Chapter 13: The Face of the Monster
Minerva clicked open the Ultra Ball and sent out Dragonite, who flew into the sky and began scouting high and low, making a few swoops and dives as it sailed back and forth through the trees. After using her only Max Revive on Floatzel, she sent him into a nearby river, and he began swimming through it at the speed of a torpedo, adamantly searching for its target.
Nearby, Velour had her Poke Radar out, and was scanning any and all areas they passed through for signs of Lucario and his friends. She occasionally picked up one or two signals from other Pokémon, but the device was tuned into Lucario's signal, and would only react strongly when he was nearby.
"Well, we've got Pokémon in the air, land and water," Minerva reported. "We've also got Pokémon using Dig and searching underground, a Pokemon using Sweet Scent, and Poke Radars scanning every route we travel. We've got so many ways to search for our enemies, you'd think half of them would be illegal."
Velour smirked. "Wild Pokémon can put up a fight here and there, but in the end, those tools are no match for us. We invented ways to capture and control them first, after all. And soon, these four will learn their place as battlers."
"And Lucario?" Minerva asked wryly.
Velour shrugged. "Well, as a Shiny, he's more useful as a commodity than a battler. I'll keep him in the PC until I find a trainer who wants him enough. This will pay for the Master Ball and much, much more. People will trade just about anything to get a Shiny. Who knows? I might own a Darkrai or an Arceus by the end of the week."
"Still, it makes me wonder how Lucario managed to get those three other Pokémon to help him. I mean, he doesn't have any Poke Balls. Maybe they really do have their own language…?"
"What does it matter? That just means we'll be getting four Pokémon for the price of one. I bet by the time—"
Velour suddenly stopped, staring at her Poke Radar intently, which was now vibrating and beeping incessantly.
"What is it?" Minerva asked.
Velour grinned. "We've got them."
For the third time that morning, Ember was rolling on the ground in hysterics, clutching her side and laughing so hard she nearly cried.
"Come on, the joke wasn't that funny," Umbra said, hiding a grin. "If you're going to laugh at my jokes, at least laugh at the good ones."
Ember managed to compose herself, standing up and choking back giggles.
"Sorry," she replied shakily. "I thought it was pretty funny. So, what happened then?"
"Well, as you can imagine, the female Machoke wasn't exactly happy I called her 'sir' by mistake," Umbra replied.
"What did she do?"
"She tried to strangle me. The nearby Gallade and Armaldo had to pry her off of me. I was truly grateful."
"You mean that they saved you?"
Umbra shook his head. "I was grateful that I didn't die at the hands of a female Machoke."
Ember cackled loudly. "Well, at least that can't be as bad as running into a female Alakazam. I bet guys just dig ladies with mustaches."
Umbra chuckled. "I'd be pretty embarrassed to be a male Kirlia. Tutus and tap dancing lessons? Count me out, mate."
Ember smirked guiltily. "You know, we're being kind of mean. Pokemon can't really change the way they're born."
"Don't rub it in," Umbra sighed.
"You know what I don't get, though?" Ember asked. "You take one Magnemite, which weighs about thirteen pounds, right? So, then you take a Magneton, which is just a combination of three Magnemite, and it suddenly weighs a hundred and thirty pounds! Where does the extra hundred pounds come from?!"
Umbra chuckled. "How about Wailord? They're over forty-six feet long, but they only weigh about eight-hundred pounds!"
"What?!" Ember said in shock. "How could they be so light?!"
Umbra shrugged. "I dunno. I guess they used to be called the "Float Whale Pokémon" for a reason."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Nope, I'm not kidding."
"I don't believe you."
Up ahead of them, Lucario groaned as he listened to Ember and Umbra ramble on. He glanced over at Absol.
"Why don't we tie those two to a tree by their tails with some food and water, let them talk to each other for a few days and then come back when they're done?" he offered.
"Don't tempt me," Absol muttered.
Lucario sighed as Ember burst out laughing at one of Umbra's jokes again.
"I just don't understand it," Lucario said. "Ember is almost your age, and she usually acts like it, too. But whenever she talks to Sir Jokes-a-lot or hears anything about fun and games, she acts like a child."
"It's not her fault," Absol replied. "Ember's been a Drought lead all her life. Her outgoing, playful spirit has never been nurtured until she came to the wild. She's probably been yearning to have fun and enjoy herself for years."
"I suppose so. How did she escape, anyway?"
Absol glanced back at Ember, watching her smiling and trading jokes with Umbra. He then looked back at Lucario.
"She didn't actually escape on her own," he replied.
Lucario scowled. "What do you mean? Did she have help from her teammates?"
"Ember doesn't remember what happened. She was knocked out in a match and woke up in the wild later. She's convinced it was some kind of accident."
Lucario raised an eyebrow. "I see. You don't believe it was an accident, though?"
"I have my suspicions," Absol replied. "But whatever happened, Ember desperately wants to return to her trainer one day. I'm trying to help her do so."
Lucario looked at him, eyes slightly widening. "You mean she actually wants to go back to her trainer? Why would you help her do that?"
Absol sighed. "Both the East and West sides are after her. It's the only way to keep her safe. I…I can't protect her on my own."
