August 19, AL 13
11:32 AM
Ever Grande City grew closer as Rayquaza and the three trainers sped toward it. The clouds disappeared as Rayquaza came near them. Sun shone down, and they saw Drake and Glacia below them.
Glacia's Walrein shot an Ice Beam up at Rayquaza. Kyle threw his Shedinja out, and the Ice Beam stopped as the Wonder Guard flashed around it. Flamethrower came from Salamence and Rayquaza slid in front. Dragonbreath was blocked by Shedinja. Then the trainers felt their hair stand on end.
"He's using Thunderbolt!" warned Terra, "Go, Slash!" Slash left the Pokéball and fell toward Salamence. An enormous bolt shot out, but was grounded by Sandslash as she landed.
Rayquaza sped down; then stopped inches from the ground. The dying grass crackled as the trainers landed on it.
"Drake, it is time for this to end. Give up now and Rayquaza will not hurt you," threatened Steven.
"Well, not too badly," added Kyle.
"No, you do not understand," replied Drake, "I have uncovered secrets that make me invincible. You shall die."
Not if I kill you first. Rayquaza sped toward Drake. Drake spun and threw out a ball. Rayquaza laughed, he was not even hurt.
Then a flash, and Rayquaza was in the ball. It began rolling around in circles, but it stayed. Rayquaza was caught.
"I told you I could not be defeated. You see, in the plans we took from the Teams, I found blueprints for the Master Ball. As you can see, it worked." Drake cackled as he picked up the ball off the ground. "Go, Rayquaza!"
Rayquaza appeared from the Pokéball. No, I will not fight for you.
"But you must. Use Dragonbreath on Steven, now!"
I will not. Drake, I... NO. I don't want to... Ahhhhh...
A screech pierced the mind of everyone there. It sounded like a million voices all in pain, dragged into a torture chamber. Its intensity increased; then stopped like the door had been closed. Rayquaza turned toward Steven.
An inferno shot from Rayquaza's mouth. Steven disappeared as the twins jumped to the side. They looked back, and saw nothing but a pile of cinders. Rayquaza's tail swung to the side and caught Kyle. He flew back and over the edge of the cliff.
"No!" screamed Terra as she ran toward the edge. She looked over and saw Kyle on the beach, unmoving.
Just then, Phoebe walked out and saw Deoxys coming from behind Drake.
"What is that thing?" Phoebe pointed.
Drake turned to see the Pokémon floating toward him. "That... must be Deoxys. How did it get here?"
I felt the barriers around this place fall. Something powerful was captured, and I have come to take its place.
Drake stepped back in fear, the smiled. "You will be captured just as Rayquaza was! Go, Master Ball!"
The Master Ball sped toward Deoxys, but was stopped by Deoxys' Psychic. It hung in the air, trying to reach Deoxys but unable to move forward.
"Rayquaza, distract it! Use your Extremespeed to get its attention!"
Rayquaza flew down, but was deflected with another blast of Psychic before reaching Deoxys. The Master Ball moved closer, but still could not suck Deoxys in. Rayquaza came back, but this time Deoxys was ready and the ball only moved a few centimeters.
"Rayquaza, you are a legendary! How can this thing defeat you?"
Deoxys is like me, but not from here. It comes from a place not of this world. You have restrained me so I cannot use the powers you want.
Terra walked up to the Master Ball suspended in the air. She stared at it for a moment deciding what to do. She reached out to take it. Her hand was millimeters away when she stopped to ask, "Deoxys, why did you attack the Champions?"
I was only defending myself. They would have held me against my will as Rayquaza is held now. Do you see what has happened to him? That is what I would be. A tool in the hands of power-hungry trainer. Get rid of that ball, and I will help you defeat this man. Trust me.
"Fine." Terra grabbed the ball. She felt the pull toward Deoxys first disappear, and then Deoxys released his push.
She walked toward Deoxys with the Master Ball still in hand. "I want to believe you are good, but..."
Terra lifted the Master Ball and let go. Deoxys was less than a meter away, and the ball opened instantly. Deoxys disappeared in a flash of light.
"Now earn that trust! Go Deoxys!"
She threw the ball and Deoxys reappeared.
Stupid girl. I would have helped before. Now I must, but it is no longer my own cause.
"Let it be. If we win, you will be released. If he wins, I am sure he will never trust you no matter what you do."
I hope that you will hold to that. I can make myself useless to you if you try to break that promise.
