Xenoux

She is the main protagonist of *Xenoux's Strife*. After breaking her jaw and losing her mother, she struggles to adapt to a new life when humans take her in.

## Other Info

### Family

Malva (deceased mother), Dylan (deceased father)

## **Physical Appearance**

She is much larger than the average for her species (even larger than her father) with brighter red skin, and a longer, thicker tail and limbs. She has large yellow eyes with black slit pupils and yellow accents on her tail, cheeks, legs, and abdomen. The end of her tail and the frills running down her neck are black. Her head antennae and feathery plumes are bright yellow with blue bases and black tips; more feathers with the same coloring line the backs of her long, powerful arms, which have five clawed fingers of the same length. She has equally powerful digitigrade legs resembling a theropod dinosaur's, with large, clawed, three-toed feet. The innermost toes are longer than the others (which have white webbing) and resemble a *Dromaeosaur's*, with the long, curved sickle-shaped claw. Her hands and feet are black, and have yellow pads on the fingertips and palms. The large tire on her chest is black with white and yellow accents, and the similar coloring and texture is present on the base of her tail. Her snout is longer and more jagged, with a scar on the left side of her lower jaw, a sign of healing after breaking it. She has larger nostrils and a mouthful of viciously sharp teeth.

As a hatchling, she had no feathers on her limbs and tail, darker skin, and proportionately larger eyes. Her mouth only had a few teeth. She gained her current traits as she aged.

## ***Xenoux's Strife***

### **Chapter 1**

The story begins with a young Xenoux and her mother Malva walking through human suburbs to a house simply known as the home of the sandwich man. Xenoux asks how much farther, telling her mother she's starving. Malva tells her they're almost there. She explains to Xenoux that the man living in the house befriended her by giving her a sandwich to revitalize her when she'd been injured in her youth. Xenoux asks Malva if he'll give her a sandwich too, to which she replies if she behaves well enough. Malva continues she wouldn't know what to do if Xenoux went crazy, considering her excitable, skittish, and temperamental nature (which makes her behavior unpredictable).

Mother and daughter arrive at the house, with Malva knocking on the front door. Xenoux looks around worriedly, telling Malva she doesn't like the look of the settlement. Malva soothes her daughter, telling her she'll be fine. The door opens, and Xenoux looks up to see a tall bearded man towering over her; half curious, she walks up to him and sniffs him, noting his weird smell. The man greets Malva warmly, and Malva reciprocates before going into the house. Xenoux cautiously follows and examines the house's interior. The man picks up Xenoux and carries her through the house to avoid stepping on her. The young lizard becomes anxious about being carried by a human and is relieved when he sets her down on the floor in the kitchen. Malva introduces her to the man, and Xenoux shyly greets him before sidling next to her mother. The man then leaves to prepare a sandwich for them. When Xenoux asks Malva what a sandwich even is, the latter replies that she'll find out.

The man returns with a large sandwich, giving one half to Malva and the other to Xenoux. The former rapidly gulps down her portion, while the latter only sniffs her half and takes a nibble. Malva asks her daughter how it tastes, to which Xenoux replies it's alright. After eating a few bites, Xenoux tells Malva she can have the rest, but her mother insists she finish it. Xenoux complies, knowing better than to answer back. She sees the man smiling at her and nods at him to show she liked it. Malva tells Xenoux to stay put while she goes outside; the man has to do the same, leaving Xenoux alone. She observes the weird objects in the kitchen before noticing a red ball a few feet away from her.

She walks toward it and, seeing it rolls when pushed, becomes interested in it and starts playing with it. However, this doesn't last long, as a woman appears, sees her, and rushes over to grab her. Xenoux dodges and tries to escape, but the woman grabs her and tosses her out the front door to prevent her destructive behavior. Malva calls Xenoux's name before noticing and approaching her. She asks what's up, and Xenoux tells her what happened in the kitchen. The man, hearing this, realizes that his wife saw her; he goes in and tries to reason with her. Xenoux tells Malva she doesn't want to come back and jumps over the fence before running back the way she came. Malva catches up with her and takes her back to their home in the woods, soothing her. They later bed down for the night.

### **Chapter 2**

Early the next morning, Xenoux is woken up by Malva to come hunting with her. Still feeling full from the sandwich last night, Xenoux replies she doesn't feel like eating. However, her mother snaps at her to come anyway, saying it's either that or go hungry today. Xenoux takes the first option and keeps quiet as she follows Malva. As they head to the plains nearby, Xenoux wonders why Malva is angry with her, but decides not to ask her until after they've caught breakfast. She helps Malva hunt down a female Oinkologne. While they eat, Xenoux asks Malva why she's in a mood, but her mother refuses to answer. Sighing, Xenoux eats her fill and quietly says she'll leave her mother alone before walking away. After a little way, however, Malva sharply calls her back, snapping not to leave her sight. When Xenoux returns, Malva tells her she's not upset with her in particular, just tired. She licks Xenoux's face, telling her she loves her.

