Erza may have been book-smart, she had pride and confidence in herself with how quick she was to understand things and break it all down. It was one of the perks of ascertaining experience and being an S-Class Mage, by Fairy Tail nonetheless. However, while she was capable of thinking elaboratively, a certain someone whom she admired puts her own mentality through the wringer, in more ways than one.
Even though she's known Nic for a long time, the way he was able to orchestrate things on the fly left her speechless. Lately that's been no exception. She wasn't a gambler like Cana or Joey, but if she were, she would wager whatever he was going to say would mean their freedom.
She, The Freaks, and Kecleon – who was still invisible and keeping an eye out – were steadily attentive while Nic laid out the idea that sprung to life.
"From what it sounds like, there's a big commotion happening today, so a lot of security is probably being out there, leaving a few places short on staff. My guess, from the few guards we've seen stroll by, that includes this place. They were probably also brought out here because of the constant shifting in parties that many of these Pokémon will be doing."
In the neighboring cell, Harrison raised a brow. "Yeah, so what's your point?"
Nic glanced at the wall as he continued. "That means they'll be all over the place, so their focus won't be on just selective cells. That'll allow me to use Magic Room and deactivate these cuffs around our necks. Kecleon will cut them off for good measure, just in case the Organic-Link Magic still affects us."
Though invisible and keeping a lookout, Kecleon tilted her head to show her attentiveness.
"Once the cuffs around our necks are disabled, I'll immerse myself into the shadows and walls and head towards the facility where all our Poke Balls are kept." He glanced over at the walkway in front of their cell. "From what I've seen, that Cofagrigus seems to pace himself back towards that direction. My guess is that's where the facility is where all the Human Cubes are, too. I'll sneak them away, then come right back."
"Okay, but how're you gonna do that when this place is hounded by that damn coffin and those guards? That dead gold weight keeps a heinous eye out if you didn't realize already." Harrison pointed out.
"That's where you come in. Keep their eyes off our cells just long enough for me to get there and back...guess for good measure, I'll also leave behind a Substitute so it can fool them just for a little while if the distraction falls short."
"Wait..." Harrison blinked before processing what Nic meant by that claim. "...you mean I'm just being used as a scapegoat!?"
"Hey, keep it down will ya?" Duncan warned.
Suddenly, Kecleon's body flickered a faint shade of red near the bars. Nic took the warning and relayed it towards everyone. They all went silent and put up an aloof front moments before Sune sauntered about. She stopped and gave an incredulous look at the inmates present, then towards Harrison, who managed to clam up and fold his arms annoyingly.
The Vulpix harrumphed, wagging her fix tails as she marched away from their cells. Kecleon waited until she was well out of earshot before her body flickered green as the green light to resume their plan of action.
"Phew, that was close." Dereece sighed. He turned back towards Nic. "Then what?"
"Kecleon mentioned there being an event or competition above. If it involves battling, they'd most likely be using humans, right?" Nic paused to allow the realization to sink in. "I'd imagine given the circumstances, there's a good chance we might be withdrawn for this."
Joey gasped, lurching forward with shrunken eyes. "Wait, Nic-senpai! Doesn't that mean..."
Nic gave Joey an incredulous look, letting him know he wasn't finished. "I know what you're thinking, Joey. I've been mulling over it myself, but what Kecleon said about what's happening above...we need to see it for ourselves. Besides, with how well-known Erza and I are, us suddenly disappearing in these barracks is going to make a huge stir. Plus, we have our Pokémon aboveground, too. We can't leave them behind."
"That defeats the purpose of us being brought here against our wills, don't you think?" Duncan pointed out begrudgingly.
"Possibly...but you guys also said Natsu and the others are heading this way, right?"
Joey blinked. "Well, yeah. Once they're in range, Mest is supposed to pick us up and teleport away. Why?"
"I want you to give them a message. Tell them to meet us at the shores of the island if they can get here."
The Freaks all stopped and exchanged looks with one another. They were equally as struck as they were confused by what Nic meant by that, but they were already in enough of a predicament. That, and in addition to them not wanting in the cell any longer than they already were, they had to abide by the experience and logic behind Nic's pincer strategy.
Though the disappointment was evident on Joey's face, he took up the responsibility and firmly nodded. "...alright, we understand."
"There's also a chance that only one of us will get chosen as well. Maybe not at all. If that happens, I'll create molds of metal to make the keys that will undo the locks as a fail-safe. Once the Cofagrigus drops his guards, Erza and I can break everyone out and create a stir down here and overwhelm the numbers. If these Pokémon don't use their moves out of regulations, they'll be at a disadvantage." He turned towards Harrison. "We'll leave one for you too, Harrison. In case we end up withdrawn together."
"Sure, I gotcha." He complied.
"That's a good idea...everything about it seems to cover every corner." Erza noted, turning to smirk at Nic. "You're as crafty as ever I see. How long did it take you this time to come up with this?"
Nic smirked back. "Would you believe me if I said just now?" He looked at everyone present. "All we need to do now is wait...and then play it where it lies."
The wild roars and cries of the stadium echoed loudly, like a symphony of adrenaline that stretched to the outmost reaches of the city. Even from the father districts, it sounded like a full-scale declaration of war was being made.
The stadium itself may have had a fresh exterior for show, yet the interior's design was anything but antique. Many of the people sat on stone bleachers that were smoothed out thanks to Gurdurr and Conkeldurr – the latter's management of concrete being the rudimentary of the smooth touch. Hundreds of rows accommodated the numerous Pokémon that had many shapes and sizes, ranging from Diglett to the robust Onix. Of course, in anticipation of such Pokémon with special needs, special tunnels were excavated by Excadrill, Golem, and Geodude that allowed them to gather at ground-level to an open alcove section beneath the stands to enable a fine view. The rest of the Pokémon, be it fish, avian, or any other body type, they found themselves in the sturdy stands and hollered high praise and excitement for the events that were transpiring.
A Nidorina that was wearing spectacles with thick dark frames, a green shirt, and customized black pants pointed a claw ahead towards the open battlefield. "Now, Marlo! Use Spark Shot!"
The human standing before her was an average-height male with a darker tanned skin tone with gray-blonde hair styled similar to Laxus. His maroon long-sleeved shirt complimented his dark pants and shoes as a yellow magic seal appeared before him. He unleashed several bright yellow bolts of electricity towards the opposing human, who was none other than the same one Arbok and Garchomp saw the other day with his Linoone trainer.
That same Linoone swiped a claw ahead. "Bartholomew, Wind Cutter! Go!"
With a sneer, Bartholomew manifested a green magic seal in one arm and projected it at the oncoming bolts. The surroundings air was drawn around the seal before he used his other arm to force the air out as sharp blades that spun through the air. The blades bisected the bolts in the middle, breaching a flashy deadlock of spells. However, the multiple slashes outnumbered the few bolts and continued at Marlo.
"Marlo, dodge it!" the Nidorina urged.
Though Marlo urged himself to get out of the way, he broke off the concentration on his spell to do so. He dodged right to avoid the blades of air, but one was too close and ended up grazing his left shoulder, drawing blood from the cut. He grunted and staggered about as he covered his arm with his right hand to restrain the bleeding.
Nidorina gasped. "Marlo!"
"Oh, that looked like it hurt! Despite the close call, that spell still left quite the mark on Marlo!" the announcer's voiced echoed through the audio speakers throughout the stadium.
The announcer in question was a Makuhita, who wore black shades and a broad red tuxedo top over his stout physique. His voice alone was a partial indication that he was rather young. Given his position as commentary, he was in a special booth overseeing the entire stadium and the patrons below spectating the battle unfolding between the two humans.
"It looks like Bartholomew has Marlo on the ropes, but will Marlo be able to find room for a counterattack against such powerful Wind Magic?!" the announcer exclaimed vigorously. "It's a neck-and-neck battle so far, but if Marlo is defeated, that leaves Alfredian to move on to the next round!"
The crowd cheered loudly in excitement over the battle below. The noise pollution was so great that it was borderline impossible for some Pokémon to hear clearly, less they had impeccable hearing. The Whismur and Loudred in the stands, as well as Noivern, were no exceptions to these ideals. And yet within the thousands of bodies engulfing the stadium, there were those who were seemingly not as invested as they were.
"I've gotta say, for such a reversal, that human's got some pretty decent control over his magic." Charizard spoke neutrally beside Greninja.
"Yeah, can't deny that." Greninja eyed the battle with blank eyes.
"Still..." Charizard blinked hastily, moving his snout back and forth to nudge the fake glasses that were sitting in front of his eyes. "How can anyone see through these? They look so blurry that it's like looking through a foggy car window."
Greninja looked over at Charizard, taking a moment to scan his body from bottom to top of the wardrobe that Aegislash had bought for him. Aside from his fake glasses, he wore a charcoal gray, sleeveless vest over a black shirt. The vest itself had a flame pattern on the back reminiscent of his own tail flame. He had broad gray pants over his bottom half that had a hole in the back for his tail to go through.
Greninja sighed. "It can't be helped. You're lucky those aren't real glasses. But Aegislash poured all her allowance yesterday buying these disguises in case we needed to blend in for instances like this." Though he could comment about it, he remained silent about how uncomfortable the long-sleeves black hoodie he wore was making him. He wore bright yellow sandals with red lacing for his webbed toes to fit through as footwear. He felt so hot and uncomfortable in such wear, especially with how warm it was out right now.
'I can see why Nic never bothered with too many layers himself...' Greninja thought begrudgingly. It was meant to help blend them in, but it only made him feel even more uncomfortable than he already was surrounded by many Pokémon in a human-esque society.
"I guess you're right...let's just hope it doesn't stay like this for long." Charizard said, turning to look at Greninja. "You also think it was alright for everyone to get different seats?"
"We'll be able to cover more ground easily this way...plus in case things get dire and we somehow become the center of attention, at least it won't put our whole group on the spot."
"Yeah, I see your point..." Charizard glanced up towards the higher levels of the stone bleachers. Even without glasses, he could make out Talonflame in a red shirt. And in her eyes, she could see Scizor and Houndoom beside one another. Both wore blue shirts and black pants, with Houndoom's forked tail sticking out the back.
In Greninja's viewpoint, he saw Aegislash and Cloyster in different rows, but similar spots amongst the patrons. And on the opposite side of the stadium's massive expanse, Garchomp and Arbok were close to one another, both flanking a Snorlax that wore a tight red shirt, cap, and was – not surprising – surrounded by snacks and slept with his mouth wide open, snoring loudly.
Slurpuff was in a similar situation, but unlike the Snorlax, she was flanked with two buckets of leftover candy from last night. She was so engrossed in watching and eating her sweets out of the one bucket, that she didn't notice a creampuff leaving her unattended bucket and vanishing to thin air...almost like an invisible entity just swallowed it whole. Though, if one looked close enough, said entity had a red zigzag barely in view.
"Well...at least we didn't have to spend anything on Kecleon." Charizard muttered loud enough for only Greninja to hear.
"Yeah, she got special clearance thanks to that pass...but still...I'll be the first to admit that the admission prices are rather outrageous." Greninja groaned lowly.
Charizard eyed his friend amusingly. "Not like you to complain. This must be very hard for you to tolerate if you're throwing out a complaint like that."
Greninja scoffed, folding his arms. "You jest. Everyone complains about something...besides, what's not to complain about this damn society. Human or Pokémon...it still has its problems hidden behind closed doors."
Charizard frowned heavily. "Yeah...couldn't have said it better myself." He shot another glance at the battle happening before them. "So Nic is supposed to be here soon, right?"
"That's what Kecleon relayed to us. To meet up at the colosseum. If I had a hunch, he'll probably be seeing us on the battlefield."
Charizard didn't say anything, rather he and Greninja focused on watching the battle.
Alfredian jutted a claw out. "Alright, Bartholomew! Finish this with Typhoon Bomb!"
"As you wish." Bartholomew scoffed at his opponent, before raising both his arms up to concentrate Magic Power. A large green magic seal appeared, drawing in air and wind into a singular point. The vacuum circulated to a compressed sphere of wind that was the size of a beach ball. It howled madly as the raging winds were circulating at an alarming rate.
The Nidorina gasped in a panic and swiped a claw. "Quick, dodge it!"
Marlo grunted and wavered in place. Bartholomew smirked before letting out a cry and thrusting the hemisphere ahead. Air pushed the whirlwind bomb across the dirt ground at an alarming velocity into Marlo, who only stared in rising horror before the attack met its mark. An explosion of winds erupted everywhere, expelling just and air pressure past Nidorina as she tried covering up from the horrendous wake. The first-row audience also felt the wake of the attack, the wind breezing in their faces.
When the dust settled, Nidorina looked back ahead and gasped in shock. Lying on his back, Marlo was unable to move a muscle, his clothing completely torn up by the point-blank air pressure.
A Noctowl acting as a referee flew over and oversaw Marlo. He saw the swirls in his eyes and knew he was no longer able to battle. He raised a green flag in his left wing up for Alfredian's side. "Marlo is unable to battle, Bartholomew is the winner! The victory goes to Alfredian!"
The entire audience broke out in a cheer at the results of the battle. The massive monitors on the east and western sections of the stadiums that were holographic lacrima visuals visualized three square-shaped boxes with various pictures of mages that were used throughout the match. The visage belonging to Marlo faded black, and Nidorina's entire side faded and the Linoone's side expanded and showcased "WINNER" in broad, golden lettering with a starry background.
"It's all over, folks! With that amazing finish by Bartholomew, Alfredian has found himself a one-way ticket to the next round!" The announcer cried out through the roaring crowd.
The Nidorina held out her Human Cube and recalled Marlo silently. She sighed heavily while Alfredian waved his arms around towards the crowd, thanking them for their support. Bartholomew gave them all a charismatic smirk, with a soft twinkle in his white teeth.
The announcer nodded approvingly in his seat, giving an upbeat harrumph before clearing his throat. "Now then, let's move on to the next battle, shall we?"
And so, the battles resumed throughout that late morning. The competition itself went by surprisingly fast, be it because either it was so entertaining to the point of adrenaline-inducing towards the audiences, or the fact that not a lot of Pokémon had Humans of their own to quell. With limited resources and regulations they had to abide to, many had envy in their eyes...an uneasy mask that Greninja especially saw through. Even the Furret beside him wagged her tail eagerly with glee in her gaze.
Despite these emotions, the battles carried themselves out, swiftly and dramatically. Spells were unleashed, and mages dropped like flies to the superior one. The minutes turned to hours, until the sun was positioned almost directly over everyone's heads. By that time, many of the competitors have already been dropped from the competition.
The audience cried out in excitement as the battles had finally drawn to a certain point – the event that everyone had been waiting for.
"Well folks, there have been numerous battled up until now, but now...now, it all comes down to two competitors. Both have made it far, but now it comes down to one, and only one shall be crowned today's tournament winner!" the announcer's voice was clear, though with all the spectating that was done today, his voice was partially hoarse; to those who weren't hard of hearing of course. "Now then, let's welcome the two trainers that have made it this far!"
The spectators' eyes darted towards the western end of the arena. Their focus fell onto the young male Luxio. Much like anyone else, he also sported casual attire. In his case, it was a red sleeveless cut-off, with black cuffs and small spikes around the wrists. His back region was covered by charcoal-gray jeans and had a bright purple and hot pink camouflage bandana tied around his neck.
The crowd went ecstatic as they saw the Luxio step forward with a stalwart expression, yet they were equally as loud when Alfredian stepped into the light from the eastern tunnel. Both mammalian Pokémon had their eyes set on each other the moment they sat foot onto the battlefield.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the two participants that shall be battling for this title!" the announcer shouted. "Alfredian...and Callister!"
Once again, the audience broke out into yet another cheer that made it incomprehensible to hear through. Thankfully for most of the undercover Pokémon, they didn't have visible ears, otherwise they would have fallen off at this point.
The Noctowl referee stood in between the two contestants, looking deeply composed yet expectant. "The rules shall be the same! Both sides have the permit up to three Humans! The battle shall be over when all of one side's Humans are unable to continue! Substitutions are permitted!"
Alfredian and Callister the Luxio both held up their Human Cubes, glaring at the other party apprehensively.
"Sorry to have to do this to you, but you're not winning this by a mile!" Callister declared.
"Yeah? Well I guess we'll just see about that, won't we?" Alfredian challenged back, a confident smirk crossing his face.
"Yeah, we will..." Callister used a paw and flicked up the Human Cube the same time Alfredian tossed up his.
"GO!"
Energy expelled from the cubes, materializing into humans as the crowd cheered vigorously. Noctowl took flight as the participants took their positions and vacated to a higher standing. "Let the battle...begin!"
Meanwhile, still in the confines of his castle boundaries, Quinlan was standing out on his pure white balcony, sitting down comfortably in a chair in front of a small video lacrima. Inside showed a live broadcast being fed from the stadium that showed the final battle transpiring.
He musingly grinned as he took a small sip from brown-gold tea that sat in a small teacup on a fine plate. He took a tranquil sip and swallowed, his small grin growing ever so wider.
His mood retained at a high self-esteem, even when he heard the sounds of footsteps marching their way through the doors inside. He didn't bother to turn around as he had a hunch as to whom they belonged to based on the footsteps alone.
Coming to a firm halt, Martial dropped to a knee and bowed his head before His Majesty. "Your Majesty, I apologize for intruding at this time."
Quinlan maintained a calm breath as he closed his eyes. "Martial...I presume that this matter could bot wait, considering that I made it clear that I prefer my solitude in admiring today's festivities, no?"
Martial closed his eyes and sunk his head lower. "My sincerest apologies, this could not wait."
"I see...very well then, what might it be?"
Martial lifted his head, staring at Quinlan's back. "Your Majesty, I have an urgent message from the eastern coast guard. It involves Adelita."
"Adelita, you say?" This finally piqued Quinlan enough to make him raise a brow. He knew he discussed the subject earlier with Akando, but thinking about Adelita alone was an undermining expenditure. Truth be told, he hardly ever interacted with the Dragonair that he commissioned to constantly safeguard the island's perimeter. He knew her from orientation, and from her look alone, it spoke volumes of her drive. To hear from her of all acquaintances outside his twelve retainers did more than surprise him. Then again, he was really good at masking it from view from others.
Looking back at the program on the lacrima's footage, he saw a fighter woman belonging to Alfredian get blown onto her back. When she attempted to stand, she ultimately blacked out. Alfredian recalled her and threw out another Human Cube, expelling his ace – Bartholomew.
Quinlan sighed lightly out his nostrils. "Very well then." He reached forward and tapped the base of the lacrima, turning off the live feed. Martial stepped forward and presented a Communication Lacrima on a velvet pillow. He placed it in front of Quinlan and stepped back to keep his figure from view of the private conversation.
In a second, a visual of Adelita appeared on a rocky shore background. Almost immediately, Quinlan noticed just how weary she looked. "King Quinlan, do you have a minute?" Even her tone was reluctant, as though she knew she messed up.
"Adelita, yes. I have a minute to spare. Is there something you'd like to share?" he chimed.
Adelita paused, trying to think of what to say while retaining any form of dignity she had left. Her head bowed ever so slightly. "...Your Majesty, we have an emergency that requires immediate attention. I regret to inform you that...we have come across a breach in our perimeter."
His eyelids lowered ever so faintly. "I see...if I recall, Adelita, wasn't it your job to secure the perimeter of our prestigious lands with your powers? So let me ask you this, what happened?"
Adelita's left eye twitched. Just thinking about it alone made her visibly angry. It took enough out of her just to keep any form of composure. "The trespassers...they were all mages. Mages and Pokémon. I hadn't anticipated them to put up such a resistance. One of them..." She cringed, visible crackling static still coursing through her body. "Surprised me with paralysis."
"I can see that. It must have been a harsh endeavor for you...ordinarily, I would send relief your way, but I seem to recall that you prefer your work solo." His hardy gaze turned serious. "So then, considering that you have called me at this time means that the matter was beyond your control. Am I correct?"
Adelita stared at the visage in the Communication Lacrima with a deeper level of scorn. It was hidden well in his undertone, but he was testing her. Taking her lightly. And she hated that. She would have the audacity to snap back at him if she could, but considering how weary she had become after the scuffle – coupled by the fact that this was the king she was talking to – she acquiesced to keep a low, tamed tone.
"...Your Majesty, I assure you, I had the situation under control." She countered. "As futile as their resistance was, their methods were too unorthodox for me to keep track of."
Quinlan raised a brow. "Unorthodox, you say?"
"Yes. They relied very much on surprise attacks." She thought about the time when Tranquill swooped in out of nowhere and struck the back of her head, as well as the battle against Dereece's Yanma and Stunfisk. "Underhanded...that's how I describe these foolish trespassers."
"Careful, Adelita...speak ill of others, and you'll be perceived just as sick to them." Quinlan chimed with a straight face. He pressed the conversation further. "At any rate, have you resorted to using the reserves we've sent you?"
"In spite of my reluctance and better judgment...I had to resort to using their arms as well. However...they were all defeated. They were that strong, Your Majesty."
Quinlan narrowed his eyes. If he wasn't surprised before, he was now. 'If I had to surmise, they must be here for Nic and Erza Pularis...so their little friends have found their way here, huh?' He turned his attention back towards the Communication Lacrima. "Thank you for informing me personally, Adelita. I'll send for a relief nurse with your coordinates. Stay put until you have recovered."
Adelita closed her eyes and nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Majesty." She ended the connection, whereas on her end, she barely saw an Alamomola in the distance closing in.
Quinlan remained completely composed. Despite the news of a possible security breach, he knew better than to throw a tantrum or panic. It would be unjustly. Instead, he turned towards the video lacrima and saw the feed returning.
On the screen, he saw a massive explosion dial down across the battlefield. On both sides were two humans, both looking more than a little worse for wear. However, after several seconds, the human belonging to Luxio finally collapsed onto his stomach, much to the trainer's shock and grief.
"And it's all over! The winner of this entire explosive competition...is Alfredian!"
The roars of the crowd were so loud that Quinlan didn't need any audio from the lacrima. He could hear it clearly from the stadium several blocks away. He turned and spared a glance at the stadium itself and was left in thought for several seconds. Finally, after some thought, he glanced over at the Sawk. "Martial."
