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

Chapter 46: Ice Titan Part 2

Tears of the Kingdom. That is all.
I own nothing.
Chapter 46: Pot Calling the Kettle

Jamil and Leona affixed the spear to Sivally's back as it entered power saving mode. Given that it made more sense to just travel as a full group and Tyranitar couldn't keep up normally with the Synthetic Pokémon, both boy's decided to just let him carry the spear and walk.
"Stay close, Silvally." Leona ordered. "We'll never know when that nuisance will show up again, so I need that spear ready at all times."
"Ly!"
"I still think we should take turns." Jamil said. "We're all exhausted after that battle."
The lion beastman growled. "Quit being nosy!"
"Nosy? I'm looking out for all of us!"
Tyranitar suddenly roared as hurried footsteps echoed in the hall. Evidently, their arguing caught the attention of several Phantoms.
"Humans! Humans! Human voices! Human scent!"
"Uwah!" Jamil yelped. "There are so many of them! It's because you were shouting earlier!"
"How about you shut up instead of complaining? I'm not going to help you now."
Both Pokémon groaned and rolled their eyes, getting ready for battle. Leona straight up refused to fight alongside Jamil, so the two paired off, Jamil with Tyranitar and Leona with Silvally. Fortunately, the boys seemed to take out their frustrations with each other on the Phantoms as the wave was quickly cleared through. However, exhaustion seemed to catch up with Jamil as he gritted his teeth.
"They keep coming no matter how many I get rid off! Ugh!"
While Tyranitar was batting away a group encircling her, a single one slipped away, behind Jamil.
"Heehee! It's here...it's here..."
Jamil quickly dodged, flinching as he felt the creature grazed a spot he had been injured in.
"Are they aiming for my weak spot!?"
The Phantom kept up the offensive, wildly swinging. "Humans...so weak...it's here! It's here!"
"Ugh! You...go away!"
"Tch!" Leona clicked his tongue, blasting away the offending monster as Silvally cleared out the remaining monsters with Tyranitar. "I said I wasn't going to help you, but I couldn't bear to watch that anymore. How kind I am (In the distance, (Y/N) felt a sudden urge to yank Leona's ears, hard). You can shed some tears while thanking me."
"To begin with..." Jamil then bit his tongue. "No, making excuses will just make me look lame. Thank you. I'll make sure to prepare a plan next time to help you."
The beastman rolled his eyes. "Haa...I'm telling you to stop doing that. I just told you to stop being so cocky with yourself. If you still don't get it, then I'll be straightforward with you: this isn't deliberation or forethought, you're just being assertive."
"Assertive!? Me!?"
Leona smirked. "Did you think you'd have the chance to show off? Are you even capable enough to protect, even though you're just a vice dorm leader? How confident you are."
"W-well, I might not have enough experience as a leader, but-,"
"But? Ha! Great. Let me guess what you're thinking right now: 'no one has ever recognized me, but I'm actually better than everyone. They just can't gage me properly'. That's how you look down on everyone around you, isn't it? How miserable."
Jamil glared up at the older male, the two face-to-face now. "As if the most arrogant person in Night Raven College could speak!"
Green eyes rolled. "It's fine by me. In fact, I'm above you, so I can look down on others."
"What an excuse..."
"Even comparing you to the two dorm leaders in the same year as you and the one a year below you, there's a big difference between you guys. The agility of Riddle when he casts magic is that of a cheetah, along with the strength to lead and fight on the front lines. His only disadvantages are his personality and physical strength, but he has something important: the pride of being a boss. Azul, just like the octopus he is, has many ways of doing something. He's very smart and good at demonstrating his ability. He must have taken a great effort to adapt to land, but I think that's one of his strengths. And do I even need to mention (Y/N)? Perceptive, as you know first hand, and a strategist through and through. She's got a bleeding heart for sure, but push her too far, and that becomes one of her most dangerous traits, not to mention the amount of charisma it takes to train and command monsters. Compared to them, what do you have? 'I just haven't used all my power. If I just had the chance'. You're just a loser that keeps making excuses for yourself!"
"What!? Say that again!"
100% done with this argument, Tyranitar grabbed both males by their shirts and dragged them to the next asylum, all the while they bickered like children. Once they were inside, she set them down and gave them a stern look that told them she wouldn't tolerate anymore squabbling.
Leona took the hint. "Now, let's see what kind of trap shorty set up this time."
They waited for a moment, but the hologram did not appear.
"What's going on?" Jamil asked.
"Ah!" Someone shouted. "There's someone here! Is it the rescue team!?"
Silvally huffed, motioning his head to the top of one of the cages. An employee was tied up at the top and looked at them in disbelief.
