----------------------------------------------------
"Kao Umbreon" vs. "Ash Ketchum"
Partner Battle - Umbreon vs. Pikachu
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Gary calmly brought Umbreon into play with the auto-shuffling function of his Duel Ark. The dark-skinned pokemon appeared at his master's side. It had red rings all over its body, as opposed to the golden rings normally seen on its kind. Hanging around Umbreon's neck was a black studded collar with a large red gem at the center. That was probably an Item that helped it battle somehow. The creature was cold and quiet, unlike its trainer. [Umbreon's HP: 4200 - Level 90, ATK 2400, DEF 3700, SPD 24, four Technical Machines and one Item.]
Ash read the data grimly. His Umbreon is a lot stronger than I remember it. And he's managed to find four TM's too. Last time I checked, those things were rare. I thought I was the only one who managed to collect that many.
"What's the matter, Ashey-boy?" Gary teased. "Don't tell me you're afraid. It's only one pokemon. It should be easy for a Pokemon Master like you to defeat just one pokemon."
...If it was any other Pokemon, that'd be true. Ash pushed a button on his Duel Ark and called out Pikachu in the same manner Gary had. Pikachu popped into existence and landed on his hind feet. His appearance was as it had always been, not marred by age or constant battle. Pikachu announced his arrival with a cheerful "Pi-ka!" [Pikachu's HP: 2500 - Level 94, ATK 1700, DEF 1600, SPD 26, four Technical Machines and one Item.]
Gary surveyed the data displayed on his ark as Ash had done. He frowned. He seemed honestly disappointed.
"The last time you and I battled, your Pikachu was twice as strong," Gary murmured. "And that was almost a year ago. Either your Pikachu has a serious case of pneumonia, or you're training a different Pikachu than before." Gary looked up, totally serious for the first time since this encounter began. "What are you hiding, Ash?"
"I'm not hiding anything," Ash teased. He didn't elaborate any further.
Gary didn't like the sound of that, but he didn't really know what to make of it. Ketchum knew what the problem was, but he wasn't going to reveal his secret just yet. The markings probably had something to do with it. Gary was certain that Pikachu was cursed by a pokemon or event in the past, and Ash simply refused to admit it.
No matter. It just meant the battle would end that much quicker.
"Whatever. I'm going to win this battle. Having a weak opponent just makes it easier." Gary drew only four cards from his ark to form his starting hand, since his partner counted as the fifth card. Ash did the same. A storm rolling in from the south signalled the impending battle.
Both players glared at each other across the sandy street. Their pokemon waited patiently, not moving a muscle. The battle would start when their trainers commanded it. Ash and Gary slowly looked at a tree at the street's side, situated between them. There was one tiny leaf dangling on a branch, whipping about precariously. The growing wind from the coming storm would knock the leaf off eventually.
"On the count of Leaf, then," Gary said. Ash didn't reply. Both of them waited patiently, their bodies poised from battle just like their pokemon were.
The whipping wind finally knocked the leaf off the branch, but still neither of the players moved. The leaf flitted about in the wind, flying horizontally across the street as gravity pulled it towards the ground
The leaf touched the ground, and in an instant both trainers were shouting a simple command. "GO!!" Both of their pokemon leapt into motion and rammed each other full-speed. Pikachu and Umbreon bounced to the sides after the initial attack and prepared for the real exchange.
"Agility!!" Ash commanded. "Catch Umbreon off-guard and break its defenses!" Pikachu's special ability kicked in, and the furry creature zig-zagged across the field in an attempt to confuse Umbreon. [P's SPD: 26 -- 52]
"Wait for him, Umbreon!" Gary commanded. The dark pokemon watched his opponent carefully, noting its movements with a careful eye.
Pikachu zipped into existence right behind Umbreon and charged at him over a few feet of distance. Only then did the pokemon react. Pikachu used Slam to hit the ground with superhuman force, but all he hit was dirt. The ground flew in all directions and the ground shook from the misaimed attack. Just as Pikachu realized he missed, Umbreon appeared behind the pokemon and slammed him instead! The dirt kicked up again from the force, and lightning crackled above as if commemorating the powerful hit.
"That one should have broken his back!" Gary cheered. But when the dust cleared, Umbreon was lying limp on its side and buried beneath the dirt. It was almost like he'd hit himself!
"You tried to use a Feint Attack to catch Pikachu off guard," Ash explained. "But Pikachu was moving so fast that he jumped behind Umbreon before being hit. That's what we Pokemon Masters call a 'sweet move'."
Umbreon shook its head and got to its feet. It looked completely uninjured. Ash expected that. With a defensive strength above 3000, Pikachu wouldn't be able to hurt him just by ramming him. He couldn't use Slam or other moves like it while trying to avoid Umbreon with Agility. Pikachu was high level and powerful, but he had limits. The only way he could win was by using up Umbreon's energy, so that it couldn't Feint out of the way. That would take time. And any hit during the fight might be enough to take Pikachu down in his weakened condition.
