Pokemon XD: Wings of Shadow

by Orca2015

They said it was a monster. They said it could not be saved. But he's always had a knack for reaching the hearts of the even the most corrupted souls. Will it be enough though to save XD-001? Sequel to Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. Rated K for intense action sequences and themes of abuse.

42. Chapter 41- The Grandmaster

Pokemon and its characters all belong to the Pokemon Company and Gamefreak. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness and Pokemon Colosseum and their associated characters belong to Genius Sonority. No copyright infringement intended. Please support the official release.

Cipher's Hidden Base

---

Michael took a deep breath. This was it.

Right ahead was the ominous hangar bay of Cipher's final stronghold. Their forces scattered.

All that fighting, all that snagging, all that hard work had led to this moment. The moment he'd face Grandmaster Greevil and put an end to Cipher once and for all.

Most importantly, he'd put a stop to whatever this Project TEMPEST was and save the entire region.

It was funny. Yesterday he was wondering if he should be the one to save them all. If he was too young, too emotional. Too…compromised. When the moment came, and he had to face Greevil one last time, would he really be the one prepared enough to take him down?

Michael glanced down to his left arm, feeling the comforting weight of his father's snag machine. He felt something brush against his pants, and looked down to see the bright eyes of his beloved Espeon. The sun Pokemon gazed up at him, and Michael knew his answer.

What's more, a figure that almost would seem like a mirage not too long ago strode up alongside him to his right. Wes and Rui. The heroes of Orre. Ready to fight alongside him. Him. What-what on earth did he do to deserve this honor?

A large shadow descended on his left, giving him his answer. He looked up on the white feathers of Lugia, Guardian of the Seas. It wasn't so long ago those feathers were dark. Those kind eyes blood red with rage. The maw that threatened to let forth a cascade of darkness was now curled up into a grateful smile.

Michael smiled back. He wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't for Lugia. Would've been lost himself without the legendary looking out for him. They'd come so far, that it would seem almost impossible to imagine this would end without either one of them sitting things out.

Nor any of them as a matter of fact. Wes and Rui had been fighting Cipher since day one. This…this was their moment as well. They deserved to see it to the end.

In fact, ALL of Orre deserved this moment. Everyone from everywhere pulled together to deliver this chance. Eagun. Justy. Cail. Agate. Phenac. Pyrite. Even those from Cipher themselves such as Eldes and Lovrina had come together to finish this fight. There could be no more fitting end for a saga that encompassed the entire region.

And for that, they could not afford to be unprepared.

He brought up his visor, taking a good look at the hangar before them. It was large and empty. There were boxes of supplies strewn about, but the fighters this hangar used to hold were absent. No telling or flag to signify who this once belonged to. As spartan as you could possibly get really.

But there was darkness upon it. Michael knew that this would be the only place to launch whatever this Project TEMPEST was. The shadows seemed to lengthen and the air was thick with tension. If Greevil wanted to launch TEMPEST, he'd have to make his stand here.

Along the wall was a computer console, with a window showcasing a program being updated. It said, "TEMPEST FINALIZATION IN PROGRESS".

"Looks like he hasn't managed to get it up and running," Wes mused, relief seeping in. Maybe they'd be able to stop TEMPEST before it launched. If they could do that, they'd save a lot more lives.

"Well, no time to waste then." Michael closed his visor, taking his first steps into the dark hangar bay. He could hear his footsteps echo off the steel walls, fading into the depths of the base. Wes brought up his side, his Umbreon and Espeon covering the bandit's unguarded flank. Michael's Espeon followed suit with his trainer, the Eeveelutions eyes peering into the dark. As they crept into the hangar, Lugia brought up the rear, reaching out with his mind to-

-the moment the legendary stepped inside the hangar, a number of pylons and rods shot out from the walls just inside the gaping entrance. Lashes of dark energy fired out, surrounding and striking Lugia. The dragon cried out, finding it becoming painful just to take another step.

"LUGIA! YOU ALRIGHT?!" Michael cried out, seeing the Guardian being paralyzed from the contraption. He never got an answer, though the awful screaming in his head told him everything he needed to know.

Lugia's violent thrashing didn't help matters one bit. His long neck and great body were struggling against his bindings, trying to break himself free. But the energy held firm, seemingly intensifying the power with each jerk of the body. Intensified cries from the beast joined renewed thrashing, which in turn caused the energy to intensify once again.

"Lugia! Relax! I'm right here! Focus on my voice, okay?! I'm right. Here!"

At once, the legendary's struggles slowed, his cries giving way to ragged breathing. Those panicked eyes locked with Michael's calming visage, who held out a reassuring hand. "I know it hurts, but trying to fight it will only make it a whole lot worse. Just try to stay calm while we figure out a way to get you free. Alright?"

Michael felt almost helpless against his friend's struggles. He was almost afraid his voice would get drowned out by all the screaming. But Lugia looked his trainer in the eye and slowed his breathing, calming himself down. Michael felt relief wash over him. Some things spoke a whole lot louder than pain.

"I'll see what I can do about those restraints," Wes declared, bringing out his pokeballs. Michael nodded, unhooking his capsules from his belt. The sooner they got Lugia out of those restraints, the better.

Before they could release their first Pokemon though, both Michael and Wes's Espeons cried out as their tails pointed to within the dark vacuum of the hangar bay.

"Oh, my dear XD-001. What have they done to you?"

Michael's spine chilled when he heard that voice. It was more than enough to get Espeon on edge to raise his hackles and hiss. Wes and his Pokemon immediately got into position. They never heard the voice before, but they had a pretty good idea of who it was judging from Michael's expression.

From the darkness, the old man stepped forward. No hover chair this time. Just an old man emerging from the shadows.

"Don't. Move. Another. Step," Michael growled.

Greevil surprisingly did halt his advance. Though his eyes still wandered longingly onto the great Guardian anyways. "My most loyal subject…all that work to unleash his inner strength…how could you?"

His voice took on a rather unnerving growl, his eyes staring daggers into Michael's heart. "How could you have denied my Shadow Lugia the perfection it long desired?"

"...don't you mean, what you desire?"

Michael almost felt a blood vessel burst, his hand curling into a fist. It was all he could do to restrain himself from sprinting over and strangling his throat.

The old man just sighed, managing to collect himself. "You're too young to understand, Michael. You look upon my works and see nothing but abominations. My methods barbaric. But did you know that just with a flap of a wing, Lugia is able to generate hurricanes? All from losing focus for but a moment. When was the last time such power had been unleashed upon the world?"

"Never. Cause unlike you, Lugia understands the value of restraint," Wes fired back.

Greevil turned with a rather amused smile at the bandit. "Oooooh…the conquering hero has returned at last. And as the head of Team Snagem no less. Guess all that time with your girlfriend in Johto went to waste if you're just gonna fall back into your old habits."

The bandit just shrugged, with Rui standing up glaring defiantly at the criminal mastermind. "Guess that shows what you know about humility," he simply stated, not rising to the bait. Not that he was going to be swayed right at the last minute by the one he'd been preparing to do battle with for years now. Wes knew the consequences of his actions, and he vowed to live with them if it meant Greevil wouldn't succeed with his.

One thing he didn't count on was a bitter chuckle from the Grandmaster. "Humility…just another byword for stubborn pride. To think one can save many just by holding back without destroying them all in the process. It's thought like that which resulted in the war being as bloody as it was. If people would just get off their high horse for once and end things before they got worse…"

His voice trailed off, the iron gaze faltering. "You're lucky," Greevil simply stated. "Both of you are. Neither of you never knew what the war really was like. What people had to do. But it leaves you blind. I saw what was needed. I saw what we needed to become in order to survive. And if I need to break one to pieces to get them to understand, then that's what I will have to do. It's their punishment for being so arrogant. To allow blood to stain their hands just to feel good about themselves."

…

"...that's a load of crap and you know it."

Everybody flinched from the coldness in Michael's voice. Wes, Rui, his Espeon, Lugia, even the Grandmaster himself. A line had just been crossed, and now it was time to unload the truth.

"Bad things happen, yes. Suffering is real, and…and it's a part of life as anything else." Michael looked at his Snag Machine, remembering the warm smile that forged it. And the pain that came when that smile disappeared from the world forever. How long he mourned.

And how he might carry that pain to the end of his days…

"Pain is real. And how we deal with it does help make us who we are."

His eyes snapped forward, taking on a cold sheen.

"But when you force that pain on others and try to justify it, that's not making them stronger. That's just you making an excuse and hiding behind it."

"And that's what you've been doing to all of these Pokemon," Rui sternly added in, taking a stand against the flabbergasted Grandmaster. "You're turning them into fighting machines that they never asked to be. You took that choice away from them and thrust the same pain you went through on others. For all that talk about making them stronger, you're just hurting them in the same way you were hurt yourself. Tell me, in what universe will that ever justify anything you did?!"

Her words rang out across the expanse. Michael himself was stunned by her words. He knew that she had to have been tough to hang out with Wes, but he never imagined she had that sort of spirit within her. No wonder those two have stuck together through thick and thin. Rui was almost like another member of Wes's team. A part of who he was.

Almost like how everyone back at the lab had counted on him. Believing that he could save the day and stop Cipher once and for all. They gave him strength. And so, he'd fight on for them, knowing that he could emerge victorious against the enemy.

That enemy just gave another said sigh. "You know, if circumstances were different, I would've given everything to have you on my side. But, you've made your position clear. And as painful as it is to me, I must honor it."

Greevil shrugged back his cloak as he said this, gaining a predatory look in his eyes. "Know this, children. you all have been the most formidable of all opponents. But for Cipher to succeed, XD-001 must be returned to me. And I won't take no for an answer."

The threat was hollow. How many times had Michael heard that promise he'd be laid out to be quartered? And that was before he had the Bandit Hero and the Guardian of the Seas on his side. "We're only going to give you this one chance, Greevil. Your forces are all now either captured or defected. Your Shadow Pokemon have all been purified. Lugia isn't yours anymore. And you've run out of places to hide. This is going to end only one way, and you know that."

Greevil just gave out a laugh at Michael's demand for surrender. "Foolish and naive as ever. All this time and you still haven't figured out the final lesson."

The Grandmaster grinned wildly as he threw out his first two Pokeballs. "As long as XD-001 exists, Cipher will never die."

Michael and Wes tensed up as Greevil's first two Pokemon emerged. On the right, a blue and yellow canine howled to the heavens, his mane crackling with thunder. On the left, a bird of prey took to the air, dark blue wings spreading out revealing a white feathered chest fringed with crimson.

Manectric and Swellow.

"Looks like he's stalling for time!" Michael realized. That meant that they needed to make things quick and-

Michael!

Hearing the legendary's voice in his head brought Michael around to face the trapped Lugia. You need to free me! If Greevil manages to get TEMPEST up and running, I'm your best chance at stopping it!

"...don't worry buddy. You'll be out of there in no time," Michael promised. Lugia was captured by Cipher once. There was no way he was gonna let that happen again.

"If we're gonna free Lugia, we need to divide our teams up! Have one focus on freeing Lugia and the other to hold Greevil off!" Wes explained. His Umbreon and Espeon got the picture almost immediately, heading off to the first node to disable it. Then the bandit quickly clicked a button on his Pokeball and released Sceptile, the reptile making a direct beeline along with the two Eeveelutions, having heard the plan from inside his Pokeball.

At the same time, Wes released a third Pokemon to face down the duo. Metagross stomped into being, their heavy legs sending shockwaves through the metal floor.

Greevil couldn't help but let out a smile at the familiar face. "Nascour's Metagross. Now this will be interesting."

Michael's own Espeon looked back at his trainer, nodding at what he needed to do.

His trainer on the other hand…

Divide and conquer, he realized. Figures. Even cornered Greevil still had a few tricks up his sleeve. And looking around, they saw roughly 12 of these pylons and nodes. Only way to disable them in a timely manner would have to be dedicating at least half of their teams to take them down. And if he were here alone, possibly his whole team. He'd have to leave Lugia in that trap to deal with Greevil, and that didn't seem right with him. Sure the legendary was tough, but considering the last time he was captured…

No. No time to think about that now.

