Hey folks! Welcome back to "The Challenge of a Lifetime"! We've got two straight chapters leading into June, so I hope you're stoked for 'em! Last time we left off, Leslie had been in quite the encounter with Neo Team Plasma while trying to learn more about their history.
And after battling their grunts on the Plasma Frigate, now she's continuing on her journey through Unova! You have to wonder what she'll come across next…
Well, let's find out!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Congratulations!" Rachael Hagane exclaimed with outstretched arms. Leslie blinked in surprise, standing at the doorway to the household atop the hill just outside Mistralton City. After obtaining her sixth gym badge by besting Skyla Hagane, she had been invited over for dinner. And she was not only surprised to see one of her best friends there, but also…
"Professor Juniper!" she called out, getting the attention of the Pokémon researcher, who was seated at the dinner table.
"Well hello, Leslie!" she greeted upon spotting the Ketchum girl, "It's nice to finally meet you in person!" she pointed out.
"Likewise!" she agreed with a bright smile, "My dad's told me a lot about you," she mentioned.
"So, is everyone starved yet?" the voice of Skyla chimed in, entering the room and opening the oven to pull out something, "I've got us a nice hamburger casserole for us to dig into!" she noted with a wink. Leslie's eyes lit up. Rachael chuckled upon noticing.
"Only a few months, and you've already gotten six badges…" Aurea recanted a little while later as the group was enjoying their dinner, "Honestly, I'm shocked at just how quickly you've adapted to being a trainer in Unova!" she admitted to Leslie, who was scarfing down pieces of the hamburger casserole. However, she took a moment to chew her food and swallow, exhaling a content breath.
"Well, I feel like I'm just keeping pace," she confessed in response, "The two gyms left that I'm thinking of going to aren't going to be easy for us…" she pointed out, tensing up a little.
"Still, I think you'll be just fine!" Skyla assured, getting her attention.
"Yeah, you beat Mom without a problem," Rachael added with a smirk, "But she is kind of a pushover these days…" she mentioned, waving her hand dismissively.
"Hey," the gym leader said, somewhat annoyed about being teased.
"It was a tough battle for me," Leslie said, chiming back into the conversation, "And I know they're only gonna get tougher before we get to the Pokémon League," she added with a confident grin.
"Well, I'm happy to hear that confidence," Aurea noted, "As a matter of fact, Cheren said that you could probably help me and Bianca with something," she pointed out to the Ketchum girl's surprise.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Well, he had mentioned what happened back in Driftveil and the severe change in temperature near Lacunosa Town," the professor told her as a response, causing her to blink as she remembered the gym leader pulling her into the weather institution on Route 6 to discuss the event. He had said that the drop in temperature was around -58 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if it was only momentary, it still was quite drastic.
"So what do you need from Les?" Rachael asked curiously.
"Well, I'd like her help in uncovering the mystery behind the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon," Aurea answered, "Skyla's going to help fly us over to Lentimas Town tomorrow to get the first leg of the journey out of the way," she explained on.
"Always happy to help, Professor!" the Mistralton Gym Leader replied with a bright smile.
"Ultimately, we're going to speak with people in Lacunosa Town and one of the most respected Dragon Masters in Opelucid City," Aurea told Leslie, "I understand that's where you'll get to have one of your gym battles, if I'm not mistaken," she pointed out.
"Uh… yeah…" the Ketchum girl responded with a chuckle, "And I'm happy to help," she decided. She was ready to learn more about the region she traveled and all the things yet to be discovered. But she had yet to realize just how dangerous that would be.
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 III
Leslie's journey to Lacunosa Town had been an interesting one. After flying to Lentimas Town thanks to Skyla, she journeyed through the caves of Reversal Mountain with Bianca, who was there to study a particular stone that dwelled there. After making it to Undella Town, she ran into Hugh, who she battled and defeated, though he did prove to be quite the challenge compared to the last time. He understood that his rival was on an important assignment, only pleading that she keep getting stronger to help him stop Neo Team Plasma.
While staying in Undella for the day, the Ketchum girl found herself a Spheal that she named Reinardio upon capture, having her Zorua be sent over to her parents back in Pallet Town. Amidst her two-day trek to Lacunosa, Reinardio evolved into a Sealeo. But before she arrived in town, she came across a Cobalion.
They had encountered each other before back on Route 6, though she wasn't sure why. It appeared as if the Iron Will Pokémon was trying to test her. And she obliged, having Lucarus battle it. Their duel didn't take long as Cobalion took off soon after seeing just how close Leslie and her Pokémon were to each other.
After that, she finally arrived in Lacunosa. And there to meet her on the streets were Aurea and Bianca. They both smiled upon spotting the Ketchum girl.
"Looks like we beat you here!" the beret-wearing assistant noted with a giggle.
"Sorry…" Leslie apologized as she sheepishly scratched at her right cheek, "Kinda got sidetracked on the way from Undella…" she admitted.
"Well, don't you worry," the professor assured in response, "We were just about to meet someone for an important conversation," she pointed out.
"Who are we meeting, Professor?" Bianca asked curiously.
"You'll see soon enough," Aurea answered as she walked off, "Now let's go," she beckoned to her assistant and Leslie. They shared a perplexed glance before following her down the street. They arrived at an old household just a few moments later, where an elderly woman with glasses stood at the door. She took notice of the incoming group.
"Ah, Aurea!" she greeted, "It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" she assumed as the professor approached.
"It certainly has," she agreed in response.
"So… you're all here to learn about the tale of Lacunosa, hm?" the elderly woman guessed.
"If it's not too much trouble…" Aurea responded with a sheepish grin. The elderly woman chuckled, guiding the trio inside. Moments later, they were seated around the coffee table as a small fire was started in the fireplace.
"It gets quite cold during this time of year, even with the sun shining as bright as ever…" the elderly woman noted as she ventured over to an armchair in the corner, sitting down upon it, "Anyways, this is my first time meeting some of you," she pointed out upon seeing Bianca and Leslie, "My name is Eleanor," she introduced, "Think of me as an… elder of sorts for the town," she advised, "I've lived quite a while…" she mentioned as she glanced off to the side in thought.
"Eleanor, would you like to tell us more?" Aurea questioned, getting her attention.
"Oh, of course!" she yelped in realization, "So sorry to keep you waiting…" she apologized, clearing her throat, "Behind this town deep in the woods lies a mighty big hole," she told the group, "Have you heard of the Giant Chasm?" she asked of them.
"Oh, where those insane temperature readings have come from!" Bianca immediately chimed in, blinking out of surprise, "At least, that's what Cheren told me…" she corrected.
"It's not exactly a place we can get to for the moment…" Aurea mentioned, putting a hand onto her chin.
"Miss Eleanor… do you know why there's a huge drop in the temperature?" Leslie asked of the elderly woman.
