Previously on Poké Rangers: Eon Force...
Victoria moved in with Richard and had a frank talk with Phillip about her past and her plans for the future. Meanwhile, Ditgle, noticing the friction between Richard and Sam, created the Chaos Beast Megasaur, who had the power to force plants to grow inside of people and use them to control them. Infecting Sam, she helped things boil over into an open fight between the two, broken up by Sally. Afterwards, Sally advised Sam on how to better befriend Richard, while David explained to Richard how he and Sam became friends and what kind of person he saw Sam as. Putting their differences aside, they managed to destroy Megasaur and free those put under her control. However, Xactowl and Walter have been putting their own plans into motion...
David's house, Azalea Town...
David lay in bed, tossing and turning in the night. Rolling over, his fist closed around his blanket and clutched it hard.
Sam and Professor Diggswell were staying with him, each in their own rooms down the hall. The two of them were sleeping much more peacefully than the White Ranger, whose brow was slick with sweat and teeth were clenched as he let out a quiet groan.
In David's dreams, he found that he was no longer the eighteen year old adult he had become, but rather was back in his younger kid body. Examining his hands, he looked up to find Walter looming over him.
"You gonna run, David?" Walter asked, grinning viciously. David realized he could hear him perfectly as his Exploud stepped up beside him.
Whirling, David fled back and found himself outside his house, looking at the front door. Dashing up to it, he threw it open and ran inside, slamming it shut behind him.
"Mom! Dad!" He ran through the house as fast as he could, searching for his parents. "Sam!? Professor!?" He couldn't find his parents, or anybody else. "Anyone!?"
There was a massive tearing sound as the roof ripped away above him. David spun and looked up to find a giant-sized Terror looming in the opening, glaring down at him as he let out an evil, modulated laugh.
"Crying for mommy and daddy?" Terror roared in amusement. "I'm afraid they can't hear you!"
Terror ducked down out of sight and the rest of the house fell away around David. Not far away, he could see his parents, Sam, the other Rangers, and the Professor all sitting together.
He tried to run to them, but slammed against something unseen in front of him, falling backwards and landing in a bank of snow. Gasping in surprise, he rose and looked around to find that he was trapped inside a snowglobe.
Terror stepped up before the globe and reached a hand out, tapping and shaking it with a laugh. David scrambled back through the snow to try and get as far away from him as possible.
"I'm afraid they can't help you." Terror chuckled. "And more importantly, you can't help them!"
Stepping aside, he revealed that the entire group, who had previously been sitting peacefully, now kneeled on the ground, surrounded by an army of Exploud. The sonic-screaming Pokémon were firing Boombursts at full power, forcing everyone to clutch at their ears in agony.
"NO!" David ran up to the globe's glass and punched at it, but he only hurt his hand doing so. He was just a kid, he had no Morpher, he had no powers; he had nothing. Still, it didn't stop him from striking at it again and again and again. "No..." He watched in horror as blood began to trickle out from everybody's ears and they collapsed forward.
"You are nothing without them, David." Terror lifted the globe David was trapped in up to eye level, glaring at him. "You can pretend to be stoic all you like, but inside? You're still the same scared..." Terror's hand began to squeeze the globe. "...trembling..." Cracks spread up the sides and David spun in terrified circles. "...cowering little kid!"
With a final clench, the globe shattered inward under Terror's grip, bringing glass shards and his giant crushing hand in towards him.
David woke letting out a piercing scream that he himself couldn't hear, sitting up and throwing his covers off. Gasping for breath, sweat ran down his bare chest as he looked around, slowly calming as he recognized his location.
"David!?" Sam threw open the door and looked in on him. "What's going on?"
"Uh...nothing." David sighed. "Just a bad dream, man. Don't worry about it. Go get yourself some sleep."
"...okay, if you say so." Sam shook his head. "But it must've been one messed up dream to make you shriek like that."
As he left, David frowned and lay back, his head flopping against his pillow.
"Yeah." he muttered, rolling over and trying fruitlessly to return to slumber once more.
(Theme Song inspired by Power Rangers: Wild Force Opening)
*beat begins with a strange ethereal pulse (replace all roars with such) before quickly building into a rock beat* (The Eon Crystals awake and float into the air)
Eon Force Poké Rangers! (The original five Rangers enter the Vanishing Shrine...)
Eon Crystals are forever! (...and are bonded with their respective Eon Crystal.)
Eon Force Poké Rangers! (All seven Rangers' helmets appear to complete their morphing sequences)
We'll defend Johto together! (The seven pose together as an explosion bursts behind them.)
Eon Force! Eon Force! (Various scenes of the unmorphed Rangers using their powers)
Ancient powers have awakened; (Go!) (Richard tosses a basketball into a hoop, his Cyndaquil letting off a showy burst as it swishes. Turning to the camera, he flashes a thumbs up as the Red Ranger and Flare are shown.)
Eon Force gonna save them. (Eon Force!) (Sally steps off the bus into Azalea Town with her Mimikyu right behind. Noticing the camera, she waves as the Pink Ranger and Esper are shown.)
Our whole timeline in danger; (Go!) (Phillip reaches out and pulls a plastic bottle from a river, dropping it into a bag his Croconaw is carrying. Seeing the camera, he nods as the Blue Ranger and Vapor are shown.)
We will save (Emma is working on an explosive in a lab with her Voltorb on the table observing. She jumps back from a spark and grins at the camera as the Yellow Ranger and Jolt are shown.)
this world! (Matt looks over the Underwood Ranch as his Tyranitar walks up beside him. Petting her, he sees the camera and smiles as the Black Ranger and Umbre are shown.)
Eon Force Poké Rangers! (Sam and David laugh together with their Meganium and Swinub as the Green and White Rangers are shown with Leaf and Glace.)
Eon Crystals are forever! (Alicia raises a Pokéball and clicks it open/Victoria smiles beside her Arcanine)
Eon Force Poké Rangers! (The Rangers summon their weapons.)
We'll defend Johto together! (The Rangers aim and fire the Eon Cannon.)
*guitar riff* (Celebi and Hypnotica are talking in the shrine, Xactowl and Ditgle bow to Mask of Ice in his lair/Walter puts on his Terror mask)
Eon Force Poké Rangers! (The Eon Zords join together into the Eon Force Megazord...)
We'll defend Johto together! (...that is then shown using the Eon Spirit Charge.)
Eon...Force! Eon Force! (All seven Rangers pose together as the Eon Zords appear behind them, followed by the logo being shown (use your imagination, cuz I don't have the artistic skill to draw one))
West of Azalea Town...
In his female human disguise, Xactowl knelt on a stone platform he had assembled with his powers, using chalk to draw a complex circular design. As he was putting the finishing touches on it, Walter approached.
"Are you sure this will work?" he asked.
"Of course it will." Xactowl closed the last part and stood, stepping back to admire his work. "Once the summoning circle is activated, it will draw him here from wherever he may be, and we will force him to take out the Rangers."
"If you're certain." Walter folded his arms. "Never imagined I'd be involved in summoning demons into the world."
"Do not call him that to his face." Xactowl glanced at him. "They take offense to it. The term is Agent of Chaos."
"Right, right. You've said that before." Walter shook his head. "Well, no sense waiting. Fire it up."
"I cannot." Xactowl turned to him. "I am composed of pure chaotic energy. To activate the circle requires a true essence of life." As he held out a hand, Walter looked down to find him offering a jagged, curved knife.
"...how much?" he asked nervously as he took it.
"Only a few drops." Xactowl waved him forward. "Go on then."