Xenoux then catches the scent of a male Koraidon approaching and becomes fearful. She tells Malva, who instantly stands bolt upright and demands who the male is. He snarls that she's in his territory and she's taking his food, which belongs to his family. He approaches Malva, sizing her up. Xenoux tries to hide from him behind her mother, but he immediately spots her and becomes interested. He remarks she'd make a fine addition to his family. Malva snarls that Xenoux is hers and hers alone. Panicking, Xenoux tries to run, but the male darts in front of her to block her path. He tries to grab her, but Xenoux launches a Dragon Breath at him and runs back to Malva. However, the male quickly recovers from the attack and hurls himself at Malva.

While they fight, Xenoux tries a second escape attempt, only to be quickly foiled again when the male knocks Malva to the ground and comes after her. To prevent her from trying anything else, he hits her with Iron Tail, aiming for her flank. However, she dodges, causing him to miss, and his tail instead smashes into Xenoux's face, breaking her jaw. She feels pain shoot through her face upon impact and falls to the ground, numb. Reeling from dizziness and unbearable pain, Xenoux can only watch helplessly as the male reaches out for her. Malva then interferes, knocking him over and screeching that she'll never forgive him for hurting her daughter. As she watches her mother fighting, Xenoux feels blood pooling beneath her head and realizes the injury is severe. She then gasps in shock as the male Koraidon slashes Malva across the torso with Dragon Claw, mortally wounding her. However, she remains strong enough to retaliate with Dragon Tail and send him flying away.

Malva turns to a crying Xenoux and moves to comfort her before picking her up, placing her on her back, and using her wheels to race through the wilderness and back into the suburbs. Xenoux hears her mother grunting in pain and exhaustion as she stops and places her on a doorstep. She tries to speak, but her broken jaw prevents her from doing so. Malva coughs up blood, revealing the severity of her injury, and tells Xenoux to wait for humans to take her in. She tells her daughter to be good and let the humans take care of her as she won't be able to for much longer. Realizing her mother will die soon, Xenoux bursts into tears and hugs Malva, who also starts crying. Malva hugs her daughter for a while, then tells Xenoux again that she loves her. She then turns and hobbles away, leaving Xenoux wailing after her. Xenoux reaches out with a hand and watches, devastated, as Malva disappears from her view. She continues wailing until the pain from her broken jaw causes her to pass out.

### **Chapter 3**

Xenoux later wakes up feeling like her jaw is numb and her mouth has been sealed. Groggily, she tries to get up, but a hand holds her back down, gently telling her to rest. She hears and sees weird sounds and sights before starting to panic, thinking she has died. However, she soon realizes she's alive and fearfully examines her surroundings, not knowing where she is. She becomes frightened when she sees two male humans looming over her, examining her. They soon end their talk, leaving the room. Xenoux quietly gets down and follows them out, turning in a different direction. She looks into all the rooms she passes by, but stops at the entrance to one when she spots a familiar form. Xenoux enters the room and sees Malva lying on a table in the middle. She quickly ascends the table and is horrified to see huge, dark red claw marks on her mother's torso. She nudges her mother, but Malva remains motionless, and her eyes remain closed. Xenoux realizes that her mother is dead and starts crying again. She lies down beside Malva's head, facing her. Tenderly placing her hands on Malva's face, Xenoux notes in shock her body is cold and stiff. She touches her nose to Malva's and mentally wishes her mother goodbye.

Xenoux is about to fall asleep from fatigue when she hears a man bursting into the room. Paralyzed with fear, she stays still as the man looks around, but he sees her and picks her up. Grunting, she struggles in his grasp, but soon becomes exhausted and allows him to carry her out of the room. She longingly gazes at Malva's body one more time before passing out again.

### **Chapter 4**

Xenoux later wakes up again to find herself in another room. She sees a masked young Togruta girl looking down at her with wide eyes. The girl says she's awake and asks how she's feeling. Xenoux realizes she cannot answer, merely looking sadly at the visitor. The Togruta introduces herself as Amelia and softly pats Xenoux to put her at ease. Amelia then presents a mirror to the young Koraidon. Xenoux looks in the mirror and is instantly horrified when she sees her jaw wired shut with a large metal ring enclosing her snout. Amelia explains her jaw was wired shut so it could heal properly, adding that the brace (defining it) would help with the process. She tells Xenoux she'll live like this for 2 months, horrifying the latter; however, before Amelia can tell her more, another person calls her away. Amelia tucks Xenoux into her bed and tells her to rest before quickly taking leave. Xenoux watches her go, wondering what else the Togruta had to say. She soon becomes tired again and lies her head down before falling asleep.

*More coming soon*.

