Chapter Forty-Eight: Infamous


It was with great anxiety that Aaron's team watched the television the following day. Clay had a valid shot, sure, but a win on his part would still be an upset victory. Barely more than a twenty percent chance wasn't too encouraging. What would the new world be like under Omega's reign? Sure, most of the problems Nathan had spoken of would be addressed. War, crime and poverty would be a thing of the past.

But so would much of their choice.

"Son, you've got no control over this. No need to fret. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen."

"I know," Aaron admitted. After a pause, he continued. "The selfish part of me wants Clay to lose. I'd… rather not have the weight of the entire world on our shoulders. Billions of people watching, demanding that we do the impossible. But… we still think he needs to be stopped." So if Clay somehow won this match, they would face Nathan despite the abysmal odds.


Clay stepped out of the truck and positioned the cowboy hat firmly on his head, standing in front of his old city's arena. The exterior had fallen somewhat into disrepair; most of the important battles over the past two decades were held in either Castelia's or Nimbasa's colosseums. This one, on the other hand, had only served for smaller tournaments, most of which were for the city's own locals. The paint had chipped, sheet metal dented from heavy weather, and there was no big screen. But it was still a league-certified arena.

The guards in front of the stadium entrance parted ways for him. Off to the side was the medical stations, in front of which was a man who looked to be pushing his seventies. He motioned for Clay to follow him inside. "Give it a few more years and it'll look just like the old colosseum in Pyrite."

"Uh huh. And you are?" the team leader asked, almost disinterested.

"Your opponent." Clay raised an eyebrow.

"So you're this Wes, huh? Never seen nor heard of you."

"We didn't want you to," Wes replied. "And if the world was a better place, you never would have." As they passed through the hallway into the dilapidated arena, Clay folded his arms.

"Enlighten me then."

"Don't think either of us have time for my life story," Wes said. "But my team is the reason Cipher rotted away fifty years ago. Well… half the reason. After we shut them down, we jumped all across Central and South America, taking down cartels and drug runners wherever we could. And when I got too old for it, we found others who could follow suit. We did our best to make the world a safer place… and it accomplished nothing in the grand scheme of things. I killed one leader, two more took his place. It was only with Omega that I found a way to end it all."

"Yeah – only at the price of our freedoms. Unova may be lost, but Kanoma will never bend a knee to socialism."

"You use the same words as Delta. You just mean different things. If you'd seen even a fraction of the suffering that exists outside of your own regions, you would see why our plan of progression is needed. If you still think we're socialist after everything that's been said and done, then I'm not sure there's any convincing you. But if your people cannot acclimate to the new world, you will have your own. When it burns, you will have nobody to blame but yourselves." Clay wasn't in a mood to debate. He had come here for one purpose, and that very purpose was a few short moments away. "What? No comment?"

"I didn't come here to argue with a terrorist."

"I suppose it takes one to know one," the other man replied. "And at least when I blew shit up it was for a good cause." A few guards stood inside the hallway. The entrance branched out over the moat, the red-brown dirt and dried grass giving the arena a rustic scene. But before he could reminisce about older times – about the countless battles fought on this neglected soil – something else caught his attention.

Zekrom stood on one end of the battlefield, his eyes falling to the former gym leader. The guard who served as a referee read out the very same rules he had to Elesa. Clay mindlessly agreed to them while looking at the black dragon. Once the guard had finished, both trainers were ready. But being in the presence of one of the greatest legends in history, he knelt to show his respect. It was then that a fear he never knew he had manifested itself. "Your ideals are strong. I can feel each and every one. I even feel sorry for you; unlike your counterpart, you have truly convinced yourself that your ways are ours. They are not. You would be wise to deceive yourself no longer." And before Clay could ask a single question, the legendary launched into the sky and left them alone.

"…What?" Clay muttered to himself. That didn't make sense. Alpha sought nothing more than the reverence of the legendaries and the return to traditional values. So why on earth would Zekrom have said such a thing? As the drones took their place in the airspace around them, though, he realized that thoughts of that sort would have to wait until later. There was still a battle to be fought – one that he had prepared for over the past year. And Clay would be damned if he didn't fight it. He barely registered the words as they both agreed to the rules of the fight.

"You see," Wes stated, "just like you, I've been an outlaw ever since we took our first stand. Neither of us are content to let the world stay as it is." He walked to his half of the field, a sharp blue jacket parting at his side, revealing a full team of six. "But where we differ… is in who we help. My team and I knew fully well that our fight would never end. But if we could alleviate the suffering of all those people who the cartels had choked the life out of… then it was worth it. Your fight was just as endless, yet it helped no one. When this is all said and done, I hope you take the time to consider your motives for doing what you've done. Consider what you've fought for… and whether it was worth it. But for now, we've got business to attend to."

Clay's hand fell to his side, ready to make his first choice. He was confident in his skills as a trainer and in the competence of his team. But after Zekrom's rebuke, things didn't sit right. There was truth to Wes' statement; they would need to reflect after this.

Wes grinned as his hand fell to his belt, almost as if he were mocking Clay. The next words confirmed that. "Ready? Draw!"


Alan opened his eyes, pounding an open fist as he squared off against his opponent. There was nothing there. That is, until he looked down. "What in the fuck… so they really weren't kiddin' after all…" The rhyperior looked over his shoulder towards his trainer. "They really sent out a stuffed animal against me." If it weren't somewhat humorous, Alan would've been insulted.

"I'd be wary," Clay warned. "There's a reason he's on this field."

"Yeah," Alan said, directing his focus to the quilava. "To get his little ass stomped by me." Rozzi stood on his hind legs, readying his tiny arms in a fighting stance. "Heh, that thing's almost the size of my dick."

"I'm surprised you can see yours in the first place, fatass," the quilava snapped back. All of a sudden the rhyperior didn't feel bad about what he was getting ready to do to his opponent.

"You little fuck!" Alan didn't wait for the command, slamming his heavy foot down. Ripples launched through the ground, the rhyperior snatching sediment up and hurling the projectiles as the attack closed in. In a flash, the quilava was racing towards him on all fours, little more than a green blur on the ground. "What the hell?!" Rozzi dodged the projectiles effortlessly, zigzagging faster than Alan's eyes could trace, before leaping into the air ahead of him. What felt like the force of a jackhammer hit him right under the chin.

The rhyperior stumbled back, hand clasped to his mouth in bewilderment. "Behind you!" Clay yelled, but it was far too late. A swift punch slammed into the back of his knee and almost made him fall over. Alan roared in his anger, spinning around and slamming his massive tail onto the ground.

Rozzi rolled underneath him. "Aerial ace!" Wes shouted, trying not to laugh. Alan spun around only for the kick to land in his right eye.

"SON OF A BITCH!" Alan yelled, his eye watering and blurring his vision. The massive pokémon slammed his foot down and stomped the earth repeatedly. If the quilava was determined to evade him, then he would destroy everything in his immediate surroundings. Alan roared as he trampled the ground. His mind went blank, blocking out the frantic calls of his trainer as he tried to crush the little rat underfoot. A swift kick to his groin made him double over, nearly vomiting from the pain.

"I barely felt anything at all down there," Rozzi jeered. Before the quilava could blink, Alan snatched him up in his right hand. His eyes went wide; the rhyperior intended on impaling him on his horn. Thinking fast, he used brick break, snapping Alan's finger out of place. He barely had time to yell when the quilava made his move, striking upward with a force unassuming of his size.

Clay watched in horror as the crack was heard around the stadium. Alan's back contacted the ground, knocking the wind out of him. His one good eye opened, and with it, he saw something lying on the ground next to him.

His horn.

"I think you dropped something," Rozzi stated nonchalantly.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Alan snapped, rolling over onto his feet and charging the quilava. Rozzi leapt over the stampeding beast, his feet kicking off the back of his head as he landed by the shattered bone nearly as long as his own body. The rhyperior came to a sliding stop, digging his feet into the ground and charging his opponent. A cascading wave of sand tore the ground ahead of him. Rozzi barely had time to react, forming a protective barrier in front. Alan used that hesitation to his advantage and closed the distance.

