Spear Pillar stood in the very middle of my homeland, a beautiful temple built by the most talented architects and stone-weavers of a hundred generations past.
It was, of course, a ruin by the time I got there. Which meant that at least I didn't have to feel bad for making it look any worse.
And so, with all and any obstacles in my way removed, with the siblings of Spirit at my command, I stood in the very middle of the temple and raised my hands toward the sky.
Looking up, even the sun stood within my grasp.
Sarah made her way through the outskirts of Solaceon with her heart in her throat, one hand casually hovering over the holster of her gun. Kyle and Zofia, her two best employees, walked at her side. The latter had refused to let her come here alone, while the former had been unlucky enough to have been assigned night shift that day in particular.
"Over there," said Sarah, pointing toward a flat, circular building down the road. "That's the Geographical Institute. Let's hurry."
"No complaints here," muttered Kyle. "Still hoping we can finish this before that new episode airs."
Zofia nodded. "You lead the way, boss."
In all honesty, tonight was a really bad time for this. After a week of complete silence from the Geographical Institute, Stella had told Sarah that it was probably a good idea to send someone over to check on what the hell was going on. That had been three days ago. Unfortunately, Lucian was a busy, work-hoarding man, and it had taken a while for Sarah to convince him to let her go down to Solaceon, after the man was unable to do it himself three days in a row.
I definitely should've convinced him sooner, she thought, biting her lower lip.
Then again, maybe this was for the best. At least this gave her something to do; an excuse to walk around and vent her frustrations out on someone while her husband and the rest of the strike team led their attack on Pastoria's port.
At the very thought of that, Sarah felt something cold and hard form in her stomach. Yes, this was for the best. She'd have gone crazy all cooped up in her office, anxiously tapping her foot as she stared up at the clock, waiting for news. Not that she doubted Palmer, of course. Her doofus of a husband had proved more than capable time and time again, but she'd learned not to underestimate Team Galactic's craftiness.
"Halt."
Kyle and Zofia stopped at her sides, pistols at the ready. Before them stood the Institute; a small, disc-shaped building with no windows and a single steel door separating them from the inside. Sarah had seen a picture of it before. However… something about it seemed off.
"They haven't pitched up the gable around the building yet," she said.
"Huh?"
"It's winter already."
"O-oh…" Kyle looked up at the ceiling, frowning. "I mean, Solaceon's pretty warm all year 'round, isn't it?"
"It still snows occasionally," said Zofia. "She's right, it's weird that they haven't put up a gable yet."
Sarah clicked her tongue. Something felt wrong; she could've sworn she heard a hushed voice as they approached the building, but now the place was completely silent.
"…Stay sharp."
She unholstered her pistol with one hand while she knocked strongly on the door with the other. The sudden bangs broke through the silence like a hammer on ice.
"This is Sarah Paladino from the League Association!" she announced, tone firm. "There's been suspicion of withholded information from this department, so I'm here to investigate. Open the door."
No response came from the other side. The knot in Sarah's stomach tightened up.
"Maybe they went home early?" shrugged Kyle.
"Then we'll have to break in," said Sarah. "Take a step back. I'll…"
A sharp ringing sound cut through the air. Sarah almost jumped to action, only a moment after realizing it was coming from her Poketch.
"Dear Synn above," she whispered, placing a hand against her chest. "Give me a fucking heart attack will you?"
"What is it?" asked Zofia.
"Is it Lucian telling us we can go home early?"
Sarah tapped on the screen, and immediately the words 'Emergency League Broadcast' popped up in a red so bright it would've stung her eyes even if it wasn't flashing. Yet, of course, that was the least of her worries.
"What the…?" Sarah swallowed, feeling a cold pit in her stomach. "What the hell happ–"
The door behind them was crushed open like it was made of paper. As its two halves fell to the ground beside them, Sarah only managed to get a glimpse of a tall, sharp silhouette before two enormous purple arms swung at them.
"AGH!"
"SHIT!"
Sarah knelt on instinct, but the blow wasn't aimed at her. The Pokemon threw his arms to the side, hitting Kyle and Zofia hard enough for their bodies to bounce as they slammed against the ground, pistols flying from their hands. She cursed and took a quick step back, aiming up with hers. Her finger pressed against the trigger, but there was another flash of movement and suddenly her vision went white.
"GRHK!"
An enormous hand covered in scales closed around her torso with enough force to push the wind out of her lungs. Pain shot through her spine like fire. Her vision went blurry, and by the time she came back to herself it was too late. She was trapped in the Nidoking's grasp, and her pistol now lay at her feet.
"A-agh! W-what… what the fuck do you think you're… UGH!"
The Nidoking moved his fingers inwards, and the tip of his extremely sharp claws dug slightly into Sarah's side. The pain was indescribable. Her teeth clenched strongly enough that her face was going numb, and through the tears she noticed three other silhouettes standing behind the Pokemon.
"Secure the other two," said a familiar voice. "This one's already neutralized."
Two Galactic grunts sprinted past them, headed to where Kyle and Zofia were. Yet that wasn't what surprised Sarah. Even through the pain and confusion, she had no problem recognizing the voice that had just spoken, nor who it belonged to.
"Y-you…"
Stella stepped out from the darkness of the room, moonlight illuminating her pale, guilt-stricken face. Just then, realization dawned on Sarah. Of course. How could she have been so stupid?
"T-this… all of this… it was a trap," she spat out, fury clinging to her voice. "You l-lured me here."
The woman's face scrunched up in something like pain, arms folded under her chest and hands gripping tightly against the fabric of her coat.
"I know this doesn't count for much," she said, "but I really am sorry for this."
Lucas was –as his good friend Inyssa would probably put it– in some pretty deep shit.
"Crap! Right, right!"
Wind whistled in his ears as Kevorkian took a sharp turn mid-flight, a beam of white energy as thick as a tree passing just under them. The world around him spun, but he tried his best to keep his eyes on the enemy. Three winged silhouettes approached from his left and right, as well as above; Fearow, if he wasn't mistaken, each one carrying a Galactic grunt on their back. And, probably, each one having given the order to either kill or capture him.
At least I know I'm in the right place, he thought.
"Swift!" cried one of the grunts.
A volley of white projectiles flew through the air in random patterns before coalescing around them like heat-seeking missiles. Lucas let out a yelp. If one of those hit him…
"Kreeak!" yelled Kevorkian, in what Lucas interpreted as 'Hang on tight'.
He had no intention of disobeying.
Veering up, Kevorkian stood up straight in the middle of the air and extended his wingspan to its full length, shielding Lucas from the attack. Now almost upside down, he held on for dear life as the threads of energy crashed against Kevorkian like bullets, every single impact reverberating through their bodies like a second heartbeat. Lucas grit his teeth and, still trying his best not to fall to his death, realized that this would get them nowhere. Those Fearow were strong, and there were too many of them. Kevorkian might've had the type advantage, but that didn't mean much right now, especially when they could call on reinforcements at any time.
It was up to him to get rid of the enemies, then.
"Fly down!" he yelled. "Have them follow us!"
Kevorkian let out a loud chirp as he let himself fall, folding his wings for maximum speed. The world became a blur. Past the corner of his eyes, Lucas noticed the Fearow chasing after them, slowly closing the distance. This was it.
Lucas let go of Kevorkian's torso, grabbing onto him with only his legs as he looked for something inside the pocket of his coat. The thin, silver cylinder almost flew off his hand by the sheer wind pressure. With his other hand, he retrieved a sturdy iron lighter and turned it on. The wind would almost certainly put the flame out, but he only needed one second. One spark to ignite the wick.
There was a click, drowned by the sound of the rushing wind, and then he pale flame came to life. Sparks began to consume the wick. Time slowed to a crawl as Lucas gripped the silver cylinder tight and raised it over his head. He caught a glimpse of his pursuers behind them, and frowned. The image of Saturn's face came to his mind.
To be honest, I always agreed with Team Galactic on something, he thought sadly. This region relies too much on brute strength. Whether it's that of human or Pokemon… That's why…
He threw the cylinder up into the air behind him. The burning wick disappeared into its insides. Lucas and Kevorkian looked away, closing their eyes.
