The hidden secrets of Battle Bond
Chapter 33, You look you lose
The Thunderbolt fired into the air gone now Ash gave off his flare signal. The woman standing across the field got close to her new trophy. Studying the visage of Jason that got a statue she quickly ignored it and laid eyes on Ash. The lack of any emotional reading from his aura told her his skill level in the power she shared with Arbok.
"Get inside Pikachu." Ash opened up his jacket and Pikachu crawled into it as protection. He didn't want Pikachu to accidently glimpse at the Arbok and be turned to stone just like the hunter was.
The Arbok in it's Battle Bond form with arms raised stuck its sharp tongue out. Finding their targets they'd make a great addition to their collection.
"Who are you!?" Ash demanding to know hoped this talk would buy some time till Nina gets here.
"I am Rana. And this is my Arbok. Use Wrap!"
The Cobra moved quickly towards Ash ready to get it over with it. They'll just reverse the petrification on him later so that can get Greninja in more suitable surroundings. Ash rolled out of the way making sure he landed in a way that wouldn't crush Pikachu hiding in his jacket. His years on Mount Silver making him adapt at dodging moves he quickly grabbed a Pokeball and threw the Pokémon out which he and Nina trained for this situation.
"Infernape, I choose you!" The monkey materialized and saw his opponent. The description matching the training he did Infernape looked to see his battle partner belonging to the girl.
"We're on our own for now Infernape, you can do it! Flamethrower!" Understanding the situation without hesitation, Infernape opened up his mouth as a large streak of flames sped to Arbok. The snake slithered back dodging the flames as it moved back to Rana.
It was time for the final vote. Every single musician that gave a second performance today gathered on stage to witness the final count. Nina looked around and used her sight to study her audience. They all were confused at seeing her and Primarina do their Battle Bond transformation not knowing what to think of it since the last big threat could do it too. She hoped she'd be thrown into the same category as Ash Greninja and not Fusion-Shiftry.
Strangely enough her biggest enemy wasn't on stage with her and the others. Looking around there was no trace of Karin. The presenter Phillippe got on stage thanking everyone in person for participating apart from one.
"One of our competitors had to leave suddenly so she won't be here unfortunately for the final count. She has given us her music key so we could count her votes in total anyway."
"Yeah right." Nina not believing it for a second and the huntress having a hidden motive.
"And without anymore delay, please vote for the winner of today's competition!"
As the audience was casting their choice everyone waited in anticipation as the votes were being counted. The technology adapted from Showcases a music key was filling up over everyone's head.
Nina still looking around saw a yellow streak of lightning go up into the sky. The fireworks display she recognized the bolt perfectly and began to worry.
"That's Pikachu's Thunderbolt! Ash must be facing those two hunters by himself! Explains where the banshee went!" Nina returned her Primarina and Ampharos who were with her on stage as the votes were being counted. Swanna took flight off the stage in the direction the bolt shot up as Nina took another Pokeball.
"Arcanine, out!" Everyone from participants and judges to Serena herself were surprised to see the Fire type. Serena got off her special seat as she followed Swanna's flight path. The urge the singer showed told her Ash was in trouble. Nina jumped on Arcanine and the large dog leaped easily over the crowd with the girl on her back. He raced to Serena who got down and Nina helped her get up on his back. Nina pointed in the direction of the bolt that shot upwards as the two sped off leaving everyone even more confused at what got them in such a rush.
"What do you want from me Rana!?" Ash demanding to know as Infernape joined his side in a battle stance. Apart from Greninja and Primarina who can do that trick the Fire type was more excited than afraid in testing his own strength against something like that.
"See. If you didn't fire off that Thunderbolt for no reason I'd might say a bit more. I know that is a signal for your girlfriend to get help. Use Poison Fang!" Arbok's long fangs glowed and grew longer as it slithered to Infernape.
"Use Dig!" Infernape jumped over the snake and disappeared into a hole in the ground.
"Arbok, Iron Tail!" The long body glowed silver and using the arms on its hood leaped up before slamming it down craching the earth the Fire type hid in. Due to the force Infernape got launched up high and lost balance.
"Wrap! Grab a hold of Infernape!" Arbok launched itself and coiled itself quickly around Infernape as they landed roughly with the Fire type taking the brunt of the fall. Arbok grabbed the side of the monkey's head avoiding the flame on top and had aimed towards the pattern on the hood which seemed to be alive as well.
"Glare! Now!" Rana urging Arbok wanting to finish this Pokémon off she wanted to get to the one she's really hete for.