Lucario looked away, the dark, thoughtful scowl remaining on his face for some time.
"If Ember were put in a Poke Ball or trapped in a PC for the rest of her days…that would truly be a tragedy," he said finally. "A great spirit like hers should never be contained and stifled."
"I know," Absol replied sadly. "But I can't see any way to avoid it."
"It mustn't happen," Lucario declared. "I can tell how much you mean to her, and how much she means to you. You can't let it happen."
"It's her choice. There's nothing I can do about it."
Lucario thought for a long moment. He finally looked at Absol, a new resolve in his eyes.
"If we can defeat Minerva and Velour, I'll help you against the East and West sides," he said.
Absol was taken aback by the sudden offer. "You mean, joining us permanently?"
"Like I said before, I can use my aura powers to help you elude the gangs," Lucario replied. "Once we defeat those two murderers, I'll help you in any way I can, which should give you time to convince her to change her mind."
"But, you don't even know us!"
"I know enough. When I first met Ember, she surprised me by being the first Pokémon passing through my alley to be willing to fight me head-on. She surprised me again when she defeated Minerva. But the greatest surprise was when she brought you the antidote. I was amazed to find a Pokémon willing to risk their lives to save another."
"You seem to hold her in high regard."
Lucario nodded. "I hold any Pokémon in high regard that's that much better than me. Plus, together, we may not only be able to elude the East and West sides. We may be able to fight them. With time and a lot of luck, we may even be able to defeat them. I'm not exactly a fan of the gangs either."
There was a long silence. Finally, Absol nodded slightly.
"I guess we'll see," he replied.
Suddenly, Lucario motioned a halt. Absol stopped, soon followed by Ember and Umbra. Lucario's ears raised, and he extended his paw toward a nearby trail.
"Speak of the Darkrai," Lucario muttered.
"What do you see?" Absol whispered.
"A Dark and Flying-type Pokémon in the trees, and a few Fire Pokémon in the tall grass. Get down."
Absol and Ember ducked behind a fallen log. Umbra crouched behind a few large rocks, while Lucario stood behind a tree, his ears still raised as he extended his senses outward. As the four carefully peeked out from behind their cover, they saw a Flareon, a Pignite, and a Magmar walking along the trail. They ducked back out of sight as the West Side agents came closer.
"So, how many did you get?" they heard one of them ask.
"Twenty five," the other replied.
"Twenty five?! How could you find twenty five Sitrus Berries in one mission?"
"Just luck, I guess. Don't worry, I'll share a few with you. Normally, a tenth of them would go to Houndoom, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him."
"Heh, you know, you're gonna get tossed into the slave mines one day if you're not careful," the third one replied. "Anyway, what's all this fuss about these two trainers? I've heard nothing but bad news about them lately."
"Well, these two trainers just showed up out of nowhere one day. They've been causing all kinds of trouble for everybody. They've started Sandstorms in the middle of routes, killed hundreds of wild Pokémon we could've used for food or mining work, and have even captured a few of our soldiers in Ultra Balls."
"Great, just when things couldn't get any worse. At least the East Side probably isn't doing any better."
"Well, we haven't had any recent trouble with the trainers. Apparently, they're chasing down a Shiny Lucario. Heck, I even heard the Drought Ninetails we've been looking for is with 'em!"
"It's a good thing Honchkrow has been keeping a close eye on them every chance he gets."
Just as the three fire Pokémon passed the log and rocks nearby, Ember, Absol, Umbra and Lucario leapt out from their cover. Absol used Stone Edge on the Magmar, slashing him across the neck. Magmar went limp and dropped to the ground. Lucario nailed the Pignite on the head with Aura Sphere. The boar-like pokemon's eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed. Umbra used Confuse Ray, causing the Flareon to stagger backwards.
Ember noticed a TM on the ground where the Pignite had fallen, which he'd obviously dropped after being blasted by Lucario. The disk was a bright pink, which meant it was probably a powerful Psychic attack. She quickly grabbed it and activated it, feeling it teach her the new move. And she knew just who to use it on. Ember's fur suddenly shined a bright pink, a wave of energy blasting the Flareon into a tree. Her eyes widened as her fur returned to normal.
"I think that TM taught me Psyshock," she said in awe.
Absol nodded approvingly. "Well, at least now you can handle other Fire types better. That was a lucky find. What move did it replace?"
"I think it replaced Hidden Power Ice. I've always wanted a better fourth move anyway."
Umbra glanced smugly at the unconscious Flareon.
"Ha! You're an even worse Eeveelution than me!" he taunted. "That's pretty hard to accomplish, too!"
"What about Honchkrow?" Absol asked.
Lucario shook his head. "Gone. He probably saw his little buddies go down from higher in the trees and turned tail feathers."
"Let's take what we can and get moving, then."
Ember, Absol, Umbra, and Lucario quickly searched the three fire Pokémon for any supplies or items they could carry. They found a few berries and healing items, placing them in the trainer bag. Absol found a Scope Lens on the Magmar, deciding to hang onto it. He attached it to the end of the bag on his back. Ember was lucky enough to find a Quick Claw on the Pignite, carefully attaching the tiny and almost unnoticeable nail to the tip of one of her claws.
