NegaiFreak: Hey folks! For those wondering, this chapter is likely going to end up being a lot shorter than the previous ones. This wasn't something I had initially planned, but I feel like you guys need a breather from several trial battle chapters. So here's the 20th chapter of "The Challenge of a Lifetime"!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Wait, you didn't get Kiawe to show you how the Z-Move works?" Trent asked Calvin from back in the Pokémon Center. A grimace from the boy was his answer. "Hahaha!" he laughed.
"Hey, it's not funny!" Calvin shouted as he sipped his soda, "My whole team was pretty much spent from that trial, so I really wanted to get back here right away!" he pointed out. Trent still snickered.
"Sorry, sorry…" he apologized repeatedly, finishing his water with one last gulp, "But if you want, I can show you the dance," he offered as he stood up from his seat.
"Uh, sure…" Calvin replied. Crossing his arms over his chest with the Z-Ring facing forward, Trent swung them around before sticking them out in front of him. The Ketchum boy noted that this was apparently how all of the dances started…
Trent then moved his arms back to their respective sides, waving his hands slowly as if they were billowing flames. He grabbed his right arm with his left hand and stuck it forward. Calvin blinked.
"That was it?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Heh," Trent chuckled, "Come on, all the dances are easy," he pointed out, "The trick is to remember what exactly makes the Z-Move work," he told him.
"Huh…" Calvin uttered out, putting his hand onto his chin in thought. The initial part of each dance was relatively simple, so the only thing he needed to know for every dance was the other motions. He recalled when he used the Normalium Z, had to position his arms in a Z-formation; the basic of all of the Z-Moves. After that, it was the Fightinium Z, which required him to throw out multiple jabs in front of him before firing off a powerful punch to the wind. The Waterium Z required him to wave his arms like they were water from one side to another. And now the Firium Z was requiring him to wave his hands like billowing flames they were thrusted out, much like how Trent's arm was aimed forward.
"It's not gonna be that easy to master them all," his rival mentioned, breaking him away from his thoughts, "Point it, there's a key to each of them," he noted, "Do you think the dance I said matches a Fire type attack?" he wondered.
"Yeah…" Calvin answered as he widened his eyes in realization. He then smiled. "Thanks for that, Trent," he said out of gratitude, "You're actually a pretty great guy," he admitted. His rival actually blushed in surprise, scratching at his cheek sheepishly. Just then, the two boys heard a bell ring from the counter.
"Your Pokémon have been fully healed!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as she handed a tray of five Poké Balls to Calvin moments later. He took each of them off.
"Thank you!" he said in gratitude, smiling brightly. Another moment passed before the Poké Balls were tossed up into the air, popping open. The lights that spilled forth formed upon the floor, dissipating to reveal Torracat, Gumshoos, Trumbeak, Araquanid and Cubone. The former three did a double take upon seeing the Water Bubble Pokémon there, gasping in surprise as their eyes widened.
"Kew, keww boh!" Cubone suddenly shouted, charging at Araquanid with his bone readied. The Water Bubble Pokémon merely turned around, shooting out a sticky thread from his spinneret to completely trap the aggressive Lonely Pokémon in a cocoon. Calvin laughed.
"Araquanid's probably really strong now…" Trent noted as he walked over to the Water Bubble Pokémon, "And your Cubone…" he continued, looking to see the Lonely Pokémon break out of his entrapment furiously, "is… interesting…" he noted slowly.
"Heh," Calvin chuckled, "Well someday, he'll become an awesome Marowak like Kiawe's," he pointed out confidently. Cubone didn't seem to care for any remarks about him as he was practicing swinging his bone around.
"So what now?" Trent wondered, catching his rival's attention.
"Well, I kinda wanna get a break in before the next trial…" he responded, glancing up for a moment in thought as he crossed his arms, "Where is the next trial again?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Down at the Lush Jungle," Trent answered, "That's the trial where Mallow's the captain," he recalled, causing Calvin to blink in surprise, "I've heard it's the toughest on the island, but only because of its Totem Pokémon," he explained as he folded his arms over his chest.
"The Totem, huh?" Calvin repeated, narrowing his eyes. He wondered just how troublesome the next trial would be in comparison to Kiawe's.
"Speaking of trials," Trent said, making him perk up, "your sister's probably almost done with hers," he pointed out, "We oughta' get going before she beats us to the jungle," he noted as he grinned.
"You already think she beat the trial?" Calvin inquired with a tilt of his head.
"Erika's strong," Trent replied, "She's a lot stronger than she used to be…" he mentioned as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, "so I doubt she'll lose a trial now," he affirmed confidently. Calvin blinked in surprise.
"Since when did you start liking my sister?" he wondered suspiciously. Trent's cheeks went red for a moment.
"Uh… m-maybe after we met in Paniola…" he admitted with a stutter.
"Huh…" Calvin sighed deeply, "Well, why don't we get a head start like you said?" he suggested.
"Mroww!" Torracat purred delightedly in agreement. The rest of his team also voiced their excitement about heading off to the next trial.
"Heh," Trent chuckled, "Sure," he said. A few moments later, the two boys were leaving the Pokémon Center with their belongings, as Calvin's team had been returned to their Poké Balls. He looked over the Wela Volcano, letting off a grin.
'Hope your trial's going well, Erika,' he inwardly said, walking off alongside his rival into the night.
OPENING
"High Hopes" by Panic! At the Disco
0:00 – 0:10 = Opens with Calvin and Erika getting their hats and shoes on before stepping outside a Pokémon Center to start their days on Akala Island.
0:11 – 0:34 = Continues with the twins running down a pathway, being joined by Hau, Paige, Pyrrha, and Trent as their respective starter Pokémon run alongside them. Meanwhile, Ash and Mirajane are out on the front porch of their vacation home with Pikachu, hoping for the best of their kids.
0:35 – 0:45 = Shows Calvin with Torracat, Gumshoos, Trumbeak, and Dewpider resting beneath a shady tree, with the Fire Cat Pokémon sleeping contently on her trainer's lap. Cubone is off to the side shattering rocks with his bone.
0:46 – 0:57 = Cuts to Erika training with Brionne and Rockruff, while Fomantis is asleep on the sunny grass. It's only when Drifloon decides to float over her that she wakes up, mad that the Balloon Pokémon is blocking out the sunlight. Meanwhile, Oricorio is dancing off to the side.
0:58 – 1:10 = We see Calvin and Erika entering the Battle Royal Dome, awing the spectacle before they're introduced to the Masked Royal, who Calvin fawns over while Erika instantly recognizes him as Kukui in disguise, giving off a blank look.