"Eh!? Y-you guys are Subjects B and D!?"
"No." Jamil said flatly as Leona crossed his arms.
"Who the hell is Subject B?"
"A Ferryman captured me when I was escaping with the others. They brought me here and told me: enjoy hide and seek."
"Hide and seek?" Leona repeated.
A small shadow suddenly rushed past them.
Jamil's eyes widened in realization. "Th-that's-!"
"I-it's him! He's the one who took my ID card!"
"Is that...Grim?" Jamil asked.
"(Y/N)'s furball?" Leona responded. "It does look similar to him...it moves so fast that I can't see it clearly. Can that herbivore even move that fast?"
"Grim might not be in normal condition right now, so it's possible."
"Hide and seek, huh? Ortho probably set this up. It seems like he's hiding inside the cages."
Silvally and Tyranitar let out cries, though not entirely friendly sounding, trying to get their fellow monster's attention. Dull thumps greeted them as they slowly made their way towards a cage in the back, the students closely behind them. When they were in reach, Tyranitar slammed her tail against the door, knocking it open as a Phantom tumbled out and dissolved on the spot.
Leona's ears were pinned back in shock. "The Phantom's already been reduced to a puddle!? Which means, the one who did this-,"
A high pitched laugh filled the air as a form slithered out. "ALL OF YOU...ALL OF YOU ARE MINE! NO ONE CAN DISAGREE WITH ME!"
As the Phantom pounced, its chest was pierced by a Stone Edge, leaving it easy pickings for the boys and Silvally.
"N-no way..." It croaked as it melted, the ID card dropping.
"So it wasn't Grim." Jamil noted.
"That furball always causes trouble." Leona growled. "I'll get him for this next time."
Silvally headed back to the cage and dragged the employee up there back to their position.
"Are you guys okay!?" The gentleman asked.
Jamil nodded. "Yes, and we have obtained the ID card."
"Let's get out of here before the other Phantoms wake up." Leona suggested as they all made their exit.
Outside, the poor employee looked ready to throw up.
"Oh, I was so worried about what would happen to me if I was surrounded by Phantoms. Thank you Subjects B and D! And...unknown...monsters?"
Leona grumbled. "Ah, enough with the Subjects whatever it is! Just hurry up and leave! We will be heading to the next layer."
"No! That's too dangerous! We should escape together!"
"You're telling us to run because you're scared? Stop kidding me and look at the difference in our abilities. You better cut and run."
"...you're right. Giving advice to excellent wizards like you is like teaching a mermaid how to swim. I'm sorry. The most dangerous Phantoms are being kept in the deepest layer. I'll pray for your safety."
Leona rolled his eyes. "Hmph, the result will be the same even after you pray. You should worry about yourself."
Tyranitar smacked his head for his rudeness, causing the beastman to yelp, much to everyone else's relief. Parting ways with the employee, the group descended to the deepest layers, their steps more hesitant than before. Still, Leona noted a sourness in Jamil.
"What's wrong? You've been so quiet. Are you upset?"
"That's not-,"
"Ah ah ah, don't force yourself. It must be a shock to you, everything I said was the truth after all."
This time, Silvally kicked him in the gut to avoid another argument, much to Jamil's satisfaction.
"I'm not wrong." The lion huffed as Tyranitar dropped him back on his feet.
"What do you know about me!?" Jamil demanded. "How I was spending my life until now? How much pain I've been through? YOU'D NEVER KNOW! NO ONE DOES! YOU'RE DIFFERENT FROM ME!"
Leona gave him the stink eye. "Just because no one understands you, you just keep making excuses for yourself by whining and sulking like that? I know a little about you. I bet you'll say no one recognized you because of Kalim, right?"
"I'm the vice dorm leader, Kalim is the dorm leader. The result is very obvious."
"Yeah, on the surface. He's bad at both magic and school. You're clearly more capable. He has the ability to attract people, which is something you lack."
"Attract? Ha!" Jamil cracked a smirk. "Isn't it just him being kind? And with that, he will surely be used and taken advantage of!"
Silvally and Tyranitar both shot the long haired boy a look as Leona sighed.
"I'm not even talking about his personality. Listen, the best way to attract people is...money."
Again, both Pokemon facepalmed as Jamil blew up.
"MONEY!? I-indeed...I do agree that Kalim's family has the most wealth and power."
"Money is a stronger power that's more definite than magic, and regarding that, I'm sure you understand it better than me. Kalim is learning to manage this strong power, isn't he?"
"Manage..."
Jamil thought back to their conversation in the Ramshackle. Leona wasn't wrong in his assessment given the effect Kalim's donation had had.
