Chapter Twenty-Six: Fight, Flight and Fate

'Well fuck.'

Nidoqueen put down her binoculars, a scowling expression across her face. She handed them to Bisharp who declined, claiming he could see perfectly what was going on. Slightly behind Bisharp, Hypno sometimes sneaked a peek at the battlefield only for him to gasp and clap his hands against his face. To Nidoqueen's left, Tyranitar and Conkeldurr growled and cracked their knuckles, eager to enter the fray and attack these meddlesome pokemon. Emerging from the water, Gyarados sat up with the same dull, emotionless expression that he had worn for the whole crusade ever since he was first exposed to the distortion energy. They all stood in front of the castle moat having not joined the melee fought by their subordinates. It had become very clear that that may have been a mistake.

'It appears we may have underestimated them.' Nidoqueen spat, putting her binoculars up to her eyes again and observing Lopunny slide through the legs of a clan pokemon, resulting in her tripping him up. 'That Lopunny really grinds my gears. Perfect little princess.'

'We ain't done with that Charizard yet.' Conkeldurr grunted. 'He could be the most dangerous of the lot of them.'

'I think the Garchomp actually poses the biggest problems.' Bisharp said, looking at Conkeldurr with some dislike. 'I suggest we move forward and scalp them from either side.'

'I agree.' Tyranitar growled, cracking several bones in his back. 'We can't just stand about here and wait for them to come to us.'

'Well maybe we can!' Hypno said nervously. 'I mean we shouldn't just leave the place unguarded for them to attack Lord Giratina-'

'What's the worst they could do to him?' Tyranitar turned and gurned at Hypno. 'I think he will be powerful enough to resist whatever they throw at him.'

'Oh,' Gyarados noticed something emerging from the courtyard looking worse for wear. 'check this out.'

Everybody turned their head at the same time to see a disheveled, dusty and bruised Gengar trudged up over to where his partners where standing. Nidoqueen and Bisharp stared in disbelief while Conkeldurr tried to hold in his laughter.

'Gengar?' Nidoqueen tried to speak with him but he brushed past Hypno and headed inside, looking like a spoilt child that had been sent out the classroom.

'What the heck?' asked Tyranitar, watching Gengar swing the castle door open and slowly slip inside.

'I can't believe he was the one who lead this whole thing.' said Gyarados, shaking his head. 'He has lost it.'

'Never mind him!'

The voice rang out from above them. Zoroark dropped down from a window up above the drawbridge and landed in front of the clan commanders surprisingly gracefully. He addressed them all with an evil glint in his eye. 'How are we doing?'

'Zoroark...' Nidoqueen stepped forward but Zoroark held his finger up to her lips, rendering her quiet.

'I know what you're thinking.' Zoroark's voice switched to mocking. 'How are we going to beat them without Gengar? Wasn't he our only hope against these big scary pokemon? Well fret no more.' Zoroark took his finger off Nidoqueen's mouth and pointed upwards. 'Look what just happened.'

There was a mighty roar from where Zoroark was pointing, making them all jump. Salamence landed next to Zoroark with Hydreigon following suit right above him. Nidoqueen leapt backwards at the sight of Salamence and it was clear to see why. His face and mouth was covered in bright red, glistening blood. Blood that wasn't his own.

'What is going on?' Hypno asked timidly, his head popping out from behind Nidoqueen. Zoroark smirked and folded his arms.

'Salamence has entered the bloodlust stage, meaning that anybody he battles will end up torn apart and left on the ground in pieces.' Zoroark pointed at Salamence's gory mouth. 'To sustain him for that long I needed to feed him...a liberty.'

'What are you talking about?' Bisharp asked. Even he was intimidated by the heavy growling and savage demeanor of Salamence.

'It does not matter!' Hydreigon shouted out. 'Salamence will render those inferior dragons apart in no time!'

Nobody dared to speak. Bisharp and Nidoqueen shot nervous glances at each other, both thinking the same thing. They believed they knew what Zoroark had let Salamence devour and it was making them shudder to the core.

'Enough talk anyway!' Salamence growled. His voice had changed from the smooth, menacing tone that he once had to a harsh, brutal low snarl which could make a steel or rock pokemon's skin crawl. 'Let us be rid of them once and for all!'

Salamence then turned and soared off to the courtyard, Hydreigon close behind him. Zoroark gave a half chortle and turned his head round to the others, all standing in shock.

'Well what are you waiting for?' he asked them, pointing straight ahead. 'Go finish them off! GO!'

Zoroark observed as his subordinates all began to troop over. Gyarados emerged from the water and slithered alongside Tyranitar and Conkeldurr at the front. Bringing up the rear was Hypno, not suited or eager for close range combat at all. In the middle, Bisharp and Nidoqueen finally said the same thing at the same time to each other.

'Zoroark is insane.'

'Take that!' Lopunny kicked out at a clan pokemon's legs, crippling him and making him buckle. 'And that! And that!'

'Woah slow down there, Lopsy.' Scizor put his claw on her shoulder as she planted a final kick into the assailant's head to knock him out. 'You'll give yourself a stroke!'

'I feel great!' Lopunny turned and grabbed his arm, looking up at Scizor with a huge smile. 'Oh Scizor, if it wasn't for you I would never be able to do this! I am ten times the pokemon I was back before you came in!'

Scizor tried to hold in a smile but couldn't. He broke out into a reluctant but caring grin as Staraptor and Altaria landed next to them. Their socializing stopped from one look in Staraptor's eyes but they continued to stay close.

'Good progress.' Staraptor said. 'We're getting there guys. We can win this.'

