Chapter VIII: Broken
October 1, 2061 6:17 a.m.
"Ow!"
Ash's Bayleef sat on top of him, smiling happily while is mother and Professor Oak laughed in the lab behind her. (You're back! You're finally back!)
A pained smile twitched on his face. Besides her, he could swear he was seeing stars. "Augh…glad to see you too, Bayleef…now, could you get off? You're crushing me…"
(Huh?) She said, looking down at the rest of him, realizing that most of her was indeed on top of him. Next to them, Bolt had his mouth covered, with small squeaks of laughter escaping every second or so.
"It's not funny, Bolt…Bayleef, can you get off already?"
(…sorry.) She said meekly before raising herself off of him and stepping aside so he could get up…
…
She swung her great neck around, spraying a dangerous Razor Leaf attack at them with barbed, black leaves that looked more like arrowheads.
Black energy trails hung in the sir behind where they had shot, such as just over Shadow's head when he dodged and in the place where Ash's neck was at one time.
BAAAAAUUGH!
(Tch!)
Shadow grunted heavily as he flipped back, experiencing a beating from the force of small black energy waves that exploded form her front legs just as she stomped into the ground where he once was after charging. Again, she drove her front legs into the ground, this time, screaming up into the air as the ground split under her.
Lines of cracked and quickly churning soil shot towards Light and Shadow. With a great whipping sound, gigantic spiked roots ripped up from the ground along the ruined ground.
Frenzy Plant!
The Master dove through a loop in the root, flipping from his hands to his feet and then swinging viciously at…
…his own Bayleef with the Lightning Blade…
Air caught in his lungs as he slid at the last moment, smashing the electrical saber into her front legs rather than her head. Rips tore in the padded vest he wore where the thorns came up from underneath.
Previously unseen roots ripped up from the ground, expelling chunks of rock and soil into the air. Some large, thorned roots rose from the ground in front of her like a defensive shield as she screeched; sounding more like an Ethereal than the Bayleef she actually was…
"Why'd you slide? You could've killed it right there!" Shadow yelled as he charged electricity through his body, ready to do the job Ash didn't do there.
(You obviously don't get it, Shadow…that was a dear friend of mine and his.) Bolt said beside him, having been restraining himself from using more powerful attacks thus far.
(…Oh.)
…
"How do you like it when we're the ones shooting you, huh?"
"Shut up and shoot." Sentinel said to the boy in the tattered clothing next to him who was firing off random pot shots from behind the overturned truck they had hidden behind. Short beams streaked from the edge of the truck, some hitting the concrete barrier that Jenny and a few other armed citizens had hidden behind on the other side of the narrow roadway, firing over the top of it.
"Keep hiding, ya army fucks!" A Rocket's voice yelled.
Jenny got up on her knees and let off a long burst of lasers from her rifle. A sound like squelching pulp filled the air, followed by a thump. "What was that?"
"This range is too close…" Sentinel muttered as he folded his scope to the rifle's side. He edged to the side of the truck, flipping up the hard plastic back sight on his gun…
AAAIIIIEEEE!
Sentinel froze in place, looking up in awe at the combined legendary birds flying by overhead, launching waves of cold and heat through him. For the moment that it came his radio had begun to buzz randomly before descending into constant static.
The lasers weren't coming anymore.
"Fuck!" He heard one of the Rockets yell, fiddling with some sort of metal device. Raising his eyebrows, sentinel looked over the top of the truck to see all four of the remaining Rocket grunts pounding on or checking the power cells on their AK-159s. The guns seemed to be sparking.
"First off, what the hell was that? And second, it busted my gun!" The boy next to sentinel scowled as he dropped his sparking gun. Looking to the other side of the street, Sentinel could see Jenny and the rest of them angrily trying to fix their malfunctioning weapons as well.
It's broken all electrical devices…
Unlike everyone else, Sentinel's rifle was not sparking. For that matter, it wasn't electricity powered, so…
Sentinel smirked as he rose up from behind the truck and walked right into the middle of the street, aiming the sigths of his rifle at one of the Rockets.
