I spy a ship. It's awkward, but gosh is it adorable.
Just talking about boats here. Boats that involve marinas. Yup.

Lots of fighting up ahead. Enjoy.

Chapter 81
Rescue Plan

Though it felt like a nerve wracking eternity, didn't take long for Marina to land. She fell on her back, yelping as she rolled over on her side. What she landed on was soft, surprisingly so, and it was enough to break her fall. She had little time to inspect this, however. One of her friends pulled her away from it and grabbed her shoulders, helping her sit up. Dizziness overwhelmed her for a moment. Disoriented enough to begin with, she shut her eyes and waited for her vision to stop spinning.

"Are you alright?"

Marina slowly glimpsed behind her, meeting Kenta's focused and concerned stare. She made a nervous smile.

"Y-Yeah, just fine," she tried to say in a cheerful tone, "It was, um, actually pretty fun, ahaha…!"

The boy simpered, seeing through her act. "It's okay to be scared, Marina."

"Yeah..." She giggled a bit.

He laughed somewhat in return. Though he too tried to appear confident, his hands visibly shook as he untied the thick ropes binding her. He freed her torso and hands, working to pull the ropes off her person. She rubbed her sore wrists and gratefully stretched.

"Geez, it feels so good to move again…!"

"You sure you're okay, Marina?" he asked.

"Yeah, don't worry—."

Marina turned to look up at him just as he leaned over to unwind the rope. His raven-colored bangs brushed against her forehead, causing her to blink. He paused, and so did she. They stared at each other and their closeness for a moment, quiet. But when she opened her mouth to speak, he awkwardly broke eye contact and leaned back. She smiled and held back her amusement of his shy demeanor.

"...Thanks, Kenta," she told him. "You really helped me. I thought I was a goner."

"Come on, now," he said. Still, he grinned modestly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's no big deal. Spear was the one that caught you."

An abrupt sound of clearing one's throat interrupted them, causing them both to flinch. They turned to what Marina had landed on, and she put her hands on her cheeks in surprise. Lying belly first, Jackson leered at them while making an irritable frown.

"Hello? I was the one that saved you with my body," he pointed out, his voice hoarse.

"Oh my gosh…! That's why you were so quiet." She put on an appeasing smile. "O-Of course! Thank you for saving me too, Jackson! You aren't hurt, are you?"

In an instant, he sat up and reciprocated brightly. "Not at all! You're very welcome, Marina! I would go through the hottest fires and the deepest oceans for your sake!"

"Thanks," Marina laughed. "It's always good to know you've got my back."

Kenta hid a snicker, to which Jackson shot him a suspicious glower.

The ground suddenly gave a violent shake, and they looked about in surprise. Steelix's large form towered over them with a deep and malicious groan. It raised its spiked tail, and Jackson immediately sprung to his feet.

"Not that thing!" he shouted in terror.

"Run, everyone!" Eusine shouted from afar. Marina and Kenta heeded his warning, following Jackson close behind as they turned to flee.

A yellow blur rushed past them, and they looked just as Raikou leapt and physically talked into Steelix head-on. This dazed the steel snake, which reeled back to shake it off. But Raikou relentlessly pounced at its face, leaving it to topple into the cliff. Bashou watched with genuine astonishment and fell to his knees at the impact. Buson glanced in his partner's direction, but focused on Raikou with a smirk returning to his features. The beast stood before the three young Trainers, facing him and uttering a fearless snarl.

Marina, Kenta, and Jackson were frozen in shock for a moment. Kenta recovered first, showing unease at its presence.

"Raikou! Why did you come back here? You were safe where you were."

"I told you not to come back unless you got help," Marina said. "It's okay! We've got this!"

"Get back out of the Crystal System's range, Raikou! Run!"

Raikou listened only to the last part of Kenta's words, charging straight ahead rather than escaping. Confident, Buson operated the Crystal System to assault it. The machine released various thunderbolts, but Raikou evaded them effortlessly. It approached at breakneck speed, and Buson jumped off just as Raikou made a leap for the robot. He landed on his feet and whirled around. With a sputter, Raikou began wrecking the control panel. It smashed the screen, clawing and fraying every wire it could get at.

"Damn you…!" Buson growled and threw his arm out. "Skarmory, Steel Wing!"