"Yes, Your Majesty." He dutifully nodded, awaiting his order.
"It would seem that we may have a breach on our prestigious lands...I would like for you and any of the available Apostles to scope it out for me. If you find any resistance...make sure to put them in their place."
Martial nodded firmly. "Your wish is our command. I shall assemble the able at once. If you'll excuse me." He stood up and walked back into the castle to carry out said order.
Quinlan remained sound as he folded his fingers and looked back at the video lacrima. The visual of the Linoone standing atop a podium with a large trophy was made crystal clear, literally. Confetti rained down across the screen at the celebration of the current crowned victor. Any backlash he may have felt from Adelita's report was swept away as he gazed at the ceremony.
'Even if it may be so, those humans are punching above their weight class. For them to be evasive and skilled enough to get past Adelita is commendable. However, their true test is merely beginning. As for our fellow audiences, show them the power of the Apostles...Adamantine.'
With the tournament all but wrapped up, the spectators were on the edge of their seats. They knew what was coming next, and many of them wanted to get a good look. Flying-types wanted to ascend and get a great aerial view, but that would immediately alert the authorities...and possibly boot them from the premise.
Despite their reservations, Greninja and the others were able to stomach through the entire thing. Albeit there were times where they could have dozed off, the majority of them were able to pay attention enough to be wary of the more competent competitors. The finals were no exception.
"Is it actually over?" Houndoom groaned, trying to keep himself awake from the sheer boredom he felt.
"Yes, it would appear so." Scizor acknowledged, her eyes narrowing. "And if that's the case, then we know what will be coming next."
A soft snicker came from Houndoom. "Now this will be worth admission price. Hehe."
Scizor turned her attention towards him, a small smirk on her face. "Are you saying that out of sheer expectations, or what we came here for?"
Houndoom readied a counter as he glanced back at her. He shrugged. "You could say...both?" He snickered.
Scizor eyerolled at his shrewdness. "Shrewd, aren't we? If you're acting this way with that level of sarcasm, then you must be bored."
"Well, can't say that you're wrong about that. Don't get me wrong, this was entertaining to some extent...but it's not like I came here expecting to feel that way about the whole thing." He frowned, showing a serious look that made Scizor retract her initial opinion of his behavior. "At any rate, the big show we've been waiting on is coming...it's nearly curtain call, or so they say."
Scizor didn't say anything in response to Houndoom's innuendo. The manner in which he was speaking, it wasn't something that she didn't let slip by her. He was beating around the bush with his wording. He could have just bluntly stated that this was the part where the Golisopod would come out with Nic centerfield, it would have been so easy for him to say. But given their audience and potential selective hearing individuals around them, he knew he had to jump around the subject. It surprised as well as scared Scizor with how serious the Dark Pokémon was taking this situation.
But despite her chagrin, she couldn't help but commend her teammate for staying in character. 'Now if only Slurpuff could take a few hints...'
In her seat, Slurpuff suddenly sneezed loudly. She blinked twice as she sniffled. "Huh? Phew...one of those minty pastries must have had a bigger kick than I thought."
'It's almost time.' Aegislash was stalwart as she gazed at the baren battlefield. Despite the numerous battles that had taken place over the course of several hours, the dirt battlefield was barely scathed by the wake of the onslaught of spells. Most likely the case being that a majority of the spells that were observed were rather toned down, if not weak. However, the cleanup crew that was comprised of a half-dozen Machop stomped on the ground to flatten its roughened parts just for good measure. Better safe than sorry.
Greninja and everyone remained quiet as the murmurs amongst the captive audience had started dialing down. The ceremony's end allowed a long enough break for many to retrieve snacks and concessions for the spectacle that was to happen any moment now. For those who have been patient, their shared virtue was well rewarded when the Makuhita returned to his post in front of the mic.
"Ladies and gentle'mon, thank you all for your patience. Now, as the crowned Champion of today's exhilarating showcase, Alfredian has garnered the grand opportunity to engage in a custom battle against His Majesty's most elite officers. It's a very rare opportunity indeed, so let's give the contestants our upmost respects, shall we?"
Once again, the audience broke out in another round of applause and cheers.
"The stadium is crackling with such intensity from all the excitement...that or the Electric-types out there are getting too giddy for their own good! Hahaha! Anywho, let's move on with the anticipated exhibition event that our Champion has earned! As you all know, the rules state that should the victor be victorious in their battle against our Majesty's Apostles, they shall be given a ceremonial monetary reward, as well as a personal word of praise before him."
Amidst the crowd, Greninja silently observed with his blank eyes turning into red pupils. He couldn't help but think back to when he and Nic challenged the Elite Four and Diantha. The rules and conditions were coincidentally the same for the tournament's winner as they were with the Kalos League Conference held once a year. He knew that much at least.
'They even have League rematch rules down to a tee...'
"Now then, without further ado, let's welcome our victor of today's tournament! You know him as the fur-lined menace, the one who battles in the fast lane, and doesn't like taking turns for anyone! Say hello...to Alfredian!"
From the eastern end of the stadium, a clothed Linoone walked out with his head held high. He strutted across the dirt battlefield with pride and confidence even as the audience was uproariously cheering for their crowned victor. He came to a halt as soon as he reached his trainer box located on the end.
However, the audience's cheers had come to a halt...faster than anticipated. A lot of them knew what was coming next, and it made their hearts thump so loud that Audino would hear them with their perceptive hearing. It was a silent symphony.
'Here we go...' Aegislash silently thought.
"And as his opponent, one of the most hard-headed 'mons out there, literally! You know him as one of His Majesty's confidants, and someone who stands tall above all others!"
All eyes in the stadium turned towards the tunnel on the western end. They saw a pair of eyes shaped like crosses glimmer in the darkness as a hardened silhouette started trudging into a better light source. The first thing about him to be acknowledged were the hooves that left heavy imprints in the earth.
Alfredian's confident look gradually dilated with every step taken by the silhouette. The razor-sharp claws were the biggest deterrent by far. He saw his bipedal arthropod opponent making his way through broad daylight with his hard scales deflecting sunlight, making him seem more divine in person.
"There he is! Ladies and gentle'mons, I give you His Majesty's elite and opponent for today...Adamantine!"
The crowd's shock soon erupted to blistering cheers at the arrival of the Golisopod. The praise Alfredian received was miniscule compared to the onslaught of cries meant for his opponent. Yet another bash to his confidence.
'So that's him. The one who captured Nic and Erza...' Charizard scowled internally so as not to draw any negative waves on him. He was sure there were supporters all around him. He knew better than to start waves publicly.
"I've never seen a Pokémon like that before." Talonflame squawked aloud.
"Haven't seen one of those in the Kalos region where we're from." Scizor noted. "It must be from a different region then."
"Well, hate to break it to ya, but that doesn't really matter right now." Houndoom dryly chimed.
Scizor frowned. "You're right...besides, he doesn't seem like the type of 'mon you should turn away from. Not after what he's done at the guild hall."
"He looks mean..." Cloyster murmured, his shell barely open for him to peek through.
True to his statement, Adamantine paid no heed to the bystanders letting out their support or overall pent-up adrenaline. They mattered not to him. He could get paid all the Jewel in the world and their voices would still mean nothing more than nails on chalkboard. He retained his dark, stoic composition as he trudged towards the box on his side of the battlefield.
"Now then, without anymore interruptions folks, we shall commence with the riveting battle that is the exhibition match of these two warriors!"
Alfredian's hair spiked around his neck, similar to goosebumps. "Well...I asked for this. But I can't believe it's actually happening..." He managed a weak smirk. "This will be something."
Adamantine, however, scoffed. He raised his upper body high, as though he glowered on Alfredian's diminutive stature. 'I only partook in this exhibition battle at the behest of His Majesty. It doesn't matter how strong these opponents claim to be. Because I have power that they can never hope to tame.'
In his large claw was a singular Human Cube, its lining shimmering beneath the sunlight. In it contained the epitome of power in Adamantine's eyes. He eyed it carefully before glaring back at his foe.
The Noctowl referee flapped his way towards the middle of the battlefield to commence the start. "Listen well, this exhibition battle shall now commence! You each shall have the use of one human! The battle shall be over when either side's Human is unable to continue! Is that understood?"
"Yes." Alfredian nodded.
Adamantine sneered, offering silent compliance to the rules.
The referee closed his eyes briefly before pulling away. "If both are compliant, bring out your humans!"
Alfredian pulled a heel back, bracing to throw the cube in his clutches. "Alright then, here goes nothing..." He flung the cube outwards. "Go, Bartholomew!"
The cube spun haphazardly through the air under the sun until it slowed its momentum. The capsule snapped open, expelling energy that manifested into the infamous Bartholomew. The Wind Mage stood tall as his cape flourished in the breeze that picked up, be it the natural climate or his magic for dramatic effect.
"Well now, looks like even when we're at the top, they still want more." He chimed. "In that case...we'll give them all what they ask for." He gave the audience a charismatic smirk with a glimmer in his teeth.
"And there's Alfredian's ace in the hole – Bartholomew! The Wind Mage who's won many of battles up to this point in the tournament!" The announcer boasted. "The question now is how Adamantine responds to Alfredian's declaration!"
Any members of the audience who weren't on the edge of their seats were starting to reel forward. They had been waiting for an opportunity like this show itself. In Greninja and Aegislash's case, the opportunity couldn't have been more climatic.
"I wonder what humans he's got?"
"Probably super strong ones! Maybe S-Class at least!"
"No way, they've gotta be higher than that! Like SS-Class or something!"
"You ask me, it could be one of those Dragon Slayers we've heard about. Those kinds of humans are one of the rarest out there!"
The audience continued throwing guesses to fan the flames. However, all it was to Adamantine was noise pollution. He scoffed meagerly as his glare intensified on the battle ahead.
'Hmph, they have no idea. As humans are fools, so are the Pokémon. They have no idea of the power...that I now have.' He clutched the cube a little tighter, enough to make its crystal surface creak. 'They'll all know their place, here and now!' He threw the cube into the air above with a sharp uppercut that sliced the air. "Now...come forth, and show these fools your power! My human!"
The cube's momentum gradually slowed until it clicked open and expelled energy that molded into a humanoid frame. The energy evaporated, revealing a familiar presence that made almost everyone's hearts stop.
Alfredian blinked twice, recoiling in place with a gasp. "Wait, that can't be-!"
Standing on the battlefield was a young adult male, whose short black hair wearing a long coat with purple edging. A golden sash was wrapped around the waist to keep it from going loose. But almost instantaneous, a pressure was emitted that everyone felt that weighed them in their seats like gravity, only instead of afflicting their bodies, it anchored on their minds. The only ones not affected by this unseen force was none other than Greninja, Aegislash, and their respective parties.
Watching from his palace, King Quinlan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the visual seen before him. "...how very interesting."
The figure's eyes slowly opened, revealing deep blue irises that glared ahead. The instant his eyes met Bartholomew's the latter's confidence was all but deterred with a harsh gasp.
With the audience completely taken back, a small smirk curbed at Adamantine's jawline.
"T-this...this is..." The announcer fumbled on his words. "Ladies and gentle'mons, say hello to Adamantine's choice... one of the most profound humans to ever walk amongst two planets at one time...Nic Pularis!"
The audience, whom were starstruck in surprise at first, gradually arose to an ensemble of cheers and screams of pure excitement. Everyone broke out of their shock from zero one hundred in a matter of a few seconds. The cheers for Adamantine were loud enough, but the calls for Nic made the stadium tremble.
"Oh my god, is that really him!? The Legendary Nic Pularis!?"
"No way! How did an elite get his hands on one of those!?"
"You mean that's the same human that's supposed to have the same powers as us?"
"Yeah! And he's supposed to be one of the strongest too! Now this is what I paid to see today!"
"Oh, Alfredian's history for sure!"
Hearing their lack-of-conscious voices rubbed salt deeper into the wound. Alfredian gnashed his teeth, but as steady as he may have seemed, his mind was anything but sound. Rattled would be the most compromising word for him. "I can't believe it..." he breathed. "How did...how did someone like an elite get ahold of such a strong human? Is this some kind of trick?!"
Adamantine paid no heed to his denials. He glared ahead, ready to commence with the battle. "Squash them...Nic."
Nic remained silent, eyeing straight ahead. His expression appeared like an emotionless scowl, but it was just for show. He had to keep up with the act until just the right opportunity arose.
'So, this is the surface.' Nic's eyes glazed at his surroundings. Pokémon wearing human clothes, vendors calling out human consumption food, banners for Alfredian's support; all staffed by Pokémon. 'Just like Kecleon said, it's like looking in a reversal mirror. Just how far deep does this society go...?'
In the stands, his Pokémon were all but stunned, in mixed relief as well as shock. Charizard was the first to voice his concerns. "Greninja, that's...!"
Grennja's eyes were dead-serious, his red irises locked on Nic. He recognized the look in those eyes anywhere. "...yeah, no mistaking it, that's him."
"Ha! He certainly has a knack for timing!" Garchomp sneered, baring his fangs.
"Nic..." Arbok hissed low, satisfied seeing his trainer again well. As extremely annoyed he was with the lack of accommodations around him, the noisy bystanders being no exception, he knew it was all worth it if it meant they could reunite with Nic in the end.
Aegislash blinked, seeing only Nic. "Is Erza not present?"
Cloyster turned towards her. "Keep it down, Aegislash." He encouraged in a harsh whisper, glancing back at the battlefield between the tight space of his inner shell. "I think she's fine. You remember what Kecleon told us."
Recalling what she said before, Aegislash steadied herself in her seat. The dark purple bowties on either side of her scabbard of a head adjusted with her. "You're right, my friend. We must retain patience. Shouldn't be much longer now that Nic is exposed."
All the Pokémon stayed quiet and attentive, solemnly staring at Nic. Even though they were blended in with the crowd, Nic knew they were there. He felt it in his gut. All went right, he just needed to signal to get started.
"So, you're the infamous Nic that's been rummaging all throughout Earthland." Bartholomew chimed, garnering his attention. The charismatic smirk and raised brow on his face only pushed his cockiness outwards. "I must say, for someone who is supposedly one of the biggest names to ever pop around, you don't look all that dashing."
Nic gave him a blunt look. "And you're an expert on fashion?"
Bartholomew pivoted, putting a hand to his face as if to mask his vanity. "Hmph, why of course. You see, the flashier you are, the more appealing you are to the masses. You please them, they please you in return. You just...have to look the part." He combed his hair back with his hand, giving yet another charismatic grin.
Once again, many fans swooned over his suave appeal, especially the women. Nic, however, seemed more annoyed than interested. 'Thank Arceus that Joey wasn't here, otherwise this would have gotten a little too personal and dragged onto something entirely different.' He sighed. 'But...guess I can spare some time to run this upstart down into the ground...that face he's making is annoying.' The corners of his lips barely made a small smirk. 'Want me to appeal, he said? Well...guess one can try.'
Simply adjusting his footing, Nic appealed to the challenge, the scowl remaining unchanged. Bartholomew hummed as he spread his legs and held up his hands in anticipation of a spell.
Alfredian and Adamantine glared at each other as the Noctowl referee chopped his wing downwards and flew backwards. "Now...battle begin!"
Almost immediately, Alfredian wasted no time with his attack. "Alfredian, let's finish this as quickly as possible! Use Wind Cutter!"
Alfredian smirked. "Can do." He brought an arm up, creating a green magic circle. "Behold and be amazed, dear Nic. The true art to glory we've reached!"
Nic said nothing as he watched the magic seal draw in air currents from the surrounding atmosphere. He didn't bother moving a muscle even as air was sucked in from around him. The only thing to shift about him was his clothing following the wind flow.
Once enough momentum was charged up from air pressure, blades of compressed wind slashed across the ground towards Nic in a dozen's worth of cuts.
"Alfredian kicks off the battle with one of Bartholomew's most essential spells!" the announcer hollered.
"Nic Pularis...put these foolish weaklings in their place." Adamantine snarled, raising his head high. "Show them all your power!"
Nic said nothing as he didn't budge. The air blades continued towards his way until their glow reflected in his eyes. Time slowed down heavily around Nic and everyone as the blades were near inches from reaching his body. It happened so fast that it was almost invisible...but everyone still saw the blades meet something and erupted dirt into a massive cloud that quickly swamped the entire battlefield.
Dust and air pressure expelled towards the first-row audience as they tried covering themselves from the wake. They all cringed and many gasped from the onslaught's Magic Power. Though beyond the first row, all anyone saw was a mild dust cloud that obscured everything.
"Woah! That attack had way more power than before!" A Slugma shouted in the first row.
"Man, he's really going all-out on Nic! Did that do anything?" A Miltank wondered aloud.
Much of the audience otherwise could only manage grunts and groans. Meanwhile, within the heart of the burst cloud, Bartholomew remained unfazed, staring ahead expecting his opponent to be crippled as they always would.
'Even if he is supposed to be almighty, even a direct hit from my Wind Cutter Spell can tear ligaments. He's completely vulnera-'
His confidence came to a screeching halt when a set of blue glares pierced into his soul at a close range. That was the inly glimpse he got before time slowed down, with Nic passing him with an outline of his body empowered with momentum from his Quick Attack.
Before Bartholomew had the chance to even shift his expression, Nic's arm crashed into his throat in a lariat. Bartholomew's expression contorted to where his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as Nic used sheer strength alone to follow through with the lariat, sending him flying through the dust cloud straight into Alfredian. The Linoone was unprepared with the sudden crashing force of his human, and both were sent flying through the air for all to bear witness. Their bodies twisted as they crashed into the dirt, picking up more of it that clouded their figments.
Everyone was slackjawed, for a lack of better word. They didn't even see it, unless those of course had Keen Eye or Compound Eyes as their Abilities. Even so, it happened so fast they didn't track it in time. The dust faded around Nic to reveal him standing perfectly unscathed. However, several meters outwards, the dust cloud that showed Alfredian and Bartholomew dissipated, revealing both blacked out and unconscious.
Adamantine snarled, his eyes partially widened with shock of his own.
"I-I have no idea what just happened folks, but...it looks like Nic had just turn the tables on Bartholomew in just one move!"
The Noctowl referee glided over and hovered above the unconscious trainer and human. When they weren't moving, he raised a wing towards the western end of the field. "Bartholomew is unable to battle, Nic Pularis is the winner! And that means this exhibition battle victory goes to Adamantine!"
Though stunned, the crowd of thousands were quick to relapse and cheer. Many were still processing the unclear show, and many equally as disappointed at how anticlimactic that was, but seeing Adamantine skillfully using his human was a sight to behold regardless that it overlapped others' judgment.
"What an upset! Even I couldn't have seen it coming, folks! But it looks like the match has made it clear! Though Alfredian put up a fine fight up to now, he and his Bartholomew were no match for Nic Pularis!"
Houndoom slouched in his seat. "Well that was expected."
"Rather anticlimactic, I admit. But even so, I have to agree with you." Scizor folded her pincers, thinking of the very brief glimpses she caught. 'Knowing Erza's husband, he waited until the last second and outsped the projectiles and closed the gap with a priority attack. That's the easiest method to conserve energy.'
"Oh, it's over already? I still have some snacks left over from this..." Slurpuff reached into the bag beside her. Aside from a couple cinnamon muffins and creampuffs, everything else ended up inside her stomach. "Wait, I thought I packed more than this..." she blinked. "Huh, I must have been hungrier than I thought."
A slight hiccup from behind caught her attention. Her nose twitched as she turned around towards the spectators. "Eh? Ke-!" Before she could finish, an inviable claw covered her sticky mouth, silencing her.
"Well, guess Nic wasn't messing around if he ended it that fast." Charizard noted. "He could have just sped around and have his opponent exhaust his spells first, but..."
"There wouldn't be a point since we're not here to show off." He narrowed his eyes. "He's agitating his trainer on purpose."
Nic stood in the center of the arena, glancing back over his shoulder at his "trainer". Sure enough, he was met with a less than amused glare by the Golisopod.
Adamantine scoffed, this time angrily. "What was that supposed to be?" he scowled questionably.
Nic straightened his back, refusing to look him in the eye. "You told me to put him in his place, didn't you? That's exactly what I did."
"You were supposed to show them your power! You honestly think a mere show of fists alone will make you worthy of being the strongest?!" He gnashed his jaws. "I'll be sure to deal with you and your behavior soon, you undisciplined punk."
At this, Nic glanced back in silence, though his eyes slightly narrowed.
Adamantine held out his Human Cube at his back. "We're done wasting our time here. Return now!" The laser fired at Nic's back, but at the last second, Nic pivoted and turned his body away from the laser. "What?!"
The laser dissipated, leaving Nic to continue staring at him with a blank scowl. "What's wrong? I thought you were going to discipline me. Where's that bravado you had a minute ago?"
Adamantine grunted as he tensed in his scales. He shuffled back and forth at the surrounding audience to see they were still locking eyes with him, seeing how the mighty Adamantine would subdue a Legendary Human such as Nic Pularis. The discomfort turned to embarrassment that he refused to let down.
"Hold still!" He activated the Organic Link that the Human Cube came with to shock Nic and keep him from disobeying. However, nothing happened. "What...?"
"Sorry...but I don't listen well to others." Nic scowled.
The announcer leaned over his stand, looking intrigued by the small tiff happening between the human and his trainer. "Hm? Hold on, folks, it appears that something's going on between the victors. It looks like Nic doesn't want to go back into his cube."
While the majority of the audience was ready to vacate the premise, none of them moved after bearing witness to the scene unfolding below. Adamantine and Nic were in a sound standoff as their eyes met. Even the most brazen Pokémon such as Lucario or Pangoro could sense a deep level of defiance radiating from Nic. His aura was so intense that it made their fur stand on end.
Of course, that extended towards the rest of the audience as they were throwing questions of their own out towards the open. Though Pokémon as they were, they were just as indecisive with what was happening. And of course, many of opinions were starting bear their colors.
"Wait, I thought Adamantine had control over him, why's he wanna stay out?"