Not when he wasn't alone.

"We'll get you free Lugia," Wes promised. "Just trust in us for a little longer."

I'll…I'll hold out for as long as I can, Lugia declared as he curled up, clearly holding in his distress. It pained Michael to see his partner like this, even more when you could feel the anguish bubbling under the surface. This was how he felt just before he was turned into XD-001.

All the more reason to make this quick then.

Michael threw out two of his own Pokeballs, releasing Fearow and Houndoom. "You two do what you can to get Lugia free!" he ordered. The raptor and hound didn't need any more direction, both of them already converging on the first nodes.

With his other hand, the teen let forth his third Pokemon. Salamence roared as he was released onto the field, spreading his wings to Intimidate his foes.

Greevil seemed rather amused at the dragon's appearance. "Well now. Seems you got that dragon of yours finally under control since last we met."

Salamence just snorted, slamming his tail onto the ground while giving the Grandmaster a pretty nasty snarl in response. "We've come a long way since Citadark Isle," Michael simply stated.

"No doubt you have. Swellow. Manectric. Go with Maneuver Delta."

Michael didn't have any idea of what "Maneuver Delta" was, but Greevil's Pokemon seemed to understand as they got ready for combat.

Not that it bothered either Wes or him any. They just turned to quickly strategize their battle plan. Wes was naturally the first to start, being the more experienced of the two. "I'll have Metagross cover-"

His plan was promptly cut off by Manectric letting forth a Howl from his maw, with lightning sparking along his yellow mane. Rui just barely had enough time to shout out a "LOOK OUT!" before the hound fired a Thunderbolt, with a brilliant flash of light that forced both trainers and their Pokemon to cover their eyes.

Salamence snarled at the cheap shot, his tail slamming to pump himself up with Dragon Dance. If the Grandmaster wanted to play dirty, he was going to have to try-

Swellow proved to be faster than his thoughts, quickly swooping forward and slashing razor-sharp wings against the drake with Aerial Ace. The bird put his whole weight behind the blitz, pushing Salamence's head aside. Taken off guard already from the blinding light, he was dazed enough to allow Swellow to quickly backpedal away.

With one Pokemon off-kilter, the other became a tempting target. Manectric seized the created opportunity by flashing his mane with lightning once more, causing Metagross to squint to avoid the harsh light. All that did was make him wide open for a Quick Attack, the blow glancing upon their metal hide. It didn't do much damage, but now the Iron Leg Pokemon had a wolf right in their face. On instinct alone, Metagross swung a Metal Claw with their left forefoot in the direction of the canine. It went wide though, Manectric being easily able to back away from the blow.

Frustrated by his quick opponent, Metagross swung another Metal Claw in order to make some contact. But their anger got the best of them, telegraphing their move wide enough for Manectric to almost effortlessly swing around and parry it with an Iron Tail. Now the construct found themselves on the defensive once more, the Discharge Pokemon leaping through the unprotected air and right onto their back.

Manectric howled, unleashing Thunder upon his mounted foe. It had happened so fast, that Metagross didn't have time to throw up a Protect in time, forcing them to take the discharge of powerful electricity at point-blank range. Only their iron hide served as a form of protection.

Seeing their ally going on quite the offensive, Swellow was able to swiftly disengage from Salamence to join in on the attack. He flew low to the ground, dragging his claws along the steel floor making a beeline for Metagross's face. His wings picked up dirt from the outside along with him, before the raptor slammed into Metagross's face. A Mud-Slap, or at least a form of it. Either way, the result was the same. The pseudo-legendary had found itself buffeted both from the dirt and from the bird slamming into their face.

Metagross lurched forward, bringing their legs in to form an Iron Defense from the constant assault. Their steel was their greatest weapon, and now all 550 kg of it had formed a shield around themselves. If they couldn't go on the offensive, they would dig in for the siege.

Unfortunately, Manectric wouldn't be denied his assault. He snarled, Crunching down on a partially exposed joint on one of the metal spider's legs. Metagross grimaced from the pain, but they refused to cry out. They would give neither the wolf nor his master the satisfaction.

What was given was time for Salamence to shake his head clear and see his ally under assault by both of Greevil's Pokemon. That was more than enough to get his predatory instincts shifting into high gear. The dragon beat his tail against the ground in another Dragon Dance before launching himself into the melee. His little display caught the attention of Swellow, who wheeled around to dive right at the charging Pokemon. At the last moment, the raptor veered to the right before coming in at Salamence's flank, ramming into his side with a Steel Wing.

Needless to say, even a powerful bird-like Swellow didn't have the muscle to directly contend with a powerful reptile like Salamence. The reptile snarled at the irritant, swiping him away with a Dragon Claw, and sending him skittering to the ground. A nasty grin spread across Salamence's face. He'd finally managed to connect an attack.

His maw opened wide, with blue flames threatening a DragonBreath. Now it was his turn to deliver the punishment.

Sadly though, he judged his moment too soon before Manectric leaped upon his back, mane crackling with thunder from a Charge he had set up earlier on the pinned Metagross's back. Salamence barely had enough time to react before the wolf howled and let forth a Thunder attack, electrifying the dragon. His thick scales provided some protection, but his wings were a lot more vulnerable. And they just took the attack head-on.

Swellow, having recovered from his fall, joined his ally in the assault, ramming another Steel Wing into Salamence's face.

"Those two are bouncing between us like it's nothing!" Michael realized. And to make matters worse, it wasn't as if either of their bigger Pokemon could hit a smaller target without risking injuring each other in the process. And that's assuming they don't get caught in a counter. It was infuriating! Already Greevil was running circles around them both and they hadn't managed to put together a solid offensive.

Wes managed to keep a cool head, but Michael wondered if he was as worried as he was. If he did, it seemed that experience and maturity managed to mask his thoughts. Putting on a brave front against the one who he had been chasing for so long. It certainly did put the younger teen at ease, letting his mind think for a moment about how to get past this latest roadblock.

Though in this case, Wes's mind worked a little faster. "Michael, we need to get those two apart. That should give us an edge. Just…follow my lead." He wasn't sure what the bandit meant by that, but he knew he could trust a more seasoned trainer. So he watched as Wes leaned forward and shouted, "Metagross! Go for a one-two!"

Wes's Metagross nodded, stomping their legs into the ground as they emerged from the shield. Filled with purpose, they made ready to turn the tide. Taking aim at the Swellow harassing a downed Salamence, they let out a Psychic blast. The raptor's sharp eyes managed to see the incoming attack, nimbly dodging by loosening up their feathers with Agility.

Both Swellow and Manectric disengaged from the now downed Salamence, now focusing on a Metagross that had left itself open from the blast. Swellow quickly took the lead, flapping his wings to rapidly close the distance between himself and the construct.

Which was all part of Wes's plan.

At the last minute, before Swellow was about to rake another Aerial Ace across Metagross's face, the iron spider lashed out and slammed both of their fists into the now surprised bird. The Meteor Mash sent Swellow flying, the gambit having paid off in dividends.

One Pokemon dealt with. Now for the other.

Manectric ducked under the flying Swellow, lightning dancing upon his mane. Roaring in fury, the wolf proceeded to let forth a Thunder. For the bird of prey had allowed him to close the distance and strike at point blank range. Metagross simply ducked down and tucked in their legs tightly into another, showing only hardened steel that withstood the attack with Protect.

This didn't stop the wolf from charging forward with fangs bared, another Crunch incoming. Already the Iron Leg Pokemon was spreading their forelegs, leaving their face open…

…and showing a Hyper Beam at the ready.

The wolf desperately tried to stop itself and dodge, but his momentum brought him too close. If Metagross could smile, they probably could when the Hyper Beam smashed into Manecrtic's body, throwing him across the field.

Salamence and Michael had been watching the proceeding exchange, seeing how Greevil's strategy had been turned on its head. And more importantly, the opportunity that had been laid out for them.

"SALAMENCE! USE DRAGON CLAW!"

Michael's words sharpened Salamence's senses, causing him to time the flying wolf just right…

NOW!

Salamence roared as he brought his strength and power into a mighty Dragon Claw, smashing the Manectric onto the steel flooring. It felt good to get some payback for that cheap stunt they pulled at the beginning of the battle. They wouldn't get away with it this time.

His euphoria was cut short by Manectric Crunching down on the dragon's neck. Salamence roared with both pain and fury, flapping his wings to dislodge the canine. Thick as his scales may have been though, those teeth were sharp and able to hang on. Not to mention strong enough to support Manecrtic reaching his paws upon Salamence's shoulder and hoisting himself up upon the dragon's back.

An uncharacteristic chill ran down Salamence's back, memories of a rodent flashing before his eyes. Already he could feel the electric currents run as Manecrtic prepared another Thunder. Salamence would be the first to admit that the last strike hurt. And his wings were shaking, just barely able to keep him up in the air…

Michael saw what was going to happen. Tough as Salamence was, he wasn't sure if he could take another Thunder at point blank range. His mind panicked, trying to find some way out of this situation.

The answer came to him in the form of the steel floor.

"SALAMENCE! THE FLOOR! USE THE FLOOR!" he shouted.

Salamence looked down at the floor per his instructions...and smirked.

Time to show a neat trick of his own.

Salamence proceeded to quickly roll his body around in midair, much to the surprise of Manectric. Naturally, the more experienced Pokemon latched on tightly to Salamence's back, claws digging into the blue scales. Electricity sparked across his mane, for the wolf wouldn't be thrown off that easily.

But Salamence never intended to throw his rider off.

The Dragon Pokemon roared with fury just as Thunder fired off, threatening to knock him out cold. His adrenaline though kept him awake just long enough to snap his wings and practically launch himself down onto the hard steel floor, making contact with his back.

And Manectric right on top of it.

BOOOM!

A ferocious Earthquake shattered the steel flooring, causing floor panels and wiring to come undone from the sheer impact of the strike. The Thunder that engulfed Salamence suddenly petered out. Tough as he was, Manecrtic didn't have much chance against a powerful Earth-type move at that range while being crushed by the much heavier Salamence.

Needless to say, Manecrtic let out a pained groan before going under, unconsciousness taking him.

Salamence grinned nastily before drifting himself into unconsciousness, having been satisfied with his act of defiance against the one who broke him.

"Nice work buddy!" Michael complimented as he recalled Salamence, but inwardly he was worried. Greevil was able to take out one of his tougher Pokemon from the first minute. Say what you would about how he handled Shadow Pokemon, the truth was he knew his regular team well enough to pull off a stunt like that.

"A pity. I remember when that Salamence was tough enough to take on my dear XD-001. Now it can't stand up to a regular Manectric. So much for posturing about how you don't need to go all out in order to win."

Michael had to stop himself from going over there and throttling Greevil's neck. "Well maybe he understands when to call it quits instead of fighting to the end," he shot back.

The Grandmaster just snorted with derision. "A kind sentiment. But unless you actually care about your Pokemon, you wouldn't want them to hold back either. Otherwise, they'll just end up dead with the rest of everyone else."

Not like YOU care about your Pokemon, he screamed in his mind. How could turning them into some kind of fighting machine count as "caring"?!

"Michael, he's just trying to get you riled up again. Don't let him get inside your head," Rui consoled. She must've been able to sense what he was feeling, or just took note of his rather enraged demeanor. "You let your anger control you, he wins. You understand?"

…

"Yes."

He took a deep breath, wrangling in his rage for a moment longer. And in time too. Michael noticed how his aura had flared up. Must've been those psychic powers again.

Not again. NEVER again, he told himself. If Greevil thought he could turn him into some kind of monster no better than him, he had another thing coming. He was going to win this thing the right way. There will be time to get angry, but not right now.

And right now, he needed to get his next Pokemon out. On Wes's side of the field, Swellow had recovered from the Meteor Mash and was lining up for another run at Metagross. The Iron Leg Pokemon didn't seem too beat up despite having taken the brunt of the assault, but Michael didn't want to take any chances. His hand reached down for his last Pokeball in reserve, figuring that the pseudo legendary might be able to hold out for just a little while longer.