His Pokémon turned away from its chase with Kenta's Beedrill. Its razor sharp wings flashed as it took a steep dive toward Raikou. The tiger continued busting up the robot, causing its chicken-like legs to teeter and then give out. It coughed up smoke and began sparking wildly, and Raikou leapt away at Skarmory's approach.

The vehicle erupted with deafening bangs, and Skarmory cried out in alarm and flew away as it was bathed in heat. Buson's crippled robot self-destructed entirely, engulfed in an inferno. It heaved a final groan, and the Crystal System sparked erratically. The skeletal structure then went silent, its purple barrier vanishing.

"It stopped," Eusine gasped, having joined with the younger Trainers.

Kenta nodded with as much amazement. "Yeah, that's it! If Raikou can't destroy the Crystal System itself, it can stop it by getting at the controls."

"So they won't be able to use it anymore?" asked Marina.

"Awesome!" Jackson exclaimed, beaming. "How smart of it!"

The others shared his enthusiasm, and everyone watched in the silence that followed. Raikou's fierce silhouette was enveloped brightly in the destruction it caused. It glared passionately at Bashou and Buson, the latter which called for his Skarmory to lift him up onto the cliff with his partner and getaway vehicle.

"It really can't forgive them…"

Marina turned to Kenta, who appeared lost in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Raikou's desire to protect Electric-type Pokémon," he said as his gaze softened in understanding, "Since it feels for them, Raikou wasn't going to stop at any cost to punish the ones that disturbed them—especially with that machine. And it wanted to be the one to do it."

"I guess so, huh? That makes sense."

Still, Raikou just protected us right now too, didn't it? She wondered.

"That's a Legendary Pokémon for you," Jackson said with his carefree grin. "Always focused!"

"Although…Raikou had the perfect advantage from afar, yet it jumped in to protect you all the moment you were in danger," Eusine said as if speaking for Marina's thoughts.

"Hey, I think you're right…! So it trusts us now? That's so cool!"

"I suppose so!" he replied.

Kenta silently turned to Raikou with an enlightened grin. Marina and Jackson mirrored his reaction, watching Raikou face down Team Rocket. It growled and roared at them, but the pair appeared completely content—smug, even.

This troubled Eusine, who grew suspicious of this at once. "Something doesn't seem right. With the controls broken, nothing should stop Raikou now. Yet why have those despicable men not fled?"

Before they could consider his worries, Raikou snarled and sent a thunderbolt in Bashou and Buson's direction. They stood boldly in the face of the attack, and a slick smirk settled on Bashou's face.

The thunderbolt made a U-turn, arching back to the disabled Crystal System, which absorbed it outright. It produced a high-pitched whirring as it started back up on its own, the crystal at its center phasing into a deep plum color. With a flash, it reflected the attack with almost double the strength. The hair of Raikou's mane frayed as it just barely evaded.

"Raikou!" Kenta exclaimed.

"What's happening?!" Marina's jaw dropped. "I thought it wasn't working anymore! Why is it still doing that?"

"Thought the fight was over, yeah?" Buson called out with arrogance in his voice. "We aren't fools. We've covered every possibility, especially a scenario like this!"

Bashou seemed pleased as well, no longer hiding the smile on his face. "The Crystal System is efficient. Even when our control is disrupted, the automated controls are set to accomplish the mission."

"Yeah, the final Raikou capture program has already been activated! Notice that jewel there?"

They turned their attention to the Crystal System, which continued to hum with a supercharged screech. Seeing the dark gem, Kenta's expression grew grave and uncertain. This only intensified as it began to shine and create a light vortex of wind.

"The crystal turned black!" he exclaimed. He turned back to Team Rocket. "What is it? What are you up to?!"

"Oh, you'll see," Buson chuckled.

"Watch carefully," said Bashou, "It's the Crystal System's ultimate setting—Black Hole Mode!"

"Black hole?" Marina asked. She turned back as Raikou gave out a yelp.

Electricity appeared in all directions of the Crystal System. Sparking brightly, it shifted and honed in on Raikou, and the legendary beast began slipping toward it. Energy drained from its body, and Raikou released a drawn out cry in vexation.

"Raikou!"

"The crystal in Black Hole Mode is incredibly potent. It can absorb electricity even if Raikou doesn't release it," Bashou explained.

"It can even drain until the point of death!" Buson replied. "With no power left in its body, Raikou will be easy to capture!"

"You…!" Kenta's voice seethed in anger, more than Marina had ever heard from him. "Stop it now!"

