I apologize if I didn't respond to any reviews. Work has been exhausting. I'm sure those of you who are students are exhausted from your exams and projects. If you're reading this in the future and this doesn't apply to you, then... hi. I hope you're having a nice day. Here's milestone Chapter 75. Good grief... to think the countdown is on to number 100.

Chapter 75: Casting a Shadow

~Rem Canyon~

"Why didn't you two losers say something about Jangmo-o being from around these parts?" Lycanroc growled, red eyes flashing in irritation. Before he could get a response, an arm surrounded by thick, circular, red and yellow scales smacked the back of his head. Lycanroc turned around, nostrils flaring. "Oy! What was that for, you scaly bloke?"

Behind Lycanroc, Jamgo-o's gaze fell to the ground. "C'mon, Hakamo-o, lay off the boss, please," he said. "He doesn't know a thing about our customs."

"Then you should've tried harder to stop him from waltzing in here and desecrating these grounds with his hideous fur," Hakamo-o said, scratching at his large scale-plates. Turning to Lycanroc, he said, "Those without the dragon-typing are not welcome in Rem Canyon. Any No-Scales that set foot here are to be rounded up and brought before the Totem."

"… tch. I don't care about your blooming Totem, mate. We came here by accident," Lycanroc said, glaring at Jangmo-o out of the corner of his eye. "Just turn around and take us back to the entrance. We'll be outta your hair real quick."

With an unexpected burst of speed, Hakamo-o jabbed a glowing fist into Lycanroc's gut. Eyes wide, he doubled over in pain, clutching at his stomach. "As I said, No-Scales, you are not welcome here. Likewise, you may not speak," Hakamo-o said. "There is only one fate for a No-Scales who sets foot in Rem Canyon. They shall be brought before our Totem… and their spirit shall be offered as tribute to the mighty Rayquaza, defender of the cosmos!"

"Kweh heh huh? N-now wait just a second here. What's that supposed to mean, huh?" Sneasel said, face blanching.

Hakamo-o turned to Jangmo-o, a dangerous look in his eyes. "Why don't you go on and tell your so-called friends what we do to trespassers, brother." He leaned over and poked Jangmo-o's forehead scale with a claw. "Or have you forgotten in your time frolicking with the No-Scales?" Jangmo-o squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering.

"Oy!" a Shelgon with gray barbs sticking out of his shell shouted. "Don't just stand there. Answer him!"

"He's gonna kill you!" Jangmo-o blurted out. "Run! Run away! Or else Dad— I mean…"

Hakamo-o brought a glowing fist crashing down on Jangmo-o's head. "That'll do, brother," he growled, brushing his fist against his hide. Hakamo-o turned on Lycanroc and Sneasel. "I dare you two to try and run away. You're surrounded. Even if you somehow knocked us all out… my fellow dragons would avenge me." He smirked confidently. "Your fates were sealed the second you stepped through the haze at the edge of the canyon. Tuck your tails between your legs and accept it."

"Rrrrgh… fat chance I'm letting some whack-job wild 'mons get the better of me!" Lycanroc barked, eyes twitching. Red energy encased his paw and he swung it toward Hakamo-o. He sidestepped Lycanroc's attack and countered with a burst of dragonfire to Lycanroc's chest. Lycanroc fell onto his back, squishing Jangmo-o. Smoke rose off his scorched fur.

Hakamo-o leaned over, resting his right arm on his right knee. "Man, look at how low you've sunk," he taunted. "Y'know, Dad was considering forgiving you for your failures. But when he sees what a sorry sight you've become…" His voice trailed off and he shook his head. "You'll be lucky to have your head still attached to your shoulders."

Jangmo-o squirmed out from underneath Lycanroc. "Come on, bro. Th… this is all just a big misunderstanding. Give me a chance to talk to D—" He cut himself off. "Let me talk to the Totem. I'll explain everything, I swear."

"Heh." Hakamo-o rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You're assuming Dad's gonna want to listen to a runt like you."

"Yeah, a runt who abandoned us!" a black-finned Gabite said, swiping at the air with his claws. "Lord Rayquaza has no sympathy for scum like you. You're no better than the saddest little Goomy in this tribe."

"Shut it, Black-Fins," Hakamo-o said, holding up his right hand. "I think my brother gets the memo loud and clear. Besides, we've made it to the Totem's den."

He gestured forward with his left arm and stepped to the side, allowing Team Fang to see ahead of him. The path sloped up toward a square shrine constructed out of gray stones. At the base of the shrine, small statues of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina sat facing in different directions. Each statue had rubies embedded in their eye sockets, giving them intimidating gleams that made Sneasel's fur prickle. Two dozen dragons of different species stood around the altar, some hopping about or flapping their wings excitedly.

The shrine had three stone steps leading up to a throne forged out of crystals. Behind the throne, three stone pillars shot into the air. A long string of emeralds snaked around the middle pillar, ending in a large, triangular emerald that hung above the altar, staring down at all the dragons. Like the other statues, the model of Mega Rayquaza used rubies to depict its fierce red eyes. The delta symbol carved into the statue's forehead glowed orange under the sun's rays.