### **Chapter 5**

A month into her rehabilitation, Xenoux is visited in her room by the older man who helped her. He introduces himself as Stephen and runs a few tests on her, pleased at the results. He informs her he will be adopting her since she can't survive in the wild. Horrified, Xenoux tries to escape, but Stephen quickly catches her and gently chides her for such recklessness. He sedates her to prevent her from trying to hurt herself any further.

Xenoux wakes up to find herself in a cage and examines what's outside of it. She notices a green wall across from her and deduces she's in a different place. Suddenly, the younger man (whose name is revealed to be Mitchell) opens the door to her cage and gently lifts her out. Xenoux, still feeling groggy from the sedative, can't fight back, and Mitchell carries her into a room, placing her in a large bed. Stephen enters the room, asking Mitchell how Xenoux is doing, and the latter replies she just woke up. He teasingly pokes Xenoux; annoyed, she swats his hand away with her tail, prompting the two men to leave her alone. Xenoux sleeps off the rest of the sedative.

She wakes up feeling more like herself, gets off the bed, and starts exploring. She uses the toys lying around to learn how to grab and hold objects, and is curious when she notices a small flap in the door at the bottom. Xenoux is astonished when a young Miraidon her age enters through the flap. The two study each other, with Xenoux noting the Miraidon is more serpentine than others of her species. The latter introduces herself as Margarita; however, Xenoux's wired jaw makes communicating almost impossible, so she uses hand signals instead. Margarita catches on and offers to take her on a tour of the place. Xenoux happily agrees, but Amelia enters the room and discovers the two. She asks them what they're up to before cooing delightedly that Xenoux made a new friend. However, Mitchell also arrives and chides Margarita for disturbing Xenoux. He takes Margarita out of the room; the Miraidon waves to Xenoux before she disappears, prompting the Koraidon to wave back. Amelia feeds Xenoux and gives her medication for her jaw, but the latter refuses to be put to bed, struggling. She almost escapes Amelia's grip, but the Togruta catches her and angrily scolds her for her behavior. She snaps that she could hurt her jaw even more and holds Xenoux down while wrapping the blanket around her. Xenoux growls at her and is threatened with another sedative shot if she keeps acting up; intimidated, the Koraidon settles down. Amelia bids her goodnight and leaves the room.

### **Chapter 9**

Three years later, Xenoux's jaw has completely healed. She is able to eat and speak again and has regained her strength. She has also strengthened her jaw immensely, gaining a bite force of 1,500 PSI. She wants to start going out more, but Amelia, who's caring for her, denies her request, saying she's not yet ready to learn about survival in the wild. Xenoux, believing she's now strong enough to fend for herself, begins battle training with a reluctant Margarita behind her caretakers' backs. She soon masters the art of battling and quickly teaches herself how to catch her own prey. However, Stephen soon finds out and furiously admonishes Xenoux for going behind his back. When Xenoux questions how he knows she's not prepared to be released into the wild, Stephen throws her out of his office. Later that night, Xenoux escapes from her home and flees into the wilderness beyond the suburbs, intending to establish a new life as a wild Pokémon.

### **Chapter 13**

Xenoux gets captured by a Pokémon hunter searching for Pokémon from the past and is imprisoned in a camp with several ancient Paradox Pokémon, along with others that have been restored from fossils. There, she learns that the man is an abusive owner who enjoys ordering them around. She is wary of her new campmates at first, but eventually befriends them and adapts to living alongside other Pokémon. She also meets her father, who reveals his name to be Dylan and is also a friend of the Kane, the hunter who captured her. Merely looking at Dylan causes Xenoux to recall her trauma, and she angrily disowns him for his selfishness. She keeps her distance from him as much as possible, rejecting his apology. Dylan is ostracized by the others when Xenoux tells them about her childhood.

They're relieved when Kane trades him off the next day for 4 other Koraidon, all of whom are revealed to be other children from separate broods that he sires. The newcomers introduce themselves; Bakugo, Flaco, and Kenneth are males, while Kaylie is female. Xenoux is initially distrustful of them, believing them to be like Dylan, but she soon learns they're nothing like him in terms of personalities. The five half-siblings, agreeing on how Dylan is a bad father to them, begin to bond. Xenoux learns that Flaco is Margarita's brother; she informs him that his sister lives with the people who healed her jaw. Elated, Flaco asks Xenoux to lead him to the exact place so he can see her again, which the former reluctantly agrees to.

### **Chapter 14**

Kane later begins hoarding more and more prehistoric Pokémon due to his obsession with them. This results in living conditions becoming worse for the current residents. Xenoux once again remembers her jaw getting smashed and shudders at the thought of getting injured yet again, prompting her to rebel against Kane. He tries to get her in line with an electric prod, but she breaks it and furiously rams the door to her pen with her body to bust it down; they both fall on top of Kane, killing him. Xenoux's stand incites the other Pokémon to break out, and they destroy the camp, stealing all the food in Kane's house before escaping. They decide to band together in order to survive, electing Xenoux as the group's leader for her courage. Delighted, Xenoux decides to lead the group deeper into the wild, far away from human settlements. After a long walk, the group stop to rest for the night in a grassy clearing.

