Chapter Twenty-Eight: One Last Time

While the middle section in the courtyard was grieving over the death of Staraptor and attempting to recover from this morale shattering loss, a street away played host to two long and intense conflicts. Lopunny had suffered enough physically at the hands of Nidoqueen and was attempting everything to gain the upper hand, from trying to tire her out to using the environment around them. It was no use. She just wasn't strong enough. Lopunny scampered behind a large thick statue of Arceus for protection, clutching her shoulder after feeling something pop from the last attack. She did her very best to hold her frantic breathing, her large ears attempting to pick out signals of Nidoqueen skulking around the structure, looking to finish her off. Her hearing was disrupted by the other violent battle nearby. The clashing of blades was enough to soften the footsteps of her adversary and rendering her primary sense useless.

'You can't run from me little girl!' Nidoqueen's voice rang out over the deafening noises. 'Better to accept your doom than pretend you can match me!'

Lopunny said nothing, her back against the brown dusty wall. Her eyes were peeled in the direction that Nidoqueen's voice was coming from while at the same time, her peripheral vision latched on to Scizor's situation. It did not bear for great reading. The guy who enjoyed a fight was scowling and wincing, his wings tattered and his already worn out armour even more discoloured. Bisharp was handling the both of them efficiently and although together Gallade and Scizor posed a worthy adversary to Bisharp, he was still on top of things.

'What went through your head when joining these pokemon, Lopunny?' Nidoqueen asked, her voice becoming closer and causing Lopunny to edge away from it. 'Why didn't you escape with your dignity intact back at Shan'rala? You are just not cut out for this type of thing, no matter what lies have been fed through your head.'

'Maybe I'm not.' Lopunny cared nothing for her location now. The mind games were up. 'Maybe I will never be as good a warrior to take you on but I don't regret one moment of this.'

'Oh don't you?' Nidoqueen scoffed.

'That's right!' Lopunny crept around the side of the statue, noticing Nidoqueen's tail slither in the other direction. 'I never thought I would grow to love the thrill of this having had everything handed to me on a plate all my life. Now I am taken seriously. I've learned new and valuable things. I was just taken for granted back in Tanapas.'

'Well I hate to disappoint you, girl,' Nidoqueen said, the two circling each other on opposite sides of the bust. 'but life has its own plans for each and every one of us. It is clear that you were designed to be a pretty face with nothing to you. To be walked over and dismissed by your peers, never amounting to what your dreams tell you you can be.'

'Takes one to know one doesn't it?' Lopunny snapped back. She saw the tail of Nidoqueen stop dead in its tracks at the statement.

'What did you just say?' Her gleeful scorn of Lopunny seemed to be replaced with a bitter tone.

'Nidoqueen, you were chewed up and spit out by the Giruphin election.' Lopunny explained, crouching down and watching Scizor and Gallade back off behind cover about twenty metres away. 'You wanted to be mayor but the pokemon of the city decided to nominate Dusknoir instead. No matter how hard you try and seek out power and dominance, you'll always fall at the last hurdle. This is why you want the distortion world isn't it? So you can finally win at something. To become someone you are not.'

Lopunny waited for an answer, her body hunched down and waiting with baited breath. She shot a glance to her left, noticing Scizor staring at her with a concerned expression. Gallade had moved into the upper levels of a fragile house as part of a plan they had concocted while Gardevoir and Hoopa had distanced themselves from the theatre of conflict in order to recharge their power levels. Unknown to Lopunny, they were positioned behind the windows of a run down old mill, their backs below the cracked glass and every now and then sneaking peeks at the situations down below.

'Are you speechless?' Lopunny continued to antagonize Nidoqueen who had still not moved from where she stood. 'So you admit it? Unfortunately that means we may have something in common. Good thing that I am working to become better than what I was...While you're content with being mediocre and bringing the rest of us down with you.'

Nidoqueen snapped. The statue between them shattered into pieces as Nidoqueen furiously charged directly through it, her outstretched arm catching Lopunny on the neck and driving her into the ground. Nidoqueen trapped her where she was with one arm while ferociously pummeling her with her other fist in a fit of rage. The horrible sight made Scizor completely lose focus of what he and Gallade had sought out to do and he jumped upwards, his location exposed to the advancing Bisharp.

'Lopunny!' Scizor cried out, his feet churning up dust underneath. Gallade saw what was happening and slammed his sword against the inside wall.

'Stick to the plan!' he yelled in frustration. Bisharp heard this and looked directly upwards, turning his back to Scizor who skidded where he was, feet away from the seemingly unconscious Lopunny and the savage Nidoqueen.