At least, that's what he thought before a Shadow Ball slammed right into Metagross's face.

Across the field, Greevil's Granbull gave a ferocious roar as he dashed towards Wes's Pokemon. Between the sneak attack and the Intimidating roar, Metagross was taken off guard when the bulldog slammed his full weight into the metal construct. His fists followed next, making a powerful clanging noise when Brick Break smashed into that steel plating. It was enough to get even Wes a little visibly concerned since that sounded like it hurt.

Not helping matters was Swellow, now going on the attack, outstretching his talons at the now pinned Metagross and-

-bypassing them entirely.

It took Michael and Wes a few seconds before they realized Swellow's real target.

Behind them.

The raptor called out, zeroing in on a distracted Sceptile. He had taken out one of the nodes and was busy with another on the hangar wall, so he was caught off guard when the raptor stretched their talons out and raked him with an Aerial Ace. Luckily for him, his thick pad-like fingers were able to cling easily to the wall, preventing him from falling. Now firmly secured, Sceptile snarled as he let forth a Bullet Seed from his maw, the fast-moving projectiles flying through the air looking for their target.

Course, Swellow was easily able to nimbly move out of the projectiles' way, almost as if he were taunting his would-be aggressor. The next target was Fearow, who had been working with Sceptile on that node and was veering around for another attack on the raptor. She cried out, lashing with her outstretched talons with her own Aerial Ace. Seeing the oncoming rival bird, Swellow just loosened his feathers and maneuvered out of the way with Agility, the claws tasting nothing but air. Before Fearow could reorient herself, Swellow slammed into her with Steel Wing, sending her careening from the sky.

His attention then turned along with his body towards the other end of the hangar. Espeon and Houndoom were moving a little faster, disabling two of the nodes and working on their third on the wall, firing at it with energy and flame. Thus, they two were distracted when the raptor made a pass at them another Aerial Ace, the wings and talons knocking them both aside unaware before pulling back again to avoid retaliation.

He then pulled back towards the middle of the hangar bay, hovering just above the paralyzed Lugia with his wings flapping, surrounding himself in a tempest of wind.

And taking aim right at Metagross and Granbull, engaged in their own melee.

Wes saw the Sky Attack happen before his eyes and didn't like his Pokemon's odds. "Metagross! Get Granbull off you and use Protect!"

The construct groaned as they shoved the dog off of them. Granbull managed to catch himself before being thrown back and lunged forward with his jaws open, only to get a Meteor Mash right in the face. That certainly did the trick with Granbull being sent to the earth, rolling away from the impact.

Metagross then proceeded to cover up their weak points with Protect once more, forming that impenetrable shield. And just in time too. Swellow called out with a ferocious battle cry before propelling himself at the construct, propelled at a neck-break velocity from the winds surrounding him. Fearow had just gotten back into the air from the Steel Wing and was in no way able to intercept the bird-shaped projectile.

Lugia cried out as he made a lunge for the bird, but the energy tethers kept his neck down, causing him a great deal of pain for his trouble along the way.

Now unopposed, Swellow slammed into Metagross with the Sky Attack, that tempest coming to full bear on the iron spider. Covered up in the Protect, the Steel-type came out of the attack virtually unscathed. Just enough time for the construct to turn around and-

-take the full force of an Earthquake head-on the moment they emerged from the Protect.

Granbull had been watching intently, seeing his ally set up the opening he needed. And when the time was right, he emerged from his crouched position and slammed his mighty fists into the steel floor, causing it to buckle and heave from cracked iron and sparking wires. Metagross could barely keep on top of their own feet from the attack.

But the hound didn't stop there. Amidst all the carnage and destruction he bounded through the wreckage with jaws opened wide. Metagross saw the incoming attack and moved to shield their face, but it was too late. From all the constant attacks and assaults, they had taken a beating, and their movements became sluggish. Leaving them unable to shield themselves from a mighty Crunch.

Granbulls had one of the strongest bite forces out of any of the canine family, and it showed as Metagross buckled from the bite. The arm within the bulldog's powerful jaws almost seemed to strain and distort. And the carnage didn't stop there. He hammered in Brick Break after Brick Break, each one driving Metagross further and further into the steel flooring.

Eventually, the assault became too much as the construct lost consciousness under the relentless assault. Wes quickly got out their Pokeball and recalled the fainted Metagross before any more damage could be done. Behind him, Lugia's head fell from having failed to save his ally.

Upon the pseudo legendary being recalled, Granbull howled in victory. "Such a pity. I knew that Metagross when it was under Nascour's control," Greevil sighed sadly in sharp contrast to his Pokemon's triumph. "It was one of the most powerful Shadow Pokemon in the original batch, maybe even rivaling one of the legendary beasts. And now it can't even stand up to my Granbull. That's two powerful Pokemon that you stripped down."

Wes just glared back when he hooked Metagross's Pokeball to his belt. "If Shadow Pokemon were so much better, how come your back's to the wall?" he simply asked. "Any Pokemon can be defeated by using the right tactics and moves. As much as I hate to admit it, you're pretty good with your Pokemon as they are, but they aren't Shadow Pokemon."

"They're the exception," Greevil answered bluntly. "They've been with me for a long time. What they lack in strength, they make up for in experience. But Pokemon like them are rare. Those willing to work with men with ambitions like mine. All others are just weighed down by pride that they can get the job down with only a sliver of that effort. And here I thought you'd have been different."

The bandit would've said something about how overwhelming force doesn't build things back up, just tear them down. That the Grandmaster seemed to have mistaken cruelty for strength. How Greevil might've been a good trainer, maybe even a brilliant leader. But a leading authority in terms of morality and how Pokemon and man should behave? One who genuinely believes that corrupting Pokemon just to prove a point? He had it all wrong. Not when Wes knew there was another path.

He would've said that…but Granbull just roared as he went on the attack, charging right towards Wes and Michael. Or rather the Pokemon behind them, but somehow neither trainer figured he would care.

Good thing then that neither trainer knew when to quit either.

Wes tossed out his Pokeball right at the charging Granbull, the energy forming into the large crocodilian form of Feraligatr. Both Pokemon collided into one another, locking claws and fists in a test of strength. Granbull roared as he lunged forward, fangs ready to Crunch down on the alligator.

Feraligatr though beat him to the punch, locking his massive fangs onto Granbull's jaw and delivering a Crunch of his own. The two Pokemon bit down at once, delivering their powerful bites.

Course, while Granbull may have one of the strongest bite forces of any canid Pokemon, Feraligatr had one of the strongest bite forces of any Pokemon period.

And so, Granbull grimaced as he took the bite, being thrown back by a flick of Feraligatr's neck. The crocodilian growled menacingly at the dog, almost daring him to make another move.

Granbull hesitated for a moment, almost like he was second-guessing about taking on a hulking reptile that could out-crunch him. Naturally, the moment lasted about a second or two before the dog shook his head and went back on the attack-

-only to be pushed back by a Psychic attack.

Feraligatr looked to his side and greeted Gardevoir, the empath gliding to his side to face down the enemy. Her arms were already channeling a fierce amount of mystical energy, enough to make one's hair stand up. Why wouldn't she when she faced down the one behind all the torment the region had suffered these past few months?

Gardevoir looked at the Water-type with a fiery gaze that could melt through steel beams. More than enough for the Big Jaw Pokemon to give a wiry grin. She would make for a good partner in this fight.

Especially against a now enraged Granbull. They took their stance as the bulldog glared at them both, those fangs looking rather sharp and those powerful muscles tensing for combat. It was gonna take some work in order to bring a Pokemon like this down.

Work and time. Time that was running out.

Michael knew this, already formulating a plan for Gardevoir to quickly deal with the Fairy Pokemon. Whatever he was gonna say though was drowned out by an ear-pounding Roar. Both trainers and their Pokemon cringed, their eardrums unable to fully withstand Granbull's deafening bellow.

Well…all except one of course.

Swellow was well above the range of the roaring bulldog, and thus able to dash through the air unimpeded by the sound. His wings bristled with sharpened wings and his eyes zeroed in again on Sceptile, who had disabled the previous node and was working on a second. Leaving them wide open for an incoming Aerial Ace.

Distracted, Sceptile didn't have enough time to react to Swellow closing in with those razor-sharp wings…

…good thing that Swellow wasn't the only raptor on the field.

A brown blur tackled Swellow from below, pummeling him straight through the air and into another pylon above, smashing it. Fearow had not been idle since being blindsided. She may not have been able to stop Swellow from his assault on Metagross, but she sure could ram a Pursuit into his unguarded chest. They wanted to fight dirty? She knew how to fight dirty.

Fearow shrieked, shoving Swellow onto the metal ceiling. Her beak rapidly drove into the pinned bird with Fury Attack, unwilling to give even an inch. The Swallow Pokemon grimaced as he took blow after blow, curling his wings so his feathers could cushion at least some of the strikes. Course Fearow just tried to work around those thick feathers, her claws grasping for more vulnerable parts.

But now Fearow was in a bad position. Swellow let out a warcry, lashing out with Steel Wing and smacking the brown raptor right in the face. Fearow backpedaled to get some distance and clear her head, only for the bluish bird to rake his claws across her plumage with Aerial Ace.

Fearow grimaced from the pain, losing both air and altitude from the barrage of attacks. Luckily though, her mind was a bit faster than the rate she was plummeting. As Swellow dove down for another Aerial Ace, the Beak Pokemon loosened her feathers to allow the other bird of prey to dive past. Agility works wonders when you need to get some distance, which Fearow took advantage of by getting some air away from her rival.

She flew into the air, her wings carrying her aloft in great bursts of speed before wheeling around with a bit of a flourish. Down below, she could see Swellow hovering above the pinned Lugia and beginning to gradually gather winds and air around him with frenzied wings.

Another Sky Attack.

Well…now or never then.

Fearow tucked in her wings and began to spin herself into a Drill Peck, taking aim at the raptor below her. If she could just reach him, get to him before he could pull off that Sky Attack, she might be able to knock him out. If she couldn't…

She dove faster, picking up speed along the way. But her eyes widened when she saw Swellow becoming fully charged. He'd be able to knock her out before she could even touch him. At this point, it would take a miracle in order to close that distance before it was too late.

Sadly, luck didn't seem to be on her side. Swellow cried out as he rushed forward, propelled by the Sky Attack and aiming to-

-his ascent was promptly halted in mid-air when something bit down on his tail feathers.

Looking down, he saw that Lugia had managed to clamp down and restrain the raptor in mid-air. Despite the energy coursing around his neck threatening to bring him down, Lugia still held firm. For the propelling winds and tempests were no match for the strength of the Guardian of the Seas.

Swellow squawked as he tried to pry himself free, but he was effectively trapped in those massive jaws.

And right in the way of Fearow's Drill Peck. For the miracle had been found.

Fearow slammed into Swellow, yanking him right out of Lugia's now open jaws and drilling him right into the steel floor. You could practically hear the loud CLANG! as Greevil's bird was knocked out on impact, with the brown raptor standing on top of his body and cawing with victory.

Wordlessly, Greevil returned Swellow to his Pokeball, the gambit being foiled.

"I will concede that you have been getting better. Both of you," the Grandmaster admitted. He let out a dry chuckle, the old memories probably coming up from wherever they may have been lying. "Only seemed like yesterday when Michael was just some boy pretending to be some hero out to save the world. Or when you, Wes, were just some bandit looking for someplace to sleep. Now here you are. Facing down the one behind all that you've been striving to destroy."

"No thanks to you," Michael snapped back. He was getting really tired of this old creep trying to pass himself off as the good guy here. How many times was he gonna-

"Exactly! Because of me!"

…and there went the wind in Michael's sails right now.

He looked over and saw that Wes was just as gobsmacked as he was. It didn't sound like the Grandmaster had snapped. And he didn't seem to waver, standing there with a confident smile on his lips.

"Michael, without Cipher, you still would've been trapped in that laboratory of yours. If we hadn't come along to apprehend your venerable Professor Krane, what other reason would you have to push yourself as a trainer?