"Well, at least we all have held items now," Ember said. "Say, Lucario, I forgot to ask. What's your held item?"
"An Expert Belt," Lucario replied. "It's not the greatest held item out there, but it does at least have a practical use."
Lucario shot Umbra a meaningful glance.
"Expert Belt may be better for combat than Destiny Knot," Umbra replied, grinning. "But any battle where my held item activates will be infinitely more memorable."
Lucario merely rolled his eyes as he helped pack the last of the supplies into their bag. As Absol slung the bag onto his back, they heard a faint sound nearby. Lucario extended his senses again.
"What is it?" Ember asked worriedly. "More agents?"
"Not agents," Lucario replied. "It's not coming from this route. It's coming…from the air!"
The four quickly ran for cover as a Draco Meteor flew down toward them. The meteorites crashed down all around them, obliterating trees, sending rocks flying everywhere, causing massive craters and devastating the entire area. Ember, Absol, Umbra and Lucario managed to avoid most of the attack, but a few of the miniature meteorites exploded near them, sending them sprawling backwards and covering them in dirt and soot.
The four looked up, spotting the culprit behind the ambush. Flying down on the familiar Dragonite was none other than Minerva, cackling at them from above. The Dragonite landed, snarling at them. Minerva hopped to the ground, drawing several Ultra Balls from her bag.
"You can't get lucky all the time," she chuckled. "Now I will break you."
Minerva then sent out Braviary, Stoutland, Gigalith, Amoongus and Floatzel. Her six Pokémon began to close in on them. Ember instinctively activated Drought.
"Don't worry, guys," she said. "I've beaten her once before, and we can do it again."
She, Absol, Lucario and Umbra faced Minerva's team, both sides primed for battle.
"So," said a calm, icy voice behind them. "This is how it ends."
The four turned in horror. Behind them, Velour slowly strode into view, holding her Dusk Ball. She waved it around tauntingly, smirking. They were trapped.
"We're caught between a rock and six war machines!" Umbra hollered, ducking behind Lucario.
Angrily, Lucario turned to Umbra.
"I'm weak to Ground type attacks, while you're a physical wall," he said through gritted teeth. "You're hiding behind me?!"
Lucario grabbed Umbra and tossed him in front of the group. Umbra shivered as Minerva and Velour drew closer.
"Any more miracles, Ember?" Umbra asked, his voice trembling.
Velour suddenly tossed the Dusk Ball forward. The capsule slowly opened, the black mist pouring through it. The familiar twister of dust and sand soon enveloped the area and blackened the sky, deactivating Drought. They all heard the terrible roar of the beast as two glowing red eyes shined out of the tornado.
"We'll never be able to fight them all," Ember said.
"Not win, anyway," Umbra muttered.
Ember turned to Absol. His face was a grim mask. He looked back at her.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked.
"Do you even need to ask?" she replied. "Everybody, we're going to fight our way through Minerva's team and run for it. We need to cut a hole through them before the monster reaches us."
"Uh, Ember?" Umbra began. "It's not that I think you're crazy or anything, but…you're crazy."
"I say we go with it," Lucario said. "It's the only way out. We're out of Smoke Balls, anyway."
"Everybody ready?" Absol shouted.
Minerva's six Pokémon remained in a wall-like formation ahead of them. Behind them, the monster slowly began to advance forward.
"NOW!"
The four charged toward Minerva. Lucario launched Aura Sphere, instantly knocking out Stoutland. Umbra used Protect to defend Ember while she charged Solarbeam. Finally, Ember fired Solarbeam, taking down Floatzel. Both Pokémon were flung backwards by the attacks and crashed to the ground. The Braviary aimed a Brave Bird, but Absol leapt up and nailed it with Sucker Punch. Braviary still launched the attack, striking Absol with devastating force. However, the recoil was too much for Braviary. The bird Pokémon collapsed to the ground, finished.
Umbra used Wish, shining dust flying over Absol. Gigalith used Rock Slide, causing a wave of stones to crash down on them. Absol managed to avoid the move, but Ember, Lucario and Umbra weren't so lucky. The rocks struck them and they staggered back slightly, but managed to regain their momentum just in time to avoid a Stone Edge from the ever-advancing monster Pokémon behind them.
Amoongus used Spore, the deadly move floating towards Umbra. Holding his breath, Umbra barely managed to avoid the spore cloud in time. Dragonite used another Draco Meteor, but its power was greatly diminished from the last use. It still hurt badly, but the four managed to press on. Umbra's Wish finally activated, healing Absol's wounds. Umbra also used Moonlight, healing himself as well.
Ember torched the Amoongus with Fire Blast, knocking it out quickly. Absol used Sucker Punch on Gigalith, eliminating its ability Sturdy. Lucario finished it off with Aura Sphere. Meanwhile, Umbra used Confuse Ray on Dragonite, sending it staggering backwards as it tried desperately to attack. A nervous light crossed Minerva's eyes.
"Uh, Velour?" she called. "Dragonite is my only ticket out of here. If he goes down, I'm finished, and I've basically lost my team anyway, so…you're on your own."
Minerva used a Full Heal on Dragonite, curing its confusion. She then leapt on its back and flew off, escaping from the battle. Velour glared at her and cursed angrily.
