The Beginning in Kalos RIP

by BardofWorlds

As Ash attempts to win the Kalos League, he reunites with old rivals, friends and meets new ones while threats he dealt with and ancient forces begin to awaken from slumber, heroes rise to face them. In the end everything is connected and the destiny of many is not what they expect but one that they will love. Ash/harem Clemont/OC muilti story plot/ many stories united at the end

12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Here it is, sorry it's late. Sorry to say I'm going to be doing one chapter a month or whenever I finish it for a while at least as I finish fixing some Real-Life-Problems. I promise to try to get a handle on them and have more chapters done as soon as I can in the future guys. And I decided to do this so that each region took a year to compete [counting Orange Islands as part of Johto year] so the ages are as follows

Ash/Misty/Dawn/May/Serena/Clemont = 15

Max = 9[Was 6 when Ash met]

Brock/Cleo =21

Bonnie = 8 [was 4 when mother died]

The sun shined on a forest with, a ray of light seemed to shine onto a tree with a sturdy looking branch before a gray shape flashed over it before a length of the branch seemed to be cut away from the tree and fall to the forest floor. A gray four foot figure with dark grey flat sharp looking quills on its arms walked into the light, revealing the new Gazer as it picked up the branch and started to make one of the ends sharper as it walked back towards a stream where the 4 other Goblins were. Above on with its new, sharper claws Protector watched as Gazer walked to the others who were trying to grab fishes from the river but stopped when they saw Gazer stop just before the water, close its two side eyes and after a minute jabbed down with its spear and pulled it out, a trout pierced all the way through. Protector smiled as it watched its siblings crowed around Gazer and cheer before some of them dashed to the trees and started to pull down branches to use as well, Gazer had always been with Protector, and it had known its sibling was special and smart. The new evolution that it had shared had pushed Gazer's confidence forward a little, making it more likely to share what it was thinking, when Gazer and asked it to cut down a branch was proof of it!

Protector dropped onto a lower branch beneath it and looked from the vintage point the branch afforded it, seeing the stream its pack was hunting around, letting it see if anything would come to attack them. It spied a few Pokémon and animals hiding back, most of them leaving the area, only seeing its siblings around the stream, none of them looking upwards and Protector looked at them as they moved, trying to pick out any that its sire might desire to feed on. As it leaned against the tree its thoughts went to its sibling, Deadeye and a frown began to form on its face. The fact that it had brought back the corpse of the two beasts was true but the story it had was suspect in the fact that it had struck them down to protect two of its siblings but had failed. What Protector knew about Deadeye was that it would have watched them die then attack those that killed them when they were weak. And Gazer had clutched Protector's hand when Deadeye had walked into the den, and even Protector could sense something was different about its sibling, it would have to keep all three of its eyes on Deadeye, but for now there was the hunt! Dropping from the branch Protector landed with a small bit of noise, startling a few birds that tried to fly away but Protector swiftly picked up a few stones and threw them at the birds, striking down three of them and watched as they twitched a bit before dying. He called out to the others before he started to climb into the trees, hoping to find a bird nest to take the eggs if there were any.

Gazer looked over the fish, birds and eggs that the group had gathered with a small smile on its face when it saw the others who had grabbed branches start to look around and start to look for something to carry back the spoils, and this action made it smile, the others were starting to think, and that would help them more then brute force no matter what their Sire thought. Something pushed against Gazer's shoulder and it turned its head and saw Protector who gestured towards to the other side of the stream with a look of worry on its eyes and Gazer closed its two side eyes and jerked backwards before Gazer looked at Protector with a pale look on its face and with a swift cry the Goblins picked up their food and faded into the woods, Gazer falling back when it saw Protector start to climb a tree, but a gesture from its sibling sent it after the others.

Protector climbed faster and moved so the tree it was climbing was between it and the river, it had to know what it had sensed, it had to know had scared Gazer so much more than their sire in one of its moods. The first thing Protector saw was a tree crashing to the ground and a 6 foot tall gold colored insect Chimer with two tails, its left one broken walk towards the river, behind it… Protector stared at the Flame Horn that followed after, that was its sire's enemy. But it followed after the Insect and the Insect let it, why? Protector watched and saw that fire seemed to be coming from the Flame Horn's mouth and noticed that the fur on its legs looked…darker. It had changed but how did the Flame Horn have access to the blessing liquid, its sire told the others it was from deep in the caves, that only it was tall enough to get it safely…. Protector just face palmed with its free hand. A lie then, the whole thing was just another way for it to control its spawn, but if it could use the liquid, then where did it come from truly? Protector looked at the two Chimera as they drank from the river, and saw the insect thrust one of its arms into the water and pull out a fish it threw onto the shore and the Flame horn start to make a circle of stones around it, it would find out what the secret was later, it was time to leave before it was discoverd.

The Duel Stinger [Broken Sting] drank from the river and relaxed a bit when it sensed that the watcher was leaving. The Flame Horn[Dark Flare] perked up and relaxed when its leader sent an Aura stream at it and nodded as it sent a pulse back causing Broken Sting to nodded and turn its full attention to the river, the watcher had likely been one of the spawn of an Ogre that had fought with Dark Flare before, but something about the watcher felt different. Well whatever the difference was, the two of them would deal with the Ogre and its spawn if they had to, for now food and drink was what they were after. Dark Flare picked up another stone and started a larger circle around the first one and smiled when another fish landed in the first circle.

Protector had a frown on its face when it caught up to its siblings and gestured for them to move on as it passed them, Gazer staring at it in concern as they moved but Protector merely gestured that they would talk later. They ran clutching what they had gathered until Protector slowed down when they neared the mountain their den was on. It led them to a log near the mountains base and gestured for them to rest while it looked around for any berries for them all to eat when it heard cheers. It looked toward the voices to see Deadeye leading five of their siblings, the cheer had come from its siblings who carried a log with two of the Dark wolf creatures that hunted around the mountain on it. Deadeye met protector's eyes and Protector noticed the increased muscles that the blessing their sire had giving to it for bringing back two creatures. Something about the way Deadeye carried its self before the blessing bothered Protector, but Protector couldn't explain why but it didn't trust it or their sire anymore. It turned away and walked back towards Gazer and others, if Deadeye was bringing back an element Creature, then perhaps their group should bring back more meat, if only to keep up with Deadeye.

Deadeye scoffed as Protector turned away and looked back towards the mountains. That one would be trouble, it had always rubbed Deadeye the wrong way, the way it help those weaklings that should be food. But perhaps Protector was right in gathering a group, but how it did it was wrong. It turned back to the others following it and smirked, finding these idiots fighting the creatures had let it kill one and gained a bit of trust in the ones it had rescued. And the bounty the corpses gave more then made a good offering for that old fool. Now if it could find a small party to bring to its new territory, a small group that wouldn't be missed or a few loyal ones that would back up his facts. He moved towards the mountain, this bounty would please the old one and tomorrow it go back towards its new place, its stomach was starting to feel strange and something told it the sooner they brought the offering to the Ogre the better.

Ogre looked over the bounty that its spawn had brought it, from the beasts, plants and creatures and grinned. The food brought by its spawn was more than normal; the others had been inspired by what Protector had brought back. It looked around and noticed that some of them were wounded and a few were missing, a good thing then that it had created more pawns last night. It walked towards a side passage and noticed its spawn stop talking and looking at him as it walked. When it reached the passage it turned and started to speak to the watchers.

"Tiolark, goro sla tki! Wohlt vraf corlot?" Ogre demanded when it gestured towards the passage and out of it came more grey Goblins, some of them looked a little different than the others. Gazer stared from where he and Protector were and noticed one in the back that seemed to be trying to look smaller then it was, Gazer central eye widened when it saw a small flash of pink light burst from it but as he looked around he realized none of the others had seen the flash. Deadeye looked over the newcomers, not believing that it had 'found them like it had found all of them', after it had created the blessing it had realized that it was all so its sire could control them all, but Deadeye would have its revenge.

"Corlot tiolark!" Ogre called as it gestured to the food in the center of the cave, promting all of them to stare for a minute and then to rush to the pile, grabbing anything they could reach. Some of them started to fight over the choicer bits of food. Deadeye hung back and looked over the interactions of the newcomers, finally stopping on two of them who seemed to be working together to take everything from they could. One of them had an oversized right arm that it used to throw any of the others it picked up away, while the other one slashed out with claws. Deadeye smiled at them and when they started to take what they had grabbed away from the main cavern into a side cave it followed them and when they put the food down it jumped at them, the one with claws trying to turn when it heard the sounds of Deadeyes jump, not managing it before Deadeye crashed into the two of them feet first, sending them to the floor. Deadeye grinned at the two figures below it and smiled when they shot each other looks as Deadeye stepped off them, walked past the food and sent a savage punch into the cave wall, creating a three foot deep five foot wide crater in the wall before turning and looking at them with its arms crossed and a grin on its face as five other Goblins came in, carrying food that they put in a pile with the food the two had brought into the cave, Deadeye grabbing the choicest pieces of meat for itself as the two newcomers looked as the others started to eat.

The timid one had darted in and grabbed a few bits of food and had going into a side cave when something grabbed its shoulders threw it to the floor, looking up it saw a few of the newer goblins and older ones looking at the food and each other. The timid curled and put the food it had between its arms and body, hopping to protect its meal, prompting the others to start to strike at it. After a few seconds the timid one was surprised when suddenly the blows stopped. Looking up it saw a Goblin with large claws holding up one of them with the others knocked out on the floor. A hand and arm with flat sharp broad quills suddenly took up its vision; it followed the arm to Gazer's face who smiled at it. After a few seconds it took the hand and was pulled back to its feet and it saw Protector holding an unconscious Goblin as it stood among knocked out Goblins, the ones who had attacked it. Protector dropped the limp Goblin and gestured for the two of them to follow it, Gazer softly pulling it along as Protector lead the three of them to a cave with a Goblin standing outside of it, Protector nodding at it and gesturing for it to go into the cave, it leading them to three other goblins around a pile of food, Gazer letting the timid one sit and Protector offered it both a smile and a piece of fruit as the others started to grab their own food.

Ash sighed as he rubbed dirt off his cap as he put it on and walked out of the room he was using in the Pokémon Center. He had been up until midnight talking with his team and he was nervous, would the tactic he worked out work, would the four of them be able to handle it? He slapped his face and shook his head, this was no time for second thoughts, he had to believe that he would win, if he thought of losing then he had already lost as he learned so long ago. Pikachu stood at the doorway and smiled at him as he walked towards him.

