Dawn was in the Pokémon Center in Eterna City, waiting for her friends to finish each of their jobs at the two lakes. On the tv, she was relieved to see Pokémon Rangers arrive in short notice and put the fires out before they reached any towns or cities. Now it was simply a matter of time before they eventually met up with her. Each hour that passed made Dawn more and more worried, but she passed the time by training with her TM enhanced Pokémon, making sure that she was familiar with her incredibly strong team, especially Cobalt since he needs to catch up with his teammates. It'd be nice to have Maylene train with her since she was the fighting specialist, but this was something the researcher needed to do herself. Dawn and her Pokémon went to sleep at 10:45 PM so that they could get the most out of the night. When it became daybreak outside, the girl was quite startled awake when there was loud banging on her door.
"Dawn! Dawn! Are you awake yet?! I made it back!" Normally, she wouldn't let people in just like that, but given that Barry came back from a dangerous mission, she need to know he was okay. In her pink and yellow pajamas, she opened the door to be hugged very aggressively by the ecstatic blonde. "I took down a commander!"
"Barry, put me down please!" The girl cried out. Realizing what he was doing, he put her down, somewhat embarrassed.
"Sorry about that. I was just excited that I took down a commander of Team Galactic!" He laughed with apparent proudness.
"Seriously?!" Dawn gasped. "Was it Mars?"
"Yeah, the red head."
"That's awesome Barry! Was she tough?"
"She was, yeah, but she was no match when Infernape's Blaze kicked in. He even defeated a gliscor.
"That's incredible!"
"Has Ash come back yet?"
"No, I'm still waiting on him." She answered. Barry smiled.
"Well, while we wait for him, I can tell you what happened in full detail."
A couple of hours after Barry arrived, Dawn and him were in the middle of training their Pokémon together, which was currently Lopunny vs Heracross when they heard the sound of running footsteps.
"Hey guys!" They turned to see Ash running to them.
"Ash!" Both teens exclaimed in joy as they ran to him, the three colliding into a big hug. Lopunny and Heracross laughed from the sight. Separating, Dawn asked him,
"How did you get here so fast? I thought you would be flying over the mountain."
"I was, but I took the shortcut through Celestic Town, which happens to be the home of Cynthia. Her grandmother said I could take a tunnel entrance to Eterna through back there."
"Great! That means we have a means of getting to Snowpoint City without putting our birds in jeopardy!" Barry cheered.
"Yeah. Follow me. It's time to check Lake Acuity."
"Thankfully I bought winter clothes for all of us." Dawn mentioned.
In the early afternoon, the teens have finally exited the Northern most tunnel where the Coronet range ended, and were instantly hit by the biting chill of a blizzard. Since they were all wearing autumn clothes already, they simply needed clothes more winter based. Ash's coat was a thicker winter one, wore two pairs of pants and had his scarfed wrapped around most of his head than just his neck to keep his hat in place. Dawn still kept her pink jacket, boots and white scarf, but she covered up her things with two layers of white pants. Barry wore a thicker orange winter jacket, wore two brown pants, and replaced his shoes with heavy duty boots. He even wore one of those snow caps with the flaps covering his ears. The only thing they had in common wearing was white winter gloves.
"Dang it! I thought there wasn't supposed to be blizzards yet! We still got a month!" Barry complained, having to yell over the snow.
"What do we do now?! We can't navigate through this without a guide!" Dawn asked to the guys. Barry shrugged, but Ash had a confident smile on his face.
"Easy! We'll just catch our guide!"
Route 217 was experiencing an early blizzard, forcing many people to take cover in their homes or Snowpoint. There seemed to be nothing there. That is until the snow on the ground started to rumble and fall off the tree branches as the three teens clung onto the back of Ash's Mamoswine, pushing through the heavy snow and freezing air, unaffected by it all. Barry hugged Dawn's stomach, and Dawn hugged to Ash's stomach as he laughed riding on such a behemoth reaching their destination fast. By the time they reached the end of the route, they were now reaching the part where the land didn't look the same. Despite being covered in ice, the ground below it looked scorched and the trees barren and broken. It was obvious that whatever surviving ice type Pokémon around and the local trainers were able to freeze the explosion's fire dead in its tracks. At this point, the blizzard started to taper down and became not light, but manageable snow fall. Once a Team Galactic helicopter came into view, they stopped to not alert themselves and slid off their ride.