He pivoted around and shattered the shield with his colossal tail, causing the quilava to stumble. But Rozzi regained his balance just as quick, darting between the much larger opponent's legs once again before leaping onto his back. Alan thrashed about, smashing his hands into his body in an attempt to crush Rozzi. A tiny fist fast as lightning impacted his mouth. Alan tasted his blood before finally managing to hurl his foe off.

The rhyperior saw red. For the first time in the fight, Rozzi seemed to panic as Alan yanked his foot up and prepared to end his life. Wes reached forward, ready to recall the quilava if necessary, until he saw Rozzi's eyes dart to the side. It was then that he realized what was about to happen and lowered the pokéball. Thinking fast, the quilava snatched the broken horn and held it up. Alan was far too late to stop his momentum.

He yelled as the point peaked through his kneecap, impaling his lower leg completely. The rhyperior went to the ground immediately and clutched it, moisture squeezing itself out of his eyes. He felt as though the embrace of death was about to welcome him, praying that his trainer would take the hint and retrieve him from this living hell. Rozzi acted immediately, pouncing on top Alan's body and raising his fist, slamming it over and over into his face. "GET HIM OFF!" Alan cried, his voice going up several octaves. The quilava struck downward, blood flying up and coating his fur as he kept punching.

Rozzi fell to the ground as Alan was retrieved from the fight. Clay looked down at the ball, completely lost for words. A heavy, disappointed sigh escaped his mouth as he handed it to the latios that had silently approached him from behind.

"Well now," Wes stated. "You're off to a good start…" The older trainer released his krookodile, and before anything else, pointed a finger at him.

"Listen up, Keith. Alan flipped his shit and wouldn't hear to a word I said. Don't lose yer head like he did." The krookodile's claws sifted through the ground. He nodded slowly; the rhyperior was known to be a hothead, even amongst them. Keith wouldn't make the same mistake.

"Got it." Rozzi stood on his hind legs once more, one hand in front of the other, and as the krookodile's claws kneaded the dirt, he got an idea.

A thin wave of sand blew towards the quilava before Rozzi could react, making him close his eyes instinctively. "Sand tomb!" Clay shouted, catching on to what Keith had been planning. A cascading pillar of sand leapt from the earth, but Rozzi dodged it just as quick. Keith closed the distance, ripping the sediment from below and hurling it, but the smaller and nimbler opponent barely managed to avoid each one.

Rozzi's foot touched the ground and he sprang forth, his flames flaring to life as the order to use brick break drowned out in the noise of the earthquake below. Keith blocked the attack with one arm and winced as the heat neared his face. But unlike Alan, this opponent was far quicker. He spun around and slammed his tail right into the quilava's midsection. The heavily-muscled appendage made his insides feel like they had been crushed as Rozzi's body was flung away.

But he came to a rolling stop, kicking himself back up in time to avoid the boulder sent towards him. Keith snarled, thrusting his arms in wide arcs and sending rolling blades of sand towards Rozzi. "Flare blitz!" Wes ordered, though he couldn't follow up in the ceaseless onslaught. Each motion came with heavy exhales, exhaustion claiming the much smaller pokémon.

Keith was growing frustrated as none of his attacks landed. "Earthquake!" his trainer said, but the second he did so, Rozzi was ready to jump. It was no use. The krookodile stamped the ground, sending small boulders into the air and tearing up the field, launching the projectiles to no avail. Great flames rolled from his fur, and as he drew near, Keith began to get worried. He used earthquake again, and as Rozzi soared towards him, he got an idea – but he had one shot.

He waited. Time crawled to a halt as Rozzi prepared to land in front, probably to land a low strike. Those front paws stretched out, confirming Keith's suspicion, and he lifted his leg. As the quilava's eyes went wide, realizing that his opponent had made a good prediction, the dark-type grinned.

The ripple through the ground knocked Rozzi up the second he landed, stunning him and giving Keith a split second to react. It was all he needed. An open hand caught the quilava in the side of the jaw and he slammed into the ground. "There ya go!" Clay cheered. "Good shit, Keith!"

"Crazy little fuck," the krookodile said under his breath. He wanted to pretend like he hadn't been nervous throughout the battle, but that much was a lie. Alan was likely to suffer lifelong complication from what had just happened to him – from a quilava of all things. If this was Wes' lowest-leveled pokémon, they were in for a long morning.

"Not bad," Wes admitted. "That was some quick thinking – and a great earthquake at that. If Rozzi was awake, I'm sure he'd agree." With the fight back to an even status, he pulled out another pokéball. "It would be a shame if your next opponent was a bit harder to hit."

The second Gwen was released, Keith averted his gaze. "Motherfucker!" Keith grunted as her mirror-like body reflected the sunlight perfectly towards him.

"Swords dance!"

"No! Stop her! Stone edge!" Clay snapped, realizing that her polished body was about to make this fight damn near impossible.

"How can I fight something I can't see?!" the krookodile said, still doing as he was told. He blindly flung the stone projectiles into the air as the skarmory released a shrill battle cry. The flaring aura surrounded her radiant body as a sharped gust of wind was hurled towards Keith.

"MOVE!" The krookodile dodged to the side as the ground where he had just stood was sliced. He scanned the sky for the second sun and did his best to deal with it, not staring directly at Gwen but close enough to know where she was. "Sandstorm!" Clay ordered, realizing that Keith's only chance would come by negating her advantage. All of his energy was put into the attack, forming an expanding twister of sand around him that helped in reducing the harsh light, reduced to sporadically gleaming rays between the grains.

What he didn't realize was the fact that the origin of those rays had already pierced the sandstorm.

"Ahh!" Keith yelled as the hardened wing slammed into his midsection, clotheslining him and leaving him on his back. The sandstorm immediately died down.

"Keith! You okay?!" The krookodile nodded wordlessly, rolling back onto his feet with great effort. It felt like his stomach had been struck with a baseball bat. This wasn't good; he couldn't match the skarmory's mobility. Being barely able to see her didn't bode well for him either. A frustrated growl came from his throat as he formed more projectiles, waiting for her to swoop in closer.

"Flash cannon!" Gwen dove downwards, approaching him for a clearer shot. The rocks zipped by, each dodged masterfully before she flared her wings outward. A blinding beam engulfed the krookodile. He raised an arm to block the painful light, his flesh feeling like it was about to burn. In the moment, he failed to hear the command for brave bird. The light grew brighter and brighter. The impact sent his limp body flying through the air.

Clay swore as he returned Keith. There was one counter he had to such a thing, but if it were to fail, then there would be trouble. The trainer released his next pokémon. It had to work; there was no other option. The automaton stretched its massive arms of bronze outward and released a mechanical roar. Goliath's body turned in the direction of his opponent, having claimed her spot in the sky once more. His visor narrowed, not affected by the mirror-shine, and flames spewed from below as he took off.

It didn't take Gwen long to realize that she needed to move. Her wings labored heavily, flapping as fast as they could as he caught up in mere seconds. The skarmory flung her body to the side, narrowly avoiding a fire punch as she spun towards the top of the bowl-like stadium. For the first time, the fight would take place outside of it. "Shadow ball!" Clay yelled as loud as he could, though he wasn't sure the golurk could hear it. Even still, Goliath reacted in kind, having the same thoughts at the very least.

Dark blasts of energy collided with the dilapidated building. Each time a cloud of silt and rust rose from its surface, neglect having caught up with the old structure over the past year. Gwen panted heavily as she flung a sharp gust of wind towards her opponent and threw him off course for a moment. "Iron defense!" Wes said. If the skarmory were to get hit at these speeds it could prove disastrous. She nodded and formed the thin barrier over her body before dipping into a swift dive.

Goliath was growing tired of the pursuit. With a heavy roar he slammed his hands together and launched a hyper beam. The white laser cut the skies as Gwen did her best to duck and weave around it, and as he flew closer, she spun around in place and thrust her wings towards him. The frigid blast did little to deter him. A shrill cry could be heard above the battlefield as Goliath's fist brushed the skarmory's chest. Heat coursed throughout her body and she spiraled downwards. Wes readied the ball as she fell towards the metal bleachers but withheld it as she regained control. She hissed while coming to a skidding halt, digging her claws into the steel and showering it with sparks. With a blinding slash she hurled pointed feathers towards the golurk. He reacted just in time, shielding his face as the metal blades stuck into his forearm.