"Where'd that little rat go," Gary muttered. Pikachu seemed to have disappeared after Umbreon's failed attack. But Ash knew where he was. Pikachu was running around the entire field as fast as he could. He was moving so quick that he couldn't be seen. But the moment he used one of his special attacks, Pikachu would drop down to normal speed as his energy was focused elsewhere. Ash had to hope that Pikachu could still outmaneuver Umbreon while they were moving at roughly the same speed.
"Time to wear down that defense of yours! Pikachu, Tail Whip!!" The rodent zipped to Umbreon's side and rushed at him. Pikachu's tail crackled with electricity and made it seem longer thanks to a trail of light. The light-trail smacked at Umbreon thanks to Pikachu's tail-wiggling. But this lightning whip wasn't fast enough to hit the dark pokemon. Umbreon danced left and right, avoiding each whip with expert skill.
That's when Ash slashed one of the cards in his hands. "Spinarak!! Hold Umbreon down with some of your web. String Shot!!" The spider-like pokemon burst out of nowhere to assist Pikachu. Spinarak spewed a string of web and caught Umbreon by surprise. Now pinned down, Pikachu was able to score a telling blow with his Tail Whip. Umbreon screeched in pain as electricity shocked his system and drained his energy. But it wouldn't last long. [U's DEF: 3700 -- 1850]
Spinarak leapt off the field, leaving Pikachu to continue the battle. Pikachu charged up for a blast of electricity in the form of a Thunder attack - the strongest attack he could muster. Umbreon struggled to free itself from the constricting web, but it was having difficulty. It wouldn't be able to break free in time unless Gary jumped in. Ash prepared for the worst.
"Umbreon, Protect!!" Gary ordered. Instantly, Umbreon closed its eyes and focused. A silver glow appeared around it just as Pikachu's attack went off. The Thunder blast erupted in the center of the arena and incinerated everything there - except for its intended target.
Ash growled. "He has a TM to protect his pokemon!" Protect was one of the hardest TM's to find. It could block any attack, even one as strong as Thunder! The smoke cleared, revealing Umbreon standing upright, free of the constraints of Spinarak's String Shot. And its defensive power was back at maximum [U's DEF: 3700].
"Nice try Ashey-boy, but it'll take more of a strategy than that to defeat Umbreon." Gary took one of the cards in his hand and slashed it. "But if you're going to be a coward and call in reinforcements to help your Pikachu, I'm going to have to stop you. In fact, I think I'll turn it against you." An enlarged version of the card appeared behind him, revealing it to be a card called Puppet Strings. A rare Magic card from the Duel Monsters game!
Ash's limbs were ensnared by a set of holographic strings, connected to tight leather straps encircling his wrists, fingers, and other joints. By the time the strings were all in place, Ash couldn't move his arms and legs at all. He dangled helplessly beneath the strings, which all connected to a large set of crossboards above him. There was no hand manipulating the device, but it moved as if there was.
"This little card lets me play your hand as if it were mine." Gary smiled as Ash's own ark displayed the cards in his hand as enlarged pictures, hovering above the Puppet Strings. "Which means I can pick the worst cards for you to play."
Ash grimaced. Gary could do some serious damage to Pikachu if he played the wrong card at the wrong time.
** Ash's Hand [3]: Cyndaquil (Lvl 24), Osmose (Option), Noctowl (Lvl 65) **
"The only downside is that I can't play any cards in my hand while I'm messing with yours." Gary slid his cards into the discard pile since they were now unusable. "But no matter. Umbreon has always been strong enough to do things on his own. Unlike your pampered pokemon."
"Pikachu, run!" Ash shouted. Against his will, he held the Osmose card and slashed it with sufficient force to activate it. Ash's muscles nearly burst from the strain of trying to stay still.
"Osmose, give Pikachu's energy to Umbreon!" Gary's pokemon cried out as it drew on what little energy Pikachu had and added it to its own. Pikachu collapsed to the ground from the intense pain of losing its energy.
** Pikachu [10%]: HP 250. **
** Umbreon [155%]: HP 6450 **
"Now that's what I call a card," Gary teased. "Not only did it cripple your pokemon, but it made mine super-strong. Remind me to thank those Digimon Tamer players for making such a card."
"Pikachu..." Ash said in lament. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.
"Finish him off," Gary commanded. Umbreon shot forward and chomped down on Pikachu's neck, using his Bite attack to suffocate the pokemon. Pikachu held on for dear life, but he was in no condition to fight back.
"Ready to give up, Ash? I may be rough on players, but I try to avoid killing Pokemon when I can."
Ash remembered Rika, and how her friends were fighting so hard to get back at Zero, the guy who took their friend away. He remembered Misty, and how she had to suffer because of Gary's bizarre ideas on sportsmanship. Ash remembered his father, and all that he'd said before he left his mother and him. Ash remembered all the pain he suffered throughout his young life. And he remembered how Pikachu had been there for him and Misty during all that time. Ash couldn't let Pikachu down - not now, not ever.