"A long, long time ago, the Giant Chasm was created when a big meteorite fell from the sky," she told the trio, "A frightening and chilling Pokémon emerged from it…" she added eerily.
"A meteorite…" Aurea repeated as she narrowed her eyes in thought.
"When darkness falls over the land, this Pokémon appears," Eleanor continued, "Frigid winds follow it," she mentioned, "It freezes everything in its path, devouring both people and Pokémon it comes across…" she pointed out. Leslie shivered. She had never heard of a Pokémon so frightening before. "That's why it's tradition for everyone in Lacunosa to shut themselves in when the sun sets, as it's forbidden to stay out after dark…" the elderly woman explained, "If you stay out, you're likely to get taken by this monstrous Pokémon…" she finished solemnly.
"That's… quite the story…" Bianca noted afterwards, shaking a little.
"Indeed…" Eleanor agreed, "It's why our ancestors surrounded this town with walls to prevent that Pokémon from ever setting foot in here," she told the group, "Huh…" she exhaled, "Well, that's the end of the story," she pointed out, standing up from her seat, "With the sun starting to set, I'm sure you'd all like a place to stay for the night," she mentioned kindly.
"Oh, we couldn't impose…" Aurea assured in response, "The Pokémon Center will be more than fine for the three of us," she promised with a nod.
"Yeah," Leslie agreed. Moments later, they exited the household as Eleanor waved goodbye, hearing their gratitude for getting a chance to learn about the town's history. The Ketchum girl was unsettled by learning of a Pokémon that consumed others and humans for nourishment. She had to wonder if her father had come across something like that during his plentiful journeys.
"Well… that was… something…" Bianca admitted, almost lost for words.
"Indeed," Aurea concurred, "That old folktale was quite interesting," she said, "Our mystery Pokémon's identity may be unknown, but the power it wields is incredible," she pointed out with a small smile.
"I know…" her assistant agreed, "The power to freeze everything around it could rival even the legendary Dragon-type Pokémon," she mentioned as she rubbed the back of her head.
"Yes," the professor replied, "It's almost like Reshiram, who scorched Unova with blazing fire long ago," she recalled, turning to Leslie as she blinked in surprise, "You remember the story around Reshiram, yes?" she inquired of the Ketchum girl, "I'm sure Ash mentioned it to you," she pointed out.
"Oh, uh, yeah…" she stammered in surprise, "Around twenty years ago, my dad was there when Reshiram was brought forth from the Light Stone and got controlled by the Team Plasma back then…" she recanted, "It recognized someone as a hero who sought for truth and vowed to lend him its power…" she added.
"Very good!" Bianca complimented as she clapped her hands together, "You know, I'm wondering if there could be a connection between Reshiram and that Pokémon from the folktale…" she inferred.
"Hmmm…" Aurea hummed as she put a hand onto her chin to think about it. She then opened her eyes. "The meteorite," she said.
"Huh?" both Leslie and Bianca uttered in confusion.
"Reshiram was revived from the Light Stone, like you had mentioned, Leslie," the professor told the two, "Let's suppose the meteorite from the story and the stone are one in the same…" she suggested, "And if we take into account that elements from the same era were found in the Dragonspiral Tower, where Reshiram was first found, and the Giant Chasm…" she continued thoroughly, "It doesn't prove anything just yet, but it could be a significant piece of the puzzle," she affirmed.
"If your theories are true, it should be a really strong Pokémon," her assistant noted, "What kind of a reason would there be for it to only come out at night though?" she wondered aloud, "Like… if it doesn't like sunlight or something…" she assumed, tapping her right foot against the ground.
"Until we start digging deeper into the mystery, it'll be hard for us to say anything conclusive," Aurea pointed out, folding her arms over her chest. The discussion continued, though Leslie was tuning most of it out. She wondered just what kind of Pokémon lurked beyond Lacunosa and how terrifying it was. "Sorry for rambling on…" the professor apologized, getting her attention.
"Oh, it's okay…" Leslie assured in response, "Anyways, we better get to the Pokémon Center…" she insisted.
"We should," Aurea agreed before they started walking off, "Leslie," she said, getting the Ketchum girl's attention, "I'd like for you to ask Drayden about this mystery Pokémon when you see him in Opelucid," she humbly requested, "Bianca and I'll likely be sticking around to do fieldwork in uncovering more about it," she mentioned.
"And finding out if there's another way for us to get into the Giant Chasm!" her assistant chimed in additionally.
"Yeah, I'd be glad to help," Leslie responded, "I wanna learn as much as I can, too," she pointed out. As they trekked along the cobblestone streets, she noticed people heading into their homes for the evening. It was obvious that the folktale wasn't just mere heresy. Everyone was taking the rule to stay inside seriously.
"Hey!" a familiar voice called out, getting the Ketchum girl's attention. She perked up and looked over in surprise to see Hugh jogging over. "What's up?" he asked in greeting.
"Heh," his rival chuckled, "Just learning more about the town and that whole thing Team Plasma was saying about using the legendary Pokémon to take over the world…" she explained, "Not much else," she remarked with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Have you seen Team Plasma around lately?" the spiky-haired boy asked.
"No, not since what happened in Driftveil…" Leslie answered, folding her arms over her chest.
"Same…" Hugh said as he glanced off to the side, "I think they're planning on doing something big…" he admitted, clenching his fists tightly. The Ketchum girl noticed.
"Hugh, you can't get so obsessed with them…" she insisted, "I know they took your sister's Pokémon, but you running in gung-ho like you do isn't gonna help," she pointed out seriously, grabbing his arm, "Come on," she beckoned, "We can travel to Opelucid together in the morning," she offered to him.
"Huh…" he sighed out, "Okay," he decided with a grin, making her smile as well.
"Oh, well isn't this troublesome…" a voice chimed in, getting their attentions as the two trainers turned in surprise to see Zinzolin there alongside a Neo Team Plasma grunt, "Perhaps we can help satiate your curiosity, my young trainers," he remarked with a small grin, "The reason I'm still a part of Team Plasma after all this time is because I want to know how the world will change," he told them, "Pokémon are nature, Poké Balls are civilization," he pointed out, "Humans who are so used to civilization don't relinquish it that easily…" he mentioned, "Of course, both nature and civilization are important," he affirmed as Hugh's expression darkened into a fierce glare, "But what of a world taken over by Team Plasma?" he inquired rhetorically, "People will have to discard their Poké Balls, a mere product of civilization," he answered for the two trainers, "I want to know just what that world looks like! And I want to enjoy it!" he proclaimed with outstretched arms.
