The gates buckled and burst inwards, crushing dozens of the soldiers that swarmed towards the breach. A mass of blue fur shoved its way through the gates and began tearing into the men who dared face it. The beast tore a path through the crowd, clearing enough room for a swarm of men to push through the crush at the gates and form a shield wall. The beast relented for a moment, allowing those still within reach of its oversized paws to flee in terror.
A hail of arrows buried themselves in the beast's layers of fat, spilling globs of its blood down its coarse hairs. The beast bellowed at the archers that formed up on the opposite side of the courtyard and sucked in a breath. The world seemed to go silent for a moment, and the archers nocked a second volley. The beast spat a beam of pure energy that ripped apart the cobblestone courtyard. The beam carved a path towards the archers, leaving a massive furrow in the ground. The archers abandoned their attempt to fire a second volley of arrows, but the massive beam of energy carved a path of bloody destruction through their formation and tore a path through the buildings behind them.
The furry blue beast rushed forwards, bounding towards the remaining archers on all fours. It smashed through their hastily reformed line, sending men flying through the air. It raised to its hind legs and bellowed a challenge at the men surrounding it. Its claws descended in a bloody arc, tearing through leather and into the flesh of several archers. A smell of ozone filled the air and the snorlax ceased his assault, stepping back from the slaughter.
A bolt of lightning arced from the sky, splitting into a dozen points and landing among the dwindling number of archers. The archers that were struck by the massive bolt dropped, smoking and twitching.
An orange dragon flared its wings, slowing its descent. It thudded into the ground feet first, scattering the brave few archers that remained. A figure clad in deep red plate mail dismounted the dragon and drew a long sword. The charizard drew in a breath and blasted a jet of flame that ignited several of the fleeing archers.
A small yellow mouse leapt off the dragon's back, sparking with electricity. It joined the armoured man, taking its place at his side.
"We've routed them. Lance will show his face soon enough." The man looked down at the pikachu beside him. "He's likely holding back with his Dragon Knights. Probably waiting for us to come to him."
"You're probably right." Called a voice. A massive red dog stepped up beside the armoured man, a man in pale blue armour on its back. "He'll wait for us to butcher our way through the city, then he'll hit us when we're exhausted." The man swung his leg over the massive dog's side and dismounted it. He removed a clear crystal from his belt and held it out. The arcanine disappeared, sucked into the crystal that began to glow red.
"It's not like we have an alternative. Lance knows that he doesn't have to face us until we come to him." The red-armoured man replied. "He holds the advantage."
A pair of flaming horses trotted up to them. A gold-armoured man and a yellow-armoured woman dismounted the rapidash. "We've secured the gatehouse. However, Lance's armies are retreating too easily. It seems as if we have been allowed to enter the city almost unopposed." The man in gold said.
The blue-armoured man turned his gaze towards the new arrivals. "Any ideas then?" He asked. "We can't just walk into Lance's trap."
"Actually," started the woman. "That's exactly what we're going to do." She looked at the man in red. "Red, can Eris teleport?"
The red-armoured man nodded. "Yes. What are you thinking?"
The woman looked around at the trio of men with her. "We end this. We don't need to wait for the army. This is about Lance. If we take him down, it all ends." She looked at the other two men. "If we teleport past the army, we can attack Lance directly."
Red looked at her in stunned silence. "I'm in." He said quickly. "We need to end this before more people die." He looked at the man in blue. "Blue, we can stop this. We can go home."
The man in blue shook his head. "We'll still be walking into a trap." He pointed at the men marching through the gates. As if on cue a cauldron tipped on top of the gatehouse, spilling boiling oil onto the soldiers. A jet of flame spat from the gatehouse, igniting the oil and the dozens of soldiers unlucky enough to be caught in the oil's splash radius. "Those men are counting on us." He said. "We can't just leave them behind.
"But we'll be walking into the trap on our own terms." Said the woman. "We either face him now, or after throwing away our strength on his soldiers."
"His elites will be there." Said the man in gold plate mail. "We're gonna need everyone."
Red pulled a pair of clear crystals off his belt and held them out. The charizard and snorlax disappeared in a swirl of light. He returned the now red and blue crystals to his belt and pulled a pink one off it. "I'm going." He raised the crystal and released a small pink feline. "Who's with me?"
