GS Ball unlocked
Chapter 108, Real vs fake
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Grabbing his signature Water Shuriken on his back Greninja threw it to his fake counterpart.
"Silver Wind!" The fake Shiftry flapped his wings and a wind with silver particles clashed with the spinning star losing the speed in its spin and coming to a standstill with the shuriken reduced to droplets.
"Greninja, use Night Slash!" Charging in with two black blades Greninja quickly closed the distance between them.
"Leaf Blade!" Shiftry's razor sharp hands glowed and it clashed with the dark cutters Greninja created. The Water Shuriken thrown earlier formed back on Greninja and the two Pokémon were engaged in a battle for physical dominance.
"Throat Chop!" Doing a sideward swipe Greninja bend his body making Shiftry just miss his swipe.
"Aerial Ace!" Greninja put one of his front paws on the ground and kicked Shiftry right in the jaw. The Grass/Dark type stumbled back a bit before quickly recomposing himself.
"Hurricane!" An even stronger wind came from Shiftry and the created Hurricane trapped Greninja in the vortex. The tornado not touching Greninja himself he stood in the eye of it missing the stronger currents that could sweep him away.
"Use Throat Chop to silence him!" Shiftry flying towards Greninja ready to take aim at his neck the Hurricane was carved open trapping Greninja on both sides leaving him with no choice but to block or take the attack head on.
"Primarina, Icy Wind!" The Soloist Pokémon which was let out when Ash and Fusion were busy blew a cold wind mixing it with the created tornado. The cold coming from the winds scared Shiftry out of the whirlwind and it checked his wings for any blemish.
"Thanks you two!" Greninja and Ash giving them the ok sign.
"Don't mention it." Knowing full too well how it is to lose your voice due to Throat Chop Nina and Primarina would first prevent to keep Ash and Greninja in it as long as they could.
"You dare!"
"No. We dare!"
The orb of water started to show and covered Primarina entirely. It vanished showing Fusion the Soloist Pokémon's true form. Primarina in her full form Fusion now stood against two Battle Bond Pokémon to his one. To his shock and amazement the girl and her Pokémon were a pleasant surprise.
"It's true what they say. Strong trainers eventually find each other." It did explain why she could defeat Mixture and Unit. He started laughing.
"What's so funny!?"
"You've proven my point! By creating conflict and a region of strenght I brought out your Pokémon's full potential! Welcome to the world of Battle Bond!"
"We had this power for years! You have nothing to do with it! Primarina, Icy Wind again!"
Trying to take away the source of its wind abilities Nina and Primarina immediately targeted the wings. Shiftry flew upwards feeling a bit of the chill on its feet. It looked down on his master to do something. It only was expecting one transforming Pokémon like itself.
"Two of them. I'm outnumbered but I can't pass up on this!"
"Shiftry! Here now!" His wings partially frozen the Wicked Pokémon went back to his master.
"Use Silver Wind!" Raising its hand fans it slammed them down blowing the Icy Wind away from itself. Silver streaks of particles mixed with blew at Greninja and Primarina. Blowing them from the place they stood got a first hand taste of the Battle Bond power themselves.
Fusion pulled out a GS ball from the sleeve of his robe. With the showing of the second Battle Bond trainer he needed more power and he knew exactly where to get it from all at once.
"I was going to use it for my followers but I'll have you two collect more for me."
Taking a regular Pokeball from his robe he put the two buttons together hiding them in his sleeves. Shiftry's rotten leaf wings embraced its trainer. The black figure started to glow himself with a brown aura. The two trainers not knowing what happened the normal Pokeball became energy itself and was absorbed by the GS Ball. Fusion stopped glowing a showed his left hand holding a gold and silver Pokeball.
"Is that the GS ball he stole from Kurt!?" Ash tried to figure out what the leader did while holding on to not get blown away. Nina herself not knowing what happened herself since she didn't know how the ritual worked of turning a Pokémon into a fake Battle Bond one besides the basics Ash as well knew.
Fusion threw the GS Ball and another Pokémon came out of it. A large green dragon with big red bug eyes and multiple markings on its tail the two identified it as a Flygon. The Silver Wind Shiftry blew stopped and Fusion raised his hand yelling to Flygon to unleash his potential.