'I'm glad to hear it!' sighed Altaria, breathing heavily. Her mind had half been focusing on the fight while the other half was thinking of how safe the children and Xatu were in Wailord's mouth. If doomsday scenario occurs and we fail, she thought, at least Wailord can take them somewhere safe where they can grow up in peace. No, I shouldn't think negatively! Positive thoughts, positive thoughts! She smiled at Staraptor beside her as the other Beacons caught up with them.

'Some journey eh?' Altaria said, catching her breath again. 'Who would have thought we'd be doing something as bold as this.'

'I knew it.' Staraptor said flatly.

'You did?'

'Of course.' she gestured to her friend, her wing covering the whole area. 'We are the ones with the most to fight for here. More than everyone in Charom.'

'I guess so,' Altaria nodded. 'I mean this is like all our stories converging to one big defining chapter.'

Staraptor agreed and the two birds gave each other winning expressions.

'Keep moving!' Lucario brought up the rear of the squad, every now and then checking to see if there were any threats behind him. 'We can't afford to delay. Gardevoir, keep Hoopa close.'

'Already on it.' Gardevoir stuck to Hoopa like a magnet.

'Let's go Armaldo!' Lucario clapped the wheezing Armaldo on the back encouragingly. 'Just like your old journeys.'

'Boy will I have new stories to tell.' Armaldo spluttered, his ancient voice cracked and tired. 'If I don't die of exhaustion.'

There was then a booming sound from up above them. Lucario and Armaldo stopped in their tracks, looking up at the sky which had suddenly become very cloudy and ominous. There was a sparkle and then a shape. A flying shape. This very sight caused Garchomp to freeze where he was and begin to resist his own shaking. Haxorus and Togekiss glanced at each other, nervous to what was about to happen.

'Come on buddy, fight it!' Haxorus said to Garchomp, who was blinking rapidly and trying to look away. 'We beat him before and we can do so again!'

'We need to keep moving!' Lucario pushed Haxorus along, encouraging the likes of Milotic, Sceptile, Electivire and Charizard to do the same. Gallade allowed his wife and Hoopa to move ahead of him, also apprehensive of the airborne pokemon. The castle was still a fair distance away, its shadow much more menacing thanks to the darkening clouds. It was then that Gallade noticed other figures in the distance, some of them horribly familiar. An explosive sound then rang out overhead and Gallade came to realise that they were running straight into mortal danger.

'Everyone!' he screamed as a destructive maelstrom of purple lightning hailed down from the clouds. 'SCATTER!'

They didn't need to. The dragon pulse struck the surface of the land with the force of a missile, blowing the earth out from the ground and propelling the Shining Beacons in multiple directions. Dust flew up everywhere. The walls of a few cottages were torn to shreds. Gallade skidded along the ground to the far left of the area, rolling past Scizor who was shielding Lopunny from the blast with his metal body. Milotic managed to throw up a protective dome that manged to cover herself and most of Sceptile but no such luck for some of the rest. Electivire rolled into a nearby wall while Charizard smashed through the window of a run down convenience store. All the others managed to avoid the worst of the impact but the the damage was done. The connection was broken and they were now separated down the middle.

'Is everyone okay!?' Lucario spluttered, coughing violently because of the dust and stumbling to his feet. There were familiar groans to his right, which established that Armaldo and Togekiss were still alive. Lucario raised his head from the ground, checking anxiously to see where everyone was. To his relief, there were no casualties but the impact of the pulse was definitely not something he wanted to experience again. His relief quickly turned to dread however, as the pokemon who conjured the attack landed directly on the ravaged ground, his sharp claws crunching into the charred earth. The appearance set Garchomp off even more. He took a step backwards but Haxorus grabbed hold of his arm, steadying him. Staraptor found herself incredibly lucky that Salamence hadn't seen her yet due to her falling behind a plant pot purely by accident. She glanced at Altaria who had taken cover behind her, whispering the word 'salamence'. She tried to hold in a squeak.

'None of you will be leaving here.' Salamence addressed everyone around him, his good eye had turned scarlet and it made his missing eye look obsolete by comparison. 'Nobody will find your bodies. You will all be torn to shreds and your shreds will be torn to dust.'

Haxorus looked up at Garchomp, fearing the worst at seeing Salamence's cannibalistic and savage nature.

'Is that..?'

Garchomp slowly nodded.

'It's bloodlust.' The fact that Garchomp's voice was tinged with panic really didn't help Haxorus's state. Salamence turned to see Garchomp standing to his left. His blood soaked mouth converted to a face of contempt.

'Garchomp...' he growled. Over his head, Hydreigon appeared just below the clouds. Charizard clambered out from the shop window, rubbing the back of his neck and noticing Hydreigon looming over the battlefield. It's him, Charizard thought, his insides burning with anger and vengeance. The piece of scum who killed Flygon.

'Salamence...' Garchomp subtly pushed Haxorus back with his claw, not wanting him to be involved.

'I can take him!' Haxorus whispered, trying to swipe away Garchomp's hand. 'We can do it together!'

'No.' Garchomp turned to him, his voice more stern that it ever had been. 'You will die. Leave this to me.'

'So now I have two weakling dragons to deal with!?' Salamence shouted to them. 'You're the Fraxure from before?'

'I am!' Haxorus yelled out. 'And I evolved because I am a true dragon! Something you will never be!'

'Stop!' Garchomp shoved Haxorus back as Salamence spat on the ground.

'I will show you what a true dragon is, you pathetic weakling.' Salamence hissed with venom in his voice. 'Please, Garchomp...Offer me a challenge this time. No more of your weakness like you showed me in Rylus.'

'Don't...' Garchomp began to shake again, his claws digging into the ground. Lucario, Armaldo and Togekiss all held their breath, identifying what was trying to be done.

