Trainers, which is more important, power or speed?
a) Power
b) Speed
c) Both
"Morning, Lucas," Candice said, winking. Lucas sat up, finding himself in unfamiliar clothes and an unfamiliar environment.
"Where am I? Last I remember, I was following Dawn in the blizzard…"
"Relax, Lucas. This is Snowpoint Gym. I've been healing you since that accident."
"Really? Thanks. Where's Dawn?"
Candice froze up. She looked away, and started to tend to Barry.
"What happened to her?"
"Lucas… I…"
"Candice, deep breaths…" Lucas urged. Candice nodded, and took in some air.
"Lucas, I sent her to fight Team Galactic in Veilstone City." Candice blurted out. The second part of her sentence didn't need to be said. Lucas heard it loud and clear.
"She's in trouble! Where would they have taken her?"
"To the summit of Mount Coronet, Spear Pillar. I was lucky to learn this. You must hurry. Dawn hasn't got any time left."
The Pokémon opened its eyes. It turned its head, as if he had heard a noise. A deep hum began to emanate from the Pokémon.
"There is trouble on the mountaintop."
It jumped off of its resting place, and ran across Mount Coronet.
Lucas ran up the mountain as fast as humanly possible. When he arrived, he saw Dawn lying nearly unconscious on the cobblestone. Lucas ran up to her.
"Hold it, human scum!" a female voice roared out. Mars stepped out from behind a column, followed by Jupiter.
"If you think you're saving that dumb human, tough luck! She's Master Cyrus' sacrifice now. There's nothing you can do about it!"
Lucas held out one of his Poké Balls. The message was clear: I don't have time for you. Get out of my way now.
"Not a chance, boy. You're fighting two of us. Our defeat just isn't possible."
"Oh yeah, it is!" a male voice shouted from behind Lucas. Barry was ready for action.
"Two against one, huh? Well, how about two against two? This should get to be an awesome fight!"
"Perfectly fine, human. We don't care either way."
Lucas and Barry are challenged by Commander Mars and Commander Jupiter!
Commander Mars sent out BRONZOR!
Commander Jupiter sent out BRONZOR!
PKMN Trainer Barry sent out RAPIDASH!
Go! GABITE!
Gabite reared back, and shot out a massive Flamethrower. Rapidash stepped back, and shot out a Fire Blast. Gabite's target used a Confuse Ray on the Gabite. Rapidash's target was not so lucky.
Commander Jupiter sent out GOLBAT!
Golbat spread its wings, and used an Air Cutter. Gabite was the most affected, but he tried to use a Dragon Claw on the Golbat in revenge. He knocked himself out. Rapidash cleaned up the other Bronzor with a Fire Blast.
Commander Mars sent out GOLBAT!
Go! RAMPARDOS!
Rampardos gave a footstep that sounded like an Earthquake. Pieces of pillar tore from the surroundings, and formed a makeshift Rock Slide. Unfortunately, Rapidash was also taken down by the pillar chunks.
Commander Mars sent out HOUNDOOM!
Commander Jupiter sent out LUXRAY!
PKMN Trainer Barry sent out STARAPTOR!
Barry took a step back, and Rampardos nodded at the suggestion. Rather than Lucas' command to use Rock Slide, Rampardos elected to use Earthquake, which completely annihilated both of the opponent's Pokémon, and not a scratch on Staraptor.
"Works for me."
Commander Mars sent out PURUGLY!
Commander Jupiter sent out SKUNTANK!
Purugly decided she had had enough of Rampardos. With a Shadow Claw, and help from Skuntank's Night Slash, Rampardos was down. Staraptor charged in, using Take Down on the Skuntank.
Go! SNEASEL!
What? SNEASEL is evolving!
Time stood still, as the darkest light of night hit Sneasel's feathers. His body turned a darker blue, and his feathers a darker red. More feathers formed at Sneasel's head, making a 'crown'. Sneasel was getting darker.
Congratulations! Your SNEASEL evolved into WEAVILE!
Weavile grinned. A split second later, Purugly went down to a Brick Break. Skuntank paused to figure out what happened, to be taken down by Staraptor's Take Down.
Lucas and Barry defeated Commander Mars and Commander Jupiter!
"How can it be?"
"Us? Bested by human children?"
"Mars, Jupiter… you have failed me. Even now, your bodies have no more purpose. But there will be no punishment for this failure. The Red Chains are ready. You will be killed soon enough," Cyrus said, stepping out from behind a pillar.
"But Cyrus!"
"But nothing. You lose. You serve no purpose. Now learn your place." Cyrus bent to inspect Dawn. Lucas' eyes followed him, to notice two glowing red cuffs on Dawn's wrists. Both of which led into the nether ahead.
"Like it, huh, Lucas? Your girlfriend's spirit is being drained ahead of time. Her power, significant enough to defeat me in battle, is powering the Red Chain."
Dawn shivered. The Red Chains glowed brighter.
"They are ready. Dialga, master of time. Palkia, master of space. You are mine to command, as you rightfully should."
Two Pokémon appeared at Cyrus' word. A blue one coated in diamonds. A pink one with pearl armour.
Dialga and Palkia.
"Yes, my legions! Create your perfect world! A world without strife! A world without spirit!"
Three orbs descended from the skies. At first, Lucas thought of them as foe. Upon closer inspection, they were the lake guardians that Rowan had sent for them to study not long ago, perhaps even that day.
Uxie, the being of wisdom, entered Dawn's prone body. The Red Chains shuddered, but held.
Mesprit, the being of emotion, entered Barry's body. A soothing pink colour surrounded both him and Lucas, healing their Pokémon.