"Flygon! Be a part of the winds of change by becoming the desert storm itself!"
A storm of ground and dirt surrounded the Ground/Dragon type forming like the ones the Water type Pokémon did when transforming. Loose bits of dirt and gravel blowing all over the opposing trainers closed and blocked their eyes preventing any filth coming in them.
The storm died down and Ash and Nina couldn't believe what they were seeing. The antenna on Flygon that normally turned back tilted downwards over his body and was colored black now. It's tail now sprouting a dirt looking axe like protrusion instead of the three pieces that normally stuck out giving it a sharper look. It's claws looking sharp enough to slice rocks the Team Union leader turned it into a second fake.
"Nina? What happens if you have two fake Battle Bond Pokémon coming from the same trainer?" Ash asking the more experienced of the two her answer disappointed him.
"We're about to find out." Owing him an answer she was certain the two of them were going to learn the hard way.
"Flygon, Stone Edge! Shiftry, Silver Wind!"
Flygon slammed his new axe tail into the ground making blue rocks rise from the ground. Unlike all other Pokémon Ash had ever seen use the move the blue rocks were shaped like the three pronged axe tail Flygon was carrying. Shiftry flapped its wings creating a silver streak of air specked with particles which blew around the created pointed rocks coming straight for them.
"Greninja, hold on to Primarina and use Double Team!" Primarina raised her tailfin to Greninja which he held on too. Multiple copies of the pair showed on the battlefield now making the wind miss and head to the trainers instead. Standing their ground they got a taste of Shiftry's winds.
"We take the Flygon! We know what it can do!" Nina called out which Pokémon her and Primarina should focus on. With more experience on her side she knows the story of the Flygon that Fusion imitated.
"And we take the Shiftry! Night Slash!" Their roles set they'd take on one each. Trying to separate the fakes as far as possible from their trainer since they don't have the shared senses and it might tear him into two halves at once.
"Shiftry, Leaf Blade on Primarina! Flygon, Iron Tail!"
Fusion not going with their idea ordered Shiftry to charge into Primarina. Flygon swung its tail in a wide angle at Greninja while Shiftry flew over him to Primarina who was a bit further back. The pure power of the Dragon type overwhelmed Greninja's defense and he got struck by it the impact resonating in Ash as well. Primarina meanwhile struggled with the speed Shiftry showed and took a Leaf Blade to the chest which her trainer felt too.
"Primarina, Icy Wind!" With it in close distance Primarina hit the move again and more of his wings froze. As long as she could neutralize its wind powers and ground it they'd have a better chance of winning.
"Flygon, Sandstorm!" Kicking up a storm it blocked the Icy Wind to his ally. Shiftry guarded by the sand around it the cold didn't hit him.
"Primarina, Sparkling Aria!" They two started to sing their song making the sky dark and it started to rain. The sandstorm washed away by the rain Primarina created it gave them all a full view again.
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Throwing it to Flygon who was no invisible by the sandstorm the spinning throwing star had gained in power thanks to the weather effect. Hitting the Dragon type it cried in pain dispute the power boost it got.
"Throat Chop and Stone Edge on Greninja!"
"Icy Wind!" Before Primarina could start the Ice type move Shiftry's was enough to strike at Primarina's throat. Hitting it her trainer shared in the pain.
"GGGGGAAAAHHHHHGGGGHHHH!" Choking on her own words Nina lost her voice. Nothing but garbling and any small noise she made turned out be to be impossible to make any coherence out off. What they feared would happen happened.
"Nina!" Ash knowing just how much discomfort the move caused her worried about the two. Opening her mouth nothing came out of it. Being defenseless now being unable to issue commands Fusion saw his chance to take her out permanently.
"Flygon, Iron Tail!" The fake Battle Bond dragon charged to Greninja now that the Fairy type has been temporarily neutralized. As long as he could keep the two silent they were not an issue.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" A yellow blur charged head in to Flygon's Iron Tail. Despite the size and power difference the electric type charged in fiercely without fear. Flygon was too strong and pushed Pikachu back out of the air. Pikachu landed on the ground roughly but stood up quick.
