Hey folks! Happy May! A lot's happening this month! We'll be getting to the halfway point of "Mind", finishing up the Season 3 adaptation of "Through the Rough", and seeing more awesome movies!
But aside from all that, I'm excited to continue Leslie Ketchum's journey in this five-chapter mini arc. Like I said, we're going to be skipping around quite a bit to get through the major story threads in Unova, but I promise that it'll be enjoyable to read. So without further delay, onto the second part of her story!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Four badges already?!" Mirajane exclaimed over the video call her daughter had made to her in the Nimbasa City Pokémon Center.
"Yeah," she responded with a nod, opening up her badge case to show the Take-Over wizard. Inside were the Basic Badge, the Toxic Badge, the Insect Badge, and the Bolt Badge. "I know Dad said he had a hard time against Roxie," she mentioned, "but thanks to Lucarus evolving and the fact I had Zoniac, things were fine," she pointed out, "Mortalius really came through against Burgh, and Krookaro was awesome when battling Elesa," she added, glancing back at her team of Pokémon, now consisting of a Servine, a Lucario, a Magneton, a Magmar, and a Krokorok.
"And now you're heading to Driftveil City…" Mirajane noted, sighing happily, "It only seems like yesterday you were leaving for Unova…" she said, glancing down in thought sadly for a moment.
"Mom, you don't need to worry about me," Leslie assured, "My team and I can handle anything, including those Team Plasma guys that we've been running into," she mentioned.
"Right…" the Take-Over wizard uttered out, wiping her right eye, "Your father and I were meaning to ask you about all that," she recalled to her daughter's surprise, "Are they just trying to steal Pokémon from trainers?" she inquired.
"Seems like it…" the white-haired girl responded with a shrug, "Honestly, they haven't really made much of a fuss as you and Dad thought they would…" she mentioned.
"Well, still be careful…" Mirajane advised, "I love you," she said sweetly.
"Love you too, Mom," Leslie replied, blowing her a kiss goodbye before ending the video call, "Huh…" she sighed out contently. Her journey was a good one. But there had been bumps in the road, particularly when it came to Team Plasma.
"Rah?" Lucarus chimed in, getting her attention as she turned to see him approach.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine!" she assured to him and her other Pokémon, "Anyways, we better get ourselves ready for Driftveil," she insisted, grabbing her handbag, "Ground-types aren't exactly gonna be the easiest for our team to handle…" she pointed out, knowing that only Serpence had an advantage, while nearly everyone else would be a bad matchup.
"Serrr!" he hissed proudly, while Zoniac rolled its eyes in annoyance. Their trainer giggled, returning them and the others to their Poké Balls in beams of red light. She headed out of the Pokémon Center, walking through the Nimbasa streets on her route to the Driftveil Bridge. Her confidence was evidently at an all-time high, especially with four badges won. But that didn't mean she'd grow arrogant. Her father had warned her about his own mistakes during his journey through Unova.
'I still can't believe he almost lost to Elesa back then like that…' she admitted to herself with a sheepish grin.
"Where is she, you bastards?!" a voice yelled ahead of her, causing her to perk up in surprise. Ahead of her was a group of uniformed people, who she quickly recognized as Neo Team Plasma grunts upon spotting their insignias. Confronting them was Hugh, who had a fierce look of rage upon his face.
"Hugh…?" Leslie uttered out. She had seen him this angry before on a couple of occasions. Once when confronting Neo Team Plasma in Virbank City, and another time they fought in Castelia. Her rival evidently held a grudge against the thieving group, but she didn't know why. Today, she'd find out exactly what made him so resentful…
OPENING
Insert "Empathy" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Opens with a young Leslie sitting at home in Pallet Town, watching as a Pokémon Egg is slowly starting to hatch. When it finally does, it reveals a Snivy. He looks up at the curious face of Leslie, who's instantly excited about the Grass Snake Pokémon. Soon enough, she names him Serpence, taking a family picture with him in her arms.
The years go by with Leslie and Serpence playing with each other around Pallet Town, eating together, training, and every other activity they can do. Finally, it's to the point where they're about to embark on their journey together to the Unova Region. Leslie waves goodbye to her parents after boarding the plane to fly off.
We cut to Aspertia City, where we get to meet Hugh and his little sister. Later, we see him and Leslie at the lookout, with Bianca acting as a referee as a battle between them is about to begin. His Tepig goes up her Snivy as they both collide with each other.
The scene changes to Leslie traveling to Floccesy Town, only to suddenly wind up ambushed as Alder hops down from a cliff just beside her, much to her surprise. We go through several shots of him, Cheren, Roxie, Burgh, Elesa, Clay, Skyla, Drayden, Marlon, and Iris. The area darkens around Leslie as she turns around to see Neo Team Plasma there, with Zinzolin and Colress included.
Their Pokémon lunge out to attack her, but six bright lights shoot out from her belt, taking form and dissipating to reveal each of her own Pokémon: Serpence the Serperior, Lucarus the Lucario, Zoniac the Magnezone, Mortalius the Magmortar, Krookaro the Krookodile, and Reinardio the Walrein. We see Serpence use Leaf Blade to take down a pair of Krokorok, followed by Lucarus using Psychic to blow back some Trubbish. Zoniac takes out a Golbat with a Discharge, and Mortalius uses Flamethrower to take down a Drapion. Krookaro's Earthquake hits several Pokémon, followed by Reinardio finishing them off with Surf.
Afterwards, we cut to the Giant Chasm, where Leslie confronts Ghetsis as he has Kyurem under his control beside him. He attempts to have her completely frozen, but the ice is melted away as N arrives with Reshiram, prepared to confront his father. The two have a brief standoff before commanding their respective Legendary Pokémon to attack.
The opening concludes with Leslie arriving at the Unova Pokémon League. There, she meets up with her family, along with her twin siblings, who are excited to see her in action.
END OPENING
REFLECTIONS
PART II
"Lucarus, Force Palm!" Leslie ordered, sticking her right hand out. Dashing forward, her Lucario slammed his extremity into the chest of a Watchog, blowing him back fiercely in a burst of wind. The Lookout Pokémon hit the ground, sliding to a stop in front of one of the Neo Team Plasma grunts with swirls in his eyes.
"Ergh…" the grunt growled out, returning Watchog to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light, "You kids haven't seen the last of us!" he vowed before running off with his colleagues.
"Hold it!" Hugh shouted, about to chase after them.
"Wait!" Leslie called out, grabbing him by his shoulder to stop him, "They could be leading you to a trap or something," she noted seriously.
"That doesn't matter!" her rival yelled, yanking himself out of her grasp, "I'm gonna make every one of those bastards feel my rage!" he declared, starting to run off.
"Hugh!" the Ketchum girl yelled. Fortunately, Lucarus slid out in front of the spiky-haired boy, preventing him from going any further. He slowly started to calm down, unclenching his fists as they opened. "You know, I've noticed that you're always getting worked whenever we're fighting these Team Plasma guys…" Leslie pointed out, "The harbor, the sewers, and now here…" she listed, "So what's up?" she asked in concern.
