AN: Readers beware, wild swear words appear this chapter.
Still engaged in combat against Puzzles, Nate and Silver were taken aback by the sudden appearance of a tower of Thunder on the battlefield.
"Holy Crap. What is that?" Silver exclaimed unsure of what to make of the sight.
"I think that's Light." Nate replied, unsure of himself.
"I know he had to defeat our rebelling troops but did he have to go that far?" Silver asked.
"I'm sure he would've only brought out an attack of that magnitude if it were really necessary."
While his opponents were gazing in awe at the display of power in the distance, Puzzles took the opportunity to distance himself from Nate who had been striking him repeatedly with his sword. With bruises covering his body, Puzzles looked like he could collapse at any moment. But little did the NAA know that he still had a trick or two up his sleeve.
"Instead of gawking at your comrade's technique, you should have pressed your advantage!" Puzzles yelled. "That mistake marks the beginning of the end for you. Pain Split!"
A dark aura appeared and began to surround Puzzles and his nearest adversary, which happened to be Nate.
"Wh-What's- GAHH!" Nate screamed as he was suddenly racked with an intense pain from the attack and plummeted to the ground.
Meanwhile, the bruises which had covered Haunter's body a second ago had begun to vanish.
"What did you do to him?" Silver yelled, desperately hoping her teammate was OK.
"You know the saying 'if you dish it out, you also have to be able to take it', well let's just say I put that into practice with Pain Split." Puzzles explained. "I simply took the damage I had taken from you and your friend's attacks and split the damage in half: giving half to me and half to him."
"If that's the case, why are you still standing while Nate's here on the ground?"
"I took all of that damage over the course of the battle so I was better able to adjust while your friend took all of the damage all at once. It was probably too much of a shock for him and his frail Human constitution."
"I'll make you pay for that."
"I'd like to see you try."
Silver suddenly leapt into action launching a barrage of Shadow Balls at the enemy, all of which were blocked by Puzzles' incredibly agile hands using Poison Jab.
"Is that all you have to use against me?" Puzzles asked. "Hey where did she go?"
Leaping out of the ground underneath Haunter, Silver was able to launch a Shadow Ball at close range, scoring a direct hit and sending Puzzles flying into a nearby building.
"I see you've got some moves as well." Haunter mumbled as he struggled free from the indent he made in the building.
While Haunter recovered, Silver took the opportunity to try and recover her ally by using Refresh.
As Nate regained consciousness his first words were "Did anyone get the license plate of the truck that hit me?"
"Nate! Are you OK? Can you fight?"
"I'm fine-"
"You won't be for long!" Puzzles yelled as he launched a Dark Pulse at the NAA officers.
"Protect!" Silver yelled, easily holding off the attack.
"Well, how will you handle things when I increase the power?" Puzzles asked as he increased the intensity of his Dark Pulse.
Even with the higher energy output, Silver held strong only breaking the barrier after it was clear the attack was coming to a halt.
"It seems you're going to be a problem." Puzzles muttered under his breath. "But I have ways of dealing with that. Shadow Punch!"
Both Nate and Silver prepared to block the next attack only to realize that Puzzles was targeting himself rather than them.
"He's damaging himself in preparation for another Pain Split." Silver declared. "We have to rush him NOW! QUICK ATTACK!"
"Sword Resonance!"
With Silver leading the charge, both NAA officers rushed to attack Puzzles before he could complete his plan.
"You forgot my other technique." Puzzles cried. "Trick Room!"
All combatants slowed to a snail's pace as the effects of the room came online.
"Now you're helpless against my Pain Split attack!"
The same dark aura which had enveloped Puzzles and Nate earlier reappeared and wrapped itself around Silver and Puzzles, subjecting Silver to the same intense pain Nate felt earlier in the battle.
No wonder Nate went unconscious earlier. Silver thought. All of this pain at one time is almost too much for me much less him.
When Pain Split ended its effects, the Trick Room disappeared soon afterwards. Nate continued his charge toward Puzzles and began to engage in a heated clash against the Slateport City Commander. Silver, who had been using Quick Attack prior to the launching of the Trick Room, regained her momentum but quickly fell to the ground dealing with the same time of shock Nate had earlier in the battle.
As Nate clashed with Puzzles in the air, it soon became apparent that he had not fully recovered from the damage he had taken earlier and Puzzles began to press his advantage.
"Darn it, I'm too tired to take him out." Nate said under his breath. "If only I were at full power, this would be child's play."
"It's just as I told you earlier, you should have pressed your advantage while you had it, rather than staring slack jawed at your commander's move. If you had, you might've stood a chance."
After speaking, Puzzles used an especially strong Shadow Punch and knocked Nate to the ground.
Charging a Dark Pulse, Puzzles said, "Well, I wish I could say you fought well but you know… you didn't. I guess this is good-bye."
"Not quite yet!" a strong voice cried from the entrance of town as a Shadow Ball prevented Puzzles from launching the finishing blow.
"Who could've done tha-. No. There's no way! You should be lying helpless on the battlefield!"
Still reeling from the Pain Split attack, Silver slowly turned her head to see who had come to their aid. After seeing who is identity was she spoke only one word, "Light!"
