Castelia Arc: The Experiment
Jacky took a step backward. "H-Hypno!" The Pokémon held its pendulum in its hand. 'You've seen me... You were looking for me... You've interfered with me... That's why I'm going to take you now. So stay calm... you won't feel anything...' Hypno spoke into her head. Jacky had no idea how this monster had gotten here and it scared her. Mari next to her stared at Hypno, stunned. She didn't move, but she didn't look frightened. More like... annoyed. Jacky held her head. "No! Go away! Leave me alone! Mari, help me!" She squinted her eyes. Mari reached for a Poké Ball. 'Why are you fighting me? I mean you no harm. Just come with me and you'll be happy forever...',
"Oh, really? I was happier before I saw your ugly mug for the first time... Kirlia!" Mari's Kirlia appeared and fired a Magical Leaf at Hypno. Hypno cried out softly and then looked angrily at the two. They had broken its concentration. The weight fell off Jacky and she breathed a sigh of relief. Kirlia performed a spin and attacked again with the same attack, but this time, Hypno blocked with Light Screen and the leaves dissolved passing through it. Then, lightning set in and bright light blinded them before the Pokémon simply disappeared. Mari looked around, "...It's gone. What a bummer."
Jacky rubbed her forehead. "Yeah...",
"Are you okay?",
"Yeah... I'm fine. Don't worry.",
"Good." Mari nodded in relief. "Thank you, Kirlia. You've chased it away. For now." Kirlia indicated a bow before Mari withdrew it.
"Hey, Mari..." Jacky looked to her. "It spoke to me. In my head... I've always felt a look on the back of my neck since I was here, but I didn't want to worry you because I wasn't sure myself. Now I know... it's back. And it wants us.",
"Oh, really... Yeah, that's nothing new, I told you so before. The question just is, why?",
"Because we saw it. We know it's here. We've interfered with... whatever its intentions are.",
"So it sees us as a threat?",
"Could be...",
"Huh..." Mari took Jacky by the arm. "We'd better go back. Come." Jacky nodded silently and they walked back to the Pokémon Center together.
In her room, Jacky sank down on her bed. "We have to defeat Hypno..." she said, "This terror will never stop until it is defeated...",
"You know what I wonder about?" Mari sat down cross-legged on her own bed. "I'm sure there's not only this particular Hypno in this world. There are many more out there, but why do we only hear about this Hypno kidnapping children?",
"Hmmh... It's a good question... Maybe Hypno don't do that naturally, at all... Most of them help people with sleep problems...",
"Maybe it's just lonely..." Mari assumed, sighed and laid down. "But that doesn't excuse what it's doing in any way... Better try to sleep first. I for one can barely keep my eyes open.",
"You're a weird one..." Jacky looked at her, perplexed.
"Y'know, can't save your ass when I'm tired..." Mari sighed. "...And I won't carry you if you can't walk in a straight line tomorrow."
Jacky rolled her eyes. "Okay, got it, Mrs. Sentaku.",
"That's good, Mrs. Heavens. Well then. Good night." And with those words, Mari was done with this day.
The next morning, Jacky had snuggled into her blanket and slept like a Minccino in winter, however, that was changed very quickly when a familiar voice loudly yelled "GET UP!" right into her ear.
"WAAAAHH!" She startled, accidentally leaned to the side, slipped, lost her footing and landed on the floor with a loud thud. Loud laughter followed. "Good morning, late riser!" Jacky looked grumpily at Mari. "Was that necessary? Couldn't you have woken me up more gently, like normal people do?",
"Nah, it was quicker that way.",
"Well thanks a lot." She grumbled and stood up with her hair sticking out. "What time is it anyway?",
"Ten o'clock.",
"In the name of Arceus, that's way too early!",
"Way too early? I've been awake for an hour already! Breakfast is already done. Comb your hair, you won't come to my breakfast table looking like this.",
"Okay, Mom." Jacky retreated into the bathroom. "Don't go back to sleep while standing in front of the mirror! Get a move on!" it echoed over to her.
"Tell me, are you actually hyperactive?" Jacky asked back, rubbing her damaged butt.