"Huh…" Hugh sighed out, "Five years ago… Team Plasma took my little sister's Purrloin…" he confessed to his rival's surprise, "Ever since, I've always vowed that I'd one bring her back… even if I've gotta take out every last one of those damn grunts!" he declared proudly.
"Hugh…" Leslie uttered out.
"That's why I said I could count on you," he mentioned as she blinked, "You're an amazing trainer who wouldn't think twice about helping someone in need," he noted with a smile, "As long as you've got my back, I know I'll find Purrloin someday," he vowed firmly.
"Wait…" the Ketchum girl said, glancing off to the side in thought for a moment, "you said five years, right?" she inquired, "Wasn't the old Team Plasma already disbanded around then?" she asked on.
"I think they were slowly building back up," Hugh answered, "Stealing people's Pokémon, recruiting more followers…" he listed off as he growled, "Listen, you be careful on your way, okay?" he insisted of his rival, who blinked in surprise again, "We'll keep making each other stronger in order to take these guys down for good," he promised, "Catch you around," he remarked in farewell, jogging off past her.
"Hey, where are you going?" she asked.
"To get myself a gym badge from Elesa like you did!" he called out in response, "I can't fall behind, can I?" he questioned rhetorically, letting off a grin. Leslie's expression softened into a smile. Hugh was an interesting boy for sure. But to know that he had such a history with Neo Team Plasma was a little shocking.
"Rah?" Lucarus chimed in, getting her attention.
"Well, we better get a move on…" she insisted, "Making it to Driftveil's definitely gonna give us a lot of time to plan for the gym…" she pointed out.
"Hrah," her Lucario agreed as he nodded. The two of them started to walk off, but not before Leslie worriedly looked back at where her rival had gone. She could only hope that he wasn't getting in over his head…
X
The road to Driftveil had proven to be a nice change of pace from the usual trips Leslie had gone on from city to city. It was especially nice to cross the drawbridge, as she admired its vast structure and size. By the time she made it across, it was nearly sundown.
'Hmm…' she hummed inwardly, putting her hand onto her chin, 'Wonder if I should ask Dad for tips on how to battle Clay…' she said to herself, narrowing her eyes.
"You dare show your face around here, you traitor?!" a voice yelled, causing her to perk up in surprise. On the smaller bridge leading into the city, there was a Neo Team Plasma grunt confronting someone, being a man dressed in a knight-like uniform that had the coat of arms insignia upon the center of the chest, with a black x on his hood. "You're still in cahoots with that fool N, aren't you?!" the former of the two inquired angrily.
"I'm not with Team Plasma at all anymore!" the latter shouted back, trying desperately to shove the grunt off of him, "I did terrible things… and I wanna what I can to make up for them… just like N would!" he told him emphatically.
"Grrr…" the Neo Team Plasma grunt growled, glaring at him.
"Hey!" Leslie yelled, getting their attentions, "What do you think you're doing?!" she shouted in question as she jogged over.
"Wait… you're—!" The Neo Team Plasma grunt was shoved away before he could finish his remark, now being face-to-face with the Ketchum girl. She readied a Poké Ball in her right hand, pressing its button to enlarge it.
"First you steal Pokémon from people, and now you're just harassing them?!" she inquired with a glare, "This time, I'm gonna make sure you don't get away from me!" she vowed, rearing her arm back.
"Ha!" the grunt laughed as he prepared his own Poké Ball, "You won't beat me, you brat!" he proclaimed, "Unlike those grunts you've taken down, I don't—!" He didn't even get to finish his remark as a figure suddenly charged in and rammed into him. Leslie gasped to see that it was none other than Hugh, who regained the fierce expression upon his face from before.
"Hugh!" she yelped out.
"Agh…" the Neo Team Plasma grunt groaned out as he grabbed at his chest in agony, "Another one…?" he grumbled in question, "Tch…" he scoffed, putting his Poké Ball away before turning to look back at the knightly-uniformed man, "Even if you quit Team Plasma, people still won't give you the time of day," he pointed out to his surprise, "You should come back and steal more Pokémon with us!" he insisted, "Then everyone'll grovel at your feet and realize how great you are!" he mentioned with a cackle.
"I… can't…" his former colleague responded, glancing away with shame, "Lord N wouldn't want for me or anyone else who parted ways with our old ideals to fall back into them…" he pointed out seriously.
"Grr… N this and N that…" the Neo Team Plasma grunt growled out, "He betrayed us, just like—!" A fist colliding with his face interjected him once more, coming from Hugh.
"Start talking, you Team Plasma trash!" he demanded angrily.
"Hugh!" Leslie exclaimed.
"Ow…" the Neo Team Plasma grunt groaned out as he regained his footing, "Ugh… guess I really shouldn't be causing all this trouble…" he admitted, pivoting around and running off.
"You're not getting away!" the spiky-haired boy declared, chasing after him.
"Hugh, wait!" his rival called out, but she was too late to stop him as he had taken off, "Oh, geez…" she grumbled.
"I've never seen anyone get so riled up over Team Plasma before…" the knightly-uniformed man noted, getting her attention as she turned to him. She blinked in surprise to see the coat of arms insignia he had.
"You're… Team Plasma?" she guessed, raising an eyebrow.
"Ex-Team Plasma, but… yeah…" he answered, rubbing the back of his head ashamedly, "That guy used to be a friend of mine before Team Plasma was split off years ago," he told Leslie, "with one side hoping to rectify all the wrongs we committed, while the other side kept focusing on trying to 'liberate' as many Pokémon from their trainers as they could…" he explained thoroughly.
"And you're on the side trying to make things right…" the Ketchum girl realized, "But how?" she inquired curiously. The ex-Team Plasma grunt glanced off to the side. He then blinked before pulling off a grin.
"I think it's better if my friend explains it," he decided, "You can come by our home later tonight," he offered to her surprise, "It's up on the hill near the gym," he mentioned.
"Uh… okay…" Leslie responded.
"The name's Harold, by the way," the ex-Team Plasma grunt added in introduction.
"Harold…" the Ketchum girl repeated, "It's nice to meet you," she said with a small smile. They parted ways, with Leslie stopping by the Pokémon Center to assess her feelings about the situation. On the one hand, Team Plasma was still an evil organization. But on the other hand, they were split into factions as she had already seen. Maybe it was time for her to learn their story.
Driftveil was a big and rich city, but it thankfully didn't take the white-haired girl long to find the church-like building Harold told her about. It was late into the night as the moon shined overhead. With another deep breath being taken, Leslie trotted up the hill and walked along the pathway. There, she spotted the ex-Team Plasma Grunt along with someone else. It was an elderly, bearded man dressed in brown robes that had the Team Plasma insignia as well. Beside him were a Herdier and a Swoobat.