The Rocket froze as he saw the sniper, gulping. "That thing's…a normal sniper rifle…?"
"Yep."
"So that means…"
"Congratulations. You're now fucked."
The lead ripped through the Rocket's light forehead, blowing off his cap in the process. With no time to waste Sentinel pulled out his 1911 and blew the brains out another grunt that was turning to escape. As for the last one, he tripped over himself as he tried to get up, allowing Sentinel to run up and lock his arm around his neck.
"Gaahk…AAghk!" The Rocket choked as he felt pieces of his gut get blown out of him from behind. Whistling, Sentinel let the body drop to the ground. As blood formed a puddle under it, Jenny and the rest of the group approached.
"Great. Our guns are busted."
"You can use my 1911 if you want."
Jenny looked taken aback by the antique weapon in Sentinel's grasp. In this time, a firearm with wooden furniture was ridiculous, after all. It would normally burn from the heat caused by lasers.
"…Are you going to stare or take it?"
"Oh, sorry." Jenny said hurriedly, grabbing the pistol as the buzz of helicopter rotors sounded overhead.
…
Archer lined up two Rockets running below and fired. While the bullet blasted apart the first man's skull, the second ended up getting hit directly in the heart. As he fell down scrambling with a pale face, the bullet exploded within him, blasting off his entire left arm. Several tattered-looking civilians ran from the office building-turned prison, with some taking up the weapons of the many Rockets littered on the ground who had become the unfortunate victims of the old man.
Black helicopters had begun to descend on the city, each instantly recognized by the red 'R' they sported on their sides. Each, however, went nowhere near the airspace of the Zapmolcuno…
The blue and grey vest of a Kanto soldier blackened under the fireball it was under, along with the rest of the man's flying body. A single, massive Thunderbolt blasted down from the sky and into the Zapdos side's beak, concentrating. With a roar of energy, electricity blasted from its mouth and ripped the road apart in front of them as they took off again.
A massive fireball from the Moltres's beak absolutely destroyed the intersection below it. The street ripped up to expose the sewer running underneath, experiencing the same scorching temperature unleashed by the blast.
"RUN, DAMMIT! RU-!" A Kanto soldier yelled, cut off by the wave of cold that instantly froze him and three others, including a Typhlosion. Screeching triumphantly, the Zapmolcuno soared high into the air and hovered, all three of its heads touching their beaks.
A fiery sphere formed, then an icy sphere and finally another of bright yellow electricity, circling in front of their beaks. In unison, they all screamed before launching the Tri Attack down at the road.
Even Archer could feel the building he was on rumble. Ripples of dust and other debris flew through the air around the massive blast. Ripping, crushing, the tearing of concrete all went through the air, accompanied by the faint sound of several voices screaming in terror…
Black and grey smoke rose from the crumpled buildings. Fire plumed in the mushroom cloud; massive surges of static sprang up and struck into the air from the blast site; a cool mist hung over the annihilation.
Some of the bodies were covered in frost, while others twitched erratically as electricity ran through their nerves. Near the blast site itself only blackened skeletons remained. The entire block that the Zapmolcuno flew above was obliterated.
Holy…
Archer stared, dumbstruck at the extent of chaos that the birds just unleashed. After a few moments, he grasped his rifle and breathed out heavily.
"…I gotta take out that damn thing before it kills everyone…" He whispered to himself as he adjusted his scope again while explosions went off in the distance. This time, he centered the crosshairs of his scope over the legendary bird hybrid….
A flash exploded on the Articuno's side, causing it to screech as blood dripped down from the massive wound on its wing. Being that it was on the joint, Archer was sure that it could no longer fly as it began to go into an uneven dive at the ground, crashing its Zapdos side into a row of buildings that crumbled with blasts of static…
Another explosion at the base of its opposite wing made both the Zapdos and Moltres parts scream as the entire creature slammed into the ground while the buildings that had been stricken collapsed behind, leaving a mist of dust in the air that was accompanied by the shouts and screams of many of the combatants on the ground.