'Now!' Scizor twisted in the direction of where Gardevoir and Hoopa were hiding and brandished his arm. They both lunged out the window, sending the beams of psychic energy at Nidoqueen, colliding with her and sending her skittering across the rubble away from Lopunny. The second after he made the call, Scizor turned and galloped back to the distracted Bisharp who had sliced and diced the wooden planks holding up Gallade's residence thus beginning the collapse of the building. Scizor jumped forward and kicked Bisharp directly in the back with devastating force. Bisharp buckled and fell face first into the ground below the crumbling house. At the same time, Gallade leapt out of the window and rolled over next to Scizor, both observing Bisharp becoming entombed under the ruins of another destroyed former residence. When the dust settled, the two fighters stood before the debris victorious, their opponent gone from their sight. Gallade aimed a pat on Scizor's back but he had already darted off to see if Lopunny was alright. Instead, Gallade glanced up at his wife's hiding place, his mind locking with hers and telling her 'good job'. She and Hoopa had thought up the plan to distract Bisharp while they were running for cover and it had worked wonderfully, her ability to communicate with her mind proving the biggest factor. Gallade looked up at the sky, finally relieved that Bisharp was no longer part of his life and he had finally beaten him.

'Lopunny!' Scizor ran over to where she lay and knelt down, wary of Nidoqueen on the ground about ten metres away. There was blood trickling down her face and her fur was matted, smeared with earth and bodily fluid. Scizor cradled her head in his left pincer as he held his right one to his mouth.

'Please don't do this to me.' he quivered, biting down on his claw, staring at her motionless face in anguish. 'You can't. Please don't...'

Lopunny then gave a tiny cough and opened her eyes. Her vision was distorted and fuzzy but she recognized that blur of scarlet from anywhere. Scizor let out a laugh of relief and joy at the signs of life.

'Scizor!' she cried out, her voice hoarse and cracked. They embraced each other warmly, as Gallade, Gardevoir and Hoopa all joined them in unison. Gallade put his arm around the physically drained Gardevoir while Hoopa slowly clapped, relieved that he had gotten his own back on his awful captor.

'Don't ever do that to me.' Scizor softly rubbed Lopunny on the back of the head. 'Seriously, if you ever go looking for trouble like that again, there will be consequences.'

'I wanted to prove myself to you.' Lopunny pleaded, Scizor lifting her up and holding her in his arms while standing to his feet. 'That I could finally tackle a dangerous enemy without your aid. And I lost... It means I have more to do.'

Scizor shook his head, his face breaking into an understanding smile.

'You don't have to prove anything.' he told her. 'You've already proved yourself with how much progress you've made over the journey. Never put yourself in those kind of situations again, okay?'

Lopunny nodded, wincing at the pain felt all over her body. Scizor was as careful as he could be when adjusting her position in her arms. Gallade and Gardevoir looked at each other with twinkles in their eyes, feeling the warmth between everyone. The mood was then brought to a jarring halt as Hoopa gasped and clapped his hands to his head, his very body shaking to the core as he stared ahead of everything up at the castle.

'What is it!?' They all asked, turning round to where he was looking. It was as if a huge purple dome had grown from inside the castle itself. The five of them watched horror-struck as the dark wave slowly grow out the way, decaying everything it passed over. Inside it was a spectral shape, a winged monster. Giratina was projecting this foul power at last and it was terrifying to behold. Looking like ants beneath him, three figures sprinted as fast as they could from the creeping oblivion. They recognized them as Lucario, Electivire and Armaldo.

'The distortion world!' Hoopa cried, panic stricken. It was horrifying to behold, this unstoppable deluge of other-worldly evil.

'The bell has been rung!' The Beacons glanced over at the shattered rock in front of them. Nidoqueen was clawing her way up the shards, still awake and delighted at the oncoming storm. 'Purge us, overpower us, it doesn't matter. Charom is done. You were never going to stop it.'

She let out a strained laugh, her lungs clogged up with dust before collapsing in a heap where she was. It was difficult to tell whether she was dead or just unconscious. Gallade grimaced and held Gardevoir tighter around the shoulder before addressing his comrades.

'Scizor, take Lopunny and run.' he told him. Scizor stared at him in disgust.

'I'm not retreating!'

'Find her a safe location and care!' Gallade carried on. 'Hoopa, you need to hide and recover your power. Gardevoir, you and I will-'

CRUNCH!

Another distraction caused them to switch their attention. This time it was from underneath the shattered and broken wood that was once Gallade's hiding spot. It was an arm. A metal, spiked arm.

'Oh no...' Gallade groaned, his heart sinking to an all time low.

'I thought he was dead!' Hoopa spluttered, looking back and forth at the not-so-defeated enemies.

'Well clearly wood is not very effective against seven shades of psycho!' Gallade sprang into a battle pose and jerked his head backwards. 'Same plan though! Scizor and Lopunny, fall back to Charizard. Gardevoir and Hoopa, you will hide.'

'Urgh...' Scizor growled, reluctant to run but knowing that Lopunny's safety was more important. He hoisted Lopunny up further and sprinted away, hoping to reunite with the others. Hoopa backed off slightly, urging Gardevoir to do the same but she remained still.