"Rematch time buddy, and this time you know what to do when she sets up her strategy, right?" Ash asked Pikachu who sent a smirk towards his trainer as he nodded and jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

"Then let's go." Ash said as he walked out of the room. Once outside he saw his friends waiting for him and Pikachu, Serena looked worried.

"Are you sure you're ready to try and beat the Gym so soon Ash, Officer Jenny needed that TM for evidence, and you weren't able to download the instructions for the training." Serena said as she started to curse in her head. That bastard had to try and use us like that! I hope Jenny throws the book at him, and he used that place to get rid of bodies, I don't want to think what he could have done to Ash if he had made the end a delivery instead of a pickup at the Center.

"This time I remember an old trick and realized another part of her strategy that even she might not have been aware of that helped her win against ground based opponents. I think this time I'll pull off a win." Ash said causing Lilly and Clemont to look at him in wonder.

"What could she not be aware of… Nevermind, you can tell us after." Clemont said before Bonnie could open her mouth, causing her look at her brother before Lilly laughed and put her hands on Bonnie's shoulder.

"My teacher said this, 'What others don't know they can't blurt out'. So let's let Ash keep his insights to himself until after the battle Bonnie-dear." Lilly said when Bonnie looked at her and nodded with a pout. Actually it's 'what you don't know can't be tortured out of you' but I can't tell an unblooded girl that. Lilith thought as she looked at Bonnie.

"Okay, but you'll tell me what you realized after the battle right?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Ash who nodded at her and started to walk towards the center's exit. At the doors out of the Center Nimue was waiting, and smiled when she saw them coming.

"Hey guys, I was wondering if you mind if I come with you? It's just I wanted to see a gym battle live and well, is this okay?" Nimue asked as she scratched the back of her head. Ash just smiled at her and nodded.

"Sure, the more the merrier I guess, say Lilly, did you pick up your Pokémon from Nurse Joy?" Ash asked as he turned his head toward her.

"Yeah, they were ready to be released yet, she said they'll be better tonight." Lilly said as the group walked out the door.

Rebecca sipped her tea as her eyes were fixed on the Center's door. She was wearing a white summer dress with flower designs and a wide hat and had a serene smile on her face as she looked around and smiled at a group of boys who blushed and looked away. Oh it's always so fun to tease young idiots, but if only sis was enjoying this. Rebecca sighed as she looked across the table.

"Milady, are you sure this is wise? Any must I ware such clothing?" The person across from her was dressed in a red shirt and black pants that hugged her hourglass figure as she fidgeted and rubbed her glasses, her red eyes a stark difference to her white hair as she watched her mistress with a blush on her face as she felt the stares of the people around her. As the chief of her lady's handmaids, she had served since she had been picked up from the orphanage by her lady's mother so many years ago, however since puberty she had become more self-conscious and when her lady brought her out like this she felt so embarrassed. Why must the mistress always have to take only me when she goes on these outings? The woman thought to herself as she tried to get her blush down. Rebecca only sighed as she looked at her friend and servant, Rebecca hated how her friend reacted to others looking at her, her mother and brother had done such a wonderful job on her friend's psyche.

"Claudia, please have some more confidence! And you know that I only take you on these outings so you can get some backbone, you've needed some since I met you." Rebecca said as she looked at her friend. And that's a bold face lie; I remember how strong you were back then, before I went away to that school. I still don't know what happened to you but I will get you back sis. Rebecca hid her thoughts as she smiled at Claudia, even though she was her handmaid, they had been friends first before she had gone away to boarding school. Claudia had helped her gain her own independence and sense of self beyond being a piece to be moved on the political board by her family and she could never repay her enough for that. When her parents had died and she had come home Claudia had acted like they had never met before. Over the last few years she had slowly built up a following among those who followed her family, a small group back in their family's compound, and once that idiot made a single move she would pounce and take over, a coup that leave her in command and her brother mind-wiped. She looked towards the Center and smiled when she saw Ash lead his friends out the door, frowning when she heard a sharp intake of breath from Claudia and turned and saw that she had her eyes locked on to something, no someone in the group across the street.

"What is it Claudia, what am I not seeing." Rebecca asked as she watched the group walk away from the Center, Rebecca eye's going over a small blonde girl dancing around the group and seemed to be chatting non-stop, Ash talking to a teen girl with blond hair as they walked and then she saw who looked like the blonde girl's elder brother walking next a black hair teen girl and a teenager with blue hair.

"The black haired one, she's walking like she's guarding someone, the boy leading them has a walk that shows he knows the weight of his blade and the blue haired one, she's on edge, she's looking to make sure that no one is trailing them. " Claudia said with a hard look in her eyes as she fingered a knife on the table until Ash led the others out of sight. Rebecca tapped a finger against her face, wondering just how she could use that knowledge. Shrugging, she went to her Pokégear and sent a message to a contact and smiled at the replay she got as she stood up.

"Come my dear; let us return to our home. I believe my brother would like to know about the show I just set up." Rebecca said with a smirk as she led Claudia out of the café.

"Do you think we will return in time to watch the battle m'lady?" Claudia asked as she followed her mistress out of the café. Her question was met with a laugh from Rebecca as she started to smirk.

"Of course we will and I think I'll use this battle to finally finish my plans with my foolish chauvinist brother, to finally finish it all." Rebecca said as she move towards the base.

Ash walked towards the gym, confident in his chance. This was it, today it would be his first victory on the Kalos League, he was sure of it! He kept a smile on his as he listened in on the others conversations as they walked through town, but he kept looking for any flashes of green, ready for any ambush that might happen. The last two clashes his friends had had with the Buzz Lords were starting to worry him, no matter how good this place was he would be happy to leave as soon as possible. As they neared the Gym Ash looked up and noticed a girl with was standing outside the doors to the Gym looking right at them as they came.

"That's fall enough! You want to fight Viola you get by me first, Charlotte, Trainer of the Santalune Gym!" She called out as soon as she locked eyes with Ash. Ash smiled and reached for a Pokeball, but stopped when Clemont walked before Ash.

"By what right are you stopping my friend from challenging the Gym? By what law do you imped his challenge?" Clemont said with a scowl on his face. Ash looked at this and nodded his head. This is just more proof that he's a gym leader. This is just like how Cilan reacted to what Skyla was doing so she could fly her plane more.

"By the right to defend my Gym! He challenged Lady Voila and lost once already, if he wants another chance at her then he defeats me first! If I had been there the first time he challenged her he would had to go through me first! And what right do you have to ask me how a Gym Trainer protects her gym?" Charlotte said causing Clemont to grit his teeth and Bonnie to grab her brother's hand and look at her. Clemont knew that he would have to say who he was; Bonnie was enjoying traveling without that hanging over their shoulders since that had been one of the ways

"Clemont…" Bonnie trailed off as they locked eyes. Clemont gave her a sad smile and was going to say something when Ash put his hand on his shoulder.

"Its fine Clemont, I don't mind." Ash said when Clemont turned to look at him, a conflicted look in his eyes.

"Final but I referee the match!" Clemont said as the others moved to stand behind Ash as Clemont found a spot between the two Trainers. Ash looked over their makeshift battlefield. It was the same place Nimue had been ambushed and the others were by the building Lilly had used for cover to attack the Venomoths and he notice a street lamp with in the battlefield, he could use that if he had to.

"This Pokémon Battle is between Charlotte of the Santalune Gym and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town! This will be a one on one Pokémon battle with no substitutions!" Clemont declared as he raised both his hands towards the two trainers.

"I Choose you, Froakie!" Ash called as his blue water Pokémon appeared from its ball.

"Lest go Combee!" Before Charlotte was a Pokémon whose body was three orange, hexagonal honeycomb with yellow faces on their front stuck together in a reverse pyramid shape with a wing on both of the top honeycombs.

"Use Gust to blow it away!" Charlotte cried out as soon as both Pokémon appeared. Combee wings started to beat rapidly before a gust of wind shot straight at Froakie.

"Dodge it and use Bubbles!" Ash called, prompting Froakie to start to run to the right, dodging the wind and pointed its mouth at Combee and shot blue clear bubbles at it, hitting it and causing it stop beating its wings and drop for a second before it stated to fly again. Charlotte grits her teeth as she tried to find a way to beat Ash. She couldn't let him win; he didn't deserve to fight Voila, not after what he said about her.

"Use Silver Wind! Attack it!" Charlotte cried. Combee wings started to glow silver and shot wind with silver crescents at Froakie. Some of them hit, causing Froakie to winch and move backwards.

"Froakie!" Ash cried as he looked about the makeshift battlefield, trying to find anyway to turn the tide of the battle. His eyes landed on the street lamp and he flashed back to when Lilly had sent up that flare and started to smirk.

Charlotte smiled as she saw Froakie being forced back; she would throw this little Water beast apart and reveal to the world just who her opponent was, she would never let this one into her Gym.

"Froakie, like when you searched for the flare, then fire!" Ash called out. Like searched…what is he? Charlotte wondered as she stared.

As soon as Ash gave his order, Serena blushed a tiny bit when she remembered what she had been trying to do when that flare had lite up the sky. Bonnie looked up and frowned when she noticed Serena's face she was about to say something when an explosion brought her attention back to the battle.

Froakie jumped onto the top of the street lamp and quickly formed a sphere of water in its hands and shot it at the Bug type it was fighting and the explosion that the hit caused forced it to crash onto the ground.

"No!" Charlotte cursed as she stared at what had happened before being shocked back to her senses at Ash's next command.

"Jump on it Froakie, keep it down!" Ash called out. Froakie leapt from the lamp and hit Combee when it had begun to get back in the air being driven to the street again! Froakie grabbed onto the top portions of Combee's body and held on tight, ready to fire an attack at its trainer's signal.

"Combee! Why you!" Charlotte snarled died in her throat as she saw Ash's eyes as he met hers with, a hard stare in his eyes that shock her for a second before she realized what he was saying.

"Froakie is at point blank and is holding on to your Pokémon. Surrender, my team won this match." Ash said before the doors to the Gym burst open, Voila dashing out with Alexa right behind her. They stopped when they saw the battle, Froakie on Combee and Charlotte staring down Ash.

"What the hell? How'd this happen?" Voila asked as she and her sister just starred. Clemont answered her from where he was standing.

"Miss Charlotte stopped Ash from challenging you Voila, something about defender her gym." He said, causing Voila to stare at Charlotte in shock.