1:11 – 1:33 = Calvin commands Torracat as she jumps into the ring, attacking Gladion's Null with Fire Fang. Erika's Brionne uses Aqua Jet to knock back Paige's Combusken into the ropes, followed by blasting her with Bubble Beam. Hau's Pikachu and Trent's Frogadier race each other with Quick Attack before they use Electro Ball and Water Pulse respectively, colliding their attacks with each other in a fierce explosion.
1:35 – 1:44 = Continues with Calvin and Erika going along and visiting the landmarks of Akala, seeing the Paniola Ranch, Brooklet Hill, Wela Volcano Park, the Lush Jungle, Konikoni City, the Ruins of Life, and the Hano Grand Resort. But as they journey on, Calvin notices that his sister is getting further ahead of him.
1:45 – 1:55 = Erika is then approached by Plumeria, whose Salandit climbs up her shoulder before they both smirk at her deviously.
1:56 – 2:18 = We then cut to scenes of Lana fishing at Brooklet Hill with her Araquanid, Kiawe overseeing his trial site atop Wela Volcano with his Alolan Marowak, and Mallow picking out ingredients alongside her Steenee. The scene changes to show Olivia and her Midnight Lycanroc turning around and grinning at the Ketchum twins, being a wall for them to overcome.
2:19 – 2:42 = Erika sends out her Brionne in rainy weather to face a Wishiwashi in his schooling form, while Calvin has Trumbeak use Pluck on a Lurantis.
2:43 – 3:12 – The opening closes off with the Ketchum twins standing with their respective teams, smiling at each other, though Torracat and Brionne scoff and look away. We then get a glimpse of Lillie and Nebby at the Ruins of Life, a scene of Tapu Lele floating about excitedly, and finally a scene featuring the Aether Foundation with Faba, Wicke, and Lusamine.
Twin Impact!
"R-Rockruff…?" Erika stammered from the volcano as she, Brionne, and Rotom witnessed him glow a bright blue.
"RAHOOOOOO!" he howled loudly. His body began to morph as he stood up his hind legs. His forelegs lengthened out as claws protruded from them. His snout grew as well, with his fur growing out over his head. Erika's eyes shook with amazement. This was only the second time she'd seen any of her Pokémon undergo an evolution.
As the light finally subsided, it revealed what happened. Rockruff had become a canine Pokémon resembling a slouched, bipedal wolf. He had short red fur with white on his lower legs, and a white streak that covered his face, underbelly, and tail. He also had pointed, button ears with black tips, three large tufts of fur on each side of his face, a triangular black nose, and a mouth full of sharp teeth. As the sclera, irises, and pupils of his eyes were visible, they glowed a pinkish red. A mane of fur covered his back and shoulders, sweeping forward over his head to form a crescent moon shape. On either side of his body, just below the shoulders, two small rocks resembling claws poked out of the mane. A single, bigger stone projected out of the front of the mane over his head. Each of his paws had three black claws, and he had a stubby tail covered in long fur.
"Lyy…" he uttered out, looking himself over. Erika blinked in surprise… and confusion.
"That's… not Lycanroc…" she noted as she arched an eyebrow.
"No, it izzz!" Rotom buzzed, "That's a Lycanroc in a Midnight Form, zzt!" it pointed out.
"Midnight Form?" Erika repeated as she blinked. An image of the Wolf Pokémon appeared upon the Pokédex's screen.
"Lycanroc, the Wolf Pokémon, Midnight Form, and the evolved form of Rockruff," it began, "He goads his enemies into attacking, withstands the hits, and in return, delivers a headbutt, crushing their bones with his rocky mane. They live alone without forming packs. They will only listen to orders from Trainers who can draw out their true power," he explained thoroughly.
"Whoa…" Erika uttered out in surprise. To think that Lycanroc had two different appearances was surprising. She then looked up at the night sky, seeing the moon overhead. "Wait…" she started to realize, narrowing her eyes, "Did Lycanroc evolve into this form because it's night?" she inquired to her Pokédex.
"Precizzzely!" it buzzed in response, "The Masked Royal'zzz Lycanroc evolved during the day, which is why he took the Midday Form," it explained, showing off side by side images of the two Wolf Pokémon to let Erika observe their differences.
"Wow…" she said, definitely amazed.
"Bree!" Brionne yipped in congratulations, clapping her flippers. Lycanroc just looked away ashamedly. Even with his new form finally obtained, he couldn't help but feel guilty as to what he did during the course to achieve it. He actually wounded his trainer. He bit her.
"Lyy…" he moaned, lowering his head.
"Breeah?" Brionne yipped in worry, tilting her head to the side.
"What'zzz wrong?" Rotom wondered. Erika blinked in realization, letting off a frown.
"Hey, Lycanroc…" she said, going over and kneeling down in front of him, "I know you're sorry for what happened…" she pointed out, petting the left side of the Wolf Pokémon's head, "but I forgave you," she assured, "You were just acting like that because you were so close to evolving, right?" she inquired. Lycanroc still seemed ashamed. He looked at the bandages around his trainer's arm.
"Rrrr…" he moaned, leaning into her hand. A soft smile graced her lips.
"I said it's okay…" she assured, nuzzling her nose against his, "Now who's a good boy~?" she sang in question in a deep, cutesy voice. Lycanroc chuckled, licking her cheek affectionately to make her giggle.
"Mah…" a voice squeaked, sounding amazed.
"Bree?" Brionne yipped upon overhearing the voice, "Bree! Breeonn!" she called out, catching her trainer's attention.
"What's wrong, Brionne?" Erika wondered as she arched an eyebrow. She ventured over to the Pop Star Pokémon's side with Lycanroc and Rotom, widening her eyes as to what she had seen. There was Magby, whose eyes appeared to sparkle as he was looking over at the Wolf Pokémon.
"Izzzn't that the same one you mizzzed catching earlier?" Rotom inquired.
"Yeah, you're right…" Erika remembered. A moan of shame left Lycanroc's lips. He was the one who made the Live Coal Pokémon run away in the first place.
"Rrahh…" he uttered out, trudging over to the wild Magby, who appeared to flinch as he stepped back nervously.
"M-Mahh?" he stuttered out nervously. Lycanroc knelt down to his right knee.
"Lyy… lykkann…" he apologized ashamedly. Magby blinked in surprise. A frown of realization came across Erika's face. Her teammate was still feeling guilty. Maybe it wasn't just the fact that he hurt her, but also that he had disobeyed her several times today. Not just during the trial either.
"Magg beee?" Magby asked with a tilt of his head towards the Wolf Pokémon.
"Hmm…" Erika hummed in thought. Why was the Live Coal Pokémon here now?
'Did he… see Lycanroc's evolution?' she guessed inwardly, blinking as she then pulled off a smile.
