AN: Here is the latest chapter. This is going to be the point where things begin to diverge from canon more and more. I find that the closer I am to finals, the more inclined I am to write.

Also, I wasn't sure how the regulars are roomed on the 2nd floor, so I just gave them each their own.

Wardrags: Thank you. Hopefully this update was quick enough.

Sevenar: Some of the others (eel included) will be appearing soon.

Lord Sigfry: I stuck to Red's canon team in Gold and Silver. You're right; Red does seem somewhat vulnerable, as he should. After all, he is just a normal human being.

Zephres: Thank you. As for mega-charizard, you'll just have to wait and see. At this point however, that might be overkill.

There was a question from a guest about the thick shinsoo on the 1st floor. Yes, the eel was in shinsoo, not water; but how would Red know that? He made an observation based on what he knew and was familiar with. Shinsoo is a strange thing, and its nature will be a key part of the story.


"Director it's Leroro, may I come in?"

"Yes, please come in Mr. Leroro. The blond ranker entered the office of the test administrator. The room was traditionally styled; the administrator Yu-Han Sung was sitting on the floor before a low table. A spot was set up for the new arrival directly across from him. "Now that I can see you like this, you really are quite tall."

"Well, since you've always seen me with Mr. Evankhell, I probably looked shorter. The man scratched the back of his head. "He is quite tall."

"I see." Han-Sung rose. "Mr. Leroro, would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Ah yes, can you make something like a Latte?"

"A Latte would be simple, just a moment." The administrator returned to the table with two cups of hot water, and two packets of instant coffee. Leroro looked down at the packet with disappointment; the words Latte scribbled almost sarcastically on the side. He took a glance at Han Sung, only to see his amused grin. The administrator ripped open his own packet and began to pour. "Okay then Mr. Leroro, what business do you have with me? Was there a problem with the testing?"

"There was."

"Oh? What kind of a problem?"

"Don't you already know?"

"Well, I can't say for certain…"

Leroro sighed. "While the crown game was completed, no team was allowed to go up because of the last minute change in the rules."

"Oh is that all?" Han-sung questioned. "But, how is that a problem?"

"I'll be frank." The blonde ranker continued. "I heard about everything from Quant, including the plan you proposed for this crown game. That is, how you wanted to send those problematic three to the next level right away." He began to stir his own coffee. "However, they did not advance because of the change in the rules; and Strangely enough one of the three seemed to be familiar with a regular from my district." The mixture in his cup was beginning to look more like black water than coffee. "According to the rules of the tests, they are arranged so there are no people you knew before; but you ordered the merging of the two districts." The rankers gaze shifted from his cup to the man before him. "Why did you send those three to me?"

The administrator put down his cup, which he had been sipping on. "Mr. Leroro, do you know why we gather up all of regulars and test them here?"

"Isn't it to see which of them are worthy of climbing the Tower?" Leroro asked, confused.

"Incorrect." Han-Sung answered. "The reason we test them, is because of those who carry power that is far too dangerous. Those who climb the tower do it to gain what they want more than anything; be it fame, power, or money." A serious look crept over his face. "But what if they desire to harm others, what if they wish for the end of the world? The results could be catastrophic. That is why we must filter them…to weed out the ones which could bring harm to the Tower." The administrator started on a second cup.

"I don't understand…"

"Mr. Leroro…" A smirk crept over the effeminate man's face. "From your point of view, of all the regulars in that game, who was the most dangerous?" Leroros' eyes widened, the answer was obvious. "Didn't that person fail to advance, due to a certain change I made?"

The ranker stared at the man for a few more seconds before finishing he finished his "coffee" in one gulp, and slammed the cup down onto the table. "Thank you for the Latte, director. He didn't like this, something wasn't right. The man stood to leave and headed for the door, but paused in the doorway. "Administrator." He called back over his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Have you ever met a person outside of the 10 families that was able to manipulate shinsoo without restriction, or an Anima with creatures that powerful this early?"

"No, someone able to use shinsoo like that would be against the laws of the Tower, as for the other one, no I haven't." Han Sung answered. "…actually." He paused for second, as if remembering something. "There was someone I know of who could use shinsoo like that; it was Urek Mazino, an irregular."

"…I see." The ranker left the room, closing the door behind him.

The test administrator watched the door for a moment before going back to his coffee. "Handling Leroro is rather difficult." He muttered with a sigh. "Unlike that stupid Quant." A buzzing noise brought his attention to a video monitor on the wall. As if on que, the red-headed ranker appeared on the screen. "Ah Quant, any luck with your search?" Due to the odd events of one of the qualifying battle royals, the test area was being investigated.