"…Shut your mouth," the spiky-haired boy snarled out as he stepped forward, readying a Poké Ball in his right hand as he enlarged it with a press of its button, "All I want is to get back a Pokémon you bastards stole!" he declared fiercely, rearing his arm back, "You're both gonna feel my wrath!" he vowed as he fired the spherical container up into the air. It popped open, with its blue light forming upon the ground. After dissipating, it revealed an Emboar there.
"BORRRRR!" he bellowed as the flames around his head flared out wildly.
"Hmph," Zinzolin scoffed, readying his own Poké Ball alongside his subordinate, "Trainers these days are so uncivilized…" he muttered, opening the spherical container. Emerging from it in a burst of blue light was a Cryogonal, who was joined by a Golbat.
"Flamethrower!" Hugh ordered. Emboar arched back briefly before unleashing a stream of reddish-orange fire from his nostrils, heading towards his foes. They moved away from it though, with the Crystallizing Pokémon spinning out at his opponent as if it were a disc.
"Slash!" Zinzolin commanded. Cryogonal had its edges shine a bright white, about to cut the Mega Fire Pig Pokémon, who raised his arms in an attempt to block. But all of a sudden, a light shot out in front of him, shaping into form. It dissipated to reveal a Magnezone, who took the attack as sparks flew between it and Cryogonal. "Ergh…" the Neo Team Plasma sage growled in frustration, while Hugh blinked out of shock.
"You really can't help yourself, can you?" Leslie muttered in question as she ran over to stand beside her rival.
"Leslie…" he uttered out.
"Golbat, Acrobatics on Emboar!" the Neo Team Plasma grunt ordered. The Bat Pokémon soared down toward his target, becoming cloaked in a sky blue light as he zipped around.
"Zoniac, Lock-On and then Thunderbolt!" Leslie quickly instructed. Her Magnezone had its center eye glow brightly before it released a red ring of light that shot out. It grew smaller as it hit Golbat, becoming a target essentially. That allowed for the Magnet Area Pokémon to have yellow electricity build up upon its yellow rod, unleashing a powerful lightning bolt from it. Though it looked as if it would miss as the Bat Pokémon zipped aside and closed in on his target, the bolt veered around and zapped him fiercely, causing him to fall over onto the ground in a heap.
"A-Ah…" the grunt stammered in disbelief.
"You're such a disappointment…" Zinzolin muttered out, "Cryogonal, Ice Beam!" he commanded.
"Cry ahhhh…" the Crystallizing Pokémon responded, having a ball of blue light appear in front of its face.
"Hammer Arm!" Hugh ordered as he pumped his right fist up. Both of Emboar's arms glowed a bright white as he charged forward, thrusting his right one into Cryogonal's face in a fierce burst of steam, shrouding the immediate area. The Crystallizing Pokémon floated up from the cloud, looking around for its foe. It failed to take notice of Zoniac, who also floated through the steam.
"Flash Cannon!" Leslie commanded. Her Magnezone formed a white ball of energy in front of its center eye, followed by unleashing a beam of white-and-light-blue light. It struck Cryogonal, sending it flying into the steam.
"Emboar, Hammer Arm!" Hugh yelled again. The Mega Fire Pig Pokémon charged through the steam, catching sight of his foe. This time, he used his left arm to hit the Crystallizing Pokémon, slamming it against the ground. The impact of the blow caused the steam to dissipate completely. People gathered in their houses were looking out of their windows to witness the battle taking place.
"Hmph…" Zinzolin huffed disdainfully, returning his Cryogonal to its Poké Ball in a beam of red light, "Well, this was slightly entertaining," he admitted as his opponents glared at him fiercely, "We must continue our search," he told his subordinate, who was recalling his Golbat, "As he said, it may be in Opelucid City…" he pointed out. Overhearing that, both Leslie and Hugh blinked in surprise. "We'll be glad to face you again someday!" the Neo Team Plasma sage vowed, hurrying off alongside the grunt.
"Get back here!" the spiky-haired boy yelled, chasing after them.
"Hugh, stop!" Leslie cried out. Unfortunately, her rival was ignoring her, focusing instead on pursuing the Neo Team Plasma members. "Great…" she muttered out with a sigh. It wasn't easy for Hugh to just forget about the villainous organization had done to him and his family. But even so, she couldn't help but be worried that he was going to get in over his head…
X
The next day, Leslie continued her journey to Opelucid City. Her Sealeo evolved into a Walrein on the way, and she encountered Virizion, whom she battled with her Magmar before it fled. Running into such legendary Pokémon made the Ketchum girl wonder just why they were appearing before her.
Those thoughts were kept aside as she finally arrived at the city. It was a very rustic place, having a natural appearance that seemed to be maintained for quite some time. In the far distance, she could see the gym with the dragon-shaped statues upon it. She'd be sure to head over after visiting the Pokémon Center for a quick rest. But before she could head off…
"Hey!" a familiar voice called out, getting her attention as she turned to see a figure running up to her. It was a young, thin black girl with brown eyes and long deep purple hair, tied back with yellow bangles in thick ponytails that resembled the petals of an iris blossom. She wore a cream-colored top with a pink collar and cuffs, a pink puffy miniskirt with a slit on the left side and a big ribbon over it. She also had white leggings with yellow colored ends at the legs, and pink and white yellow-strapped shoes with no socks.
"Oh, Iris!" Leslie yelped in surprise, seeing the purple-haired girl screech to a halt in front of her.
"So you finally made it to Opelucid, huh?" she noted, putting her hands onto her hips, "How many badges do you have?" she inquired curiously.
"Six so far," the Ketchum girl answered as she pulled out and opened her badge case, "I was gonna head to Humilau next, but the tunnel there's blocked off for maintenance," she mentioned.
"You were gonna save the best for last, huh?" Iris assumed with a giggle, "Well, my grandpa's still gonna be happy to take you on!" she assured, causing Leslie to blink in surprise.
"Wait… your grandpa?" she repeated out of confusion, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, we're not actually related!" the purple-haired girl quickly corrected as she waved her hands, "Come on!" she beckoned, "I'm sure you wanna get rested up before we head over to the gym!" she pointed out. Hearing that, Leslie gave off a little smile before following her. A little while after some recuperation, the two of them ventured down the city streets to the gym.
"So… what have you been up to since we last saw each other?" the Ketchum girl asked curiously.
"Oh, not much," Iris answered as they continued along the path, "Honestly, I've just been enjoying traveling around Unova again after so long," she confessed, "Your dad and I sure had some fun back in the day…" she recalled, much to the white-haired girl's surprise.
"My dad?!" she exclaimed, "Wait, how'd you even know I was…?!" she tried to ask, only to fail as she was very flabbergasted. Iris giggled.
"I'm a pretty perceptive person these days," she noted somewhat boastfully, "You have that sparkle in your eyes like your dad and your mom's good looks," she pointed out, much to Leslie's embarrassment as her cheeks turned red.