"Hey there…" she greeted as she approached, making Lycanroc and Magby perk up in surprise. Kneeling down beside the Wolf Pokémon, Erika extended a hand out to the wild Live Coal Pokémon.
"M-Mag bee?" he stammered in confusion, looking up at her.
"You wanna come with us?" she inquired with a tilt of her head.
"Breeah?!" Brionne gasped in surprise, while Rotom blinked.
"It's because you saw Rockruff evolve, right?" Erika guessed, causing Magby to widen his eyes. He had seen the brilliant sheen of blue light that caused the Puppy Pokémon's transformation. "And you wanna evolve like that, too," the trial-goer realized, making him perk up.
"Muh… mag bee!" he squeaked in response with a nod.
"So whaddaya say?" Erika offered with her hand held out still. It took a moment for Magby to consider it. Seeing Rockruff's evolution was one thing, but to be given the chance to get stronger alongside him was entirely another. And he knew he could evolve, too.
"Magg!" he exclaimed firmly as he grinned.
"Awesome!" Erika cried out excitedly. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a shrunken Poké Ball and enlarged it by pressing its center button. She then lightly tossed it up, letting it hit the Live Coal Pokémon's head. As the Poké Ball popped open, Magby changed into red light and zoomed right into it, allowing it to close. It fell to the ground, shaking for a few moments while the button blinked a bright red. Once it stopped shaking, the button flashed a bright green with the sound of a click. Erika let out a happy gasp, bending over to pick the Poké Ball up.
"You caught a Magby, zzt!" Rotom buzzed in exclamation, "Now you have a Fire type for the Firium Z!" it pointed out.
"Breeah!" Brionne congratulated, clapping her flippers out of joy. Lycanroc smirked… but his expression shifted back into a frown seconds later.
"Hey, Lycanroc…" his trainer said in a pleading tone, grabbing him by his face and petting him gently. He didn't smile.
"Bree…" Brionne moaned worriedly as her ears flopped down sadly.
"Maybe we zzzhould let him be for a while…" Rotom suggested, catching Erika's attention.
"Huh…" she sighed, "Okay," she agreed, taking out the Poké Ball for the Wolf Pokémon. He didn't even lift his head up to look at her as he was returned to the containment in a beam of red light.
"Breeonn?" Brionne asked worriedly, hopping onto her trainer's shoulder.
"He'll be all right, Brionne," she assured, petting the Pop Star Pokémon's head gently, "He just needs time…" she noted. After putting her Poké Balls away, she continued her trek down the volcano. Today felt bittersweet. But why? She and her team completed the trial, her Rockruff evolved, and she caught a new Pokémon, giving her a full team of six. So why was it so bittersweet?
She slightly winced, looking at her left arm. Never did she imagine her own Pokémon would attack her. Not once. And even though she forgave Lycanroc for his actions, he couldn't bring himself to do the same. He may have just been acting stubborn, but that remorseful attitude showed he regretted his actions.
"Huh…" Erika sighed again.
'Did Mom or Dad ever have Pokémon that attacked them? Or Leslie?' she wondered inwardly, clutching the strap of her bag.
"Bree…" Brionne moaned, noticing how tense her trainer seemed. They continued their trek down the volcano as the moon shined brightly in sky overhead.
X
"Ahhhh~…!" Calvin yawned, rubbing his eyes.
"So I'm guessing you've never camped out before either, huh?" Trent inquired, throwing a stray branch onto the campfire. The two trial-goers were camping out beside the road leading to the next site, with a pair of sleeping bags lying on the grass alongside their Pokémon. Calvin noticed that aside from Frogadier and Charjabug, Trent also had a Mightyena now.
"Your Poochyena evolved?" he noted, catching his attention.
"Yeah," he replied, "Though… I'm still trying to figure out what kind of team I wanna get together…" he admitted sheepishly, "These three have really pulled through for me so far," he continued as he smiled at his trio of partners, "but I'm gonna need a full team by the time we finish this next trial…" he realized with a firm expression.
"If it's in a jungle…" Calvin began, catching his attention, "then it's probably a Grass type trial," he concluded.
"Guess that means I'd have to use Charjabug or another Pokémon I'll catch then…" Trent realized, looking over at the Battery Pokémon.
"Char jah?" he chittered in confusion.
"Rrr…" Mightyena growled, trying to sleep.
"Charjabug is Grubbin's evolved form, right?" Calvin guessed, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Trent answered, "He evolved in time for Lana's trial," he pointed out, "but I'm not sure he's gonna be strong enough to handle whatever Totem we're gonna have to fight…" he admitted as he sat down on one of the nearby logs.
"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine," Calvin assured confidently. Blinking in surprise for a moment, his rival chuckled.
"Yeah… I'm not so sure," he replied honestly, looking up at the night sky overhead, "Ever since we were at the school back on Melemele, I've… kinda been doubting myself," he confessed, "Not because you beat me in that tournament we had," he pointed out before Calvin could chime in, "but… because I felt that I was gonna lose sight of what I really wanted," he told him.
"And… what is it that you want so badly?" he asked out of concern. Trent let off a grin.
"I wanna be strong enough to battle against a Legendary Pokémon and win," he answered, "And in order to do that," he continued, looking back at his rival, "I need to keep winning as many battles as I can to get stronger," he stated firmly. Calvin was shocked by his rival's dream. He heard stories about his father and mother having their encounters with legendary Pokémon. His father had even defeated a few in his lifetime.
'I guess that whole attitude he showed back then was because he was so impatient…' he realized as he let off a smile.
"Hey, Trent?" he said, catching his rival's attention, "I'd be happy to help you get stronger," he promised. Trent slightly widened his eyes.
"Heh," he chuckled again, "Thanks," he said in gratitude. The campfire's flames continued to flicker as the two boys tucked themselves into their sleeping bags.
"Mrrr…" Torracat purred as she decided to snuggle her head against her trainer's cheek, making him giggle.
"Alright, alright…" he repeated, letting her lie down next to him as he closed his eyes. It was strange camping out like his parents used. But also humbling in a way.
'I wonder how Dad and the others are doing…' he inwardly said, chuckling before finally falling asleep for the night.
X
A yawn escaped Ash's lips as he heard the knocking at the door first thing in the morning. Without his usual morning coffee, he looked like a complete groggy mess. He sauntered over to the door, managing to twist the knob and pull it open. The second he saw who was there, he gasped.
"Hey!" he greeted with an excited smile. Standing on his front porch were Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar Law, with the former sporting a toothy grin, while the latter had his usual scowl on his face. Moments later, the three of them were gathered in the living room, with Ash drinking his mug of coffee contently.
