Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A Champion Time
October 28, 2029
Kat awoke with a yawn and a stretch. Though her sight was fuzzy, she could tell that this was not her room. She picked her glasses up from the table, and came to see that she was not even in her own dormroom. Instead, she was lying on the couch in Carrie and Natalia's dormroom, a blanket over her.
"Good morning, Kitten~." Carrie appeared. "Somebody slept well, it appears."
"Oh...guess I fell asleep. Woops." Kat grogged.
"No need to apologize. Yesterday was very dizzying. I could tell it took a lot to go through with it."
"Yesterday...that really happened, huh. I didn't just hallucinate it. We really..."
Carrie sat next to her. "It was magical. I'll never forget it for as long as I live. Now we're free to just enjoy one another, for as long as allowed. How about some breakfast? Natalia made biscuits."
"She baked that up and I didn't hear a thing? Geez. I really do sleep like a rock. A'ight. Can't say no to something from the Hoodsie Bakery. So, uh...where do we go from here? I spent so long thinking about last night that I never thought about what happens after."
"That's what we get to find out together. My love." Carrie blushed at the words. "For today, I was about to head to Akihabara to meet with Sensei. You can come along, if you like."
"Stop by Maggie's place while we're there?"
"That goes without saying."
"Alright, let me run to my place real quick and throw on something presentable. You see my phone anywhere? I didn't drop it in the lake, did I?"
"Over by the table. I had it charging overnight. Off the ground, of course."
"Clearly one 'I love you' last night wasn't enough. I'll be back in a few. Hopefully Barbie hasn't called a search party for me."
"Don't worry, I let her know you were here. Go and get ready."
"As you wish, my queen."
Kat grabbed her phone. In her haste, she hadn't noticed the screen showing an update in progress, the Metaverse app's logo in view.
She returned a few minutes later, and the pair departed. Once they exited the dorm, a familiar voice called out to them.
"Well, hellooooo, lovebirds~. Out to forage after a long night of dancing?" Sahir chimed.
"Kicks, don't make me throw you." Kat griped.
"Isn't this a fortuitous get-together." Kibō approached.
"Still cleaning leaves out of your trousers, Keebie?"
"I'm not engaging that with a response. Where's everyone off to?"
"Me and Kitten were going to Akihabara for a while." Carrie answered.
"Ain't that convenient! I was actually on my way there, too. Sakuya forgot her bracelet and I was gonna run over and give it to her." Sahir said.
"Guess that makes four of us. I promised my parents I'd help them at the shop today. We can all head over together, if it's not too much trouble." Kibō added.
"Y'all are just trying to spy on us now, aren't you?" Kat asked.
"Settle, Kitten. If we're heading the same way, it'd be more fun to do it together. We'll have our alone time later." Carrie replied.
"Fair warning, you all could be in for a crowd. Apparently there's some sort of game tournament going on for the next few days, and they're expecting hefty attendance." Kibō said.
"A tournament...oooooh, I heard about that. The Pokémon World Championships are happening this week. I hear there's this big-shot up-and-comer attending. Hopefully the crowds haven't gotten here yet." Kat replied.
"Isn't that a game for kids, though?" Sahir asked.
Kat stood silently for a moment. "Kicks. That is not a Pandora's Box that you want to open."
---
A while later, the four were in the Electric Town, seated at an outside table. "So, sorry if this sounds forward, but..." Kibō began.
"You're still not released from massage duty, Keebie. If something's feeling achy, you're the first person I'm talking to." Kat replied.
"Oh, come on, I'm sure Care can do it just fine."
"But you're so dang good at it. You know allll the right places." Kat brushed against Kibō's leg with the heel of her boot, causing him to jump.
"Once a tease, always a tease." Sahir chimed.
"Tch...you have anything to say about this, Care?" Kibō questioned.
"Hm? Oh, sorry. I was looking at that crowd over there." Carrie replied.
Across from the café, a large crowd of people had gathered. "Wonder what that's all about? Maybe that tournament you mentioned?" Sahir pondered.
"Correctomundo." A man walked by, wearing a dark beanie cap and sporting a goatee.
"Hello, Sensei. Do you know what that's all about?" Carrie asked.
The man was Shinji Sarada, an electronics expert and an old acquaintance of Rin's group who tutored Carrie in the art of hacking. "That would be competitive Pokémon's new hotness. Leon Hasha, aka 'Trance|Dandy*Lion'. Dude's exploded in popularity over the last month, and I wanted to catch a look at what the big deal is."
"Popular is right. Look at that crowd. Certainly buzzing." Kibō said.
"Let's get a listen in. I'm curious too." Kat said.
The group got up and joined the crowd. Excited voices perforated the place. And at the center of it all, there was a young man with spiky, light brown hair and a chin beard, garbed in a white-and-silver hoodie and sweatpants. "Thank you, thank you! Your applause means way more than you could ever realize! One at a time for selfies, though." he chimed.
"You're awesome, Leon!" one excited fan yelled.
"You're our invincible Champion!" another proclaimed.
"I'm flattered, really, but don't overlook the competition. But I'm sure your support's gonna be what helps me get through to the finals! We're all in this together! Don't forget to follow along on my Twitch, which I'm positive you all know by heart now! See y'all at the stadium, and remember, let's have a Champion time!" Leon exclaimed.
The crowd was ecstatic. "'A Champion time'. Woooow. With a name like his, he just couldn't resist." Kat uttered.
"Man, these peeps are totally in love with him. It's like he's in a pop band or something." Sahir said.
"My word. I just looked him up, and he's gained thousands of followers within the past month, on top of multiple fan clubs. All based out of Akihabara..." Carrie pondered.
"Tell me about it. I can't go a day without hearing someone around here gushing about him. Even from people I didn't think were into competitive. It's bananas." Shinji said.
Leon approached the group. "Well, now, you have the kind of energy I can get behind! Are you a PokéNerd, too?" he asked Kat.
"I, uh, dabble. Stream it on occasion." she replied.
"I'd love for you to take a look at my Twitch, if you're interested. Here's my info. Maybe it'll help you in future streaming endeavors. See you around!" He handed her a card, and walked off.
"Ooookay." Kat glanced at it. "'Have a Champion time'. Good-NESS."
"Quite the showman, I'll give him that much." Kibō said.
"You actually gonna give him a look, KittyKat?" Sahir asked.
"If I'm in need of a chuckle, maybe." Kat replied.
Shinji looked away. "Hey, I'll catch you kids later. Got some business to run."
"Okay, see you in a while." Carrie replied.
Shinji walked over to the side of a nearby building, where a man in a blue-and-black hoodie stood observing. "Have you ever tried not looking creepy and suspicious, Mirai?"
"That's the idea. You get a load of that?" Jin asked.
"Lot of pomp, a lot of words, and a lot of hype. Where'd this guy even come from?"
"A couple months ago? Nowhere. I looked up his past results, and prior to last month he'd never even made it out of the first round of Regionals. Now all of a sudden he's got this massive cult following and the results keep pouring in, on top of being the face of an eSports team. This isn't just surprising. It's unheard of."
"Maybe he just changed up his strategy. It happens. Kinda hard to suck forever."
"It's too quick. And I've watched a few of his more recent matches. I've known a few of his opponents for years, and never have they looked so starved for ideas. Almost like they'd given up before it even started. And another thing, his fanbase is concentrated entirely around Akihabara. Anyone I ask around Naruki doesn't know a damn thing about this guy. Here, though, he's got swarms of fans."
"Not gonna lie, it's all bizarre. Even for this town."
"I've got a bad feeling. This tournament's gonna tell us a lot. But I've seen some sketchy stuff before. This isn't normal."
"Coming from you, that means something. Guess we'll be keeping an extra eye out for this dude. As many people that watch the tournament, someone's gonna spot something."
Shinji walked away shortly after. "....." Jin remained in thought.
Over by the café, the students returned to their seats. "Gotta say, the dude's enthusiasm is legit." Sahir said.
Kat stared at her phone. "What's the matter?" Carrie asked.
"...does the app look different to you?" Kat replied.
"It does, now that you mentioned it. Have you tried pulling it up?"
"Let's see..." Kat touched the icon, and a male voice echoed out.
"Welcome. Please enter the keyword." 
"Huh? Keyword?"
"'Let's have a, uh...' What was it again?" Sahir asked to the side.
"A Champion time." Kibō replied.
Kat's phone beeped. "Thank you. Beginning navigation."