But that wasn't the only thing sparkling. Behind the columns sat a pile of gems, containing many different shapes and sizes. Mixed in with the crystals were typical dungeon-faring items like orbs and wands. Several of the dragons at the altar had their attentions focused on the treasure horde. Some had a glazed-over look in their eyes and others had drool seeping from their mouths.

"Father! I've returned from my patrol. Two No-Scales invaded our territory and you're not going to believe who we found with them," Hakamo-o shouted. He stepped back and shoved Jangmo-o, who stumbled forward. All at once, dozens of eyes fell on Jangmo-o. In that moment, he felt as tiny as any Joltik.

The dragons at the front of the altar parted to the sides, allowing their leader to pass. Like Hakamo-o, he had large, circular plates of gray and yellow scales covering his arms, neck, and hips. It resembled a suit of armor. There were similar plates fanning out from the tip of his tail and his head. The latter set of scales resembled a headdress for a tribal chief. He had a band wrapped around the heart-shaped scale on his forehead. It bore a rainbow gem with a winged heart sigil carved in it.

"Wh… what the heck?" Sneasel gasped, turning to Jangmo-o. "Is that your final evolution? That's totally nu– urk!"

Black-Fins shoved Sneasel to the ground, pinning him down under a foot. "What did we tell you earlier, No-Scale? No talking!" he said. "You are in the presence of Totem Kommo-o, herald of Lord Rayquaza!"

Totem Kommo-o stomped down the path to the altar. Each step he took made the plates on his tail clang together. Off-key twangs echoed around the path. Lycanroc covered his ears, grimacing. Jangmo-o fixed his attention on the staff Totem Kommo-o carried in his right hand. At the top of it sat older scale-plates sharpened to form the blade of an axe. Sunlight glinted off it, striking Jangmo-o's eyes. Jangmo-o looked away, shivering.

"So, you've deigned to show your worthless face here after leaving these hallowed grounds?" Totem Kommo-o thundered, his tail and battle axe jingling as he thumped them against the ground.

"D… Dad. We… I… this was an accident! Just let us leave and we won't cause any trouble, I swear," Jangmo-o squeaked.

"Silence!" Totem Kommo-o shouted, slamming his axe down so it was inches away from Jangmo-o's face. Jangmo-o stared wide-eyed at the axe's blade as Totem Kommo-o lifted it back up. "Not only did you spit upon our family's honor by abandoning the tribe, you had the gall to associate with these No-Scales." He gestured at Lycanroc and Sneasel. Totem Kommo-o looked skyward. "You have tarnished the sacred dragon-typing and must be punished accordingly."

"No, Dad, you can't! I—"

"You are no son of mine. My son proudly accepts his fate to carry out Lord Rayquaza's will!" Totem Kommo-said, glancing at Hakamo-o. He touched the Totem Crystal on his forehead. "I gave you a chance, but you turned your back on us. Now, you will suffer the consequences."

Lycanroc's red eyes flashed. "And what gives you the right to be all high and mighty, huh? There are loads of other Totems around Horizon, mate. You ain't special or nothing!" he spat, to Jangmo-o's horror. Totem Kommo-o narrowed his eyes at Lycanroc and snapped his claws. Within seconds, Hakamo-o was in front of Lycanroc. He socked Lycanroc square in the snout. Lycanroc crumpled to ground, eyes watering and paws pressed against his nostrils to stem the bleeding.

Totem Kommo-o turned to Black-Fins. "Ready the sacrificial pyre. We will offer these miserable souls to Lord Rayquaza," he declared, raising his staff high.

"Emergency! Emergency!"

An Altaria with lime-green ribbons on her head touched down next to Totem Kommo-o. She stumbled forward and leaned over, panting heavily.

"What is the meaning of this interruption?" Totem Kommo-o said, biceps twitching. Green-Ribbons stood up straight, tucking her wings in nervously.

"I was flying back from the watering hole when I spotted a pack of No-Scales, sir! They're walking about our territory so casually, scuffing up the ground and everything!" she said, saluting him with her right wing.

Totem Kommo-o whirled on Jangmo-o, snorting out blue electricity. "You brought more No-Scales into our domain?"

"What? No! I swear… it's just the three of us!" Jangmo-o said, tearing up.

"… hmph. We shall see soon enough," Totem Kommo-o said. He turned to Hakamo-o's team. "You lot… stay here and guard them. Make sure they can't escape. The rest of you…" His voice trailed off as he pivoted to face the altar. "Fan out! Find these sinful No-Scales so that we may restore the sanctity of our domain!"

The dragons roared in agreement and took off, some running and others flying away from the altar. Totem Kommo-o stomped off after them, not bothering to look back and acknowledge Jangmo-o.

~Treasure Town Outskirts~

Zero had taken Team Captivate to the edge of a forest a mile away from Treasure Town's forcefield. The green dome glowed brightly, filling the area with light despite the sun having already set. Serperior rapped her tail-blade impatiently against the rock she currently sat on. "So, why exactly are we here if you can't sense the Time Gears?" she asked, staring out at the ocean.

"I already told you. We're here to get our insurance policy," Zero said, kneeling next to the rock and placing her right paw on the ground. Black shadows swirled around her paw, filling it up with static. After a few seconds, the static disappeared and Zero stood up. "I can sense him. The 'mon we're looking for is here."

Milotic slithered toward the edge of the cliff, stretching her neck and flicking dirt down into the ocean. "You mean Team Poképals?" she asked.