"And Wes. If Cipher had never gotten Snagem to start snagging Pokemon in the first place, you would've never left to become the hero you are now! And most certainly you would have never been able to become a champion of the great Ho-Oh himself!

"Don't you see? All that training, all those battles, all that getting stronger was all to take me down! If I hadn't come along, nobody would've even known your names, let alone your faces."

"I…I fail to see the point," Rui stammered out. "Why on earth does breaking Pokemon into fighting machines make us stronger?"

"That's the whole point!" Greevil shouted rather ecstatically, promptly silencing a stunned Rui. "You can't better yourself if you can't rise to adversity. You can't become stronger if you aren't put through hardship. That's what I've been trying to tell you! This dream of being the better man and rising above the chaos doesn't stack up to the hardships of this world! Otherwise, catastrophes like the war happen! Could you imagine if they didn't hold back? How quicker things would've wrapped up? How many lives would have been saved?!"

He suddenly gestured towards Lugia, causing the legendary to glare back in defiance against his former master. "The Titans. If Lugia had put the foot down and sundered the Titans like I managed to do with him, we may have avoided the Shamouti Crisis!"

You mean FORCE them to accept my point of view rather than teach them?! Lugia practically shouted back. The voice was mental, but it was punctuated by the dragon snarling in frustration. That would've been no better than what YOU did to us! I wanted them and mankind to exist in harmony. What happened was tragic, yes! But that doesn't mean it was my place to make them my slaves!

"Nor does it justify any of what you're doing!" Michael added. He wasn't going to let Lugia fight this on his own. Not against the one who tormented him into becoming a broken wreck. "I still would've left to help out Orre regardless of Cipher or not! Cause I'm not the one who just stands by and watches people suffer!"

To even suggest he'd stand by and watch his mom and Krane rehabilitate Orre was repulsive to him. He was a trainer. And trainers don't sit at home waiting for the call to come to them.

"Neither would I have stood by knowing what I did!" Rui chipped in. "I knew I had to find help, and I did! Because that's what anybody with a conscience would've done. I would never let cruelty happen if I didn't have anything to say about it!"

Wes beamed with pride at this girlfriend. "Same with me. I'll admit, I never was the most moral person. I…hurt people. Even before I became a snagger. But if I learned that there was another way, I would've left Snagem on the spot! You can't say you're necessary for us to become who we are when we would've made those choices the very moment we knew we could."

The bandit's voice suddenly became low and steely, cutting through the air far louder than Greevil's ramblings could. "You're just trying to cover up your own cruelties and refusing to accept the responsibility. Like. A. Coward."

"...shut…shut up…"

Michael got chilled when he heard Greevil hiss like that. He didn't do it often, but when he did it was a sign that things were about to get really bad.

And things indeed get bad. Greevil whipped out a hand and tossed out his third Pokeball. The energy burst open and materialized into the form of a purple star-shaped Pokemon.

Starmie.

"I'll have Gardevoir cover you while Feraligatr deals with Granbull. Sound like a plan?" Wes thought for a moment before giving a thumbs up. They both knew that chances were that Starmie probably had some kind of ace up their sleeve. Particularly with Feraligatr. Michael knew that the Starmie line usually had some powerful electrical attacks up their sleeves. After all, he did snag one a while back.

And letting one run rampant on the field for too long was practically asking for trouble. Both Gardevoir and Michael knew this, staring down the starfish. They didn't have a face, just a single gem in the middle of their…whatever passed for a chest. It was actually pretty unnerving just how blank it was.

Then again, probably would've been a perfect Pokemon for the type of man Greevil was.

Course the Grandmaster's other Pokemon was practically the exact opposite. Granbull just gave another roar as he lunged forward with his paws outstretched. Feraligatr decided he wouldn't keep the bulldog waiting as he lunged forward as well, his jaws snapping together to make a clanging noise. Air was all they found though when both of the brawlers collided and locked their arms together in a test of strength.

Here was where Granbull had found an advantage. Tough as the crocodilian was, his strength didn't lie in terms of arm muscle. The stockier bulldog on the other hand was more powerfully built in that area. Just enough for him to wrestle Feraligatr to the wayside, clobbering him with a meaty Brick Break right in the face.

The bulldog had also succeeded in getting the Water-type right in the range of Starmie. Their gem glowed yellow while their arms began to spin in a rapid circle generating an intense electrical charge. A Thunder, and a rather powerful one at that. Feraligatr could see the attack coming and tried to struggle out of the dog's grasp. But Granbull was still able to hold him steady with his more powerful arms. His jaws were also clamped down with a Crunch on Feraligatr's neck to stop the Big Jaw Pokemon from turning around and firing some kind of counterattack.

Starmie gave a rather strange cry as they fired the Thunder, the powerful discharge of electricity snaking through the air and coming right at the now restrained Feraligatr…

Suddenly, a bright flash of light materialized into Gardevoir, who quickly conjured up a Light Screen with her outstretched hands. She had used Teleport to appear just in front of Feraligatr and managed to form a shield that blocked the Thunder, letting the electrical discharge smash into her mental defenses. Though she couldn't help but grunt from the intensity of the attack. It was quite clear that Greevil had raised this Starmie well in order to get this sort of result.

Gardevoir couldn't have imagined if that attack managed to strike a Water-type like Feraligatr…

All the more reason to not let that happen.

She held her hands together near her chest and channeled dark energies from her core into a Shadow Ball, firing the unearthly orb at the opponent. Starmie's gem flashed brilliantly, bringing up a bubble of energy that managed to block the incoming dark attack with Protect. Even as the shield began to fall, the Mysterious Pokemon began to spin their arms rapidly, lifting themselves off the ground with their mystic power. Gardevoir saw the Rapid Spin coming, but it was coming so fast, she couldn't counterattack. Instead, she brought up another mental shield designed to withstand physical attacks. A Barrier, strong enough to cause Starmie to literally bounce off the defense.

This also left the starfish wide open for that counterattack. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Gardevoir channeled electrical energies to her fingers. Starmie wasn't the only one able to wield electricity.

On the other hand, this also left her wide open for Granbull to lunge forward while pushing Feraligatr aside, his mouth wide open for a Crunch at the distracted maiden…

All his teeth managed to bite down on was a Focus Punch, slugging into his mouth. Backpedaling from the powerful blow, the dog was just barely able to stay on his feet. Granbull shook his head clear, and glared at the one who blindsided him.

Only to get a Hydro Pump right in the face, forcing him back.

Feraligatr snarled at the reeling hound. He might not have been as strong physically, but that didn't mean he couldn't throw a good punch when he needed to.

"GARDEVOIR! USE PSYCHIC!"

Gardevoir was alerted both by her trainer's command and the action behind her. Bringing up her energy and power, she let forth a mighty Psychic that ripped up steel plating from the floor, and smashed into Granbull.

Overwhelmed by the relentless assault, Granbull fell onto his back, rapidly rolling onto all fours to get back up.

…letting Starmie fly over his back and let forth a Thunder at the unprepared duo.

Seeing the carnage about to unfold, Gardevoir tried to Teleport in the way to throw down another Light Screen, but it was too late. Starmie had charged up while the two were busy with Granbull, and so was able to discharge the Thunder right at a moment's notice. And that Thunder struck Feraligatr right into the chest. The crocodile snarled with both pain and fury, feeling the electrical discharge course across his blue hide.

With such a devastating attack, Feraligatr was brought to his knees. And this didn't go unnoticed by Granbull. Seeing that his rival go down, he decided to finish things off once and for all. Gathering his remaining strength, the bulldog lunged forward with his fangs barred, aiming at Feraligatr's exposed neck to deliver one last Crunch.

Michael had to bite back a curse as he turned behind him and called, "Espeon! Use Helping Hand!"

Espeon peeked up from having disabled another node, quickly leaping down from the wall and racing towards Feraligatr. Naturally the cat was much faster than the heavier Granbull and was able to reach his fallen comrade. His forehead gem glowed when he arrived, pointing down towards Feraligatr and shared a portion of his energy with Helping Hand.

Feeling the energy flown through his veins, Feraligatr snapped up and glared at the incoming Granbull.

He wasn't finished. Not yet.

Feraligatr practically roared as he unleashed a mighty Hydro Cannon at the incoming Pokemon. Granbull's eyes widened, trying to veer off from his charge to avoid the raging torrent of water. Unfortunately, he was moving too fast, and ran right into the blast of water.

The bulldog was slammed into the steel flooring, banging rather hard. Granbull snarled, trying to force himself back up…but his strength finally failed him as he slumped back down to the floor. Defeated.

Though that certainly didn't stop Starmie as they raced forward. Hydro Cannon was powerful as it was costly for the user. Feraligatr needed a few seconds to catch his breath before he could make a move. Leaving him vulnerable for attack.

Electricity crackled along Starmie's arms as they prepared another Thunder. Feraligatr may have been tough, but he wouldn't be tough enough to survive another strong attack like this one.

Luckily for him, he wasn't alone.

Before Starmie could get close enough to unload the built up charge, they themselves were shocked by a Thunderbolt. The electrical discharge shorted out their own attack, sending them to their side of the field where Greevil was recalling his fainted Granbull.

Feraligatr looked to his side and gave a thankful nod to both Espeon and Gardevoir, the latter of which had lightning dancing upon her fingertips. Espeon gave a cheerful cry before he ran back to the trapped Lugia, hoping to get more of those nodes disabled.

Looking back, Michael and Wes could see that half of the restraints had been dealt with. It wouldn't be too long now…

"You've been putting up quite a battle. Just as you would expect from two of the region's greatest trainers," Greevil purred in mock praise. Michael calmed himself, taking a deep breath. He knew the bait when he saw it, and he wouldn't give the Grandmaster anything other than a cold glare. Clever as the old man might've been, there were only so many sweet words he could use before you could see the trap.

"Then maybe you should surrender while you have a chance," Wes ordered, folding his arms. "If you know how good we are, then you should know you can't win against both of us. Save yourself and your Pokemon the punishment before we take you in."

Greevil just gave a dry laugh. It almost seemed to echo off the walls of the vast secret hangar bay. That mirthless chuckle set in stone what both trainers knew from the beginning. He wasn't going to surrender after everything. They'd have to beat him into submission. At least he couldn't claim to be a martyr though once he was dragged to the stand of a trial.

"Both myself and my Pokemon knew what we were getting into," the old man flatly stated, almost as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You don't go into battle and expect everyone to come out alive. Some pawns need to be sacrificed after all for the king to be captured."

Pawns?! That's what you call all the Pokemon you forced me to corrupt?! What you call ME despite being so vital to your plans?!

"Pawns should know their place, and that means silence. Which was one of the first things I improved upon during your conception, XD-001."

Lugia snarled, straining both against the restraints and to keep his rage in check. Half of the nodes were disabled, allowing him a greater deal of movement. With the restraints slackened, it made him wonder if he could do more to break free on his end. If nothing else, he would certainly silence his tormentor after so long.

Even now the Grandmaster knew how to get under his skin. Well, not for much longer…

"Which is precisely the whole point of Project: TEMPEST" Greevil continued. "Once it is operational, we will bring you back under Cipher's control so you can be restored back to your former glory. And when we do, we'll unleash a storm upon the entire world to lay waste to all who oppose us! We shall rise alone from the ashes, and build a new world order upon the effort of our new army of Shadow Pokemon with you, Tempest, and I forging our destiny!"

The same speech Michael heard once before, but that didn't make it any less chilling. A world run by Cipher. It was practically his worst nightmare come true. All would be nothing but slaves to Greevil and his flunkies in the name of some misguided attempt at peace. And with that much power behind them, they'd almost be unstoppable!

Which made it all the more imperative to put an end to this nightmare here and now.

Gardevoir snapped her eyes wide open, having used the brief period to meditate with Calm Mind. Her power blooming and her trainer's intent in her mind, she brought electricity to her fingertips once more, tearing atoms apart as she fired Thunderbolt. If Greevil was willing to fight dirty, then why not take a page out of his book and make a preemptive strike?