Holding out his hand, Walter raised the blade and took a deep breath, jabbing it into his thumb. Pulling the knife free, he tossed it aside and squeezed, forcing several drops of blood to emerge and drip onto the circle.
"Now step back." Xactowl waited until Walter was freed before raising his hands. His eyes glowed red as he began to chant in an incomprehensible language.
As he spoke, red lightning flared around the edges of the circle. Walter shuddered as a feeling of dread rolled through him. Over the circle, a portal of blood-red energy started to swirl.
Letting up his chanting, Xactowl pulled out a pair of earplugs and held them out.
"You'll need these." he warned. "Unless you want to experience your worst nightmares. I will use my telepathy to allow you to hear." Taking them, Walter quickly shut off his ears, just in time for the Agent of Chaos they had called to arrive.
He had the appearance of a human-sized Ledian, but with a Yanmega's eyes and oversized Yanmega wings growing from his back, already buzzing rapidly. Hanging from his right upper arm was a sphere on a chain, designed to resemble a Ledian's shell.
The instant he appeared, there were numerous glows in the area around them. Walter watched in interest as numerous red streaks of energy shot over and disappeared into the sphere.
"Greetings, Yandian." Xactowl bowed and Walter nervously followed suit. "I'm glad you were able to answer the summon."
'I thought he HAD to answer the summon.' Walter thought.
'He did. But it's better that we pretend otherwise.' Xactowl's thoughts responded. 'You have to know how to talk to these guys.'
"Ah..." Yandian looked between them, not fooled for a second by Xactowl's disguise. "A Chaos Beast, and a human. Amusing." Stepping forward, he examined Walter and sneered. "I imagine you two have brought me here for something. Tell me, why shouldn't I kill you where you stand?"
"Because if you try, I will destroy the connection." Xactowl waved to the stone platform they stood on. "And without it, you will too weak to fight me off. I will send you straight back to the Infernal World to burn with your brethren."
After a moment of staring at Xactowl, Yandian burst out laughing.
"You have spine, little Chaos Beast." Yandian reached out an arm and patted him on the head, being several feet taller. Xactowl frowned in clear annoyance. "Very well then. What is it you want of Yandian the Nightmare Bug?"
"My master has been having some trouble with a group of heroes called the Poké Rangers." Xactowl explained. "I would like you to capture them for him." Laughing, Yandian reached over to pat the sphere he carried fondly.
"Child's play. And after I do...then what?" Yandian questioned.
"Then, it's up to you." Xactowl shrugged innocently. "Go on your way, do as you will."
"Very interesting." Yandian nodded. "Very well. Simply point me in their direction. I will have them for you by nightfall." Xactowl turned and pointed towards Azalea Town and Yandian marched past, casting them one last devious glance as he left.
'And in reality?' Walter thought.
'In reality, once you have completed your task, we will destroy the connection and send him back anyway.' Xactowl smirked. 'It wouldn't do to have an Agent of Chaos running around free in the world.'
'Then I'd better get busy.' Walter nodded.
'Keep your earplugs in until you get far enough away. I'll let you know when you are.' Xactowl warned. 'If you hear his buzzing...'
'Yes, I know.' Walter placed his Terror mask on his face. 'Don't worry. I'll be fine, and that little Pokémon Champion..." Terror laughed evilly. "She will play right into our hands."
David's house...
Sam and the Professor were both sitting at the table with David's parents when David finally stumbled downstairs.
"Morning, sleepyhead." his mom smiled. "Hope you got some good rest."
"Eh..." David fixed his skull earring into place and took a seat as she passed a box of cereal his way. His mom had the same blonde-bordering-on-white hair as David himself, and the same icy blue eyes as well. "It was alright." His dad lowered a newspaper to glance at him. He had hair as dark as the other two's was light and softer brown eyes. A thin layer of stubble covered his face.
"Sounded like a bad dream." he said. David sighed.
"I guess everyone heard that, huh?" he said. The Professor nodded.
"Was kinda hard to miss." he pointed out. Beside him, Sam sat quietly, but David didn't miss his look of concern. "Don't worry; I ain't gonna pry."
"Thanks." David looked around for a bowl, noticing a stack three high in front of the professor. Frowning, he rose and walked to the cupboard to locate another. As he did, he happened to notice the headline on his dad's paper. "Hey, dad?" His father looked up. "Can I see that for a moment?"
"Sure." His father quickly pulled the inside section out. "Just let me get the sports section." Once he had it separated, he passed the rest over. David brought a bowl back and took a seat, filling it as he glanced at the front page.
'Goldenrod Gym Robbed, Leader's Whereabouts Unknown' it read. David scanned the article as he ate. Apparently, somebody had recently broken into the Goldenrod City Gym and stolen two Pokémon that had been confiscated in official business. Sources indicated them to be an Aerodactyl and an Exploud. Whitney had not been seen since the incident was discovered; her parents and sister had not been availabe for comment.
"Sam, take a look at this." He passed the paper over and his friend took it curiously, quickly discovering the same article and frowning. "Sound like anybody we know?"
"Yeah..." Sam held it out so the professor, now on his fourth bowl, could lean over and look. "Looks like Walter's striking back."
"Walter...?" David's mom looked up in surprise. "You don't mean Walter Franklin, do you?"
"I'm afraid that's exactly who they're referring to." the Professor swallowed and set his latest bowl aside. "We all had a bit of a conflict with Walter recently."
"You met him!?" David's mom turned to him in shock. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"It was nothing, really. He wasn't even after me." David told her. "He was after some artifact that was already taken years ago."
"That does seem to have been the case." Diggswell shook his head. "He convinced me to take him on as a research assistant. Had I known what kind of person he truly was, I would've thrown him out on his head!" He frowned. "Very good at hiding it, he was."
"Hope Whit-Normal's okay." Sam frowned. "Annoying as she can be, I'd hate to see anything happen to her."
"You don't think he's targeting the people who foiled him, do you?" David asked. "If so, Falkner and Pryce could be in danger too."
"Not to mention Morty and Bugsy." Sam reminded him. "They've run afoul of him in their own ways."
"Uh, hello?" David's mom broke in. "Are you guys planning on putting yourselves on that list at any point, or...?"
"...yeah, she has a point." Sam sighed. "We're probably front and center in his sights to."
"Well, don't worry." David smiled, though it seemed forced. "We can handle him." Sam stared at him. "What?"
"Nothing." He gave a nod that clearly said 'we'll talk later, alone' before he looked away.
"Don't you boys go doing anything reckless now." David's dad warned.
"Ah, I wouldn't let them." the Professor assured. "As the responsible adult of our trio, I'll keep them out of trouble."
"You do know we're both eighteen, right?" Sam pointed out.
"Yes, but you lack the RESPONSIBLE part of my description." the Professor told him.
"Says the guy currently eating us out of house and home." David's mom laughed, nodding to him filling yet another bowl. David's dad offered a quiet grunt of agreement, while the Professor laughed as well. "Where are you even putting that?"
"What can I say?" he shrugged. "You get out of the hard times, you can't get enough of the easy ones."
As Sam and David chuckled, a voice called to them from their Morphers.
'Sam. David.' Celebi spoke. 'I'm detecting a massive swell of chaotic energy approaching the Underwood Ranch, far more than any Chaos Beast I've seen. Can you guys go check it out, and make sure Sally and Matt are okay?'
'On it.' David thought back, rising from his seat. "Come on, Sam. We've got something important to do."