"I'll pay you back for that, Minerva," she growled. "Destroy them, my servant!"
The beast let out another roar, preparing to use Earthquake.
"We have our opening!" Absol yelled. "Let's get out of here!"
Umbra turned and used Confuse Ray on the monster, hearing it roar in fury as the move disoriented it. Ember, Absol, Lucario and Umbra turned and ran as fast as they could, sprinting through the trees, the ground slightly shaking beneath them as the monster tried to give chase. It was nearly a full ten minutes of running before they finally heard nothing but silence again.
The Veil of nightfall had come far sooner than expected, but that was only natural in the winter. Ember, Absol, Lucario and Umbra had run for a full half-hour, finally stopping at the top of the large hill they had looked out over when they first tried to ambush Velour. The half-blackened sticks and branches were still lying inside the small circle of rocks they had set up for a campfire the previous night. The four were completely exhausted, gasping for breath, hearts pounding.
"As much as I love playing life-and-death games with Lady Luck, let's not do that again," Umbra muttered between breaths.
Lucario glared at him. "You used no aggressive moves back there at all. You only have Wish, Moonlight, Confuse Ray and Protect. Are you telling me you don't know a single aggressive move?!"
"Yep. I hold my health and physical well-being at top priority," Umbra replied.
Lucario threw his arms up in exasperation. Meanwhile, Absol reached into the bag, handing Ember a Max Potion he brought from the iron works.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied. "You?"
Absol smiled. "Everything's fine, except for the wits that were scared out of me. How is everybody?"
"I'm alright," Lucario said.
"Another generic agreement here," Umbra added.
"This is actually going much better than I thought," Absol said. "Minerva's already out of the picture. All that's left is Velour and her monster Pokémon."
"What about her other five?" Ember asked.
"She didn't have time to reach a Pokemon Center after our first fight, and with Minerva gone, she has no way to heal her other Pokémon. That monster is the only thing left that we have to deal with."
There was a long silence as a wave of both nervousness and angst swept over them. The prospect of fighting the monster again was terrifying, but it was also exhilarating that they actually had a chance to defeat Velour once and for all.
"She's still out there somewhere," Lucario murmured. "When the time comes, it'll be do or die. Are we all ready for that?"
There were a few nods. Absol glanced out over the hill.
"It's getting pretty dark," he said. "Since Umbra and I can both see in the dark, the two of us will scout ahead and see if we can spot her.
Umbra's eyes widened. "You mean go and look for her? No thanks!"
Absol shrugged. "Well, if she gets to a Pokemon Center before we can stop her, she'll have her full team of six again."
Umbra suddenly bolted up. "What are we waiting for?! Let's find her!"
Absol rolled his eyes. He and Umbra went off through the tall grass, disappearing from view. Ember heard a few muffled complaints from Umbra before all became quiet. She glanced around the darkened camp site.
"Should I light a fire?" she asked.
Lucario shook his head. "Velour might see the light or the smoke. We'll have to do without it for tonight."
Ember shrugged and sat down. Lucario reclined against a nearby log, his eyes shut and his arms folded. Except for the frigid wind rustling a few trees, all was silent. Ember began to drum her claws on the ground as she waited for Absol and Umbra to return. After a few minutes, she stood up, pacing around the campsite, occasionally kicking pebbles back and forth.
She glanced at Lucario, but he was still reclining against the log, his eyes closed. She couldn't tell whether he was asleep or not. She sighed, debating over whether to try and talk to him or not. Deciding he probably didn't want to be disturbed, she held her tongue, but the silence was becoming unbearable. She looked at the tall grass where Absol and Umbra had left, as though it would make them appear faster. Finally, Ember could stand it no longer.
"Do you think they'll be back soon?" she asked.
Lucario chuckled a bit, his eyes still closed.
"I wondered how long you could keep quiet," he replied wryly.
"Well, gee, sorry," Ember muttered. "Not everyone likes just sitting around and doing nothing."
"Don't worry. We'll have plenty to do when Velour arrives."
Ember sighed, glancing at the tall grass again, willing Absol and Umbra to return. She looked back at Lucario, hesitating at his uninviting demeanor. Still, even an awkward conversation was better than the silence. Perhaps she could even occupy herself by trying to get Lucario to talk, she thought.
"So, uh…nice night, eh?" she offered.
One of Lucario's eyes opened slightly, favoring her with an uninterested look. It finally closed, and the silence resumed. Ember racked her brain for a conversation starter, but nothing came to mind. She decided to talk about something serious, hoping he couldn't ignore that.
"So, what were you doing back in that town where we first met?" she asked.
Lucario glanced at her. "What are you talking about? I told you, I was chasing a thief from the West Side who stole a rare TM of mine."
"Yeah, I know. But, you're a special attacker, and Stone Edge is a physical move. Why would you go so far to get it back?"
Lucario raised an eyebrow. "Now, how did you know the TM was Stone Edge?"
Ember's mouth opened, and then closed. She mentally berated herself for making such a stupid verbal blunder. She felt a stab of guilt as she tried desperately to think of a lie.
"Well, I, uh…you know…the TM was…"
"You're the one, huh?" Lucario said. "Keckleon gave the TM to you to throw me off, right?"