"Maybe Nic still wants to fight? I mean, that fight ended pretty quickly after all."
"Maybe...but then why's he giving his trainer a bad look? Did he do something that upset him or something?"
Their voices of concern churned with the low but steady beat if criticisms the ongoers laid onto the competitors throughout the entire day. This was just icing on the cake, especially towards Greninja and Aegislash. Garchomp was especially no exception. A sneer formed at the corners of his lips. "Ha, so much for the mighty Apostle. Looks like he could use some work." He scowled mockingly.
"We don't have to, the populaccce isss already doing that." Arbok hissed back. Though he was tame and patient, even his proud demeanor felt elated hearing and sea of conspiracies rising around him. And looking at the battlefield, it was doing a number on Adamantine's image.
His left eye twitching, Adamantine scowled at his human with a nerve to cleave him for the lack of respect. "What is the meaning of this?" he scowled.
Nic didn't bother with a verbal response. Instead, he looked straight at him without any show of reluctance that only irked Adamantine down to the exoskeleton. His eyes narrowed.
"Now...Thief!"
Adamantine's cross-pupils shrank. Before he or anybody could react, something shot off the wall at rocket speed and blitzed straight into the Bug/Water-type's exposed flesh. An unseen force kicked him so hard that the shock went through his upper body, making him gag. He didn't have time to register when the kick's momentum struck his chin, flooring him on his back with a powerful thud that shuddered the battlefield.
The Human Cube in his clutches was snagged in midair by a quick glimpse of a tongue, which reeled back to stealth mode along with the cube. The bystanders all gasped and showed shock at the sudden surprise attack.
Adamantine groaned in his short daze, but recovered and curled his upper body. "What is the meaning of-!"
Suddenly, something faded into view beside Nic. A Kecleon whose head was tilted towards the side. "What!? When did you-!?"
Silently, Kecleon opened her mouth and held out the Human Cube wrapped around her tongue. She flicked her tongue skywards and made the cube airborne. A split-second later, a bright purple glint like a cut cleaved the cube clean in two vertically, breaking it into four pieces that fell in front of Nic's feet.
For the umpteenth time, the audience was unable to make words. Not just them, but Adamantine found himself baffled.
"F-Folks, it looks like we have an interference in our hands...wait...what's this!?"
Gathered around Nic, a grin plastered onto his face. "Sorry for the wait, guys. You missed me?" His musings were reciprocated to the four other Pokémon that grouped around him, them being a Greninja, Charizard, Garchomp, and Arbok.
Greninja smirked beneath his tongue. "Couldn't have timed it better myself." He chimed back, mirroring Nic's laid-back yet confident tone.
"I'll say. Guess I won't be needing these anymore." Charizard pulled on his fake glasses sitting on his snout, before dropping them in front of him. He raised one of his feet and crushed the frames with a simple hefty stomp of his heel. "I swear, any longer and I was sure I was gonna need those from how much my eyes ached."
"We can still see better than everyone here..." Kecleon chimed.
Arbok smirked, snickering. "That'sss a huge underssstatement."
Once again, shock surmounted the audience and sponsors alike. "What's this?! It looks like Nic has surrounded himself with a strange group of Pokémon! What is happening down there!?"
Houndoom darkly smirked in his seat. "You're gonna be in for a real show, that's what."
Adamantine moved to get his feet underneath him. He gradually arose, but the shock from Kecleon's attack to his underside made him stammer. He caught himself and glared back at Nic, thoroughly pissed if not downright enraged.
"Let's go, Nic! I'm aching to destroy something!" Garchomp snarled.
"Easy, Garchomp. Let's not forget why we're here in the first place..." Nic narrowed his eyes, his glare fixed on Adamantine. He looked ready to pop his head off and enjoy it at that. "We'll be sure to pay them back...in full."
In front of everyone, Nic glowed brightly once more, transforming into a cross of his Earth and Zap Forms. The air immediately crackled with lightning around him as dirt churned in a spiral at his feet. Once again, the populace and Adamantine were at a loss for words as they watched him drop to a knee, touching the ground with his right hand.
Nic's grin turned borderline sinister. "Wanted me to put on a show, you said..." The ground beneath him glowed brighter by the second, a magnitude starting to rise. "Careful what you wish for."
"NO-!"
With a combination of Earth Power and Thunder, the entire battlefield shattered into hundreds of tiny fissures with bright flashes erupting beneath the surface. Silence fell through the atmosphere of the stadium before the flashes multiplied at nanosecond speeds. The land tore open beneath Nic and dense, high voltage waves discharged in large masses from fissures. A magnitude rivaling an earthquake split apart the battlefield at an accelerated pace as closed in on Adamantine. The fissures burst into the walls and ground-level stands, slamming pedestrians with massive shockwaves and lightning walls that threatened to fry them on the spot.
But it didn't stop there, the fissures continued in between rows of seats up stairs and split them apart, making them much harder to step on. More lightning spewed and continued searing debris that rained down in various places.
From the vantage point outside the stadium, anyone with eyes would have witnessed a massive plume of dust and lightning discharging. The eruption's magnitude didn't get anywhere beyond the stadium's perimeter, but some of the debris still rained down, and the entire structure's lavish exterior cracked in a few places.
It was astounding how the entire structure itself hadn't collapsed, but luckily, Nic's aim wasn't for that.
The public was in a full-scale panic. They all screamed and cried out in pure fear of the destructive damage Nic was doing. They all got out of their seats and hurried to find the nearest exits available. Flocks of Flying-type didn't hesitate to simply fly away from the warzone, but the less fortunate at ground level had to be blocked off by destroyed stairways.
Concealed by the massive sea of dust made by his attack, all Nic heard from the background were the fading sounds of thunder and distant screams of the many scared Pokémon. He gradually lifted himself from his knee and stood up. The ground around him was completely destroyed, so if anyone had to come down to sedate him, they'd be unable to with uneven shrapnel scattered across the battlefield.
"Well, you sure know how to make a scene when you actually try."
Recognizing the dry tone, Nic and everyone turned towards the side. Appearing before them were Erza's Pokémon all soundly gathered. Houndoom was seen smirking at Nic. "Put on a show, huh? If I had known better, I'd say you wanted to outright destroy this damn place."
"If I really wanted to do that, I would have had Arbok use Earthquake." Nic pointed out. Arbok hissed lowly at this remark, but said nothing out of absolute compliance. "Alright, let's hurry while everyone's in a panic and distracted."
Aegislash floated a little closer. "By any chance, do you know where Erza is?"
"Was she not also with that walking crab horse?" Talonflame inquired.
Nic frowned. "Last place I saw her, she was still in the same cell as me when I was being withdrawn. If it was just me, she might still be underground." He reached into his pockets, pulling out the map that Kecleon gave him earlier. He handed it to Slurpuff. "Here, take this. It'll take you to the prison where she and the other humans are captive."
Aegislash nodded. "You have our deepest gratitude, Nic." She turned and glanced at her team. "Everyone knows what we have to do, right?"
"Right!" they all shouted.
Nic nodded in understanding, grinning. "That's good...I'm counting on you guys. Look after Erza for me until we get back with the others." He turned towards Greninja and his remaining team members. "Ready?"
All smirking, that was the only indication Nic needed. He held up his Poke Balls and silently withdrew his party back to their travel-size containers before disappearing in a bolt of lightning. Not even scorch marks were left behind as evidence of his disappearance.
Aegislash turned towards her team, knowing they had to move while the chaos was still brimming brightly in the moment. "Let's go."
The six made their getaway as fast as possible. The chaos in Nic's distraction had caused many to panic, especially when the dust finally settled.
"H-hey! Look! Nic's gone!"
"Where'd he go now!? Don't tell me he's escaped!"
"Crap! We've gotta get out of here!"
The public made an even bigger commotion than what Nic made. Their bodies cramped around the exits to a point where it was completely inaccessible. Not even police were safe to travel through and try and direct the populace. Even with so many of them, the masses and their frantic demeanors far outweighed their forces.
With a Communication Lacrima, Chief Hugo gnashed his teeth against his bamboo shoot. "This is Chief Hugo, calling to all units! We've got a 10-8 at the stadium! We need backup, immediately! Any available personnel beyond the market blocks, be on the lookout for Nic Pularis, as well as an unclothed Greninja, Charizard, Kecleon, Garchomp, and Arbok. Over!"
With small static, he didn't wait for a response as he was budged by an Illumise fluttering past him making for the exit before a Volbeat. Even as he called out for her to wait on him, she was in far too much of a panic. Everyone around the chief was no different. Some of his own officers were justly in a panic of their own.
One of them, Flora, hopped over a n upper row and raced up to report to her superior. "Chief!" She stopped in front, mandating a salute. "What do we do?"
Hugo furrowed his brow angrily as though it were obvious. "You stay here and help evacuate the citizens. Call in an emergency airlift for any injured before any other personnel. I will not tolerate any casualties on my watch from any of my officers! Is that understood?"
Flora didn't have time to respond justly before Hugo darted up the stone bleachers for the nearest exit. She looked back at the destruction and the panicking populace collapsing on the unsafe stairwells. The range of the bedlam was so extensive that she knew it would take hours before everyone would make it out. And that was just assuming everything moved smoothly.
'I knew I should have taken today off.'
The carnage was not only seen in the stadium, but the broadcast itself was public in every corner of the city. The so-called utopia for Pokémon found itself shaken when they saw the entire stadium being reduced to shrapnel by Nic's show. Anyone who wasn't in the stadium had the common sense to start running for their homes or shelter. With such a dangerous human on the loose with renegade Pokémon, their reactions were justly.
Of course, this extended broadcast didn't go unnoticed by Quinlan. Not one bit.
He wasn't pleased, and that alone was putting it lightly. He watched from his balcony of the broadcast on the video lacrima of the events that happened in mere minutes. He heard it from his standpoint, too. The rumblings and stadium destruction was a front-row seat from the balcony. To watch it nearly crumble away left him in an all but foul mood.
But nevertheless, his placid look was able to mask the aggravation he felt at this upset. His eyes never left the sight of his beloved land being struck by fear.
"...it would appear that we have underestimated our own oversight. Wouldn't you say? Adamantine."
His tone was barely quaint, but it held a dense level of direction towards the Pokémon standing several meters away from him. Adamantine was on a knee, his harsh look fixed with sheer humiliation. He offered no words
"Had it not been for my interference, you wouldn't have gotten far. Even with your Ability, I doubt there would have been ample time for you to escape Nic's wrath. I do hope you know how to be grateful."
Adamantine's muscles ached, especially the part where Kecleon struck him. At that moment, his pride that taken a beating that he couldn't let down. "...don't remind me of my own ability, Your Majesty." He hissed in a scornful tone.
Quinlan retained his impassive demeanor as he kept looking him dead in the eye. "Needless to say, I think the situation is well out of our control now." He turned back towards the city. "Tell me, were your intentions on using Nic from the beginning?" When he didn't get an answer, he continued. "Adamantine, let me make something clear while we are still on the subject. While it is true that I insisted that you 'showed the public the power of the Apostles', I think that you may have misinterpreted it. Then again, I suppose I am at fault for not thinking that this outcome would happen so soon."
"Your Majesty, I assure you...I had everything under control." Adamantine denied.
"That so? Because from the looks of it, it seemed that Nic was the one in control from the beginning." Quinlan stepped to the side, showing Adamantine the recorded video footage of his battle against Alfredian. The Golisopod begrudgingly lifted his head to get a good look at the visual. "Notice anything?"
Adamantine didn't understand at first, nor did he honestly care. He kept an intense scowl as he saw the defiant look on Nic's face. His claws shuddered at his own shortcomings. But even so, he was observant enough to notice something amidst with Nic. His eyes partially widened at the realization.
"...his collar!"
"So now you see, well I suppose better late than never." Quinlan sighed heavily. "Even so, even I do not have the power to turn back time. But if I could, I would like to see just how Nic was able to find such a loophole in our system."
Adamantine straightened himself up and glared at his king. "Your Majesty, let me find him. I shall put him in his place myself!"
Quinlan hummed to himself, pondering the options that were at his disposal. "Hmm, suppose you do have a point there, Adamantine. It would be fitting for you to correct this wrong. However, I believe that given your condition, you should think otherwise."
"Nonsense!" He lowly roared. "That was merely a fluke! I will not get jumped like that and be made a fool twice!"
Quinlan raised a hand, effectively silencing Adamantine's irate. The Golisopod was stiff when the king spoke up. "I have a hunch as to where he may have ran off to. Assuming that he hadn't outright teleported straight back to Fiore, I believe that he had a predetermined rendezvous with certain friends of his. I have already sent Martial and the other available Apostles to investigate the premise. The public will still be in a stir down below." He turned to gaze at him once more. "As for you, I strongly advise for you to rethink your strategy as you recuperate for a little while. After that incident, I believe that you might need to rethink your approach before heading out to the field with the others...is that understood?"
He hated it. He loathed it even, but Adamantine found himself unable to deny his king. Truthfully, he could just walk up and slash him on the spot. Every nerve in his body told him in self-defense. He felt belittled being told something as degrading as sitting out of a situation like this, but given his injury and the humiliation, he would have to comply...this time.
He turned away from his superior, his eyes glowing with dark rage. "...fine." He stomped back into the palace, moving past the nightstand that had a plate of Sitrus Berries. With one fell swipe of his claws, he tore the table to pieces and left with the berries scooped in his small claws.
As Quinlan looked back out towards the city, he heard a harsh slam of a door behind him. He didn't have time to focus on Adamantine's one-track power drive. He just knew he had to use it more effectively. 'Nic Pularis...you're even more crafty than I have realized. But even so, you're still just human...so in a Pokémon society, what do you intend to do now?'
Thousands of miles away from the secluded island, another low-cover operation was being made noticed as a large shadow moved over the land. Said shadow belonged to a flying ship with a Pegasus head mounted on the bow.
The Christina Advance treaded over the vast woodlands below, its massive bulk bringing up the curiosity of some of the wild Pokémon, though they remained indifferent, if not otherwise cautious. Operating this massive beast was none other than Ichiya himself.
"Hibiki, how much farther till our designated point of arrival?" Ichiya asked.
"Let me check." His Archive Magic active, Hibiki tapped onto holographic keyboards and saw a 2-dimensional topical map of their area. The red dot on the bottom of the screen faded in and out as it gradually moved further into the dark green zone. "According to my readings, about another five kilometers should be appropriate."
"Hm, well said. Then we shall make it so." Ichiya straightened his back, staring ahead with sparkles glittering around his face. "Together with the might of our comrades at arms, we shall get to the bottom of this mystery once and for all!"
"That's our Lord Ichiya." Ren smirked.
"Truly, our Master Ichiya speaks precious volumes." Hibiki agreed.
"Sir Ichiya, we're behind you one hundred and ten percent!" Eve cheered.
Ichiya harrumphed, taking his hands off the wheel to do a dazzling spin and pose. "Men~, oh yes! We shall indeed!"
"Yes!" The Trimens cheered.
"Oh yes, oh yes!"
"Yes!"
"Go, guys!" Jenny clapped in support of her friends.
As Ichiya and his guild were lost in their pep-spree, their actions weren't unnoticed by anyone. Especially former guildmates that were well aware of their habits, especially Laxus. "Well, they certainly haven't changed much." He scoffed low.
"Yeah, you can say that again. Hasn't felt that long being together and we're already getting déjà vu." Bickslow commented.
Lector turned towards Sting. "Hey, Sting."
Sting blinked. "Huh? Yeah pal, what's up?"
"Are you, uh, sure that you're okay? I mean, this is technically a vehicle, right? Shouldn't you be, uh...y'know..."
Now that Sting had time to realize it, Lector had a point. He was so focused on the mission at hand that the realization that his motion sickness had been completely sidelined. His breath hitched as he looked down at his stomach to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with it...but it felt just fine. Not even a delayed reaction.
Rogue gasped, taking the vocal initiative. "Hold on..." He looked down at himself. "I feel just fine as well...this some kind of spell, or are we even moving at all?"
"Frosch thinks so, too!" Frosch chimed.
"I think the fact that none of the Dragon Slayers on this ship are puking their guts out says plenty." Evergreen chided, smirking.
"Hm, worry not, our comrades." They all looked down, found to be more than a little surprised to see Nichiya present, striking a pose with sparkles around his face. "Our priority here is your safety. We have taken the necessary precautions and funds to ensure that the Christina can be reliable for everyone, even Dragon Slayers."
"You serious?!" Sting gasped.
"I didn't think such a feature was remotely possible." Rogue admitted.
Nichiya smirked and chuckled. "Understandable. We hadn't it considered ourselves until we've recruited Fairy Tail's current Master Laxus in our ranks a while back. Being a Dragon Slayer, transportation was extremely limited. So we sat aside funds and customized our expenses on the Christina to accommodate for such setbacks." He pivoted and gave Laxus a thumbs up. "Thank you, Sir Laxus! Your weakness has not been in vain at all! No thanks are necessary!"
Laxus, however, stared grimly at the Exceed. "I'm starting to regret coming at all..."
Evergreen snickered. "Oh come now, it's a compliment. Or are you just too shy to feel proud of your little bug?"
Laxus groaned loudly, earning soft snickers from Bickslow and Evergreen. Of course, they weren't the only ones having leisure conversations on the ship. The other members of the coalition had found some semblance of comfort in the other by mingling amongst others. Since all of them were part of the Grand Magic Games one way or another, they were familiar to some extent.
"Say~, you're that Elfman guy's sisters, right?" Bacchus spoke to Mirajane and Lisanna, the two Strauss siblings that came along on the brigade, much to his delight. "So, how's the big guy doing?
"Oh, him? He's doing just fine. Great in fact." Mirajane grinned. Despite how forward Bacchus was, she tried her best to retain a polite façade. She didn't forget the "bet" that he made with her brother at the Grand Magic Games that one time.
Bacchus snickered. "That so? Sounds good to me. I've been meaning to go at it with that big guy again. So do any of you ladies drink? We can go out when this whole mess is wrapped up."
"Uh, w-we're just fine, thanks though." Lisanna nervously declined.
Bacchus shrugged. "Bummer. But, can't blame a guy for trying?" He started uproariously laughing
'Yup, still a creep just like Cana said.' Lisanna thought to herself.
Mirajane maintained a grin. "Well, can't say we're low on spirits here."
"Yeah, you can say that again..."
Other members were taking to their own conversations that had topics that piqued their own curiosities in mind. One of these topics was one of a certain person whom Sabertooth had found itself familiar with that was sitting in a leather seat, tuning his small viola that he had packed.
After twisting one of the picks to adjust the strings, Shou gave it a sound pluck, making a high tone. "There, good as can be." He chimed. For good measure, he lightly plucked the three remaining strings to check their notes as well. To him, they sounded just right.
"Might I ask what you're doing?" A familiar woman's voice chimed behind him.
Recognizing the note of the familiar, Shou turned his attention away from his pastime to find Minerva standing a few feet away, looking half-amused, if not scowling. Either way, Shou played it of as calmly as possible.
"Hm? Oh, hey Minerva." He held up his viola. "I was just tuning my instruments is all. Figured I might as well before we land, right?"
Minerva hummed low. It wasn't that she wasn't interested in Shou's hobbies in the slightest. Rather, admittedly, she was quaint with music to some extent. Key word, some. Still, she needed something to alleviate her boredom while they were on their way. If Shou was an ally in this fight, the least they could do was make idle conversation.
"I see..." She started. "I hope you don't plan on playing a lullaby for our enemies." She half-joked.
"Only if they really want it." Shou dryly teased back. He looked back at his viola and sat it off to the side. He reached into its case and pulled out the bow that came with it, as well as a small black container with a lid. When he took it off, Minerva was beholding something that looked like hardened tree sap.
"What might that be?"
"This stuff? It's called rosin." Shou explained as he started applying the entire stick up and down the hairs of the bow. "It's a special sap that comes from trees that acts as a lubricant. Over time, the hairs dry up, which makes the sounds coming off the strings grow hoarse. Though if you apply too much, it can also leave residue on the strings as well."
Minerva hugged her triceps and raised a brow. "You know an awful lot about instruments, don't you?"
Shou grinned. "Years of practice. Kinda like you guys with your magic, right?" He continued the conversation as he focused on applying to rosin on the bow in small back-and-forth motions. "The more you know about the kind of magic you have, the easier it'll be for you to learn. Kinda like playing an instrument. It's not easy for some to understanding at first, but once you get the basics and maintenance down, it just comes down to practice."
At this, Minerva smirked. "Suppose you're not wrong there...though you know there's more to learning than just comparing that to instruments."
"Maybe...but outside of my Pokémon training, that's all I know." There was a hollow ring in his tone, something that didn't go unnoticed by Minerva. It was hard to say, but he seemed rather...sullen by what he said.
"That so." She pivoted and turned away. "Then I guess Master Sting was wise to have me watch over you after all."
Shou dryly snickered to himself. "You're probably right...still, it's not like I didn't come all this way out here just to feel like I'm gaining something from hitching off your guild."
She raised a brow. "Hm?"
"Look, believe it or not, I'm doing this for you guys as much as I'm doing it for myself. But also, for my Pokémon as well. Everyone is hurting in some way. Even if I'm not part of an official guild, I know I have my responsibilities as a trainer too. If I have to break a few strings to keep them from laying a hand on another innocent person, then so be it. A life is more important than a tune...at least that's how I see it."
Minerva was silent as her gaze lightened up on him. She found her attention pushed back onto him by his commitment, a rare trait, but equally as dignifying to hear. She knew a little of him after they had a dinner together, but they didn't have much time beyond that to get an understanding. Though just now, she knew that she was merely scratching the surface.
"But like I've said before, it's not like I came without some preparations in mind." He added. "Besides...I've been working a little on some other skills in my spare time..."
"You don't say?" Minerva chimed.
As the two were mingling for a little while, they garnered the attention of the other Sabertooth members present, namely Rufus and Orga. The latter observed the two with a raised brow. "Is it just me, or has Milady been rather curious of him?" he asked.
