A/N: My fanfic has an illustrated cover for each chapter, but since FFN doesn't allow inserting images nor does it accept links within the fanfic itself, please head over to my tumblr (carefreejules) if you'd like to see the covers!
Chapter 20 - Anyone can be a Hero
"Dear passengers, due to the unexpected situation occurring in the Galar region, we are redirecting the plane to the Kalos region. We are sorry for the inconvenience and will-"
"What's happening?"
"Look! The whole region is shrouded in darkness and there's some sort of Pokemon at the top of Hammerlocke stadium!"
"Eh?! Can you even call that a Pokemon?"
Matthew watched in horror at the sheer chaos that was spreading across the Galar region. Homes were being destroyed, Pokemon were thrashing about uncontrollably - it was naive to hope that there were no casualties. And he certainly hoped that Juliet wasn't among them. What were they going to do now? If all planes and ships were being diverted from the Galar region, how were they going to get there now? The closer the plane descended into Kalos, the more anxious he became and the more his knee shook out of nervous habit. Dr. Fennel had to put her hand on his knee to calm him down.
"Matthew, relax. We'll find another way-"
"But, I can't relax knowing that Juliet might be in danger!"
"I know but, you're gonna end up doing something reckless the more you worry."
Matthew's shoulders slumped. "You're right, but I just feel so helpless…"
"Let's talk it out outside. Being in this stuffy plane is just going to suffocate you even more." Dr. Fennel urged him out of his seat, seeing as he had the seat next to the aisle, and he eventually pulled himself up before grabbing their belongings from the overhead luggage compartment, and exiting off of the plane and into the packed terminal. It seemed like a lot of people were looking to travel to Galar to sightsee, based on how many of them had cameras strapped around their necks and how they were carrying around what looked to be rolled up sleeping bags and tents. No one was happy at all by the turn of events, more concerned about their 'ruined' vacation than whether the citizens of the region they were trying to visit were even OK.
It only worsened Matthew's paranoia.
"Ugh, it's even more crowded here than it was on the plane. Let's go get a coffee or something." Dr. Fennel turned her head to the Sawsbuck Cafe, only to be taken aback by the long queue that stretched across the terminal. So much for caffeine to get them energized again. "On second thought…"
"Hey, who's that on screen? Weren't they just showing the news just now?"
Suddenly the airport buzzed with activity and everyone simultaneously pulled out their phones or ran over to the giant screens that were displayed all over the terminal. Everyone's phone, and the screens, showed the same video. The video of Juliet reaching out to everyone across the world.
"To everyone from all the other regions who are watching what's happening to the Galar region, I have a big favour to ask of you. I know I'm just another trainer, and it's not like anyone out there owes a stranger like me anything but, even so - I humbly ask for your help."
"Our help? Why does she need our help? What's happening in the Galar region is none of our business-"
"Yeah, seriously! Someone should be helping us get our money back."
Matthew was struck with a sudden sense of deja vu. Why did this situation...feel so familiar? He didn't know why but, hearing his sister asking for help and witnessing people turning a blind eye, it made him feel...angry? Or, maybe sympathetic? Why was he feeling those things?
Oh.
Right.
This...this was what his sister must have gone through, all those years ago. Even though he was studying abroad when she was Champion, he couldn't tune out the vile things people were saying about her. And for what reason? Just because she was able to do something so accomplishing at her age, and with only three Pokemon at her disposal? Why did people always have to find a reason to doubt other people's credibility? It was childish and petty.
And now, they're doing the exact same thing - they were doubting Juliet's fear, her struggles, her vulnerability.
But, unlike last time, he wasn't going to stand back and watch them say whatever they wanted. He couldn't exactly vouch for her completely since he didn't even know the kind of person she became. But, if she was willing to cast aside her pride, bear her soul to the world, and request something that everyone has asked for at least once in their life? Who was he to deny her cry for help?
"Just shut up and listen to her! Can't you see the state that Galar is in? People are probably dead and injured - and yet all you can think about is yourselves?!" Matthew shouted, loud enough that many people turned their heads in his direction. His shout drew the attention of one of the tourists who had said the earlier comment and he came right up to Matthew's face with hostility.
"What did you say, nerd? Who do you think you are?"
"I think, no, I believe I'm someone who cares more about the well-being of others, unlike you."
"Huh?! Are you trying to pick a fight?!"
"Matthew, please-" Dr. Fennel tried to interject but he held his arm out to block her from getting any closer.
"Look, if the situation grows even more dire, there won't even be a Galar to go to anymore! Think about the people, the Pokemon - all the things that make up the culture that make the region what it is. This goes for all the regions around the world. The reason they are what they are, is because of us! Each of us play a part in making the world as lively and diverse as it is! Would you be able to live with yourselves knowing that you could have done something, but didn't? You're better than that. We're better than that."
"Yeah, you tell 'em!"
Matthew turned his head to a rather large teenager, wearing a Vanillite t-shirt, making his way towards him and stood right next to him. He noticed that a few other teenagers, who must have been friends with him, had crowded around him too in some sort of circle of support.
"I don't think it's fair to just ignore someone's cry for help, even if you don't know them! Everyone gets in a bind once in a while, and you wouldn't want someone to turn away from helping you, right?" Tierno added, beaming wide and putting his hands on his hips. "I don't know who that lady on the screen was, but the things she said struck a chord with me and I feel like I could bust out another dance routine right now!"
"Tierno, you just got back from your tour so maybe save it for later?" Trevor suggested sheepishly. "But, you're right. This world isn't just made up of just humans, but there are Pokemon in danger too and it's only right that we protect them since they live alongside us!"
"Well, let's go then! The longer we wait, the more people and Pokemon will be in trouble. Calem, Serena, are you two in?" Shauna asked.
Calem readjusted the strap of his shoulder bag. "Yeah. Let's show them how strong us Kalosian trainers can be when it comes to protecting others!"
"Count me in! Protecting others is part of protecting yourself." Serena agreed.
"But...But you're just a bunch of teenagers-"
"Hey! Age has nothing to do with how capable someone is. Didn't you listen to anything that lady on the screen said? As long as you love someone enough, and you have that desire to protect them, then you already have that spark to make it happen! Change doesn't happen overnight, but change doesn't start unless you do something!" Shauna retorted.
Serena tapped Matthew on the shoulder. "Sorry to impose, sir, but are you perhaps related to the woman asking for help? I couldn't help notice the resemblance you two have."