"My dad talked about you a lot before I came to Unova…" she remembered, "He said you and he acted like kids a lot of the time…" she mentioned as she scratched at her right cheek.
"Mmm… he was more of a kid than me…" Iris argued proudly.
'I'm guessing that's debatable…' Leslie noted to herself as a drop of sweat rolled down the side of her head.
"Ah, you must be Leslie," a deep voice chimed in, getting their attentions as they looked to see the figure of Drayden himself approaching them.
"Grandpa!" Iris greeted with a smile.
"It's good to see you again, Iris," her mentor greeted, grinning under his beard, "I take it your travels have gone well?" he assumed.
"Yep!" the purple-haired girl responded, "Anyways, you're gonna be really excited to see just how strong Grandpa is!" she pointed out to Leslie, who perked up.
"It's an honor to meet you," Drayden said, offering his right hand to the Ketchum girl.
"Uh, likewise," she replied, letting him take hold of her own hand for a firm handshake.
"I understand that you're likely not just here for a gym battle, correct?" he guessed as she blinked in surprise.
"Yeah, actually…" she confirmed as a response, "But how did you know?" she inquired, arching an eyebrow.
"Recent events with this Neo Team Plasma have caught my attention much more than they did in the past," Drayden answered, pulling his hand back before he folded his arms over his chest, "They've demonstrated their beliefs and instilled falsities into people that they were oppressing Pokémon by living together with them," he explained, "I know that their latest escapade in Driftveil sounded quite the alarm amongst the gym leaders," he recalled.
"If they're now on the move in a mobile fortress, it's gonna be tough for anyone to find them," Iris mentioned.
"But it's not like they're hiding in plain sight…" Leslie pointed out, recalling just how easy to spot their frigate was back in Driftveil.
"Hmm…" Drayden hummed out, "We can table this discussion for another time," he decided, getting the attentions of both women, "For now, I believe I owe Leslie a gym battle," he noted.
"Yeah," the Ketchum girl confirmed with a nod.
"Well, best of luck!" Iris chimed in, "Grandpa's a tough customer for sure!" she pointed out as she winked. Leslie grinned, ready to take on the challenge. Her battle with Drayden turned into one of the toughest she had on her journey.
Though she had Reinardio on her team, he was struggling to match up against the opposing Druddigon, barely winning thanks to a well-timed Blizzard. The Opelucid Gym Leader sent his Flygon out next, taking the Ice Break Pokémon down with a Rock Slide. The Ketchum girl resorted to her Krookodile, relying on the battle being won through brute force. It wound up resulting in a draw as both Pokémon fell over with swirls in their eyes.
"This is definitely one of my toughest battles as a gym leader thus far…" Drayden admitted, returning the Mystic Pokémon to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light, "But regardless, I won't let you take the badge that easily," he vowed to his opponent, who recalled Krookaro to his own Poké Ball.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," she declared. The two of them each enlarged one more Poké Ball in their hands. "Lucarus, let's go!" Leslie called out, opening the spherical container as its light poured out onto the dirt field. It shaped into form, dissipating to reveal her Lucario.
"Rrrfff…" he huffed, taking a ready stance. Opposing him was Drayden's Haxorus, who almost seemed to tower over the Aura Pokémon as he glared down at him. The two stood off and stalked each other, awaiting the commands of their respective trainers.
"Aura Sphere!" Leslie ordered with a swing of her left arm.
"Rah!" Lucarus responded, holding out his forepaws and forming a blue orb of energy upon them. He fired it out at Haxorus, who stood firm.
"Dragon Tail!" his trainer bellowed. A greenish, scale-patterned aura shrouded the Axe Jaw Pokémon's tail before he swung it, striking the incoming sphere and sending it crashing onto the field in a powerful blast. The Ketchum girl was shocked, gritting her teeth together.
"Swords Dance!" she called out to her partner. Several light-blue swords manifested around her Lucario, circling him before pointing toward him. A reddish light flowed up his body.
"Dragon Dance!" Drayden yelled. Haxorus' body became surrounded by purple clouds of energy as he spun around several times. As the clouds dissipated, a reddish light flowed up his own form as well.
"Bone Rush!" Leslie commanded.
"Shadow Claw!" Drayden ordered. Both Pokémon charged at each other, with Lucarus preparing two bones of light blue energy in his forepaws, spinning them into a firm grip. Haxorus had both of his arms become shrouded in a shadowy aura in the form of claws with a violet outline. The two clashed, with sparks flying all about.
Even as the Lucario was managing to counter his foe's attacks, he found himself unable to find any openings as the Axe Jaw Pokémon was simply too fast. The Ketchum girl could her partner was struggling to hold his ground when it came to speed. And her opponent was ready to take advantage of that.
"Dragon Tail!" he commanded. The greenish, scale-patterned aura reappeared upon his Haxorus' tail, who swung it out to strike Lucarus, sending him flying back as the energy bones in his forepaws shattered.
"Lucarus!" his trainer screamed, seeing him land down on his feet and slide to a stop, wincing all the while.
'Drayden really is strong…' Leslie noted to herself, 'Dad never got to battle him during his journey in Unova, so I had nothing to go off of for a plan…' she mentioned inwardly, cracking a small grin, 'But that's what makes this exciting!' she declared through her thoughts.
"Haxorus, X-Scissor!" the Opelucid Gym Leader bellowed in command, sticking his right hand out. The scythe-like tusks upon the Axe Jaw Pokémon glowed a bright yellowish-green as he charged forward. Lucarus stood firmly, raising his forepaws and clenching them into fists.
"Lucarus, Aura Sphere!" his trainer ordered quickly. The Aura Pokémon formed another orb of blue energy in his forepaws, firing it forward. It struck Haxorus squarely on the head… but he charged through regardless, swinging his head down in the attempt to slash his foe. "Dodge it!" Leslie cried out.
Her Lucario was quick to maneuver himself out of his foe's way, leaping off of the ground and onto his foe's back. He then jumped off of it and nodded to his trainer. She nodded back.
"Aura Sphere!" she commanded. While in midair, Lucarus readied yet another orb of blue energy, firing it out. It struck the Axe Jaw Pokémon squarely in the back, making him roar in agony as he faltered forward. On the other side of the field, Drayden widened his eyes.
"So that's how it is…" he realized, letting out a little chuckle, "Haxorus, Dragon Dance!" he called out. The Axe Jaw Pokémon had more purple clouds shroud him as he spun around multiple times again, followed by the reddish aura flowing up his body. He glared fiercely at his opponent, and he glared back.
"Get ready, Lucarus!" Leslie advised.
"Rah!" her partner responded with a nod.