"Flare Blitz!" Ash called out. Resisting the hood and eyes Infernape erupted in a burst of flames setting its whole body on fire. The heat too much too withstand Arbok let go off Infernape as Rana herself felt the burn in her legs. Ash getting some breathing room smirked as the training he and his battle partner did paid off.
"It's like Nina said. Strong fighting spirit can withstand that Glare for a bit."
The Battle Bond expert warned him not to get to greedy with it. It would only take so long before the will breaks and gives up. Still Ash had all the confidence in his Infernape's fighting spirit always wanting to challenge itself against stronger opponents.
"Flamethrower!" Infernape's cheeks puffing a burst of fire shot out of its mouth.
"Dodge it!" Arbok moved to the side with flames passing by not harming it. The two Pokémon stood still for a moment catching a quick breath.
"Again Rana! What do you want? I'm like you so we should actually work together!" Trying to coerce is e female Battle Bond user and to stall her out the woman ignored him.
"Poison Fang!" The fangs protruded against Arbok seemed faster then before.
"Dodge it!" Infernape moved to his left but Arbok followed it. Sinking its fangs in Infernape's arm the Pokémon gave a yell of pain.
"Mach Punch!" His free hand glowing Infernape gave a fast punch at the hood of the cobra. It let go off Infernape's arm but kept close by bearing the pain.
"Arbok, Wrap!"
"Use Round!" A loud yell blew both Infernape and Arbok away from their spots. Both landed on their feet though and saw the one that caused it. It was a blonde girl dressed up fancy with a Mega Altaria flanking her having a hand on her hip with a look of disgust.
"Karin!" Ash saying the name of the hunter didn't expect to see her but instead sabotaging Nina's performance at the music competition instead.
"Argh!" The Battle Bond Arbok trainer herself started to feel the effects a bit more. Still she wasn't going to get away here without her prized statues.
The hunter seeing her partner petrified had a god clue who's responsible for it. Having looked into Team Union's data from their spy Lurline thry had a list of Battle Bond Pokémon and what some of their special abilities are.
"Turn him back freak!"
"If he's with you I'll make you join him! Poison Fang!" Redirecting her attention quickly Arbok moved right to the Altaria.
"Altaria up!" Using its large fluffy wings it rose up high out of reach of the snake.
"Dragon Pulse!" Opening its beak a giant purple shaped dragon got out and raced towards Arbok ho tried to block it with its formed arms. Ash took a quick peek at the trainer who's connected to it. Rana seemed to be growing tired from the repeated attacks and battle with Infernape and Altaria.
"Sky Attack!" Altaria glowed a bright white as it circled in the sky. Gathering energy for a big hit every attack should've been easy to dodge from high up it was.
"Fire Blast!" A giant storm of fire hit Altaria in the air interrupting its charge forcing it to go down. They all looked up and saw a woman riding on Salamence's back with Ash recognizing the figure on top.
"Fran!" Not the main reinforcement he was expecting but still a welcome one. Ash grateful it still was an awkward feeling. The last time he saw that Salamence it was the ire of his anger of the Team Union knight threatening Serena.
"Giga Impact on the Altaria!" While still riding its back Salamence roared and nosedived covered in dark blue energy right towards Altaria. Getting closer to the ground Fran jumped off its back but drew along some of the energy to create an aura around her showing herself off.
"Guess that's a Performer thing." Ash figured as Salamence was still going after the Mega evolved Pokémon. Diving head on it raced after Altaria who dodged it by twirling in the air.
"It's getting too crowded here." The huntress herself felt it getting a bit to hot under her feet.
"Altaria, Sky Attack!" The Mega evolved Pokémon fully glowed white as its tail feathers shone.
"Now they're distracted." Karin quickly grabbing a new Pokeball threw it and out came one of her singing Pokémon. With Fran and Salamence distracted with Altaria, Ash and Rana put eyes on it.
"Politoad, Perish Song!"
The green toad started to sing which was torment on the ears. A spine chilling sensation went over their back even with them covering up their ears. Ash felt Pikachu shaking in his jacket out of nervousness and felt his paws scratch on his shirt telling him to please make it stop.
"ARGH!" Rana and Arbok got it the worst as they shared the pain.
"Altaria, Politoad, return!" Karin knowing the effect of her Perish Song returned her Pokémon to their balls.
"Arbok, return!"
"Salamence, return!"
"Infernape, return!"
All the others did so as well. Before quickly grabbing a new Pokeball from each of their belts or released the ones they just returned again removing the effect of the painful song.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Rana yelled even before she could release Arbok again. Falling to her knees and now completely floored Arbok's Pokeball rolled out of her hand.
"What happened to her?" Fran wondered as she had released Salamence again. Ash looked over the fallen Battle Bond trainer and she seemed to be beaten. A combination of Archer's teaching and Nina's singing hobby he knew what happened.