"Yeah. I'm technically her older brother." Matthew answered honestly.
"Technically?"
"It's uhh...It's a long story."
"I see. Then, since we probably have the same goal, why don't you come with us?" She offered.
"Oh, well...Problem is, is that my colleague and I don't have any Pokemon that can fly…" Matthew confessed with a light blush. He couldn't exactly rely on his Solrock and Lunatone to carry him across the ocean using Psychic. It wasn't practical and it didn't seem...the most dignified mode of transportation.
"That's not a problem! Your colleague can hitch a ride with me on my Altaria, and you can share a ride with Trevor on his Aerodactyl!"
"Is that OK?"
"Of course it is! You know what they say - power in numbers! And we're all here working towards the same goal."
It took a lot of restraint for Matthew not to tear up at the united display. This - this right here was the support Juliet should have gotten when she was a Champion. Anyone was capable of changing the world and being united with others was what made people stronger. That's how the world should be. Raising each other up instead of tearing each other down because of pettiness and jealousy. Everyone had something special, and Juliet was there to remind everyone of that.
There was no time to argue about the differences.
"Thank you. In that case, let's help protect Galar together!"
"Yeah!"
"Dubwool, use Take Down!" Hop commanded. Dubwool barrel through all of Rose's agents and Pokemon like a game of bowling, releasing both the rusted shield and rusted sword from their grasps. They landed on the ground in a clatter, but luckily they didn't break, much to their relief. Hop and Gloria quickly snatched them up and hurried back to Sonia's car, only to notice more of Rose's goons heading towards their direction from a distance.
"Ugh, what a pain in the arse!" Hop complained.
"There's no end to them!" Gloria heaved.
Piers and Marnie stood in front of them with their arms out. "Go! We'll take care of things from here."
"But-"
"Don't underestimate my brother and I. I'm going to be Spikemuth's new Gym Leader after all." Marnie stated calmly. Piers looked over at his sister, proud evident on his face that his sister had accepted her position as being his successor. Once all of this was over, he was going to make sure to bring glory back to Spikemuth so his sister could shine brighter as a Gym Leader than he did.
"I'm glad, Marnie. Then, as my successor, show your brother what you can do!"
"Just watch me!"
"Hop! Gloria! Let's go!" Sonia called from her car. Hop and Gloria clumsily clambered into her car and they only had a second to put on their seat belts before Sonia slammed her feet into the gas pedal, propelling her car into overdrive. For such a cheerful and intelligent Professor, she was one reckless driver that Hop and Gloria could barely hang on as she weaved through the streets towards Hammerlocke.
"Hang on just a bit longer, Juliet!" Hop prayed to himself.
"Are we there yet?"
"May, you asked that five minutes ago. Latias and Latios are flying as fast as they can!" Brendan scolded lightly. He turned to Steven Stone and Wallace, who were flying close behind them on an Aerodactyl. "We were going to ask Wally if he wanted to join, but the situation would probably put too much stress on his body so thanks for coming with us! I feel like we're really unstoppable now!"
"Heh, spoken like a true Champion." Steven said with an amused grin. "When everything gets resolved, I might just stop by the Galar mines to do some digging of my own."
Wallace rolled his eyes. "Had ulterior motives for going on this excursion, did you?"
"Well, you know what they say - knock two bird Pokemon with one stone?"
"Unbelievable…"
Brendan snorted. "As long as you're motivated! For me, I don't just want to help Juliet but...It'd be nice to talk to her again. Catch up, and all that. She's been through a lot, but even after all these years, I want her to know that we still think about her."
Wallace nodded in agreement. "You have a very kind heart, Brendan. I for one, would like to speak to her as well. Well, to apologize, really."
May raised her eyebrow at that and looked over with piqued interest. "Apologize? For what?"
"Well…" Wallace began with a deep sigh. "I feel partially responsible for her...fall from grace. She was the one who beat me after all. And I've never forgotten our battle. Her gaze, her quick thinking - she was remarkable! And, I should have been there for her more as a mentor and stave off the things people were saying about her. Honestly, people get so caught up by their own pride that they don't realize the gravity of their words. I was so busy with participating in contests in other regions, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I could have done more. I don't know about her home life but...I could tell she had a heavy heart."
May and Brendan looked at each other, knowing that they themselves weren't completely oblivious themselves. They didn't know the details and honestly, at the age they were at, what could have they done? The guilt didn't set in until they went to Lilycove City in hopes of catching Juliet when her parents weren't around, but when they went to her house and looked through her bedroom window, there was nothing. Not even a bed. Juliet didn't have the means to keep in touch with them, so there was no way for them to know where she was, or if she was even alive at all.
So, seeing her on TV was both a relief, but also a painful reminder.
"Come now, do you really think Juliet would want to see any of you with such gloomy faces?" Steven cut through the silence with a gentle smile. "It's OK to acknowledge your regrets, but the most important thing is to grow from them for the present. For someone who's willing to admit their shortcomings, Juliet doesn't seem the type to hold a grudge."
Brendan smiled gently at that. "You're right, Steven. She was honestly a bit of a pushover as a kid, but only because she had other people's interest in mind. It was probably her way of trying to fit in. I think for her...being forgotten is her greatest fear."
"Kind of ironic considering she wanted to be forgotten as one of Hoenn's Champions…" May lamented.
Steven opened his mouth to reply, until the sound of beating wings could be heard weren't coming from them. The sky was overcast, so it was covered in grey clouds for the most part, but there was no mistaking the sound of someone calling to them as well. "Do you hear that?"
"Over here! Look up!'
The four Hoennian trainers looked up to see another trainer atop a Pidgeot descending to where they were. Their jaws dropped in recognition.
"Hey there! I take it you guys are headed to Galar too?" Blue smirked.
"Y-You're…" Brendan stuttered.
"Blue!" May squeaked.
"Heh, relax! I'm flattered that you guys have heard of me, but we're all equals in this case."
"So, you're also on your way to Galar?" Steven asked.
"That's right! And I'm not going alone! Fly a bit higher and see for yourselves!" Blue answered, before his Pidgeot ascended through the clouds. They looked at each other curiously before commanding their Pokemon to fly higher, above the clouds.
What they saw made their hearts leap.