The students looked confused. Before they could question anything, however, their surroundings began to shift.
When they came to, they were in their Metaverse uniforms. "What the...?!" Kat reacted.
"We're in our uniforms...and the city's different. Is this...the Metaverse?" Kibō asked.
The city was now covered in darkness. Light posts were now shaped like red-and-white Poké Balls, and the walls and buildings were designed and decorated with all sorts of Pokémon iconography. In the distance, there was a large, dome-shaped building, the roof also designed to resemble a Poké Ball, and spotlights shooting up around it. Along the walls, there were also posters of Leon, bearing the words 'Mighty Champion'.
"What in the world...?" Carrie pondered.
"What gives?! How'd we end up here?" Sahir questioned.
"Let's not panic. Let's think about this. Kitten activated the app after noticing it was different...then it asked for a keyword. Given how everything looks, perhaps it responded to Kibō saying 'Champion Time'." Carrie replied.
"That would make sense. So is this Leon's Palace?" Kibō asked.
"I'm not so sure it's a Palace. Wouldn't it be just one building? This looks like it covers the whole district. Let me check this thing again..." Kat opened the app. "...?"
"Does it say anything?" Carrie asked.
"'Prison Keep: Akihabara'. 'Name of Warden: Leon Hasha'."
"Prison? Warden? So this...isn't a Palace?" Sahir surmised.
"That's looking to be the case. This might be some kind of variation within the Metaverse. If there's one thing it has in common with a Palace, though...well, just look around. It's been altered according to its master's cognition." Kibō added.
"We're dealing with a dude who thinks he's a Pokémon master, and the city looks like it's straight out of Sword and Shield. And if I was a betting girl, I'd say he's hiding away in that dome off in the distance." Kat said.
"There's an events center right around there in the real world. My guess is that's where the tournament's being held."
"Sounds about right. Sheesh. I knew there was something fishy about that guy. This just seals it."
"What should we do now? Should we head back and grab the rest of the gang? Does the teleporter still work?" Sahir asked.
"The button for it's still there, yeah. Think it'd be a good idea to have a look around, though. Just to know what we're--"
Kat heard something close by. "Hold up. Y'all hear that?"
"It's coming from down the street. Should we take a look?" Carrie asked.
"Yeah. Everyone on guard. Who knows what could be crawling around here." Kibō replied.
The four moved closer to the noise's source. "Hey...aren't those...?" Kat pondered.
There were four young people walking about the street aimlessly, eyes glued to their phones. "Leon...so cool..." one muttered.
"There's people in here? How'd they get in?" Sahir asked.
"I recognize them from that crowd of people around Leon. But look at their eyes." Kibō replied.
"They're all golden yellow...so they're Shadows." Carrie added.
"But this is Dandelion Dude's place, right? Shouldn't he be the only human Shadow in here?" Kat questioned.
"Uggh, none of this is making sense! Did we just get the rules changed on us?" Sahir griped.
"Wait...something's happening." Kat warned.
Around the entranced people, several Shadows manifested themselves, resembling pitch black security guards with no facial features save for bright red eyes. Some of the Shadows held out their hands over the youths' chests, and out from their chests came what appeared to be red gemstones.
"The hell is this..." Kat wondered.
"Hey, you!" Behind the students, more Shadows manifested. "Hand over your Desires! Your Champion demands them!"
"Desires?" Kibō questioned.
"Oh good, more rule changes!" Sahir stated.
"Whatever you want from us, you ain't getting. And here's my counter offer. Persona!" Kat manifested Myeongwol behind her, and rapid flashes of pink light fired out at the Shadows, destroying them. The noise alerted the other nearby Shadows, who aimed their weapons at the group.
"Galahad!" Kibō brought forth a spectral knight bearing a large white shield with a vermillion cross, which blocked and repelled the Shadows' attacks back at them. More Shadows began to materialize around them.
"This is getting dicey. What should we do?" Kibō asked.
"What Kicks said. Head out, grab the others and wait for things to calm down. They'll just keep coming until we're beat. Gotta know when to make an exit." Kat brought out her phone, pressed a button and teleported the group out.
Soon after, back in the material world, they returned to the café table. "There you all are. You just vanished and I couldn't get a hold of you." Sakuya appeared.
"We've got trouble on our hands, Maggie." Kat said.
"Oh dear. How dire are we talking?"
"I don't know yet. But I'm gonna grab the rest of the squad. Know how I said the other day that business was quiet this year? Well it ain't quiet anymore."
---
"Okay...so to summarize, your Metaverse app changed and brought you there after entering a key phrase. It was a larger area called a 'Prison', with multiple human Shadows, the ruler of which is called the 'Warden'. You also witnessed several inhuman Shadows taking something from the human ones, which they referred to as 'Desires'. That sound accurate?" Kenneth asked.
"That's the gist of it. Everything was way different from what we usually deal with." Kat replied.
"And this Leon Hasha person. You think he's in control of it?" Sakuya asked.
"Looks that way. We met the guy earlier, and things seemed...off. I can't put my finger on it, but the way his fans were obsessing over him felt abnormal. Speaking of, some of the people from the crowd earlier were in the Prison, having these 'Desires' stolen." Kibō replied.
"Those were their Shadows, right? What about the real ones? Are they okay?" Natalia asked.
"No clue. All I know is, this Champion guy isn't as clean as he'd like everyone to think." Sahir replied.
"He only recently started gaining popularity and presence, but all of it is centered around Akihabara. People around here can't talk enough about him online. I've found a few reports of his fans doxxing people who talk bad about Leon, and another report about how a group of his fans ganged up on a man who bumped into him by accident." Carrie explained.
"That...isn't normal. I know Pokémon fans have a rep for being extreme, but this is way overboard. Something's definitely up." Max replied.
"Come to think of it, one of my coworkers is a fan of his. She mentioned how she was going to donate her entire paycheck to his streaming channel. She got visibly upset when we told her how reckless that was. And I've known her to be a fairly laid-back girl." Sakuya explained.
"The more I'm hearing, the less I'm liking it." Kat replied.
"Let's go around and see what people have to say. I'd like to have a more complete picture before we go diving in. Someone has to know something." Barbara said.
"Right. Time for some good old-fashioned detective work." Kat replied.
"Detective Pikachu work, even." Max joked.
"Sparky."
"I know, I know, I had to."
The group split up. Sahir and Kenneth stood by a building and listened in on an argument.
"Dude, come on, you've been saving up for the Gundam model for months!" one young man stated.
"I don't need it! Leon can use it better than I can! He deserves it!" another one retorted.
"You're just throwing it down the drain! That guy gets plenty of donations, why does he need yours?"
"You'll never understand! Leon is like a beacon of hope for suckers like me! It's worth every yen!"
"That guy...I saw him in the Prison. He's the one that got the Desire taken." Sahir said.
"He's alive and well, it seems. 'Well' in the loosest definition of the word. He sounds completely obsessed with this Leon character." Kenneth replied.
"You think this is what happens when a Desire gets taken? Maybe this is why people are so in love with the guy. What if they all had theirs stolen from them?"
"Certainly a possibility. To what end, I have no idea. But this 'Prison' is starting to sound more like some sort of harvesting area."
Over at Shinji's electronics store, Carrie and Kat were questioning him. "I think the guy's fishy, sure. And his fans? Woof. I keep hearing folks around here going on and on about buying his merch and donating to his Twitch. Some of their loved ones are afraid it's gonna put them in debt. Never seen anything like it, much less as quickly as it's spread." he explained.
"You know anyone who could shed light on the guy?" Kat asked.
"Mirai's been pretty suspicious of him and did some digging of his own. I can call him up."
Shinji pulled out his phone. Shortly after, he handed it to Kat. "He wants to talk to you."
"Yo-ho, Chuckles. Got something for me?" she asked.
"Just give me a second..." Jin went silent for a moment. "Sorry, just put Rina down for a nap. Don't want to wake her up. Anyway, you were looking into Leon Hasha, right?"
"Are you sitting down? Cuz this is a doozy..."
Kat explained everything that had happened in the Prison. "Hunh...a pocket world that covered the whole city. Never seen anything like that. But if Leon's the one running it, then that'd back up a lot of my suspicions." Jin replied.
"Who is he, Mr. Mirai? How did he get this popular?" Carrie asked.
