Unsung

by SavageCaliber

"Kirk? Kirk? J'ai entendu une coup de feu. Comment allez-vous?"

…

"Génial, il est mort. Maintenant, la guerre a commencé."

"What'd he say? Brendan? WHAT'D HE SAY?!"

…

"Showtime, boys. He's coming."

The soft glow of East Latias reflects off of the inky black sky, adding color to the otherwise pitch black clouds that shower the city with rain, wind and lightning. The storm kicking up the waters of the coastal town as roaring black waves assault the walls and pillars of East Latias' industrial docks. With a blinding flash, a sudden bolt of white hot electrons dances between the clouds, silhouetting a dragon type Pokemon against the sky as he soars through the air silently, before diving down to land in a clearing between two large boathouses.

The Flygon touches down on the concrete, displacing the water beneath him for a moment. He rises and pulls back the bolt handle on a UMP-45, popping a magazine in and slapping the charging handle with his free hand, causing the bolt to fly forwards and hit the end of the well with a satisfying metallic clack. Subduing his unyielding rage, Gauvin confidently steps out into the open center area between the two boathouses, turning around slowly to check his flank.

"My guards aren't responding to me, which means you're here, Julley!" he shouts, being barely audible over the onslaught of rain overhead and the roaring of the Pacific Ocean from his origin. The downpour drowning the concrete battlefield in a slick membrane of water, distorting what little light remains in the compound after dark.

The pair of Eeveelutions behind the cover of a shipping container glance to each other sternly. "That the guy?" Cooper prods, failing to knock Julley out of a small panic induced trance. His breaths are choppy and erratic as his eyes lock to the ground in anxiety, his muscles twitch and shiver in a frenzied fusion of nerves and the ice cold water soaked into his fur. "Hey, Julley." Cooper asserts as he shoves the dark type with his paw, prompting the dark type to put all of his attention on the Jolteon. "Stay with me, buddy. Okay? I need ya here." Cooper whisper-yells to Julley, who glances over his shoulder and weakly nods with flattened ears.

"R-R-Right…right…" Julley proceeds, intermittently closing his eyes as he tries to relax, before he makes another short glance into the electric type's purple eyes. Julley takes a deep breath and peeks out of cover quickly, spotting the Flygon thankfully looking in the other direction as a flash of lightning exposes his silhouette.

(Yeah, that's right. I made artwork for this story!)

"Y-yeah…" he notes as he hides behind the container again lest his bioluminescent rings and eyes give him and Cooper away. "T-that's him."

"Does he have a weapon?" Cooper implores.

"Y-yeah, and it's b-bigger than either of ours."

"How big?"

"I didn't really get a g-good look at it..." the Umbreon whines.

Suddenly Gauvin's voice booms again, "I know you're listening, so I'll give you some terms!"

The pair stare at the edge of the large shipping container they're hiding behind. "If you come out now, and bring me Miss Blizzards, I will free your daughter! Just know that your wife no longer belongs to you! She will be forever mine, as my own personal COCK SLEEVE!" Gauvin shouts, thunder shaking the battlefield seconds later.

The two glance at each other again. That last statement clearly hits both of them, albeit in different ways, Julley in insult to the love of his life, and Cooper in insult to his wonderful sister. Each sentence leaving Gauvin's mouth adding more and more trinkets to their ever-increasing treasure trove of mutual ire for the dragon type before them.

"That bast-..." Cooper quietly blurts, clutching his pistol tightly in rage, but catching himself as to not give himself away. Julley says nothing, but his eyes narrow nonetheless

"However, I care not for your daughter. I WILL let her go, you have my word on that, Umbreon! But, if you refuse to comply, you will suffer consequences. So what will it be, Julley!? Your daughter or your life!?"

Cooper turns to the dark type, "Well, this guy's certainly charming. Alright, I've got a plan. As far as he knows, you're alone. I need you to yell back." Cooper explains. The Umbreon's eyes widen as he subconsciously shifts away from his brother-in-law, maintaining a somewhat broken eye contact as his eyes flick between Cooper and the warped reflection of his rings on the damp ground beneath him.

"Yell back, a-a-are you crazy?!" Julley shouts quietly.

"Look, I'm gonna go left, you're gonna draw his attention to you, hopefully by flanking him I can catch him off guard at worst, and get a shot on him at best, okay?"

"...I-I think so."

"Alright, I'm gonna make a dash for that truck over there, starting...now!" Cooper shouts as he bolts over to a retail truck not far away from Julley, before turning back and nodding to the dark type.

Julley takes a deep breath, before heading to the other side of the container, drawing and checking the slide on the Glock 17 graciously donated by Brendan. He grunts as he pulls the slide all the way back, causing it to suddenly snap forward as it chambers a round. Of course, he forgot to rack it, but it's a good thing he checked.

He clears his throat.

"Y-You say that, Gauvin…" he shouts, prompting the dragon type to immediately pull a 180, raising his SMG a little bit, not shouldered, but ready to shoulder and fire at a moment's notice. An astounded and yet confident smirk appears on the flygon's face, "...B-but I find it hard to believe you!" Julley follows.