Starmie just stood there, watching the Thunderbolt snake through the air right at them. The gem remaining silent and dim. She must've taken him off guard.

Said hopes were dashed when another Pokeball was thrown right at the tip of the bolt. The capsule snapped open, releasing a rather…fluffy looking Pokemon, with great white wings coming together and shielding the would-be victim. Rather than striking the target though, the bolt simply traveled through the thick feathers, dissipating into the plumage.

Before Gardevoir could figure out just what on earth happened, Altaria opened her wings and charged at the empath. The bird flew faster than Gardevoir could bring up a Barrier, meaning she took the full brunt of the Takedown. She stumbled backward, bringing up her arms to form some kind of counterattack, Altaria followed through with Steel Wing, smashing them right on her shoulders.

Gardevoir fell to the earth under the sudden assault by the singing dragon. All she could do was bring up a Barrier, but from the surprise appearance and the relentless assault, she felt it was weaker than normal. Leaving her a sitting duck as Altaria readied her wings for another Steel Wing…

Which left herself a target for the other Pokemon on Michael and Wes's side of the field. Feraligatr blasted away at Altaria with Hydro Cannon, the powerful jet of water pushing the Dragon-type away from the besieged Gardevoir. And once again, she furled her wings to form a protective barrier, the thick cotton easily managing to hold back against the torrent.

When the Hydro Cannon died down, Feraligatr stopped for a moment to catch his breath. The adrenaline and powerful attacks he had to both endure and throw around were taking a toll. Gardevoir took the hint and quickly covered her companion, taking the brief opportunity to stretch her mind's powers out with Future Sight. Altaria was quite the tanky Pokemon, and they would need every advantage they could get. An insurance policy would be a handy tool indeed.

Though as she peered into the future to launch her attack, Gardevoir gasped in shock. Feraligatr gave a concerned growl, wondering what was going on. The psychic couldn't answer. What was waiting for them was both familiar…and utterly alien.

Altaria took the empath's moment of weakness as an opportunity, letting out a shrill warcry and launching herself forward. The sound of her flapping wings brought Gardevoir out of her stupor, the empath crying out and launching a Psychic which slammed into the dragon and flung her away-

-letting Starmie to zoom on under the airborne bird with a Thunder at the ready.

Feraligatr had maybe half a moment to cry out in surprise when the Thunder snaked through the air and collided with his body. The reptile that once helped bring Evice down was brought down to his knees, unable to withstand such a ferocious electrical attack. It took everything he had just to stay awake. Just to keep his eyes open.

And just open enough to see Starmie coming in for a Rapid Spin to finish the job.

Wes saw it too, breaking out into a sweat from his Pokemon's predicament.

But he also saw how to turn things around.

"FERALIGATR! USE CRUNCH!"

His voice brought the crocodilian back into focus…and he saw what his trainer had spotted.

As Starmie closed in for the final blow, Feraligatr lunged forward, clamping his jaws onto the bright gem of the Psychic-type and throwing in every last ounce of strength that he had into a Crunch. You could almost hear the iron jaws clamp down on the jewel, a jagged crack forming at the center. For the first time, Starmie cried out in panic.

It's likely the starfish would've been finished right then and there. Fortunately for them, they also had a fresh Altaria nearby.

Hearing the Mysterious Pokemon's distress, Altaria quickly snapped her wings and brought mystical fire to her mouth. Propelling herself forward, she unleashed DragonBreath on her ally's captor. Awashed with flames so hot that not even his body's natural high amounts of water could possibly shield against, Feraligatr was forced to relinquish Starmie. Finally overwhelmed by the sheer force of powerful attack after powerful attack, the reptile's strength failed him as he toppled to the earth.

Fainted.

His would be prey gently levitated back to the ground. The gem was cracked, but they still had enough steam to keep themselves standing.

At least until a crackle in the air dashed those hopes.

Gardevoir lunged forward and summoned the Thunderbolt, striking the exhausted Starmie right in the gemstone. With Altaria having dealt with Feraligatr, there was no way the dragon could've saved her ally this time. And that suited the maiden just fine.

As the electrical attack dissipated, Gardevoir could see Starmie just standing there. Teetering for a moment…before toppling over on their back with the gem dim. She just glared daggers at Greevil as the Pokemon was recalled. Her victory was bittersweet upon having lost her comrade.

Even more so when Michael gazed down to his belt. Gardevoir was looking pretty tired and he would need-

Empty.

His blood ran cold as he looked behind to confirm. Houndoom, Espeon, and Fearow were working on their last few nodes while Wes's Pokemon were finishing up with theirs. Lugia would be free, but at this rate Greevil was gonna run right through them.

"Wes…what Pokemon do you have left?" he asked.

He could almost see his hero's face go cold as he lifted his final Ultra Ball. "Just Tyranitar and…he took a bit of a beating back during the fight to get here."

…

Michael! Wes! Recall your Pokemon! You've weakened the restraints enough that I believe I can break out on my own!

Both trainers looked at the tied down legendary, seeing the violent energy coursing across his body. It wasn't as powerful or violent as it was before, but Lugia still seemed to grimace with every movement he took. "You sure Lugia? We can-"

Greevil won't care if you get in the way or not! If you face him without your Pokemon, he WILL kill you! Trust me on this!

Lugia's eyes almost seemed to stare straight into Michael's soul. Those same red eyes that looked at him with fear long ago now held nothing but utmost trust. It was a truth that both of them knew from the time the bond was formed. Neither could hide something from the other. And neither could one lie.

So when Lugia said he could break free, Michael knew he was telling the truth.

"Alright. Guys! Come on back in case we need you!"

Michael's Pokemon looked at each other in confusion before nodding and rushing back towards his side. They had fought together long enough to build faith in their trainer's abilities. So when he says they should disengage and let Lugia take care of the rest, then they were gonna trust that their companion had a plan.

They weren't the only ones. Wes called his Pokemon back as well to back him up, which they did so in a heartbeat. Everyone could sense the situation was bad and they needed every edge they could get.

Greevil just gazed upon the remainder of those that stood against him…and just grinned.

"Here I am outnumbered, but it seems as though the both of you are rather…afraid if you've decided to go all in. Where's that bravado about putting me down gone?"

This time, neither hero would rise to the bait. All that was needed was to push just a little further and then it would be done.

Although…there was something that Michael needed to know.

"I'm curious, Greevil. Let's assume that somehow you succeeded in your plans. The whole of the world is yours. All your enemies vanquished…what happens next?"

"Michael, what are you-?"

"It's alright. I know what I'm doing," he assured Wes. The more experienced trainer looked rather confused, but decided to watch this play out. "You've won. You have everything you could've dreamt of. How are you going to rebuild?"

This got Greevil smiling.

Good, Michael thought to himself.

"Simple. With society in ashes, Cipher will be the only power left for people to folk towards. All admire strength, and we will be the only ones left standing in the new world. A world that will be built under my-"

"Yes yes, world domination and all. We got that part. That's not what I'm interested in.

"What I am interested in is what are you gonna do with the people who resist?"

"Seriously, Michael. Are you sure you want to go down this route?" Wes asked. The younger trainer knew what he was talking about. Greevil did the same thing with him through Ardos. Tried to break him down and tear his world asunder. And yeah, he couldn't deny there was a part of him that would've relished putting the Grandmaster through what he went through that day.

But that wasn't the point. Tough as he was, Michael could see that Greevil was beginning to sense the mounting numbers on his side. The way he quickly looked at his belt with one last Pokeball. His eyes flickering between the amount of Pokemon on their side of the field. For the first time, it truly seemed that reality was worming his way into his head.

And reality might be the key to ending this right here and now.

"What do you mean those who oppose my rule? There will be nobody left!" Greevil hurriedly said. A bit too hurriedly.

"You mean nobody's gonna have a problem with you wrecking their regions and tearing everything they knew apart?"

Behind him, Lugia began to realize what Michael was planning and sent a gentle wave of psychic energy towards Rui with a hidden message. Her eyes went from concern to understanding, realizing what exactly the young teen had in mind. Wes felt the wave too, and felt himself relax a little from his girlfriend's change in demeanor.

Greevil on the other hand didn't notice and just went on another tirade. "Simple. Those foolish enough to oppose us will be prey to Shadow Lugia. We'll root them out as we have done before and excise this cancer from our growing society."

"And what about the people after that?"

"...what?"

Once more, Greevil's demeanor shook. His grin of confidence fading. On Michael's side of the field, Wes began to get an understanding of what his partner was hinting at.

Michael pressed forward with the attack. "You know, the people who you scared and are gonna want to get even from the first insurrection. Those that are convinced the only way they'll be able to survive is if they take up arms because they don't feel safe under your rule. After all, Orre never stood by and watched Cipher take over without a fight both times."

"Then…then they will be hunted down as well," Greevil sputtered out. Though it didn't sound very convincing to anyone.

"And what about the ones after them?" Wes added on, realizing where Greevil was going. "Everytime you try to put them down, more people are just gonna get back up since they keep getting sick of being stepped on. It might scare people for a while to be certain, but what's gonna happen when you turn your back? Do you really think with each demonstration you're subduing them?"

"Better to protect a fragile peace than things blossoming into full out war!"

"If Cipher wins, that peace of yours you keep trying to fight for will never exist!"

Now came a moment that Michael had only dreamed of. That image of Greevil staring gobsmacked at him in utter disbelief. Gardevoir and Lugia almost seemed just as stunned as their would-be tormentor. At long last, it was as though the Grandmaster didn't have anything to say.

To be fair, that realization of what would really happen if Greevil won took a good long while to dawn on Michael. He wasn't sure how he finally was able to see the full picture. Maybe just after fighting Cipher for this long he started to understand what went on in their minds. That maybe on some fundamental level he could see where they were coming from and why they felt the need to go so far.

And just how close he came to crossing that line…

"Greevil…" Michael tried to sound as genuine and empathetic as he could be towards everything he ever hated. "It'll be the same war, just with different rules. Nothing would change. You'll just be no different than the ones that destroyed Orre in the past. You can't have peace if you have to use Shadow Pokemon and brute force to get your way."

"Cause that promise of peace is a complete lie."

Wes's older and more weathered voice joined his protege's side. He too had been fighting Cipher for so long that he felt he needed to understand how they worked in order to beat them. Thing was, the answer on the tip of his tongue, the truth he felt always knew was there, never left his lips. Maybe he was just tired of doing battle with them over and over again that he just wanted to see the end of it.

Now that truth was given form though, he was finally able to speak what he knew in his heart to be true after so long.

"Greevil…you'd be holding a gun to everybody's head and call that 'maintaining the peace'. That the moment they step out of line, you pull the trigger. It's what you've always been doing since this nightmare started. And if it worked, and I do mean really worked and truly brought upon the peace who've been searching for, then why on earth aren't you in control of Orre right now?"

Again, silence. Greevil must've been so good at hiding his thoughts from the world that when confronted with the truth, he fell back on what came naturally to him. Which in this case, meant lies, trickery, subterfuge, and force. Michael knew about his past as a codebreaker and spy. Looker figured he had a right to know given he'd be fighting the Grandmaster after all. Perhaps once you've been doing something for so long that maybe it's the only thing you know how to do.

It was almost enough to make Michael pity him.

Almost.

"You hurt Pokemon and turned them into your slaves. Tell me, how exactly does that translate as 'peace'?"

Funny how it took Rui's soft voice to bring Michael back into focus. To remind him of who Greevil truly was.

The young woman took a deep breath before giving her peace. "Greevil…no matter how badly you truly want to do the right thing, the fact is you keep hurting Pokemon and people just for some cause of 'bringing order'. You could've done so much good without hurting everybody though! Secure supply lines and get people aid. Rebuild Orre's infrastructure. Help restore the ecosystem. A lot more good could've been done if you just reached out to people with an offer to help.

"Instead you just smacked them in the face, beat them to a pulp, and called it 'building character'. That's not helping. That's just hurting. And that's all you'd be doing in this world of yours. Hurting everyone."