"Charlotte, what the hell were you thinking, you know that I don't mind trainers challenging me!" Viola said as she scowled at Charlotte who looked back abashed.

"I couldn't let him fight you mam, not after what he said on Pokénet about you." Charlotte said as she bowed her head, not noticing the confused looks on the others face.

"What do you mean, what I said about her?" Ash called from where he was standing. Charlotte turned and saw that he looked confused and started to wonder if she had the right person. But he has a Pikachu that was free, just like he said he would….

"Aren't you PikaTrainer? You-he-they said they were coming with their Pikachu on their shoulder to beat 'that hack-job photographer and her stupid bugs'." Charlotte said as she fumbled for her phone. Ash just looked at her before sighing, gesturing for Froakie to get off Combee, nodding at his Pokémon when it raised an arm before it jumped off Combee who flew to hover near its trainer who looked at Ash in confusion who just walked towards her.

"Let me guess, you're in charge of the Gym's online presence, right? You always update the pages and monitor any talk about it around a specific time of day, right? And for the last day or so PikaTrainer has been trolling the gym and Viola, either in her hobby, fashion sense or other." Ash asked as the others started to came over.

"Yeah…why are you asking?" Charlotte asked only for Ash to sigh and shake his head.

"Ash?" Serena asked, not noticing Lilith's eyes widened before she gained a hard look in her eyes. Oh don't tell me this is…. Lilith stopped thinking when Ash started to speak.

"This happened to me before, someone with a grudge and made a name on Pokénet and called him out, never found out who." Ash said, causing Serena to look at him in shock and Charlotte to start to look ashamed while Viola looked confused while Alexia started to gain a look of understanding.

"I can't believe I was played! I've shamed the gym!" Charlotte said as tears started to fall from her eyes

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you've always loved the gym even when your grandfather was the leader, and I'm more of a place holder until you're ready to take over really." Viola said as she rubbed Charlotte's head. Charlotte just stared and grabbed Viola in a hug as she started to cry silently. Viola meet Ash's gaze and lowered her head.

"On behave of the Santalune Gym I request that you forgive Gym Trainer Charlotte for blocking your Gym challenge." Viola said formally, while Ash gave a deep bow.

"I, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town do forgive Gym Trainer Charlotte for her actions, all she did was defend what she loved against one who she thought was not worthy to challenge that which she defended, I am happy that we cleared up the confusion cast upon us by another." Ash said formally, causing Serena to smile, Bonnie and Clemont to look at him and shock and Lilith to look at him with respect.

Lilith looked at Ash and marveled at him. If I harbored any doubts about who he is there gone, that sounded just like the boss when he's passing formal judgment.

Viola nod with a smile and started to lead Charlotte away, "I'll meet you at the Battlefield once I'm done, Alexia would you mind leading them into the gym?" Viola asked as Charlotte recalled her Pokémon.

"Sure sis, follow me please." Alexia said as she gestured for the group to follow her. Ash recalled Froakie and the gang entered walked towards the gym.

"Are you okay Serena? Your face looked a little red before." Bonnie asked as they followed Alexia into the gym. Serena blushed some more, causing Lilly to giggle and squeeze Bonnie's shoulder.

"She's just fine Bonnie, as for why her face is red, well you'll understand why when you're older." Lilly said when Bonnie looked up at her. Lilly looked at Serena and had a look on her face that seemed to be begging to tease her, but Lilly only smirked at her.

"Say, how about the two of us go shopping after the match, I saw a skirt the other day that I think you might like Serena, it would give us a chance to talk." Lilly said, causing Nimue to perk up as well.

"Mind if I come along girls, I need a bit of red fabric for a costume I'm working on, and that café we went to the other day had great cakes." Nimue cut in as they entered the battlefield and moved to watch Ash and Viola's rematch. Serena just sighed and smiled at Lilly. I guess that would be okay, I've been on the other side of things like this before so being on the other side might be okay.

"Okay, let's hope it's a celebration in honor of Ash winning." Serena said before she felt Bonnie tug at her skirt.

"If its cake, is it okay that I tag along?" Bonnie asked with puppy eyes. Serena looked at the other two and when they smiled and nodded she turned to Bonnie with a smile.

"Sure Bonnie, that's fine but let's just watch Ash's match." Serena said as they were led into the room the battlefield was in.

"And what did you want me to see?" Rex sneered as he looked at his sister as some of the servants finished setting up a projector.

"The group that has been beating our members lately, one of them is attempting to challenge the gym for the second time; and from what my contact said he lost the same way you did, so I thought you would like to see it." Rebecca said simply as she sat next to him in a gown, Claudia next to her in a black maid's uniform with a skirt that went to her knees, white gloves that went to her elbows with a teapot in her hands as she poured tea from it into a teacup that was handed to Rebecca, who accepted it silently.

"The thing I was able think up to break through her strategy is to either use flyers to make the ice floor portion unnecessary or to take her Surskit down before it could freeze the floor or web up the walls. And this punk is probably using his victories over my idiots as false confidence." Rex said as he leaned back and took a glass from a female servant with pink hair.

"Then it will show us if the Gym Leader is stronger than our last report." A waspy voice said caused Rex to look up and see Damian walked towards them, prompting Rex to frown as soon as he saw him.

"What about the problem at the jail Damian?" Rex demanded as he glared at him. His words were met with a smile through the bandages and he was giving a cold reply.

"I already sent my hunter on it. The problem will be dealt before it becomes an issue." Damian said as he leaned against the back wall, his eyes on the projection.

"Claudia be a dear and get another cup for Sir Damian." Rebecca said as she smiled at Damian.

"As you say mam." Claudia said before she walked to follow her orders, while Damian nodded his hand at both of them.

"The punk will loss the match, I'm willing to bet on it." Rex snorted, causing Rebecca to smirk behind a fan she raised before her face.

"Oh are you brother, you have that much confidence in you hated rival? Are our plans for the conquest in danger of being shelved?" Rebecca purred as Damian looked at Rex.

"The plan for our conquest of this area is on track, I just had to plan around her strategy, she will win because the battlefield is limited in gym battles and the rules of the league, we will win because the battlefield will be the town and there will be no rules." Rex growled, causing Rebecca to laugh.

"Then a bet brother, shall the stakes be high?" Rebbeca's question caused Rex to smirk and looked at her and decided this was as good a time to put her in her place.

"Fine sister, however if I win the bet then you and I will look into finding a match for you that will help our position in the Returners." Rex said with a smirk, only to be met with Rebecca's confident eyes. Claudia who had just returned with a tea cup and was behind Rex stopped and looked at Rex with hard eyes and started to slowly reach towards her sleeves, she would defend her mistress if this was need. Rebecca met Claudia's eyes and a look in them caused her to slowly lower her hands and move to the cart holding the tea pot.

"Then I shall tell you what I get when I win, if you are that confident brother." Rebecca said looking at Rex who only smiled. Final their people had finished setting up the projector and the Gym's battlefield was shown on the wall, Ash on one side and Voila on the otherside.

"Fine sister, then shall we watch this match." Rex said as he leaned back. Don't win to fast Voila, I want to savoir finally putting my sister where she was meant to be.

"I witness this bet, and I will enforce it upon the completion of it." Damian's voice cut through the silence causing Rex to look at him with a glare in his eyes.

"The Gym battle rematch between Ash, the challenger, and Viola, the Santalune Gym Leader, will now begin! Each side will have the use of two Pokémon and the battle will be over when either Trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue! Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon!" A woman in green clothing said as Ash and Viola took their positions.

"I hope you're ready for our rematch Ash!" Viola called out with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, this time I'll crush your tactics Viola!" Ash called out with a smirk.

"My lens is still focused on victory and nothing will ruin this shot!" Viola said with a forceful tone.

"Go, Surskit!" Viola cried as she threw out a Pokéball, release her Surskit.

"Time to even the score, right, Pikachu?" Ash said before Pikachu ran onto the battlefield

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu agreed as he stood ready to battle.

"Battle Begin!" The Referee called out throwing her arms out towards both trainers.

Surskit started to glide back and forth while Pikachu stood its ground keeping its eyes on Surskit.

"They're waiting to see Surskit's first move." Alexia commented as she watched with the others

"Smart, after being defeated their letting their opponent make the first strike to try to get an idea of what it'll do." Lilith said as she crossed her arms.

"Ash and Pikachu, get them, get them, get them!" Bonnie called throwing her head back and shaking her arms.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne cheered as it sat on Bonnie's head.

"You can't take a picture without pressing the shutter and you can't win a battle without attacking! All right, Surskit, use Sticky Web!" Viola called out.

"Dodge it Pikachu!" Ash called out, though Pikachu need no prompting to dodge the webs Surskit, dodge some of the shots by a hairs breath, causing Viola to gasp in shock.

"Now Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded before Pikachu sent a massive bolt of electricity straight at Surskit.

"Surskit, Protect!" Viola cried, causing Surskit to generate a dome of green energy around it that caused the electricity to flow over the dome.

"Signal Beam, go!" Viola called out, promoting Surskit to drop the dome and jump into the air and fire a streaky pink energy beam from the antenna on its body.

"Dodge, then Iron Tail!" Ash called. Pikachu jumped back backwards dodging the beam which caused a cloud of dust to form when it hit, before Pikachu jumped up and spun forward hitting Surskit with its tail colored steel grey, sending Surskit crashing to the ground, creating a dust cloud as it hit, Surskit skating backwards towards its trainer out of the cloud.

"Surskit!" Viola called out as saw her Pokemon recover from the blow from Pikachu's Iron Tail.

"All right!" Serena said with a smile on her face as she watched the battle. Lilith watched as Ash and Pikachu fought and turned her head towards Clemont and frowned when she saw Nimue stepping backwards, her face turning pale. Lilith moved to Nimue who had walked backwards into a tree she then slumped down and leaned against it. Lilith walked to her and put one of her hands on Nimue's shoulder caused her to look up.

"Are you alright Nimue?" Lilith asked as she looked down at her.

"This is a gym battle, I I I've heard of them but this is so intense, I've fought battles back home but the way those two are going at it…. Not even when we were attacked by those people did I feel such emotions just watching a battle." Nimue said in awe as she looked at the battlefield. Lilith merely frowned at the response she received. I already know that the people she's running from aren't above mind control but were more…invasive methods used by them? The next time I contact home I should ask for a healer to come and look at her.

"You didn't react anything like this when you competed at the Contest or when you fought off those people that night." Lilith said, trying to get Nimue to help get it back together.