The Flygon laughs, "So you are here, Julley! Namaste!" He patronizes. Cooper peeks past the front of the truck, spotting Gauvin slowly stepping towards the container he was hiding behind just a few moments ago, Cooper is just shy of the ground type's peripheral vision. He takes aim with an identical G17.

"I-Is that something all you yoga instructors say?" Julley shouts again. Prompting Gauvin to smirk, "It means 'I bow to you.' in Sinnohan."

Cooper's sights now line up, his free paw on the trigger. "Na-ma go fuck yourself!" Cooper growls as he pulls the trigger, the pressure on the trigger with his off-paw making the muzzle drift ever so slightly upwards, before the shot rings out.

THACK!

The bullet whizzes over his head, prompting Gauvin to duck in response, "Merde!" He curses, turning to aim at the source, his eyes lock with the Jolteon's now panicked amethyst irises.

"SHIT!" Cooper shouts as he ducks back behind the truck, the air now filled with the sounds of gunfire as Cooper hears .45 ACP clink and ping off of the engine block of the truck he's hiding behind. There's a break in the fire for a bit.

"I should've guessed you weren't alone! You must be the brother! Namaste!" He jokes yet again.

Cooper touches his paw to his ear. "Tyson! What's the holdup!" He screams.

"I'm almost in position! Hold tight!" Tyson's voice sounds through the earpiece.

Thap! Thap! Thap!

Three smaller shots ring out, presumably from Julley. The Flygon suddenly leaps to evade the shots, beating his wings as he starts to hover, each beat gusting enough air to ripple the rainwater on the ground underneath him. Julley takes cover again.

I thought suppressors were supposed to make the gun quiet!

Quiet-er not quiet! It's not like the movies, Julley! They only make it quiet enough that you don't need to wear earplugs!

Damn!

Julley, watch out!

Wha-?!

A sudden explosion knocks Julley onto his back, causing his pistol to clatter to the ground. His ears ring loudly as he groans. He looks over to see a Dragon breath impact the truck, causing it to keel over on top of Cooper, who fortunately dives away with his lightning reflexes, UNfortunately exposing him to the dragon type in the process.

"GAAAHH!" The electric type screams as Gauvin pulls the trigger

"Cooper!" Julley shouts as a short burst thankfully hits Cooper's kevlar, though the kinetic energy still causes him to groan and writhe in agony.

Gauvin laughs, "This is too easy!"

Tyson breaks open a door with his shoulder. Scoped SKS in tow. Finding himself on the upper exterior catwalk of one of the boathouses, looking down into the gunfight below. He spots the kidnapper suddenly shoot up into the clouds, before dipping below at high speeds.

"Vous êtes que des moins que rien!" He shouts as automatic gunfire echoes around the area.

The rounds impact the ground around Julley, as he's forced to curl his body into a fetal position, to minimize his size until Gauvin passes by overhead, beating his wings as he attempts to make another pass.

"Tyson! Where the FUCK are you?! AAAAAAHH!" Cooper groans from the pain of the earlier volley.

Tyson doesn't waste a second as he presses his cheek against the stock of the SKS taken off of the Beartic he'd taken down a few minutes prior, peering through the 3.4x Optic. After a second of waving the gun around, he finally managed to get the Flygon in his sights, banking right as he goes in for another pass. Cooper starts firing upon the ground type as thunder rumbles in the distance.

Tyson aims a little bit ahead of the dragon, hoping to hit the red glass protecting his eyes from the elements.

Julley backs himself up against the container as he watches his wife's Yoga instructor dive toward him, taking aim with his UMP. Julley braces for the worst, exposing as much kevlar as he can in a feeble effort to protect himself in case Cooper can't hit him.

"This is the end, Julley!" Gauvin shouts with a maniacal grin plastered across his face.

Announcing its presence with a loud crack, a red tracer round suddenly tears through Gauvin's right wing, causing him to cry out in pain and spiral to the ground just past the container, a loud crash being heard. Julley sighs in relief, before suddenly snapping back to attention and peering past the shipping container "Cooper! A-are you okay?!" Julley shouts, staring at the electric type now on his elbows trying to right himself.

"I'm alright...I'm alright…he got the Kevlar, but man that smarts!" Cooper growls.

With a sigh of relief, Julley peeks past his cover, thunder booms in the distance. The dragon type is nowhere to be seen, but he can faintly hear him groaning in pain over the pounding of rain.

"Bordel, c'est qui le salaud qui m'a tiré dessus?" The Flygon growls as he rolls off of a stack of wooden crates. Glaring up to the roof of the boathouse, now spotting a thin red beam of light, visible through the drops of rain slamming the ground. Gauvin growls as he lines up the source of the tracer with his sights and pulls the trigger.

Tyson is barely able to evade as a round flies through his scope and clangs off of a beam behind him, shattering the lenses and showering his forearm with glass, only for a couple more rounds to hit his Kevlar and force him to stumble back into cover. He sucks in air through his teeth in response to the pain, "Fuck, I've been made! Dumbasses put tracers in the thing!" He grunts into his earpiece.

"How many more must fall to save your daughter, Julley!" Gauvin sounds over the sound of thunder. "This is your last chance! Surrender your wife, and you won't suffer the sa-GAAAH!"

A 9mm round cuts through the rain and grazes Gauvin's knee.