"That's something I'd like to know myself. Up until a month ago, he was small-time. Never won a single competitive game. Seemed like a much more casual kind of fan than anything. Then out of the blue, he starts winning tourneys left and right until he got an invite to join a local eSports team called 'Trance'. It's unheard of for someone to make that fast of a leap. Some of the guys he beat were friends of mine, and they'd never looked so lost in all the time I've known them. I thought it might've just been dumb luck, but then I started hearing whispers about his character."
"What do you mean by that?" Kat asked.
"Well, aside from the games he also apparently owns a large collection of the TCG."
"TCG?" Carrie questioned.
"Trading Card Game. It's got its own massive competitive scene aside from the video games. But what's so suspicious about that?" Kat replied.
"I've been hearing rumors that after winning some matches, he strongarms the loser into handing over any cards they might have on them. Given the nature of these tourneys, a lot of participants compete in both. I didn't have any firm proof until one of my employees attended a tournament Leon was at. He had this Shiny Rayquaza card that he spent a week's salary to get. The day after the tournament, he comes in and says that he doesn't have the card anymore. He tries to tell me he lost it, but before long he tells me that he gave it to Leon, willingly. I could tell he was lying. You don't spend that much to get a card just to give it away."
"No way. Collectors never fork over their keepers that easily. Something's rotten." Kat surmised.
"If you're asking how he's gotten to the top so quick, you'll probably find the answer in that Prison. The obsession isn't natural. But if you're asking if he's got a sketchy enough character to make a distortion in the Metaverse? That I'd bet money on. You kids gonna take him down a peg?"
"Looking more and more like it. I'd like a little more on him just to make sure. Maybe see him in person to get a better feel for his character." Kat replied.
"I looked up the schedule for the tourney, and he's slated to go live in about an hour. You'll need a pass to get in. Lucky for you all, my shop was giving away passes and I've still got a couple left."
"Awesome. I'll swing by to grab 'em."
"Thank you again, Mr. Mirai." Carrie said.
"Don't mention it. I can't stand dirty garbage like this. Make sure you finish the job and get him to come clean. I'll call it even then." Jin replied.
Kat hung up. "Let's get the gang back together. Time to see what a 'Champion Time' is all about."
The students reassembled at the café. "So this is what we're dealing with. I spotted one of the people whose Desire got swiped in the Prison, and he was completely obsessed with Leon, to the point where they were willing to bankrupt themselves to support the guy." Sahir explained.
"Seems to be a recurring story. The people going on and on about the guy all talk about wanting to shower him with gifts and praise. It's beyond creepy. No ifs or maybes about it: they're out of their minds." Max continued.
"Somehow he's managing to use the Metaverse to lure his followers in, then taking these Desires to effectively brainwash them, to the point where he's all they think about." Carrie said.
"Might not just be his fans, either. I spoke with Chuckles--er, Mr. Mirai--and he talked about how some of Leon's opponents played much worse than normal, almost like they'd lost all motivation. On top of all of that, there's rumors flying around that he's goading his beaten opponents into handing over any pricey trading cards they have. So he definitely sounds like the kind of slimeball who'd have a wonky cognition." Kat added.
"There's so much here that I'm not getting. Why did the Metaverse change all of a sudden? And how can he be using it? I thought ours and the Professor's circles were the only ones who knew about it." Barbara questioned.
"It's possible that he himself might not be fully aware of it, but could've noticed a change in the people around him and took advantage accordingly. Using it without fully understanding it, as it were." Kenneth replied.
"There's still so much we don't know about the cognitive world. Clearly Palaces aren't the only structure within the Metaverse. However this guy's doing it, he needs to be stopped. And we're the only ones who can pull it off." Kibō stated.
"So what's our next move?" Natalia asked.
"Mr. Mirai has a couple of passes to the tournament, and Leon's gonna be competing in a short while. One of y'all is gonna come with me and we're gonna see if we can find anything out from the jerk himself. Any volunteers?" Kat replied.
"Let me do it. If he's really breaking the competitive code, I've got a few things to say about that. I busted my ass to get to where I'm feeling close to where I was pre-hippo. So if this creep's using cheap shortcuts to get attention he doesn't deserve, I'm not letting that slide." Sahir responded.
"Not to deter from the situation at-hand, but you sounded ridiculously cool just now." Sakuya piped up.
"For real, you feeling okay, Kicks? Cramps or morning sickness, maybe?" Kat joked.
"Y'all really just can't let me have five seconds to be awesome, huh?" uttered a dejected Sahir.
"Just yanking your chain, my dude. Let's get a move on. We'll come up with a game plan for the Prison later tonight. Tomorrow after school, we tackle it. Sound good? Then grab your Poké Balls, folks. We're catching us a scumbag." Kat proclaimed.
---
"Sheesh, the electricity in this place. Reminds me of the Emirates the one time I went with my uncle." Sahir commented, sitting with Kat inside a dark arena with numerous colorful flashing lights. The audience was packed, and cheering at the results of the previous match. 
"No matter what it is, you put people in a big stadium like this, it's gonna get crazy. Especially when one of the participants is probably using mind control..." Kat replied. "Chuckles wasn't kidding. The guy's opponent didn't look into it at ALL. What is he doing to these people?"
"Not like he'll spill it in the open, but maybe he'll let something else slip. Here he goes."
On stage, Leon was being interviewed, as the crowd chanted his name. "Well, that was just what we've come to expect from the local rising star! How did you pull it off this time?" the female interviewer asked.
"Same as always: tons of hard work, and the love of my beautiful fans!" Leon proclaimed, to the continued cheering of his fan corner.
"We love you, Leon!" one fan exclaimed.
"CHAM-PI-ON! CHAM-PI-ON!" several more chanted.
"Not even my old man could produce this level of thirst in his prime." Kat shuddered. "I think I just barfed in my mouth a bit..."
"Now you've probably gotten this question a million times, but how do you do it? Where does all this come from?" the interviewer asked.
"I've got motivation in spades. I used to be a nobody. I would try so hard and get nowhere, and I'd get bullied pretty badly at my local tournaments. So I tell myself that I'll never be that weak person ever again, and that's what keeps me going!" Leon replied.
"Inspirational to be sure, but your rise has been absolutely meteoric. Going from obscurity to local superstardom in the span of a month is a miraculous thing. What's your secret?"
"I, er...well..."
Kat raised an eyebrow. 
"Come now, whatever it is, I'm sure viewers on Twitch will find it...enlighten...ing..." the reporter's words slowed to a crawl. The stadium grew eerily quiet.
"What's happening?" Sahir questioned.
The reporter suddenly sprang back up. "Leon...you're so amazing! Please, take my money!"
"What...?" Kat looked perplexed.
"You need any new cards? I'll run down and buy as many as you need! I'll get you everything you deserve!"
"Um...this is a bit much..." Leon muttered.
Security quickly arrived to clear everyone out of the arena, and ordered every feed cut.
As Leon was escorted out, Kat caught sight of something: a smirk on his face. "Motherf--he seriously did make that happen! Kicks, let's tail him. Discreetly." she said.
"Right." Sahir replied.
In an empty hall, Leon walked through. "Hooooo...now wasn't that bonkers. They could've at least let her get me those cards..."
"What...?" A young man appeared from one of the rooms. "That reporter freaking out just now...did you do that?"
"Tch. I didn't do anything except sit there and look cool. People losing their minds over me is just natural. Or just plain losing to me. Like you."
"You cheated...I know you did. Do you slip something in our drinks? Only way I can explain my mind being so foggy..."
"Well maybe you're just an idiot." Leon menacingly approached the young man. "Say...that a deck you've got on you?"
"Yeah, but that's got nothing to do with--"
Leon got closer, backing the young man against the wall. "Here's your special offer for today. Give me the rarest card you've got in there, and this won't go any further than me staring you down like this. You know how big of a following I have, don't you? And my fans are pretty damn dedicated. Give me the goods, and I won't shit talk you to hell on my next stream. Ignore me, and, well...well."
"Please, don't...I poured so much into this deck..."
"You deaf? I said just the rarest one, not whatever common draw trash you've got." Leon put his fist next to the man's head. "Tick tock. I don't got all day to play with you. Your offer expires in 3...2..."
"Knock it off, asshole!" Leon looked over to see Sahir standing there, Kat right behind him.
"Who the hell are you? Mind your own business. I was just having a discussion." Leon replied.