Countless other trainers were flying together, side-by-side, and all flying in the same direction as they were. May strained her eyes to pick out any familiar faces from the large group and her eyes lit up upon seeing a familiar trainer with long blue hair and yellow triangle shaped barrettes, with a white knitted hat on her head, riding on top of a Togekiss.
"Dawn!"
Dawn's head perked up and she turned her head in the direction of the call and beamed. "May! It's been awhile!"
May maneuvered Latias so she was flying next to the Sinnohan trainer. "Yeah, it has! How have your contests been?"
"I'm actually taking a bit of break right now. I was planning on going to other regions to get inspiration for future routines. Maybe even catch some new Pokemon while I'm at it! And you?"
"I'm in a similar spot as you. Even though I've been a Top Coordinator for awhile, it's been really tough trying to maintain that momentum."
"I can imagine! Maybe I'll learn a thing or two from you when we're in Galar!" Dawn lowered her gaze down to the Mega Evolved Mythical Pokemon she was riding on top of. "I'm still a little jealous that you managed to catch Latias!"
"Seriously - talk about showing us up." Barry interjected with a pout. His Staraptor squawked at him irritably, clearly insulted and threatening to throw him off his back. He apologized profusely and clung to his Staraptor for dear life until he finally settled down.
"Serves you right." Dawn commented with a deadpan expression.
"I said I was sorry!"
"Come on you two, we're almost there so behave!" Lucas laughed.
"Fancy seeing you here, Cynthia." Wallace noted, addressing the blond hair Champion who was riding on her famous Garchomp.
"Likewise, Wallace, Steven. How have you both been? Collecting rocks as usual, Steven?" Cynthia wondered.
"You know me well. And you? Researching as always?"
"Indeed. There's always something to discover, and this situation has piqued my interest on top of wanting to lend my power."
"Oh? How so?"
"Well-"
"Hey! Are we having a Champions meeting over here?" Iris howled, zooming in on her Hydreigon with Alder sitting behind her. Alder chuckled at the young trainer's enthusiasm before turning to the other gathering Champions.
"Good day to you all! To think we'd be gathered here today for the same noble cause."
"You know what they say - great minds think alike!" Blue added. "It certainly feels like one hell of a party, that's for sure. Red, Leaf, and I were planning on checking the Wild Area out in Galar since we've been running the Alola Battle Tree for awhile so I'd hate to see it fall because of some crazy businessman."
"Whatever the reason may be, the important thing is that we have to protect the people and Pokemon. Justice comes after." Lance chimed in, swerving in on his Dragonite.
"That's Lance for ya. Now that I think about it…" Blue looked around the skies, counting heads to himself and quirking his brow. "Are we missing a few Champions?"
"I think we're missing Diantha from Kalos and Selene from Alola? I imagine Diantha would catch up to us pretty soon since Kalos is the closest to Galar but Alola-" Brendan began.
"You called?" Diantha flew in with grace on top of a Charizard, with Shauna holding onto her carefully from behind. Shauna's eyes sparkled as she whipped around to marvel at all the trainers and Champions who were gathered and couldn't sit still in her seat.
"Wow! There's so many trainers here! It sort of feels like we're making history here!"
"I didn't know you had a Charizard, Diantha!" Leaf noticed, looking over Red's shoulder.
"Ahh, this Pokemon isn't mine-"
"A-A-Are you alright, Miss Diantha? He's not bothering you is he?" Trevor stuttered nervously, still in complete shock that the actress and Champion was OK with borrowing one of his Pokemon. He suddenly felt bad that he didn't have a graceful Pokemon to fit with her image like an Altaria or-
"Trevor!" Shauna groaned.
"Please, there's no need to worry. This here is a fine Pokemon and I can tell you raised him well."
"T-Thank you! That means a lot coming from you-"
"I'm here too!"
"There you are Sel-WHOA!" Brendan exclaimed in surprise, nearly falling off of Latios' back. Selene, somehow casually entered the scene with her Lunala. The wing span on the Legendary Pokemon was rather wide, so many of them had to move aside to make room for it. It was almost comical how large her 'mount' was in comparison to theirs.
Selene's smile, though meant to be sheepish, came off as more smug than anything. "Did I miss anything?"
May stared at Barry with narrow eyes. "What did you say earlier about us showing off?"
"Ahaha…"
Hilbert side-eyed Hilda, who caught his glance. She rolled her eyes and chuckled, practically reading his mind. "We can't just use Zekrom and Reshiram whenever we want, Hilbert. We don't want to scare anyone."
"It'd make for one flashy entrance, though!" Bianca giggled. "Wouldn't you agree, Cheren?"
"I prefer a more subtle and strategic entrance. Attracting too much attention is not necessarily a good thing." Cheren replied calmly.
"You're no fun…"
"Hey, Silver, got any plans for when we save the day?" Ethan asked.
SIlver scoffed. "Already thinking that far ahead?"
"It's important to keep our guard up for sure, but what's the harm in having something to look forward to?"
"When you put it that way, I have my eyes set on the Isle of Armor. Apparently the Master living there used to be Champion with a streak of 18 years."
"18 years?!" Kris and Lyra gawked in unison.
"He's surely a worthy opponent if I want to be the strongest trainer in the world." Silver smirked, feeling the rise of motivation within him because of his goal. "You were right, Ethan. I do feel more motivated than before."
"Heh, seems like everyone is hyped up for their own reasons. So, now that all of us Champions, both past and present, are here, what's our plan when we get there?" Brendan asked.
"Tiki!" Juliet screamed in horror, as she watched her Flygon collapse to the ground yet still struggling to get back up. She rushed to her Pokemon's side, stroking her back and turning her head so she could press their foreheads together. Tiki gazed at her trainer sadly, weakly crying out apologetically, only for Juliet to shush her gently.
"I-It's going to be OK. You'll hurt yourself more if you keep going."
Juliet returned Tiki back into her Pokeball and took out her last available Pokemon. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she clutched Hajime's Pokeball desperately. She lifted her head to look at Eternatus and Leon, who sustained barely any damage at all and looked like they were just getting started. She didn't think she was this weak, but she was oh so wrong. Come on! She was better than this! She was able to beat Wallace with-
…
But Wallace wasn't Eternatus or Leon.
Then, what about the hundreds of Max Raids-
But you weren't alone.