Rufus grinned, shrugging his shoulders. "Suppose I see your point. It isn't often we see Milady having much appeal other than her guild duties." He tipped his cap up. "Still, even I find myself intrigued by this character and what he can do. Should be prove himself a capable asset I wonder?"
"Heh, well if he's trying to sweettalk one of our guild's strongest, he's in for a world of misery." Orga teased.
Rufus turned away from the scene, adverting his attention towards the side. "Speaking of unfamiliar faces, I don't recall knowing him before now."
Orga cast his eyes over towards one of the farther corners of the ship. Sitting in one of the leather seats at the end of the row, they – amongst a few others – noticed Shiin staying calm and seemingly minding his own business. Unsurprisingly, his presence drew the curiosity of his current associates.
Sting leaned into Laxus' ear. "Hey, you know that guy?"
Laxus sighed out his nose. "In a way, you can say that. He's a representative from the Pergrande Kingdom. Suppose you can say he's been taking notes on our guild and how we adapt to Pokémon in our lives. That's the short version of it."
"A representative? From the Pergrande Kingdom of all places?" Rogue quipped.
"That country is like thousands of miles away, why'd they go through all the trouble of sending him instead of asking people from the Cambire Foundation?" Lector pondered.
"That's a good question..." Sting frowned, furrowing his brow. He then remembered why they were here in the first place. "Well, even if he did tag along, then he better know the risks of doing so. Shou is one thing, but as long as this guy knows how to hold himself, that should tip the scales in our favor. The more mages, the better our advantage."
Lector beamed with pride. "Hm! Well you ask me, the Pergrande Kingdom could stand to take notes from how Sabertooth handles its fares with their Pokémon, right Frosch?"
"Fro think so, too!" Frosch chimed.
"The Pergrande Kingdom you say?" Stepping in from the side, Jura walked over towards Laxus' side. "It's been some time since we have gotten any connection from them. Exactly what piqued them to send an envoy all the way out here indeed?"
Bickslow blinked, remembering something important regarding the Wizard Saint. "Hold on a sec." He stepped forward. "Say, Jura."
Jura turned towards the Fairy Tail Mage. "Hm, yes?"
"Weren't you once part of the temporary council? There's gotta be some kind of process or something that involved how you get inducted."
Laxus' eyes slightly widened. 'I get it. That makes sense. If the Magic Government is the top of the hierarchy of officials, they must recognize mages that are considered capable enough to fill in for the Magic Council. In their cases, those capable can only be members of the Ten Wizard Saints...'
Jura looked up, pondering Bickslow's inquiry. "Ah, that. Well, to tell the truth. It wasn't of my own volition. After the events of Face's collapse and Tartaros, the Council had been completely abandoned for a short period. It was likely time for the whole continent to process and clean up after the incident. However, three months after, I was sentenced a special acceptance letter by the Magic Government. Or should I say a mandate. It said that as a Wizard Saint, I was to apply a temporary position for the Council." He lowered his chin, closing his eyes. "Of course, I was humbled enough to be given such a position, though I doubt I deserved it."
"I see, is that why you stepped down after the new Council was enacted?" Bickslow added.
Jura chuckled. "Precisely, though I do have some experience in politics, leading a whole country takes more than status. It takes political experience. Suppose you can say that I have yet to sprout my wings." He laughed hardily.
Evergreen put a hand to her chin. "So then that must mean the other Wizard Saints were given the order as well until other officials were enacted...professionals with actual political experience or some kind of status than just Wizard Saints."
Bickslow turned towards her. "I mean I get why'd they turn to the Wizard Saints to fill in for the spots, but they're all strong mages. Did the government ever think that all they know is magic and not how to make big picture decisions?"
"Yeah, that's true...they must looked at the moniker and figured that would stabilize the public's trust in the council and guidance. If I were an ordinary citizen, I'd buy that security." Evergreen noted.
"As would I when you put it that way, dear Evergreen." Jura chimed, before his jovial demeanor faded. "But I must ask, what brought this on?"
"Well, you see-!"
Before Bickslow could usher another word, Laxus cut him off. "Later. Right now, we have our own mission...that matter can be settled when we're in a more private atmosphere." As he gave them a low-toned warning, he was glancing over at Shiin the entire time, watching him like a hawk.
Admittedly, while Shiin should be well on his task of collecting information on the many mages, the protocols he was following prohibited him from doing so. Had this been under other circumstances, he would have been pulling out his camera and taking snapshots of the mages aligned with the current coalition and guilds associated with Fairy Tail. Realistically, he should be doing that right now. However, as much as he sought to measure their Magic Power and report it back to his peers, he knew better than to ignore national security. He had that much common sense.
But, by no means did that mean he would be compliant with the others around him. Even if he was willing to come along for the sake of national security protocols, that didn't change his views on them in the slightest, nor how he perceived them.
'Focus on the mission. The end results will determine the course of our world's future of magic.' He told himself.
Though the party was in high spirits, Sorano groaned loudly. "Can this thing move any faster? Seriously, how much longer until we have to reach Erik and the others!?"
"Say, take it easy, Sorano. I'm sure we'll be there soon." Yukino insisted bashfully.
Jellal sighed. "Shouldn't be longer by now. We're nearly there-!"
Suddenly, the Christina shuddered madly. Like an actual earthquake, the violent rupture caused everyone to nearly floor. Anyone who wasn't close to a wall ended up dropping to a knee almost instantly. The fortunate ones managed to hold onto something like railing or ledges to keep themselves upright.
Sorano, however, was one of the unfortunate ones that fell on her back. "Ow!" And was even more unfortunate when Millianna fell atop of her. "Gah!"
"Meow!"
"Watch where you're falling, cat-girl!"
"What's this?! Turbulence?!" Meredy shouted through the constant banging sounds coming from outside.
Bellona exasperated as she struggled to keep her balance. "No...it's something worse, I'm afraid."
"Hibiki, what's the status!" Ichiya called to the head of the Trimens.
Hibiki pulled up his Archive Magic, showing the usually orange and yellow screens blinking red with warning labels. "Sir, we have a problem. Take a look at this." He expanded a small window in the corner of the panel to full view for everyone to see.
The panel was a bird's eye view of the Christina's underside, a camera that was inputted for a better visual of their surroundings from below. Yet another upgrade that came in handy under such circumstances. Sure enough, the live feed showed various attacks firing at them from down below, much to their mixture of surprise and annoyance.
"H-hey now! Who called for the show happening beneath us like that!?" Sorano quipped.
"Sir, we're being flanked from below! It's an ambush!" Hibiki shouted across the deck.
Bellona turned towards Jellal. "Jellal..."
Jellal silently nodded. He knew exactly what was going on, and from the looks on half the mages present, they were starting to get the idea themselves. 'An ambush out this far, this can only mean one thing...' His eyes narrowed. 'We're right where we need to be.'
Outside the ship, spells composing of fire, lightning, and various other basic elements continued peppering from the ground. With how high up they were, they were lucky only a fraction of the spells made direct contact with the Christina's underside. They were even more fortunate knowing that it was reinforced as such. However, that didn't mean that they were entirely safe from danger either.
Hibiki was rapidly typing away at his keyboards, making calculations and measuring the Christina's perimeter. A number of gauges showed the fuel exhaust, the stamina, and well as the bombing reserves they had on hand.
"Well, what's the damage?" Ren asked.
"We'll be just fine. The Christina's haul can take this much firepower for the time being. But..." Hibiki paused, feeling another harsh shudder erupt from beneath. "We need to act fast. The haul is sturdy, but the constant pacing of the barrage will wear it down."
Ichiya nodded in understanding. "Very well then. Then it's time to engage! Time to show them why this craft is called a Magic Bomber! Eve!"
"Yes, sir!" Eve was at a compartment close to Ichiya similar to a cockpit. Holographic imagery showed the outside camera's view with a red targeting lock on the forest cover below. "Locked on, sir!"
"Men~, then let us proceed! Fire!"
"Aye-aye!"
Beneath the Christina, upon Ichiya's command, six miniature components started moving remotely to adjust in the barrage of spells. The six guns all went stiff and started channeling the reserves of the Christina into Magic Power composing into medium-sized spheres of blue energy. The two closest to the stern fell first, then the middle two, and then the bow's third all fell through the air like actual bombs.
All six faded into the forest below, seemingly doing nothing of the sorts...until several flickers went by, followed by six massive eruptions of Magic Power, followed by dust and debris from the surrounding woods.
Even if it was miniscule, there were dozens of humans, all being mages with collars around their necks, being blown off their feet. Many were swallowed in the shockwaves of the attack, but many more were sent hurdling with the forest around them.
"Direct hit, sir!" Eve reported.
"Good shot. But it looks like we're not in the clear yet." Hibiki warned, checking his Archive Magic once more. The screen showed multiple signatures scattered across the forest surrounding them. "We didn't hit all of them, and the blast would have definitely attracted others out there."
Ren folded his arms. "So then, what do we do from here?"
Ichiya's face sparkled with tenacity in his stern look. "Then, we have no choice. If our warning shot shall not deter them, then we'll just have to confront them ourselves! Everyone, prepare for battle! We shall confront our enemies head-on!"
Everyone aboard the ship braced themselves readily. They knew it was bound to happen eventually. Ready or not, Laxus unfolded his arms and stood in front of his peers with a hardened look on his face. 'Time to finally see who these bastards work for.'
The Christina Advance gradually began its descent down towards the Worth Woodsea below. With a steady lead towards the more open areas of the forest that lied in their sight, Ichiya maneuvered it to a halt in the center of the biggest opening to accommodate them.
Outside the massive ship, with it being an eyesore, it of course attracted the attention of the humans outside the bomb zone. Some that were injured paced slowly, but nevertheless followed the ship's direction until it was within their line of sight.
Slowly, yet ever so gradually, an exodus of mages trudged from out of the underbrush. They all had familiar collars around their necks as they either had begrudging frowns on their faces, or glares fixed on the objective at hand. Their numbers erupted until they surrounded the entire ship.
"Hehe, so they decided to make it easy for us and come down instead." A rough-looking mage sneered.
"That's fine with me. It'll be that much swifter for our bosses to haul them in with us." Another mage said, holding up a thin iron katana. "Let's just drag these guys out and see what they're worth."
"I'm sure that the bosses would be pissed if they caught them with broken bones. They'd be completely useless otherwise." Another mage pointed out. "Even if they're strong, we still have numbers on our side. They won't stand a chance."
The surrounding mages prepared themselves for taking out whoever stepped out first. Just as some were readying spells to try and draw them out of the airship, a cloud exhaust was heard, followed by the hatch to the deck gradually folding down onto the ground. Everyone shifted closer to surround the hatch's opening to see who would step out first.
The first thing that caught their eyes above all else were a set of heels that slowly paced down the stairwell. The figure's slender legs were covered by stockings, immediately provoking a sexy image in many of their heads. Slowly coming into full view for everyone to see, a brunette woman with glasses swayed her hips with a confident smirk as she met the hundreds present.
For those who were captivated, they had nothing to say. However, for those who were still conscious, they either felt cocky or insulted.
"Huh? Just one chick? What's the big idea?"
"Yeah, you telling me that whole ship just had one person operating it?"
"Well, this is underwhelming..."
The murmurs and slight chagrin being heard was a symphony for Evergreen. She could tell just from a glance that they weren't taking the situation as seriously as they should have been. Though really, it worked out in her favor. Though, far be it from her to let them think they were going to have an easy time.
'Hmph, too easy.' She impishly smirked as she reached for her glasses. "So then..." She reached for the rims and slowly started pulling them off. "Whom here came all this way just to see little ole me?"
The mages gathered were in a mix of suspense and wonder as they watched her take off her glasses. On one hand, she looked great without them. However, on the other hand, they had no idea what would happen when she opened them. When they saw her irises flash open, it was too late.
Without so much time for a gasp, all the people staring directly into her eyes immediately turned to stone – literally. Their bodies froze in place with their postures being the same as when they realized their mistake. Almost instantly, half the surrounding men and women froze on the spot, while others panicked and recoiled away.
"W-what the-!?" a mage stammered away from the guy that turned to stone directly in front of him.
With her Stone Eyes spell in full swing, Evergreen smirked. "Hope you all liked what you saw."
"Thanks for paving the trail." Suddenly rushing past her, Laxus and the other coalition members darted for the remaining mages. "You all know what to do!"
"Aw crap-!" Before any of the mages could react in time, they were cut off by the sudden onslaught of coalition members that made their mark on them.
"How's about we cool you guys down a bit, alright?" Eve swiped his right arm, directing a dense, bright blue magic seal past the stone statues. "White Out!"
A sudden blast of pure, cold snow erupted from the spell's incantation circle, directing a blizzard that heavily flaked the surroundings in snow. The grass immediately frosted over as the mages before him all covered up from the blinding snowstorm.
Ren smirked. "Why should you get all the fun?" He brought his right arm across and swiped, sending a blast of dense air pressure across the ground that swept numerous mages off their feet in seconds. "Not like I enjoy this or anything if you guys were wondering!"
With an opening for them to attack, Mirajane and Jenny smirked at each other. The two Take-Over women had an idea of what went through the other's mind at that moment.
"Ready?"
"You bet."
Following Mirajane's lead, she transformed, her body overtaking a dark mass that transformed into her Satan Soul form. With her malicious smirk, she howled and blitzed in a straight path, cleaving a trail across the ground and knocking out dozens of mages in a single swipe.
Though just as the flanks were barely recovering, they were swept up by a leg that came across, courtesy of Jenny in her Machia Soul Form. Her mechanically enhanced body armor was like a metal hammer that none of the mages were prepared for.
Mirajane scoffed, smirking. "Small fry."
"You can say that again, but there sure are a lot of them." Jenny pointed out. "So, wanna see who can take out the most?"
Mirajane didn't back down; in fact, she looked more sinister than before. "Oh? You wanna do another game like that?"
"I don't see why not. It's a fun way to keep competitive spirits up." The model chuckled.
Lisanna was in her harpy Take-Over, using her talons to kick down a mage. "Hey, c'mon you two! Maybe some other place than this!" she complained. When she turned around, she saw three mages with held weapons heading right for her. She dropped to the ground and fancied a runner's pose.
"Take-Over: Animal Soul!"
Her body glowed as well, though as it did, she shot across the grass like a speeding bolt into the three. With sharp claws cleaving into their skins, they all gagged and fell as Lisanna followed through, endowed in her feline Take-Over.
"Woah, not too shabby there. I can see that she takes after you." Jenny chimed, complimenting Mirajane.
"C'mon, guys! Let's show them how Sabertooth handles its business!" Sting encouraged everyone as he gripped his Poke Ball. The rest of Sabertooth was behind him as they all had their capsules out as well.
The many mages scattered around them took careful aim at the small, diverged group and made multiple magic seals. Each seal had a color that corresponded to its respective element. All of them fired elemental blasts simultaneously for a single destructive blow.
"I RAGH!"
Suddenly, spatial spheres enveloped a small perimeter around them, causing the elemental attacks to get swallowed in the wake. The explosions quickly dissipated, revealing all their attacks being for naught.
"Wait, what just happened?!" one of the many mages panicked.
A dry sneer came from a supple pair of lips, of whom belonged to the ever-so confident Minerva. "It seems that there's a bunch of flies buzzing around in my territory. You all make such a buzz." Her sneer intensified. "Shall we remedy that?"
With a swipe of her arms, her Territory Magic activated. Numerous mages whom launched attacks previously found themselves trapped in dark neon spheres of pure space. They all panicked as they found themselves unable to move freely from the confined space, an ideal point for target practice.
"Master Sting? Shall you have the honors?"
Sting nodded. "Thanks, Milady." Reeling his Poke Ball back, he threw it. "Go, Druddigon!"
The Poke Ball popped open, expelling energy that manifested into Sting's Druddigon. The Cave Pokémon made himself dominant immediately as he craned his head up and wildly roared for battle.
"Druddigon, go! Use Dragon Claw!" Sting ordered.
"Gotcha!" Druddigon snorted. He hunched over and shot at the multiple bubbles ahead of him containing enemy mages. With them so close, his rugged forearms expelled bright green energy that shaped into draconic claws. With a heavy spiral, he pivoted and slashed past a half-dozen of them, striking a pose with his right claw jutted out. He didn't bother looking back as the spheres exploded shortly after the cut processed through the space.
"Huh, why should you have all the fun?" Orga challenged playfully. He reached out ahead to direct a command of his own. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Rufus chuckled. "I quite agree...Absol, use Slash!"
"Right!" Both Pokémon sprung into action with their respective commands.
Pikachu's entire body surged in electricity that crackled to a critical point. When enough electricity was charged up, intense voltage shot in a straight line towards several spheres gathered, electrocuting the mages inside to where their bodies violently convulsed from sheer pain.
Absol charged across the ground at full speed, the claws on her forelegs glowing bright white and extending by several inches. She gathered momentum and sprung into the air in front of two spheres. She raised her claws and slashed past them in blazing bright trails. The gashes tore through the spatial bubbles and made the men gag from pain as their attacker landed gracefully behind him.
"A-aw crap! We didn't expect this!" A mage turned around to vacate the premise, but he was stopped by the appearance of a Duskull. His red eyes gazed through the two eye sockets, making the mage uncomfortable on the spot. "U-uh..."
Duskull lifted his arms, wailing at the poor mage. "Boooo~!" He chimed in exaggeration as he expelled a dark illusion of himself with glowing eyes, via Astonish. The mage was struck by the horrific illusion, buffering him and making him stammer backwards into Rogue, who did a simple chop to the back of his head. He watched as the mage fell forward unconscious with a cringed look on his face.
Duskull lifted closer to Rogue, both looking down at the defeated mage, then towards each other.
"Ooooh~, he shouldn't have gotten out of be~d this morning~!" Duskull wailed.
Rogue shook his head. "You're honestly trying too hard."
"Go get'em, Rogue! You and Duskull, yeah!" Frosch cheered.
"Then let's have in on the fun too, Mantine! Go, go!" Sorano directed her Mantine, who sailed over her head and glided towards multiple mages with a compressed sphere of water charged up. She fired the Water Pulse in a blitz and bored into its respective targets. An explosion of water engulfed them, pushing them all onto their backs.
"Bull's eye!"
Nearby, mages were closing in on Meredy, quickly surrounding her proximity. With a sharp pivot, the pink-haired woman twisted her body, creating a wave that her energy swords followed and struck down the mages.
'There's way more than last time. Why are there so many mages out here?' Meredy saw a guy racing after her with a metal gauntlet for a spell and sprung away. She slid across the ground with her thought process still ringing. 'They must have caught more mages and increased their scouting numbers. But if they were all caught by Pokémon, then where are they? They can't be independent.'
As she gathered her bearing, she reached her arm out ahead of her. "Jigglypuff, Disarming Voice!"
"Okay!" Jigglypuff's light body inhaled and inflated, putting her steadily atop of Meredy. With many mages around her already off guard, they taken back yet again when they saw the inflated balloon inhale once more.
Jigglypuff thus exhaled, expelling a wild cry that had a harmonious chime to it. Bright pink hearts expelled at an expanded rate, swallowing all the surrounding mages inside their wake and kept them at bay. This allowed Meredy plenty of time to ready more energy swords.
"Maguilty Sodom!"
The energy swords fired ahead in rapid instantaneous fashion. They rushed past the hampered mages and sliced past them at high speeds. The attacks were made superficial however, to keep them from bleeding out too much as they all collapsed in pain.
"Damnit! You bitch...!" A mage raced up from behind, his left fist reeled back in darkness.
Just as Meredy thought she was about to get struck, the mage suddenly froze over in midair. The look of desperation and anger on his face was painted clear even as his entire sculpture collapsed. She looked over towards her right with shock, seeing her savior brimming with white hair.
"Lyon!"
The ace of Lamia Scale grinned brightly. "Are you hurt, sweet Meredy?"
Meredy grinned. "No, I'm just fine. Thanks."
"That's good. Now then..." Lyon's sentence trailed off as he turned back towards the mages before him. He swiped his arm, giving his Cubchoo the signal to unleash an ice-cold wind with dense sparkles, via Icy Wind. All the mages were so cold as frost slowed them down, allowing time for Lyon to bring his arms together and gather ice.
"If you are dare to come between me and those whom I love...then you shall know the meaning of being frozen in fear! Ice-Make: Eagles!" Lyon raised his arms, firing swift projectiles of eagles made of ice The large flock shot into the mages and struck them head-on. All of them fell one after another around him.
"Damn you!" The mage with iron katana brought his weapon up...but for the entire blade to be sliced clean off its hilt. His eyes widened in shock. "What the-?!"
Before he had any time to blink, Kagura was at his waist, knees bent with her Archenemy sheathed. In speeds that the human eye could barely track, she passed the mage, leaving a slash trail in her wake. In mere seconds that followed, he collapsed to his stomach.
"Child's play." She scoffed. She glanced over beside her. "Pawniard, use Metal Claw!"
"As you wish." Nearby, her Pawniard lowered her head as she glared daggers at the enemy. Her claws, which were literal daggers, crossed and were held up close to her face as she forcibly made them metallic gray energy blades. She aimed for the nearest person, and with a sudden push of her heels, she darted for the mage.
"You won't get away with this!" The mage created a bright purple magic seal and held it out in front of her. Small baseball-sized vermilion balls of wisps shot at Pawniard with bright blue tailflames.
Pawniard raced into the flames readily, her eyes having a faint glint in them. She twisted her entire frame and past the weak flames, cutting them all down and dispersing their embers. She followed through and sprung forward, slashing in an X-shape into the mage's face. She cried out as she backpedaled on agony.
Close by, Yukino directed her arm at the mage. "Quick Minior, use Swift!"
Her Minior floated above her head, rotating its entire body like a star. From its center, golden, sparkling stars shot in endless numerical fashion over Pawniard's head. The barrage of glittering stars met their mark on her, as well as the surrounding other mages in explosive contact.
Pawniard looked back to see her aid for herself. Minior looked down at her with a blank, stone-faced expression – literally stone-faced. Pawniard seemed indifferent at first glance, but when she held up a claw, it twinkled in the sunlight similar to a salute.