"Your BS might fly with your brainwashed fangirls, but not with us. The 'humble Champion' image is just a facade. You're nothing but a cheat and a liar. Where do you get off, taking things that people worked hard to get? You said out there that you worked up from the bottom to be an inspiration to others. How does this jive with that?" Sahir questioned.
"Extorting people you used underhanded tactics to beat is pretty 'no bueno', Dandelion. There's normal Poké-toxicity, and then there's whatever you are." Kat added.
"Hey, I remember you. You're the girl from earlier. Come to meet me and get my autograph in person?" Leon asked.
"Hell no. I know a thief and a thug when I see one. Came to see if my hunch was correct, and here we are."
"Hunh, too bad." Leon walked away from the terrified young man, who got his bearings and ran away. He got in front of Kat. "Kinda risky for a girl like you to be walking around here. All kinds of creeps..."
He attempted to touch Kat's hair. Sahir prepared to take a swipe, only for Kat to swat Leon's hand away, and quickly pull her dagger out and hold it beneath his chin. "If you ever try to touch me like that again...I'll send you to Arceus. Hopefully for you he'd be a more merciful god than the one we have to contend with."
Kat removed and sheathed the dagger. "Come on, Kicks. There's time to grab a souvenir. No need to waste it on this loser." She turned and walked away. Sahir flashed him one more dirty look, and followed after.
"Heh...loser? Me? No way..." Leon appeared unsettled. "Doesn't matter. All it takes is one click of the Subscribe button, and everything's fine..."
---
October 29, 2029
Afternoon in Akihabara. The students arrived near the café. "This is where we teleported from yesterday. Should be good to do it again." Kat said.
"I'm so looking forward to wiping that smug look off his face." Sahir added.
"Y'know, I just realized something...this is the first time the nine of us are going on a heist together as a team. The only times all of us were together was fighting the hand freaks. No offense, Saku." Natalia said.
"You don't have to apologize every time you disparage Death's Hand around me. That's in the past." Sakuya replied.
"If it's anything like yesterday, the place is going to be crawling with Shadows. I like our chances better with nine." Kibō said.
"Dunno how much different it's gonna be from our other missions. Just have to take everything as it comes. Hopefully it'll end the same way: with a change of heart from a card-carrying creep. Everyone ready?" Kat asked. Everyone nodded. "Gucci. Let's ride. Key phrase: 'Champion Time'."
"Thank you. Beginning navigation."
---
"Y'know, if any kid was in this place, they'd think it was the coolest thing ever." Max commented.
"Right? A whole city with Pokémon on every building and sign would've been 8-year old me's dream come true. Course, we know what kind of messed-up craziness is really going on here." Kat replied.
"To think someone would cause all this over a cute monster-catching game. Is this a normal thing?" Natalia asked.
"Hoodsie, let's just say there are enough cans of worms in that fandom to fill one of Doc Rose's gardens. But brainwashing fans and stealing trading cards from people is a surprising new one."
"Hey, did anyone see where Sakuya went?" Barbara asked.
The others looked around in confusion. Kenneth caught sight of something. "There's our answer."
Sakuya was staring at graffiti of a white seal-like creatured with its tongue out. "Maggie..." Kat approached her.
"IT'S A SEAL!" Sakuya exclaimed.
"Keep your voice down! And yes, it's a Seel."
"What's its name?! I'm going to buy one as soon as we get home!"
"Um, I just told you. Seel."
"It's name is actually Seal?"
"Okay, it's spelled S-e-e-l. Seel."
"Very clever." Kenneth joked.
"Look, Gen 1 names weren't all exactly brimming with creativity. One was just 'snake' spelled backwards...ugh, this isn't important! We've got Champions to crush."
"Ah, yes. You're right. Forgive my outburst." Sakuya blushed.
"There's an odd weakness if I've ever seen one." Kibō commented.
"Refocus, people. If I've got my tropes right, our Champion's gonna be in that giant dome. Stick to the shadows. Security here was pretty good last time we came." Kat said.
"I'll keep an eye out for danger." Carrie replied.
"We're coming for ya, you big bully." Sahir commented.
The team moved stealthily through the city, making sure to avoid detection from patrolling Shadows.
"How far do you think this place goes? Already feels larger than the usual Palace." Barbara asked.
"I'd wager the entire district. Much more security than we're used to, as well. Normally we could go straight through with only a few encounters, but now we have to take much more care." Kenneth answered.
"Least most of us have pretty athletic builds already, so stealth stuff should be no problem. Just makes a healthier diet that much more important." Natalia commented.
"See anything, Care?" Kat asked.
"Hmm..." Carrie stared at a small, holographic map emerging from her palm, as her eyes glowed purple. "There's an odd energy signature over by Kanda shrine. Doesn't appear to be a living entity, but...hmm."
"It's not that far from here. Let's go check it--" Kibō started, and looked up and stopped. "Is...that what you're getting readings from?"
Towering over the surrounding buildings was a brick-and-mortar structure with a large cage on the top. A circular wall surrounded the tower.
"That doesn't look suspicious at all." Kat joked.
"That's where the readings are coming from, right, Carrie-san?" Sakuya asked.
"That's right. From the top of that tower, in that odd birdcage. We should take a look." Carrie urged.
The entrance to the structure was guarded by a single security Shadow. "Figures we couldn't just waltz in there quietly." Max commented.
"Don't be so sure. Check the light pole over there. Don't you know your leader's a professional?" Kat asked.
Out of sight, Kat leapt atop the pole, close to the guard, and drew her dagger. Quickly, she jumped onto the Shadow's back, and slashed its throat, causing it to disperse. "Meow." 
"Least those gifts are being used for good now." Max commented.
"Oh, what, you think I'm--" Kat stopped, and listened. "Y'all hear that?"
"It's coming from inside. Sounds like mumbling." Sahir replied.
"Eyes peeled, boys and girls. Something tells me Dandelion Dude wouldn't just leave one measly guard here."
The group entered the structure, and were left in stunned disbelief by what they saw. "Holy..." Kat uttered. The inside of the wall was a menagerie of numerous jail cells, covering the entirety of it. Inside the cells were humanoid Shadows, all in a blissful, mesmerized state.
"Leon...Champion of the world..."
"Have to subscribe...have to support our Champion..."
"Take my money, Leon...take my cards...take everything..."
"What...is this?" Natalia questioned.
"All of these people...are they the ones that had their Desires taken?" Kenneth asked.
"They sound utterly mindless...their eyes look so dead..." Sakuya said.
"Guess this is where the 'Prison' part comes from. All the more reason to whoop this creep." Sahir commented.
In an instant, a pair of figures manifested, resembling men in business suits. "Welcome, Trainers! The Pokémon League congratulates you on making it this far!" one exclaimed.
"What's with these clowns?" Max asked.
"If your wish is to face Champion Leon on the field of battle, first you must prove yourselves worthy against us, the Elite Four!" the other man stated.
"But...there's only two of you." Barbara said.
"Skipping the Gym Challenge and going straight for the League, huh? Fine by me." Kat said.
The two men began to transform, one into a large dinosaur-like armored creature, the other into a grinning, purple shadow creature.
"Okay...how do we go about this, boss?" Max questioned.
"If he's keeping things to form, then target the weaknesses. Aggron is weak to water, Gengar to darkness. Barbie, Kenny, y'all are up." Kat replied.
"Music to my ears. Nimue!" Barbara called out a spectral woman constructed out of water. It called forth a pillar of water which erupted from underneath the dinosaur monster, dispersing it.
"Come, Elegor." From behind Kenneth, a horseman in red armor manifested, and cleaved the grinning entity in two.
"Elite, my bum-bum. Maybe we're just that overleveled. Now for whatever's up there." Kat said.
"Will you be alright, Kenneth? That looks like a steep flight of stairs." Carrie asked.
"...I'll manage." Kenneth bluntly answered.
"Look at you, trying to beat your fear. I'm so proud of my babies." Kat quipped.
"Babies? We're all older than you." Max retorted.
"Shut up, Sparky."
After a minute of climbing, the group reached the top, where a small glowing orb appeared. "What's this now?" Kat reached for it, and it took a solid form in her hands. "Looks like a trophy."
"Judging by the logo, it looks like it's for a local tournament. What would it be doing up here?" Kibō questioned.
"Could well be an important symbol for him. A sign of the power he wields as a so-called Champion." Kenneth replied.
"Must be important if he has it so guarded." Sakuya added.
"I have another update from the layout." Carrie piped up. "The area around the dome has been blocked off by a security wall. But another energy signature like the one here just appeared a few blocks away."