…Let me show you that science and ingenuity can get you much farther than that.
A blinding flash exploded in between all three Fearow. Screams and chirps of pain rang through the air and even with his eyes closed Lucas could feel the intensity of the light above them. He heard the sound of both trainers and Pokemon falling around them like Cutiefly who'd flown straight into a bug-zapper.
Maybe I went a little overboard, he thought, feeling a tinge of guilt.
It was a rather rudimentary flash bang grenade, one he'd made mid-flight with materials he usually carried inside his backpack. A cardboard tube, some aluminum, black powder, the works. The Professor would have most likely reprimanded him for coming up with such a lousy, poorly thought-out plan, but he didn't have time to lament his lack of preparation at the moment. Not when there was a job to do.
"Now, to the base!" he yelled out. "Cut through the barrier with Night Slash!"
"KRYAA!"
Kevorkian slashed at the air with a darkness-infused wing, cutting through the barrier hiding Galactic HQ from view as though it were made of butter. With a burst of speed, they slipped through the opening, which closed behind them a second later.
"There!"
The enormous grey building stood before them, almost hanging on the edge of the cliff. Its back was bathed by the pillar of white moonlight cutting through the ocean behind it. Lucas couldn't help but let his mouth gape a bit. It was at least twenty floors tall. And judging by the way the ground was slightly broken up around the base, it must've counted with a few subterranean floors too.
He shook his head. No, he didn't have time to admire the architecture. He needed to get inside before any more grunts came after him. They were approaching at a fast speed. Should they enter from the roof? The main entrance? Or…
"Air Slash at that window!" Lucas cried out, pointing forward.
Kevorkian obeyed at once. With a twirl of his wings he sent forward a knife-sharp current of air that completely shattered one of the windows leading toward the seventh floor. The perfect distraction.
"Now do the same with that one!" he yelled, pointing at a window leading toward the fourteenth floor. "And enter through it!"
Wind and glass exploded into the room as they made their entrance, his body singing in joy at the touch of cold, hard concrete under his feet. Lucas allowed himself a moment to breathe, leaning with one hand against the nearest wall. The corridor they'd emerged into was dark and empty. Perfect.
With a flick of his hand he produced a Pokeball, and a moment after a flash of light formed into the familiar shape of Tiresias, his Noctowl.
"Use Reflect on there." He pointed at the hole they'd come through. "That way they'll think we entered through the seventh floor."
Tiresias did as he was told, his eyes glowing a bright pink as a translucid barrier of psychic energy materialized where the window used to be. Lucas let out a sigh of relief. This should at least buy them so time before the rest of the grunts found them, assuming this floor wasn't already crawling with them.
"I can't… I can't believe that worked," he whispered, clutching at his chest with one hand. "God… my heart's gonna leap out of my chest. How do Barry and Niss do this all the time?"
No response came from his Pokemon, both of which were too preoccupied staring at the end of the hallway, wingspans drawn in anticipation. That's right. He needed to get going.
"You did amazing out there, Kevorkian. But… I need to be stealthy for now." With that he produced his Pokeball on his hand and returned him to it. "Tiresias, I need a psychic wave on the entire floor. Tell me how many people are here."
A pale glow overtook the Noctowl's eyes and Lucas felt a shiver. He swallowed, waiting with bated breath. Tiresias closed his eyes, and the feeling vanished. Then he shook his head slightly.
"N-no one? Really?" Lucas began walking through the hallway, looking through the windows of every room he came across. "Hm… Looks like a residential floor. But all the rooms are empty, like no one's been living here." He scrunched up his nose. "I know for a fact Team Galactic isn't hurting for recruits, so…"
Maybe they'd been deployed somewhere? But that raised the question of why then it looked as though the rooms had been stripped clean, like the grunts hadn't expected to come back. Moreover, shouldn't there have been more commotion? He couldn't hear anyone or anything in the floors above or below. No people or Pokemon. This was all incredibly bizarre.
"… Tiresias, to my shoulder. Keep your eyes and ears open for signs of… anything. Literally. I don't want any surprises tonight," he said. "We'll move up first. Keep using those waves to check if the Professor is nearby."
"Prhwoo!"
"Agreed," he nodded. "If push comes to shove and they come at us, we'll try to run and find another way to…"
There was a click, and the speaker at the end of the hallway came to life. Lucas jumped in place, tensing up like a startled Glameow. From the other side of the feed, he heard the sound of a man clearing his throat. Then a voice like sharpened ice began to speak.
"It has come to my attention that our base has been breached by an intruder."
Lucas had heard that voice once, in a recording of the Celestic incident a few months back. And just like then, the very sound of it send a powerful shiver down his spine. There was no warmth in that voice. It was a terrifying thing, so much so that he almost missed what the man said next.
"To the few remaining grunts still inside of the facility, know that this is of no concern. If you are looking for this intruder, stop. Continue with your evacuation. We are short on time, and our main guest is sure to show herself soon. The building must be empty of grunts by then."
Evacuation? Guest? What… what on earth was he talking about? Lucas swallowed, frozen in place, a million questions flying through his head. He felt as though he'd chosen a terrible time for his impromptu rescue mission.
"And as for you, Lucas."
Lucas gasped. It felt like someone had grabbed at his inside with sharp, icy fingers.
"Your arrival is auspicious. Professor Rowan and I will be waiting for you in my office on the top floor. As I said, time is of the essence, so do make haste."
The speaker went dead with a sharp click. Lucas stared up at it as though expecting it to come back to life again, or perhaps hoping for it, since it would give him an excuse to stand on his spot a little longer.
"That…" He swallowed, feeling his lips dry. "… is one hundred percent a trap."
"Pryoo," Tiresias said in agreement.
Lucas sighed.
"… But it's not like I have a better lead than that," he said. "Come on, I'll have hopefully come up with a plan by the time we get there."
Sarah was still and quiet as she and her two escorts were dragged inside of the building, fury calmly simmering inside of her chest like magma before a volcanic eruption. The Nidoking's massive hand was still closed around her torso. The fucker was squeezing hard enough that she could barely think from the pain.
"Alright, bound and gagged," said one of the Galactic grunts as he finished immobilizing Kyle and Zofia. "Should I do the same with her?"
"That won't be necessary," replied Stella, still avoiding her gaze. "This is Sarah Paladino we're dealing with. I'd be surprised if she doesn't know more than a dozen ways to escape a simple rope. Besides, it's not like we're using the Nidoking for anything else."
Sarah looked around the room, trying to make sense of what was happening, but there really wasn't much to see. A few computers littered around the room. A tall bookshelf resting against the opposite wall, right next to a rather impressive map of Sinnoh. A few desks and filing cabinets. It looked exactly the same as countless offices she'd seen over the course of her life. Had she not known what the institute specialized in, she would've wondered what the hell Team Galactic wanted with a dingy place like this.
Unfortunately, she did. And so all the pieces started to fall together inside her mind. She fucking hated when that happened. Nothing good ever came from unraveling a conspiracy.
"I just paid you a compliment, Sarah. Least you could do is say 'Thank you'."
Sarah struggled to lower her head, Nidoking's index finger curled around just under her neck, but once she did the look Stella was met with could have frozen a stampede of Tauros in its tracks.
"You and your escorts don't have to worry," said Stella, flashing her an apologetic smile. "Lucian was actually our target for this ambush. But of course, I should've expected him to delegate even the act of falling into a trap… so here we are." She let out a sigh. "In all honesty, Sarah, you're more of a thorn in Team Galactic's side than they are aware of, but unlike your boss, I respect you. Moreover, I respect your commitment to protect your family. As long as you behave, I'll let you all walk out of here safely once our job is done."
It wasn't hard to imagine what kind of response Stella expected. For Sarah to scream at her, to ask what the hell she thought she was doing, maybe even plead to her. Any kind of reaction would've benefited her. As such, all Sarah did was roll her eyes and look away.
Stella's smile dropped rather quick.
"I really am sorry you had to be caught up in this," she said. "For someone so loyal to the Association, I'm sure this must feel like the worst kind of betrayal. But I wouldn't be doing this without a good reason."
Sarah continued to ignore her. Trying to think pas the pain of the Nidoking's grip, she began to mentally go through all of the pieces she had, in the hopes of forming a clear picture.
