I am finally back from Florida! It was all right, but I prefer New York. Florida was too hot for my liking, and the fact that I had to stay out in that temperature everyday for at least six hours each day WHILE walking my feet off makes me glad that I am back in New York!
Anyway, it's time for the final battle. Team Valor and Team Majesta vs. Dusknoir. Twelve against one, so there's no contest, right?
Team Valor and Team Majesta were racing through the familiar halls of the palace. Although the halls were familiar, Dusknoir had changed them. The walls were now filled with tapestries of Dusknoir and Team Demonic. Also, the castle used to be bright and full of spirit, even at night. However, now it was dark and gloomy, and it gave one a feeling of paranoia.
This gave the two teams even more motive to defeat Dusknoir, especially Infernape, Lopunny, Luxray, and Ninetales. The four of them had lived in the castle all their lives, while the others were either from the town or out of the kingdom. It hurt the four of them to see their beloved castle like this.
"What did he do?" Infernape growled. "What did that blasted ghost do?"
Luxray growled. "You think you're angry? Why don't you wait until I shock him? I'll make him pay!"
"Dusknoir is done. He'll pay for this!" Lopunny vowed.
"I'll fry him to a crisp!" Ninetales shouted.
The rest of their team members were rather scared of this new violent behavior from the four greatest fighters. However, they pushed this thought to the backs of their heads when they encountered the darkest and most foreboding-looking place in the castle so far. Ironically, it was the throne room.
"Abomasnow?" Drapion asked.
Abomasnow nodded. "There's no doubt. Dusknoir is behind this door. Once we enter, we will be in for the battle of our lives. Now, is everyone ready?" When everyone was silent, Abomasnow sighed. "I will accept your silence as an unanimous 'yes'."
"You got that right. Everyone, let's move!" Machamp said. He pushed the door open.
The sight that greeted them angered all twelve Pokémon to no end. Dusknoir was reclining on King Lucario and Queen Lopunny's combined thrones. The ghost regarded Team Valor and Team Majesta with arrogance and boredom. "So, you've managed to defeat my best knights and come here." he said.
Lopunny glared ferociously at him. "Dusknoir…you've taken so many lives and ruined them as if they meant nothing. You've cheated, killed, and dominated over Pokémon cruelly, sacrificing so many just for your own personal gain." She was clenching her fists now.
Infernape joined her. "Your time has come and gone. We're going to make sure that you never harm anyone again!"
Dusknoir chuckled. "How amusing. A monkey, a rabbit, a cat, a dog, two birds, a weak guy with muscles, an even weaker psychic, a scorpion, a cricket, a slow-moving guy, and a female with roses for fists want to challenge me? A ghost?" Then he broke out in laughter as he floated off of the throne. "And just what is your motive? Do you wish to protect those living, or avenge those who died?" He chuckled again. "The sad thing is that those four were easier to defeat than I thought. I really expected more out of them, but what do you expect from rulers of such a weak kingdom?"
"Dynamic Punch into Focus Blast!" Machamp yelled. He ran forward, charged up his four fists and his blast, and fired the devastating beam.
"Psychic!" Medicham called, joining Machamp. She used her psychic power to add a certain quality to the Focus Blast. As it was a Fighting-Type move, Focus Blast normally would not do any damage to a Ghost-Type like Dusknoir. However, since Medicham had added some psychic attribute to the attack, it would be able to do damage, however slight.
The blast struck Dusknoir, and he was pushed back a few feet. "Impressive. You were actually able to faze me, despite having an obvious type disadvantage. However, it will take much more than that to defeat me! Shadow Sneak into Shadow Punch!" The two Fighting-Types' eyes widened as Dusknoir disappeared.
Abomasnow was the one to spot him. "Guys! He's right behind you!" But it was too late. When Machamp and Medicham turned, they were met by a looming Dusknoir and a Shadow Punch to their faces. Instantly, they were flung into a wall.
"Damn you…Wood Hammer!" Abomasnow rumbled. He turned his hands into wooden hammers and charged.
"Poison Jab!" Roserade leapt over Abomasnow just as he charged and struck at Dusknoir with purple fists, followed by Abomasnow with his hammers.
