"Sir!" A grunt ran up to Lysandre. "There's another human victim!"
"What?" Lysandre asked, "It doesn't affect humans!" He took a deep breath. "Okay. I need you to find Xerosic and inform him. Do you know where the victim is?"
"Galar, Sir." The grunt answered. "It's their Champion, Leon Shield."
Lysandre waved another grunt over. "I need you to go find Sycamore. Where did you get your information?" The grunt saluted and took off.
"From Nurse Joy of the Pokémon Center the kid who died was picked up from." The grunt answered.
"I want someone to go fetch her." Lysandre decided, "I want everyone to meet in my office." He looked down at his infant daughter, currently in her carrier strapped to his chest. She looked up at him and began to fuss. "Oh, dear Arceus, don't start up! Wasn't keeping me up all night enough?" He began to rub her back as he walked toward his office. "I wish your mother had survived!" He entered his office. "Fatherhood is amazing, they said. You'll love being a dad, they said, it's the best feeling in the world, they said, they could have said something about never sleeping again!"
Sycamore and Xerosic entered the office.
"Another human victim?" Sycamore was pale. "This is really bad!"
"The kid isn't the only Pokémon human hybrid." Xerosic was the only one grinning. "Team Nova was successful!"
"We don't know if this is a hybrid, so settle down." Lysandre ordered. A grunt led Nurse Joy into the office. "Nurse Joy. What do you know of this case?"
"The victim is Champion Leon Shield. His wife says the symptoms came on quite fast. They're the same ones experienced by Ash Ketchum." Nurse Joy reported.
"It is possible to create hybrids!" Xerosic's eyes glinted. Lysandre cleared his throat. "Oh, sorry! Did I say that out loud?"
"Xerosic, I doubt this is another Pokémon Human hybrid." Sycamore cut in.
"But it can't infect humans!"
"You two, don't. Xerosic, gather what supplies and manpower you will need. I'm flying you to Galar." Lysandre decided.
"I can be ready in 20 minutes!" Xerosic took off.
"Could this be it?" Sycamore began to pace. "Did it jump the barrier? Is this a successful infection? Are we about to witness the first outbreak of a pandemic-"
"SYCAMORE!" The scientist jumped and spun, hand clutching his chest. "Now that I got your attention, you are coming with or staying?" Xerosic asked.
"Coming with!" Sycamore gasped out, "I really didn't need the heart attack!"
"Get moving! Wheels go up in 20!" Lysandre watched them rush off. He turned to his computer and turned it on. He typed out a message and sent it. Within minutes the screen divided. A yawning Giovanni appeared in one screen. Maxie and Archie both appeared in another screen, Max and May at their sides. N, Lady J, and Luka appeared on the third screen. Lusamine appeared in the final screen. "Bad news. It's infected a human."
"Oh no!" Lusamine was the first to react. "Ash should be the only one. Team Nova wasn't successful, right?"
"Let's all calm ourselves. We know it is intelligent. The victim?" Maxie asked.
"It's the Galar Champion, Leon Shield." Lysandre answered.
"Why him?" Giovanni asked.
"We need to look at this like it will." N responded. "Zyta delivered a very powerful blow when she ripped Ash from it. It is very weak."
"I think I see it." Archie replied. "Ash was its avatar. When Zyta dealt that blow, it lost Ash and had to retreat for a bit. We can safely say it needs a new avatar. Now, why Leon?"
Max nodded. "It must know Leon is undefeatable. That's the only thing I can think of."
"It can't be because of just that. There has to be something else. Can Leon, by per chance, use Aura?" Luka asked.
"Hmm." N thought. "It is possible. There was an incident ten years ago in Galar that was stopped by someone using Aura. Aura users are greatly feared in Galar though."
"That would put Leon around 10 or 11. Would he have awoken by then?" Lady J asked.
"In the legends, awakening tends to happen when the character is extremely angry or very scared." May said. "The character loses conscious for a while, anywhere from a week to days. With a little… research, I bet I could see where this takes us."