The woman pulled a yellow crystal from her belt and released a hypno. The psychic beast looked around him with disdain, eying the destruction that Red's snorlax had caused. "I'm in." She said.
The man in gold pulled an iridescent crystal from his own belt, and released a multicoloured bird. The xatu levitated off the ground, one eye lazily opening to eye its master. "Me too. Johto's armies may have fallen, but her champion stands with you." He removed a pair of clear crystals from his belt and recalled the rapidash.
Red looked at Blue hopefully. "We can't do this without you." He said. "Please, Blue… We can go home."
Blue dropped his head. His hand fell to his belt and he pulled a yellow crystal off it. An alakazam appeared, it's moustache brushing against the ground. "I'm in." Said Blue. "Time to finish what we started."
Red dropped to one knee, and snaked his hand through his espeon's fur. "Eris, I need you to find Lance. Take me there. We're going to end the war."
The small psychic locked eyes with him and paused. He felt a lithe presence touch his mind, then Eris' voice enter his head. "I have him." She blinked once. "Master, can we beat him?"
He smiled behind the mask of his helmet. "We will beat him." He closed his eyes, and felt the familiar floating sensation of teleportation. He felt his feet come to rest on solid ground and opened his eyes.
His pikachu leapt off his shoulder onto the smooth stone floor. It looked around cautiously, ears perked up and nose sniffing for any sign of their quarry. Red rose to his feet, looking around the massive empty room. He looked down at his pikachu in confusion.
He felt Eris touch his mind. "Master, Lance should be here. I can see his mind in front of us."
Blue popped into existence behind him, his alakazam warily glancing around the room. "Where are they?" He asked, drawing his sword.
Red turned as the woman appeared, mind racing. "It's an ambush." The man in gold appeared with his bird. "This was the real trap."
A soft clap answered him from the darkness. "Very astute observation." The Emperor that they had come to kill emerged from the darkness. He held out his arms to them, faking a welcoming smile. His crown sat lopsidedly on his head, long red hair slicked back underneath it. "Perhaps the first you've had today." His cloak billowed behind him, flowing from the shoulders of his pitch black plate mail.
Red drew his sword and pulled the wooden shield from the strap on his back. Behind him, the other three mirrored his movements, facing Lance as one. "Either way, this ends now."
Columns of flame erupted in the corners of the empty room, illuminating Lance's Elites. Blue shifted, facing the man to Red's left. The woman turned, facing down the pair of woman that stood behind them. The man in gold turned to Red's right, glaring at the pair of men that stood there.
Lance's welcoming smile morphed into a vicious grin. "Then let us end this charade." A column of flame lit up behind him, revealing the massive silhouette of the dragonite that stood behind Lance. "Dragonite, end them."
The dragonite reared up to its full height, drawing in enough power to wipe Red's group from existence.
Four voices shouted in unison, their words lost among the explosion of noise. The four psychics turned, their power forming a shimmering barrier in front of Red. The dragonite let a beam of energy loose, bathing the dark room in intense light. The beam smashed against the barrier, igniting an explosion of light that forced Lance to shield his eyes. The beam bounced back on itself and slammed into the dragonite, driving it into the wall behind it. A spiderweb of cracks spread across the wall, barely holding together after the massive impact.
Red burst from the smoke, barreling towards Lance with his blade raised. His charizard launched itself through the air, spewing a torrent of flames at the falling dragonite. Red's snorlax bounded over Lance and smashed into the dragonite's stomach, bringing it down to the floor. A bolt of psychic energy flared, pushing the dragonite into the floor and holding it there. A stream of electricity poured out of Red's pikachu, washing over the dragonite's scales harmlessly.
Lance unsheathed his own blade, allowing his cloak to slip off his shoulders and to the floor. He brought his sword up, meeting Red's blade with a resounding clash. He danced away, allowing Red to chase him in a dangerous dance of flashing steel.
Blue emerged from the smoke, eying the poison master facing him. His arcanine bristled behind him, growling ominously. A hulking turtle bellowed and lowered its massive shoulder cannons. Beside it, an armoured purple beast glared at the poison master's pokemon.
An oversized purple moth flapped behind the poison master. Silvery dust fell from its wings, giving the air underneath it a shimmering look. Beside them was a massive purple snake, it's bladed tail sticking out of its coils. Towering over them both was a deeper purple version of the armoured monster beside Blue. A mass of spikes jutted out of the beasts back at every angle.
