My mouth opened and I could call only one word.

"Meloi!"

No sooner had the name escaped my mouth in a mad, breathless rush, the bolts of neon blue electricity ricocheted all around me, the air alive with crackling electricity. A strong, pungent smell of burning invaded my nostrils and I let out an instinctive scream that tore at my throat as the bolts crackled and snapped, the static nipping painfully at my skin. I gripped the electrical device as hard as I could, kept my feet rooted to the ground, squeezed my eyes shut and bit down hard on my lips, trying to withstand the painful electricity flaring up all around me.

The shrieks of my Ampharos reached my ears, somehow clear and unmistakable above the electrical storm I was trapped in. My eyes felt stiff, almost like they were glued together from squeezing them shut so tightly. I forced them open and looked directly in front of me. Barely even visible through the bright blue haze of electricity I was just able to see Meloi right in the centre of it all. She was shrieking, such horrid, violent screams that it tore at my heartstrings with every breath she took. She looked a horrifying sight, electricity violently spilling out from what seemed like every pore in her body. My eyes bulged, my grip tightened even harder around the electrical device and my mouth swung open in pure, unmitigated terror. I tried to call her name, but my voice caught before I could even form the first syllable and it dissipated away into nothingness.

As I stood there, dumbfounded and petrified, my knuckles almost bursting out of my skin with how tightly I was clutching the device, Meloi suddenly turned around. Instinctively, I reached my hand out for her, but the sudden movement proved horrifically painful, burning hot pain searing through my outstretched arm. Crippled by the static, I crumpled to the ground onto one knee. The electrical device slid from my hands and dropped to the floor. Gasping with pain and gripped by panic, I tried desperately to reach out for it but, of course, it had landed just out of my reach. I cursed inwardly, a hot, clammy sweat erupting all over me. I forced my tired, heavy head up just in time to see Meloi dart away from me, electricity exploding and crackling around her as she moved.

"What's… what's happening to her?!" I thought in anguish.

I craned my neck, still stiff and painful from the static paralysing my limbs to see Nathan, still under attack from Cairo, Kiba barking and scratching viciously at the floor of the dojo like he was trying to claw straight through the wooden boards and my friends and family still lying unconscious. The only minor mercy I could pinpoint was the fact that there was still no sign of Helene. But I knew that wouldn't last long. I tried to wrench my body back into submission, spitting out every swear word I knew in the process of moving my stiff, static-heavy limbs. But the pain was almost unbearable and I could hardly move. Meloi's static had worked like a super adhesive, locking me right to the spot I was in with seemingly no hope of getting free.

Panicked thoughts rushed through my head. "Helene's going to be back any minute! And Cairo can't keep Nathan down forever! And oh God, Kiba and Meloi could turn on me at any given minute…! Or… or they could turn on my family…! They're aggressive! They don't know what they're doing! They'd attack friend or foe alike without even caring! God! What do I do?!" I looked back helplessly towards the device that was still blinking infuriatingly happily and merrily, looking totally unaffected by all the static. "Dammit!" I cursed again. "That should… that should have done at least something to that stupid device! Surely!"

I desperately tried to move again, shift my arm just an inch in the hope of grabbing the device. But to my intense frustration I could barely even summon up the tiniest twitch. I wanted to scream and bellow in anger, but I couldn't even muster up the strength to even scream. However, just as my frustration threatened to bubble over, I was distracted by the noise of a familiar voice. I looked up and locked eyes with those of my beloved Meloi. My Ampharos. But as I looked into her eyes, instead of seeing that familiar cheeky, mischievous look reflected in them, all I saw was anger and pain and rage. I kept my eyes right on hers, knowing full well she was in the grips of a force that neither she nor I could hope to break, but still, hoping against all hope that I could somehow get through to her.

"Mel… Meloi! It's me! It's Sienna, baby girl… Meloi! It's me!"