"You two take a rest!" Ash telling Nina and Primarina to focus getting their voices back.
"Greninja, I'll leave Shiftry to you for now!" Ash mentally communicating to Greninja he'd focus on Pikachu as much as he could. His chosen partner saying he understands kept charging in to Shiftry distracting the Grass type with his continuous Night Slash assault pressing it back till there's some range that they wouldn't interfere with Pikachu and Flygon.
"Flygon, crush it with Dragon Rush!" Aiming to get rid of the rodent Flygon glowed and charged in head first to the mouse who looked up.
"Dodge it Pikachu!" With his smaller size combined with his speed Pikachu was not an easy target to hit. Shifting right he easily dodged the oncoming dragon.
"Now use Extreme Speed!" Chasing after Flygon who was still flying in his Dragon Rush Pikachu jumped on its back.
"Throw it off you!"
Flygon started spinning trying to throw the Electric type off. With his small paws Pikachu hold as much grip as he could on Flygon's wings. From the corner of his black beady eyes he saw something that didn't belong on Flygon.
The rain made earlier by the two singers stopped.
"Iron Tail!" Still holding on Pikachu's tail glowed silver. With some strikes he tried to wear Flygon down little by little.
"Stone Edge!" Flygon slamming its tail in the ground sharp rocks shot out of it heading to his back where Pikachu had been to stubborn to let go. The small mouse got launched by the rocks.
"Pikachu!" Ash crying out for his buddy flying through the air he got caught on a current of water. The damage from an impact he could receive lessened down. Primarina used Aqua Tail and started to slowly lower him down to the ground. Thanking him for his hard work holding them off she was going to return the favor by getting a few good hits in.
"You could've used a surprise attack. Instead you choose to save that rodent. You people are just too nice to use your full power properly." Fusion mocking her that she wasted a sneak attack to catch a Pokémon that hasn't been of much use at all.
"What do you even know about being a Battle Bond trainer when you're nothing but a cheap imitation of us!"
"Don't make me shut you up again! Flygon, Shiftry, take flight!" The two rose up above the forest. Hovering in the sky Primarina would bring them back down.
"We'll ground you! Primarina, Moonblast!"
Launching the Fairy type move upwards Primarina knew they were going for their Draco Meteor version of the attack. The Fairy type move split into smaller orbs creating a bombardment that hit the fake Battle Bond Pokémon who were not taking the attack well. Dodging and weaving to avoid as much of it as possible they were to distracted to see what was going on down below.
"Pika Pika! Pikachu chu ka chu Pika!"
Pikachu knowing that whatever Primarina heard her trainer also did started talking waving his arms around quickly and drawing their attention. Talking to Primarina in a hurry the silver haired girl listened in too. Hearing what he said Ash saw the look on her face shift into a small smile.
"There's what on Flygon's back?"
"What is it?" Ash not understanding exactly what Pikachu talked about in his hurry Nina translated.
"Pikachu said something to me about something being on Flygon's back."
"Its back? ARGH!" Ash suddenly grabbed to his left arm. Nina worried might guess where it came from.
"Give up! With the two wind spirits at my command I can't be beaten!" Fusion seeing his response tried to raise their doubts. As long as he didn't feel any drawback of the Battle Bond power his two Pokémon has the originals won't stand a chance.
"I'm fine. Just Greninja that got hit." Ash's partner had drawn Shiftry away into the dense forest and took it on in a physical fight. With their battle partners getting their voices back again he found it a good time to return.
Flygon's long black antennas shortened and turned green again. It's tail going back to normal and his claws losing the razor sharp nails the two watched on and wondered why it was happening.
"It's switching out of the transformation?"
Flygon started to glow and once more it stood in his recently gained form. The sharp claws shrank again after that and its tail was no longer shaped like an axe but it kept the long black antenna.
"And now it's back again." Ash confused why Fusion kept switching in and out of his full power.
"Somewhat." Seeing the somewhat hybrid dragon now it was different than the levels she and Primarina were capable of calling out on.
"That must be what Pikachu talked about." Ash figured the little Electric type when riding on Flygon's back saw something. According to him it looked like a small piece of rock that had a writing on it he couldn't figure out.