"Koga Kadeshi." Blue spat, as if the name was poison on his tongue. "A traitor to his people."
The poison master shook his head. "I have a family Blue. My daughter is all I have left. I would do a great many things to ensure her future." He drew the thin katana at his side and pulled a small bottle out of the folds of purple cloth that covered his padded leather armour. "Surely you understand the love a father has for his child. Would you not give anything to keep little Gary safe?" He uncorked the bottle, pouring its contents over his blade. He tossed the bottle aside, smashing it against the tile floor. Smoke rose from the fragments of the bottle, the droplets of acid still inside it burning into the floor.
Blue dropped into a fighting stance. "That's exactly why I'm here Koga. To keep my son safe. If that means cutting you down, then so be it."
Koga lifted his katana and moved into a fighting stance. "So be it." He spat.
Blue launched towards him, crossing the distance between them with surprising speed. He brought his blade up, swinging wildly at his former comrade. Koga deftly deflected his blow, dancing out of the range of Blue's sword. Koga urged his pokemon forwards, meeting Blue's charging pokemon.
The woman tapped a pair of the crystals on her belt, releasing an exeggutor that thudded onto the floor. A tauros appeared beside it, pawing at the ground.
"Lorelei, Karen…" She started. "I'm sorry."
The red haired woman released a jynx. The psychic-type glared at the exeggutor, it's skin turning a deeper shade of purple, as if to mirror the colour of her master's leather armour. "It's over Caballero. Surrender and Lance might let you live." She hefted the spear in her hands reluctantly, padded leather gloves gripping it tightly.
"Screw that," spat the blue haired woman. "I'm not letting the traitorous bitch last the night." She released a massive hellhound and took a step towards the woman, her face twisting into a wicked sneer. "Cerberus is gonna feast on her fucking bones." She stepped forward menacingly, raising her own spear.
The woman lifted her blade and glanced at her pokemon. "Glad to see that family is still welcome, Karen." She shifted her gaze to the red-haired woman. "I expected more from you Lorelei. You can still stop Lance. With your help, we can topple him." She shook her head. "Nobody else has to die."
Lorelei shook her head. "Except for him. I swore an oath, just as you did." She raised the spear in her hands. "My oath is my life. You have lost your way child, perhaps Karen's thirst for your blood is justified."
The woman took another step forward. "Then this is the end." She pointed her pokemon forwards, warily stalking towards the two woman who stood against her.
The man in gold released a typhlosion. The volcano pokemon raised to its hind legs and released a plume of flames from its back. A feraligatr stomped forwards to join the typhlosion, muscles bulging under its leathery blue hide.
The purple haired man stepped forward, adjusting his mask and straightening his sleek suit. "The mysterious Gold finally appears." He released a xatu that glared past Gold at his own xatu. "Perhaps this time he stays to fight?"
"Nobody's running from this fight." He removed a black and purple crystal from his belt and tapped it. An instant later, a sinister shadow fell over the room. The temperature dropped, and a purple shadow materialized over Gold's shoulder. "Necro," Gold started. "Nobody leaves."
The mismagius cackled, and exploded into a deep purple mist. A layer of shadows fell on the chamber, and a massive yellow eye appeared above the battle.
Gold raised his shield, looking at the shirtless brute wielding a massive hammer. "Come now, Bruno. Show me your strength." His eyes shifted to the masked man. "And you, Will. Show me your wits."
Bruno charged, his massive war hammer raised and bedraggled brown hair flowing behind him. His machamp bounded along beside him, using all four arms to propel itself forwards. Gold's feraligatr intercepted the machamp, muscles straining against the four-armed pokemon. Gold raised his shield above his head, deflecting Bruno's war hammer into the tile floor, smashing the smooth tile into pieces and showering them both with fragments of the tile.
Gold spun, barely managing to get his shield up in time for Will to bury his twin daggers into the thick oak shield. Gold spun, wrenching the daggers out of Will's grip. He swung his shield like a club, smashing the edge of it into the side of Will's head. The thin psychic stumbled backwards and collapsed, staggered by the blow and clutching at the bloody gash it tore in his cheek.