But Meloi's eyes just stared back at mine, devoid of any emotion but sheer, unbridled rage. My heart leapt to my mouth, an icy cold sweat broke all over me and I knew what was going to happen before it even did. All I could do was squeeze my eyes shut and brace myself for the oncoming impact. It came infinitely more painful than I ever could have expected it to. Meloi's tiny fist came into sharp, brutal contact into my abdomen and I screamed as pain blasted through my chest and stomach. The pain was accompanied with a vicious jolt of electricity that took root inside me and shot straight through me, making my heart judder and flutter painfully somewhere deep within my chest. My whole body was knocked backwards and my head slammed straight off the floor. I coughed violently, black smudges blotting the corners of my vision, my entire body wracking and seizing. I coughed again and felt something slowly trickle down from the corner of my mouth. I couldn't even raise my hand to wipe it.

I tried to speak, but my breath came only in weakened gasps. "M…Meloi…"

No matter how often I called her name, she didn't come again. Everything fell ominously silent. My breath caught in my throat, as for that one moment, everything was still and quiet, like someone had just put life on 'pause'.

But then, all hell broke loose.

The noises were horrifying. It all came in an almighty burst, banging, crashing, all tinged with the accompanying crackling of electricity and fervent battle calls. Then, a rush of heat blasted across my body and just at the edges of my peripheral vision, I saw flames spiralling up in great, massive plumes. My heart jumped in my chest as I realised what was happening. It was Kiba and Meloi. They sounded like they were right in the middle of a battle! This was so dangerous! They were attacking without any care or knowledge of who or what was getting in their way! Friends and foe alike were in danger. And if I just lay here uselessly any longer, the entire dojo and everyone in it might just be destroyed in front of my very eyes.

I twitched my leg experimentally but the simple movement proved excruciating. A long, anguished groan escaped me. The pain was unreal! However, much to my amazement, I found my limbs were no longer heavy and I could move them again! Although pain shot through me with every breath I was able to push myself back into a sitting position. I saw Cairo, somehow still managing to keep Nathan at bay, and Kiba and Meloi scrapping with each other, stray plumes of fire and lightning bolts exploding around them. I cursed as I looked up again, seeing a figure move in the corner of my vision. I instantly panicked, expecting it to be Helene, but it wasn't. I saw red hair and familiar eyes and then a strong hand hooked around me. Squealing in pain, I was lifted clean of the ground and settled firmly onto my feet.

"D…Dad!"

"Sienna!" he sounded tense and alarmed, his hands tight around my shoulders. At the same time however, it was like he barely even noticed I was there; his eyes were looking straight through me at the scene of wanton destruction unfolding in front of us.

"Dad, I found the device!" I cried, somehow lunging for it and grabbing it, before practically shoving it in his face. His eyes widened and bulged the moment he saw it. "B-but I don't know how to— I thought electricity, but nothing…!" my words came out in violent, unstoppable floods. "And Nathan! Cairo can't… keep him forever! And Helene, she'll be back!"

"Leave Helene and Nathan to me," Dad suddenly said firmly. "Helene may be a genius, but what genius designs a piece of brain altering equipment that works on electrical impulses and then tries to use it on a master of Ground and Rock Pokemon?"

"She said Nathan didn't give her enough time…" I said stupidly.

"Well, I'll thank Arceus for that," Dad said at once, loosing three Pokeballs from his waist. "Sienna, you destroy the device. Do whatever you have to do to destroy it. Nathan and Helene can be stopped but only if that thing isn't working. I'll hold them off as long as I can, but this is all on you! Can you do that for me?"

"D-Dad, I—"

"Can you do that for me?"

"I… I don't know!" I cried helplessly, feeling insurmountably swamped by the pressure I had to face and wishing more than ever that the ground could just swallow me up.