"Just like that time Nina used Sylveon to Cute Charm Greninja, Altaria's Perish Song knocked her out too cause she heard it while linked. She lacks the experience we have." Ash quickly peeked over to the last target that got turned to stone. The petrified male hunter began to get his normal skin color back. Breathing heavily as if he was put of air he looked around him seeing a mix of old, new and unexplained.
"Karin! What's going on here!" Seeing a woman on the ground and his partner standing in her outfit he missed a lot of stuff.
"Stop talking and get those two!" Karin telling him to shut up and ask questions later Jason threw Metagross out again.
"Mega Evolve!" Without a moment of hesitation Jason touched his Mega Stone and soon Mega Metagross and Mega Altaria stood against Ash and Fran. Salamence on the ground now still eyed the Altaria with ferocity related to its species.
Ash didn't feel Pikachu under his jacket move a lot. Despite hiding the Perish Song still reached its ears. With Pikachu out of commission that made four out of six Pokémon that took damage so he himself were in a bad spot.
"Greninja, I choose you!" With not a lot of options left Ash released Greninja. The moment the Pokémon touched the ground the orb of water rose around it before it formed his one of a kind shuriken on its back.
"Dragon Pulse! Hydro Pump!"
A feminine voice yelled out as a dragon shaped energy slammed into Metagross and Altaria got blasted with a high pressure jet of water. Looking at the direction it came from Ash began to smile as even more back up arrived.
"Nina! Serena!" Riding on Nina's Arcanine the canine fired the Dragon type move while Swanna blasted Altaria with Hydro Pump. Still dressed up in her opera dress Nina got off Arcanine and stood next to Ash now.
"What's going on here!?" Serena saw the carnage around her. A woman unconscious, Ash-Greninja in full form, Fran's Salamence and the two hunters with Mega Evolved Pokémon she had a lot of catching up to do.
"Thanks for coming here. How did your song go?"
"Better than hers." Nina smiled.
"I'll get you for that!" Karin reacted back. Screw waiting for It to take his sweet time attacking them. The freaks were going down now.
"Is that her? The Arbok one?" Nina peeking over her shoulder looked at the downed woman. Ash nodded that it's her that James warned them about. The situation a little more clear the singer shouted to the Performers.
"Serena! Fran! Blindfold her and get her away from here! Arcanine, you carry her!" The canine barking understanding its commands still carried Serena on its back.
"She might not be like us, but I'm letting them touch her. We'll deal with her later."
"Be careful you two!" Serena wishing them luck as Fran tossed Rana on Arcanine. Fran's Salamence came closer and the older Performer jumped on its back again. Them going away it left the Battle Bond trainers and the hunters by themselves.
"What do you say we show them real teamwork!?" Ash liking his chances now with a fresh team of Nina's Pokémon by his side. Swanna out now ready for air support it eyed the Mega Altaria. Nina shared the confidence of her partner.
"Been some time we tagged for real and they'll make a great warmup for It. Let's do it! Primarina, opening verse!" Coming out of her Pokeball the Soloist Pokémon was in her full form now as well. Seeing Karin and Altaria she relished in the opportunity. Not only were they going to beat them in singing but battle too so this da could hardly get any better.
"Metagross and Altaria already took some damage. And we're flanked. Gotta cut our losses for now." Jason too confused at everything that happened would like to cut it short. The four facing off they felt the ground shake beneath them. A deep rumble could be heard as the vibrations moved through their feet.
"Now what!?" Ash pretty much had it with these interruptions and distractions from outsiders.
From underneath the hunters the ground erupted and glowed green. An explosion sounded as a bright light shone as well making Jason and Karin lose their foothold before an explosion went off under their feet.
Ash and Nina covered their eyes blocking the light and the hunters were nowhere to be found in front of them. Hearing promises of revenge coming from up high they were flying away uncontrolled.
"They blasted off like Team Rocket!" Ash compared it to a sight he's seen more than a thousand times.
"Where did that come from!?" Nina wondered as the answer to the question appeared in front of them. A small canine like creature with a primarily black and green collar and a leash-like extension on its neck. Additional green markings include: two hexagon markings on its chest, a small hexagon over each eye, the area around its mouth, and its front left paw. There is an elongated, red hexagon marking attached to the collar marking.
"Primarina, Swanna? Ready for that thing!?" The singer ready to attack the new intruding Pokémon she never saw before.
"Nina calm down!" Ash told his battle partner to hold it as he knew the Pokémon. Or part of it at least.
"It's Zygarde!"
The grind is real. Got this made in about three days with all my attention in stories going to this. Hope it was worth it.
See you around.