"Right on." Sam quickly shoved his chair into place and ran for the door. "See you later, Mr. and Mrs. Gray! You too, Professor!" Dashing out the door, David's parents looked to the Professor to see if he had any explanation for their sudden exit. He shrugged.
"I've been told not to worry about it." he said.
"I thought you were the responsible one?" David's dad asked.
"Yeah, but I trust them." he said. "Don't you two worry your heads. They'll be just fine. I'm sure of it."
Meanwhile, at the Underwood Ranch...
"So, did Alicia say why she was taking off?" Sally asked curiously. "It's not like her to just leave with so little notice."
"Something about Whitney needing her help." Matt answered, leaning back against the fence as he watched Onix feed. "She didn't say with what."
"Ah..." Sally nodded. "That makes sense. Have to be there when family needs you, after all."
"Right." Matt glanced at her and smiled wryly. "That's what family is for, right?" Sally got what he meant; it was kind of ironic for the two of them to discuss family bonds, especially Matt, who never really had one.
"Kyu?" Sally glanced down as Mimikyu came walking up, He was wearing a new disguise Sally had made for him, one designed after a Bellossom. Alicia had shown her an image of the Pokémon while she was looking for new ideas, and she had just completed the costume a few days ago. 'Hey, Sally.'
"Hey, Mimikyu." Sally knelt. "How's the new outfit? Working good?"
'Mim...kyu.' Mimikyu nodded. 'It's great...mostly.'
"What's wrong?" Sally asked. "It's not itchy, is it? I was worried a plant-based costume might be."
'No, no. Not that.' Mimikyu shook his head. 'It's just...'
"Loom!" Sally looked over as Gloom came running up. 'Miss Mimi! I made this for you!' In her arms she carried a flower arrangement, noticably wilting, likely due to being too close to her for too long.
'That's great, Gloom.' Mimikyu's tone became noticably annoyed. 'Can you just, like, put it with the rest?'
'Sure!' Gloom smiled happily. 'Whatever you say, Miss Mimi!'
'And stop calling me Miss Mimi!" Mimikyu yelled as she skipped joyfully away. 'I keep telling you, I'm not a girl!' Gloom gave no response and Mimikyu growled in frustration. A grin broke out on Sally's face.
"Looks like somebody's got an admirer." she noted.
'Yeah.' Mimikyu's tendril reached out and slapped onto his face. 'Started when you gave me this disguise. She keeps following me around, making those terrible flower batches for me. I can't get her to leave me alone.'
"Why don't you just change disguises?" Sally asked.
'Because she gets all sad and I start to feel bad!' Mimikyu groaned. ''Where's Miss Mimi? I miss Miss Mimi. Miss Mimi was so pretty.' If I have to hear much more of it...'
"What's going on with them?" Matt asked curiously. Sally smirked.
"It seems Gloom has mistaken Mimikyu for a real female Bellossom..." she explained. "...and is, shall we say, irresistably drawn to him." Matt broke out laughing.
"Oh, Mimikyu. What a conundrum you've got yourself in." he grinned.
'It's not funny!' Mimikyu called. 'She's delusional! You have to do something!'
"I think it's rather cute." Sally's smile quickly faded. "Though at some point, we're going to have to break it to her that you don't reciprocate. And that worries me...she might take it the wrong way."
"Yeah. It'll hurt, getting rejected again." Matt nodded.
"But don't worry, we'll figure it out, Mimikyu." Sally assured.
'I'm just gonna put earplugs in under my disguise and ignore her.' Mimikyu decided. 'Maybe she'll take the hint.'
"I don't know if that's the best idea." Sally said uncertainly.
'Well until you come up with a better one, I'm doing it!' Mimikyu scurried away towards the house as fast as he could. Sally translated what he had said and Matt winced.
"Yeah, that's gonna be trouble." he agreed. "We'd better nip this in the bud fast."
"Right." Sally nodded. "Let's quickly finish the rounds, then we can figure something out."
The two worked in silence as they fed the rest of the Ranch's Pokémon. Sally couldn't help but watch Gloom as she came to eat, pondering how to handle the whole situation with her.
As they finished, Sally caught sight of a flash of red off in the distance to the west. Turning that way, she watched several more occur and tapped Matt on the arm.
"What do you suppose that is?" She asked. Matt frowned as he witnessed another flash.
"Trouble." he guessed. "Let's..."
As they were about to reach for their Morphers, Yandian walked into view. The two could see the flashes of red were streaks of red energy gathering and disappearing into something he held.
"Hey." Sam and David ran up to join them. "Celebi said something big was heading this way." Sam told them.
"Well, I think it's here." Sally said as he came closer.
Before any of them could morph, the sound of his buzzing reached their ears. Sally, Matt, and Sam all yelled and clutched at their ears, falling to their knees.
"Guys?" David looked down at them in surprise. "What's...?" His jaw dropped as he witnessed the Pokémon of the ranch turning to red energy and being pulled into Yandian's sphere. In a flash, the three other Rangers joined them. "No!"
The Agent of Chaos stopped before him, tilting his head curiously.
"You're not affected by my buzz?" he realized. "What's the matter with you?" Glace quickly translated, as he didn't seem to have any lips to read.
"I can't hear a thing." David told him, drawing his Morpher. "What did you do to my friends!?"
"Your friends..." Yandian laughed. "Don't worry, they're safe and secure." He tapped his sphere amusedly. "Physically speaking. You on the other hand..."
"Bring on the power of Eon!" Drawing his Morpher, David clicked its button and pressed it to his chest. Glowing white lines expanded around his body and Glace emerged to form a sizable icicle above him, crashing down to form his Ranger Suit. Glace circled behind to form a Glaceon style helmet and complete his transformation.
Leaping forward, Yandian's sphere grew out into a ball and chain-style weapon that he swung, connecting with the White Ranger and sending him flying back against the house. Rolling to his feet, he held out a hand.
"Icicle Spear!" His weapon appearing, he charged forward and slashed out, striking Yandian across the chest. The buglike monster laughed as he blow sparked harmlessly off of him. He shook off two more blows before catching the next with his hand.
"Foolish Ranger!" Pulling, he flung David through the air, sending him crashing down through the fence. "I am Yandian, the Nightmare Bug! You cannot defeat me!"
"We'll see!" Holding out his spear, David fired a blast of ice that struck Yandian head-on. Walking forward, he pushed through it with ease, slamming the White Ranger aside with his sphere. Flipping back up, David stabbed out and pierced his spear into Yandian's stomach.
Yandian chuckled as he tried to channel his powers through it, but the ice refused to spread across Yandian's body.
"DIdn't you hear me? It doesn't matter what you do!" Grabbing his arms, Yandian yanked him forward, sending his spear piercing clean through his body, to seemingly no effect. "Agents of Chaos cannot be killed! To me, you are nothing!" Ramming his head forward, he slammed it against David's helmet and sent him stumbling back, losing his grip on his spear.
"I won't..." David gasped. "I won't let you take them!"
"Please." Yandian yanked the spear free, flinging it aside as the hole left in his body quickly vanished. In a blink, he had zoomed forward and grabbed David's neck, lifting him up and slamming him to the ground. "You can't save them." Pulling his sphere back, he slammed it down on the White Ranger. "No matter what you do! No matter how hard you fight! No matter how much you care!" With each sentence, he struck again and again. "You'll still fail!" Swinging his weapon around, he slammed it against David's side and sent him flying away.
Rolling to a stop, David tried to get back to his feet. From Yandian's wings, sonic pulses of chaotic energy launched forward to explode around him, sending him falling back and demorphing.