"Night slash!" Her speed won out; Goliath's massive body was unable to dodge the dark, sharpened wave. He slammed into the bleachers and rolled over. "Again!"

"Thunderbolt!" Clay ordered. Both Goliath and Gwen realized what was about to happen. In a split second she tried to take off as he slammed a heavy fist down and released the attack. Electricity was faster.

The metal surface conducted the current straight through her, electrocuting her violently. Her body toppled to the side as the golurk pushed himself up slowly. The impact had done considerable damage; he surely couldn't muster the energy to fly again.

Wes handed the ball to the latios before sending out Darius. "You know what to do." Clay barely had time to see the umbreon before a dark fog spread from his location. The golurk's eyes shone through the darkness, but he could see nothing.

"Dammit!" Clay yelled. Without being able to see the field, he was powerless to advise his pokémon, and whatever their foe was doing was likely to be bad for them.

Goliath couldn't tell which direction was which, stomping the ground and hurling a ripple towards the faintest sound. The fog rose a few inches off the ground before touching its surface again. A lowly whisper carried throughout the abyss and disappeared just as fast, and if the golurk were anyone else, he would be scared. Time seemed not to exist as sounds were drowned out by the emptiness. Tendrils of the thick darkness brushed along his body as he cautiously searched for his opponent, ready to strike the umbreon the moment he could. Perhaps fear wasn't the most inaccurate word.

Golden rings glowed from the middle, catching Goliath's attention. Darius' red eyes pierced the fog, an aura surrounding the smaller creature. He was planning something; that much was sure, and the automaton knew better than to rush into an opponent without caution.

It was the next command that made Goliath realize that he had no choice but to do so.

"Stored power."

A blast of compressed air slammed into Goliath's face and knocked him on his back. Clay reached out, but as the fog drifted back over the scene, he was left visionless once again. Darius' rings dimmed once more and he went back into hiding. "Goliath! Get up and do somethin' about that fog!" A frustrated whir was his only response; he had nothing in his moveset that could do so. Clay apparently realized that a few seconds later and issued another command. "Try… try to stall him out! Iron defense!" That was something the golurk could do.

"Go ahead," the umbreon's voice carried along the wind. "Build your defenses. We'll always be there to tear them down." Goliath abandoned his attack and swiftly shot a hyper beam towards the presumed source, the moment of light revealing nothing to be there. "No matter where you go, wherever you hide… we will always be watching. Waiting. And when you least expect it…"

A dark wave cut through the automaton's legs, metal creaking as he was forced onto his hands and knees. Goliath pivoted around as fast as he could, seeing the haze of yellow amid the black. He lunged forth with his remaining might and thrust his fist entire into the umbreon, striking him with all his might. A loud ringing sound was heard throughout the arena.

Darius didn't budge.

The fog was nothing more than a stalling technique. He had spammed defensive moves over the past few minutes. Goliath withdrew his dented fist only for the umbreon to jump on top of it, sprinting up his arm with an ethereal aura around him. As the red beam recalled the automaton, dark fog spread around once more.

This wasn't good. Using either of his aces this early in the match was anything but preferable, but Clay had been left with little choice. Knox was the only one who could even somewhat cleave through shields. The excadrill was confused upon being released into the darkened atmosphere, looking around frantically and trying to make heads and tails of the situation. All he could pick out was his trainer's voice.

"Knox! Use sandstorm to get rid of that fog!"

"Stored power." Knox barely managed to avoid the powerful blast before the dirt began to revolve around the field. The resulting air currents began to dispel the fog. Knox snarled as the umbreon struck him from behind, claws raking through his back before he slung around. Darius ducked under the blades and slashed his side, dark energy seeping into his body and stinging far worse than the cut. He jumped away and vanished from sight as the fog returned.

"Dammit!" Knox yelled, hurling another sandstorm. "Fight like a man!" In the darkness, a harsh pulse was shot in all directions and nearly knocked the excadrill off his feet. He clenched his teeth as blood seeped down his side, the abyss taking over once more. Knox found it hard to breathe, the fog almost feeling solid within his lungs, weighing down on his body. Footsteps barely registered to his ears.

He spun around and stabbed upwards, but his claws passed through with no resistance. "FUCK!" he yelled as a sharp pain lanced through his other side. But before Darius could land, a violent quake was sent through the ground. With the umbreon's balance offset, Knox charged. He slashed at the umbreon, his claws meeting the protective barrier coating him. Tiny crystals were flung into the air. "Psychic!" Wes ordered. Knox's claws were caught in place. He scraped his foot along the ground and kicked sand into the dark-type's face, leaping over him and aiming for Darius' flank. The shattering gave way to a cry of agony, three parallel red lines appearing through his fur. Blood poured onto the ground from the deep gashes.

But Darius blasted him point-blank with a psychic attack before Knox could follow it up. The excadrill groaned as he pushed himself up, seeing his opponent panting heavily as the bleeding continued. "Darius," Wes said. "I think that will be all." Anything more could risk him losing too much blood before he could get medical attention. The umbreon growled but nodded silently.

He was not ready to leave without a final annoyance.

Wes pulled out Darius' ball alongside another. Before Clay or Knox could figure out what was going on, he swiftly gave the command while throwing out his espeon. "Baton pass!"

"NO!" Clay and his pokémon said in unison. The flash of energy left Darius as the beam recalled him, transferring to his ally as Knox ran towards them, trying in vain to stop the move. Felix narrowed his eyes and picked the ground-type up, holding him in the air effortlessly as power surged through his body. A bright beam slammed into the excadrill and launched him towards the other side of the field.

"Knox!" Clay reached towards his friend as the pokémon tumbled towards the edge, nearly falling into the moat as he slid to a stop. He trembled, every movement hurting. His reflection was interrupted by ripples, blood falling from his mouth with sputtering coughs. But as long as he was conscious, Knox refused to go down without a fight. His hands dipped into the water. One final trick. "Hydro pump!"

He slung his hand around and launched the geyser towards the espeon. The purple feline walked forward, splitting the water on either side of him effortlessly as his eyes began to glow. Knox grunted as he doubled down, pouring the last of his strength into the attack.

"Not every day you see an excadrill with that attack. I'm impressed," Felix admitted. "But it won't save you." Knox's eyes went wide as the bright beam pierced his own attack. The world went dark.

Clay ran to the side, aiming the pokéball into the moat and returning his pokémon as he sunk to the depths. This was getting dire. The espeon was buffed significantly from his ally's last-minute action, and now Clay was down to his last two. Bruce would have to withstand this and a tyranitar if Wes was to use his ace last. The latios had just returned from dropping off Darius when he was given Knox. He nodded and flew away again.

Bruce knew how dire the situation was becoming once he was released. His mega evolution triggered without a word, the metal over his flesh gleaming in the sunlight. Boosted or not, there was little this espeon could actually do to harm him – but Felix was not the one he was concerned with.

Felix didn't hesitate. Bruce grunted as the invisible wave impacted his head, an immediate feeling of sickness washing over his body. "Stone edge!" He stomped the ground and a pointed rock shot upward. Bruce kicked it towards the espeon, but a sideways leap brought the feline out of harm's way. As Bruce charged the smaller opponent, shaking off a psybeam attack, a nearly indetectable weight pressed on his shoulder. The espeon jumped off of it, narrowly avoiding Bruce's shadow claw while pivoting his body in midair, shooting another harsh beam right at his face. The aggron growled. It stung but was nowhere near enough to be threatening.

He slung a jagged rock far faster than Felix expected, the espeon's eyes going wide as he flattened his body and barely ducked the projectile. The stadium shook as Bruce stamped his foot into the ground. His hands motioned towards the sediment as he flung one boulder after another, but the purple feline danced around the field, hardly touching the ground as he leapt from one spot to another.

"Stay still!" Bruce yelled as he caused the stadium to shake. Wes was not announcing his commands, instead resorting to telepathy, but it was clear that a dazzling gleam was the next move from Felix. The flash of light did little more than take the aggron's vision and annoy him, and in that moment of panic, he heard his own trainer yell the command. "Avalanche!" As the blurring of his sight began to fade the aggron thrust his arm forth, pulling energy from the water and hurling the frigid wave in the direction of his opponent. Waves of snow crashed down and Felix disappeared.