This couldn't have been just a trap they set for Lucian, she realized. The Champion had given a strict order that no one was to enter Mt. Coronet without permission from the Association. Soon after, the Geographical Institute had been taken over by Team Galactic. The second event had to be a response to the first, but why?
"Deep down, Sarah, I know that you agree with me," Stella continued, a hint of pleading in her voice. "Team Galactic is right. Our region, our Champion, the entirety of the Association… it's been all rotten ever since the war ended. Nothing has changed."
Sarah frowned. Team Galactic needed to do something inside of Mt. Coronet, but how did taking over this institute help? It had something to do with hiding information from the Association, clearly. Those odd tremors occurring all around the mountain, that report Stella had shown her… was all of that true, or just part of the ruse in order to lure Lucian here? Maybe it was both.
They took over this place in order to hide whatever it is they're doing regarding Mt. Coronet, she reasoned. Luring Lucian here was just a helpful bonus.
"I… honestly, I feel bad for you, Sarah." Another sigh. Stella looked up at her with kind, understanding eyes. "Ever since you came back from Kanto, you've been trying to do everything in your power to keep your family and the rest of the region safe from another war. But how can you rely on the system to help you with that when the system itself is broken? You know it's true. You know it better than I do."
Now the only question was… what exactly did Team Galactic want with Mt. Coronet? Sarah had read reports of the kind of terrifying technology the terrorists had deployed in the past, especially those devices capable of disabling all Pokeballs within their vicinity and even return Pokemon to their balls remotely before locking them. Maybe they'd finished a more powerful version of that machine? One they planned to activate from within Mt. Coronet, the very heart of Sinnoh.
She shook her head slightly. No, that couldn't be it. The inside of the enormous mountain would interfere with whatever signal they would want to send out, and such a plan didn't explain the tremors nor the odd geographical reports.
Thinking back to Palmer, to the Champion… she couldn't help but worry over the fact that this so-called mission of theirs happened to be scheduled the same night that the strike team was to find and raid Galactic HQ. That couldn't be a coincidence. The thought made her insides feel cold and heavy.
There was something here. Something she wasn't seeing, surely because she was almost being squished within an inch of her life while the person she currently hated most in the world was lecturing her about something she couldn't have cared less about.
I guess I need to fix that, then.
"… and the Champion herself is at the center of everything, "continued Stella. "This trainer-centric society, the current divide between trainers and non-trainers, between the rich and the less privileged… you can't tell me it's always been like this, Sarah. Even during our darkest times, we Sinnohans have always banded together. But now we've been divided, and…"
"S-stop talking."
A shiver ran down the woman's spine at the sheer fury behind Sarah's voice.
"I… don't care how you want to justify this to yourself," said Sarah, struggling to speak through her captor's grip. "You teamed up with Team Galactic, putting everyone I cared about in danger. That's all that matters to me."
Stella formed a nervous smile. "Come now, Sarah… We all have people we care about."
Slowly, tentatively, Sarah twisted her right leg so the tip of her boot touched against the small, unprotected crease in between the hardened shell of the Nidoking's stomach. The beast didn't notice, too focused on squeezing the life out of her.
"Sometimes you have to smash a few eggs. You know how the saying goes."
A dry, low chuckle left Sarah's lips. She clicked her heels against one another and there was a swish as a blade protracted from under the front of her right shoe.
"I'll get to smashing, then."
"Wh–"
She drove the blade into the unprotected crease with as much force as she could muster, stabbing deep into the beast. A sharp, earth-shaking roar boomed through the room. The grip loosened and Sarah fell into a heap on the floor, giving herself enough time to breathe in once before jumping to her feet, fingers hovering over the holster of her gun.
"Wha–! Nidoking, stop h–!"
A deep growl reverberating through his body, the Nidoking turned to Sarah with furious, bloodshot eyes, only to find the barrel of a pistol inches from his face.
Five deafening bangs boomed in succession, the smell of blood and gunpowder filling the air. The beast stood still for a long moment. Then his muscles lost all strength and he fell on his back, floor tiles cracking under his weight, stained with the purple blood oozing out of the five holes in his forehead.
Behind him, Stella stood frozen, unable of even taking her own gun from its holster. Silence hung heavy in the air.
"S-Sarah… I can–"
She didn't give her a chance to finish that sentence. In a flash she fell upon the woman, hitting the back of her head with the butt of her pistol, sending her face first to the ground. Grunting, coughing from the pain, Stella tried to get up. Sarah's foot came upon her back, pining her back down, and she seemed to get the message then. She did not try to move again.
"You two."
The two Galactic grunts shivered and tensed up at the heat in her voice, not to mention the pistol now pointed at their faces.
"Untie my escorts," she said. "Now."
There was no need to press them any further. The two grunts couldn't have been older than eighteen, and thus probably unaccustomed to being threatened with a gun. Sarah felt a pang of sympathy at the thought. Then, remembering the group they belonged to, she promptly snuffed it out.
"Phew… thanks, boss."
Kyle and Zofia rose to their feet, rubbing their wrists and enjoying their freedom. Sarah acknowledged them with a nod.
"That was hardcore," chuckled Kyle. "I hope I grow up to be as cool as you someday."
"Can it. Use the ropes to tie those two up," she ordered. "I've got my hands full over here."
And with that, Sarah pointed her pistol down at Stella, applying a stronger grip with her foot against the woman's back. A pained grunt left her lips.
"What's the cause of the tremors? Why did Team Galactic take over this institution?" she asked. "I'm all out of patience, so I suggest you give me a clear, concise answer."
"Sarah… c-come on, we're…" She hesitated, taking a moment to breathe. "You… you know I wasn't trying to hurt you or your f–"
Sarah's left foot fell upon the back of the woman's hand, and a rather ugly crack echoed through the room. A choked scream caught up in Stella's throat. In sheer desperation, she tried to move to the side but Sarah stomped on her back once more, pinning her.
"AGH! SHIT!" Stella took in a sharp breath, beads of sweat forming all over her face. "Y-you… you bitch!"
"Answer my question if you don't want me to do that again.
"I don't…"
Another slam, another crack, this time to the woman's wrist. An ear-splitting shriek of pain filled the air, and all throughout Sarah looked coldly at her victim, no mercy to be found in her expression.
"H-hey… boss?"
She turned sharply toward Kyle and Zofia, both of whom looked more than a little disturbed at what she was doing. All complaints, however, vanished from them as their gaze met hers.
"Next will be your arm," said Sarah. "I have no problem breaking every bone in your body until…"
"T-tunnel!" Stella screamed out, voice shaking from pain. "They… they d-dug a tunnel from under their HQ that goes s-straight to the inside of Mt. Coronet!"
Sarah frowned, considering the information. "How did they–?"
"Pokemon! A Pokemon… I don't know which, I swear! It w-was… a really strong one, I've never heard of it. It's o-owned by the… that old Kantan scientist I think."
Old Kantan scientist? She mentally went through all of the members they were aware of, and soon realized she must be talking about Charon, one of Team Galactic's commanders. So that was the origin of those tremors. But why had they created that tunnel in the first place? To escape? That couldn't be the only reason.
"What are they planning to do inside of Mt. Coronet?" she asked.
To that, Stella fell silent. She looked hesitant, though the words began to flow as soon as Sarah lifted her foot again.
"Y-you… you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Sarah's brow furrowed. "Try me."
"T-the computer… the one right behind you."
"What about it?"
"It's… a thermal map of the insides of Mt. Coronet. You just n-need to take a look."
At first, she thought it might have been a trap. But Stella looked too defeated, too pained to try anything. Letting out a sigh, Sarah told Kyle to hold her in place while she turned around and walked toward the computer, feeling the pain of at least one if not two broken ribs in every step.
"Let's see, what's all th–"
Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know what she expected, but it clearly wasn't for the thermal map to be almost entirely a bright white, surrounded at the edges by a pale shade of red. She didn't know much about these things, but she remembered what those colors represented. The colors shifted violently, unnaturally, as though what was inside of the mountain wasn't air, but something viscous, liquid.
"The… hell?" she muttered, eyes wide. "That's… this can't be right."
