Chapter Thirteen: Legendary Brawl III: VS ARTICUNO!
With its legendary cry echoing throughout the frosty forest, a third battle of Team Invincible against a Legendary Pokemon began.
With a quick dash, Justin sprang up into the air and shot a Water Gun beam at Articuno. The Legendary Bird simply chuckled, opened its beak, and began to form an icy blue sphere between its beak. After growing slightly, the sphere shot out as a thunderbolt-designed blast, which froze Justin's Water Gun.
"Whoa… That thing's powerful…" Justin gasped.
"Pika, now is the time when two opposite-minded people… Or in this case, Pokemon… Must band together and show the world that they can defeat a strong foe!" Pat said, puffing out his "chest".
"Oh, Pat…" Pika smiled, her eyes all starry and big with admiration. "That was so heroic…"
As Pika moved her head closer without realizing it, Pat began to sweat lightly.
"Uh… Pika? You're kinda creeping me out."
Pika finally realized her actions and turned away with a mad blush.
"Uh… What do you have in mind for Articuno…?"
Pat sweat-dropped, and then whispered his tactic into Pika's ear.
"Oh, I gotcha."
Meanwhile, Justin let out a loud groan as he barely dodged Articuno's swoops.
"I could use a little HELP RIGHT NOW!"
"Oh, you'll get some help, all right." Pat smirked. "Now! Combo ElectroBlaze: Shock Wave and Flamethrower!"
With that yell, Pika began to charge up a Shock Wave attack, gathering electricity from her cheeks into a sphere of lightning power. Once Pika released her attack, Pat launched a blazing beam of fire, which combined with the Shock Wave, turning it into a fire-and-electricity projectile, aimed towards Articuno.
Upon impact, a large explosion occurred, knocking the large Ice/Flying Pokemon to the ground, seemingly down for the count.
As the dust and smoke from the explosion cleared, it was soon revealed that Articuno was… STILL CONSCIOUS!
"…Whoa…" Justin gasped.
"…YOU HAVE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!" Pat screamed as Articuno rose.
"...You haven't bested me yet… Now, taste my TRUE POWER! POWDER SNOW!"
With a powerful cry, a large snowstorm blew across the cliff, hitting Justin, Pika, and Pat, all three suffering incredible damage.
"…Okay. We're doomed. GOOD-BYE, CRUEL WORLD!" cried out Pat dramatically.
"Oh, don't get your feathers in a bunch. Let's just use your combo, with one extra… Twist added."
Slowly, Justin walked over to the other two and whispered his plan to them.
"Justin, this is so crazy, it might just have two outcomes: Articuno's KO, or your death. But, let's do it anyway. Both outcomes are good."
Justin let out a loud growl and shot Pat with a Water Gun blast.
"No fooling around, Pat! Now… Combo Blazing Electro-Kamikaze Impact: Shock Wave, Flamethrower, and Rapid Spin!"
Pika began to charge up another Shock Wave. After enlarging the lightning sphere, she launched it towards Justin, with Pat turning it into the same projectile from before with Flamethrower. Justin retreated into his shell and spun swiftly along the ground towards Articuno right before the beam caught up to him, which increased his speed. This also made him become enveloped in electricity and fire, meaning the hit to Articuno was devastating, an ultra-effective attack, in a way, forcing the third Legendary Bird to the ground, with this attack being the final knockout punch.
"WE DID IT!" Pat cheered.
"We beat Articuno… Wow!" exclaimed Justin.
"Well, let's get outta here!" cried out Pika. However, before the three were able to rush to an icy slope leading downwards, Articuno let out a yell.
"STOP! I'm not through with you fools yet… Urgh…"
The large Pokemon groaned as it flew back up into a hovering position, glaring daggers at Team Invincible.
"Please, Articuno… We have to get through! No matter what it takes!" shouted Pika in desperation.
"Let us through here!" Pat growled.
Articuno huffed. "NO! I cannot allow your passage!"
"…And why is that?" asked Justin.
"The frigid air of the forest… It has warmed considerably in recent times."
WARMED UP?! I'M FREEZING OVER HERE! Justin thought angrily.
"The flow of the frigid air has been disturbed… Snow has begun to melt. Snow… Is melting. Snow that has never melted before. This has never happened before, not even once. And then…"
Articuno pointed a wing at the Team, floating down to the ground to stand. "You appeared in the forest!"
The Legendary Bird angrily rose its wings. "Is this not your doing?!"
"We have nothing to do with that! It's a coincidence!" shouted Pat in reply.
"Hear us out, Articuno…" sighed Pika. "It's not our fault the snow began to melt here. This stuff isn't just happening here…"
Justin continued Pika's sentence. "Yes. Natural disasters are happening everywhere. Even if we hadn't have come, the forest's air would still be disturbed."
"Is that all? You idiots expect me to believe that?!"
A light blue flash enlightened the sky briefly.
"Crud. We're doomed." Pat groaned as Articuno rose to the air again.
"ENOUGH OF YOUR FOOLISH TALK! PREPARE FOR YOUR END! NOW!"
Before Articuno could prepare for an attack, a deep voice rang out.
"Stop it!"
Articuno gasped as a familiar Pokemon jumped down from a ledge in front of Team Invincible… It was the white and black Pokemon from before!
"A-Absol!" cried out Articuno.
The Pokemon, Absol, spoke up.
"There is nothing false with what they said. Calamities are indeed happening everywhere."
"…Is that true…?"
"Yes. I have the ability to sense natural disasters. The disasters occurring are of a special nature, one which I've never experienced."
Articuno remained silent, and then:
"…Fine. I believe you. You may pass."
Team Invincible's members grinned and began to walk over to the icy slope. Articuno stopped them.
"However! You must try to prevent the calamities from spreading… I am counting on you!"
Pika nodded. "Okay."
Articuno flew up into the sky, leaving Team Invincible with Absol. Justin and Pika turned to the Dark-type Pokemon.
"Thank you, Absol. You saved us."
Absol turned around. "Rather than saying thanks, focus on stopping the calamities before they worsen. If the disasters are left unchecked, worse shall befall us… My instinct warns me so…"
Justin let out a groan.
"I was led here by my feelings of foreboding…"
Absol turned around again, his back to the Team now. "…I believe it would be best if we joined forces… I shall join you."
All three were shocked.
"You join us?! Really?" asked Justin.
"…Yes. To put an end to these natural disasters, cooperation is vital! Allow me to lend you… My powers."
Pika smiled. "Thank you Absol…"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
And so… After getting through the Frosty Forest, Team Invincible… Along with new partner Absol… Headed further north… The more they advanced… The harsher the conditions became…