### **Chapter 15**

The next morning, Xenoux and the others wake up to find themselves surrounded by Pokémon belonging to police officers. Margarita is among them, having been sent by Stephen to find Xenoux herself. She and Flaco enjoy a reunion, and Xenoux introduces her to her other Koraidon half-siblings. Margarita is relieved that Xenoux's okay and thanks her for letting her see Flaco again. Xenoux also reveals that she and Margarita share the same father, shocking her.

However, the reunion is cut short when Stephen arrives riding his Charizard and spots Xenoux. Not wanting her half-sister to get hurt, Margarita convinces Xenoux to come quietly, which the latter reluctantly agrees to. To her surprise, her new followers accept this; knowing they need to get treated themselves, they promise to meet each other again before sorrowfully dispersing with the other police Pokémon. Margarita and Flaco bid each other farewell, saddening Xenoux. Stephen recalls Margarita and glares at Xenoux, who is confused at his anger; he snaps to follow him before leaving. Xenoux follows him home, and Stephen has Mitchell examine her while he explains the situation to Amelia. Mitchell finds that Xenoux is fine and has her wait for Stephen to talk to her.

### **Chapter 16**

Stephen soon arrives and explains why he's angry, making Xenoux realize he really cares about her. She also learns this is why he's reluctant to let her go for good. She tries to apologize to him, but he ends up having to rush to the Rehab for an emergency with Mitchell. Amelia comes in and growls that Xenoux should be ashamed of herself, which the latter replies she is. The Koraidon tries to apologize to Amelia, but she rebuffs her and leaves the house, saddening her. Amelia and Xenoux's relationship becomes increasingly strained as a result; Xenoux's lack of understanding human emotions and Amelia's stubbornness and immaturity both exacerbate the dilemma. To cope with this, Xenoux helps Margarita (who decides to stay out of the conflict) do housework and learns to play the piano while Amelia begins leaving the house more. Margarita later informs Xenoux that Amelia has turned 18 and found a boyfriend named Trent.

The next night, Xenoux catches Amelia and Trent, who is a Twi'lek, making out in the former's bedroom. Despite it appearing disturbing to her, the Koraidon decides to keep quiet, having learned from her camp life when to mind her own business. However, Xenoux begins seeing them together more often over the next few weeks. Noticing how happy Amelia is around Trent, she begins to grow jealous of their bond. She confesses her feelings to Margarita, who says it's natural, having experienced this herself. Her sister warns her to be careful around Amelia. Xenoux is later confronted by an angry Amelia, who overheard the conversation. The Togruta lambasts Xenoux, telling her she needs to grow up and falsely labeling Xenoux as self-centered. The Koraidon attempts to calmly explain that she's conflicted and doesn't know what Amelia is thinking or how she's feeling. However, Amelia's constant interruptions and accusations cause her to run out of patience.

After Amelia tells Xenoux she should know her place in the family, the latter snaps. She yells that people who believe in someone's "place" don't deserve her respect, and neither do bratty children like Amelia, shocking her. Xenoux tells Amelia she's sick of her crap, and all she does is say mean things to her. She snarls that news flash, and Amelia needs to grow up, calling her a spiteful bitch. Amelia runs off, crying, and Xenoux angrily spits on the floor before storming to her room. She refuses to admit to herself that she went too far. She later finds out that Stephen is in the hospital for unknown reasons.

### **Chapter 17**

A few days later, things are still tense between Amelia and Xenoux, who outright ignores her. The two are home alone. The doorbell rings, and Amelia goes to answer the door. Xenoux watches from the corner of her eye as Trent appears, wanting to talk to Amelia. She leads him away from Xenoux, who listens in on their conversation. Amelia tells her boyfriend that she wants to take a break from the nonstop sex, but Trent persists. Xenoux hears him beating Amelia and watches as he drags her towards the door. She tries to fight him off, but he's too strong. Amelia begs Xenoux to help her, but her pleas fall on deaf ears; Xenoux callously allows Trent to abduct her, making no move to help her. Trent thanks Xenoux and leaves with Amelia; minutes later, she hears his car driving away.

Sometime later, Xenoux answers the door to find Mitchell and a detective on the front steps. She lets them in, and the Detective, whose name is Brody, asks about Amelia's disappearance. As he does so, Xenoux remembers the earlier events and realizes how wrong she was to let someone get away with such a heinous act. Genuinely feeling guilty and remorseful, she confesses that she witnessed everything, yet didn't help because of her grudge against Amelia. The detective is horrified, and Mitchell is livid. The latter furiously screams at Xenoux for letting a stupid grudge get in the way of doing the right thing. Mitchell questions what she was thinking and how she could be so hateful just because of what transpired between them earlier. Listening to him, Xenoux realizes he's right and feels even more guilty for abandoning one of the people who raised her in her time of need when no one else would. Mitchell knows he came through to Xenoux and forces her to accompany him and Brody on a mission to save Amelia. Knowing she deserves to be punished, Xenoux obliges. Brody is then informed that Trent is on his way to Hallston City, which is a shady area.