"No hacking!" Both Maxie and Archie said together.
"Who said anything about hacking?" May grinned.
"If I find out you did some hacking, you will not be allowed to participate in the Pokémon League next year!" Maxie glared at her.
"I'll just make sure you don't find out then, Dad!"
"May, I mean it. You can also kiss your computer privileges goodbye for a month too!"
"Now, now. No need to be hard on her. She's a good girl." Archie said.
"What part of united front is so hard for you to grasp, Archie?"
"You are too harsh."
"And you are too soft!"
"And here we go yet again!" Max grinned, "Hey May! Who do you think is going to initiate the kiss first? I say Papa!"
"You're on! It's totally going to be Dad!"
"Seriously you two?" Maxie asked.
"They do have a point. Our arguments do lead to lip lock!" Archie grinned.
"Oy vey." Maxie closed his eyes. "This family I tell you."
"Yet you wouldn't trade us for anything in the world." May grinned.
Lysandre couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. The interactions between the dads and their children were cute. They were a happy family and it showed.
Xerosic studied Leon. The Champion was flushed from fever. He wished he could get a reading of Leon's temperature, but previous attempts had proven futile. He couldn't get close enough long enough to get a reading. He thought and brightened.
"No." Sycamore cut in before Xerosic could even open his mouth. "That's not what that is used for!"
"But I-"
"No!"
"…" Xerosic pouted and brightened a second time. He reached up to his goggles and fiddled with them for a moment. "I forgot I added a heat function!" He put them on. "And forgot I can't record actual temperature."
"Give me those!" Sycamore grabbed the goggles. "Going by the intensity of the heat Leon's giving off, I say we are looking at a temperature of at least 105."
Xerosic grabbed his goggles back. "How do you do that?" He paled. "You don't hunt, do you?"
"No, I don't hunt! I find hunting goggles useful in the field when the Pokémon I'm observing comes out only at night!" Sycamore rubbed his temples.
"I would love to get a reading on his heart. Ash's heart rate during attacks went as high as 240 bpm." He turned to Jayla. "Leon doesn't have any heart issues or a family history of heart disease?"
"He has been having some trouble keeping up his blood pressure after recovering from Tyrants earlier this year." Jayla looked at Hop.
"Our dad dropped dead during a Pokémon battle. Heart attack." Hop responded. "His name was Hopps Shield."
"He was dead before he hit the ground. Leon nearly mimicked his father six months ago." Pierce pulled up a recording on his Rotom phone. Both Xerosic and Sycamore watched the recording.
"Leon looks sick." Sycamore noted.
"None of us knew anything was wrong." Jayla joined them. "He's like a Purrloin when it comes to sickness. He went through with battling me anyway. Everything was fine at first. He proposed to me, and yes, I did say yes." On screen, Leon seemed to fold into himself as he went down. Jayla could be seen running toward him. "I thought for sure he was gone. I remember trying to rouse him until Sonia pulled me away to give Nurse Joy more space to work." Jayla felt her eyes prickle and blinked rapidly. "Leon spent the following three months in a coma. It took another month for him to fully wake up. He just got out of the hospital six weeks ago. Could that have anything to do with this?"
"Other than making him an easier target, no." Xerosic responded.
"Again, it's not Rabies!" Hop snapped.
"What I'm about to reveal does not leave this room." Sycamore decided. "The kid did not have Rabies. He was infected by the same thing affecting Pokémon, the shadowing, or as I've heard Zygarde call it, the Miasma. This is the very same thing that's affecting Leon."
"I knew it. So, what's the treatment?" Hop asked.
"There isn't any. The kid died despite my efforts." Xerosic looked away. "I wish I could promise that Leon won't suffer the same fate."
"And I won't." Everyone turned. Leon was sitting up and looking a lot less flushed. A faint glow shone from his eyes. Jayla took a step toward Leon. "I'm suppressing the infection."
"Are you a wielder?" Pierce whispered, eyes wide.
"Yes."
"You know that's illegal here."