"Listen to me, Sienna Volbeda!" his hands suddenly seized around my shoulders even tighter than before and I squeaked instinctively under his vice-like grip. "You… you… you're your mother's daughter, anyone who knows you can see that. I know I can't deny it. You… You're compassionate, you're independent, uncompromising, and you know exactly who you are and what you want out of life. Exactly like your mother. But… but you also have the fiery, burning determination and stubbornness that only a Volbeda can know! That's why I know you can do this!"

"Dad, I—!"

"We don't have any more time!" His hand closed around my wrist, and as I looked down, I saw I was still wearing the present he had given me for my birthday. Now that I thought about it, I didn't think I'd ever taken it off since he had given it to me. In that one moment, despite the serious situation and imminent danger, my eyes were wholly fixated on that small bracelet of ruby red beads, peppered with tiny flowers in all manner of hues, colours and shades. The sight of it there, securely fastened around my wrist with Dad's fingers right by it made a shiver dart down my spine. I stared dumbly at my wrist for a moment before Dad suddenly leaned his head in close. I squeaked in surprise as his rough, scratchy skin suddenly bumped against my forehead in what I could have sworn was a kiss.

"Dad!" I cried out in surprise.

"You can do it, Sienna!" he told me firmly, before gripping the Pokeballs tighter in his hand and drawing away from me.

And just like that, Dad tore away from me, three Pokémon bursting from the capsules as he moved. Desperately I looked down at the electrical device I was holding on to loosely in my right hand. I forced myself to think about the task at hand and it was with a shudder I realised the severity of it all.

"I don't have a lot of time! I need to get this thing overloaded! I wonder if I could—!"

My thoughts were rudely interrupted by a bolt of lightning slamming down next to me, blasting straight through the floorboard it hit. I screamed, instinctively diving out of the way as splinters of wood erupted around me. The lightning bolt had missed me by mere inches and as I whipped my head upwards, I saw Meloi bathed in a backdrop of crackling blue electricity walking slowly towards me. Her eyes were so full of rage and anger that I automatically backed away, clutching the electrical device to my chest like it would somehow protect me. "M…Meloi!" I cried out, my voice sounding shrill. "Please, girl, listen to me! It's Sienna!"

As she got closer, I was able to take a better look at her eyes. They remained so full of violent rage, but now they looked so hauntingly empty at the same time. It was almost like she was some empty shell acting under the beck and call of a puppeteer and my Pokémon's very soul, spirit and essence had just been stolen away. Panic rose frantically in me and I started shouting her name over and over again in some vague hope that she would understand. That she would recognise me. That I would somehow get through to her.

But my pleas proved useless. As I sat there, grounded helplessly and unable to move, Meloi suddenly let out a cry of rage unlike anything I had ever heard before. I screamed as a bolt of electricity suddenly shot towards me quicker than I could even register. I screeched as the crackling bolts engulfed me, the pain instantly shooting straight down every single one of my limbs. They contorted and seized violently like I was having a fit, but mercifully, the pain subsided quickly. I was left drained and weakened, however, and I groaned as I tried to summon up enough strength just to lift my head up to look Meloi in the eye.

"Meloi, baby, it's me!" I begged. The electrical device in my hands was beginning to feel increasingly hot, but I barely even noticed it. All I cared about was my Pokémon, my closest friend, the one who had been through everything with me, standing there with no clue who I even was. My heart ached with crushing sadness, overpowering even the aches of my electrified limbs. "It's me, Sienna! Don't you remember me?! I… I took you in from Professor Oak when you were just a little Mareep! I… I helped you get over all your trust issues! I… I cared for you! I'm… I'm your friend, Meloi! I'm your best friend! You mean all the world to me, Meloi!"

All I got for my efforts was another shock of electricity, this one even more painful than the previous one. Crying out in pain, I stumbled to my knees, the electrical device almost slipping from my hands in the process. I forced my aching head to look upwards. "Meloi! P-please, Meloi… Listen to me! Please… please… I'm your trainer!"

