And now to finish up from last chapter. Of course, I realize everyone seems to be on vacation (except for me, as always) but hopefully you have a bit of time to vacation in Alola with me. Time for Chapter 21!
Chapter 21
A Bloodlust
"One month!" Kukui's voice rang out across the table. Gary didn't pay much attention to it, despite the loudness of it. He was busy putting his notebooks lazily on the table and flicking open to the research he had taken down over the last few weeks. "Okay, not quite; more like a month and half or so, but construction of the stadium will be done around then, and I think the League would be best to be held at that time."
"I second it," Akela spoke, absentmindedly flipping her sunglasses up and down. She, too, looked bored, briefly staring out the window to the dawning sun.
"Is there any particular reason?" Cynthia chose to ask, and now Gary decided he should probably start paying attention to what was actually going on around him. Kukui grinned and sat back, propping his feet up on the stone table. Akela looked at him with a rather annoyed expression.
"There's a special event happening soon, or so the people at Hokulani Observatory have said to Samson Oak," Kukui admitted. Gary's eyebrows flew up. He'd heard about his grandfather's cousin, but didn't know very much about him at all. Thinking on it, he knew that he'd have to ask Kukui more later, perhaps pay the man a visit, but the professor was continuing on. "The astronomers are calling it the Day of Stars, because the stars will 'align with each other'. I mean, no idea what it all means, but considering the legends and records of all the legendary Pokémon having a connection to the celestial bodies in the sky, I figured it would be way cool to hold the final match right before the Day of Stars, finishing off the League with a bang! Woo!"
"Calm down, Kukui," Hala rumbled, folding his hands across his chest. The professor grinned with a look of apology, but it was obvious that his request would be considered highly. "I do second the notion. It would be quite the event."
"If everything goes well," Kahili said from her seat next to Gary. Her legs were crossed, one over the other, as all eyes turned to her. Gary arched an eyebrow and he looked to Steven and Cynthia, the latter having pursed her lips. The air in the room had ratcheted up with tension from the declaration, but Kahili didn't look the slightest bit perturbed by it all. "Oh, come on, we all know the reason we've been called here, don't we?"
"The fate of Alola," Olivia remarked. She, too, had her legs crossed, peering across at the other woman. Out of all of them there, only Akela looked less than interested, though as Gary watched her, he noticed she was really just feigning an act of not caring.
"Yes, there have been disturbing trends of late," Hala grumbled out. Kahili remained relaxed as she responded to Hala's words.
"Pretty much, and I'd like to think our League representatives know exactly what that means," she spoke. From the movement to the side of him, Gary could tell that both Steven and Cynthia were acknowledging her points. "No one wants another disaster like the Kalos League, do they?"
"Definitely not," Kukui muttered. "We'll just have to be very careful about it, keep an eye on the shadows. At the very least, we know that no one here would perpetuate an attack of any sort on the League."
"That's true," Cynthia spoke up. "We've been monitoring things, and while the prediction of the tipping point coming closer is most likely correct, there is no reason to believe any infiltration has been made. ARC has been far too careful about that, and we Champions have trusted them implicitly. Our internal structure is secure; we've made sure of it."
"So, what exactly is this tipping point?" Hapu questioned, placing her hands on her knees. Steven cleared his throat, leaning forward a bit to explain the situation with those unfamiliar. Gary kept himself sharp as the Hoenn Champion spoke.
"As far as we understand it, a tipping point is an event that can send the world one of two ways: towards enduring peace, or ultimate destruction," the Champion told them all. "There's a bit more to it than that, but the principle is sound. For example, had Ash Ketchum and friends not stopped Lysandre or various other organizations in Kalos from carrying out their plans, the world as we know it would be gone."
"That would imply, then, that we should have peace, shouldn't it?" Akela suddenly asked, snapping back to her state of sharp attention. She sounded harsh to Gary's ears, as though the idea of peace almost sounded foreign.
"One would think," Steven continued to explain, "however, Diantha believes from the past that we could have a number of tipping points, or perhaps that the tipping point for this world has not yet passed."
"This world?" Olivia asked, placing a nailed finger upon her lips in interest. Gary watched all the reactions (or non-reactions for some of them) with interest; Steven was getting into the weird stuff with that kind of statement.
"It's unimportant. Point is, we fear Alola is heading for its own tipping point from which there will be no return if it goes the wrong way. Heahea simply cemented those fears."
"Yes, I'd imagine…" Hala confirmed. He was stroking his chin now, obviously thinking about what next to say. No one else spoke as he deliberated in his mind, informing Gary that this man was truly at the top of the Kahuna chain. "I'm inclined to agree with your thoughts, and from Kukui's request, I'd suppose that he does, just as well."
"I do. The Tapus have been choosing their champions, after all," Kukui stated. He was no longer grinning or lounging, and it spoke to the whole severity of the situation they were now discussing. Gary had a question form in his mind, and he could see that question on the tip of the Champions' tongues, but Kukui forged ahead. "As the Kahunas here know, the Tapus only ever select champions when they feel that there is a threat coming to Alola. Those champions then become the Kahunas we see here."
"Just the same as six years ago," Olivia pointed out. "I've already informed my captains on the matter, so they can all understand just where our fear for the islands lie."
"Six years ago, hm?" Akela asked, and she didn't seem to be the only one thinking reflectively on the entire subject. Hapu, as well, was staring down at the adornment known as a Z-Ring on her wrist. "It would appear there was much pain, then."
"More than enough. If they are doing the same as then, there is no doubt that Alola is moving towards some sort of major conflict," Hala grumbled. Gary continued to watch, wondering if any of his research would actually be of any use in a battle between titans. Next to him, Kahili was in rapt attention, though her mind also seemed far away, as if recalling a memory she'd long since forgotten.
"Could Guzma and his loathsome Team Skull be behind it, then? Goodness knows he always got into trouble on the best of days at school," Akela mused thoughtfully.
"Doubtful," was Hala's simple response. "Guzma may have the force of strength behind him, but he ultimately lacks the brains, I'm sorry to say. My great failing as his master. He'd sooner follow someone else's plan than think of his own if it's a person he respects."
"Not that he respects many, so it kind of tosses him out," Kukui concluded. Akela nodded at her fellow classmate's assessment, though the two shared some kind of look that indicated their past together. At least, that was Gary's observation, whatever this mysterious past was. Cynthia was now leaning forward.