"It's good to see you two!" Mirajane exclaimed as she brought over a tray of two other mugs filled with the same beverage. Upon setting it down onto the table, she took out a couple of creamer and poured one into each mug.
"Thanks," Law said in gratitude as he took his mug off of the tray, taking a sip, "Sorry for barging in like this," he apologized in advance, "but we kinda needed some help," he admitted rather sheepishly.
"You needed help?" Ash repeated, sounding surprised. The Omni Force squadron leader grimaced.
"Look, don't get the wrong idea, Ketchum!" he shouted, "Straw Hat and I wanted to know from the master firsthand about this Mega Evolution stuff…" he pointed out as he tipped his cap down.
"The master, huh?" Mirajane said from the kitchen, giggling at the comment.
"HEY!" Law yelled, irritated by the remarks the husband and wife were making.
"We could use the help though," Luffy chimed in, "Traffie and I haven't gotten the whole battling thing down yet…" he admitted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly in embarrassment.
"Are you having trouble with Grin and Samei?" Ash wondered while drinking his coffee.
"I'm not…" Law grumbled, "Well, not in terms of him without his Mega Evolution," he corrected as he stood up from his seat, "I never really had a need for him to use it…" he confessed while scratching at his cheek. Ash smiled.
"Well, I wanna do it now that I've got some free time!" Luffy declared as he pumped his fists, "Grin's really psyched to try it out, too!" he mentioned excitedly.
"Hmmm…" Ash hummed in thought, "Mira, you think you can help us out today?" he asked of his wife.
"Of course, dear!" she eagerly responded, tilting her head to the side, "Gengar and I wanted to get some training, too!" she pointed out as she picked up a Poké Ball from the kitchen counter.
"Pika, peekah!" Pikachu squeaked excitedly, hopping onto his trainer's shoulder.
"So why don't we take this out to the beach?" he suggested to his fellow Omni Force members. A while later, the four of them were gathered at the shore of the Melemele Sea right by Kukui's house. Mirajane enlarged a Poké Ball resting in her hand, lightly tossing it up. It popped open, with the blue and white light from it spilling out onto the sand. Coming into form, the light dissipated to reveal her shiny Gengar.
"Genhg!" he exclaimed in greeting, floating over the sand.
"Pee ka, peee!" Pikachu cried out, catching his attention as he looked over to see the Mouse Pokémon racing alongside the beachside. He quickly dashed after him, playfully chasing him around. Mirajane giggled.
"It's been a while since those two got to play together, huh?" she noted with a bright smile.
"Well, we're not here to play…" Law grumbled out.
"Come on, Traffie! Live a little!" Luffy yelled, "We get to do the great stuff Ash does!" he pointed out excitedly.
"Tch…" Law scoffed, "I'm only doing this because you wanted to do it…" he muttered, glancing off to the side.
"So, you guys brought your Key Stones, right?" Ash inquired to the two pirates.
"Yep!" Luffy replied as he held up his multicolored stone in his right hand. Law pulled out his from the left side pocket of his jacket.
"So what do we do?" he wondered, arching an eyebrow.
"First, let's get Samei and Grin some exercise!" Ash instructed in response, "Battling will get those two warmed up for one heck of a Mega Evolution!" he pointed out excitedly, putting his hands at his hips.
"If you say so…" Law grumbled, taking out a Poké Ball as Luffy did the same. They both enlarged the containers before tossing them up, letting them pop open. Luffy's had light spill out onto the sand, taking shape and dissipating to reveal a Sableye.
"Sayy!" he exclaimed in greeting, flashing a toothy grin. In the meantime, Law's Poké Ball had light splash into the nearby seawater, coming into form to reveal a Sharpedo.
"Shar!" he yelled, snapping his jaws.
"So who's fighting who?" Law asked, seeing Luffy's play around with Pikachu and Gengar, while his Sharpedo just floated about on the water.
"I guess Mira can battle Luffy since they've both got Ghost types," Ash responded as he looked over at the Darkness and Shadow Pokémon running about along the sandy shore with his Pikachu, "And that leaves you battling us!" he concluded, grinning brightly.
"Heh," Law chuckled, "Think it's a little soon for me to be facing the master…" he remarked in a snarky tone. Ash laughed.
"It's a good way for you and Samei to get used to type disadvantages," he explained as Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder.
"Pikah!" Pikachu agreed. Law smirked in response. A few moments later, Luffy and Mirajane were at the outskirts of the beach more towards the grass, with both of their Pokémon taking on ready stances. Pikachu's cheeks sparked with electricity as got onto all-fours, staring down Samei from the sand as she growled in the water.
"Okay…" Law uttered out, adjusting his cap, "Samei, Aqua Jet!" he commanded. A watery torrent shrouded the Brutal Pokémon as she launched herself out at Pikachu.
"Dodge with Quick Attack!" Ash called out. Outlined in white, his partner dashed away in an instant, enticing the Sharpedo to chase after him.
"Night Slash!" Law ordered.
"Sharr!" Samei responded, letting the water dissipate around her as her dorsal and pelvic fins glowed an ominous purple.
"Counter by using Iron Tail!" Ash yelled. Making his tail shine a silvery white, Pikachu jumped up and spun around, colliding it with Samei's dorsal fin in a fierce burst of wind.
"Heeheehee!" Luffy chuckled excitedly from afar, "Okay Grin, get 'im with a Shadow Ball!" he shouted with a pump of his right fist.
"Liiii!" his Sableye responded, forming a ball of purple and black energy with sparks crackling around it from his hands.
"You too, Gengar!" Mirajane instructed.
"Genhg, garr!" the Shadow Pokémon replied eagerly, forming a ball of his own. The two Ghost type Pokémon fired off their attacks, which collided with each other in a fierce explosion.
"Shadow Sneak!" Luffy commanded. With the smoke yet to clear, Grin's eyes flashed a bright red before his shadow suddenly darkened. It extended through the smoke, heading past Gengar as he blinked in surprise. The shadow suddenly shot up, attacking him over and over from behind.
"Hang in there, Gengar!" Mirajane cried out, "Use Dazzling Gleam!" she ordered.
"Gar!" the Shadow Pokémon yelled back with a smile. He hopped away from the shadow attacking him, having his body shine a bright white. Several multicolored rays shot out from the resulting brightness, striking the Sableye as his shadow had dissipated.
"Say… bell…" he grunted out, stumbling back.
"Oh, you're really strong, aren't you?!" Luffy realized, clenching his fists tightly with excitement. Mirajane giggled as her Gengar landed down in front of her.
"Well, we've barely just gotten started…" she pointed out, sporting her trademark smile.
"Ice Fang!" Law yelled.
"Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. As Samei's glowing blue jaws barely missed snatching Pikachu, he collided with her head on while outlined in white.
"Kah…!" he grunted out as he landed back on the sand, grimacing a little out of pain.
"So your Sharpedo's got Rough Skin, huh?" Ash guessed upon noticing, looking over to see Samei land back in the water.
"Heh," Law chuckled, "Samei, Poison Fang with Aqua Jet!" he ordered, swinging out his right arm.
"Sharrr!" the Brutal Pokémon roared, enveloping herself within another torrent of water before rocketing towards Pikachu. Her jaws glowed an ominous purple as she approached.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded. With his cheeks building up electricity that then shrouded him, the Mouse Pokémon unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning that struck the oncoming Sharpedo, stopping her as she was coming down. The two were at a deadlock for a moment before an explosion occurred, blowing Samei back as she gritted her teeth.
"Pee… kah!" Pikachu squeaked out with a grin, impressed with how strong his opponent was.
"Hypnosis!" Mirajane called out to her Gengar.
"Genhg!" he yelled, making his eyes glow a bright red as he looked out at Grin. Multicolored lights wafted off of his form as they headed for the Sableye.
"Dodge with Detect!" Luffy shouted.
"Sayy!" Grin yelped, making his eyes flash a bright orange as he evaded the oncoming lights.
"Oh my…" Mirajane gasped, letting off a giggle, "It's like how your Haki helps, isn't it?" she inquired to the opposing trainer, who chuckled sheepishly as he rubbed at his nose.
"Grin takes after me, after all!" he pointed out cheekily.
"Liiliiliiii!" his Sableye snickered in agreement.
"Now use Shadow Sneak!" he ordered with a pump of his fists. Grin's eyes flashed red again before his shadow blackened and extended out towards Gengar.
"Counter with Shadow Punch!" Mirajane yelled. Having a shadowy aura appear around his right hand, Gengar closed it into a fist before thrusting it against the ground to strike the extending shadow, making it stop in an instant. His fist then shot up from the sand and punched Grin's torso.
"Sayyy…!" he grunted out, stumbling back as he grimaced. He managed to stay on his feet though.
"Grin, Foul Play!" Luffy commanded. Flashing a devious grin, Sableye suddenly lunged out at Gengar, grabbing him by his face and throwing him over his shoulder onto the ground. Hard even.
"Garr…!" Gengar gasped as he hit the dirt.
"Now Shadow Ball!" Luffy shouted.
"You too, Gengar!" Mirajane quickly ordered. Both Ghost types formed another purple and black ball of energy with dark sparks in front of their respective mouths, firing them out at each other. As they collided again, it created another fierce blast that blew the both of them back.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded from afar. Pikachu unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning from his body towards the swimming Sharpedo, who narrowly managed to evade the attack as it was drawing closer to her.
"Samei, Aqua Jet!" Law cried out. Immersing herself in a torrent of water once again, the Brutal Pokémon rocketed out from the sea, evading the lightning shot her way as she slammed head on into Pikachu fiercely.
"Pee… kaahh…!" he grunted, managing to retain his footing as he clenched his teeth.
"Not bad, Law!" Ash complimented, closing his right hand into a fist, "But let's see just what Samei can really do!" he challenged.
"Pika, pi!" Pikachu goaded as his cheeks sparked.
"Heh," Law chuckled, holding up his Key Stone, "You asked for it…" he remarked. Upon Samei's dorsal fin was a leather strap that had a silvery white stone embedded into it. The stone had a curved shape of navy blue and yellow colors within it. "Samei, let's go!" the Heart Pirates' captain called out as his Key Stone suddenly unleashed several golden streaks of light. The Sharpedonite upon his partner's strap let out its own silvery streaks of luminosity. They connected with each other, glowing a bright white before a multicolored light shrouded the Brutal Pokémon.
"SHARRRRR!" she bellowed as her fangs changed shaped, while horns began protruding from both sides of her nose. As the light dissipated, it revealed that her nose had grown significantly, while several yellow patterns were along her body, similar to scars.
"So that's a Mega Sharpedo…" Ash noted as he let off a grin, "Pikachu, let's keep it up!" he called out to his partner.
"Kah!" he squeaked excitedly in response with sparking cheeks.
"Looks like Traffie's already started the fun part!" Luffy noted as he looked back towards his fellow pirate and his Mega Evolved partner.
"Then we better follow suit!" Mirajane recommended, grabbing at her necklace as a Key Stone was upon it.
"Gehng!" her Gengar agreed, having an anklet at his left leg with his Gengarite embedded into it. Grin had his Mega Stone upon a collar around his neck. Touching their respective Key Stones, Luffy and Mirajane had golden streaks of light emerge from them. They zoomed out towards the two Ghost types, whose Mega Stones shot out streaks of their own. They connected with the respective lights of their trainers' Key Stones, turning a bright white before their bodies became enveloped in a multicolored luminosity. Grin gained a spike atop his head, while Gengar had a portion of his body sink into the ground. As the light around them dissipated, it revealed their Mega Evolved forms.
The red jewel at Grin's chest had detached itself from him, growing to a foot over him as he held onto it from behind. A gaping hole in his chest was left from the jewel. His ears had elongated, his teeth had turned from white to yellow, and his eyes also changed from pale blue to a crimson red, with diagonal slits at their inner edges. His back had gained more gems: a second green one, a second red one and two small yellow gems.
"Sayy…" he hissed deviously. Meanwhile, Gengar's body color had changed from a slightly blue to a ghostly white. His arms and tail had lengthened, with the lower portions turning a more reddish purple, and a third yellow eye had appeared on his head. The spikes on his back were more numerous and pointed, and additional spikes appeared on his hands and tail. His ears were now considerably longer and tilted backward.
"Gar!" he exclaimed.
"Now Shadow Ball!" his trainer ordered. Opening his mouth wide, the Mega Evolved Shadow Pokémon fired off a flurry of purple and black balls of energy that sparked wildly. Grin took cover behind his enlarged jewel, bracing himself from the onslaught as dust and dirt kicked up from the balls' impact. Luffy grinned.
"Shadow Sneak!" he commanded. With his eyes flashing a bright crimson, the Sableye made his shadow darken and extend out towards Gengar. It then rose and slashed at him several times, pushing him back across the sand.
"Garr…" he growled in frustration.
"Stay strong, Gengar!" Mirajane cried out, "Use Shadow Punch!" she yelled as she pumped up her right fist. Flashing a wide grin, the Mega Evolved Shadow Pokémon made a shadowy aura envelop his right arm before he thrusted it into the ground. It then popped out, striking Grin's shadow and making it completely dissipate before hitting the enlarged jewel shielding him.