'What are you doing?' Gallade looked round at her as Bisharp's upper body burst from the wreckage. 'I said go!'

'No.' Gardevoir said defiantly, staring hard at their nemesis. 'Together we fight. I'm not going to leave. Ever!'

'Gardevoir we need to transform Hoopa to his unbound state.' Gallade said. 'He's the only one who can help us here! I need you to divert your power streams for him!'

'I can't risk you being killed!' Gallade wailed, grabbing his arm tightly. 'Distortion world or not, I don't want to live in a reality without you! So either we both live or both die.'

Gallade gazed into her eyes, touched by her words. She really was the most precious thing in his life. Her uniqueness and her kindness, how she had stuck by him when times were rough and how he knew she would continue to be by his side no matter what happened. Gallade couldn't help but choke up slightly as he shared a long look at her.

'Melanie...'

Gallade uttered her true name, seemingly emitting a ripple through the air as she gazed back at him, adoration seeping her face. His next words were cut off by Bisharp who had rammed into his side powerfully. Gallade stumbled backwards and fell over, his shoulder bruising instantly. Bisharp looked disheveled and rather unfocused. Despite coming out alive, the structure dropped on him had evidently taken its toll. He was limping slightly while Gardevoir noticed wood shrapnel sticking into his metal ribcage, seemingly creating an opening in his black chest.

'I should have killed you at the very beginning.' Bisharp growled. He reached over and pulled a sharp shard of wood from his shoulder, ignoring the blossoming blood conjured from the action. 'All those years ago...Both of you!'

'What's the matter, Bisharp?' Gallade asked, rising to his knees as Gardevoir backed away in fright. 'You're taking me seriously now? Not many pokemon get the better of you now do they?'

'That is correct.' Bisharp hissed maliciously, his head flitting between both of them and Hoopa, still attempting to hide behind a home stead. 'And not one of those pokemon has lived long afterwards.'

He flung out his arm, brushing Gardevoir to the floor and charged at the steadying Gallade. His movement was less dynamic than before due to the injuries which Gallade knew instantly was his ticket to victory.

You need to exploit his current weaknesses, Gardevoir's voice was frantic in his mind as Gallade lunged sideways, avoiding Bisharp from carving him up with a violent flurry of knives. You may need to fight dirty!

Against this guy I am willing to do anything to win, Gallade responded. He swung forwards, his move blocked by Bisharp who replied with a jab to the back. Gallade rolled over and aimed a psycho cut at him which he deflected with less grace and ease than before. Bisharp slashed at Gallade, his defensive maneuvers barely keeping up with his speed and ferocity. Gallade aimed upwards and tried to catch him in the throat, only for Bisharp to foresee the attack and counter, the blow sending Gallade sprawling.

You have to take out his senses! Gardevoir retreated next to Hoopa, the cloud of darkness in the horizon becoming larger ever so slowly. His sight, hearing, anything!

Gallade raised his head from the ground, hearing Bisharp approach from behind. He spat out some dust that had sneaked in to his mouth and in doing so, came up with an idea.

'Something you should know about being a true warrior, Gallade,' Bisharp said, his footsteps crunching on the sandy substances. 'is that no mercy is shown to the loser. Which means that I am going to slay you where you lie.'

Bisharp jabbed his elbow back, preparing to smite Gallade in the back of the head. Gallade then spun around, flinging a bundle of ash into Bisharp's eyes and causing him to stumble backwards, clutching his face in agony. Gallade leapt up and swung at the blinded Bisharp, at his side, his front and at his face. Bisharp stabbed forward in desperation, only for Gallade to duck down and hammer the wooden shards in Bisharp's leg, forcing him to his knees. Gallade stood up straight and launched a strong kick at his left cheek. Bisharp fell on his back, letting out another uncharacteristic grunt of pain. His sight was recovering but Gallade was on top of him in a flash with his sword raised high, his legs being used to pin down Bisharp's arms. He brought the blade directly downwards, targeting and striking the weak spot in Bisharp's rib cage. Once. Twice. Three times. Gallade was stabbing him with everything he was worth. On the fourth attempt, the armour cracked and splintered, exposing Bisharp's internal organs. There was now legitimate fear in Bisharp's face as Gallade raised his sword up for a fifth time, ready to end his life now.

'You lose.' Gallade hissed, his voice now resembling someone he did not know. 'And now you pay for everything.'