Every excuse she tried to come up to make sense of her weakness kept being dashed by thoughts that continued to prove her wrong. She didn't train for this. She didn't have what it took to save the region. Then, what was her purpose for doing anything? If she couldn't even save the one person she cared about most, who could she save?
She laughed pitifully at the realization. Those were the same words that Sonia told her before about Leon. And now she was getting a taste of her own medicine.
But, she couldn't give up now. She didn't have a choice. And all of her cards were betting on Hajime.
Juliet took a shaky breath and tossed Hajime's Pokeball. She was all out of Max Revives and Potions, but her Swampert stood stronger than ever. She had always thought that Wallace was going to be the greatest, indomitable opponent of her life, only now to be faced with an opponent that was far greater in strength and hostility. She should really stop counting Pokemon eggs before they hatched.
"Hajime, I'm counting on you! Hang on for just a bit longer!"
Hajime roared and stood his ground, awaiting his trainer's command.
"Use Ice Beam!"
Hajime unleashed a sharp stream of ice into the air, striking Eternatus' tail. It hissed angrily, shaking off the frost and ice and charging up another laser beam from its core. Juliet clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Protect!"
The Swampert put up his defenses just as the devastating laser made impact against his shield and although it didn't harm him, the sheer force pushed him back several feet, despite how burly the Pokemon was and how hard he was digging his feet into the ground. "You're doing great, Hajime! Keep pushing back!"
But he could only use Protect so many times. She needed to land at least one decisive attack to throw it off balance. Even if it meant doing something completely out of the box. Come on, Juliet, think! Look around and use your surroundings to your advantage! Her eyes looked around wildly at the top of Hammerlocke Castle. There was no special terrain involved like water or sand. There was absolutely nothing besides the broken cobblestone pillars that jutted up from the side and curved up like an arch-
Wait.
She noted that there were four and one of them was the least damaged out of the three, standing much taller within range of where Eternatus flew.
It was a gamble but it was now or never.
"Hajime! Scale up that pillar using Surf!"
Hajime didn't question his trainer's command and summoned a massive wave that flowed along the surface of the pillar, before spreading outwards into a tsunami sized wave that crashed into Eternatus. But, the water needed somewhere to go which meant that it would crash down towards where she and Leon were. Before she held her breath and awaited the oncoming wave, she ordered her Swampert to use Hammer Arm to crush it to the ground. She clung to a nearby wall and pressed herself against it as the wave crashed into the ground, submerging the area in water for a moment before spilling over the side.
She coughed and sputtered out water, and brushed her damp hair aside to see Eternatus lying on the ground with Leon laying beside it. Hajime rushed over to Juliet's side and stood in front of her protectively.
Did...Did she do it?
Hajime slowly approached Eternatus cautiously and his eyes widened upon seeing a red light building up in its core. It was charging up another attack! He whipped around immediately and pushed Juliet out of the way just in time as Hajime faced the attack head on and got blasted into a wall. Juliet pulled herself up from the wet floor and felt her heart drop at the sight of her Swampert lying motionless on the ground.
"HAJIME!" She wailed. She crawled towards him and turned his body over to see his eyes closed. Panic rose within her and her body shook.
No, no, no!
"Hajime! No! Please! Wake up!" She pleaded with teary eyes. Juliet shook his body in hopes he was just unconscious and not...and not…
Hajime groaned in pain and weakly turned his head to his trainer, who cried out in relief and held his body tightly. "You're OK. You're OK. You're-"
Suddenly, someone grabbed her collar from behind, twisting her around before wrapping both hands tightly around her throat. Juliet wheezed and croaked, staring into Leon's soulless gaze with pure fear as his fingers continued to dig into her throat, restricting precious air from her lungs. He lifted her effortlessly off the ground, still clutching at her throat, and held over the edge where death would surely meet her if he let go. She stared down at the drop and gazed at him helplessly.
Was this seriously it?
Was this how she was going to die?
At the hands of someone she cared so deeply for?
She couldn't tell if her vision was blurring because of her tears, or because her life was slipping away.
"Darkrai, stop!"
In that moment, Maya had somehow pushed through Juliet's consciousness, barely revealing herself to Leon, which made his soulless eyes widen and they flitted back to the golden hues she always knew. His hands loosened just enough for Juliet to gasp for as much air as she could without him dropping her to her doom. It was a delicate balance between life and death. And Maya was helping her cling on to life.
"Darkrai...I know you're in there. You're in so much pain right now. Please...don't do this…"
Every time Juliet blinked, she swore her vision shifted from Leon, to Darkrai. Even though he had merged with Eternatus, somehow, his sense of self remained within Leon's possession. Arceus, was now really the time for her to contemplate such things?!
"Ma...ya…" Darkrai uttered through Leon's lips.
"Yes! That's right! It's me! Pull us back to safety, please!"
Desperately trying to wrangle his sense of control back, Darkrai slowly pulled Juliet's body back, away from the edge, making her heart slowly settle in relief.
That was until Pistachio popped out of his Pokeball and charged at Leon, biting into his ankles making him hiss out in pain as he tried to shake off the rowdy Trapinch while holding Juliet precariously over the edge. She tried to say something, anything! She weakly tried to order Pistachio to stop through her wheezing, but all she could do was watch helplessly as Eternatus regained its composure-
And smacked it's tail into Pistachio, sending him flying over the edge.
...
That was the last straw.
She didn't care what happened to her anymore. There was no way she was going to let anyone die because of her. She mustered up enough strength to slip out of Leon's grasp and dove towards her falling Trapinch with her arms out. She yanked him to her chest and held him protectively as they both descended towards death itself. Juliet prayed and prayed, pleading to whatever gods were listening, to spare PIstachio, her Pokemon, everyone she loved - in exchange for her life if it meant that they'd be safe.
She was tired. She already had been through so much suffering.
This was a fitting end for her.
As the ground got closer and closer, her arms tightened around Pistachio as she awaited for the inevitable-
…
But, there was nothing.
Did she die so quickly that she didn't feel a single thing?
…
Why was Pistachio squirming so much?
"You're not dead you know."
Juliet slowly opened her eyes and barely registered that...she was flying? No, she was sitting on a Pokemon that was. Her eyes followed the Pokemon's purple, outstretched wings, before falling on the person who was sitting in front of her. Pale blue eyes met her own sapphire ones. She blinked, completely dumbfounded, before breaking out into a big grin. "Brendan?! What are you doing here?"
"Saving you. What else?" He answered bluntly.