I was vaguely aware of a hot, burning sensation tingling through my hands and fingers, almost like pins and needles, but I couldn't focus on it. I couldn't even bring myself to look around for Dad, Nathan and Helene. All I cared about was Meloi.

"Meloi, please!"

"Aaaaaamph!"

I let out a scream of horror as she fired electricity at me again. This next shock was almost unbearable, sending bursts of red-hot pain through what felt like every cell in my body. I screamed, doubling over and squeezing my eyes shut. Coloured lights danced across my vision and I felt light-headed and dizzy. Weakened curses escaped me and the electrical device began to slowly slip from my fingers. I fought to keep a hold of it, but it was then that I noticed something seemed to be wrong…

The device had begun blinking erratically and rapidly and it was starting to feel hot in my hands. It was emitting a low buzzing noise and just holding it made my hands tingle all over. I frowned deeply, wondering what the hell was going on before it suddenly hit me like a slap in the face.

The device was overloading!

A burst of excitement took over me as I stared at the device that was blinking and buzzing madly in my hands. I could already tell it was starting to malfunction! If I could just give it one more good shock, I just might be able to completely break it! I looked down at the device and then looked at Meloi, knowing instantly what I would have to do. She looked distracted, some noise and commotion nearby alerting her attention. She stopped momentarily and my heart thudded in my chest as she halted. I followed her gaze and looked across to see my Dad and Nathan squaring off to each other. Cairo was still circling Nathan slowly and deliberately, as if daring him to move, and a Steelix that I knew belonged to my father stood protectively by his side. It almost looked like Nathan had been totally cornered, but it was at that moment that a door burst open and Helene came in. She moved like a blur, faster than I ever would have anticipated her to be able to move and she threw two Pokeballs. Before I knew what was happening, two unfamiliar and intimidating Pokémon burst out into the fray and immediately swept towards Nathan and Dad.

I didn't want to watch what was going to happen. All I knew was that I had to get this device broken now! With Helene back now, things were going to get rough!

"Meloi!" I screamed, trying to get my Pokemon's attention as she watched the scene unfolding at the other end of the room.

Every inch of me burned with a pain that spread like a white-hot fire. I knew I couldn't physically take much more, but the burden of responsibility and pressure burned stronger and harder than any pain that could be inflicted upon me. I knew what I had to do.

"Meloi!" I screamed again.

This time, she turned her attention to me, her eyes touching on me and flashing dangerously.

"Meloi! Shock me!"

I almost anticipated it to be instantaneous. She had certainly never had many qualms about shocking me before now, even in her playful jest, and in the grips of rage I had totally expected it of her without a backwards glance. But no sooner had the command left my mouth, she stopped in her tracks and looked at me dumbly. For a moment, it looked almost as if she was considering what I had just said.

"M…Meloi…?" I asked slowly, then quickly righted myself. "Meloi, shock me! You need to shock me!"

But all she could do was stare at me. There was a look in her eyes that I hadn't quite seen there for some time. The rage looked diminished…

"Meloi…?" I whispered, my voice cracking a little. "D…do you recognise me, girl?"

I stood there in disbelief for a few seconds. Had I got through to her? Had I actually gotten through to her? My breath came in ragged gasps as she took a cautious step forward. "Meloi… Meloi, it's me. It's Sienna! Meloi, I need you to shock me! I need you to shock me now!"

"Amph!" she suddenly cried out, sounding like she was protesting.

"Do it!" I cried out. I held up the electrical device to her eyeline, hoping she would focus on it. "Shock me! Look at this device, Meloi! If we destroy it, we can take out Nathan and Helene! We can stop them hurting everyone! But you need to shock me for it to work! You have to do it!"

"Aaaamph!"

She fired a bolt of electricity in anger, but it ricocheted away in the opposite direction and fizzled into nothing.

"Meloi!" I cried out, trying to grab her attention again. "Shock me! Shock me, now!"

"Aaaaaaamph!" she cried out, shaking her head frantically.