"It felt different to be competing, I can't explain it." Nimue said causing Lilith to frown and curse in her head.

"I can, I'll talk to about it later, okay? For now let's just watch." Lilith said, helping Nimue back to her feet and to the group.

"Yay! Pikachu really nailed it!" Bonnie said as she smiled.

"Iron Tail isn't that effective against Surskit,but considering how Pikachu wasn't able to land an attack at all last time, it was a meaningful hit!" Clemont said, causing the others to look at him for a few seconds.

"Now, let's refocus this battle! Time to use Ice Beam and create an ice battlefield!" Viola said with a smile as she looked

Surskit's antenna stated to glow blue, generating a pulsing blue energy ball.

"Don't let Surskit use Ice Beam!" Ash called out, before Pikachu jumped onto Surskit's body, Surskit rocking back and forth trying to throw Pikachu off.

"Stay on it and use Thunderbolt!" Ash cried out as he watched Pikachu hold onto Surskit.

"Shake it loose and use Ice beam!" Viola called, as Surskit started to increase its movements as Pikachu's checks started to spark.

"Pika!" Pikachu grunted as Surskit started to fire blue beams that iced over trees, hanging lamps and the ground before Surskit was finally able to throw Pikachu onto the ground before it shot the beam at the roof, reflecting and splitting the beam back towards the ground.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" Ash called before Pikachu started to jump, dodge the falling beams until Pikachu landed on the iced over battlefield, causing the others to gasp.

"Another picture-perfect ice battlefield! Surskit, start skating!" Viola called as she grinned. Surskit started to skate around Pikachu as it was flat on the ice.

"It's just like the last battle!" Bonnie said as the group stared.

"Dedenne!" Dedenne said as it watched.

"The difference is Ash has created counters based on past experiences, he told me that." Serena said as she stared. Come on Ash, you and your team can do it. She thought about what had Ash had said to her last night.

Serena had walked through the Center, walking back towards the room she, Bonnie and Lilly were using when she saw Ash walking from the dining room.

"Hey Serena; heading back to your room?" Ash asked as he waved at her.

"Yeah… Say Ash, are you sure you're be able to win tomorrow?" Serena asked as she looked as him, fighting down a blush. Ash grinned and held up a clenched fist.

"Yeah, this time I'm drawing on my experiences, I break through it tomorrow!" Ash declared with a smile.

"Can you get up, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he watched. This is it, Pikachu just needs to stand, then we can anchor him! Ash thought as he clenched his fists.

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu grunted as it stood back up on the ice.

"This ice battlefield is my studio! I'm the photographer and I call the shots! Surskit, Signal Beam!" Viola cried out.

"Surskit!" Surskit trilled as it stopped skated around and started to generate a streaky pink energy ball.

"Now, Pikachu! Like we planned!" Ash called out as he started to grin.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he brought his tail down and broke the ice on the field, wedging his tail into the ice. The others gasped as the watched the battle, shocked by what Pikachu had done.

"That's the thing Ash wouldn't tell us about! How he was going to deal with the ice battlefield!" Clemont said with a grin on his face.

"Of course! Remove the possibility of slipping and the ice becomes meaningless! Genius, pure genius!" Lilith said as she watches the battle. It's this kind of thing that makes me sure he's the boss's son!

"Way to go! Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash said with a smirk

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu squealed as he fired a bolt of electricity at Surskit as it fired the Signal Beam, meeting the attack and overpowering it to strike Surskit and send it flying.

"Surskit, no!" Viola cried out as she watched Surskit hit the ice and trill and collapse, loosing conciseness.

"Surskit is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!" The referee said as she raised her arm towards Ash.

"We did it!" Ash said as he smiled. It worked perfectly, now I just need to deal with her Vivillon and I'll win the badge. Ash thought as he looked at Viola.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu huffed as it tried to catch its breath as Bonnie and Serena cheered from the sidelines.

"Who knew Pikachu would plant its tail to stay balanced." Alexia observed as she watched.

"Hey, Serena? Ash said he was drawing from his experiences, right? What did he experience on his journey?" Lilith asked as she stood next to Nimue.

Viola recalled her Pokémon and smiled at its ball.

"Surskit, that was excellent. Now, get a good rest." Viola said as she looked up at Ash.

"Pikachu, return!" Ash called

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said as it ran to stand next to Ash.

"What? You're done battling with Pikachu?" Viola asked with shock. Is he going to use that water type, or is he going to use Flectling? Viola thought as she looked at Ash.

"Fletchling wants a chance for a rematch against Vivillon too! Fletchling, I choose you" Ash said as he threw Fletchling's Pokéball.

"Fletchling!" Fletchling called as it hovered above the battlefield.

"Picture-perfect! Let's do this, Vivillon!" Viola called as she released Vivillon

"Vivillon!" it called as it flew through the air.

"They won't have to worry about Sticky Web this time!" Serena smiled as she watched.

"And Ash can thank Pikachu for that!" Bonnie agreed.

"All right, Fletchling, Steel Wing, let's go!" Ash called out. Fletchling flew at Vivillon, missing the Bug type before it flew above Vivillon, when it turned its wings started to glow white and it shot at Vivillon.

"Use Psychic!" Viola called out, Vivillon eyes started to glow blue before Fletchling gained a blue outline before Fletchling was moved in a circle a few times by Vivillon's move before it was slammed into the ground.

"Fletchling, no! Be strong! Now, get up!" Ash called to his struggling Pokémon. Fletchling seemed to be on the verge on falling down before it stood up and raised it its head.

"Great, Fletchling! Now Steel Wing again!" Ash called as he looked with pride at his Pokémon.

"Fletch! Fletchling!" Fletchling called out as it took to the air, its wings swiftly gaining a white glow before it hit Vivillon in a fly by. Vivillon 'fell' away from the side it was hit, smoke moving away from the impact site.

"Way to go! Now, use Peck" Ash called out. Fletchling moved its body in a circle before it hugged its wings to its body as its beck glowed white and shot at Vivillon.

"Dodge it, quick!" Viola called out in worry.

"Ling! Ling!" Vivillon called as it dodge Fletchling attack by a hair's breath, turning to keep Fletchling in its sight.

"All right! Use Gust!" Viola cried. Vivillon wings glowed blue before it flapped them and sent a blast of wind at Fletchling that pushed it backwards.

"Remember what I told you Fletchling!" Ash called as Fletchling tried to right itself.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in encouraged as it watched the battle. Fletchling kept its wings straight and rode the wind, gliding into the attack.

"Great, Fletchling, ride it!" Clemont said as he raised a fist. Lilith looked at the battle and thought of a few instances in her own past. I did see on the records I was giving on the flight that he had a Gliscor, so maybe that's the source of this. Lilith thought as Bonnie and Serena cheered.

"Fletchling, use Razor Wind now!"

"Fletchling!" Fletchling cried as its wings start to glow white and it then started to spin into a ball.

"Vivillon, Sleep Powder!" Viola called as she watched what was happening. Vivillon flapped its glowing wings, sending a cloud of green powder at Fletchling. Fletchling was able to send two crescent-shaped energy waves at Vivillon before the green powder engulfed Fletchling. One of the crescent-shaped energy waves hit, causing Vivillon to grit its teeth, but the Sleep Power had done its job, sending Fletchling to the ground asleep.

"I had no idea Vivillon could use Sleep Powder!" Clemont gasped as he watched Fletchling fall to the ground. Calm down, it must have learned it in a pre-evolved form. Ash still has Pikachu if Fletchling doesn't wake up, he can still win this.

Lilith cursed under her breath as she watched. This is why hunting Chimera has always been so difficult in the Jungle Domain, powders and

"Uh-oh

"Excellent! Picture-perfect! Vivillon, Solar Beam!" Viola called with a smile. Vivillon's wings started to glow yellow as spots formed off its wings that collected in a point between its eyes that sent a powerful yellow beam at Fletchling, causing an explosion that Fletchling fell out of and hit the floor.

"Oh, no! Fletchling!" Ash cried as he watched.

"Pika!" Pikacu cried with worry.

"Fletchling is unable to battle! Vivillon wins!" The Referee called out.

"Aw, poor Fletchling lost!" Bonnie complained.

"There's no way my sister would let Ash win without a real fight." Alexia said.

"That's okay! We believe in Ash!" Serena said with a smile.

"Off course we do, he'll win!" Lilith agreed with a smirk.

"Good job. You battled hard, Fletchling, so get lots of rest. I need you to get back in there, Pikachu." Ash said as he recalled Fletchling. Pikachu nodded and jumped on the ice, ready to battle.

"Now, Vivillon, use Gust!" Viola called as she gestured at Pikachu and Ash. Vivillon's glowing blue wings flapped rapidly and sent a wind storm at Pikachu, who struggled to stay still.

"Hang tough, Pikachu! You can stay on your feet." Ash cried.

"Pikachu's still feeling the effects of the battle with Surskit!If this drags on, it could be at a real disadvantage!" Clemont said with a look of worry on his face.

"It's still one to one, they just need to handle, Vivillon and they've got this." Nimue said softly as she watched, fighting back her panic. What is wrong with me,

"Pikachu can't beat my Vivillonin that state. I'm afraid you're going to have to wait longer for your badge." Voila said with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, there's no way we're giving up! That's not what we're about! We'll keep battling right up until the very end!" Ash declared as he stared at Vivillon. Think Ash. Vivillon was already hurt by Fletchling's battle, we just need to get in a few hits and we can win this it!

Serena stared at Ash, memories of when they had first met before the siege appeared in her head, causing her to smile as she watched Ash. Good to see that he never really changed over the years, but I knew that from my talks with him.

"Huh? Don't give up till it's over! I admire your persistence, but this is the end! Gust, one more time!" Viola called out. Vivillon sent another wind storm straight at Pikachu, who struggled to stay down.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail, let's go!" Ash said with force.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu slammed its glowing tail in the ice creating a dust cloud that revealed Pikachu balancing upright on its glowing tail as it was lodged into the ice.

"It's using Iron Tail!" Serena said in shock.

"Another great way to stay put!" Clemont exclaimed

"Pikachu is so cool!" Bonnie said as she threw her head back.

"That's amazing, truly amazing." Lilith whispered as she watched.

"Pretty clever, but you just made it even easier for me to focus! Vivillon, use Solar Beam!" Viola called out as she watched Pikachu. This is it, sorry Ash but I win this one.