"Yes sir, the men seem to have found something." Behind him could be seen dozens of men wading through the tall grass with various types of equipment.

"Why are they wearing gas masks?"

"Well…" Quant began sheepishly. "…that has to do with what they've found." He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small glass vial full of what looked like a fine green powder.

"What is that?" asked the administrator.

"They're not sure." The ranker answered. "The area is literally covered with it. Whatever it is, it's been putting a lot of our guys to sleep; that's why we're wearing the masks."

Green powder? This was odd, how was there so much of it? It was such a strange situation; the man cursed himself. Why they didn't have video surveillance in the testing sites was beyond him. The marker system was once again proving insufficient. "Why are you wearing a mask, surely it wouldn't put a ranker to sleep."

"Well you see…" Quant continued. "It didn't put me to sleep, but I do feel a little droopy…"

The administrator raised an eyebrow at this. "I see." This was unexpected. A regular had somehow coated the entire area in a powder which put everyone in the area to sleep. The agent must be powerful, even a ranker was feeling some of the effects. It was something he had never seen before, and thus he knew exactly where it had come from. "Tell them to send a sample off to the 30th floor workshop for analysis."

"Alrighty." Quant gave a thumbs up, before the video screen blinked off. Han-sung sat in silence. He poured out another packet of coffee for himself and stirred it slowly. When he brought the cup to his mouth, he took a sip…and grinned.


"Do you even know what that is!?" Androssi was growing more and more irritated with her teammate. They had just won the crown game, and the Black March to boot; but Red just seemed mad. The trainer had wordlessly tossed his backpack and the aforementioned Black March onto a bed in his room. They had just been shown to their rooms following the events of the last test. Rachel had gone out with them after the paramedics had taken Baam, but broke off soon after to check on him.

"No, and I don't really care." Red replied. He felt cheated. The rules of the game were simple, and he had played by them. The idea that they result could change at a moment's notice was simply maddening. He had a goal here, and sitting around the second floor wasn't going to move him forward.

"That's the Black March!" the princess continued. "It's one of thirteen weapons made by the legendary craftsman Edwaru; and you're just tossing it around."

Red took a glance at the long black needle. "It's a weapon?" Androssi gave him a look as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You can have it if you want."

"W-what?" She couldn't believe her ears. He had just won one of Edwaru's thirteen month series, and was going to give it away; just like that?

"It's not my style."

What a stupid reason. This was one of the more famous weapons in the Tower and he was just going to get rid of it, what a joke. Well, Androssi wasn't one to let an opportunity pass by. She went over to the bed, and picked up the needle. She held the weapon in her hands, feeling its length, its lightweight, its pristine smooth surface; the words Black March were inscribed on its side. The princess could feel power in this weapon, far more than she had ever held in her life; just waiting below the surface. However, there was something else too. A feeling arose in her gut; there was something about the weapon, it didn't like her. A feeling of resentment began to emanate from it, seemingly angry that she would even touch it. Why? She was a princess. Why was it upset? Its fury grew; a burning sensation crept into her hand and slowly rose up her arm. She released the Black March, letting it fall back to the sheets of the bed. The princess looked at her hand, her skin slightly red. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Red glancing over at her, an eyebrow raised.

"You alright?" he asked.

"It didn't like me." Androssi replied, rubbing the palm of her hand. She glared down at the weapon before her. Whatever had happened hadn't been too painful, but it was certainly uncomfortable. Why had it responded so negatively; that boy in the test seemed to use it just fine.

"It didn't like you?" the trainer questioned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a sentient weapon." Replied the brunette. "For some reason it didn't like me; no worse than that, it seemed to hate me." Red didn't know what to think of that. He hadn't ever heard of a sentient weapon before. There were legends of such things in the Kalos region, but not in his home of Kanto. He stood up and walked over to where his teammate stood, still glaring at the offending item. He reached to pick it up. "I wouldn't…" Androssi warned.

Red ignored her and grabbed the weapon. He looked it over for a bit, before turning around and giving it a swing. It didn't seem all that different; it was made well sure, but nothing too spectacular. Then he felt what he could only be described as a hum. Something was stirring inside the needle. He could feel power within it, shifting, stirring, and waiting to be unleashed. It was not unlike holding a thunderstone or firestone he thought, only many magnitudes greater. A sensation crept over him, he felt something soft on his cheek, almost caressing it. The trainer glanced around, but could find nothing. Then, as if from nowhere; a voice whispered in his ear. 'I liked the other one better…you look like her.' And just as quickly as it came on, everything was gone. It was just a big needle again.