"Um… hello?" the Ketchum girl uttered, getting his attention along with Harold's.
"Oh, that's the girl I was telling you about, Sage Rood!" he noted to his elder.
"She's the one who wants to learn more about us? So late even?" he questioned curiously, arching an eyebrow.
"Honestly, I don't think I would've gotten a good enough sleep if I didn't get some answers…" Leslie admitted sheepishly while rubbing the back of her head, "In all seriousness, I do wanna learn more," she confessed with a polite bow.
"Hmmm…" Rood hummed out, "Well then…" he uttered, "I'd like to see just what kind of a trainer you are before allowing you to hear our tale," he decided, "Would you please battle me?" he requested. The Ketchum girl blinked in surprise, but then smiled a little as she pulled out a Poké Ball, enlarging it with a press of its button.
"Sure," she answered, rearing her arm back, "Come on out, Zoniac!" she exclaimed, tossing the spherical container up into the air. It popped open, and the light spilled out from it formed in midair before dissipating to reveal her Magneton.
"Maaahhgggg…" it buzzed out. The sage grinned underneath his beard. Something told him that he wouldn't win this battle. But he didn't care. If it meant getting to share his story with someone who could right the wrongs of Team Plasma, then it would be well worth it.
Hugh was loitering about around the Pokémon Center, kicking a pebble as he sulked. Despite having won himself a Bolt Badge today, he was still plagued by Neo Team Plasma. Any time he wound up getting close to them, they'd scamper away like scared Rattata. It was extremely infuriating, especially as he had gotten no closer to finding his sister's Purrloin.
At that moment, he heard something that sounded like sparking electricity. He glanced over toward the hill in the distance, noticing the small explosions erupting there as it seemed like a battle was occurring. Impulsively, he ran off.
"Swoooo…" Swoobat groaned as his body sparked with electricity. Zoniac had defeated him handily, floating out in front of its trainer contently. They watched as Rood returned the Courting Pokémon to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"I do apologize for having to test you so suddenly," the sage said, bowing his head, "Being former members of Team Plasma, we do have to deal with quite a bit…" he pointed out. Before she could ask why, Leslie noticed the defacing on the building and the damage done, also spotting some unfriendly words that had been written. "As you can see, not everyone has chosen to give us a second chance," Rood noted, "Some never will," he mentioned on.
"But we're still trying to make things right on our end, despite what people say," Harold added firmly.
"Hey, Leslie!" a voice called out, getting their attentions as they looked over to see Hugh running over.
"Hugh!" his rival yelped in surprise as he approached, "What happened to that Neo Team Plasma guy you were chasing?" she inquired.
"He got away…" the spiky-haired teen responded as he came to a stop, taking noticing of Rood and Harold, "But I guess you found his friends, huh?" he assumed, readying a Poké Ball.
"Wait, no!" the Ketchum girl quickly exclaimed, getting out in front of him and holding her hands up in a placating manner, "They're ex-Team Plasma," she told him, causing him to blink in surprise, "And… they invited me to learn more about their story," she mentioned.
"If this boy here is your friend, he may join us," Rood assured, turning around and walking into the building. Harold followed, while Leslie returned Zoniac to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light. Hugh looked… completely befuddled.
"Why are you trusting these guys?" he asked of his rival, causing her to perk up, "After I told you all about why I wanted to take 'em down?" he questioned, "Why would you just—?!"
"They're not the same as those other Team Plasma guys we've been fighting," the Ketchum girl interjected firmly, "And I feel like I should know more about how they came to be…" she added as she narrowed her eyes, "You should, too," she advised. Hugh seemed reluctant, but he exhaled a sigh, following her inside. Immediately, they could see that the former members of the villainous organization were caring for Pokémon individually. It was a small place to house them, but they seemed content with the people who used to be criminals. Rood approached the two Pokémon Trainers with a sleeping Zorua resting in his arms.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself," he said, "My name is Rood," he introduced with a slight bow.
"I'm Leslie," Leslie greeted in introduction, "And this is my friend, Hugh," she mentioned, gesturing toward her rival. He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You guys are all Team Plasma too, right?" he inquired to the Ketchum girl's surprise, "Tell me, what makes you any different from the Team Plasma we've been fighting?!" he questioned on angrily.
"More accurately, we're former members of Team Plasma," Rood responded, "Because of an incident that occurred two years ago, we've been taking care of the Pokémon that were separated from their trainers as a way for us to atone for our misdeeds," he explained to the pair before him.
"Separated?" Leslie repeated in confusion.
"Long ago, our former leader known as Ghetsis had instilled an ideal in us that Pokémon cannot be used by humans and must be freed from their care," the sage told her as a reply, "He spread this ideal far and wide across Unova, and it affected many," he pointed out, "However…" he continued, "we came to see that his true intentions were to solely possess Pokémon all for himself, all under the guise of liberation…" he noted, sounding rather frustrated.
"Ghetsis…" the Ketchum girl uttered out.
"I heard he got put away, didn't he?" Hugh inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"Unfortunately, he escaped along with many of his followers," Rood confirmed in reply, "Most of us have atoned from the beginning, yet we still receive ridicule for our old beliefs," he mentioned, letting out a sigh, "Separating Pokémon from their trainers should have never been our goal…" he finished sadly.
"'Separating'…?" Hugh growled in question, gritting his teeth.
"Hugh, hey…" Leslie said, trying to get him to calm down.
"You stole my little sister's Purrloin!" he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the sage as everyone in the room looked over worriedly, "You're all nothing but thieves!" he yelled on.
"I see…" Rood uttered in realization, "I offer you my sincerest apologies…" he said with his head still bowed.
"That's it?!" Hugh exclaimed with rage, "Just an apology?!" he roared out.
"Hugh, knock it off!" Leslie insisted, seeing how frightened the Pokémon in the room were getting.
"I know apologizing isn't going to fix anything…" Rood concluded, "But in order to first atone for what you've done, you must admit you were wrong and apologize…" he pointed out additionally.
"How about giving me my sister's Purrloin, you bas—?!" A resounding slap to the spiky-haired boy's cheek echoed throughout the room as everyone looked on in shock. Even the sage was surprised. Hugh placed his left hand onto his cheek before glancing toward Leslie, who had smacked him. Never had he seen her so angry before. And she was angry at him. "L-Leslie… I…" he stammered out.
"If you're not willing to listen to the story, then leave," she insisted firmly to his surprise, "I get how you're feeling, but shouting at the people trying to make things right won't change anything either," she noted with a glare. Her rival was left speechless. However, he made his decision a minute later and left the building, not saying another word.
"Team Plasma has made trainers like him suffer…" Rood realized, sighing again, "We were beyond foolish and misguided…" he mentioned sadly, "Leslie," he continued, making the Ketchum girl turn to him, "as you can see, I can't do anything to thank you for what you've been trying to accomplish against Team Plasma," he pointed out, "But…" he kept going as the Zorua in his arms awoke, "I have a favor to ask of you," he said, "Would you be willing to take care of this Zorua here?" he requested of her.