Vivillon stated to glow and sent a massive yellow beam at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out as it sent a bolt of electricity that meet the Solar Beam. The collision of attacks generated a dust cloud that blocked the battlefield from the view of everyone.

"Argh! Vivillon, Sleep Powder!" Viola bit out. Vivillon sent a green cloud of spores straight at Pikachu. The attack hit it and it fell off its tail and laid on the ice limply.

"So here we are. It's my chance to take a great last picture!" Viola said smugly as she pointed at Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Ash! You've got to hang in there!" Serena called as she leaned forward.

"Let's finish this up! Solar Beam!" Viola said with a smirk.

"Pikachu! Wake up!" Ash cried. How can I get Pikachu to get awaken, he always wakes me up when he shocks….

"Ah. Pikachu! Use Electro Ball on yourself!" Ash screamed, hoping Pikachu would hear him. Pikachu breathed heavy as he laid on the ice and stood up shakily and generated a ball of electricity on its tail and that he sent upwards as he started to heave that fell onto him, creating a cloud of smoke that revealed Pikachu standing on a bare patch of the battlefield, the spores off him.

"All right!" Bonnie and Serena cried as they clasped hands.

"It neutralized Sleep Powder with an Electric-type move on itself!" Clemont said as he stared open mouthed. Amazing! I have to remember that trick; it could do a lot for my gym battles.

"That was amazing!" Nimue said as she started to regain some color in her checks. She had started to channel a little aura through her body, an old trick her mother had taught her to handle illness and status attacks, it seemed to work on whatever was wrong with her.

"Heh-heh! That's so very, very Ash!" Alexia said as she smiled. Sorry sis but I think you've lost this match, if he makes it to the Conference it's gonna be great!

"Vivillon, Solar Beam!" Vivillon fired a yellow beam at Pikachu who stood defiantly.

"We're all with you, so put everything into this move! Use Electro Ball!" Ash commanded. Pikachu threw a ball of electricity at the Solar Beam and hit and overpowered it, passing through a cloud of dust generated by the collision of attacks and flew at Vivillon, a spark flowed over Vivillon skin and stopped its movement for a few seconds, long enough for the Electro Ball to hit it and throwing it backwards, hitting a few of the iced hanging lamps as it until it stopped and started to fly with only one wing.

"Vivillon, no!" Viola cried out as she saw her Pokemon flying strangely. What happened, is this the result of that shock, or…no it couldn't be, could it? Viola thought as she stared at the battlefield.

"Come on, Vivillon, be strong!" Viola cried out as she looked and worried.

"Uh-oh. Vivillon's flying kind of weird all of a sudden." Bonnie observed as she leaned forward.

"Look at its wing! It's covered with ice!" Clemont said as he pointed at Vivillon.

"No. How can this be?" Viola asked as she watched. How did the ice transfer to her wing, I don't understand!

"Pikachu! Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash's voice snapped Viola out of her thoughts and could only watch what happened next.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried as he sent a massive bolt of electricity at Vivillon that went through it, shocking Vivillon as it did so and continued on the path the bolt went after Vivillon dropped to the floor after

"Vivillon, no!" Voila cried as she looked at the battlefield.

"Vivillon is unable to battle! Pikachu wins! Which means the winner of the match is Ash!" The Refferre said as she pointed her arm at Ash

"All right!" Ash cried as he raised his right arm.

"Pika! Pi!" Pikachu cried as he jumped into Ash's arms.

"Ha-ha. We did it, Pikachu!" Ash said as he gave Pikachu a hug

"Ash!" Serena called out as she led the group towards Ash.

A goblet dropped to the floor from suddenly slack fingers. Rex stared in shock, unable to comprehend what he had seen. That punk actually beat her! Not letting the ice affect attacks by anchoring his Pokémon to the floor, that was amazing, and that Electro-ball move, by Arceus I can't even! Maybe I can use him, that tactical skill would make a lot of goals easier to reach if his skills translate to unit tactics, but only if I had a way to control his loyalty….that girl. Rex started to grin as he looked at the projection as he started to laugh.

"My, my. I never thought that you would laugh about the fact that I won our little bet?" The purr of his sister's voice caused him to remember that he wasn't alone in the theater. Turning to his sister with a snarl on his face he stared at her and scowled as he looked at the grin on her face.

"You won the bet sister. What is it that you want?" Rex said as sat down on his chair and glared. What will she want; a bigger control of the gang, a vacation on my dime or who knows what?

"The Key of the Lord, I believe that I won the bet and I want the Key of the Lord." Rebecca said with an even tone. Rex shook and looked at her, wondering why she wanted that old relic.

"That old paperweight, fine it's yours I don't know why you want it but fine." Rex said with a look of confusion on his face.

"I won it from you then?" Rebecca said as she smirked at her brother, causing him to look at her with anger in his eyes.

"Yes you won it and you can get it yourself, I have work to attend to!" Rex snapped as he watched his sister stand up from her chair. Claudia followed behind her as she left, not paying attention to Rex as he fumed.

"I will accompany the Lady Rebecca if you don't mind sir Rex, just so that I can report that this bet was treated fairly by the Tristo family." Damian said with a wasp as he stood and bowed to Rex.

"Fine, go and do that, but I want the problem at the police station dealt with soon, do you understand me?" Rex said as he looked at Damian and clenched the sides of his chair.

"I understand completely Sir Rex, rest assured it will be not cause you further trouble." Damian said as he followed after Claudia.

Rex looked at his sister as she walked off, trying to figure out her game. Why the hell does she want the Key of the Lord, it's not worth anything and if she had asked for it I would have just given it to he, did she have so much confidence that she just made that bet because she was sure he would win? And why did she word it that way? Rex shook his head and looked around until he saw the pink haired servant from before standing at attention waiting for his orders.

"You, call in my specialists, I have a job for them." Rex ordered, causing her to bow to him.

"As you command my Lord." She said as she walked out of the room, leaving Rex to his thoughts.

A few minutes later the servant was back leading a group of five people in black clocks one stepped forward and looked at him from with two glowing eyes from within the darkness of his hood.

"What do you want with us, have you decided on your final mission Lord Tristo?" A quite voice asked from the figure that caused Rex to cringe as he cursed to himself. That's right this is the final mission I can take from them for the Dark Quest. But if I can get him under my control then the time table for getting the entire region back the way it's supposed to be would be accelerated if he can make strategies like that then it would be worth it. Rex looked at them and made his decision.

"Yes this will be the final part of your Quest, I will give you the data chip once I have the person I want." Rex declared as the clocked figures stood at attention as the eyes of the figure at the front started to glow brighter.

"Who is it that we are to bring to you?" The front figure questioned before the projector started to show the last picture of the Gym battle. When Ash was shown on the screen walking towards his friends Rex didn't notice the clocked figures going still as soon as they saw him.

"That boy is who you desire?" The leader asked in a hard voice, not that Rex noticed it.

"No I want the honey haired girl. The boy is going to be of immense help for me." Rex chuckled as he leaned back as he imagined his future. He never noticed that the robbed figures had turned to each and sent an Aura stream into a center point of all of them, forming a ball that after a few seconds the ball dispersed and the leader nodded at its fellows.

"I expect payment as soon as I return, my team and I have spent more time here than we expected. And if we are to fight him again then I feel that my team will have earned our payment either way." The leader said as he walked towards the exit to the chamber. Rex watched them go and sat down. What was that about, perhaps they've seen him before like my sister, whatever as long I have her I don't care how they know him.

"Is there anything else I can do my lord?" The voice of the pink haired woman brought Rex out of his thoughts and he looked at her before he shook his head.

"No get out of here and find something to do, I want to be notified once those five are done." Rex ordered, causing the woman to bow and leave the room.

"So the twerp beat the first gym here after a rematch, and those people we were casing, their big boss is mad and want to capture his friends?" The speaker was a woman with long magenta colored hair in a long tail and was wearing a short black shirt that exposes her midriff under a white high collared sleeved shirt emblazoned with a large red R, a white miniskirt, black leg-length boots, and long black arm-sleeves. She and two others were crunched down and looking at a tablet that their spy bot was transmitting to in a side alley that gave them a view of the Buzz Lord's building.

"I told ya if we looked into the gangs around 'ere we'd strike paydirt! I mean, look at all those powerful Bugs, all we gotta do is wait for the Twerp to bulldoze his way through and pick up a few of the spoils to send to the boss." A small feline like Pokémon with a gold coin on its head said as it grinned at the two trainers before it.

"Jessie I don't like this." The speaker was a man with short blue hair in a white shirt with a red R and long sleeves, black gloves and white pants with black boots. He looked at the tablet and started to call up other pictures and looked at them intently, a frown growing on his face as he looked over the pictures. Jessie looked at the pictures and started to glow red when she saw that all of them were of the female servants waiting on the gangers.

"What don't you like James?! The fact that we have a plan that doesn't let them serve you like they are doing?!" Jessie asked causing James to look at her before going red himself.

"I don't mean anything like that! It's the eyes! The eyes of those girls, I think something is very wrong with them." James said with force as he increased the magnification on the servant's eyes. Jessie jolted and shared a look with Meowth. As they looked at the images she and Meowth tried to see just what had caused James to speak up.

"What about their eyes, wait a second! Their all… How'd they get like that from just Bugs?!" Meowth exclaimed as he looked and noticed the condition of the servant's eyes. Jessie frowned and then went still when she finally noticed that most of the female servant's eyes were blank and they had no expressions on their faces.

"How'd you see that James?" Meowth asked as he stared in shock as he starched his head, James looking away with a small frown on his face.

"You two met my parents; the other servants beside him were the people I interacted with the most in those days. After a while they dropped the masks they had around me but I saw them put them back up when my parents were around. I got used to picking out the eyes first on people from interacting with them; it's a skill that's let me survive over the years." James's replay caused Jessie to look back over their partnership and nodded.

"Alright so what do we do, Team Rocket can't be linked to a tip off to the cops!" Meowth exclaimed. Jessie and James started to think until James looked up with a grin on his face.

"We can throw a stone at a window! It could have the address on a paper and it might bring them!" James said with a bit of force in his voice. Meowth crossed its arms and nodded.

"I'll do it, you guys stay here and follow the twerp in when he gets here. Cause I remember that he still has a few coins left." Meowth said causing James and Jessie to look at him in confusion.

"You sure chum?" James asked, wondering why the Scracth-Cat was volunteering for this. Meowth nodded and look at them with a serious look in his eyes.