The lion grunted. "Someone who acts without thinking is stupid, but someone who only thinks about the consequences is even more so. As for someone like Kalim, who always acts on instinct, you never know what kind of person he will become in the future. That could be a good or a bad thing. There's nothing more miserable than making excuses for missing enemies after making the perfect plan. Haha!"
A roar broke out as a Phantom came charging from the stairs. Tyranitar grappled the beast as Silvally propped her up, but the two were slowly being pushed back. Leona didn't hesitate, shooting the Phantom with Floral magic as Jamil backed him up. The creature screeched, giving Silvally the perfect opportunity to blast a Flamethrower down its throat. The creature sputtered and dissolved.
Leona smirked. "You were in the right spot this time. Feel free to shiver behind me, it suits you the most."
"Am I...a burden to you? If so, then I'll leave. It's better than being a burden."
The beastman gripped his head. "Why would I want that? Why are you so extreme? Is it because you live in a small world? Use your brain more, acknowledge your true ability, and think about how to use it. Listen, Ruggie who is in the same year as you, his magic is simple and nothing special, but he's aware of it. That's why he flatters and uses me. Even if it's shameful, it's not a bad thing. Ruggie's messy life is his strength. Jack as well. He's a little pretentious sometimes, but he knows he isn't suited to be the boss. That's why he will listen to my orders when needed. Isn't that honest and cute? What about you then? Can you do everything by yourself? You sure have a lot of confidence for someone not putting in the effort. Let me lay it out for you: I don't accept your excuse of 'I still haven't used all my power' anymore. You chose this path, so how long are you going to keep making excuses? If you want to whine or give up, do it after you've struggled."
Jamil gave him a look. "You sound like you speak from experience."
Leona hmphed, turning away. Jamil then pondered those words. In the end, the upperclassman was right. He had always blamed his inaction on his social standing, believing any effort he put forth was meaningless, but after everything, did he have a right to think that anymore?
"I can see you're thinking about it now." Leona said mockingly. "Well, take your time."
Leona left Jamil to his thoughts as they descended to the final asylum. Tyranitar kept an eye on the second year, nudging his back if he got too lost in thought to pay attention to where he was going. Eventually, they made it to the door.
"According to the map, this is the last asylum." Leona announced. "The most powerful Phantoms are kept inside. Your feelings better have changed by now."
Jamil nodded and followed the beastman inside, the group plunged into darkness, save for the glow of the Synthetic Pokémon's feathers.
Leona growled. "Why is it so dark in here?"
"I'll turn on the light." Jamil blasted the switch with magic, only for everyone to freeze in shock at the sight of the room. "What is this!?"
Leona narrowed his eyes, instinctively pushing closer to Silvally in case he needed the spear. "The cages have been shattered to pieces, and not just one or two of them."
Bits of scrap metal which had once been caged were strewn about the room wildly, as if a viscous battle had taken place.
"Did Ortho do this?" Jamil asked out loud. "But why?...no wait, there's frost on the fragments."
"Ice?" Leona repeated. "So this was done by the Titan. I was quite disappointed when I thought we had beaten it with that one hit, but it's getting interesting now."
"I wonder if this was caused by the impact of it falling, or if it just went on a rampage. Everything in here is a mess. There's still ice on the exit door. What should we do now?"
Leona straightened up. "The Phantoms that escaped were frightened by the presence of the Titan, but they'll start moving again soon. Tartarus is a one way path. If we get attacked on both sides by the Phantoms and the Titans...I don't even want to think about it. We need to lock the door before we proceed. This is an asylum, so there must be an emergency lock somewhere around here."
Jamil pursed his lips. "Emergency lock...I remember something being written on the map...Ah! Here it is! The remote key to lock the door during an emergency is kept in box B-113...eh!? The key is gone!"
"What?" Leona yelled. "There's traces of blot on the box. The Phantoms must have done this. How clever of them. It seems they wanted to escape after we left."
"They must have hid it in one of these cages. Let's find it."
The boys search for a time, the Pokémon keeping a watch out for the Phantoms in case they try an ambush. Leona then circled a suspicious looking cage.
"It's too quiet."
He opened it as miasma poured out and a voice moaned.
"Free...I want to be free..."
The shadowy beast lumbered out, something dangling from its neck.
"The key!" Jamil yelled.
"We got the right one!" Leona announced. "Take it down!"
"I want...to be free...I WANT IT!!!"
The beast came charging out, yet rather than attacking them, it instead opted to race for the door. Tyranitar quickly batted it away with her tail, knocking it off course, only for it to immediately go for the door again. For a while, the group was forced to chase it down with magic, blasting its path and redirecting it away from the escape route. The Phantom, however, was persistent and continuously tried to escape, and with Silvally weighed down by the spear, this was all they could do.
