a game of catch up // [drake]

A challenger.

That was something Drake now lacked the luxury of seeing very often as opposed to what used to be the norm. A battle that got his blood burning came only once in a blue moon when the Hoenn League actively invited challengers that had endured the quest to gain the eight Gym Badges from all over the region. Little did they know the challenge that awaited them once they appeared from the exhausting trek through the labyrinth of Victory Road. That tunnel was practically a second home to him, aside from staying in the League House where he did.

The challengers walking through the dark cave were always looking for a fight, but those that made it all the way to him were looking for even more of one. He rarely got to see challengers – most of them lost their momentum when it came to Glacia, while others were taken down by Phoebe and Sidney. Only every few weeks did he ever see someone get to his domain, only to turn and leave after their defeat. Few times had he ever had someone pass him - Steven and Wallace being the two most notable trainers to ever do so.

He could not say that his thoughts were entirely on this battle as Khronos finished off the challenger’s Typhlosion with a powerful Hydro Pump attack. The old man had been one of the few to still accept challengers since the war started, but in a way the battles had lost their luster – something that he’d enjoyed for the decades he’d remained situated at the top of Hoenn’s Elite Four. Drake’s eyes closed as the younger challenger retreated, and the Dragon Master sighed.

Such potential…wasted in this time. Pity.

”Hello, Sigurd.”

Drake’s eyes snapped open at the words – not because the owner of the voice had uttered his full name, therefore being among the people Drake could count on his right hand that knew his true name, but because of the voice itself. The hard gaze of the man softened ever so slightly when he saw the young man approach, giving a slight bow before his pokemon greeted Drake as well.

A grin split the older man’s face and he set towards the boy he’d raised at his uneven limp. ”Damien,” he said cheerfully. ”’S good ter see ye again…” Drake gave a nod to the Banette before looking back at the boy he considered his son. ”I’m doing well – what about yourself?”

Drake nodded slightly. Although the Hoenn League challenge was by all means unofficial due to the war, it was still impressive that the challenger had been so determined and skilled enough to make it all the way to him. Good I beat him... Drake thought, ...no Champion awaits otherwise..

The old man straightened and a crooked smile became visible beneath his moustache. "Good ter hear yer doin' well...an' good of ye t'stop by and see lil' ol' me out here in Ever Grande." It had been ages indeed since he'd seen his son. "I mus' say, it's been too quiet out here recently. Same faces get old, ye know?"

He crossed his arms, "Tell me, what've ye been up ta?"

"Tha' it is. Quiet as ever." he nodded. The old man smirked slightly at the sarcasm in his voice. He couldn't admonish his boy in the slightest for it, seeing as he was perhaps the most accepting members of Lux that had even some position of power. "So long as yer not unhappy er in trouble, tha's enough for me."

Drake quirked his eyebrow when Devi mentioned he was painting more. "Really? More paintin' ?" He was mildly curious to see how they'd changed since Devi was a child. "How're yer peices turnin' out?"

"Seein' yeh've kept t'yer own flair with paintin' is good. If ye'd been sucked into traditional lan'scapes I'd've been more 'an a bit disappointed." he gave his son a good-natured grin. Even if the paintings hadn't been Drake's favorite thing, it was good enough that Devi still held his own style high above what was considered normal.

"Hardly any challengers, though." Drake said, sighing slightly. "Not many people dare t'make the journey t'Evere Grande nowadays." The old man coughed into his arm. "Best fight recently was..." he grumbled the end of the statement, hating the fact that it was a good fight even though he took part in it, "...at Slateport, o' all places."

The old man sighed and turned, pausing for a moment before he gestured over his shoulder to his son to follow him towards the corner of the battle room where a small table and two chairs were set up - as an option if a battler wanted to chat a bit afterward.

He set off at his uneven gait, striding forward. "Ye wan'te know about the battle, eh?" As much as Drake had hated every moment of it, he felt it would make a good story - a rather epic tale for those who wanted to hear from the mouth of the proper storyteller. "This 'uns somethin' ye wanna sit fer."

He pulled out a chair for Devi before taking the seat across from it.

Drake smirked some and leaned back in the chair, crossing his legs. "It were midnight. Pres'dent - then Champion - Cromwell f'rced me outta Ever Grande t'lead the charge on Slatep'rts harbor. I'd jus' arrived. We waited fer a signal in the night, an' we got it."

He paused to think before continuing. "I saw th'fight erupt on the shore. People were screamin' an' runnin' around, confused. Pok'mon battles started righ' in th'middle of crowds on th'shores. From what I saw - even at that hour - it looked like chaos...then th' Nox help arrived by sea."

He smiled some and looked at Devi, "Still interest'd?"

Drake's eyebrow quirked slightly. The fact that Devi had met Xander was something he had mixed reactions about, though he only smiled. He hoped he'd at least said or done something to deflate the paraded pride of the obnoxiously young President.

"They came fr'm behind, practic'ly washin' up behind us. Had th'boats not been anchored down, they woulda' been cast to the shore. Water pokemon. So many. It were like a small fleet. They wen' this way an' that, some comin' straight for me. I had moved into th'water on my Gyarados. Then we were attacked. I loosed me drag'ns and th' sea battle began."

The old man had been gesturing with his hands to tell the story,"