'Gallade!' the sound of the shout was the only thing stopping Gallade from bringing his sword down and murdering Bisharp. He looked around in its direction and he saw her. Gardevoir was standing nearby, with Hoopa slightly behind her. There was no expression around her face but her eyes told a different story. There was raw emotion behind them. Pleading, anxious desperation. Her message was clear. Gallade turned his head back down to Bisharp who was still breathing heavily, awaiting his death. Gallade let out a deep sigh and brought his raised blade crashing down, causing Bisharp to shut his eyes tightly... Only for nothing to happen to him. Gallade had stabbed the ground next to his body, a foot away from his heart. Bisharp stared at him incredulously, watching Gallade rip his sword out and stand to his feet. Gallade turned and walked over to Gardevoir, who hugged him tightly while Hoopa breathed a sigh of relative relief.

'I've beaten you.' said Gallade, holding Gardevoir tightly around the back. There was no anger or joy in his voice. It was as though he had come to realise that the satisfaction was minimal.

'You should have killed me...' Bisharp groaned, unable to move. 'I told you...no mercy to the loser. That is what defines a warrior. The thing you wish to be.'

'No.' Gallade turned round to him, Gardevoir's hands on his chest and neck. 'That is your warped definition. I'm not letting you live to spite you or even for my own honour.' Gallade brought Gardevoir closer to him. 'I did it for her. The battle is mine, Bisharp. You will never threaten me or my wife again.'

Gallade beckoned the other two forward and as one, they all walked away from the unconscious Nidoqueen and the defeated Bisharp, who slowly rolled over and spat some blood down upon the ground, truly bitter at his loss.

'Thank you...Gallade.' Gardevoir said as the three of them turned the corner, seeking out the other Shining Beacons. 'I knew you would find it in your heart to...urgh...'

She then stopped in her tracks and fell on all fours, her limbs weak and barely holding herself up.

'Gardevoir!' Gallade crouched down and held her, concerned more for her than the impending apocalypse.

'She has worn out her power!' Hoopa said sadly, dropping by Gardevoir's other side. 'She fed her entire share into me...'

'And are you powerful enough yet..?' Gallade asked him, fearing the worst. The look on Hoopa's face told him enough. Gallade sank against the wall with his arms over his head while Hoopa observed Giratina's pulse coming closer and closer. It was now over the moat and moving to the courtyard like the unstoppable tidal wave it was.

'It's the end.' Gallade muttered, staring at the ground. 'After all this time...'

'We can't give up hope.' Gardevoir shuddered, resting her hand on Gallade's leg. She attempted to let out a smile but the situation was too dire for anyone to believe it. Together, the three pokemon gathered together by the wall, hugging each other tight and preparing for the inevitable. They still had time to run. Run and get the most out of their fleeting existence in Charom. There was no point though. It had to be it.

'I love you Melanie.' Gallade said in her ear, following up with a kiss on her forehead. 'I hope that I have supplied you with the most secure and fulfilling life that I could have.'

'You have, Sigmund.' she replied, her hands around his body. 'You have given me more in one life than anyone else could do in ten lifetimes.'

'What..?' Hoopa detached himself slightly from the loving couple and stared straight ahead. He scrutinized the area closely, thinking he saw something.

'What is it?' Gallade asked him.

'There is someone here.' Gallade said. 'Someone unseen.'

'He's in front of you!' Gardevoir cried out, pointing at a spot of ground before them. Hoopa jolted backwards as the invisible pokemon materialized where he stood, his usually shimmering eyes sadder than they had ever been.

'Stop right there!' Gallade jumped up and pointed his blade at Gengar. We may all be ready for the end here, he thought. But nobody will separate me and Gardevoir! Gengar said and did nothing. He stared blankly at Hoopa, his eyes puffy and red, his body language defeated and weak. Over his shoulder was a small satchel containing something long and thin at the top and circular in the middle.

'What are you doing Gengar?' Hoopa asked, cautious around him. 'Are you going to kill us?'

'No.' Gengar said, shaking his head. 'No I will not.'

The three of them were shocked at the remorse in his voice. He was almost a completely different pokemon compared to the one who had terrorized Charom for the past month. His face was gaunt and haunted looking while the emotion in his eyes just screamed pain.

'This is a trick isn't it?' Gallade was still skeptical until Gardevoir held his shin.

'It's not.' she said, probing his mind. What she had instead found in his head filled her with both optimism and deep sadness. 'Oh...Gengar!'

She clapped her hands to her mouth and a single tear falling down her face, completely baffling Gallade.

'There is nothing left for me there.' Gengar nodded over at the distortion pulse and the distant but huge frame of Giratina.

'What happened?' Hoopa inquired, deeply curious. Has he turned his back on the Clan? This I would never have expected in a thousand years!

'They have turned on me and what the Clan wished for.' Gengar explained, continuing to stare at the renegade pokemon in the sky. 'Zoroark has put aside the desires of the pokemon who have served by us and destroyed them for his own gain. Not only that but he has taken from me the reason why I wanted to bring the distortion world in the first place...I cannot let them do this.'

There was silence as Gengar looked away from Giratina and down to Gardevoir on the floor, then to Hoopa, who was staring at him with a sympathetic expression.

'How close are you to becoming unbound?'

