The plans of Lord Malachus have at last come to light. With exception of his motives, everything concerning Malachus and the Type Trinkets has come to light- including his weaknesses. The destructions of the Village of Castes and the Hiwaka Shrine. This was not chance... Darien and Serena are more determined than ever to face down Malachus and exact their revenge.
"Dusk, Nisba… I trust you know who I'm talking about…" Malachus said, his arms staring at the Gengar and Sableye in front of him.
"Enlighten me, please," Dusk said.
"…The Typeless wenches who got away from Nisba," Malachus said. Nisba made an infinitesimally small movement to the left, which Malachus's arm caught.
"Oh… I was informed they were arrested, though…" Dusk said.
"Well, obviously, they got out and garnered favour with the King. They're working on getting a Lucario and a Gardevoir ready to stop our hard work!" Malachus said.
"…I will formulate a plan to slow their approach, Malachus. However, I can see no plan of action that would be superior to our current approach in terms of stopping them," Dusk said.
"…Say that again?" Malachus asked, in a tone that tried its hardest to conceal his confusion.
"We are already doing the best we can to stop them, and additional effort on your part will be fruitless. I will see what else I can do," Dusk said.
"…Good. You serve me well for someone without Darkness… go," Malachus said. Dusk nodded, and phased through the floor. Malachus turned to Nisba.
"Go put this in with the others. And then come up with a reason why these infernal Typeless ones don't turn into Dark types like they should! I will not rest until every last Pokémon is Dark-type, and under my control!" Malachus said, passing him the Psychic Spoon.
"Yes, Lord Malachus," Nisba said.
"And blast! And Psychic! And Leaf! And blast! And blast! Blast again, he's still moving!" Serena chanted, casting her Magical Leaf, Psychic and Moonblast spells around her.
"You've gotten a lot stronger since we first met," Darien said, watching her movements approvingly.
"I always dreamed of being a loving, adoring wife… but thanks to you, I can see that being awesome is part and parcel of the package! Why didn't Amber tell me about this?" Serena asked.
"…Serena, I want you to teach me how to use Psychic," Darien asked.
"Hm? Why?" Serena asked.
"It's a feeling I have… Me knowing Psychic feels like it'll be very useful before I get all my moves," Darien said.
"Are you feeling OK, Darien? You do realise I'm the seer here, right?" Serena asked.
"…OK, Madeline suggested it," Darien said.
"Madeline? You trust her?" Serena asked.
"…She's done nothing but help us," Darien said.
"…Oh. Sorry, a little knee-jerk… ah, well… tee hee… anyway, first you gather your mental energy…" Serena said. Darien watched her, trying the move out himself.
Indira watched as Angela tore through several branches. She was certainly brave, but she was working on being a goddess.
"You sure you're all right?" Indira asked.
"I'll be fine. Just being a tad on the bold side…" Angela said. She charged forward instantly, shattering another branch, feeling more recoil.
"…Doesn't Sky Attack require a turn to charge?" Indira asked.
"…Oh, right," Angela said. She focused, glowing a bright gold colour, before charging forward. The branches splintered just the same.
"…I'll stick with Brave Bird," Angela said, looking at the branch.
"Suspected as much. Sky Attack isn't really a good move," Indira said.
"You have a point. Though if I'm eventually going to move on to doing this stuff on fire, I better have a move that doesn't recoil," Angela said.
"…I'll think of something," Indira said.
"So, you're one of the Sisters of Pegasus?" Melody asked, stretching her newly evolved Chansey limbs and chest.
"Yeah… and before you ask, no, there is not a fourth sister named Pegasus," Sierra asked, looking at her own unevolved shape.
"…You mean people seriously think that? Three sisters whose names sound incredibly similar, and then a fourth sister they don't hang around, with a wildly different name, that you three somehow felt the need to honour?" Melody asked.
"…Angela gives that exact same rant every time," Sierra said.
"So why did you choose the name?" Melody asked.
"Oh, well… Pegasi are associated with speed on the wind," Sierra said.
"Wait, Pegasus is a thing? I thought it was a name!" Melody said, jaw dropping.
"…Pegasus, an icon of legend within the Flying type community," Sierra said.
"But not actually based on anything that happened, right?" Melody asked.
"…I think, there was one time when a stray Rapidash became enamoured with the Flying Feather instead of the Fire Emblem… though I think that was legend," Sierra said.
"Legends based on legends until eventually you reach fact… eh, as long as it's valuable, I don't mind it," Melody said.
"...Miss Lita, I want to ask you a question," Justyn asked. Lita jumped, looking at the Absol. Her recent evolution into Sliggoo made her worried Justyn was just asking about her appearance again.
"…What is it you would like to know?" Lita asked, after a long hesitation.
"Do you know why your den mother created Hiwaka in the first place?" Justyn asked.
"…I do not. All I know is that I found Hiwaka while escaping my prior life. Amber took me in and looked after me as if I were her daughter. She did the same for Amy, for Raye, for Mina, and for Serena," Lita said.
"I stumbled across a little story about Mawhile. Her performance on the battlefield was legendary, but she eventually quit and disappeared from the face of the earth shortly afterward. I hoped maybe you could tell me why," Justyn said.
"I'm afraid I just don't know," Lita said.
"If that is the case… what happened to you that warranted fleeing your life in the first place?" Justyn asked.
"…That's a personal question, Mister. And I believe it's none of your business what happened to me that warranted shattering your utopia," Lita said, turning and leaving.