"I do. We'll deal with that later. Right now, I need you to alert your gym trainers and prepare for battle. Get your people to safety."
"I'm not sure I should follow your commands."
"I'm ordering you, Pierce. I'm still your Champion. I know this is a huge shock to you, but for now, let's deal with the current situation."
"Yes, Champion." Pierce nodded and took off.
"You… How'd you hide it so well? You literally live 24/7 in the spotlight!" Hop found his voice. "How did I… Does mom know?"
"She doesn't, and nether do our grandparents. I'd like to keep it that way for now." Leon moved to stand. Jayla rushed to his side.
"All Flare personnel, I'm placing you under the command of Spikemuth's Gym Leader." Xerosic sent the order through his phone. He also sent a note to Pierce informing him of the order. Pierce acknowledged the note.
"What are you planning?" Jayla asked.
"First, my uniform." Leon waited. Jayla handed it to him. "I'm leaving my cape here. It will get in the way." He got dressed with Jayla's help. "Jayla, take my cape and put it on." Jayla did, confused. "I'm resigning as Champion." Hop let out a shocked noise. "Jayla, it is to you that I pass the title of Champion. Do you accept?"
"Yes. I swear to honor and uphold all the laws and regulations of Galar and Alola. I will lead Galar and Alola to the best of my abilities. To Galar and Alola, this I vow." Jayla responded. "You don't think you are going to survive."
Hop made a second shocked noise.
Sycamore handed over a pen and paper in which he had written down the needed details. "Here, you both sign. I'll sign as a witness." Leon and Jayla quickly signed. Sycamore added his signature. "This way, Jayla's championship can't be contested."
"Leon! What are you planning?" Hop found his voice.
"I am going to let it consume me. At the last moment, I intend to unleash all of my aura at once. I won't defeat it, but I hope I can at least weaken it even further." Leon explained. He knelt before Hop. "Don't worry. Everything will turn out all right." He felt Hop hugging him.
"You're going to die." Hop's voice shook.
"I need you to be strong for me." Leon hugged him back.
"Galar needs you!" Hop began to cry. "I need you!"
"Hopscotch." There was a tremble in Leon's voice. "I need you to take care of Mom for me."
"Please don't do this!"
"Be strong!" Leon pulled himself away from Hop. He collected himself, rose, and squared his shoulders. "It's coming." He closed and opened his eyes. They were now solid white. A white glow surrounded him. He was the picture of calm determination. Leon moved outside.
Already, shadowed Pokémon had gathered. None attacked. Pierce stood in front of his gym trainers and Flare personnel, microphone in hand, eyes full of determination. Jayla stood beside him, Cinderace at her side. It was the calm before the storm. No one spoke.
"You want me." Leon growled. "Come on, take me!"
The shadow Pokémon surged forth. Pierce shot orders left and right, his Obstagoon biting the neck of a Pancham. He sent it flying into a well-timed Pyro Ball from Cinderace. Leon closed his eyes as he felt another presence enter his mind.
"Finally! You are mine!"
"Too easy, huh?"
"Huh?"
Leon grinned. "You went after me for my Aura ability. Bad choice."
"No! You can't! That'll maim you!"
"I rather be maimed over being your puppet!"
"Stop!"
A blinding flash of light filled Spikemuth. Everyone was forced to cover their eyes. When the light faded away, both Leon and the shadow Pokémon were gone.
The scenery hadn't changed. The bird Pokémon paced them easily. Bonnie glanced up. It hadn't done anything threatening. Maybe it was protecting them? She didn't sense any malice from it. Her foot came down on air. Bonnie let off a scream as she fell.
Zyta bolted to the edge. Charizard surged over the edge and dove toward Bonnie. Alan reached the edge just ahead of Serena and Mairin.
"I can't teleport to her! She's falling too fast! Charizard says he might not reach her in time!" Zyta cried out.
Overhead, the great bird folded it's wings in and dove.
"I bet it was waiting for that!" Mairin screamed. "Chespie, maybe with your vines?"
"Ches!" Chespie shook his head no.