Gold turned and brought his shield up to deflect another blow from Bruno's war hammer. The hammer caught one of Will's daggers, wrenching the shield off Gold's arm and violently tearing at his elbow. Gold spun with the movement and buried his sword into Bruno's chest. Gold's sword punched through Bruno's unarmoured chest and out of his back. Gold ripped his blade from Bruno's chest, spraying himself with the elite's hot blood .
Bruno stumbled backwards, clutching at the gap in his chest. He collapsed onto his back, gasping for air. Gold stalked towards him, raising his blade with both hands. He stabbed his blade through the fallen elite's chest, and felt his pounding heart tear itself to pieces on his blade. Gold pulled his sword out of the dead elite's chest and turned to face Will.
Will yanked his blades out of Gold's fallen shield. He kicked the shield aside and readied both blades, wiping away the blood leaking from his cheek with his sleeve. Gold charged him, swinging his long sword with both hands. Will ducked out of the way of the falling sword, allowing it to clatter against the ground. He lunged at Gold's shoulder. His blade drove through the pale gold steel, burying itself into the muscle underneath. Gold drew back, swinging upwards wildly. His blade ripped through Will's left elbow, lopping his arm off below the elbow.
Will stumbled back, waving his stump in the air. Gold raised his good arm to strike at him. Will's espeon's eyes flared from the shadows. Gold was thrown backwards across the room and into Karen, knocking them both to the ground. The espeon stepped out of the shadows and joined Will. Will sat up, wrapping his belt tightly around his stump. He tore off a strip of clothing from his leg, using it as a bandage.
Gold scrambled to his feet, dashing out of Karen's reach before the leather clad elite could attempt to dismember him. Karen's houndoom lunged for him, but Gold drove it back with a swing of his blade. Gold retreated to Yellow's side, left arm hanging limply at his side.
"What happened?" Yellow asked, half shouting.
Gold steadied himself, raising his blade at Karen. "Dealt with Bruno and Will." He said bitterly. "Fucker got my arm."
"Can you fight?" Yellow whispered.
Gold nodded. "No choice ma'am."
Yellow turned to face Karen. "Then we fight." She shouted a battle cry and charged Lorelei. The blue haired woman sidestepped Yellow's charge and jabbed her spear at Yellow's ankle. Yellow spun, deflecting Karen's spear with her own blade. Yellow charged again, intending to smash Karen to the ground with her shield. Karen raised her own shield, locking against Yellow's shield with her own.
Yellow's tauros lowered its head and charged, barrelling towards the houndoom. The hellhound leapt on top of the charging tauros, its jaws clamping onto the base of the tauros' neck. The houndoom wrenched its head to the side, bringing the charging bull down to the ground. The hellhound tumbled over itself, and scrambled to its feet. Jaws dripping with flame, it tore into the tauros' unprotected stomach.
Karen shoved Yellow back, jabbing at her with her spear. Yellow trapped the spearhead in between her sword and shield and snapped the tip off. Yellow took a step towards Karen and drove her knee into Karen's stomach. Karen doubled over and Yellow swung her shield into the side of Karen's head. Karen collapsed, knocked unconscious by the blow.
Yellow turned, and saw a horrific sight. Gold spun around Lorelei's thrust, allowing the red haired woman to stumble past him. He spun his sword and drove it through Lorelei's back and out her chest. Lorelei fell off his blade, collapsing into a rapidly growing puddle of her own blood.
Lorelei's jynx fell, the exeggutor's psychic power overwhelming its own. The icy psychic's head lolled back, it's eyes rapidly fading as its mind shut down. Yellow's exeggutor turned, watching the houndoom feast on the fallen tauros warily.
Gold retreated towards her, sword raised warily. "I'm sorry Maggie. It had to happen. She refused to break her oath until death."
She shook her head. "It's fine." She said curtly. "Karen's gone." She knelt down over Lorelei and rolled her onto her back. "We were like family, Lorelei. It didn't have to be this way."
Gold turned to face her. "Maggie, I'm so-" a cry of pain interrupted him. His typhlosion swung a fist that was wreathed in electricity. Will's xatu cried out, shrieking in pain as the electricity coursed through its hollow bones. It collapsed, twitching and spasming awkwardly. Gold's typhlosion reared up onto his hind legs and loosed a torrent of flames into the psychic bird's fallen form.