### **Chapter 18**

Xenoux takes Mitchell and Brody on her back and flies where they tell her to, determined now to rescue Amelia and hoping to mend their damaged relationship. She is forced to land in Hallston City square and is startled to find several people sleeping on sidewalks and in doorways. She waits for the other officers to catch up while Mitchell and Brody ask any passersby if they know Trent. Xenoux listens as one woman informs them she is Trent's next-door neighbor and has turned his basement into a BDSM room, revealing he has a reputation for being sexually insatiable. Mitchell and Xenoux both realize that's where Trent must have brought Amelia; they and the police all head over there, guided by the neighbor.

Xenoux breaks down the door with her brute strength, allowing Mitchell and Brody to enter the house. She follows them as they reach the basement. Mitchell bangs on the door and calls Amelia's name, asking if she's in there; he hears a muffled scream in response. Xenoux, at Mitchell's command, rips the door off its hinges and follows the two men downstairs. They find Amelia tied up and gagged, but uninjured, on a metal table. Mitchell commands Xenoux to keep watch while he and Brody free Amelia. Before they can do so, however, Trent shows up with a pistol, demanding to leave Amelia, as she's his now. Brody pulls out a gun of his own while Mitchell and Xenoux watch in horror. Trent shoots Brody's left knee, incapacitating him, and Mitchell is helpless since he's at gunpoint. Xenoux looks at him, Trent, and Amelia, who stares back at her with pleading eyes. Realizing she actually cares about Amelia, she knows what to do to stop her monster of a boyfriend.

Incensed, Xenoux snarls and runs at Trent, who fires at her. She dodges the bullets and gets behind him without suffering a scratch. He whips around in shock; Mitchell uses the distraction to free Amelia from her binds. Xenoux knocks Trent off his feet with Dragon Tail and pins him to the floor, causing him to lose his pistol. She bites down on his left arm, breaking it and causing him to scream in pain. She then proceeds to viciously attack him with her teeth and claws, snarling, before Amelia yells for her to stop. Xenoux looks at her to see her horrified expression and ceases her attack. Amelia pleads not to kill him, and Xenoux steps back, but holds Trent down with one foot to prevent him from escaping. Mitchell accompanies Amelia upstairs, leaving Xenoux to carry both Trent and Brody.

Outside, the two injured men are rushed to the hospital when an ambulance arrives. Mitchell commands Xenoux to take Amelia home and watch her to help her recover from what happened while he remains with the cops. Xenoux obeys, and upon returning home, apologizes to Amelia, expecting her not to forgive her. To her surprise, Amelia forgives her, but tells her she'll have to earn her trust back. Xenoux watches her, unsure of what to feel. Amelia informs her that they're going to have one-on-one time, during which Xenoux will learn what it means to truly bond. Though Amelia is still angry with Xenoux for what happened, the two end up sleeping in the former's room together.

### **Chapter 19**

Amelia soon gets a job as a part-time nurse and begins moving on with her life. Needing to be able to access the hospital where she works, decides to temporarily move out of Stephen's house, gaining his permission to take Xenoux with her. The two immediately move to a medium-sized house some distance away, in the city where the hospital is located. Xenoux, still wracked with guilt for her actions, doesn't do much. Amelia, however, persists with training her to live with humanoids when she's not working. Xenoux asks how long they'll be doing this, and Amelia coldly responds that they'll do it until she gets her trust back. She asks when Xenoux became so selfish, and the latter realizes she's right. The Togruta then leaves for work, telling Xenoux to finish unpacking.

She finishes when the phone rings and answers it to hear Margarita on the other end. The latter asks how she's been, to which she replies she's alright. Xenoux explains that Amelia moved away and brought her along, explaining her involvement in Amelia's "affair" with Trent. Margarita replies that she heard, putting an edge in her voice. Xenoux inwardly cringes at this, remembering her actions. She tells Margarita that she and everyone else have every right to be angry with her. She is also surprised when her sister adds that she chose to do the right thing in the end, saying it counts toward rebuilding her relationship with Amelia. Xenoux asks how Margarita's been doing, and the latter replies that Dylan showed up at Stephen's house, much to her outrage. The Koraidon asks what Dylan wanted, and the Miraidon responds that their father is looking for Xenoux, to her shock. Margarita reveals Dylan wants to talk to Xenoux, but didn't tell him where she is. Xenoux thanks Margarita and asks if Dylan told her anything else. Her sister replies that their father is heading to an abandoned school near Corazon, the city that she and Amelia moved to, intending to have Xenoux meet with him so they can talk. Xenoux spits in disgust, deciding the only way she'll get rid of her father for good is to kill him; she tells Margarita she'll meet him.