"You know, from what you seem to be saying about the Tapus choosing proxies, or champions, it sounds eerily similar to a few years back when the lake spirits chose some trainers to stand against Team Galactic," she said. Her gaze moved towards Gary, and he nodded.
"Yeah, Ashy-boy and the others were selected because of the qualities they embodied, or something like that," Gary confirmed. His statement sent some mutterings around the area, and Hala stopped his stroking.
"Tapu Koko has chosen Ash as his champion." That was all the statement the old man needed to make in that moment. Gary snapped a look to Cynthia in surprise, though Steven hardly looked rattled by it.
"Tapu Lele chose Serena," Olivia followed up with. There was a little more muttering and Steven chuckled under his breath. Gary knew the reason why: Ash always seemed to find himself so involved with things.
"Then that leaves Tapu Bulu," Akela spoke up. "And Tapu Fini."
"Tapu Bulu may yet be a mystery, though I have reason to believe it has already chosen its champion," Hapu said sternly, her eyes sharp and focused, "but Tapu Fini has not chosen a new Kahuna in over fifty years."
"Tapu Fini never does anything," Kahili pointed out. "Makes you wonder why Nanu wasn't the Kahuna of Poni Island."
"Tapu Fini is, perhaps, the most capricious of us all, in its own way," Hala stated. "That we could fathom the ways of our guardian deities, we would, perhaps, be better guarded against whatever is about to assail our region."
"You know, I did hear a rumor of a guy doing just that," Kahili pointed out. She was drumming her fingers against the stone table, lips twisted in thought. "Just a rumor, but they say he calls himself Y, and he goes around studying ancient lore, particularly in caves and such stuff. Last I heard about him was during the Kalos Classic a year or two back. I don't even remember the conversation, now…but you hear a lot of random gossip on the course."
Y, huh…? Gary thought to himself, looking at Kahili carefully. Was it possible that the one he had encountered in the caves those weeks ago was the self-same man? He shared a look with Steven, showing he was thinking the same thing, though neither said anything. Kahili clearly thought it was just a random quip of interest, nothing to be taken seriously. The growing threat in Alola, however, was.
"Well, regardless of the Tapus, we can't sit around and let our region fall to some mysterious threat," Kukui said. "I know Diantha has thought much the same thing, considering she sent all of you here. Any progress?"
"Well, we've been spending some time exploring Poni Island, but it's been difficult," Steven explained. "There's a barrier around the…Altar of the Sunne, I believe it's called?"
"Yes, I'd imagine," Olivia said. She lifted her Z-Ring up. "There's usually a barrier around a captain's trial site, when the captain so chooses to employ it. We use our captains' emblems to get through and clear it. The principle is that they're covered in Z-Crystal dust from the podiums that serve as the entranceway."
"That's the hypothesis I came to," Gary informed the table, at last speaking up about the reason he'd come there for. "The walls of Resolution Cave seem similar to those qualities that make up your Z-Rings, though without further study, I truly can't confirm it."
"We'd need to analyze properties with tools and manpower we simply don't have," Steven said. "Regardless, the two are connected. If something like this is guarded so well by nature, one can assume that, with nature on the move, it will play a role in the upcoming crisis."
"You're assuming, then, that only nature has something to do with it," Olivia pointed out, nails rapping lightly on the stone. "You haven't found a way through the barrier yet, then?"
"Haven't really tried," Gary answered her, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small silver crystal, slamming it on the table. All eyes were drawn to it. "However, if it's because of Z-Rings and all that stuff like you said, I have an idea that might get us through. I'll have to test it, though. It'll take time."
Plus, if it's like that guy, Y or whatever, said, then the crystals might be the key, Gary mused to himself, sharing yet another conspiring look with Steven. They couldn't share their findings just yet, but they were close enough that they could gird Alola against attack. We'll be ready by then.
"Well, we'll trust in you," Kukui said with a grin. "Burnet's studying the rift that appeared in the sky to determine what's beyond it, but I'm thinking it might have something to do with the upcoming danger. Diantha dispatched you both here to investigate it, right?"
"Yes, and I have a theory about that, as well," Gary noted. He looked to the two Champions that nodded their heads, urging him to go on. "The battle in Geosenge changed a lot of things, and I think that it might have opened up the door to this 'Ultra Space'. They may have been open a long time ago, if things are tied together, but I think that until recently, it was sealed shut. However, by closing the rifts created by the Ultimate Weapon, it allowed these to open once more. Some are smaller pockets of space that are a little more natural, like I'd suspect…but I'd worry that the one in Heahea City is not."
"Explain," Akela said sharply. Gary had no problem doing so, placing a hand on top of his notes.
"I think someone knocked on the door to the Ultra Space once before, while it was in its sealed state, but the state of reality at the time prevented it from being realized," he said with conviction. "Now that DARC's actions caused the fabric of reality to unfurl a little, it's made it possible for that same someone, I'd presume, to knock on the door again. This time, they got their answer."
"So, the Ultra Beasts, as Professor Burnet terms them, would be our incoming threat then?" Hapu asked, her eyes wide. Hala suddenly stood, his chair scraping out with a horrible noise as he slammed his gavel upon the table. His body was shaking with fury and all eyes were riveted upon him, gulping.
"Someone wishes to taint our islands? ! Someone wishes to defile it with these creatures? !" Hala roared, his voice emanating around the table. "I'll not stand for it! These are our islands! This is our home! I'll not allow someone's vain ambitions to stain it, and the Tapus most certainly will not either. Their wrath will rain down upon those foolish enough to oppose them! They may choose their Champions as they wish, but we are still the Kahunas of this land, chosen by Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu and Tapu Fini.
"And with the full might of our position as Kahunas, we will obliterate any who would wish to harm our region, no matter who they are or where they stand!"
"Pikachu, dodge, now!" The Shadow Claw slammed into the ground, barely missing Pikachu's form, to the point a few small furs flitted away from his body. Deep gouges were impacted into the ground, now that the illusion was completely broken. Small streams of dawn were breaking in to the building, and all of the Ghost Pokémon around them were swarming. Behind Ash, Serena and the members of Team Rocket were drawing together.
"Ash," Serena called out, though she didn't sound panicked. Now that it was obvious that Pokémon were the ones making the creepy things happen, she had completely calmed down. He looked to her and nodded for the briefest of seconds before turning to face the giant Mimikyu, whose eyes were glowing yellow on its chest, causing a shiver to go up the trainer's spine.