Will stabbed his dagger through the back of the typhlosion's head, skewering its brain. Will ripped his blade free, dropping the dead pokemon. Gold turned to face Will, leaving the grieving Yellow's side. "Eon," he called. His xatu turned away from the dragonite, eyes glowing purple. "To me." Gold ordered. His xatu disappeared with a pop and reappeared at his side.
"Kill the espeon" Gold spat. "Then I can kill him."
His xatu's eyes flared, igniting a bolt of psychic energy. The espeon's eyes flared half a second later, meeting Eon's bolt with one of its own. Gold raised his sword impatiently, waiting for the psychics to finish their deadly battle.
Blue swung his sword cautiously, expecting a counter from Koga. The ninja ducked out of Blue's reach before dancing back into range for a strike of his own. Koga's katana clattered against Blue's shield, harmlessly deflected by the thick wooden shield.
Blue took advantage of Koga's attempted strike and wrapped his arms around the ninja's chest. He pulled Koga to the ground in a crushing bear hug. "Koga," he spat. "Yield or else." Koga flailed wildly, attempting to break free of Blue's iron grip. Blue rolled, squeezing tighter and feeling Koga's ribs begin to crack under his iron grip.
Koga tapped the remaining ball on his belt, releasing a foul smelling cloud. "Wheezing, get him." Koga wheezed. The wheezing belched a cloud of purple gas towards the two men. Blue scrambled free of the ninja, retrieving his weapons. Beside him, his arcanine and blastoise retreated. His nidoqueen disengaged Koga's nidoking, kicking the larger beast away and moving to Blue's side.
"Running and hiding as always, right Koga?" Spat Blue.
Koga leapt at him out of the fog, katana swinging. Blue raised his shield, deflecting it away from him. Blue swung viciously, knocking Koga's katana out of his hands. Blue abandoned his own sword and smashed his fist into Koga's nose. The ninja staggered backwards, dizzied by the punch. Blue slammed his fist into Koga's stomach, then brought his knee up into the ninja as he doubled over.
Koga's arbok launched towards Blue, spotting an opening to disembowel the rebel. Blue's arcanine sailed over his head, intercepting the snake in a tangle of flashing fangs and claws. Blue kicked out Koga's knee, and knocked him onto his back. The nidos bellowed and charged each other, crashing together in a battle of strength. Blue mounted Koga and began pounding his fists into the fallen ninja's face. A blast of water sailed over Blue, soaking the giant venemoth and knocking it to the floor.
Blue pulled Koga up by the collar of his armour and landed a massive uppercut. The elite slumped backwards, unconscious. "I'm not going to kill you," he said. "Janine deserves a father, and I will not take that from her." He looked around him at the carnage and sighed. He retrieved his sword and stalked towards Red and Lance.
Red raised his shield for what felt lie the millionth time. Lance's sword smashed into the battered wood, sending splinters flying. Red swiped his blade towards Lance's side and felt Lance expertly knock his own blow aside. Lance abandoned his delicate approach and resorted to brute force. He brought his sword down in a vicious arc, driving Red to one knee. He drew back his sword and repeated the motion, reducing Red's shield to nothing but a useless mass of splintered wood.
Blue led with his blade, attempting to run Lance through with his sword. Lance battered his thrust aside, driving him back with a flurry of blows that reduced his shield to splinters. Blue abandoned his shield, going on the offensive. Lance fell back, allowing Blue to push him away from Red and the other rebels.
Red rose to his feet and discarded his useless shield. He took a breath to steady himself, then barrelled after Blue. Lance's dragonite skidded past him, tearing massive furrows into the smooth tile floor. Red watched his charizard launch towards the dragon, and his bloodied snorlax bound along the ground after them. He dashed past them, narrowly avoiding a jet of flames that erupted from his charizard's maw. His pikachu darted after him, abandoning the battle of titans that raged between Red's pokemon and the dragonite.
Red leapt at the Emperor, attempting a leaping blow. Lance kicked Blue away from him and turned, deflecting Red's blade into the floor. He stepped back, stopping their duel momentarily.
"I see that my elites have barely troubled you." Lance said. He dropped his free hand to his waist and removed one of the crystals that was strapped into the harness there. "Perhaps my trust in their abilities was misplaced."
"It's over Lance." Red spat through gritted teeth. "Do us a favour and fall on your sword."