'Not near enough.' Hoopa groaned. 'Gardevoir has transferred all her available psychic energy to me but still I am still not ready. Even if you gave your own power using her mind link, I doubt it would be enough to suffice given the time we have.'

Hoopa buried his head in his hands. Gengar nodded slightly, his lips tightening.

'I doubt he would let me do that anyway.' Gengar said, gesturing at Gallade who rolled his eyes dryly. 'Well it is a good thing I salvaged this from Kron'fa cavern when we left. I knew Nidoqueen would try and dispose of it once she thought we had lost your use, Hoopa.'

Gengar took the bag off his arm, reached into its depths and pulled something out of it. It was a long cylindrical container, purple and blue, the shapes on the top and bottom looking awfully familiar. Hoopa gasped and clapped his hands together, overjoyed at the sight of this contraption.

'Hoopa, what is that thing?' Gallade asked, staring at the bottle. He had never seen anything like it before. Hoopa took it from Gengar's hand and glanced at the two beside him, with a strangely mischievous look on his face.

'A lifeline.'


The distortion world had crept up further now until it was mere minutes away from engulfing the whole courtyard with every Shining Beacon inside. Not just them but also the unconscious Hypno, Conkeldurr and Tyranitar all lying nearby each other. Charizard waited there, his hands behind his back, strangely calm in the face of the ominous wave heading his way. Despite being overwhelmed by the sight of Giratina, Charizard would not let fear dictate his actions before the legendary pokemon. Behind Charizard, Lucario sat completely crestfallen, staring at Staraptor's body and feeling completely numb. There was nothing he could do. Nothing he wanted to do. The feeling of hope that he thought he felt when he was rescued had evaporated like water in a sun scorched earth. The pokemon who had been one of his shining lights for so long. Who had brought his spirits up when they were at his lowest. Who had helped drag this bunch of unlikely resistance fighters kicking and screaming all this way... He wiped his eyes and bowed his head between his bent knees. He had dropped Glaceon's gift on the ground beneath him after doing so much to keep hold of it. It seemed as if he would never find out what it was that Glaceon had given him.

'It's all my fault.' he said, seeing a shadow pass over his feet.

'No Lucario...' It was Haxorus. His wound had been cleaned up by Milotic, who was over in a corner tending to the injuries sustained by Sceptile, Lopunny and Garchomp.

'It is though.' Lucario looked up at him, tears flooding down his face. 'I should have just surrendered myself a long time ago. At the very beginning of this whole journey. If I did then maybe...' He shot a quick glance at Staraptor before his face screwed up again. '...She'd be... Everyone would be...'

'No Lucario.' Haxorus repeated, kneeling down and resting his hand on Lucario's shoulder. 'Of all the pokemon in Charom, Staraptor would be most opposed to this distortion world. She would choose death over it. I reckon she would want us to do the same. So I will keep fighting.'

'As will we.'

Lucario looked round to see Togekiss and Altaria floating down either side of him, their eyes still blotchy but otherwise much better than before.

'Guys..?'

Togekiss landed and addressed them with a gritty expression. It was now time to fully embrace his leadership skills that he had been building for some time. If he could do it half as well as Staraptor could, then he would be a great commander.

'I will not let them win.' he said, the defiance in his voice far beyond his years. 'Never. Not after all the shit they have done. All the cowardly, cruel and violent attacks on Charom. They do not deserve one inch.'

'The pokemon of Charom will not grow and develop in a world they never wanted.' stated Altaria boldly. 'They can run and survive elsewhere but they will never find another place like the one we have now. So let us protect it.'

'We're going up against a pokemon of almost unimaginable power...' Lucario told them, nodding at the purple sky, which had almost gotten used to by now. 'What can we do against-'

'Shame on you Lucario.' Altaria hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. 'I thought after everything that has been said and done, your mind would have changed. You will be a quitter no more.'

'That's right!' Armaldo grunted, joining in with his friends. The four standing all looked down upon Lucario like a group of angry adults over one disobedient child. 'Lucario, you're really going to let Zoroark gain victory? He has made your existence hell and you are prepared to just throw in the towel?'

'No I'm not I just-'

'Well then!' Haxorus yanked Lucario up by the back of the neck and dropped him on his feet. 'You have less excuses than any of us. So let's do it. For Staraptor.'

Altaria and Togekiss nodded appreciatively at Haxorus's toast. Armaldo clapped Lucario on the back encouragingly.

'If I don't see you through the week,' he said, grinning wide. 'I'll see you on the other side!'

Lucario mustered a small chuckle, as did Charizard ahead of him. Somebody then tapped Charizard on the shoulder with a large fuzzy finger.

'Hey.'

'Oh Electivire.' Charizard turned to see said pokemon standing next to him with another one on his left. 'And Scizor too.'