The bird shot by Charizard and went under Bonnie, catching her neatly on its back. It hovered in place as Charizard reached them. Bonnie let Charizard pick her up. She flew back up to her trainer and set Bonnie down. Bonnie sank against her, panting.
"Are you okay?" Alan asked, kneeling before the now shivering blond girl.
"I think so!" She sniffled. "It was that day again. This time there was no Ash to save me!" She began to cry. Charizard lowered her head and began to croon, letting Bonnie hug her head as she cried.
"That day?" Alan asked.
"She is talking about the day we got chased by an army of Toxicroak. She fell off a cliff. We didn't have flying Pokémon that could save her. Noibat was too small and Talonflame's body was far too hot. That's when we saw Ash in his Pokémon form diving under Bonnie and catching her. We didn't know it was him until he told us while he was dying. How do you know of Ash's secret anyway?" Serena asked.
"It was a rescue mission. Latias got snagged in a fisher's net while hunting and her mate, Latios, wasn't allowing anyone near her to untangle her. We get there and the fisher explains, and lets us know Latias is with egg, hence why Latios was being so aggressive. We couldn't get close ether. Officer Jenny brought out a tranquilizer gun. She didn't want to have to use it, but she felt we had no choice. Latios dodged all of her shots. Pikachu accidently got hit as did Charizard. Ash said he had an idea and took off. I followed. He went into an alley and shifted in front of me. He saw me, realized I saw, and told me to save my questions for later. We returned to Latios. Ash asked a Scyther to join him. He talked to Latios, asking him to let Scyther use her blades to help Latias. Latios allowed it after Latias cried to him. Scyther was very gentle and very careful in cutting the net off. Latias calmed Latios down and they thanked us before going home to their park. Ash told me our mission wasn't finished yet. A day later, Latios came and got us. We went to the park and Latias showed us her nest where she'd laid four eggs. We got to touch an egg. Ash told me Latias and Latios fully trusted us. Otherwise, we would be missing body parts. He spoke to Latias who revealed that she was chased by something very big and very hungry. She was very sorry about the net. Ash told her he would look into it." Alan explained.
"What happened next? Were Pikachu and Charizard okay?" Mairin asked.
"Did you find what chased Latias?" Bonnie sniffled.
"They were fine, and very angry at us for allowing that to happen. Pikachu actually went inside his ball and stayed in it for an hour. Charizard here refused to acknowledge me. Ash was holding Pikachu's poke ball. He looked at it and said, that mad, huh? And pocketed the ball saying it'll be an hour before Pikachu decides to come back out. I couldn't stop laughing! It was hilarious!" Alan smiled at the memory. "We did find out what chased Latias. It was a giant Sharpedo. We captured it and brought it to Sycamore. He told us later that the Sharpedo had something called Giantism, which is common in Hoenn Sharpedo. This one was small compared to other Sharpedo with the condition. It is not clear why Hoenn Sharpedo have a high rate of giantism. Sycamore was able to rule out a genetic cause, and on a return trip in which we got to see Latias and Latios babies, we collected samples of the water. By the way. Ash can't swim in human form. I very nearly had to perform CPR on him, twice, before he decided to swim in Pokémon form instead. Feeling better, Bonnie?"
"Yeah. I'm okay now. What is that buzzing? It sounds just like a Beedrill." Bonnie looked around.
Pidgerill rose from the breach and alighted near them. They all stared at him. He had the form of a Pidgeot, but he was colored like a Beedrill. His face resembled a gold mask where a pair of kind red eyes met their own. He cocked his head, and the buzzing sound was heard. Zyta listened.
"He's asking if you are okay, Bonnie." Zyta translated.
"I'm okay. Thank you." Bonnie smiled.
The great bird buzzed in answer.
"He says he is relieved. His name is Pidgerill. He is curious about why you are here. Humans tend to avoid the Breach." Zyta translated. "It's strange, but I understand his words." Serena explained everything. Zyta and Pidgerill conversed. "Pidgerill wants to follow us down the Breach. There are some Fragments that… can't think like we can. They are mindless killing machines."