Bruce walked towards the edge of the field where the thick pile of snow had condensed. The water shook violently, slowly calming to its previous state as the aggron panted. A head peeked from the thick snow and Bruce grinned. No more shields, he thought. The espeon wouldn't be able to withstand a single hit from him now. Felix grunted as he got back to his feet, walking towards the steel-type with a poorly-concealed limp. "End of the line, cat."

"Not yet." Bruce hastily looked down as a root sprung from the ground and latched around his feet.

"…Fuck."

"Metal claw! NOW!" Clay yelled. Bruce threw a swift uppercut as Felix closed in. It felt like punching steel, a barrier formed in the blink of an eye stopping him. The espeon jumped off of it, his glowing eyes the last thing that registered before Bruce's body was flung backwards.

The fall should have hurt but didn't. The air suffocated him, and as he opened his eyes, Bruce began to panic. Water flooded through his mouth as he desperately flailed, far too heavy to even entertain the idea of swimming. He sunk to the bottom as Felix looked downward, freezing the liquid on the surface.

Clay's mouth dropped. The message was clear: return Bruce or watch him drown. They had been outplayed and would have to suffer a heavy consequence for it, one way or another. The gym leader's frantic eyes landed on his opponent, met only with a shrug. One way or another, Felix would win this fight.

But Bruce wasn't going to sit there and accept it. His foot crushed into the concrete, splitting the foundations of the arena from underneath with a muffled yell. The lighting throughout the stadium sparked and shattered as Felix backed away from the edge. The water level dropped rapidly as it drained into the earth below.

The aggron sprung from the depths, landing on the battlefield and collapsing. He sputtered, hurling up water as he tried to replace it with precious oxygen, and in that moment Felix knew he had to act. The gem on his forehead glowed vibrantly as the vicious attack tore through the air. Bruce cried out as the hyper beam impacted his body, placing a hand in front of his face as sediment spiraled up his other arm. He had to win. There was no choice anymore. He shot the rock through the white beam.

Felix's body rolled over, the espeon's eyes clenching shut as his senses delayed. That was the only shot. Bruce charged on all fours, pushing himself up and leaping into the air, ready to bring the full weight of his body onto the smaller pokémon. His hand crashed into the dirt.

"You certainly have fight in you," Wes said, having recalled him before a surely fatal strike. He handed off the espeon's ball. "Imagine how productive it would've been towards the right causes…" Bruce's breath was heavy and labored. Even if he had won, it didn't feel like it at all. He now had to face a higher-leveled opponent while hurt and exhausted. And he would rather die than do anything else, but he still dreaded what he was about to fight. He had the curse of knowing what that would be. A small smirk appeared on Wes' face; the other trainer could sense the aggron's fear. He probably savored it. "I think it's time you face someone closer to your size."

Clay nearly fell over as Tina was released onto the ground, shaking the world as her mega evolution began. Bruce sprinted towards her with the intention of interrupting the process but was far too slow. A full foot taller than him, the tyranitar snarled and closed the distance. The massive beasts collided and shattered the field as both trainers were forced to retreat for their own safety. Rock and debris rained as the ground opened up, Tina striking him with the force of a freight train and folding him over.

Bruce swung up with a metal claw only for her to catch it. He hollered as the bones in his fist were compacted in her vice grip, finding his body hoisted up over her shoulder and slammed onto the ground. His armor did little to blunt the pain. The aggron struck with the pointed tip of his forearm, jabbing it into her abdomen but unable to pierce.

"Focus blast." His senses were rocked as the concussion wave vibrated through his entire body, a contactless punch that he could feel in his sinuses. He staggered on the ground, sputtering into the dust as the thunderous footsteps approached.

"Iron tail!" He spun in an unexpected feat of agility and struck her in the side of the head, knocking her back and ending her relentless assault. He lowered his head and charged, the sharp spears aiming to meet their mark.

Tina met the impact, the heavy bodies colliding like cars as sparks flew from their bodies. She grunted as her hands grabbed the horns, steering his head away and bringing her knee to his mouth. It hurt both of them, the point of his chin digging into her flesh. But his head snapped back, blood coating metal as he struggled to stand. It wouldn't be long.

"I knew it would come down to this," she stated as he backed away to regain his bearings. "I knew and prepared. But I see now that I was concerned for nothing."

"F-fuck… you." He made a quick advance, stomping the ground and lunging for her neck in the moment she was stunned.

"Brick break!" Wes snapped. The tyranitar's fist met his face faster. She pulled back and smashed into him again, droplets of spittle and blood sprayed onto the destroyed field. Bruce's head snapped back as he tried to block her calculated assault, but every block only led to her finding another opening. Clay's fingers gripped the ball, uncertain as to when he would need to use it.

The aggron brought his foot to her stomach and kicked her away, giving him a few precious seconds of relief as his bloodstained vision returned. But Tina did not stay down, standing up and circling him like a lion would its wounded prey. "I was the last of the original shadow pokémon ever created. I was saved from that life by my trainer." He stumbled onto his feet, the smallest impact threatening to send him back down. "The worst part was that you remembered everything. Every face, every scream. This fight was over fifty years ago!"

Bruce's eyes widened as her hand stretched into the air, an aura of strength drawing into her body. She was using dragon dance as though he weren't a threat at all. There was no choice; he had to act. The aggron snatched a rock, hundreds of pounds, hurling it towards her as he leapt into the air. She punched the projectile directly, shattering it into pebbles and thrusting her arms forward.

"Hyper beam."

The aggron never landed. His body took the tremendous power directly, hurling him through the air. The bleachers crushed underneath his landing. Bruce's watered eyes focused on the morning sun, pieces of the rusty colosseum beginning to fall apart from the fight.

Wes nodded slowly as the steel-type rolled over. Every fiber of his being was determined to survive – to win. It was respectable in its own right. Tina landed in the stands near him, steel creaking and bending as she walked through it. This was it; nowhere to run.

"Don't make me kill you," she said. Clay, realizing that his pokémon wasn't about to listen – and would rather die than go down without swinging – ordered the last resort move.

"Superpower!" Their bodies collided once more. Tina guarded her face as the furious jabs landed, each of the strikes feeling like a jackhammer trying to rip into her body. Her mouth tasted of iron amidst the onslaught. Then he lunged, intending on striking from above, and in that split second she reacted.

Her fist embedded itself within his chest.

Bruce's body absorbed the entirety of the impact and was launched back to the destroyed field. Clay ran to his injured pokémon as fast as he could, stopping when he realized that something wasn't right. Somehow, he aggron's eyes were still open as he clutched at his dented chest. But he was convulsing. A guttural groan escaped his twitching body. It took Clay a few seconds to realize what had happened, and by then the latios had flown to his side.

She had stopped his heart.

"Oh Arceus… no…"

"Return him! He needs medical attention now!" Wes said, snapping Clay out of his shock. He did just that, noting that the central button on the ball was still red, signifying incapacitation rather than death. But that wouldn't be the case if Bruce didn't get immediate help, and even then the aggron's chance of survival was little more than a coin toss. The latios disappeared from the arena; all that the trainer could do for his pokémon now was pray.

All of a sudden losing this match didn't seem like the worst fate.

Tina had slowly made her way back onto the field. She had displayed a code of honor, not having used any self-buffing moves in the meantime. There was at least that. And she was not untouched from their battle, sporting the marks and cuts from their clash. But the chances of winning this fight were next to none. She was still in fighting shape – and so was Wes' ace. Rhett would now have to take down both in order to win.

The garchomp took his place on the field, knowing how dire the situation was. His ankle bracelet began to glow as Clay triggered the mega evolution, the garchomp's bones shifting and cracking as his curved fins folded into scythes. The change was different for every pokémon, and though he had felt this surge of energy dozens of times, Rhett had never acclimated to the sheer rage that coursed through his veins from the unnatural form. As the light faded, his eyes narrowed on the opponent. She had taken those few seconds to use dragon dance once more, and he was about to make her pay for it.