"…That's not why I asked at all…" Justyn said, his voice trailing away.
"So, which way are we headed next?" Darien asked.
"The Fighting Dojo is not a tremendous distance, however, from here, we will need to pass through the Bug Jungle," Justyn said.
"…I honestly feel like you expected me to be disappointed. …Wait a minute…" Darien said. Quite a few of the assembled troops, mostly people like Stanley and Serena, let out a hearty laugh.
"…What joke did I miss?" Justyn asked.
"Um… you missed no joke. Now come along, the Jungle will take us forever to get through!" Madeline said. She got the joke, but did not laugh.
True to its word, the Bug Jungle was a festering hot-house, with trees tightly matted together and humidity that dampened any and all of Amy's attempts to set the trees alight. The worst part were the Bugs. Dozens upon dozens of Bug-type Pokémon tore through the trees, attacking the group. The Sisters of Pegasus did the most attacking back, with everyone else slinging an attack or two back. This jungle wasn't doing them any favours. Jadit looked up suddenly.
"What is it?" Darien asked.
"…I'm going to go do Bug things," Jadit said. He leaped up, and then started jumping from tree to tree like a Bug. He felt the energies of the Jungle flow through him, and he started glowing. His body became purple instead of blue, and his arms, legs and tail grew a few extra discs. He felt his energy change, and the Jungle became messy for him, too.
"Drapion… Poison/Dark, which is exactly what I don't need right now…" Jadit said. He looked around, letting out a much different sound to his usual hiss. Also something he really didn't need.
"A Drapion? I'm pretty sure those aren't Bugs. What is he doing here?" a voice asked. Jadit turned, to see a familiar Scizor standing in front of him.
"Weren't you in the Olden Shrine?" Jadit asked.
"Perhaps. The name is Okemos. You embarrassed me to no end when you landed that Cross Poison. This is my last chance to prove to Malachus that I have what it takes to be in his good graces," the Scizor said.
"Yak, yak, yak, it's like Melody's the only girl who doesn't run her mouth off," Jadit snarked. He shot forward, using Night Slash. Okemos used an X-Scissor, which Jadit blocked. Using his tail, he scored a hit into Okemos's breastplate, sending her staggering. Jadit had another Night Slash ready, and cut. Okemos waved her wings, spreading a Steel Wing attack into Jadit. Jadit knocked aside each and every one, until finally opening his jaw. The intense heat of the jungle condensed around his teeth, culminating in Jadit's Fire Fang.
"…Impressive…" Okemos said. She tilted her head, in deep thought.
"…Are you seriously considering…" Jadit asked.
"Well, you'll need a Bug-type now that you've gone and evolved. And considering how useless that Aron of yours seems…" Okemos said.
"He's a Lairon now," Jadit said.
"Really? Well, even more reason for me to hang around the stronger side. Greatest resignation ever!" Okemos said. Jadit smirked.
"All right, then… wait, right, you are Bug! Good. We'll need help to get either Darien or Serena to where the Bug Net lay in rest," Jadit said.
"Either?" Okemos asked.
"…When they visit the Sacred Spot, one of them gains a move of the type. Serena's got Magical Leaf, Psychic and Moonblast, while Darien's got Air Slash," Jadit said.
"Oh… I still don't get it, but sure, take me to your leader," Okemos said.
Using Okemos's talent, Darien and Serena were able to find their way to the Sacred Spot for Bug. Serena felt a shiver in her spine, and looked at the resting place of the Bug Net. It had been recently stolen, sure enough.
"We hear voices saying this and that…" a voice asked, stepping forward to reveal itself as an Escavalier.
"We come along in a current, swift as light…" another voice said, stepping forward to reveal itself as an Accelgor.
"The wind!" the Escavalier said.
"The land!" the Accelgor said.
"The sky!" a Pinsir, likely Kaia, the guardian of the Bug Net, said.
"Nice rehearsal, but is this going anywhere?" Darien asked.
"Huh?" the Accelgor asked.
"Is this going anywhere? As in, if I continue listening to it, will I care any more about it?" Darien asked, as flatly as he could.
"Ah, um, well… we worked really hard on it!" the Escavalier said.
"…Yeah, well, you lost me. Serena?" Darien asked.
"Ready," Serena said. Darien charged forward with a Force Palm the instant Serena fired a Moonblast. Both Accelgor and Escavalier were sent blasting off, leaving the four up against Kaia the Pinsir.
"Pincer! Pincer! Pincer!" Kaia said, lowering her horns to face them. She charged forward, and Okemos caught them. She pushed Kaia to one side, a fair way away from where the Bug Net usually rested.
"Go!" Okemos said, charging at Kaia again. Darien and Serena took that as their cue to obtain the move. It was Serena's heart that grew large, and Serena's arms that were glowing the yellow light of Bugs.
Okemos and Kaia were locked in a rather intense fight. Kaia was using a variety of Fighting moves to try to gain an upper hand, while Okemos was doing well to avoid the brunt of the attacks. Kaia focused briefly, before her pincers flared a bright blue hue.
"Guillotine!" Darien cried out, recognising that particular attack. He focused, and flung an Air Slash to score a direct hit on Kaia, preventing the Guillotine from forming and allowing Okemos to finish her off, dissolving her into a dark yellow dust.
"Guillotine…" Okemos said, shivering. The odds were heavily in Kaia's favour in that instance.