Ember's jaw dropped. She groped desperately for words, but she couldn't think of a lie that was anything better than pathetic. Overcome by a surge of guilt and embarrassment, Ember found herself nodding her head. She half expected Lucario to attack her, but he merely shut his eyes again.
"I had a feeling it was you when I saw that Absol knew the move," he said finally. "It was obvious that you'd given it to him. Don't worry, I'm not angry. There wasn't any way you could have known."
Ember was greatly comforted by the fact that Lucario wasn't angry at her. She breathed a quick sigh of relief, and then began to wonder how she could keep the conversation going.
"So, uh…what was so special about the TM, anyway?" she asked finally.
"It wasn't the TM itself that concerned me," he replied. "It was what it could have been used for. The TM didn't really matter to me, but I didn't want to let the West Side get their hands on it. In the end, the fact that Keckleon's cowardice won out and he gave it to you to elude me was actually the best thing that could have happened. So, you can see why I'm not upset."
Ember nodded. "I'm glad that worked out, at least. You know, the West Side has been after me for a while now."
"For your ability Drought?"
"Yeah."
Lucario scoffed. "The West Side is always grabbing at any Pokémon or item they think can further their cause. Ever since some idiot human scientist invented the 'C-gear,' Ninetails with the ability Drought have been found more and more, and every time one of them happens to appear in the wild, Houndoom and his gang instantly try to recruit them."
"But, if Drought can really strengthen their army so much, don't they only need one?" Ember asked.
"That would be true, except that every single time they put one out there, the East Side targets the Ninetails relentlessly until they kill her."
Ember swallowed hard. "Great. That fills me with lots of confidence."
"You know, that's going to keep happening if the West Side isn't stopped. Once this business with Velour is finished, I was hoping that I could help you fight the West Side."
"You mean you really trust us enough to do that?" Ember asked, surprised.
"I do. Obviously, I haven't known you for that long, but I can tell you're completely reliable."
"How can you tell that?"
Lucario shrugged. "It's possible to find strong, competent Pokémon out there, and it's also possible to find kind, selfless Pokémon out there. But I've never seen a Pokémon that was both, until I met you."
Ember's eyes widened. "Me?"
"That's right. The only kind, friendly, or selfless Pokémon I've ever seen are either dead or imprisoned. The Pokémon that survive are almost always the ones that are cold or single-minded and only look out for number one. You and Absol are the first Pokémon I've ever seen that are both truly kind, and at the same time can hold your own and survive."
Ember looked down for a moment, contemplating the words.
"Well, Umbra's pretty nice, too," she said.
Lucario smirked. "And do you think he's competent?"
At this, Ember couldn't help but chuckle. "No, I guess not."
"So, you can see why I trust and respect you," Lucario continued. "I guess I just decided that no matter what happens, I want to see you guys win. This world is a cold and sick place, and everyone thinks that you have to be equally cold and sick to make it in life, especially Pokémon trainers and the East and West sides. I want them all to be proven wrong."
Suddenly, they heard a loud rustling in the grass. Ember and Lucario jumped up, but relaxed when they saw Absol and Umbra return to the campsite.
"Any luck?" Lucario asked.
"We found her," Absol replied. "She's waiting right at the edge of the path ahead. I don't know how, but she's figured out that we're trying to reach the next route, and she's blocking the only passage through this one. The monster is with her."
"Great Entei's fangs," Lucario muttered. "She wants a final fight too."
"Then let's give her one," Ember said firmly. "We're ready for this. Let's end it."
Absol and Lucario nodded their assent. Umbra shrugged.
"I guess I've lived a full life," he said.
"Since we know she's not going anywhere, we should get a good night's rest and face her in the morning," Absol said. "I bet she'll be doing the same. Get every item we have ready and heal yourselves fully, because one way or another, this ends tomorrow."
There was always a chilling calm in the air right before a fight to the death. The day seemed as normal as any other, but for Ember, Absol, Lucario, and Umbra, it would be the day they faced down Velour and the monster that had caused them so much trouble once and for all. The four walked calmly and confidently (for the most part) along the trail, although Lucario had to drag Umbra along by the tail.
There were large cliffs on both sides of the route, and they soon found themselves walking through a small canyon as the end of the route came ever closer. Strangely, they saw no wild Pokémon nearby, as though they all knew of the coming battle and had decided to stay as far away as possible. The canyon became narrower and narrower, and Ember, Absol, Lucario, and Umbra couldn't all walk abreast.
The sun was nearly at its zenith before they finally reached the end of the narrow canyon. There, standing before them calmly and confidently as ever, was Velour. She smirked as they came closer.
"I was starting to think you'd never show," she said. "Ready to end this, Lucario?"
"No need," Lucario replied. "It's already over for you."
Velour laughed. "And you call me overconfident!"
She yanked out her Dusk Ball, the sky darkening as she sent out the monster Pokémon. The following roar echoed through the canyon as the beast bellowed its challenge.
"Absol, I get it now," Ember said. "I understand why the sky always darkens and we never see this monster's face."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"It's the ability Sand Stream! That's why it always cancelled my ability out! It's this monster's power, and I think it's time we saw what it really looks like."