"Pikachu, if you can hear me, it's time to use our secret weapon."
Gary blinked. "Secret... weapon?"
Pikachu growled. "Pi..." There was no change in the animal's condition.
Ash knew what the problem was, even from Pikachu's limited vocabulary. "I know you're afraid of hurting it, but we have to risk it. I don't want you to die."
Pikachu seemed to consider the situation as Umbreon's jaws continued to crush the rodent's windpipe. It took him some time, but eventually, Pikachu conceded to Ash's will.
"HIDDEN POWER!!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu started to glow as he called on what strength he had left. "ChuuuuuuUUUU!!!" The ground rumbled as Ash's duel ark reacted to the pokemon's power. The device screamed in alarm, but managed to remain intact. Gary couldn't believe the readouts he was getting. Pikachu was getting stronger - even stronger than he was originally!
"What is this! No Pikachu can be this powerful. Not even yours!"
As Pikachu's power reached a crescendo, he flashed with white light that blinded everyone present. When the light faded, a ghostly figure was hovering above Pikachu and Umbreon. The figure formed into the shape of a cat and peered at the scene with big blue eyes. The creature was no bigger than a kitten.
"A baby... Mew?" Gary said in surprise. "But I've never seen one before. How can you have one?"
"I found it," Ash said evenly. "Pikachu and I found the rarest item on Earth - a baby Mew that hadn't even hatched yet. It needs energy to live and grow, and Pikachu decided to be that Mew's caretaker. He gave it the energy it needed to grow, at the cost of his own. And now, by giving up the Hidden Power TM I attached to him, Pikachu has woken Mew up."
"...At the cost of its life," Gary smirked. "While we've been talking, Umbreon has been Biting him to death. Or did you forget that?"
"Look again."
Gary did so, and saw Umbreon with empty jaws. Pikachu was gone! And Umbreon was so stunned by Mew's appearance that it didn't even seem to notice Pikachu's absence.
"Pikachu and Mew are one, for the moment," Ash said. "So this is still a Partner Battle. But now, my Partner has evolved in a way that no Pokemon Trainer has ever seen before. They have fused into one ultimate pokemon."
Gary fumed, but did not make it obvious. Silently, he looked up and glared at his rival. "...Ah. Then that gives me all the more reason to win. If you're the first person to hatch a Mew, then I will be the first person to kill one. And I'll do it with your cards if I have to."
Umbreon and Mew looked eye-to-eye, each of them crackling with their respective energies. Umbreon could sense it, even if his trainer could not - the Pikachu he'd been fighting was still there. This 'Mew' thing was just the surface. The pokemon that Ash Ketchum trained was deep inside, granting its power to the newborn creature. Although the kitten had a mind of its own, it was being guided and protected by the more experienced Pikachu. And between the two of them, their power and skill were astronomically high.
[Mew: Level 95, HP 4500, ATK 3600, DEF 3500, SPD 35.]
"Umbreon, Headbutt attack!" Gary ordered. His partner focused his energies at a point on its forehead and charged. As a result of the special attack's strength, he would be able to damage even the powerful Mew fusion he was facing. [U's ATK -- 4080]
"Dodge to the side!" Ash shouted. He was at a loss, since he couldn't move or use any cards to help his partner. Luckily, Mew (or rather, Pikachu) was able to dodge swiftly enough to avoid the earth-shattering attack. From the side, Mew used its basic Pound attack to smash the dark pokemon forcefully and send it careening to the ground. Mew slowly and methodically lowered its tiny fists and floated towards its foe. [U's HP: 4200 -- 2860]
Gary was stunned into silence. A monster that was just hatched, right before his eyes, was trouncing his pokemon! "Umbreon, get up and fight for real! Take Down!" The dark pokemon charged again and tried to use the ultra-powerful move, but again Mew counterattacked with incredible ease. His Pound sent Umbreon sliding through the earth again, and the strain of using Take Down only compounded with the damage. Umbreon was in bad sorts. [U's HP: 2860 -- 620]
"Give it up Gary," Ash declared. Even while bound by the Puppet Strings, Ash had a commanding presence. "A normal pokemon, no matter what level, can't beat a pokemon like Mew."
"I'm not finished yet, Ketchum," the trainer snarled. "I'm going to have Umbreon heal itself with the ability of Moonlight, and while he's doing that I'll refill your hand and look at what cards of yours I can use to defeat you."
As Gary had said, Umbreon used the power of Moonlight to draw on the residual darkness in the area made by the storm clouds above. The pokemon managed to heal itself a little bit [U's HP: 620 -- 1880], and Gary managed to refill Ash's hand by manipulating the Puppet Strings card. As he examined his hand, Gary smiled triumphantly.
** Ash's Hand [4]: Cyndaquil (Lvl 24), Noctowl (Lvl 65), Phanpy (Lvl 19), Alias (Option).
"You know Ash, I'm not entirely unfamiliar with Mew," Gary said confidently. "I know they're the rarest Pokemon on Earth, and that there's supposedly only one or two of them in the world. You apparently have the second one."