"Do us all a favor and just shut up!" Cooper shouts. However Cooper has only a few moments to react as Gauvin angrily raises his UMP in the Jolteon's direction. "Ah, crap." He calmly jokes before diving behind the truck. A few rounds later, Gauvin's SMG clicks. Cooper is about to press the advantage, only to realize he too is out of rounds. "Screw it!" he shouts as he hits the slide release, holsters his pistol and bolts out of cover, his body glowing white as he rapidly accelerates to top speed, impacting Gauvin in the stomach.

With a grunt, the Dragon staggers backward from the impact of quick attack. He snarls, "You're starting to PISS ME OFF!" he thunders as his claws burn blue with draconic energy, he retaliates with a dragon claw swipe to the Jolteon, however Cooper's lightning fast speed allows him to evade almost immediately, Gauvin instead cutting up the concrete where Cooper landed. Gauvin turns his head to see a split second of Cooper dashing forward with a much more powerful aura surrounding him, Cooper lets out a battle cry. A loud crash reverberates off of the space as Cooper hits Gauvin straight in the face with Giga Impact, Gauvin is thrown fifteen feet back, screaming as a result.

Gauvin groans as he opens his eyes, finding the glass around his left eye has been extensively cracked like it was a car's windshield after being hit with a rock. Effectively blinded in the left eye, he growls and uses his intact eye to spot the Jolteon defenseless on the ground, groaning as the effects of recoil take its toll on the electric type.

Julley, now gathered enough composure to peek the corner again, watches Gauvin take Cooper in his left claw. "Something to say?" He asks the electric type, who stops squirming. "Stay away from my fucking sister you-!" Cooper lets out Discharge in Gauvin's claw in vain, as the ground type dragon remains unfazed by this desperate act.

Cooper pauses, "You-!" He discharges again, Gauvin smirks. Tyson, now righted himself and seeing the danger his friend is in, lines up his shot again only to then realize that his scope is busted, he has to switch to Irons, but in order to do that he has to figure out how to detach the optic.

Cooper pauses, "YOOOUUUU-!" He discharges again, Gauvin begins chuckling, he spots Tyson on the catwalk trying to melt the picatinny mount holding the scope.

Cooper stops, staring at the dragon type's right eye "You, what? I didn't catch that!" Gauvin shouts as he forms a point blank Dragon Breath right at Cooper's chest.

Cooper panics, "ENDURE!" He screams as orange energy now envelops him, before Gauvin lets loose. The blast wave carrying Cooper onto the catwalk up above, engulfing him and Tyson in the resulting explosion. Tyson is knocked into one of the steel beams holding the boathouse in shape, with a large clang sound reverberating off of the battlefield, he groans softly as he's knocked unconscious from the impact.

Julley, his heart beating in his ears, watches the kidnapper laugh maniacally as he slowly turns his head towards the dark type. Julley panics, his paws trembling as his weapon has significant trouble lining up with the approaching dragon. Julley unloads all of the rounds left in his magazine, however in his terrified state, all of the rounds miss their intended target save for one that barely grazes his cheek. Gauvin reflexively places his claw against the wound with a grunt, before laughing yet again. "Oh, silly Umbreon. Haven't you figured it out yet?" Gauvin chuckles as he walks slowly towards the Eeveelution, following the steps to reload his UMP: bolt back and up, empty magazine out, new magazine in, slap the bolt back into the forward position.

"It's inevitable, Cassidy and I will soon be on our way to a quiet island off of Alola, she won't ever want to come back…because I will make it so that she will have nothing left for her to come back to. Maintenant c'est ton tour."

Julley doesn't respond, he only backs up and stares.

"And in time, eventually, I will break her…and she'll see that I'm superior to you in every way, in more ways than one…before long, she will completely forget all of this, all of her pain, and finally, you." Gauvin chuckled. However, somehow, in the midst of all of his terror, the loss, the stress, something seemed to click in Julley's mind.

Or rather….something snapped.

All sense of doubt and fear had vanished, he felt the same as when he protected Brendan from Abby after cheap-shotting him during an informal battle in high school. Back then, though, he was assisted by both Cassidy and Jasmine, this time, it's just him. Would he be able to muster up the strength required to take down the one who not seconds prior defeated both Cooper and Tyson in a single blow?

It didn't matter to Julley, he had to protect Cassidy, he knew he had to protect her until his dying breath; but most of all, he wanted nothing more than to eviscerate the Flygon standing before him.

This hatred, this rage, built up inside Julley like a tumor, a tumor he felt an urge to get rid of, he just wanted to shoot it out of his empty Glock, make Gauvin feel, and fear the rage building inside of him.

"I'm going to fucking kill you." Julley muttered, without a stutter, without fear or doubt.

Being only slightly audible over the downpour, Gauvin wasn't sure he heard Julley correctly. "I'm sorry, what was that, Julley? Wanted to say something before I-"

Julley's body began to emanate a dark aura, slightly obscuring his form as only the light from his rings remain visible. "I SAID, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOOUUU!" He shouted as a blast of pure negative emotions impacted Gauvin in the throat, bursting with enough force to part the rain and blow Gauvin back, he grunted upon impacting the ground.

Julley suddenly paused, realizing what just happened.