"In a manner of speaking," Zero said.

"But how are we going to draw them out from that forcefield without, y'know, rousing the whole town?" Serperior asked, studying the energy dome off in the distance with a frown on her face.

Zero turned to Serperior, her lone eye flashing violet. "I'm so very glad you asked, Serperior," she said. "Because you get to play such a big role in all of it."

Serperior stiffened, then curled up defensively around her tail-blade. "I… I do?"

"Yes, of course," Zero said, then snapped her digits. In a burst of electrified speed, Dragonite grabbed Serperior in her claws and rebounded toward the ocean.

"H… hey! Put me down, Nighty!" Serperior yelped, wriggling in her teammate's grip.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. Mistress Zero's orders," Dragonite said, eyes brimming with blue electricity. "You're gonna go for a little moonlight dip. Sorry we couldn't bring your squeeze along. But, let's face it, sex in the ocean is so overdone, don't you think?"

"Nnnngh… I don't… approve of this," Serperior said. She tried to strike at Dragonite with her tail-blade, but Dragonite pinned the appendage in place using her leg.

"It's for the good of the world, Serperior," Dragonite scoffed. "It'll be over before you know it." She flapped her wings, increasing her speed. "Next stop… Sharpedo Bluff!"

~Sharpedo Bluff~

Inside the mouth of the Sharpedo-shaped outcropping was a small cave. Soft grass lay across the floor, with a half-dozen straw beds scattered around its edge. The cave's lone wall had a small purple tapestry hanging from it, with the rune of a Time Gear woven into it. A patch of bare land contained a small campfire, offering the only source of light in the cave. Darkrai's shadowy form lay behind the fire. He rested his head against his right arm while lazily tracing a finger through the dirt. Opposite him, Cresselia floated toward the edge of the cave, where teeth-like rocks sprang up, partially blocking the view of the ocean.

"Are you doing alright, Manaphy? Your aura seems… off," Cresselia said, her rings drooping in concern.

Manaphy sighed heavily. "I'm just…" He paused. "Actually, I don't really know what I'm feeling. A part of me is bored… and wishes I could've gone with my dads. The other part of me is concerned about everything that's happening." He looked over his shoulder at Cresselia. "Do you trust Ampharos?"

"I don't see any reason not to trust him. He was quite important in putting a stop to Dark Matter," Cresselia said, touching the tips of her stubby arms together.

"I guess. Maybe I'm nervous because we're putting our faith in strangers we've never met before," Manaphy said, rubbing his antennae. Cresselia tilted her head to the side in confusion. "I'm talking about the 'mons over in the Horizon Continent," Manaphy continued. "Latias seemed rather fidgety about the subject and those ghosts on Team Specter didn't have much to say about Team Radiance other than their leader scaring easily."

"Bah! Team Specter's headed by a former outlaw. I wouldn't put much stake in their claims," Darkrai said, waving his left hand about. "I bet they're looking to cause trouble, that's all."

Cresselia and Manaphy exchanged blank looks. "That's a bit rich coming from him, don't you think?" Manaphy whispered.

"Let's not reminisce about that, shall we? He doesn't remember it, after all," Cresselia whispered back. "In any case… it's getting late. Maybe you'll feel better if you try to get some sleep?"

Manaphy looked down and rubbed his belly. "Hmm… I guess. I think what I could really go for are some blue gummis, though. Would you be willing to grab some out of the deposit box?" He batted his eyelids at Cresselia. "Puh-lease?"

"I don't see why not," Cresselia said, bobbing her head up and down. "I fancied going for a walk, anyway. Or… I guess it would be a float in my case." She chuckled at her own lame joke, while Manaphy rolled his eyes. Cresselia turned to Darkrai. "Care to join me? I'd appreciate the company."

Darkrai lazily tossed a few blades of grass into the fire, watching them disappear into trails of dark smoke. "It beats laying around here. Besides, I doubt Manaphy will want me nearby if he's going to sleep." He floated up into the air and looped an arm around one of Cresselia's halos. The two floated up the stairs leading out of the secret cave.

With another sigh, Manaphy hopped onto the rocky ridge and looked out at the ocean. The forcefield lay several yards ahead of him, blocking the moon's reflection in the water. He toyed with the idea that maybe his inability to swim freely was causing his funk. Manaphy kicked a pebble and watched it careen down into the water.

The moment the pebble landed, Manaphy heard a much louder splash. His head jerked up, antennae bobbing up and down. "H… hello? Is someone out there?" Manaphy called, leaning against one of the teeth-like rocks.

"Help me! Somebody!"

Manaphy squinted his eyes and spotted splashing on the other side of the forcefield. A leafy-green head poked out of the water and thrashed about. It was a Serperior, but why was it out beyond the forcefield? Had the tides carried it there?

Serperior lashed her vines out, smacking them uselessly against the water. "Please… somebody help me! I can't swim!" she cried.

Manaphy's antennae shot up in alarm. He looked back over his shoulder. "Cresselia? Darkrai? We've got trouble!" he shouted, only to get no response. Manaphy turned back around just in time to see Serperior slip underneath the surface of the water. He bit his lower lip. There was no way he could turn his back on a drowning Pokémon. He was an explorer, after all.