"What's your point," Ash growled. Mew steadily advanced on Umbreon, but didn't attack out of respect for pokemon battling. A monster did not attack unless its trainer ordered it to.
"There is only one other Pokemon that is that rare. And the last one of him that existed was used by... your father, I believe. Remember?"
Ash remembered the stories he heard from his childhood. "...Mewtwo. I remember it. But he destroyed that monster when he realized he couldn't control it. It was the only way to ensure the safety of the people he battled, and himself."
"No one has ever created a second Mewtwo, for that very reason," Gary said. "His data was far too powerful to control. But, there is a way to summon a Mewtwo, even though his card has been out of print for over a decade."
Ash glowered. "That's impossible."
Gary chuckled again. "We'll see. I'll start by using your Alias card to create a copy of your Mew!" Ash slashed the card against his will, and a second Mew appeared beside Gary. Umbreon and Pikachu/Mew looked at it curiously.
"And next, I'll use the Item that I equipped to Umbreon, in the event that I needed more power." The collar around Umbreon's neck started to glow, making the dark pokemon cringe from the strain.
Ash's eyes widened as the copy-Mew started to fizzle rapidly, and Umbreon did the same. They were being sacrificed. "Gary, NO!!"
"The item is called Upgrade! And with it, I can use the power of these two pokemon to make one, superior monster!" Gary grinned widely as the dark energies of his partner fused with the light energies of the cloned Mew. The lights combined into a massive orb of energy, which slowly rose upwards and superheated the air around it enough to create steam and fire. The energy within the globe reached the breaking point before finally shattering the orb completely. A man-sized creature fell from the orb and landed on the ground like a ninja. The smoke obscured its form, until its eyes flashed red and made its presence known.
Ash trembled in fear. "My... God..."
Gary smiled at the sight of Ash quivering in fear. "Meet the most powerful Pokemon alive. And my new Partner." Mewtwo slowly stepped forward, and glared at the opposing player. Even at rest, its power was unfathomable. [Level 90, ATK 4000, DEF 3270, SPD 46]
"You... sacrificed Umbreon, just for this," Ash said sadly.
The other trainer was aghast. "I've traded my monster for a better one! That's all! Now get ready, because you're about to be beaten by your rival, Ash!"
Ash slowly looked up, tears at the edges of his eyes. "You're no Rival. You're... not even a trainer."
Gary clenched his teeth so tightly, it seemed like they were about to shatter. "YOU'LL EAT THOSE WORDS, ASH KETCHUM!! Mewtwo, PSYCHIC ATTACK!!" The super pokemon's power exploded as its called upon its deadliest technique and aimed it squarely at the trainer. [M2's ATK -- 7600]
Ash put all his doubts aside. He would beat Gary, even without his cards! "Pikachu, use Psychic too!!" The fledgling Mew dashed into the path of the attack and glowed bright blue as it launched its own assault. The energies of both attacks met in mid-air and destroyed each other on impact. Mewtwo shielded itself with its arms, while Mew flew through the air and landed behind Ash from the force of the double negation. The pokemon was motionless.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Wake up, quick!" Ash struggled against his bindings, but the Puppet Strings were too strong for him to break by strength alone. He was at Gary's mercy.
Mewtwo stepped forward, its eyes glowing with evil intent. Behind him, Gary Oak's eyes had the same intensity.
"Forget the pokemon. Finish him off."
~ ~ ~ ~
[En'Dal]
Rika's head jerked up. For a second, she thought she felt Ash nearby. But, how could that be? He was somewhere fighting Kao for his badges. Rika turned around, watching poke-people walk by as they went about their business, in the usual style of NPC's in a roleplaying game. Rika looked left and right, but Ash was nowhere to be seen.
"Is Ash... in trouble?" she wondered aloud. Rika considered the thought, and for a moment she was afraid. "I felt him. Maybe he's calling out for help!"
Rika ran towards the town's edge, but when she got there she stopped. "What am I doing? I'm sure he's fine. Besides... it's not like I'm psychic or anything."
The redhead looked around again. A Nidoran couple were watching her warily, but they ran off when she noticed them. Rika sighed. "I'm just imagining things." She turned towards the way she came and steadily walked towards the inn.
Rika stopped again. She still had this nagging feeling, that Ash really was in trouble. She knew it sounded silly, but she felt like Ash was calling out to her. Maybe that was just her hope to be noticed by him talking, but she doubted she was imagining it.
What if I'm wrong? she wondered. If I go running after him when nothing's wrong, he'll think I'm weird. But if something really is wrong, he could really be in trouble.
Rika looked left, right, and left again, and growled. "Who cares what that jerk thinks! Just because I'm checking up on him doesn't mean I'm weird. He'll just have to deal with it!" The redhead raced to the edge of town again and set her Kyuubimon card with the push of a button. She mounted her digimon and raced towards Nalum Road, hoping that her intuition was just playing tricks on her.