The world fell to a deafening silence as he darted towards Tina. A scythe found its way towards her shoulder, but she sidestepped and he split the ground instead. A heavy blow struck his jaw. Another. Rhett snarled and crushed the ground underfoot as his bladed arm slammed into Tina's armored hide. It sunk into her flesh a few inches before her fist was planted into his midsection. Sand drifted across the wind as their control of the environment wavered. "Ancient power!" Wes ordered, no sooner as the rocks rose from the ground and orbited the tyranitar, slicing through the air like bullets.

It wouldn't stop him. Rhett charged through her sandstorm and slammed into the ground, a jagged boulder shooting from behind Tina and hurling her forth. He intercepted with a deadly slice only to sever the tips of a few spines from her back. Her lowered front slammed into his stomach and drove him dozens of feet until they crashed into the wall. Rhett hissed as saliva and blood mixed, thrusting his spiked legs upwards as her claws dug into his flesh. Red coated the ground as the two titans tore into one another.

"Enough!" Tina snapped. It was time to end this. Her fist met his jaw again, stunning him as she jumped back. Boulders rose from the field and floated in the air as the garchomp tried to regain his bearings. With a flick of her wrist, they were slung at her target. A roar of pain graced her ears amid the destruction, sand and debris raining from the sky as she finished the attack. Dust rose over the field and clouded the trainers' vision.

A blue pulse flashed through the orange cloud. Tina was too slow to avoid it, crying out as the blast connected with her chest. The garchomp threw his shoulder into her face, an impact felt throughout the ground as she was knocked onto her back. He spun and brought both of his scythes down only for them to be caught by her hands. She grunted as red streams ran down her forearms, meeting the bloodlust within Rhett's narrowed pupils and snarling maw. He pulled back and jumped into the air, going for the same move again. She rolled over.

Clay reached out instinctively as one of the massive spines found its way through his shoulder. Rhett roared in agony but caught himself just as quick, a heavy strike to the back of her head finally downing the tyranitar for good. He fell to the ground as she was returned, a gaping hole left in his body.

But to everyone's surprise, he got back up. The pain only spurred him towards the next opponent. Rhett's left arm had lost its full range of motion, shattered bone visible to all who watched. The garchomp stood tall, arching his back and releasing an ear-splitting roar. He pointed his scythe at Wes.

"Very well," the opposing trainer said. He was impressed with the resolve within Clay's team; far more than Elesa's. But they were still the enemy and needed to be shut down. The ruby-red ball in his hand glowed in the sunlight. "It's time we end this." The claws on Rhett's feet dug into the ground. For a moment, the other trainer seemed as fearless as him. The garchomp despised it.

"Come on Rhett," Clay murmured. "You've got this." He didn't know if that was true himself, but if anyone could pull off a miracle, it would be him. Wes grinned.

"I wouldn't be so sure. We've worked ourselves out of way worse situations. But your team can go home proud that they made it this far." With that, he hurled the ball into the sky. Blotted out by the light, a tremendous cry echoed across Driftveil. Rhett's eyes adapted to the light, and all of a sudden he didn't feel as bold. A six-level lead he could somewhat counter.

A Ho-Oh was another story.

For a moment the sound of his steady flaps were all that transpired. Wes folded his arms, counting the battle as done. "Having come this far, I think you've earned the right to lose to the Angel of Death himself." Ever since Orre, Uriel had always been a reliable backup plan. He pocketed the red ball and savored the poorly-hidden fear in the garchomp's eyes. "End of the line, pal. Omega's plan is nearly complete. Our time has passed. Now begins a world without outlaws like us."

Rhett took a deep breath, nodding to himself. If he was going to oppose a legendary, then he would give it everything he had. And if that Ho-Oh would live up to his name and end the garchomp, then so be it.

Rhett snatched the fragments of concrete around him and hurled them telekinetically. The projectiles halted in midair before collapsing towards the dragon. He sprinted low to the ground, weaving between the crashes as dust overtook the arena. A pulse of heat cut through it all and knocked Rhett off his feet.

A shimmering light radiated from Uriel's multicolored feathers. He landed in front of the garchomp who rolled over and sprung back to his feet. "You think you served us?!" The Ho-Oh snapped. A swift fire blast shot from his mouth and sent the dragon back down. "You served yourselves! You took our titles and our teachings and twisted them to suit your own goals. It is because of you the humans reject us so openly!"

"We fought for your kind!" Rhett snarled. He barely managed to roll out of the way as the legendary flew past, wings stretched broadly and ready to strike. Uriel took to the skies as fire spread throughout the atmosphere. From the flames came a response.

"You took it upon yourselves to be our arbiters of justice, forgetting the most basic command of all! Evil mortals spilling evil blood, profaning us in the process! Now you will see what a true hand of justice looks like!"

Clay flinched away from the spreading flames. The earth was charred and scorched – the heat was unbearable. Amid the wavering fires he spotted Wes, surely feeling the temperature just as him yet withstanding it all the same, his eyes dead on the former gym leader. Clay averted his gaze and watched as his garchomp ducked and covered behind a boulder as blue fire bathed the stadium. Without touching it the Ho-Oh shattered the rock and exposed Rhett.

The garchomp took his opportunity and shot a dragon pulse from his gaping maw, watching as the blue blast impacted the bird's chest and did little else. Both wings were thrust towards him and a heavy tailwind threatened to blow him away. Rhett was forced to clench his eyes shut from the oven-like temperatures, digging his good arm into the ground for stability.

"The world has always hated our principles," the legendary continued. "Mortals have always placed their love of self over what is right! But your team dealt the finishing blow to our influence! Both you and Delta would rather have burned the world to the ground than lose your own power!"

"We did our best!" the garchomp roared. "We can't be blamed for how things turned out! What more do you want?!" He slung hundreds of jagged stones into the air. Uriel spun in place and deflected them. A brilliant light overtook the world as he did so, a thousand rays of sunlight raining down upon them.

"You already know the answer to that! Cease your evil struggle and embrace the light!" Rhett fought to keep his balance as the world began to violently quake. Fiery hail rained from the sky. Wes called out a move he'd never heard before.

"Sacred zephyr!"

When it struck, the garchomp wondered if it would be the last thing he ever did hear.

Flaming winds encompassed the field. Rhett shielded his eyes and howled as the fires gnawed at his skin, hurling him into the wall behind. Steam arose from the ground as the metal bleachers began to glow red. Clay watched as his body fell to the ground, scraping the smelted earth as he wobbled back onto his feet. But no time was spent there as the talons sunk into his back.

The ground grew into a distant inferno. Rhett struggled to break free, shredding the muscles on his back in the process. His arm weakly struck the massive bird to no avail, falling limp when a scorching blast was sent through his body and launched him back to the ground.

Clay knew fear. A decade ago they had found themselves in the same situation; only this legendary was not as merciful as the last. He was stuck between the decision of losing the world or losing his friend. Uriel flapped hastily in place and readied himself as the dragon stumbled onto his knees. A solar beam ripped at his center and Rhett roared in pain.

This was it, the garchomp realized. This was where he died. The Ho-Oh, shielded by the sun, closed in for that final hit and it had landed. At that moment, he regretted everything. The years of unkindled rage – of hypocrisies that were nothing short of heresy – it all weighed down in those last few seconds he had to live. A life wasted on hate. Only now, facing his own mortality, did that pain outweigh all that he felt physically.

But it was too late to change any of it.

"RHETT!" Clay yelled. The fight was lost – he had to return his pokémon. But upon grasping at his belt did he realize how big the problem was.

In the turmoil, upon falling, he had snapped the ball in half.

He couldn't return Rhett. He was going to watch him die.

The garchomp met his gaze. Lowered his aggression and accepted it as Clay fell to his knees. The world would be better off without their flavor of outlaw. As his organs threatened to roast within his body, there was some feeling of peace. Things were as they should be.

Uriel doubled his attack and the world began to fade, the gleaming light overtaking his vision. Driftveil's arena crumbling as the heavens rained fire upon them, pelting the molten ground like meteorites. Concrete lay among the wreckage.

One chance.