"Well?"

Androssi's voice shook him back to reality. He put down Black March. "It didn't seem to hate me, but…"

"But what."

"It said something." He walked over to the other side of the room, where his Pikachu was looking on with a hint of concern. The trainer sat down against the wall and pulled out his Pokedex; he was going to need to do some research. "I liked the other one better…you look like her."

The princess seemed surprised by that for moment. With a thoughtful expression she walked over to her teammate, whose nose now seemed to be buried in some red device. Without warning, she reached down, put a finger under his chin and pulled his head up to face her.

"What are you doing." Red said flatly.

"I can see it." Androssi replied; letting him go. "The black hair and red eyes, you might pass as a relative."

"You know what it was talking about?"

"Tell me, do you know who the real owner of the Black March is?"

"No."

"Yuri Zahard."

"Don't know her."

Androssi sighed, of course he didn't know. "Out of all the princesses chosen in the last five-hundred years, she was the only one to receive one of the thirteenth month series weapons. It only took her one-hundred years to become a ranker; and with her volatile personality became someone to be feared among them."

Red looked up from his pokedex. A ranker, then it must belong to someone powerful. But if that was the case, then how did it end up in the hands of some random kid on the second floor? It didn't really matter, it was his now. "I'm guessing she'll probably want it back."

"Almost certainly."

"If I see her, I'll be sure to give it to her."

The princess threw up her hands in defeat and made to leave the room. How was she going to deal with this person. He was very skilled sure, but completely alien. He had no knowledge of Zahard or his princesses or how the tower even worked. She was beginning to think he was from a different world. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if he was a… She halted in the doorway as an idea occurred to her. No that was stupid; Irregulars were beings which shook the tower; those who could go beyond its rules. Just because he had some powerful animals with him didn't mean he was one of them. The princess took one last look at her teammate, seeing him engrossed with the red device once again. His Pikachu met her gaze however, staring back with suspicion. She narrowed her eyes at the yellow mouse and strode out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.


Anak was fuming. The Black March had been hers, won fair and square; but now it sat with some man to cowardly to fight for himself. She was practically storming down the hallway. Looking for the man and his damn rat. As she turned a corner she saw a familiar face, the girl she had been fighting; and the one that had cost her precious time.

"Hello!" Androssi called out to the lizard girl.

Reigning in her mounting anger, Anak managed to stop herself from swinging. "You, where is your teammate!" The girl gritted her teeth. "I'm going to take back what it rightfully mine!"

"Where is he I wonder?" the true princess questioned. Based on how angry the girl was, it would probably be better to steer her clear. "He went off somewhere after the game."

"Don't lie to me." Anak said with venom.

Androssi smirked. "If you think you can play around and make demands just because you're a little strong, you're going to get yourself killed."

"Answer my question, or you die." Anak growled out, she was quickly losing what little patience she had.

The princesses' grin widened. "Make me, you fake."

Anak roared and finally snapped. She pulled back her fist and launched a punch at the other girl. With a clang, her fist stopped dead. A large circular gold and black shield floated where Androssi was moments before. The girl in question was walking away. The shield compacted and flew to her side. "Why are you protecting that coward?!" Anak all but shouted after her.

Androssi stopped and looked back."Who says I am." The boy didn't need her protection; he had his own personal army. She had seen them all herself. If he could dominate the crown game like that with just one, and the smallest one at that… "I wouldn't attack him angry like you are." She continued on her way. "I definitely warned you. Don't hate me later."

The lizard girl forced herself to calm down. "Hey ghost eyes, tell me something."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING GHOST EYES!?" Androssi shouted, charging back. She was very proud of her looks, any insult would not be taken lightly.

"You, moron." Said Anak. "Let me ask you one thing." She was slowly getting herself under control. "What are those things?"

"Huh?" the princess thought. She must've meant Reds pokemon. "…I dunno."

"You don't know?"

"Yup, I don't know either." The brunette explained. "I know what he calls them, but that's about it. I haven't seen anything like them before."

Great, well that wasn't going to get her anywhere. Either she honestly didn't know or she was hiding something. The green girl decided to turn to another question that had been nagging her. "What about the girl that was with you, the one that seemed to know Baam."

"Don't know that either, she was with Red." Androssi answered with a shrug. "They showed up together at the end of the test. Don't seem to each other well though…"

"Tch, some help you are." Anak turned away and began to walk off. At least she got a name to go off of. The one named Red would pay for taking the Black March from her.