"Wh-What?" she stammered in surprise as she blinked.
"I understand that this could be quite a task for you," the sage noted as the Tricky Fox Pokémon hopped out of his arms and landed upon the floor, "but I sense that you'd be the best one to try and raise him," he mentioned confidently. Leslie watched the Zorua trot up to her, nuzzling his head sweetly against her left leg. She smiled, picking him up from the floor with her hands.
"I'd be happy to," she assured.
"You have my thanks…" Rood said with a slight bow, while those in the room looked on and smiled, "I suppose you'll want to head back to the Pokémon Center before it gets too late," he pointed out.
"Actually…" the Ketchum girl started to reply, "can I stay with you for the night?" she requested to his surprise, "I'd like to know more about Team Plasma… if it's alright…" she admitted sheepishly. Rood took a moment to pause. It was because he had never thought someone could be so curious. Some would even say it'd be foolish to try and connect with the ex-members like himself. However, he smiled.
"You're more than welcome to," he assured in response. That evening, Leslie talked with almost everyone in the building, learning about their various experiences within Team Plasma and trying to start anew. Something prominent that she learned from each of them was the story of N, the one said to be Team Plasma's king. In reality, it was just a ploy by Ghetsis for his own ascension to glory. The Ketchum girl had to wonder if she'd ever meet the man in person someday. Only time would tell. For now, she was content to know as much as she could going forward.
X
"Serpence, Leaf Blade!" Leslie commanded as she swung her right arm out. Her Servine leapt up, having the leaf at the end of his tail glow a bright green and sharpen. He somersaulted rapidly before slashing by his target, being an Excadrill that was about to swipe at him with his claws encased in a silvery-white light. A few moments passed before the Subterrene Pokémon toppled over onto the ground, having swirls in his eyes.
"Excadrill is unable to battle!" the referee nearby declared after a moment to assess the result, "Servine wins!" he announced, "And therefore, the victory goes to the challenger!" he mentioned, gesturing toward the Ketchum girl.
"Yes!" she exclaimed as she pumped her right fist up.
"Hmph," the man across the underground battlefield huffed with a grin, being none other than Clay, "I reckon y'all are feelin' peachy now that ya got yerself five badges, right?" he guessed, returning his Excadrill to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"I guess so…" Leslie responded, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. Having her gym battle against Clay was the first thing she had set to accomplish the next day, and she managed to accomplish that. Zorua was right beside her, enamored by the battle that had unfolded. She watched as Serpence played with the Tricky Fox Pokémon, using his tail for him to hop over like a jump rope.
"Ya know, I think you might be the perfect trainer to try out for the new digs we just got up an' runnin'," Clay noted as he approached the Ketchum girl, getting her and her Pokémon's attentions.
"What new digs?" she inquired curiously. After being brought back up to the entrance via the lift, the gym leader brought her outside. She blinked in surprise to see Hugh standing there.
"Oh, hey…" he greeted with a slight wave, "You won your badge?" he guessed.
"Uh, yeah…" she responded, glancing away. She had no idea how to really talk with him after what happened last night. It wasn't that she was still mad at him. It was just… she didn't know what she could say.
"So you two squirts know each other, huh?" Clay assumed, getting their attentions, "The both of ya aren't bad, so there's somethin' I'd like to show ya," he insisted of them.
"Hold on a sec…" Hugh said, "I just remembered…" he started to realize, "why'd you choose to forgive Team Plasma?" he asked, narrowing his eyes onto the gym leader.
"Hugh…" Leslie uttered, hoping that he wouldn't start shouting like last night again.
"There's room fer people to grow and change, ya know," Clay answered, rubbing his nose with his left pointer finger, "And if ya only go after what ya think is right, y'all might end up rejectin' any thoughts and opinions that ain't yer own," he mentioned in explanation, "That's mighty dangerous…" he noted.
"Hmph," Hugh huffed out, folding his arms over his chest, "Is that one of those compromises adults are supposed to make?" he wondered aloud.
"Hey, Hugh…" his rival said in a reprimanding tone.
"Whatever, I'm still gonna fight Team Plasma!" he declared firmly, "So… what were you wanting to show us?" he inquired of the gym leader. He tipped his hat slightly and grinned. A little while later, Leslie and Hugh marveled the sight of the large stadium south of the city, with vendor booths lined throughout the area.
"Welcome to the PWT, rascals!" Clay exclaimed, getting their attentions, "The Pokémon World Tournament brings trainers together from all over the world to see who's the toughest of 'em all," he told the pair, "I think y'all might be perfect for puttin' on a good show," he mentioned with a grin.
"Sure thing!" the Ketchum girl responded as excitement was building in her voice.
"If it's a tournament to decide who's the strongest, then I'm in for sure!" the spiky-haired boy declared with a pump of his right fist.
"Well, only time will tell if either of you will win," another voice chimed in, getting their attentions as they turned and lightly gasped to see Cheren approaching.
"Ain't this a blast from the past?" Clay noted, immediately shaking hands with his fellow gym leader, "Yer gettin' in on this, too?" he guessed, earning a nod in response.
"After losing to these two, I'm looking to get stronger as both a trainer and a gym leader," he told his colleague, "So it only makes sense to get the chance to battle them again here," he mentioned, glancing over and grinning at his former challengers.
"Well, y'all better get yerselves signed in," Clay advised, "Those guys get picky over who gets in first…" he pointed out with a chuckle. A little while passed before the trio of Leslie, Hugh and Cheren made their way inside, signing in for what would be an eight-person tournament consisting of single battles, with trainers being allowed to use up to three Pokémon each.
"Hmmm…" Leslie hummed in thought as she looked at the Poké Balls resting in her hands, "I definitely wanna give Krookaro some more action…" she noted to herself, "Though Mortalius hasn't really battled much since Castelia…" she recalled aloud.
"Deliberating over a strategy, hm?" a voice inquired, getting her attention as she turned around. Standing behind her was a man with blonde hair and wore a blue cowlick around his head. He has yellow eyes with glasses over them. He wore a long white lab coat, a pair of white gloves, and a black uniform with blue outlines. He also had black shoes.
"Oh, Mister Colress!" the Ketchum girl exclaimed in greeting.
"Just Colress is fine," the scientist responded, holding his right hand up, "You look well," he pointed out, "I'm assuming that since you're at this venue already, you've beaten the gym leader?" he inferred.
"Mm-hmm," Leslie answered with a nod, reaching into her bag and pulling out her badge case, "Just got my fifth badge this morning!" she mentioned, opening the case to reveal her new, gleaming Quake Badge.
"Wonderful!" Colress complimented, sharing a laugh with the Ketchum girl. The two had met back in Castelia in wake of Neo Team Plasma trying to escape through the city sewers. After Leslie had finished her gym battle and was on route to Nimbasa, she ran into the scientist again, who requested a battle with her.