Stella said nothing, but her silence spoke volumes. Realization dawned on Sarah a few seconds after. The tunnels, the tremors. The reason why Team Galactic absolutely needed to keep the Association away from these thermal readings. It was insane. She wasn't even sure it was possible, and yet…
Sarah jumped to her feet and dialed up a familiar number in her Poketch, her own heart echoing in her ears. She didn't feel the pain anymore. All she could feel was a terrible mix of panic and adrenaline.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lucian picked up the call on the other side.
"Lucian! I have urgent news!"
"S-Sarah?" A commotion could be heard from the other side. "Listen, I'll have to move your call to one of my other employees. I don't know if you heard the report but–"
"No! Wait, listen…"
"We've discovered the location of Team Galactic's base. I was just about to leave and–"
"LISTEN TO ME!"
That certainly got his attention. His voice froze on the other side, and Sarah didn't waste a second.
"The whole mess with the geographical institute was a trap to lure you in, but that doesn't matter," she said, voice shaking with pain and panic. "Listen!Eterna, Celestic… every single town and settlement in the vicinity of Mt. Coronet… they all need to be evacuated immediately!"
Lake Valor was a warzone.
Beams of electricity and pillars of flame and pressurized water flew in all directions, lighting up the darkness like fireworks. The air was heavy with the sound of battle. Explosions boomed all throughout, soon accompanied by the loud cracking of the ground as Pokemon threw themselves against one another with all the power they could muster. Very little could be heard over the panic and commotion.
Half a dozen battles were being carried out at the same time. A single trainer against four. Five Pokemon against a small army of them. And yet, it was anyone's fight.
"To your six, Priscilla!"
"Raise a barrier to your left, Nakuru!"
"To me, my companions! Shield me from these beasts' wrath!"
Reiko and Percy faced against two giants, Velstadt the Aggron and Aldrich the Snorlax laying waste to everything around them with their inhuman strength. Even with all their Pokemon, scratching the beasts alone was a difficult feat. Row after row of vines, water, flames, electricity and psychic energy slammed against their bodies without rest or mercy, and yet they barely seemed to feel it. It took their full combined efforts just to keep them at bay and avoid their devastating strikes.
Argenta fought alone against two of Shadi's Pokemon, though she counted with a little bit of help. Luxio, Staravia, Bibarel, Roselia. Dozens and dozens of wild Pokemon had come to her aid. Not one of them was strong enough to take on Ludwig the Alakazam and Oceiros the Kingdra individually, yet in such massive numbers they were succeeding in at least pushing them back toward the shore. Every time a burst of draconic flames or an explosion of psychic energy took a few of them out, twice as many would join from the surrounding woods, fighting tooth and nail to protect Argenta.
And, high above the lake, two winged behemoths tore into each other with the speed, power and ferocity only those of draconic spirits were capable of. Their trainers sat atop their backs, shouting orders. Around them the air boomed and exploded in ripples by the sheer force of each impact, the night itself glowing an almost white crimson with every torrent of flames spat out.
"Shadi! Please, stop this!"
Darkness flew through the air like ribbons as Midir stopped in mid air by her trainer's command, staring down her opponent with hungry, glowing ruby eyes. Palmer ordered Makura to stop as well. The Salamance stopped a few yards from his foe, snarling. For the first time since the battle had started, Shadi and Palmer saw face to face.
"What are you doing!?" he bellowed, desperate. "You… We thought you were…!"
An amused smile formed on her lips. "I'm afraid reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." At that, she let out a dry chuckle. "Heh… I've always wanted to say that."
"Have you gone mad!? You come back after all this time and…" Palmer shook his head in disbelief. "Why are you attacking us!? What happened to you!?"
"That is for me to know and for you not to find out," shrugged Shadi. "You needn't worry, though. It's not my intention to kill any of you, merely to put you all out of commission so that you can't aid our dear Champion." As she said that, her eyes seemed to glow with a cold, blue malice. "Today is a very important night, you see."
Palmer's mouth gaped. He tried to say something, but nothing came out of his lips. This was madness. This couldn't be happening. What the hell…?
"Please… Shadi, stop this. I don't want to fight you," he pleaded. "Your sister… Inyssa… she's been looking forward to see you again so badly. I'd never forgive myself if I hurt you."
Palmer immediately knew he'd pressed a nerve. The darkness around them seemed to solidify, to thicken, and the look that crept up Shadi's face was nothing short of glacial.
"Oh, don't you worry. She'll see me again very soon," she said. "So you just get out of my way. Midir!"
They disappeared in a flash. Makura batted his wings and threw himself back but there wasn't enough momentum, enough time; their opponent was too fast. A blur of red flew above them. The Salamance barely had time to react as his foe's flaming tail slammed against his stomach with the strength of a sledgehammer.
"AGH!"
The world spun around them. Palmer held on to dear life, and though he could barely tell what was happening, he was sure of one thing. They were falling.
"Up! Veer up!"
Sending energy through the muscles of his wings, Makura spun in place and batted them with such strength that he completely stopped his momentum, about forty yards from the ground. Unfortunately, that forceful maneuver didn't leave much space for dodging.
"This ends now," Shadi's voice was heard from above. "Flamethrower!"
In an instant, the sky became red. A wall of flames as wide as the lake itself rolled down toward them like a reverse tsunami. Time seemed to crawl. All four trainers looked up due to the sudden brightness, and as they did so the sheer shock and disbelief prevented them from reacting or issuing an order to their Pokemon.
Palmer opened his mouth, but it was too late. The flames were almost upon them and he couldn't–
"TAILWIND!"
Wind rose from behind them. An implosion of air from the forest surrounding them, coalescing in the middle of the lake in an instant, rising up toward the flames in the form of a gigantic hurricane. The crash sounded like steam rising from a kettle, amplified a thousand times. An explosion of pressurized air boomed in between the two flying beasts, sending them flying back.
"Agh!"
"W-what!?"
Ribbons of flame and currents of hot air flew in all directions, dissipating into nothing mere moments after. The attack had been completely neutralized. And from within the clouds of steam emerged the one responsible, standing atop an impressive specimen of a flying Pokemon; Staravia.
Palmer's eyes shoot wide open. "N-no way…"
"You," growled Shadi.
The boy looked up at her, the icy blue of her eyes meeting a gold as bright as the moon itself. His lips curled up into a smile. Now that everyone's attention was focused on him, he opened his mouth and–
"Is that fucking Barry!?"
And just like that, Reiko's scream broke the atmosphere of awe and disbelief his sudden entrance had created. Barry closed his eyes and sighed.
"Never gonna get to make a cool entrance and deliver an awesome one-liner, am I?" he whispered to himself. "Oh well…"
He swung at the air with one hand, and the sound of an explosion was heard. Pink light burst in front of him in a cone.
"Grhk!"
The stream of pressurized air missed Shadi by a couple inches, the fabric of her shirt sliced as though by a knife, Midir's quick reflexes getting them out of the way just in time.
"H-hah… Came for a piece of me too, eh?" Shadi forced herself to smile, pain in her voice. "Fine by me. It'll save me the trouble of fighting you alongside my dear sister, so–"
"Shut up."
The wind itself seemed to still at the sound of Barry and Mesprit's voice, the two intertwined into one. The gold in his eyes shone more strongly than ever before.
"I don't care what you have to say," he growled. "You're not getting to Niss. I'm stopping you, right here and now."
The door closed behind Lucas, and all of a sudden he stood across the room from Sinnoh's most wanted man, sitting calmly behind his desk.
"Lucas…"
The Professor stood at his side, hands tied behind his back. Behind him, a grim-looking Alakazam kept one of his spoons close to the man's neck. A warning. Yet there was no worry on his face. Only fear, and not for himself.
"What do you think you're doing here you clueless boy!?" he bellowed, the tips of his mustache shaking. "Go! You still have a chance to escape if you're quick! Just…!"
"Wha– I'm not leaving you here!" Lucas countered, throwing his hand to the side. "D-do you have any idea how worried everyone is? When… when we heard you'd been captured…"
"And how do you think I'd feel if you were captured because of me!?"
Lucas froze, words dying in his mouth. "Wh-what?"