~ ~ ~ ~
Ash didn't turn away as Mewtwo approached. The pokemon slowly raised its arm and gathered the energy it would need to unleash another Psychic attack. If he was hit at this close range, the attack would incinerate him for sure, even with the ark's Life Point Barrier protecting him.
"Good bye, Ash," Gary said with mock sorrow. "I'll take good care of Misty in your absence."
That did it. Ash growled angrily and struggled against his bonds, futily but forcefully. Gary laughed in amusement, and patted Mewtwo on the shoulder. The pokemon glared at the trainer behind him, his arm still poised for an attack.
"Finish him off," Gary repeated. "That's an order."
Mewtwo turned and focused his attention on Ash again. Blue energy appeared at his fingertips, and continued to build until it was sufficiently high to disintegrate a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon in one shot. Ash closed his eyes and awaited his fate. The Psychic attack went off and catapulted forward at the speed of thought.
But just as it would've impacted, Mew zipped into the line of fire. Ash's pokemon screamed as the full force of the attack surrounded it and burned with the intensity of the sun. Ash watched in terror as his Pikachu, in the guise of another pokemon, was burned alive.
[P's HP -- 400]
"Pi-ka-CHU!" Ash cried. "Oh God, no!!"
Against all odds, the baby Mew was alive, albeit barely. It's fur was singed from head to foot, giving it the look of a diseased rat from a New York sewer. Its bright blue eyes were bloody from the explosive mental energies that had consumed it with that attack. Mew managed to remain afloat, only by the sheer willpower that only Ash's Pikachu could manage. The pokemon was near death, and for Ash that was as bad as watching a sibling die.
"Pikachu... run away," Ash pleaded. "Forget about me. You're a hologram, but in this world you can live forever without worrying about running out of energy. You could be free. I'd rather die then let him kill you."
Mew ignored Ash's words. It slowly lifted its arms, and held them out at its sides. Mewtwo was surprised.
"A living shield," Gary mused. He laughed in amusement. "That's all he's got left, Ash. Your 'rare' item is useless as a Pokemon. I barely had to do anything to get Mewtwo. Heh heh."
Again, Mewtwo glared at the trainer. Gary didn't notice, or didn't care. Ash wasn't sure which.
"We've got this in the bag. Take them both out."
Mewtwo turned and faced Mew again. It lifted its arm and readied for a basic mental attack, which would destroy the creature and Ash with it. It focused its powers and aimed its powers at Mew. The blue globe appeared again. Although not as large as the Psychic attacks before it, it was still sufficient to scare Mew (Pikachu). However, the creature refused to move. It refused to leave its trainer behind.
Mewtwo did not attack.
"What are you waiting for?" Gary growled. "Attack! That's an order!"
Mewtwo's eyes were locked with his opponent's. The psychic pokemon could see past the outer illusion and could see Pikachu as clearly as day. Pikachu's eyes were big, black, and normally very cute. But right now, he looked as determined as a Gyrados - even more determined, if that was possible. Mewtwo had never seen such bravery - such intensity - in any pokemon, even himself. This Pikachu had a truly powerful spirit. It really loved its trainer.
"Hurry up and attack, you idiot!" Gary shouted.
Mewtwo lowered its arm and whipped around instantly. In a deep voice, he responded. "Silence, you damn fool."
Both trainers were aghast. "You... you talked!!"
But Ash was aghast most of all. That voice...?
"I am your Trainer! Attack him, now!!" Gary ordered. "Or else!"
Mewtwo's eyes flashed red. It was like staring into the eyes of the Devil himself. "Or else... what?"
Gary trembled. "Or else..."
Mewtwo slowly lifted his arm, and began to summon his powers. Blue particles started to collect like water.
Gary started to step backwards. "Or else..."
The pokemon's eyes flashed, and the red color in his eyes transfered into the globe forming at his fingertips. "Leave... my son... alone." The red light exploded from Mewtwo's hand and engulfed Gary in a moment's notice. There was no escape.
"NOOOOOOOooooo...!!" Gary cried for help, but to no avail. Ash looked away, scared at what he might see. But when the light cleared, Gary was still there, a little terrified but alive.
"...What?" Gary murmured, surprised. "Where am I?" He looked at his own hands, and seemed surprised by their appearance. "Who am I?" He looked up, and saw Mewtwo standing there, with Ash and a disgusting rat behind him. "Who are you people?"
"Have fun with your Amnesia," Mewtwo chided. He waved his hand, and Gary disappeared. Presumabely, he was teleported by Mewtwo's psychic powers. To where, only the pokemon knew. Gary's duel ark fell to the ground, its energy drained away.
Ash fell to the ground when Gary's ark lost its power. Ash was declared the winner, and as such the Crests that Kao had were transferred into Ash's ark. He now had four Crests!
Mew faded from sight and dissolved into two lights. One of the lights became Pikachu, looking good as new. The other disappeared into Pikachu again. "Pi-ka!"