Rhett reached for the rocks with his mind and hurled them at the legendary. Uriel's eyes shifted to the side – hearing the telepathic warning from his trainer – and ceased his own attack to dodge the garchomp's. And as he did so, Rhett used stone edge and launched the single chunk of concrete at his feet.

Plumage drifted through the air as the world stared in silent awe. Uriel hit the ground with a violent crash, a shrill cry resounding through the torn colosseum. The broken garchomp thrust every bit of force into his legs, using energy he didn't have to lunge on top of the Ho-Oh and slam his scythes down.

Right through his wings.

Uriel released a sharp caw and snapped his head towards the garchomp, kicking up with his talons. But Rhett held fast. The powerful legendary sunk his digits into the garchomp, piercing his skin and impaling his stomach. Blood dripped from the dragon's mouth, but he refused to abandon the one chance fortune had graced him with.

He withdrew his scythes and stabbed down again, stabbing the joints of Uriel's magnificent wings. The red of his feathers mixed with blood, and as the legendary flinched, Rhett thrust his foot down, lifted the Ho-Oh up, turned around and hurled him away. The thud of the bird's body against the wall never registered to him.

Rhett looked down. His abdominal muscles had been torn in the action and his viscera peeked out, boiled blood trickling down his scales. He fell to a knee as his mega evolution reverted, clasping his stomach with his good arm to prevent his intestines from dropping to the ground. A look of fright towards his trainer stuck with him. The tears of a trainer watching his pokémon die.

But he was still conscious.

So was the Ho-Oh.

Uriel rolled over, dust and ash clinging to his wings - hiding their color from the world. Trembling, he glanced towards the garchomp.

"Y-you…" He weakly coughed, blood falling from his beak and sizzling on the ground. "S…so be it. They will… never beat Adira…" His eyes narrowed, staring through the garchomp's soul. "But as… for you… repent. Turn back b-before… it's too late. My fires… can be quenched. Those in hell... cannot…" He fell to the ground, eyes rolling to the back of his head. The crackling of the flames was the only sound as the world went silent.

Wes folded his arms, devoid of any expression. He waited. Nothing happened. His finger tapped a bicep rhythmically, counting the seconds as his gaze froze over. After a moment, it was clear that what had happened was finished. He withdrew Uriel.

Rhett flashed another look towards his trainer. Or at least, he tried to. Instead, he fell onto his side and went still, blood sputtering from his mouth and stomach as he felt the heat of the earth against his face. The latios caused him to levitate, carrying both pokémon to immediate medical attention.

"Well done," Wes admitted, "They had a good trainer to beat someone like me." Clay tipped his hat slowly, but his mind wasn't in the game. He had no witty retort, no speech. Nothing. Right now he fought the urge to run after that latios and collapse by his wounded team. "But it doesn't matter. I didn't really need to win this fight. Because that boy about to fight Nathan... he's screwed."


"Arceus," Aaron's mother stated. "He did it. He actually won." Everyone in the room was just as petrified by what they had witnessed. It had been nothing short of a sickening bloodbath, but Clay's team had actually managed to pull through. From the looks of it, Malva was just as surprised, taking a moment to fumble around for her response before adopting a more professional tone.

"With an extremely unexpected turn of events, the dissenters are back in the game. We'll check back soon to see the status of the wounded battlers, all of which gave everything they had in that absolute warzone. As a result of Clay's victory, evacuation protocols are under way for the northernmost part of Castelia in preparation for tomorrow's battle."

"What? Why?" Aaron asked as though anyone there had an answer.

"This is really happening," his lucario murmured. "…Oh shit… we're actually fighting them." Maybe they had assured themselves time and time again of their resolve. They were ready to give it their best shot – same as Elesa and Clay.

But they never actually expected that shot to come…


A booming noise was heard outside as the car alarms went off. Aaron and his team rushed to the window only to see Kyurem having landed in their apartment complex, growling in annoyance at the blaring noises that never ended. Fortunately he had not damaged it upon landing. Pushing a button on his keys ended that.

They hurried outside. "What on earth..?" Nora asked.

"Uriel has been defeated."

"Yeah – we know. The entire world watched it happen on television like an hour ago."

"Right." Kyurem lowered his head to their level. "There are matters to discuss before your fight – and I know you must have questions. I will say what I can, but know that both my knowledge and my ability to answer are limited."

"First thing's first – where's Mewtwo?" Aaron asked.

"He remains at the university. I will bring him when I come for you tomorrow morning."

"Alright, so that's out of the way…" Kyurem continued as though he hadn't heard the human.

"In truth, I am far more surprised than you at the outcome of today's battle. Uriel is very well known among our kind. Tens of thousands have been slain by his holy flames. The thought of a garchomp bringing him down was unthinkable." And yet it had happened. But the implications from the fight were far more daunting; Nora had picked up on that.

"He made it sound like Adira was a lot stronger than him…" she replied.

"That is an understatement. All but a single member of Nathan's team is able to either match or defeat Uriel. They have trained together for several years, after all. I believe the espeon is the only one who has yet to best him in combat at some point."

"That's… terrifying."

"But it is the truth. I would do you no favor by telling you what you wish to hear. Elesa's followers fully expected a win upon learning of her opponent. They believed that Omega was overstating their own odds of winning as a means of intimidation. We both know how that fight turned out." He exhaled a frosty gust. "The bitter truth will serve you far greater than the sweetest lie. If you wish to beat his team, each of you must at least match that garchomp." Aaron looked down and nodded, hating how familiar that sounded. Nora folded her arms and spoke up again.

"Why are you really helping us? You chose us to 'spread the darkness' and all that – but you're nothing like Bael."

"My brethren have chosen to side with your friend. Until the end of days, when all things are made complete and justice has been carried out, we must struggle against one another. We are above mortals… and yet we are bound to their struggles. Neither my rationale nor ideals play a role in my stance with you."

"So you're with us because you have to be?" the typhlosion asked.

"In some manner of speaking, yes. The few other legendaries siding with us have their own miscellaneous reasons. Should you wish for encouragement or sentiment, you may consult with them. But as you have seen, most of those legendaries are not the ones that you would find particularly ethical," Kyurem said. He was either oblivious or indifferent to the fact that several people were looking from a safe distance.

"What else can you tell us about his team?" The serperior slithered in front of the others. While the legendary would not disclose anything major, even a tiny hint could serve them well tomorrow.

"I can say this: the longer you spend fighting them, the harder it will get."

"Well yeah, duh," Krista said.

"Exhaustion is not what I was referring to," Kyurem snapped back. "His team is notorious for increasing their own strength throughout battles. If you do not deal with them swiftly, each and every one of them could take on your entire team."

"You're joking…" Aaron folded his arms.

"I have been accused of being many things. Humorous is not one of them."

"Great."

"The King of Avalon, who is merely his third strongest member, defeated four members of the Kanoma champion's team alone. If you are to stand a chance at winning, you will need to defeat them swiftly – and you must not let them fortify their strength. I was not lying when I said that your opponents are more experienced and far stronger than you. They are calculative and cunning. A single mistake made on your part will likely lead to you being taken out of the fight. You cannot give them that luxury.

"As for Adira, I have little to offer you in terms of advice other than this: you must be unpredictable. You must embrace your roles as the champions of chaos, for her intelligence rivals that of many greater legendaries. Otherwise, she will be able to predict your movements with ease. That will most certainly lead to your defeat."

They had spent the entire year building up to this very point – preparing for it – and now that it was actually here, it felt surreal. Even the moments of silence were panic-inducing. Why did Clay have to win? Why did they have to be the ones to accomplish the impossible? It wasn't fair.

But then again, life wasn't.

"Your odds of success are extremely low, but you have a chance all the same. Do not lose sight of that. There is also another advantage you may press if you wish to win."

"And what would that be?"

"Your opponent's team, while they will do whatever it takes to win, is also hesitant to kill. They still consider you to be their friends – a sentiment, I sense, that you share." Nobody answered that, but neither did they need to. He was a greater legendary; he knew them better than they knew themselves.

"Are you suggesting..?" Nora trailed off. She didn't need to complete her sentence.

"I am merely pointing out what may be done. Capitalizing on any weakness they show will lead to a greater likelihood of victory. Mewtwo has embraced this."