"But, how-"
"Geez, are you still stuck in limbo or something? Your video reached far and wide and got so many of us to take action!"
"...So many?"
"You should have seen all the trainers and Champions when we were flying to Galar! It really felt like we could do anything!" May exclaimed, flying in next to them.
"May…!" Juliet sobbed. She couldn't help it. She had resigned herself to her demise, only to be saved in the nick of time by two friends from her childhood. Somehow, it looked like they hadn't changed at all and yet, they were older, just like her. But...her video actually reached them? And not just them, to countless others including other Champions? It was almost too good to be true-
"Those tears better be from happiness."
"They are, I promise! I just...I can't believe you're both here…" Juliet whimpered, nuzzling her Trapinch lovingly, relieved that she could at least save him. "I thought I was a goner for sure!"
"I guess we can't blame you for crying huh? You must have dealt with so much until now. But, don't worry - we're all here now!" Brendan comforted. "Got any other plans up your sleeve on how to deal with Leon and Eternatus?"
"I have one, but all of my Pokemon are down for the count-"
"Then, lemme heal them up for you!" May offered.
"It'll have to wait! Hang on!" Brendan hissed, urging his Latios to swerve away from Eternatus' laser, followed by intercepting its smaller lasers with Dragon Pulse. Its laser was nothing against Latios and Latias' speed, but they couldn't outrun Eternatus' attack forever, especially since Latios and Latias were both growing tired from the long flight. Just as Eternatus charged up another attack, something swiftly spun towards it, landing a decisive hit against Eternatus' side.
"What was that?!" May gawked.
Juliet squinted her eyes, noticing the small drops of water that dripped from Eternatus' body. "That's…! That's Water Shuriken!" Her eyes spotted her Greninja scaling up the side of the castle, with her Alolan Ninetales following close behind and her Oricorio riding on her back. "What are those three doing here?! They're supposed to be in Alola!"
"Seems like they had the same idea as us!" May giggled.
Flora, the Alolan Ninetales, went over to Hajime's side and carefully nudged his body with her nose, while Soleil, the Oricorio, rubbed her pom pom feathers soothingly along his head fins before May jumped off of Latias and bent down to their level. "It's alright you two! He'll be as good as new in no time!"
"Felix, Flora, Soleil!" Juliet called over. Soleil didn't waste another second and jumped into her awaiting arms, chirping happily at seeing her trainer again. Flora bounded over as well standing up on her hind legs to lick her trainer's face affectionately. "That tickles, Flora!"
"Juliet! Maybe save it for later?!"
"Oh, right! Felix!" Juliet whipped around to see the Greninja standing protectively in front of her. He turned his head to her, silently waiting for her command. Juliet gestured to her head, indicating the crown resting on Leon's head. He nodded and narrowed his eyes determingly. "Use Double Team!"
Felix split off into multiple clones, surrounding Eternatus and Leon as a means to distract them. Even though Eternatus had an edge in power and reach, then confusing it was the only way to work around it. "Soleil, use Helping Hand on Flora! Flora, use Dazzling Gleam on Eternatus!"
Soleil beated her pom pom wings together towards Flora, allowing the Alolan Ninetales to summon a surge of glimmering crystals from each of her majetic tails and focused all of her power into unleashing it towards Eternatus. As Leon was about to give his next command, the real Felix snuck up from behind him, and sliced through the clear mechanism at the back of his head that kept the crown firmly in place. The crown tumbled off of his head, landing with a sharp clang, releasing him from Eternatus' control, at the same moment Dazzling Gleam landed a critical hit. Juliet reached out, sliding across the wet pavement to catch Leon's body.
"Leon…?" She uttered. She pressed two fingers against his neck and she was overcome with relief, feeling his gentle pulse on her fingertips. He was alive. Somehow. Juliet brushed his hair out of his face just as his closed eyelids began to twitch, before slowly opening. He blinked a couple of times, trying to make sense of what had happened amidst the vanishing haze from his mind. He felt...calm again. His eyes had returned to their golden colour, for good this time, and he locked eyes with Juliet's.
"H-Hey…" She croaked. "You...OK?"
Obviously he was not, but he was certainly in a way better spot than before. He reached up to brush away the tears that were pooling in her eyes and held her cheek tenderly. His hand was warm. As they always had been. "J...I'm...I'm so sorry…I caused so much chaos...I…!"
Juliet rapidly shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's not your fault…! Rose did this to you, he…!" She cradled his head close. "He made you suffer…"
Suddenly, Flora started to growl alerting both Felix and Soleil, who noticed that the crown that fell off of Leon's head, was now shining brightly. The crystal in the centre began to crack, before shattering completely and releasing a huge amount of energy that flowed back to Eternatus' body. Brendan rushed over, barking at the Pokemon to get to safety before taking Leon's other shoulder and hobbling him away before an explosion of light overtook the area, blinding them, as they tumbled down the small flight of stairs. When the light subsided, they all looked up with a gasp to see Eternatus coiled up like a snake, and revealing its true form as a gargantuanly sized hand.
"Holy shit…" Brendan whispered. "Is this what they call having a final form?"
"This is no time for jokes, Brendan! That thing is way too big for all of us to fight!" May groaned.
"May, we were able to fight two evil organizations who fought to sink the whole world or dry up the ocean! We just need some back up-"
"We're here!" Hop announced, bursting out of the elevator with Gloria. "Sorry for the wait, we were-WHAT IN BLOODY HELL IS THAT?!"
"That's not what Eternatus looked like before!" Gloria stammered.
"There's no time to question it! We saved Leon, and now it's up to you two! Zacian and Zamazenta have to come to our rescue now!" Juliet screamed.
"R-Right! Come on, Hop!" Gloria beckoned.
Hop looked at his brother, who had fallen unconscious, and then at Juliet. "Thank you...for saving him."
"You're welcome, now go! Brendan, you take Leon to the hospital while May and I are going to the Wild Area!" Juliet ordered hastily.
"Right!"
Once they left, Hop and Gloria stood side-by-side in front of what was now Eternatus' true form. Gloria looked down at her rusted sword, which glowed blue; and Hop looked down at his shield, which glowed red. They nodded to each other and held up their respective weapons high into the air, in the face of adversity.
"We will protect...Galar's people and Pokemon!"
Milo stood defensively in front of his pack of Wooloo, staring up at the G-Max Orbeetle that was approaching closer and closer-
"Lunala! Use Moongeist Beam!"