"We wouldn't have to resort to this if you didn't get in the way," said Bashou. "Blame it on your own lack of foresight. We do not fail; Raikou will be captured!"

Raikou's fur stood on end, electricity and plasma literally falling out of Raikou and pulling it along like the beast was tied to a cable. Despite its lengthy claws digging into the dirt, its paws slipped and Raikou was dragged haphazardly into the Crystal System. The device held it still in midair. Raikou attempted to move only for more electricity to slip out, and it shrieked in disdain.

The Crystal System's force field reformed, pulsing around it and its prey with a dark indigo hue. Kenta gritted his teeth as Marina, Jackson, and Eusine glared in both anger and dismay.

"Pokémon are made to be controlled by humans," Bashou declared maliciously. "Raikou is no different."

"You're WRONG!" Kenta whipped out a Poké Ball and tossed it in front of him with reckless abandon. "Typhlosion! Fire Blast!"

Typhlosion roared as he was released from his capsule. An overwhelming blaze formed in his mouth, firing it right at the Crystal System's barrier. The field was impervious, refusing to yield as much as an inch.

Kenta turned to his friends. "Jackson, Marina! Let's break that field again with an attack in unison!"

""Right!"" Jackson sent out his Meganium, which chirped a soft howl as Marina went to pick a Pokémon of her own.

"Wait, you three," Eusine interjected. The kids stopped, affording a few seconds to hear him out. "If you tear it down, there would be the same sort of explosion as before. Raikou's trapped this time; it won't be able to withstand it in its current state!"

Raikou's anguished cries brutally reminded them of this, and they exchanged glances in uncertainty.

"But what else can we do?" Marina asked. "The longer we wait, the weaker Raikou will get!"

An anxiety-filled moment passed by them, fretting in their thoughts.

"What's wrong, Hero Boy?" mocked Buson from afar.

"Just stay there and watch as Raikou falls into our hands," Bashou offered. "It will be less painful for everyone involved."

"She's right," Kenta responded, trying to ignore their provocations. "If you have anything else in mind, tell us!"

"There is a way, but…" Eusine cast his gaze aside.

"Please tell us, Eusine. We have to save Raikou somehow!" Marina insisted.

"Yeah! I don't care what it is!" Jackson added.

The three young Trainers watched the gentleman anxiously. He looked back up at them with an unusual hesitation in his cerulean eyes.

"A point-blank attack."

"Point blank?" asked Jackson.

"What's that?" questioned Marina. "Like, up close?"

"Yes," Eusine answered, "An all-or-nothing strategy. That is, have our Pokémon attack the barrier directly. Then the moment they can get through, they grab Raikou and flee as quickly as possible out of the Crystal System's range.

"But it's very likely they'll get hurt in the explosion. If they aren't strong and quick enough to withstand it…they would be helpless."

Kenta turned to his Typhlosion, a desolate worry strewn across his face.

"No way… Typhlosion…"

"That does sound really risky," Jackson answered slowly.

Marina looked down at the Poké Ball she held.

Phany might be able to take it; he's got really good defense, she thought. But would he be able to carry Raikou out fast enough? I can't imagine anyone else that can do it, though. Prince might be fast enough to escape, but he won't be able to help Raikou… Maybe Reflect? Oh geez, I don't think I could take it if something happened to him…

She gazed back up. Her friends made solemn eye contact with their partners, worried for their safety if they went through with the plan. Beyond them, Raikou flailed and cried out helplessly in its vindictive prison. She clutched the sphere in her palm, refusing to succumb to cowardice.

But we've got to do something!

In the corner of her eye, she saw Typhlosion give a courageous nod to its Trainer. Kenta raised his eyebrows in surprise, but it turned into an uneven grin as the Pokémon turned toward their enemies and gave a ferocious roar. He held his hand tight into a fist and nodded with some effort.

"You're right. We always take the straightforward approach!" he declared. After a final moment of hesitation, he pointed ahead. "Alright, Typhlosion, go! Break that barrier down and save Raikou!"

Typhlosion barked assertively and dashed toward the Crystal System. Watching this, a driven glint sparked in the eyes of Meganium. It followed suit, running alongside the large ermine.

"Meganium?!" Jackson gasped. His shock slipped away into confidence. "Ok! We'll see this to the end too! Try your best, Meganium!"

Marina smiled, briefly tossing Phany's ball and catching it in her hand. "I'm joining in too! I'll back you guys up the best I can!"