"Yes. That just happens to be the topic I'd been meaning to discuss with you, Lucas."
Cyrus stood up from behind his desk, holding his hands behind his back. He looked so tired. If Lucas weren't aware of what this man had done, he'd have thought him no threat at all. And yet…
"I'll be quick and concise. We do not have time to waste, and as auspicious as your visit is, it is also somewhat ill-timed," said Cyrus. "I'm waiting for a very important visitor, you see."
"What are you…?"
"You, Lucas, will become our hostage. And you will do so willingly."
Lucas simply stared, blinking, words failing him. What had he…?
"Cyrus!" Rowan's roar seemed to shake the walls, fury clinging to his voice. "Put a hand on him and I'll–!"
"Alakazam, please gag him."
He waved his spoon and there was a small flash of light. A pliable mass of psychic energy pressed against Rowan's mouth, preventing him from speaking.
"Professor!"
"There. Now we can discuss our terms more calmly."
Lucas turned toward Cyrus, hands balling into fists. "What… what do you think you're doing!? I'll never come with you! I'll rescue the Professor and–"
"Rescue him how?" asked Cyrus. "The Noctowl currently hiding in the darkness of the ceiling? The one you sneaked behind your back, thinking I wouldn't notice?"
Before Lucas could even open his mouth, Alakazam twirled his spoon. There was a flash of light. Something sharp cut through the air, and next thing he knew, Tiresias fell in a heap on the ground, a deep gash traveling from just under his neck to the base of his chest. Consciousness had left him.
"T-TIRESIAS!"
He returned him to his ball as though by reflex, knowing that the mechanism would help stabilize the injury. But now…
"Do not look so disappointed," said Cyrus. "It was a good plan. Saturn was right about you; you would have made for an excellent member of Team Galactic."
Lucas' hands began to shake. Tears of fear welled up in his eyes and his teeth clenched so strongly his jaw started to get numb. Tiresias had been his ticket out of here. He had more Pokemon, but Alakazam surely wouldn't let him even raise a finger toward his Pokeballs.
He doubted even Inyssa, in her endless knowledge of crass and flowery language, could find the words to describe just how fucked he was.
He did, however, know exactly what she and Barry would do if they were in his place.
"…My answer hasn't changed." He turned toward Cyrus, mustering all the valor he could and imbuing it into his voice. "If you want me as a hostage, then you'll have to come and take me."
The man did not look impressed. In fact, he looked only a few seconds short of rolling his eyes.
"You youths of Sinnoh love to unnecessarily throw yourselves at danger, don't you?" he whispered to himself. "I'm not fond of repeating myself, Lucas. I will not force you to come with me, though I easily could."
Lucas forced himself to laugh. "And how do you expect to–"
"If you don't come with us, I will have Rowan tortured."
"Wh–" His smiled died on his face, eyes slowly going wide, filling with panic. "W-what?"
"It is unfortunate. Rowan possesses knowledge that we desperately need in order to make our vision a reality. Knowledge that not even my talented team of scientists have been able to replicate," he explained. "And, unfortunately, he is not motivated enough to share it with us.
"I will be frank; if you hadn't shown yourself, Rowan would have come with us, and I would have been forced to torture the information out of him. We simply don't have time. But now that you're here… things are different. We can find a compromise, one that doesn't involve such suffering." He raised a hand toward Lucas, as though urging him to take it. "As cold and unfeeling as most view me, I find torture to be a rather unpleasant thing. I would like to avoid it if necessary."
Lucas swallowed, all of his previous gall and bravery evaporating with every word that Cyrus said.
"T-then…" He could barely get the words out. "You want m-me to come with you… to save the Professor?"
Cyrus nodded. At his side, Rowan struggled and tried to speak through the psychic gag, but was unable to do anything.
"Rowan holds you in high esteem. If you become our hostage, he will not dare disobey me, in fear that I will retaliate against you," explained Cyrus. "Thus, no harm will come to either of you. If, on the contrary, you decide to escape, then we will have no choice. And, as I'm sure you know, the Professor is a very sturdy and determined man. Just how much torture do you think we'll have to inflict on him before he surrenders his secrets?"
Lucas didn't need to think about it much. The Professor was the most resilient man he'd ever known; mere torture wouldn't do the trick, they would have to break him. An image flashed before his eyes. The Professor, hands tied behind his back, blood soaking his clothes in patches, bruises and cuts all over his body. A group of Pokemon around him, ready to do anything in their power to make him talk.
And, just like that, with that mental image, it was over. There was no doubt, no room for debate.
Lucas bowed his head, biting on his lower lip. Tears ran down his cheeks.
"I… I'll do it," he said. I'll come with y–"
There was a crack behind him, and then the door to the office flew inward with incredible force, hinges ripped apart and frame bent almost in half. There was a pink flash. With a loud bang the door crashed against an invisible barrier, preventing it from hitting Alakazam.
"What is…?" Cyrus' eyes went slightly wide. "Ah…"
Lucas, who'd yelped and jumped back at the sight of the flying door, turned toward the now empty opening, and gawked. It…it couldn't be.
"C-come on Airgetlam!" Saturn took a slow, wobbly step inside the room, holding a shaking hand against his stomach. Bronzong hovered at his side. "Heavy Slam!"
The bell-like creature moved with inhumane speed, white energy blasting from the inside of its hollow body. It raised one of its flat, metallic hands and brought it down. Alakazam was quick to react, though. Throwing the bound professor to the side, he raised both spoons in front of his face and fired a blast of psychic energy point-blank at Bronzong's body.
A loud gong was heard. The air shook with the impact of the blast, sending everyone in the room tumbling back.
And yet, Bronzong hovered before his opponent, only a superficial scratch to be shown on his body. Alakazam's eyes went wide in fear. Then that metallic arm came down upon him.
A deaf thump reverberated through the room. Alakazam fell face-first to the ground, his entire body shaking from the impact. The fight was over. And yet Lucas had barely noticed, all of his attention focused on the man before him. Unconsciously, he brought a hand to his chest. His lower lip quivered.
"S…Saturn?"
Lucas' voice was a pained amalgamation of all the terrible emotions, all of the panic and fear he'd felt ever since he'd decided to embark on this mission. It was a plea. Don't do this, don't give me hope, the quiver in his tone seemed to say.
That voice hurt Saturn more than the entirety of Jupiter's beating had, and yet, despite all odds, he turned toward the boy he loved and smiled anyway.
It was the most beautiful smile Lucas had ever seen. Just then, he couldn't believe for even a second that he'd been stupid enough to doubt Saturn. No more words were needed between them. And yet…
"I… swear I'll do everything in my power to properly apologize later," he said. "But for now, I'd be happy with simply helping you and the Professor escape. Airgetlam!"
Bronzong let out an ethereal beep that didn't sound like any kind of Pokemon Lucas had ever heard. Then, with incredible ease, it brought down one of his arms toward Rowan. The rope tying his wrists fell to the floor in cut ribbons. The Professor wasted no time in heading over toward them, a terribly concerned expression on his face.
"You… you idiot child!" he muttered, balling his hands into fists. "I…"
Lucas flinched, and before he could do anything he found himself being embraced into the tightest, most crushing hug of his life. All air left his lungs in a little yelp.
"I'm… so glad you're okay," he whispered. "And I'm so proud."
"P-Professor…"
He felt the Professor's hand move. Something small was shoved into his pocket.
"Wha–?"
"Just in case," Rowan whispered. "Keep it safe."
With that, he turned around and balled his fists at Cyrus, whom made Lucas incredibly nervous in the fact that he didn't look worried in the slightest.
"I see you've decided that ours was not the path for you, Saturn." Cyrus addressed his commander calmly, no pain or betrayal in his voice. "I had my suspicions it would happen sooner or later."
As angry and defiant as Saturn had looked a second ago, he seemed to deflate at the man's words.
"Y-you did?"
"Naturally. Your heart has always been too pure and fragile for the ruthless tasks I've entrusted you with. And while those tasks were of great importance, I do not blame you for finally cracking under their pressure."
Saturn opened and closed his mouth a few times before he could get the words out, eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"Y-you're not… mad at me?" he whispered. "I'm betraying you."