…
(Ash, this is taking too long! We have to go and stop the birds before they destroy the army!) Bolt yelled while sending another shot of electricity at Bayleef.
Ash jumped high to avoid her barbed Vine Whip. Again, despite all he wanted to, he couldn't recognize the creature…
The gentle eyes he had known had become cold black. The once beautiful, lively green appearance of her leaves had withered to only remind him of death and poison. The aroma he remembered was replaced by the spines that came from her leaves and vines.
…
(Wow master! You're so strong now!) She sang as the goliath stone suddenly split into four pieces and tumbled to the ground behind him.
Ash smiled and reabsorbed the Lightning Blade. "We've all changed. Bolt can probably power an entire block for a full week by now, Fyron can breathe flame that's at least one thousand degrees, and I'm sure you've probably grown too."
Bayleef nodded happily as she let loose one of her vines from her neck. Ash watched closely as the head of the vine touched the ground…
A large, velvet red rose shot up from the ground, magnificently flaring its leaves as it continued to grow until it was almost two feet tall. Its stem grew thick and strong, its thorns were like needles. Ash kneeled down as Bayleef retracted her vine, awaiting his thoughts on what she had done.
Would he be impressed?
Ash got back to his feet as the rose below him shined with a pinkish aura. The first expression of his that met her eager eyes was a proud smile.
"…Amazing, to say the least."
…
A bright white from Light's overlapping paws exploded against Bayleef's neck, causing her to stumble back with a pained roar…
(AH!) Light cried out as a root ripped up from the ground as slammed into her side, ripping several small cuts into her skin form the tiny spikes on the root.
Shadow felt his paw get scratched up by the root as he flipped off it with the one paw after narrowly dodging another Razor Leaf when the Bayleef-mutant recovered.
Shadow growled as more barbed Razor Leaves swept past him. "ASH! Forget about her, we have to stop the Zapmolcuno!"
"…fine."
Ash jumped back to avoid another powerful Vine Whip that tore open a wide cut into the soil…
Shadow sighed. Was that a tear in Ash's eye?
He brought his Lightning Blade to his hip, concentrating solely on the mutant.
She swung her head around again, producing the same, unnatural screech as dark leaves shot from the two large one on her head…
Bolt lifted an arm to his eyes as dirt exploded upward in front of him, followed by the powerful sound of thunder. The mutant cried out before Shadow felt a wave of static blast across his body.
Electricity ran across the ruined ground like currents through copper wire.
Ash stood at the edge of the pit in the ground, looking down into it. Sparks and trails of static were running up from the hole, while distorted cries emanated out.
The mutated Bayleef lay on her left side, twitching erratically on the cold metal floor of the lab. Electricity travelled in waves across her body, with a noticeably blackened streak of skin on her chest.
Bloody tears ran down her face…
…
Bolt chuckled at Ash's feet. (Again?)
Ash coughed from the sudden pressure on his chest. Though disoriented, he could see the shining face of his Bayleef smiling down at him.
He returned a weak one. "…Ow…Bayleef, why do you always have to tackle me? You're not as small as you were five years ago."
(It's just a habit. Besides, what else could I do? I can't stand on two legs and hug you!) She chimed with a silly tone.
"Augh…I know…I appreciate your thoughts, though." He said as she backed up to allow him to rise. Dusting himself off, he patted the top of her light yellow head. She hummed softly at the feeling of his warm touch.
(So what brings you out here exactly?)
(You should know, after all you fought in about six gym battles before he sent you here.) Bolt said to her as Ash drew out a Pokéball marked with a green leaf sticker from his belt and held it to eye level with her.
(And you're back…so that means you have ALL the badges…)
The response was immediate; the spicy scent from her leaf became stronger as she cooed happily. (So that means that you want me to go to the league with you guys?)
"It wasn't hard to choose, after all. You gave your heart out during all those gym battles, and I think you deserve a chance like everyone else that's going."
(…Then I won't let you or anyone on the team down. No matter the challenge, I'll be strong for you, master!) She sang confidently.