"He can join us." Alan said.
Hop turned the page of the book he was reading inside the Hammerlocke Grand Library. A stack of books sat next to him while a stack of paper with notes scribbled on them sat on his right. He'd been at the books as Leon would say since Leon had vanished early that morning. He'd started with Aura users first. Jayla gave him permission to enter the restricted section of the library, which was in its own hall behind a locked door. This door didn't have a normal lock on it. To actually get into the restricted section, one needed the approval of the Champion and Hammerlocke's Gym Leader. To open the door, you needed Duraludon, and not just any Duraludon ether. You needed Raihan's Duraludon. Said Duraludon was curled up beside Hop. He'd been ordered to stay beside Hop at all times.
Hop turned the page. So far, he'd learned about the great war between Galar and Kalos where Kalos sent out Aura users against Galar. That explained the law that one must report any and all suspected aura users, even if said user was the Champion. Just how did Leon hide the fact he was an aura user so well from everyone? He literally lived in the public eye!
There was that long ago night too. What had scared him? Hop tried to remember. It had been pretty dark. Was it the darkness? He didn't think so. He'd never had a fear of the dark. He closed his eyes. It wasn't the dark, but something in the dark that scared him. Sighing, he opened his eyes. He'd found nothing so far.
"I give up, Duraludon. I just give up! I don't really know what it is I'm looking for!" Hop said.
"Dur?" Duraludon stood.
"I'm trying to figure out this Shadowing thing that took Leon. I'm completely lost!" Hop groaned out loud. "How do we fight this thing when we don't know what it is we're even fighting in the first place!"
"Duraludon!" Duraludon scampered off down an aisle of books. Hop watched. Duraludon returned minutes later, a scroll held aloft by psychic. He set it on the table carefully and rolled it out. Hop gasped. The scroll displayed a highly detailed map of what he guessed was a vast canyon. "Dura." Duraludon pointed a what looked like a temple on a mountain using a pen. Hop looked closer at the temple.
"Temple of Arceus." Hop read. "It's a map leading to the temple?" He took out his Rotom Phone and snapped a couple pictures of it. "Where is this canyon?" He noticed a block of text that had been penciled in. There was no mistaking Leon's graceful cursive. "Warning. The Breach is home to Pokémon called Fragments. One must be especially careful as these Pokémon are not normal Pokémon. They can't be caught or made to faint. These Pokémon must be killed in order to be stopped." Hop found another block of text near the first block. "The Breach is not a canyon in the normal sense as it did not form by water erosion. It is a scar left behind during the clash between the Forefather and the Dark Queen. Forefather? Oh, that's Arceus! Who is the Dark Queen?"
"Dur. Duraludon." Duraludon set another scroll down and rolled it open. It showed the image of what looked like a Rapidash leaping from the mouth of a Haunter. Hop spotted a large block of text in Leon's cursive.
"Zyta, the dark horse Pokémon. She is a ghost/dark type. This Pokémon is very dangerous. Her song will bring the end of everything. One will have to continuously attack to keep her from singing. It may be possible Meloetta can counter the song. Zyta currently sleeps in a place called the Ethernet in the heart of Unova. No one knows what her awakening will be like, or when she will awake. I thought Eternatus was bad! Zyta is even worse! Why show me this?" Duraludon pointed at another block of text. Instead of Leon's neat cursive, it was block letters. "The Miasma is the first sign of her awakening. Pokémon will turn dark and hungry. Humans are safe from the effects. It is possible the Miasma can affect aura."
"And that's all of it." Hop finished explaining everything to Sonia, Mongolia, and the other Professors on Mongolia's computer screen.
"That's Zyta. I can safely assure you while she is behind this, she is not the enemy. In fact, she is working to end this." Elm responded.
"From what Clemont told me, it started cycles ago." Sycamore filled everyone in. "Zyta feels terrible about this."
"If she were to be caught, would that stop the Miasma?" Hop asked.