Ember then activated Drought again, putting every ounce of strength into her inner fire. The golden rays of the sun finally tore through the clouds, illuminating the canyon below. Slowly, the twister of sand began to fade away, the silhouette of the monster inside finally becoming clearer. The four pokemon watched with bated breath as the beast was revealed.
The creature was incredibly large, probably nearly seven feet tall. It's armored, rock-like scales were a bright shade of green like pine needles, and there were large, reptilian spikes running down its back all the way to its long tail. Its eyes were as fierce as ever, and it bared its long, jagged fangs at them, both eagerly and menacingly. Ember was stunned as she recognized the Pokémon.
The monster was a Tyranitar.
Ember stared at the Pokémon responsible for the accident that changed her life forever. Tyranitar glared back at her, his cold, ominous eyes chilling her to the bone. The two weather Pokémon held each other's gaze. Ember saw that his held item was Leftovers, which explained why he was fully healed from their previous encounter with it.
"Are you afraid, little Ninetails?" Tyranitar asked. His deep, gravelly voice was cold enough to freeze the very air around him.
Ember nodded. "I am. So are you."
Tyranitar let out a deep-throated, mocking laugh. "You think I'm afraid of you?"
"That's right. I can see it in your eyes. You're just as scared as me."
The grin slowly faded from Tyranitar's face, replaced by a wrathful glare. Without even waiting for his trainer's command, Tyranitar stepped forward and activated Earthquake. Before he could use the move, though, Absol nailed him with Sucker Punch. Tyranitar staggered back slightly, but soon shrugged off the blow. However, Ember felt her Quick Claw activate, giving her a swift boost in speed. She then used Will-o-wisp, burning the beast. Tyranitar let out an angry roar before finally firing off Earthquake.
The entire canyon shook as Tyranitar used the move. Jagged stone pillars shot up at the four challengers, although they were much smaller than before, thanks to Tyranitar's burn. The move was still devastating, and Ember, Absol, Lucario, and Umbra were battered relentlessly by the attack. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the Earthquake ceased.
Of the four, Ember and Lucario were hurt most by the attack, thanks to their type. Absol also was badly damaged, due to his relatively low defense. Umbra was the only one who barely felt the blow, thanks to his high defensive stats. Umbra used Confuse Ray, disorienting Tyranitar. The beast glared venomously at him.
"He did it," Umbra said quickly, pointing at Lucario.
Rolling his eyes, Lucario prepared an Aura Sphere, but suddenly he was struck by an Ultra Ball! Lucario felt himself being absorbed into the tiny capsule, desperately struggling to break free. Luckily, Lucario had plenty of experience escaping Ultra Balls, and he managed to shatter the lock, reappearing on the battlefield in a flash of light.
Lucario turned to Velour, who held several more Ultra Balls in her arm. He cursed as he realized she did that just to ruin his attack and save Tyranitar, who wouldn't have survived his next Aura Sphere without the Sandstorm. He quickly dodged to the side as Velour hurled another Ultra Ball, waiting for her to try and use the Master Ball.
With a mighty roar, Tyranitar thrust his scythe-like claws into the air. Ember felt her Drought fade as Tyranitar reactivated Sand Stream. The sky darkened again, Tyranitar becoming shrouded in the tornado of sand once more. Before it could attack, however, Absol used another Sucker Punch, smacking the beast in the head again. It wasn't a telling blow, but it was Absol's best shot, and it still hurt Tyranitar despite his Dark type.
Tyranitar prepared to use Earthquake again, but Umbra's Confuse Ray had apparently done its job, and the beast tripped and fell on his side with a heavy thud. Furiously, Tyranitar shakily stood up, roaring a challenge. Ember began to charge up Solarbeam, ready to fire as soon as she gathered enough energy. Umbra used Wish, the rays hovering over Lucario.
Meanwhile, Lucario tried desperately to fire an Aura Sphere, but every time he readied the move, Velour would hurl an Ultra Ball, and he was forced to dodge the capsule. Angrily, Lucario launched a Vacuum Wave at Velour, but she merely moved behind Tyranitar, who barely even felt the move. Lucario growled wrathfully as he realized that Velour had goaded him into wasting another turn.
Ember, Absol and Umbra felt themselves being badly buffeted by the Sandstorm, and Ember quickly reactivated Drought, the sun shining through the dust as Sand Stream faded again. Umbra's Wish activated as well, healing Lucario. Umbra then promptly used another Wish, targeting Ember. Absol once again used Sucker Punch, the blows finally beginning to show on Tyranitar.
Snapping out of his confusion, Tyranitar launched another Earthquake. Once again, the horrifyingly powerful move was at least sufficiently weakened by Will-o-wisp, but it still took its toll. Having been healed, Lucario endured the move, but both Absol and Ember were barely hanging on. Ember especially was at the very edge of unconsciousness, though she managed to fire off Solarbeam at last.
The ray of light struck home, sending Tyranitar sprawling backwards. He crashed against the wall of the canyon, his roar reduced to an agonized groan. Meanwhile, rather than attacking, Umbra leapt in the way of one of Velour's Ultra Balls, becoming absorbed into the capsule. The surprisingly selfless act of courage bought Lucario just enough time to attack.
