Anne pushed the wheel barrow filled with rocks, her feet sore and muscles screaming with fatigue. ~Only a little while longer...~ Anne had been excused from Pokemon battling for the day, on account of the battle ahead. However, she had been switched from digging rolls of sod to hauling rocks, with the healthier inmates. ~I'll have an actual shower...! And a clean dress, too! I can't remember the last time I wore new clothes...~ Though Anne had never cared too much for clothes, the navy blue pinafore dress and short sleeved white blouse seemed the height of fashion. ~I would like a sunhat to go with them, but I think that would be asking too much.~

Dumping the load out of the wheel barrow, Anne turned around to head back to the unbroken rocks. But she stepped on a loose rock, and her foot slid off and she twisted her ankle. ~Ah! ow...~ Anne gingerly walked on it for a few steps and stumbled, falling to her hands and knees.

The supervisor saw Anne's fall. "B 101476. Why have you stopped?" He walked over and roughly pulled her up by her shoulders.

"I- I twisted my ankle, sir." The guard looked down at Anne, and raised his whistle. He blew it, signaling the lunch break a few minutes early. Not looking at Anne he waved for the next shift to come in. Anne cautiously limped away, not quite sure of what had just happened.

-Later that day, at the arena-

Anne stood waiting on her side of the arena. ~I still haven't heard who my opponent is...~ She could see him on the other end of the arena, his face obscured by the shadow of the tent pavillion. ~But I have a feeling I know who it is... an awful feeling...~ She took a few breaths to calm herself, and looked around the arena. ~Are- are those film cameras under the other pavillion?~ Anne looked to the other side of the arena, and saw another pavillion emblazoned with the swastika. The were two men seated behind a desk with somekind of electronic equipment on it, speedily conversing in heavily accented German, occasionally pointing to Anne or the pavillion opposite her.

Anne stood anxiously for what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a few relatively short moments. She raised her hand to adjust her sun hat, but remembered she wasn't wearing one. And then the guard refereeing the battle called, "Announcing the Fuhrer and Chancellor of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler!" The guard and the men under the pavillions raised their arms in salute. "Hail Hitler!" At last Hitler emerged from the shadows, and took his place in the arena. "Begin now!"

Adolf Hitler had chosen his first Pokemon carefully, to intimidate Anne. "Kong, you have been chosen!" Hitler threw out his first Pokemon ball, and from it appeared a giant member of the Slaking species. Anne's eyes slowly traveled up its height: its light brown feet and hands, brown fur of its arms and legs; a deep and powerful chest the same color as its hands; a collar of white fur extending to the top of its head in a small tuft, and a large pink pig-like nose. It raised its arms and- yawned. The giant ape-like Pokemon sat down on its haunches, and leaned forwards to rest on its knuckles. It was still taller than Hitler.

~That Pokemon is enormous...~ But Anne too had carefully chosen her first Pokemon. "Ditto, come out!" The beam of light arced from the ball and came down to reveal a purplish blob of goo with a smiley face.

~First, to prepare.~ "Kong, use Bulk Up!" Kong huffed, and stood: it was nearly fourteen feet tall, more than twice its species' normal height. He beat his chest and howled, and flexed his arms. Kong briefly glowed with a red aura while he held the pose. As it faded away, he roared and beat his chest one last time for good measure.

Anne leaned down to whisper to Ditto. "Go ahead and transform... then copy whatever he does unless I say so, okay?"

"Ditto." ~Sure thing. Ditto glowed, and then turned white and rapidly expanded, reaching the size of Kong. The arms and legs gradually shifted into shape, and then suddenly there was an exact copy of Kong on Anne's side of the field. Ditto began to use Bulk Up, exactly like Kong had.

~Once more should raise his attack and defense high enough, and then I will wipe the floor with her.~ "Kong, use Bulk Up again!" Kong stood and held his arms up high, like he was holding a large beach ball, and flexed his muscles- then stretched out on the ground, and propped up his head on his elbow.