'The way you couldn't fight me,' Salamence continued, trying to push all of Garchomp's buttons. 'even after I killed your family! Your pathetic excuses for parents! Your sisters screaming still delights me to this day! Oh how she writhed!'

'RAAAAAARGHH!'

Garchomp hammered his claws into the side of the buildings beside him, almost taking off Haxorus's head. Garchomp now drooled violently, his eyes instantly turning from yellow to crimson. He had entered his bloodlust phase, dropping from his two feet to all fours and now resembling a vicious beast more than anything. Haxorus stepped back against the wall, now genuinely panicking and too afraid to try and talk to Garchomp.

'I will kill you!' Garchomp roared savagely, sprinting directly at Salamence. He also let out a bellow of fury and they launched at each other with the ferocity of lions. There was no choreography to this battle, no resemblance of strategy or thought out attacks. Just pure rage. They slashed and tore into each other with razor sharp blades and claws, sinking their jaws into each other and attempting to break every bone they made contact with. It was the most terrifying thing many on either side had ever seen.

'We...We have to help Garchomp!' Haxorus cried as Salamence rammed Garchomp through a house, collapsing it completely.

'I am not going anywhere near that!' Electivire shouted, not even wanting to take a look at the bloodlust brawl.

'I'm sorry but there is nothing we can do!' Lucario approached Haxorus, accompanied by Togekiss and Armaldo. 'We need to reach the castle!'

'Look up though!' Haxorus pointed above the destruction at Hydreigon, who was observing the chaos while charging up one of those triple-powered dragon pulses. 'Somebody stop him!'

Hydreigon was about to unleash this powerful attack on Garchomp, who had just been tossed to the ground ten metres away from Salamence. Just in time however, Charizard launched himself upwards, slamming into Hydreigon and sending the dragon pulse spiraling upwards into the sky. Hydreigon twisted in mid air until he readjusted his position in front of Charizard, whose very soul ached at the thought of his friend.

'You killed Flygon.' Charizard pointed at the ghastly dragon, the flames in his eyes burning brighter than they ever had. 'It is time you pay for what you have done!'

'Bring it on then...' Hydreigon snarled, all three of his heads fixated on Charizard. 'I will add another failed dragon to my collection just like I did with Flygon!'

'Oh Hydreigon...' Charizard shook his head, his anger being channeled into a smile of pity for the emotionless husk in front of him. 'Salamence and Giratina have tortured your very soul and driven you beyond saving. I am going to put you out of your misery though. By providing your pathetic life a messy end.'

Charizard blasted a jet of flames straight at Hydreigon for him to avoid, then jetted off higher in the air to bait him. Staraptor and Altaria stared at the aerial conflict then gave each other a nod.

'Let's help Charizard!' Staraptor said with purpose. 'Get rid of the monsters that threatened us and the children!'

'Oh I am so going to end Hydreigon's existence for that!' Altaria's hidden aggression fizzed up as she shot ahead of Staraptor with intent to end the fight. Meanwhile, Lucario and Armaldo were trying to drag Haxorus along with him despite the new dragons efforts to join the fray.

'You can't!' Armaldo shouted, attempting to use logic. 'You're not strong enough yet even for a regular fight with Salamence! When he is like this, none of us will be able to stand in his way!'

'Besides we can't delay!' Lucario tugged on Haxorus's arm. 'We need to breach the castle and we're going to need all the help we can get if we are to get past them!'

He pointed ahead, prompting Haxorus, Armaldo, Togekiss and Electivire to look to where he was directing them. Half a mile away were two rampaging figures along with a smaller, more reclusive one. They all looked hell bent on creating chaos for the Beacons and in Lucario's mind they had to be stopped in order to progress.

'This could be bad.' Togekiss said nervously.

'Don't worry, as long as we pull together.' Armaldo whispered, trying to be the biggest optimist. 'Rally the others. Milotic! Sceptile!'

There was no response. The four of them glanced to their left where they had seen Milotic throw up her protective move but they were now absent from the proceedings. Nowhere to be seen.

'Where did they go!?' Togekiss spluttered, completely confused.

'Alright then, forget about them!' Armaldo turned to check on the others. 'Scizor! Gardevoir! Anyone else?!'

No response. Shivers flew down Lucario's spine as he wondered where everyone had gone. Whether they had fled out of fear or just taken different routes. He turned to face the direction of the castle, confident enough in his friends that they would not abandon them.

'You guys with me?' Lucario asked, striding out in front of his comrades to face the incoming adversaries. 'We burst through these guys and make for the castle.'

'And what happens then?' Electivire asked him, popping out over his shoulder and watching Tyranitar and Conkledurr in the distance with trepidation. 'How do we beat Giratina?'

Lucario ignored the question, his hand still firmly clutching the relics of Glaceon. If ever this was a time for this stone to turn out to be a secret key to saving the world, now is the time.

'You do realise that the odds on us making our way to the front doors without being squished,' explained Armaldo timidly. 'are about one thousand to one?'

'At this rate those are my kind of odds.' Lucario cracked his neck and shoulders, staring ahead in determination. 'Come on.' Lucario beckoned the four others forward. He was followed by Armaldo, Togekiss, Haxorus and Electivire, ready to front up and face the powerful foes.

Around the same time all of this was happening, Gallade was shaking dirt off his already battle worn face. He spun round to check out his surroundings, having been ejected away from his allies by Salamence and Hydreigon's combined dragon pulses.

'Gardevoir?' he shouted, fretting about her situation. He closed his eyes and tried to locate her with their mind link. There was then a noise to his right, a clanking noise. Gallade maintained his mind link and looked sharply in that direction, seeing two figures huddled on the ground beside each other.

