SIRS, the humans, the legendary Pokémon, even Zygarde's minions, all watched in horror as Pikachu contorted in agony due to Zygarde's influence; but above all, Luke watched his friend suffer, and was driven more than ever to save him.

Pikachu! Don't worry! I'll save you, I promise!

"Pikachu!" Shaymin cried out. "You unnaturals! You did this! Zygarde's trying to put Pikachu right, but you brainwashed him with your unnatural ways! We'll help Pikachu get right!" From her back, Shaymin pulled out a hidden pink flower. "Wonder why we went to Discovery Meadow that day we went missing? This is a Gracidea! With it, I can draw out my full power to stop you!" She transformed with the power of the Gracidea, and became taller and more intimidating than before. "This is my Sky Forme! Now I can fly!" Even her voice sounded different. "Now you will pay for what you've done, unnaturals! Landorus, Groudon, now!"

Landorus retreated for a moment as Groudon roared and the ground rose around him. Groudon was surrounded by energy, and when the energy vanished, Groudon was glowing and absolutely enormous. When Groudon emerged, the sun glowed intensely bright and the heat became searing hot.

At this, Landorus returned with a mirror. Looking into the mirror, Landorus transformed into a more powerful form.

"With my Sky Forme, Landorus's Therian Forme, and the power of Primal Groudon, we will save Pikachu from your influence!" Shaymin cried.

No, we'll save Pikachu and you from Zygarde's influence! Luke cried.

"Starting with this!"

Tornadus launched a Hurricane and used it to pull the mirror away from Landorus and back to him.

"Thundurus and I have Therian Formes, too!"

Using the mirror, Tornadus and Thundurus assumed their powerful Therian Formes as well, roaring with power as they did so.

"And I..." Lucario said. "…I think I can muster something new, too." He closed his eyes, and the black appendages on his head extended.

When they did so, Luke felt an odd sensation in the appendages on his head. He looked at Luna, and, somehow, he knew she felt it, too.

Suddenly, it was as if it was just the three of them.

"My children," Lucario said. "I can feel your Auras. Your Auras and mine are pulsating as one. Our hearts are uniting against this crisis. Uniting with the desire to protect our worlds…"

"…to defend everything we love…" Luna said.

And to save our friends! Luke cried out. The power…I can feel it…

"So do I…" Luna said.

"My children…" Lucario said. "We will rise above this!"

Everything returned into focus, and Lucario was surrounded by an energy that seem to pulsate within Luke's heart, as well as that of Luna's, he could tell.

When it vanished, Lucario emerged, looking more powerful and remarkably different.

"WHOA!" Luke and Luna cried out simultaneously.

"Through the bond with his beloved children…" Heracross said. "Lucario…Mega Evolved. He's become…Mega Lucario!"

"And Luke and I feel stronger, too!" Luna said.

Lucario, with a fiercer expression than ever, turned to face SIRS and the legendary Pokémon opposing Zygarde's forces. "Everyone!" Lucario's voice echoed. "We will protect this world! We will stop this crisis! We will save everyone! Now, let's fight!"

With a battle cry, both sides charged at each other and the battle began.

Let me take Pikachu! Luke cried. I need to be the one to snap him out of it!

Everyone nodded and took on different Pokémon.

Tornadus and Thundurus took on Landorus, the agents of SIRS (including Lucario, but not Thundurus) took on Primal Groudon, Mewtwo and Genesect took on Giratina, and Luna, Kira, and Kuro took on Shaymin and her gang as Luke fought his friend Pikachu to save him once more.

It was an impressive and enormous battle. Giratina used Shadow Force on Mewtwo, but Genesect deftly brought Mewtwo out of the way and they both retaliated with Techno Blast and Psystrike, respectively. Kuro swiftly bombarded Shaymin's gang with Ice Shards, Kira launched plenty of Psychic attacks, and Luna bombarded the group with Brick Breaks. Tornadus and Thundurus launched all sorts of Double Storm Attacks (as they dubbed them) in order to overwhelm Landorus. While the other agents of SIRS had trouble taking on Primal Groudon, their smaller attacks built up, and Mega Lucario was not to be messed with; his powerful attacks complemented the rest of SIRS's attacks. As for Luke and Pikachu, their fight went just like the one in the Distortion Marsh; Luke, knowing Pikachu's battle strategies, dodged as Pikachu, controlled by Zygarde, simply went on a relentless offensive, and attacked back.