Ditto again used Bulk Up, and made to follow Kong's pose when Anne stopped him. ~Kong rests every other turn... but Ditto still seems energetic...~ "Ditto, do a dance!" The impostor Kong looked back at Anne, then shrugged and began its dancing. It roared and beat its chest and stomped its foot, and turned to its left and mirrored the action. Next, Ditto turned around in a circle, waving around it arms and legs like it was climbing a ladder. Having completed the circle, Ditto began to roar and beat its chest again-

"Kong! Strength!" ~That insolent worm!~ Kong had been watching Ditto's dance with some amusement, and reluctantly sprung up and slugged Ditto with a punch that knocked him dangerously close to Anne. She nodded to Ditto, who got up and smashed Kong with a punch of its own. Still, Kong seemed indifferent to the battle, and slouched down.

"One more, Ditto!" It brought it hands down in a double axe handle, straight to Kong's head.

Hitler was becoming more enraged by the second. ~And Josef doubted me! This Jew girl is mocking me!~ "Kong! Attack with Strength!" Kong rose up and hit Ditto with a punch that flipped it end over end, bouncing back to Anne's side. Ditto winked to Anne and stormed back, hitting Kong with an equally powerful punch to the gut. It glanced to Anne, who signaled for it to attack with Strength again. The punch landed right between Kong's eyes, and he wobbled about for a second before shaking his head and lying down.

"Enough! Kong, use Giga Impact!" Hitler screamed, pointing at Anne.

"Slakin," ~Relax, man. Kong hopped up and slammed his fists together, and a purple energy orb with orange streaks spiraling around it flashed into being. It expanded to envelop Kong, who dashed forwards and slammed into Ditto. The massive attack ground Ditto into the arena floor, sending up a cloud of dust.

Ditto shakily stood, clearly being near his limit. ~Slaking usually know that move, right?~ "Ditto, use Flail!" It gave a thunderous battle cry, and jumped to Kong. Ditto windmilled its arms wildly, hitting Kong at random. "Keep Flailing, Ditto!" Anne's Pokemon continued windmilling its arms, but added in some rotation, too.

~I do not believe this!~ Though he still acted nonchalant, Hitler could tell Kong had been shaken up. "Kong... use Flail!"

"King, king." ~Flail, and then some. Kong stood, and exhaled. ~This guy was pretty annoying, I guess.~ He spun around and clotheslined Ditto, then waved his arms around erratically and grabbed Ditto and threw him several yards up into the air. Kong jumped and caught Ditto as it began descending headfirst, and twisted to start a spin. They revolved three times before the piledriver hit the ground.

~I could feel the ground shake from over here...~ "Come back, Ditto..." The recall beam zapped Ditto up, and Anne stopped a moment to choose her next Pokemon. ~Physical attatcks don't seem to affect him too much, but I need Calypso and Sleipnir for later...~ "Moortje, I choose you!" The cougar-like Pokemon burst out of the ball, his tail held out parallel to the ground, poised to do battle. "Use Work Up, Moortje."

"Per," ~Alright, He answered. ~That dude is gigantic...~ Moortje arched his back, and his tail curled up as he glowed and was surrounded by a red aura.

~Kong is actually fast, when he moves... I hope Moortje can still outpace him.~ "Moortje, attack with Power Gem!" The red gemstone on Moortje's forehead flashed, and shone with a brilliant light. The light flashed again, and an intense ray of light that sparkled like a jewel shot out and washed over Kong. The giant Pokemon blinked its eyes, temporarily dazzled.

"Strength, Kong!" Kong obeyed, but the dazzling beam had given him a monstrously painful headache. He threw out his fist with all the power he could, and it impacted Moortje with bone crushing force. Kong slumped down, tired.

"No! Moortje!" ~Oh, just one punch...!~ But miraculously, Moortje pulled himself up and hissed. ~Maybe...~ "Moortje, try Work Up and Power Gem again!"

"Persia... pers." ~But I'm done soon... Arching his back and hissing, Moortje's fur glowed red, and expanded into an aura of energy. Meanwhile, Kong was still reeling from the previous Power Gem, and was resting out of necessity and not laziness. He looked up, and saw another sparkling ray of light explode against him. His brain-splitting headache overwhelmed him, and he blacked out.