"Turning this into a fetch quest, huh? Typical RPG fare. Let's get a move on." Kat said.
The group moved to the location where the signature came from, where another tower surrounded by a wall was located. As with the first, it was populated by imprisoned, mumbling Shadows.
"Champion Leon...so dreamy..."
"Our Champion deserves everything..."
"So cool...we should all be like him..."
"Yeah...yeah, it's still creepy." Max commented.
"Who does this to their own fans?!" Natalia questioned.
"If these folks were in their right mind, they might not even be his fans. Probably wouldn't even know who he is. Locking all these people in cages and changing their hearts so they'll do everything he wants...every new thing I see and hear makes me want to drive this guy's head through a table. And he calls himself a competitor..." Sahir grumbled.
"Sahir-san...I've never seen you this intense before." Sakuya said.
"I can't stand cheaters. After my leg got torn up, I wanted more than anything to get back on the pitch. I had people left and right offering me shortcuts to speed things along. 'You'll never be as good as you were before, so you'll need this'. If I can't succeed on my own power, then I don't deserve to succeed. This guy uses every dirty tactic he can to get what he wants, then acts like he's some kind of hero. How can you be satisfied with winning when you know you aren't earning it fairly? And hurting as many people as he is? It's complete nonsense."
"The regular jock chastising the nerd jock. In this case, ya love to see it. We'll get this guy, Kicks, I promise. Just need to take care of the extra business." Kat replied.
On cue, two suited men appeared from the shadows. "You've done well to make it this far, but your journey ends here!"
"Champion Leon won't have to trouble himself with you!" The men transformed, one into a giant blue sea serpent, the other into a blue-and-black dragon with two heads replacing its hands.
"Great, more dweebs. Sparky, you handle Gyarados. Keebie, you get Hydreigon." Kat ordered.
"Yes, ma'am." Max called forth a viking warrior wielding a hammer, striking the sea serpent down with a bolt of lightning.
"About time I got to slay a dragon." Kibō brought out Galahad, who bisected the dragon with a slash from its light blade.
"Dandy probably didn't count on an expert leading the charge. Move along." Kat said. 
The group climbed the tower, and as had happened before, an orb of light appeared in the cage, which Kat took. "What's it this time?" Barbara asked.
"Shiny Charizard ex trading card. Given who this guy is apeing, having a Charizard card be his prized possession wouldn't be shocking." Kat replied.
"If he has his own rare cards, why would he decide to steal them from other players? Could he just be that avaricious?" Carrie questioned.
"Could be for any number of reasons. Say, is the barrier in front of the dome still there?"
"Let me see...no, it looks like taking these objects did the trick. We should be clear to enter it now."
"Get ready, Champ." Sahir uttered.
The group carefully made their way to the stadium, a large dome shaped like a Poké Ball. They entered the building, and found themselves in a lobby. "If my hunch is correct, then our Champion and the Desires he took should be in there. Getting any readings, Care?" Kat asked.
"Yes...something resembling the energy I read the first time we were here. But more...unstable. The Desires might not have taken a corporeal form." Carrie replied.
"Whatever's happening, we need to get in there. Got a shoe with your name on it--" Sahir tried walking through the doors, only to run right into a crimson, ephemeral cell door. Then, everything turned white.
"What the...what's this?" Barbara asked.
"Shh...I think I hear something. Let's listen in." Kat replied.
"Clearly you don't know how the rules work, loser. That card's worth more than the rest of your trash deck combined. Now hand it over. You're lucky I let a casual dork like you in here." a male voice echoed.
"N-no, please...I spent so much on this..." a familiar voice replied.
"Is that...Leon?" Kibō asked.
"Charizards are a dime a dozen, idiot. I could tear open three random packs right now and find at least one. If you put that much money into buying just one, then you're more pathetic than I thought. What dumbass brings his story team to a competitive match? Bet you don't even know how EVs work...now if you're not gonna hand it over, let's test how high your Defense is."
The sounds of someone being assaulted echoed out. 
The vision ceased, and Sahir stepped away from the door. "Yikes! That hurt, dammit!" he griped.
"What was that all about? It sounded like someone being bullied like mad." Kenneth asked.
"One of those voices was definitely Leon's. But it wasn't the threatening one..." Kibō replied.
"Did someone threaten him into handing over his prized card?" Barbara asked.
"That could go a long way to explain why he's the way he is now. Looks like there's nothing more we can do here, though. What we just saw might be a hint about what we need to do before we can get in. Let's head home and try to brainstorm what comes next. Then, of course, there's sending the warning message. Could be how we get the Desires to appear. A good night's rest could help us with the home stretch. That sound good?" Kat asked.
"Much as I'd like to kick this dude's butt right now, you're right. We've spent a while just running around this place. I'd go for longer if we didn't have class in the morning." Sahir replied.
"The perils of higher education. We could all use a rest. Take us home, Kitten." Carrie said.
With a push, the students exited the realm.
---
October 30, 2029
Lunch period at the Academy. Kat sat alone against a tree in the courtyard, reading a book. "Parley...pa, parlez voose--ugh, get it together, KittyKat..."
"Light reading with your meal, Kitten?" Carrie appeared with her laptop in hand.
Kat quickly tried hiding her book. "Just light novel junk. Standard issue stuff."
"Mmhmm. Let me see." Carrie plucked the book away. "'French for Dummies'. You're trying to learn French?"
"...oui." Kat sheepishly replied. "I wanted to surprise you once I got the hang of it. I just wanted to talk to you in your own language. I probably could've asked Hoodsie, but I was afraid she might spill the beans. And I don't want to butcher it in front of you, so..."
"Oh, you. I'd be more than happy to tutor you in the language of love. You being so shy over it is just the cutest thing." Carrie giggled. "Ah, but that's not why I'm here. I dug around for information about a possible incident involving Leon, and I may have found something."
"Oh, goodie, do tell."
Carrie sat down next to Kat. "So last year, there were allegations made against an eSports player at a tournament in Akihabara. A participant in the tourney claimed that this player forcefully took their rarest trading card from them. The player denied it and said that it was a mutual exchange. It was one person's word against the other's, and the relevant authorities believed the man with more clout. His team were the ones who put the tournament together. The other party involved was left anonymous, but given what we know now, it's quite possible that this was Leon."
"Could be. Might just be a coincidence, too."
"Here's what clinches it for me. The team that hosted the tournament was named 'Trance'. The same team Leon is a part of now. On top of that, the player named in the rumors last played in a competitive setting a little over a month ago. His opponent was none other than our resident Champion himself. Leon reportedly won handedly after his opponent suddenly became fatigued. This man stepped down from the team not long after."
"So Dandy Dude beats his old bully and takes his place in more ways than one. Where was that first tournament held?"
"A small convention center near where the Championships are currently being held."
"Okay, let's all meet up there after school. Those voices in the Prison could be telling us how to get into the dome. I'm out of other ideas. Great work as always, Care Bear."
"Je vis pour servir~."
"...right back at you?"
Carrie giggled. "You'll get there eventually, Kitten."
---
"This the place, Care?" Barbara asked, as the students had all gathered at the small, white building.
"This should be it, yes. If we're correct, this is where the incident that altered Leon's life occurred." Carrie replied.
"Are we sure this is what sent him down the path to jerkdom? Over a trading card?" Max questioned.
"The voice from yesterday sounded extremely aggressive. It could go much deeper than just a single card." Kenneth replied.
"Alright, so...what do?" Kat asked.
"The place is locked, and I don't think any of us want to be caught breaking and entering." Sakuya said.
"Guess we've only got one option. Bring up the app, KittyKat." Sahir said.
"On it." Kat replied.
"Welcome. Please enter the keyword."
"Keyword: Champion Time." Sahir declared, and the surroundings began to shift.
---
The team found themselves within a large red room, littered with chairs and long desks. "What's this, now?" Natalia asked.
"This doesn't look like the rest of the Prison..." Kibō replied.
"Look! Someone's here!" Barbara pointed out.
At the end of the room was a daunting man in a white-and-silver hoodie not unlike the one worn by Leon. His eyes were pitch-black, and covered by shadow. He appeared to be looking down at someone that wasn't there.
"Clearly you don't know how the rules work, loser. That card's worth more than the rest of your trash deck combined. Now hand it over. You're lucky I let a casual dork like you in here. the man boomed, his voice distorted.