At long last, Lucario fired off his Aura Sphere. The shining ball of energy flew at Tyranitar, striking him dead-on. Tyranitar let out one last roar of both anger and pain, slowly collapsing to the ground. There was a brief moment of silence as Ember, Absol, and Lucario realized what they had achieved. They had defeated the monster.
They had beaten Velour.
Nearby, Umbra finally-and barely-managed to break free of his Ultra Ball. He quickly glanced back and forth.
"Did we get him?" he asked quickly. "Did it work?"
Lucario gestured toward the fallen Tyranitar. Umbra's eyes widened. He then broke out into a triumphant laugh.
"Alright!" he cheered. "Take that, Velour! Hey, Lucario, I helped too, right?"
To everyone's surprise, Lucario actually nodded.
"That was an amazing act of bravery there," Lucario replied. "It also cost Velour the match. Well done."
Umbra's jaw dropped. He was speechless for a few moments. Then, finally, he forced a shrug.
"Ah, well, it was nothing," he said sheepishly. "I guess I just got caught up in the moment."
As the rays of Wish healed her, Ember stared at the fallen Tyranitar uncertainly. However, before she could decide what to do, Velour returned Tyranitar to the Dusk Ball, glaring bitterly at Lucario.
"Things aren't quite over between us yet," she said, reaching into her bag.
"Really?" Lucario asked smugly. "I can avoid your Master Ball easily, you know. All you'll be doing is wasting a one-of-a-kind item uselessly."
"I wouldn't count on that."
Velour yanked out the Master Ball, eyeing Lucario warily. Suddenly, Velour hurled the ball. However, she wasn't aiming for Lucario.
Velour had hurled the ball at Ember.
Stunned, Lucario saw the purple-and-red ball sailing at Ember. Despite his wounds, Absol desperately leapt in front of Ember, shielding her. In that one instant, Lucario realized that he couldn't allow this to happen. If he didn't act, Absol would be captured and forced into a cruel life as Velour's servant, and Ember would be permanently heartbroken. Lucario knew he couldn't let their lives be ruined.
With that, Lucario leapt in the way of the ball. He felt himself becoming absorbed into the capsule, realizing that, at long last, his life was over. He turned back to Ember and Absol, giving them one last small smile of farewell before becoming fully trapped within the inescapable tool. The Master Ball shook slightly, and then stopped. Lucario was gone.
Ember, Absol and Umbra stared at the Master Ball in shock. Like a coiled snake, Velour dove forward and grabbed the Master Ball before they could even react. She then leapt back, grinning at her prize.
"I guess beneath that hard exterior, you were soft after all," she muttered. "Such a pity, eh, Lucario?"
A bitter tear slid down Umbra's cheek. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Velour with a fervent hatred.
"I'll kill you for that!" he screamed. "I'll jam you into an Ultra Ball! You messed with the wrong Eeveelution!"
To Velour, Umbra's screams of rage sounded like nothing more than angry barks and growls, but apparently, she got the message. Nearby, Ember and Absol readied their attacks as well, eager to tear Velour apart. A nervous light crossed Velour's frigid black eyes. She paused, seeming to debate over something. Finally, with a slight hesitation in her movements, she clicked open the Master Ball.
Suddenly, Lucario reappeared in a flash of light. He staggered slightly, leaning against the rock wall of the canyon for balance. He then looked around in confusion, his eyes finally resting on Ember, Absol and Umbra.
"Why am I here?" he asked. "Did you three save me?"
Velour scoffed. "You wish. Sadly, Lucario, it's time for you to kill your friends now."
Lucario glared at her. "And what makes you think I'd ever obey you?"
"These," Velour replied smugly.
Suddenly, Velour pulled out her trainer card and case, opening it to reveal eight gym badges. Lucario's eyes widened as the eight badges shone brightly, mesmerizing him. He felt incredibly dazed as he stared into the beautiful, sparkling badges, all other thoughts slipping away from his mind as he followed their flashing colors with his eyes as they seeped into his brain.
"Can you hear me, Lucario?" Velour asked.
"I can," Lucario replied.
"Kill the Ninetails, Absol, and Umbreon," Velour commanded.
"Of course."
Lucario's tone was so calm and matter-of-fact that it sent chills down Ember's spine. She looked at Absol desperately.
"Why is Lucario listening to her?!" she asked.
"It's the gym badges," Absol replied. "They can make any Pokémon up to a certain level obey their trainer without question. Since Velour has all eight for this region, Lucario has no choice. He's her slave now."
Umbra looked at them, eyes filled with panic and sorrow.
"We can't just fight him! Isn't there another way?!" he asked.
"Lucario has no choice but to fight us," Absol replied sadly. "He wouldn't want to live with our blood on his hands, nor would he want to exist as Velour's slave. We have to end it. It's what he would want."
Suddenly, they heard Lucario roar and charge up an Aura Sphere. Ember, Absol and Umbra winced, realizing that Lucario would pick them off one by one if they didn't act. Lucario launched the unavoidable ball of light, but Umbra leapt in the way, using Protect. The ball deflected off the green barrier of energy, exploding nearby.