"We'll all be strong." Ash said as a red beam shot from the ball he held, decoding her into red data that zapped back into the sphere. With a bound, Bolt caught onto Ash's left shoulder and swung around to grab onto the back of his head. With a click, the Pokéball snapped back onto its latch on Ash's belt.
Bolt smirked. (In all the years I've known you I can say now that you are definitely going to be a master, and soon. I know you're going to win the championship this time!)
The sunlight reflected off Ash's brown eyes like a mirror as he reached up and scratched Bolt behind the ears. "You and all the others like Lotus here have taught me a lot throughout my time as a trainer, Bolt. It's only because of all of you that I've come this far…the championship belongs to all of us."
"We've faced dangers no other trainer and Pokémon has ever faced. We were all able to do it because we were united. We all share a bond that can't be destroyed…you, me, Lotus…we're always going to have each other to help us in our darkest hours. No matter what, we'll always save one another."
…
"…Just hold on, Lotus…I'll fix you somehow." Ash whispered as the mutant's body stopped twitching. Her chest was rising and falling slowly, with soft, twisted sobs being heard from her mouth.
Shadow and Light stared down into the hole, demonstrating different expressions. Shadow seemed more solemn, his dull eyes showing a sorrow for her within, but outwardly he seemed almost unmoved. Light, on the other hand, carried a frown and a softer gaze at the Bayleef, as if she were thinking of some way to try and help.
"…C'mon. We have to stop Zapmolcuno!" Ash yelled before turning and jumping up onto the adjacent house's rooftop, followed closely by Bolt.
Sighing, Shadow turned around to follow them, walking a few steps before stopping and looking back towards his dear friend, staring down sadly into the hole.
This really would affect someone as sensitive as her.
He stared into the ground, his silence allowing the sounds of the distant battle to overtake him. Shaking his head, he walked to his friend's side with a troubling feeling that seemed to have come from his friend next to him.
(…Do you think you could maybe do something for her, Light?)
(…I don't know, Shadow…I would've helped by now if I knew I could, but…)
(…Just look at her.)
That alone was proof that she was just too far lost.
The black coloration of her leaves, the spines that ringed those leaves, and the poisonous look of her body in general…
The best he could think of it was likely a rose having been turned into nightshade.
"Shadow, Light! Are you coming or not?" Ash yelled from the nearby rooftop.
...There had to be some way.
(…We'll fix her somehow. I know it...you were able to help bail me out of Team Rocket. Together we escaped from them. Hell, Light, we beat Marxus! If you were able to do all that, I'm sure that you could be able to save her.)
Light looked from him to the Bayleef below…
Well, she had been able to get him out of Team Rocket…
They had beaten the odds and escaped their evil clutches. Together they had found sanctuary in the forest, and together they had beaten Marxus…
Together.
(…Okay.) She replied optimistically as Shadow dashed toward the small house Ash and Bolt were on top of, followed closely by Light. Nodding, Ash turned and leapt far onto the next rooftop, looking far ahead for the Zapmolcuno. Both Pikachu and Light followed closely, all with a dreary feeling among them now…
…And when they had gone two blocks away, Shadow heard another sad, agonized roar trailing off behind them…
…
(Flyer!)
Misty looked up to the black helicopter that was flying in from the tree line, noting that its minigun was beginning to spin up. "Sollus, Novus! Follow me!"
The Umbreon and an Espeon dashed out from behind a chunk of concrete from the side of a building and gave chase after Misty. Heat waves constantly beat down on Sollus's tail, along with chunks of gravel as the rapid streams of lasers tore up the ground just a few feet behind them.
The Espeon looked over his shoulder as a roar went out from the helicopter's right side when a one of its many missiles blasted out from its launcher and corkscrewed like a massive bullet at them.
"Novus, you know what to do!"
He forked sharply away from Sollus, his deep blue eyes catching sight of the missile and staying on it…
A bright magenta aura surrounded the missile just as it was going to hit the ground behind Sollus, veering upward at a sharp angle and nosing over to speed back towards the helicopter.