"No, just impatient!",
"One really can't tell..." Sighing, Jacky combed her hair and came back out of the bathroom. "Aren't you always the one not wanting to get up in the morning? Did we accidentally switch roles or something?",
"Last time you woke me up at eight or something, I'm never ready for a new day at that time of day." Mari replied shrugging her shoulders. Jacky groaned. "Oh great...",
"Maybe, a battle after breakfast will lift your spirits.",
"Mh... Let's see about that..." The blonde-haired girl sat down at the breakfast table and the smell of fresh buns made her hunger swell. Mari seemed to be in high spirits, despite yesterday's events. Halle-fucking-luja.
After breakfast, Jacky was stuffed and actually felt ready for a battle. She already knew why Mari had challenged her. Mari's goal was to defeat her. Who would blame her. They walked to the harbor and chose the Cruise Ship Pier as the location for their battle. The Royal Unova was in the harbor, as imposing and large as ever, but the cruise ship always departed in the evening, so no one was out on the pier yet and they could battle undisturbed. "This is more than just a battle for me," Jacky said as she and Mari faced off. "This battle shows me how deep our friendship is. How well we know each other."
Mari grinned. "I think of it as training. After all, there's a badge to collect here."
Jacky smiled. "Always on fire, huh?",
"Why do you think I'm doing this? Gabite, let's go to battle!" Mari's dragon reared up on the ground in front of her and growled.
"Medicham, I choose you!" The fighting-type Pokémon landed on the ground. There was no hostile reaction from the dragon, perhaps because it had grown accustomed to dealing with its old enemy. "Aaaalriiiight! Dig!" Mari shouted. Gabite disappeared into the ground. Jacky looked around. "Where will it emerge...? Behind Medicham? Under it?"
Gabite appeared right in front of its opponent and a Shadow Claw struck its target in a critical hit. Medicham looked surprised. Wait a minute, Shadow Claw? Jacky's eyes narrowed as she recognized Mari's trick. "Gabite" snapped at Medicham. "Swerve to the side and then use Brick Break!" Medicham stood on one leg and spun away as the dragon lunged at it before sending it flying away from it with a powerful strike. The illusion shattered and Zorua landed on the ground, wailing. "You won't fool me with Zorua again, Mari." Jacky smiled broadly. "I knew it from the moment you threw your Pokéball that Zorua would be your first Pokémon. Just like always.",
"Am I really that predictable?" Mari sighed. "Thanks for the tip. I'll take it to heart."
Medicham balanced on one leg and Zorua got back on its paws. It shook itself. "Don't let this deter you, Zorua. Use Dig!"
Zorua buried itself in the ground again. "Use Brick Break once it reveals itself", Jacky ordered. Medicham went into a fighting stance. But when Zorua emerged at last, it wasn't alone. A total of 4 Zoruas were suddenly standing on the pier. Jacky raised her eyebrows. "Eh?",
"Do you think I wasted the time I had before you woke up?" Mari asked with a mischievous grin. "Zorua is usually referred to as 'The Illusion Pokémon.' I figured it should be possible for it to create illusions in other ways. It was difficult for us, but we succeeded. Even if it's not many illusions we were able to create this way, at least, it's a start!" Jacky nodded impressed. "That was a genius idea..." she admitted. Mari grinned. "Feint Attack!" The four Zorua attacked simultaneously. Each resembled the other, but Jacky recognized which was the real one of them. The illusions had no shadow. They were translucent. "Too bad... Get it, Medicham!" Medicham whirled around, dodging the attacking Pokémon until it grabbed the real Zorua by the leg and lifted it into the air. "Break Break!" Meditcham flung the little fox Pokémon into the air, then slammed it down hard. Zorua remained on the ground, whimpering. "I'm sorry, but I guess that wasn't enough," Jacky commented. "Zorua's illusions are good, but not believable. They don't cast shadows. They need to get better if you're going to use them to fool others. People who don't pay attention to such small details probably won't notice and it would do for them, but not for me.",
"It was worth a try." Mari withdrew Zorua. "Don't be disappointed, little one. We'll get it right. We'll do better next time, I promise." She then took out a second Poké Ball. "Then, we'll make it a little more challenging for you, Miss Know-it-all. Skarmory, it's your turn!" Screeching, the bird burst out of its Poké Ball and flapped its steel wings. Its metallic armor glinted in the sunlight. "Kyaaaaah!"