Rayquaza was coming back. This time he spiraled forward to stop any simple deflection.
Deoxys reached over to the grass on the ground. It turned a violent shade of red. As Rayquaza came closer, it began to grow before their eyes. Just seconds later, everyone was hidden in the high grass. Rayquaza had nothing to hit.
"Burn it where they were! Just don't hit here!" yelled Drake as he jumped up to tell Rayquaza where not to burn.
The spot where Deoxys had been was incinerated, but Rayquaza found nothing. It flew up to be able to see them from above. Deoxys and Terra had moved next to Drake. Rayquaza told Drake, and he began to move away.
Deoxys saw that it would not last long, and fire from Rayquaza would not be stopped by Psychic.
Not here.
To Drake and the other Elites, it looked like Deoxys and Terra teleported away. But Rayquaza saw them move. They had gone into Victory Road.
I follow.
Rayquaza shot after them as the red grass withered. Drake ran as fast he could. He needed to see what would happen in the cave.
Glacia and Phoebe followed him. Their eyes were on the Master Ball that held Rayquaza.
In Victory Road, Deoxys turned a corner and found a Lairon. It charged toward him on sight, but he reached out with an arm. When it was touched, it slowed and a glazed look came over its eyes. It lay down, and its metal plate began growing. As Rayquaza turned to see it, the entire corridor had been sealed.
Deoxys let go as the shell turned red hot from the heat of Rayquaza's fire.
Terra followed Deoxys until they reached water.
Jump in. I'll catch up.
Terra leapt into the river and was quickly pulled toward a waterfall. She looked back to see Goldeen all around Deoxys, but they didn't seem to change like the Lairon.
Fire appeared. Rayquaza entered, but was quickly covered in water thrown up by Deoxys' Psychic. Rayquaza laughed. Water would not hurt him. He looked for Deoxys; then felt a shooting pain in his side. He turned to see a Goldeen with overgrown teeth stuck into his side. He bit it away, but then another came. He was surrounded by biting Goldeen. He shook, but they would not come off.
Deoxys came out of the water just as Terra was going over the waterfall. They flew out and went over to land. They saw Rayquaza pop out over the waterfall covered in Goldeen. He started banging against the walls, and they fainted and fell back into the water.
Ahead was a bridge. Deoxys ran forward and jumped off. Terra dove to the side to avoid Rayquaza as he followed.
Deoxys hid behind rocks and threw anything it could with Psychic. Rocks, water, and Pokémon flew at Rayquaza. It dodged them all, but could not keep up with Deoxys' meandering running below the bridge.
The Elites appeared behind Terra, and she began running across the bridge. She jumped forward to the end as a Hariyama with eight arms flew past.
Drake followed on the bridge but tripped on one of the logs making it up. As he got up, both Glacia and Phoebe grabbed at Rayquaza's ball. They reached it at the same time and tried to snap it off Drake's belt.
Thoughts from all three trainers hit Rayquaza, and it could not think. It began to flail. The bridge snapped as Rayquaza hit it. The Elites all tried to hold on even as they fell. Rocks fell from every wall as spasms shot through Rayquaza. A hole broke in the ceiling, and boulders crashed around the Elites. Rayquaza was hit by boulders it had knocked down and landed atop the Elites. All were covered by the landslide.
The rocks above Deoxys and Terra were tossed away by Deoxys as the scene began to clear. He reached into the pile with Psychic and pulled out the Pokéballs from Drake, Glacia, and Phoebe.
The Pokémon were saved by the Pokéballs, but the others are dead. And... He reached out with Psychic to the north. Your brother is dead, but I will bring you his Pokémon. Two Pokéballs came in through the hole in the cave and landed at Terra's feet. Now will you release me?
Terra shook her head, "I never knew how much pain being controlled by a trainer could cause you. I need your help, but I'll give you a choice."
Terra opened all the Pokéballs she had been given, including Deoxys' and her own.
"No Pokémon should be forced to stay with a trainer. Slash, Flygon, you'll stay with me, right?"
They nodded and rubbed up against Terra. Scyther and Angel came toward her as well.
"I will release all the Pokémon in the world. Those that want to stay with their trainers will stay, the others may leave."
Thank you, Rayquaza added, I will help. Nothing should be held as I was.
You will have my help, but then I shall return to my island, Deoxys gave his support.
The Pokémon and their friend rose out of the ruins of Victory Road to release all.
Next chapter is an epilogue!