Laughing darkly, Yandian marched towards the unmoving Ranger, twirling his sphere in anticipation of finishing him.
Before he could reach him, Glace emerged from his crystal, her spirit form growing and engulfing his body before shooting off into the sky. Right before she could take off, Mimikyu came running up and leaped in with her, joining her as she took off.
"Mmm." Yandian watched the icy Eon Spirit sail away. "It matters little. They will all be mine anyway soon." Chuckling to himself, he turned and walked in the direction of the town.
Alicia's family farm, not far from Goldenrod...
Alicia walked through the gate, glancing down at the message she carried. Hastily scribbled in her sister's handwriting, it begged her to come to the farm as soon as she could, stating that it was an urgent emergency that they couldn't handle on their own. Looking around, she could see no sign of anybody.
"Hello?" Alicia called, pulling a Pokéball off her waist and holding it readily. Something seemed off about the place. "Mom? Dad? Whitney?"
"Around back!" Whitney's voice called, sounding strained. Frowning, she circled around the house and found her sister standing in wait.
"You're okay..." She started to step forward, realizing her sister looked panicked. "What's wrong?"
"I am." Alicia whirled as Terror walked out of the shadows behind her.
"I'm sorry." Whitney apologized. "He has mom and dad. He said if I didn't write a message to lure you here, he'd..."
"No, I understand." Alicia glanced back at her, realizing now that her hands were tied behind her back, not just held there. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this guy."
"An intriguing offer. There was a time that I would be eager to take on somebody of your reputation." Terror told her. "But I'm afraid I don't have time to deal with that right now. I simply need you to do the same thing as your sister, and write me a message."
"Like hell I'd do anything for you!" Alicia raised her Pokéball and released her Scizor. "I'm not falling for your tricks!"
"Aren't you?" Terror chuckled. "You have no idea the power I possess." Holding up his hand, the mechanical glove on it began to flash in patterned light. "As for my tricks, I'm afraid you have already fallen into them!"
Holding back his hand, he fired a beam of purple light that struck a Tauros in the fields, causing it to rise up onto its hind legs as its body became more humanoid. Its upper body swelled with muscles and its horns lengthened and sharpened.
"Ultra Tauros, come!" Terror called. With an angry bellow, Tauros crashed through the fence and sprang through the air, its powerful legs propelling it to land beside Terror. "If you'll not cooperate willingingly, I will be forced into action." he warned. "And I have many, MANY ways of making you do as I desire."
"I've never backed down when the odds were against me before, and I sure ain't planning to against you." Alicia growled. "Mantis, ready for battle!" Her Scizor snapped her pincers and tensed in anticipation beside her.
"Ultra Tauros, take it down." Terror folded his arms as Ultra Tauros charged with its head lowered.
"Agility, Mantis!" Alicia commanded. Upping her speed, Mantis dashed to the side, avoiding Tauros's charge and circling behind it. "Now, X Scissor!"
As Mantis slashed out, Ultra Tauros spun faster than Alicia thought possible. It was like one instant he was facing away from Mantis and the next he was turned around, catching her arms before she could land the blow.
Ultra Tauros slammed a powerful blow of his head against Mantis's before releasing his grip. Stumbling, the Pokémon collapsed to the ground in defeat.
"One hit...?" Alicia stepped back as Ultra Tauros turned towards her. "That's not possible."
"You think that's impossible?" Terror laughed. "How about this!?" Holding up his hands, the ground started to tremble. Alicia watched as it fell away all around her, leaving nothing but a black void in every direction. Terror floated before her. "You have no idea what you're dealing with..."
"Then why don't you enlighten me?" Alicia called up. She reached for another Pokéball, only to gasp as she found there were none on her waist anymore. They had vanished into thin air.
"I am the one in control here, Alicia." Terror's body grew until he was hundreds of feet tall, his voice booming throughout the void as he looked down at her. "I will be the one making demands, and you will be the one answering them. If you don't..." Terror raised his hands and in between them appeared Whitney, their parents, all of Alicia's Pokémon, and even the Rangers. "I will personally flatten everything you know and love!"
"How...?" Alicia's eyes widened in horror as Terror laughed in genuine amusement.
"How? My power is limitless!" Terror told her. "With but a thought, I can dismantle them all..." As he spoke, the people in front of him began to dissolve into dust, blowing away. "Or put them back together again." The dust gathered back and reformed into their bodes, but with the heads on the wrong shoulders. "Whoops." In another flash, the mistake was corrected.
"What...what are you?" Alicia almost fell into the void as she tried to step back. Leaning down closer, Terror's mask was now the only thing she could see as she stared up.
"What will it be?" he demanded, not bothering to answer her question. "Their lives, or a message?"
Alicia's mind raced, trying to figure out a way to stop him. Unfortunately, she had nothing. She didn't even understand what she was dealing with, let alone how to fight it.
"Fine." She said reluctantly. "I'll write your stupid message."
"Wonderful." The platform under her expanded as Terror floated down, shrinking until he could land on it. Behind him, his hostages landed on their own platform, Ultra Tauros standing watch over them.
In front of Alicia appeared a table with a paper and pen. In a blink, she was sitting in front of it, not remembering when she had taken a seat. Terror stood across the table, watching her closely.
"Exactly as I say." he warned. "Or you will regret it."
"Just say it, then." Alicia snapped, picking up the pen. Terror nodded and began to recite what he wanted her to write.
Alicia's frown became increasingly angry as she wrote. The message he was dictating was so against anything she would ever want to do or say that it almost hurt to write. Glancing up at him, she narrowed her eyes.
"If you think I'm letting you send this in my name, you're out of your mind." she snarled. "I will stop you, whatever it takes."
"Will you now?" Terror said amusedly. "And how do you propose to do that?"
"...whatever it takes." she reiterated.
"Just write." Terror told her, resuming stating his message. Soon, it was finished. Alicia was tempted to immediately tear it up right now, but she knew he'd just force her to write it again.
"It's done." Alicia said in disgust. Terror stepped forward and took the letter.
"Excellent." He nodded in approval.
"Now, let my family and friends go." she demanded. Terror tilted his head mockingly as if considering it.
Before he could make an answer either way, there was a flash of light at Alicia's waist and Wuggles, her Houndoom, appeared before her, snapping his jaws. Walter leaped back and up, Aerodactyl wings expanding from behind him as his Pokémon held him into the air.
Whirling, Wuggles breathed a Flamethrower not at Ultra Tauros, but near it. The fire washed over something that Alicia couldn't see at first, but the image of what, from descriptions she'd heard from the Rangers, seemed to be an Aggron soon appeared among them.
Terror held out a Pokéball and recalled the Aggron in a beam of light. As Alicia blinked, the void vanished around her, as did everybody besides Whitney and her parents, who remained standing nearby, bound with ropes. Ultra Tauros had also gone, and the fence that he had broken was fixed back to normal.
"I hate Dark-types..." Terror growled. "But I've got what I needed. And you..." He glared at Alicia. "You won't be able to stop me!"
The next thing Alicia knew, she was waking up with Wuggles licking worriedly at her face. Sitting up, she looked around in confusion, noticing her parents and sister still bound, but seeming to have fallen asleep.
"Whitney! Mom! Dad!" Leaping up, she ran over and started to untie them. "What happened? Are you guys okay?"
"Hmm?" Whitney's eyes blinked open. "What...Alicia? What's going on?"
"I don't know..." Alicia frowned. "When did I get here? Last thing I remember I was down at the Underwood Ranch..."
"I was in my Gym..." Whitney frowned. "This doesn't make any sense."