'Hey!' Gallade waved away the smoke and dust clogging up his vision and called out to the two on the ground. It turned out to be Lopunny and Scizor, the latter of whom had shielded Lopunny from the blast radius using his own body as a sandbag. The impact had pushed the heavy steel Scizor along the ground, creating tracks in the ground from where he initially was.

'Are you two okay?' Gallade asked. Scizor rolled over and flopped down on his back, gasping for breath.

'Just give me a minute.' he coughed, as Lopunny uncovered her ears after the explosion almost deafened her. 'My back is burning. Never try that.'

'You did the right thing.' Gallade helped Scizor to his feet. 'Quick thinking as well.'

'It was very selfless.' Lopunny rubbed Scizor's shoulder. His back had turned charcoal black from the debris and dirt that he had skidded through.

'Well I had no choice really.' Scizor groaned, stretching and cracking a bone in his spine. 'Fucking dragons. Garchomp and Haxorus are alright I guess but you can see why we tried to have a war with them a couple of years ago can't you?'

'Are you sure that isn't because Shan'rala is just full of cave-dwelling crazies?' asked Lopunny. 'I mean you've yet to show me the whole thing!'

'Alright, enough.' Gallade told them to stop before Scizor could respond. 'Has anyone seen Gardevoir?'

The moment he finished talking, a part of his mind started flashing. Gallade instinctively turned straight ahead, receiving a distress signal from Gardevoir wherever she was. Up ahead, he could hear her voice in his brain. We're alive but there...is a problem.

'Come on.' Gallade jerked his head in the direction of the castle and the three of them started to run. Gallade took the lead with a straight sprint, focused on serving Gardevoir's needs while Lopunny assisted the groggy Scizor along the way with a lighter jog.

'Scizor, if we get out of here...alive.' Lopunny said rather cautiously, taking hold of his metal claw with her soft hand. 'I think you should leave that place.'

'What place?'

'Shan'rala.' Lopunny answered. Scizor was rather startled.

'What...Huh?'

'You deserve better than that place.' Lopunny told him, beginning to pick up the pace as Scizor shook off his injuries. 'Come with me. I don't know where we can go but we can come to that when it comes.'

'If it comes.' Scizor corrected her.

'Oh ever the pessimist!' Lopunny sighed, her voice breaking due to the running. 'I just want you to stay away from Shan'rala. Nothing good will come of you there.'

Scizor didn't say anything, which was rather unusual for him. Lopunny wondered what was going through his mind while in hers, every moment she had with Scizor flashed before her. If it turns out we aren't going to finish this, she thought, then I want to preserve it.

'Gardevoir!'

Gallade slid across the ground, spotting Gardevoir breathing heavily and lying against a stone wall. Hoopa was next to her, trying to use blades of grass to cover his bloody patch.

'Gallade!' she squealed, her eyes wide. Gallade jumped to his feet as Scizor and Lopunny caught up. 'Thank goodness!'

'Are you okay?' asked Gallade, lending her a hand for her to take. 'You're not hurt are you?' He then noticed her slacking body, her posture slumping slightly. 'What is going on?'

'I can't fight.' Gardevoir shook her head, her hand missing Gallade's blade. 'I am losing power. I am diverting my power streams into Hoopa, lending him my energy so he gets stronger.'

'What!?' Gallade was aghast. 'Why!?'

'He needs to go unbound!' Gardevoir told him, placing her hand gently on Hoopa's back. 'It's the only thing that can match Giratina for power! Now press forward...Oh!'

Gallade was confused for a split-second, then Gardevoir's voice rang through his mind, completely panic-stricken. Duck! Gallade then dropped to his knees, narrowly avoiding the devastating punch thrown directly at the back of his head. The fist smashed into the wall of the house Gardevoir was resting against and sent rubble flying thick and fast. Gallade rolled over and popped up in between Lopunny and Scizor, the sight of the clan pokemon who tried to ambush them sending all three of their minds into an emotional frenzy. Lopunny with fear, Scizor with hate and Gallade with a burning mixture of the two.

'Well hello there.' Nidoqueen smiled, shaking off her hand. 'Gardevoir, Gallade, Scizor and darling Lopunny...Such a shame we have to kill the pretty ones.'

Beside her, Bisharp sharpened his blades together, ready for any challenge.

'Stay away.' warned Gallade, pointing his sword arm at the two of them. 'Or you will suffer the consequences.'

'It appears you haven't learned anything, boy.' Bisharp scorned him, nodding at the state of Gallade's bruised face. 'For your own good, I suggest you run. Run and never look back.'

'You really are crazy.' Gallade said, abandoning his fear of Bisharp and telling him straight. 'You would think that I would leave Gardevoir to you after what you have done? You might as well kill me.'

'Don't worry,' Bisharp smirked. 'that can be arranged.'

Gallade stepped forward while Lopunny and Scizor prepared for battle under the orange sky. Gardevoir's breath was rapid as she attempted to telepathically communicate with Gallade, urging him to stop.

'I don't care about him!' Gardevoir's voice quaked in Gallade's head, forcing him to a standstill.

'Gardevoir,' Gallade replied, time seeming to slow down while this internal conversation was being conducted. 'he ruined your life. He killed your teacher. I swore I would make him pay.'

'This is not what I want though!' Gardevoir pleaded. 'Revenge won't make me better. I've learned to accept the way I am and it hasn't changed me as a pokemon. I am still the same woman you fell in love with all those years ago and no mental scarring or trauma can change that.'

'But...' It was Gallade's turn to vent the emotion. '...What if...We can never have children...Our own little Ralts running about our house. Our own...'