'Charizard,' Electivire shuffled his feet, looking as if he was about to admit something embarrassing. 'if this is the end, I would just like to say how much I am grateful for everything you taught me.'

'You are?' Charizard gave a surprised smile.

'Yup.' Electivire nodded. He then broke out into a dumb but lovable grin. 'I mean... I think it's fair to say that I wasn't in a great situation before all this shit happened but now I feel like a somewhat different pokemon. I've changed for the better I think.'

'Always had faith that you'd come good, young man.' Charizard said, shaking Electivire's hand. 'You're a good kid. A little clumsy but that's to be expected. Nobody is perfect.'

Electivire shook vigorously while Scizor rolled his eyes at Charizard's 'nobody is perfect' statement as he believed himself to be the exception.

'Thank you sir.' Electivire said, releasing his grip.

'Yeah thanks for everything cap.' Scizor winked and held out his claw as well. 'Honestly didn't think that I would end up fighting alongside such a big shot in the army for so long.'

'I didn't think that I would ever fight with or even get along with the dune shadow.' Charizard said, taking hold of Scizor's hand as well. 'Well now I know what you are capable of and I am glad to have met you.'

'The dune shadow?' Scizor asked, slightly confused.

'Just a nickname I came up with right there.' Charizard replied, amused at the expression on Scizor's face. 'How these bounty hunters and soldiers-for-hire have their own nicknames and reputations. It would be cool to have one, right?'

'Yeah...' Scizor turned away, scratching his chin and wondering if he had missed a beat there. Suddenly, there was a flash and a crunching sound that reverberated through the courtyard. The air around the beacons became cold and the sky turned dark. The wind picked up to a huge speed as though an apocalyptic hurricane was brewing, ready to destroy everything it touched. Giratina had risen up in his shield, itself inside the distortion pulse which had burst past the fence of the courtyard and had now breached the inner workings of the ruined battlefield. He loomed forward, his long neck stretched over the proceedings and looking down at the pokemon below who dared to defy him.

'From this day forth,' Giratina boomed, his voice echoing for miles and miles. 'the pokemon of Charom will no longer look to the skies or sing their prayers for the deities who see them as insignificant specks of dust. Instead, your salvation is brought forth in the form of me and the distortion world. I am Giratina...And I have come to save you all.'

His red eyes glared downwards, fixated on everyone below him. In Sheasip City, the number of pokemon who had curiously observed the battle from afar had now increased to a huge number, all terrified and mesmerized at what they could see even at their distance. Included in that crowd were law enforcement squads that had entered Sheasip after responding to Charizard's distress signal, including Officer Skarmory and a number of Charom's regional leaders.

'However, some are not so lucky.' Giratina continued, his tone menacing. 'Shining Beacons...Look what you have done.'

'We've done nothing!' Charizard shouted up at him. Along with Electivire and Scizor, he was now joined by Lucario and the others around him and soon enough Milotic, Sceptile, Lopunny and Garchomp. 'We aimed to stop you from your tyranny and vouched for the freedom of Charom against all odds.'

'Look what your aims have done!' Giratina shouted, moving his head in the direction of the ruined village area. 'The destruction of all this. The deaths of good pokemon who were willing to live peacefully in their new world. This is unacceptable.'

'It's no use telling him otherwise.' Togekiss said to Charizard as far behind them, Gallade and Gardevoir crept out of their hiding spot.

'You're right. He'll try and kill us either way.' Charizard cracked his neck, ready for the final battle. 'Guys it has been an honour to fight alongside you all.'

Giratina let out a devious cackle and began to glow. He was charging up attacks intending on wiping out the entire battlefield and unless someone acted now, there was no stopping him.

'Everyone scatter!' Lucario shouted, sprinting to his right while the others did the same in different directions.

'You cannot run from me!' Giratina screamed, the distortion pulse edging closer. 'Nothing you can do will stop me! It's my world now!'

Then out of nowhere, a small black shape materialized directly inside Giratina's protective shield and struck him in the back with what looked like psychic energy. Giratina turned around, flabbergasted at how anything could breach his defense only for another portal to appear by his side and blast him again. Lucario and Charizard stared at each other totally bewildered. Their questions were answered by another giant voice behind them.

'I don't think you know what you are in for just yet, Giratina.'

Everyone spun round to see where the familiar yet altered voice came from and all received the fright of their lives. A pokemon just as gigantic as Giratina was hovering off the ground, rotating his six disembodied arms and casting huge portals directly inside Giratina's bubble. Looking like ticks below him stood Gardevoir and Gallade, who were both launching their own projectiles into the vortexes, trying to shatter the shield from the inside.

'WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!?' yelled Lucario, glancing back and forth at the two titans. Then he received a response that shocked him, motivated him and sent him into a roaring laugh at the same time.

'It's Hoopa Unbound,' the portal casting pokemon yelled out, his voice now sounding more harmonic. 'and I am back, motherfuckers!'