"N-no, please...I spent so much on this..." Leon's voice echoed out, even though he himself was nowhere in the room.
"Here we go again...it's what we were hearing yesterday." Sahir said.
"Charizards are a dime a dozen, idiot. I could tear open three random packs right now and find at least one. If you put that much money into buying just one, then you're more pathetic than I thought. What dumbass brings his story team to a competitive match? Bet you don't even know how EVs work...now if you're not gonna hand it over, let's test how high your Defense is." the intimidating man said. He moved as though he was hitting someone, and the sounds of the assault rang out accordingly.
"Ah...! Stop it...why are you doing this?!" Leon's voice demanded.
"Really didn't need to get my hands dirty, but losers like you need to learn the hard way. We've made our livelihoods out of this game, and I'm not gonna let some casual idiot strut in here making a mockery out of everything we worked for. Especially not a member of the Gen 8 defense force. Now piss off and never show your mug around here again. You're not even worth the EXP."
"Uhunh...you bastard...I'll make you pay for this...!"
The intimidating man turned to the students. "Wuzzat? You still haven't gotten the memo? You're really pissing me off, now, dork. Guess I'll have to keep fixing you." Shadow energy surrounded the man, and he transformed into a hulking, black creature with four arms.
"The hell is that?!" Max asked.
"I'm the one in control here. I make the rules. You want to fight me evenly? You're not even in the same solar system. You're just some dime-a-dozen casual moron that walked into the wrong building. Now I've gotta be the one to drill it into that thick head of yours!" the creature exclaimed.
It brought its massive arms down at the stunned students, who quickly moved out of the way.
"You're really gonna go around acting like you're the Champ from Pokémon's worst gen? You're the type that just slurps up whatever horse shit Game Freak spews out, aren't you? Guess sliced up pieces of electronic garbage are just appealing to casual dorks!"
"This thing isn't even talking to us, is it?" Sahir questioned.
"It sounds like it's repeating past events...replaying Leon's trauma on-loop." Sakuya replied.
"This ain't a convention, dweeb. This is a serious competition. You want to start up a casual meet-and-greet, then go find some preschoolers to play Let's Go with. Wouldn't doubt them whooping your ass with that shit display you gave me earlier. I'm lowering myself to the extreme wasting my time with you. I'll say it one more time: buzz off if you don't want me taking 20 minutes out of my next stream to shit you into the ground."
"My God...it really wasn't just the card. He's ripping Leon a new one like I've never heard before." Barbara uttered.
"Fandoms are crazy, man. This is gatekeeping taken to its worst extreme. Kicking the guy while he's down and rubbing every bit of salt in the wound he can rub." Max added.
After minutes of attacking the creature, it became staggered. "Its stance is broken! Take it out before it recovers!" Carrie ordered.
Kat took aim with her finger.
"Dont forget to take a TCG pack on your way out. Maybe you'll get another Charizard!"
Kat fired a single beam of pink light through the monster's head, destroying it.
"Phew. That was...a lot to take in." she said.
"So that story really was about Leon...that man just ripped apart every facet of his fandom." Carrie added.
"A tragedy as old as time...the victim, in their quest for revenge, becoming the monster he set out to destroy. After hearing that, it's no wonder Leon became so distorted." Barbara said.
"This is such bull, man! Why was that guy being so nasty?! Shouldn't fans of something be supporting each other?" Sahir questioned.
"Kicks...you're the footie player. You know how savage and toxic fans can get when things aren't going the way they want. You get the same in every fanbase. People who have more in common with each other than anyone else being nasty and cruel because you don't like the thing the same way. From what that monster was spewing, Leon used to be a casual fan who just ran into the exact wrong situation." Kat explained.
"Crazy as it sounds, I kinda feel sorry for the guy." Max said.
"Even after all that, it doesn't justify the way Leon's acting now. He's just continuing the cycle the first elitist asshole started. That's why we have to change his heart. Not just for the ones he stole Desires from, but for him, too. We've got to remind him of how he was before all this happened."
"So I guess it's warning message time. I've got a few words I'd like to get to the guy. How do we make sure he gets it?" Sahir asked.
"Has to be somewhere we can be sure he'll see it." Kibō said.
"I looked at the upcoming schedule for the tournament. Tomorrow is the next-to-last day for it, and he's slated to compete in the afternoon. And there are plenty of TV screens in that dome." Carrie stated.
"Ooh, hacking time. And on Halloween, no less." Natalia said.
"The perfect time to show him something truly frightening." Kenneth chuckled.
"Get a good night's rest, peeps. Tomorrow, the Ashen Artisans are back in business. During Pumpkaboo season." Kat said.
---
October 31, 2029
Inside the dome in Akihabara, a match was just finishing up. As the participants were getting set to leave, the big screen suddenly fizzled out. Smaller screens throughout thr dome did the same, and all of them showed the same image: a stylized letter 'A' written in ashen gray against a black background. The entire arena, abuzz mere moments prior, fell to a hush.
"Testing...testing...it's your move, my lovelies." Carrie said through voice altering software.
"Happy Halloween, nerds! Did you miss us? I bet you did." Max said.
"We know we've been MIA for a while, but we've come to you all, on the spookiest night of the year, with an important announcement!" Barbara said.
"That's correct...we have a new target to tell you all about, one you should all know very well." Sakuya said.
"To the Champion wearing a false crown, Leon Hasha..." Kibō began.
"For the last month, under false pretenses, you have forged a lifestyle for yourself that is wholly unearned, sabotaging your opponents and rigging matches in your favor." Kenneth said.
"On top of that, you're an unapologetic bully who threatens the opponents you cheated into handing over their prized collections. You're a cheat and a liar, and don't deserve the adoration you've pilfered from your deception." Natalia said.
"So here's what we're gonna do, 'Champ'. We're gonna change your heart and make you see the harm that you've been causing. Your every move betrays the competitive spirit, and your status as a fan of the world of Pokémon." Sahir said.
"We're going to make you admit your wrongs, and take back the items and Desires that you stole. We've got our Master Ball pointed right at you, Champ. The Ashen Artisans don't miss their mark. Buckle up." Kat's silhouette appeared on-screen, wagging her finger as the feed cut off. The arena erupted in confusion almost immediately after.
Behind the stage, Leon exited the bathroom. "What's with all that noise?"
A suited man ran over to him. "Mr. Leon! There you are!"
"Yo, what's with the crazy look? Something happen?"
"You haven't heard?! Check online, it's insanity!"
Leon pulled up his social media, and was immediately alerted. "'To the Champion wearing a false crown, Leon Hasha...For the last month, under false pretenses, you have forged a lifestyle for yourself that is wholly unearned, sabotaging your opponents and rigging matches in your favor. On top of that, you're an unapologetic bully who threatens the opponents you cheated into handing over their prized collections. You're a cheat and a liar, and don't deserve the adoration you've pilfered from your deception. We're gonna change your heart and make you see the harm that you've been causing. Your every move betrays the competitive spirit, and your status as a fan of the world of Pokémon. We're going to make you admit your wrongs, and take back the items and Desires that you stole.'"
"What...what the hell is this?! Those Artisan punks are coming after me?! Heh...hehehehehe! What bull! I haven't...I haven't done anything wrong!" 
Within the Prison, Leon's Shadow stirred, shrouded by darkness where only his yellow eyes could be seen. "They're going to judge me for what I've done? Where was their justice when I was being...no. I'm the invincible Champion! I don't kneel to thugs pretending to dish out justice! I'm the one people look up to! And I'll be damned before I let anyone take away everything I've worked for!"
Outside the dome, the students hid from sight. "Absolutely flawless, y'all. Twitter's going berserk already." Kat said.
"Can we be sure Leon heard it?" Carrie asked.
Max pulled up Leon's Twitter. "That'd be a resounding 'yes'."
The latest post, put on a mere few seconds before, read "Let them come."
"Well we can't just leave our host waiting, can we?" Sahir responded.
"Time for an ultra important match, everybody. Let's have ourselves a real Champion Time." Kat said.
"Thank you. Beginning navigation."
Just as before, the surroundings shifted.
---
The team entered the dome's lobby. "Alright...are we sure the door's going to be clear this time?" Kibō asked.
"Well if it ain't, then all that hubbub we just stirred up will have been for nada." Kat replied.
The building's intercom system sounded off. "The final round featuring Champion Leon will begin momentarily. Please make your way to your seats. Challengers, make your way onto the pitch."