"Zyta has already been caught. Her trainer is Alan." Sycamore answered. "Hop, I am sorry about your brother."
"It will be okay. I want to travel to the Altar of Arceus. There has to be something there that can give us answers." Hop responded.
The world went sideways. Hop and Sonia toppled to the ground. Mongolia cried out, pointing at the window. The sky was on fire. It swirled and roiled. Pokémon screamed. Hop crawled to the door.
"Shadow Pokémon." He got to his feet. "Wooloo, I need you."
"Be careful! Wooloo could become infected! Yamper, go with him!" Sonia ordered.
"Yamp! Yamp!" Yamper scampered after Hop.
Outside, Hop looked around. Other trainers were already engaging the shadow Pokémon. A Scorbunny unleashed an Ember, burning a shadow Pokémon and creating an opening for a Haxorus to wade in and unleash a Draco Meteor, sending shadow Pokémon scattering right into the waiting flames of a Carkol which rendered them to dust. There weren't many trainers. Hop swallowed.
"Wooloo, double kick! Yamper, Spark!" Hop watched as both of the Pokémon attacked. Already, things were not looking good. Would Wedgehurst fall just like Luminous City had?
"Champion!" Piers bolted into the apartment. "Wedgehurst is under attack!"
"By what?" Jayla was up instantly. Now was the time to be the Champion, not the grieving widow. Wait. Widow? Leon was not dead, and they weren't even married yet!
"It's Shadow Pokémon! Kabu is racing there as we speak!"
"Tell Kabu I'm coming." Jayla remained calm. If the Champion panicked, their Gym Leaders would panic, and chaos would erupt. Right now, Galar needed it's Champion. She picked up Leon's cape and tied it in place. She added her poke ball belt next. Let's see. Cinderace and Charizard were musts. Alolan Ninetails and Mr. Rime would remain behind. Dragapult and Coalossal were musts. Eternatus too. Haxorus? She wasn't comfortable yet with Haxorus. Inteleon? Blastoise? Inteleon, definitely. She placed the poke balls on her belt. "Close off Spikemuth and tell Raihan to lower the gates."
Piers nodded and took off. Jayla was basically blocking off the Wild Area.
Outside, she released both Charizard and Cinderace. Charizard surged to the air seconds later, both Cinderace and Jayla on his back.
In Hammerlocke, Raihan watched as the great gates groaned their way back to life. They shuddered and began to drop laboriously down their track. He knew Kabu had done the same. Two of his gym trainers ran up to him.
"East gate secure, boss." The younger one reported.
"West gate secure, boss." The older one reported.
"The city Pokémon?" Raihan asked.
"At their stations and ready to defend!" the younger one said.
"Evacuations?"
"Fully completed!" the older one answered.
His third gym trainer joined them.
"Where do you want us, boss?" she asked.
"I want you on the east gate, you on the west gate, and you will join me here at the main gate." Raihan ordered. He took a steadying breath. As much as he wanted to rush to Wedgehurst's aid, his city came first.
Somehow, they were managing. Two trainers had fallen, and Hop was pretty sure one of them was dead.
"Wooloo, headbutt!" he directed, "Yamper, spark!"
Both of the Pokémon responded. Hop knew they were tired. They had to keep fighting, just a little longer. Jayla and Kabu were coming.
He heard a loud crack and looked up. Was that part of the Pokémon lab toppling toward him? Time slowed down. He wasn't going to survive this. This was how he was going to meet Arceus. Stupidly, he reached up at the falling chunk of brick and window.
The world blurred. Hop felt himself being carried. This was how Arceus brought you to his side? The arms didn't feel human. They wouldn't be human! They were too small for one thing, and they were covered in white fur.
"Cinderace!"
Wait. He knew that voice!
"Cinderace! You saved me! That means Jayla's here!" He hugged the rabbit Pokémon. "Wooloo! Yamper!"
"Yamp! Yamp!"
"Woo! Wooloo!"
Cinderace set Hop down on a side street. Both Wooloo and Yamper pounced on him, eagerly accepting the attention he gave them.