"We've gotta end this if that Totem wants to hurt Pikachu so badly. Use Thunderbolt!" Ash called, throwing his arm out. He wasn't able to do so easily, given all the Ghost types swarming him, but it was enough. Pikachu summoned up the electricity inside him.
"Chuuuuuuu!" The Thunderbolt went searing out, aiming right for Mimikyu. Acerola giggled at the sight of it from atop the Totem Pokémon; he wondered if she was just an illusion, like before. The little facts of Acerola greeting them outside made much more sense now. Ash clenched his fist, watching the bolt aim for Mimikyu, only to be stopped by a Haunter floating in the way, taking the full attack. A screeching noise was heard, and a dark, shadowy claw came out from underneath Mimikyu's cloth. It slashed across Pikachu, sending him flying back. "Pikaaaa!"
"Pikachu!" Ash called, watching as Pikachu barely righted himself on the ground. The Ghost Pokémon army was descending upon him now, blocking Ash's vision from the vicious Mimikyu, whose Shadow Claw was whipping wildly in an attempt to get to Pikachu.
"Brionne, Bubblebeam!"
"You, too, Crabrawler!" Ash was surprised to hear James' voice alongside his girlfriend's, but he didn't doubt it for a second when the bubbles exploded against the Pokémon in front of him and restored his vision. He didn't waste a second of the distraction.
"Toucannon, Flame Charge!" Ash cried. Toucannon nodded, her large beak moving with the action. That same beak sparked with fire, consuming her body as she shot forward, aiming for Mimikyu.
"Yeah! Go, twoip!"
"Meowth, you could always help out," James snapped. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash could see Meowth folding his arms.
"I could, but all I know is Fury Swipes, which won't help against Ghost types."
"Wobba." Ash rolled his eyes and was forced to subsequently grit his teeth when the swarm of Ghost Pokémon were surrounding Toucannon, preventing her from moving forward at all. The flames were beginning to peter out.
"Transfer all the heat into your beak!" Ash cried out. Toucannon didn't stop moving, but the flames vanished, suddenly turning her beak the same red hot color from before that the ghosts accidentally struck. It reached a zenith as the Pokémon were burned, and Ash instantly went into action. "Jangmo-o, use Dragon Tail on Mimikyu while they're distracted."
"Jang jan!" the Scale Pokémon cried out and he darted across the floor, unseen by the majority of the ghosts that were there. Just before he could reach Mimikyu, Toucannon's beak exploded. The blast didn't even touch Mimikyu, whose claw was now searching for Pikachu through the smoke. Most of the ghosts were scattered, and those that weren't seemed to be scared away by Crabrawler and Brionne's combined Bubblebeam. Ash figured they'd get their second wind, soon, though. "Mojan!"
"Yes!" Ash called, having finally scored a hit. Jangmo-o was bounding away, his green tail fading back to normal. Only, once the smoke cleared, Ash's eyes widened. Jangmo-o's attack had definitely hit, but Mimikyu didn't seem damaged at all, as though it was immune. "It's a Fairy type? !"
"Didn't you know?" Acerola teased. She leapt off of Mimikyu, landing deftly (and with a thud that proved she was real) on the ground. She leaned against the backdoor, grinning as Ash and Jangmo-o attempted to recover. It was simply too late, however. A Gastly had broken free and sent pulsing waves at Jangmo-o, causing it to slowly fall asleep. "Play Rough!"
The screeching from Mimikyu was horrible, but the sight was even more so. The way it moved, swaying back and forth with a lopsided figure that was creepy, until it reached Jangmo-o was frightening. The little dragon stood no chance against the attack, battered around and about by the ghost concealed in a cloth as soon as it reached him. All over Jangmo-o's body, he was battered, puffs of white smoke curling upward with little stars, before being tossed back. Ash quickly whipped out his pokeball to recall him. Mimikyu wasn't hesitating at all, however, launching a Shadow Ball from its glowing yellow eyes. The thing definitely had a bloodlust.
"Pikachu, look out!" Ash called, but the swarm of Ghost Pokémon now returning to the fray made that rather difficult. The orb of crackling shadows launched off and hit the locked down Pikachu. Once again, his body flew back, only for Decidueye to appear and pull him away, landing deftly next to Ash. He hadn't even noticed his Pokémon's presence. "This army of Ghost Pokémon is getting to be too much…there's gotta be a way to get close."
"Kooroo," Decidueye agreed. Ash clenched his fist, trying to figure out a way to do so, especially with the bloodlust that Mimikyu gave off making it impossible for Pikachu to make a move. To the side, Inkay was launching a Psybeam as James and Serena were holding off the army. Ash had to wonder where Clemont and the others were. His gaze slipped along, taking stock of the situation, and it hit him.
"Decidueye, throw your Leaf Blade to the sides of Mimikyu!" Ash commanded, bringing his fist slamming down. Decidueye nodded in agreement and surged forward, ghostly in nature, himself. The tips of his wings glowed green, calling forth his blades. He tossed them as requested: close to Mimikyu, but not dead center. The Haunter in the army reacted instantly, moving to intercept the attacks getting so close to their leader. It opened up for the striking opportunity. "Now, close range Leaf Blade!"
"Sai sai!" Decidueye called, practically vanishing in the darkness before appearing in front of their main target. He made a cross slash, slicing right across the neck area of Mimikyu's form and appearing on the other side, cloak billowing backwards. Ash watched a moment, feeling a little triumphant…when Mimikyu's neck seemed to snap. Worse than that, its screeching sound increased tenfold as it slowly turned.
"That's beyond creepy right now!" Serena insisted with a tremor in her voice. Ash wanted to agree; Mimikyu's penchant for avoiding damage was annoying, and the way its neck seemed to be broken was even creepier. That soon became the source of even more problems.
"Shadow Claw, Mimikyu," Acerola said, doing a little twirl with the command. The writhing claw of shadows shot out, aiming straight for Decidueye. Ash acted automatically.
"Pikachu, block it with Iron Tail!" Pikachu leapt forward with his momentary freedom, not quite noticed by the yet encroaching army. His tail glowed white and he swung it around, getting in between Mimikyu and Decidueye. The two attacks collided, straining against one another with passion. Mimikyu's eyes shined yellow and menacing, and the Shadow Claw pushed further. Ash was watching Acerola, and the girl's own eyes seemed to flash. She was up to something. The sound of a pokeball opening rang in Ash's ears, and he saw Serena had called out Braixen to aid her. A sudden idea hit him, just as he saw a Gengar with glowing red eyes aiming for the still straining Pikachu.