'That is nothing compared to what will happen to you if you murder him in vengeance.' Gardevoir warned him. 'I would rather be unable to bear children for the rest of my life than see you become the monster he is.'

Gallade shuddered internally at this proclamation. It was his chance to finally kill him. To put to rest the desire that had been on his mind for years now. To prove himself as a warrior and a husband. But it turned out that what Bisharp said was true...that Gardevoir didn't care if he won. If he took revenge on the pokemon that had disrupted her very way of living. She didn't care...But he did.

Gallade shook his head, time apparently returning to its normal flow. He looked up at the two clan pokemon standing in between himself and Gardevoir. He had not been paying attention to the berating that Nidoqueen had been giving to little Hoopa.

'Why would you do that Hoopa?' Nidoqueen spat down at Hoopa as if he was mud. 'You give up an inevitable life of luxury and status to ally with a bunch of pathetic weaklings.'

'What does that make you then?' Hoopa said, backing up against the wall in fear. 'I would rather work with a weakling who is good at heart than a weakling that is a true tyrant.'

'You dare?!' Nidoqueen raised her claw high before Lopunny instinctively leaped.

'It's me you are wanting to fight!' Lopunny shouted, landing in front of Nidoqueen. Behind her, Scizor had attempted to follow, not wanting Lopunny to get hurt. 'Nidoqueen, I know you love power. Then what satisfaction is there in battling someone who is in no fit state?' Lopunny gestured at herself. 'What about me? I could offer you something!'

Nidoqueen let out her trademark cackle.

'Don't embarrass yourself silly girl!' she screeched. 'Taking a few lessons in combat training from a desert thug still won't make you a match for me. I will squash you like an insect.'

'Go for it then.' Lopunny beckoned her to come over. She extended her palm out to Scizor, preventing him from stepping forward. 'I don't want your help Scizor. I want to do this myself.'

'Lopunny...' Scizor let out a deep breath, observing her sparkling eyes. 'I can't let you fight her.'

'You have to.' Lopunny told him, her voice firm. 'I am a shadow of who you met in Tanapas. At least that is what I believe. It's time to prove that.'

Lopunny engaged in a combat pose, waiting for Nidoqueen to come forward. She gave one last look at Scizor, her eyes telling him to trust her. Eventually, he did.

'I know you can do it.' Scizor whispered, before joining Gallade's side. Nidoqueen punched her palm with her other fist and let out a snort.

'You're less cute when you think you can stand up for yourself.' Nidoqueen dropped her smile. 'I know the truth. No matter how hard you try, you are the same little bitch!'

Nidoqueen took off, bashing directly into Lopunny with her solid body and the two of them crashed through another building, this one a farm house. Scizor grimaced. Despite being deeply troubled by Lopunny's plight, he still turned to face Bisharp alongside Gallade. They glanced at each other, knowing that the only way to take this guy down was to work as one. A testament to how dangerous Bisharp was.

'You brought a friend then?' Bisharp asked, nodding at Scizor. 'Hopefully, his training at Shan'rala might allow him to prove himself a slightly more skilled combatant than you Gallade.'

'You don't know shit about Shan'rala mate.' Scizor clicked his claws at him. As he spoke, Gardevoir kept trying to plant thoughts into Gallade's head and tell him to stop but he was having none it.

'Apart from that I defeated everyone I met there.' Bisharp replied, lowering himself into defence mode. 'Mercenary, bandit, dragon remnant, you name it.'

'That winning streak will come to an end right now, Bisharp.' Gallade warned him, bracing his body. 'Today is the day I defeat you.'

'Well then enough talk!' Bisharp shouted, bending his knees sharply. 'En garde!'

He lunged lightning fast at the two of them, all of their blades clashing in the middle. Gallade and Scizor withdrew their arms quickly and retaliated, Gallade aiming low and Scizor aiming high. Bisharp managed to dodge both by spinning in mid air between the attacks and landing on the other side on one bent leg. The other he used to deliver two swift kicks forward and backwards, striking both Beacons. Gardevoir watched in horror and dismay at her husband disobeying her wishes and despite both Gallade and Scizor taking him on, Bisharp could still hold his ground.

'Urgh!' Gardevoir grimaced, clutching her head. Hoopa turned to her, concerned for what was happening everywhere.

'Miss Gardevoir?' he asked, gently resting his hand on her shoulder. 'What's wrong?'

'I've lost most of my power.' she choked, seizing hold of the brown pebbles under her. 'I can only keeping going for another few minutes. Are you strong enough?'

Hoopa shook his head, tearing up slightly. Gardevoir understood, twisting on the ground to observe the conflicts in front of them. Nidoqueen had punched Lopunny through another wall and it was evident that the physicality was taking its toll on her, as she struggled to recover back to her feet. Around fifteen metres away, Scizor launched lightning quick kicks and punches at Bisharp while on top of a roof. Gallade aimed psycho cuts from his position on the ground which deflected off Bisharp's body as if he took no notice of it. Hoopa sniffled and whimpered, reiterating the dire news.

'I will not be strong enough.'

'There you go!' Milotic carefully dropped Sceptile in a sector of plant life by the side of the courtyard just outside the main conflict zone. When the dragon pulse hit, Sceptile's leg was halfway out of the shield that Milotic projected. Due to their closeness at the time, Sceptile's foot and shin was caught in the blast and was very badly injured. Thanks to Milotic's quick thinking, they managed to exit the war zone the moment Salamence landed and quickly moved to safer grounds. So they hoped.

'Oh...Milotic.' Sceptile landed on the cold, untouched grass with a sigh of gratitude. 'You realise that I'm going to have a mangled leg as well as a mangled shoulder?'