"Dragon Tail!" Drayden commanded as he stuck his right hand out. Haxorus charged forward in an instant, ready to strike his foe. He closed his eyes to concentrate, preparing to adhere to his trainer's next order.
"Ice Punch!" she yelled. Jolting his eyes open, Lucarus had an icy blue aura come off of his left forepaw before he closed it into a fist. He thrusted it out to strike his foe's tail, causing sparks to fly in a huge burst of wind. Once the dust settled, it revealed ice forming along the lower half of the Axe Jaw Pokémon's body before shattering, causing him to cry out in pain. He then fell over onto his side, having his eyes in swirls.
"Hah…" Drayden exhaled afterwards, grinning underneath his beard, "Well done, Leslie," he complimented, clapping his gloved hands, "You and your Pokémon fought with all your might to the very end," he pointed out. The Ketchum girl smiled brightly, now having earned her seventh badge with a hard-fought victory.
X
The stars shined brightly in the night sky over Opelucid City. Leslie watched with a smile as her Serperior dangled his leafy tail around the young Axew in the living room of Drayden's house, playing with him. The gym leader sauntered over with a tea tray, setting it down onto the coffee table.
"Thanks for inviting me over for the night," the Ketchum girl said in gratitude.
"Think nothing of it," Drayden responded, sitting down across from her and pouring the tea out from the teapot into the cups, "Considering the topic of our conversation tonight, it's best that you at least learn everything you can from me," he told her, "even if it takes the whole evening," he mentioned. Leslie's expression shifted into a serious one. Serpence slithered over with Axew riding on his back. The Tusk Pokémon hopped into the gym leader's lap, yawning before falling asleep on him.
"So… what's the story behind the mystery Pokémon from the Giant Chasm?" the Ketchum girl asked.
"Listen closely," Drayden instructed, "Two decades ago, the white dragon Pokémon Reshiram was awakened," he began, "It sought what is true, with the desire to usher in a new world of good and tranquility," he told her, "There was another, the black dragon Pokémon known as Zekrom, who pursued what is ideal, with the desire to usher in a new world of hope and prosperity," he explained on.
"My dad mentioned that he accidentally ran into Zekrom when he first came to Unova," Leslie pointed out, "And he only met Reshiram much later…" she added in recollection.
"Hm," the gym leader hummed out, "Reshiram and Zekrom were once a single Pokémon," he noted, causing the Ketchum girl to widen her eyes in shock, "You may wonder why it wound up splitting in two," he said, noticing just how surprised the white-haired girl seemed.
"Uh… yeah…" she replied in confirmation.
"The single dragon Pokémon had helped the twin heroes from millennia long past bring a new region into being," Drayden told her, "But those same twin heroes," he continued, "the younger brother who sought ideals and the older brother who sought the truth," he listed off, "sundered the region in two as they fought to see which of them was right," he recanted, "In that desperate hour, the single dragon Pokémon split its body into a white Pokémon and a black Pokémon," he explained, "even though ideals and truth don't need to be in opposition!" he yelled additionally, clenching his fists.
"Serrr…" Serpence hissed out in shock. His trainer was just as conflicted by the story. But there was still the mystery of the Pokémon from the Giant Chasm, which she had yet to hear about. The gym leader calmed down with a deep breath, putting his hands onto his knees.
"As the story goes, a third dragon Pokémon, Kyurem, also came into existence in that era," he explained to the Ketchum girl's surprise, "And there may be proof of this to be found in a treasure passed down in my family for generations," he mentioned on, "the DNA Splicers," he said.
"The DNA Splicers?" Leslie repeated out of confusion, raising an eyebrow.
"Professor Juniper's research determined that the materials in the splicers date back to the same era as the materials used in building the Dragonspiral Tower," Drayden explained further, "You needn't worry about the splicers themselves," he assured to the Ketchum girl, "They are stored safely," he said, "I guard them because I don't know what kind of power they may have…" he added in explanation.
"It sounds as if it relates to Reshiram and Zekrom…" Leslie noted aloud.
"Yes, it does…" Drayden agreed as he narrowed his eyes in thought, looking down at the floor, "Could there have been more than one dragon Pokémon?" he wondered, "Even if Kyurem does exist, we don't know what kind of Pokémon it is," he pointed out, "For starters, the two Pokémon who were split are both overwhelmingly powerful," he mentioned, "So if Kyurem exists, could it be just a husk?" he inferred, "A shell that was left over?" he suggested on.
"We can't be sure until we get to investigate the Giant Chasm…" the Ketchum girl noted, exhaling a sigh, "Thank you, Drayden," she said out of gratitude, "Hearing the story from you helps shed some light for us," she admitted.
"Ser, peer!" Serperior hissed in agreement. The gym leader chuckled.
"Be sure to get plenty of rest," he advised as he stood up with the snoozing Axew in his arms, walking off upstairs. Leslie got onto her feet, giving off a somewhat concerned look.
"Kyurem, huh?" she noted to herself. That night, she found herself failing to fall asleep upon the couch. Not so much because of where she was, but rather what she was left to think about.
'I wonder if Dad knows anything about Kyurem… or even if one of the other professors does…' she said through her thoughts with her arms folded behind her head, 'Either way, I can call Professor Juniper tomorrow and let her know about what Drayden told me…' she noted inwardly, yawning before shutting her eyes, finally starting to fall asleep. A half hour later, there was a tremor. She awoke with a start from the sudden shaking, with Serpence looking somewhat surprised as well.
"What was that…?" she inquired aloud. She then flinched as the lights came on. Looking over, she saw Drayden come down the stairs.
"You heard that, didn't you?" he assumed, receiving a nod in response, "Let's go," he advised of her. She threw off the blanket over her, grabbing her hat and shoes. She raced outside… and immediately saw her own breath.
"Wh-Whoa…" she stammered from the sudden cold, rubbing her arms, "Does it usually get this chilly at night?" she asked of the gym leader.
"No…" Drayden confirmed in response, narrowing his eyes. The two of them then heard a humming overhead, looking up. They gasped.
Soaring above Opelucid City was the Plasma Frigate, which had glider panels at its sides with propulsion rockets in between them and at its stern to keep it airborne. Citizens below were all looking on in bewilderment and fright as the vessel's bow started to open up. A cannon came out, being aimed towards the streets below. Leslie and Drayden widened their eyes to see the blue light building up in it, shining brightly. It fired a burst of energy down onto the city, striking the ground just in front of them make a giant hunk of ice appear.
"AH!" the Ketchum girl shrieked, falling onto her rear end and shivering with fright. More blasts were fired from the airship's cannon, freezing the streets of Opelucid as people hurried into their homes in a panic. The air was quite chilling as the towers of ice loomed beside the buildings.
"I didn't realize Team Plasma was capable of creating such a horrifying weapon…" Drayden admitted, grimacing underneath his beard. Leslie was still in shock, shuddering out of fear. Serpence slithered over and coiled around her to grant her some warmth.