"Serena, let's combine attacks! Toucannon, use Flame Charge on that Gengar and keep going!" he cried. Serena didn't need to give any sort of confirmation; it was obvious that she was on his side. Toucannon blazed with fire once more, shooting off. At the same time, Braixen struck, a gushing Flamethrower erupting from her wand to join with Toucannon's flames. Those spits of fire rushed out like a phoenix, creating a stunning view of Toucannon. She reached Gengar in no time from her immensely increased speed, allowing her to blast right through it and slam into Mimikyu's shining eyes. The Totem Pokémon faltered.
"Chu pika!" Pikachu cried, whipping his tail around multiple times. First, it broke the Shadow Claw, then it slammed into Mimikyu's head before landing nimbly by Decidueye. Mimikyu staggered, its head flopping a bit, but it wasn't done, and Acerola looked like she was taking a vested interest in the next part of the battle (or at least not letting Mimikyu's bloodlust towards Pikachu reign supreme).
"Wood Hammer on Toucannon!" Mimikyu halted its newest attempt at tearing Pikachu apart in order to flip around and whip its glowing green tail, which Ash only just realized existed, towards Toucannon. Neither Ash or Toucannon saw it coming as it smacked into her, sending her smashing into a wall against her wing. A nearby Gengar opened its mouth and sent out purple, poisonous darts that peppered her body, causing her to cry out. Ash grabbed for her pokeball. "Now, Play Rough!"
"Pikachu, Electro Ball! Decidueye, keep the others off of him with Leaf Blade!" Ash cried. Mimikyu had already reached Toucannon, smacking her around with those same puffs of smoke and pale stars. Pikachu raised his tail, the pulsing orb of electricity gathered at the end of it.
"…chu pi!" he yelled, sending the electricity at his foe. Decidueye flitted forward, slicing at their other opponents while tossing some swords to get at those moving in. It created a straight shot for the Electro Ball that slammed into Mimikyu, halting its attack. Ash took the moment to call Toucannon back before any more damage could be done.
"You were amazing," he whispered, keeping one eye on the battle. It was unlike any official one he'd fought before, forcing him to keep an eye on all his surroundings. "I'm really proud of you for evolving, and I know we'll keep growing together. So, leave the rest to us for now."
"Ash, it's attacking again!" Serena yelled. Ash felt the warmth in his palm of Toucannon's proud acceptance and he hooked her on to his belt again. He heard Serena call for a Disarming Voice and Hidden Power, catching sight of both of the attacks in the distance while James' Crabrawler was firing off the black spheres of Payback at their opponents. Mimikyu, true to Serena's words, was firing off a crackling orb of ghostly energy.
"Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped into the air, right for the Shadow Ball. He swung his glowing tail upward, colliding with the Shadow Ball.
"Pi…kaaaa…" he cried, teeth gritting. He was losing out against the Shadow Ball, too, especially from the way another Shadow Claw was darting out.
"Use Spark!"
"Komala, Wood Hammer!" Ash turned his head at the voices. The small, boxy shape barreled across the ground at incredible speed, wreathed in electricity, with Komala resting atop it. As Charjabug reached Mimikyu, Komala rolled off, swinging its chunk of green-glowing wood into their screeching foe. Pikachu still lost against the Shadow Ball, slammed into the ground, but the Shadow Claw vanished.
"Sorry it took us so long! I think we fell asleep!" Clemont's voice yelled. Ash grinned, seeing the form of Clemont leading the pack that was himself, Lillie, Bonnie and Jessie. Clutched in Bonnie's arms was the still roughly deactivated Rotom.
"It was really weird…one second we were standing there, and then bam, red eyes."
"We woke up on our feet…" Lillie laughed out, dabbing at some sweat on her face, clutching to her bag carefully. Jessie didn't seem to care about the rest of them, reaching James and Meowth in seconds.
"James, Meowth! I'm so glad you're okay!" she wailed, clutching tightly to all of them. Their Pokémon did the same with Bewear wrapping them all in a giant and bone-crushing hug, holding them in place. Ash blinked, an idea coming to his brain.
"Jess! I thought you'd been eaten!"
"I just thought you left," James admitted. They were both smacked for that, but continued to cry in relief. Ash tried to forget about them.
"Decidueye, I need you to work fast! Use Spirit Shackle on all of the Ghost Pokémon, right away!" Ash called. Team Rocket seemed to jump at the command, Gourgeist in particular. He had a feeling they were about to scurry as soon as there was a window. "Clemont, everyone, I need your help, too!"
"Kooroo!" Decidueye called, suddenly stringing his arrow and aiming it up towards the floating ghosts. He fired rapidly, and the arrows began to circle through the area. Some Pokémon fell, but others became utterly locked in place, unable to move from their position. To that effect, their eyes glowed yellow and red as Mimikyu continued to recover from the earlier interference.
"My turn! Use Aqua Jet!" Serena cried. Brionne veiled herself in water and shot off for the Ghost Pokémon that were attempting to hypnotize them once again. She traveled in a zigzag fashion, slamming into all of them and drenching them in water.
"Now, Dedenne, Parabolic Charge!"
"Decidueye, get Mimikyu with Acrobatics," Ash called. As Dedenne began charging his giant ball of electricity, Decidueye raced forward, body glowing turquoise. He kicked outward, flipping through the air. The invisible force slammed into Mimikyu, driving it against the doors. Acerola was out of the way now, her eyes wide, but her mouth still smiling.
"Play Rough!"
"Counter it!" Ash screamed. Dedenne's attack went off, showering the whole area with electricity that even Pikachu seemed to enjoy a little. The ghosts were all shocked from the water covering their bodies as Decidueye and Mimikyu's bodies met. Mimikyu clearly was trying to hit Decidueye, but he was nimble, flitting into the shadows and kicking outward. The force of the attack sent Mimikyu stumbling back. "Now, Thunderbolt!"
"Shadow Claw on Decidueye, quick!" Acerola cried. Ash tried to split his attention between all the Pokémon, but despite calling for Decidueye to move, the horrid claw that dripped with shadows flew out and nailed him in the chest. He wasn't down, but Ash didn't want to push it further when Pikachu was in a good position, striking Mimikyu with the powerful bolt of electricity.
"Team Rocket!" Ash called. "You guys wanna get out of here, right?"
