Unmei Force Solitary Legends: Trial of Armour

Prologue: Setting Forth

In the GFS Ryujin...

Gus, Sanae, Heiwa were sitting on one of the tables in the mess hall, as they were having some lunch together, with each of them having different meals, suited for their own appetite.

"So..." Gus stated, holding a small beef burger in his hand, which he had taken a few small bites out of, letting his words trail off slightly, as it caught the attention of the two girls present. "Do you think that there's a possibility..."

"Possibility of what?" Sanae asked back, laying her spoon down beside her plate of rice and assorted vegetables. "You sound like that you're asking something difficult."

"Well... It's not something I want to say in Richard's face, but I'm sure that this problem is quite present." Gus responded back, placing his burger down. "But I know that it would best to talk this over with someone at the very least. You won't mind that, won't you, Heiwa?"

"Of course not!" Heiwa answered back, after taking a drink of miso soup from her spoon, as she seemed to be quite satisfied with the food. "I can have my opinion, you know! Aunt Yukari taught me to be fairly independent, so that I won't have to depend on brother much in the future!"

"Heh heh, looks like you're getting into your 'rebel years', Heiwa." Sanae chuckled, ruffling the kitsune's ears gently, as the silver-haired kitsune blushed slightly with a offended 'Hey!'. "Anyway, it's fine to say things about Richard, even if they might be potential slander. Richard's not that narrow-minded and short-tempered you know?"

"Right, right. I'm just... He's not exactly been open-minded lately." Gus sighed. "Alright, the idea is that why is every mission we end up in, has to end up in some sort of conflict of something?"

"Yeah... I can agree to that." Sanae confirmed with a solemn tone. "I don't know whether it is because it's something personal to Richard, or the X-Stones are exactly where places of most conflict are, and then he had the urge to expand in terms of military and territory. I don't know for sure, but the fact is there."

"Is it really like that...?" Heiwa asked back with a concerned tone, as her ears drooped slightly to express her drop in mood.

"Afraid so. At this rate, Richard will most surely crack having to keep up this serious side of him with all the dangerous missions he's been throwing himself and us into." Gus nodded back, before he then shook his head gently. "I just... I don't know what's going with Richard now. He's a much different person ever since we left Gensokyo, and I have a feeling its not in a good way for all of us."

"Put some belief in him, Gus." Sanae answered back sternly. "Richard's had not lost what he aimed to be through all of this, and I know that he desires something to take his mind off the dire matters he's shouldering. He just needs a reason to relax for once."

"He better." Gus growled back. "Because if I have to stand for any more of this, I'll personally search for a world where he can stop being all serious, and drag him there myself for a compulsory stay, consequences be damned."

Heiwa and Sanae were quite convinced, seeing the determined look in Gus's eyes as he said that. After a while, Gus's expression loosened up.

"Anyway, that's all." Gus concluded. "We'll meet up with Richard after we finish our lunch. Sounds like a plan?"

Both Heiwa and Sanae responded back in the affirmative, before they then dug right back into their food, enjoying it slowly.

After lunch, by the door of Richard's dorm...

As planned, the trio of Gus, Heiwa and Sanae stood right before Richard's dorm in the fortress, as Gus pressed the door-bell button, as there was the sound of the bell ringing on the other side of the door, and soon after, the door lifted up to reveal Richard in his casual wear.

"Gus. Heiwa. Sanae." Richard addressed the trio one by one, before then turning back to Gus. "So... How can I help you?"

"We need to talk, Richard." Gus bluntly stated.

In response, Richard was silent for a moment, before he then let out a long sigh, and gestured for them to come in. While the trio came in, Richard pulled up seats for them, for them to sit in, while Richard sat on the side of his bed. "I'm listening." Richard answered back dryly.

"Richard, don't you think that you need to take a break from all of this?" Gus asked Richard, trying to persuade his close friend to relax for once, after being alert and on guard with all of the problems in the multiverse. "Siege can handle things for you, and his friends can do the same for us. His faction's been doing well in managing the the situations of the worlds that we have taken under our unified banner, so why not let him have some time to-"

"I'm already taking a break." Richard stated back, as stoically as his previous statement.