Shrapnel flew past Misty with the boom of the missile exploding in the cockpit. The scent of burning fuel and metal wafted through the air as small orange sparks drifted from the apartment building that was burning to their right.
All of them flinched as the sound of a massive explosion boomed through their ears, followed by the whistle of debris coming down on them from afar. Small bits of smoking rock scattered all around, coming down like an earthly hail.
Then a powerful screech.
Misty fell to her knees, clapping her hand over her ears while keeping only one eye wide open, teeth grinding against each other. Another deafening explosion rang through the air. Waves of heat pressed down on them.
(What is this?) Novus yelled as more small rocks pelted them from above. Suddenly, Misty's radio began to buzz loudly at her ear before descending into static.
…
"God…damn!" Archer whispered, the lines in his forehead creasing as much as the buildings that were being obliterated in the path of the bird monster.
The Moltres head unleashed massive, yellow shots of flame from its gaping beak that literally lifted half of a department store off its midsection from the force of the explosion, letting its top smash into the road below and brutally crushing a number of unfortunate individuals who had been running for their lives.
The Articuno head screeched angrily as white-hot flame jetted across its icy blue neck from the mouth of a particularly large Charizard; the lone challenger who had dared to show itself to them.
"That's probably Ash's…ol' dragon's powerful, but I'm sure that he'll need some help if he wants to kill somethin' like THAT…and help's on the way."
Massive blasts of lightning shot down from the billowing black clouds overhead and into the Zapdos head's beak, illuminating it like a massive cone-shaped lamp before surging out of its beak in a beam.
The dragon barrel rolled out of the way and roared, blasting the Zapdos head with its mighty flames…
The Moltres head pecked the air above its head, catching a hold of an orange-tipped, black bullet by its edge.
What the fuck?
"Grr…" Archer growled as he leveled his scope over the monster's midsection, but then he was forced to readjust as the fused birds suddenly took off into the sky, leaving the Charizard behind in on the burning road…
…and leveled off to speed in towards the office building he was on top of.
"Dammit!" He snarled, rapidly pumping the trigger of his rifle. Indeed, he could hear the birds screaming madly as the bullets exploded onto the Thunder Shield that the Zapdos side had conjured up in front of the charging bird. Shards of the bullets that had been able to penetrate the electric shield did actually rip fiendish wounds into their combined abdomen, causing a faint red mist to hang behind them along with the yellow, orange and light blue of their elements.
Archer reached into his pack and quickly scrounged through it. His fingers wrapped around a coiled, cold rope…
"Move, Archer, move!" He yelled at himself, jumping away from the pack as a bright, blue beam instantly encased the bag and the surrounding concrete in ice. Ignoring an ache in his left leg, he leapt over the air vents that ran over the top of the roof slid to a stop at the railing on the other side of where he had been. Chattering to himself through his bushy mustache, he slipped the metal rope's D-ring around the rail and attached it back onto the rope, clipping another D-ring onto the other end of the rope. He slipped two digits through that ring and made sure he had a tight hold on the rope...
A rumble went through the building with a sound like a bass drum beating. The air had mingled into waves of freezing cold and extreme heat. His earpiece had broken into static…
"…"
The old man's head, along with his body, turned around with his rifle in one hand and the rope in the other to see the chimera of birds standing on the opposite side of the building, each of the legendary bird's heads glaring at him with their individual, lit eyes.
Archer stood completely still, his face showing no fear; in his head, he was counting the seconds that went by with him staring back unwaveringly. His left leg brushed against the railing as his strong, wrinkled hand gripped tightly onto the rope…
C'mon, jump old man!
"…SAIYONARA!" Archer suddenly yelled out as he jumped over the edge of the building, followed closely by a combined blast of bright yellow flame, blue electricity and freezing ice.
At that moment he was reminded of why he didn't like doing this; not only because of the fact that his age wasn't helping much, but also because of the fact that if the rope above caught on something and snapped, he would be plunged into quite a humiliating death.