"And he also embraced Bael," the typhlosion snapped.

"That he did." Kyurem blinked slowly. "He is willing to do whatever it takes to win – no matter what. For him, victory is the only option. If you truly are willing to die for your ideals – for an autonomous world – then how much different is it to kill for them? Life is taken either way."

"That right there is the problem. Everyone's willing to kill someone else – even over the stupidest shit. I'm tired of it…" Aaron wasn't alone in that regard.

"Then perhaps you should let him win, for if you manage to claim victory, the very thing you speak of will continue to occur. It is inevitable under mortal rule. It is a part of what you are." That was their option: fight in vain or don't fight at all. Maybe there was no answer. As such, Kyurem really did represent the void between truth and ideals.

There was little more along the lines of strategy or tactics that Kyurem could offer them. As the conversation wound down, he took a step back. "Whatever may happen is beyond my foresight. All the same, I would recommend getting plenty of rest. I will come for you tomorrow morning."

"Thanks," the trainer murmured. "For everything. I mean, I know you kinda had to side with us because of Reshiram and Zekrom being with Nathan, but… it's nice to not feel so alone." Opposing nearly all of the greater legendaries, after all, was an intimidating stance to take. The dragon slowly nodded.

"You have allies among our kind. Many you would not wish to know. Your reason for fighting is irrelevant, but I have helped to the extent of my abilities so that you may." Kyurem looked skyward and thrust off the ground. As he became a gradual speck in the sky, the temperature finally began to warm up. His voice rang through their minds. 'Though the task ahead is daunting, I am confident that I have chosen the best people for it.'


The golden glow of the setting sun filtered through the blinds and into their living room. Marcus was extremely attentive as they watched the news. True to their word, Omega was evacuating significant portions of Castelia – all of which either bordered the Desert Resort or were close to it. "They weren't kidding," he mumbled. "They really did unite the two tribes…"

"How can you tell?" Sofia asked. The lucario pointed to a member of his species on the screen; they were searching for the last few people within the portion of the city by using their aura abilities.

"See the sensors? They aren't as long as ours. He's from the northern tribe." A glance to a female not far from him showed a different story; she was likely from Marcus' former group.

"But why?" That was a question that none of them had an answer for. This had not happened for either of the other two battles. The news continued to cover the evacuation until switching to a report on the status of the injured pokémon from all teams. A split screen showed two separate Omega spokesmen standing in front of the medical stations. There was no word of any fatal results, but it was still a bit early to tell as operations were under way. Nobody wanted to talk about that part – the fact that they very well could find themselves in the same position. Maybe Nathan's team wouldn't aim for it, but if it meant saving half the world in their eyes, then who was to say it couldn't happen?

It just didn't feel real. None of what had happened over the past year had. His best friend ended up being the instigator of a global invasion. His region had been nuked by itself, killing millions. And here they were, endorsed by a few darker legendaries to oppose the greater ones. Aaron's own university had forwarded the unethical development of mewtwos for the sake of subjugating political opponents, the sole product of which was now temporarily aligned with them. A formerly reserved and self-doubting typhlosion had become one of the most powerful pokémon in the world – and soon to be his wife.

A lot had happened over the past year.

"Whatever happens tomorrow," Sofia said, "I think we can walk away proud. We've given it everything we had."

It wasn't long after the news report that his phone began to ring. Aaron picked it up and stared at the name for a moment, deciding on whether or not he should answer. Everyone else quickly realized what was happening. He tapped the screen. "Had a feeling you'd call," he mumbled.

"I suppose you know me well then."

"I suppose I do…"

"Put me on speaker," Nathan stated. "I would like to address everyone."

"Why? Just so you can intimidate us before tomorrow's match?" As if it would be needed. They knew that what there were trying to accomplish tomorrow was damn near impossible. Any chance of victory would rely on tremendous amounts of luck – and having nearly died on several occasions throughout the past year, it was likely that they'd used up all of theirs.

"Not really. The world has far too many egotistical chest-pounders. What it needs is more quiet people who don't need to be the center of attention."

"Alright," Aaron said, putting his phone onto the table. "Sofia and her team are here, too." For a moment, Omega's leader said nothing. If he had composed some sort of speech, he was hesitant.

"If it were up to me, these battles would never have happened. We could have simply taken over and that would have been the end of it. But the legendaries deemed it fair to give your people the ability to rebel. Unlike my previous general, I obeyed them. That is what my campaign is all about, after all." Aaron's glanced around the room. All the pokémon were motionless, their eyes fixated on the dark screen. "Even then, I've spent a long time wishing that we would be on the same side of this."

"…Me too," Aaron admitted. But this was not something they could agree over.

"It is regrettable that we must fight. Clay was not favored to win his match in the slightest, but in doing so, you and I are put into the position where we must. I need not remind you of the danger. We have always sought to minimize casualties, even among our enemies, so rest assured that we will take even greater measures to ensure that your lives are not taken." That was at least somewhat comforting. "I hate that it's come to this. But… part of me is also proud that it was you all. You risked your freedom and even your lives to rise to the challenge. I think your teams were mistaken, but I cannot accuse you of being hypocrites or cowards. You have my respect for that."

There was a pause. Aaron felt like they were in the midst of something way above them. But they were the only chance that half the world had. They had to take that chance, however laughably small it may have been. Nathan continued. "In every battle you have had against my team members, they have withheld a great deal. That will not be the case tomorrow. I expect the same from your team."

"Alright then."

"I'll see you soon, Aaron."


Sofia and her team left shortly after the call. Everyone did their best to eat dinner that night, but even Krista wasn't all that hungry seeing as to what was about to happen in fourteen hours. Aaron cleaned everything up before they all found themselves in the living room. The television was off. A dreadful silence stretched throughout the air.

Part of being a trainer was being able to encourage one's team. Aaron wasn't sure what to say that hadn't already been said in some manner or another. He had no encouraging words, nothing to boost their morale with. No assurances of victory could be made. Right now, he wasn't sure if he should say anything at all. But he needed to.

"I… wish I could give us some sort of massive pep talk right about now…" Aaron stated. "I can't downplay what we'll be fighting. His team is terrifying… and we don't even really know what they're capable of."

"What better way to learn than on the fly?" Krista joked. Nobody laughed, but Aaron managed a small smile. At least someone was able to stay at least somewhat in high spirits.

"I do know what I can say, though – and that is the fact that I couldn't possibly be prouder of you guys. If you'd told me a year ago that we'd be one of the three teams to fight for our independence… well, I don't think any of you can blame me for not believing it for one second. There will be a lot of people watching us tomorrow. Rooting for us. But I'll always be your biggest fan. I love you guys."

"Well, look who's got a sappy side after all?" The floatzel folded her arms, the tip of a single tip flicking upwards. His smile dropped. She was one of the few risking more by being at that battle.

"But… I can't sit here and act like what's going to happen tomorrow won't be extremely dangerous. If Nathan says they'll go out of their way to spare our lives, I believe it. That doesn't mean accidents can't happen." Seeing a garchomp's intestines fall out on live television was a great reminder of that. "So… if anyone has anything they want to say or do before tomorrow… tonight's the night."

It was a morbid way to end his little speech, but it was true all the same. Comfort had not been a luxury they had been able to afford for a year now. The bitter truth was better than the sweetest lie, after all. If he had to endure the hell of having any of them die tomorrow, then he at least didn't want it to come at the cost of them not having made their peace on this side of life.

Krista shrugged her small shoulders. "You remember that burger joint we would go to on Wednesdays?" she asked. "And you'd always get me a milkshake… even though I probably didn't need it? I miss that. I want that life back… and not because of the food or anything. I just want things back the way they were before."

"Things have always been fucked up in Unova," Aaron replied. "We just never got caught in the crossfire until recently."

"Yeah, I know," the audino admitted. "But that's on Unova. Let the region rot if it wants." She looked down, a small, forced laugh escaping her mouth. "Sorry. That sounded kinda ugly. I just don't think taking over the planet was the right answer to all the problems we were facing. It definitely worked in some places, but…" She looked up and shook her head. "Eh, that's all I've got. Love you guys too and all that." Another moment of silence followed. Deciding that it was his turn to speak – or just to get it out of the way – Aster went next.