She obliged and wound up victorious thanks to Lucarus and Mortalius. Colress had noted how she excelled in their match thanks to the trust she had in her Pokémon. And that was what brought out their power to the fullest.
"So are you going to be in this tournament, too?" Leslie guessed curiously.
"Of course," the scientist replied, "It'd be a waste not to experiment with bringing out the full potential of my own Pokémon as well as everyone else's," he pointed out. The Ketchum girl giggled in agreement.
"Well, good luck!" she remarked, causing him to crack a small grin before walking off. After registering the three Pokémon she'd be using, Leslie made her way to the locker room. The eight-person bracket was displayed upon the television screens around the room, and her first match would be against…
"Guess we're up first!" Hugh noted as he approached his rival, causing her to perk up, "Since we've both got Quake Badges, it'll be good to see just how strong you've gotten!" he mentioned excitedly. However, the white-haired girl didn't seem to be as enthusiastic, much to his surprise. "Hey, is something wrong?" he inquired in concern.
"Huh…" Leslie sighed, turning to face him, "Promise me you'll take Clay's words to heart from now on," she requested, making him blink in confusion, "I know you wanna stop Team Plasma, and I do, too…" she pointed out, "But I'm not going to label everyone a bad guy if there are some trying to make up for what they did," she added seriously.
"Leslie…" Hugh uttered with shaking eyes. He watched his rival walk past him, heading into the tunnel to the field. The fans in the stands cheered excitedly to see the two trainers ready to kick off the tournament.
"You may select your Pokémon!" the referee called out. Enlarging a Poké Ball in her right hand, the Ketchum girl flung it forward. It popped open, and its light spilled out onto the dirt field before dissipating to reveal Krookaro.
"Krahh!" he exclaimed in greeting.
"Your Krokorok, huh?" Hugh noted as he readied his own Poké Ball, "Then I know just how to counter!" he declared, flinging the spherical container forward. It opened up, with its light coming onto the field and shaping into form, dissipating to reveal his Pignite.
"Pigggg!" he oinked proudly, expelling puffs of fire from his nostrils.
"The first battle of the Driftveil Tournament is about to be underway!" the announcer exclaimed excitedly through the microphone in the booth, "Who'll come out on top?!" he wondered aloud.
"And… BEGIN!" the referee yelled, swinging his right arm down.
"Pignite, Flame Charge!" Hugh commanded as he pumped his right fist forward. Cloaking his body in reddish-orange flames, the Fire Pig Pokémon charged toward his foe.
"Sand Tomb!" Leslie ordered. Krookaro's eyes flashed a bright orange before he slammed his hands against the ground. Wisps of sand surrounded Pignite, much to his surprise before he found himself engulfed within a swirling vortex that was pulling him down.
"Pignite!" his trainer cried out.
"And already Leslie takes the upper hand by stopping Pignite's Flame Charge with her Krokorok's Sand Tomb!" the announcer noted loudly over the loudspeaker.
"Dig!" she commanded.
"Krahk!" the Desert Croc Pokémon responded, jumping up and diving down, burying into the earth as a hole was left behind. Hugh grimaced.
"Pignite, get outta there!" he yelled desperately. The Fire Pig Pokémon squealed as he tried to wriggle himself free of the sand vortex. Unfortunately, he wound up getting struck by his opponent, who burst out of the ground.
"Niiii…" he groaned after landing upon the dirt on his stomach, pushing himself up onto his and shaking his head to regain himself.
"Use Arm Thrust!" his trainer commanded. Pignite had his hands glow a yellowish-orange as he charged forward, attempting to palm Krookaro.
"Dodge!" Leslie called out. Her Krokorok was swiftly evading the palm strikes, moving back step by step. "Now Crunch!" his trainer ordered.
"Krah!" he responded, making his teeth glow a bright white and sharpen. He pivoted aside to avoid Pignite's next palm strike, followed by biting into his arm as he squeaked in pain. The Desert Croc Pokémon then swung his opponent around before flinging him aside with ease.
"Pigg!" the Fire Pig Pokémon yelped in pain as he hit the ground hard. Hugh was shocked. He knew that Leslie was much more adept as a trainer than him, but never imagined just how serious she could be.
"Krookaro, Dig!" she ordered again. Her Krokorok burrowed into the ground once more just as Pignite got onto his feet.
"Piggg…" he groaned out, gritting his teeth.
"Stay strong, Pignite!" Hugh insisted, "Use Heat Crash!" he commanded.
"Niiite!" the Fire Pig Pokémon responded, jumping into the air and surrounding himself in a sphere of yellow-orange flames. Krookaro burst up from the ground just as his foe was coming down. They crashed into each other, resulting in a fierce blast. Smoke rushed by both trainers as they grimaced. Krookaro came out, breathing somewhat heavily in exhaustion as his knees looked ready to buckle. As the smoke finally cleared, it revealed Pignite lying upon the ground with his eyes in swirls.
"Pignite is unable to battle!" the referee declared, raising his left arm, "Krokorok wins, and the match goes to Leslie!" he announced as he gestured towards the Desert Croc Pokémon and his trainer. The crowd cheered excitedly.
"And there you have it!" the announcer exclaimed, "Leslie's Krokorok handily takes down Pignite, earning her the victory and a ticket to the second round!" he noted excitedly. Hugh returned the Fire Pig Pokémon to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light, clenching it in his right hand out of frustration. He looked across the field, seeing his rival pet and congratulate Krookaro before returning him to his own Poké Ball. Remembering her words from last night, the spiky-haired boy glanced away ashamedly.
Maybe he was getting too riled up over Team Plasma like she said. Either way, he didn't want to be someone weak. He walked off from the field without another word, vowing to keep getting stronger.
X
The second round proved to be a bit more challenging for Leslie, as her Magmar was pitted against Cheren's Cinccino. The Scarf Pokémon had proven to be faster than Mortalius, evading his attacks with ease. However, he got the advantage when after his foe had attacked him, he was burned.
That allowed for him to land his Flame Bursts, followed by finishing the battle with a Fire Punch. It was a close match, and one that kept the Ketchum girl on her toes. But all the same, she won like she had before and was moving on to the finals.
As she walked down the tunnel one last time and walked up the steps onto the field, she could hear people chanting her name with excitement. It felt like she was already at the Pokémon League. She blushed a little, sheepishly scratching at her cheek.
'Dad's probably felt this way hundreds of times…' she noted to herself as she pulled out a Poké Ball into her right hand, 'No matter how things turn out, I'll do my best!' she vowed inwardly. Coming up onto the other side of the field was none other than Colress, who chuckled.
"I'm glad to know that you made it this far," he pointed out, "But like you, I've also grown as a trainer," he mentioned while readying his own Poké Ball, "So you best be prepared for what you're about to face…" he advised, narrowing his eyes.
"I will!" Leslie responded. The two of them reared their arms back, flinging their spherical containers forward. They bounced off of each other, bursting open. Their lights came into form revealing Lucarus and a Klang.