"Meloi, please!" I begged, my panic starting to swell again. I didn't know exactly how Meloi seemed to know me now, how it was she came to display some sort of recognition towards me, but I needed that so desperately! But to my abject horror I realised that even though she knew me, she still refused to obey me! "Meloi, I'm your trainer!" I cried. "You need to listen to me!"

"Amph!"

"Do it, Meloi!"

"Aaaamph!"

"Do it, Meloi! This is important! Shock me!"

"Aaaaaaaaaamph!"

"For Arceus's sake, Meloi! Just shock me! Do it! Don't you trust me? I know what I'm doing, Meloi! Don't worry about hurting me, just trust me! Just do it! This is an order! Just shock me!"

I could barely even watch her as I begged her to shock me again and again. I wholly expected her to keep protesting, but as I dared to look at her, I saw something flash across her eyes. With a bellowing shout, she suddenly stood strong and solid. My mouth swung open in amazement and I tried to speak, but it was then that the shock came.

The pain was excruciating. I let out a scream that I felt could rip apart my throat from the sheer pressure of it all, my entire body seizing and contorting like my limbs were being sharply pulled in all directions from some unseen menace. My whole body slumped forward and I fell onto my knees, tears escaping in floods as the pain shot through me like fire. But just as the electricity died away, a hot, burning sensation blasted through my hands and as I looked down, I saw the electrical device begin to smoke. I let out a yelp of pain as it grew almost unbearably hot and I had no choice but to throw it down. It hit the ground and bounced away, smoke billowing and belching out of it frantically like a frightened Koffing. When I looked down at my hands again, I saw the skin red and already blistering, giant sores forming on my palms and fingers.

The pain was distracting for only a moment as I suddenly heard a yelp coming from nearby. I looked up to see Kiba suddenly stop in his tracks, jerking his head upwards and surveying his surroundings with an inherently confused expression. My heart leapt. His rage and anger was gone! My shaking hands found the other Pokeballs that swung loosely in my belt and I somehow unhooked them, releasing Aurora and Monty. Their expressions were calm, almost composed, completely a stark contrast to the way the Pokemon had been behaving before now. My heart soared and with a cry that tore at my raw throat, I called for my Pokemon.

They came to my side almost immediately; even Indigo who had been lying in a crumpled heap in a corner. Cairo, who had been keeping Nathan at bay, instantly dropped what he was doing and joined me. A rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins, a welcome change from the bursts of pain that had been previously plaguing me. I looked up to see Nathan and Helene stop dead in their tracks at the sight of my renewed party. Their mouths hung open in astonishment as they realised what had happened, while Dad looked triumphantly across at me with a wide grin.

I couldn't help myself but grin broadly as I looked down at my faithful team, newly restored and ready for battle. With my Pokemon now free from the jaws of Helene's heinous, mind-altering technology, I was finally in a better position to fight. And I knew that with my team by my side, I stood a chance of beating Nathan and Helene. I clenched my fists together and pulled together the remaining threads of my courage.

"Come on, guys!" I called my Pokemon to attention, locking my eyes straight with Nathan who still looked horrified and dumbfounded at the realisation my Pokemon had been freed from the impulses of the electrical device. I took a deep breath in and calmed my nerves, looking towards my Dad for resolution. "Let's do this!"

Author's Note

Hi guys! Finally have an update for you xP

I'm so sorry this one took so long, but I've started back at university so I don't get a lot of time to write. I will however keep going as much as I can and you will see the ending of Free Spirits hopefully before the end of summer.

Big thanks to my reviewers Shadow Serenity 57, MasterFreezeman, TwewyReaperGirl, TCoBlackRoses, WildCroconaw, ArchXDeath, PaleTeen, Scheherazade's Sonata, SGWAH, TestedHD and TheHarryPotterBookworm.

Also, to any fans of my writing, please be on the lookout for a super-special-awesome BRAND NEW POKEMON FANFICTION coming soon =D

Until next time!