"I'd be lying if I said I'm looking forward to any of this. I don't think any of us are… but me even less so." That was understandable coming from someone in love with a member of the opposition. "I don't… have some sort of sad backstory. I've always lived a normal life here… or as normal as life can be with all the protests and whatnot. And I got complacent. Before all this, I was perfectly willing to let life drift me by without a second thought. In a way, I'm thankful that Nathan gave me something to fight for. I just think he's wasting his time."

"And why's that?" Aaron asked.

"Because at the end of the day, I doubt he's going to change anything. All of these so-called 'developed-countries' are willing to send themselves to hell. You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped. Or maybe he's just a lot more tenacious than any of us." He locked eyes with his trainer. "But if the world is determined to rot, then let it. That's on them."

"Agreed," Marcus added. "Nathan's right about us, but at the end of the day, he isn't going to change what's in people's hearts. He's trying to… lock up a damn dragon inside a wooden cage. There was a reason our pack avoided humans at all costs."

"Then why didn't you? Why did you approach us? I was one of those very same people years ago – the ones destined to destroy themselves," Aaron asked.

"But you aren't now," the lucario replied. "I always saw that in you. I saw how much you and your team loved each other, and… I wanted that." It was something he and the floatzel next to him shared in common. They had just shrouded their yearning for affection in different vices.

"Yeah. It's nice to feel wanted," Brooke trailed off. After a pause, deciding to get her statement off her chest, she continued. "Back at the gym, I jumped through their hoops, learned the right moves and everything. It just wasn't ever enough. Always a bigger fish. And once I got away from all that… I found other outlets. It… never worked. I kept doing it, hating myself all the while, and..." She swallowed. "A few times I took a dive and just… thought about not coming back up."

"Well… fuck." Aaron was glad that they had found her when they had.

"It wasn't long after that I met you guys. For the first time in my life, I wasn't expected to be something or… to do something. It's been nice." Her hand clasped Marcus'. The floatzel shook her head before looking up. A smile returned to her face, one that wasn't the façade she had originally put on. "I don't know if your friend is wasting his time here or if it would eventually work. I think stuff like that is above my paygrade. But what I do know is that this team is everything to me. I'll always have your backs… even if that means getting my ass kicked in front of billions of people. 'Cause you know what? I don't need any of their approval."

Nora was the only one who hadn't really said anything. She huddled next to Aaron on the couch, silently listening as everyone else had spoken. She sat up. "When I had that dream… Celeste summed up our reasons for opposing Nathan's team the best. He and Adira… they're good people. I don't think any of us can argue that. But the control they're trying to exert… I'm worried that it will only seal the darkness away instead of vanquishing it."

"I think that's all they're trying to do," Aaron answered. "Just limit the destruction of mortals."

"Sure, but if they criminalize all manners of evil… if they make it illegal to do all the wrong things… then will people be serving Arceus out of the goodness of their hearts? Or will they be doing it because there's no choice? Having lived in this country for years, I'm willing to bet it's the latter." The typhlosion sighed heavily. "Without the ability to do wrong, there is no right. That's what Celeste said, and that's what I'm banking on. That has to be the reason we've been allowed to fight back. If Arceus had wanted robots, he wouldn't have given mortals free will."

"Yeah…" Marcus agreed. "I just wish that free will wasn't used so often for evil…"

"Me too. But that's the world we live in," Nora replied. "And I guess… that's the world we're defending. But I think that choice is worth defending. As for you all… thanks for always being there. Sofia's team was fine, and obviously she and I had our issues, but I've always felt at home with you guys. Whatever happens tomorrow, you all have to stay safe. Promise me that, alright?" Several silent nods occurred, but she as well as they knew that wasn't something they could actually guarantee. There had been a reason for Kyurem's words earlier. Aaron would be torn apart if something were to happen to any of them. But they had to do this.

It had grown late. Since they planned on waking up early, they agreed that it was time to call it a night. Aaron doubted there would be much sleep had. He prepared the couch as his pokémon worked their way to the back, all except for Aster who merely coiled around his heating rod and shut his eyes. Before the typhlosion left, though, she approached Aaron and pecked him on the cheek. The trainer responded to her smile with one of his own before she went to the back of the house.


Aaron stared at the ceiling fan in the dark. He reached over and grabbed his phone, seeing that it was a bit past midnight. It was no use. Sleep wasn't coming; anxiety had completely overtaken exhaustion. He wondered if Nathan was going through the same thing – or if they, unlike him, were soundly sleeping, counting tomorrow's battle as won already. Probably the latter.

What would the world be like if they lost? Or, as the pessimistic part of his mind said, when they lost. Everything would change from the Unova he had grown up with, the gentle yet iron grip of Omega strangling out poverty and conflict along with complete freedom. But Unova was a separate challenge for Nathan to tackle than any of the ravished countries he had liberated from their oppression and squalor. Though Omega had seen a gradual increase in support, there would always be resistance.

He stood up, feeling that a trip to the bathroom was in order as he rubbed the sides of his head. A not-tired yawn came as Aaron walked down the hallways towards Darian's room. Mindful to keep quiet, his hand went to the doorknob when he suddenly stopped upon hearing the faintest of sounds from within.

"C-careful with your spike…" a hushed whisper said.

"Ah-sorry!"

Aaron backed away, uncertain what to make of what he'd heard, but ultimately shook his head and turned around. He silently opened the door to his bedroom. Nora and Krista were motionless, the typhlosion lying on her side while Krista was embracing the dragonite plush from the fair.

Once he was finished, Aaron switched off the light and quietly closed the bathroom door. Nora was sitting up in the darkness, causing him to freeze in place. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

"…No. Not at all. Sorry if I woke you."

"You weren't the only one." The trainer motioned for her to follow him to the living room. If they were going to be awake, might as well be together. Nora joined him on the couch.

"We're finally here," she said nonchalantly.

"You seem to be dreading this a lot less than me," he said. "Even though you guys will be the ones doing all the hard work…"

"Maybe," Nora replied. "We're going to go out there and give it all we've got. That's all we can do. Whatever happens, happens. My only fear is that…" She shook her head. "No. I'm not even going to entertain that thought." He shot a glance towards his starter. It was interesting, too: Aster, more than most of them, wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. Then again, he had never had an issue falling to sleep. An earthquake likely couldn't wake him right now.

"That terrifies me," Aaron said. "I want us to win, but not at that cost." He ran his fingers along her hand, unable to meet her gaze. Of the several dissenting pokémon who had received life-threatening injuries the past two days, none of them had passed as of now.

But they also hadn't faced the most powerful team in the world.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Besides, worrying about it isn't going to change whatever will happen."

"You're right," he admitted, seeing her grin in the darkened atmosphere.

"I tend to be. Don't forget that." Aaron rolled his eyes.

"Uh huh, sure. And here I was about to say something nice before you had to get all snarky."

"I don't see why that needs to stop you," Nora said, placing her chin on his chest and looking up expectingly.

"Well, I was going to say that, despite all the horrible shit we've gone through this past year, you made it all worth it." Her smile widened as the playfulness in her eyes was replaced with affection. "But I'm not so sure anymore."

"Oh? Is that so?" He nodded while maintaining a straight face.

"Maybe I should take tomorrow off then," the typhlosion replied.

"Oh whatever." They shared a quiet laugh as he rubbed behind her ears. For a moment, neither of them said anything and merely basked in the moment. The couch was slightly cramped with both of them but he really didn't care. The company was appreciated in an otherwise dreadful night.

"Aaron?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks. For everything."

"I have you to thank for everything," Aaron said. "You make me better. And our team, for that matter." She leaned forward and touched their lips together. It was neither heavy nor intense, but the gesture helped put him at ease. A few seconds passed. Nora shuffled back to her previous position and turned her head, resting on his chest and closing her eyes.

So for the remainder of his time awake, Aaron stroked his hand down the back of the sleeping typhlosion, his troubled mind finding some rest in her embrace. Whatever would happen in a few hours couldn't change the present. He relished in this moment of peace.

Because the reality of tomorrow was far too terrifying to think about.


A/N: Special thanks to FuryWrites for beta reading this chapter.