A Little While Ago
"If you're controlling these people I'm sure you can hear me Puzzles." Light yelled, unsure as to whether Puzzles was actually listening or not. "You may think you've won but there's still a long ways to go before you can claim victory over the New Age Alliance. Hell, you haven't even defeated MEEEE!"
As the Thunderbolt left Light's body it swiftly defeated most the controlled soldiers nearby. Those not taken out by the sheer energy of the attack were knocked unconscious by rocks flying up from the ground breaking apart beneath their feet.
Remembering what had happened at Verdanturf a few months before, Light pulled back on his power at the last moment rather than giving in to it.
Ending the attack, Light fell to the ground and was finally able to assess the damage his last attack had done to both himself and his enemies. Looking down at his already injured leg, Light found that it was beginning to swell, which would decrease his speed even further. His left arm also hung loosely at his side, apparently dislocated by debris from the blast. All around him soldiers; friend and foe alike lay defeated on the battlefield all except for one.
Lizardcrap still stood even after Light's last ditch attack. He was visibly charred with bruises all around his rocky exterior with the red hue in his eyes still indicating Puzzles control over him.
"God Damn-" Light swore before being hit by Lizardcrap's incoming foot. While lacking the same intensity it had earlier in the battle, it was still enough to make the weakened Light cry out in pain.
As Light struggled to his feet, it was apparent that his last attack had an impact on the Queen's Guard's second in command. He was breathing heavily and struggling to even walk toward Light to launch his next attack.
Rather than wasting his energy trying to get close, Light began to use his remaining good arm to pound the ground, throwing more debris at Lizardcrap, who continued to slowly trudge toward his target. Once he was close enough to launch an attack, Light pulled out his final move.
"Iron Tail!"
Using his good leg as a base, Light began to spin around like a figure skater, hitting LC with an Iron Tail on each pass.
When Light's attack finished LC stood completely still for a few seconds before collapsing onto his back, a large gash visible across his chest.
"Thank Arceus that worked." Light said. "I don't know what I would've done if that hadn't've worked."
Clutching his arm so that it wouldn't strike him, Light began to limp toward Slateport to help the others finish the battle.
Present
Visibly beaten, with tufts of white fur showing through breaks in his Dark Pulse armor, Light stood ready to help his comrades defeat Puzzles.
"Light was that you a while ago?" Nate asked, getting to his feet.
"Yeah it was."
"Then how are you still standing!? That kind of blast left you unable to battle back at Mt. Chimney."
"I'm stronger now than I was then." Light replied. In truth, he could've kept battling at Mt. Chimney but retreated into the shadows to prevent his identity form being exposed. While that risk also existed now, so much more was at stake that Light was willing to risk it.
"Oh this is precious!" Puzzles said jokingly, having regained his composure. "Here's Light to save the day! Who do you think you are a hero from before the Great Schism?"
"So what if I do think that?" Light replied. "This world is broken beyond repair. What it needs now more than ever is a hero to bring things back to the way they were."
"You are an idealistic moron if I ever saw one." Puzzles replied. "You may have been successful so far here in Hoenn but that ends now. All of your hopes and ideals will die right here."
"I don't think so." Light replied, a smile slowly coming to his face. "Silver NOW!"
During Light and Puzzles exchange, Silver had slowly returned to her feet and on Light's signal took off toward Haunter with a Quick Attack. Once at her target, Silver used a Bite attack in order to maximize damage.
Caught off guard by Silver's sudden attack, Puzzles didn't see Nat charging in from behind, Sword Resonance already active. Both were able to deal a nice bit of damage before Puzzles shook them off.
"I'll show all of you!" Puzzles cried. "You can't defeat me! Pain Split!"
Once again Haunter's dark aura appeared only this time it brought both Silver and Nate into its embrace.
"With this attack I'll defeat both of you then Light's next."
As the attack progressed, Silver and Nate were surprised to find that neither one of them were in pain at all. As Nate and Silver began to move through the dark aura toward Puzzles, he began to panic.
"NO! This can't be! My Pain Split attack is unstoppable!"
"Let me give you a little puzzle to solve Puzzles." Light said, as he limped toward Slateport's now helpless commander. "If Pain Split divides the energy of two combatants evenly and each hit you take and every attack you launch requires energy, how is new energy introduced to the system?"
"There isn't a way."
"Give the man a prize." Light replied, mocking Puzzles in the same way he mocked them earlier. "Without a way to bring more energy into the system, the total amount of energy simply decreases over time. Your attack may still be having an effect on my two friends here but it's just so small that neither of them notices it."
"This isn't over!" Puzzles said to Light, who was now standing right over him. "You may have won here but what I said earlier is the truth, your ideals are doomed to failure. You'll see."
Raising his arm Light asked, "You know what Puzzles?"
"What?"
"Shut up all ready!" Light said before launching a Shadow Ball at point blank range, ending the battle and claiming Slateport for the New Age Alliance.
AN: Chapter 25, that's a milestone for sure! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and supported the story thus far. Speaking of support for Pokemon New Age, thanks to everyone who submitted a character this week. There are now only two spots currently remaining(I may or may not add another slot).
Did you guys like the longer battle? How about the battle juggling style I've been trying? What are your thoughts on swearing in Pokemon New Age? Leave a review letting me know what you think. Until next time, Godspeed.