"Betrayal would imply that I hadn't seen this coming," said Cyrus. "Though I admit that this came at a rather inopportune time. Still…" He looked up at Saturn with cold, dispassionate eyes. "I don't blame you for deciding to oppose me, and I can only hope you will not blame me for having no option but to stop you from doing so."
"It… it doesn't have to be like this. We d-don't have to..." Saturn shook his head, pleading. "There has to be another way."
At that, Cyrus simply gave him a court smile.
"I've said all that needed to be said. Our conversation is over," he exclaimed. "Now, please do get out of the way. I still need Lucas and the Professor to come with me."
Rowan and Lucas moved in unison, standing at Saturn's side, the former with his fists balled and the latter with a Pokeball in each hand.
"Like hell!"said Lucas. "I didn't come this far just to fail!"
"I thank you for your wonderful hospitality, Cyrus, but I'm afraid I'm done with all this lounging around," Rowan followed. "I'll be beating you senseless now, if you don't mind."
However, Saturn stood back, hesitating. It was true he fully intended to help Lucas and the Professor escape, but… did he really want Cyrus to be captured? For Team Galactic's dream to be destroyed?
He shook his head. No, that was just his uncertainty whispering in his ear again. Even if Cyrus went down –and maybe he did deserve to go down– Saturn still carried Team Galactic's will. He…
"I'm sorry, boss, but I'll do what needs to be done." He looked up at him with a defiant gaze. "Thank you for all of the things you taught me… but I have to stop you. And after I do, I will lead Team Galactic. And even if no one stands at my side. I won't stop until I find a better way to make our dream a reality!"
Suffice to say, Cyrus did not look impressed with his speech.
"I wouldn't expect any less from you. However…" His hands moved from behind his back. "I have no intention of letting you take me."
From within his pocket, Cyrus retrieved a small, cube-shaped metallic device with a button on one of its faces. Saturn gasped.
"I'd have preferred not to use this unnecessarily, but…"
"Airgetlam, stop him!"
But it was too late. The button was pressed and the Bronzong's body vanished into red light as he was sucked back into his ball. Then, one by one, all of Saturn's Pokeballs locked themselves.
"That won't work on mine!" yelled Lucas, raising his silver Pokeballs toward the air. "Come ou–!"
"Night Slash."
A shadow dropped from the darkness of the ceiling, wings uncurling from its body and eyes gleaming a malicious red. Cyrus' Honchkrow slashed at the air. Saturn's body moved on its own.
"GET DOWN!"
Saturn threw himself and Lucas down to the floor, the slash passing inches over them. But there wasn't time to celebrate. In an instant the Honchkrow fell over them, talons pressing against their backs, pining both of them down with his weight. Saturn tried to struggle, to get up, and that's when he felt the sharpness of one of the Pokemon's feathers against his neck. He froze, cold sweat running down his face.
"Y-you–!"
Rowan threw himself at Cyrus with the speed and ferocity of a rampaging Ursaring.
"Alakazam, get up, would you?"
With incredible effort, the psychic Pokemon pushed himself to his knees and raised his spoon. Rowan froze, his fist inches from Cyrus. A powerful purple glow covered him from head to toe; Alakazam had immobilized him.
"Now… I believe that is all."
As calmly as though he were strolling through a park, Cyrus walked around his desk and faced his three hostages, hands once again behind his back.
"Your little resistance was admirable, though ultimately useless," he told Saturn. "Now, Lucas. When I give the command, Honchkrow will release you, and you will raise your hands behind your head and walk back here to where Alakazam is. Are we clear?"
Lucas grit his teeth. "I…"
"If you do not cooperate, I will be forced to hurt Rowan and Saturn," Cyrus said. "I really do not have the time to–"
He stopped in his tracks. For a second nothing happened, and Lucas wondered why Cyrus had stopped talking, instead choosing to look up at the ceiling, eyes narrowed. But then he felt it too. A sudden, furious warmth spread through his body, sending a chill down his spine.
"… Always in the nick of time," muttered Cyrus, letting out a sigh. "I suppose this is it. Alakazam, take Rowan with you."
They didn't have time to protest. In a flash, Rowan and the psychic Pokemon vanished into a puff of purple light.
"NO!" Lucas bellowed, desperation clinging to his voice. "PROFESSOR!"
"N-no… already?" Saturn whispered next to him, eyes going wide. "She's already…?"
Amidst the chaos, Cyrus pressed a finger against the communication device in his ear, and spoke.
"She's here," he said. "Do it, Charon."
But before Lucas could even begin to wonder what that meant, a sound like that of a jet engine was heard above them. A bright light shone outside.
Then an explosion tore through the ceiling, and everything went white.
Reiko would have loved to fly up there and ask Barry what in all seven fucks he was doing here, but he was too high up for that. Luckily, Palmer didn't have that problem.
"I… sorry dad, but I can't explain it right now!" he yelled. "We gotta stop Shadi! She's planning to attack Snowpoint after this!"
"What!? Snowpoint?"
"Oh yeah, look out for any weird shadow stuff she does. She's got Darkrai with her."
"What!?"
"You and Makura focus on her Charizard; Mesprit and I will deal with Shadi!"
"What are y–"
Charizard moved like a flash, slashing at the Salamance with his massive claws. It bounced on nothing. A powerful gong rang through the air, and Palmer looked toward Barry in pure disbelief. His hand was raised toward Charizard, and a purple glow covered his entire body. He had blocked the attack.
"Son… I have a million questions right now," said Palmer. "First one being, you are aware that your mother will skin me alive if I let any harm come to you, right?"
Barry shone him a nervous smile. "She doesn't have to know."
"Hah… you are really underestimating her. Though I can't say we're not starving for help right now." He took a deep breath, then slowly let it go. "... Alright. Let's do this, son.
"Right!"
Down in the smoking battlefield, Reiko couldn't help but roll her eyes at the exchange. Cut from the same fucking cloth, those two. So busy was she with that, she didn't notice the consecutive flashes of light until the Pokemon started to materialize before them.
"Help them with their fights!" Barry's voice came from above. "Give it your all!"
The light dissipated. Pedri and Wrathia materialized between them and their opponents, a deathly serious look on their faces. Over at the other side of the battlefield, closer to the lake, Razen, Auri and Kitsune appeared in front of Argenta and her army of Pokemon.
And with that, the battle above resumed. Reiko could only sigh.
"At least now we might actually stand a chance," said Percy.
"Wish I didn't need my ass taken out of the coals by a kid, but…"
Ahead of them, Aggron and Snorlax got into battle position, fierce determination burning in their eyes. Bruises and superficial cuts were sprinkled all over their bodies. They'd taken some heavy hits, but there was still some fight left in them.
"…Right now, I'll take what I can get," she muttered. "Nakuru, Aqua Jet!"
Nakuru became a blur as he flew like a bullet over the bodies of Stain, Denki and Gamatetsu, his fallen companions. Aggron was quick to defend, crossing both arms in front of his face. Snorlax threw his hand back, ready to intercept his foe with a punch.
"Eooon!"
Reiko's eyes went wide at the sight of Barry's Empoleon moving even faster than Nakuru. Coated in swirling water, he slammed against the Snorlax's side with the full brunt of his weight, throwing him off balance for long enough to slice at the beast's stomach. Aggron was quick to react, however, and stopped the fin with his own metallic hand, the sound of metal against metal echoing through the air.
Unfortunately, that left him open for Nakuru. He crashed against the beast's chest, and while it dealt almost no damage it was enough to shift his attention toward him. Now both of their opponents were distracted, too focused on the water-type Pokemon before them.
"Mystical Fire!"
The small exchange had given Priscilla and the Houndoom enough time to move toward their opponent's flanks, and standing at opposite sides of them, they each released a massive torrent of fire which converged in the middle.
A hurricane of flames swallowed all four Pokemon, rising high into the air before dissipating, colors shifting from red to blue and white and then to a cacophony of rainbow lights. Reiko would have found it beautiful, if she weren't busy fighting for her life.
Nakuru and Empoleon jumped back from within the flames. There were a few superficial burns on them, though having been coated in water before the attack connected had minimized most of the damage. As for their opponents…
"Oh fils de pute," said Percy.