Ember reluctantly used Fire Blast, but Lucario dodged the half-hearted attack easily, almost contemptuously. Absol used Flamethrower, only he didn't hesitate like Ember. Lucario was struck by the flames, staggering backward and wailing in pain and anger. He fired another Aura Sphere, and Umbra was unable to use Protect a second time.
Umbra was struck dead-on by the Aura Sphere. It felt like getting hit by a train. He flew backwards, the world spinning around him before he crashed to the ground in an agonized daze. Meanwhile, Ember, realizing that she had no choice, steeled her nerve and faced Lucario, ready for the worst. Knowing he was expecting Fire Blast and would easily dodge it again, she used Psyshock, the waves of energy shocking Lucario and slamming him to the ground.
"Please stop this, Lucario!" Ember begged. "You're our friend! You helped us beat Velour and Minerva! You promised to stay with us and fight by our side against the gangs! Please, remember!"
For a brief moment, the faintest ghost of hesitation crossed Lucario's features. His eyes revealed a light of reluctance, almost sorrow. But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the cold, emotionless look of a creature enslaved. He brought up his paws again for another Aura Sphere, his time aiming for Ember.
However, he never got the chance to fire it. Absol launched a Psycho Cut first. Thanks to Absol's ability Super Luck, his new item Scope Lens, and Psycho Cut's high ratio, he easily nailed Lucario with a critical hit. Lucario let out one last groan of pain as the move sliced through him. However, the groan also contained the slightest note of apology, his eyes filled with sadness as he gazed at his three companions.
Finally, Lucario collapsed to the ground, his eyes glazed over. His body was entirely still. Absol looked up and prepared to attack Velour, but he saw that she wasn't there. He growled and cursed bitterly.
"That coward," he spat. "She's fled the canyon. She knew Lucario would lose to us and left him behind to stall us."
Ember and Umbra gritted their teeth. However, their rage didn't last long. It was soon replaced by guilt and sorrow as they looked at their fallen companion.
"Absol, is he…?" Ember asked quietly.
Absol walked over to Lucario's body. He leaned down, listening carefully. Finally, he shook his head.
"Lucario's gone," Absol replied softly.
There was a dead silence in the air as he spoke the words. Umbra slowly walked over to Lucario, tears streaming from his eyes as he gazed down at his companion.
"Why did you have to go and get killed, you idiot?" Umbra sobbed bitterly. "We…we were all just starting to get to know you…"
Unable to watch, Ember covered her face with her paw, trying to hold back tears as well. She remembered how much Lucario had wanted them to survive, realizing that he had sacrificed his freedom—and even his life—to help them.
"Don't…don't we have any Revives?" Umbra said shakily.
"It wouldn't do any good," Absol replied quietly. "Revives can only heal unconscious Pokémon. They can't bring back the dead."
Ember slowly walked up and stood at Absol's side.
"Should we bury him?" she muttered.
Absol nodded. "It's the right thing to do. We'll take him out of the canyon and find a place nearby."
Ember glanced at the canyon exit, now unguarded at last.
"This is what you wanted, right, Lucario?" she said. "We beat Minerva and Velour, and their Master Ball is finally useless. We won."
With that, after a moment of silence, the three carried their fallen companion and friend out of the canyon, the world around them already seeming a bit less bright.
Winded and gasping for breath, Velour finally stopped running at a large clearing surrounded by tall grass. She clutched her side, panting hard. How could she have lost to wild Pokémon? No elite trainer was supposed to lose to wild Pokémon! It simply didn't happen! And after everything she'd done, the Shiny Lucario was lost from her grasp forever. She cursed bitterly as that reality sank in.
"Having some trouble, partner?"
Velour turned and saw Minerva fly down on her Dragonite. Velour glared venomously at her.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart," she spat.
Minerva chuckled. "How about that I'm the one with the Dragonite?"
"You ditched me in the middle of a fight, you coward. I might have had a chance if it weren't for you."
"If it weren't for me you'd never have found them in the first place," Minerva shot back. "Anyway, I'm done with this part of the region. We've lost too much and gained too little. I hear there's a new NPCT being set up on an isle nearby that's ripe for the picking. I suggest you come with me if you want to get there too."
Velour scowled, but finally nodded reluctantly.
"What about our Pokémon? Are we bringing them?" Minerva asked.
Velour shook her head. "These ones have proven their worthlessness. I'm leaving them behind. I have better ones at the PCs anyway."
"What about Tyranitar?"
Velour thought for a moment. Finally, she shook her head again.
"It's failed me one too many times. Besides, I've already bred another one with better IVs at the nearby daycare, so this Tyranitar is useless now."
With that, Velour took her pokemon's held items and dropped her six Poke Balls onto the ground. Minerva chuckled.
"You're not even going to release them at a PC?" she asked.
"What's the difference?" Velour shot back. "They still end up in the wild anyway. Come on, let's go."
With that, Minerva dropped her Poke Balls as well. Velour climbed onto the Dragonite, the two trainers flying off out of sight. As the release mechanisms on the Poke Balls activated, each of their Pokémon were freed one by one, looking back and forth in confusion, unaware of their abandonment.
Amidst them all, the Dusk Ball slowly opened up, dark mist pouring out of it as the deep, enraged roar shattered the silence of the wild once again.
Chapter 14: Ending the Nightmare