"You bet we do!" Jessie cried from the comfort of Bewear's arms. Ash nodded and turned, holding his hand out towards Serena. She stared at it a moment, and he hoped she would understand his message. He had done his trial with Clemont, with Bonnie, even with Lillie in some weird sense. Now he wanted to finish this one with her. She grinned and walked over to take his hand.
"Good, then, help Clemont and the others in holding those Ghost types back so we can finish this! You do that, and we'll all be free!" Ash shouted, raising his and Serena's joined hands, feeling her warmth and pride.
"Why do I feel this will end in a blast off?" James sighed.
"Well, betta to go out wit a bang," Meowth said. Ash grinned. It was time to end this. Serena looked over to Acerola and the two locked eyes, almost grinning at one another. Jessie appeared to break free of Bewear and pointed at Ash and Serena.
"All right, twerp, we'll do your terms if you do ours: we're blasting off!"
"You're kidding…" James said with exasperation. When Jessie leveled a glare at him, however, he snapped to and stood by her side like he'd never questioned it. "That's right! Team Rocket is going out in grand style!"
"And we'll stop our thievin' for a while!"
"Wobba wobb!" Wobbuffet agreed. That was good enough for Ash, and he nodded. Pikachu did so, too, willing to give Team Rocket the very odd request they'd asked for. He did suppose it was some kind of tradition for them, in any case.
"We'll back you up," Clemont said, thumping his chest as Charjabug and Komala returned to form ranks around their trainers. Jessie seemed to brush the issue off, striding forward.
"Yeah, yeah, science twerp. You focus on the surroundings, and we'll deal with the ones in the way," she snapped. It was as good a strategy as ever for Ash, who noticed the ghosts that had yet to be defeated were now breaking free of Decidueye's Spirit Shackle. "Just finish this, twerp and twerpette!"
"We're on it! Braixen, Psyshock!"
"Shadow Ball!" Acerola shouted. It seemed to Ash more like Serena and the captain were the ones battling now. Mimikyu screeched and scratched, bending its body at a weird angle as its aura flared up. Nevertheless, it created an array of Shadow Balls that it then fired out. Braixen swiped her claws and did the same. The purple streaks flew through the area colliding with the dark orbs and causing them to explode like a stream of stars.
"Now, Pikachu! Iron Tail!" Ash called, punching forward. Pikachu slapped his tail on the ground, bounding upward until he was above Mimikyu. He then spun a little and slammed down on top of it with a loud cracking noise. Mimikyu's tail swung out with its green glow, slamming viciously into Pikachu and making him collide with the wall. "Pikachu, you okay? !"
"Ka…chu…" Pikachu breathed out, indicating he was just fine.
"We can deal with Pikachu in a moment, 'kay, Mimikyu?" Acerola asked, still as cheery as ever despite the state of the battle. "Use Wood Hammer on Braixen!"
"Fire Blast!" Serena shouted powerfully. Both of their hands raised together as they seemed to punch forward. Braixen danced forward, grunting a little, and she jabbed her wand straight ahead. The five-pronged stream of fire shot outward, colliding with the Wood Hammer. Mimikyu's shadowy claw shot out without warning, aiming for Braixen. "Block it with your wand!"
"Braaaaaai!" Braixen shouted, barely managing to hold her wand up in time. The Shadow Claw connected with it and the two were locked in place. To the side, Komala was using Mimikyu's own attack by rolling to the side in order to have it slam into the ghosts. Likewise, Team Rocket was closer to the site of the battle against Mimikyu, Crabrawler using Bubblebeam while Bewear spun Gourgeist around to launch attacks.
"Electro Ball!" Ash said, and this time he let go of Serena's hand. Pikachu was back up, jumping over near Ash.
"Pika pika pika pika pika chu pi!" Pikachu cried, launching the large orb of electricity at Mimikyu. It slammed into it, breaking its assault and driving it back, the cloth around it sagging forward.
"Well, sorry Reena, but-"
"We're not giving you the chance!" Serena called. It took a single look to know what she was thinking. Before Acerola could finish her statement, both Ash and Serena had raised their hands and crossed them before uncrossing them. The backs of their hands brushed, but then they were moving forward in familiar poses, their Pokémon imitating them.
"Time to end this! Pikachu!" Ash cried. His arms came together, hands in opposite directions as the Z-Power flooded him. The same was happening for Serena. "Gigavolt Havoc!"
"Shattered Psyche!" The attacks struck at once. Braixen twisted her wand and Mimikyu, as large as it was, was consumed in a small vortex and then hurled through the air. Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu were punching forward, the electricity brimming along Pikachu's fingertips. Mimikyu slammed into an invisible wall before jettisoning off and hitting another, and then another and another, and when it finally paused for a second, Pikachu fired.
"Pika pika pi-ka!" he cried, sending the hurlting thunder blade firing at the suspended Mimikyu. It pierced it, shattering the final barrier created through Serena's own move.
Skreeeeeeeeeee! The screeching reached such intense levels that it sounded like something was dying. Then, the bolt exploded. Ash and Serena grabbed hold of each other while Clemont grabbed on to a bolted down display case, with Bonnie and Lillie grabbing on to him. The only ones not taking precautions were Team Rocket, who were running forward with a strange look of glee. As the combined Z-Moves blasted upward, they were consumed by its strength, knocking a hole in the roof and somehow sending them, along with Mimikyu's strange cloth, flying out of it. Ash thought he saw a shadow escaping at the same time.
"Team Rocket's blasting off one last time!" they cried happily, disappearing with a twinkle into the dawn sky. As the smoke cleared moments later, there was no sign of them or their Pokémon, nor was there a sign of Mimikyu…like it was never there…
The sounds of battle ceased almost immediately, the Ghost Pokémon halting in all of their movements. They all glanced around at one another as, suddenly, sunlight streamed through the backdoor of the Megamart, illuminating its dilapidated interior. They scatted to the shadows that were cast, as if frightened, though Ash figured it had more to do with Mimikyu's defeat than anything else.
"Bzzt…roto-roto-roto!" Bonnie nearly fell on to her butt, caught by Lillie as Rotom shot back up into the air. "Full functionality restored! What happened?"
"Interesting," Clemont examined. He was peering at Rotom most liberally, as if thinking of taking him apart and examining him for whatever reason he could think of. "I wonder if all of the ghost activity in here caused it to shut down because Rotom is Ghost type Pokémon."
