Pokemon: Lord of Fear

"Caw!" A sharp cry echoed as Blacky descended from the sky and landed on Edward's arm, affectionately nuzzling him. Meanwhile, the care center's doors were pushed open by Big Bear, a Stufful. Big Bear glanced at Edward and waved.

"Big Bear, Uncle Hughes will bring fried chicken later. Make sure to let him in," Edward instructed.

Edward thought he imagined it, but Big Bear's eyes seemed to brighten noticeably. Excited, it rummaged through the large box behind it and pulled out a sign to wave.

Edward could clearly see the word "Okay" written on it.

Blacky hopped excitedly on Edward's arm, but its movements soon irritated Q, who glared fiercely at Blacky. Blacky immediately backed down and, after rubbing against Edward again, flew up to perch obediently on the iron gate.

Only then did Q contentedly snuggle into Edward's arms.

This little one was getting sleepy again.

Edward carried Q into the care center. Not long after entering, he caught sight of Ruckus.

Ruckus was sprawled out on the grassy patch in the center of the care center, basking in the sun. A noticeable gap surrounded Ruckus; none of the other Pokémon dared approach, leaving it with the most comfortable spot all to itself.

"Sha!" Q suddenly jumped up, scrambling excitedly onto Edward's head and quivering as if preparing to ambush Ruckus.

Edward's mouth twitched.

Seriously, a ghost- and fairy-type Pokémon like you wants to ambush a dragon-type like Ruckus? Where did you even learn this?

At that moment, Ruckus seemed to sense something unusual. It opened its eyes, its yellow pupils bloodshot and intimidating.

But upon noticing Edward standing nearby, the ferocity in Ruckus's gaze softened significantly. It stood up happily and trotted toward Edward, only for Q to leap down and block its path.

Ruckus visibly froze, stopping in its tracks. It stared at Q and let out a low growl.

Though Ruckus hadn't yet evolved into Salamence, its growl already carried a hint of the move's intimidating power.

Powerful dragon-type Pokémon often required a long time and significant resources to evolve fully, but once they reached their final forms, they became formidable combatants.

"Sha!" Q turned to glance at Edward and cried out. Seeing this, Edward stepped aside, knowing Q was already raring to go.

Q swayed its tail slightly, prompting Ruckus to unleash a Flamethrower without hesitation. The intense flames distorted the surrounding air, drawing the attention of every Pokémon in the care center.

But upon realizing it was a battle between Ruckus and Q, they quickly withdrew from sight.

From behind Ruckus, Q's shadow rose and delivered a decisive blow to Ruckus's carapace, interrupting the Flamethrower. But instead of backing down, Ruckus grew even more excited, charging at Q with black energy glowing in its mouth—a Dark-type move, Bite.

Q countered with Draining Kiss, a Fairy-type move that halted Ruckus's charge and further agitated it. The pain drove Ruckus into a rage, and it let out an angry roar.

"Edward." The headmistress, Lillian, approached with a gentle voice, handing Edward a chair. Edward thanked her and sat down beside her, watching the increasingly intense battle unfold.

"Q has grown much stronger," Lillian remarked with a smile as she observed the fight.

"Yeah, this little one is my only Pokémon, so I've given it all the resources I have," Edward replied nonchalantly. As Steven's younger brother, Edward had no shortage of training resources for Pokémon—he had everything from technical machines to special training materials.

If Q still wasn't strong under these conditions, Edward might as well find a wall to bang his head against.

Even so, the fact that Ruckus could hold its own against Q despite the type disadvantage showcased its incredible strength. It made Edward all the more curious about why Ruckus had been abandoned in the first place.

"Headmistress Lillian, why was Ruckus abandoned back then?" Edward asked, leaving the question unfinished, but Lillian understood.

"It was still a Bagon back then and had a severe skin disease. It almost didn't survive. I nearly went broke trying to save it," Lillian said softly, her eyes filled with recollection as she watched Ruckus, its injuries gradually accumulating.

Even now, Lillian vividly remembered the determination in those steadfast eyes beneath the rotting skin—skin that would have signaled death for any other Pokémon.

In that moment, she decided to treat Ruckus, no matter the cost.

"When Nurse Joy arrived, she told me to prepare for the worst and repeatedly asked if I really wanted to go through with the treatment," Lillian continued. Meanwhile, Ruckus's injuries grew more severe. It roared in defiance, but against the type-advantaged Q, it struggled to find an effective strategy.

"I suddenly remembered Nurse Joy from the center once shared a story about a Pokémon with a devastating skin condition. Could it be..." Edward trailed off, recalling a televised program from Slateport City featuring Nurse Joy. The program had discussed a highly contagious skin disease in Pokémon, which caused severe ulceration and septicemia with an extremely high fatality rate. Only four Pokémon had ever been saved from it.

"Yes, Ruckus had that disease," Lillian confirmed. "Back then, it was already halfway through Death's door. Its original trainer abandoned it without hesitation. But despite being forsaken, Ruckus never gave up its fight against the illness. It endured an excruciating treatment process and ultimately triumphed, though it was left with permanent scars."

Edward blinked. Ruckus's willpower was truly something else.

"Roar!" A ferocious roar shattered the moment, accompanied by a blinding light that made Edward squint. Q paused in its tracks, and in the center of the battlefield, Ruckus was evolving!

(End of Chapter)