Whoa…was that Dark Pulse?

Huh, I didn't think you had it in you.

Gauvin sat up, "STUBBORN PEST!" he yelled as he reached for the Submachine gun, only for Julley to sprint over and crunch down on Gauvin's arm. He growled loudly as he shook the Eeveelution off, leaving cuts along his arm. Gauvin goes for a Dragon Claw instead, impacting Julley on his shoulder, he yelps in pain, but miraculously, due in part to how absolutely livid the dark type is, Julley remains standing and gathers dark energy in his paws, slamming Gauvin in the stomach with Foul Play. Gauvin gasps as the force from the move temporarily knocks the wind out of him. As the Flygon stumbles backward, Julley's rage manifests again in a burst of pure hatred, Dark Pulse shooting the dragon type to the ground as he skids across the slick concrete, eventually halted by a market stand.

After finally catching his breath, Gauvin shoots his vision over to the wrathful dark type who not 45 seconds prior was cowering before him. "What the hell's going on here?" The yoga instructor wondered frantically. As Julley darts toward him, a set of large floating serrated jaws hover agape in front of his irate face, ready to clamp down on Gauvin's throat.

Gauvin rights himself and glares at the Umbreon "Alright!" he growls. "J'en ai marre!"

Gauvin waits for the right moment, then lunges forward, beating his wings as Julley, unable to dodge in time, is taken in the Flygon's claws, Gauvin slams Julley's body into the ground as he's moving, causing friction to do its work on the Umbreon. Julley tries to get a hit in with Crunch, but he can't get it to connect. Gauvin yells in fury as he tosses him into the container Julley was hiding behind not seconds prior, denting the metal crate with his body as Gauvin follows up with a Dragonbreath. Julley screams in agony before he slumps to the ground, the water around his body and in his fur now stained a visceral crimson. If that rage was still there, well his body clearly didn't have the energy to keep up with it any longer.

Gauvin touches down in front of him, groaning too as he reaches down and picks his weapon up off the ground.

Julley's body screamed in pain, his ears rang profusely and his vision was so unbelievably blurry that he might as well have been completely blind. For a moment, Julley completely forgot everything. His name, the date, how he ended up here, in that moment, weakness and agony was the only thing the Umbreon felt. But as he heard footsteps approaching, his senses and memories suddenly snapped back. With his right eye essentially swollen shut, he could only watch Gauvin's visage shimmer as he tried blinking the blurriness away.

"You know..." Gauvin starts.

"Cassidy once told me...hah...about the first ever battle you fought."

With one eye now cracked open, Julley can now make out the blurred silhouette of Gauvin standing in the rain before him, a flash of lightning briefly revealing a pained, but sinister smile on his face.

"She tells me...hah...that you won. That the entire West Latias battling team cheered your name as you carried them to victory..."

Gauvin leans forward as he inches closer. "But we both know, Julley. You didn't win out of strength." He continues as he slams his foot onto the dark type, who squeals beneath him in torment.

"Nor out of agility, or strategy...non, non, non..."

Julley cracks open his left eye again, ignoring the raindrops pelting his precious optics.

"You won...because you panicked, and because the enemy was too busy mocking you to notice that he was flanked by his own attack."

Gauvin leans down, staring the Umbreon right into his nigh lifeless red eyes.

Gauvin beats his injured wings as he rises a few feet off the ground, taking Julley in his toes.

"You won OUT OF COWARDICE!"

His wings pause as Gauvin and by extension, Julley begin falling back down to the ground, crushing the dark type under his weight, squeezing the air out of his body as Julley produces a silent scream. Gauvin lifts him into the air again.

"AND LUCK!"

Gravity crushes Julley yet again. This time, he's able to let his anguish out in one single scream. Gauvin steps off of him.

"Look at you, you annoying thorn in my side..." Gauvin taunts without a modicum of remorse nor respect. "A bullet is too good for you."

"You are a coward, Julley Breon-Solian. You always have been and despite the bravado shown earlier, you always will be. The only reason Cassidy ever married you, was out of pity. You and I both know that she deserves better than you..."

Gauvin's right claw suddenly glows a deep blue as talons of draconic energy sprout from his knuckles.

"And you will die a coward." He deadpans as he winds up for a stab right to Julley's chest, as the dark type can only watch and brace for it.

"GAUVIN, STOP!" a sharp female voice echoes off of the boathouses. Prompting the dragon to pause his attack and turn his head to the source. Julley as well, weakly turns to match Gauvin's gaze.

From the cover of the warehouse behind them, out steps a Glaceon, her fur damp, her head crest glittering vibrantly in the light as her eyes, pained from the emotional damage of the past few hours, stare directly at the pair of them. Cooper out on the catwalk, barely clinging to consciousness thanks to the effects of Endure, hears the commotion and painfully begins shuffling over to the edge to witness the coming moments, however he has a long way to crawl.

"Don't hurt him ANY more, Gauvin!" Cassidy shouts, fear and anguish slowly turning to rage.

"Come to your senses, Ms. Blizzards? To see how I am superior in every way to your PATHETIC excuse for a husband?" Gauvin now turns away from Julley as he confidently marches up the Ice type.

"You're not superior, Gauvin. You never will be." Cassidy growls at the dragon type, who now hisses in annoyance.