What she said brought Michael back. Back to what he was doing with the Shadow Pokemon he captured. He was helping them. Healing. Thinking about those that were hurt instead of focusing solely on destroying the enemy. About what they needed instead of what he needed.

That was the difference. Michael saw Pokemon in pain and wanted to help no matter what he had to do. Greevil wanted to cope with his pain and tried to pass that off as saving everyone. It was a small difference to be certain, too small for the average person to see. But the chasm it left between the two could not be understated.

And one last voice knew it.

Lugia looked at his tormentor with…pity. Greevil…you will not find peace where you are going, he simply stated.

"...perhaps not," Greevil finally stated. And for the briefest moment, it almost seemed as though everything would finally end. That dream of the Grandmaster backing down, realizing that he was truly beaten flickered in Michael's head. He often wondered what would've happened if Greevil had shook that hand given to him back on Citadark Isle. Would everything, all that fighting to get to this moment been avoided?

Then reality shattered the dream.

"But I can't back down either."

With a wrinkled hand, Greevil got out his last Pokeball. "Your sentiments are noble, but you are far too young to understand. You speak of something that cannot be obtained without cruelty. Of breaking bread with an enemy that cannot be negotiated. I chose my path a long time ago, my resolve hardening with every battle. I can neither back down if there is a chance that all I have done will bear fruit to a brighter world. A world I alone can forge. So it's time for you to wake up."

Michael sighed. He had a feeling this would happen. But now he knew the truth. For everything he did, it was all a part of Greevil's doing. The Grandmaster wanted him here. The Grandmaster wanted Shadow Lugia back. And now, Greevil was going to get what he had sown.

"So be it then," the teen said emotionlessly. No matter what happens, he knew that at least he tried. And whatever fallout may happen if he won would pale in comparison to the suffering Greevil sought to inflict upon the world.

That was a price he was willing to live with.

Greevil launched his last Pokeball, the energy released coalescing into the form of a prehistoric looking wyvern. With grayish purple scales and a teeth full of razor sharp teeth, it almost seemed to come out of a book about ancient species Michael used to read about when he was younger. Though when you have enough money like Greevil does, no doubt he could just bring an extinct Pokemon back to life.

Aerodactyl, both a living miracle of science and a relic repurposed for the modern age, screeched out a challenge to Wes and Michael.

And Wes was more than happy to respond.

Wes clicked his last Ultra Ball and chucked it to the field, revealing the massive emerald form of the mighty Tyranitar, who roared in response to the challenge. It was likely that both of their kind may have coexisted in times past. After all, the Armor Pokemon could trace his lineage to a time before mankind had ever evolved. A time when great beasts roamed the earth and claimed all as their dominion.

In many ways the world had changed. But that didn't mean echoes from that time still didn't linger. And what primal furies just laid dormant beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed.

With that said though, Tyranitar's declaration of war was tempered by his labored breathing. Wes could tell from the bruises over the dinosaur's body that he was hurt, and badly. The trainer patched up the worst wounds as best he could, but fighting a giant mecha would take the fight out of almost everyone. And given what they were up against, Tyranitar may be needed to fight just a bit more…

It didn't make Wes proud about pushing his Pokemon this far, but he promised that Tyranitar would be well cared for if they managed to survive.

Aerodactyl was the first to make a move, screeching a war cry before slamming his tail into the ground, cracking a series of fissures and cracks that snaked across the battlefield. An Earthquake. Altaria was able to easily fly herself over the shattering earth, but Gardevoir and Tyranitar were caught in the middle of the tremors' path.

Immediately, Gardevoir focused her energies to ready another Teleport. Maybe get herself above the attack before-

WHAM!

Altaria swooped down and slammed a Steel Wing right in Gardevoir's face, knocking her to the ground. The maiden tried to get up before the Earthquake could hit, but her arms were aching with exhaustion. For the fight had left her nearly spent, and her strength was fading, and fast…

She closed her eyes as the Earthquake approached, ready to hear the smashing steel floor against her battered form.

Well, she certainly heard the steel crash against something, but no pain shot through her body.

Opening her eyes, Gardevoir saw Tyranitar cover her body with his massive bulk, showing nothing but his armored and spikey hide towards the incoming Earthquake. Mighty as an angry earth was, it didn't compare to a Protect from one who could shatter mountains.

Neither could the anger of the earth stand up to an ancient fury. Tyranitar roared out and fired a Hyper Beam right through the shattered remnants of the floor. Aerodactyl only had a brief window to just narrowly dodge out of the way from the powerful blast, though being this close meant he could practically taste the energy flowing past him.

Having dodged the Hyper Beam, Aerodactyl shrieked, charging forward and practically smashing into Tyranitar's rocky chest with Double-Edge. The move was so vicious that the pterosaur practically bounced off the hard hide from the recoil. Not that it mattered too much to Aerodactyl, who just used the recoil to spread his wings and let out a shrill cry. Bits of ruined steel plating and buried rock from below the earth bursted upward and slammed into the stunned dinosaur.

The Ancient Power also served a dual purpose. Several pieces of rock floated up to Aerodactyl and fastened themselves onto various parts of his body. Specifically the wings and the jaw area. Michael recognized the basic outline as resembling the Fossil Pokemon's Mega form. Granted it wasn't a perfect replication, but those hardened rocks would make for pretty devastating weapons.

Not that it mattered all that much to Tyranitar. He just shook off the bits from the Ancient Power attack. Winded as he was, he was gonna show why his kind ruled the earth in ages long gone. Lightning began to dance upon his dorsal fins, charging the air with electric energy.

Greevil was the first to see the Thunder coming. "Altaria, cut him down to size," he simply commanded. His dragon already read his mind, feeling the static energy through her cotton like feathers. She raced forward, flapping her wings to pummel Tyranitar with Steel Wing. Tough as he was, that armor didn't do a whole lot of good against powerful wings like hers.

Altaria rushed forward and brought her wings to bear on Tyranitar right before he could fire the Thunder-

-only for the Steel Wing to smash into Gardevoir.

The maiden had used Teleport to quickly intercept the attack. Altaria was stunned. Gardevoir just took the attack head on, even in her weakened state! Nobody should be able to survive an attack like that.

Gardevoir didn't seem to care though. She just glared at Altaria for a moment before blasting the dragon away with a powerful burst of Psychic.

Such a powerful display though was all that Gardevoir had left in her system. She plummeted to the ground with the last of her strength spent, being recalled rapidly by Michael before she could hit the ground hard.

"You did good," he said reverently as he placed her Pokeball onto his belt, before turning to the battle at hand.

The blast was powerful enough that it reverberated through the air, the still potent remnants knocking into Aerodactyl and almost causing him to lose control of his hovering.

Which in turn left him off center for Tyranitar to blast him with Thunder.

Aerodactyl quickly curled his wings together to shield himself from the Thunder. Strong as the bolts were, his hardened hide protected him from the worst of the onslaught. Even still, it hurt. A lot. Strengthened by stone or not, his wings weren't designed to handle electrical attacks.

Course, all he had to do was hold out for Altaria to recover. Which she did as she regained her flight pattern in mid-air. Seeing Tyranitar blasting her fellow flier with Thunder, she raced forward to deliver that Steel Wing-

-only to run straight into a Future Sight attack, sending her careening to the ground.

Michael couldn't help but smile.

That's what happens when you try to go toe to toe with a potent Psychic-type.

It also meant Aerodactyl had to take the fight to Tyranitar by himself. The thought made him snarl with annoyance. Sure it was a temporary setback, but you try fighting a pseudo legendary by yourself for a little while and see how you feel.

Fine, time to turn it up a notch…

Aerodactyl spread his wings and maneuvered out of the way of the diminishing Thunder blast. Still having some electrical charge left over, Tyranitar fired another Thunder to try and nail the pterosaur one more time. All he did hit was air, his target nimbly moving out of the way. Loosening his tails muscles up, Aerodactyl was able to use Agility and fly almost effortlessly away from the lightning.

He moved so fast, Tyranitar wasn't able to line up another shot until Aerodactyl dived in, veered from the left, got into his face-

-and screamed.

Everyone on Michael and Wes's side of the field had to cover their ears from the high pitched cry. It was both piercing and deafening, an alarm that almost seemed to reverberate inside your very skull. A Supersonic, noise itself being funneled and forged to become a potent weapon.

Especially potent if you get a full face of that screech just a few inches away.

Tyranitar's ears were pounding, the high frequencies blasting through his eardrums and practically throwing his very balance off kilter. His cerebellum was throbbing, unable to withstand such a vicious and almost insidious auditory assault. It was taking all of his willpower just to stand up, let alone fight.

The only one unaffected was Aerodactyl, his own ears too weak to pick up the high pitched screech. An unexpected evolutionary boon that left his mind and aerial balance clear. Far more clear than the confused Tyranitar, who was desperately trying to regain his focus. A prime opening if the pterosaur ever saw one.

Aerodactyl swooped in and rammed his rock encrusted head into Tyranitar's neck with Takedown. While the Fossil Pokemon's stone backed hide was able to shield him from the recoil, it didn't stop him from bouncing off the dinosaur's armor. Roaring, Tyranitar lunged forward with a Crunch, only to taste nothing but air.

He shook his head both in frustration and confusion, trying to get the ringing out of his ear. For all his strength and power, they didn't do a whole lot of good if he wasn't able to aim them. Thoroughly stunned, he wasn't able to react fast enough to Aerodactyl swiftly wheeling around his head and latching onto the base of his neck where it met the shoulders.

The pterosaur scratched, clawed, and Crunched at Tyranitar's rocky hide, but was unable to elicit more than annoyed grunts from the far larger and more heavily armored Pokemon. Tyranitar shook his body violently, trying to reach around and grab the irritant off his body. His rival was becoming more and more than just a pest with each passing moment.

That pest though wasn't actually planning on hurting Tyranitar.

The real trick was keeping him still.

And that's when Altaria, having recovered from her pummeling, rocketed forward and slammed a Steel Wing right into Tyranitar's gut. Such an attack knocked the dinosaur's unsteady body finally off his feet, and sent him crashing to the ground. Not wanting to waste a moment, Aerodactyl swooped in to smash his tail against the fallen Pokemon's form, to pummel him with an Earthquake.

Well, an Earthquake did impact. The cracking and splintering of steel below the buffeted Armor Pokemon certainly could only have come from an Earthquake. Tyranitar grunted in pain from the strike, indicating he was hit by the Earthquake.

But he wasn't as fallen as Aerodactyl had believed him to be.

Indeed, he had managed to quickly (for a Pokemon of his size anyways) angle his armored shoulder blade towards the descending tail. And it wasn't just an armored shoulder blade either. It was further reinforced by powerful rocks wretched from the earth and fashioned to form a second layer of armor, extending Tyranitar's spike to a length resembling his mega-evolved form.

Aerodactyl had about a half a minute to screech in surprise before being clobbered by Tyranitar's Ancient Power infused fist. Rising up from the dirt, the full scope of the dinosaur's armor could be seen. Rocks had attached themselves to lengthen Tyranitar's spikes around his shoulders and his head. Like his rival's arrangement, it certainly did resemble his mega-evolution quite a bit.

Lugia cocked his head in curiosity at the displays of Ancient Power being thrown around. He could certainly do that, if not outstrip them. It had been a long time since he had to dip into his ancient reservoirs of power though. The stuff legends were made from, both terrible and great. Last time was…well, during the Shamouti Crisis really. And when he had been forced to become XD-001.

If only he could get himself free…

The legendary closed his eyes and began to work his mental energies into counteracting the streams of dark energies restraining him. Slowly, very slowly, the chains were beginning to slacken, the energy losing their strength. And he could feel it in his muscles, being able to move more without feeling the raking of power against his body keeping him down. His movements also brought the restraints to their brink.

Soon he'd be free. Just a bit longer…

Of course, there was the complication that he might not be free in time to save Tyranitar. Tough as the saurian appeared under all that rock and stone, he could see that powerful chest heave up and down with effort. There's only so much punishment the strongest Pokemon could take before exhaustion and battle wounds sap their strength. An unfortunate reality that the Guardian knew all too well.