Seeing the two Pokémon heading toward the Crystal System, Buson's face twisted in annoyance. "What the hell are you doing? I won't let you interfere anymore!

"Skarmory!" He called his Pokémon. "Sky Attack!"

Skarmory gave a piercing chirp in response. Its entire body was bathed in a bright, almost fire-like light. It waited a bit and then swooped down, aiming specifically for Meganium. The leafy dinosaur began leaning off track of its destination, and Typhlosion briefly stopped to look out for its teammate.

But the shining bird met the tough gray hide of a Donphan. With a howl bordering between delight and determination, Phany held Skarmory in place using his trunk.

"Good, Phany!" Marina shouted. "Hold it still as long as you can!"

"Don!" he yipped. The bird's steel armor protected it from the tight grip, but still it flailed about to get its wing free. Phany refused to let go, and Meganium and Typhlosion expressed their gratitude with quick barks before continuing onward.

Steelix was the next blockade they encountered. It attempted to stop them with its gigantic body, smacking its tail about to keep them away.

"My turn!" Eusine declared. "I've been on the sidelines long enough! Hypno, Disable!"

A humanlike yellow Pokémon appeared as far as the Suicune Hunter could throw its ball. It glanced at Steelix through its narrow eyes and manipulated the silver pendulum in its hands. A sudden sort of paralysis struck the steel snake, which froze instantly in place. Unable to attack, it groaned in disdain as it let the two smaller animals pass by.

They were close to the Crystal System now, and Kenta and Jackson took this time to call out their attacks.

"Flame Wheel, Typhlosion!"

"Meganium, use Light Screen!"

The two Pokémon roared back in response. Typhlosion lit its body aflame, and Meganium fabricated an amber-colored wall of light. They then bashed into the translucent barrier separating them from Raikou. The tiger was snapped out of its tormenting trance, grunting frantically. Its dilated eyes turned downward and watched them attempt to tear down the field.

Buson tossed a Poké Ball off the cliff, and it opened in midair. From the light, a creature made up of a thick, purple ooze appeared nearby the Crystal System. It opened its great mouth and moaned angrily, slamming its nearly indiscernible hand to the ground in slow but ready eagerness.

"Muk, Sludge Bomb!" the blond Rocket shouted.

Muk pursed the corners of its mouth and coughed up a messy glob of acid. The attack struck Meganium directly, and its flowers withered as it unwillingly shrunk away from the Crystal System's barrier.

Marina grabbed another ball from her belt, dashing forward and throwing it in front of her. "No you don't! Prince!"

"Eif!" Her Espeon gave a sharp bark. He stood primly before its sloppy enemy.

"Psybeam!"

Prince interrupted Muk's barrage with a stream of multicolored energy. Muk's form bobbled when the attack connected with it. It flailed sluggishly, covering its face with one hand and hurling acid with the other. Prince dodged without issue and sent away any offending globs aimed at his Trainer with his psychic powers.

The Crystal System held strong, containing and draining Raikou without mercy. But soon after Meganium rejoined Typhlosion in their assault, the barrier fluctuated slightly. Blue sparks began arching all over its thin frame, increasing with intensity as time went on.

The sparks reached Raikou, and it struggled briefly before shrieking in unbearable pain. Marina and Kenta turned to it immediately with concern.

"Oh, Raikou…!"

"Hang on a little longer, Raikou!" Kenta called to it.

The beast only groaned and blinked with great effort to stay conscious. Marina let out a worried sigh, but turned back to Prince and Muk. A rather one-sided fight; Muk did all it could to deflect the fox's super-effective attacks. Prince continued firing Psybeams, occasionally allowing his enemy time to recover before retaliating.

But a razor sharp figure suddenly swept in and dived into the Espeon. Struck at his side by a sharp beak, Prince let out a breathless cry as it tumbled into a stray bush. Skarmory let out a pleased squawk, flying above them with almost a sneer on its long beak.

"Prince! You okay?" Marina called. Her Pokémon gave a soft bark as it began to stand back up, and the girl looked around for Phany. Having lost grip of the steel bird, the Donphan was now assisting Eusine's Hypno in the assault on the mighty Steelix. Phany and Steelix rammed into each other. Despite the elephant's own mighty strength, he slid backwards across the ground at the force of the giant snake.

Buson's fists shook as he clenched them. "Damn brats…! At this rate, the Crystal System won't hold up for long!"