'Hoopa...' Giratina growled, seeing his shield crack from their combined attacks. 'You will pay for this!'

'You did this to me!' Hoopa roared, sending his fist directly into one of his ringed portals and laying into the protection. 'You have the power to bring your world here and I have the power to send you back!'

Giratina's eyes flared, his rage building violently. Gallade looked around at his comrades who were all hiding away from the legendary pokemon battle with terrified expressions.

'Everyone!' Gallade shouted, attempting to rally the squad. 'When Hoopa breaks the shield, launch everything you've got at Giratina. Send him back to where he came!'

Giratina let out a strangled shriek and fired rapid shadow balls directly at Hoopa, catching him right on the chest. If that had happened to any other pokemon present, they would have been annihilated on the spot but Hoopa managed to grit his teeth and bear it. He continued to sneak blow after blow at Giratina's shield, hoping to completely shatter it and remove his invulnerability.

'Come on Hoopa...' Lucario murmured, his palms sweating as he saw the distortion wave coming closer to him and Charizard. On the opposite side of where he was, Togekiss and Altaria were clutching Staraptor's body between them, not wanting to let her go. The sight made Lucario bubble up inside and put his hand on Charizard's shoulder for support.

CRACK!

Hoopa had landed a pivotal blow. His attack had shattered Giratina's forcefield into pieces which disappeared into thin air. It was a great achievement but Giratina was still standing and he remained the most powerful pokemon on the battlefield just now.

'ATTACK!' Charizard screamed for the entire world to hear. As one, the Shining Beacons produced a deluge of moves on Giratina as a huge portal opened up right behind him like a supermassive black hole. Charizard's fire blasts intertwined with Electivire's thunderbolts while Lucario and Togekiss launched their signature aura spheres. The dragon pulses and dragonbreaths from Garchomp, Haxorus and Altaria came in thick and fast, hoping to cause the most damage. Sceptile and Milotic stood side by side, sending their most powerful scalds and leaf storms and at the back, the psychic users continued to put their efficient powers to good use. Even the ones with the inability to use projectile attacks, Scizor, Lopunny and Armaldo were picking up and chucking whatever they could find leftover from the shredded courtyard; tools, plates, tree branches, anything at all as long as they kept their distance from stepping in to the distortion world and falling victim to its soul destruction. Giratina was as resilient as anything that had ever walked the world and was absorbing a massive amount of firepower while remaining perfectly stationary. The distortion world was not moving forward but neither was Giratina moving backwards.

'Keep firing! Keep firing!' Charizard roared, blasting a solarbeam upwards. Sceptile had still maintained the memory of Absol's prophecy in his mind which was now sounding a bit too familiar but he continued to press onward, knowing that there was no way out. It was either victory or death.

'What's he doing?' Lucario pointed upwards, seeing a dark cloud shrouding around Giratina's body and his eyes narrowing. It did not make for good reading at all. Hoopa recognized this and he froze his attacks.

'He's powering up a fully charged shadow force!' Hoopa exclaimed, as the beams and bolts continued to pound away at Giratina's seemingly impenetrable body. 'Once he reaches full capacity, the attack on the ground will leave none alive!'

'What do we do!?' shrieked Gardevoir, panic stricken. Hoopa lowered his head for a second and took a deep breath. He had the only option but it would come with a cost.

'I'm sorry my friends,' he said, wanting to make this goodbye as quick as he could. 'but if Charom is to live then I must have to do something drastic.'

'What are you talking about!?' Gallade shouted, lowering his swinging arms. Hoopa steadied himself before swishing three of his arms in an upwards diagonal motion. Unknown to Giratina, a massive vortex had transported itself just behind him.

'I have to move in front of Giratina and shove him into that portal myself. It will take us both to the distortion world.'

'Hoopa no!' Milotic screamed, turning her head to him swiftly. 'You'll be trapped!'

'Not with my prison bottle.' Hoopa said, one of his arms clutching the little trinket tightly. 'I'll just need to escape Giratina's range before I can cast a portal to escape!'

'Hoopa are you sure about this?' Lucario asked over the cacophony of noise. 'You may not make past him when you both land there.'

'There is no other way.' said Hoopa, gazing up at the charging Giratina with a steely glint in his eye. 'If I don't then we are all dead and I will not let that happen to my friends. Keep doing what you're doing when I have him. Goodbye everyone. I am glad that I met you all.'

'We have your back buddy.' Charizard yelled out. Hoopa steadied himself and then waved two of his arms, creating a huge portal for him to pass through. Everyone watched as in front of Giratina, six massive hands grabbed on tightly on to his glistening body.

'Hoopa!' Gardevoir reached out in desperation despite being a hundred metres away. 'I'll miss you...'