"Looks like this matchup is Lucario against Klang!" the announcer noted aloud, "Lucario has the type advantage, but anything goes in a battle like this!" he pointed out additionally.
"Lucarus, you good to go?" the Ketchum girl asked of her partner, getting his attention.
"Rah," he barked in reply with a firm nod.
"Let the final match… begin!" the referee yelled, swinging his right arm down.
"Lucarus, Force Palm!" Leslie commanded, enticing her Lucario to rush forward toward his opponent.
"Thunder Wave!" Colress shouted out. Klang released several yellow rings of energy from its body, washing over onto the Aura Pokémon. Electricity sparked across his body as he came to a halt, grimacing all the while.
"Lucarus!" his trainer cried out.
"Whoa!" the announcer yelped, "Right away, Klang takes the initiative and paralyzes the speedy Lucario!" he pointed out through the loudspeaker, "Gonna be tough to get outta that…" he mentioned.
"Gear Grind!" Colress ordered.
"Kl-Kl-Klaaaaannnnnggggg…" the Gear Pokémon buzzed as it flew forward. It struck Lucarus multiple times, squeezing him in between the gears of its body.
"Lucarus, use Bone Rush!" the Ketchum girl commanded. Gritting his teeth, her Lucario put his paws together and formed a light blue bone of energy from them. He gripped it tightly, swatting Klang back with a mighty swing.
"A Ground-type move, hm?" Colress noted, rubbing his chin curiously, "A perfect strategy if you're faced against a Fire-type," he pointed out, "That said, it might not matter if you can't keep up with us…" he added with narrowed eyes, "Autotomize!" he instructed, causing Leslie to blink in surprise. A silvery-white light shrouded the Gear Pokémon as its gears started moving faster. "Now Gear Grind!" its trainer commanded, sticking his left hand out.
"K-K-Klaaaaaannnnng!" Klang buzzed as sped forward, striking Lucarus over and over from all directions without relenting.
"Oh my!" the announcer exclaimed in shock, "Now much faster thanks to Autotomize, Klang unleashes a flurry of attacks onto Lucario!" he pointed out emphatically as the Aura Pokémon found himself getting knocked back onto the ground, grimacing in pain.
"Lucarus!" his trainer cried out again, gritting her teeth.
'We're not gonna be able to handle this much longer if Lucarus stays paralyzed like this…' she noted to herself, 'There's gotta be a way we can stop Klang long enough to counterattack…' she added inwardly, closing her eyes to think. After a moment, she opened them and lightly gasped, followed by grinning.
"Lucarus, get ready!" she instructed, enticing her Lucario to hop back onto his feet, breathing heavily.
"Still standing, hm?" Colress said, letting out a chuckle, "Well, I can't say I'm not impressed…" he remarked, "But this battle's gone on long enough…" he decided, "Thunderbolt!" he commanded. Klang floated up, having yellow electricity spark all around its body. It fired a bolt of lightning down toward his foe, who seemed to be unable to dodge it.
"Block it with Bone Rush!" Leslie called out, causing the scientist to widen his eyes slightly. Forming another light blue bone of energy in between his paws, the Aura Pokémon smacked the incoming bolt, holding it back long enough before it completely dissipated.
"Ah!" Colress gasped in surprise, while those in the crowd were left awed.
"Incredible!" the announcer exclaimed, "Lucario, despite being paralyzed, has blocked off Klang's Thunderbolt!" he noted excitedly.
"How surprising…" Colress noted, adjusting his glasses as he grinned, "I haven't seen skills like that in a long time…" he mentioned with a chuckle, "Klang, Gear Grind!" he commanded.
"K-K-Klannngggg!" the Gear Pokémon buzzed, dashing out at its foe.
"Ice Punch!" Leslie ordered quickly. An icy blue aura shrouded her Lucario's right paw once he closed it into a fist. Just as Klang struck, he countered, causing ice to form upon its body. It fell down onto the ground in a flurry of dust, sliding to a stop.
"Klang, no!" Colress yelled, seeing the ice caught between his partner's gears, preventing them from spinning.
"Now Bone Rush!" the Ketchum girl commanded, pumping her right fist out. The Aura Pokémon turned around and formed yet another light blue bone of energy in his paws. But before he could go after his target, electricity started sparking around his body again, causing him to grimace as he stopped.
"Oh, Lucario's still feeling the effects of the early paralysis!" the announcer noted loudly, "And it looks like Klang's about to get back up!" he mentioned as the Gear Pokémon rose from the ground, starting to grind the ice off of its body.
"Lucarus, throw it!" Leslie instructed quickly, causing the Aura Pokémon to perk up in surprise. He looked down at the light blue energy bone in his paws, coming to a realization. He pitched it like a javelin, and it wound up striking Klang before it could break the ice off of itself. However, the impact made it all shatter off, allowing the Gear Pokémon to start spinning its gears again.
"That was a valiant effort, Leslie!" Colress called out in a complimentary tone, "But now, it's all over!" he declared, "Thunderbolt!" he commanded once more. Yellow electricity sparked around Klang's body before it fired a bolt down toward its target.
"Dodge and use Force Palm!" the Ketchum girl yelled with a swing of her arm. Leaping up, Lucarus evaded the bolt as it struck the ground in a flurry of dirt and dust. Everyone watched as he endured the sparking electricity around him to plant his right palm onto the Gear Pokémon, blowing it away in a burst of wind.
Klang struck the wall hard, falling down onto the ground in a loud thud. The referee immediately ran over to assess its condition. After a few tense moments, he raised his left arm.
"Klang is unable to battle!" he exclaimed, "Lucario wins!" he declared, gesturing toward the Aura Pokémon as he landed down with a grimace, "And therefore, the winner of the Driftveil Tournament is Leslie!" he announced. The crowd burst into a round of cheers as the Ketchum girl sighed in relief. The battle had been closer than she could've imagined it'd be. It only proved just how much stronger Colress had gotten. Meanwhile, he returned his fainted Pokémon to its Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
'This girl really is like that boy from so many years ago…' he noted to himself, grinning all the while.
X
Leslie's eyes sparkled as she looked at the gold medal she received for her victory. Needless to say, competing in the tournament was definitely a good decision. She was walking out alongside Cheren and Hugh, having run into other gym leaders who were looking to participate in the tournaments to come.
"Clay certainly made quite the attraction," Cheren noted as he turned to look back at the large stadium, "Driftveil's going to be getting a lot of traffic, I'd imagine…" he mentioned with a chuckle.
"It's a really great stadium, too!" the Ketchum girl added, getting his attention, "You don't normally see indoor stadiums this big…" she pointed out.
"Well, it was fun to compete inside it," Cheren admitted, "I was impressed with both of you," he told his two former challengers, causing them to perk up in surprise, "You've both gotten a lot stronger since we last battled," he complimented. Hugh glanced off to the side, folding his arms over his chest.