"Then you've been in the work of a leader too long, that your definition of 'break' have been twisted." Sanae responded back. "Seriously, just a few video games and recreational sports doesn't qualify as enough R&R for the likes of you, and you don't even volunteer to relax more, because you force your own duties upon yourself."

"Because I have to." Richard responded back firmly, emphasising his words with a hard glare in his eyes. "Everything that I have caused to go wrong in the past, was because I lacked discipline and skill. I won't let the same mistake happen twice."

"Brother... Aunt Yukari said that if you work yourself over too much, it's worse than loosening up slightly. In fact, she told me to tell you every time you said that." Heiwa answered back.

"So even you don't approve, after all of the work I have done." Richard asked Heiwa, who nodded gently in response, as Richard then placed his hand under his chin, resting his head on it, and letting out a short snort. "Then I suppose that you know my side of things?"

"Richard, I've been accustoming myself to being a proper leader just like you, in preparation for the faction split. What do you think?" Gus asked back in rhetorical questioning. "And don't tell me that you don't want that either. I've learned to read between the lines myself a little as well, and I didn't have a eons-old entity of chaos to teach me."

"Well, when you put it like that..." Richard muttered, before then standing up. "Fine, I suppose that you have me convinced. I'll get scanners up for-"

Before Richard could finish his sentence, a sukima appeared before him, as the group knew that it was not one of Richard's own, but actually one of Yukari's, indicating that Yukari must have started listening in at some point of the conversation. Through the sukima was another walkie-talkie, as it was brand-new, compared to the one that Richard disabled when communicating with Yukari last time. The walkie-talkie immediately crackled to life.

"Before you go around looking in this vast multiverse, I should suggest going to a place that I'm sure that you're all familiar with, and that's no exaggeration." Yukari's voice crackled through the active communicator device.

"Of course... You can't help but listen in on your disciple's woes." Richard scoffed. "Alright then, out with it, Yukari, what is this place that you say is familiar to most of us?"

"Why, the world of Pokemon of course!" Yukari answered back, as Gus's and Sanae's eyes lit up on hearing the world itself, while Richard's eyes widened slightly, and a sense of curiosity welled up in his heart.

"Go on..." Richard beckoned, as he was eager to know what Yukari had in mind for him.

"I'm sure that you might not be aware, but there's a new region to visit in these times. And that region just opened up a new area itself." Yukari explained. "I've been thinking that it would be best that you go for a trip there. I'm sure that there might be some interesting things there."

"And you won't elaborate?" Gus asked Yukari.

"Sorry, but you know the drill with these kinds of things, you got to see them to believe them." Yukari replied back, letting out a whimsical chuckle. "But I assure you, I recommend you take Meiling there. There's a Pokemon there that I find quite interesting, and likely to be the perfect Pokemon partner for her."

"And pray tell, why do I need more Pokemon at this time? We already got the gijinkas." Richard answered back with suspicion.

"Silly Richard, don't you know? The rules of Pokemon here are different to the rules of Pokemon back in our reality. And I don't mean as in the Nuzlocke principle." Yukari responded back. "There's Perfect Partnering, and there's also Bursting, but I suppose that you have no clue about the latter. Just think of it as a way to power up those who don't inherently have power. Take little Isara for a example, imagine her with the strength and power of a Aggron... I'm sure that the point gets itself across."

Gus sighed in relief, at the mention of the 'Nuzlocke principle' being non-existent in this reality, while Richard mentally pictured Isara in a suit of Aggron armour, as he then theorised how Isara would be able to actively fight, using her strength and durability to act as a shield for her teammates, and a girl of great strength, as he nodded gently.

"Alright, you have me hooked. Is there more?" Richard asked back.