"Yeah, Bug types would catch me out as soon as I'm inside. This way I can tell you if the locals are mobilizing, with my skills I'll be able to get onto a roof top and my strength will let me throw the rock from out of sight. It's the best thing to do and you two better be ready to grab a few of the eggs, the boss loves them the most." Meowth said with a smirk as his two companions nodded. As they planed their strategy they never noticed a camera focused on them from a behind a broken window, never knowing that they had been seen by the security set up by the Buzzlords.

A pink haired woman in a servants outfit watched a monitor in a darkened room, the picture of Team Rocket as they planned on the screen. The woman dropped a small black box from a gloved hand and when the monitor went black she detected a trace of smoke and then with a smile on her face she turned towards the door and opened it. It seems that I won't have to send a message to Dear Jenny after all. And if I'm right my 'team' will be able to handle the prison transport and their 'recruitment'. With a chuckle she walked out and pushed the door closed as she turned and smiled when she saw she was alone, she hurried to a staircase and walked down it and stopped to check if anyone was about the lower level. Seeing no one she walked down the hallway and had just reached another wing of the building when she heard a cry of terror above her that caused her to start to giggle, it seemed someone had found her work. As she walked off as she saw gang members rush towards the stairway she wondered how this would affect the next few hours. Try to handle this my oh so noble master. Within the next day this whole organization will be burned out and I will be heading home or to ambush some of you. As she movedshe adopted the same mask she had been using since her infiltration.

"Great win Ash! You and your team really pulled off a great comeback!" Serena said as she and the others clustered around Ash.

"Let me guess you dealt with a heavy winds and a Pokémon that glided was involved, a group maybe?" Lilith asked as she smiled.

"Yeah, it was a pack of Gligar and a Gliscor was blown into a city, man was that a problem." Ash said as he scratched the back of his head as he laughed. Serena looked at Ash and gained a small blush as she saw the figure he gave off as the light hit. She shook her head and looked towards Voila who was laughing as she talked to Alexia. After a few minutes Viola walked towards a box and opened it, taking out a small hand tray with a cloth over something on it.

"Great battle Ash, you've earned this, the Bug Badge of the Santalune Gym!" Viola said with a smile as she removed the cloth to reveal the badge. It was it was brown and shaped like a beetle. Ash took it and looked at Viola with a smile.

"There are some things you can only seewhen looking througha camera's viewfinder and things you'll only see clearly by living together with Pokémon. Keep strengthening the bonds you share with your Pokémon and good luck!" Viola said as she offered Ash her hand, who reached over and shook it.

"Thanks for a great battle Viola, good luck in the future." Ash said with a smile. Alexia smiled as she watched them interact.

"Ash, I imagine you're headingto your next Pokémon Gym battle. In that case, how about the Gym in Cyllage City? And I heard a rumor that a contest is going to happen in Odyssey Village within the next few days." Alexia said as she saw her sister jolt and look at her.

"Cyllage City, isn't Odyssey Village between that place and this city?" Clemont asked as Ash opened his Pokédex and called up a map of Kalos, quickly finding the general locations of the two cities.

"Thanks Alexia, oh, and Viola? Before I forget would you pass on that I hope Charlotte feels better, it really wasn't the first time that happened to me I'm sad to say." Ash said looking at Viola, who gave him a smile in return.

"Then would you mind if I travel with you guys? I can make a choice after that Odyssey." Lilith said as she scratched her face.

"What about your journey Lilly?" Ash asked her as the others started to walk out of the gym, waving to Viola and her sister as they did so.

"Teacher wanted me to experience how people outside of home did contests, so even if I don't make it to the Grand Festival then I would have accomplished my goal here." Lilith said, causing Bonnie to smile brightly.

"The other girls and I planned to do a little shopping after the battle, want to come with us?" Nimue asked as they reached an intersection.

"Please Big Brother?" Bonnie asked Clemont with tears in her eyes, causing Clemont to sigh.

"I have to get my team to the Pokémon Center and then Clemont and I have to have a talk, but stay in spacious areas and around other people; they haven't bothered us since that second attack but keep an eye out." Ash said

"Be good Bonnie, have fun and listen to the others." Clemont as

"I will!" Bonnie said as the girls walked off. They never noticed two figures in cloaks watching them from on top of a building that after a few seconds started to follow the girls as they walked into town.

A limo pulled up the residence's outer gate and after it stopped a driver in a tuxedo got out and opened the door behind the driver's seat and offered his hand to the person inside. A white gloved hand grasped it and a girl with flowing blond hair in a white gown carrying a white purse with three Pokéballs on it stepped out of the limo. She nodded at the being that had driven her here and walked through the gate and looked around noting Maids and feline like creatures with purple flowers on their backs walking around. So the old man got more Dolls to play with, didn't he? Those look like….of course he would get some of those, I can't believe him sometimes. Is there no level he wouldn't sink to, I think a few of my 'special' jewels are needed for the party after all. She let her thoughts rage as she kept her face a mask as she walked past the cats, a small use of Aura keeping her mind as serene as she kept her face expressionless as she walked towards the main building, the black haired figure of Orchid standing outside the mansion with two Maids standing there.

"Remember, the flowers are to be watered at 4 with the type 3 liquids, the Song Wings are to on top of the lamps by nightfall and my midnight I expect that that the final decorations are setup." Orchid declared before she noticed the woman walking towards the mansion. She straightened up and the two Maids turned and bowed to her as she soon as they saw her.

"Welcome home Lady Rodruss, shall I call your father?" Orchid questioned as Nudara walked past her. Orchid fell into step after her and followed her into the mansion.

"No, I'll talk to him at supper; tell me have all the guest who are coming sent there replies yet?" Nudara asked when she stopped before a staircase.

"Yes my lady, all of those invited are coming, while our own High Lord has declined the invitation, we have confermation of Lord Magnus and a plus one, the invitation for Miss Lilith has returned with a denial and gossip is that Lady Camilla sent her on a mission so…." Orchid stopped talking when Nudara slammed her hand on the railing turned with a hard look in her eyes.

"Let me rephrase my question, is HE coming here?" Nudara asked frostily. Orchid looked at her before a realization hit her as to who her lady was talking about and bowed to her.

"I have to report that we did not send him an invitation, but his sister did receive one and has sent a replay that she and a plus one would come, so I suppose that he will be coming." Orchid said as Nudara brought a hand to her forehead and started to rub it.

"With luck since Lady Lilith won't be here he'll leave once he's been here long enough to be polite. I'll come down for supper after I had a bath, the party is supposed to start tomorrow around four, right." Nudara said with an exasperated sigh. She walked up the stairs as she left, not staying to hear Orchid's replay. Orchid stayed where she was until Nudara was out of sight before she gained a scowl on her face as she walked outside. That little brat! That pampered princess is such a pain to deal with. Like father like daughter. Of course giving how he acted when he tried to pursuer her I can't really blame her. Orchid thought as she walked through the gardens as she watched the Homunculus move about. She sighed as memories of how he had acted in his pursuit of Lady Lilith that she had seen a few times she had been her Lord's plus one to a few parties. Perhaps she should go and double check the menu; maybe she should check the placements for the new golems. She moved off, not noting she was being watched from the window of Lord Rodruss's office.

Sadri Rodruss looked at his chief of staff as she moved through his courtyard before he moved back to his desk and sat down. He moved a few papers around and started to read, a feeling of anger as he looked over the data. That bitch pirate had raided yet another shipment; he had lost money since he wouldn't be able to make back what he paid for them now, this was so cutting into his bottom line, and that idiot Francisco had let her walk off with no single bit of trouble, she had walked off with them with no trouble. He had washed his hands with that ship and Francisco, he would hold the docking fees as long as it used his docks but that was it, and perhaps he should look into getting products overland, but long term benefits of getting his products from out of the country was…. He would have to look into other sources, perhaps that one… He paused as he looked over the guest list, and put his head in his hands when he saw one confirmation, of course his greatest rival would come to his party, he would look for any excuse to tweak his noise. Perhaps he should check if his daughter had returned yet, he was getting up when a chime sounded, bringing his attention to his computer as a message popped up. So the High Lord was going on a tour of the domain, perhaps he should head over the City of Scholars for her party, he could met a few of his more unique trading partners and check with his factor there. A buzz of his intercom jolted him from his thoughts and caused him to look up.

"Sir, one of your clients is on line two. They want to talk about the shipment." His secretary's voice came over the line, a note of fear in it. Of course, giving what kind of cliental I have she's probably worried about ending up as part of a deal.

"Thank you, please transfer it and you can go for an early lunch." Sadri said as he picked up his phone. After a few seconds he heard a click and smiled.

"Hello…." He began before he was interrupted.

"I don't want pleasantries Rodruss, I want results! This is the second time one of my shipments with you has been hit, I want answers." A gruff voice barked at him

"And it is the tenth time she hit my vessels and I am no closer to finding her then I was before!" Sadri countered as he started to scowl.

"And why are you worried, you haven't paid for it yet!" Sadri commented in a hard voice.

"I already started to advertise a new show with a special surprise; I needed that shipment for it! If I have a show with the same old then I'll lose a lot of customers!" The voice snarled, prompting Sadri to rub his forehead as he leaned back before a viscous grin start to grow on his face as he leaned forward.

"Then how about I give you that special?" Sadri purred as he grinned.

"What do you have?" The voice asked with a hint of suspicion.

"I recently acquired a most impressive Homunculus, something about eight feet tall." Sadri said as he waited for a replay.

"How powerful is it?" The voice asked, causing Sadri to start to smile when he heard a note of interest in his voice.

"It has Dragon Breath." Sadri said with a smirk.

"Oh, that would be perfect for a show, yes, I can work with that. Mr. Rodruss thank you, and I will be at your party after all." The voice said.

"I'll show it to you then. I look forward…" Sadri stop talking when he heard the call end. He slammed the phone down and stood up in a huff and walked to the window.

"That old bastard! I can't wait to finish taking payment from that scum!" He snarled as he reached the window, his eyes finding Orchid as she ordered the Maids about. Calm down, you've been infiltrating his origination for months now, a few months and you can take over. But I have to get this rage under control, perhaps Orchid could help me with my stress tonight, yes that sounds perfect. With a smile he walked out of his office, looking for something to eat. Now if his daughter could only make a good impression on Lord Magnus then his gambit in the game would be underway.