"You don't have to go and sugarcoat it, Cheren…" he pointed out, "I didn't really do much in the tournament…" he said sadly.
"Hugh…" his rival uttered out in a reprimanding tone.
"So I'll just keep getting stronger!" he declared firmly, clenching his right fist before pumping, "Then I'll beat you both!" he vowed, much to their surprise.
"Well, I'll be waiting," Leslie promised in response, keeping a confident expression upon her face.
"So it sounds like both of you are going to head to Mistralton next?" Cheren assumed.
"Yeah!" the Ketchum girl answered, "It'll be great to see the gym leader and her family, since we're pretty close!" she mentioned with a big grin.
"Is that right?" Cheren inquired, raising a curious eyebrow, "Well, don't underestimate Skyla," he advised, "She's strong," he pointed out.
"I won't," Leslie vowed. As he listened on, Hugh looked down in thought. He never knew Leslie was Ash's daughter until after she won her first gym battle. It made sense that she was so skilled being taught by one of the world's greatest Pokémon Trainers. Yet it still frustrated him that she kept getting further and further ahead.
"Come on, hurry!" a voice yelled, snapping him away from his thoughts as he looked up to see two figures running towards the docks. More specifically, they were Neo Team Plasma grunts. Hugh's eyes widened.
"Hey!" he shouted, starting to chase after them.
"Hugh?!" Leslie yelped out. Cheren took notice of who he was after, blinking in surprise and lightly gasping.
"Team Plasma…!" he exclaimed, hurrying after the spiky-haired boy.
"Hey, Cheren!" the Ketchum girl called out, but to no avail as the gym leader was already heading towards the docks with her rival, "Huh…" she exhaled.
"What do those two think they're doing?!" a familiar voice emphatically inquired, getting her attention as she turned to see Colress approach, "Charging into imminent danger like that is beyond reckless!" he pointed out, "Team Plasma isn't a group that should be meddled with in this day and age!" he added seriously. Leslie blinked in surprise. She would've been inclined to agree… except for the fact that she had gotten involved before herself.
"They'll be fine, and so will I," she declared to the scientist's shock, "We'll handle this!" she promised, running off to the docks. Colress was speechless. He hadn't seen someone act so boldly in a long time.
'How can they all be so determined…?' he wondered inwardly, glancing down in thought. Meanwhile, Leslie jogged over to meet with Cheren and Hugh, seeing that they were standing by a rather large sailboat. She blinked twice.
"Hey… haven't we seen this before?" she asked of her rival, causing him to gasp in realization.
"Yeah, back in Castelia!" he remembered.
"So this is how they've been moving about…" Cheren realized, narrowing his eyes, "Come on," he beckoned, getting the attentions of his colleagues, "They haven't lifted the ramp yet," he pointed out. Both Leslie and Hugh nodded, following up the ramp onto the large sailboat. Once they arrived though…
"Huh…" the Ketchum girl shivered out, seeing her own breath, "Why's it so… cold here?" she wondered aloud, rubbing her arms.
"This definitely doesn't feel right…" Cheren noted cautiously. Footsteps were fast approaching. Soon, all three of them were surrounded by the Neo Team Plasma grunts.
"Sorry…" one of them mock-apologized, pulling out a Poké Ball and enlarging it with a press of its button, "but we're gonna have to ask you to get off our property…" he told the trio.
"Like hell I will!" Hugh shouted, readying his own Poké Ball in his right hand, "You guys are gonna feel my rage right now!" he declared fiercely.
"Hugh, easy…" Leslie insisted in a hushed tone.
"I want answers myself," Cheren said, "So one way or another, I'm going to get them," he vowed as he pulled out a Poké Ball for himself.
"Oh, geez…" the Ketchum girl grumbled, reaching into her bag to grab her own Poké Ball, enlarging it by pressing its button. Several spherical containers were thrown into the air, popping open. Their lights spilled out and came into form, dissipating to reveal Pokémon such as Golbat, Watchog, Grimer, Koffing, Krokorok, Raticate, Whirlipede, Trubbish, and Liepard.
"This is your last chance, brats!" one of the grunts shouted out in warning, "Either jump ship, or you're done for!" he threatened.
"Not happening!" Hugh declared angrily, "Vibrava, go!" he yelled, flinging his Poké Ball up into the air. It popped open, and its light spilled out and dissipated to reveal the Vibration Pokémon.
"Vyyy!" he screeched out.
"Stoutland, standby!" Cheren exclaimed, backhanding his own spherical container. As it opened up, the light from it spilled onto the deck, shaping into form. It dissipated a moment later to reveal the Big-Hearted Pokémon.
"Staow!" he barked, growling at his multitude of foes.
"Serpence, you're up!" Leslie called out, throwing her Poké Ball up. It burst open, with its light forming upon the ground and dissipating to reveal the Grass Snake Pokémon. He glared out at his foes, who were growling with anticipation.
"Let's start by taking out the weak one!" a Neo Team Plasma grunt insisted, pumping his right fist forward, "Sludge!" he commanded. The Koffing, Trubbish and Grimer reared their heads back before spitting out globs of black sludge that were about to bombard the Servine.
"Dragon Breath!" Hugh commanded. Light blue waves of energy swirled around Vibrava before he fired off a beam of blue light from his mouth, eviscerating the incoming globs.
"Stoutland, Take Down!" Cheren ordered. A golden force-field surrounded the Big-Hearted Pokémon as he was cloaked in a light bronze energy. He rushed forward, slamming into several of the enemy Pokémon as they yelped in pain.
"Serpence, Coil!" Leslie instructed, sticking her hand out.
"Vi!" her Servine responded, having a purple aura shroud his body as he coiled himself, followed by a reddish light flowing up his form. A Krokorok and a Watchog closed in on him, ready to attack.
"Leaf Blade!" the Ketchum girl commanded. Making the leaf at the end of his tail glow a bright green and sharpen, Serpence dashed forward, slashing by his two incoming foes. They both fell over in an instant, groaning in agony as swirls were in their eyes.
"Seriously?!" one female grunt yelped in surprise.
"I figured a gym leader would give us a bit of trouble…" another admitted, "but all three of these guys are strong!" he pointed out.
"Thunder Fang!" Cheren commanded, sticking his right hand out. Stoutland's mouth sparked with yellow electricity as he teeth glowed the same color. He leapt out and bit onto a Golbat, zapping him fiercely as he screeched in pain.
"Vibrava, Bulldoze!" Hugh ordered as he pumped his left fist. The Vibration Pokémon soared down, landing hard upon the deck and causing a shockwave to ring out, striking back Trubbish and Grimer. The Neo Team Plasma grunts were grimacing. Even with their vast numbers, their Pokémon were still no match for those of their foes.
"Use Leaf Blade!" Leslie commanded as she swung her right arm sharply.