"Son of a bitch," Reiko echoed.
Aggron's body was red hot and slightly droopy in places, but he didn't look much more than pained and extremely irritated. Snorlax wasn't much different. Burn marks covered him from head to toe, but the most terrifying thing was that the beast had finally opened his eyes. And he was pissed.
"We're gonna have to bang on this drum a few more times, I think," said Percy.
"Yeah. I got that."
They both threw their hands forward and gave the command.
The fight was a slog. Every hit, every dodge, every inch gained was paid with sweat and blood, the four remaining Pokemon on their side having to give it their all during every moment, knowing that a single, well-timed blow from their opponents would most likely put them out of the fight.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to be constantly vigilant during such a violent and chaotic fight. Nakuru's attention slipped for a moment, and he paid for it.
"NAKURU!"
Aggron's glowing fist dug itself into the Golduck's stomach. The impact echoed through the air as he was thrown back with inhuman strength, only for a sturdy oak tree to stop his flight. He fell on a heap in the ground, and did not move again. Reiko felt her heart drop. All of her Pokemon were down.
But she didn't have time to lament that.
"Reiko, snap out of it! Look!"
She snapped toward the fight, and her eyes went wide once more. Priscilla and both of Barry's Pokemon had been repelled back, and now their opponents stood next to each other forming the same pose, heads thrown back, a massive ball of light forming within their maws. A double Hyper Beam.
"This is our chance!" said Percy. "If we take advantage of the recharge time…"
"That's assuming a single Protect will be enough," she protested. "I…"
But just then, Pedri took a step forward. Standing between them and their opponents, he fell to one knee and placed both fins in front of him. Light began to dance around him. The metal covering his fins glowed with power, forming a mighty shield of pure light. Then he looked over his shoulder, and nodded.
The message was clear.
"What? There's no way…"
"There is," Percy countered. "If they all use Protect they won't be able to take advantage of Aggron and Snorlax' recharge time. This is the only way."
Reiko bit her lip, but didn't protest further. "I hope you have a plan, then."
"Always do, mon chou."
A nervous smile formed on her lips. "You know I actually looked up what that means the other day? I can't believe you've been calling me a fucking cabbage of all th–"
The Hyperbeams fired. Light blinded them, though they had no time to look away before the impact came. It sounded as though a dozen jet planes were taking off next to them; miniature beams of energy flew in all directions, causing explosions on the ground around them and cutting through trees as though they were made of paper.
Percy yelled an order, though she couldn't hear it. Ahead of them, Empoleon faltered for a moment. Time crawled, a few seconds stretching into what felt like minutes.
And then, just like that, it was done. The light disappeared. Empoleon –the entire front of his body red-hot, the metal covering him melting– immediately fell face-first to the ground, unconscious. Ahead of him, Snorlax and Aggron fell to their knees, bodies shaking, out of breath..
"Now!" yelled Percy.
There was a blur of movement and both Priscilla and Wrathia fell in from the air between their opponents. A powerful heat haze distorted the air around them. Their fur glowed a red so bright it was almost white.
"Priscilla, use Protect!"
Aggron and Snorlax could do nothing as a dome of solidified light materialized around them, trapping them alongside their two foes. Houndoor formed a grin of sharp teeth. Priscilla smiled as well, though her expression was more smug than bloodthirsty.
"Inferno! Overheat!"
Both Pokemon let out a powerful roar, and all of the flames within them exploded from their bodies, forming a light so bright it momentarily blinded Reiko and Percy. They couldn't feel or hear the attack, however. Priscilla's barrier ensured that the heat of their combined flames would be concentrated tenfold within that small space, incinerating everything within it.
And incinerate they did. As soon as the barrier vanished, the cold of the night was no more. Even from afar, it felt as though they'd walked into a furnace. The heat didn't affect Reiko, of course, but she noticed Percy squinting and raising a hand in front of his eyes.
"Fucking… finally."
Priscilla and Wrathia stood shaking and unsteady, but they nonetheless stood above their now defeated opponents, pride and relief clear in their eyes. Aggron and Snorlax were but blackened shapes. Clouds of heat and smoke rose from their unconscious –or dead? God she hoped they were dead– bodies, distorting the air above them.
"Oh thank the heavens," sighed Percy.
"Hey, we're not the ones who had to put all the work in," smiled Reiko. "But this fight isn't over."
"Yes, you're right," he nodded. "Priscilla, Houndoom! If you can still fight then help us defeat the other–!"
Percy froze as he looked over his shoulder, mouth gaping. Reiko did the same a second after.
Argenta's side of the battlefield was almost entirely covered with the unconscious bodies of her army of Pokemon, but right in the middle, like it was a fucking Kalosian painting, Barry's Alakazam was down on his knees, a glowing sword of psychic energy stabbed into the stomach of his opponent, of his kin.
"Holy shit…"
The blade vanished, and both Alakazam fell to the ground alongside each other, all energy gone from them.
But the surprises weren't done yet. Just when Reiko was about to suggest going over to help with the other half of the fight, a pillar of water exploded a few feet from the shore. From the tip, two Pokemon shoot out high into the air. Barry's Floatzel held Kingdra by the tail. Sporting a cocky smile, he batted his tails with as much strength as possible and spun the both of them at an incredible speed.
Then, he let go.
Kingdra flew down in a straight line toward the shore, where a very happy-looking Togetic was waiting for him.
"Pi-prii!"
Auri threw her tiny hands forward, and all of the moonlight around her coalesced into a gigantic, swirling ball of energy which was shot point-blank at her opponent's face. Reiko couldn't help but cringe. There was a bright explosion, followed by Kingdra's body being slammed against the ground by the impact. He did not move again.
A few feet from there, Argenta placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.
"A Metronome resulting in Moonblast… huh. What are the odds."
Even if Reiko agreed, she was too busy staring slack-jawed at what had just happened.
"So… you know how I was kinda angry that Barry surpassed me in that one trainer ranking?" asked Percy. "Yeah, I take it back."
Reiko let out a breath she felt like she'd been holding for ages. Then, unprompted, she grabbed Percy by the collar and slammed her lips against his, enjoying a good old-fashioned victory kiss.
"D-damn… save some for later, babe."
"Sorry. I had to," she said, breathily. "Anyway, let's go find a way to help Palmer and Barry. If we–"
The ground under their feet shook. Not because of a Pokemon attack or anything like that. It wasn't a shaking caused by some sort of impact. It was deep and powerful, as though the entirety of Sinnoh had let out a pained groan.
Percy and Reiko looked at each other.
"What… the fuck was that?"
High above them, Shadi noticed the tremors and let out a sigh of relief.
"Sure took their sweet time, huh."
Lucas was not dead, as he'd supposed. That was good. He could go up from there, from the shock of still being alive from that explosion to discovering what on earth had just happened. And that began with opening his eyes.
Which he did. At which point he realized that he and Saturn were sitting atop the back of an enormous Togekiss, with nothing stopping them from slipping to the side and falling many hundreds of feet down to their deaths.
"Eep!"
"Agh!" Saturn flinched at the hug. "It's… it's okay, Lucas. I think you're…
"So. You're the professor's assistant, I presume?"
That voice… A powerful shiver ran down Lucas' spine, and suddenly his fear of heights felt insignificant in comparison to the sheer presence exuding from the woman. Slowly, fearfully, he looked up, and gasped.
Champion Cynthia hovered above them atop her Garchomp's back, her long hair flowing behind her like strands of pure gold, moonlight casting an ethereal light upon her. She looked like an angel riding her steed.
"I-I…"
"You," growled Saturn, anger heating up his voice.
"… Saturn, if I'm not mistaken. One of Team Galactic's four Commanders."
The dangerous edge in her voice would have terrified Lucas at any other moment, but knowing who it was being directed at…
"H-he's with me!" He hurried to embrace Saturn, earning another grunt of pain from him. "Y-you don't have to… He's not with them anymore so…!"
"… I understand. I will deal with him later."
And with that, she turned her attention below, and Lucas could feel the sudden change in atmosphere, as though the temperature had risen a few degrees.
"He's the one I'm really after."
