beside her bed.
"Marshtomp!"
The water type immediately got up and raced to her side to hug her. (Y/N) kept the hug going for a while before finally breaking apart.
"How...how did we get here. The last thing I remember was..."
She realized that her memories were incredibly blurry, like a puzzle not yet complete. She faintly remembered a forest, a dragon, an egg, a kind face, and a name that wouldn't leave her tongue.
"Was...was it all a dream?"
"Oh, you're awake." A male voice greeted.  The two looked up to see a man walk in, smiling kindly. "You gave us quite the scare when we found you. I hope you're feeling better."
(Y/N) blinked in shock as she recognized this man. "Y-yeah, we're fine. You...you're Steven Stone!"
The champion of the Hoenn region nodded. "That I am. What's your name?"
"(Y/N), Mr. Stone."
He chuckled. "Mr. Stone is my father, you can just call me Steven, (Y/N). Your Marshtomp here saved you. He kept you safe in the cave while your fever ran its course. I can tell you've raised him with a lot of love."
"He's my best friend."
Steven nodded. "You've got the makings of a great trainer. I can tell. Now, if you don't mind me asking, can you tell me why I found you two so deep in the woods, or how you got so hurt? If you need help, you can tell me."
(Y/N) felt hesitant to say anything, remembering all the adults who had just brushed her off. Then, she spotted something beneath her bandages: the faintest inkling of a bite mark, and suddenly, the doubt vanished as she brought Marshtomp closer.
"Actually, Steven, I think we do need help."

And trip number one of this AU is complete. Needless to say I VASTLY underestimated just how beefy this thing was gonna be. Oh well, we got time to kill before the second part of Book 7 comes out. Anyways, we'll move on to trip two at some point. Until then, I'll see you guys around.