"Mongolia and Sonia?" Hop dreaded the answer.
"Cin, Cinder." Cinderace was quiet.
"Oh no." Hop shook his head. "I need to get back out there!"
Cinderace held him back despite his protests. What looked like a fiery bird shot by. Screams filled the air. Hop stopped struggling. A giant red burning centipede unleashed a rain of fire. Kabu's Centiskorch. Hop felt the heat rolling in waves off of Centiskorch.
Jayla had all six Pokémon out of their balls. She'd slipped on Leon's Dynamax band, and Charizard gigamaxed at her command. It took effort not to lose herself to the intoxicating energy flowing off of Charizard. This was why Leon always looked like he was in rapture when he ordered Charizard to Gigamax! How did he not lose himself? A crash followed by human screams reached her ears. She spun and bolted toward a crumbled building.
"Dragapult, anyone inside?" She asked.
"Draga!" the ghost dragon dove into the rubble.
"Roly, use overheat! High temp!" Jayla felt the hot flame flash by. Shadow Pokémon everywhere burned. She glanced up. "You fully charged?"
"Eternatus!" Eternatus was in belt of Arceus form as Leon had called it. All five mouths were open, balls of purple light waiting to be unleashed. The center of the belt was bright with purple light.
"Wait just a bit longer!" Jayla turned to Dragapult, who shook his head sadly. "Got it. Inteleon, get ready to bring the rain! Everybody down! Eternatus! Eternabeam!"
Purple light filled the area. It cleared after a minute. Inteleon was waiting. He sent a snipe shot up at the sky. Rain fell in sheets, putting fires out. Hop, looking bedraggled, joined her. The rain ended as fast as it had started. The shadow Pokémon were gone. Everyone gathered around the Champion. Charizard reverted to normal alongside Centiskorch.
"Champion?" Kabu waited.
"I want all Provinces on high alert. All gym leaders are required to have a Pokémon with a fire type attack among their moves. I want patrols on all routes. This year's Pokémon League is canceled. We're going red." Jayla laid out her orders. "Those who are able, let's begin searching for survivors. I'm evacuating both Potswick and Wedgehurst to Motostoke." She looked at Kabu, who nodded.
Dragapult directed Cinderace and Inteleon as they worked through the rubble. Coalossal settled in the square where she provided heat and light as well as her soothing voice. Charizard patrolled from the sky while Eternatus used its greater strength to help with the search. Dragapult trumpeted. Jayla and Nurse Joy rushed over to him. Carefully, Cinderace pulled Sonia free of the rubble. Nurse Joy checked.
"She's alive, but barely. I would like for her to be taken to Hammerlocke Memorial, but she won't survive the trip." Nurse Joy looked up. "It's far kinder for me to help her go to Arceus."
"Eternatus." Eternatus rumbled, it's body bright with energy.
"You want to do what you did with Leon for her?" Jayla asked. Eternatus nodded. "But will it work on someone who is still alive?" Again, Eternatus nodded. "Okay. Can I trust you to get her to the hospital after?" Eternatus nodded for the third time. It crouched low, it's ribs parting to close around Sonia. It rose, Sonia safely ensconced within its body and streaked off toward Hammerlock.
Dragapult tugged on Jayla. Inteleon had laid Mongolia down before Nurse Joy. She checked, and sadly shook her head. Jayla's shoulders dropped. That met four dead. Hop, holding Yamper, joined her.
"She's dead, isn't she?" He whispered. Jayla gave a sad nod. "Sonia?"
"She's alive, but in life threatening condition. Eternatus is rushing her to Hammerlocke Memorial in Hammerlocke."
"But she'll live, right?"
"I don't know."
They were now down in the Breach. The ground above was too unstable to walk on and they couldn't afford to lose time. Pidgerill carried them down into the breach and was keeping pace from the air. Everybody was tense. It had not helped coming across the remains of a normal Pikachu being devoured by what looked like a fusion of a Nidorino and a Rhyhorn. Its body was stone grey. It had the back spikes and head of a Rhyhorn with the horns of a Nidorino. Its body shape was that of a Nidorino. Pidgerill had called it Nidohorn. It had completely ignored them as they crept by.