"Pikachu!!" Ash cried joyfully. The two buddies hugged to their hearts' content, each congratulating each other in their own little way. Mewtwo waited patiently nearby for their reunion to finish.
"He will no longer bother you," Mewtwo said somberly. "His memories will return eventually, but he will no longer be competitive in anything he does."
Ash was fixated on Mewtwo. Although his appearance was striking enough, it was his voice that made Ash tremble. "...Dad? Is that you?"
Mewtwo frowned slightly. "I'm afraid, that I cannot explain just yet."
"Why not!?" Ash cried. "I'd heard that you died recently, but nobody would tell me why. Even Mom doesn't know what happened to you!"
"I cannot explain it to you. Not yet." Mewtwo turned and looked in the direction of the Crystal Castle. "This world... Zero... they are the cause of much suffering. This island is the result of many travesties enacted at his hands."
"Did Zero do this to you!?" Ash was on the verge of tears now. "Tell me!"
"When all of this is over... Go to Reedington, Japan," Mewtwo said calmly. "Only when you go there, will you be able to understand. Until then... you should forget this little meeting."
"No!" Ash cried. "I've wanted to see you again for so long, to show you how far my training has come. I heard that you died, and now that I know you're alive, you tell me to forget it!?"
"I'm sorry," the pokemon said. Mewtwo faded into a blue shape, then dissolved into the earth. "I love you, son..."
Ash dove to the ground. "Wait!!"
But when he got there, all he found was a card. It had Mewtwo's image on the front.
Pikachu walked to his trainer and looked at the card. He frowned sympathetically. "Chu..." Ash turned and held his pokemon tightly. Only then did he let his sorrow out.
~ ~ ~ ~
"A~sh!" Rika called from the Nalum Road. She walked along, repeating his name over and over again, hoping to hear an answer. Kyuubimon strolled beside her, oblivious to her tamer's actions just like any other hologram would be.
"Where is he," she worried. "Is he...?" Rika tried not to think about it. She was still having trouble believing that Takato was gone. Just thinking about it made her want to break down and cry again. If she lost another friend, she didn't know if she could take it. Rika wanted this nightmare to end.
Rika came to a fork in the road and saw a figure walking down a hill. Upon closer inspection, it was Ash, his clothes a bit torn from a particularly fierce battle. Pikachu was bouncing beside him, eager to see Rika down below. The pokemon waved excitedly.
"H~ey!" Rika yelled happily. She raced up the hill and closed the gap between them. "You're alright!"
Ash held up his arm that was equipped with the ark. "And I have four Crests now. I'm all set to enter the castle with you."
"Great!"
The trainer blinked a few times, and the nervousness set in. Both children looked at each other with half-glances. Ash managed to speak up first. "So uh... why did you come all the way out here?"
Rika looked at her feet. "I was... just worried a little trainer like you would get lost. So I came out here to walk you to En'Dal."
"Pi-kaaa..." Pikachu glanced wryly at Rika. The pokemon soon had a dreamy, love-sick look in his eyes.
"Shut up, you," Rika snapped. Pikachu sniggered and hid behind Ash's leg.
"Thanks," Ash said in reply. He slowly walked down the hill, rubbing his left eye a bit with a balled up fist.
"Ash?" The trainer looked up in response. "Is something wrong?"
The boy smiled slowly. "No. I'm fine. Let's get back to the others." Ash turned and continued down the hill, leaving Pikachu and Rika behind.
"Pi, ka," the pokemon said somberly. He looked up at Rika, who frowned back.
"... I hope he's really okay." Pikachu pi-ka'ed in agreement. They walked down the hill and caught up with Ash before they continued down Nalum Road the way they came.
~ ~ ~ ~
[Secret Dungeon Entrance]
Yami stood quietly at the entrance of the maze, his ancient eyes scanning the shadows for anything suspicious. The entrance to this secret dungeon had been difficult to find, but it would be worth the effort if it meant gaining entrance into the Crystal Castle.
This place is creepy, Yugi whispered.
This place is unholy, Yami added. Although the landscape is digitally formed, just like the rest of the island, there is an aura of Evil here as well. Almost as if we've descended to a darker plane of existence within this digital world.
There was a moan in the distance, like someone being tortured but unable to scream because of a gag. Yugi's connection with Yami faltered, but the ancient spirit managed to hold the link.
Yugi, calm yourself. It was only an illusion.
H-how do you know? Yugi whimpered.
I know. Now calm yourself. I will protect you.
Yugi was reassured by his other self's words. I'll try.
Yami stepped bravely into the darkness. The only light came from a single torch at the entrance. Yami took the torch from its socket in the wall and held it aloft as he ventured deeper into the maze. The ground was covered in the skeletal remains of previous visitors (or so they were meant to believe). There were swords, shields, and rusted armor lying about as well. Sadly enough, this tunnel reminded Yami of home.
Mist started to rise from the ground ahead. Yami's ark beeped in alarm. An enemy is approaching. Be ready, Yugi. I cannot fight if you break our connection. You must be brave.
