ENTER LUCARIO, PYRAMIA'S NEW RECRUIT!

Unknown Location

Pyramia and Arcanine were still running through the woods, as they began heading towards the mountainous areas. Arcanine began to scale them until Pyramia stopped him.

"Let's rest, Arcanine," she said. Arcanine entered a cave as Pyramia went off his back. "We've done a good job, haven't we?"

"Yes, Mistress!" replied Arcanine, opening his mouth as water came down by drips from the cave's stalactites.

"Tell me, Arcanine, do you have any regrets for being my partner?"

"No, Mistress! I am happy to serve you!"

"Uh-huh. Is that the truth, or just your hypnosis self?"

"Um…" Before Arcanine can say anything, he sniffs something in the air. "Mistress, I smell… UGH!"

As Arcanine holds his nose, Pyramia sniffs the air as well, and smells a familiar smell.

"Sulfur… along with ash, but not any kind of ash. Volcanic-made ash!"

"I know, but that smell…"

"Get over it!" She looks down and sees more ash on the ground, and outside. "This is fresh, made about a few hours ago, but…" Pyramia looks at the surrounding mountains, "I sense no volcanoes here, active or otherwise"

"Then why the ash?"

Pyramia pondered for the moment, until she grinned, "Of course! Arcanine, let's go! We're following the ash!"

"Do we have to?"

Pyramia slaps Arcanine on the back of his head. "Yes!" As Arcanine began to run in the direction of the ash, Pyramia chuckled. "Only one explanation for this ash: Groudon!"

"The Legendary Continent Pokemon?!" said Arcanine as he enters a valley, where a path of a burnt clearing was seen.

"Yes, and when we find it, I'll take it and control it!"

As Pyramia chuckled, Arcanine entered the valley. The trees were so near each other, it was hard for a big Pokemon to maneuver without getting stuck. Pyramia got off Arcanine as she burnt the trees away.

"Why didn't you take the clearing?" Pyramia asked, her eyes glowing red.

"Sorry!" said Arcanine, "It's just that, I'm still thirsty and I smelled water nearby".

Pyramia growled as Arcanine approached a fresh water basin, but someone was already there, drinking from it. Pyramia and Arcanine approached and saw that it was a black and blue, canine-like Pokemon, spikes were on top of its paws. Pyramia grinned as she saw the Pokemon.

"Well, well. It's my lucky day. First, a Groudon, now…" Pyramia takes out a black ring from her robes and tosses it. The Dark Ring latched itself to the Pokemon, making it twitch as the Ring's effects began. "A Lucario is mine!"

"Lucario?!" said Arcanine, "What's it doing here in Hoenn?!"

"Must have been released from his trainer".

"And they call you Knights bad. Humans".

"Heh. Their loss is my game. Lucario, you're mine!"

Pyramia throws a Dark Ring, which attached itself around the surprised Lucario's neck, wiping all his thoughts and making his mind under her control.

"Nice toss," said Arcanine, watching as Lucario's eyes began to glow bright red.

"Come to me, Lucario!" commanded Pyramia as the Lucario approached them. "I may be a Fire Knight, but my heart is cold!"

"Now, what about Groudon?" asked Arcanine.

"We'll search for him later". Pyramia picks her new servant up onto Arcanine as she sits on him as well, "Now, take us to a nearby cave".

"At your command, Mistress".

Arcanine uses Extremespeed and rushes off, finding a suitable cave to be in while Pyramia looked at Lucario and chuckled. Moments later, they find one, with Groudon's scent still fresh. As Arcanine entered the cave, Pyramia and Lucario jump off him. Pyramia strokes Lucario's head.

"You want follow my commands, don't you?"

"Yes, my Mistress," replied Lucario.

"Excellent!" chuckled Pyramia, making the whole cave echo.

"Um, Mistress," said Arcanine, "I don't want to bother you, but what about going after Groudon?"

"First, I need to make sure that my last Dark Ring would be strong enough against a powerful Legendary Pokemon".

"How?"

"Simple". Without warning, she tosses the Dark Ring onto Arcanine's ankle, causing him to be under its control. "By testing it on you!"

TO BE CONTINUED...