"He was desperate to get him off even damaging itself with Stone Edge." Ash remembering the strange move they made earlier that was aimed at getting rid of Pikachu who kept using Iron Tail on Flygon's back.
"So we aim for that. Sparkling Aria!" Having created a combo together that would strike an opponent continuously Primarina and Nina did a portion of their song and launched it into the sky instead of their opponents. The clouds gathered quickly again and Ash followed up on it.
"Use Water Shuriken!" Greninja grabbing the one on his back threw it into the cloud. Mixing it with the water the rain drops turned into miniature shurikens that pelted on the fake Battle Bond Pokémon forcing to shield themselves with their wings.
"Blow it off with Hurricane!" Shiftry flapped and blew the cloud away. Understanding that the two were aiming for his glaring weak spot now the leader finally started to get more nervous.
"Just give up! You two are done! Save the trouble and come quietly!" Ash and Nina using their intention reading could see the doubt themselves.
"It be great if we could pull off the shuriken rain." Ash wanting more rain it was something Nina and Primarina can provide.
"We can." She said knowing this will be for the greater good but it will take her out entirely.
"Ash? You and the Pokémon can do it from here right? I'll give you your rain that he can't blow away if you say yes." Nina asking him if he got this covered. Him not getting it she raised her Z-ring showing off her new crystal that was locked in place recognizing the Primarium-Z. Getting up on her feet she and Primarina were going to give him the support and power needed to take down Fusion.
"You're going to use that? You know what happens when you do one." Remembering the backlash from using a Z-move during his training he reflected on the fatigue it gave him and the lesson of Archer to never do one. For all the respect and loyalty his battle partner showed it wasn't like her to go against her teachers requests and wishes.
"You just finish the job." Having made her mind up they needed the rain up for longer then just the time Sparkling Aria gave them.
"You sure?"
"Let's see if you can blow away this one!"
Before Ash could make any further arguments Nina already started doing the motions. Crossing her arms Nina's Z-ring and Primarina started to glow. Going through the movements needed to start the Water type Z-move they sang in sync and danced in synchrony.
"As the clouds draw upon the land we echo our praise to the spirits! Bless us with the rain of life and we'll sing in honor of you! Hear our song and our cry, don't let this world die!"
The energy of her Z-ring resonated in Primarina. The harp turned a sphere and the beads in her hair became undone. Her locks rising up as if she were underwater this song would be their ultimate masterpiece after years of training and enduring.
"OCEANIC OPERETTA!" Opening her arms Primarina created the largest bubble she ever made in an instant. It was around ten times bigger then herself and she kept it together with her and Nina's voice straining their vocal cords more then ever before.
Launching it before their throats gave out the water attack had no speed in it giving Fusion more than enough time to counter.
"Sandstorm and Hurricane!" Both of the Team Union's Pokémon hovered near each other and flapped their wings as hard as they could. Flygon kicked up dust blocking everyone's field of view and Shiftry only increased the intensity of the sandstorm by mixing it with its own wind based attack.
The Z-move clashed with the sandstorm creating a massive explosion that blocked everyone's view of vision. Sand, dirt, gravel and water all mixed together and once the dust settled the results of the clash showed itself.
Primarina had changed back and fell down exhausted. Her powers spend with the last Z-move they were down and out for the count. Nina with the last of her strenght returned Primarina thanking her for all the hard work now being reduced to a spectator.
"You're on your own now Ash. Beat him."
Rain started to fall this being their final gift to Ash. Flygon was down with swirls in its eyes and back to its normal form. Fusion returned it and now stood alone against Ash-Greninja.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Firing off a bolt of lightning into the rain cloud Primarina created Pikachu charged it up with static. Electricity now being contained in the cloud it was a tactic they created together to prevent Shiftry from taking flight unless it wants to be struck by lightning.
"Ok. Looks like destroying the tablet also drains the Pokémon completely." Nina losing her voice still made mental notes for when she'd see her master again. Not everything was known to them about the abilities of fake Battle Bond and if they known about the plaques beforehand it would've made this battle easier instead of drawing it out longer than necessary.