Thrusting his forward, Manaphy dove off the edge of Sharpedo Bluff. He landed safely away from the jagged rocks at the base of the cliff. Manaphy swam quickly, propelling himself forward with a series of pressurized blasts from his hands. His bulbs glowed bright yellow, illuminating the dark ocean. After a half-minute of swimming, Serperior's wriggling outline came into view. A green shimmer rippled in front of her, signifying the edge of the forcefield barrier.

He passed harmlessly through the shield, reaching his nubby arms out toward Serperior. Seconds before he could grab hold of her, a vicious vortex whipped up all around him. The gale-force winds spun him about like a lump of clothing in a washing machine. The whirlwind carried Manaphy up and out of the water. It then broke, flinging him skyward.

"Lightning Javelin!"

An electrified spear pierced Manaphy's right shoulder. Blue, slimy fluid spurted out of the open wound. Mortified, Manaphy screamed. A second spear struck his left shoulder. Manaphy's antennae spasmed. The pain proved too much for him and he passed out on the spot.

With Serperior slung around her neck like a wet towel, Dragonite zipped forward, catching the bleeding Manaphy before he smacked the water. She then flew back around the outside of the barrier, beating her wings to keep her speed up.

"This is so not cool!" Serperior yelped, clinging to Dragonite's black armor with her vines for dear life.

"For pity's sake, listen to yourself, Serperior. No wonder those Team Radiance stooges handed your tail to you," Dragonite sneered. She closed the distance with the small patch of land where Zero and Milotic awaited them. Dragonite landed hard. The impact jostled Serperior, who flopped to the ground like a useless Magikarp. Dragonite tossed Manaphy in front of Zero. Milotic looked at Manaphy's shriveling body with a look of confusion.

"Wait… Manaphy? That was who you're after? You already have a competent water-type at your disposal," she said, frowning.

Zero stomped her left foot on Manaphy's gut. His antennae swelled up. Blue blood trickled out of his shoulder wounds. "Hmm… you overdid it, Dragonite. But I can fix this," Zero said. She stepped off Manaphy, a black Beast Ball forming in her right paw. Zero let go of the ball, which fell onto Manaphy. It opened up, sucked him inside in a beam of red light, and dropped to the ground for Zero to pick up.

Pink energy flowed into the Beast Ball from Zero's right paw. She brought it up to eye level and inspected it carefully.

"So, that's it? He's infected, then?" Serperior asked, eyeing the Beast Ball nervously.

"No. But he has been… subdued to my will," Zero said. Milotic and Serperior exchanged confused looks. Zero sighed and rubbed the bridge of her snout. "It's simple, you two. We need Manaphy infection-free to be of any use to us." She tossed the ball up and down. "Perhaps a demonstration will make things clear?"

Zero opened up the ball. Manaphy dropped onto the ground in a stream of red light, his shoulder wounds completely healed. His eyes, however, were now gray. Manaphy stared lifelessly at the ground. "Manaphy… Heart Swap on Dragonite," Zero said, pointing at her.

Dragonite's wings stiffened in alarm as Manaphy jerked his head up and whipped his antennae in her direction. A tiny pink beam struck Dragonite in the chest. She crumpled to the ground without so much as a cry of pain. Manaphy did the exact same thing.

"Nighty!" Milotic gasped, uncoiling in surprise. "Mistress, what did you do to her?"

Zero nudged up her mask. "See for yourself." She gestured to Dragonite, who slowly got to her feet. She now had the same lifeless look in her eyes Manaphy held previously.

"Ungh… what happened?" Dragonite groaned. Her teammates' jaws dropped when Manaphy got to his feet. He looked at Milotic and Serperior blankly.

"Hey, what's wrong with you two?" Manaphy said, his voice unchanged but carrying the same aggression Dragonite's did.

"Heart Swap… the unique ability possessed by Manaphy allowing him to exchange his consciousness with that of his target… for a short time," Zero explained, patting Manaphy on the shoulder. "It's both our ticket to getting the Time Gears and taking Necky out of the picture."

"I'm not sure I follow, Mistress," Dragonite said, staring at her real body and biting her new one's lower lip.

"It's simple. Posing as the friendly Manaphy, you will infiltrate the location the Time Gears are being held at. Then, you steal them," Zero said.

"But won't these forcefields repel me? Can't they sense my spiritual energy or something?" Dragonite asked.

"That's the beauty of Heart Swap. It exchanges Manaphy's consciousness with yours. Only the most important essence of your spirit is residing in Manaphy's body," Zero said. "Your corrupted Z-Power still lies in your real body. Therefore, the forcefield will believe you to be Manaphy. What say you to that?"

Dragonite rubbed Manaphy's flippers together. "I'd say… when do we get to start?"

~Sea Shrine~

Bubbles formed on the surface of Lugia's secret pool shortcut. His long, slender head popped out to stare at the blue, rocky cavern. Water trickled down his hardened, scale-like feathers. Lugia ran a wing across his forehead, disheveling his down. With a heavy sigh, he rolled onto his back and lazily flutter-kicked his legs. He drifted across the pool, looking up at the mix of gray and blue rocks on the ceiling.

There were probably harsh currents he should be dealing with, but he wasn't up to it. Instead, he reached the edge of the pool, his head bumping up against the ground. Lugia rested his head in the dirt, not caring that dust clung to his wet feathers. He stared blankly at his home, yawning loudly. The two rows of pillars looked no different than usual. Lugia could identify every little crack, every strand of seaweed, and every patch of luminous moss dispersed across each of the six pillars.