I'm... I'm ready! Yugi said firmly. Yami placed the torch in the wall as his opponent appeared. It was a Rare Ka named "Feral Shadow", a basic monster in the form of a living shadow with cat-like features and wispy wings on its back. [900/600/SPD 15, Flying]
Yugi tried not to focus on the howling feline, which seemed to be looking directly into his eyes. Wh-what card are we going to use?
This one. Yami drew from the top of his deck and set the card in the Active Slot. "Beast King, Gazelle!" Light flashed in front of the duelist, and the light assumed the shape of a lion-like monster of suitable size to defeat the beast, but not so large that it could not move through the narrow halls. [1500/1200/SPD 12]
"Defeat that monstrosity!" Yami commanded. Gazelle rushed the short distance between the two monsters and chomped with all its might. The Feral Shadow leapt back to avoid the attack, and charged over the beast's head with cat-like grace. The shadow charged straight at Yami, its fangs bared and drooling with blood.
AHHH! GET AWAY!! Yugi shouted.
Yugi! The boy's mind flooded with fear, and it was more than Yami could contain. The spirit was knocked away from the puzzle, leaving Yugi in control of his own body. Yugi stared fearfully into the eyes of the cat as it flew straight at him, seemingly in slow motion.
The shadow yowled in pain as it was slashed to ribbons from behind. Gazelle growled at the remains of the shadow as they faded into the rocky floor. Yugi stood paralyzed from head to toe.
Yami managed to re-establish a connection with the boy. Yugi! Are you alright!
...Yes, Yugi said tentatively. His breathing returned to normal, slowly but surely. Finally, he was calm enough to clear his mind and let Yami re-enter his body. Yami resumed control.
You are normally not this afraid of our enemies, Yami noted. I know. But, I keep on thinking about that boy, Takato. He died because of monsters like this one. This island is dangerous.
We have faced life-threatening situations before, Yami reminded his aibou. This is no different. Just have faith, and remember that you and I are together. We can defeat any monster - or any player - we encounter, as long as we remain strong and focused.
Yugi considered his guardian's words. You're right. I'll try to be strong. Yami felt Yugi's sincerity, but he also felt the boy's doubt. Yugi was still afraid of what these monsters might do.
Yami called back his Gazelle and replaced the card in one of the slots of his ark. He drew four more cards and glanced at them to see what they were before placing them in the same slot as well. With his hand memorized, Yami retrieved his torch and continued into the recesses of the dungeon, with Yugi watching from within.
More sounds filled the tunnel, this time sounding like metal scraping on stone. Yami paused to look ahead, but the torch-light did not offer enough light to see. Yami stepped forward slowly, but still he saw nothing. And it sounded like the noise was very close.
Yami... Yugi was starting to worry again.
The pharaoh remained calm. He looked straight ahead into the darkness, waiting for his enemy to show himself. Then, he understood, and not a moment too soon! Yami ducked just as an invisible assailant swung its bladed weapon at him. The attack took off the top of Yami's torch and sent it bouncing along the tunnel. Before Yami could get a good look at his assailant, the torch went out.
He was face-down! Yami realized. In other words, he was invisible until the moment he attacked. Yami stood up and slowly backed away, keeping his fingertips on the walls to either side of him so he knew where he was. As the scraping noise approached, he backed away as he tried to think.
Without a torch, we can't see anything! Yugi said. How are we supposed to fight what we can't see?
Yami rolled under another attack from his unseen enemy. As he rolled, he reached into his Duel Ark and pulled the third card from his hand. With this! Yami slid the card into the active slot, and a flash of light appeared in the hallway as his monster was summoned. In that moment, Yami could see his assailant. It was an undead creature weilding a massive axe!
An "Armored Zombie", Yami realized. Yami's summoning was completed, in the form of Magnet Warrior Alpha [1400/1700/12]. The light of summoning disappeared, trapping Yami in darkness once again. The sounds of battle filled the tunnel, and there was an occasional spark of light as the zombie's axe struck the floating magnet's steel plating.
The Magnet Warrior can't see, so it can't fight, Yugi said grimly. Luckily, it's Defense is high enough to absorb the Zombie's attacks... for now.
If the zombie continues to strike, the warrior's Defense will weaken. We must come up with a plan before then. Yami drew a card from his deck, but he could not see what it was, even if he held it directly in front of his eyes.
Should we use it? Yugi asked.
It's a risk. If we use the card improperly, it might hurt our Warrior, or ourselves.
We have to have faith, Yugi reminded his guardian. Remember?
Yami smirked. Right. The duelist stood up and brought the unknown card to his ark. "Card Slash!!" Sparks of light filled the air as the card was pulled through the reader. The effects of the card happened almost instantly.
"The Swords of Revealing Light!" Yami cheered. The room was illuminated by the power of the swords, and the Armored Zombie was trapped behind the mystical wall of force that the Swords formed. The dented Alpha, now able to see, zoomed through the air and past the barrier to lay the smack-down on the Armored Zombie. The creature was annihilated in one hit.