Alicia took stock of her situation and checked her Pokéballs. Mantis was KO'd, but the rest of her team was untouched. Her parents were waking now as well, both of them seemingly equally confused. Alicia found Whitney's note and frowned as she read it.
"This is from you." She held it out and Whitney took it. "What was the problem?" Whitney read through it and shook her head.
"I don't remember writing this." she said. "I don't know what to tell you."
"Something is seriously wrong around here..." Wuggles growled in agreement to Alicia's statement. "But don't worry; I'll figure out what it is."
Azalea Town...
Emma, Phillip, and Richard were running through the streets towards the town's west side, making their way towards the Underwood Ranch, when Glace flew down to land in front of them.
"David?" The group ran forward as Glace released her unconscious partner, as well as Mimikyu. "And Mimikyu...what happened to the others?" Richard asked.
"Mimi!" Mimikyu called in panic. Sadly, without Sally around, none of them could understand him.
"Glace, what happened?" Phillip asked. The Eon Spirit floated before them and waved towards the Ranch with her paw, gesticulating and trying to explain. The Rangers looked at each other in confusion.
"Do you not talk, like Umbre?" Emma asked. Glace assumed an indignant expression and glared at the Yellow Ranger.
WIth a groan, David sat up, holding his head. Richard helped him up to his feet and Glace flew over to vanish back into his crystal, clutched protectively in his hand.
"How did I get here?" David asked as he looked around at his teammates.
'I carried you away.' Glace told him. 'Now can you PLEASE tell these numbskulls that I am NOT refusing to speak like Umbre. I had a throat injury that removed my ability to communicate long ago.'
"You're talking to me." David pointed out.
'Mentally.' Glace agreed. 'Because we're bonded. I can't speak otherwise.'
David explained that to the others and they nodded.
"Sorry." Emma looked down to the crystal and apologized.
"We heard from Celebi there was trouble." Richard said. "What happened?"
"Some...I don't know what he is." David shook his head. "He wasn't like the Chaos Beasts we've fought. He called himself...an Agent of Chaos, I think?" He growled angrily. "He captured the others, and all the Pokémon. I couldn't stop him."
"Agent of Chaos?" Phillip frowned. "What's the difference?"
"Nothing hurt him." David said. "No matter what I did, it was like he was immune to damage. Impaled straight through the stomach, he didn't even act like he felt it."
"Are you serious?" Richard asked. David nodded solemnly. "Well, we have to do something. We'll find a way to stop him."
"Yeah." Emma nodded. "Let's go!" As she started to run past, David grabbed her arm.
"No!" He pulled her back. "You don't understand, it's worse than you think. The others, they were captured just by hearing him. The only reason I wasn't was because I couldn't. If you try to fight him, you'll just be captured too."
"What about him?" Phillip looked down at Mimikyu. The Pokémon's tendril reached out holding an earplug and waved it at him.
"I guess he had those for some reason." David told them.
"Then that's what we'll have to do too." Richard said determinely.
"We can use our Eon Spirits to pass messages." Phillip suggested. "They can call to each other within their crystals, remember?"
"Right." Emma agreed. "That's a smart idea, Phil."
Off on the edge of town, they could see a flash of red. More were soon to follow.
"He's coming." David told them. "Run, go! Find something to stop yourselves from hearing him."
"What are you gonna do?" Richard asked.
"What do you think?" David held up his Morpher. "I'm gonna hold him off as long as I can."
"Then we'd better hurry back." Richard nodded. "Good luck."
David watched the three of them run back the way they had come, hoping they could find a way to return fast enough. He wasn't looking forward to trying to fight Yandian by himself a second time; he still felt weak from the first.
"Kyu?" Mimikyu reached over and its tendril shook his leg. David glanced down at him.
"Guess you're with me for now." Picking Mimikyu up, he placed him on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I promise, we'll get Sally and the others free." Looking off into the distant, he could see the flashes of red quickly coming closer. "We have to."
Inside Yandian's sphere...
Sally wasn't expecting to visit the beach today. And yet, that was where she found herself.
The Pink Ranger walked forward uncertainly across the sands, feeling them burning hot under her feet. Looking down in realization, she realized she was barefoot. A quick search revealed that her Morpher was nowhere to be found.
"Okay..." Sally frowned and looked out at the glistening water before her. "Where am I?" As she looked closer at the area around her, recognition dawned in her mind. "Oh no..."
Now that she looked, she recognized this beach. She had visited it many a time as a child.
"Melemele?" Sally shook her head. "No, no way. I am NOT back home. That's not possible..."
Then again, with all she'd seen since she arrived in Johto, who was she to call something impossible? She'd lived through more than her share of things that most people would consider the same; heck, her telekinesis in itself was enough to warrant disbelief, to say nothing of how she got it.
"If I'm here, then my house should be this way..." Turning in the direction she knew home to be, Sally set off at a jog, wanting to get out of the blazing midday sun as quickly as she could. Shielding her eyes, she at last caught sight of her family's home in the distance.
Running in the door, Sally halted in her tracks. Before her, a figure stood with their back to her. Beside them, a Lycanroc in its midnight state looked her way and growled. The figure turned and Sally took a step back.
"Hello, Sally." her grandfather smiled. "Ready for training?"
"No...that can't be..." She shook her head. "You're dead!"
Lycanroc growled deeply as it stared at her, making Sally swallow nervously. She knew from memory that it could be genuinely friendly...at night. In the middle of the day like this, it was a whole different, much more vicious beast. It was like the thing had a split personality.
"Am I?" Her grandfather stepped forward. He was a large, bronze-skinned man, with white hair that he kept hidden under a broad-brimmed hat and a white mustache covering his lips. He was dressed in a flower-printed shirt and baggy blue shorts, sandals on his feet. Sally reached behind her, feeling for the doorknob and making to open it, but she could find nothing. Looking back, she found that there was no door behind her any longer. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
Looking back at him, Sally turned in time to catch a backhanded slap to her cheek. Gasping, she stumbled sideways and her hand smashed through a vase on a stand as she tried to stop herself from falling. Her grandfather kicked her leg, knocking her aside and making her hit the floor anyway.
"If I was dead, could I still do that?" he demanded. "You need to learn to be more observant. Just one of your many flaws."
As Sally stood, she looked around and found that she was no longer in her house. In fact, she couldn't tell where she was. The light was too dim to make out much of anything.
Suddenly, floodlights burst on all around her. Sally shielded her eyes and blinked spots away as a roaring sound reached ears, finally realizing she was in an arena, surrounded by an cheering crowd.
"Torran! Torran! Torran!" Sally turned to find her grandfather striding out onto the field, his Lycanroc beside him as the crowd cheered his name. Placing a hand on his hip, he glared at her.
"You think you'll be better than me!?" he snarled. "Just try it! Lycanroc, go!"
Snarling, Lycanroc sprang forward, tackling Sally to the ground. Desperately grabbing her waist, she pulled Mimikyu's ball free and clicked it open, only for a Magikarp to come out, flopping onto Lycanroc's nose.
Torran bellowed in laughter as Lycanroc snapped it up and swallowed it in one go, the crowd echoing his action.
"You think your Pokémon can protect you?" Sally rolled aside and rose, Lycanroc slashing at her, opening cuts on her cheek as she narrowly avoided a direct hit. "Or maybe that boy Matt? Well, you're wrong, and so is he! There's one thing you'll never do..."
"This isn't real...it can't be real..." Sally reached up and felt her cheek, her hand coming away red. It sure felt real.