"Unfortunately, that's all." Yukari concluded. "I only know this, because of how our reality's Pokemon world is progressing, so I inferred that to this reality, accounting for several complicated variables that you don't have to wrap your sweet little head around. I can at least tell you where the place is, so that it's just a simple trip here and back. Oh, and if you try to weasel yourself out of this, Richard, I'll..."

"Let's not go there, Yukari. I know what you plan to do, and I will suffer most greatly for it. If you gave me a place to go and relax, I would have done it, since I made my choice just before you called." Richard answered back hastily. "Now then, I suppose that it's time that I cut this call short. I need to prepare for the trip."

"Well then, I suppose I'll just take this back then." Yukari answered back, before another sukima appeared below it, as the walkie-talkie was dropped into it. "Bye-byeeee..."

When the other sukima closed, Richard and the others immediately left the room, as they prepared for their trip to the Pokemon world.

In one of the meeting rooms...

Richard was waiting inside of the room, as he took the time to flip a coin in one of his hands again and again for a while, as he decided to make things more interesting, as he decided to use his sukimas to hurl the coin around and around, catching them with his hands and sending them back, testing his own ability to create miniature sukimas.

After a while, the second member of the meeting, Gus, who seemed to be the first one to arrive at the meeting, as Richard turned to him, just as he caught the coin and slapped his hands over it. Gus took a seat, as he looked towards Richard, who then pocketed the coin, and sat properly, facing the entire table from where he was.

Some more time passed in silence, as Heiwa and Sanae were next to arrive, as Heiwa and Sanae seemed to be quite excited for their trip to the Pokemon world, so much that they were still chatting along the way.

"I'm sure that a Fennekin would be absolutely suitable for you." Sanae remarked back. "They're fairly potent with magic, and they're mischievous."

"You really think so? I mean, the pictures you showed me were quite adorable. But... Do you think that we can get one?" Heiwa asked back.

"Silly fox-girl, we're your friends, we'll do anything to get you one that you'll bond with!" Sanae chuckled.

Richard then cleared his throat to get their attention, as the two girls turned to him, before they then realised that they were in a meeting, and stopped talking. While they took their seat, Meiling entered the room, and took her seat very quietly, almost without getting anyone's attention.

After a while, the last four members of the meetings arrived, as they were the gijinka Pokemon on Richard himself, Max, Shelly, Vincent, and Elena, as they took their seat quietly. Max decided to slump back a little, while Elena rested her arms on the table. With everyone present, Richard then prepared to speak.

"Now then, I suppose that we should start talking about-" Richard started.

"Geez, Richard, do you need to be so formal with all of this?" Max argued back, interrupting Richard, who glared at him. "It's just a trip to the Pokemon world. I'm sure that it can't be as bad as you think it might be, that you need to act like someone prepared for the apocalypse."

"Max! Not the time!" Shelly hissed to Max.

"Are you done?" Richard asked back firmly.

"Yeah. Just answer the question, will you?" Max sighed back.

"Because of the fact that you're all gijinkas." Richard answered back. "It's still fairly casual, but this matter must be seriously considered. After all, we don't need freak-outs because pokemon can suddenly turn human on their own will. Perhaps there are already gijinka here, but I rather not risk the fall-out, even if that is true."

"Then shouldn't it be simple that we stay in our Pokemon forms for the duration of the trip, or at least when we're sure that no-one can find out?" Vincent asked back.

"Exactly the plan, but since you're my trusted team who got me through the Kanto region..." Richard answered back, placing his hands together. "I want to hear your opinion on the matter."

"Eh, I won't mind. But seriously, with all the power we have, we may as well be abnormalities." Max scoffed back, flipping his arms out. "I don't want to be the poor sucker who going to get their Pokemon roasted to near-death because they picked a fight against you, who gave no warning about the matter."

"Then I suppose that I should give you some good news at least." Richard stated, lifting a finger. "The Nuzlocke princple... it doesn't exist in this reality."