"But I'll cut you a deal, capiche?" Cassidy continues, now piquing the interest of the Flygon, now no less than 10 feet away from her, tightening his grip on his weapon.

"My Daughter...and my husband...Let them go, and I'll be all yours. Whether that means your own personal servant or a glorified fuck doll, no difference to me, sweetheart. All I want is for THIS TO END!" Cassidy screams.

"C-Cass...noo...!" Julley whines as he weakly raises his paw towards the one he loves.

Gauvin pauses. His face shrouded in darkness save for the light filtering through the silicate lenses around his eyes, his left lens being almost opaque due to Cooper's double edge cracking and scarring its glass..

Gauvin starts chuckling. Cooper finally makes it to the catwalk's railing and takes a look at the scene before him.

"May I say, darling, with this day and age making our natural powers more and more obsolete, I must admit. You did have me fooled for a moment there."

Cassidy suddenly gasps in horror as Gauvin raises his submachine gun.

"I suggest you pay more attention to how Cassidy speaks when you run into her in hell."

A burst of three rounds flies over Cassidy's head and disappears. The air above her somehow appears to bleed, in a blinding pink light and a glitched sounding squeal, Cassidy and the air above her dissolves. Revealing Zoey with three bullet wounds in her abdomen. Clutching her stomach, she stumbles onto her back as Cooper and Julley watch on in horror.

"NOOOOO!" Cooper screams in anguish, the scream now startling Tyson awake.

"YOU BASTARD!" What sounds like another female voice echoes around the battlefield. A small white glint from the darkness of the warehouse now tipping Gauvin off to dive to the right as an Ice beam parts the fog, turning raindrops into hail on its way by. The Pale beam of energy misses the dragon type as he falls into cover, however it quickly glides down to the wounded Zoroark, encasing her in a protective shell of ice and freezing her wounds shut. Gauvin quickly tries righting himself. Spotting the real Cassidy running out of the warehouse in a fury.

"Wh-hey, who the hell are you?!" Gauvin overhears Cooper from his right, now glancing to spot a dark figure dropping down on him with sharp claws glittering in the darkness. With a quick reaction, the figure is hit with a Dragonbreath attack and knocked in Cassidy's direction. Gauvin then suddenly takes aim with his SMG at the Glaceon, who's eyes suddenly widen as she tries to stop herself to little avail thanks to the wet ground. Another figure suddenly slides in from the left

He opens fire, however the rounds from his burst are halted and deflected by a large spinning staff of glowing bone projected by the figure from the left. The figure now identified as Jasmine. Gauvin shifts his aim over to the Steel type, but is then interrupted by a young, clearly furious female voice calling to him.

"HEY! YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

Gauvin frantically swings his body around only to be suddenly hit with a bright white burst of energy, he can feel the draconic fury within him boil away as the super effective Dazzling Gleam tears away at him. The force from the impact throws him airborne, landing behind a shipping container with a large crash.

"YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT! FUCK YOU!" Anais screams as she enters the fray with Brendan in tow. Cassidy's eyes widen as she rushes over to her.

"Anais! Oh thank Arceus!" She shouts as she wraps her daughter in an embrace. Anais returns in kind, before spotting Julley clinging to life behind them.

"Dad!" She shouts as she breaks the hug to check on him.

"What the hell are you all doing here?!" Brendan starts

"We couldn't just sit by as you four could've needed our help!" Jasmine shouts.

A loud thud signals the arrival of Tyson, bleeding from his cranium and carrying a barely conscious Cooper in his arms. "A bit late for that, I'm afraid." He announces as he sets down the Electric type next to the frozen body of Zoey.

The Jolteon crawls over top of the Zoroark, tears erupting from his eyes. "Please…not you…anyone but you…!"

As everyone stares in sorrow, a new voice breaks the silence.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, but do you all hear that?" Abby speaks as she steps out of the shadows, her chest singed from the earlier attack.

"Abby…? What are you-?" Cassidy quietly asks, only for a swift claw to her lips to silence her as Abby passes by.

The group listens to hear the sound of a loud hiss of air behind the container Gauvin landed behind, followed by a whooshing sound and a heavy growl. The same sound repeats, with each groan from the dragon type seemingly getting more and more unhinged. Until finally, the container is suddenly knocked into the air by the furious dragon type. Its contents spilling onto the ground as it crashes to the ground on the other side of the yard, everyone collectively recoils in shock. Gauvin hits the ground in the center of the arena as Abby, Brendan and Tyson stand between him and the others.

Gauvin locks eyes with the group as Brendan, Tyson and Abby each take defensive stances.

Gauvin's breath is ragged, each breath making his mouth foam with pure, unbridled rage. His veins are visible across his body. Gauvin's psyche has now broken as he stares at the collection of mons before him, seeing red, literally and figuratively, he unleashes his best death metal scream.

"YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! YOU…INSIGNIFICANT FUCKS! I WILL MASSACRE ALL OF YOU!"

Abby makes note of the crushed wooden crate of healing items and battle items spilling out onto the ground. The Flygon injects the fluid from a dire-hit directly into his bloodied arm, confirming her fears. He snarls as red energy swirls upwards around him. Brendan and Tyson notice the same thing as Brendan swings around.