"Thanks Mamoswine. You'll be a great addition to the time." Ash thanked his final member, patting her side.
"Mamo." The Twin Tusk Pokémon replied back before being returned into her Ultra Ball. Walking up to the edge of the epicenter, two of them recognized a cavern that was sticking out along with Team Galactic grunts prepared for cold weather and intruders.
"Think you can handle this Dawn? Either one of us could do it." Barry asked, wanting to be considerate. Dawn smiled at him.
"And let you boys have all the fun? I got this. Keep on lookout."
"Barry, stay at this edge. I'll scout beyond your vision."
"Okay. The blonde nodded. With all three knowing their roles, Dawn jumped over the edge and started her way down. When the grunts spotted her, they raised the alert and threw out their Golbats.
"Crystal, use Psychic!" Summoning her Sun Pokémon, Crystal's eyes glowed red while the golbats gained a blue outline. They were all promptly thrown back at the grunts, knocking them all down with yelps of pain. Using the move again to throw them out of the blast epicenter, Dawn returned the psychic type and entered the cavern. Inside was a purple haired woman wearing a skin tight suit Galactic suit. Turning to her, she sneered.
"And then there was one."
"I'm guessing you're Jupiter? The one Barry told me about?"
"Indeed I am. I'm not going to underestimate you like Saturn and Mars. If you've been travelling with him all this time, you must be around on par as those two boys Mars captured on Iron Island. Did you honestly think I wouldn't be prepared after those two lost? All of yours dreams will be crushed for there will be no need for tournaments and professors. Team Galactic will do something huge for everyone's sake. That's why you should keep out of our way. Everything about this Earth is trivial to me."
"I'm not going to let you keep terrorizing Sinnoh any longer! You'll have to go through me if you want to leave!" With an evil cackle, Jupiter's smile became bigger.
"I was hoping to crush one of you three. I know you have a Pokémon that will defeat my golbat. So I'll just lead with this! Magnezone, crush her!" Magnezone's body was large, wide and ovular. It had one main eye in the center with two other eyes to the sides on ball shaped additions with the middle eye having a red iris and pupil. On the additions were also a horseshoe magnet and Philips screw. On the top of its head was a small thin antenna.
"Lopunny, I choose you!" Facing the Magnet Field Pokémon was her cute Rabbit Pokémon.
"Ha! Like your normal type could hurt my steel type? Worthless! Magnezone, use Flash Cannon!" Creating a silver ball of energy, it fired a stream from the ball coming right at Lopunny.
"Counter with Dig!" Pushing herself into the ground, she managed to evade the incoming attack, which exploded the hole she created.
"NO!" Jupiter screamed in panic as the steel/electric type was powerless to stop what was next. Bursting from the ground, Lopunny punched the underside of the enemy Pokemon, dealing massive damage. "Thunderbolt!" Before Lopunny could move out of the way, Magnezone shot a bolt of electricity at her, causing her to cry in pain.
"Use Drain Punch!" Her fist glowing with spiraling green energy, she punched Magnezone, absorbing its health so that its attack was negligible. Unable to survive two super effective moves, Magnezone's started aiming in all sorts of directions as the Magnetic Field Pokémon shut down and crashed into the ground.
"Ugh. Magnezone, return!" Taking the steel type of the field, she threw her next Pokeball. "Froslass, crush her!" Froslass was a ghost/ice type that had a purple and white head which leads down to a thin, hollow white body with no legs and a red band in the center. From the sides of her head draped down her arms that that flared at the midsection in light blue coloration.
"Use Reflect!" Dawn pleaded, making sure that nothing would go too wrong, Lopunny formed a pale blue barrier around herself before it disappeared.
"Use Blizzard!" Jupiter demanded. Opening her mouth, a blizzard shot forth.
"Dig again!" Digging into the ground again, it seemed like she had the upper hand... or lower hand in this case, but Jupiter grinned with a sinister tone.
"Use Blizzard on the ground!" Aiming below her, she froze the ground she hovered above until the area in between the trainers was coated in thick ice. When it came time for Lopunny to attack, a shot cracked from the pressure, a yelp of pain coming from below. "Now freeze both the holes so she can't escape!" Spinning around, Froslass blocked the holes so that Lopunny couldn't get out from underground.