We did it! Yugi said happily. Take that, evil spawn of the Internet!
Yami chuckled. Let's continue our journey and find the Crest in this dungeon. Yami slashed one of the cards in his hand, called Enchant Weapon. It transfered the powers of one Magic or Trap card into the weapon of one monster. One of the glowing swords floated into Alpha's sword, giving it the power to glow among other things. The tunnel was now well-lit. Yami followed as Alpha led the way.
After many twists and turns through passages laden with weak monsters, Yami and Alpha found what appeared to be the center of the maze. The room was a massive chamber, roughly twenty meters on any side. The floor was decorated with lines and symbols drawn with ancient dyes, giving the room the appearance of an ancient battleground. Sitting in the room's center was a massive statue of what appeared to be a Giant Gengar.
That's a Ghost Pokemon, Yugi noted. But I've never heard of one that big before.
This must be the guardian of the secret Crest. Which means that we have to defeat it in order to win that Crest.
Yugi remembered all the RPG games he'd played in his young life. Rule Number One of the Secret Boss: He'll be stronger than any other bosses on the island by at least three-fold.
Are you ready? Yami asked calmly. In order to defeat this beast by ourselves, I may have to call on more power than normal.
Yugi nodded spiritually. Let's do this. For our friends.
Yami's Millennium Puzzle glowed brightly, and the golden eye that symbolized his power appeared on his forehead. His voice was like the roar of a volcano. "GENGAR!! I CHALLENGE YOU TO BATTLE, FOR THE CREST THAT YOU PROTECT!! AWAKEN!!"
The massive statue trembled as the monster inside awakened. As the ground shook with its fury, Gengar floated from the massive statue as a ghostly presence, and the disappeared instantly. Only a vague outline of the monster remained. The giant Gengar laughed malisciously, and sank into the surrounding environment. [????/????/? - Ghost]
** Gengar Giant: 6400 HP || Yami Yugi (Ark, Puzzle): 6000 LP **
Yami fanned out the cards that had been his hand up until now. Magnet Warrior Alpha flew into position so that it was between Yami and the majority of the battlefield.
"Be ready for anything!" Yami shouted. At his feet, a circle of light flashed in and out of existence.
That Gengar is so big that our attacks won't even work on it, Yugi noted. We need something of equal size to compete with its defensive powers.
If we combine our Magnet Warriors into Valkyrion, we may be able to combat that monstrosity. But first, we must make it visible. Yami watched the ground as the giant Gengar's vague outline swam through the stone like a shark.
If we hit it with Alpha's Sword of Revealing Light, we'll be able to force it to reveal itself, Yugi realized.
Exactly! Yami pointed where Gengar was, and ordered Alpha to attack that point. Alpha charged and stabbed its sword into the stone, but Gengar ducked into the ground just before the attack connected. Alpha floated upwards, its eyes searching for its opponent.
Yami shook as Gengar's form tried to attack it from below. A circle of light flared around him, blocking any attack from the Gengar. The ghost pokemon swam into the stone again, searching for an opening, but it found none. The circle was the perfect barrier.
Yami! Is this... what I think it is? Yugi had seen a barrier like this before. When Henry was fighting Zero, he had a circle that protected him from direct attacks. Was this the same power?
In ancient times, it was common for those trained in monster summoning to develop a Circle to protect themselves, Yami said. As Pharaoh, I possessed that power, among others.
But, how are you using it? Did you remember how to do it somehow?
Yami glared at Gengar as the beast's outline rose to its full height, dwarfing him and Alpha in its shadow. It seems our brief encounter with Zero is awakening some of my old abilities.
Alpha flew ahead, slashed at Gengar, and hit it dead-on. The massive creature was undamaged by the paltry attack, but its invisibility and ghostly nature were negated by the magical enhancement in Alpha's blade. The massive Gengar was in full view, and its power to become invisible was disabled by Yami's magic card. Alpha had done its job.
"Return!" Yami commanded. As he was about to remove the card from its slot, Gengar's eyes flashed red and encompassed Alpha's form. Yami's hand was struck by an electric surge from the ark, forcing him to recoil. Yami tried again, but again his hand was shocked by the ark. Alpha's card was stuck in the Active Slot.
A "Mean Look" attack! Yugi said for certain. It prevents the opponent's current monster from switching out with another creature! Alpha is trapped on the field.
The Magnet Warrior swiftly flew out of the path of Gengar's meaty hands, which hit the stone floor with considerable force. Gengar lumbered after its prey like a giant monster out of an old Japanese film. Alpha slashed futily at Gengar when the opening presented itself, but to no avail. Gengar's defenses were simply too strong.
Yami remained determined. I can hold my own for now. But I don't know how long these powers will last. I'm playing a game more dangerous than it seems. I just hope that Yugi can keep up with me. Without his support, I can't maintain control of the body.
Gengar smiled wickedly. Yami knew that this would truly be a test of Yugi's strength.