Hitler watched in shock, experiencing Kong's first loss in several years. ~She dares defy the commander of the Third Reich? Geli will sort her out.~ "Kong, return! Geli! Annihilate them!" The ray of light from the ball deposited Geli, Hitler's Titaneon, in front of the dictator. There was a brief twinkling of glitter around Geli as she swished her tail. The sun gilnted off her pale gold hide, so smooth and flawless Anne could see reflections of the arena in it from her side of the field.

~The coloring's different, but there's no mistaking it. That's a Titaneon, alright.~ "Moortje, use Fury Swipes." As fast as his injured body would allow, Moortje swept across the arena and clawed at Geli, slashing at her five times. Unfortunately, the blows seemed to have little effect on Geli.

"Iron Tail, Geli! Now!" A flash of sunlight passed along Geli's body towards her tail, which glowed white-

"Moortje! Try to dodge that, and use Slash!" Moortje jumped over the whip-like swing of Geli's tail- his back left paw barely clearing it- and came down with a vicious swipe of his paw. Geli staggered a half step away, but other than that the attack had no visible effect on her.

"Metal Claw, Geli!" She quickly lashed out with her front claws, raking Moortje's neck and side.

"Per!" He cried, and then fainted. Anne recalled him to his ball and sent out her Ninjask, Jasper.

~I don't think Jasper could damage it much either, so...~ "Jasper use Screech!"

"Nin!" ~I was about to anyways. Jasper promptly unleashed a terrible shriek, so strong it blurred the air in a series of rings that encircled Geli.

She shook her head and rubbed her ears, unsettled. "Ti titan?" ~My next move? She asked, looking to Hitler. ~I'm feeling weaker after that noise, it was so horrible...~

"Flame Charge, Geli." She nodded, and breathed out a puff of smoke. Her quiet fan-like breath sped up, hot air streaming from her exhaust vents. She trotted a few steps forwards, then rocketed towards Jasper, cloaked in a ball of flame. The meteoric attack missed Jasper though, who seemed even faster somehow.

~Oh, oh... That would've taken him out for sure... And it doesn't have the war time attack set either...~ "Jasper, use X Scissor!"

"Ninja nin!" ~Alright! What took you so long?~ Jasper flew around Geli in a blur of motion, then stopped in front of her and crossed his arms as he slashed. Geli simply lowered her head and took the attack, apparently not too bothered by it.

"Flame Charge again, Geli!" Ordered Hitler. ~This one will be sure to hit that pest.~ But when Geli charged forwards in flames, even faster than before, Jasper managed to dodge again.

"X Scissor, Jasper!" Seeming almost to teleport to Geli's side, he crossed his arms and slashed again. Geli cried out, but still did not appear to be injured. ~How tough is that Titaneon?~

~That pest cannot outrun lightning.~ "Geli, Discharge!" A few sparks of electricity danced from Geli's head to tail, and then suddenly she glowed with a light blue electricity and it flared out, a large bolt of it spearing Jasper. A few tendrils of the energy writhed over him, and he dropped to the arena floor.

~I knew it... I should have trained Jasper more...~ Anne hesitated to send out her next Pokemon, so early in the battle. ~But all those physical attacks did next to nothing...~ "I choose you, Sleipnir!" ~Fire should be effective against a steel type, I think...~ Anne bit her lower lip, concentrating. ~And what type of Pokemon would be so loyal to a monster like Hitler?~

Hitler himself also was thinking his low opinions of his opponent. ~That Jew girl has the nerve to name Pokemon after one of our legends? What madness is this?~ "Geli, strike with Iron Tail!" Zig-zagging forwards, Geli leapt up and curled into a ball, flipping over and smacking Sleipnir across his neck.

"Ra!" ~Watch it, kid!

"Sleipnir, use Flame Charge!" Sleipnir tucked his head in and flames quickly trickled from his horn until they flowed over his whole body, billowing out. He swiftly dashed at Geli and slammed into her, knocking her over.