'Then you'll look hard as nails and nobody will make fun of you again!' Milotic smiled, plucking a berry from the brush and tossing it to him. 'Sitrus berry. Eat it.'

Sceptile caught the berry and began to chew, glancing down at his blood soaked shin. I am unbelievably lucky, he thought, watching Milotic attempt to patch it up with the clumps of grass around her.

'You are unbelievably lucky.' Milotic echoed Sceptile's thoughts. Sceptile laughed.

'You're not giving yourself enough credit.' Sceptile grinned foolishly, the grass below him now tinged with his blood. 'You've saved me how many times now?'

'Oh do you not think its weird anymore?' Milotic mused, using her mouth to wrap grass strapping around the shin. 'Besides, you've done your fair share of saving. That stunt you pulled off in Giruphin while the building was collapsing? There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I think you tow it like an expert.'

Sceptile gushed over this compliment. He sat up and ran his fingers through Milotic's hair, her soft locks untouched by the heat of battle. She did not object to the touch. On the contrary, Milotic thought he saw a tiny smile appear on her face although she quickly looked away to try and tend to the lower parts of the injury.

'I'm grateful.' said Milotic, turning back to face him. 'For everything. Even the bad stuff.'

'I am as well.' Sceptile nodded, wincing slightly as he moved his leg upwards. 'If this truly is the end then I am happy that I met you.'

'Please don't talk like that.' Milotic pined, her eyes becoming sorrowful.

'Sorry,' Sceptile rubbed his forehead slowly. 'it's just I can't shake off what Absol said. She was right about the slaughter of the queen, what if she is telling the truth about this? What if the future is already set in stone?'

'Well I am a water pokemon and you are a grass pokemon, right?' Milotic said sagely. 'We can destroy the stone.'

'I like that quote despite it making no sense.' Sceptile coughed into his closed fist.

'It means that we can change the future.' Milotic explained seriously. 'Together.' She then let out a nervous laugh. 'You know the distortion world might not be a bad thing if I got to spend it with you.'

They stared at each other again while the battle raged on in the main village area. It was amazing how at ease they both felt in spite of everything that had happened, was happening in the moment and what could yet come.

'This is like the first time we met.' Sceptile looked down at the plants beneath him. 'Lying in nature after you had come to cheer me up.'

'Then we got whisked away on this epic journey.' Milotic continued the story. 'Think what would have happened if one thing didn't go the way it was meant to. Like if I never looked for you in the forest...Or if Banette never attacked you, thus leading us to Tanapas. We would have never met those guys.' She nodded her head at the war torn courtyard. 'Can you imagine?'

'I wouldn't have minded too much...' Sceptile murmured. The two of them were edging slightly closer to each others heads. '...As long as you were by my side. That is all that I would have cared for.'

They were too close now. An inch closer and their lips would lock. Milotic's tail curled over Sceptile's chest as she closed her eyes. Sceptile's heart was racing faster than it had on any fight so far. It was unfortunate that in the corner of his eye, he noticed a shape that almost sent his internal organs into overload.

'Oh no...' he muttured, then wishing he had kept his mouth shut. Milotic opened her eyes.

'What is it?'

'Don't turn around.' Sceptile tried to pull Milotic away from the direction of the threat but she twisted her head to see what it was. The threat was not only a physical one but also an emotional one, particularly to Milotic.

'...Gyarados?'

Gyarados stared unblinkingly at Milotic having emerged from inside the village area unusually stealthily for a pokemon of his size. Milotic was finding it difficult to hold back tears from pouring down her face as she gazed at the pokemon she had sought to find from the beginning of the adventure.

'I remember you, Milotic.' Gyarados said in his monotone voice, taking a small glance at the wounded Sceptile then back to the overwhelmed Milotic. 'It seemed like forever ago that we met in Fayonra.'

'It does. It's been difficult.' Milotic whimpered, edging closer to Gyarados despite Sceptile trying to haul her back. 'Now we can save you. Come with us. We can get you help and drive Giratina's influence from your head.'

Gyarados tilted his head, scrutinizing her. Sceptile was breathing heavily, not wanting Milotic to take another inch towards him.

'He is not in my head.' Gyarados corrected her. 'This is my perspective. What I want.'

'You wouldn't want that if he never corrupted you!' Milotic pleaded, her eyes begging. 'Please just come back! We will try and help you.'

Gyarados's nostrils flared up slightly. He looked dangerous, more like a weapon than an actual living thing. There was no light behind his eyes, no humanity.

'I am not looking for your help.' he told Milotic, ten metres away in front of Sceptile. 'I never have and I never will.'

'Wha...' Confusion was now added to the plethora of emotions filling up Milotic's head. 'What do you mean? I've come here to save you...'

Gyarados grunted. It was a rather scornful and condescending laugh. Milotic did not like the sound of it one bit.

'Idiot girl.' Gyarados chuckled wryly. 'I don't need you. I never have.'

'Gyarados...' Milotic clenched her teeth together, trying to hold back her frustrated angst. 'I thought...we had something...'

'You thought wrong.' Gyarados said firmly, the frills around his head standing up sharply. 'Get real will you? The contempt you showed for the pokemon of Fayonra Bay was evident. It is why many wanted to stay away from you. I gave you a chance and you latched on to me like a magnet.'

Milotic gasped and recoiled slightly. She looked down at the grass beneath the two of them, her mind pulsating and her soul aching. It can't be. All of this was for...nothing?

'Milotic...' Sceptile's faint voice echoed around her, almost bringing her back to life. She turned round to stare in adoration at Sceptile as her previous thought of her journey amounting to nothing evaporated. She had realized it wasn't true. It wasn't Gyarados she had fallen in love with. Not him one bit.