He thought of Latias, wondering what she could be doing. Since she had left for the Horizon Continent, she hadn't even tried to contact him through their mental link. Lugia figured the distance made it too tough for her to try. Still, he worried. Lugia kept recalling their last conversation. Mental images of her distraught, tearful gaze played on loop for him. He shut his eyes, trying to push those uncomfortable thoughts out of his head.

Lugia longed to have her in the water with him, resting on his belly, with her head and neck nestled against his. He imagined her glass feathers brushing against his cheek. Blood pooled into his face, his temples throbbing as his heart rate spiked.

He shook his head. This wasn't right. He couldn't goof off like this. Latias was working hard. He had to do the same. Groaning, Lugia rolled over onto his belly. His brief spurt of motivation faded. Lugia was too comfortable. He didn't want to get up… or even move. Lugia yawned again. Maybe with a good night's sleep, he'd be ready to get back to work.

A flash of light made him jolt upright. He looked across his home. A swirling wall of blue energy had appeared on the far end of the cave. Lugia rubbed his face with a wing.

A distortion field had activated. Someone had reached the end of his Mystery Dungeon home. But who… and why?

Lugia hopped out of the pool, water trailing off his flank and tail. With a flap of his wings, he landed on the nearest pillar, curling his toes against its edge. "Who goes there? State your business!" Lugia called, wings fanning out in a display of dominance. He waited for a response or for a Pokémon to emerge from the distortion, but nothing happened. Lugia hunched over, drawing on his ESP. "I said identify yourself!" Lugia shouted.

The distortion field pulsated with ripples of light. Three purple, meteor-like projectiles streamed out from the wall, shadowfire trailing off them. Lugia blew them up with bright-pink rings. He shot up, gathering air in his mouth. The air turned red-hot, then Lugia unleashed it as a conical beam of red-orange light. It tore across the ground, kicking up plumes of dirt and debris.

An intense blue flash filled the room. Lugia to cut his attack to back away. When the light faded, the distortion field had vanished. Lugia stared at the now-bare rock wall, brow furrowed. "That's strange… I didn't sense anything off with the ley lines here. What—"

A black vortex opened beside Lugia. Necrozma shot out, surrounded by purple energy. "Surprise, Lugia!" he shouted, slamming his foe at full speed. Necrozma's claws grazed Lugia's sensitive underbelly seconds before the force of the blow rocketed Lugia into one of the pillars in the center of the room. Lugia struck the pillar square between his shoulder blades. In a nasty case of whiplash, his head, legs, and tail wrapped around the pillar, then immediately snapped back.

Lugia screamed. He fell to the ground, limbs twitching uselessly. "What do you think you're doing to him? Have you gone mad?" Marshadow gasped, dangling from Necrozma's luminescent-blue tail by ley line chains.

Necrozma flicked his tail backwards, flinging Marshadow onto the pillar opposite Lugia. The chains wrapped around the pillar, restraining Marshadow against it. "What does it look like I'm doing, fool? I'm softening up your new body, of course! Heeheehee… huh?"

A white-hot cone of air blasted Necrozma right in the chest. Screeching, he retreated into a black vortex. On the ground, Lugia staggered to his feet. His legs burned with the intensity of a Fusion Flare. Black and purple splotches peppered his back. With a pained wince, Lugia went airborne. Seconds later, Necrozma lunged out of another portal shrouded in purple shadows.

Necrozma dispelled the ghostly energy and whirled around in time for a trio of pink rings to slam into him. He tumbled through the air. Necrozma spread his wings apart to stop his momentum. Lugia refused to let up, despite the shocking pain fanning out from his back with each flap of his wings. He spat a giant water geyser from his mouth.

"You will not stop me! Moongeist Beam!" Necrozma shouted, blue and black light streaming toward the center of his chest. His three eyes glowed bright blue as he unleashed a giant blue and black laser. It collided with Lugia's attack. The two beams stalemated, but Lugia lost the energy needed to keep pumping out water. His attack collapsed.

Lugia tucked his wings in and dove toward the ground. Necrozma's beam missed the tip of Lugia's tail by inches. Lugia thrust his wings apart, stopping his dive about a foot off the ground. Blue energy surrounded his body, taking on the shape of a dragon. He charged down Necrozma, speeding through the air like a blue, dragon-shaped comet.

Necrozma's third eye brimmed with red energy. He thrust his hands out in front of him seconds before Lugia struck him. The collision pushed a snarling Necrozma back toward a nearby pillar. He looked down at his trembling arms. Cracks splintered across them. The glow faded from his eyes and winged-heart sigil. Lugia's confidence swelled. He was doing it. Just a little bit longer and—

"That… is… enough!"

Necrozma spat a Shadow Ball from his mouth. Lugia's blue energy dissipated, leaving him hovering meekly in midair. Necrozma tightened his grip on Lugia's face, arms trembling uncontrollably. "Hee… heeeheeheehee! Trying to channel your worthless girlfriend, are we? How adorable!" he crooned. "And by adorable… I mean pathetic!"

