Pokemon: Master Craftsman

Honedge expressed its protests, its thoughts swirling like a brainstorm—though, as a sword, it technically had no brain to think with!

To its disbelief, this human had outright defeated it. Not just any human—this one was stronger than the knights of old who wielded weapons and armor.

But wait… does using all those strange tools count as a fair fight?

Of course, it does!

After all, this human fought directly, without relying on another Pokémon. Tools or not, that was his battle style. And it wasn't underhanded. He had endured Honedge's sneak attacks and still overpowered it. Such undeniable strength left Honedge with no choice but to acknowledge its defeat.

"Forget it. The gemstone's yours. Just take it!"

"Yo… yo! Yo-yo..." Honedge "spoke," its tone shifting as it observed the human. Something about this person felt different now, though Honedge couldn't put its nonexistent finger on it. Was it his aura?

Meanwhile, Glade was stunned.

The peculiar "yo-yo" sounds from Honedge resonated in his mind, translating into something comprehensible. The strange echoes carried meaning, forming symbolic glyphs in his thoughts—an apparent side effect of the Spirit Knowledge he had gained earlier.

"Are you saying you lost, so the gemstone is mine now?" Glade asked, testing his newfound ability.

"Yo?"

Honedge's blue eye widened. He can understand me?!

Glade chuckled to himself.

"Pokémon have an uncanny ability to understand human speech, yet humans can only guess at Pokémon language. What an amusing phenomenon."

Turning back to Honedge, he asked, "But you're not native to this area… Even if I found you in some ruins, how did you end up there, slumbering like an ancient relic?"

"Yo... yo!" Honedge paused, contemplating its response.

This human had defeated and captured it—proof of superior strength. Facing such a powerful individual, Honedge couldn't lie or bluff. That would be against its knightly code.

So, it recounted its story:

It had once been brought here by a mysterious traveler skilled in magic. Along with several other Honedge, it had been presented as tribute to a king. These swords were bestowed upon the king's knights, each imbued with gemstones.

"So, you were a sword of a long-lost kingdom? A traveler's tribute to a king, perhaps from distant lands… That makes sense. In ancient times, merchants often traded rare Pokémon and goods across regions, fostering cultural exchange. Some even caused Pokémon to develop regional variants… but you don't even remember the kingdom's name? That's pretty careless."

"Yo! Yo!" Honedge protested, spinning in the air.

Careless? It's not my fault! Pokémon don't bother remembering unnecessary things like that!

"Well, it doesn't matter. That kingdom probably fell long ago. There were small kingdoms near Johto, north of Mt. Moon. Some ruins still exist in that area, and even a tiny kingdom has managed to survive to this day."

Glade's words reminded Honedge of its old memories: towering castles, armored soldiers, and splendor now reduced to dust. The ancient kingdom had vanished, leaving no trace of its king or glory.

Honedge couldn't help but think, It's all gone. But what can I do? I'm just a sword, not a ruler.

Still, a thought lingered in its mind—an audacious idea whispered by an elder Honedge long ago.

"The first king wasn't born from royal blood. He was chosen by a beast—a mighty Pokémon. With its power, he built a kingdom and ruled over countless lives."

If the past king was gone, then… perhaps someone with the same qualities was standing right before it.

After all, this human had defeated Honedge in direct combat. If anyone could be a worthy ruler, it was him!

Excited, Honedge began bouncing in place, its blue ribbon fluttering as it pitched its bold suggestion:

"Yo!"

"Yo~yo?"

"Strong human! Would you like to become a king?!"

"A king? Why would I want to be a king?" Glade waved his hands dismissively. "Ruling people and Pokémon... wait, isn't that a villainous path? Why would a Pokémon encourage someone to become a villain?!"

Honedge's idea was too bizarre for Glade to entertain. A king? Do you choose rulers so casually? Besides, what's the point of being a king in the modern world? Ruling others? That's ridiculous!

"Come to think of it," Glade muttered, "the final evolution of Honedge, Aegislash, is said to choose those with the qualities of a king. Those it selects are destined to rule… though, to be honest, plenty of trainers have Aegislash, and none of them became kings."

"Yo!" Honedge perked up. "See? You get it!"

But Glade poured cold water on its excitement:

"Sure, but that's Aegislash's job. You're just a Honedge. You can't appoint kings. Besides, even those chosen by Aegislash had their kingdoms fall into ruin—just like yours."

Honedge froze, staring at Glade.

For a long moment, sword and human locked eyes.

Finally, Honedge blinked and scratched its hilt awkwardly with its blue ribbon.

"Yo!"

"Ah, so it's my evolution's fault that kingdoms fall. No wonder they didn't survive. Welp, guess that's that!"

Its tone shifted to one of resignation, as if dismissing the entire idea of kingship.

Glade smirked. "Glad we cleared that up. No more trying to make me king, okay?"