"Sayyy…!" he grunted, feeling his feet slide back from the punch's force.
"Now Dazzling Gleam!" Mirajane commanded. Gengar's body flashed a bright white as several multicolored streaks of light shot out from him, heading towards Grin.
"Dodge with Detect!" Luffy shouted quickly. With his crimson jewel eyes flashing a bright orange, the Mega Evolved Darkness Pokémon leapt up to evade the multicolored light streaks as they struck the ground in a fierce explosion. "Now use Shadow Ball!" his trainer ordered.
"Bell…IIII!" Grin bellowed as he formed two balls of black and purple energy upon his hands, flinging them out at Gengar. They struck him in fierce blasts, blowing him back as he tumbled along the sandy shore.
"Gengar!" Mirajane screamed, seeing him come to a stop beside her.
"Genhg… garr!" he exclaimed, standing upright as he let off his wide smile, making his trainer let out a breath of relief.
"You've really been practicing for this day, Luffy…" she complimented under her breath, balling her fists with excitement.
"Aqua Jet!" Law commanded. Samei immersed herself within a torrent of water before dashing out at Pikachu. If she wasn't fast before, she was now.
"Pee… pee kah!" Pikachu yelped, narrowly evading her continued swipes. In her Mega Evolved state, Samei was much more dangerous. Especially with fangs on each side of her longer nose.
"Hang in there, buddy!" Ash called out, "Use Iron Tail to counter!" he instructed quickly.
"Kahh!" Pikachu squeaked in response, readying his tail as it glowed a silvery white. He leapt up and swung it around, slamming it against the water-encased tip of Samei in a blast of white smoke.
"Ice Fang!" Law ordered as he thrusted his left arm back. With her fangs glowing a bright icy blue, the Mega Evolved Brutal Pokémon dashed out at her opponent. He managed to jump away from the teeth at her mouth in the nick of time, but did end up struck by those on the right side of her nose. The lower half of his body became encased in ice as he tumbled down onto the sand, stopping in front of his trainer.
"Pii… kaahh!" he grunted out, panting heavily.
"Looks like the master's off his game today," Law remarked with a smirk, catching Ash's attention, "Guess this means we got a shot at winning this…" he noted. Ash knew he had a point. With Samei's Mega Evolved power and her Rough Skin ability, Pikachu was indeed having a tough time. But even so…
"Ka chu!" Pikachu exclaimed as his cheeks sparked with electricity. He unleashed a powerful burst of lightning from his body, shattering the ice over his lower half.
"Ah!" Law gasped in shock.
"We're not finished yet, Law!" Ash yelled, "Pikachu and I go through lots of tough battles after all!" he pointed out as he pumped his fists, "Now let's show him our full power, buddy!" he recommended to his partner.
"Pee kah!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement as he grinned.
"Heh," Law chuckled after a moment, "Samei, Aqua Jet with Night Slash!" he commanded. Making her pectoral fins glow a bright purple, the Mega Evolved Sharpedo rocketed out from the ocean immersed in a torrent of water again.
"Pikachu… Volt Tackle!" Ash ordered with a pump of his fist. The Mouse Pokémon dashed forward, becoming encased in golden electricity as it made him appear black and white. He and Samei collided fiercely in a huge explosion that created a massive cloud of dust. The four trainers all let off excited smiles, glad to be giving it their all with their Pokémon…
X
"Kew boh! Kew boh!" Cubone repeated as he practiced swinging his bone. It was fairly early in the morning, as the daylight had just broke out over the horizon.
"Ahhh~…!" Calvin yawned as he stretched up his arms. He wasn't exactly happy about being woken up so early by the Lonely Pokémon. His teammates seemed especially grumpy.
"Kwah!" Araquanid exclaimed, shooting out a sticky thread from his spinneret to wrap around Cubone, effectively trapping him.
"Kewww…!" he growled, trying desperately to squirm his way free.
"MRAW, MRAAAAAAHHHHH!" Torracat roared angrily at him.
"TRUMM, TRUM BEEEEE!" Trumbeak squawked loudly in frustration. As the two berated their teammates, Gumshoos patiently stood off to the side with Araquanid, not wanting to escalate the situation. Calvin let out a deep sigh.
'Glad to see they're at least up and at 'em…' he inwardly noted as he stood up, crossing his arms.
"Already up?" Trent's voice grumbled out in question as he rubbed his eyes.
"Oh, sorry Trent…" Calvin quickly apologized, "Guess my Cubone got all riled up again…" he noted with a sheepish grin.
"It's cool…" Trent muttered, stretching up his arms before getting out of his sleeping bag, "Guess this means we can get started early then…" he realized with a grin. Calvin blinked twice.
"Wait… started with what?" he repeated, arching an eyebrow in confusion.
"Training, dude!" his rival yelled in response, "Both of us need to get ready for Mallow's trial!" he pointed out.
"Oh, right!" Calvin yelped in reply as his eyes widened, "But… wait…" he uttered out, starting to realize something, "we don't have any Grass types to train against…" he noted. An irritated look crossed Trent's face as he sighed.
"It doesn't matter if you don't train against Pokémon that are the same type…" he grumbled out, "In fact, it's better if you train against Pokémon you have a disadvantage against," he advised to his rival, "You learn to handle what your Pokémon is weak to while figuring out how to counter it," he explained thoroughly.
"Whoa…" Calvin uttered out, surprised. He never imagined Trent would be so thorough with his thinking. Then again, he was a skilled trainer.
"So to prove my point," he continued, causing Calvin to snap away from his thoughts, "why not have your Cubone battle by Charjabug?" he offered.
"Boh!" the Lonely Pokémon yelled, snapping the threads off of his body as he stood up.
"You sure?" Calvin questioned, raising an eyebrow, "I mean… your Charjabug's gonna be at a disadvantage and-" He stopped talking upon noticing the blank stare Trent was giving him. "Uh… right…" he uttered in realization, blushing as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
Moments later, the two trainers were at the coastline with their respective Pokémon standing before them. Torracat, Gumshoos, Trumbeak, and Araquanid watched on from afar with Frogadier and Mightyena, with the latter sleeping contently still. Cubone spun his bone around before smacking it against the ground in challenge, glaring out at Charjabug.
"Boh, bohh!" he yelled out, raising his bone into the air.
"Charr jahh!" Charjabug buzzed angrily.
"Fired up today, bud?" Trent guessed, catching his partner's attention as he turned his head slightly and nodded, "Good," he said, "Bet you're itchin' to get a good workout before the trial…" he remarked with a grin.
"Kewboh!" Cubone bellowed as he hopped up and down.