"Perhaps we should give them something else to think about. They won't be agreeable to this," Bashou calmly replied. He held out an arm directing beyond the battling Pokémon. "Steelix! Use Crunch on the Trainers!"

Steelix reeled away from its opponent. Sailing over Phany, it let out a slow roar and dived headfirst toward Kenta, Marina, Jackson, and Eusine. The four rushed away in different directions and toppled to their knees once Steelix struck. Its twisting segments pulled up rocks from the ground, creating a wall of earth separating the four.

Typhlosion and Meganium turned behind them, watching on in horror.

"Ah, now what will you do?" Bashou asked them with a smirk. "If you keep this up, your masters will pay the price."

The dust settled, and Kenta turned to them at once. "Don't come over here, Typhlosion!"

"Yeah! We're okay!" called Jackson, rushing over and standing beside him. "Don't worry about me, Megnium!"

"You guys hurry and get Raikou out!"

Without an ounce of doubt, their Pokémon nodded and focused back on the barrier. They remained resolute even as Muk threw poisonous mud at them. The nuisance was quickly done away with by Prince, who distracted it the moment he recovered.

"Good, Prince!" Marina called. "Keep whittling down its health!" After Steelix's attack, she now stood closer to both Prince and the Crystal System. She kept a hesitant distance from the latter and kept her eyes on the battles going on. She glanced back at Phany, who held Steelix's tail with ease to prevent it from using a Rock Throw, and grinned through her anxiety.

We've got this. Just a little more!

Buson called out an order she couldn't quite hear. She watched Muk expectantly, but a screeching in her ears alerted her to Skarmory just as its talons flew past her face. She ducked and backed away, snagged by one of the bird's claws. It grasped tight onto her shoulder, flapping its wings furiously as it attempted to grab her with the other set of talons.

"What're you—! Let go of me!" She shouted and struggled. "Get away! Shoo!"

But Skarmory continued to harass her, snatching her wrist as she tried to wave it away. It attempted to fly into the air with her, and she yelped and flailed. Her feet bounced off the ground, but her struggling forced Skarmory to lower her back down. Still, it persisted to carry her away.

"HEY! You leave Marina alone!" Jackson shouted. A heavy thud from Steelix's body concealed the boy in dust once again. Steelix attacked him and the others recklessly, forcing them to fend for themselves first.

"Come on, let go!" The girl reached for a Pokémon on impulse. "Muu-chan! Thunderbolt!"

"Muu!" Muu-chan called out with immediate hostility. She charged up electricity around her and fired at the bird distressing her Trainer.

But the attack almost instantly turned away from them, heading into the supercharged Crystal System. Marina cried out in disbelief of her shortsightedness.

"Geez, I forgot!" she exclaimed. The machine turned her attack back at them, narrowly striking the scuffling three. Marina scrambled away until she fell to her knees, shielding herself.

How could I forget?! This is why Silver thinks I'm so stupid!

The Crystal System's assault ended. She had been released from Skarmory's grip, but it circled above her with its keen eyes set on the girl. Muu-chan hovered in front of Marina defensively, yet the bird continued getting gradually closer to them. Marina stood back up with a frustrated pout.

"Why do you keep going after me?" she asked. She tossed a Poké Ball before her. "Go, King!"

Her crimson Quilava appeared in a shower of sparkles. Vaguely aware of the situation, he barked defiantly at Skarmory and ignited the fire on his head and hide. Marina backed away behind him, gesturing at Muu-chan to do the same.

"Okay, King, use Lava Plume!"

"Magu!" With a vivacious smirk, King unleashed an explosion of fire in front of him. Skarmory cried out and fled from the unpleasant wave of heat. It neared only when the combination of flames and smoke ended. King readily stepped forward, and it hesitated. Giving an angry squawk, Skarmory turned tail and flew away.

"Finally, geez," Marina sighed. She looked at her two Pokémon. "Thanks, you guys."

Muu-chan smiled, and King yipped proudly.

It didn't look like it wanted to attack me, she thought. What did that Team Rocket guy tell it to do?

"Kenta!"

They jolted and searched around them. Jackson's hoarse cry came from further away, behind the line of uneven earth. She could barely see him, but Steelix was easy to spot. It approached the canyon slowly, glaring downwards at a familiar Trainer in a red jacket. The boy was backing away from it, cornered by the cliff's edge. Marina nearly felt her heart stop.

Steelix roared and lunged at full force.