Especially when it was two against one.

Altaria rose upon the air and fired a DragonBreath right in Tyranitar's face. All the fighting between the two ancient combatants had given her enough time to gather her senses and rally her willpower. The azure flames doused him from head to toe, so potent that they actually began to push him back for a split second. He could almost feel the heat lap at his skin. Then the heat vanished as he turned his armored shoulder against the fire, shielding him from the consuming inferno.

Then he charged with renewed vigor at the dragon. He pointed his rocky spikes towards the dragon, hoping to smash them against her chest. That was the hope anyway. Sadly his hopes didn't quite match up with his shaky legs and labored breathing slowing him down and allowing Altaria to dance out of the way of his charge.

Tyranitar was fading, and fast. Seemed like Ancient Power was the only thing keeping him from plummeting to the ground and into the blissful sleep of unconsciousness. Not that it would matter all that much as Aerodactyl swooped in and aimed his powerful tail right at his face.

That was until the pterosaur got a Psychic blast right to the face.

Aerodactyl quickly regained his momentum and rapidly stopped his mid-air tumble. He hissed, wanting to find out who stood between him and his prey.

What he saw was a cat running between the spines of Tyranitar before stopping right on top of his head. Espeon's gem glowed with the power of the sun, infusing his strength with Tyranitar's power. A Helping Hand.

And Tyranitar's dorsal spines began to crackle with electricity once more, heralding a-

WHAM!

A Sky Attack from the side slammed right into Tyranitar's side, throwing Espeon off his back. The cat managed to nimbly land on all fours, before being slammed in the face by a Steel Wing. Before he could even get his senses together, he found himself being pinned by a pair of clawed feet and staring right into the face of his attacker.

Altaria. Her plumage was ruffled, and her body riddled with bruises from enduring attack after attack. But she wasn't one to give up easily. At least not without giving the one who blindsided her a gift in return. Her maw filled with azure flames, lapping and burning right out of her beak. Espeon grimaced as he tried to turn himself. Try to put up some kind of counteroffensive.

Her claws refused to budge though. They held him on his stomach, leaving him completely defenseless against a DragonBreath. Espeon's gem only glowed to set up a Light Screen. It wouldn't do much good from point blank range, but at least it was something compared to nothing.

Across the field, Tyranitar shook his head clear. The Sky Attack didn't do that much damage, but he could feel his strength rapidly fade. And he wasn't the only one who sensed it. Aerodactyl swooped forward with his talons outstretched, hoping to take Tyranitar's head and slam it into the ground for one last Earthquake.

At the snap of his wings, Tyranitar turned and snarled, feeling electrical power build up in his spines. That reptile was coming right at him. Perfect for a Thunder.

Then he heard Espeon cry out in pain. Looking across the field, Tyranitar could see the cat being doused in Altaria's blue DragonBreath. She also took to the air as she unleashed the inferno, flapping her wings hard. Readying for a Steel Wing.

Tyranitar felt himself go pale. Espeons weren't particularly the bulkiest of Pokemon, and it usually didn't take a whole lot for them to go down. And already he was getting pummeled by attack after attack. Sure, the dinosaur could take a hit, but not a smaller cat like Espeon.

…the choice was an obvious one.

Tyranitar turned violently to the side, aiming his shoulder spikes right at Altaria. The violent motion sent the enlarged rocky spikes flying, giving the dragon maybe a fraction of a second to squawk in surprise before being pummeled by a Rock Slide. Espeon curled himself up into a ball to avoid the flying pebbles and stones, hearing Altaria crash into the floor.

When he cautiously unfurled himself, he saw the bird laying still amidst a pile of rubble and stone. Knocked out.

Shocked, Espeon looked right at Tyranitar. He was greeted by a tired and surprisingly warm smile, almost as if the dinosaur knew what was coming when he shifted his focus away for a moment.

That Aerodactyl would be able to grip his head in his claws and slam him head first into the ground, the very earth trembling from the heavy Pokemon being smashed by the Earthquake. He didn't cry out in pain, not wanting to give the other prehistoric reptile the satisfaction of it.

Instead, he just lay still as Aerodactyl landed on his back and cried out in victory, having overcome Wes's strongest.

Wes himself didn't say anything. He just gave a knowing smile as he recalled his fainted Pokemon. "Nice work buddy. You've earned yourself a good rest," he said.

Espeon blinked from the shock of his ally's sacrifice. Almost to the point where he didn't register Aerodactyl coming shrieking right at him. Luckily his tail pointed directly at the predator closing in on him with talons raised. His legs moved before his body, nimbly avoiding being ripped apart with Agility.

In this case though, Aerodactyl's target wasn't strictly the Psychic-type. As he streaked past, his talons raked the floor, causing the steel to almost cry out. From the gashes, rocks began to emerge and fasten themselves onto his body. Another Ancient Power. The rocks replaced the ones that got dislodged while also adding onto the covering. As a result, Greevil's wyvern looked even more ferocious and powerful than ever.

Espeon on the other hand wouldn't be intimidated. This was also Greevil's last Pokemon, and he took quite the beating. It wouldn't be long now before the pterosaur would be flat on the ground.

So the Sun Pokemon stood in defiance as the living fossil dove in again. His gem sparkled, unleashing a Psychic blast that smashed into hardened rock. To Espeon's surprise, Aerodactyl just kept on coming almost unimpeded. Whether it was due to the fierce devotion to his master or the thick armor covering his body, he just kept on coming. Those hungry eyes zeroing in on his prey as he swooped in for an Aerial Ace.

Espeon threw up a Barrier to form a shield around him. Powerful the Flying-type might be, his shield would provide enough protection against the incoming strike so he could make a counterattack. And indeed, Aerodactyl shrieked as his claws raked the impenetrable shield, unable to find flesh. Seeing the opportunity he was looking for, Espeon let forth another Psychic. This one succeeded in pushing Aerodactyl away, giving him some breathing room to think.

It was…odd. That Barrier had managed to deflect Aerial Ace. Against an empowered Pokemon, it shouldn't have been as effective as it was.

Come to think of it, Espeon did feel something else. Almost like a…Protect on top of the Barrier.

His answer came trotting up to him and gazing upon him with red eyes.

Umbreon.

Suddenly, Espeon put together the pieces. His dark counterpart's species were more naturally more defensive. Figured he'd be able to pull a move like this off.

Michael's Espeon and Wes's Umbreon. Night and day, yet so similar all the same. Figures that fate would have them finish this together.

And they might have to, given what they're up against.

Aerodactyl could practically smell blood in the water. Their strongest fighters were either knocked out or restrained. The thought that he was outnumbered didn't seem to register. His master only promised that he'd be rewarded if he took out as many of them as he could.

A promise the pterosaur had every intent of meeting.

He swooped forward, talons drawn and wings spread out to cast a shadow over the two Eeveelutions. It wasn't dark enough to consume the shining gem on Espeon's forehead letting forth a Psychic. Umbreon's yellow rings and his red eyes stood out in the shadow, the Moonlight Pokemon not intimidated in the least. He just rushed forward with darkness surging where he charged, heading right at the incoming Aerodactyl.

The prehistoric beast quickly bobbed to the side, narrowly avoiding the Psychic blast. He saw the shining gem stand out and his instincts kicked in far ahead of time. His quick reflexes also let him swerve into the side with his talons outreached against Umbreon. The Aerial Ace raked against the fox's dark fur. Surprisingly though, it didn't cause that much damage. For Umbreon's fur was infused with dark energies that gave it an inherent toughness.

It also helped that Umbreon had a Feint Attack at the ready, leaping up and smashing into Aerodactyl's hardened chest. His dark energies washed against the rocky hide, causing the pterosaur to stagger in midair.

With that said, there was only so much damage one could do against a Pokemon heavily powered by Ancient Power. Aerodactyl just snarled with annoyance as he almost effortlessly plucked Umbreon right out of the air, the claws on his right foot clamping down on the Dark-type tightly.

Espeon piped up in surprise, readying another Psychic before Aerodactyl swooped forward and snatched him up as well in the other foot. Both Eeveelutions struggled against their captor, but the predator's grip was tight. They wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

Which left Aerodactyl free to handle some other business.

Gripping both of his prey in his talons, Aerodactyl rose up and swooped around to the right, heading straight for Sceptile. His sudden change in trajectory caused the lizard to open his maw and fire a volley of Bullet Seeds. Most of them went wide out of surprise, and the rest just bounced off his rocky hide. Hardly enough to stop his charge.

Sceptile tried to dive to get out of the way, but Aerodactyl proved to be too quick. An Aerial Ace from a swipe of his tail sent the Grass-type to the ground.

As he flew out of the hangar after making his run on the Forest Pokemon, he heard a warcry from above. Fearow dove down in a spiral, aiming a Drill Peck right at Aerodactyl's back. Just as it seemed she'd hit home though, Aerodactyl loosened his muscles and let her sail past by nimbly banking to the side with Agility. A squawk of surprise left Fearow's beak before the pterosaur slammed his full weight behind a Takedown into her back, sending her spiraling to the ground.

Two down. Two to go.

Swinging around to fly back into the hangar over the pinned Lugia, Aerodactyl zeroed in on Houndoom and Wes's own Espeon. Both of them snarled in anger, seeing their comrades being dragged around like toys. Espeon's gem glowed to fire an especially powerful Psychic while Houndoom's maw simmered, heralding a Flamethrower.

Aerodactyl just smirked at the display before pulling up and showing the captured Umbreon and Espeon in their clutches. At the last minute, both of the attacks went wide, not wanting to hit their allies.

"He's using them as a shield!" Rui snarled in frustration. Wes and Michael felt her anger boil under their skin. Just when it seemed Greevil couldn't sink any lower…

Figured it would be then when Aerodactyl dove straight into the ground and slammed both Umbreon and Espeon under his weight, releasing an Earthquake upon impact.

Houndoom and Wes's Espeon barely had any time to react, let alone comprehend the unmitigated brutality of the attack. The only real warning they had was the cat's tail pointing in the direction of the rapidly descending reptile, but the suddenness and the shock still practically paralyzed them for a critical few seconds. They only came to when the shockwaves generated by the Earthquake came barreling down on them.

Instinct kicked Wes's cat into action, throwing up a Barrier that surrounded both of them. And even then, both him and Houndoom had to brace themselves from being knocked off their feet by the tremors. Houndoom in particular had a hard time, since Ground-type attacks could easily snuff out whatever fire she could hope to muster.

Satisfied that he had managed to hobble all of the opposition, Aerodactyl took back to the air, carrying his battered prey with him.

Espeon struggled in the pterosaur's grip, but the talons were wrapped around him too tightly. It felt like he needed to fight for every bit of movement. His next instinct was to let forth another Psychic attack, but that last Earthquake really battered him. And it would've been easier to clear his head if he wasn't being hoisted up higher and higher. Seemed that the Fossil Pokemon was intending for the next impact to be the last…

No. There had to be some way out of this. Michael wouldn't be one to give up and neither should he.

His answer came when Umbreon's rings on his black body began to pulse in a rhythmic fashion. The yellow light was a stark contrast to his pitch black fur, easy enough to focus on. Actually…more than just focus on. Espeon could feel some sort of strength entering his body. Almost like…Helping Hand.

In response, Espeon's gem glowed softly with a dim light. Aerodactyl barely registered the glow, but Umbreon knew it immediately. He felt the solar energy re-energize his body and fill his soul with purpose. Espeon's Helping Hand. Even across evolutionary lines and types, the unity between Eeveelutions was still strong.

Michael and Wes knew it too. They could see their Pokemon pulsate in power right as Aerodactyl climbed to the height of his ascent, and began to furl his wings. Both trainers knew there was only one way to end this.

They and their Pokemon had been through a lot. They had fought bandits, terrorists, Shadow Pokemon, virtually the worst the entire region had to offer. And they still came out on top. With all that experience, all those trials, there was so much to be shared between them all.