Hitler's rage bubbled to the surface again, seeing Geli injured for the first time. "You contaminated little maggot! You are not even worthy to be facing me! Watch me bury you!" Hitler stared at Anne, breathing loudly. The after taste of the Grimer extract was strong in his mouth; he had taken his midday dose before the match. Lately, it had been making his skin feel hot, and muscles tremble, exchanging his colds and sneezes for blinding migraines. "Geli, Discharge!" The light blue electricity cloaked Geli again, like long hairs standing on end. Their crackling ramped up until it sounded like the chirping of a flock of birds, and in the blink of an eye they flashed out and several tongues of the lightning lampooned Sleipnir.

He shook his head, the jolt still tingling within him. "Sleipnir, use a Fire Blast..." He took a few deep breaths, then exhaled a huge gout of flame so hot and bright it took Anne's breath away. The blast burst into a linear star-like shape, reaching nearly to the sides of the arena. Sleipnir began to trot to a position near Anne's side of the field and wait for Hitler's next Pokemon, but the residual energy from Geli's Discharge prickled in his chest for a moment and shot down to his leg, causing it to seize up. Sleipnir stumbled and tripped, falling head first.

~While it's down!~ "Geli! Another Discharge!"

~Another...? It couldn't have survived Fire Blast, could it?~ And sure enough, Geli was back on her feet and bristling with sky blue electricity again. The light blue energy surged and bolted towards Sleipnir, lancing through him. He jumped into the air, legs twitching, but landed solidly. "Sleipnir, use Flame Charge if you can!"

"Dash," Sleipnir said, getting ready to sping forwards. ~Hope this'll be enough to put her out, he thought. Those electric attacks sting like a Beedrill.~ His fiery mane and tail blew out and sparkled, and as he reared up and charge forwards he was engulfed in a globe of fire. Geli started to slip away and dodge, but Sleipnir honed in and tackled her to the ground, the impact exploding into a ball of flame. This time, Geli stayed down.

Hitler tried to speak, but couldn't seem to put two words together. "...You have not yet seen the true power of the Third Reich's Pokemon. Watch as your gods and legends are turned against you! Regigigas: you have been chosen!"

~Regigigas? He can't be serious-~ Once again Anne was proved wrong, and after the beam of light snaked out out the ball, the Golem King was left standing in its place. ~Almost as tall as Kong...~ Her eyes climbed from its moss covered feet all the way up its white body and black stripes to the top of the yellow ridge in the middle of it torso. ~How did...?~

"Ingólfur?" Anne started, and realized Regigigas was speaking with its mind.

"No, I am your master now." Hitler stated. "Now attack with Strength!"

"Not immediately- I need a minute to warm up..." Hitler fumed, and Anne could almost see steam coming out of his ears.

~Wait, if it needs to warm up-~ "Sleipnir, use Poison Jab!" The Rapidash's horn glowed an eerie puple hue as he darted forwards, hooves pounding the arena dirt. As he stuck Regigigas, the Golem King flashed and glowed purple briefly.

"Have you warmed up now?" Hissed Hitler, jaw set diamond-hard. "If you have then use Crush Grip!" Regigigas lumbered towards Sleipnir like a freight train gathering a head of steam. Sleipnir began to run away, but a few leftover volts of Geli's Discharge spread through his front legs, temporarily paralyzing him. The giant arrived, casting a shadow over Sleipnir like a thunderstorm. It reached down and gripped the Fire Horse, three-fingered hands glowing yellow-orange. Pulses of the energy went out from them and covered Sleipnir, who struggled in vain to break free of the attack.

"RA! Rapidash!" ~Anne! Do something, quick!

~I- I can't switch him out just yet, I still need him. I...~ Mercifully, Regigigas released its grip on Sleipnir. ~Oh, one more attack. Then I'll switch him.~ "Sleipnir, could you manage a Mega Horn? You've been doing great so far."

"Dash, ra." ~If I don't trip again, yeah... Sleipnir inhaled deeply and his horn glowed white and lengthened. He exhaled and ran at Regigigas, leaping up and rammed into it, pushing Regigigas back a couple feet.