"Thanks, Serpence…" she said in gratitude, calming down. She stood back up and watched as the gym leader stepped forward, bringing out a Poké Ball and enlarging it in his gloved right hand.
"Haxorus!" he called out, letting the spherical container open up as its light shot out and formed upon the ground in front of him, dissipating to reveal the Axe Jaw Pokémon.
"Haaaa!" he bellowed.
"Break the ice with Dragon Tail!" his trainer instructed, sticking his left hand out. Haxorus had a green, scale-patterned aura shroud his tail, swinging it out to slam against the massive hunk of ice. But to his surprise, it didn't even crack. Both Leslie and Drayden were stunned.
"Serpence, Leaf Blade!" the former of the two ordered to her Serperior.
"Serr!" he responded with a nod, making the tip of his leafy tail glow a bright green and sharpen. He slithered forward and slashed at the ice, but there wasn't even a hint of a scratch upon it. "Peerrr…" the Regal Pokémon hissed in frustration.
"What the heck is going on?" Leslie wondered aloud.
"Whatever this ice is, it's extremely durable…" Drayden noted, "What kind of power did Team Plasma get ahold of…?" he questioned with narrowed eyes.
"Power that you won't understand," another voice chimed in as a response, getting their attentions.
"That voice…!" Leslie exclaimed upon recognizing it. Walking out from behind the ice with a pair of Neo Team Plasma grunts by his side was Zinzolin, who exhaled a chilly breath.
"So you're the one Cheren said he saw in Driftveil…" Drayden realized.
"Hah…" the Neo Team Plasma sage exhaled, shivering a little, "It's bitter cold…" he muttered out, "I'm shivering… I'm suffering…" he admitted, "but I'm alive!" he proclaimed proudly, "This is what the essence of life feels like!" he bellowed, "It's proof of my existence!" he added emphatically.
"Why are you doing this?!" Leslie asked angrily, gnashing her teeth together.
"Ah, the young girl who's constantly gotten in our way…" Zinzolin noted with a grin, "I suppose that's enough of my philosophy," he decided as he shrugged, "Here are the facts for your admiration," he said, "This ice was specially created by Team Plasma's technology," he told them, "As long as we have our secret weapon, you'll never be able to melt or break this ice!" he declared, cackling with pride. The Ketchum girl growled in frustration, but then felt Drayden's hand come onto her shoulder.
"And what exactly are you here for with that weapon of yours?" he asked of the Neo Team Plasma sage, glaring at him all the while.
"Ah, how rude of me to ignore that point," he remarked in reply, "Hand over the DNA Splicers…" he demanded, taking on a more serious tone, "Opelucid City is a place where the past and the future are entwined," he pointed out, "Could there be a more perfect place for the splicers that connect the separated Pokémon?" he inquired rhetorically.
'They're after the splicers?' Leslie questioned through her thoughts, 'Why?' she wondered inwardly, 'Unless…' she continued, recalling what she had learned about Kyurem and Giant Chasm over the past few days. Her eyes widened in horror. 'Oh no…' she uttered through her thoughts.
"Do you think someone who knows what you did two decades ago would just hand them over quietly? After all this?!" Drayden inquired back in an enraged voice.
"Humph," Zinzolin scoffed out, "That's what I thought you'd say…" he muttered, "At this point, I'd like to threaten you with another volley of ice," he declared, "but we can't use it for the moment…" he noted to the surprise of the pair before him, "Huh…" he sighed, "It won't be enjoyable in this cold, but I suppose we'll just have to search for them," he decided, raising his right hand.
"Sir!" the two grunts beside him responded, hurrying off.
"Hey, wait!" Leslie yelled.
"Those foul fiends…" Drayden growled, "Leslie, will you help us drive them off?" he requested of the Ketchum girl, getting her attention.
"You know we will," she responded with a firm nod.
"Ser peer!" Serpence agreed as he slithered up to her side.
"Good," Drayden replied, readying another pair of Poké Balls in his hands. He opened them up, allowing their lights to spill forth onto the ground. They shaped into form, dissipating to reveal his Druddigon and his Flygon. He boarded the latter, who flapped his wings. "I'll search for Zinzolin from the skies!" he declared, "Take care of any lackeys you find!" he insisted.
"Got it!" Leslie responded, seeing him fly off aboard the Mystic Pokémon, while Druddigon and Haxorus followed on foot. The Ketchum girl then took out her own pair of Poké Balls, enlarging them with a press of their buttons. She looked out at the hunk of ice ahead of her, seeing just how enormous it was.
'Even if we can't get rid of this ice right now, the best thing we can do is make sure the people are safe!' she decided inwardly, looking over to Serpence. He nodded to her, and she nodded back. They weren't going to let Zinzolin and the rest of Neo Team Plasma get away with this.
X
"Someone stop her already!" one Neo Team Plasma grunt yelled.
"We're trying!" another shouted back, "Her Pokémon are just too damn strong!" he pointed out. Slithering along the ice, Serpence had Leslie aboard him as they hurried through the cold streets of Opelucid. Looking around, the Ketchum girl saw that the power hadn't been cut off from the ice volley, which was a huge relief. People would at least be able to stay warm in their homes for the most part. Now all that was left to do was drive Neo Team Plasma out.
"Mortalius! Lucarus!" Leslie exclaimed as she reared back the Poké Ball and the Great Ball in her hands, "Come on out!" she called out, flinging them upwards. They popped open, with their lights spilling onto the icy ground and shaping into form. Breaking apart, the lights revealed her Lucario and her Magmar. Both of them blinked in surprise to see their surroundings.
"Get them!" a Neo Team Plasma grunt ordered at the other end of the street, pointing towards them. A Krokorok, a Garbodor and a Muk charged forward, heading for their foes. The latter two unleashed globs of brown sludge from their mouths. Lucarus slid out and took them all head on, completely unaffected.
"Mortalius, Sunny Day!" Leslie instructed.
"Maaaaaggggg!" her Magmar exclaimed up into the sky, causing it to suddenly brighten as if there was actual sunlight beaming down. The opposing Pokémon flinched, but Krokorok steeled himself as he charged forward.
"Serpence, Solar Beam!" the Ketchum girl commanded, sticking her right hand out. Her Serperior arched his head back, opening his mouth and firing off a golden beam of light. It struck the Desert Croc Pokémon in a fierce blast, making him fall over in a heap. Garbodor and Muk took notice, grimacing as they saw their foes close in.
Mortalius puffed his chest before expelling a powerful stream of fire from his mouth, engulfing the Sludge Pokémon entirely as he cried out in pain. Lucarus evaded the Trash Heap Pokémon's extendable arms, forming a bone of light blue energy in his forepaws. He swung it down, striking his target and landing behind him. After a few seconds, Garbodor fell over with swirls in his eyes.