"Serr!" her Servine responded, having the leaf at the end of his tail glow a bright green and sharpen once more. He sped forward and slashed past a Raticate, causing him to fall over in a heap with swirls in his eyes. Pretty soon, all of the Pokémon that the grunts had sent out were downed.
"Nice work, Vibrava!" Hugh called out in a complimentary tone, returning the Vibration Pokémon to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light, "Now…" he continued, taking on a more threatening tone, "who's gonna start talking about my sister's Purrloin?" he questioned with a fearsome glare.
"Hugh…" his rival uttered worriedly.
"There's some things I'd like to know as well," Cheren chimed in as he returned his Stoutland to his Poké Ball, "For starters, what's with this chill in the air?" he inquired of the grunts, who stepped back in fright.
"Now whatever is going on here?" a voice inquired, getting their attentions. Approaching the group was a grey-haired man dressed in a puffy purple winter jacket with the Team Plasma logo emblazoned on it. Floating beside him was a Cryogonal.
"Serrr…" Serpence hissed, only for his trainer to gesture for him to stand down.
"Who's that guy?" Hugh inquired quietly.
"If I remember right… his name's Zinzolin," Cheren answered, "He's one of Team Plasma's former faction leaders, known as the Seven Sages…" he explained on.
"So Aspertia's Gym Leader knows me," the jacketed man noted upon overhearing him, "I'm flattered," he remarked sarcastically.
"You're going to have to tell us what you're planning to do with this ship," Cheren insisted firmly as his eyes narrowed.
"Hm," Zinzolin chuckled out, "As we attempted before, we shall use the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon to gain complete rule over all of Unova!" he declared fiercely to the surprise of the trio before him, "In years past, we hoped to instill the ideal that Pokémon should not be kept as tools for trainers, all while building our empire," he told them, "But now, we've decided to forgo any trickery and embrace our true intentions!" he bellowed out.
"Yeah!" some Neo Team Plasma grunts cheered out.
"These guys are insane…" Leslie muttered in a whisper.
"The legendary Dragon-type Pokémon?" Cheren repeated aloud in confusion, getting the Ketchum girl's attention as she looked over at him.
"We won't let you curious trainers run around as you please!" Zinzolin vowed, "Shadow Triad, dispose of them!" he commanded. Without warning, three figures appeared beside the trio of Leslie, Hugh, and Cheren. They were ninja-like men dressed in black with long, white hair.
"By the way…" one of them began to say to the sage, "we're not your—"
"I know!" Zinzolin interrupted angrily in confirmation, "Just get them out of here!" he insisted. The three ninja-like men grabbed their targets and suddenly vanished with them. The moment Leslie opened her eyes, she found that she was back on the dock. She looked around to see that the frigate was completely gone.
"Wh…What just happened?" she stammered out.
"Serr!" her Servine exclaimed, getting her attention as she looked to see him running over to her with tears in his eyes.
"Serpence!" she yelled, crouching down to let him happily jump into her arms for a warm embrace of relief, "Huh…" she sighed out.
"Seems as if we're alright…" Cheren noted, getting her attention as she looked to see that him and Hugh were there as well.
"But those Shadow Triad guys…" the spiky-haired boy muttered out, "They just got us outta there like it was nothing!" he shouted, clenching his fists tightly in frustration, "AAAAAAHHHHH!" he screamed with rage, "I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, TEAM PLASMA!" he vowed fiercely, running off.
"Hugh, wait!" Leslie cried out, but could only watch as he left.
"Huh…" Cheren sighed, "I used to be like that back in the day…" he confessed to the Ketchum girl's surprise, "Stubbornly trying to fight on, even when there's nothing that needs to be fought…" he pointed out.
"Cheren… do you know about those guys that took us down?" Leslie asked.
"The Shadow Triad…" he responded, "They're a group of seemingly superhuman men who were employed in Team Plasma as reconnaissance at first…" he explained, "It seems now they're being used as a special attack force as well," he mentioned with narrowed eyes.
"If we ever run into them again, we'll need to be ready," Leslie insisted.
"Right," Cheren agreed, "But… there's something that's still bothering me…" he admitted, causing the Ketchum girl to blink out of confusion, "Zinzolin said they're using the power of the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon to conquer Unova…" he recalled, "but neither Reshiram nor Zekrom are around anymore," he pointed out.
"Could… there be another?" Leslie assumed, arching an eyebrow.
"It's possible…" Cheren responded, "Either way, I think it's best that I do some investigating," he decided, "You're free to join me if you'd like," he mentioned with a grin, giving her a wave goodbye before heading off. The white-haired girl stood up and felt tense. Sure, Neo Team Plasma hadn't been difficult to deal with before… but things were starting to look much different now. Only time would tell if she could deal with them…
ENDING
Insert "Flowers" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
We open on Leslie entering the Floccesy Ranch alongside Serpence. She spots a wild Riolu and gets excited to capture him, but he tries to run away. After managing to catch up, she has Serpence battle the Riolu before catching him in a Poké Ball.
A while passes before she starts training alongside her Pokémon, but they also play with each other, enjoying the nice sunny weather all the while. We then cut over to the Virbank Complex, where Leslie finds a wild Magnemite and a wild Magby, catching them both. They train together as well, but also roam about the complex in awe of the machinery, especially at night.
Out on Route 4, Leslie encounters a wild Sandile, which she also catches. He helps show her around the desert-like route, especially as they head into the Desert Resort in the midst of a sandstorm. In the Undella Bay, Leslie finds a wild Spheal and catches him as well. With his help, she's able to swim across the water quicker during their journey.
We cut to a shot of all of her Pokémon walking behind her in a row, evolving over time as they continue their journey with her. They venture through places such as the Chargestone Cave, Celestial Tower, Strange House, Marine Tube, and finally, the Giant Chasm. Leslie and her Pokémon come face-to-face with Neo Team Plasma and their massive battleship.
They battle ferociously, with Leslie venturing into the deepest part of the chasm with Serpence and Lucarus to find Ghetsis there with Kyurem. The Boundary Pokémon attempts to freeze her entirely in ice, but is thwarted by Lucarus' Aura Sphere and Serpence's Leaf Storm. Leslie smiles gratefully to her Pokémon before commanding them to attack, which they do.
Afterwards, there's a scene of her contently asleep together with all six of her Pokémon, having just saved the world from Neo Team Plasma. They're asleep by a bed of flowers, which wave with the light breeze that blows by.
END ENDING
And that ends the second part of Leslie's arc! I have to say, I'm really enjoying this tale, especially as I get to look back at some of my favorite Pokémon games of all time to inspire the story. Anyways, the story doesn't end yet! We've got three more chapters to go through!
SUMMARY
Leslie's adventure continues as she arrives in Lacunosa Town at Professor Juniper's request to learn about a third legendary Dragon-type Pokémon said to devour humans! As more battles against Neo Team Plasma come across her path, it's difficult to determine just how they're planning to accomplish their goals. Just what are they after now?!
END SUMMARY
With this, we're heading back to finish the first half of "Mind"! See you all later!