"Blow that cloud away with Silver Wind!" Despite the freezing of its wings Shiftry blew up trying to get rid off the rain cloud. Now matter how hard it tried the rain was here to stay.
"Greninja, use Aerial Ace!" Charging in with a kick it knocked Shiftry back while it was distracted with the cloud. Sliding across the rocky surface
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Greninja's weapon forming on his back again he took it and spun it around in place above his head. Glowing orange Nina saw them using their full power. The rain boosting the power even more the Water Shuriken grew to the same size of the orb created by Oceanic Operetta.
"They're combining our powers together like that?" Even she was amazed by what she was seeing. Apparently Ash and Greninja had absorbed the water power her Z-move caused and mixed it with their own signature move.
"Shiftry, Hurricane!" A giant spinning tornado gathered round Greninja.
"Keep holding on to the Water Shuriken!" The orange star started spinning faster and faster. The speed it spun in Greninja's paw was difficult to control and Ash started to feel the strain on his wrist as well as if something was trying to tear his hand off.
"What!? He's using the Hurricane to increase the spin!?"
"Now throw it!" The throwing star increased speed cut straight through the wind dispersing it.
"Now split it apart!"
The Water Shuriken split into multiple smaller ones. Deflecting against one another one half flew towards Shiftry while the other half went up in the cloud causing the rain creating the earlier effect of the rain of shuriken striking at Shiftry's back. Cutting its wings down even more until another struck its back finding what they were aiming for. Seeing chunks of rock fall on the ground the trainers figured it was only a matter of time before Shiftry's wings disappeared.
The mane turned white with its razor blade hands losing its edge. The rotten leaves that made up its wings lost all substance and were carried away by the wind. The Wicked Pokémon collapsed under its own weight having felt all the power leave him.
"Shiftry is normal as well!?" The leader losing it entirely he feared the worst.
"Give it up! You lost!" Despite feeling tired earlier due to Greninja's Bond the defeat of the two fake Battle Bond Pokémon increased his adrenaline level ignoring the fatigue.
"You realize what you've done! AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"
The Team Union leader body started to glow gold entirely from under his robe. Light shined from where his face is and his whole body seemed to be lit on fire. Shiftry had the same gold glow as him and winced around in pain itself grasping at whatever was around him. The figure fell down to the ground screaming in pain.
Ash didn't get what was going on. As a fake Battle Bond user he shouldn't share any pain with his Pokémon but they both reacted the same. The leaders screaming was so loud it started to affect his head and ears as if he was being blasted by a Zubat's Supersonic.
The screaming stopped eventually leaving him motionless on the ground. Greninja slipped out of his full form and sat down. His trainer mirroring his actions he took a while to get his breath and feeling in his legs back with his head still throbbing. Looking over to Nina she gave them the thumbs up.
"What happened?" Ash looked at Nina but she had a look that told him she wasn't sure herself. She was just glad it was finally over.
"What do you say we take a peek underneath that hood?"
She nodded yes. Physically Nina looked in better shape than Ash but the Z-move she did took another toll on her and Primarina.
"Did the Z-move take away your voice?" He asked her and nodded yes.
He couldn't contain his curiosity and got up on his feet slowly. He went to the leader and lifted the hood off the villain. Removing Fusion's hood Ash could see the leaders body covered entirely in marks. Multiple lines of different colors ran over his skin in a pattern he didn't dare to try and figure out what they meant. All sorts of tattoos running over him with two of them being large green wings and the other a sort of long green axe.
"What is this? They look a lot like how Shiftry and Flygon are supposed to be. Is that the way how his Pokémon take on his traits?"
Nina shrugged gesturing she did not know. She had the basics of how a fake Battle Bond is gained but not how exactly a ritual went and it would allow someone like Fusion to pass his traits like his black hair to his Pokémon.
"What do you say we bring him in?"
Ash wanting nothing more but to finally wrap this thing up. Nina nodding her head had a more than suitable punishment for the imitation. One her predecessors and masters would approve off.
Battle over! And just before X-mas.
Apart from a one shot I wrote this is the longest piece I ever did. Now the aftermath. Or is that more sequel stuff? I'll figure that out later.
See you around.