"Put your back into to boyos, we've got to load this ship so it can sail at dawn!" A muscular man with brown skin and shaggy white hair called out as he carried a large crate onto a ship from a warehouse as the sun beat down overhead. Bahadur just smiled as he heard his father call out as he carried his own crate towards the ship. His father was one of the most important men in town, his shipping firm River Might was the second biggest group in the entire domain, and they had branches in most of the cities and were unique that his father refused to use Homunculus, preferring to use people, Pokémon and Golems instead.

Bahadur put the crate he was carrying down onto a pallet and wiped the sweet from his brow as he looked out over the river and frowned. A few days ago he had woken up to hear that a few members of the Maulers had been discovered beyond the town's limits drained of their Aura with wounds that were currently unidentified. People were scared; the mayor had ordered that no one leave the city limits and that only groups traveling in vehicles were to be allowed to travel outside of the city and imposed a curfew and only today had his father let him help out again. No one was using the term Devourer but most people were thinking it. There were rumors that it was caused by a Golem of all things but most people were thinking that a person in heavy armor had really done it, that the witness had only thought it was a Golem because of shock, but he didn't know how he felt about, the people who had been attacked had been looking for him, members of the Bloody Maulers. Since he lived in the other side of town from Aagha's place he hadn't seen any of them with the strict curfew but he figured at least some of them might try and make trouble sooner or later. He was knocked out of his thoughts when something bumped into him, causing him to turn and see his father walk by holding another crate as he moved towards to dock

"Keep it move boy, we want to be able to get home to your mother in time for sup." His father called over his shoulder. Bahadur slapped his face and moved back towards the warehouse, he would have some time to think about what had happened after he did his quota. Heading back towards where the crates were he never noticed a figure in a red cloak watching him from on top of a nearby roof. The figure chuckled as they moved back towards their comrades; the boss would love to know where Bahadur was.

Bahadur sighed as he sat in the shade as he stretched and looked over the river. He loved this this, peace and good days like this was just what made his life worth living, and then there was… he ducked his head as he thought of the kiss Ruchika had giving him the other day. She was his oldest friend, even before she had moved away and come back and put that idiot Aagha's in his place at that party a few weeks back. He started to chuckle as he remembered how she had thrown the Maulers who had come to get her because their master wanted to 'talk' to her.

"Good joke boy?" He heard causing him to look up and saw his father sitting down next to him, passing a bottle of water that he accepted with a nod before he drank from it.

"No, just remembering when Ruchika blew away those people a few weeks back." Bahadur said causing his father to laugh.

"I did hear a few things about that, now how about you tell me about when you were attacked by those people who were drained?" Bahadur stared at his father for a few seconds before he sighed and looked sheepish.

"So how'd you find out about it?" Bahadur said with a quite tone in his voice.

"I didn't, I watched you and I took a stab at it, so gonna tell me what set it off?" Sadiq asked, know the history that his son had with Aagha's gang.

"Nothing! I was just taking my partner around our part of town and when I reached the bridge to the challenge field on the west side of town they jumped me! If the gang hadn't backed me up…." Bahadur said with a scowl as he leaned back.

"How'd they know where to ambush you then?" Sadiq commented as he took in what his son was saying. Aagha's might be stepping up his tactics, I know the rumors from that side of town, but they can't be true, the local Lord would have stomped them down before now.

"Not sure, but I have a few ideas about who told them, and I will have a few words to share with him." Bahadur snarled. He had figured out that the Rat had been involved and he couldn't wait to talk to him. He was surprised when his father snorted and looked at him with a hard look.

"You'll handle that after a few more days have passed, I don't want you leaving area between our house and this place for a while yet. If you can find them in that area fine, if not you can wait a few days." Sadiq words caused Bahadur to stare at his father before he stood up with a scowl on his face.

"Oh come on dad!" Bahadur said, only to stop and stare at the fierce look on his father's face that showed turning into pain.

"Boyo, you weren't around when the last Devourer scare happened. It was mad; more people died from riots then were threatened in the first place. Your grandparents and new born aunt died too." Sadiq said as his eyes drew back into history as he closed his eyes, not noticing his son stiffening in shock.

"I had an Aunt?!" Bahadur said as he stared at his father.

"Your grandparents were childhood sweet hearts; they married as soon as they could and had your ma a year later. After a while they decided to have another child, that was a year before the scare, and she had been born a few days before the riots hit the town they were in, it was so bad that the funeral was of empty caskets. So please boyo, stay nearby for a few more days if only to humor your old man" Sadiq said as he locked eyes with his son. Bahadur just stared for a few seconds as his thoughts started to run wild. I can't believe this, I just can't believe this. The guys have been saying that people are acting skittish around their homes, and I guess I can wait a while for a meeting with Rat.

"Fine dad, if only for you. I'll stay in the area and won't go looking for trouble." Bahadur said with a small smile on his face.

"Thank you, oh I almost forgot. Your friends and their family are coming over for dinner and they'll stay over for the night. And yes, it is due to the way people have been reacting." Sadiq said as he moved off, calling out to one of his workers as he did so.

Bahadur stood there and wonder followed after his father, his mind elsewhere. So those two and their family are coming over for supper and would prefer not to walk about at night, is the town getting that bad? I always thought the Devourers were just a part of our history that we could leave in the past, but I guess the scars from them run a lot deeper than I ever knew. He just sighed as he walked towards a pallet, ready to do what he needed to do.

Sadiq watched his son work with a small smile on his face. That kid is something else, he had his first Pokémon for a few days now and he's still willing to listen to this old man's fears. I don't deserve a son like that sometimes. But those people drained, was it truly a Devourer, where could they have come from, who could it be? I have to trust in the Guard to discover or find evidence of where they went. A few more days, a weak at most and the curfew will most likely be lifted and things can get back to normal here on the frontier.

"Did you hear that the creatures that the others fought off had a leader?!"

"If Good Jacquelin hadn't set out that expedition then they would of overwhelmed the guards and they would have breached the castle, what happened to the lookouts?!"

"Our Queen is said to be putting a conference together to find a way to deal with them, we must trust her to handle it!"

"If the hunting group that was led by Good Sylvestre hadn't returned when they did and found the leader who knows what would have happened!"

"They weren't Chimera, a Scholar I talked to said they weren't sure what they were, what could they be?!"

The halls of team Gaia's castle were filled with members, each one talking about the recent attack the, each conversation causing those talking to grow more worried as time passed. Two people moved through the hall ways in cloaks as they dodged groups talking and people running every which way, trying to reach their destination without delay. Finally they reached a section of the without people around and quickly and quietly opened the door to Virgil workshop and walked in. The two figures saw Nicholas's, Dante, Sylvestre and Virgil standing around the room with their Pokemon out, Virgil was standing by a table with a dead Treeslasher on it cutting into it as the others looked on. Nicholas looked up to see the two people and started to get up when Sylvestre raised his hands and smiled at the two. Dante got up and walked towards one of the figures and swept them into a hug, the hood falling away to reveal a woman with long white hair and blue eyes who hugged him back.

"I was so worried about you Constance." Dante whispered as he clutched her to his body. Constance only laughed as she cried.

"I was fine Dante, I stayed inside near an exit and if I had to I would have fought my way out with Blissey and we would have found you. You were the one out there, I was sure you would have charged in if they breached the complex." Constance said as she held Dante.

"I've heard that our friend Jacquelin found them first on a night hunt, anything you can tell us about that?" Sylvestre asked as the two broke apart and the other figure was revealed to be Roial.

"After the match he had with you a few others started to gossip about him, it came to ahead when he came across Mathis in the halls. After a cutting remark by Jacquelin he disappeared for a while and somehow got out side with a new Grand Sword. He came back with his Pokémon carrying one of those, the type with the vine arms saying he had come across two of them on a hunt. He made a big noise about a threat and brought together an expedition to patrol the local area and they had barely moved into the trees when they staggered out and started to set up a battle line. If you hadn't come when you did the line would have broken, I know Mathis made a noise about setting up a second line and to evacuate the Queen." Roial said, causing Nicholas to whistle as he absorbed what she told them.

"So the Good Jacquelin has his own way out of the Castle? Good to know." Nicholas commented as he leaned against the wall of the room. Virgil snorted as he cut through another layer on the Woodman and mused out loud.

"I can remember that he's always been a snake, that he would have an escape tunnel out of here isn't so surprising to me. And this specimen you brought me, I have found no idea what it is. It has no veins to move nutrients to allow for it to function if it's a living creature, it has no way to recharge if it was a Golem and I'm at the end of my rope, this thing is imposable I can't even…Hello there, what have we here." Virgil said as he looked down. He had cut away enough to reveal a broken green crystal, the piece still releasing a pale green light. He looked at it as the others started to gather around the table.

"The crystal, do you think it's like the core of a golem?" Dante asked as he picked a piece up and looked at it. Virgil took the largest piece and walked towards a table with beakers full of liquids and dropped it in one full of a blue solution and watched as it started to dissolve and the liquid turned a pale green, nodding as he watched.

"It's organic, that much I can tell, but how it was formed I can't say. The energy it uses is Aura, Grass type to exact but I'm not sure how it was charged in the first place, and the others looking over these things are probably having the same problems I am." Virgil said as he sighed. His Kadabra and Metang both moved close to him and his Metang started hover near his head as his Kadabra hugged his left leg. Virgil just looked at them and rubbed their heads as he smiled as the others looked at each other. Nicholas just rubbed the back of his head and turned to look at the corpse and stared for a few seconds before he found his voice.

"Hey, guys. Wasn't that corpse…bigger than it is now?" Nicholas's question caused the others to turn and look at the corpse and stare as it started to decompose into dirt rapidly until only the shards of the green crystal were left. They stared in shock until Virgil started to mumble to himself as he turned slowly and looked at the beaker as a frown formed on his face.

"Even though the thing was kilied it still held together until I removed the crystal, does it mean that it was repairing itself?" Virgil asked as he started to pale.

"But it died when you removed the largest piece of its heart? Then does that mean the others….Oh fucking Giratina! Come with me kid, Sylvestre tell the others what we figured out!" Dante called as he ran out of the room, Nicholas and their Pokémon on his heels.

Sylvestre looked at the door for a few minutes and turned to his brother.

"As soon as I'm out of here, put this place into lockdown! Get ready to fight your way out if I don't make it in time!" Sylvestre ordered as he ran out with Nuzleaf beside him.

"So these things can recover if their hearts are left in them?" Constance demanded as Virgil started to close up the room and prepare his siege protocols.

"I have no idea what these things are, but I really want to know where they come from so I can give the bastard who made them a kick in the nuts." Virgil muttered as he started to channel Aura into the wards he had created.