However, Dusknoir wouldn't give up that easily. "Fire Punch!" he called. His fists were engulfed in flames and he counterpunched both of the attackers. Roserade gasped as she took a fistful of fire and Abomasnow took in a sharp intake of breath as his Wood Hammers were ducked under by Dusknoir and then he took a Fire Punch to the stomach. The super-effective move caused major damage, and both Grass-Types were instantly knocked out.
Dusknoir, unfortunately, did not expect to be slammed by an invisible force. That invisible force was revealed to be Staraptor and Swellow.
"Aerial Ace…works every time." Swellow said smugly.
"It will take more than that to defeat me!" Dusknoir laughed.
"Then so be it! Brave Bird!" Staraptor yelled. He was bathed in blue energy and flew forward.
"Air Slash!" Swellow added. She hurled a ball of blue energy at Dusknoir.
"Ice Punch!" Dusknoir yelled. He extended a frozen fist at Staraptor, who was unable to dodge the super-effective move and was instantly frozen for about a second before thawing out and landing in front of Dusknoir, wings folded tightly around him and shivering.
Then Dusknoir dodged the Air Slash and flew up to Swellow's level, hitting her with the second Ice Punch. She met the same fate as her lover, falling down and landing in the same position as Staraptor.
What Dusknoir didn't see coming was a giant scorpion coming at him with a combination of Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb. Actually, it was the scorpion's tail. That was why he was taken by surprise when he felt immense poisonous power push him back and shove him to a wall.
"There's a reason I'm the leader of Laxos's assassins, Dusknoir!" Drapion yelled. Dusknoir struggled, attempting to get free.
Kricketune, however, was able to get to him beforehand. "Night Slash!" Dusknoir's eyes widened as Kricketune used a super effective attack against him for a change. The previous attacks he had endured were painful, but Night Slash was at a whole different level to him.
Drapion then lifted up Dusknoir with his tail and slammed him onto the ground. As he lifted his tail up to do so again, Dusknoir whispered, "Shadow Sneak." When the tail came down, Dusknoir melted into the floor as a shadow. He then reappeared behind Kricketune.
"Look out!" Ninetales yelled. Kricketune looked and got slammed in the face by a super effective Fire Punch. The attack caused her to go down instantly.
"You're dead!" Drapion declared. He ran forward with his Poison Jab and X-Scissor claws ready.
"You just never learn." Dusknoir taunted. He met Drapion's claws with Ice Punch-powered hands. Though Drapion was indeed one of the most physically powerful members of team Valor, Dusknoir was even stronger, and he was able to increase his Ice Punches' power to the point of which it could completely cancel out the energy from Drapion's attacks and turn Drapion into an ice statue.
Dusknoir then lifted up the frozen Drapion and slammed him down onto the ground, shattering the ice and knocking Drapion out from the battle.
"Flamethrower!" Dusknoir turned to see Infernape attacking with a powerful stream of fire. Taken by surprise, he was unable to dodge and was hit by flames.
"Ice Beam!" Lopunny then added a shot of cold energy to the Infernape's Flamethrower.
"Thunderbolt!" Luxray fired a burst of electrical energy to create a makeshift Tri Attack.
"Flamethrower!" With Ninetales's intervention, the makeshift Tri Attack exploded.
The remaining four Pokémon grinned at each other. "It's over." Infernape said.
"Is that what you think?" a voice said. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. "Never think that a battle is over unless you find a body!"
Dusknoir reappeared behind Ninetales and struck her down with a Shadow Punch, then disappeared when the other three turned. As Luxray turned, Dusknoir reappeared behind him and struck with another Shadow Punch. However, Infernape was able to spot him this time and ran forward, attempting to attack Dusknoir. Unfortunately, he got to Luxray's side a second too late as Dusknoir disappeared again.
A cry alerted him to Lopunny as Dusknoir struck her with a Fire Punch. As she went down, Infernape's eyes widened. "No! Not her!" But it was in vain as she fell with a groan and Dusknoir disappeared again.
"Impossible. How can he still be this strong after accumulating so many wounds?" he asked. Then he felt a piercing pain as Dusknoir hit him with a Shadow Punch.
Dusknoir was wounded greatly, but he was still as arrogant as before. "I admit, I am rather surprised by your power. You were actually able to wound me this much. It seems that Team Valor and Team Majesta have surpassed your teachers. However, in the end, it's not enough. Even the combined powers of all twelve of you aren't enough to defeat me."