Lugia wailed in agony as Necrozma claws dug into his scalp. He tried to open his mouth to attack, but Necrozma's grip kept it clamped shut. Lugia also failed to tap into his ESP reserve, his mind clouded by a sudden assault of fearful thoughts and disturbing images of a white, gooey sphere with bulging, rainbow veins and a red, piercing eye.

"Lugia, the mighty guardian of the seas… an insecure wreck of a god who mated with the meekest, most timid dragon in existence. A girl everyone looked down upon for her flagrant cowardice in the face of impending disaster. And why… why did he do it? Simple! To make himself feel big and strong… like the immortal gods he put on a pedestal! Do I hAvE tHAt rIgHT?" Necrozma said, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He released his grip on Lugia and struck him at point-blank range with two shadowfire meteors. They blasted Lugia into the far pillar, destroying it in a burst of white dust and rock shards. Rubble collapsed on top of him, drowning out his screams.

A soft white glow appeared over Necrozma's head. Pale moonlight bathed his body, repairing the cracks in his arms and restoring some of the glow in his eyes and sigil. Necrozma's eyes flashed pink. Psychic energy dispelled the dust, revealing Lugia lying beneath the rubble, only his bloodstained head and part of his neck sticking out.

"Th… at voice," Lugia wheezed, his facial features contorted in a grimace. "It's… impossible. You can't…"

"wHaT's THaT? YoU'lL hAVe tO sPeaK uP So tHe wHOle cLaSS cAn HErE!" Necrozma said, pointing to Marshadow.

Lugia struggled to lift his head up and look at Necrozma. "L.. un… ala… Gu… iding.. Light… you… have to f… ight it," he croaked.

Neccrozma's third eye dimmed slightly. "What you've got is a simple case of mistaken identity," he continued, floating toward Lugia. "I'm not the monster you're thinking of." Necrozma's third eye fixed its gaze on Lugia, wriggling inside his armored forehead. "I'M hIs rEPlaCeMeNT!"

Lugia tried to free himself from the rubble, but a white-hot bolt of pain ran through his spine. All he could do was squawk weakly. Necrozma wrapped his wings around his torso to control his twitching arms.

"You fools really thought that one tiny, insignificant fox showing 'acceptance' would make all of your problems go away. Pah… how ridiculous!" Necrozma declared, making air quotes with his wing digits as he spoke. "The only thing that succeeded in accomplishing was reestablishing the status quo. Everyone resumed their normal lives, turning a blind eye to their problems and acting like Dark Matter was nothing more than a bad dream."

Necrozma looked down at Lugia, who had given up struggling under the rubble. "News flash, birdie: acceptance doesn't fix problems. It's an empty gesture… like calling a fragile, anxiety-ridden dragon your mate. Or coddling up to the shy, quiet kid in school and stringing him along to make him the laughing stock of the community and boost your own social standing!" Necrozma thrust his wings apart, red spots flashing under his chest armor. "So, the world's negativity has persisted all this time. Hatred, sadness, guilt, jealousy… all swirling around in Pokémon's hearts… magnifying their suffering!"

"What are you talking about? Pokémon are only suffering because of blokes like you," Marshadow said, thumping against the pillar he was stuck to.

"Heeheeheehee! Says the thief who preys on Pokémon and leaves them unconscious in Mystery Dungeons to get what he wants," Necrozma said, a grin spreading across his lips. "Well, go on. Look Lugia in the eyes and tell him it was you who pummeled his girlfriend like a feathery punching bag… knocking her fragile sense of self down another peg!" He floated to the side, gesturing at Lugia with his left arm and wing.

With a pained wince, Lugia turned his head toward Marshadow. "You… attacked Latias?" he whispered.

"Oh-ho! What's that I see in your eyes there? Could it be… anger?" Necrozma said, drifting down and partially dissolving into the ground so he was at eye-level with Lugia. "Yes… yes, it is! To think a lesser god could project such negativity. Heeheeheehee! See, what did I tell you? This world… and all who inhabit it…" Necrozma floated back into the air, his third eye shining bright. "YoU aRE AlL MisTaKEs! YoU mUSt Be ReTUrNeD To tHe VOiD!"

Necrozma's wings brimmed with black shadows. He whipped them forward. A crimson shockwave destroyed the rubble piled atop Lugia. At the same time, the dark energy battered Lugia's. He didn't even have the strength to scream. Lugia's consciousness faded, his eyes shutting and his tongue rolling out of his open mouth. Necrozma swooped down, wrapped his crystalline hands around Lugia's neck, and hoisted him up into the air. Lugia's wings fell uselessly to his sides.

"Heeheeheehee! How does this make you feel, sea guardian? Overwhelmed? Powerless? Insignificant?" Necrozma whispered, his face close enough for Lugia to feel his cold breath. "Good… now you know exactly what it's like! What I felt… when everyone turned their backs on me," Necrozma shouted, tightening his grip around Lugia's throat. "Now you can start to see the truth. Everyone— no, everything is meaningless. All that matters is returning each and every world to the void."

"Humans, Pokémon, UBs… you're all the same. You try so desperately to instill order wherever you can. And, in doing so, you create endless suffering!" Necrozma continued as Lugia's eyes slowly opened and quivered in fright."Besides, everything you're fighting for is doomed to disappear one day, no matter how hard you work. I'm simply speeding up the process… by burning down this world now and leaving behind pure, beautiful chaos."