"Lopunny, use Drain Punch to escape!" A spot glowed green before Lopunny burst through the ice.
"Freeze that rabbit!" Firing another Blizzard, the Snow Land Pokémon hit the normal type, freezing her to the ground. Lopunny whimpered as she struggled, but had no leverage to move. "Finish it!"
"Return!" Dawn retreated her Rabbit Pokémon before she could be frozen solid.
"Wise choice." Jupiter complimented the researcher. "Froslass are some of the trickiest ghost types in Sinnoh. Spikes!" Froslass spun around, firing red spikes over the battlefield, which went down into the frozen ground. "Even more, the ground is trapped so that each time you switch, they get hurt! What do you say to that!"
"Even with the field against us, we won't lose!" Dawn defied defiantly. "Crystal, I choose you!" Reappearing was her psychic Sun Pokémon.
"Espeon." But then, the ground exploded underneath her feet, causing her to yell in pain.
"Ha! What did I tell you?! Froslass, use Shadow Ball!" Forming a black orb from her mouth, she fired it at the psychic type.
"Dodge and use your own Shadow Ball!" Jumping over attack, she formed her black orb and this time, it landed on its target; Froslass. With a fearful yell, she was heavily hurt by the ghost attack as it exploded upon contact with her body. She fell to the ground, knocked out.
"Hmph, so your psychic type came packing with a ghost type move." Returning her Froslass, her mouth was a combination of a smile and frown. "Well played, but I can't let you win for my honor as the last undefeated commander. "Bronzong, crush her with Gyro Ball!" Spinning around like a top, it was heading right for the Sun Pokémon.
"Counter with Protect!" Surrounding herself with a green force field, the Bronze Bell Pokémon bounced off harmlessly, producing a deep ringing sound. "Now use Shadow Ball!" Forming another black ball of ghostly energy, she launched it at the steel type and created an explosion. Jupiter growled.
"Bronzong, return!" Withdrawing her Pokémon like Dawn did, the commander was starting to sweat. "Your Espeon has quite a few tricks, but I've got some too. Jolteon, crush her!" Of the commanders, she has the electric eveelution, which was a quadruped mammal with spiky yellow fur and a white ruff around the neck. "Shadow Ball!"
"Use your own Shadow Ball!" Dawn instructed. Both Pokémon created a Shadow Ball that when they were fired and collided, it created a massive explosion.
"Thunderbolt!" From the smoke, a bolt of lightning hit Crystal, inflicting her pain.
"Crystal! Counter with Psychic!" Despite the shocking electricity, Crystal was able to make the crystal on her head glow, thus making Jolteon gain a blue outline. With a yelp, the Lightning Pokémon was lifted into the air, slamming into the ceiling before crashing down into the tough ice.
"Insolent little... Shadow Ball!"
"Psychic, again!" Even though Jolteon was coated with a blue outline again and was thrown back, the electric type still had enough control to throw the ghostly ball at Crystal. "Use Protect!" However, when Crystal tried to use it, she wa stopped from electricity paralyzing her body. At the same time, both Pokémon were subject to powerful impacts. Both Crystal and Jolteon were defeated. "Crystal, return."
"Return." When Jolteon was removed from the field, Jupiter was clearly becoming more frustrated.
"Well, might as well go for the ol' reliable tricks. Golbat, crush her!" Now it was the bat's turn.
"Empoleon, I choose you!" Appearing on the field was the mighty Emperor Pokémon, ready for battle. Even with the explosions under her feet, she ignored them.
"Use Confuse Ray!" Golbat's eyes glowed red and cast something to the water starter. Now she was disoriented, and unable to focus properly.
"Emploeon! Brace yourself!" Dawn pleaded. Even a confused Pokémon could do something like that, and she put her two arms together.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Forming a ghostly black orb, Golbat fired it at the confused Pokémon, taking damage. Dawn then thought of something clever.
"Destroy the ceiling with Flash Cannon!" Aiming above the battlefield, Empoleon fired a silver beam at the rocks above them, causing part of the cavern to cave in.