He swung forward, slamming his metal toe boots onto the hard brick. Twinges of pain ran up his legs as he pushed off, grunting heavily as he rappelled down at least ten stories lower before smacking his feet onto the wall again. Blood vessels poked up from his arms, grasping onto the rope for dear life.
"Let's go, dammit!" He ordered himself as he pushed off again, falling another five stories before feeling the rope jerk and swing him forward once more. Thinking quickly, he raised his feet up to the window he was about to slam into, identifying three figures within…
"Hey, shouldn't we be out there dealing with those Kanto Army guys?"
"Fuck that, I'm not going out there while that Moltres…Articuno…Zapdos…whatever, is out there."
"Eh…agree-!" The Rocket grunt by the window said, cut off by the shards of glass spraying around him as Archer's heavy boots cracked his skull on impact. The other two yelled and fell back in surprised as the sniper rolled to recover, tearing his leather pistol holster as he yanked the gun out.
His trigger finger, one again, did not fail him. Four quick squeezes on the trigger blasted pieces of muscle tissue out of the grunt to his left, and the fifth blasted apart his pale face.
"Aagh!"
Cold metal punched through Archer's left arm. The other Rocket grunt, disoriented, had stabbed Archer. With another cry, the Rocket ripped the knife from Archer's arm and lunged for his heart.
"You're mine old man!"
"Fuck off, kid!" Archer yelled hoarsely, ramming his left shoulder into the grunt's right elbow just as it swung. Growling with adrenaline, Archer angrily seized his arm and twisted it around his own back, grinning as he heard the bone snap violently. As the Rocket screamed, the bloody knife clattered on the carpet.
Blood ran down Archer's left arm, dying the sleeve of his ghillie suit red. Archer kicked back into the back of the Rocket's knee, adding more to the excruciating pain he was feeling from his fractured arm. Spinning quickly to face him, Archer brutally smashed his pistol into the Rocket's face twice, cutting a wide scar into the side of his skull before kicking him onto his back.
"I'll teach ya to mess with a sniper's arm, ya little bitch!"
Archer grabbed the knife from the ground and stabbed the Rocket in the stomach, then he slashed open his rib cage. Archer then proceeded to start beating in the man's skull…
When Archer was this angry, nothing could've stopped him.
Sparks of light exited out of the side of Archer's pistol as he fired off four blasts into the body.
Breathing heavily, Archer dropped onto the floor, ripping open his ghillie suit arm to reveal the bloody wound beneath. Muttering to himself, he reached for his pack using his good arm.
"Ergh…how the hell am I gonna aim now…this is bullshit…"
He looked around himself; the building seemed empty. The only sounds were his periodic wincing as he wrapped large gauze around his arm, keeping it there with medical tape.
Sure, he couldn't exactly steady his gun now…
…Stop poutin'!
"What the fuck are you thinkin'…" He said to himself, "I can still be sniping! Just because my lower arm is useless doesn't mean I can't snipe…I still have my other fuckin' hand!"
…
The scent of smoke and blood was choking. One could barely see through the heavy gray and black that blew through the air.
Away from the massive flames, it felt very, very cold. Random sparks ran across the broken metal beams and foundations of buildings that had collapsed.
Shadow stopped on the blackened, cracked top of a burning hotel. (…Damn. Look at all this…)
(We have to remember, it's legends we're dealing with Shadow, and from what I can see…they're definitely angry about all this.) Light whispered softly.
"…There it is! On that skyscraper!" Ash called out, raising his finger towards the birds, circling over the abandoned tower they had been at earlier. Each head screeched angrily, blasting random, devastating blasts of their energy towards the earth below them.
A wave of dust blasted past, fanning the massive inferno below and around them even more. Sweat beaded below Shadow's fur as he closed his eyes and breathed out.
Focus…Namba's unleashed close to hell on everyone here. If we don't stop it then this entire city's going to end up like this area.
Ash grunted, hastily putting his finger to his mouth and whistling loudly.
A mighty dragon's roar responded.
The Charizard rose out from the adjacent street, his massive frame easily visible among the stacks of smoke that were brushed aside by his powerful wing beats. Winds pressed down on them as he braked in the air and hovered over the crooked rooftop.