"You can never escape me!" Torran yelled. Lycanroc charged at her and Sally screamed, turning and fleeing as the crowd's laughter pounded in her ears.
Elsewhere within Yandian's sphere, Matt also found himself in a familiar location. Walking through the dark streets of Celadon at night, he looked around in confusion.
'How did I get here?' Matt frowned. 'Last thing I remember was that buzzing...'
Turning, he found himself standing before the house his aunt had owned. Narrowing his eyes, he walked up to the door and grabbed the knob.
Before he could turn it, the door swung open, smacking him in the face. Matt staggered back, holding his nose as a trickle of blood leaked out of it. In the doorway, his aunt glared at him. Her stringy black hair tied back behind her, her eyes seeming distant as ever, as if she was only half-there, and yet he knew they were seeing him and him alone.
"Where the hell have you been!?" she snapped. "Did you think you would just leave!?"
Wiping the blood off his face, Matt met her glare with one of his own.
"You can't fool me." he told her. "You're not real."
"Aren't I!?" Reaching forward, she grasped the front of Matt's shirt, pulling him towards her. He twisted his head aside as the sour smell of alcohol hit his face; she must've been drinking for a while. "What do you know about what's real, you stupid boy!?"
"I know your death was real." Matt told her. "And I know that this is just some trick that monster is trying to pull on me."
"Trick..." Stepping aside, she pushed Matt past her. "Get in there!" Stumbling to a halt, Matt looked around at the place. Same as he remembered it; a regular mess, dirty clothes heaped in piles, unwashed dishes in the sink, beer bottles littering the floor.
Turning, Matt folded his arms.
"I don't care what you say, I don't believe it." he said firmly. "And I'm not taking another step into this house."
"Why must you always make my life difficult!?" Raising an arm, she swung an empty beer bottle towards his head. Matt raised an arm and caught her wrist, stopping it from hitting him.
"You don't hold power over me anymore." he told her. "I came to terms with you long ago."
"Have you!?" His aunt hissed in laughter. "Then why is your heart racing so hard? Why are you trembling?" Indeed, Matt's arm holding her shook, even when she stopped trying to force the blow through. "Face it. You're still a scared, helpless little boy!"
Matt thought she was growing for a moment, before he realized he was shrinking, turning back into his younger self. Pulling free of his grip, his aunt raised the bottle overhead.
"Sure, I'll always have that fear of you, deep inside." Matt admitted. "But I'll never let it rule me. I'll never let YOU rule me."
As she swung, Matt batted her arm aside, back in his normal body. Screaming in frustration, his aunt pushed past him and ran into the kitchen, grabbing up a knife.
Matt's heart raced even faster as she whirled and drew back an arm. With a look of drunken rage, she hurled it forward.
"No. You've hurt me enough...no more." Matt shook his head. The knife sailed directly towards his chest...only to pass right through as if he wasn't even there. "You can't do anything more to me."
With a last wail of anger, his aunt vanished from his view in a burst of red smoke. Around him, the scene began to dissolve and Matt's body glowed, turning to energy and shooting upwards.
West of Azalea Town...
Xactowl, still in disguise, paced back and forth, humming quietly to himself. At long last, the screech of a Pokémon in the sky above alerted him to his ally's return.
Descending, Terror's Aerodactyl set him on the ground and he returned it to his Pokéball.
"Did you get what we needed?" Xactowl asked. Terror pulled out the message Alicia had written and handed it over.
"To the letter." he confirmed.
"And she'll remember nothing?" Xactowl asked as he skimmed over her writing.
"Not a thing." Terror nodded. Reaching up, he pulled off his mask, revealing Walter's grin. "She will be as clueless as the rest of them about what's coming."
"Perfect." Xactowl nodded in satisfaction. "I leave it to you to assemble the package and make sure it gets into the right hands." Xactowl handed the sheets back and Walter took them, tucking them away.
"Of course. Not the first time I've done something like this." Walter told him.
"Yes..." He frowned. "But we must be careful."
"What of?" Walter asked.
"Well, I say we, but I really mean you." Xactowl looked back towards the town. "I've been scanning some of the minds in town as I was waiting. It seems somebody is after you."
"Who?" Walter asked in surprise. Xactowl smirked knowingly.
"Oh, they're quite familiar with you. Seems it's not the first time you've crossed paths." he said. "A detective with the International Police, moonlights as a private investigator in his free time."
"Looker..." Walter growled. "Yeah, I remember him. The Grays hired him to investigate me years ago."
"Well, it seems like he's back again." Xactowl told him. "Only it wasn't the Grays that hired him this time."
"Doesn't matter who hired him." Walter frowned. "If he finds me, I will be ready for him."
"You'd better be." Xactowl approached him and reached out to place a finger under his chin, forcing Walter to look at him. Walter found himself staring into a face that would've been beautiful if he didn't know that a monster lay beneath it. "Because if he takes you down, this whole plan goes with you. And if this plan goes and my master finds out I was working with you, and I don't have anything to show for it? I am NOT going to be happy with you."
"Are you threatening me?" Walter growled.
Smirking, Xactowl held out a hand and the entire stone platform that had Yandian's summoning circle drawn on it rose into the air. With a clench of his hand, it imploded inwards before bursting back out as the circle exploded, crushed into a cloud of dust that washed over the area.
"Don't mess it up." he said boredly. Walking past, he tapped two of the Pokéballs hanging from Walter's waist amusedly. "Because I won't be fooled by tricks like this."
Looking back at Xactowl as he walked away, Walter smirked as an idea popped into his head.
"I think I know how to deal with Looker." he called. Xactowl stopped his walk. "But I'll need your help." Turning back to face him, Xactowl smiled.
"Explain yourself." he encouraged.
Meanwhile, in Azalea Town...
David stared forward, unmoving, as Yandian came into view, twirling his sphere lazily on its chain.
"Oh..." He stopped facing the White Ranger. "You again, huh? Didn't learn your lesson the first time?"
"Bring on the power of Eon!" Morphing, David summoned his Icicle Spear as Glace translated what had been said. "I'm not the one whe needs to learn."
"Oh, but you are." Yandian laughed. "At some point, you will have to accept that you cannot defeat me. That, or die. Those are your options." His gaze shifted to Mimikyu. "What is that thing?"
"Mimi!" Mimikyu called angrily.
"You have his trainer, who is also my friend." David told the Agent of Chaos. "And two more of my friends, and who knows how many innocent people and Pokémon. We want them back."
"You can't have them!" Yandian snapped. "They are part of my collection now." He held up his sphere. "Living out their worst fears, for eternity. A fate that will soon befall this entire world."
"Can't befall me." David reminded him.
"Ah, but it already is." Yandian told him. "I know your worst fear." He chuckled. "You fear that when those you care about need you, you won't be able to help. That you will have to stand by, powerless, as they suffer. Well guess what?" His sphere extended out into its ball and chain form. "You can't save them from me!"
As he swung his weapon out, David leaped back, Mimikyu clinging onto his shoulder. Having avoided the blow, David aimed his Icicle Spear and channeled his power through it, sending a blast of freezing ice against Yandian.
"You really have learned nothing." Yandian strolled forward, unbothered. "Ice can't hurt me. Nothing can hurt me."
"You can talk about how I can't stop you all you want." David told him. "But there's one thing you can't do, and that's stop me from trying."
"False." Yandian's wings fired a buzzing blast of chaotic energy, David only partially able to avoid it as the blast sent him flipping off his feet. "You will be stopped when I kill you."