"Get out of there!" Jupiter commanded, but there were too many rocks to avoid, and wound up being buried. Empoleon also got hit by some of the rocks, but her steel typing prevented her from taking too much damage. Dawn and Jupiter had to take a few steps back so that they weren't buried along with their Pokémon. When all the rocks fell, Golbat was able to push itself out, not having been completely taken out, although his wings were pinned down. Jupiter was dumbfounded by what the young researcher did. "So you thought you could defeat me by burying us alive? You must be dead serious on stopping me."
"No, just enough of the ceiling to pin down your golbat." Dawn corrected. "Empoleon, use Ice Beam." With the rocks having cleared away her confusion, the Emperor Pokémon fired bolts of bright blue energy that struck the Bat Pokémon, defeating it. Returning her Pokémon, Jupiter was no longer in the mood.
"If that's how you want to do it, fine. Skuntank, crush her!" Revealing her trump card, her poison type was set loos. It largely looked like a purple skunk with tan striped. "Use Flamethrower on the girl!" Dawn gasped when the skunk blasted a plume of fire straight at her, but Empoleon stepped in front of her and took the blast, receiving a burn in the process.
Empoleon, are you okay?!" The girl asked with clear worry. Her starter turned to her and grinned.
"Flamethrower again!" The commander demanded, and Empoleon was once again hit by the powerful fire attack, when she felt a familiar power. Feeling the blue aura surround herself, she roared her name.
"Empoleon!"
"Your ability!" Dawn cheered. "Use Hydro Pump!"
"Flamethrower!" Skuntank blew another fiery blast at the water starter, but with Torrent in effect, an ultra powerful jet of water erupted from the water starter, ploughed right through the opposing attack, and hit Skuntank square on. In fact, she was pushed so hard, she flew right into the shocked Jupiter before the woman could jump out of the way. They were blasted into the rock wall until the water ended, Pokémon and master knocked out.
"Yes, we did it, Empoleon!" Dawn celebrated as she hugged her starter, but had to back away when she combusted into flame for a second before it stopped.
"Oh right. Return." The girl said as she let the Pokeball absorb Empoleon and gazed down at it. "Thank you for saving me." Putting Empoleon away, she brought out two Pokeballs and brought out Lopunny and Gallade. "Lopunny, you did a good job out there." The Rabbit Pokémon blushed from the compliment. "Now, could you please carry those two over there so that we can have them punished?" Both nodding to the request, the Rabbit and Blade Pokémon picked up Jupiter and Skuntank respectively before leaving the cavern. Upon meeting up with her guys, Barry asked her extremely worried,
"Are you okay Dawn?! We saw the ground explode and we were worried you were injured!"
"Don't worry, I'm fine. That was a tactic on my part."
"And did that result in Gallade carrying that commander there?" Ash noted as he saw the unconscious woman.
"No, Empoleon blasted her Stuntank into Jupiter." Barry laughed from that.
"Haha! That's just great!"
"Hey Dawn, check this out." Ash said before throwing his Dusk Ball. What came out wasn't a Dusclops, but a Dusknoir. While he still resembled a cyclops, the eye was now in a smiling mouth like hole as a head with a small yellow antenna on top with grey projections coming from his neck surrounding his head like an upturned collar. Instead of just having grey hands, he now had well built arms connecting the body now, which had two yellow ovals and a zigzag across his belly resembling a face.
"Dusknoir." He said.
"Awesome, Ash! How did he evolve again?!" Dawn questioned him.
"Oh, let me tell the story!" Barry blurted.
"Hey Ash, look what I found!" Barry called out to his rival. When Ash saw him, he gasped as the item he found was a rare Reaper Cloth. Barry draped it over himself and made his face extra serious, and spoke in a low, gravely voice. "I'm Darkman."
"Barry, give that to me please?"
"Hold on a second. Bird Boy, get in the Dark Mobile, we need to stop Prankster." Laughing to himself, Barry took the cloak off, handing it to Ash. "Alright, knock yourself out."
"It's not for me." Ash told him as he brought out his Dusclops.
"Dusclops?" He asked his master.
"Here, try this on for size." Ash said as he helped draped it over the ghost type. After readjusting it around his body, he started to glow.
"Hehe, you seriously pretended to be Darkman?" Dawn inquired, giggling really hard.
"I loved reading comics as a kid." Barry defended, chuckling along. Returning his Dusknoir, Ash pointed toward town.
"We can make conversation while we walk. We need to find out what this commander can give us." The teens and the Pokemon carrying the enemy then went to Snowpoint City.