'Get off me!' Giratina tried to shake Hoopa off. There was venom in his eyes as he twisted, gnashed and headbutted the valiant genie pokemon, doing anything he could to throw him off. The effects of the distortion wave was also doing its best to sabotage Hoopa's efforts, clawing its way into his mind and whispering fears, thoughts and lies to try and prevent him from doing something for a cause. For a purpose.

'Everybody!' Lucario screamed out, hurtling another aura sphere. The Shining Beacons all attacked Giratina as Hoopa physically shunted him slowly but surely closer to the portal. Hoopa gritted his teeth and pushed harder while Giratina was struck on all sides by the projectiles.

'This...cannot...be!' Giratina roared, his tail almost reaching the portal. 'I...will not...fail.'

Hoopa jammed one of his hands harshly up on to Giratina's face, pushing his neck back and disabling his front vision. With all the might he could muster, Hoopa managed to scream out the words 'Farewell my Shining Beacons' and with one last titanic effort, pushed himself and Giratina through the enormous portal and back into the distortion world. As the portal disappeared, everyone saw the distortion wave slowly fade away into the ether, gone from existence, the only traces of its presence visualized by the cold, dead blades of grass that were unlucky enough to be its victims. Lucario slowly stood up straight, observing the situation around him. For a moment nobody spoke. No one made a sound apart from the heavy breathing and rustling of the wind.

'Did...' Lucario turned on the spot, still coming to terms with the situation. '...Did we win?'

'Yes my friend.' Charizard put his arm over his shoulder and gave the broadest smile he could possibly give. 'Yes we did.'

At the end of Charizard's words, the celebrations broke out amongst the victorious Shining Beacons. Electivire and Armaldo hugged into each other tightly, joined almost instantly by Haxorus. Garchomp flopped down on his behind with a rare beaming smile adorned on his ravaged face. Sceptile fell to his knees in disbelief, wondering how Absol could get it so horribly wrong as Milotic laughed and wrapped him in an embrace. Gardevoir and Lopunny shared kisses on each cheek while Scizor gave Gallade a customary wink and traded a brotherly hug. Even Togekiss let out an ecstatic laugh, flying over the battlefield like he was performing a victory parade. The only one not overjoyed was Altaria, who dropped on to the ground and stayed completely expressionless, the corpse of Staraptor still by her side.

'I can't believe it.' Charizard was surprised beyond belief as he traded a bro-hug with Lucario. 'I legitimately cannot believe we won that. This is incredible.'

'I'm speechless as well.' Lucario said loudly above the sound of Electivire whooping. 'We're not done yet though.'

'What?' Charizard asked, his expression switching to slightly horrified. 'We're not?'

'With different things.' Lucario pointed over his shoulder, the sudden sound of sirens causing Charizard to spin round. They both saw an incoming flux of different vehicles heading into the courtyard; some of them police, others official looking. The sight of them made Charizard scowl.

'Good fucking timing.' he muttered, staring at them with disgust before turning back to Lucario. 'Although maybe we can argue your case for innocence at last!'

'You'll have to do that without me I'm afraid.' Lucario said, his face dropping slightly and looking over at the castle. 'I have someone to seek out.'

'So do I.' Sceptile had come over to the two leaders while Milotic was celebrating with Togekiss and Armaldo.

'Who?' Charizard frowned. 'Milotic is over there.'

'Not her.' Sceptile laughed before turning in the direction of a shattered house, watching something only he knew was there due to its shadow. 'Someone else. You better go have a chat to the cops before Electivire does something dumb or Scizor does something illegal.'

'Fair points.' Charizard smirked. 'I'll see you both soon.'

Charizard turned and flew over to the congregation assembling in the middle of the destroyed village while Sceptile snuck off to the left and Lucario headed straight for the run down castle, both intent on finding their respective clan men. A number of regional leaders had made their way to the front of the crowd to see just what was going on. They included Lord Noivern of Pariliun, Lord Arcanine of Stian, Lady Froslass of Aryil, Lady Florges of Harfawn and Prince Greninja of Fayonra. Funnily enough, Mayor Dusknoir was nowhere to be seen. In between them stood someone that Electivire made a beeline straight for.

'Did your job for you didn't I?' Electivire pointed at Skarmory, not giving a care in the world right now. 'Who would of thought it eh?'

'What are you doing, Electivire?' Skarmory scowled, his magneton deputies behind him. 'You do realise that you are a wanted criminal across the whole land?'

'Easy, Electivire,' Gallade held him back from rebutting. 'you can still get arrested even if you did save the whole land.'

'Save the whole land?' Lord Noivern queried, recognizing the old and friendly figures of Scizor, Gardevoir and Armaldo. 'I am totally lost.'

'Don't worry,' Gallade beckoned Armaldo forward, who came over with a spring in his step. 'he'll fill you in.'

'Gather round all of you. We mean no harm.' Armaldo put his hands up, along with Gallade and Electivire to show that they were not going to retaliate. 'I'm going to tell you a great story!'