"YOU ALL NEED TO GET THE WOUNDED OUT OF HERE! NOW!" he shouts as Jasmine's eyes worryly flick between Brendan and Cooper, before settling on Brendan.

"...Be careful, Brendan." She states as she lifts the electric type into the air. The other two, seeing that interaction, do the same, with Anais carrying Julley in her feelers and Cassidy escorting them away, as they're unable to free Zoey from the ice. The trio reluctantly, yet swiftly exit the scene as Brendan turns back around to face the literal raid boss of a Flygon before them.

Each of them enter combative stances. "Just like the high school battling team, right guys?" Brendan quips as the Flygon starts charging a Dragonbreath, illuminating the area.

"Like old times, brother!" Tyson replies as he prepares to make a dive out of the way.

"I think you two talk too much." Abby deadpans as she prepares to do the same.

The blast of draconic energy shoots forward, Abby and Tyson dodging to their respective sides, with Brendan charging up and parrying with Blaze Kick. The large bolt of energy redirects into one of the boathouses and explodes violently, reducing the hit wall into splinters and twisted metal. Brendan uses the opportunity to rush Gauvin, igniting his leg yet again, the flames hissing as they make contact with the rain. Gauvin rushes forward with blinding speed, his tail glowing with archaic energy. Brendan is caught off guard with the Flygon's speed and can't effectively defend himself as dragon tail impacts him directly in the stomach, the force turning the ground into a slip n' slide as he skids across the wet concrete.

Gauvin charges up another dragon breath, only for Tyson to send him careening to the ground with Flame Charge. Gauvin's Dragon Breath fires early, sputtering out into a meek shower of sparks as he locks eyes with The Typhlosion who's winding up a fire punch. Gauvin doesn't have time to react, however upon contact, Tyson's fist seems to have stopped on the dragon's chest as if it was made of iron. Gauvin smirks as Tyson's other hand ignites, slamming onto the flygon's chest, also to little effect, he stares in disbelief.

Gauvin stands up as Tyson unleashes a barrage of barely effective fire punches to the X-defended Flygon's core, yelling angrily, only for Gauvin to backhand him away, after twirling through the air, he lands with a grunt as Gauvin scoffs.

Where's the third one? He thinks to himself, only to receive a painful cut across his back. He howls in pain as Abby lands in front of him, her horn emitting a dark aura. She spins around and goes for the neck, only for Gauvin to parry with Dragon Claw. The force dazes the dark type for a second, leaving her open for a strike. Gauvin's riposte is interrupted by a jet of flame cutting between them, Brendan having now righted himself. After a moment's respite of Gauvin now realizing he's now surrounded on all sides, he chuckles as he readies his closed fist and prepares to strike the ground, Tyson recognizes the attack immediately. "EARTHQUAKE!" he screams as he and Brendan both scramble on top of the nearest object. Abby simply stays put with closed eyes and a deep breath.

Impact, the ground rumbles and suddenly shatters beneath Gauvin's feet, rippling outwards like the waves assaulting the shore. The crates that Tyson and Brendan were standing on groan and shatter into splinters as the ripple passes underneath them, both of them now having successfully evaded the attack, Abby simply moves her body slightly to the side, her body now shimmering in a mirage like state as her feet effortlessly ride the ripple like sea legs on a boat as it passes under her, the effects of Detect now vanishing as her eyes open again.

While the trio assess the statuses of each other, they make note of the Flygon's sudden disappearance. Frantically, their eyes collectively dart to every corner of their vicinity.

"Wh-where did he…?" Brendan blurted in a panic.

"Brendan you were looking right at-AAAH!" Tyson suddenly screams as he scrambles away from a Dragon Breath moments before it leaves a crater in his previous location, Abby is knocked onto her back from the shockwave as she hits the ground with a booming growl. All three mons turn their eyes skyward to see the Flygon backflip into a dive, charging up another aerial Dragon Breath as he turns to make another pass.

Abby wastes no time and rights herself, her horn shimmering with psionic energy that converts into airborne slashing projectiles with each swing she takes, hoping to land a long range hit with Psycho Cut before Gauvin can line up his shot. Her effort proves to be in vain as the X-Speed boosted Dragon type effortlessly evades the magenta streaks of energy. Tyson gets an idea, "Brendan!" he shouts to grab the other fire type's attention. Tyson maneuvers near Abby and points to his back, puffing the flames from his back as a signal, a signal that Brendan understands.

"Right, HEAD'S UP!" He shouts as heat begins to emanate from his beak, spitting a torrent of flame onto the Typhlosion, Tyson 'catching' it in his hands as the flames on his back intensify, turning bright blue like a blowtorch. Abby pauses her own attack to register the situation, she nods to Tyson understandably as she continues her Psycho Cut anti-air barrage.

"Keep hitting me with that, Brendan! Abby, get ready to clip his wings!" Tyson orders as his Flash Fire ability burns hotter and hotter by the second, watching Gauvin level himself out and make a straight line, Tyson charges up a Fire Blast, empowered by the effects of Flash Fire.

Gauvin fires, Tyson fires, the two attacks meet in the middle and produce a deafening, white hot explosion that seems to dry the battlefield if only for a second. Gauvin, without any time to react, finds himself caught in the explosion himself.