"Stop running around!" Leona demanded as he finally nailed the beast in the back.
It shrieked in pain, yet even in its final moments still crawled pathetically towards the door.
"Light...and...freedom..."
"Don't blame me." Leona huffed. "We're also risking our lives here."
The creature reached out a clawed hand, dissolving feet from the door. The key bounced away as Jamil scooped it up, amazed by the upperclassman's strength.
"Hey, don't zone out." Leona growled. "I told you to change your feelings. Where's the key?"
Jamil snapped out of it. "Right here. We can lock the asylum with this. Let's leave before the other Phantoms catch up."
Leona nodded. "Yeah, the Titan must be headed to the depth by now. We'll encounter them sooner or later."
Exiting the asylum did not put any of their minds at ease. In fact, the minute they stepped out, they were greeted by a freezing chill. The boys huddled towards Silvally to keep warm as Tyranitar stepped in front of them to act as a wind breaker.
"This wind." Jamil said. "It must be-!"
Like clockwork, the Ice Titan's hands clawed at the side of the steps, screaming into the frozen air.
"I'LL FREEZE YOU!"
"It's crawling up!" Jamil yelled. "Leona, let me...let me...Please assist me!"
Leona laughed. "You finally understand your position. Sure, I'll take care of this."
Leona snatched the spear from Sivally's back, activating it and beginning the charge.
"Let me show you the differences in our power!"
As Leona prepped the blast, Jamil and the Pokémon held the Titan at bay. Given its awkward position clinging to the side of the stairs, it wasn't too much trouble playing defensive. Both Jamil and Silvally coated the creature's right hand in fiery blasts, almost melting through it at times, only for it to immediately refreeze once it pulled away. Its left hand became progressively more rock than ice as Tyranitar pierced it with an endless barrage of Stone Edges and Rock Slides. The creature stubbornly held on, only falling a few feet before pulling itself back up. However, given it couldn't get a firm handle to pull itself up, it was a sitting duck for the blast Leona had charged.
"Don't cause TROUBLE AGAIN!"
The next time the Titan reared its head, it was blasted into oblivion by the Thunder Spear. With a cry of agony, it fell into the depth once more, this time down for the count.
Jamil glanced over the side. "It fell."
Leona was breathing heavily by this point. "Gah...gah..it must be over this time...ugh!"
Silvally dove, catching Leona as he fell to his knees, exhausted. Jamil raced over, concerned.
"Ah! Leona! Are you all right!? He used the spear twice now, by himself. Anyways, there's another hangar near here. Let's take a break there. Silvally, can you carry him there?"
"Sil..." the Pokémon huffed, though weakly.
"Silvally, are you all right?" The Synthetic Pokémon's legs almost buckled for a moment, but quickly steadied himself. "Gah! Of course, carrying the spear must use up energy too. That, plus carrying us and fighting, you must be exhausted!"
Silvally protested weakly as Jamil pulled Leona off him, hauling the beastman towards the hangar. Tyranitar immediately picked up the spear and dragged her fellow Pokémon after him. Once they were safely inside, Jamil propped Leona against Silvally, who had slumped to his belly, as Tyranitar placed the spear in the charging station.
"Haa..." Leona sighed, leaning into Silvally's warm fur. "I can finally rest. Hey, snake bastard, make sure the spear is charging. We never know what kind of things we will encounter after this."
Jamil nodded. "Right. Um...Leona, thank you for that just now. I guess you were right. I was too proud of myself."
"Hmph?" Leona hummed. "You're getting quite humble now."
"Yes. I always thought the people around me were either stupid and incapable or lazy and useless."
The beastman narrowed his eyes at the second year. "Who were you thinking about?"
"But...that was just my perspective."
"Did you finally understand your position?"
"Yes. I still haven't entered the stage of battle, which means I have more potential than other people, right?"
Tyranitar and Silvally moaned and rolled their eyes, completely down with this ego trip.
Leona just laughed. "Well said!"
Jamil also chuckled. "Hmph, messy life is strength, right?"
"Yes!"
"That's right. Anyways, let's take a break before it finishes charging. We will be meeting the radish sprout soon. We should also eat too. Go look for the food supply in this hangar. Don't forget to look for mine as well."
"Y-yes."
"But don't bring me any dry and tasteless portable food. My tongue is very sensitive. And I feel like drinking a sports drink more than water now. Go bring it to me. You might find one."
"Eh?"
"Luckily, Silvally makes a decent bed. Though I could still use a blanket."
Jamil facepalmed. "Tyranitar?"
The pseudo legendary smacked the lion on the head, putting an end to his demands as they all settled in to rest for as long as they could.

One more, just one more tower and we'll be able to pick up speed again. Arceus, this chapter is long!