Below, the top floor of the building had been torn apart, enormous chunks of wall and ceiling burying most of the office, dust rising in clouds at the edges. Cyrus knelt in the middle, dust and blood and grime covering him from head to toe. He'd just dug himself out from a pile of rubble, and seemed to have trouble even staying on his knees.
And yet, his calm demeanor did not falter.
"Ah… Just in time, dear Champion," he said, struggling through each word. "Always a fan of your dramatic entrances, are you not?"
Cynthia's expression darkened. "I have nothing to tell you, Cyrus. You've lost. Team Galactic falls tonight."
Finally, the man managed to push himself to his feet, though he looked as though a stiff breeze could knock him down.
"Team Galactic, is it? If it's the entirety of us you're looking for, then I'm afraid you're too late."
"Heh. If you seriously think you're going to–"
Cynthia's voice trailed off. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and then she looked down at the empty building, blinking in confusion.
"What?" she muttered. "Where's…"
"The rest of us? Long gone, I'm afraid," said Cyrus. "It's only the two of us here, save for some unwanted audience." He nodded toward Lucas and Saturn. "So how about you show your true colors, Cynthia? We all know how you'd rather resolve this."
Cynthia unconsciously shook her head, eyes widening. "You… You planned this. You knew I was coming."
"Evidently."
The storm in her eyes grew more powerful. Her hands balled into fists.
"It… doesn't matter," she said, forcing a smile. "I will not fall for your taunts again. I'll–"
Far in the distance, from within the old forest behind them, a cacophony of Pokemon cries rang through the air. Wild Pokemon. Their voices joined to form a song of fear and panic.
Then the ground began to shake. The three of them didn't feel it, sitting atop flying Pokemon, but they could see it clearly in the way the building's frame shook, almost throwing Cyrus to his knees again. They felt it in the air as well. A sudden still in the wind. The calm before the storm.
"What… was that?" asked Cynthia, panicked. "What was that!?"
The grin that formed on Cyru's face was a disheartening sight.
"I have two questions for you, dear Champion," he said. "First… have you heard of the mythical Pokemon Heatran?"
Cynthia reeled at the question. "W-what?"
"Legends state that it resides within the most hellish of volcanic pits, its blood burning hotter than magma, its metallic body constantly melting and re-shaping itself due to the immense heat. According to some studies, it's signature attack, Magma Storm, has been responsible for thousands of volcanic eruptions throughout our world's history. Now…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "I have one more question for you. Do you know, exactly, what caused the eruption of Cinnabar all those years ago?"
There was shock for only a moment, and then realization dropped on the Champion with the weight of a mountain. She snapped to look over her shoulder so fast her neck clicked.
"No…" Her voice was thin, coarse. "Y-you can't have…"
But it was too late. Behind them, miles and miles in the distance, a bright flash could be seen all through the circumference in the middle of Mt. Coronet. A red, flowing light, slowly descending. And from where the lava had begun to flow, smoke began to rise, black as night and thick as a wall, slowly rolling up into the sky, covering the rest of the mountain from view.
They saw the shockwave before they could feel it. Dust, leaves, branches and Pokemon flew back as they were repelled by its force, and though it had been severely weakened by the distance, it was still enough to almost throw Lucas off the Togekiss.
The boom of the explosion rang in their ears. And yet they couldn't look away. A deep, primal terror filled them to the brim at the sight of Mt. Coronet, their region's most famous, most beautiful symbol, oozing with lava and covered in burning smoke.
It was a horrible, visceral sight. As though Arceus himself had been brought down and gutted alive before their very eyes.
"N-no… this isn't what we…" Saturn's lips shook as he looked toward the horizon, eyes full of disbelief. "I was never told about this. I…"
Most disheartening, however, was that Cynthia looked as though she would break into tears at any moment.
"Now… what was that about not falling for my taunts again?"
Cyrus' voice brought them back to reality. Slowly, as though coming back from a nightmare, Cynthia tilted her neck to look at him once more, the look on her face nothing short of terrifying.
"Remind me again, dear Champion, what is the town closest to Mt. Coronet's base?" asked Cyrus, feigning ignorance. "Ah, of course. You needn't worry though, I'm sure all the citizens of Celestic will have more than enough time to escape the lava slide. As for the town itself, however…"
"CYRUS!"
In the blink of an eye, with a single shout, Cynthia did what Lucas would have thought impossible. All of the shock and fear and horror he was feeling was shifted from the unbelievable sight before him to the lone, furious woman atop her Garchomp.
The look upon her face was inhuman. The air shook with the fury exuding from her body. Suddenly, breathing felt impossible. Lucas' nerves flared as though they'd been set aflame, as though a primordial storm had been set loose before them. It was the most painful, most horrible thing he'd ever felt. And looking up at her, Cynthia didn't look like an angel anymore.
She was a demon.
Then, looking down, he noticed that Cyrus continued to smile. How on earth…?
Togekiss flew back in a burst of speed, and Lucas was unable to finish his thought. They were flying up, away from Cynthia and her Garchomp. Giving her the space she needed.
The Champion raised her hand into the sky. A powerful golden glow began to exude from her Pokemon.
"DRACO METEOR!" She bellowed, all of the world's wrath and power booming through her voice. "DIE!"
Throwing her head back, Garchomp spat out a golden ball of light high into the air. It was small, the size of a tennis ball. It hung in the sky for a long, silent moment, pulsing like a heartbeat. Bending the air around it like a black hole.
Then the explosion came, and the sky itself disappeared. Lucas' mouth gaped open, the sight before him even more unbelievable than the last. Hundreds… no, thousands of arrows of pure light rained down from above, as though the sky itself had broken into a million pieces. The air shook with a deafening boom. Every single arrow headed down with the speed of a bullet, targeting the only building in sight.
Far below, Cyrus let out a relieved sigh.
"I knew you had it in you, Cynthia."
Cyrus, the building, the very ground itself, they all vanished into a black nothing. Or so it seemed from Lucas' perspective.
Cynthia, hovering closer, saw what actually happened. In the blink of an eye, reality tore apart before her, a deep, impossible darkness forming a shielding arc above Cyrus and Galactic HQ.
"W-wha…"
Then the first arrow of light went through that darkness, and it did not emerge from the other side.
1 Minute Before
Shadi was by no means someone who enjoyed rubbing in, but she couldn't help but smile at the horrified, dumbfounded look upon her opponent's faces at the sight of a burning Mt. Coronet.
Still, she had a job to do. Schadenfreude would have to wait until later.
She passed a finger through the Pokeballs in her belt, and all four of her fainted Pokemon returned to their respective ones. The gesture brought her opponents back to reality. They all turned to look at her with an identical question in their eyes.
"No, I'm afraid I wasn't responsible for that," she said, her voice being carried through the darkness around her. "But it is a good time as any to retreat, I guess."
"Y-you…!" A few yards below, Barry's eyes went wide in anger. The wind stilled around him. "You're not going anywhere! I'll–"
Shadi gave the command and Midir flapped her wings, sending a powerful gust of wind down toward her opponents and interrupting whatever stupid speech Barry had prepared.
"It's been… a while since I got such a good fight, so thank you for that at least," she said. "Now to be fair, if my Pokemon hadn't been so rusty and if you all didn't count with the number advantage, I doubt the result would've been the same. But I'll congratulate you nonetheless. Let me give you a little reward for your troubles."
Throwing her hands toward the sky, Shadi summoned forth every ounce of Darkrai's power, a wide, deranged grin spreading through her face. Darkness coalesced around her. The air shook with power.
And, best of all, no insult or complaint came from within the depths of her mind. All she could feel from Darkrai was regret, and resignation. Not like she needed more confirmation that she'd already won, but it was nice anyway.
"All of the pieces are in place; now it's time they fall!" she bellowed. "Come forth, Gate of Distortion!"
A burst of darkness exploded off her fingertips, etching itself into the fabric of reality, traveling at impossible speeds toward the spots she'd designated. She closed her eyes, and saw in her mind the opening of the portals. First, above Galactic HQ. Then Oreburgh, Eterna, Veilstone, Pastoria and Canalave. And then…
There was a tearing sound as the last portal opened under her, facing the four trainers and their remaining Pokemon.
Before they could react or do anything, hundreds of arrows of light rained down upon them.