Hopping off of David as he struggled to rise, Mimikyu dashed forward as a shadowy blur, moving behind Yandian and striking him in the back with a Shadow Sneak. Frowning in annoyance, Yandian spun and swung his weapon, bursting through Mimikyu's Bellossom costume, but missing his body directly. Mimikyu landed, clutching the remains of the disguise as Yandian raised his sphere to swing down.
"Oh no you don't!" Springing forward, David landed between them and knocked the blow aside with his spear. Jabbing out, he struck with a flurry of stabs that pushed Yandian back. "I can't have Sally coming back to find that I let her first Pokémon get crushed."
"She's not coming back at all!" Yandian snarled in frustration, the wounds left by David's attacks having vanished without effect as fast as he'd made them. Swinging out, David blocked the attack, but the force was still enough to launch him through the air. "When will you understand that, you annoying, infuriating, deaf bastard!? Stop wasting all this effort, all this risk, on something as intangible as friendship! It makes no sense!"
Pulling himself to his feet, David chuckled as Glace reluctantly translated.
"Getting annoyed, are we, Yandian?" David asked. "That makes two of us."
"Difference is, I can solve it!" Yandian's wings began to buzz harder as red energy charged up on them.
"Try me!" David charged forward with a yell as Yandian unleashed the attack. The waves of chaotic energy slammed into him, but he refused to stop, sparks flying from his suit as he forced his way through.
"Huh?" Yandian looked up in surprise as David sprang into the air, spear drawn back. Before his strike could land, Yandian felt something change, as if a connection had just been cut off. His body drained of most of its energy in time for the Icicle Spear to strike, sending him flying back with a yell.
Staggering to his feet, he looked down at his chest to find the wound left still there, hurting.
"My seal...it's broken!" Yandian snapped in realization. "Those traitors! I'll destroy them!"
Before he could move, his sphere glowed red. A streak shot out of it, transforming into the Black Ranger, who spun with his Night Slashers and sliced through the chain connecting the sphere to Yandian. Grabbing it, he flipped away and landed beside David.
"Huh?" Yandian blinked in surprise before his face shifted into rage. "How did you escape my realm of fear!?"
"Fear can only trap those who let it control them. I don't." Matt told him. Holding up the sphere, he raised his claws. "And as for those who do, well, they just need a little help."
"Don't!" Yandian held out a hand as Matt slashed the sphere, cutting gashes down its side. Glowing red, streaks shot out all over the area, transforming into people and Pokémon.
David and Matt quickly caught sight of their teammates and ran over.
"Are you okay?" David asked Sam, who was wrapped head to toe in webbing, thrashing within it.
"I hate, HATE Spinarak and Ariados!" he snapped. "Get me out of this!"
"This might be a little cold." David touched the webbing and it quickly frosted over, becoming brittle enough for Sam to break free. David quickly looked to the side, where the far bigger concern lay.
"Sally?" Matt knelt beside her. "Hey, can you hear me?" Sally turned her head to look up at him, her eyes fearful. She had a nasty set of cuts across her cheek and several other scratches across her body, as well as a black eye.
"Matt..." She asked tentatively, reaching out a hand. "Is this...real?" Matt grabbed her hand.
"Yes." He nodded. "This is real. I'm here for you." Sally burst into tears, leaping up and wrapping her arms around him.
"Oh, thank Arceus!" She gripped him tighter. "I knew it wasn't real...I knew...but it felt so real, and I just..."
"It's okay." Matt told her, returning the hug. "It WAS real, Sally. To say that kind of pain wasn't real would be foolish. But you're back now. You're safe now."
"I wouldn't say that..." Yandian called. Matt glanced his way with what was undoubtedly a glare under his helmet. Before Yandian could make a move, blasts of fire, water, and electricity struck him, knocking him back as Richard, Phillip, and Emma arrived back on the scene. "You'll pay for that..." he snarled. "I'll get that sphere back, and then, you're all going to be part of my collection!"
Sally shuddered in fear and Matt grabbed her hand, gripping it.
"You're not going back in there, ever." he assured her. David was already up, marching towards Yandian with his spear ready. "Are you okay to be alone for a moment?"
"Yeah..." Sally glanced around until she caught sight of Mimikyu, Gloom kneeling and crying beside the broken remains of his disguise as he nervously tried to comfort her while clutching them to hide his body. "Maybe I can deal with that."
"Okay." Matt nodded. "I'll be right back."
Leaping up, he ran after David and stepped up beside him.
"Hold it." He held out an arm to stop the White Ranger's walk. "Let me."
"You sure about that?" David asked.
"Just give me two minutes with him." Matt growled, pure rage in his voice. David nodded and the Black Ranger stepped forward.
"Oh good. I was getting bored with the white one." Yandian muttered.
"I don't much appreciate what you tried to do to me." Matt snarled. "And I appreciate what you did to Sally even less."
"Oh, cry me a river, Black Ranger." Yandian told him. Looking to the side, Matt spotted Onix nearby and quickly sidestepped into his shadow, vanishing. Popping out of Yandian's shadow, he wrapped his arms around the Agent of Chaos.
"You're coming to my world this time." Matt whispered to him, yanking back. The two entered a building's shadow and both disappeared.
The Red, Blue, and Yellow Rangers ran to join David, as did Sam. Sally walked up beside them last, clutching Mimikyu and Gloom in her arms.
"What's he doing?" she asked shakily.
"Don't know." Emma looked to her. "You're sure you're okay?" The other Rangers also looked to her in concern."
"Yeah..." Sally forced a smile. "I'll be fine. Nothing I haven't been through before." The other Rangers looked to each other in confusion; Sally hadn't been able to bring herself to tell them about her grandfather, and Matt had agreed to not speak about it unless she wanted him to.
David glanced at his watch, counting off two minutes in his head.
At the exact end of that period, Yandian came flying out of the shadow, landing before them. Matt walked out behind him, marching forward.
"Get away from me!" Flipping onto his back, Yandian scurried backwards. His wings were broken and tattered and his voice was utterly terrified. Bumping against the other Rangers, he looked back and immediately shrieked on seeing them, scrambling up and running.
"No way." David held out a hand and fired two quick ice blasts, freezing his feet to the ground and stopping him in his tracks.
"No, please!" he called fearfully. "No more!"
"What did you DO to him?" Sally asked in awe.
"The Shadow World responds to desires...and I wanted him to feel what we had to feel." Matt said coldly. "And so, it made that happen."
Twisting, Yandian broke out of the ice and fell on his butt.
"Don't come closer!" His wings tried to fire a chaotic blast, but it sputtered only a few feet and hit the ground with a weak explosion.
"Damn..." Phillip frowned. "I almost feel bad about destroying him."
"Don't." David stepped forward. "He'd have destroyed us without a second thought."
'And he still will.' Celebi's voice came through the Ranger's Morphers. 'He's an Agent of Chaos. The damage to his mind will be fixed sooner or later, just as assuredly as physical damage would.'
"Then we'd better take him down before that." Richard said.
"I got it." David held out his arms. "Glace Freeze Trap!" Flying forward, Glace' spirit turned into a block of ice around Yandian as he rose, trapping him in place. Aiming his Icicle Spear downward, he formed a trail of ice that he slid down, raising the spear at the last moment to stab into the cube and the monster within, shattering it in a powerful burst.
Spinning around as Glace returned to his crystal, David slammed the butt of his spear to the ground as Yandian's body sparked. Falling backwards, he exploded as he hit the ground.