"I thought you didn't believe in ghosts, Clemont," Bonnie said slyly. Her brother folded his arms with a huff.
"There is a great difference between ghosts and Ghost Pokémon, thank you very much! And no, I don't believe in ghosts! They're incredibly unscientific!" Clemont stated, as if in defiance of his sister.
"Well, there have been reports of ghosts, though," Lillie saw fit to point out. Clemont didn't like that, and it sparked a conversation between the three blonds about historical sightings, how scientifically impossible it was, and Bonnie just thinking they were cute. Shaking his head, Ash looked down to Pikachu.
"Pikachu, you did awesome!" he cried, reaching his hand down. Pikachu jumped up, slapping his tail against it.
"Pi pika!" he cried as he did so, before leaping into Ash's arms. Once he had, Ash looked over to Decidueye, who was up and shaking his head.
"You were awesome, too, Decidueye! The whole team was!" Ash called over to the Arrow Quill Pokémon. The Pokémon raised a wing up, smiling pleasingly. Getting his sudden idea, Ash dug into his backpack and pulled out two loose Oran Berries, tossing one to Pikachu and the other to Decidueye.
"Kookooroo!" Decidueye thanked him, gulping it down, but looking like he wanted much more. Ash figured he'd have to ask Serena to make some pokepuffs for all of them. Thinking of that, he turned to his girlfriend as she stood next to him.
"Thanks, Serena," he said, with just a little less excitement than he had thanked his Pokémon. "You were really awesome with your Z-Move, and I don't think I would have won the battle without you."
"Nice of you to say, Ash, but I know you would have figured it out," she told him with a wink. He wanted to hug her in thanks. More than that, he wished he could have swept her up, the feeling inside threatening to burst, drawing his memory back to the tent in the desert. Those thoughts were swiftly banished from his mind, especially thanks to Acerola.
"Yay! You did it, Ashy!" the girl cried out, and he found himself and Serena suddenly engulfed by her hug. "You were both super awesome!"
"Ah, thanks," Ash chuckled out, though it was interrupted by an "oof" that resulted when he fell to the ground with the two girls. Clemont seemed to flinch, ending their own group's conversation. Funnily enough, Ash noticed Rotom turning this way and that, as if trying to still figure out exactly what had happened to itself.
"I'm surprised you were able to take Mimikyu out," Acerola said, sitting up on the ground with a grin. "I have a lot of trial-goers, but lots of them have problems with Mimikyu to the point I have to tone down the other Pokémon…and they don't have Mimikyu trying to destroy their Pikachu."
"Pikachu…" Pikachu said, clearly feeling a little shivering. Ash looked down to his perennial partner and smiled. However, there was a little bit of curiosity there.
"Uh, why does Mimikyu hate Pikachu so much?" he asked, rubbing his partner on the top of his head. Pikachu cooed contentedly at that while Decidueye suddenly reappeared next to Ash, having vanished almost completely. Acerola gave off a nervous giggle at that.
"It gets jealous of Pikachu for some reason. Something about more people preferring Pikachu or something," she said, sitting back. Acerola began to dig into her dress to pull something out while Ash waited for any more explanation. "See, Pikachu used to be the mascot of the Megamart here, but when it was abandoned, all the Ghost types moved in. Every day, Mimikyu saw Pikachu's face, and it grew to hate Pikachu. So, it's nothing personal."
"Oh…all right," Ash laughed out, rubbing the back of his head. He glanced out towards the glass doors from which the sun was now streaming through. He couldn't see it from his angle, but he wondered if the ocean was just as beautiful in the sunrise as ever, despite the blackened sands.
"Well, you completed the trial fair and square! And Reena mastered Z-Moves!" Acerola said, drawing to her feet and spinning around. When she faced back towards them, she was holding the all too familiar box. "It's all yours: the Ghostium-Z and proof of completing the Trial of Acerola!"
With those words, she held forward the box, popping it open and revealing both the crystal and wedge inside. Ash breathed in and reached out for it, gripping them both. Before making any other movements, Ash stood, and he placed the wedge on to his amulet, almost filling in the border. Just one main trial left. Grinning at the thought of it, he jumped up.
"All right! I got the Ghostium-Z!" he cried. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, cheering with him. The others all threw their hands into the air in congratulations. Well, everyone except for Rotom.
"Rotom still does not understand…but Rotom feels like Rotom has missed a great opportunity, bzzt."
"And you'll never know," Bonnie teased, winking at the Pokédex. Rotom rounded on Bonnie, as though demanding that she tell it absolutely everything. The lemon blonde wasn't listening, though. She had grabbed on to Lillie's hand and was pulling her out of the backdoor, as if to survey the sunrise with her. Nebby hopped out, too, smiling at Komala as he rolled along.
"Bonnie, don't just…wait for me!" Clemont cried, racing after them. At least some of his running pace had been much improved.
"So…just one trial left," Serena said from her place on the floor. Ash reached a hand out to her and pulled her up before returning Decidueye.
"Well, and about three Grand Trials, but we'll just have to keep training for those," Ash reminded her. She nodded, seemingly thinking about how it would all go. It did feel a little odd to still have more trials to complete, despite there being just a single wedge on his amulet. "I'm sure you'll want to head to Oricorio Town first, though."
"I wouldn't mind it."
"It's fine with me. I don't even know where Nanu's Grand Trial is held…"
"You can always ask him yourself," Acerola informed them in a chipper voice. Both of the teens looked to her, arching their eyebrows in interest. "He's supposed to be here by now, I think."
"Wait, Nanu is coming here?" Ash asked in surprise. Acerola spun a little with a grin.
"He's not one for all that meeting of the Kahunas and stuff, and sometimes he likes to stop by. Said he wanted to talk with me about something," the girl mused, tapping her chin just a little. There was a slight commotion from outside, and Ash saw Bonnie leaning over something to a path below.
"Hey, there's a path to the beach!" Bonnie pointed out. "Let's go exploring, Dedenne!"
"Bonnie, we should just head for the Pokémon Center!" Clemont pointed out, chasing after his sister down the now revealed path without even a second thought. Lillie quickly adjusted her hat, as well, and ran after them, shouting agreements with Clemont's plan. Hearing about the Pokémon Center made Ash realize that they had been going almost the whole night, yet none of them felt sleepy in the slightest. He figured it must have been the time they'd been placed under Hypnosis that made them so well rested, even if their bodies were a little sore.