SKEE! SKEE! SKEE!
Everyone jumped, heads snapping left and right. Subconsciously, Alan shifted until the girls were behind him. Zyta stood on his left while Charizard stood on his right. Zyta glanced at Alan, body tense.
SKEE! SKEE! SKEE!
"Zyta, ready a dark pulse." Alan commanded. "Charizard, ready a flamethrower."
Zyta focused. She felt the attack grow at the back of her mouth and thanked Arceus she couldn't gag. Still, it was an uncomfortable sensation. She scanned the cliffs, one ear facing Alan. Movement caught her eye and threw herself into Alan, knocking him aside while unleashing her dark pulse at the shimmering strands of what she guessed was string shot. The remains of the attack fluttered to the ground where they melted into steam and drifted away. Zyta looked at Alan.
"I'll ready another dark pulse!" She tensed.
"You can relax." Alan said, "I would never harm you."
"Sorry! My last trainer was whip happy!"
"Who was your last trainer?"
"Queen Malisa, queen of Pokelantis. Dang rhymes with witch caught me with a master ball. I didn't have a choice but to obey. The things I was forced to do were atrocious, and I will spare you all the gory details." Zyta took a calm breath.
"You acted as you should by protecting your trainer, me. A Pokémon should protect their trainer because they want to, not because they have to."
"It's good then that I wanted to protect you. That was String Shot, a bug type move that lowers speed, but going by how it seemed to melt into steam, I'm guessing it burns you instead of lowering your speed, much like Will-O-Wisp."
Several caterpillar Pokémon leapt down from the cliffs to land before them. They looked just like yellow Caterpie. The one in front made the noise they'd all been hearing. The leader lunged forward, right into a flamethrower unleashed by Charizard. Charizard let out a strangled squeak, desperately trying to claw at the Caterpie hanging from her neck. Alan dove at it, managing to yank it free from Charizard. It lurched in his hands, twisting itself around to grab hold of his hand. Alan felt it's teeth pierce his skin. Zyta was there, growling, horn slick with blood as the body split into two and fell away from his hand. The remaining Caterpie dove at the remains of their leader. Alan staggered back. How had Zyta moved so fast? Charizard was down, faintly whimpering as her blood spilled from her neck. He tried to go to her. His body felt heavy, and his vision was wavering. Somehow, he made it to his beloved Pokémon's side.
Pidgerill landed and hopped over to Charizard. It made a weird noise, and string shot issued from it's beak to pile itself over Charizard's neck. Next, the bird Pokémon used it's beak to pack it into the wound. Alan looked up, wishing everything would just stop moving for a moment. He looked at the now swollen bloody mess that was once his hand.
The girls appeared beside him. Serena's mouth was moving. Moments later, her Braixen appeared and went to his side, her paws gentle as she manipulated his hand. Yes. Braixen. Charizard was sitting up now with help from Pidgerill. She looked a bit dazed, but she wasn't bleeding to death anymore. So dizzy. Hot flame licked his hand. For some reason, there was no pain. Why was there no pain? Fire hurts, right? Right? His vision was fading. He felt someone gently helping him to the ground. Finally, everything went black.
Queen Sunstar: My laptop died. There was no fixing it. While I lost some stuff, most of my stuff is saved to a flash drive. I misplaced said flash drive. Thankfully, I found it. It took me some time to save up for a new laptop. I also started a new job, and am writing a novel. I moved back in with my parents. My mom had a bad fall. She broke her elbow and tore both her Meniscus and ACL. She managed to escape surgery and is doing well.
Up next, we will get some more Lance/Cynthia, and a little bit of Raihan/Sonia. Yes, Mongolia is dead. Hop leaves Galar, and meets up with everyone in the Breach. The Miasma will reveal it's plan to Leon. We will also meet another sane Fragment courtesy of Pidgerill. See ya later.