"Fyron, I need you to get all four of us to where the birds are, and fast! We have to stop them."
Powerful, blue eyes examined Shadow and Light as Ash climbed up the Charizard. As Botl jumped up to his back, Fyron motioned his great skull.
Nodding somewhat nervously, Shadow walked to the dragon's side and jumped up, landing right onto his orange back. While Light climbed up, Shadow felt the warmth coming off of Fyron's body; hot to the touch, but cool enough to where he could still sit comfortably.
Bolt turned his head towards the two sitting behind him, keeping one paw on Ash's head. (You two better hold on to his back spikes. When he's trying to get somewhere as fast as he can, it can make for a pretty bumpy ride.)
Fyron roared once more as he ascended, prompting Shadow to grab onto the spike in front of him. Since there was no spike behind Shadow, Light grabbed onto his shoulders.
(Hold on!)
The broken, war-ridden city rushed beneath them; lasers and Pokémon attacks went by like a light show below. Puffs of black smoke rose like fog, punctuated by surges of flame and the sound of gunfire. The massive, domed Pokémon Center in front of the intersection of the main road with the city center rained lasers from its barricaded windows. Shadow felt Light's paws push down gently on his shoulders as Fyron twisted left to avoid a missile from below.
Shadow fixed his eyes on the Zapmolcuno as Fyron passed by it when it came circling round the building. Small patches of blood ran down the cream-colored chest of the Moltres. As it came around, the Zapdos head glared up at them with its glowing yellow eyes and screeched, inciting Fyron to roar back a challenge.
Light looked back past Fyron's flaming tail to see the Zapmolcuno wheeling around in pursuit. (It's following us!)
"Fyron, into that park! We'll fight it from there!" Ash commanded.
Wind flailed Shadow's yellow ears as they descended, and after a few seconds they came right above the tree line of a small, open park with blast holes everywhere. Parts of swing-sets tangled up to the right, while the remains of a large sandbox was occupied by a fallen tree.
Ash leapt off the dragon and spawned electricity on his right hand. Immediately, Bolt jumped off his shoulder and got on all fours as Shadow and Light jumped off Fyron. As soon as he felt them get off, Fyron flapped his great wings and got altitude over them as the Zapmolcuno dived in towards them.
(…Are you with me, Light?) Shadow said, an assuring smirk on his face. Smiling, she got on all fours as static crawled out from her cheeks. (As long as you are, Shadow.)
Bolt looked back towards them as the Moltres head opened its long beak and began to charge fire into it. (Here it comes!)
…
"Sollus, look out!"
The exhausted Umbreon used Double Team once more to evade black electricity that flew from him. But even as soon as the dark energy had raged past her, the dark Pokémon had somehow dropped back into the ground, visible only as a shadow racing towards her.
At this point, Novus had given up on actually trying to get the creature still; for some reason, the dark aura around him was preventing the Espeon from telepathically grabbing him…
The 'Chu exploded out in a hail of dark energy from under him, blasting Novus into the air. Spinning in the air off of Novus's body, he launched dark energy from his paws at both Misty and Sollus.
Misty grunted as she backflipped over the black missile and caught Novus as he came down with one hand while throwing one of her ice shuriken in an arc towards the 'chu. The Umbreon dashed right at the spear coming at here and caught it in her mouth, roaring s she returned it back at him.
He caught the spinning shuriken perfectly by its edge and spun it around his paw, perfectly deflecting the attack that Sollus had launched back at him. In Misty's hands, Novus shook out his head. (Urgh…that hurt…)
"And why shouldn't it? I've got a bit of a problem with you and her, after all."
Misty grimaced; was what she seeing true?
No…it couldn't be…
He flexed his paw and threw the ice shuriken back at her. Grunting, Misty caught it with her free hand and let Novus down gently, all while keeping an eye on him.
"…Xepher said that you were dead."
...
...
And so, a great battle is upon us...
Can they defeat the combined form of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno?
Tell me your thoughts thus far!