The farmer watched with his jaw drop as the Pokemon crash landed into the field after a single hit before reverting back to its original form.
"You're Galar's Grass Gym Leader Milo, right? I'm Selene, Alola's Champion!"
"A-Alola?!"
"Yup! My friends and I have the rest of Turffield covered so don't worry!"
"Thank you!" Milo thanked cheerfully before pressing his hand against his ear. "Turffield is secured!"
"Gardevoir, use Dream Eater!"
Nessa whipped her head around with eyes wide. "Diantha!"
"Hello, Nessa. It's been awhile since we've last seen each other from our last shoot. But, we can catch up later, yes?"
"Of course!" Nessa pressed his hand to her ear. "Hulbury is secured!"
"Well, if it isn't Flannery's uncle!"
"W-Wallace!" Kabu exclaimed. "You're here too?"
"But, of course! You may have moved to Galar, but you'll always have that bright Hoennian fire inside of you. So, allow me to help protect that with my waves! Milotic, dazzle this Dynamax Pokemon with Hydro Pump!" Wallace sent out his beloved Milotic with a flourish.
Kabu chuckled at Wallace's usual theatrics and pressed his hand to his ear. "Motostoke is secured."
"Hey kids! Need a hand?"
"Y-You're Champion Iris!" Bea stuttered in surprise. "What brings you to Galar?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Iris giggled before sending out her Salamence. "It looks like you guys need some help so a bunch of us are here to the rescue! Stand back! I'll show this Pokemon just how unstoppable we can be!"
"T-Thank you so much!" Allister bowed his head profusely before pressing his hand to his ear. "S-Stow-on-Side is secured!"
"Who's this...rustic clad gentlemen?"
"Rustic?! Who are you callin' rustic?" Alder howled in laughter. "Is that any way to talk to someone who's here to help?"
"Bede, show some respect for our guest here." Opal scolded lightly. "Thank you for coming, Alder."
"No problem. Never fought many Fairy-type Pokemon before so this should be good training! Volcarona, use Heat Wave!"
"Can't you be a little more graceful? Hatterene, use Psychic!" Bede ordered.
Opal sighed and shook her at their silly competitiveness. "Ballonea is secured."
"Mom, stand back! Let me handle this!"
"Gordie! Be careful!"
"Metagross, use Bullet Punch!"
"Garchomp, use Flamethrower!"
Gordie had to do a double take seeing the pale blue haired gentleman and the blond Sinnohan Champion walk into their Gym with both their Metagross and Garchomp Mega Evolved, following right behind him. His shades fell to the bridge of his nose and his voice cracked. "S-S-S-S-S-Steven Stone?! And Cynthia?!"
"That's us. Gordie and Melony, correct?" Cynthia smiled gently.
"Let's wrap this up, shall we?" Steven remarked confidently.
"Yes, let's!" Melony agreed. "Circhester is secured!"
"Long time no see, Raihan!"
"Lance! Sorry for the rather...chaotic welcome."
Lance waved his hand. "Don't be. I couldn't sit back and let Pokemon run amok, hurting innocent people and Pokemon, and even damaging Galar's rich history."
"Then, show me what you got! I want to see how much stronger you've gotten if that's even possible." Raihan challenged with a smirk. "Hammerlocke is secured!"
Deep within Slumbering Weald, beyond the altar, light began to shimmer and shine upon Zacian and Zamazenta's resting place, expanding far before shooting up into the sky with beams of red and blue, followed by the howls of both Legendary Pokemon that echoed far and wide across the region.
Their mighty howls instilled hope and courage within everyone who was fighting to protect the Galar region.
"Juliet, status report. Is everything alright?" Anabel reported in.
"We managed to release Leon from Eternatus' hold and have transported him to a hospital. It sounds like all the towns and cities are secure thanks to everyone's help from other regions-"
"Other regions, you said? Heh, so this was your trump card, huh?"
"Yeah. Something like that. Hop and Gloria managed to get back the rusted sword and shield so we just have to take care of Eternatus and the Wild Area! What's happening on your end?"
Anabel looked over to see Chairman Rose, Oleana, and other Macros Cosmos accomplices, being handcuffed by Looker, with her two Legendary Beasts standing on either side of them like guards. "They've been arrested and we're keeping a close eye on them down here until the situation clears up on the surface. Can't exactly interrogate them yet since they have rights to be represented by a lawyer-"
"That's good. In that case, hang tight and hopefully this will all be over soon!"
"We're counting on you."
Hop and Gloria braced themselves for Eternatus with their respective weapons, when two beams of light crashed in front of them, shielding them from its attack with each greater power that surrounded them. The rusted sword and rusted shield slipped from their hands and rightfully returned to their original owners. By holding those weapons between their fangs, their forms shifted from the canines who appeared weakened by countless battles, to true heroes, brandishing the weapons of Galar's hope and protection. They proudly stood up to Eternatus, with renewed power and energy flowing through every bone in their body.
"Zacian!"
"Zamazenta!"
The two young trainers could hardly believe their eyes. The legend of the two heroes brandishing the sword and shield to seal away the Darkest Day - they were reliving that fateful but this time they were the heroes that paralleled on the tapestries. Even though they didn't have any royal blood flowing in their veins, all the ordeals that led up to this point only proved to them that anyone could be a hero! Hop dreamed of making history as a Champion, but fate had prepared him for a greater purpose that surpassed the title he longed to have.
Now wasn't the time to cry, so Hop slapped his cheeks and pumped his fist into the air. "Let's do this, Gloria!"
"Together! Zacian, use Behemoth Blade!"
"Zamazenta, use Behemoth Bash!"
Zacian's sword transformed in size and appearance, and it leaped towards Eternatus, slashing repeatedly before clearing the path for Zamazenta to bash its head into Eternatus in a fiery blast. Hop and Gloria prepared to jump out of the way for its oncoming flurry of lasers, only for none to come at all upon seeing something slither through the sky near Eternatus' core.
"Hey! I'll make sure this thing does hurt you two!" Brenda yelled.
"Is he riding…" Gloria started.
"A Rayquaza?! It's Mega Evolved too!" Hop awed. "Come on, Glo! Let's show how Zacian and Zamazenta are the stars here!"
"Matthew, don't even think about going out there."