"You're… ungggrh… wrong," Lugia wheezed, failing to lift his wings up. "Positivity… always wins out… in the end…"

"Is that really what you think… or is that what the immortal gods have forced into your feeble birdie brain?" Necrozma said, licking his lips. "Like I said… you're insignificant. Whatever good you can accomplish will be forgotten. All you can offer is false hope. Negativity will return, growing steadily more relentless until you finally submit." His third eye wriggled in place. "If you think otherwise, you're deluding yourself! But I… I know better. I've seen it… while locked away, rotting in the Ultra Nexus. That's why I've become part of something bigger than myself: the void!"

"You can struggle as much as you want, but you won't win," Necrozma said. "Even if you somehow stopped me… another crisis would befall this world in the future. And that cycle will continue on loop, until at last your world is returned to chaos!" He shook his arms out, throttling Lugia. "If you want to end your suffering, there's only one thing you can do, Lugia. Look me in the eyes and tell me you want it to stop. Beg me to take your light!"

"I… won't… surrender… to you!" Lugia said. Drawing on the last of his strength, he headbutted Necrozma. The blow wasn't strong, but Necrozma still lost his grip in surprise. Lugia dropped to the ground, landing with an unceremonious thud.

"WoRThlEsS bEIng! YoUr LIghT bELoNgs tO Me!" Necrozma shouted. He pointed his arms down at Lugia. A crimson circle formed around Lugia, who was unable to get off the ground. As soon as the circle was complete, black ley line chains shot out of the ground. Lugia squawked in fright, but it was quickly cut off as a single chain wrapped around his beak. The remaining chains split their efforts. Some bound his legs and tail to the ground and the rest forced his wings against his torso. Lugia struggled against the chains, to no avail.

"I haven't used a transmutation circle like this before, but there's a first time for everything," Necrozma declared as Lugia's eyes widened. "I've got the Shadow." He gestured at Marshadow, whose face blanched. "And now I've got the Lugia. The only thing left to do is mix them both together!" He raised his right hand.

"H… hey now! What d'ya think you're doing? Put me down, you mental monstrosity!" Marshadow shouted, resuming his struggle against the ley lines. Necrozma thumped his right arm against his chest. An unseen force flung Marshadow into the transmutation circle where he landed atop Lugia's back. Necrozma's third eye shimmered with rainbow light. A winged heart sigil appeared over Lugia and Marshadow, bathing them in multicolored energy.

Necrozma raised both hands. With his left hand, he traced a capital omega symbol, and then a line underneath it. The same scripture appeared on the edge of the circle. "Sublimation," Necrozma said, then pointed a claw at Marshadow.

"What the—" Marshadow began, only for the chains around to squeeze him so tight that he popped like an overinflated balloon. Purple vapors spilled over Lugia's back.

Necrozma again used his left hand to trace in the air. He made a circle and added a long, whip-like tail. "Digestion," Necrozma said. He snapped his claws and the chains around Lugia's mouth shifted, forcing it open.

Marshadow's smoky remains spilled inside of Lugia's mouth. The chains snapped it shut and hefted Lugia's head upward, forcing him to swallow. For a minute, nothing happened. Lugia remained locked in place by the chains, eyes darting around the room in a panic. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened. Lugia screeched. His sclera turned from white to red. Dark blue spilled across his white feathers, like a wet paintbrush pressed firmly against a canvas.

"Yes… yes! Rise, Shadow Lugia!" Necrozma shouted, rubbing his hands and wings together gleefully. The dark blue had completely overtaken Lugia's body. Lugia's head and neck fell limp.

The chains holding him unraveled, but didn't disappear. Instead, they swirled about in midair, forming into a black chest plate much like the one on Necrozma's body. Pink light surrounded Necrozma's right hand and he levitated Lugia into the air. The armor slammed into Lugia's stomach. Black chains shot out of it and dug into Lugia's backside between his ten red plates. To finish off the transformation, a white winged heart sigil formed in the center of Lugia's chest plate, with horns protruding from the top of the heart and a single eye in the center.

"Well… how are we feeling?" Necrozma asked, releasing his psychic hold.

Lugia dropped to the ground, landing on his feet. He thrust his wings apart. "Gyyaaas!" he shouted, his voice heavily mixed with Marshadow's. Black energy swirled around his wings.

"Heeheeheehee! Excellent! You won't be much for conversation, I'm afraid, but I'll take it," Necrozma mused. "So, tell me, Shadow Lugia… how would you like to go pay your girlfriend a visit?"

Lugia's red eyes flashed. He opened his mouth wide and a conical burst of shadowy air obliterated a nearby pillar in a black explosion. Necrozma grinned at the sight, only to drop toward the ground. He weekly opened an Ultra Wormhole behind Shadow Lugia. "We'll get to that… soon enough. I need…" He struggled to catch his breath. "That took… too much… energy. Need light. We must… find spirits…"

The two flew off into the portal together, leaving the battle-scarred room behind.

~Circadian Coast, Daybreak Beach~

Gallian sat down on the edge of the shore, furrowing his brow. "You guys saw all of that right?" he said, scythe flickering pink. "The massive waves, the flashes of lighting, and those two huge Gyaradoses. Something bad happened to them… I'm sure of it."