Kagura sneered. "It's good to see you holding up your debt to me, Yukino."
"Uh, thanks...but could we not discuss that right now?" Yukino sheepishly insisted. It was embarrassing enough that she had to be reminded of her life being in Kagura's hands after that battle in the Grand Magic Games. However, that wasn't her biggest issue. 'If my sister caught wind of this, who knows what she would do.'
However, Kagura snickered it off. "It's fine." She glanced around. "Their numbers are thinning fast. Don't let any of them get away!"
Yukino was quick to gather her bearings. "Right!"
"Coming through!" Bacchus did a harsh palm strike infused with magic, knocking down mages in his way. Even as he fought, a sickly, wild grin was plastered on his face. "Let's get wild!"
True to form, with their numbers falling so rapidly, many of the mages were starting to slowly pace towards the outskirts of the skirmish. Their numbers of hundreds were drastically reduced, much to their disbelief and chagrin. Though, just as they thought they could get the slip, a certain feline woman stood in their way.
"You're all not going anywhere! Nekosoku Tube!" A pink magic seal appeared, shooting out orange tubed that stretched far outwards. They quickly laced and constricted them in various fashions, being around their waists or a limb. Either way, they found themselves all bound by the elastic Binding Magic.
Millianna had them all restrained with a Chestier smirk across her lips. "Looks like you've all been naughty kitties. Somebody's gotta make you that you don't go anywhere!"
"Millianna, watch your back!" Kagura warned.
"Huh?" Millianna barely caught wind of the warning. She was too slow to react in time when mages were mere feet behind her, each containing an assortment of sharp weaponry or a physical spell ready; one in particular being a molten rock fist.
"Millianna-!"
In a high-speed blitz, a golden comet shot into the mages. They all struck down like bowling pins faster than what Millianna could have reacted to. "What...?"
When the mages all slammed into the ground, they were left in a daze. With them sprawled along the ground, a rush of dark galaxies shot out of nowhere and met their marks on each individual person. The instant they made contact, they all cringed before collapsing to the ground.
"Millianna, are you alright?" A male voice asked.
Millianna looked over, her eyes glazing at her savior. "J-Jellal...?" She was at a loss for words. She then heard another set of footsteps beside her and saw Bellona stepping forward. "You...!"
The two mages paid no heed to their ally's shock. Rather than digress time and energy trying to reason with her reluctance, they saw the few scattered mages surroundings them. They glanced at each other knowingly at what to do.
"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"
"Servine, Leaf Tornado!"
Both Pokémon respectively nodded at the commands given. Springing from the underbrush surrounding the mages, the two made themselves apparent as they sprung above their heads. They both glared down to find the straggling mages stunned as well as confused.
Lucario brought his hands together as he manifested a dark blue hemisphere of pure aura. Servine spiraled in midair, gathering momentum and making green whirlwinds gather around her tail. They both turned in opposite directions and fired their respective attacks at high speed. A blue explosion enveloped several mages close by, knocking them off their feet. Whereas Servine's Leaf Tornado spiraled multiple mages off the ground for a few seconds in pain.
When the eruptions from their attacks finally subsided, both landed gracefully in front of their trainers and watched with neutrality as the mages dropped like flies with devoid color from their irises.
Lucario inhaled through his nose, before breathing deeply out his mouth. He opened his eyes again and glared ahead with an astute look. Suddenly, he whipped around, his paw reaching out towards Jellal with another Aura Sphere charged up.
Millianna gasped. "Wait, what are you-?!"
Before she could finish, Lucario's attack had already projected off his palm towards Jellal's direction. He stood completely still, retaining all manner of calm as the sphere brushed past the left side of his face and into a mage that was spared from the entire wake. The impact created a burst of dark blue energy that instantly grounded him.
"You should be wiser to know..." Lucario started, pulling Millianna from shock. "We all have our misgivings of others, but I intend to look after my allies with my life. That is my priority."
"Can you be anymore cool?" Servine teased mockingly. She smirked when she saw the small leer from the corner of Lucario's eye.
"Certainly takes after a certain someone who tries to act all cool." Bellona teased, her own eyes focused on Jellal.
Jellal wanted to say something, but all he could muster was a small, bashful cough.
"Save your flirting for elsewhere, you two." Laxus scolded. He turned ahead, his glare fixed on the numerous mages recklessly charging all at once. He subconsciously balled a fist crackling in dense static. He couldn't help but muster a small grin.
'Been a while since I've been able to cut loose. Being a Guild Master tears you away from the field longer than you'd think. Hope I'm not too rusty!'
The static in his fist accelerated until it reached maximum voltage. With a wild grunt, Laxus rammed his fist into the ground with all his might. The ground exploded, sending debris and dense, roaring lightning across the vicinity. The shockwaves from the immense discharge blinded everyone who was close by, keeping them from getting a good view; though they did see shadows of earth flying over their heads.
Using his forearm as a shield, Jura smirked with pride. "Looks to me that Makarov's grandson hasn't lost any footing."
The mages too close went soaring overhead helplessly. In the blink of an eye, the dozens that were barely left were scraped away from sight as the discharge dissipated. All that was left was fissured and uneven earth beneath Laxus. Yellow crackling static jolted around him as he kept smirking.
"Let's rock, babies!" Bickslow reached his arm out to guide his multiple dolls. His Shuppet popped out from behind as well and got above her trainer. She opened her mouth, expelling red, sheering soundwaves via Screech directly at a vast number in front of her. With all of them preoccupied with covering their ears, the dolls beelined and tackled them down.
Even with the number advantage on them, the enemy mages had a grave oversight. It wasn't that they weren't strong enough by any means; the revelation didn't dawn upon them even as they were beaten into the ground by either a coalition member or their Pokémon, but their coordination, experience, and overall plan was a total flop.
What turned into an ambush became a one-sided pandemic. A magic catastrophe that resulted in bodies dropping from sheer pain.
As the one-sided scuffle was going on, the underbrush several meters away lightly shook. Something dim shimmered in between the shrubs. A scout. With it being so dark inside the seclusion of the underbrush, light permeated through the thin foliage to give the shrubs highlights...though inside it was the exact opposite of what the scout wanted.
"Tch! Why'd my Ability have to be Illuminate..." Inside the shrubs, a Watchog scoffed angrily. He looked ahead with his intense eyesight to watch the carnage unfold. 'If my Ability were Keen Eye, I wouldn't have this trouble, would I? Of all the 'mons they could have sent to scout ahead...'
Another explosion sent shockwaves through the forest. Debris from the earth and bark from trees flew in his direction, scattering all around him. The Watchog did his best not to budge until the shockwaves diminished. Even after, he looked scared.
'Those human mages...they're all so strong. None of our humans are anywhere near their level. This is bad. I need to report this back to the others!'
Slowly, he pulled himself away from his position and turned tail towards the nearest tree. He knew he had to get somewhere stable at the very least, unless they used something like an Air Cutter to shred bushes' he was better off safe than sorry. He reached into the satchel he had hanging on his right side and pulled out a Communication Lacrima.
"Hey, is anyone there? We've got a real situation out here!"
On the other end of the line, there was a small screen of static before the miniscule image of a Jumpluff appeared. "Yes, what's the situation?" she asked in a feminine voice.
"We've got a huge problem! Our humans that we have outside the perimeter scouted an airship, but when it came down, we thought we'd storm it..." He looked back, visible worry on his face as another explosion blossomed in the distance. "It's not looking good."
"Okay, hang on! I'll make a report and request reinforcements for you imme-!"
Before the Jumpluff could finish her sentence, a sudden blast of pressurized air shot out of nowhere. Shards of the glass quickly scattered everywhere, and Watchog only cringed as he veered his head away to avoid shrapnel damaging his large eyes. When he looked back, he gasped in shock when he found his only means of communication becoming annulled.
"Shutting down enemy communication, complete."
Watchog gasped for the umpteenth time. He turned his head towards the direction of the cold voice and found a white-haired human standing in midair, his heels having two bright blue magic seals to keep him afloat. He also had a magic staff extended out aimed at him. "A-a human!?"
Shiin shot the Watchog a glare. "While observing the coalition members fighting, I couldn't help but notice a small light emanating from this area." He gradually drifted back towards the ground, deactivating his Air Magic. "I thought it would be imperative for a human to always direct and accompany their Pokmon to battle. From my observations, that's general knowledge...and yet your kind has them clustered in large numbers with no direction. So I ask you this, where are the rest of your kind hiding?"
Watchog grunted. He reached back to pull out a Human Cube, but realized all six slots were empty. 'Crap! All of them are out there fighting! Of all the times to get caught like this without a spare cube!'
Noticing he wasn't getting any answers, Shiin frowned heavily. "I believe that I asked you a question."
Watchog backpedaled, unwilling to abode by Shiin's questions. "You can't catch me!" He turned and darted away from the scene, scurrying for the nearest shrubs available to make his getaway.
Shiin sighed out his nose. He closed his eyes and concentrated his Magic Power. Rather than waste his breath demanding he'd stop, he instead requipped his Grimoire. As if by a force of nature, the book opened by itself and began flipping pages to a specific spell. With only a brief glance at the pages, Shiin glared ahead at Watchog, his back in the glossy light refractions in his eyes. With a heavy grunt, he held out his magic staff, with the tip glowing brightly with a bright blue magic seal.
"Jury Seal!"
'Just a...little more...!' Watchog drew closer towards the nearest cover – mere inches from a getaway...until he pounced and faceplanted into a bright blue energy wall. "Gah!" He recoiled so hard he fell on his back. "Ow...wait...what!?"
Surrounding Watchog was a medium-size, bright blue magic seal at his feet. It had a particular design that resonated with Shiin's Truth Magic insignia, spinning counterclockwise while a translucent veil of bright blue energy surrounded the edging of the spell.
"I understand you Pokmon have a fancy for battle, yet you choose to act human and cower. Deploring." Shiin scoffed.
Watchog grunted. He didn't have time for any of this. He turned towards the wall and opened his mouth, his huge teeth glowing and extending, via Crunch. He snapped down against the invisible wall, but his attack didn't even cause a dent. Instead, it made him recoil a few paces back into his imprisonment.
"It's no use." Shiin added. "This is more than just an entrapment spell. For you see, the only way to free yourself is by telling the truth. Only by answering my question shall your boundaries be lifted."
Watchog looked deterred by the human. It was as though he was trying to deny it. "You can't do this to..." He balled his fists angrily. "What happens if I choose not to?"
Shiin remained stalwart. "I don't think that you are in any position to ask such pointless questions." He stepped closer towards the wall. "Is it not obvious? You shall answer truthfully of what you know, or perhaps you'd like to be confined there...just like how your kind liked being confined to your capsules."
Watchog looked offended. What Shiin said made him scoff angrily. "You don't know me, human! Your kind is the worst! I snapped my capsule the first chance I got! What makes you think that I'd ever go back to being someone's tool?!"
"Who's to say? But if this is your attempt to stall, it won't work." Shiin glared at him straight in the eye. "Now then, where are all your colleagues? If you have the humans held in your grasp, your kind should be close by, right?"
"...I...I..." Watchog hesitated. He just wanted to get out of here, but he didn't have anything with him other than his Communication Lacrima. He hesitated to answer. "...i-it was just me out here. Nobody else came out here."
"I see, so am I to assume that you're all commanding them from a distance?"
"...y-yes...you can say that."
Shiin's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me where your operation is held. Where are the rest of you?"
Watchog scrunched his face, hesitating to answer yet again. "I...I can't tell you that! If I do, I'll be in huge trouble!"
Shiin's eyes glowed bright blue, his Magic Power growing to where just looking at him was making Watchog second-guess his actions. "I will not ask a second time. Now...where are the Pokémon hiding?"
The tension arose in the air between the two. Shiin's patience was starting to thin out, despite the stalwart and collective glare he gave his captive. On the other hand, scowled annoyingly with fists balled tightly.
"You humans gravely underestimate us Pokémon. That's why you don't deserve to govern us..." The scared, depraved look Watchog had a second ago was replaced by a sinister snarl. "We don't owe you anything, and here's why! Confuse Ray!"
Before Shiin could react promptly, Watchog's body illuminated for a split-second, causing the human to be blinded. A sinister array of orbs traversed at high rotation speeds into Shiin and expanded just as he looked back. Everything before him flashed brightly before the light diffused around him.
"GAH!" Shiin scowled as the ray blindsided him. He felt his head getting light, as well as his vision heavily blurring. 'No...I can't make out my surroundings. And my thought process...it's starting to...col...collapse...'
Even when he realized it, it was still too late for him. He swayed left and right where he stood. He dizzily looked ahead while unaware nor able to make out coherent sounds or sceneries around him. He was so out of focus that the spell entrapping Watchog faded away. Watchog dropped to his feet with a sneer.
"There, that's more like it. You said that by saying the truth that will lift the spell, right?" he scowled. "Well, what I said was the truth. You humans aren't nearly as crafty as us Pokémon...and now you'll pay the price!"
Shiin was too disillusioned to respond coherently. His disorientation made his aim his staff ahead, barely concentrating his Magic Power to a compressed bullet of air. He fired it, but the aim was far past Watchog's right and dispersed upon hitting a tree.
'I...focus...not...'
With him so disoriented, Watchog took the opportunity to pounce for Shiin with his large teeth glowing again for Crunch. Even if he was partially conscious, all Shiin could do was wobble around mindlessly.
Just as when he was about to gnash Shiin, his side was slammed by a powerful streaking energy blast with bright patterned circles. The impact to his side sent him sailing across the air crying out until he slammed and rolled across the ground.
"H-heeh...?" Though dazed, Shiin made out a blur with bright white wings descending from the canopies. It had antennae, as well as an insectoid shape that even his diffused mind could still make out. 'Tell me this is a dream...!'
Watchog got to a knee and shook his head. When he looked up, he saw an unfamiliar Butterfree fluttering aggressively several feet above the ground.
"Free!" Butterfree chirped.
Watchog's breath hitched. "Another Pokémon? Wait, what's going on here?!"
Butterfree turned his head and looked at Shiin's dazed state. He looked like he was trying to say something to him, but all that came out of his mouth were inconsistent groans and mumbles. Butterfree harrumphed and glared back at Watchog.
"Free!"
Watchog gnashed his teeth. Before he could act, Butterfree took the initiative as his wings glowed bright blue. He flapped them harshly, expelling a Gust that struck Watchog. The harsh windstorm forced him to cover up, leaving him unable to get an ideal attack in.
"Free!" Butterfree harshly chirped as he careened his head back. Bright blue energy charged up into a singular point above his antennae and he fired them as another Psybeam into Watchog.
This time, however, Watchog was prepared. With the harsh winds diminishing from Butterfree focusing on the Psybeam, he got enough balance to jump into the air, evading the beam. With him at eye level with Butterfree, his fang glowed bright yellow and he sprung for her, via Super Fang. Butterfree, having an aerial advantage, swerved around Watchog as he followed through and dropped towards the ground. He landed on a knee and looked up at Butterfree.
"Free!" Butterfree flapped his wings again, this time releasing a blanket of bright-green spores that showered down on his opponent, via Sleep Powder.
Watchog gasped as the blanket was too large to escape from. He cringed as it engulfed him and quickly scattered into the air. When the spores vanished, the Watchog scout's eyes were heavily drowsy as he wobbled side to side, until he finally collapsed onto his stomach in a deep sleep.
Shiin grunted as his blurry vision gradually faded away. The rest of his senses gradually restored as the confusion settled. "...w-what happened?" He mumbled, clutching his forehead. "That ray...it messed with my mind and senses..."
"Free!" Butterfree fluttered closely to him, chirping happily. \
"What...you again!?" Shiin sounded – and looked – offended. "What's the meaning of this!? Why do you always persist on interfering in my missions!?"
"Free!" Butterfree turned his body away, looking at something. Shiin looked in his direction, and much to much surprise, he saw Watchog sound asleep on his stomach.
'Wait a minute...did this Pokémon subdue that one? Why?' Shiin was confused to say the least – and that was no exaggeration. He barely snapped out of that confusion state to find that he was spared thanks to the aid of Butterfree...again.
However, he was quick to gather his bearings and assess the situation. He kept a straight face as he proceeded closer towards the sleeping scout. 'I let my guard down again. But at least now I have an opening to gather my information. Even though my opponent was not willing, I have more methods than just consciously achieving the truth.'
Once he got to Watchog's side, Shiin stopped and looked down at the sleeping mammal's frame. He squinted and pointed his staff's tip to Watchog's forehead. As he did, his Grimoire subconsciously flipped pages to another spell. The incantations lit up as he channeled Magic Power from his body into the staff.
"Memory Court!"
The Magic Power converged to the top that touched the forehead. A small magic seal appeared where the tip touched as the magic itself was pouring into Watchog's mind. Though still sound asleep, he looked more sedated because of the spell.
'This spell is only appropriate when the target is asleep. Now...show me the truth.' Shiin closed his eyes, readying himself as he focused on the magic seeping through his opponent's psyche.
As Shiin cleared his mind, he started to see something almost instantly. The black space that was Watchog's mind was all but visible, until a flare of white headed right for his way. Or rather, his senses drove right for it. He saw passages of various little things. How Watchog was once a Patrat, how he evolved, and how he was caught by his trainer.
However, even though it wasn't his primary object, he couldn't help but see into some of the memories longer than warranted. But for the sake of the job itself, he observed only partially due to needing an understanding of what was happening.
"C'mon, that the best you got?"
As Watchog collapsed to his knees, his trainer stood behind him, frowning disapprovingly. "Why do I even bother keeping you in my party if all you're good for is cutting down firewood? C'mon! Beat this guy!"
Watchog hesitated, but as he looked up at the opposing wild Zebstrika, the wild Pokémon spoke nothing to him. Instead, he offered a look of pity...but even that wasn't enough to deter him from charging at Watchog with a Stomp.
"Move already!" the trainer angrily shouted.
Before the image could proceed any deeper, Shiin found himself digressing on the matter for too long. He ignored the outcome and resumed the swell of memories that continued to pass him.
"Can't believe that you lost that battle...that's it. I'm calling Professor Juniper. No way we're gonna win the Unova League at this rate, not with you slowing us down."
He made yet another mental note. Unova League? That was new to him, presumably being another matter addressed in the other world. He had to learn more, but circumstances otherwise made that desire far less accommodating. So, despite his chagrin, he brushed the rest of the matters aside, blocking out everything until he saw a very large image ahead. He saw what looked like some broken mountain, with a forest surrounding the entire structure. For some reason, the mountain itself looked uneven to where it looked like it collapsed ages ago.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of searching for the answers that he needed, Shiin's eyes snapped open with a gasp. 'So that's where they are.'
His Truth Magic deactivated, allowing Watchog to resume sleeping soundly. He took a step back and frowned heavily at the Pokémon, offering no means of pity even after what he saw. "Consider yourself lucky that under normal protocols, having you incarcerated would be deemed appropriate. However, I lack the necessary tools and resources to make a just call." He turned away, scowling. "But make no mistake, you as well as those mages have committed a grave crime on accounts of numerous laws and jurisdictions. When this is all over, I'll be sure to report you as well as the records of those who conspired. Those who align themselves with you under terroristic actions are deemed lethal, and shall be treated as such."
He started walking away, but the sound of soft fluttering didn't go unnoticed. "Free!" He turned around, recognizing Butterfree as he seemed chirpy about the matter.
"Make no mistake, I don't owe you anything for your act of service." He turned away. "But...your contributions aren't without thanks, I suppose." With a scoff, he turned and resumed his trek towards the others.
"Free..."
In a matter of minutes, over a hundred mages were stamped out and laid sprawled at the coalition members' feet, either fully unconscious or too tired to continue. The other portion that was turned to stone by Evergreen remained unharmed, but still thoroughly trapped in their lifeless imprisonment.
"Ha! These guys weren't so tough. We didn't have to exhaust much of our magic at all." Orga scoffed, beaming with pride.
Rufus tipped his cap. "Rather underwhelming, but that's partially due to us having more ammunition than our adversaries." He paused. "Still, you'd think they'd put up a little more than a challenge."
Sting looked over an unconscious mage, his hands on his hips as he lightly nudged him with his heel. He was outcold. "Not sure whoever's plan this was, but something tells me they weren't expecting us if they brought all these guys."
"Right..." Druddigon mulled as he scanned the mages himself. Even he wasn't completely satisfied with how little action he had to do, but he'll take what he can get.
"Yeah, well, I say even if they were all stronger, they wouldn't have held a candle to us." Lector boasted, putting his arms behind his head.
"Fro thinks so, too!" Frosch cheered.
"I'm as relieved as you, but I think we may have gone a little overboard." Hibiki pointed out. "We could have at least left one conscious so we could have gotten some information out of them. It isn't very useful with a limp body I'm afraid."
"Aw, don't be such a..." Jenny was about to continue, when she understood the realization. She scoped the battlefield, finding that all of them were thoroughly knocked out. "Oh...whoops."
"Oh dear, looks like we may have gotten excessive a bit." Mirajane cutely smiled.
"Well, can't say they had it coming. That's what they get for trying to blast us out of the sky." Ren casually shrugged. "Still, there's so many out here. What are they all doing out here in the Worth Woodsea you think?"
"That's a good question indeed. If I recall, this area is precisely where many of our fellow mages were taken, correct?" Jura noted as he eyed them discerningly. "If they were all taken to this point, then what's their purpose here?"
Laxus narrowed his eyes. "There's an even better question than that...like where the Pokémon are that are making them attack us?" He looked out ahead of himself to see where the Pokémon could potentially be. However, even with his partially enhanced draconic hearing and sense of smell, he didn't pick up on anything else that he didn't recognize.
"I can't tell at all...hm?" Kinana turned around when she and Seviper heard shuffling from behind. They prepped for a quick counter, but were both let down when they recognized Shiin.
"Wait, where's he been?" Eve asked.
"Did he seriously just duck out on us when we were cleaning house?" Sting frowned, turning towards Shiin with hands to his hips. "The hell have you been?"