"But-"
"I know you're worried about your sister, but you have an important role to play here." Dr. Fennel sighed, her eyes wandering to Leon's slumbering form. In her opinion, it was honestly a miracle that he was still alive. To be possessed by a Pokemon with such formidable power, normal people wouldn't be able to hold such power within themselves without their bodies being overwhelmed and falling apart as a result. Maybe the armor he wore was what protected him? She wanted to believe it served a bigger purpose than just decoration. But, pondering on such things was way above her paygrade.
"Um...Excuse me?" Sonia peeked in.
"Hello. And who might you be?" Matthew asked.
"I'm Sonia. A Pokemon Professor."
"Oh! Hello, Professor! Are you a friend of Leon's?"
"I am, but I also came by because the other doctors told me that the armor he wore is here too. I was hoping I could check it out?"
"It's all yours, Professor." Matthew gestured to the aforementioned suit of armor that was hung up on the wall. Sonia walked over to it and hummed curiously, jotting something down in her notebook. She flipped through her notes and sketches and noticed the similarities to its design to the statue in Budew Inn.
"Fixation…"
"What's that, Professor?" Fennel asked with a tilt of her head.
'Oh, sorry! I'm just talking to myself. I'm in charge of researching the Darkest Day and all this attention to detail between past and present is making me question why Rose became so...obsessed. I thought this was an open and shut case but, possessing Leon to control Eternatus? I feel like there's something more to the power of Dynamax that I'm missing…" Sonia pondered deeply. "How is he by the way? Is...Is he going to be OK?"
"Well, his vitals are normal so he should be awake any moment now." Matthew reassured.
"Oh, that's good. Well, I should leave you to your work-" A beep came from Sonia's pocket, cutting off her sentence abruptly. Oh shoot, she forgot that she had to turn off devices when entering a hospital to prevent any signal interference. But the sound didn't come from her phone.
It came from her Dynamax reader.
She raised an eyebrow. Why did it go off? It only reacted to the presence of Galar particles, which made up the power of Dynamax so it shouldn't have reacted to anything else. Maybe she was just overthinking things with how tired she was. She switched it off and bowed her head politely to Matthew and Dr. Fennel before leaving the hospital room.
The suit of armor he wore…
Her Dynamax reader going off…
What did it all mean?
"Let's finish this, Hop!"
"You got it! Zamazenta, Behemoth Bash!"
"Zacian, Behemoth Blade!"
Zacian and Zamazenta dished out a final round of their attacks, causing Eternatus to cry out in agony and crash into the top of the castle. The core that glowed in Eternatus was nothing more than a faint spark, making Brendan confident that this was their chance. "Try catching it now!"
Gloria pulled out an Ultra Ball from her bag which grew in her hand. This was their victory, and she wasn't about to keep the glory for herself. She turned to Hop and pushed it towards him. "Together?"
Hop beamed and lifted his side of the Dynamaxed Ultra Ball. "On the count of three?"
"1,"
"2,"
"3!" They exclaimed in unison, tossing the ball at Eternatus with all of their might. The creature was sucked into the ball and landed on the ground with a harsh thud.
…
It shook once. Gloria and Hop held each other with bated breaths
...
It shook twice. The two legendary Pokemon protectively stood in front of the two trainers.
...
It shook thrice. Brendan braced himself for the worst case scenario.
..
The Ultra Ball glowed green and shrunk. Hop let out the loudest victory cry they had ever heard and he picked up Gloria and spun her around. She laughed at the gesture and lightly protested that he let her go. Brendan slumped as he sighed, feeling all the built up suspense escape his body all at once. They all looked up to the sky, welcoming the sight of the evening sky show itself once more through the warm, yet bright, setting sun. Some stars even decided to make an early show, as if to celebrate their valiant efforts.
But...just when they thought that things were finally going to settle, Zacian and Zamazenta growled with intimidation at what was left…
What was left behind.
Darkrai struggled to get up. There was so much power and chaos swirling inside of him with nowhere to go. It hurt. It hurt so much. The agonizing pain was keeping him firmly planted to the ground as if he was being pulled by a magnet.
Let me go.
Let me go!
LET ME GO!
"Juliet, the sky!"
Juliet followed May's gaze and looked up to see the murky clouds disappearing, letting the stars of the evening sky shine through the darkness. It was nothing short of a welcome sight, and it was no doubt something that no one would ever take for granted ever again.
They did it.
They actually did it.
"Jules!" Mary called as she rushed over. She flung her arms around her neck, pulling her into a bone crushing hug that squeezed the air out of her lungs. Arceus, how many times was she going to have a near death experience through asphyxiation?!
"Mary...I almost died earlier from being choked earlier so do you mind…?"
"Oh!" She immediately released her. "Sorry! And what?! You almost died?!"
Juliet coughed and wheezed. "I'll tell you later. I don't want to put a damper on the celebration that's happening right now." From what she could see, all the trainers, fellow Max Raid teams, who came to fight for their cause, were high fiving each other and embracing each other from what felt like the end of the world.
"We did it! We really did it!" Vanquil jumped off of his Charizard and looped his arm around Juliet's neck into a playful chokehold. Tessu followed suit and wrapped her arms around her waist.
Oh for Arceus sake-
"Can someone hug or high five me like a normal person?!"
"That can be arranged. Up top, Juliet." Blue snickered, holding up his hand. Juliet couldn't help but freeze up, remembering she was in the presence of some incredible trainers from around the world- "You inspired us to come out here so, relax!"
"O-OK…" Escaping Vanquil's chokehold, she slapped her hand against his palm proudly. Even if it stung a bit.
"That's the spirit! Guess all that's left is to clean up this mess, huh?" Blue whistled, looking over at the state of the Wild Area, which was looking worse for wear, but seeing trainers check up on each other and the surrounding Pokemon, it made the destruction a bit more bearable. It was a minor set back to how many lives they saved.
"Yeah, but first let's make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. I'll go check up on Gloria and Hop!" Juliet volunteered, already boarding Tiki and taking off towards Hammerlocke castle.
"Rosa, reporting for duty!" Rosa playfully saluted.
"Uhhh, I think you were supposed to do that at the start of the mission, Rosa. I think now you're supposed to say, 'The mission has been a success!'" Nate corrected with a laugh.
"Oh! Then, the mission has been a success!"
"You're not even a soldier." Hugh snorted.