"Promise you'll listen to me, Cubone?" Calvin pleaded to him. He glanced back.
"Boh," he responded simply, shooting him a thumbs up in response.
"Alright…" Trent began, flashing a grin, "start with Acrobatics!" he commanded as he swung his left arm out. A sky blue light shrouded Charjabug. He dashed forward, moving with tremendous speed as he rammed into Cubone over and over from all directions.
"Kew… boh!" he grunted out, keeling over onto his left knee once the onslaught stopped.
"Stay strong, Cubone!" Calvin yelled, "Use Bonemerang!" he ordered. Standing up, the Lonely Pokémon reeled his arm back and flung his bone towards Charjabug.
"Dodge it!" Trent shouted quickly. The Battery Pokémon jumped up to avoid the spinning bone as it passed by. However, it curved back around, striking him from behind as it ended up caught in Cubone's hand.
"Awesome!" Calvin complimented as he pumped his fists, "Now use Bone Club!" he commanded. Running forwards, the Lonely Pokémon swung his bone at Charjabug like a baseball bat.
"Bug Bite!" Trent ordered. Making his teeth glow a yellowish-green, the Battery Pokémon snatched the incoming bone with them, stopping it from hitting.
"Kewwww…" Cubone growled angrily, holding his ground.
"Cubone, Headbutt!" his trainer commanded.
"BOHHH!" the Lonely Pokémon bellowed, slamming his skull-covered head against Charjabug's fiercely, causing him to let go of his bone as he tumbled back across the grass.
"Ch-Char jah…" he chittered out weakly.
"Come on, Charjabug…" Trent pleaded with shaking fists, "We can't keep falling behind like this…" he grumbled in frustration.
'Trent…' Calvin uttered inwardly out of worry. He knew his rival had gone on somewhat of a losing streak recently. His twin sister had bested him twice, though both times were losses for Charjabug in both his pre-evolved and current forms.
"Charrr… JAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" the Battery Pokémon suddenly screeched, making the spikes on each side of his mouth glow a bright yellowish-green. He lunged out at Cubone at slashed him in an x-shaped pattern, blowing him back.
"Whoa! Cubone!" Calvin yelped in surprise. Meanwhile, Trent's eyes shook with shock…
"That was… X-Scissor…" he slowly realized, looking over at Charjabug.
"Ja, jahh!" he chittered out in a reassuring tone, nodding to his trainer. He smiled.
"Okay, X-Scissor again!" he yelled with a swing of his left arm. Charjabug made his spikes glow a yellowish-green again before slashing at Cubone in an x-shaped pattern once more.
"Bohhh…!" he grunted, falling onto both of his knees as he dropped his bone.
"Cubone, hang in there!" Calvin cried out, "Use Bone Club!" he ordered. Taking hold of his bone, the Lonely Pokémon charged forwards, not caring for his current injuries.
"Heh," Trent chuckled, "Finish it with Acrobatics!" he shouted out. Charjabug's body glowed a bright sky blue again. He zipped over towards Cubone… and struck him repeatedly from all directions before he could even react.
"B…Bohhh…" he groaned out before falling face first onto the grass, dropping his bone. Swirls were in his eyes.
"Char jah!" Charjabug buzzed excitedly.
"Nice job, Charjabug!" Trent complimented with a smile as he walked over and squatted down to pet the Battery Pokémon atop his head.
"Huh…" Calvin sighed. But he let off his own smile as he walked over and picked up Cubone into his arms.
'Guess your style of brute force won't always cut it, huh?' he inwardly realized, taking out the Lonely Pokémon's Poké Ball and returning him to it in a beam of red light. Meanwhile, Mightyena awoke to the sound of rustling nearby. As he turned his head, he noticed something moving about in his trainer's bag.
"Rrr?" he growled in confusion, standing up. He trotted over to see what was going through the bag, widening his eyes. Rummaging about was a small, arthropod Pokémon. His main body was purple and was covered by silver plating across his back. There were four plates total. The first plate covered half of his head, but left room for his eyes. The upper lids for his eyes appeared to be covered with additional plating. The three plates on his back overlapped, and each had a single black triangle in the middle. He had a long spike on each side of his head that curved backward, large yellow eyes with two short extensions over them like eyelashes, and two flat antennae that extended over his back. There were four short legs on his underside, and he had a long, prickly tail.
He turned to see Mightyena staring at him. A long moment of silence passed. Sweat started to trickle down the arthropod Pokémon's face.
"WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" he suddenly screeched, scurrying off.
"Wh…What was that?" Calvin stuttered out in surprise.
"Rrahh!" Mightyena yelped, catching his and Trent's attention as they looked over to see what was left in the latter's bag. And there was nothing.
"Ah!" Trent gasped, "That thing took my snacks!" he yelled, running off down the road.
"Hey! Trent!" Calvin called out, chasing after him. Frogadier, Mightyena, Torracat, and Trumbeak followed suit, hurrying after the two trial-goers, while the others stayed behind to watch their bags. The arthropod Pokémon had a white paper bag in his mouth, still scurrying off. He looked back to see those in pursuit of him.
"WIMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" he screeched in fright, now scurrying off even more quickly.
"He's… fast…!" Calvin noted in between breaths of exhaustion.
"Too fast…!" Trent gasped out with sweat pouring down his face. At that moment, a pinkish light suddenly outlined the arthropod Pokémon, causing him to stop.
"W-Wim?" he stuttered out, blinking in confusion. Those following him came to a halt, giving off looks of surprise. The arthropod Pokémon was levitated up by the psychic force of a nearby Beheeyem, whose eyes glowed a bright pink. Next to him was a man with blonde hair with a blue cowlick around his head. He had yellow eyes and wore blue-framed glasses. For clothes, he had a grey lab coat with an interactive touch screen on both forearms, with grey gloves and a black uniform underneath.
"A Wimpod out this early in the morning?" he noted, tapping on the touch screen upon his left arm as if it were a keyboard, "You must've found something valuable, didn't you?" he inquired.
"W-W-Wimmm…" the arthropod Pokémon whimpered in fright as tears formed in his eyes. The man took the paper bag in his mouth.
"Oh, thank you, Mister!" Trent yelled in gratitude as he and Calvin approached.
"No problem, young man," the spectacled man replied, handing him the bag, "I take it this little one was scrounging around for some food…" he concluded as his Beheeyem released his psychic hold on the arthropod Pokémon.
"What is it?" Calvin wondered aloud, leaning over to get a closer look at the arthropod Pokémon, "I've never seen a Pokémon like this one…" he admitted with a tilt of his head.
"Yeah, me either…" Trent added.