Shiin continued walking, seemingly ignoring Sting for a brief moment. He eventually stopped and scoffed lightly at the Guild Master. "Hmph. If you were inquiring as to my whereabouts, you should best conserve your mentality and Magic Power remaining to focus on the task at hand."
"What?" Sting glared, partially offended.
"Geez, talk about rude." Sorano mumbled. "You sure know to throw your weight around, you snotty brat!"
Shiin glanced at Sorano, his piercing gaze challenging her. "I strongly advise for you to adjust your attitude when addressing to me from here on." His warning, while harsh, was genuine. In hindsight, he could detail how he was a vital asset for the sake of the Pergrande Kingdom, but that could jeopardize his position. "At any rate, for your information, I was scouting the perimeter for any Pokémon that may have command over these numbers."
Laxus folded his arms. "And?"
Shiin turned towards him. "Unfortunately, the Pokémon that were 'liberated' as they so eloquently put it were not in our current location. However, there was a scout whom I was able to perceive vital details from."
"A scout, you say?" Laxus raised a brow.
"Affirmative. For the time being, it's predisposed." Shiin closed his eyes. "But let's not digress from the objective at hand. The Pokémon manipulating the humans are hidden away. I was able to discern their precise coordinates if that's your next course of action."
Laxus sighed. "Not like there's much of a choice, is there? Just tell us where."
Shiin turned his entire body, diverting everyone's attention to the direction where he pointed his index finger towards. "Approximately four kilometers northeast. We shall find the enemy's stronghold there. It's most effective for us to venture on foot from this point on."
Jellal nodded. "Idealistic."
Shiin scoffed, choosing not to respond to such a statement and started walking. "Now then, if there are no more interruptions, we must resume our excursion."
He led the way towards the direction that he recalled from Watchog's memories. While the majority of everyone seemed clueless of where to go next, they couldn't deny that Shiin's sense of direction was at least getting them somewhere. This process went through the majority of the party. Despite their appeals and partial skepticism on the unknown ally, they opted to follow his head for the time being.
However, there were some that were still rather vocal about their doubts.
"You sure we can trust this guy? Seems rather sketchy to me." Ren commented.
"Honestly, we're in the same boat as you." Bickslow answered. "We're kinda skeptical ourselves, but it's not like we're gonna get anywhere by sitting around here either way."
Sorano huffed. "Well, you ask me, I think he needs a good kick in the pants if he thinks he can bemuse me like that! Who does he think he is?!"
"Sis, please, keep it down. He might hear you." Yukino fret, trying to quell Sorano's chagrins.
"Yeah, I'm with her on this one. What's the big idea?" Jenny chimed in.
Lyon frowned. "As much as it pains me to say, perhaps it's best that we try and see where this goes. If he is our only resource to follow, I think it's crucial to keep him close."
Though, while he did mean that, it wasn't like he was fully for the idea as well. He was certain that he wasn't the only one who had some measure of plight with Shiin and his straightforward appeal. And as much as he wanted to know more of him and this agenda, but Shiin had a valid point that had to be taken cared of now. He and the others would have to abide to the new flow change for the time being.
"Well, either way you see it, we won't get anywhere if we don't start moving." Laxus pointed out. He turned towards the others. "You heard him, let's hurry before the fodder comes to."
"Men~, with double-time! Let us proceed! Talley-ho!" Ichiya directed feverishly.
Nichiya copied him, pointing in the same direction with a sparkling shine around them. "Yes, to the great beyond! Venture with fortitude with the hearts of gold!"
"Yes, sir!" The Trimens cheered.
The coalition didn't waste anymore time. Whatever reservations they had, they kept to themselves. They chose to take to their heels and head northwest, disappearing in the underbrush of the woods. All while above, Butterfree fluttered over them, watching Shiin lead and darted right ahead.
As they departed, Watchog finally woke up, realizing what happened. His eyes snapped wide open as he looked around for any sign of Shiin, only to find no traces of him. All that he had to ensure that it wasn't a dream were the broken shards of the Communication Lacrima a few meters away.
"Ooooh, I am in so much trouble..."
In another location, the area was the exact opposite of a lush forest. It was a dark, decrepit space, with stone floors with metal alloy in the form of metal conduction cubes flowing through the ground and walls. It looked much like a network that connected to something that was cast in the shadows of a creature standing before it.
Said creature stood in the darkness of the partially mechanized enclosure with his back facing the rest of the domain. He had yellow fur all over his body, with black zigzags all over reminiscent of dark lightning bolts. He had long, thin arms yet large hands with claws. Two antennae stuck out at the top of his head that crackled static every now and again, storing electricity. However, unlike other species of Pokémon, he was actually sporting some manner of clothing. Metal conduction plates made up the gauntlets that embedded around his thin forearms, with a leather strap guards around the palms to secure its position. An open, sleeveless, red tattered vest with a yellow flashy lightning bolt on the back surrounded by thick black lining. He sported a plastic silver chain around his neck attached to a small purple gem. His underside, however, remained exposed. The only type of wardrobe to accommodate him otherwise were the dark cuffs around his ankles.
"Sir Rai!"
As his tail swung left and right to count the time that passed by, the intrusion of a voice made it freeze in place. The human-like creature slowly turned his head to find a Jumpluff floating towards him feverishly. She only stopped about a few meters away.
"What is it? Can't you see that I'm resting here?" he snapped back cordially. Small fractures of static crackled between his antennae as a warning.
"Eep!" Jumpluff jumped, but she persisted nervously. "Um, y-yes...about that...t-there's been a security problem reported."
If there were any better lighting, Jumpluff would have seen a raised brow directed at her. "Eh? A security problem you say?"
Jumpluff cleared her throat before resuming. "Y-yes. One of our scouts seem to have come across a strong band of humans. Our numerous forces just outside the border were all, well...how should I put this...?"
"Spit it out already..." he snarled.
"Y-yes! Well, you see...they were all defeated." She noticed that Rai remained stiff. Hoping to not get yelled at, she hasted for concluding the report. "Before I could get an answer for the reinforcements, communications were cut off. Sir Rai...what do you insist that we do?"
Rai sneered. "Doesn't matter...they'll be ours yet. Let them come!"
Jumpluff cringed, taken back by the bold announcement. "A-are you certain of that? But what if they find out about our intervention? Our superiors won't be pleased at all unless we reign them in while we still have the stealth advantage."
A sinister grin crossed his face as static charged around his body. "I would love to see those humans try."
The more he cackled, the more his body crackled static. The light brimming from his static made the surroundings around him partially more visible to Jumpluff. She glanced above Rai to see a massive machine with a core, which shimmered ever so faintly with a bright pink hue at its center. In a way, it was like an eye that glared down at them. The more static that came off Rai, the brighter it shined.
...almost like a beacon.
The moment Lucy came to, she felt her body aching. "Uuugh...my head...is the ride over yet...?"
Even though she wasn't a Dragon Slayer, she now knew what having motion was like. Her stomach did backflips as she felt soft grains of sand stick to the side of her face. Her eyes shot open as she realized she had regained conscience.
When she sat up and observed her surroundings, she noticed that she was no longer on the ship. Instead, she found herself on wet sand that was mere feet away from the ocean waves pushing in and pulling out every so often in rhythm. The ship itself was upright and embedded deep into the shoreline just on her right. Scattered around her were her other guildmates, all of whom were equally as disoriented from the landing. It was a miracle alone that no one was severely hurt...if Lucy's churning stomach didn't count.
"Lucy!" Klefki chirped beside her, giving her deep concerning eyes.
"Klefki! Are you okay?" Lucy quipped urgently. She was about to get up out of urgency, but her body reeled from shock.
Klefki moved closer to comfort her. "Take it easy, Lucy. We were pushed by a really big wave after we both almost..." She trailed off, not wanting to bring up how she and Lucy almost met their cold, breathless ends by the Frillish. She shook her head and pushed through the matter. "But, the important thing is we're all okay...I think?"
"You think?"
Low groans were heard from the others as they started coming around. Both the mages and their Pokémon gradually found their sense of balance after such a bumpy ride and stood back up.
Amongst the first to regain her clarity, Cana put a hand to her throbbing head. "Ugh, man...I haven't felt this wasted since last weekend." She groaned.
"I hate to break this to you, but for once, your headache wasn't caused by a hangover." Liepard clarified, shaking her body to wring any excess rainwater and sand deposits that ended up in her coat.
"Boss-Ma'am, are you alright?!" Wartortle tended to Juvia. Vaporeon and Azumarill were gathered around their trainer as well to check on her physical condition.
Gradually, Juvia managed to leverage herself off the wet sand and look at her Pokémon. "Wartortle...?" she groaned. "I'm okay...!" She gasped suddenly, before whipping her head in the opposite direction. "Gray!" She rushed past Azumarill and Vaporeon and dropped to a knee to aid Gray. "Gray, are you hurt?"
Gray pushed himself up and glanced over. "Juvia? Yeah, don't worry, I'm fine."
It was like a led weight fell off her chest. "Thank goodness. I worried that you were unconscious and that I had to perform CPR."
Gray blinked twice, looking moderately surprised, if not a little disturbed. Though he knew her real intentions. "Thanks for the offer, but do you even know CPR?"
"Maybe~?" She sheepishly giggled.
"Hey you lovebirds, hate to bring you down from the clouds, but you gonna make my feathers fall off." A snarky tone cawed from over their heads. They both looked up, seeing Honchkrow hover above and glide down in a spiral over towards Duncan. Said trainer supported himself with his Elfen Forja as a crutch until he was back on his feet.
Duncan spared only a glance at his Honchkrow before scoffing. He reached into his pockets, pulling out a Sitrus Berry and casually tossed it over his shoulder. "Here."
Honchkrow didn't waste a movements upon seeing the reward head his way. He caught it in his beak and immediately began nibbling away feverishly.
"I'll feed you after this mess is over. Return." Holding up his Poke Ball, he fired a red laser that made contact with Honchkrow and shrunk him back into the capsule for an ideal rest. With that matter settled, he looked around to scope the sandy shorelines of the beach. "Looks like we've finally reached shores."
"Yeah, so it would seem." Mest scanned the area as well, but his attention was more focused on the group at hand. He saw that despite their dizzy spells, the humans and Pokémon alike were soon back on their feet. "Seems like everyone made it out in one piece...somehow."
He heard the sounds of banging from close by. When he turned his head, he saw his Kirlia on his hands and knees, banging his head against the wet sand repeatedly. 'He must be sick too if he's giving himself a migraine that bad.'
A shadow glided overhead, bringing up the majority of everyone's attention. They looked up and saw Staraptor descend gradually towards the beach, with Junior on her back. As soon as they touched the soft sands, Staraptor sat Junior down. She turned to scan everyone around her.
"Is everyone alright?" she started.
"Yeah...somehow." Gray responded, finally managing to get back to his feet. Around him, Snover, Bergmite, and Snorunt were able to shake the sand off their bodies and relax. "Well, guess could have gone better..."
Duncan scoffed. "You're one to worry. You'd think you would actually put that worry to use when it was needed the most. What did you do again?"
The majority of everyone around him turned and gave him looks mixed with both shock and disapproval. His statement, while it had its merits, was completely out of the blue. It was uncalled for, much to their chagrin. Staraptor visibly frowned, knowing where this was coming from. And if she was honest, while it did mildly sting like poison, she knew his criticism was justified.
"Duncan, hey! That wasn't very nice! I'm sure she had her reasons for doing so!" Lucy chided.
Duncan sneered lowly, adjusting his cap to shield his eyes from the other. "Am I wrong? Ask yourselves that. We already had enough handicaps onboard. The least she could have done was use her Double team to disorient them and buy us time."
"But still, that's-!"
Lucy's defense was interrupted by Cana sighing. She looked crestfallen, if not annoyed. "Really pains me to say this, but ole baton boy over there isn't wrong."
Lucy's shock surmounted. "You too, Cana!?"
"I hate to say it, too, but I think all the help we could get would have been appreciated." Sophie started, using her nails to comb out her long, blonde hair. The rain had really done a number on her nail polish to where her fingernails only had faded blotches. Though she wasn't a fashion freak like Joey, she'd be a liar if she said she wasn't annoyed.
"Sophie!" Lucy quipped. She turned to the only person who may be able to put up a defense to the argument. "Vanessa, c'mon! Say something, girl!"
Vanessa's lips parted as she readied to intervene. However, her alibi was circumfixed to a halt when Staraptor held out a wing to stop the motion. She had a serious look of pride and dishonor. "It's alright...I understand. I appreciate you speaking on my behalf, but it's unnecessary." She turned towards Duncan. "You were right. At the very least, I could have applied support. I was insufficient at the time being. I'll be certain that I won't be a hinderance in the future."
Duncan shot Staraptor a side glare before shrugging. He didn't say anything, but he knew better than to scold onwards towards a respectable Pokémon belonging to Nic.
Staraptor took the notion in stride and heard another soft coo. She turned her attention over towards Junior, who was dragging himself across the dry sand with a bright smile on his face. When he hopped and looked back at the very thin trail he left, he giggled and clapped his puffy hands. The sight alone would have been enough to reassure that Staraptor's recourse wasn't putting her in the wrong. However, that sentiment did not hold any support like it did before.
'At least that's what I hope.' She grimly thought. For her sake, she hoped that was the case.
Elfman turned around, facing the vast ocean that had dark stormclouds all around the perimeter. "Did we seriously get through all that?" he sounded surprised.
"Yeah, hard to believe that just one Pokémon was able to cause all that commotion." Gray added. Now that he had a little time to think, a thought came to mind. "Hold on, I thought that only those Legendary Pokémon were able to control the weather. Like the ones that Nic became before."
"Are you talking about Kyogre and Groudon?" Vanessa clarified.
"Yeah, those guys." Gray put his hands to his hips. "I'll be honest, I didn't think much about it before, but now it's starting to get to me...these guys, being able to control the weather, reshape lands, all these entries they have in the PokeDex...now I get why some people are rather anxious around these things."
"Um, Gray...?" Juvia murmured.
Gray turned towards her. "What is it?"
"Not that I don't blame you, but..."
Gray raised a brow. When he saw her index finger pointing beside him. When he turned, he realized that she was pointing towards Snover and his other Pokémon. He immediately read between the lines and clarified. "Huh? Oh, sorry. Not you guys."
"It's okay." Snover shrugged.
"No blame. Understandable. Body made of ice." Bergmite noted.
Lucy sighed heavily, scratching her head tiredly. "Well, the important thing is that we're all here. Guess as long as we can all still walk..."
"Hmph, I don't believe that I ever got a 'thank you' for that little push I gave you."
Lucy nearly jumped to her heels. She pivoted and turned towards the sea. Floating several meters away over the water, Aquarius held her urn with a sassy disposition. "Aquarius!" Lucy gasped.
Aquarius lifted her chin, her usual scowl casting upon the gathered. "Well, it's as you said, as long as you still walk, I guess that's the important thing."
Lucy ignored the half-hearted sentiment, instead stumbling a few feet closer towards the water's edge. She offered nothing short of a bright smile for her friend. "Aquarius...thank you so much."
Despite her attitude before, she sighed it off. "Don't mention it. I was just doing my part. And besides..." She turned her attention towards the others, particularly Sophie. "We Spirits still have a deep debt to pay for what you've done for us."
While the sentiment seemed rather ambiguous, Cana knew well what she was referring to. She saw how the mermaid was staring intently at Sophie, who seemed a little confused by the gesture. Though she knew better than to say anything about the matter. It was all in the past.
"Still, thanks to you, we were able to get out of the scrap." Lucy commented, keeping the conversation from getting sidetracked.
Aquarius hummed and shifted her gaze back at her, a grin forming on her face. "Yeah, well, you keep gushing me up like that, you'll never learn to grow up." She lowered her chin. "Still, I have to say...you're doing quite well for yourself, Lucy."
"Aquarius..." Lucy was touched by the sentiment. She would have started getting misty in the eyes had it not been for the seawater already leaving her partially parched.
"But..."
Lucy felt an uneasy chill run up her spine when Aquarius leaned in, giving her a cold glare. She pointed directly at her ample chest and pressed deeply. "You're still a reckless brat who doesn't know a thing about grace! The next time you think about summoning me, you better have some shred of dignity. Otherwise, you're in for it!"
"C-crystal! Yeah..." Lucy quipped.
Aquarius sneered in her face and finally pulled away. Her mood changed again to a small grin. She seemed satisfied regardless.
"Well, glad this business was taken care of. Now if you excuse me, Scorpio and I have a little 'date' to get to. Later." With that, her body glowed gold before disappearing back to the Celestial World.
"Well...is it me, or did she seem a little more chill than before?" Gray pondered aloud.
"Well it ain't you pal, I can tell you that." Cana laughed.
Mest sighed heavily. "Well, we're here now, so now all we...wait...where's Joey?"
The sentiment was caught on by everyone else. When they looked around, they had found the Captain of The Freaks unaccounted for.
"And Dereece as well!" Sophie gasped.
"Did somebody call~!" A voice chimed from the waves.
Everyone turned towards the ocean. The high-pitched chime of a male voice was followed by the heinous growl of a large creature. The identity of such lifeforms became visible the closer they came to shore. They all witnessed Joey riding atop Gyarados' head as the latter mowed through the waves until he slunk inland.
Taking up the rear, Dereece was sauntering across the waves, his magic making his feet flow over the water and nothing more. He didn't have to exhaust any unnecessary Magic Power to jog through the air when he was already exhausted. In fact, he looked particularly slumped as the waves pushed him onto the wet sand, where he took a few paces forward before falling forward with a heavy groan. His Yanma was quick to keep up and found a suitable spot to land...which of course was atop his head.
Joey catapulted and flipped off Gyarados' head onto the sand. He struck a one-legged stand with the other kicked up behind him with arms up in glory. "Your MVP has arrived, people!" he cheered with a prideful smirk.
Vanessa smirked, a meek chuckle escaping her. "Never misses an opportunity to present himself, does he?"
"Sure doesn't." Sophie winked, giggling. She turned towards Duncan, expecting some form of a reaction. Although, he didn't seem nearly as invested as the others were. One could say he lagged in caring overall.
"Geez, can he be any more modest?" Gray spoke such words, but he was still smirking amusingly.
"And what the hell is an 'MVP'? Don't tell me that's another PokeEarth thing." Elfman grimaced confusedly.
Joey stretched his arms overhead and stretched his lower back. He then turned around and pulled out Gyarados' Poke Ball. "Alright, great work out there, Gyarados. You deserve a good rest. Return!"
Gyarados snarled aggressively. "Fine!" With a strong tone to such a simple statement, the laser made impact with his body and shrank him back into his Poke Ball.
Joey turned towards the island, his arms folded as he scanned the beach. "Well, looks like we made it just like Nic-senpai said. Hm?" He heard the small groans from beside him and looked down, seeing Dereece laying on the sand like he had gone through a hurricane – technically, he did. "Uh, Dereece...you good buddy?"
"Yeah...gimme a few..." he muffled, raising his hand weakly before it dropped to the sand. Yanma continued to be perched on his head, seemingly resting herself as well after that dreadful encounter.
"He looks pretty beat..." Prinplup noted lowly.
Cana folded her arms. "Well, what'd you expect? If I ended up facing some serpent dragon that controls the weather and tried to knock me out of the sky multiple times, I'd probably be sacked out, too." She snickered. "Add in some liquor and I call that a well-deserved respite, I'll say!"
Mest turned away, sighing as he scratched the top of his head. He was starting to get a headache of his own. 'Now I'm starting to understand why Kirlia keeps giving himself concussions banging his head regularly.' "Are we missing anybody else?"
"Right here!" another voice chimed from the ship. Happy emerged from the ship, carrying with him a completely pale Natsu. Behind him, Carla and Pantherlily exited the ships, supporting their Dragon Slayer partners.
Following behind them were their Pokémon, whom all seemed just as dizzy and sick as anybody else. Darumaka was wobbling about like he was ready to fall over. It was only thanks to him being able to fold his limbs and become a doll that he wasn't nearly as seasick as his companions.
"Ugh...now I know why Natsu hates transportation so much..." Charmeleon lurched, holding back the urge to gag. 'I'm so glad I didn't eat before the trip after all.'
"My head's still ringing..." Aron groaned, both him and Shieldon shaking their heads to rid of their headaches.
"I-I feel woozy still..." Amaura admitted, stumbling off to the side. "I-is Wendy okay?"
Carla – in her Exceed Form – gently sat Wendy down in the sand right beside Gajeel and Natsu. She overlooked Wendy to find that while she wasn't bodily harmed, she was completely pale. Her skin was borderline white as it looked like the life was drained from her. "The poor thing..."
"They aren't looking so good." Elfman stated aloud.
"After a hell of a ride like that, I wouldn't imagine they'd be up anytime soon." Gray noted. Even he couldn't blame them this time for feeling so sick.
Vanessa put a hand to her chin. "Well it's not like it's sensible to leave them here. Plus, there's no telling if that Dragonair will find us out here." She turned towards the others. "I don't suppose anyone has smelling salt, or have a Pokémon that knows Aromatherapy, right?"
Everyone and their Pokémon shook their heads.
"I have an idea." Joey imposed, stepping forward. "It's gonna be a little disturbing, but I'm pretty sure it'll get'em back up to their feet in no time."
Duncan raised a brow. "Is that so?"
Joey walked up to the pale and deflated Dragon Slayers. He pulled out a Poke Ball and tossed it overhead. The energy expelled onto the ground in front of him, transforming into his Trubbish. The little trash bag sauntered around until she found herself positioned in front of their heads.
Mest smelled the air, immediately telling that it stank. 'Geez, did he have to bring out his Trubbish at a time like this?' He blinked as he figured something out. 'Hold on, is he gonna...'
Dereece's eyes widened, realizing what Joey was intending. "Captain Joey, I don't think that's-!"
"Rise and shine, Dragon Slayers!" Joey yelled.
Trubbish inhaled deeply, her belly slightly expanding. The chemicals inside her stomach acid started gurgling thanks to the added oxygen. The moment she exhaled, a long, smelly, intoxicating burp whiffed through the area. Everyone who was conscious – or at the very least perceived a sense of smell – plugged their noses and cringed at the foul smell.