An astounded Margarita asks if she's insane, but Xenoux tells her she's planning to meet Dylan for another reason. She bids her sister farewell and hangs up the phone, resolving to achieve her goal in a discreet manner. She sets up the house in a way that Amelia will like when she gets back, then formulates a plan to kill her father. Knowing he's a formidable fighter, Xenoux realizes size isn't everything and that she'll have to use everything to her advantage. She decides to leave tonight the moment Amelia goes to sleep and makes preparations for dinner, taking a nap afterward.

Amelia returns home at 8 PM and calls Xenoux's name. The latter approaches her, and the former is immediately impressed with Xenoux's design of the house. Xenoux tells her she prepared dinner, but she's not hungry right now. However, Amelia orders her to eat anyway; knowing she can't disobey her, Xenoux complies. After dinner, Amelia has her showcase her piano skills, playing along on her trumpet to Xenoux's annoyance. They stop after an hour, with Amelia saying she's going to bed. Xenoux bids her good night, and Amelia sternly warns she doesn't want to be disturbed. The Koraidon promises to keep quiet, mentally warning she'll be gone soon, and Amelia leaves. Xenoux decides to wait until she stops hearing Amelia moving in the room above her, then sneaks out of the house.

### **Chapter 20**

Xenoux runs through the city to the border. She flies north out of the city and into the wilderness in search of the abandoned school, but finds nothing. Saddened, she decides to stop and rest in a small grove, but encounters Taylor shortly after. Taylor, having learned of Xenoux's history, confronts her for her selfishness and tries to persuade her to go back. Xenoux stubbornly refuses to listen and runs away. Taylor chases her, and the two fight. The Mewtwo initially has the upper hand due to a type advantage over Xenoux. However, Xenoux retaliates with a super-effective Dark Pulse, sending her flying away. She rests for the night before taking to the skies again in the morning, spotting the old school an hour later. Landing, she searches for signs of Dylan's presence and immediately catches his fresh scent. She enters the school, calling for her father, and ends up meeting him in the gymnasium.

He remarks that it's about time she showed up. Xenoux coldly asks what he wants with her, and Dylan replies that he wants to return to him since she's his daughter. Outraged, she demands why should she since he traumatized her and scarred her for life. She snarls that she'd rather die than go with him. Dylan stands up to his full height and growls "So be it" before attacking her. Xenoux charges at him, and the two briefly grapple before Dylan launches a Dragon Pulse at her face. She ducks her head and lands a High Jump Kick on her father, sending him flying backward. However, he regains his footing so quickly that Xenoux is shocked at how agile and strong he is.

Dylan uses her shock as a distraction to run around behind her. She quickly hears him coming and dodges an oncoming Mega Punch simply by moving her head out of the way of his fist. She trips him up with a leg and then lands a super-effective Dragon Tail on him. Dylan yells as he's sent rolling across the floor and crashes into the wall. Xenoux stands and watches as he gets up, asking if he's had enough yet, standing up to her full height. He looks at her in complete shock, realizing she's larger than he is and hasn't taken any damage. He asks how she learned to fight like she can, and Xenoux reveals that her sister taught her (indirectly mentioning Margarita). She mockingly throws insults at him and manages to goad him into attacking her. He attacks with Thunder Punch, but she effortlessly dodges and counters with Ice Punch, hitting him in the chest.

Dylan staggers back, but recovers and lunges with Collision Course. Xenous dodges the attack by flying upward, leaving her father to crash into the other wall and damage some pipes in the process. He then launches a Flamethrower, which she also avoids. The move instead hits one of the lights on the ceiling, causing it to ignite and fall to the floor, where it shatters and starts a small fire. Paying no attention, Xenoux fires a Smog attack at Dylan, who is too slow to react. He becomes surrounded in a poisonous purple cloud, and Xenoux fires a Dragon Pulse at him. He rolls out of the cloud, hit, and Xenoux becomes incensed, attacking with Dragon Rush. Again remembering the pain he caused her and her own recent actions, she then uses Outrage and unleashes everything she's been holding in for so long while berating him for his selfishness and other bad qualities. Dylan inhales some of the smoke from the fire as it grows and spreads, accidentally rendering himself defenseless and allowing Xenoux to beat him to near death while wreaking havoc on her surroundings. Unaffected by the growing smoke, she finally pins him to the floor, snarling that she came here to kill him. Dylan gasps why, and Xenoux reveals that he needs to pay for his actions not just to her, but his other children as well. Realizing he's at the mercy of his own daughter, Dylan begs Xenoux to spare him, saying that he'll change and make amends. However, Xenoux knows he'll never change at this point, and growls it's too late for that. She holds her father down and slashes his throat before ripping open his stomach, killing him.