"It's been awhile regulars." Leroro called out to the assembled crowd. Red was seated with his teammates, Pikachu sitting on his shoulder. Along with his usual backpack, he had black march strapped across his back as well. He had tried to communicate with it again, but with no luck. The trainer could feel Anaks eyes drilling holes into the back of his head. Apparently the girl was angry with him. She wasn't the only one. There were several sets of eyes glaring at him while he sat. Apparently they hadn't forgotten how the crown game had ended either.

"Did you all have a good rest? Even if it was only a few days, we hope it was pleasant. Now, I hope you will do your best in the future." A video screen slid down from the ceiling. "I will now begin explaining the next test." A grid appeared on the screen with all of the names. "A position test. As many of you may have guessed, it is now time to sort you into your respective positions. Battles in the Tower are generally performed with teams. Your position defines your role in these battles. There are many, but they can be summed up to a few basic categories. First, there is fisherman, those who stand alone and form the core of the fighting power. Next is the spear bearer, a position devoted to keeping up pressure and sniping. The Light Bearer is a position for those who light the darkness and gather information for analysis. The frontlines of battle belong to the scouts, who use their speed and wit to aid the team. Lastly, there is the wave controller; a rare position which uses shinsoo directly in a variety of ways."

Red soaked in the rankers words with interest. So there was an organized system of battle after all. As Leroro listed off the different positions, he couldn't help but sort his own team. Pikachu was quick and wily, so he fit the position of Scout well. Charizard was an obvious Fisherman, and Blastoise would fit the role of a Spearbearer with his high powered hydro cannons. Because of Espeons telekinesis, she could be useful as a Light Bearer, relaying information to the others. In fact, the thought was starting to give Red an idea. Snorlax and Venusaur were a bit harder. They didn't seem to fit any one position all that well; but he supposed it didn't matter anyway.

"Of course other than those five there are other positions." Leroro continued. "But for our purposes, these really don't matter much." He began to control the screen from his bright yellow lighthouse. "Today you will be assigned one of these five positions. You will receive training for one month. After that, those with the highest grades will participate in the next test."

One month was far too long, Red thought with a sigh. He needed to get up the Tower as quickly as possible. Although he was curious at how these positions worked.

"As a note, the position you have been assigned was evaluated based on your performance up until now." The director continued. "Keep in mind that depending on your position, the number of passing members may differ. His lighthouse expanded into a large screen. "Now, take a look."

The first thing Red noticed was that Anak had been named the best seed of the Fisherman. He also noticed that Androssi was in that group as well. They would both pass easily enough, they were the strongest two that he had seen. He scanned for his own name and found it listed as the best seed under the light bearer position. That wasn't surprising either, a trainer being put into the position of analysis and strategy seemed fitting. What did surprise him however, was that Rachel was put into the same position. During his time with her she had barely lifted a finger…maybe that was why. She didn't really seem like the type that would openly fight on the front lines anyway.

"Mr. Administrator!" a dark haired boy called out. "What does it mean if someone has best seed written by their names?"

"Those are the individuals who received the highest score on the previous test." Leroro answered. "For each test, one person is chosen and at the end of the position test they are given a bonus point."

"WHAT, YOU NEVER TOLD US ANYTHING LIKE THAT!?" the boy shouted back. This seemed to spark something, as others began argue as well.

"The best seed is something we grade with all fairness." The director said with amusement. "It's already going to be difficult to grade everyone, so try not to complain too much."

"Administrator." Koon chimed in. "Some people are hurt right now, how will they take the test?"

He was asking about that other boy, Red determined. The one which had gotten hit in the head with the staff. He remembered it vividly; something had happened when the blow made contact. It was as if the boy had reflexive lashed out with some kind of attack. Based on what Red saw he could only describe it as some sort of psychic attack, psycho cut maybe. The boy hadn't been seen since he had entered the medical wing.

"Once they have recovered, they will be sent into testing. However they will obviously be missing out on participation points." The ranker replied flatly.

"Isn't that a bit unfair?" Koon replied. "Then the injured have to enter with a penalty."

"Right, but being injured is their own fault. To those who made a mistake, a penalty should be obvious." Koon started to respond, but decided to hold his tongue. Leroro took one last look at the group. "Then let us end here. Further details will be explained by your position manager. Those of you of you with the Light Bearer position, come with me."


AN: And that's it for chapter 6. Well as usual, feel free to ask me any questions you may have. I can't promise when the next update will be, but I will try to get to it when I can.