"Good work, cadet." Blue saluted back. "Alright, let's reconvene at the Meet-Up Spot to make sure everyone is OK!'
"Glo...What is that?" Hop asked fearfully.
"Do you think that's...Do you think that's Darkrai?" Gloria answered hesitantly.
"Darkrai?! He really was merged with Eternatus then. But, something isn't right…" Hop took a step forward to approach the Nightmare Pokemon, but Zamazenta stood in his way as if to say, 'don't move'. "Then...Should we try to throw a Pokeball at him?"
Gloria sifted through her bag and shook her head. "I don't have anymore. I stocked up for my battles but not for catching Pokemon…"
"Hang on, you two. Let me take care of him." Brendan told them quietly as he got off of his Rayquaza and returned him into his Pokeball. He reached into his bag and pulled out an Ultra Ball, tossing it in the air a few times to warm up his throwing arm. He reeled his hand back and twisted his wrist, throwing it as a curve ball, but Darkrai ended up swatting it away, where it broke upon hitting the ground. He clicked his tongue. "Guess that's out of the question…"
Can't trust humans…
Can't trust humans!
CAN'T TRUST HUMANS!
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Darkrai cried out in agony, summoning a giant shadow ball in his hands and hurling it towards them. Zacian and Zamazenta stood their ground and prepared to counter it-
But someone had jumped out in front of them.
The attack slammed into her body, pushing her onto her back, where her body lay motionless on the ground.
Brendan was the first to react, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach as he ran over to her side and shook her body. "JULIET! Juliet! Come on! Wake up! Why did you do something so stupid?! What were you fucking thinking?!"
Gloria dropped to her knees in shock. "J...Juliet...No…"
Hop felt every fiber in his body shake, making him fall back on his behind. "...Why…"
"Don't just sit there, you two! Hurry and get help!"
"Hey! Are you guys alr-" Raihan started until spotting Brendan holding Juliet's body. He would have dropped his Rotom phone onto the ground if it didn't catch itself last minute. "What happened to Juliet?!"
"I don't know! But, she's not moving! We have to get her out of here!" Brendan shouted in panic.
"OK, OK, let me carry her then-" Raihan swiftly tucked his hands under her knees while supporting her back with the other and made a mad dash down the stairs and to the elevator.
Brendan could hear his heart pounding in his ears so loudly that he didn't even register Gloria's question. "...Huh?"
"What should we do about Darkrai? He's…"
Brendan turned his attention to the Pokemon, who was now slumped to the ground, just as unmoving as Juliet was. In his fit of rage, he almost didn't want to help him, but that wasn't the kind of trainer he wanted to be. Swallowing his animosity, he went over to it and carefully slung one of his ghostly arms around his shoulder. "Mind giving me a hand?"
"R-Right…" Hop came to his side and took Darkrai's other side.
Gloria turned to Zacian and Zamazenta, and she could tell that they were apologetic from how downcasted both of their eyes were. She gingerly stroked both canines and softly whimpered, "Thank you...for helping us. I'm sure she's going to be OK…You two should get some rest."
The two Legendary Pokemon reverted back to their previous forms and leaped off of Hammerlocke Castle and into the starry sky, leaving behind both the rusted sword and shield in her possession. She picked up both weapons and quietly followed Brendan and Hop to the elevator.
Leon's eyes snapped open and he sat up from his bed in a cold sweat. He took a few shaky breaths, regaining his composure enough to look around the room to note that he was in the hospital. He lay back in bed with a relaxed sigh, until his head turned to the suit of armor that hung up on the wall. He turned his head away immediately. Looking at it stirred so many uncomfortable and painful memories.
Who even thought it was a good idea for them to keep it around him?
What even happened to him…?
He remembered going to the Rose Tower to meet up with Rose, and then his vision flashed to holding someone over the edge, he saw a little girl, and then he was on the ground with Juliet holding his body-
He pinched his temples annoyingly at how jumbled up his recollection was.
"Oh! You're awake!" Fennel grinned "How are you feeling? Actually, hold that thought while I go and get you a glass of water-"
"Bring her to the ICU! Quickly!"
Fennel nearly dropped the glass in surprise from the sudden activity going on outside of Leon's room. She heard the wheels of a gurney zooming by, along with the shuffling of nurses and doctors who were tending to the patient in the process. Oh dear...She really hoped that they were going to be OK…
Matthew slammed the door open, and he had the most frightened look on his face that Fennel had never seen from him before.
"M-Matthew? What's wrong? You look besides yourself-"
"J-Juliet! That was Juliet being transported to ICU!"
"What?!"
Leon's heart sank. No...Why was she being taken to the ICU? How badly did she get hurt out there? This was all his fault…!
"Juliet's in the intensive car-" Leon winced, realizing he couldn't get out of his bed because of the IV that was stuck in his arm.
"Leon, you have to stay put! I'll be right back!" Matthew ordered before running down the hall and around the corner to the ICU, where a sizable crowd had already gathered. He couldn't recognize most of them, but based on the jerseys they wore, they were likely Gym Leaders of the Galar region. He noticed a trainer, closer to the front, sobbing uncontrollably in the arms of what must have been a friend and looking more closely now, everyone who had gathered were fighting back tears of their own.
All of them must have cared so much for her, maybe even more than he did, which made his heart ache.
"W-Why? Why does life have to be so hard on Juliet?! Every day she fought to live no matter how hard it was for her, and even when she was suffering, she always cared about all of us! How is that fair for her?!" Mary sobbed. "We can't lose her! I don't want to lose her…!"
Tessu nor Vanquil could even speak - they were too choked up beyond words and could only hold on to Mary and each other in a desperate attempt to soothe their shared anguish. Raihan couldn't help but join their circle of solidarity, feeling partially responsible for not getting there on time, and vividly recalling how Juliet thrashed about in his arms despite her eyes being firmly shut, as if she was stuck in a nightmare. "I'm sorry...I should have gotten there sooner…"
Kabu gave Raihan a firm pat on the back. "You did what you could, Raihan. The doctors are with her now."
"Excuse me everyone. I'm a doctor here-" Matthew announced quietly, squeezing himself through the crowd and was about to open the door when another doctor walked out with his hands up.
"Whoa, whoa! I don't recall requesting back up."
"I-I'm sorry. But, I just want to confirm that the patient in this unit is Juliet?"
"Are you a family member of hers?"
"...I am. I'm her older brother."