'Sceptile!' Milotic sobbed, as Gyarados slowly moved forward looking ready to attack. 'Oh Sceptile! I'm so sorry!'

'For what?'

Milotic twisted back round to face Gyarados, her heart still burning but not with grief. With love. Love for the pokemon that had stuck with her when nobody else would. Sceptile.

'I don't care anymore.' she said defiantly, staring hard at Gyarados. 'You don't need me, I get that. However, I now understand my problems thanks to you. Both of you. And I only want to be with one of you from now on.'

Her tail rested on Sceptile's stomach, and she felt his heart pick up in speed. Finally, it had been said. The affection was realized.

'Suit yourself.' Gyarados grunted. 'It doesn't matter anyway. You will both be destroyed and you will never reach your self proclaimed destinies.' He finally showed some change in his facial expression with a menacing smirk. 'You've wasted your time Milotic. With me and with him.'

He opened his mouth wide and charged up immense power. The insides of his jaw started to glow bright yellow, as if there was a mini-sun deep in his stomach. Sceptile let out a squeak of terror.

'A hyper beam!' he panicked, trying to move his body but his leg was still too sore. He was grinding his teeth, attempting to push past the pain but it was too much for him.

'Come on! Milotic!' he grabbed hold of her back and tried to hoist himself over. He was not lacking in determination. 'Let's move!'

'No.'

Sceptile's eyes widened.

'What?' he asked, as Gyarados's jaw opened wider, the wickedly powerful beam almost reaching full power.

'We're not moving.' Milotic shook her head before turning it to face Sceptile with a fiery expression. 'It's now your turn to trust me. Do you?'

'Well yeah-'

'Then relax and shut up.' Milotic looked back round just in time. Gyarados let out a searing blaze of orange energy from his mouth, aiming directly at the two of them. Sceptile yelled and covered his head with his arms, expecting to be obliterated on the spot. Milotic waited until the hyper beam was only a few metres away from hitting her before she shut her eyes tight. Her protective shield bounced out of nowhere, covering both Milotic and Sceptile completely. The blast glanced off the barrier, causing the whole thing to shudder violently, rattling the very bones underneath Sceptile's skin. To Gyarados' horror, the hyper beam suddenly deflected the other way, directed straight at him with a greater speed than before.

'Oh son of a-'

KABOOM!

Gyarados was engulfed by the searing projectile and blasted further than anyone thought was possible. Milotic opened her eyes, absolutely gobsmacked that her plan had worked and watched with a newfound glee as the shape that was Gyarados became smaller and smaller while he flew through the air. Eventually, after about one hundred metres of travelling, Gyarados smashed into the already devastated wall of the distant castle and collapsed in a heap on the ground outside. He would not be getting up from that anytime soon. Milotic let out a howl of ecstatic and relieved laughter, her tail coiling around the still cowered Sceptile.

'Am I dead?' he asked, his voice slightly muffled. 'Is that Arceus laughing at me because I died like an idiot?'

'No silly!' Milotic said to him, her magnificent face as happy as it had ever been. 'He's gone! We beat him! I never thought I would say this but I am so happy that Gyarados is gone!'

Sceptile looked up at last, his vision slightly blurry and his leg still shredded. He was shocked. Shocked at the lack of a visible Gyarados. Shocked at Milotic's tactics. Shocked at himself cowering in fear.

'You are crazy.' Sceptile pointed maniacally at Milotic who giggled in response. 'How did you know that would work?'

'I didn't.' Milotic shrugged, causing Sceptile to jabber and quiver even more. 'Worth a shot though.'

Sceptile flopped back down on the grass, his heavy breathing slowly evolving into an insane laugh. Milotic joined in, more amused at Sceptile's reaction than anything else. They couldn't believe their luck. Either of them. Not only to have escaped from that alive but to be with each other. They wouldn't have it any other way. It was unfortunate that Gyarados had been knocked so far out of sight that nobody noticed the clan pokemon seize hold of his unconscious body and drag him inside the castle.

'My lord?'

Gengar pushed past the door only to be exposed to a blaze of black matter. He shielded his face and peered through the slits that were his eyes. Around him, the walls had cracked and blackened as if there was some sort of small explosion earlier. Giratina was still standing on all fours, his red eyes focused straight ahead of him. Gengar cleared his throat, thinking that Giratina had not heard him.

'Lord Giratina?'

'What is it, Gengar?' Giratina hissed, the black smoke and dust continuing to emanate from his body. 'I need to concentrate. Bringing in an entire reality takes power and dedication beyond your imagination.'

'Oh...' Gengar looked down at his feet, taken aback at the hostility. 'Forgive me my master.'

'Have those troublesome invaders been eradicated yet?' Giratina asked him, the light under his feet shining brighter.

'Not yet but it is only a matter of time.' Gengar said quickly, wanting to ask his initial question. 'Have you seen Banette?'

'No I have not.' Giratina replied curtly.

'But I told him to stay in here?'

'I am not here to look after your child!' Giratina's voice morphed into an aggressive growl. 'I am trying to filter in as much antimatter into the world as I can and it did not occur to me that that involved babysitting! Now go and kill those pokemon!'

Gengar stepped back. This was not like Giratina at all. Usually he had some advice or some answers but right now he was practically hostile. Maybe I can't blame him though, thought Gengar, staring at the fluctuating black energy around the massive creature. This distortion world summoning is probably putting him under enough strain. Gengar was worried however. He had not seen Banette since he left to try and battle the Shining Beacons. He hoped he hadn't gone wondering at this dangerous time. If anything were to happen to him when they were so close to achieving their destiny...Gengar didn't know what he would do.