Zoroark stood a foot back from Gallian, arms crossed over his chest. "Nothing we can really do about it. They're too far away and we need to keep the resort safe," he said, eye scanning the water for signs of trouble.

"I know that," Gallian said. "It's just…" His voice trailed off and he curled his claws up around the sand. "Tessa can't swim. If she got knocked underwater… I'm not sure she's okay." Gallian rubbed his head against a foreleg. "My disaster sense was going off when they were talking about Mantine Surfing over to Sunset Shoals, but I didn't say anything."

A slender black arm draped over Gallian's shoulders. He flinched, then turned to his right, where he found Zoroark sitting next to him. "You did the right thing," he said.

"It sure doesn't feel like it," Gallian said, frowning.

Zoroark traced a claw along Gallian's scythe, making him shudder. "Well, that's just because of the situation we're in. But think about it, Gallian. We need the Seaside Shard and it's in Sunset Shoals. There was no way around it. Team Radiance had to go there. And if you'd chosen to say something about your disaster sense, I bet you would've upset your sister," he said, lazily moving his claw down Gallian's neck until it was between his shoulder blades. "You made the right call this time," Zoroark said, rubbing his back.

"I suppose," Gallian whispered, relaxing his shoulders. "Tessa's stronger than me… I get that. Still, the thought she could be in the middle of the ocean right now terrifies me."

"I believe things will work out. Your sister's dealt with much crazier stuff," Zoroark said. Gallian didn't respond to that, prompting Zoroark to add, "There's something else, isn't there?" His suspicions were confirmed when Gallian rubbed his forelegs together, glancing nervously at his looplet. "This is really about Tessa's Mega Evolution," Zoroark said.

Gallian winced. "Okay, you got me. It is. You saw what happened to her. What if she flies off the handle again and… and I'm not there to do anything?" he said, eyes flashing pink. "I'd never forgive myself if I learned that I just sat here, powerless, when my little sister needed me."

Zoroark grabbed Gallian's left shoulder and squeezed. Gallian's head fell on Zoroark's shoulder. "We've got to have faith in Tessa's friends," Zoroark said, leaning over to rub his snout against Gallian's head. "They know what they're doing. I'm sure everything will work out."

"I wish I could believe that," Gallian said. Shadows swarmed Gallian's scythe, bristling Zoroark's fur. "But I can't shake this sinking feeling in my gut. It's not just that, either." He glanced at Zoroark. "What about me? Absols can Mega Evolve." He lifted his right foreleg, frowning at the looplet. "How can I possibly feel safe and secure knowing all it might take is my disaster sense misfiring to trigger this thing? I've already hurt too many people… I couldn't bear the thought of doing something even worse."

"It won't happen," Zoroark said, pulling Gallian into an even tighter embrace. "As long as I'm here, I won't let it. I can help you keep your negative thoughts at bay, so long as you share them with me like you're doing right now. How does that sound?"

Gallian pulled away from the embrace. "It sounds good. Just… um… stay close to me." He looked down, tracing a digit through the sand. "You're right. I'm not in a good place. I definitely need a voice of reason to keep my disaster sense quiet."

"You can count on me," Zoroark said, leaning over and licking Gallian's cheek. Gallian's scythe flashed bright pink and he looked away in embarrassment.

"M… maybe we should wait… until we're not in public," Gallian said.

"Sorry, I got caught up in the moment," Zoroark said, smirking. "You look great against an ocean backdrop, you know."

"Um… thanks?" Gallian said, blinking in surprise. He then narrowed his eyes at Zoroark. "Wait… you're trying to distract me from all this, aren't you?"

Zoroark's smirk widened. "Guilty," he said, raising his hands. "Is it working?"

Gallian opened his mouth, ready to issue a retort, only to pause. "Actually, it kind of is," he said, face flushing. They both exchanged laughs, before returning their attentions to the ocean. Ripples of water made Gallian jump to his feet.

"You saw that, didn't you?" Gallian said, shadows swallowing up his scythe.

"Saw what?" Zoroark said, sitting up after having fallen onto his side.

Clawitzer lunged out of the water. Gallian tackled Zoroark to the ground, barely getting him out of the way of a blast of water.

"Damn it!" Gallian hissed, turning to face Clawitzer as he skidded through the sand. "He's back for round two!"

Yes, Necrozma used two real-world alchemical symbols... according to Wikipedia, anyway. Take it with grains of salt, I suppose.

Anonymous: sure, provided there aren't a bunch of restrictions for Sora's inclusion like we have with Cloud. Even if all the KH music has been remixed and rearranged more times than you can count, I still want new remixes.

SuperOmegaGuest: it's a fine way to play... when you're looking to do a meme round. Y'know what else is fun? Setting items to high, with only Poké Balls and Assist Trophies appearing, then watching the chaos that follows.

Anon Omega: maybe I should go make one of those ask blogs on tumblr so you can do it yourself? Would anyone actually like that?

Another guest: Shane spoofed the lyrics to "Surfing USA." And I wouldn't say that Wailord snuck up on them, just that they were so preoccupied trying not to drown that they had no idea it was coming.

Next time: it's the 2018 Christmas special, featuring the other side of our proverbial villainous coin. Don't worry, though. This year I've brought a sparkly, fabulous reindeer to help make things less depressing!