"Where are we going?!" Nicholas demanded as he ran after Dante, their Pokémon following behind him.

"They put all of them in a cavern we found when we claimed the mountain as our base! If those things can recover we have to destroy all that we can before they get out!" Dante called back as he led the way downwards.

"So the two of us against an army, nice. When did I join the Suicide squad again?" Nicholas asked as they charged deeper, people noticing them some of the Knights following them as they ran.

"I plan on having Haunter burn'em when we get there. We'll have to deal with the rest of the them. If I know Sylvestre he'll find Jacquelin or somebody important and have people sent to the other Scholars, we have to handle them." Dante said as they finally came to a large door with a guard who looked at them and went pale. Nicholas was surprised before he looked behind him and saw that they had drawn 8 Knights and 4 Squares with their run through the base, good they would help. Dante looked at them and marched towards the guard who looked nervously at him.

"Sir, this area is full of the corpse of the attackers; if you desire to investigate a specimen please contact the Chancellor." The guard said as he shook as he looked at the people before him.

"That's why I'm here lad; those things might not be dead." Dante said softly, but his words carried to everyone in the hallway, prompting the others to stare at him in shock as the guard paled. He turned the others behind him as they looked at each other before turning to him when he whistled.

"Right lads, here's what we know. The bodies have a crystal in them that's holding them together, the fact the bodies haven't broken down is evidence that the crystals still have power. If they have power they might be repairing themselves, we can't let a force attack from within the base, so we're going to handle this. I want everyone to cut away the crystals from the bodies, and remember what we want is at the opposite of where hearts are normally!" Dante barked as the guard opened the door, revealing a hallway full of doors. Dante looked at the view and turned to the guard who looked pale.

"So how many rooms are full?" Dante asked the guard who looked like he was about to faint.

Sylvestre ran upwards, hoping that his friends were in time. He rounded a corner when he saw Jacquelin with his Shiftry standing behind him as he argued with a guard.

"And I'm telling you I have to talk to the Queen! It's a matter of extreme urgency!" Jacquelin growled as his hand started to move towards his weapon.

"And the answer remains the same Sir. Only the Queen's orders will let me open these doors. I am sorry but…Sir Sylvestre?" The guard asked as soon as he saw Sylvestre running towards him. Jacquelin turned walked to him as soon as he saw Sylvestre/

"I'm guessing your brother found the same thing he did?" Jacquelin asked as he reached him.

"Yes, Dante went after the storage with the kid." Sylvestre said, causing Jacquelin to stare and go pale.

"By Arceus I never even thought of that. We have to tell the Queen what was found, we can't let this happen! An attack from within would destroy us!" Jacquelin said as he turned and glared at the guard. The guard looked at the two of them and slowly reached for a green jewel around his neck, touched it and started to speak softly, nodding when he removed his hand.

"The Queen has been notified that the two of you want to talk to her about what seems to be the same thing, and has decided to grant your audience before the meeting later today." The guard said as he hurried to open the doors. Sylvestre gestured for Jacquelin to go first, indicating that he would follow his lead. Jacquelin looked at him and nodded as the doors to the Queen's room opened and he walked in, Sylvestre and their Pokémon following their trainers.

As Sylvestre followed Jacquelin towards their Queen he looked about the room, noticing the number of Templars had tripled in since he had last been there. Is this for the meeting or the reaction to the attack? Whatever this is worrying me for some reason I can't explain. Sylvestre kept a frown off his face as he moved, not seeing that ahead of him, Jacquelin's eyes were going all over the room, taking in every detail he could. That little brat actually increased her security! This is going to make it even harder to take over, I might have to count on those soldier things that idiot is making. Jacquelin kept a smile on his face as he walked towards the Queen at the end of the room, stopping and joining Sylvestre in bowing to their ruler.

"Rise. The two of you discovered something that you feel that I should know about so please, what has caused two of my best to rush to me." The voice of the girl caused Jacquelin to look at her as he replied.

"My Queen, Good Sylvestre and I both discovered that the bodies only die when a crystal in is removed or destroyed. We fear that they might attack from within our defenses, that it might be the plan of whatever created these… things. As we speak Good Dante is leading a fellow to handle it and I am sure others went after them." Jacquelin said as he looked at the queen, noticing that she had stared at him for a minute before she went pale as she sat down.

"Chancellor; send some of our Templar to help out Good Dante, I want that room locked down, now." The Queen's voice rang out in a hard voice, the boom of the Templars spears on the floor the only signal that her will would be done. While Sylvestre smiled at the orders, Jacquelin kept his face neutral. What is down there that the Queen wants to protect so much that she sends in the Templar? Perhaps after everything has died down I should investigate that area more closely.

Dante cursed as they finished his 2nd room. To think that there had been enough recovered to full twenty rooms, Dante couldn't believe that no one even tried to make some order, just throwing them in anywhere, no sense of order at all. He looked up as Nicholas walked out of a doorway and smiled when he saw the kid had led his group to finish another one. With the Knights and Squires that had followed them he had split them in two and just said to go and destroy or remove the crystals. Dante moved towards Nicholas and motioned to him to talk to him. When Nicholas joined him he looked down the hallway.

"I don't know if we're going be able to finish this before one of these things revives kid." Dante said to Nicholas bluntly as they looked down the hallway. Dante only answered with a scowl as he looked down the hallway.

"I know, but dam it we're almost halfway done, all we need to do is…" Suddenly three doors down a door exploded before two Treeslashers moved through the doorway and looked both down the corridor before they turned and saw Dante and the others. Two Treeblaster walked out of the door way before another Treeslasher followed them.

"So the shoe finally drops, hey, didn't the guard say the centaur was put somewhere in the middle?" Dante asked as the first two Treeslashers shot towards them as the Treeblasters started to fire over their fellows heads. Dante drew his sickles as the other Knights started to draw their own weapons and shields, Dante blocking one of them when the other tried to attack him when Nicholas sliced through its chest with a sword before turning and slicing through the left side of the Treeslasher locked with Dante's sickles. Dante looked at the basic blade and frowned.

"Still using the basics kid, never got an upgrade from a good smith?" Dante said as released his Haunter as Nicholas's Teddiursa used Protect to form a green shield between it and the Treeblasters shots. Dante looked at the others and saw most of them releasing their Pokémon and copying Teddiursa's action as they tried to move towards the Treeblasters.

"Never had a reason to….hello, are you the one who woke them up?" Nicholas said causing Dante to look and stare through the shield. The Treelord he had helped take down was back up and had changed its arms. On one side of its chest were two masses of vines and the other had a large thin branch with a cluster of heart crystals at the end [Revived Treelord]. It was followed by two more Treeslashers and another Treeblaster that joined its fellows in sending blasts down the corridor. He cursed as he saw the Revived Treelord move across to the other door. He turned and looked at the others, trying to find someone to send for help until he noticed

"That has to be it! That's why these things are up so fast! If we can't break through here I don't know if we can hold if that thing can bring back the others. YOU there, the one with the

Karrablast! Get out there and bring back help, sound the war call!" Dante hollered to a knight bring an injured Squire out of the line of fire as his Karrablast formed a solid blue wall between shots sent their way. The knight looked at him and nodded his helmeted head and started to carry the injured Squire back towards the doorway back into the base. Dante turned and noticed the centaur was disappearing into a doorway and the Treeslasher stood just outside it.

"We've got to get around these things and take that monster down! If it revives all of them…wait, only six of them came out the room with that thing. I think there might be a limit to the damage it repair. How many bodies were in the rooms you handled?" Dante demanded as they stood behind Teddiursa's shield as green blasts hit it.

"The remains were thrown all over, so maybe about twenty to thirty, it took so long because we had to find were the crystals were." Nicholas said as Dante took in the corridor. The three Treeblasters were standing apart in the middle of the hallway; far enough ahead of the Treeslasher and the room it was guarding to let it have a solid view of the corridor and reinforce any one of the three that needed it. Dante

"Range attacks around the Protects! Haunter, fire Will-O-Wisp at the central creature!" Dante roared. Haunter grinned and shot blue fireballs over the shield, joined by leaves and blasts of energy that hit the three Treeblasters, destroying the two near both sides of the hallway while the middle one had been driven to its knees as its and one of the fireballs had torn off the claw arm. Dante smiled before he noticed three Treegrabber and another Treeblaster charge out of the room, the Treeblaster joining the other one in firing blasts as the Treegrabbers ran at them. Dante cursed as he watched the creatures charge at them. We've got to break this deadlock! We've got to get that…. Dante's thoughts crashed when four figures in green plate armor wielding halberds jumped over his head and shot towards the Treegrabbers, dodging the vines and claws to slice through the chests of the creatures, cutting them in half in one strike each, the monster decomposing as the Templars passed them.

Dante stared until he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to meet the faceplate of one of the Templar.

"Take the others and hold the entrance to this hallway, the Templar will handle this." A soft emotionless voice said as the figure walked past Dante and spun its halberd and shot towards its fellows.

"We can't just leave…." Nicholas began but was met with a hard look from Dante as he shook his head.

"Sorry kid, but you know as well as I do the Templar only act on the Queen's word, do you want to commit treason?" Dante said as he looked at the other people near the two of them and whistled, getting their attention.

"I want a good solid withdraw now! We're going to stand watch at the entrance far enough away from the door so we can hold it if those things get by the Templar, move!" Dante order as he watched the last Templar enter the room the Treeslasher had been guarding before they had destroyed it and frowned. Why the hell are the Templar here, what are they protecting here? Dante's thoughts were inquisitive as he followed the others back to the door, Nicholas behind him looking towards the Templar, wondering why they looked familiar to him.

Inside the storage chamber the Templar who had talked to Dante looked and saw the other four Templar standing near a hole in the wall across form it. It walked towards them and looked inside the hole before turning to the others.

"You were able to stop it from waking the Sleepers?" It asked as it observed the hole. It recived a nod as the other Templar raised their weapons.

"Yes, but it was a near thing Captain, a few minutes more and one of them might have woken." One said as their halberds started to glow brown.

"Finish repairing the breach; make sure nothing could let anyone tell that something is behind the walls down here. And you, find out who decided to put them here, we need to make sure the Sleepers are secular." The Captain said as it turned and walked out of the room to report to its master that the Sleepers were safe. As the other Templar's weapons started to fire mud from their blades, a light from one of the blades lite up the room through the hole, revealing glowing crystals on pillars full of liquids with people in them.