He howls in pain as he sluggishly exits the cloud of smoke, only to receive a pair of Psycho Cuts to his wings, his agonizing screeches now intensified as he has no choice but to set himself down. As he slowly drifts to the ground, he glances down at his enemies. All three of them rush towards his estimated landing site.

…And they're all grouped up.

Gauvin chuckles through the pain as he suddenly turns his body and uses the last of his wing strength to push him towards them, his claw enveloped in a white light. All three of them barely have time to react as he hits the ground behind them fist-first. The ground thrashes violently as a shockwave ripples through the concrete, and slams into all three Pokemon, all screaming in agony as the Earthquake sends them skyward towards the warehouse.

Brendan, Tyson and Abby all collide with the ground. Abby struggles to stand as she barely holds on to her ire for that bastard who shot her cousin. She glances left as both Tyson and Brendan groan as they both try to recover.

However, both of them collapse and fall unconscious simultaneously from the effect of the super effective Earthquake. Abby glares back to the Dragon type as both him and the Absol just barely manage to get on their feet. Both parties stare claymores at each other.

Abby wants to make the first move, she can see that the flygon's near-suicidal dive bomb with earthquake had definitely left an impact, and she knows that there is an opportunity worth taking. So why? Why can't she move? The pain gnaws at her trembling legs, her whole body screams at her.

That's right, pain. She had almost forgotten the sensation of it. It grips her like a straight jacket, restraining her. She wants to move, she wants to attack, she wants to KILL. But she can hardly stand, let alone move.

Gauvin growls, white foam exiting his mouth as he stomps towards her, his right claw glowing turquoise as he prepares to finish off one last pest in his way. His speed increases as he closes the distance.

"YOU LITTLE BRAAAAAT!" He thunders as he gets ever closer. Abby can only glare in defiance and mentally prepare for the end.

An end, that doesn't come.

A pale beam of light impacts Gauvin's right leg, freezing it and his claw to the damp ground beneath him, he grunts loudly in surprise as Abby feels a paw on her shoulder, a feeling of strength returning to her body. Abby looks beside her to find a pair of determined cerulean irises staring back at her.

It's Cassidy, using helping hand on her. Abby stares in subtle disbelief.

"You're powered up, get in there! FINISH IT!" Cassidy exclaims.

Abby can feel the pain has lessened due to helping hand, and thus uses the fleeting boost of energy to charge at the Flygon, who meets her eyes with a panicked, desperate gaze as he tries to free himself. Floating swords of energy clash above her body as she feels her strength grow further

Abby charges Night Slash and directs the energy to her claws. Gauvin watches with widened eyes as Abby pounces forward, her front claws now grown to the size of bowie knives.

And then…

SNIIKT!

Blood bursts from Gauvin's mouth, spitting onto the Absol's face as her claws find themselves embedded in his chest, piercing Gauvin's heart and lung. Abby pants heavily as the dragon type chokes on his own body fluids. Abby kicks herself off, making sure to take as much material with her on the way out as Gauvin flops forward, his weight breaking the ice holding him to the ground. The rainwater beneath him begins to turn red as Cassidy approaches Abby, supporting her side with her own as the Absol nearly collapses, herself. Gauvin locks eyes with the Ice type, the gaze lasts for a few seconds, then he softly heckles to himself.

"hahaha….Au revoir…ma chérie…" he weakly laughs, before life fades from his eyes. Cassidy says nothing, she only stares in pained disgust.

"Did we…did we get him?" Brendan, now awake, asks from behind the pair as he sits up, groaning, before looking over at the pair of them. Cassidy looks back silently and nods somberly. Tyson also grits his teeth as he hoists himself up onto his hands and knees.

"That bastard put up a hell of a fight…I'll give him that." Tyson growls as he stands, using a nearby cement barrier as support.

The sound of police sirens begins to fill the area, all participants lock eyes with each other.

"You all should go." Abby deadpans, only for everyone to react with shock.

"No, no! I can support you! Just because you're hurt doesn't mea-" Cassidy starts.

"It's not that, Cassidy."

A silence fills the group.

"Someone has to take the fall for this, Cassidy. I…I've already done terrible things, not just to you and Julley, not just to my husband, but to my family and others as well. I deserve this, not you." Abby explains.

"Abby…" Brendan starts "You'll be tried for murder, you might end up in prison for the rest of your life…you know that, right?"

Abby produces a weak smile, "This has been my fate for a while, Bursyamo. If it's murder, I would much rather I kill fighting to protect someone else rather than for my own selfish gains. Zoey will be sent to the Hospital, she will have a much better chance of survival there." She asserts.

All stare on soberly as the sirens get ever louder.

"I've already made my choice, now go." She orders. Brendan and Tyson give her a reassuring nod.

"...See you around, Abby." Tyson notes as he makes a short wave and turns towards the rendezvous point.

"Farewell, Disastra…If you see Mark, tell him I said 'fuck you.'" Brendan jokes to hopefully mask his bitterness, as he follows.

Abby nods to both of them, noticing that Cassidy hasn't moved, she locks eyes with the ice type. After a short pause, Cassidy slowly approaches the dark type and wraps her in an embrace. This simple but unexpected gesture takes Abby aback, as she slowly raises one of her own paws to reciprocate, but pauses, and sets it back down.