"Crap…" one Neo Team Plasma grunt muttered out, "At this rate, Zinzolin's gonna need to get involved!" he noted aloud.
"Where the heck even is he?!" another wondered emphatically before he and the others were ambushed by a greyish-white smoke. It was being expelled from the lips of Mortalius, who rode aboard Serpence with their trainer as they passed the grunts.
"Nice going, Mortalius," she complimented, maintaining her serious expression.
'In terms of where the splicers themselves are, they'd have to be in a place where no one could get to them without starting a fight…' she noted to herself, 'So if that's the case…!' she started to realize, widening her eyes.
"Serpence, take a right here!" she advised.
"Ser!" her Serperior responded, turning at the intersection that led to the gym. There, Leslie could see that several Neo Team Plasma grunts had already been bested, lying on the icy path to the gym itself. But there was still someone there standing at the front of the building. It was Zinzolin.
"Oh, for crying out loud…" he grumbled, "I didn't expect to have to fight while hampered by cold like this…" he noted as he readied a pair of Poké Balls in his hands. The Ketchum girl glared at him, disembarking from Serpence with Mortalius.
"Things don't always go as planned, you know," she remarked in response as she walked forward with her Magmar and her Lucario beside her.
"Well, no matter!" the Neo Team Plasma sage yelled out, "The fact that I'm shivering means I'm truly alive!" he proclaimed, flinging his Poké Balls forward. They burst open, with their lights forming in midair and dissipating to reveal his Cryogonal and a Weavile.
"Weee…" the Sharp Claw Pokémon hissed with a smirk. Both Lucarus and Mortalius took ready stances. Their trainer clenched her fists, which were shaking from the cold.
"Mortalius, Flamethrower!" she commanded. Her Magmar puffed his chest again, unleashing a powerful stream of fire from his mouth that seared toward his foes.
"Light Screen!" Zinzolin instructed. Cryogonal projected a pink, curved force field around itself and Weavile, blocking off most of the incoming flames as only a few embers from them broke through.
"Ergh…" Leslie growled in frustration.
"This battle won't go as it did the last time in Lacunosa!" the Neo Team Plasma sage declared, clenching his right fist, "You'll need more than just a few type advantages to succeed against me!" he mentioned in proclamation, "Weavile, Ice Shard!" he ordered. The Sharp Claw Pokémon had a ring of icy shards form in front of his claws, glowing light blue. He then threw them out towards his foes.
"Block them with Bone Rush!" Leslie called out quickly. Forming a light blue bone of energy in his forepaws, Lucarus spun it around to shatter each of the ice shards sent out at him.
"Ice Beam!" Zinzolin commanded.
"Counter with Flamethrower!" Leslie yelled. A light blue ball of energy formed in front of Cryogonal's face before it unleashed several zigzagging rays down toward the Lucario. Mortalius slid out in front of his teammate, expelling another stream of fire from his mouth to block it in a burst of steam.
Both trainers braced themselves from the veil of the white cloud coming over them. Their respective Pokémon awaited their next command, anxious as to what their opponents would do. The Ketchum girl took a deep breath.
"Sunny Day!" she called out. All of a sudden, the steam burst apart from the bright light that burned down upon it, blinding Zinzolin and his Pokémon momentarily. "Mortalius, Fire Punch!" Leslie ordered. Her Magmar leapt out, closing his right hand into a fist as he neared Cryogonal. He engulfed his extremity in flames, thrusting it out to strike the Crystallizing Pokémon in a powerful blast.
It fell onto the ground hard, sliding to a stop in front of its trainer with swirls in its eyes. He gritted his teeth in frustration. His eyes twitched.
"Weavile, Night Slash!" he commanded.
"Wee!" the Sharp Claw Pokémon responded, preparing a blade of purple light in his claws that he rushed forward with.
"Lucarus, use Bone Rush!" Leslie ordered, sticking her right hand out. Her Lucario prepared another light blue bone of energy that he gripped in his hands, charging out at his incoming foe. They clashed, making sparks fly all about as they countered each other's moves.
At one point, the Aura Pokémon was ready to slam his manifested weapon into his target like a bat hitting a baseball. But Weavile sneered, ducking under the attack and slashing past his opponent. Lucarus' energy bone faded as he keeled over onto his left knee, clenching his teeth in agony.
"Lucarus!" his trainer cried out.
"That's it!" Zinzolin exclaimed, "Now finish him!" he demanded of the Sharp Claw Pokémon. He turned around and snickered, ready to slash the Lucario once again. But his eyes jolted open, whipping around to land a fierce punch to Weavile's face.
"W-Wee…?!" he stammered out in shock. He didn't even have a chance to comprehend what just happened as Lucarus bombarded him with punches and kicks, finishing him off with a powerful uppercut from his right arm. The Sharp Claw Pokémon fell onto the ground in a heap, grimacing in agony. Ultimately, he gave way and fainted, having swirls in his eyes.
"Impossible…!" the Neo Team Plasma sage gasped out in disbelief.
"Nice Close Combat, Lucarus!" Leslie complimented as she and Mortalius walked up to the Lucario, who grinned.
"Rah," he responded with a nod.
"You've gotten even stronger than you were in Lacunosa…" Zinzolin noted, getting their attentions, "Hm," he chuckled out, "You definitely are adept at handling Pokémon," he pointed out, returning his two fainted partners to their Poké Balls in beams of red light, "I believe now I'll take my leave, simply because I can't stand this cold," he decided.
"Yeah, like I'm gonna let you get—!" Leslie's declaration was interjected as she saw both Druddigon and Haxorus both charging over.
"Imagine this, child…" the Neo Team Plasma sage chimed in, causing her to look back at him and see him pull out a round object in his right hand, "A Unova Region… completely covered in ice…" he suggested to her shock, "To achieve that splendor, we'll do whatever it takes to obtain the DNA Splicers," he vowed. He then pressed the button upon the device before throwing it forward. It unleashed a cloud of black smoke, veiling the immediate area. Leslie coughed before the smoke cleared, revealing that Zinzolin was gone just as Druddigon and Haxorus arrived.
"Leslie!" Drayden's voice called out, getting her attention as she saw him fly down aboard Flygon. Moments later, the two of them discussed what had happened as their respective Pokémon stood alongside them. "I see…" the gym leader said, folding his arms over his chest, "You're even better than I hoped," he pointed out to the Ketchum girl, "Thanks to you and your Pokémon, we drove them off," he noted assuredly.
"Oh, it's nothing…" Leslie claimed in response, blushing a little, "But now I'm wondering where those DNA Splicers they were looking for are…" she noted, glancing off to the side.