Which meant there was only one way to end this fight…no…this chapter.

Both trainers thrust out their hands and shouted "USE RETURN!"

And up above, both Pokemon understood.

Espeon's gem glowed brightly with a shine that rivaled even that of the sun. So harsh was it that Aerodactyl cried out as he had to squint his eyes. Similarly, Umbreon's yellow rings also glowed, but with the light that is reflected off of the surface of the moon. Both were powered by something that went beyond either their core typings.

Something that down below, Lugia understood was what he too shared with Michael. And how he wished to repay that kindness.

Together, both Eeveelutions unleashed bright bursts of light that utterly consumed Aerodactyl. The very rocks that encrusted his hide were practically blown off. Such a force was more than he can handle, forcing him to relinquish both of his prey before his wings went slack and he plummeted from the air.

Of course…that also meant Espeon and Umbreon were plummeting as well.

To be fair, they were about to be crushed by at least 130 pounds of Aerodactyl traveling at accelerated speeds towards a steel floor. You would probably forgive them that they were at risk for a very nasty fall being held at such heights.

Still, that realization and feeling gravity pulling them towards a very hard steel floor had both of the Pokemon panic. They managed to right themselves for impact, maybe so that they could land feet first instead of breaking bones. Even still with the rate they were falling, any impact was gonna hurt regardless. A lot.

Panic didn't just run through their veins alone. Lugia saw the duo plummet from the air, and knew he had to do something. This was gonna hurt, he hadn't broken entirely of the restraints yet. But he wasn't just gonna sit here and watch his friends get hurt.

Just when it seemed Espeon and Umbreon would hit the metal floor, Lugia reached out with his mind and caught both of them midfall with his psychic abilities. Well, he managed to catch Espeon. He didn't quite catch Umbreon since the Moonlight Pokemon's Dark-typing interfered with his psychic powers, but he did manage to slow the black cat's descent to a crawl so he could land relatively lightly on the ground. As lightly as he could anyways.

Espeon followed his dark counterpart tusly, landing light on his feet. He turned and gave a thankful pulse of energy towards the Guardian. Umbreon made a similar signal with him lighting up his rings in a certain way. Michael couldn't help but feel proud of Lugia. If that wasn't a sign he was far from being Greevil's killing machine, he didn't know what was.

A heavy thud caught all of their attention to the crumpled form of Aerodactyl. He was already out cold by the time he hit the hangar floor.

The thud was then followed by the clang of Greevil's walking stick, the Grandmaster falling to his knees in shock. He just looked at the defeated form of his last Pokemon, before grimacing and recalling the pterosaur back to his Pokeball.

At once, it seemed as though all the tension in the room had evaporated. It almost seemed unreal. That they managed to get to this moment. But here it was in the flesh.

Greevil himself brought to reality what they had only dreamed of. "My precious XD-001 ruined…my Shadow Pokemon are all gone…my men…my Pokemon…all defeated. It's…it's…"

Michael finished his sentence for him. "Over."

The Grandmaster looked at him with stark defiance in his eyes, but it was all he had to offer at this point. "We gave you how many chances to surrender. We could've ended this back on Citadark Isle and saved us all a whole lot of trouble. But you kept fighting. Even as the losses began to pile up one after the other. Whatever happened today...that's on you."

Michael didn't have much more sympathy to spare. At least now Looker can come and have the criminal mastermind arrested once and for all. Things wouldn't go back to what they were, but at least he wouldn't have to deal with this monster anymore.

Even still…

"The game's not over yet."

Both Michael and Wes were brought out of their euphoria when Greevil snapped up with fire in his eyes. "Computer," the old man barked. "Activate Protocol: Shadow Tempest."

The computer beeped to life at the Grandmaster's command. "ACKNOWLEDGED. BEGINNING DEPLOYMENT PROCEDURES," a digitized voice chimed back, the screen changing to show what looked like some kind of start up sequence.

…Shadow Tempest?

"Don't look dumbfounded at me," Greevil sneered, seeing the look on their faces. "I wouldn't make a stand like this if I didn't know I had one more card to play. Honestly you should know me better by now."

The wheels in Michael's head started to turn, and with it, so did the urgency. "Houndoom! Pin him down!" At his urgent voice, Houndoom rapidly crossed the distance between the trainers and Greevil, her legs working overtime. As she leaped forward though to tackle the Grandmaster off his feet, she bounced into some kind of barrier that activated when she made the jump.

A force field! Michael realized with shock. He knew Greevil had access to considerable resources, but didn't think he'd be able to implement something like this. Or maybe it was some built in security system left over from its time as a military installation. Probably something that Cipher managed to get back online.

The appearance of the force field though got Lugia worked up. He struggled even harder against his restraints, seemingly harder than ever. The pain that he must've been going through didn't even seem to register in his mind, only the desire to get free.

His trainer felt his struggles too…and something worse. An old, familiar power he'd sensed once before. Something that he thought would never appear on Greevil's side of the field ever again.

"Michael…are you okay?" Rui asked nervously, seeing the horrified look on the teen's face.

"...Rui. Wes. Get out of here. Find Ho-Oh. We'll hold them off to give you time."

Wes looked at Michael like he had just grown a second head. "Wait a minute, Michael. What are you-?"

"TRUST ME ON THIS! GREEVIL GOT TEMPEST RUNNING AND I THINK IT'S A LOT WORSE THAN WE IMAGINED! YOU TWO GET OUT OF HERE AND GET HELP!"

The force and the panic in Michael's voice caught both of them off guard. And Rui...she felt something else. Something that she felt more than justified his terror.

Before she could say anything though, Wes turned to Sceptile. "You run back and get Ho-Oh and the others. We're gonna need as much help as we can get for this one." The Forest Pokemon grunted as he turned and ran back out of the hangar.

Michael blinked when he saw the lizard dash back into the canyon. "Wes, this isn't-"

"I faced Cipher down once before. You really think I'm just gonna pack up and leave just because you tell me too?"

Wes's stern face and iron glare promptly shut Michael up. And he knew this wasn't a battle he could win. For once…he didn't seem too torn up about losing this one. At least he knew he wouldn't be facing down this one last hurdle alone.

"No…and thanks for setting me straight," he thanked. Wes just gave a thumbs up while Rui nodded her head.

"I'll admit it. You two have been my most worthy adversaries. Never have I been backed into a corner like this in all my life. Especially by ones as young as you two. Almost seems a shame that it has to end this way…almost."

Neither trainer felt particularly honored by Greevil's praise. The words, no matter how sincere they may have been, sounded like venom to their ears.

Didn't help that their attention was not drawn towards the Grandmaster himself, but rather what was rising behind him.

Mechanisms in the hangar bay whirred as the floor opened up, allowing some…thing to be slowly brought up from what could only be guessed to be a docking station. The outline of the machine hinted at something big. Maybe even rivaling Lugia in size and bulk. In the darkness of the hangar though, it was simply too difficult to make out exactly what it was.

Or maybe it was the darkness of the object itself that made it hard to distinguish.

Either way, Michael and Lugia didn't need to see it to go cold. They could feel that awfully familiar energy. That aura of dread that could've only come from a single source.

Rui felt it too, and she began to put it into words. "Is…is that-?"

Greevil gave a dry chuckle as the thing slotted into place. "I should thank you though. Without your help, I doubt I could get TEMPEST up and running. Nor could I have…perfected its design."

Something inside the mecha turned one, a pair of what looked like eyes coming to life and gazing out of the darkness.

A pair of crimson eyes.

"It really is ironic. That this should end with XD-001 facing down the one they helped create. I'd like you to meet Unit X-001. Project TEMPEST's successor. Course, some of my men would rather call it…Mecha Shadow Lugia."

Power flowed through the now visible mech's circuits, highlighting the ebony chassis and frame. It certainly resembled what Michael saw in the documents concerning Project TEMPEST, but it still chillingly resembled Cipher's ultimate creation. The same clawed feet. The same jagged horn. A pair of great wings. The resemblance was uncanny.

Of course it wasn't a perfect match. It still retained a robotic look and overall there was enough synthetic aesthetics and made it clear that this…thing wasn't alive. Which honestly made it more unnervingly similar. That this was what Greevil had wanted Lugia to be all along.

Their horror must've been obvious since Greevil cackled. "Yes indeed! It certainly is a lot more loyal than XD-001! Of course, it can't command Shadow Pokemon like the original, nor can it create them en masse. But it will certainly be enough to subdue a rebellious upstart and remind it of its true master!"

The machine lowered, its chest opening up to reveal some kind of pilot seat and cockpit. With the force field though, there was little Michael and Wes could do as the Grandmaster sat himself in the pilot's seat and was inserted into the confines of the machine. They could hear something else power up inside the machine, almost like it was coming fully to life. And it almost seemed that was the case, the wings extending out to their full length and the head rearing up and letting out a chilling digitized cry that sounded almost exactly like the Shadow Lugia of old.

Michael and Espeon gulped. They were facing down the same enemy again, and they didn't have another Master Ball on hand.

A speaker crackled on, allowing that old madman's voice to fill the vacuum of the hangar. "And you can be its first victims! Fall prey to Mecha Shadow Lugia!"

Unit X-001 cried again, opening its maw and generating an orb of dark energy aimed right at the trainers. Michael, Wes, Rui, and their Pokemon were caught in the headlights. They didn't have any power to repel what was coming. And as soon as the force field came down-

-their nightmare turned into reality when the force field powered down, allowing the doppelganger to fire the Shadow Blast right at them, sealing their fate.

Michael's last thoughts as death came charging at him was of his mom and his sister. Of all the people he met and befriended along the way. Of Orre, that rough region with an unbreakable heart of gold beneath the dirt and sand.

Of the Pokemon he had rescued and had been privileged to become friends with.

Of Espeon. His faithful companion who they had shared so much with.

And of Lugia. The one he moved mountains to save. The one who showed he was stronger than he was. The one he had shared a bond and a link with. The one…who had become both mentor, and deepest friend.

Lugia…

He heard something shatter and a great force getting between themselves and the Shadow Blast.

BOOM!

They heard the Shadow Blast smash against something, but they didn't even need to open their eyes to know who it was.

Standing defiant against the shadow with his wings extended and his psychic power stretched to encompass them all in a Safeguard was Lugia. The real Lugia having broken through the last of the restraints. He glared across the battlefield, sizing his dark counterpart up. This power was indeed familiar. It may even resemble him and who he was.

But even still, it wasn't nor would it ever be who he was.

You've hurt too many souls, Greevil. I SHALL NOT ALLOW YOU TO HARM ANOTHER!

Lugia let out a warcry to match the doppelganger's. For the stage was finally set. It really seemed as though the fates had decreed this battle would determine the fate of all. And the legendary was not prepared to lose it all again.

This time…Cipher will end. And the one meant to destroy Orre will be the one to save it.

A/N: I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

I swear this fic is cursed. Long story short, life happened. Work was a nightmare. Labor Day Weekend happened. Went on vacation to get a break from the madness. And am now dealing with allergies. I apologize for the delay. I hope it won't happen again.

Watch as it happens again.

Anyways, we finally have our final battle with Greevil. I wrestled about whether or not I would have it be a one on one between Michael and him, but I think the team up with Wes was more appropriate. This is his story too so I figured it would be appropriate he'd take down his ultimate enemy.

I think I've mentioned this before, but the team he used here was the one he uses when you fight him postgame and after you snag all of his Shadow Pokemon. So naturally they're his toughest.

Not too much Lugia action this time around, but we do get a set up for the next chapter for the actual, honest to God, final battle between himself and Mecha Shadow Lugia. This story started with Lugia saving the day, now it's gonna end that way.

Also I swear that any resemblances to Metal Gear are completely accidental on my part. I'm not making this up.

Anyways, thank you all for being so patient. Hope the extra long chapter makes up for it. And thank you all for the support you've shown me over the course of this fic. Stay tuned for next time for the final showdown between Lugia and his mecha counterpart! Again, thank you for reading. Feel free to leave a review and make sure to follow and favorite if you want to see more. And as always, I wish you all a good day!