Oh my god. I just realized something. I just checked the status of this story are we are at 11.3k views already! And 54 reviews! Wow! You guys are amazing! I didn't think we would make it that far this quickly! Thank you to everyone who has followed this story and enjoyed it since the beginning! I hope you guys enjoy the cover for this story that I created for it! It took some time but I finally managed to make one for this and the side story!

And I also got a kitty! Ever since my 21 one year old died a couple of weeks ago, we decided to get a 4 month year old kitten named Abby! I'm really happy to have her, she's really playful, energetic, and very loving! I'll probably make her my profile picture for the month! Enjoy today's chapter!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Extra Info!

(S) Salamence - Salamence that has a scar.

Salamence - A normal non-injured Salamance.

Salamance Vs. Salamance
Episode 23: Part 2

"This path must lead deeper underground." Aria said. They looked at the path that was steep and figured that it would lead them farther into Granite Cave.

There was no end to the tunnel. They felt like they were walking in circles.

"There's no end to this." Steven pointed out. "I'm not sure how long it's going to take us to get out of here before we find that stone."

"Should we retrace our steps?" Aria suggests.

Steven didn't response back once he heard something crack. He stops for a moment. Aria turns around to face him.

"Is something wrong?"

Steven nodded, kneeling down and running his hand across the ground.

Crack...

He wasn't wrong.

His eyes widen.

"Aria get off of this-!"

CRACK!

The whole ground below them gave away. They fell into the hole, heading deeper underground. That was until they got separated into two different tunnels and the both of them lost consciousness.

1 Hour Later...

Steven couldn't see a single thing when he regained consciousness. Now that he couldn't use a flashlight or anything else to find his way through the cave. He had to feel around the walls to find a way out. If he didn't get separated from Aria, they would have been able to see something.

Then suddenly, he hears a strange sound. He feels something hard hit the back of his head. He felt his head spin and his body falls onto the ground. He loses consciousness once more.

Aria opens her eyes to a strange sound of small cries. She sits up, glancing at the surrounding area.

It was completely dark, but she could faintly see. Since she was deeper within the cave,the darker it was going to get. Her eyes widen at the sound of large footsteps. She reaches behind her to grab Absol's Poke Ball. Ten she spotted a large blue winged dragon approaching her. She noticed a large scar going across the side of its face.

"What's that Pokemon?" She wondered aloud, pulling out her Pokedex.

"Salamence, the Dragon Pokémon. Fully evolved form of Bagon. Equipped with sharp teeth and massive claws, weighs over 200 pounds, and has the fastest speed of all the Flying-type Pokémon."

She stares at her Pokedex with disbelief.

"That's crazy." She mumbled. Her eyes widen when she sees the corner of its wings. (S) Salamence stares at her for a moment and turns around to walk away.

"Wait, you're hurt!" Aria said, reaching into her bag. She pulls out a vial filled with herbal medicine. "You see? I have medicine! It can heal you!"

(S) Salamence looked at her with sympathy. Aria approached the Pokemon, examining his wound on the wing.

"Did you battle another Pokemon?" She asks. (S) Salamence nodded.

"I see. So you fought and lost. Don't worry, I can fix that right up." She grabs another one that she could rub against the wing and cover it with bandages. (S) Salamence patiently waited until she was finished to fold his wings over his back.

"There, that should heal up in no time!" She said with a big smile.

(S) Salamence looked at its wing and then away from her direction.

(S) Salamence started to walk down the tunnel and looks over at Aria. She realizes it wants her to follow and she complied. When they reached the end of the tunnel Aria was surprised by all of the weak and exhausted Bagons that were in the large area. A few were tending to the wounded, and others that were starving.

"Those are Bagon," She said, pulling out her Pokedex. "And they look starved."

"Bagon the Rock Head Pokémon. Bagon bashes itself against large rocks until its head eventually grows as hard as steel."

"Horrible," Was all she could say at the weak and injured ones. She pulls out Pokemon food and gives it to all of the Bagon. She looks at (S) Salamence who frowned at the sight. "Is this why you brought me here?"

(S) Salamence nods, leading her towards another tunnel. She followed after him. He soon stops but pushes her forward to keep going.

Aria reaches the end of the tunnel and hides behind a large rock. She peeks out of the corner and surprisingly enough she saw another Salamence, but this one was relaxing. The Bagons were all struggling, bringing fruit to it, fanning, and forced to do what he desired.