"Wait here a moment, please," Drayden humbly requested, heading into the gym. The Ketchum girl blinked in surprise, sharing a confused glance with Serpence and Mortalius. Meanwhile, Lucarus closed his eyes and concentrated.
Something seemed off to him, yet he couldn't discern why. The Plasma Frigate was still high in the air above the city. Leslie knew that whenever its cannon would be recharged, they'd unleash another volley of ice that would likely freeze the whole city over.
"Hmph…" Drayden huffed, getting her attention as she looked to see him exit the gym with a grey-black-and-white-striped, pointed object with a yellow needle like a horn at the top, "That's a new record for making it there and back…" the gym leader remarked, holding the object in his hands, "Leslie, these are the DNA Splicers," he told her, "I'm not sure what Team Plasma intended to do with them, but I'm certain it must've been wicked…" he noted with narrowed eyes.
"You think it might have to do with Kyurem somehow?" the Ketchum girl inquired curiously.
"Possibly…" Drayden replied, "Either way, we have the splicers in hand and well-guarded," he pointed out, not noticing Lucarus jolt his eyes open, "Team Plasma won't be able to—"
"Rah, rahh!" the Lucario barked, interrupting him as he looked over with Leslie in surprise. All of a sudden, a figure dashed by and snatched the splicers out of his hands, landing a half dozen yards away from the group. Immediately, the Ketchum girl recognized him as a member of the Shadow Triad.
"As we suspected…" he mumbled out, "The hiding place was in the gym," he noted, glancing back at the stunned group, "Well thought out," he mentioned in a complimentary tone, "If Drayden isn't there, we can't get in," he pointed out, "And if he is there, he's the strongest guard we could possibly face," he added on, "Unfortunately, that doesn't matter now," he said, holding the splicers in his right hand, "We've got these in our hands now," he stated.
"You fie—! AH!" Drayden gasped out in pain.
"D-Drayden?!" Leslie stammered, watching as the gym leader keeled over onto his knees. She widened her eyes to see the blood dripping from a knife wound in his back. The two other ninjas of the Shadow Triad appeared alongside their brother.
"Don't worry, that wound shouldn't be fatal," one of them assured to Drayden.
"But it'll be enough to keep you out of our way," the other pointed out.
"We'll accomplish our goals no matter the cost…" the first of the trio chimed in seriously, "We don't have the ability to captivate the hearts of others like our former Lord N," he mentioned, "Instead, we will bend people to our will with brute force," he declared, clenching his left fist.
"So Zinzolin was just a decoy?!" Leslie assumed with widened eyes.
"And with him getting so close, I'd have to make sure the splicers themselves weren't taken…!" Drayden realized through a grimace.
"So now you know," the first of the Shadow Triad noted. All three of them hurried off in different directions.
"Damn it!" Leslie cursed.
"If they've been taken, we'll just have to take them back…!" Drayden declared as he tried to stand up, only to fall back down onto his knees, "Leslie… please don't get in over your head…" he insisted of the Ketchum girl, "I wouldn't want you to get hurt for my sake…" he mentioned in frustration.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," she promised in response, "Mortalius, stay with Drayden!" she requested of the Spitfire Pokémon, who nodded, "Serpence! Lucarus! Let's go!" she called out, boarding her Serperior before he quickly slithered off, with the Lucario running after them. They quickly spotted the member of the Shadow Triad with the splicers in hand going from rooftop to rooftop, seeing them coming.
"You're persistent…" he muttered out, hurrying along the frozen streets.
"Lucarus, Aura Sphere!" Leslie commanded. Her Lucario leapt onto the icy spires around them, readying a blue orb of energy in between his forepaws. He fired it out, striking where the Shadow Triad member would've landed as he made a jump. However, another of the ninjas zipped by, helping him land down. He turned around as his brother took off, facing the incoming Ketchum girl and her Pokémon.
"Go!" he yelled, flinging a trio of Poké Balls forward. They burst open, with their lights forming upon the ice and dissipating to reveal a pair of Pawniard and an Absol. Leslie hopped off of Serpence, sliding to a halt.
"Aura Sphere!" she commanded again. Lucarus leapt down and prepared two orbs of blue energy upon his forepaws, firing them out. They struck the two Sharp Blade Pokémon, knocking them over in heaps. The Shadow Triad member growled under his mask.
"Absol, Night Slash!" he ordered, swinging his right hand out. The Disaster Pokémon charged forward, making the horn on the side of his side shine a bright purple and sharpen.
"Serpence, Coil then Leaf Blade!" Leslie quickly instructed. Her Serperior went ahead and coiled his body as a purple glow came off of it, followed by a reddish light flowing up his form. The second Absol lunged out at him, he had the tip of his tail glow a bright green as the leaves upon it sharpened. They slashed past each other… and the Disaster Pokémon fell onto the icy ground in a heap.
"…Huh," the Shadow Triad member huffed out after a moment, "You're stronger than I thought," he remarked, returning all three of his Pokémon to their Poké Balls in beams of red light. At that moment, Leslie blinked in surprise as she noticed something. Or rather, a lack of something.
"Where are the splicers?" she asked, looking around. The Shadow Triad member smirked.
"You might've beaten me, but I'm not the one who has them," he pointed out with a shrug, "Sorry," he apologized, vanishing in an instant.
"Hey!" Leslie yelled, looking around. She then saw that the Plasma Frigate had departed from the sky above. "Shoot…" she grumbled out.
"Leslie!" a familiar voice called out, getting her attention as she saw Cheren running over.
"Cheren!" she exclaimed in surprise, "When'd you get here?" she inquired as she blinked rapidly.
"A moment too late from the looks of things…" the Aspertia Gym Leader answered, putting his hands onto his hips, "I had no idea Team Plasma had a mobile fortress with this kind of destructive power…" he noted as he looked around at the ice-coated city, "We're lucky that the damage isn't as bad…" he mentioned.
"Yeah…" Leslie agreed as she nodded. It was clear that Neo Team Plasma was becoming much more dangerous. But she'd have to will herself to keep fighting them. Otherwise, they would cover the region in a cold, unforgiving ice…
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 thus ends the third part of Leslie's story! As I said, Black & White 2 are my favorite games from the series as a whole. I only hope there's an amazing story in the future of the games that come next.
Anyways, things are really looking up! We're now almost halfway through 2022 and hopefully in the clear for future endeavors. Kicking off June, we've got ourselves another chapter of "The Challenge of a Lifetime"! Here's a summary to keep you occupied.
SUMMARY
Venturing to Humilau to find where Neo Team Plasma has stationed their base, Leslie and Hugh seek to stop them once and for all! But the greatest challenge they're about to face is the testing of their ideals and truth! Will they overcome the obstacles that lie ahead of them?!
END SUMMARY
See you next week!