~There!~ "Good work, Sleipnir! Return!" He looked back at Anne a little surprised, but didn't run from the recall beam. ~Regigigas should just know physical attacks, so...~ "I choose you, Gabriel!" The Shedinja hovered around in a circle, then floated close to Anne. ~Gabriel's good with physical attacks... what was one of the ones he suddenly learned the other day...?~ "Could you use X Scissor for me?"

Gabriel dipped forwards, which passed as a nod from it. It glided downfield towards Regigigas, but the giant was already coming at it. The Golem King attacked with Strength, but the titanic punch did absolutely nothing. Unfazed, Gabriel used X Scissor. Two thin blades of whitish-blue energy appeared and crossed as they slashed Regigigas.

"Keep using Strength, Regigigas!" Hitler couldn't see Gabriel, but assumed Regigigas' attack had been effective.

"And keep using X Scissor, Gabriel!" Another huge punch was thrown by Regigigas, still completely ineffective. Gabriel retaliated with X Scissor. Regigigas flashed a ghostly purple, and exhaled a shaky breath. The pattern of dots on its mid-body ridge glowed a dull blue.

"You've done well, young girl-"

~What?~ Htiler raged, overhearing Regigigas' thought to Anne. "Strength, Regigigas! Strength!"

"It won't effect her Pokemon..."

"That does not matter! You will crush it!" Reigigigas sighed and used Strength again, with its predicted results. It flinched slightly when hit with X Scissor, and again flashed a pale purple. Without waiting for Hitler to order another attack, Regigigas used Strength again to no effect and was hit by another X Scissor. Once more the giant flashed a spectral violet and attempted a massive punch, to have Gabriel not even move and counter with X Scissor.

Like a light switch flipping on, Anne realized what she was doing. ~So many people... the Americans, Churchill and the British, the Soviets... and I'm the one here facing Adolf Hitler. For my family, all the Jews- everyone- I have to win this!~

Hitler finally seemed to understand Regigigas would not be able to defeat Gabriel. His arms trembled as they rose to his waist, as he shook his head. He pointed to Anne and screamed. "Giga... Impact!" Regigigas held out its arm, and streaks of orange energy started spiraling from the yellow band on its wrist; a sphere of a purple force fading in behind it and growing over Regigigas. It pulled back its arm and then launched forwards with the last of its power, crashing into Gabriel. ~How is this possible?~

Gabriel hovered unmoved. Anne watched Regigigas throb a transparent purple, the poison reaching critical levels. She lifter her chin up and addressed the commander of the Third Reich: "I'm not afraid to keep on living, Hitler." ~Though it gets harder every day here... and now for the second attack Gabriel mysteriously learned.~ "Gabriel, Giga Impact!" The Shedinja's halo shone with a harsh light, and began to revolve. The revolutions drew in orange energy that crackled and sizzled until it streaked off and spiraled around Gabriel, who was glowing with a majestic purple energy that seemed to come from inside him. It expanded and Gabriel flew at Regigigas, knocking the Golem King into the dust at Hitler's feet.

Adolf Hitler felt the sunlight hot on his skin, almost burning it. The heat rose to his head, starting to cloud his vision red. ~My whole adult life, I have struggled to build an Aryan paradise... This- this...~ "...Mewtwo, come out to observe; Xenio, you have been chosen!"

~Two at once? And Xenio doesn't exist, it's just fairytale parents use to scare their children.~ Appearing at Hitler's right was a tall humanoid creature with tight grayish-purple skin and a long purple tail. It had a feline skull shape and stubby ears like a giraffe's horns, and piercing amethyst eyes. ~So that must be Mewtwo, and... that...~ And again, Anne was shown to be wrong. Floating in front of Hitler was an ivory face mask with three thorn-like horns and a pointed nose, and dark sideways arches around its eyes. Flame-like shadows shifted around behind the mask. Its small black body had thin arms with bony ivory hands and four white rib shaped markings, and trailed off into smoke. ~How has he captured all these Pokemon?~

Xenio grinned. ~The energy here is fantastic! There's enough here to last for months! And from Hitler, especially. I could feed off him and not go hungry for the rest of my life.~

"Xenio, you shall attack with Dark Pulse!"