The news shocked the gijinkas greatly, as Elena let out a surprised gasp, while Vincent's eyes widened. Shelly's mouth was open, while Max sat up straight, with a expression of disbelief on his face.

"You're... you're not joking, right?" Max asked back. "You're seriously telling me that... that Pokemon here almost can't die at all? That the worst we get is a few scuffle-marks and bruises? Is that fucking it?"

"Yep, and I'm sure am glad. I don't need another Nuzlocke fucking you guys up." Richard responded back, before he then bowed his head down slightly in sorrow. "Pidge already lost her life to bring us home... I won't let her death go in vain, by signing you guys up for the same hell you all survived through."

"Well,that changes things." Max chuckled back. "Finally, I don't have to feel damn regret for every damn wild Pokemon I burned and smashed to death, and all those tamed Pokemon who had the displeasure of crossing my path. Hopefully, I won't be like one of the bogeyman for the other trainers in this reality. I'm sick and tired of being feared just because I only fought to survive in a world where battles are either to kill or to suffer, even die."

"I agree... No more people will have to suffer what Pidge went through." Shelly agreed with a melancholic expression, before she then smiled hopefully. "Without the lingering threat of death over our necks... The world must be a truly peaceful place."

"I wish I could say that I wanted proof, but I've been through enough of this cruel game of life and death, that I would want to believe in that for just a single moment." Vincent answered back. "I don't plan on leaving Velicinta with a broken heart and a dead husband, and potential father. Even if this world is no longer a hell under the law of the jungle... I will still grow stronger yet, so that I am prepared for the future."

"I'm glad... Truly glad..." Elena sobbed gently, as tears of relief welled in the corner of her eyes. "I... I never want to go through such terrible things again... Doing horrible things to an opponent just to win a fight out of many... Killing lives that had value of their own..."

"There, there..." Richard answered back with a sympathetic tone. "It's not going to happen again... And if it does... I'll sock the bastard who tried to run us through all of this again, swear it on my heart."

After a while, the gijinkas came to terms with everything they have heard, as they calmed down greatly. Richard then turned to Meiling.

"I suppose that you're wondering what you're doing here." Richard asked back.

"Indeed." Meiling simply nodded softly.

"Well, it was Yukari's request. Something about you being able to bond with a Pokemon in that region quite well." Richard answered back. "I'm not one to question her judgement, and I think that you might as well do with someone who can actually grow to match your martial prowess, other than me, of course."

"It would be interesting. But I suppose that you have no clue about it, do you?" Meiling asked back, as Richard shook his head no. "I see. Still, I will come if you request for me, and I will do my best not to cause trouble for you."

"You won't, just as long as you don't go overboard with your 'discipline'." Richard replied back. "Right then... We'll use the coordinates that Yukari gave us, in order to take us to the place where we're supposed to start our journey from. For now, I'll hang onto our four gijinkas, just in case we meet wild pokemon or some troublesome trainers. If I can find some pokemon for each of you to carry, I'll catch them, and hand their ownership to you guys. Anyone disagrees?"

No-one raised any objections, as Richard then left his chair. "Right then, everything is decided then... Tomorrow, we head for the Pokemon World, to a new region that we have yet to learn about." He stated. "Everyone is dismissed."

At the transportation room...

The four 'trainers' arrived at the room, as the technicians were already on the work, trying to correct small errors in the transfer matrix, with the assistance of Erika, who was supervising the whole process and optimising the entire system's process. On Richard's waist was the four Poke-balls storing his personal team of Pokemon, while the others came only in their own attire, albeit with some tweaks, as Heiwa hid her own ears under a hood that her ears poked out of, to give the false impression that her fox-ears were part of the hood.

"Right then, everything is set?" Richard asked the technicians, who gave a collective thumbs-up to their leader. "Right then, begin the transfer!"

"Pokemon, here we come!" Sanae exclaimed with passion and spirit, raising her arm in cheer.

After a while, the group were teleported from the space fortress, as the long-distance teleportation, dropped them right into the world of Pokemon, where their journey would begin.