However, the direction of the burp was intended for the three sick Dragon Slayers. As soon as the stench reached their nostrils, their nose wrinkled as their eyes shot wide open. Their bodies instinctively reacted to the smell, coupled with their motion sickness, and they rushed past everyone towards a secluded spot behind some rocks.
"G-guys? You all okay...?" Lucy called out.
The answer to her question came in the form of gags and the sound of expectoration from afar. They didn't have to guess what was happening. They knew.
"Well...suppose that's one way to wake somebody up." Carla sighed with a plugged mouth. "Bleh! Seriously, Joey! What did you feed your Trubbish?!"
"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Dereece grimaced, unfazed by the smell. He and Yanma have been around Trubbish long enough to be used to her Ability...though that didn't mean they didn't like it.
Finally after taken liberties emptying their stomachs, Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy trudged their way back towards the others. Their faces looked pale, but they seemed better if their stumbling meant anything. Natsu was the first to vocalize his discomfort.
"Ugh...I don't think I've ever smelled anything that bad in my life." He lurched. "I think I'm gonna be sick again..."
"Hey pal, how ya feeling?" Happy asked softly.
"Like my guts were turned to mush. I swear, I'm never getting on another ship for as long as I live!" he spatted.
"Yeah, same here. Think I'll just stick to swimming instead." Gajeel agreed.
"But I thought iron sinks. You sure you can risk that?" Pantherlily asked, a sly smirk on his face. His joke earned him a harsh glare by Gajeel.
"Can it, Lily."
"I...think I need to lie down." Wendy sulked, clenching her stomach. Swablu merrily dropped on her head, nestling herself in her hair with a smile. "H-hey Swablu..."
"Well, if they're complaining this much, guess that means they're alright." Duncan sniped dryly.
Trubbish burped again, slowly blinking her right eye before her left.
Managing to gather his bearings, Natsu felt his stomach settle before turning towards the others. "So what gives? What'd we miss?"
"It's...a long story." Sophie nervously noted. "Let's just say that it was the reason why the ride wasn't so smooth-sailing."
Before anyone could follow up on the notion, Vanessa's eyes widened. Her aura sensed something heading their way. Something very familiar. She glanced in the direction of the target heading their way. Oddly enough, she didn't seem too bothered.
"What's the matter, Vanessa?" Sophie asked, turning towards the direction her teammate looked.
"Look, up there!" Happy shouted as he pointed skywards.
All eyes darted towards the island's cliffs. They stood at a concave point with steep, rocky cliffs leading up to grassy hilltops. They could see some patches of forests as well. They saw a figment jumping over the edge, landing on his heels on a rock sticking out along the cliff. He jumped off that point and onto the next lower one, then the next, then the next, until he was close enough to where he sprung into the air and landed on a knee before everyone.
Rising to his feet, Nic raised his head. A small but sly smirk forming on his stalwart expression. "Long time no see."
"Nic!" Lucy gasped.
"About damn time you showed your ass up. We were starting to think you'd just flip on us!" Cana chimed.
"Looks like his plan actually pulled through. Isn't that great, Captain?" Dereece elbowed Joey's arm.
Joey smiled brightly, looking happier than he could remember being in a short while. "Yeah, that's our Nic-senpai for ya!"
Trubbish belched in agreement.
Staraptor's eyes widened. She didn't need a pair of Wide Lenses to know that it was actually Nic. She could tell just from his eyes alone. "Nic..." She breathed softly. Without wasting a beat, she glided past everyone to reconvene with her trainer.
"Coo...?" Junior blinked, visibly shocked at how fast his mother reacted upon seeing the familiar human.
It happened so fast and so hastily that it was only a blur and a small breeze passing by the others. Staraptor hit the airbrakes and flapped once, making wind and sand brush past Nic. He remained unfazed as he eyed Staraptor with sincerity, completely ignoring – or rather numb – to the outbursts of sonic speed mobility.
Staraptor settled on the sand, her talons churning the grains as he looked at Nic with serious red eyes. Her trainer didn't say anything to her either. It was nothing short of them just simply processing the moment.
Finally, Nic broke the silence with a soft smile and hum. "I'm glad you finally got here, Staraptor. Knew you could pull through."
The Predator Pokémon's breath lightly hitched, briefly remembering when she was just a Starly. She smiled and humbly lowered her head. "Well, I couldn't just sit around expecting you, Greninja, and everyone else to just find your way back...even though I doubt that would be a problem." She scoffed. "Still, I had a feeling that I had to be sure."
Nic smirked. "Still good intuition." He put a hand on her left-wing joint. "Wasn't the same without you, Staraptor."
Staraptor accepted the praise with dignity. However, as she was mentally relieving herself of the stress of finally reuniting with her family again, she momentarily disregarded a less than appeased Junior. The cloud only watched as he pounded his hands against the sand repeatedly.
Though she sensed the mutual relief between both parties, Vanessa stepped forward to intervene. "You had us worried for a while, Nic."
"Hey, Vanessa." Nic greeted his sister with the same relived attitude. "Glad to see that you made it. That's good." Nic turned towards Joey. "Joey, nice work getting everybody here. Really appreciate it."
Joey hastily scrambled to make a salute towards his senior. "R-right! Thank you, Nic-senpai! Brought everyone over just like I promised!" he shouted.
Natsu blinked, realization dawning upon him. "Hold up. Where's Erza?"
"Wait, she's not here?" Cana looked around, surveying the area for the familiar redheaded knight. "The hell is she?"
Mest glared at Nic with a serious look. "I thought she was with you when I last jumped here. What exactly happened while The Freaks were gone?"
The grin Nic had had settled, finally turning to a stalwart scowl. He knew that as much as he would like to catch up with everyone, he knew they came here for a purpose. This was no time for merry moments. "Right. Guess I should tell you guys what's been going on..." He sighed heavily. He knew it was going to be tough to explain, but he had to try. "Just bear with me on this."
He thus went on to explain the details of everything that has been happening on the island known as Rolica – otherwise now labeled Pokétopia. He went on to explain what Greninja and Aegislash saw across the island regarding the lives of mages and Pokémon. The reversal the island had, the engineering, the epiphanies the others had that Kecleon relayed; he left nothing out that he briefly saw for himself.
By the time he finished his tale, the others were left at a loss for words. Even Duncan, who hardly showed care towards a situation, was genuinely interested in what was going on.
"So let me get this straight..." Natsu started. "So you're telling us that Pokémon have taken a whole island for themselves, started living human lives in their homes and jobs, and practically caged up their trainers to use for battles?"
"From the looks of it, just mages...but yeah, that sums it up." Nic clarified.
"Unbelievable..." Charmeleon quipped.
"Tyrunt feels unsafe having to adjust to a new life. Tyrunt already adjusting to this one." Tyrunt scowled, snirting steam from his nostrils. "Tyrunt no like these changes! They make brain hurt!"
"I'm with the dinosaur on this one. I for one don't think a society taken over by Pokémon is a good thing...especially with how Nic just described it." Gajeel scoffed. "Sounds to me that these Pokémon are getting sick kicks out of using humans to battle for such sports when some clearly don't want to."
Vanessa put a hand to her chin. "That's hard to say. When those Pokémon attacked our guild hall, they were doing so of their own accord. I would have sensed them being brainwashed otherwise. For all we know, it could be that some of them might actually be voluntarily following this lifestyle by choice. And those who were originally tamed and caught must have been brainwashed to follow the flow."
"But you know, even if it's just a matter of brainwashing...this just feels so wrong." Juvia looked down somberly. She didn't mean to sound biased, especially in front of her Pokémon, but it felt like an opinion that everyone had to agree upon.
"I'm in agreement with Boss-Ma'am on this one. It's true that our actions were reprehensible, but the thought of condemning humans to such a life they weren't built for...even I have my limits." Wartortle scoffed.
"Whoever is organizing this, we'll make sure they get what's coming to them!" Natsu rammed a fist into his palm, igniting embers. "That's a promise! And I say the sooner we find them, the better!"
Duncan scoffed. "Doubt it'll be that easy." He paused, earning looks from everyone. "Didn't you hear what he just said? This entire island is populated with Pokémon that are armed with mages. Not to mention that they'll have those Poke Ball wright-offs that'll catch you in one fell swoop."
Once again, everyone had a brief self-realization of Duncan's epiphany. Even if they knew where to go, the problem was still whether or not they could get past the gauntlet of Pokémon that would be eager to get their hands on such potent magic.
"Right. One click from those, and they've got us...we've gotta work around that somehow." Gray commented, folding his arms.
"But if all those Pokémon are using just mages to fight for them, that makes you wonder what about those that can't use magic." Lucy worried, fearing for the worst. "I hope they didn't..."
"Hard to say. I'd assume that the regular humans were kept elsewhere. Otherwise, they would have been in those cells with the rest of us." Nic countered. "Even if they can't battle, Pokémon still have their uses...unfortunately, same goes for people, too."
"You think they're really kept somewhere other than the jailcells?" Mest questioned aloud. "For all we know, they could have been..."
"Mest!" Natsu harshly cut him off, knowing what he was gonna say. However, Nic didn't seem nearly as fazed.
"I'm not saying you might be right, Mest...but we can't rule out what I just said. I think I have a good idea of where to start looking for those answers."
"Really? Where?" Elfman quipped.
Nic turned back inland in the direction of the populated city. More accurately, in the direction where the massive white palace was. "Greninja had a hunch about a certain palace inside Pokétopia." He remembered as he was vacating the premise, he recalled the white palace that he spotted while flying off in lightning. 'I don't have a doubt that's where the problem itself is.'
Staraptor turned towards Nic. "I assume that you already have a plan in motion?"
Nic turned back and nodded. "Yeah, you guessed right. I did my part and make a scene back in the stadium. No doubt the rest of the populace is going to panic knowing that I'm on the loose. With all the focus being on subduing the chaos in the streets, that'll draw enough eyes for us to head to that palace Greninja had been keen on since we've gotten here..." his eyes narrowed. "And I have a good idea why, too."
"But what about Erza, is she okay?" Wendy worried.
Nic frowned, knowing that she must have been left in the "PC". But despite his reservations, he retained confidence in his wife thanks to their planning. "...yeah, she'll be just fine. I left behind a spare key in case either of us got left behind. Her Pokémon are on their way to her as well. While they focus on freeing the other mages, we can shut down whoever is manufacturing these Human Cubes, and find the perpetrator."
"Heh, well I for one don't know about you guys, but I'm itching to put these wackjobs in their place." Gajeel sneered.
"Hell yeah! Now I'm fired up!" Natsu declared.
"This is gonna be a tall order. But at least we know what to expect with all this information." Dereece added. He turned towards Joey. "Captain Joey, we've gotta come up with a plan. Where do we go from here?"
Joey pouted his lower lip, folding his arms. A serious expression was on his face. "Well...it'd make sense to target wherever the source of these cubes is first. The sooner that's disabled, the less obstacles we'll have in our way."
Duncan scoffed again. He didn't want to admit aloud, but he had to agree that Joey was right to some extent.
"So we need to find a way into the palace, as well as figure out where they're manufacturing these cubes..." Vanessa trailed off as she put a hand to her chin. "It'd make sense if the latter was produced inside a factory. Places like those would have the necessary manpower and equipment. We may find some magic-less humans there in the process."
As the others were initializing a strategy, Staraptor's sixth sense kicked in. Her red eyes suddenly widened as she sharply turned towards the cliffs, glaring at the peak. "Everyone, look alive!"
All eyes once again casted skywards towards the cliffs. They immediately took notice of multiple figures looking down on them. One of them having glowing red eyes peering straight into some of the Pokémon's eyes. They all had clothing articles on, but their shapes nor forms were by no means human. The group consisted of Akando, Martial, Lumina, Zeus, Blade, Amaryllis, Groove, and Suria.
"Heh...so, this is where Adamantine's mess lead to. This is what happens when you don't pay attention to your own shit, you have to leave it to someone else to clean it up!" Akando snapped, his red eyes glowing with anger.
"Who the heck are those guys?" Natsu sneered. He paused, before recognizing some of them from the other night. "Wait a minute...it's those guys!"
"They're the ones that attacked us at the guild!" Happy yelled, pointing an accusing paw at them.
Elfman's eyes immediately darted at Martial. He remembered him all too well. "I remember you..."
Martial said nothing. He had his arms folded as he glowered down at Elfman in response.
"Tch! What luck. I was woken up from my nap to find that I had to go on some 'perimeter control'. Now we get fresh meat to chew up." Akando gnashed his teeth. "I'm already pissed, so let's just get this over with so I can get back to bed!"
"Oh-oh-ah! Oh come on, Akando! Don't be so grumpy on us! Just look at them!" Amaryllis pointed out at them using one of her arms. "We can have just a little fun with them. I mean, they came all this way. Why not spoil them a little?"
Charmeleon, Darumaka, and Tyrunt snarled low, shooting glares of contempt at the Ambipom after what she did to them last time. They were aching for some well-deserved payback.
"Oh, just look at all these precious darlings." Suria swooned. "They all look so eager to see us! Just seeing that determination in their eyes is getting me Butterfree in my stomach! I just want to hold them one-by-one and give them a big kiss!"
Blade eyerolled and grossly scoffed. "Remind me who invited you yahoos again."
"Looks like they came to party! Especially that guy there!" Groove pointed a green hand specifically at Joey. The Barrier-Make Mage and his Trubbish eyed him with dense frowns of displeasure.
"I don't know about that...but I do know that Adamantine has some serious trouble for having his 'expendables' run ramped like this." Zeus noted aloud. He eyed Dereece and Duncan specifically. "I don't know how you all got past Dahab and the Professor, but your little spree ends here."
Yanma still kept herself perched atop Dereece's head, seemingly absent from all aspect until she sensed Zeus' stare peering at her. She lifted her head and looked up, seeing his orange eyes lock onto hers. Her wings instinctively levered up like she was on guard of this larger insectoid.
"So...what do we do?" Lumina asked.
Akando scoffed angrily. "What else? Enough talking! Apostles!" He reached back, pulling out a Human Cube. The other Apostles followed the example and reached for their cubes.
Nic narrowed his eyes. He was well aware of the problem they had. He hastily thought of something. "Staraptor, Double Team!" Nic commanded.
Not wasting any time, Staraptor's body flashed brightly before a swarm of illusionary clones jettisoned directly at the Apostles. They were all taken back by the sudden swell of numbers engulfing them from up close that they were completely caught off guard at the speed that it took for it to happen.
"What the-?! Where'd all these birdies come from?!" Amaryllis snapped.
"Keep your composure, it's just a decoy!" Martial shouted.
"Lucy, have Klefki use Fairy Lock!" Nic followed up, before glancing at everyone. "There's no time! Everyone make it to the city!"
Everyone nodded in understanding of the directive at hand.
Lucy reached ahead, hastily calling out a command. "Klefki, hurry! Use Fairy Lock!"
"You got it!" Klefki drifted above her trainer by several meters to get into an abled position. With the swarm of clones disorienting the wary Apostles, she added insult to injury by flexing her tiny metallic body. Multiple golden chains with locks lashed out from her and snaked after their target. They crossed one another as the locks clipped with a intersecting chain, locking the boundaries in place.
The Staraptor illusions continued flapping around haphazardly around the Apostles, their caws echoing through the open air in unison. Even though Martial told them they were all decoys, that didn't make them any less distracting.
"Aye, yo! This ain't part of the groove! Get these extras out of my face already!" Groove exclaimed.
"Relax, babe. Let little ole' me take care of this dilemma." Suria faced the clones all around them. She opened her mouth as the air around her began to drop to low temperatures. "Icy Wind!"
Her largely proportioned lips parted, expelling a dense, icy blast of air that struck the surrounding clones. The illusions were quickly dispelled in bursts of smoke that dispersed in the cold wind until Suria managed to rid of all of them.
However, that only exposed their newest dilemma.
Akando's eyes widened. "What!?" With the clones gone, the Apostles found themselves surrounded by several chains crisscrossing around them. They were plunged into the earth and had locks on them to indicate their immobility.
"What are these? Locks?" Lumina swerved over towards the nearest chain. Just as she was about to touch it, the chains glowed briefly, repulsing her like a negative force. "Gah! What was that!?"
Martial turned towards a nearby chain, his own curiosity piqued by this bizarre trap. He lifted a heel and pivoted, landing a kick on the metal. As he expected, the chains only shimmered and repulsed his efforts. He caught himself and grunted. "A strong barricade..."
"Well this just got a whole lot more annoying!" Amaryllis grunted loudly. He raised her arms and readied to strike.
"Don't bother wasting your breath." Blade's words made Amaryllis tense up and stop. "Stuff like this just doesn't stay forever. It'll go away eventually."
True to his words, the locks all around them unlocked at the same time with a loud unison click. The chains faded away in an array of dazzling sparkles out of existence, allowing them more space to move about freely.
"Alright, now we can-!" When Zeus looked ahead, his eyes flashed with literal shock when he saw the spot where the intruders were was vacant. "They're gone!"
"Yup, totally called it." Blade scoffed, folding his arms. "Those nitwits probably distracted us so they can give us the slip. If I know any better, I'd say they be trying to go around us and into the big city."
Akando's eyes glowed bright red with rage. He did his best to suppress a growl, but one still slipped out. "Grrr...one problem after another. Split up and reign them in! They couldn't have gotten far!"
The Apostles wasted no time. With their society on the line, they had to reign in the outliers at all costs.
While it wasn't all sunshine and roses on the surface of Pokétopia, down under had another say on the matter.
The call from Chief Hugo breached towards the Communication Lacrima of every Pokémon officer on duty. Even from the cells below ground level, Sune's ears constantly twitched every now and again from the sounds of feet trampling pavement the floor above them. She wasn't sure that it had to do with the Pokémon inmates above or it was any of the excess officers answering the call to justice, but despite her curiosity and conspiracy theories swirling inside her mind, she had to refrain from taking independent action unless otherwise.
Of course, that didn't mean that she liked it. Her hairs standing on end was an indication that was as clear as day.
"Yeesh, sounds like a real ruckus above us. Guess it's a good thing I was stuck down here after all." The Ducklett officer said, noting the disturbance heard over their lacrima. "I feel really sorry for the guys stationed near the stadium. It's gotta be hell down that area."
"Y-yeah..." Though she knew that her partner was right to a degree, that still didn't keep Sune's hairs from standing on end. 'Ugh, is this what Absol have to deal with when they feel something's wrong?'
She didn't like it. Not one bit. She knew that it was her job was to safeguard the citizens, Chief Hugo made that very clear yesterday. The talk he had with her and Flora was still fresh in her mind. She knew better than to think twice when it came to abandoning her post like she did before. But again, that didn't mean that she was happy with where she stood. And that was saying something, she was literally underneath everyone in terms of position.
Of course, this hot-blooded nature could be because of her being a Fire-type. Perhaps that contributed to her hidden irritation.
The two deputies were pulled from their conversation when they heard hasty footsteps draw closer. Dahab approached them, his sickly face contorted to a frown.
"Cof! Cof! Cof! Hey, you lot! One of you gotta get back up to the surface! Pronto!" Dahab ordered. "You, little duckie! The Chief called for backup. Get out of here and fix up those streets, will ya?"
"Y-yes, sir!" The Ducklett saluted hesitantly. Once Dahab had traveled past them, she turned towards Sune. "Guess I better go see what the chief wants. What luck." She dryly chuckled. "Say, wanna go in my place?"
Sune cringed on the spot. "I...I mean, I know I should, but I just got scolded from the Chief, so..."
"Oh...right. Heh, my bad. Forgot that you're still new and on your probational period. You're supposed to be with a senior officer at all times." The Ducklett looked ahead to see Dahab in the distance. "Well, this is an emergency, and the Apostles are a big deal around here. Guess as long as you do what he says, you shouldn't get in trouble. Sure he'll put in a good word if nothing else."
Sune nodded. "Yeah, sure."
"Anyways, gotta go. Good luck down here, girl!" With a flashy whip of her wing as a salute, the Ducklett took off in a glide towards the nearest exit to head topside. All while leaving Sune alone with a disgruntled frown plastered on her face.
"Wow~, somebody's got the ambitious worker's blues." A voice chimed from beside Sune. When she glanced over, she was right beside Harrison's cell as the latter had a cocked brow and grin. "I'd say why the long face, but foxes don't generally have those, don't they?"
Sune narrowed her eyes, knowing well she was just being played with. 'Don't add fuel to the flame, Sune. Just do your job...' She turned away from Harrison with her nose in the air, sauntering herself away towards the opposite corridor to get away from the mage.
Yet, no matter how much she would have tried to deny it, that same fire was still flickering inside of her. Something about this just didn't seem right. It didn't feel right. Why did she have to be treated like a handicap by everyone? She was definite that others would have a protest on her opinion. She couldn't say such things aloud. She didn't wanna risk getting put on the spot and scolded just because she did what her job description entailed.
It just wasn't fair.
Before she dwelled too deeply, she shook her head. Patience. That was the key to success. She needed to keep her patience with her at all times.
'Just do your job...do your job, and everything will be okay...'
The Ducklett waddled her way up towards the first floor. She strolled past numerous other Pokémon that were all behind bars wearing orange jumpsuits. None of them looked happy. She tried not to notice.
'Maybe if I waddle and take my time, it'll probably be over with and I can get home and catch some Z's. Knew I shouldn't have stayed up late last night drinking all that Berry Juice. I gotta cut back on that...'
An eruption from the distant corridor was accompanied by a harsh vibration. Ducklett jumped with some of her feathers ruffling out of place. "W-what the-?!"
Suddenly, a torrent of searing blue flames rushed through the intersection ahead of her. Multiple Pokémon dressed in similar police attire were blown away in the wake of the flames towards the opposite side. Ducklett didn't see it, but she heard a loud crash and a small flare from the other end. By the time the blue flames diminished, the walls were all but charred, with small flames licking several patches of walls intact.
"Kecleon forgot to give us the key. I have a feeling she did that on purpose." A feminine voice mused.
"Heh, guess that works for us. Not like it matters now, right?" a deep, gruff tone huffed.