~Gladly.~ Drawing on the negative emotions of Hitler and Anne, a gyroscope of dark purple energy spun about Xenio, then burst out at Gabriel. Instantly, Anne's Pokemon fainted.

~Gah- that happens to him sometimes... he's either invincible or not...~ "Return, Gabriel. Come on out, Jericho!" Her Umbreon pranced forwards, the golden rings on his forehead and legs glowing briefly. "This... is going to be tough, Jericho. Use whichever attack you want to first."

"Umbre." ~If you say so, Jericho said. ~Hmm... Feint A- ugh, that stare!- yes, Feint Attack.~ Jericho zig-zagged towards Xenio, but he could feel Xenio's stare on him, and looked into its eyes. The beady red orbs glowed, and Jericho was distracted by Xenio waving its skeletal hands. Oddly, they had a calming effect on Jericho. He then realized what was happening and shook his head to clear it, but Xenio's Hypnosis overwhelmed him and he fell over, sound asleep.

~Now to exact a small measure of revenge.~ "Nightmare, Xenio!" Hovering above Jericho, Xenio held its hands over him and blurry streaks of shadow flowed from its palms and wound around the slumbering Pokemon.

Xenio floated back and prepared to feed off its work. ~Sleep tight, little Umbreon.~ It looked up to Anne, sensing a few wisps of fear from her direction, and smiled.

~Jericho felt the powerful electric shock of the fence, and reeled backwards. "No! I saw him turn the switch off!" He turned around to start looking for another way out of the lab, when he saw the man in the white coat. "No! Please, let me go!" The man replied in an echoing jumble of a voice, and then laughed. Inexplicably, he used Dark Pulse, and quickly stuffed the defenseless Jericho into a rough bag. A few moments later he was dumped onto a table, in a brightly lit room filled with other Eevee. The fear of being back in the experimentation room shocked Jericho to the core. "You have to let me go! Please!" But the man in the white coat laughed again, and picked up Jericho. Feeling the heat from the awful tub on his back, Jericho struggled against the man's grip and bit him. The white coated villain dropped Jericho, who ran around and jumped at his back with all his strength, knocking the man into the tub of metal coating. Jericho ran out of the room fast as he could, finding himself-~

-On his side in the arena, Xenio floating a couple feet away. Anne heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing Jericho open his eyes. "Jericho, go for Bite!" The Umbreon sprang up, and before Xenio could glide away it took a hard Bite to its shoulder.

~That mongrel should be weak enough to finish off, now.~ Hitler jabbed his finger at Jericho. "Xenio, attack now with Shadow Puppets!"

A dry laugh like dead leaves rustling in the wind escaped Xenio's mouth, and it waved its hands and fingers as if conducting a symphony or controlling marionettes. A swarm of shadows crowded around Jericho and took form; one shaped like Anne leaned in and slashed him. ~Gh- But, but she's-~

~What's going on?~ "Jericho, try Bite again!" Jericho heard and jumped towards Xenio, and he sailed through thin air as it vanished and reappeared beside Hitler and Mewtwo.

Hitler nodded, pleased with the work of Xenio. "Now attack with Dark Pulse again. Go!" But Xenio stayed, a wicked grin on its face.

"I won't need to attack him," Xenio spoke into Hitler's mind. "My Shadow Puppets alone would finish him; I want to watch from here and enjoy this."

"That was an order!"

"One I will not obey."

"No! That was an ORDER!"

"I'm not moving." ~How did I survive without you, Adolf Hitler?~ Xenio laughed again, drinking in the fierce aura of Hitler's rage.

Meanwhile, Mewtwo was observing Jericho. He had just jumped into the barbed wire arena fence, having been ordered to use Bite again. He stumbled away back towards the arena's center. A shadow in the shape of a man with a lab coat threw a large vial at Jericho, a dark "liquid" splashing on him. Jericho closed his eyes a dropped down, scared unconscious. A solid and inscrutable expression on its face, Mewtwo's young but astoundingly advanced mind began forming its opinions of humanity.