From the spot where he had blown up, a spirit of him rose, snarling angrily and grabbing at David. A red portal opened under it before it could do anything, sucking it inside and sealing shut once more.
"Is he...?" Sam started to ask.
'He is gone.' Celebi confirmed to them. "Whatever was connecting him to this world, somebody destroyed it. Without it, you were able to send him back to the Infernal World. But he is not destroyed, nor can he be. Agents of Chaos are like that...all you can do is send them back.'
"So...we might have to deal with him again?" Richard asked.
'I don't think so.' Celebi told them. 'To get out on his own would be near impossible. The question is...who let him out, and why?' The Rangers all looked at each other, none of them having the answer.
That evening, the Underwood Ranch...
Matt and Sally had spent much of the afternoon gathering the Ranch's Pokémon and making sure they all made it back safely, sorting the wild ones out and sending them back into the woods. Sally decided to make some rounds and talk to the Pokémon, as they had undoubtedly been through some harsh experiences in Yandian's sphere as well.
Matt watched her as she stood talking with Onix, the giant rock snake nodding sadly to whatever she was saying. Catching sight of him staring, Sally quickly wrapped up the conversation and walked over to him.
"Hey." She leaned against the fence beside him.
"Hey." He smiled. "How are they handling it?"
"Scared, as you'd expect." Sally sighed. "I did my best to explain what had happened and that it wouldn't happen again, but...you know."
"Yeah." Matt agreed. "That was the worst kind of monster that could've possibly come through this place." Matt had a cooler at his feet and he reached down to draw out two water bottles, handing one over to Sally. "Anything else?"
"Onix doesn't feel safe." Sally reported. "I told him the monster wouldn't come back, but...he's skittish. I think we need to find a good trainer for him soon."
"We need to find good trainers for all of them as soon as we can." Matt agreed. "But that wasn't what I meant when I asked if there was anything else?" Sally looked at him in confusion and Matt could resist a smile. "I mean YOU. You are still doing okay, right?"
"Oh. Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Sally nodded. Her cheek had been bandaged once they got back and most of the scratches on her body were fading unnaturally fast. "What about you? You saw your aunt in there, didn't you?"
"...yeah." Matt shrugged. "But like I told her, she can't do anything to me anymore."
"Heh." Sally frowned and shook her head. "Wish I was that strong."
"Sally, you are." Matt told her. "I was exactly where you stand now, once. I've just figured out how to live with it." His hand drifted over to find and grip hers. "I promise, you'll do the same. Did what happened in Yandian's sphere change anything for you?"
"...it made things feel fresher again." Sally told him. "But overall, if I'm understanding you right and you're asking if I intend to continue with the Gym Challenge, then no. I'm not stopping."
"Exactly." Matt smiled proudly. "And that is proof of how strong you are." Blinking, Sally gripped his hand tighter.
"Thank you, Matt." She smiled as she gazed into his eyes. "You always seem to know just what to say."
"I just say what I needed to hear." he shrugged, keeping his eyes on her own.
The two's attention was soon drawn by the honk of a horn, Alicia pulling up into the ranch. Coming to a stop, she climbed out of the vehicle and looked at the two of them, grinning.
"Should I go back?" she asked. "Give you two more time to yourselves?"
"What are you talking about, Alicia?" Matt laughed. "We're not alone." He nodded off to the side, where David was currently working on something they couldn't see, Mimikyu and Gloom near him.
"Could've fooled me." she laughed, shaking her head.
"So, anyway, what happened?" Sally asked. "What did Whitney need?"
"I was hoping you could tell me." Alicia folded her arms. "She doesn't remember writing the note. Weirder, I don't remember going back home. One moment I was here, helping with the Pokémon's morning meals, and the next thing I know I'm waking up there, my family tied up near me."
"...that doesn't sound good." Matt frowned in confusion. "But I don't know what Whitney needed help with. All I know is you told me she did and left."
"I'm thoroughly confused." Sally shook her head. "You really don't remember anything?"
"Not a thing." Alicia confirmed. "Well, if you guys don't know...I guess I'll just have to figure it out on my own."
"Hey, we'll be here to help if you need it." Sally told her. "Right?"
"Right." Matt agreed. "Just ask, whatever you need."
"I appreciate it." Alicia smiled. "But nothing right now." Turning, she walked away from the pair. "You two don't mind me. I'm gonna go catch some rest for now. We'll talk more in the morning."
Not far away, David put the finishing touches on what he was working on.
"And there we go!" Turning, he lowered a newly repaired Bellossom costume down to Mimikyu, who was in his default disguise at the moment. "Only seemed fair I repair it, since it got broken helping me."
"Kyu!" Mimikyu reached out with his tendril and took it. Beside him, Gloom hopped up and down happily. Mimikyu rolled his eyes. Sally had taken his earplugs and hidden all the rest, so he had no choice but to just put up with her.
Grabbing him, Gloom pulled Mimikyu away as he squealed in surprised protest. David watched them go as a voice came from his crystal.
'I like them.' Glace told him. 'They're cute.'
"That's the softest tone I've ever heard out of you." David told her, touching his crystal.
'...don't tell anyone!' she demanded. 'I have a reputation to protect!'
"Yeah, yeah, sure." David laughed. "You're not so frosty after all, are you?"
'Oh please, do not start sounding like Sam...' She whined. David smirked. 'Yeah, laugh it up. You're lucky you have so many good qualities.'
"Oh really?" David asked.
'Well...yeah. Honestly, you remind me of myself quite a bit.' Glace told him. 'You know what it's like to feel alone and isolated. You know how it feels to worry about everyone around you, but not be taken as seriously because they're all worrying about you.'
"And you know the struggle of losing something you always took for granted." David guessed. He was surprised by the geniunely warm feeling that washed out from the crystal.
'Yes, that as well.' Glace agreed. 'You're a special kind of person, David.'
"Thank you." David grinned.
'You just need to figure out how to hide that caring behind your genuine superiority.' Glace told him. 'Don't worry; I can help with that.'
"I bet you can." David laughed. Looking around, he looked from Mimikyu struggling to escape Gloom's pull to Sally and Matt quietly talking to the other Pokémon of the ranch, and then off towards the town where Sam and the other Rangers were. "You know something, Yandian was wrong."
'Well, duh.' Glace said.
"I mean about friendship being intangible." David smiled. "Because it feels pretty solid to me."
Next Time on Poké Rangers: Eon Force...
Sally: You guys are leaving?
Celebi: There's a better solution. I had it made for this exact situation.
Matt: 'This box protected by the Seal of Seven'
?: I told you, nobody can open it.
Sam: I think I know who might be able to help us.
?: You Rangers are a joke! How did anyone ever have trouble with you?
Sam: We'd better get this box open as soon as we can.
Chapter 17: Unlocking Seven
(A/N: Yeah, a little cheesy of an ending, I know. But after everything that happened in that chapter, I think it needed a brighter spot to finish it off.
If it wasn't apparent before, it should be now that there's something strange going on with Walter/Terror. If you haven't figured out what he's doing (I've dropped a pretty big clue somewhere...not necessarily in this chapter...), well, it'll all become clear eventually XD. Also, we got our first real look at how Agents of Chaos, basically the demons of this world, really work. So far we've only had Zombger in Kanto, who was an oddity even among his species, and Ditgle, who hasn't fought (yet), but yeah, the majority of them work like Yandian. You can expect that to come up at some point (just maybe not this season) but I'm getting ahead of myself. Anyway, the last chapter and this were mostly setup and a little bit more of a look into Sam and David as characters. Now we get to kick off the next arc of the story, so on we go!)