The battle was long, and brutally exhausting on everyone. Soon, Landorus was defeated, then Giratina, then Shaymin and her gang, then Primal Groudon.

Finally, Luke dealt a finishing blow and Pikachu collapsed; their battle had moved farther away from everyone else's, closer to the mountain.

Luke went to his friend's side as he collapsed and stirred him.

"Luke…thank you…" Pikachu muttered, slowly stumbling to his feet. Luna, Kira, and Kuro rushed over to help Luke and Pikachu. Lucario, reverting from his Mega Evolution, rushed over as well. He was shaking, clearly weakened from the fight, more so than anyone else.

We won, Luke said. He looked over and saw Zygarde's forces fallen in defeat and his allies exhausted, but still standing. But we need to keep going. We need to get to Zygarde.

"No," Zygarde's voice echoed. Everyone looked and saw a red Core to one side of the armies, but near the base of the mountain. "It is clear to us now. All of you are completely worthless to us. All of you…are unnaturals. Especially YOU." The Core turned to face Luke. "You had the audacity to make our vessel FEEL. To care for others. To sympathize with the unnaturals. In doing so, you disrupted our plans. You and your allies turned Pikachu against us, getting him to lead you here. He is defective, and you are unnatural. You and your human friends." Cells began flying through the air to the Core, which was also addressing Pikachu, Luna, Kira, Kuro, and Lucario. "We assumed we could use you to our advantage. But you are all defective tools, unnaturals…and those must be disposed of!"

The Core and Cells formed 10% Forme Zygarde; as the children froze in fear and clung to Lucario, Zygarde raced towards them until he stood right in front of them.

"Taste the Land's Wrath!" Zygarde roared, and fired a swift and monstrous attack that would finish them.

It was the end. It was way too close, and they couldn't avoid it.

With the last of his strength, before anyone else had a chance to react, Lucario instinctively pushed the five young children away toward the mountain and far out of harm's way. He collapsed just as the attack landed.

Lucario screamed in agony as he took the deadly blow.

At that moment, Lucario began to glow a terrifying white as cracks raced up his body and the ground surrounded him, a monster hungry and ready to devour.

With a final scream from Lucario and Zygarde, there was a massive explosion of green Zygarde Cells and glowing white light. The five young children collapsed and covered themselves.

When the explosion had finished and the dust settled, the children, not wanting to believe what had happened, shook themselves off, stood up, and looked around.

Zygarde was gone. There was a chasm where Zygarde had launched the attack separating Luke, Pikachu, Luna, Kira, and Kuro from everyone else.

To the horror of the children, Lucario was nowhere to be seen.

The horrible truth sank in.

Zygarde's Land's Wrath had completely obliterated Lucario.

Lucario was gone. He had sacrificed himself to save the children.

Luke weakly dragged himself over to the chasm and looked into it, as if hoping to find some sign of his father. As he did so, every memory of his father came rushing back; caring for him as a child, walking through the woods, playing and having fun, laughing and telling stories. In the Pokémon world, he remembered Lucario taking him in without hesitation, his delicious meals and sitting around the fire, explorations with SIRS, the moments they had shared in the human world…

Luke collapsed and broke down.

Dad…

Through his sorrow, he could feel it…Luna was grieving just as he was. He felt Luna next to him, sobbing as memories of her father rushed through her. He felt Kira and Kuro grieving and consoling them.

He also felt Pikachu grieving.

"Dad…I'm sorry," Pikachu muttered.

The children finally embraced, and they looked over the chasm to the horrified, saddened, and remorseful faces of the Pokémon on the other side.

SIRS and the legendary Pokémon were all grieving…all of the legendary Pokémon, even Groudon, and Shaymin and her gang were grieving as well.

"Luke...Pikachu…everyone…" Shaymin cried out to the children. "We're so sorry. For everything that's happened. You…you were right."

Her gang, Landorus, Groudon, and Giratina nodded their agreement.