"Kenta!" Marina covered her mouth, frozen in panic and too far away to do anything. The earth shook, and Steelix could be seen taking the ground underneath it as it fell down into the canyon below. Her fingers trembled and her knees weakened, almost giving out on her.

But her stomach somersaulted when she saw Spear fly away from the scene with Kenta safely in tow. It approached Jackson and dropped its Trainer, who flashed it a confident grin.

Oh thank god, she sighed deeply. He's okay…

The reassurance didn't do much to stop her from shaking; her veins were still pumping adrenaline from the scare. The girl stayed where she stood, catching her breath. A tuft of fur brushed against her leg, and she glanced down to see Prince peering up at her in a satisfied manner. Further away, Muk appeared to be no more than a clump of goo as it lay fainted with its eyes shut.

"Oh…" She smiled. "Good job, Prince. That was no problem for you, huh?"

"Eif," Prince purred. He continued rubbing against her calf gently, sensing her lingering discomfort and seeking to relieve it.

Marina knelt down and hugged him gratefully. They were joined shortly by King, who snuggled his way into her arms. A happy howl and the thumping beneath their feet informed them of Phany's presence. The elephant edged next to her and hugged all of them with his trunk.

"Thanks," the girl said with a laugh, "You all are doing great!"

She recalled both Prince and Phany. Switching around the spheres in her hands, she looked at the ghost with a half-smile. "You too, Muu-chan, though I messed up with the Thunderbolt. And…sorry about earlier."

"Muu." Holding no grudge, Muu-chan replied amiably as her figure disappeared back into her own ball.

Marina exhaled quickly, and with a glance at King she searched the skies for their last opponent. Skarmory had flown over to Meganium and Typhlosion, pecking at them incessantly.

"Okay, King! Go for another Lava Plume on that Skarmory!" she ordered.

King barked and dashed ahead fearlessly. Flames trailed behind him as he prepared his attack, and he stopped a good distance away so that Meganium wouldn't get caught in the blast. He unleashed his attack, catching the metal bird off-guard. It cried out and flapped its wings in desperate panic as it made an effort to fly away.

"Follow it and use Flame Wheel!"

The Quilava pursued and hurled into his low-flying opponent. Knocked out of the sky entirely, Skarmory met the dirt with its wings warped and limp.

Buson gritted his teeth as he witnessed this. He recalled both his fainted Pokémon with great reluctance, glaring down the cliff. Met without any more resistance, their opposition could continue pushing the Crystal System's field to its limit. The system itself continued sparking with increasing frequency, but Typhlosion and Meganium kept tenacious in their assault.

"Shit," the blond man spat.

"I far underestimated them," Bashou muttered beside him. He narrowed his eyes, showing contempt. "Thinking them just kids…"

Without an enemy to fight, King scampered back to Marina at her command. She bent down to pet him, scratching under his chin and petting down his back once he dismissed any remaining flames on him.

"Good going, King!" she praised exuberantly. "I'm sorry you can't be on the front lines. You're not big enough yet to help carry Raikou like Kenta's Typhlosion is."

King's little ears drooped. She returned it with an assuring, if not oblivious, smile.

"Don't worry! Maybe next time, okay?"

With that, Marina recalled her last Pokémon. She turned to the Crystal System and the ones fighting hard to save Raikou. Its humming grew louder, working restlessly to maintain its force field that was under constant assault. The legendary beast had fallen quiet, putting all its power into staying awake for the moment the barrier goes down. Typhlosion and Meganium gave muted roars as they pushed against the field with all their might.

Come on, please let this work!

Marina was ripped from her thoughts as she almost lost her balance. Another earthquake shook the area, and she stood her ground in mild confusion. Her questions were answered promptly as the earth on the other side of the Crystal System gave way. Steelix emerged with an enraged groan, glaring down upon its enemies.

"Oh no! It came back!" she exclaimed.

"Steelix!" Bashou called out loudly, his voice bold. "Crunch attack!"

Steelix oriented itself toward Typhlosion and Meganium. Miniscule compared to the behemoth, they looked up at it with almost helpless fear.

Marina shoved aside her shock and pushed her legs to run. She dashed around the Crystal System, grabbing the newest-looking ball on her belt. In the corner of her eye, she saw Kenta and Jackson approaching just as recklessly as she was. Her hand gripped the Poké Ball tight.

I've got no choice!

She closed her eyes briefly before throwing it as hard as she could in front of her.

"Lapras, go!"