Azelf, the being of willpower, entered Lucas' body. Blue tendrils of energy crossed through the ground at Lucas' feet, coursing through to the beasts Dialga and Palkia.
"Pathetic. It takes the three of them to counter a single one of Dialga or Palkia. Not both. Their efforts were in vain. Dawn will not be freed. You cannot fight. You cannot win."
"You enrage me, mortal!"
A shadow appeared at the point Azelf's energies surrounded. A dark one, coursing with malice. Cyrus recoiled. Lucas, Barry and Dawn did not. The lake guardians appeared to not fear him.
The shadow expanded!
Two orbs, a diamond and a pearl, were where Dialga and Palkia were standing. The Red Chains had shattered into each individual link, and one of them had unlocked from Dawn's wrist. The other, the one on her left, remained. Lucas and Barry were alone, gazing down into a shadowy hole that had formed after the shadow's appearance.
"What do we do?" Lucas asked, his voice leaking with willpower.
"We go in, and slice them!" Barry's raw emotions burst forth.
"But Cyrus-" Dawn started knowledgeably, before pausing. "No, you're right. Our mortal carriers are more than Cyrus' match. And there is the matter of… it…"
The three friends, Lucas, Dawn and Barry, leaped into the abyss.
Another shadowy figure, a quadrupedal Pokémon, followed behind them, keeping them in sight, never being detected.
"I can't lose to you weaklings! Forming up with the Lake Guardians? Or, if you are the guardians, with mortals?"
It was our choice, unforgivable creature, Azelf called from within Lucas.
You were doomed when you messed with us! Mesprit called from within Barry.
Your options are lose to us or lose to it, Uxie called from within Dawn.
"I won't lose! Not to that shadowy Pokémon! Not in any worthless world!"
Lucas is challenged by Galactic Boss Cyrus!
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out HOUNDOOM!
Go! MILOTIC!
Milotic coiled about in a small circle, before unleashing a mighty Surf. Houndoom attempted to hold against it, but the attempt was doomed.
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out HONCHKROW!
Honchkrow charged in, and used a Drill Peck on the Milotic. Milotic held steady, and used an Ice Beam. The Honchkrow avoided the main force of the blow, taking some shards of crystal in damage. He used a Night Slash on Milotic, defeating her.
Go! Alfa!
Alfa stepped forward, spreading his legs wide. The Honchkrow gave a maniacal chuckle. Alfa charged forward, and used Close Combat.
"Not so funny now, soldier? Drop and give me twenty!"
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out WEAVILE!
"And… now it's not so funny to me."
Weavile's Ice Punch went straight for the gut.
Go! INFERNAPE!
Infernape charged directly at the Weavile. Weavile was poised to deflect the blow with a Night Slash.
"Infernape! Remember what you taught me!" A deep, earthy voice called to Infernape. Infernape checked his progress, and looked around.
"Remember, Turtwig! When a fast Pokémon charges at you, you have to remember you cannot hit it. Instead, aim for where it isn't."
"That doesn't make sense, Chimchar!"
"Just relax, Turtwig. Let's say I'm an enemy. I'm running around, making a Flame Wheel. What do you do?"
"I charge at you to stop you."
"Incorrect, Turtwig. I saw you coming, and have moved far away by the time you got there. Instead, try Tackling the ground."
Chimchar began to run around the Turtwig in circles. Turtwig hesitantly poked the ground. Chimchar effortlessly continued running. Turtwig, provoked, hit his head much harder, shaking the entire yard, and sending Chimchar sprawling into the dust.
"Are you OK?"
"That. Was. AWESOME! Do it again! Again and again until you never get it wrong!"
Infernape remembered. He was an expert at this exact tactic. He must have forgotten it for blind power. He looked at the ground, and gave it a good solid whack with Close Combat. Weavile was sent sprawling.
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out GYARADOS!
Gyarados extinguished Infernape's joy at executing his own tactic by using Earthquake. Infernape stopped celebrating.
Go! TORTERRA!
Torterra gave a low growl. He spread a Leech Seed, hitting several points along Gyarados' body. Gyarados attempted an Ice Fang, but missed. Torterra swung forward, hitting a heavy Wood Hammer.
Galactic Boss Cyrus sent out GOLBAT!
Golbat's Air Slash took down the Torterra. Before Lucas could use his next choice, he saw a shadowy creature leap into the field.
"There is great danger here! You must leave, now, or a terrible fate will befall one of you!"
"I understood that… but I can't leave. Cyrus needs to be stopped," Lucas said.
"That is all well, but let me handle this thing. Psycho Cut!"
The ray of psychic energy sliced and diced poor old Golbat. The Absol turned to Lucas, Dawn and Barry.
"The enemy is weak and ripe for defeat. You must leave now. Any second he will attempt to kill one of you… and succeed!"
"Don't tell me what's going to happen! I won't allow it to!" Barry roared. Cyrus grinned. From contextual clues, it wasn't likely that he heard the Absol's warning. So what he did next was his own choosing.
"Urk! Help! Me! Some! One!" Dawn panicked, kicking Cyrus' shins. Cyrus' grip on her neck was like iron. Lucas looked down at his own palms. He had to save Dawn. He wouldn't believe Absol's prediction.
He charged at Cyrus, and pulled Dawn away. Cyrus looked aghast, before attempting to grab Dawn again. Lucas' eyes narrowed, and he charged at Cyrus himself, pushing him further, and further, until…
"NO!" Dawn panicked. Lucas and Cyrus had went over the edge. Dawn ran to the end, and jumped to grab one of them.
The correct answer is c) Both. But, if you ask me, a speedy 1 damage is worse than a late 718 damage.
Next time, on High Road To Giratina, we find out what happened to Lucas and Dawn.