"Probably wants to see if I can find any of those Skull guys. Uncle Nani really likes to do that sort of thing…" Acerola seemed lost in her musings, no longer paying attention to them. Shrugging it off, Ash now placed his Ghostium-Z on his Z-Ring and watched as it got absorbed inside. That done, he decided to follow in his friends' footsteps and exit to the outside. Serena was right behind him.
"Ah, that fresh air feels nice!" Serena expressed, throwing her arms up high. Ash noticed that Braixen was with her, doing the same. He smiled at it and looked out over the sunlit ocean and the blackened beach. Oddly enough, it made the ocean look even better, the contrast between life and death, in a way. On the sands below, the others were all running around, mostly Clemont and Lillie attempting to corral Bonnie into moving towards the Pokémon Center (though Nebby wasn't much help).
Turning his head, Ash noticed there was a small path on the side of the Megamart, not quite the one that would lead to where the others were, but rather to the front of the building. Serena appeared to have much the same idea as he, especially once Clemont got ahold of Bonnie and began dragging her slowly in its direction, only down below. His girlfriend took his hand, and began leading him on the upper path by the side of the Megamart, sliding through the fence and wall, sprawled with weeds. It was amazing how clearing such a small distance at the top of the hill covered a larger distance at the bottom. Sounds from behind them indicated that Acerola was joining them. Soon enough, they broke out onto the front lot of the Megamart where the trial had begun. The doors were still shut, now glimmering with the blue glow of a protective barrier.
However, seated lazily upon the coin-operated horse was Nanu, the man looking like he had sat there all night (though Ash figured it was just his default expression). Ash stopped, staring at him, wondering if he even realized they were there.
"Uncle Nani! You're here!" Acerola cried out, tearing across the lot to try and grab on to Nanu. He moved surprisingly fast, avoiding her.
"You knew I was coming," he said, grumbling a little. Acerola pouted at him, likely for his earlier dodge of her hug, but didn't push the issue. That became especially evident when Nanu turned his gaze to Ash, frowning a bit. "So, you're the one that was doing the trial…You win?"
"Sure did," Ash said, holding up his amulet for Nanu to take a look. The man's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing it, focusing on one part in particular before he drew back with his usual uncaring expression. "That means you're my next Grand Trial."
"Apparently," he drawled out with a sense of boredom. Ash put a grin on his face and stepped forward.
"How about we battle today, then? Or even tomorrow?" Ash requested. Strangely, the request felt empty to him, like he was just calling for it because he wanted to finish Ula'ula's trials, and not because…
"Not interested," Nanu said sharply. Ash blinked, feeling his body deflate. There was the sound of some tumbling rubble down below, but that was the only thing interrupting the sudden silence between them. When Ash finally fully registered just what Nanu was saying, he folded his arms.
"Uh…why not? I mean, you're a Kahuna, right?" he asked. Nanu shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure, but it doesn't mean I have to accept every challenge for a Grand Trial," the man responded. Ash grit his teeth, even if it couldn't be seen. Serena could clearly sense it though, from the way that she was suddenly gripping his arm.
"But…but…Then I can't really enter the League, or at least complete the pilgrimage."
"Not my problem," Nanu breathed out. The older man was suddenly slapped on the shoulder by Acerola.
"Don't be like that, Uncle Nani! Ashy really wants to complete his trials, so you can't-"
"Don't try telling me what I can and can't do, pipsqueak," Nanu scolded her, pushing her away from him. His eyes never left Ash's face, though, staring carefully. "I don't want to waste my time with a brat who doesn't know who he is."
"What's that mean?" Ash demanded, feeling the defensive adrenaline spike through his body. He swallowed, unable to help himself. It was like all the things Guzma would say to him, telling him he was nothing. They rankled him, made him angry. Meanwhile, Nanu seemed as apathetic as ever.
Yet in all that, the Kahuna still asked a question. "Tell me, what did you learn from the pipsqueak's trial?"
"What did I…learn…?" Ash's face screwed into one of contemplation, searching for the answer. It was difficult to find any meaning in the trial, though, beyond it just being what it was. For a second, his eyes widened, feeling lost amidst himself. Had it come that far? Had the trials lost all meaning? What was he…?
Serena squeezed his hand, encouraging him, and he set his mind back on the right path. So far, the trials had always seemed to showcase something, like the natural order of things, or teamwork or tolerance or…There were so many options, though Ash wanted to imagine it wasn't there to teach him the same thing that he'd already learned time and time again. There had to be something new. His foot began to tap, and his heart began to race with frustration when he finally realized it: the way the ghosts had guarded Mimikyu, like it was the protector of their home.
"That even places like this, abandoned and useless to some, can be homes for different types of Pokémon."
"And what does that mean to you?" Nanu asked, yawning just a little bit. Ash's heart clenched again, realizing it was another question that he could not answer. What did it mean? Did knowing that make him a better trainer? Did knowing that help him figure out what a Pokémon Master was? He was genuinely frozen, and Nanu knew it. "Thought so."
"I…I might not know what it means to me, but to the Pokémon it means the whole world," Ash shouted out. "And it doesn't change the fact that I want to battle you as my Grand Trial."
Nanu, who seemed to be turning away in boredom, looked back, watching him. It was a good long while, interrupted by the sounds of someone ascending the hill carefully, before Nanu sighed. "Fine. You want a Grand Trial, then head for the police station just outside of Po Town. We'll do it there."
"All right!" Ash said, raising his free fist along with Pikachu's. That was at least some kind of step, and though he didn't say it aloud to the man, he figured he'd formulate an answer to the man's question about what the lesson learned in Acerola's trial meant to him, by then. That was his promise.
"Aw, you're such a softie, Uncle Nani!" Acerola exclaimed, this time getting her hands on Nanu and hugging him fiercely. Next to Ash, Serena had withdrawn her hands and was looking up the location of Po Town on the map. The name sounded familiar, something about Team Skull if he remembered right, but he didn't think to ask. If there was a police station there, it couldn't be all that bad.
"Looks like it's just north of Oricorio Town, maybe a few hours of walking?" Serena pointed out. It seemed to all work out perfectly for their destinations. The sound of falling rubble stopped, replaced with shuffling footsteps that made them all look.
"Gladion?" Ash asked, catching sight of the blond that had appeared at the top of the hill. Said boy stopped short, staring at Ash and then moving his gaze along. Nanu, in particular, watched him with a rather questioning expression. "I had no idea you were coming here!"