"Finally, something I understand. Let's hustle." Sahir said.
The students maneuvered their way onto the field, a vast arena with numerous logos lining the walls. The white outline of a Poké Ball circled much of the field. "Okay, this dude's definitely a Gen 8 fan. Place looks exactly like Wyndon Stadium." Kat said.
"Wanna repeat that in a language everyone can understand?" Natalia asked.
"Wyndon is where the Championship in Sword and Shield is. Given everything this should've been an obvious move. The Champion in those games is...named...whaaa?" Kat looked up, and everyone else followed suit.
"That's, um...oh dear. What is that?" Sakuya questioned.
Floating above the field was a gigantic, pink gemstone. "It looks like the stone we saw being taken from one of the victims...but why is it so massive?" Carrie asked.
"Could it be a combination of all the stolen Desires?" Kenneth suggested.
"How are we supposed to steal something that freakin' huge?!" Max questioned.
"Care's the rock expert. How do we break apart a big spiritual shiny?" Kat asked.
"I presume...incredibly slowly." Carrie replied.
The lights inside the arena suddenly dimmed. "Uh-oh. Dramatic entrance incoming." Barbara said.
On the other side of the stadium, a figure slowly made their way out of the tunnel and onto the pitch. It was Leon, now sporting purple hair, a black football-style jersey with a blue-and-red sword and shield emblem on it, white shorts with white leggings and shoes, a red cape with yellow fur, white gloves, and a black-and-yellow cap pointed upwards. Like any Shadow, his eyes glowed yellow, and he spoke with distortion in his voice. "Welcome to the Championship match, Ashen Artisans...or should I say, today's challengers. You did well to make it past the Elite Four. But your luck is ending here on this field."
"Oh dear lord, he's even dressed like in-game Leon! I seriously can't with this." Kat commented.
"This game you're playing is done, Leon! You're gonna hand over everything you've stolen and confess what you've done!" Sahir exclaimed.
"Heh. Confess to what, exactly? Taking things from people that don't deserve them? Getting payment for all the heat I've taken from those elitist jerks for years? All I'm doing is getting the respect I deserve." Shadow Leon replied.
"But it's all a lie! All these 'fans' of yours are basically zombies who can only think of you and nothing else! None of them would be going this far if it was their own choice!" Natalia retorted.
"We saw what happened to you, Leon. We know about the tournament where your card got taken." Sahir said.
The Shadow appeared surprised. "Wha--how did you...?!"
"What that creep said and did to you...it was horrible. You have every right to be angry, and if you'd just stopped after getting your payback, we wouldn't be here." Barbara said.
"But instead you've turned into the same exact kind of bully, cornering people and taking what they worked to get. Tell us what's so different between you and the thug who brutalized you?" Sakuya asked.
"You're power-tripping like mad, dude. You obviously look up to the guy whose name you share. Would he be cornering his opponents and threatening them? Is that what having a 'Champion Time' means?" Kat questioned.
"There's no glory in winning when you know you didn't earn it. What could possibly be satisfying about what you're doing?" Sahir asked.
"...hahahahahahaha! What's satisfying about it? How about making a bunch of know-it-all 'professionals' squirm like they deserve? You think it was just the one time? That the asshole who took my card and beat my face in was the first one to give me crap for being casual? I've spent half my life collecting as much merch as anyone, and I get talked to like I don't know as much as these 'hard-core' types. So what's the problem with giving the bastards a taste of their own medicine?" the Shadow replied.
"They can't all be guilty. You're projecting your rage onto everyone, and turning them into mindless puppets. You earned yourself some payback, but not this way, man. Not to this extreme." Sahir retorted.
"They are all guilty...every last one! Fear, or love...doesn't matter which, it's what they all deserve!"
Red energy waves emanated from Leon's body. "I'm sick and tired...of everyone looking down on me. I'm the Champion here. I'm the one people should respect and look up to! You want to take my title from me? You'll have to pry it from my cold, unfeeling body!"
The Shadow transformed, and fell to the ground as a larger, pink and glowing Poké Ball. It began to shake violently.
"Oh...shit." Kat muttered.
The ball burst open, and what emerged was a colossal, orange dragon, bearing glowing yellow eyes, flames on its tail and horns, flaming wings, and diamond patterns on its knees and belly. A set of three red clouds circled its tail. The inside of its mouth was alight, as if there was a fire burning inside of it.
"I am invincible! No one, not some arrogant thug or a bunch of high-and-mighty thieves spouting righteous ideals, will ever bring me to my knees! I'll become a flaming beacon to all those this horrid excuse for a fandom has knocked down! And all those who try to get in my way...I'LL TURN TO ASHES!" the Shadow roared.
Leon let loose a gigantic burst of flames from his mouth, launching it at the team, who scattered around to avoid the blast.
"Oh, this is bad. This is super bad." Kat uttered.
"With that form, he should be susceptible to water. Barbara, could you hold him off?" Carrie asked.
"He's too huge! I'd need a bigger body of water to really affect him!" Barbara replied.
"How about a rainstorm? Could you make that happen, Nat?" Max asked.
"No good! That giant rock's covering the place! Any rain I make would be covered in an instant!" Natalia responded.
"He's still working off type advantages here, so Electric attacks should work...Sparky and me could generate something to get him with. Kicks, you've got some thunder in your repertoire too, right?" Kat asked.
"Yeah, but it'd have to be a hell of a blast to bring him down. Think you could water him down, Barb?" Sahir responded.
"Maybe if he's weakened a bit more. Any ideas?" Barbara replied.
"We can hold him off. Dragons don't much like sword types in any world, right?" Kibō said.
"Suppose that means us, Kenneth. You up for it?" Sakuya asked.
"The alternative is to be roasted like a witch. Nothing for it, then." Kenneth replied.
"I can read his movements. Cover me if he catches on. I'm not in any sort of place to be burned." Carrie ordered.
"Teamwork time, folks. If only I'd brought my Burn Heal..." Kat said.
The team proceeded with the plan and began attacking Leon's massive frame.
"You do-gooders and your 'justice', where was that justice when I needed it?! The animal that ruined me, the people around that stood there and just watched, they're the ones you should be attacking! I never insulted anyone in my life, I should be the one people respect, not a gang pretending to be fans of something they constantly trash!" the Shadow bellowed out.
"Think about how you felt back then, man! I get that it sucks, but you're doing the same thing that made you like this! This respect you have now is all fake! You're letting that bully win by torturing people the same way! Don't you think that everyone you stole from is tossing around at night wanting payback for what you did? Nothing you've been doing here is helping, Leon!" Sahir shouted back.
"You're only digging yourself a bigger hole by stooping to their level! If you really want to be a beacon for people, then do it through your actions! Prove that the bullies aren't winning! You do that by living!" Natalia added.
"You're wrong...you're all wrong! I'll never get respect by being weak! All the people who got their power did it by being awful cheats, and kicking around the less fortunate and talented! The system is what's broken, and I'm gonna be the one to fix it!" Leon shouted.
"Then fix it by being a good person, idiot! Toxic fandoms don't stop being bad through being more toxic! Love what you love, ignore the haters! There are enough monsters around, you don't have to be one of them!" Kat retorted.
"I'm not...I'm not the monster! I'm not...doing anything wrong..."
"He's becoming fatigued! Don't let up!" Carrie ordered.
"Now, Nimue!" Barbara called forth her Persona, and a pool of water appeared beneath Leon. Several arms reached out from it, grabbing him by the legs.
"Gr...what the hell is this?!" Leon griped.
"Sparky, Kicks, let's go! Do it now!" Kat ordered.
"Thor!" Max called out.
"Let's go, Amadioha!" Sahir brought forth a green-skinned humanoid in ornate robes.
Kat searched through her spell list, picking one labeled 'Ziodyne', and electricity crackled around her. "Cue the screen with 'It's super effective' on it. Eat it!"
All three launched electrical bolts at Leon, their assault amplified by the watery arms. "GZZZZZZYAAAAAA!"
A huge explosion commenced, and the dragon shrank back down. "Did that do it?" Kibō asked.
The smoke began to clear, revealing the Shadow lying on the ground, returned to human form. He rose to his knees. "Nh...it's not fair...I can't...I can't lose my title like this..."
"It was never yours to begin with. It's over, Leon." Sahir said. 