Aria's eyes scanned the area and spotted a silver haired trainer tied up. Her eyes widen in shock.

He got captured when they must have been separated.

I can't believe he got captured.

She headed back into the tunnel, (S) Salamence staring at her with sorrow.

"You were the leader and lost the title, huh?" She asks.

(S) Salmence tenses, but nods.

"There's got to be a way to get him to stop doing what he is to those Bagon." Aria placed a hand over her mouth. She looks at the injured Bagon and she was tempted to cry, but held it in. Then an idea came to her mind. "I got it!"

Steven tugs at the ropes, but still no avail. He grits his teeth together, trying to reach for a Poke Ball.

There no way out of this!

He barely had Metagross' Poke Ball in his hand.

If they find Aria, then we'll never get out of here!

"Shadow Ball!"

His eyes follow to the source of the cry and find a purple ball fly towards the Salamence and hits it right in the face.

Steven felt the ropes loosen and turns his head to see a familiar blacked haired trainer.

"Looks like I came just on time." She says with a grin.

"As always." Steven replies, standing off of the ground. He reaches for a Poke Ball and calls out Metagross.

Suddenly,before he could call out a command, a loud cry echoed through the cave. They look up and spotted a Salamence with a scar glaring right at the Salamence that regained its composure. The two growl at each other which lead to a fight.

(S) Salamence fired a Dragon Breath at the other Salamence. Salamence dodged it and used Flamethrower. (S) Salamence took it head on and curled his body into a cocoon. Once it was gone, (S) Salamence spreads its wings and flies at the other. Its fangs sparked and connected with the other's neck, sending it into a large boulder. Salamence attacked again with another Flamethrower, but it missed.

It hits the ceiling and knocks boulders down.

"Oh no!" Aria cried. "Misdreavus, use Psychic and catch them!"

Misdeavus' eyes glowed blue and caught a few of them.

"Metagross, help them out!" Steven told it.

Metagross nodded and catches the other ones that nearly hit the two Salamences.

The two stop attacking each other and step back, growling intensely. They were covered in burn marks, scratches, and were panting.

"Stop!"

Aria jumps in front of (S) Salamence, and Steven steps in front of the other.

"There's no need to fight anymore!" Aria told it. "I know you're trying to save your friends, but we don't have to fight just to get their freedom back!"

"You can't just force other Pokemon to do your bidding for you. It's not right." Steven adds. "There are other ways of living, you don't have to do this. Do you want other Pokemon to be afraid of you? To hate you?"

Salamence glanced around, noticing the Bagon cowering in fear. Its eyes widen in realization.

Aria smiled lightly. "You two don't have to hate each other, you can work together to protect that Bagon on this cave! You don't have to worry about a single thing. All you have to do, is live."

(S) Salamence smiled and walked passed her. She turns around and finds the other Salamence approaching it. The two stared at each other until (S) Salamence held out its claw. Salamence stared at it before it held out its own and they shook on it.

Aria and Steven smiled, glancing at each other.

"We did it." She said.

Steven nods. "We did."

Later in that day, the two Salamences lead Aria and Steven to the entrance of Granite Cave as the sun started to set.

"Wow, the sun is already going down." Aria said surprised.

"The others must be worried." Steven guesses. "We'll have to go check on them."

They turn to the two as the Bagons stand behind them.

"Let's hope you two agree to work together from now on, alright?" Aria ask.

The Dragon Pokemon nod in unison.

"Hey, we still didn't find a Thunder Stone." Steven realizes, crossing his arms.

"I completely forgot." Aria remembered.

(S) Salamence made a sound a Bagon ran forward with a strange stone in its hands. Aria knelt down and it hands it to her.

"A Thunder Stone!" She says surprised. She looks up at (S) Salamence. "You're giving this to us?"

It nods, smiling.

Aria smiles as well, standing up. She hands the stone to Steven and he examines it.

"It hasn't been used yet. It's brand new." He says. He puts it in his bag.

"We have to go now." Aria says. "But we'll meet again soon!"

Aria and Steven walk the opposite direction, waving their goodbyes to the Salamences and Bagons.

Peace has finally been restored to Granite Cave.

Yeah, yeah, I know. This chapter sucks. I kinda rushed, I wanted to get this done by today so you guys have something to read on Christmas. Well, at least I can get back onto the normal episodes. Right?

Haha, anyway I'll see you guys in the next chapter and Merry Christmas! Bye!