Lance grinned like a madman. "I wouldn't dare to dream of making your job any easier." He tapped the blue crystal in his hand, releasing the pokemon within. A massive azure serpent loomed over Lance, eying the humans below with a feral hunger. "Gyarados," Lance started. "Kill them."
The wyrm lunged for them, tearing a deep furrow in the tile floor. Blue and Red leapt aside, barely avoiding the gyarados' vicious maw. Blue scrambled to his feet, tapping at the grey crystal on his belt. A trio of round steel constructs appeared, levitating beside him.
"Thunder!" Blue shouted.
The magneton turned, pouring bolt after bolt of electricity into the great wyrm's scales. Red echoed him on the other side of the beast, and Blue saw his pikachu's bolt connect with the side of the gyarados' head. The gyarados' head snapped back and it turned to face Red, eyes wildly looking for the source of the electricity. The magneton hurtled towards it, sparking wildly. Lance's gyarados reared back and let loose a torrent of flames that melted through the magneton's thick steel carapace. The bug inside screeched, then crashed to the floor smouldering.
Red dropped his hand to his waist, tapping the grey crystal that sat there. A massive rock snake that rivalled the gyarados in size appeared. Red's onix barely hesitated before throwing itself at the gyarados. The onix slammed into the wyrm's side, driving them both through the weakened wall behind Lance. The soft glow of a fire illuminated the battlefield, casting huge shadows as the serpents tumbled through the great hall.
Lance's gyarados rose from the rubble and batted Red's onix aside, sending it flying alongside rubble and wreckage. The rock snake slammed through another wall, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. It raised its head as the gyarados advanced on the rebels and spat a jet of dragonfire at the wyrm. The blue flames scorched the gyarados' side, blackening its azure scales. The gyarados turned, abandoning its charge and barreling towards Red's onix. It took off, leading the gyarados deeper into the palace.
Red charged Lance, his blade raised. Lance ducked under his slash, kicking out his left leg. Red fell back as Lance raised his own blade to deliver a killing blow. Blue was there again, slamming into the emperor's side and driving them both to the floor. Lance rolled with the tackle, his hands finding their way around Blue's throat. Lance lifted Blue by the throat and slammed him back into the ground. He lifted him again, smashing his head into the floor with enough force to crack the smooth tile.
Lance abandoned his assault on Blue and turned to face Red. The rebel raised his sword and charged Lance. Lance intercepted Red's sword with his own, and locked their blades together at the hilt. Lance twisted his blade and wrenched the sword from Red's hands, sending it skittering along the tile floor. Lance slammed the butt of his sword into Red's head, sending the rebel stumbling.
Lance spun, impaling Red's leaping pikachu with his blade. The electric mouse slid off his sword, collapsing into a growing puddle of blood. Lance turned to face Red, his blade raised and a wicked grin on his face. "Perhaps my reign has not yet come to an end." He beckoned Red towards him.
Red bellowed angrily, retrieving his sword as he dashed towards Lance. Their swords met with a resounding crash. Red drew back his blade, swinging wildly at Lance. Lance deflected his blow to the side, deftly dancing away from Red's following swing. Red followed eagerly, swinging his blade with all the might he could muster. Lance ducked under his swing, allowing the rebel to stagger forwards. He brought his blade up, impaling Red through his chest as the rebel stumbled forwards.
Red gasped, inhaling sharply. He dropped his blade to the floor, clutching at his chest desperately. Lance leaned closer, forcing his sword further through Red's chest. "Let your death be a warning to them all." He stepped back, tearing his blade free with a spray of blood.
"NO!" Blue shouted. He struggled to his feet as Red dropped to his knees.
Lance looked at him and then down at Red, lopsided grin matching the crown on his head. "By my right as Emperor, I sentence you to die." He brought his blade down in an arc, decapitating the kneeling rebel. He turned towards Blue, and stalked towards him menacingly.
Blue's alakazam appeared at his side, blasting Lance away from his master with a wave of psychic energy. Blue's hand brushed the alakazam's side, and they disappeared. Blue reappeared on the other side of the battling dragons, his alakazam supporting his shaky weight. Yellow rushed to his side and draped his arm around her shoulders, relieving the alakazam and abandoning the dead houndoom that she had butchered.
"What happened?" She asked. "We lost sight of you after the gyarados…" She trailed off, noticing the look of defeat on his face and the blood splattered across his armour.