As Infernape fell, Dusknoir grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. Infernape gasped, choking as Dusknoir strangled him. "The great leader of Team Valor, reduced to this horrible condition. How can you ever expect to marry Princess Lopunny when you are in this weak? Someone like you would never deserve to be a king!"
He flung Infernape into a wall, and as he hit the wall, a few large rocks collapsed onto Infernape, burying him from sight.
Dusknoir laughed. "And so, the leader of Team Valor has died." He turned to Lopunny and floated towards her, charging up a Fire Punch. "And so with this, the last member of the Laxos royal family is killed. How ironic that you will be killed by an attack of the very same element as your lover."
As he prepared to strike, the temperature in the room started going up. This did not go unnoticed by Dusknoir and he looked around, curious to see what was ruining his great moment of triumph.
"GET…AWAY…FROM HER!" an echoing voice commanded. Dusknoir looked at the rocks where Infernape was buried and was shocked to see a burning red aura emanating from them.
"What? How can this be?" he yelled. He got his answer as something pushed the rocks aside. That something was Infernape…in Blaze form!
"This is your end, Dusknoir!" Infernape shouted.
"Urrrgh…don't forget about me." Both fighters turned as Luxray struggled to his feet. Despite his pain, he grinned at Infernape. "I'm not going to stand by and let you take all the glory, Infernape."
"Luxray, don't. You're not strong enough." Infernape said.
"I can't believe you're still standing. I might as well take care of you first." Dusknoir said.
"You can try. I still have one more trick up my sleeve." Luxray said. Then he gathered up electrical energy and roared, "THUNDER!", firing a vicious lighting bolt up to the ceiling. The lightning bolt rebounded off the ceiling and struck Luxray.
Dusknoir laughed. "You plan to speed up your own destruction? So be-" Dusknoir stopped as a thought came to his mind. A thought that struck absolute terror in him. "Wait- no, you can't!"
Unfortunately for Dusknoir, it was too late. The electricity coated Luxray's body and solidified. Spikes formed on his mane, tail, and claws, reinforcing them. The extra electricity then dissipated, leaving behind the Electric coating, and with an echoing voice, Luxray growled viciously, "Thunder…Armor."
Infernape grinned and leapt to Luxray's side. "So be it. We fight together!" he declared.
Dusknoir roared in anger. "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! I AM THE RIGHTFUL RULER OF THE KINGDOM OF LAXOS AND I WILL NOT BE STOPPED BY INSECTS LIKE YOU!"
"You're done, Dusknoir!" Infernape and Luxray said calmly.
"Flare Blitz!" Infernape yelled. His body was bathed in blue fire and he charged forward, leaving twin trails of fire in his blazing wake.
"Thunder!" Luxray commanded. He fired a ferocious burst of electricity at the Flare Blitz, charging the very air with tiny bits of electricity that stung Dusknoir. The Thunder somehow looped around the Flare Blitz and powered it up as Infernape charged.
"No!" Dusknoir yelled.
"This is our new combination!" Infernape and Luxray shouted at the same time.
"No!" Dusknoir repeated as the attack continued.
"FLAMING SPIRAL THUNDER CHARGE!" the two fighters on the side of good yelled.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dusknoir screamed as the powerful attack crashed into him with full force. The collision resulted in a huge explosion as Infernape emerged from the dust, the attack all but used up.
When the dust cleared, Infernape and Luxray were able to see the results of the attack. Nothing remained of Dusknoir but a large pile of ash.
Infernape's Blaze dissipated as he grinned with difficulty. "We…did it…Luxray." He said, panting.
Luxray's Thunder Armor dissipated as well, and he grinned back. "That's right, my friend. We...beat Dusknoir." he replied, panting as well.
For a moment, the two friends stood grinning at each other. Then, at the same time, the stress of using the combination attack as well as powering up hit both of the fighters, and they collapsed with a groan as they felt all energy drain out of them.
Ooooh, very dramatic. However, I would say that this is one of the best chapters I have ever written in my fanfiction career, and that's saying a lot.
Anyway, the epilogue chapter will be posted as soon as possible, so be patient. It will be quite fluffy and a bit short.
Hope you enjoyed, and please review, everybody!