"This is a Wimpod," the man told the trial-goers, "They tend to go about scrounging for food and valuables, but they don't like getting in fights," he explained, "In fact, they're rather timid…" he mentioned as he put his hand onto his chin.
"W-W-Wimmm… PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" the Wimpod screeched as he fled from the scene rather instantaneously.
"…He ran…" Calvin uttered out, shocked by how quick the Turn Tail Pokémon was. The spectacled man laughed.
"Wimpod tend to be difficult for trainers to battle with since they're usually so timid," he pointed out to the two trainers, "But you happen to be trial-goers, yes?" he inquired, noticing the Z-Rings around the boys' respective left arms.
"Uh, yeah…" Trent replied for him and Calvin.
"My name is Colress," the man introduced, "I'm a researcher studying on what brings out the potential of Pokémon," he told them, "And what I've learned… is that Pokémon with strong bonds to their trainers grow much stronger," he explained, "So I do hope that trainers like you with Z-Rings can bring out that potential to the fullest," he mentioned to them with a smile, "I would love to get the chance to see it," he admitted as he tilted his head slightly.
"Yeah, sure," Trent replied, "Thanks for your help, Mister Colress," he said in gratitude, bowing politely.
"You're quite welcome, young man," the researcher replied, "Now I suppose it's time we got going, right Beheeyem?" he inquired to his partner.
"Bee, beee!" the Cerebral Pokémon buzzed in reply as the lights on his hands flickered. He floated off alongside Colress as they passed by the trial-goers. Calvin couldn't help but stare at the man as he departed.
'I feel like… I should know that guy…' he inwardly admitted.
"Guess we oughta' hit the Pokémon Center while the time's right…" Trent chimed in, snapping his rival away from his thoughts as he turned to face him.
"Right!" he agreed. As the sun rose, the two trial-goers gathered their things and returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls, ready to continue their day…
X
"Huh…" Gladion sighed deeply as he took his three Poké Balls off of the tray at the receptionist desk of the Pokémon Center. The past few days had been frustrating for him. He hadn't gotten to see who he wanted, he hadn't won the battles he wanted, and he hadn't gained the knowledge he wanted. People in the Pokémon Center were instantly wary of him based on the rips in his hoodie and pants.
Not that he minded. He didn't care for people's opinions of him. He only cared his own thoughts of himself. And he thought he was still weak.
'Null and I have to make it on our own… no matter what…' he remembered saying to Erika the other day. The memory of her confronting him made his blood slightly boil. He took a deep breath, calming himself as he walked towards the doors. They slid open… but not for him.
"Ah!" Trent gasped in surprise the second he and Calvin saw the boy before them, "Gladion?!" he exclaimed.
"You again…" the blonde remarked as a response, narrowing his eyes before glancing over at Calvin, "So I'm guessing you're here for your next trial," he noted, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Trent balled his fists, glaring at him.
"Are you?" he asked back.
"Hmph," Gladion scoffed, walking past the two trial-goers, "I don't have time for things like that," he muttered out to their surprise, "Right now, I'm just here to rest," he said as he left.
"…What's that supposed to mean?" Calvin wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"That boy's been living at the nearby hotel for almost half a year now," a female voice chimed in, being Nurse Joy as the trial-goers turned to face her, "Apparently, he put up pay to stay there for three years!" she added, causing the two to gasp in shock.
"Three years?!" Calvin repeated, looking back at Gladion as he kept walking away, "I know trainers tend to go off on their own, but…" he tried to say, unable to find the words.
"Anyhow," Nurse Joy continued, causing him to turn around and face her, "would you two like to rest your Pokémon here?" she offered sweetly.
"Oh, yeah!" Calvin replied, taking out his five Poké Balls.
"Mine too, please," Trent chimed in as he grabbed his off of his belt.
"Make… that… three…" an exhausted sounding voice added, catching their attentions as they turned to see Erika there with sweat pouring down her face.
"E-Erika?!" Trent stammered in surprise.
"Hey… are you okay?" her twin brother asked, "Did you run all the way here?" he inquired. His twin sister panted.
"I just… need a second…" she claimed… right before falling face first onto the floor, twitching all the while. A blank look came across Rotom's face as it floated over her.
"Should I even zzzay it, zzt?" it wondered aloud.
END
"Cascade" by Unlimits
0:00 – 0:11 = Opens with Calvin and Erika as children, playing together in their shared room while a happy Leslie watches. She starts to reminisce about all the good times she's had before her siblings arrived…
0:12 – 0:18 = Cuts to various scenes of the landmarks in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar.
0:19 – 0:31 = We continue with Leslie receiving a Snivy as her first Pokémon from her parents, followed by being wished off as she decided to travel to Unova. There, she battles her new rival, Hugh, and his Tepig.
0:32 – 0:47 = Leslie is walking down a pathway with Snivy following her, but the scene constantly changes with Riolu, Magnemite, Magby, Sandile, and Spheal appearing beside her, evolving into their final forms. Leslie then comes to a stop as she spots Team Plasma's ship overhead, taking on a serious expression in preparation for battle.
0:48 – 1:01 = Cuts to her Walrein using Ice Beam to freeze up some of Team Plasma's Pokémon aboard the ship, followed by Magnezone discharging bolts of electricity. Magmortar blasts back a Weavile with a stream of flames, while Lucario fights hand-to-hand with an Absol before blowing him away with an Aura Sphere. We then see Leslie go up against Black Kyurem and Ghetsis with Serperior and Krookodile by her side. She smiles confidently, commanding them into battle as they lunge out at Kyurem.
1:02 – 1:07 = What follows is a scene of Calvin and Erika excitedly being escorted into a stadium by their parents to watch their big sister's battle for the Unova Championship.
1:08 – 1:19 = As Iris and Leslie take their respective positions on the large battlefield, the Ketchum girl adjusts her visor and gives off a wave to her parents. She then takes out a Poké Ball and fires it onto the field.
1:20 – 1:30 = Cut to today where Leslie sees her brother and sister battling in a stadium, smiling happily out of how proud she is of them…
END ENDING
NegaiFreak: Phew! Glad to have this chapter done after so much has gone down. I know things seem really crazy in the world, but I have faith that it will get better.
Calvin Ketchum: Just be sure to follow the correct guidelines!
Erika Ketchum: And remember to stay hydrated! I always seem to forget…
NegaiFreak: Until next time, here's a summary of the next chapter, with a title this time!
SUMMARY
Trust in the Lush!
As Trent takes on his trial in the Lush Jungle, Calvin learns about what happened during his sister's trial. How does he react to this news?
And when it's time for the twins to take on Mallow's trial themselves, she suggests they take it on together! What kind of battle will unfold for the twins?!
END SUMMARY