"We lost." He said bitterly. "Matt's dead. We have to leave." He pointed at Gold. "If he's coming, he has to come now."
She looked over at Gold, her heart aching. "Return your pokemon. I'll be back." She released his arm, allowing him to stand on his own and dashed off towards Gold.
Gold prowled around Will, waiting for any opening to strike. His feraligatr was bent over the fallen machamp, tearing flesh from the fallen beast's neck with its massive jaws.
"Alex, we have to leave!" She shouted. "Now!"
Gold turned and saw Lance's gyarados emerge from the hole in the wall. "Necro!" He shouted. The mismagius appeared at his side, allowing the malevolent eye above them to fade out of existence. "Keep Will busy." The ghost exploded with a storm of purple miasma, engulfing Will within.
He dashed for Blue, Yellow running right behind him. "I'll hold them off!" He shouted. "Eon and I will be right behind you." His hand dropped to his waist, sheathing his sword and taking one of the crystals that were strapped there.
"We're not leaving without you," Yellow shouted. "They'll kill you."
He smiled at her behind his mask. "But you'll live. And that's worth it." He turned away from her, watching the gyarados disembowel Red's snorlax. He glanced back over his shoulder at Yellow. "I love you Maggie." He raised the crystal in his good hand and released a massive tyranitar.
"I love you too Alex." Yellow turned as the gyarados lunged at Gold's tyranitar, shaking the entire room with their collision. She stumbled, her hands finding their way around her hypno's crystal. The psychic appeared in a flash of light, barely hesitating before it reached for her. Karen's spear tore through its chest, showering her with blood.
Blue slammed into her from the side, driving her out of the path of a second flying spear. He rolled onto his back, reaching up for his alakazam's leg. Blue blinked out of sight, teleported away from the battle. Yellow sat up, and felt something slam into her from behind. Her body was sucked into the void, landing hard on cold dirt.
"Fuck, why didn't you…" Yellow heard Blue fume. "Maggie!" He was at her side, lifting her to her feet. "How the hell did you…" He trailed off, looking down at the pink feline behind her. "Eris," he said solemnly.
The espeon looked up at Yellow, eyes mourning the loss of her master. "I am sorry, Meghan." It collapsed into the dirt, weary from the battle. "Master is gone."
Yellow removed her helmet, shaking the mane of blonde hair out of her face. "It's gonna be okay, Eris." She knelt beside the espeon, and held up her hypno's now empty crystal. "Will you come with me? I can take you to Delia."
The espeon nodded slowly, not bothering to open her eyes. Yellow tapped the crystal against Eris' forehead. Eris disappeared with a soft glow, the crystal glowing pink against Yellow's hand.
"We have to go." Blue said. "Lance will have legionnaires combing the mountains for any escaped rebels." He held out his hand to her. "We'll never get to Pallet on foot, and we can't teleport without Will following us."
She grabbed his hand, pulling herself to her feet. "So how're we gonna get there?"
Blue removed his helmet, shaking his sweaty mop of brown hair. "We fly." His hand dropped to the straps at his side, unbuckling them. "Help me out of my armour. Hermes can't carry both of us and our armour."
Yellow hastily tore at his buckles, practically tearing the armour from his body. Blue stepped out of his greaves, and turned to face her. She lifted her arms, allowing him to remove her armour until she was clad in only her skintight leather undersuit.
"How is the child?" Blue asked. "Any pain?"
Yellow grimaced at his question. "There's always pain." She said. "He will live. Of that much, I'm certain."
Blue raised an eyebrow and lifted a brown crystal. "If what you have told me is true, then the child will do a great more than just live." He tapped the crystal, releasing a massive pidgeot.
"That will be his choice." She replied. "I will not force him to accept a fate that he does not want."
Blue shook his head solemnly. "Funny thing about fate," he started. "It doesn't usually give you much of a choice." He tied the belt holding his crystals around his waist, and mounted the pidgeot.
Yellow mimicked him and wrapped his arms around him. "What will you do?" She asked.
"I will take the rebellion underground." He answered. "We will bide our time until we are strong enough to challenge Lance again." He dug his heels into the pidgeot's side, launching them into the air. They dwindled in size until the two surviving leaders of the rebellion were nothing but a speck in the distance.