~Just Sleipnir and Calypso left... how can I win against that- those monsters?~ "Sleipnir, your turn again..." The beam of light squiggled from the Pokemon ball and left Sleipnir next to Anne. ~I'll try a physical attack first. Here we go-~ "Sleipnir, use Mega Horn!" His horn glowing, Sleipnir raced to his top speed and rammed into Xenio. The massive attack came unexpected, and Xenio fainted clean away. ~Yes...?~ "Yes! You did it, Sleipnir!" Anne bounced up and down clapping for a moment.

~To the last Pokemon on my team...~ Hitler's fury amplified, until it morphed into a headache. "Mewtwo... step forwards and show them your power."

Mewtwo glanced down to Hitler, then walked forwards into the battle area. "I will act twice, and this will all be over." It spoke using telepathy to everyone watching: the film crew, the radio broadcast team, Hitler, Sleipnir and Anne. Using telekinesis, it moved the unconscious bodies of Regigigas and Xenio out of the battle area and behind Hitler.

~How many Pokemon does he have left? I was allowed all seven of mine...~ "Just use Mega Horn again, Sleipnir..." Sleipnir lowered his head and his horn grew slightly and glowed; he started to run forwards. But once again the electricity that lingered in him from Geli's Discharge attack sparked in his legs, causing them to seize up. He toppled over and hit the dust of the arena floor.

Purple shockwaves radiated from Mewtwo, sucking in all the light except from Sleipnir and itself. As they touched Sleipnir they broke up into globes of purple energy and floated up around Sleipnir. Mewtwo raised its arm, and the spheres crashed into Sleipnir in a kaledoscopic burst of force. The sunlight rushed in and flooded the arena, brighter than before.

~Just Calypso now...~ "You did your best Sleipnir, come back. Calypso... it's up to you now. You can do it!" Appearing in front of Anne, there was a very determined look on Calypso's face as she took a ready stance.

~She does have a decent bit of power.~ Mewtwo thought, about Calypso. ~But that will not matter, I still have my second act.~ "Join me, Hitler. You will want to be close up for this."

~What? He doesn't have to stay in the trainer area?~ Anne saw Hitler looked slightly confused too, though he did walk up to stand next to Mewtwo. As he came to the Pokemon's side they shared a glance before staring at Anne.

"War! Tortle war!" ~Hey! Get him off the field! Calypso said, to Mewtwo. In private, it telepathically sent a thought to her, that Calypso didn't quite seem to understand.

Anne opened her mouth to speak, but Mewtwo used telekinesis to stop her. "Think back over all this day, and your whole life, before you speak again." And then, it took a step back and used its psychic powers to force Hitler to his knees. It raised its left arm, and a stream of strange images washed through Anne's mind. She saw her own memories slip away towards Hitler, and realized the ones she was receiving were his. After a few intense moments the deluge stopped.

~"...before you speak again..."~ "It's a-" Scenes from Hitler's memories bubbled up to the fore of Anne's mind, of his childhood. "I, we-" Still more surfaced, of his military service, then a few of his rise to power. ~How can I say this?~ Anne thought, tearing up. At each angle, Anne's rant was deflected with a memory of Hitler's life, and a contrasting one of her own. She looked down at Hitler, and with a shock saw tears running down his face. Finally, Anne took a deep breath. "We... we're all children of God... if you let my people live freely, you'll be forgiven..." Anne swallowed and took another deep breath. "And we're- we're already free... there's nothing you can do to change that."

Mewtwo nodded, and walked over to stand beside Calypso. It raised it left arm, and Hitler rose into the air, limbs splayed. "Put me down, Mewtwo! Wh- what are you doing?"

Mewtwo looked from Calypso, to Anne, and finally Hitler before answering. "I'm about to make you immortal."

-EPILOGUE-

Anne dreamily gazed into his eyes, almost unaware of where she was. They had found each other again, in spite of or perhaps because of everything that had happened. Burdens had been lifted, dreams rebuilt, friends reunited. Since Anne had been a young girl, she'd hoped for this moment. He gently squeezed her hand, and Anne heard someone standing next to them say,

"-Or worse, until the end of time?"

Anne said the words she had been longing to say all day: "I do."