She watches him bleed out, then turns her attention to the now-burning gym. Realizing she needs to leave, she begins running out before she becomes trapped. However, a figure steps in front of her, blocking her way. Xenoux asks who it is, and the figure steps directly in front of her, revealed to be Mitchell wearing a respirator mask. Shocked, Xenoux asks what he's doing here, and Mitchell replies he was looking for her after Amelia reported her disappearance. He notices Dylan's corpse and asks if she killed him. Xenoux confesses, revealing he requested to see her so he could take her home.

Mitchell, horrified and enraged, attacks with a sword he was carrying. Xenoux jumps back to avoid getting sliced and asks Mitchell what he's doing. Not answering, Mitchell keeps attacking her. She tells him to stop, yelling she doesn't want to hurt him, but he doesn't listen. He demands to know what Amelia will think about her committing patricide before unsheathing a second sword. Xenoux uses Dragon Claw to block Mitchell's oncoming strikes as the fire rages around them, and they begin to fight. Again, she takes no damage while inadvertently hurting Mitchell a little. She tries to persuade him to stop, but her pleas fall on deaf ears as he keeps pushing her. Xenoux finally snaps and quickly knocks him onto the floor, pinning him there. He glares at her, and she again insists she doesn't want to hurt him or anyone else anymore, especially now that Dylan's dead.

Mitchell finally relents, and Xenoux is about to let him up when a burning beam falls from the ceiling. Seeing it, Xenoux picks Mitchell up in her arms, grabs his swords, and runs out of the gym. Behind them, the entire gym collapses in the blaze. Xenoux runs through the hallway, where gas starts bursting from the pipes. Mitchell yells to run faster and climbs onto her back. She sprints out of the school on all fours, carrying him to safety, and assumes her Gliding Build to take flight as the building explodes behind them. Xenoux drops Mitchell off at Stephen's house and flies back to Amelia's. However, she is knocked out by an unseen attack before she gets there.

### **Chapter 21**

Xenoux wakes up to find herself in chains, not knowing where she is. Her eyes adjust to the gloom she's in when a white light suddenly turns on to reveal a shiny Mewtwo standing before her. Xenoux stands up and flinches as the Mewtwo smirks at her, asking who she is. The latter introduces herself as Soka and approaches, warning her to stay calm. Out of fear, Xenoux lashes out when Soka gets close to her, demanding to know what situation she's in and where she is. Soka responds by slapping Xenoux's face with her tail, knocking her to the floor, and telling her to never be hostile or bare her fangs at her. Xenoux remembers when Dylan hit her face with his tail and broke her jaw as a child, recalling her PTSD. She shudders as the memory flashes through her brain. Soka mockingly asks her what's wrong, but Xenoux doesn't answer. The Mewtwo takes up a cattle prod and zaps her with it, snapping at her to get up. Xenoux complies after she's electrocuted a second time and looks at the prod Soka is holding.

Soka compliments Xenoux's quick learning. She informs the Koraidon that she's in her house and that she'll live there as her servant, as she's always wanted to have a Koraidon. Xenoux remembers her imprisonment at the hands of Kane and becomes enraged, snarling it won't happen. Soka zaps her again, remarking she begs to differ. Xenoux decides to submit to Soka's command for the time being in the hopes that she'll soon turn a blind eye towards her, giving her an escape opportunity. She tells Soka she's hers and that she can do what she wants with her. Soka is satisfied with this answer and tells her to get up, undoing all her chains except for the one on her neck.

Soka leads Xenoux into a bedroom and shuts the door. Soka tells Xenoux to sit down and eat at the small table in the corner, which has Berries and an orange paste. Knowing she has no choice, Xenoux obeys, though the taste the food is deplorable. After the meal, Soka compliments her for being a good girl and has her lie down on the bed. Xenoux does so and waits, but becomes nervous when she finds one side of the bed to be littered with sex toys. After a few minutes, Soka reappears with a large pair of handcuffs, a large basket muzzle, and a ball gag around her neck. Xenoux realizes what's about to happen and gets scared. Soka prevents her from trying anything by threatening to zap her again, holding up the prod. Xenoux lies still, letting Soka cuff and muzzle her. She asks what Soka will do, and the latter replies that they're going to get rough before putting the ball gag in her mouth. Xenoux closes her eyes and begins to shake violently as Soka gets on top of her body.

### **Chapter 22**

A while later after the sex, Xenoux is doing some household chores under Soka's command. As she works, she thinks of Margarita, Malva, Amelia, and the other characters in her life and laments her selfish actions. However, she then thinks of Dylan and becomes bitter. Soka calls from the other room that she'd better be finishing up. Xenoux focuses her anger towards her captor, but politely responds that she's almost done. She soon finishes working and wipes the sweat off her skin with a face cloth. She then goes into the living room to see what Soka wants with her.

Soka briskly tells her to wash up before complimenting her on her obedience. Xenoux nods and heads to the bathroom. She takes a shower, remembering what Amelia taught her as a kid. While washing herself, she remembers the fond memories she shared with Amelia and begins to cry. Resolving to make amends with her, Xenoux quickly finishes showering, dries off, and climbs out of the bathroom window, making her escape.