"I'm…training long distance," Gladion admitted. He folded his arms across his figure, indicating that he wasn't there to have a bunch of laughs. That was fine with Ash, but he didn't think that Gladion needed to still be so guarded against him. "I'd like to take your trial."
"Ooh! That sounds fun!" Acerola said, letting go of Nanu to approach the boy. Ash had to wonder just how Gladion had gotten here so quickly, until he remembered Kukui from yesterday, and reasoned that he had flown there…or just rode something really fast that could handle the rough terrain. "Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until this evening. Ashy just defeated my Totem Pokémon, and it needs time to rest."
"That's fine. Are there any good places around here to train?" the boy asked with his usual surly expression. Nanu stopped caring at this point, turning away and walking back to the coin operated horse with his usual boredom. Ash almost had to wonder how Nanu would get to Po Town before him, but chose to not question it.
"Well, there's the northeastern part of the beach, I guess…" Acerola commented. As Gladion was mulling that over, Ash looked behind him to see the others were already nearing the edge of the beach towards the Pokémon Center, having obviously just missed Gladion.
"Thanks. Then I'll use that until you're ready. Tonight, right?" Acerola nodded giddily, clearly happy to have another trial-goer so soon after her latest. Gladion, having heard what he wanted, turned around and decided to climb back down. After a brief look with Serena, Ash and Pikachu followed suit.
"Hey, hold up, Gladion," Ash called, dropping down to the boy's level, like they were descending the hill together. Serena had returned Braixen and was soon joining them. "How've you been since Malie City?"
"Busy," was the one-word answer. "Null and the rest have been busy training, and I got a call for a new job…"
"Job, huh?" Ash flashed back to the encounter with Lionel in Malie City, and how Gladion had been accused of aiding Team Skull. "Does it have anything to do with Guzma?"
"No." Ash frowned, finding the answer rather quick as they carefully walked down the steep hill. The boy sighed. "It's…for a different organization, and something personal, I guess. Not that I ever like working with Team Skull, especially after what they did in Malie City. But…"
"It's all right," Ash said, placing his hand on the rock face as he continued to descend. "I guess sometimes we do things we don't want to. I have a friend in Kalos who just wanted to help someone he cared about, and that ended up pretty disastrous. He's better now, though. Me and him worked together and it all sorted itself out."
"Sorry, but I don't think I'll be asking for your help on this one. I doubt you could," Gladion said. Ash smiled sadly, but didn't feel bad about it. Gladion always seemed so reserved, but that he could even trust to tell him about his jobs was good enough to consider him a friend. "It's just a little personal is all; something to finally deal with the…I need to do this for me. Of course, not that being a personal matter stopped that kid from pestering me after I accidentally mentioned something to him."
"What kid?" Serena breathed. They finally touched down upon the blackened sands and Gladion turned in the direction opposite from the Pokémon Center.
"That kid from the Battle Royal…Hau, I think," Gladion said. A chuckle rose to his lips and he shook his head. "Ran into him in Malie City and we battled. His Incineroar was strong, took out two Pokémon of mine until Null put an end to it. I didn't think he was that strong in the Battle Royal, but I guess we all improve."
"Yeah," Ash said with his own chuckle. Gladion tilted his head back, giving a little smirk.
"He's someone to watch out for, you know. Though I still want to battle you myself," Gladion said. Ash turned back, looking up at the towering view of Mount Lanakila, the shared site of their goal. He may not have been able to say what Gladion's goal was, other than trying to be strong enough to do everything on his own, but he knew that both had their sights set on the League and the promise between them.
"So do I. I'll make it there, so you make sure you're there, too," Ash grinned out. Pikachu joined in with him, the grin widening as Gladion called Null out, the strange Pokémon padding at the ground. "And after, we'll sit down and have a big meal of celebration, no matter who wins! Everything's better with food!"
"Guess I'll have to do some cooking for the two of you!" Serena laughed out. Ash chortled with it, and even Gladion gave off a rather strangled one, little tears of mirth at the corner of his eyes.
"Looking forward to it," he laughed out, shoving his hands in his ripped pockets. "And…look after her…for now, at least. I'm taking care of things now, the only way they can be. So, just a little longer, until I can…"
"You got it!" Ash said, making sure Gladion knew that he understood. The blond nodded in the midst of Serena's perplexed look, his eyes a little conflicted. He gave a sharp sigh for just a second before his eyes focused.
"Null, let's run."
"Hu!" Null breathed out and the two ran away from the couple. Ash watched them go before turning on his feet and grabbing hold of Serena. He could tell she was looking at him as they made their way back.
"Her?" Serena asked. Ash grinned at her, leaning in to give her a kiss on the forehead.
"Lillie, I think. I guess one of his jobs is looking after her, or something like that," he elucidated the situation. Serena nodded, obviously understanding both what he was saying and the fact there was no need to say anything to the others. "But there's no worries! We'll do everything we can to protect anyone who needs it, right? And Gladion will help in the end, too!"
"Of course!" Serena cried out. "Now, let's get going to Oricorio Town and Po Town!"
Hands clasped in one another, the couple then ran for the Pokémon Center and their friends, ready to embark upon the final leg of their journey in Ula'ula.
Author's Note: Well, I'd like to think this was quite the chapter, as relatively enigmatic as it was. Personally, I loved writing the meeting of the Kahunas because of all the plot points it either teased or cleared up. But who could this mysterious Y be? And what's up with Tapu Fini? Does it matter when Hala is ready to murder someone? Beyond that, hope you enjoyed the Totem Mimikyu fight despite Ash's feelings on the subject, which have continued to grow and grow since the battle with Olivia. Despite that, not much to say.
Before I disappear, you know I'm going to thank everyone: fanatical99, The Wind God of the Leaf and FrivMasterAnthony2 for favoriting; A Charizard Fan for following; and a huge hearty thanks to Armorshippingfan, Tenzalucard123, FantasyLover88, Nina The Fangirl, Cottonmouth25, potat lasaro, Vivian Gray, Gehatik, Omegaz, David Wilsberg, ultimateCCC, micro0951, AdvancedAlto, thatsmybusiness43, AmourshippingCanon, aliensinnoh, Nega mewtwo, curioustomjerry, jlogan2748 and 2 guests for reviewing. Serena's Ceremony is up next. Will she win it all? I hope you stick around to find out! So, until then, Review and Dare to Be Silly.