"I...I never wanted to hurt anyone. I never should've gone to that tournament...I never go to events like that, but I wanted to meet people into the same things as me. I knew how cruel people could be online, but I thought there was no way people could be like that in real life. I'm just so weak...always have been. That's why I tried to emulate Leon from the games...he was cool. Unbeaten. Everyone in the land loves and idolizes him. I got attached cuz we shared a name, but that was something I wanted for real. Then those bastards...it wasn't just the one. They all stood around while he wailed on me. Some of them filmed it! Not one stopped him from taking the card I worked so hard to find!"
"And that's when you snapped." Kat said.
"Everyone believed I gave it willingly cuz the guy had status around the tournament scene. It was his word against a random nobody's. I thought for months about how I'd get back at him. I'd tear him down the way he tore me down. But I kept losing during local tournaments...until a couple months ago. My opponents started getting tired quickly. I just kept winning. A month ago I finally stared him down. He fell to pieces just like the rest. I took back what was mine...but it wasn't enough. People started going crazy over me. I was finally getting the power I wanted! And I started taking my revenge out on everyone I beat. 'Powerful people always get what they want'. It swallowed me up...made me ugly...I was the one bringing the pain now. And I couldn't even see what was wrong. I...I can't go back to being weak..."
"You want respect? Then do the right thing." Sahir replied. "Those monsters tortured you for not liking something the way they did. Becoming the thing you hate doesn't get you admiration. It just creates more monsters. Love what you love, your own way. People will respond to that. But it starts with admitting your mistakes. You need to return all the money and cards you took, and atone for all the damage you've caused. I'm not gonna lie, most people are gonna be angry and won't forgive you so easily. You have to work to earn that forgiveness." 
"But...who will be that beacon of hope for people?"
"You can still be that. Tell your story, let people know who the real villain in this is. Show that you're not the monster you've let yourself become. Don't let a bully destroy your love for something. Show people that enthusiastic side, and they'll respond to it. You can help to cure the poison."
"...you're...you're right. I can never forgive what was done to me, but...I can stop doing it to others. The fanbase needs positivity, and I can bring that." He removed his cap. "I'll confess to everything. I'll return everything I took. Then I...I can start loving Pokémon again." Leon's Shadow dissipated into light, and vanished.
The dome began to shake, and the giant gem started flashing. "Guess some things stay the same...We've gotta bolt it!" Kat ordered, and everyone sprinted for the exit.
Outside, the shaking stopped. Behind the group, the roof of the dome erupted, and a multitude of small pink gems came flying out. They slowly descended around the Prison, as the students looked on in wonder. The gems all returned to a Shadow, phasing into their chests. The Shadows dissipated after.
"And that, ladies and gents, is a job well done." Kat said.
"Hold up...why isn't the place falling apart? Usually once the heart changes, we have to haul ass out." Max questioned.
"Yet another difference, it looks like. Another in an endless cycle of questions." Kenneth replied.
"Either way, our work's almost done. Now comes the waiting game. Let's head on back, and keep your eyes peeled to the interwebs." Kat said. The group departed the Prison.
---
"Yeah, I'm good for Saturday. My boss finally gave me the day off..."
"I've been eyeing this one figure for a while, but I'm still hoping for a price drop..."
The students listened in on surrounding conversations. "Soooo...did it work?" Natalia asked.
"Everyone sounds like they're back to normal. Haven't heard a peep about Leon yet." Max replied.
"Guess that means it worked. All that's left is to wait on Leon's next move. Until then..." Kat looked at her phone. "If we catch the train now, we'll still have time for the school's Halloween party. I don't want those Hoodsie costumes going to waste."
"Heehee, it's never a waste when I make stuff for my best pals. Even if we're late, I'm sure there's plenty around town to do." Natalia replied.
"We could always just have our own." Barbara suggested.
"Ooh, great idea! Party at Keebie and Kenny's place!" Kat responded.
"Wait, why our dorm? Don't we get a say in it?" Kibō asked.
"Don't fight it. She's already got it in her mind that she's going to crash our couch. No use arguing." Kenneth shook his head.
"You know me so well, Kennykins. Let's hustle, spooktacular celebration time!" Kat exclaimed.
"I don't think you truly know what you've signed up for, Caroline." Kenneth muttered.
"Au contraire, mon ami. I fell for the complete package. An impromptu party sounds delightful." Carrie replied.
Kenneth sighed. "I'm going to be the one to clean it all up, aren't I?"
---
November 1, 2029
The students sat in the bleachers next to the outdoor track, eating their lunch. "Hey, check it out. Leon just put a video up on his Twitter. Comments and retweets locked." Kat pointed out.
"'My Apology'...let's give it a listen." Carrie suggested.
"The one time I'll ever believe an apology vid." Kat pressed play.
Leon sat at his desk in a dimly lit apartment, facing the camera. The walls were littered with various Pokémon posters. "As most of you will be aware of by now, I've spent the last month on a dizzying high, joining up with Trance and reaching semis at the World Championships. But before it goes any further, I wanted to just...come clean. And reveal my future plans."
"As of today, I will be stepping down from Trance and away from competitive gatherings altogether. It was only through deception and tampering that I was able to win the matches I did. I betrayed everything the competitive scene should stand for. In addition...I will admit here today that the rumors that I have been forcing my opponents to hand over their most valuable trading cards are completely factual."
"Last year, during a local tournament hosted by Trance, one of their now-former members accosted and assaulted me as those in attendance stood and watched. Several of them filmed the incident, and will be able to corroborate my claims. The man in question took my most valuable card, and only through the methods I mentioned before was I able to unseat him and take it back. My experience at this event was so traumatizing that it led me to see every professional player as undeserving of their status and possessions, and so I used my new platform to perpetuate the same trauma onto others. I became the monster that I dreamed of punishing. I had hoped to become an inspiration and example for people in this fandom who were made to feel like their way of loving the series wasn't correct, but in reality I merely added more poison to an already toxic swamp."
"I know how the internet works. I fully understand that most of you will never forgive me for my wrongdoings, and I accept that. In my efforts to properly make amends, I will begin the process of refunding everyone who donated to my Twitch channel, as well as returning every card I took. Lastly...if there's anyone out there, anyone at all who's going through something similar and thinking of getting payback, then please hear my story. Don't let people tell you how to love our series. Love what you love, and never apologize for it. People will respond to that. Don't become the thing you hate. We, as a fandom, can and should be better than that. If just one person hears this and takes anything away from it, please take that. I'm so sorry I caused this mess. Take care of yourselves and each other. Be real champions. Thank you for listening." Leon bowed his head, and the video ended.
"Well...looks like it's over now." Kibō said.
"What do you think's going to happen to him?" Sakuya asked.
"I don't know. Something tells me the consequences for what he did are only just starting. But if he sticks to his word and takes back the love he had for the series before all this started, I think he'll be okay. As long as he never steps near a tournament ever again." Sahir replied.
"There are still quite a few questions remaining about the Prison. Why is it so different from the Palaces? Why didn't it collapse after we freed the Desires? And how did Leon even obtain such power?" Kenneth questioned.
"From what his Shadow said yesterday, he just woke up with the power one day and got drunk off of it once he knew what he was doing. Seems like anyone who subscribed to his channel and used his key phrase got sucked into the Prison. Maybe if we got a look at his hardware, like his phone or his computer..." Kat replied.
"I could certainly try. Maybe we should ask Dr. Rose about the Prison." Carrie responded.
"If anyone would know about things in the Metaverse, it'd be her. But this whole adventure left me with a weird feeling. Not just the Prison, but with Leon, too." Barbara said.
"Yeah, I get what you mean. He wasn't like what we usually deal with, like the parlor creep, or the Doctor and Mother in Name Only. He was less evil and more...broken." Max replied.
"Just a bullied guy who went too far to get payback. I certainly know how much being made fun of can mess up your life. And it sounds like he didn't have anyone there to make it okay for him. I just hope he can land on his feet after this." Natalia added.
"He should probably start by muting his mentions, cuz woof, are people wanting their money back baaaaad." Kat looked through her phone.
"Yikes. Yeah, that's not surprising. Guess you really can't change angry fans overnight." Sahir replied.
"All this over a series about catching cute animals. This has been an eye-opener, that's for certain." Sakuya said.
"C'mon, Maggie, you're the one that works in otaku central, you should know how freaky people can be over their cutesy stuff." Kat replied.
"I...yeah, you have a point there."
"So, dude, she make you buy that Seel plush yet?" Max asked.
"Don't even get me started..." Sahir scratched his head.