### **Chapter 23**

Xenoux assumes her Gliding Build to quickly fly away from Soka's house. She decides to fly back to where the abandoned school was to retrace her path. There, she meets Bakugo, and the two have a joyous reunion. Bakugo then becomes serious and asks if Xenoux really killed Dylan, pointing to a large burnt mass lying on the ground next to them. Xenoux realizes the mass is Dylan's corpse; she confesses to killing him, but Bakugo congratulates her, saying she did herself and all of her half-siblings a favor. Xenoux reveals that she wants to return to Amelia's house to make amends with her. Although saddened, Bakugo replies that she's growing and maturing as a person. He proposes that they and the rest of Dylan's children have a family reunion, which Xenoux wholeheartedly accepts.

She prepares to leave, but Bakugo says he wants to come with her. Xenoux warns that she just escaped from Soka, briefing him on what she did to her. Bakugo becomes incensed and wants to teach Soka a lesson, but Xenoux is able to reason with him into avoiding her. She also advises that they run on the ground instead of fly since Soka may be out looking for her. Bakugo says he knows a hiding place and leads Xenoux into a small cave containing a spring in the woods nearby. The two decide to temporarily camp out for the time being.

A short time later, Xenoux and Bakugo are woken by Soka furiously yelling Xenoux's name. She deduces that Soka is nearby and freaks out. Bakugo comforts her, whispering that Soka won't find them. However, they hear another voice, which Xenoux recognizes as Taylor's. The two Koraidon listen as Taylor confronts Soka over what she's doing. Soka snaps that Xenoux is her pet, and Taylor responds that Xenoux already belongs to a trainer. However, Soka yells in rage, and Xenoux and Bakugo hear battle sounds. Xenoux hisses to run while they can.

She leads her brother out of the woods at a full sprint, hoping to put as much distance between themselves and Soka as possible. However, Xenoux hears Soka yelling behind her and turns to see the Mewtwo gaining on her. Thinking of Amelia again, Xenoux stops running and turns to face Soka, preparing to fight. Soka snaps that she's coming home, but Xenoux snarls that she belongs elsewhere, readying a Signal Beam attack. Before either of them can fight, Taylor intervenes by landing a super-effective Lunge on Soka, nearly incapaciting her. Xenoux and Bakugo stare in shock, prompting Taylor to snap at them to go. However, Xenoux refuses, stating she wants to help Taylor defeat Soka. Soka gets up and launches a Shadow Ball at Taylor, but the latter dodges it. While she's distracted, Xenoux leaps at her, getting close enough to hit her with Beat Up. Bakugo joins using the same move, and together they're able to defeat Soka.

While Soka lies on the ground, unconscious, Xenoux thanks Taylor for helping her. Taylor smiles at her, knowing that Xenoux has grown as a person, and wishes her luck. Xenoux says to let her know if she needs anything, which Taylor thanks her for. With that, Xenoux and Bakugo head off while Taylor carries Soka away.

### **Chapter 24**

Xenoux and Bakugo fly toward Corazón. As they approach, Xenoux realizes that Amelia might be angry with her for being away for so long. Bakugo reassures her that she'll be fine. However, they realize they're hungry and decide to stop at a garbage can to get food. They reach Corazón, but are attacked by a group of Dark-types consisting of a Hydreigon, a Houndoom, a Zarude (the leader), a Malamar, an Obstagoon, and a Krookodile. The half-siblings fight and are unknowingly dragged into a confrontation between the Dark-types and several other Pokémon. Xenoux and Bakugo are separated in the chaos, with a Scarlet red Book landing in front of Xenoux's feet. She picks it up, but is confronted by a female Zeraora and Dragonite. The Zeraora demands she hand over the Book, and Xenoux responds by throwing it aside before going to look for Bakugo. However, he is nowhere to be seen, and a distracted Xenoux is knocked unconscious by the Zeraora.

## **Relationships**

### **Malva**

Malva was Xenoux's mother who loved her dearly. They got along splendidly and Xenoux was devastated upon watching her father kill his former mate.

### **Dylan**

Dylan was Xenoux's estranged father. During the brief time Xenoux spent with his family, she and Dylan had a strained relationship. She eventually disowned him and later killed him.

## **Skills and Abilities**

* **Orichalcum Pulse:** The signature Ability of her species. Turns the sunlight harsh when she enters a battle. The ancient pulse thrumming through her also boosts her Attack stat in harsh sunlight.
* **Bite Force:**
* **Grip:** She has an extremely strong grip and is capable of using both her claws and teeth. The latter are thick, curved, and serrated, perfectly designed for both gripping and slashing her foes.
* **Strength:**
* **Speed:**
* **Intelligence:**

## **Trivia**

* She is revealed to have PTSD, caused by her father.