'I'll just...' Gengar edged towards the door. '...Go then?'

'Unless you have spare energy.' Giratina grunted, seemingly exerting himself slightly.

'What?'

'Any pokemon to sacrifice?' Giratina turned his head to him, scraping the jagged parts of the walls and ceiling. 'It would speed up the process.'

'I...' Gengar shook his head. 'I don't. I'm sorry.'

'Well I do.' came a voice behind him. Gengar and Giratina looked round to see Zoroark, looking slightly out of breath, his left hand clasped behind a long blue tail poking out of the door. Despite being puffed out, Zoroark had the evil glint in his eye again, spreading his foul ecstasy around at a higher level.

'You have something to convert?' Giratina asked Zoroark, who nodded.

'I have so much.' Zoroark grinned, waggling the blue tail in a circle. 'Another of my genius plans. Would you care for me to explain?'

'Zoroark, have you seen...' Gengar suddenly grew suspicious of what Zoroark was holding, thinking he recognized it. 'What the fuck is that?'

'A suitable sacrifice.' Zoroark yanked the tail further in, revealing the scaly body attached to it. 'Gyarados has failed yet again. He is obviously not worth it. I suggest you consume him. Mind, body and soul.'

'Zoroark!' Gengar cried out, seeing Giratina nod in agreement. 'He'll be torn apart! He'll cease to exist won't he?'

'Well yeah but it is a sacrifice that I have thought carefully about for ten seconds.' Zoroark shrugged. 'That's not even the best bit though!'

Gengar blinked. The best bit? He did not think he even wanted to know.

'The failures of the Clan of Shadows...' Zoroark said slowly and sadistically. 'The ones who are lying down unconscious as we speak, having been beaten by a rag tag team of idiots and losers. They are not worth it either. I say we sacrifice all of them.'

'What!?' Gengar clapped his hands to his head. He knew Zoroark was cruel but he didn't think he would promote mass murder like this. 'What is the matter with you? Most of those pokemon are like us!'

'They are not.' Zoroark told him. 'We took those pokemon with force and exposed them to the distortion world. We have nothing in common with them. They can be used as fuel and I won't even look back.'

Gengar put his foot down. Enough was enough.

'No.' Gengar growled. 'I won't let you.'

Zoroark gently dropped Gyarados's limp tail, looking coldly at Gengar. He turned away for a second, biting his lip. Suddenly, he sent a shadow ball spinning directly at Gengar's face from close range, colliding hard and sending him slamming against the far wall. The attack was so damaging and surprising that Gengar stayed completely motionless on the ground.

'Not bad.' Zoroark smirked to himself before pulling Gyarados with two arms into the room. Giratina observed the situation with a slightly amused expression.

'Does this not seem a bit radical to you?' he smirked.

'No.' Zoroark replied, dropping Gyarados in front of Giratina with a heavy thud. 'It is what I desire. I want this world to go. Right now.' He heard a groan to his left coming from Gengar, who had regained consciousness. Zoroark pointed in his direction sharply. 'And he will ruin it.'

'I...can't let you do...this.' Gengar was dazed and groggy, his hands slipping on the ground. Giratina shook his head slowly.

'Gengar I am afraid to say that you have let me down for the last time.' he said in his ominous voice. 'You failed to repel the opposing forces and have put us in danger of being halted before the pulse. Now you object to the most sensible method of bringing on the distortion world.'

'There has to be...another way.' Gengar said slowly. He tried to look up but Zoroark quickly marched over and planted his foot on his head, stuffing his face into the cold ground.

'There will be none for you.' Zoroark growled angrily, digging his weight into Gengar. 'You tried to abandon us to save yourself and your child earlier. Well that won't happen again and I will tell you why...' Zoroark leaned in close to the paralyzed Gengar, who was now fearing everything that was going on. He slowly whispered to him the worst possible thing Gengar could imagine. 'Banette is dead...'

'Stop...' Gengar's voice was breaking, his toughness replaced with an emotional vulnerability. He shook where he lay, in denial of these words. 'You're lying...Stop!'

'I am not.' Zoroark smiled, pushing down harder. 'I handed him to the bloodlusted Salamence on a silver platter and he gobbled him up real good. No more of that pest.'

Gengar was numb. Full of rage and grief. He wanted to smite both Zoroark and Giratina where they stood but he was too badly injured and it was likely that Giratina would wipe him from existence if he tried.

'You're evil...' Gengar quivered, finally looking up at the two of them. His eyes were glistening. Blood was running from his mouth.

'And you're pathetic.' Both Zoroark and Giratina said together. Zoroark then hauled Gengar upwards, holding him under the armpits.

'Excuse me sir.' Zoroark nodded at Giratina, then addressed the body of Gyarados. 'You can convert him in the meantime.'

Zoroark left the room dragging the weak Gengar across the floor by the leg, just like he would have done with Banette. As he left the room, Gengar's weak, bloodshot eyes saw Gyarados's body begin to dissolve into black mist. Piece by piece, being consumed by Giratina until there was nothing left.

CLANK!

Zoroark had kicked open the door of the castle with his foot. He then threw his arm out and flung Gengar down the steps leading up to the entrance. He watched with a malicious smile as Gengar rolled limply down the stairs and collapsed in a heap right next to the moat before clapping his hands together as if it was a job well done.

'You were a bigger hindrance than them.' Zoroark pointed ahead at the battle in the courtyard. 'I know it's rough just now Gengar but think about it! Once the distortion world arrives, you won't feel a thing. Ever again.'

With that, Zoroark turned around and shut the door behind him, leaving Gengar sprawled out on the dusty ground, weeping silently as he had just lost everything.