"Thank you…Abigail…" Cassidy croaks, Abby could feel her heart sting at the mention of her full name, as even she could begin to feel tears welling up behind her eyes. She suppresses them as Cassidy pulls away from the hug.

"Thank you…for everything…" Cassidy begins to sob, hiding her eyes from the dark type as she pulls a 180 and heads to join the others.

Abby stares into the darkness that remains in Cassidy's wake, then over to the Zoroark encased in ice. She slowly limps over to her and uses some of the last of her strength to slice her out with Night Slash. Her back legs buckle as her rear end kisses the drowned concrete beneath her.

Solemnly, she stares up at the clouds. The soft glow of East Latias reflects off of the inky black sky, adding color to the otherwise pitch black clouds that shower the city with rain, wind and lightning. The storm kicking up the waters of the coastal town as roaring black waves assault the walls and pillars of East Latias' industrial docks. With a blinding flash, a spotlight assaults her irises as a police helicopter roars overhead, she squints and shoots her gaze downwards, multiple police cars entering the fray, with just as many officers exiting and barking at her.

"ON THE GROUND!"

"CLAWS BEHIND YOUR HEAD!"

"YOU'RE UP AGAINST THE WALL AND WE ARE THE FUCKING WALL! COMPLY!"

Abby slowly obeys, and she did something she never thought she would ever do.

She shed a tear, a tear promptly washed away by the pouring rain. As much as it hurt, she also felt a sense of accomplishment, she feels like she was at least somewhat redeemed by this event.

…or at least she did until she locked eyes with the blue and gold eyes of a familiar Luxray, staring back at her in horror, and her heart froze.

He spoke…

"...Mom?"

Merry Christmas, Luan!

Thought I would take a page out of Shiny's book this year, as last year he posted a fantastic scene remaster of his own last christmas in the form of Blue Moon. I've actually had the idea to write Unsung even before joining this server, just never decided to act on it! Seeing Shiny do a scene in his own way I guess really inspired me to let that fight scene I kept daydreaming about in my head get finally down onto paper, and write an action scene that only I could pull off!

I know it's no Project Reverie Part Two, or That XMAS 2…or some other sequel that I can't think of. But I hope I at least made your day or your christmas at least a little bit better!

This production is a tribute to the stories that define TU and the people that write them. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful community, thank you for allowing me to create what I want to create, thank you for the laughs, the fun, and all of the memories.

All of you in TU, Thank you.

…Actually, nah. What am I fucking saying? I can do better than that!

Thank you, AB. For being an awesome friend, an awesome mod…and helping me out with Gauvins french. Couldn't have done it without ya, brother!

Thank you, Shiny, for being a fantastic friend, for listening to my story ramblings, and for inspiring me to write this very story!

Thank you, Tommy, for being the first person to welcome me in.

Thank you, Kons and Ninja, for putting up with my dumb ass!

Thank you, Ramen, for giving me a good laugh every time you're in chat!

Thank you, Sphinx, for being an absolute bro, bringing the laughs and just being a fun ass motherfucker!

Thank you, Muda, for reading my stories, being down to earth, and a pleasure to talk to!

Thank you, XP, for being an amazing friend that I can really relate with! Your photography and art will do great someday!

Thank you, Blade, for being a joy to be around, and for giving me someone to root for! Never stop improving!

Thank you, Sunny, for bringing energy and optimism wherever you go!

Thank you, Bong, for being a bro I can fuckin' jam with, rock on, brother!

Thank you, Ghost, for still having my drawing as your pfp, and for being a robo buddy to confide in!

Thank you, Joey, for the sweet, entertaining memories and for those still to come!

Thank you, Clown, for being patient with everyone here, including me at times! You're a godsend!

Thank you, BTJE, for the passion you put into everything you make…and for giving me a little bit of competitive motivation~! Hahaha!

Thank you, Xeta, for your FUCKING GORGEOUS art!

Thank you, Nester, for your hand in these incredible stories, and for being the only person to REALLY laugh at my soundboard. I'm so glad I left OBS on for that!

Thank you, to anyone I may have missed, or have joined after I've written this, for reading through my story, and for giving this server a chance!

Last but not least. Thank you, Luan, for bringing us all together. Despite whatever goes on in my personal life, I cherish the fact that I will always have a place to go whenever I need to talk to someone, a place to be an outlet for my creations, and a place where I am supported every step of the way. None of that would've been possible without this server and without you.

From the bottom of my heart, I cherish every single one of you, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

~ Ryan "SavageCaliber" Savage.

P.S. Anyone who can name ALL of the references gets a free comm or a free gift comm. Also, here is the list of every character's moveset for this story, do note that the natures and ev's are just default.

…Oh, Uh…you're still here…

…You uuuuhhh….looking for a teaser or something?

…sigh…alright…fine,here's some Reverie since I'm starting work on that again, just don't mention this to anyone, okay? Merry Christmas. (This was originally a Google Doc, so the bold text right next to this was supposed to be a link. Thanks to FFN, I have to tell you to check out SavageCalibre22's Project Reverie. It is amazing.)