When Ducklett slowly waddled towards the cindered flooring, she slowly turned in fear of what she might see. Her worst fears came to life when she was met with six Pokémon, led by a Houndoom whose mouth flicked with heat waves. He eyed Ducklett with a glare that made her less comfortable by the second.
"Uhh...can I help you...?"
Houndoom darkly smirked. The poor Ducklett swallowed a lump in anticipation of what was to come.
While a commotion was stirring the floor above, Erza sat in her cell, stoic and composed. She heard the message from the Communication Lacrima the two officers had. Suffice to say that it was hard not to smirk in
'Sounds like a real mess out there. Leave it to Nic to cause a stir.' She couldn't help but feel a faint smile form on her lips. Her husband wasn't a practical troublemaker, but he always had a way to make things go out of hand for anyone to control.
With her thoughts finally at ease about her husband, she focused on her part of the mission. She turned towards Harrison. "Harrison, do you see anything?"
"Nope, coast's clear." Harrison muttered. "You sure about this?"
She was sure. She had to be. If now wasn't the perfect time, when would it be? It could have been because of her hot-blooded passion, but she was done waiting around. She took the key that Nic molded for her and scrutinized it to make sure that it was dense enough to not break halfway through.
'Feels solid enough...here goes nothing.' She inserted the key into the keyhole of her lock and turned it firmly.
With a click, her cell door suddenly became much looser. It gradually opened by itself in a low, ongoing creak until it was wide enough for her to emerge from her cell.
With her free from her cell's magic-sealing stone walls, she was free to use her magic. "Now, Requip!" Immediately, she held out her hand and requipped a sword.
With herself posed in the open, fellow inmates locked inside their cells began taking notice close by when the light of her requip brought her weapon of choice to their eyes.
"Hey, what's she doing?"
"Is she seriously trying to bust out of here?"
"What's she gonna do? Doesn't she know that coffin's just gonna eat her up like he did the rest?"
"She's making a big gamble."
While their comments were an indication of their morale, it wasn't enough to deter Erza from her goals. She faced Harrison's cell door and brought her blade around. With a sharp sweep back and forth, Erza was motionless for a second before standing upright. The bars to the door didn't seem affected at first...until they suddenly diced to metal shambles at her feet.
Harrison stepped out of his cell, scratching the back of his head. "Geez...remind me not to call a lumberjack the next time I need a tree to come down. I'll just call you." He teased.
"You ready to go?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm ready alright." He grinned, folding his arms. "Gonna knock some sense into some 'mons along the way. They've been asking for it the moment they-!"
Before he could have finished, Erza gasped when she sensed something incoming. "Watch out!" She barreled in front of him, cutting through the path of blue flames that were aimed at Harrison. She slashed through them all with deadly precision, diffusing all of them at once. They dispersed in small blue embers around their faces.
"What the hell?!" Harrison gasped. "Where did these things just...oh crud."
"Cof! Cof! Cof! Cof!" A familiar cackling laughter was heard from down the hallway. Erza's eyes narrowed as she recognized the bright red glare peering from the darkness. "Well, well...how did you get out your cell? Hmmm? Seems like it was a terrible call to send some of my help away to help the masses after all. Cof!"
Erza and Harrison recognized the laughter all too well. Emerging from the hallway, Dahab had a sinister grin as he seemed more than a little enthusiastic. It was a clear façade that he felt anything but that for the immoral reasons.
"Oh great, look who's here." Harrison dryly grimaced. "Of all the crazy jailer's to have watching over you..."
Erza narrowed her glare on Dahab, her grip on her sword tightening with extreme caution.
"You know, it's common sense for a cellmate to want to stay in their cells. If you wanted some fresh air, all you had to do was ask. If you were both nice enough, I could have let you have that." Dahab's smirk broadened. "At least half a second, of course."
"You certainly have a way of housing your captive here. Treating your humans like they're caged animals...despicable." Erza scoffed.
Dahab remained unfazed by her glare, sneering back. "Cof! Look who's talking! Where you're from, don't you have our kind confined in those things that you call Poke Balls? You say that we 'mons treat you like animals. Unlike us, your kind actually deserves a little detainment. Besides..." He reached beside him, pulling out two cubes. "Like wild animals, humans are best behaved when kept on a firm leash, so they don't step out of line."
'This Pokémon...' Erza braced herself, bending her legs knowing what was to come.
Dahab's eyes glowed bright red as he threw the cubes into the air. They popped open at the same time, expelling magical energy that transformed into two people that stood in front of him.
The first one was a man of a young age with a tall and partially lean built. He had fair skin, with his hair being colors of dirty blonde and black. The blonde bangs were combed bac as the black hair was thinner along the sides, He had onyx eyes that matched his trousers. He had a swamp green, short-sleeved shirt that was a tight fit. However, what was most eye-catching about him was the amount of gold accessories that he adorned. From a golden necklace to the golden wristband on his right arm, to the looser bolden pearls around his let wrist. Even when he smirked, he had a gold tooth.
The second human was partially younger, with porcelain skin almost rivaling Erza's smooth tone. She had long, navy blue hair that was kept in a ponytail held by a gray ribbon. She adorned a primarily navy-blue shinobi attire with gray edging. A bright red girdle was around her waist that helped bring out the assets that she had. The attire's top went well beneath the girdle and partially covered her black shorts. Bandages covered her chins and arms, with black, high heel sandals with matching black, fingerless gloves. However, her biggest trademark was the massive gray scarf around her neck that hung so far back that it almost touched the ground.
Both humans had similar collars around their necks to signal their absolute control by Dahab.
"Oh boy, here we go." Harrison groaned.
Erza glanced back at them. "You know them?"
Harrison looked back at them, grimacing. "Yeah, you can say that. They're our jailor's personal humans. Normally he keeps them inside their cubes, so he only uses them during an emergency."
He gazed at the man. "That guy's Raelf. He specializes in using Gold-Make Magic. He can make anything out of solid gold...I can tell ya how many times Dahab ate some of his works, too."
He turned towards the woman. "And she's Phelicia. She's not really endowed with magic, but I've seen her use that cloth a lot to bind her foes. Once she gets you in her wraps, you're pretty much screwed."
"Cof! Cof! Cof! So, you think just because you're out of your cage gives you permission to speak, hm? Well, perhaps we should change that." Dahab reached a ghastly appendage outwards. "Raelf, use Gold Prison!"
Raelf didn't speak, not even grunt. Instead, he bent his knees and held his palms out at Harrison. His Magic Power concentrated over his opponent and manifested a pure gold magic seal that rotated over Harrison's head.
When Harrison looked up, all he saw was a massive square shadow getting larger by the second. His eyes widened in shock. "Aw shi-!"
Before he could finish, a large, rectangular object crashed down atop of him. It was so heavy that it made the ground shudder. Erza briefly covered up as dust brushed past her. When she looked back, she was taken back by a tan-foot-tall golden, rectangular box took Harrison's place.
"No...!" she quipped.
Dahab chuckled again. "Wow, aren't you so gullible."
Erza turned back at him, glaring angrily. "You bastard...!"
"He didn't crush him if that's what you're thinking. It's completely hollow inside. He's just simply trapped under a heavy golden pallet is all. Though, I suppose it being solid gold means there's no air, so I guess that's reason enough to worry. But as for you..." He reached his ghastly arm out again. "Phelicia, Snare!"
Phelicia spread her legs and reached for the cloth hanging around her neck. She twisted her hips and the cloth slung over her shoulder after Erza like a flying snake. When Erza raised her sword to strike, the cloth wrapped around her arm, locking her firmly in place.
"Cof! Cof! Cof! Good, very good...looks like you're doing your jobs." He sickly sneered. "What pity."
'What kind of cloth is this? I can't Requip! Is this made of magic-sealing stone, too?' Erza tugged on the material laced around her hand. She tried to summon another weapon to cut it, but couldn't bring the magic to surface. 'It's laced around my grip as well. I can't switch arms to swing even if I wanted to.'
The sound of banging came from inside the golden prison beside Erza. No doubt it was Harrison inside throwing a fit. "Hmmmph! Hm-hm-hmmmmph!" All that could be heard were muffled shouts that couldn't penetrate through the thick trap.
Dahab smirked sickly once more, his red eyes beaming with delight at how quickly the tides have turned. "It's been a while since I got to do this." He gradually closed in on Erza. "Now...who wants to get mummified first? Any volunteers? How about you, lassi?"
Erza gnashed her teeth as she tried to find a way out of her predicament, but before she could come to an ideal solution, an Energy Ball shot from down the hall, zooming past her.
"Heh!?" Dahab noticed the sudden attack heading his way. With quick thinking, his limbs merged into his ghastly outline as a translucent turquoise barrier emerged around him, via Protect. The Energy Ball met the barricade, creating bright green explosion followed by a dense smoke burst.
"Boss!" Raelf looked over his shoulder...barely long enough to keep him off guard before he backpedaled from the reaches of a dark purple blade that swept horizontally across.
A set of sharp fangs embedded with broiling fire clamped down onto the cloth snaring Erza. A small burst of flames erupted upon impact, causing Phelicia to cringe at the sight. She hastily pulled the cloth away and tried putting out the small fraction that was ablaze with her foot.
Dahab undid his barrier, revealing his annoyed frown. "Who's there?"
"Looks like we've made it in time." The one who attacked with the flaming bite darkly smirked. "And it looks like the party hasn't even started."
Erza gasped. She knew that tone anywhere. She looked over to find the company of all her Pokémon rushing in from behind to catch up to her. "Everyone!"
"Our apologies for not rushing sooner, Erza." Aegislash insisted.
Despite the scarce timing, a smile crept onto Erza's lips. "It's fine. Thank you all for coming." Another thought silently drifted in soon after. 'If they're all here, that means they must have followed the directions Nic and Kecleon gave them to get here. Which means he would have to be with his Pokémon, too.'
Dahab scowled. "What's this? A special pick-up service? Sorry, but I don't think anyone gave you the memo. Absolutely no visitors!"
Houndoom flashed him a cocky smirk. "Heh, well I hate to break it ya pal, but we're an exception to that rule. This is a special 'get up and go' service. And we're here for a special pick-up for our trainer."
Dahab's feral sneer diminished as he thought about the ramifications that made this so inconvenient for him. 'How the hell did these guys even find this place? Only those of my status as an Apostle as well as a few security officials even know where this PC is located. Did somebody talk?'
He wanted to know how this was possible. No, he needed to know. If he ever found out who it was that gave away their location, he would make certain to mummify them, starting with their mouths. But he had to advert his sickly aggression elsewhere. "Officer Sune! Get here this second!"
"I'm here!" Hastily running down the hall, Sune rushed to Dahab's side. "I heard a commotion down here! What's going...!" Her eyes widened when she saw the sight unfolding before her. More accurately, the culprits. Her eyes fell upon Houndoom almost instantly. "Y-you!"
Houndoom teasingly smirked. "Heh, well, well. Been a hot minute, lil' foxy. Looks like they've got you dolled up and stuffed down here now."
Sune looked anything but amused by his playful snark. "I knew you were going to be trouble the moment I saw you...gngh! Damnit!"
Erza raised a brow. "You know each other?"
"You can say that." Houndoom chimed.
"Don't just stand there flirting with that ruffian dog! Call out your humans!" Dahab ordered Sune.
Sune cringed again, hesitating to look the Apostle in the eye. "W-well, um...about that..." She stuttered, shifting her paws in the dirty floor beneath her. "I-I don't have any humans with me right now."
Dahab momentarily froze, his left eye twitching. "...if this is your idea of a joke, I am not laughing." His tone sounded threatening, borderline angry. Sune didn't take it as a good sign for her standing.
"W-well, the humans we use are all owned by the Police Department. They're the ones who decide which humans we use depending on the job. Chief Hugo said that I didn't need any humans for this job." She paused. "I-I wanted to say something against that, but they said that my position didn't require that since they would all be locked up!"
Dahab's patience was running terribly thin. He seethed as he narrowed his red, piercing gaze back towards Erza. "Cof! Oh dear, what a pity this is. I wasn't planning on giving a talk to the social justice department, but after hearing how they think of handing a rookie over to an Apostle is considered mediocre...I just might have to pay a visit to them myself. And let me say, either way, it's going to do a number on your careers. Especially yours. Cof!"
Sune's ears drooped. 'But...that's not my fault.'
With them distracted, Houndoom glanced back towards Erza. "Well, what's the plan now?"
"Nic told us that you would be here. I wager that the situation above is in shambles after Nic collapsed the entire stadium." Scizor noted.
"I see...I thought Nic would have wanted to go a little more stealthy on the matter." Erza smirked again. She knew Nic was a wild card, but to have an entire stadium in shambles just for a distraction to create panic? 'Then again, that does seem like something our guild might be known for doing.'
"Hmmmph! Hmphf! Hmphf! Hmmmmphf!" Muffled cries echoed from the golden prism beside Erza, along with a low, constant thudding from the sides.
"Um, is someone in there...?" Cloyster meekly asked.
Erza gasped. "That's right, Harrison!" In a hurry, she swiped her arm. "Aegislash, quick! Slash it open with Sacred Sword!"
Aegislash's eye gleamed. "You got it!" She transitioned out of her Shield Form into her Blade Form and pointed her blade straight up. Bright blue glistened along the blade as it lengthened by a fraction of her bodily height. She faced the golden prison and sliced across. In a bright blue flurry of slashes, the gold had numerous bright blue outlines before it sliced apart around Harrison.
Raelf's eyes widened. 'No way! They just cut through solid gold?!'
Finally having breathing room, Harrison sighed. "Phew! Thanks for that. It was starting to get stuffy in there." He turned about, noticing the many new Pokémon gathered around him and Erza. "Okay, so what's with this little entourage? Your Pokémon I take it?"
Aegislash lifted her upper half with a hum. "You're welcome."
"Huh? Oh, uh...thanks, I guess."
Erza reached back, pulling out the key mold that she used to get out of her cell. "Here." She tossed it over towards Harrison, who caught in his hands. "Use that and get the other prisoners out of here. Aegislash and everyone else, I'm relying on you all to help him out."
"Aye-aye! Now that I'm all stuffed with sweets, I'm raring to go!" Slurpuff cheered in a mock salute.
Scizor humbly nodded. "As you wish."
Dahab scowled as his arms extended out of his ghostly body once again. "Raelf, use Gold Bullet!"
Raelf obeyed, not wasting neither a movement nor second for his own sake. He reached both arms out and congregated a golden magic seal. From the center runes, a rapid succession of golden projectiles fired across the hallway into the Pokémon.
"Cloyster, Protect!" Erza called out.
As the projectiles beamed closer towards them, Cloyster realized that he was needed. A quick jet of water expelled from his inner shell and catapulted him to the frontlines before his trainer. He turned around to face the projectiles and sealed his shell tightly. A split-second later, a translucent, turquoise forcefield appeared around him and took the magical projectiles.
The barrage pelted the Protect as much as it could. However, try as it could, the spells, offenses were unable to even budge Cloyster. Though, interesting enough, despite the magical bullets being pure magic, it sounded like actual solid gold when making impact.
"Get going! Now!" Erza urged the others.
"I heard ya the first time!" Harrison retorted before pivoting and racing off towards the nearest enclosure. Doing as he was told, he faced the cell that had three other mages in it, all of whom were of relatively young adult age. They looked at the commotion and their soon-to-be savior with genuine concern and surprise.
"Wait, w-what's going on?" one of the mages questioned.
Harrison hummed. "Just hang tight, this'll only be a sec." He held up the key mold and placed it beside the lock on the door. Taking a gander, he inserted the fake metal into the keyhole and gave it a turn. When he heard an instant click, he couldn't hold back his smirk. The door swung open freely, allowing an opening for the mages to step out into the open.
The neighboring cells suffered a similar forced opening as Aegislash and the other Pokémon lent their powers for the cause. Aegislash and Scizor cleaved open iron bars in rapid succession of one another, while Talonflame glided down the hall with her Steel Wing, the swift metal tearing bars down to the ground. Slurpuff aided by using her Energy Ball on numerous locks and breaking them, enabling the residence inside the freedom to step out.
As doors were being swung open, others became a symphony of falling metal. Thuds led to the echoes of broken bars, to the awkward silence that followed as residence were in awe of what was happening.
However, as shocked as many were, they still looked partially hesitant. They just needed a little rally.
"Alright...now, who wants their freedom and their island back, huh? Who's with me?!" Harrison called out.
Many of the inmates turned to each other with confliction evident on their faces. It wasn't that the events happening didn't make it any less comforting for them, rather it was because of the uncertainty that it had. All of them had collars on their necks, and many had the common sense to not charge into what was now an uprising without knowing that factor. They were still captives at this point, but for how long should they feel this oppression?
For some, this could very well be their only chance to get their old lives back. And for all, they knew that. But that didn't mean it didn't make it any less risky to risk their lives outside of being used to fight other mages and supposedly "get stronger" and "battle" others. Many had been locked up long enough that their own wills have lost too much self-esteem to follow through this little uprising. Others just didn't have the courage knowing the odds could have been against them. Still, someone had to try. And he was standing right in front of them leading the way.
"Well, what's it gonna be? Wanna see the sunshine?" Harrison called out for one more attempt to rally the indecisive.
Finally, all their thought processes were breached when the sound of footsteps came from a nearby cell. A young woman with long, platinum blonde hair made way to open space and stood readily in front of Harrison. "I-I'm ready! I'm with you!"
One by one, the cellmates started to emerge from their enclosures with renewed determination. Their once placated expressions were now brimming with a thirst for justice.
"Yeah! Let's do it!"
"Let's take back our island!"
"Time to show those Pokémon that this is our turf!"
Every second that passed, the rally of mages started to surface into the open. With loud cries of rejuvenated fury, they started down the hallways with Harrison leading the charge. "Then all of you follow me!" he cried out.
"YEAH!" The legion of mages filed out of their cells to the pathway to their freedom. In the wake of their epic chorus of energy, they left Erza and her Pokémon to clean up and stall the mess that was their gatekeeper.
Dahab sharply turned back towards Sune, his eyes gleaming bright red with rage. "Call for your backup!"
"But...what about that Houndoom and the intruders?" Sune worried.
"That's not your concern. At this point, I'll have to clean up the mess myself. I said. Get. Going. NOW!"
"R-right!" In fearful haste, Sune raced down the hallway towards the direction of the revolt. She reached for the Communication Lacrima that was strapped to her uniform and spoke into it. "This is Officer Sune! We've got a code red down in the PC! I repeat, we have a Level 3 emergency! A breach followed by an insurrection of Humans on the loose!"
With her out of the way, Dahab scoffed angrily. "Cof! Those backwater authority figures...maybe I should mummify them all for being so incompetent. But first..." He turned his attention towards Erza. "So now...where were we? Oh yeah, that's right...I was about to stuff you into a coffin! Cof! Cof! Cof!"
Erza narrowed her eyes as she glared.
"But first, to make sure you don't go anywhere." Dahab reached his arm out at his target. "Raelf, Gold Prison!"
Raelf raised his arms up and aimed at Erza. Over her head, he concentrated magic into a golden magic seal that she didn't bother glancing up at. This left for a large rectangular hunk of hollow gold to drop down with a loud thud.
"Erza!" Talonflame squawked.
"It'll be okay. Just watch." Aegislash assured.
"Cof! Cof! Cof! Cof! Cof! Well now, that was easier than I thought. You humans sure are such easy targets to toy with. Almost makes me feel guilty feeling pleasure from seeing you try...almost." Dahab sneered. "Alright, now to-!"
Suddenly, a slash wave carved around the gold.
"Heh...?"
Another slash wave outlined another section of the gold, then another. Then another. Until finally, the slashes ceased and resonated back to silence. Moments later, Erza emerged from the prison, completely unscathed with her Armadura Aggron Armor active. The heavy blades that came with them shimmered with gold.
"That all?"
Dahab was silent as he processed what just happened. A sickly grimace appeared on his face as he seemed puzzled with how he was feeling right now. Though many words were rummaging through his mind at the moment, there was one that best personified him right now: Glee.
He grinned brightly at his opponent as Raelf and Phelicia braced themselves against the S-Class Mage. "Cof, Cof...oh, this'll be very entertaining for me."
Inside Penelope's laboratory, the Slowking and Ninjask were staring at the video feed the lacrima was broadcasting aloud. If they had hairs, they'd be standing straight up in pure fright.
"Professor...we might have a serious problem." The Ninjask warned.
Despite the anxiety she felt, Penelope was able to keep a level head. "I can see that. But what I'm concerned with is how they were able to bypass the controls on those Organic Link collars. Those come with the Human Cubes upon immediate capture."
Ninjask shot her a look. "What are you saying? He wasn't wearing one?"
Penelope lowered her head, closing her eyes. "There's no other rational explanation. This couldn't have been an undermining done by Adamantine." She thought back to the battle she and everyone else saw. "How is this possible? Even touching those would be considered life-threatening...was there a third party involved?"
"I'd find that hard not to believe. All those Pokémon we saw when Nic Pularis turned away from his trainer. It just had to be a setup!" Ninjask buzzed closer. "Professor, we need to lock down the lab immediately! We can't afford to have anymore humans at risk of this uprising!"
Penelope sagely nodded. "Yes, I completely agree. We need to consider the safety of the other residences." She turned towards her desk. "Quickly! Help me lock out the equipment! We'll notify His Majesty of the situation and-!"
Before she was able to finish, a dense static crackled along the scanner lock besides the set of hardened doors to the lab. Static circulated through the metal until it burst into smoke. Once it was finished, there was a loud, muffled cry heard on the other side.
"W-what's that...?" Ninjask worried.
Penelope had a similar question, but she was too preoccupied with the sounds of creaking.
Gradually, they watched the door pry open from both sides by a half dozen men, all of whom had collars around their necks. With them prying the doors free, standing centerfield was Harrison, his hands crackling in blue Lightning Magic. "Hey...came to a withdrawal." He sneered.
Penelope's heart stopped short of a beat. 'No...this can't possibly be!'
Without wasting a breath, Harrison let out a battle cry as he reached his arm out. The blue lightning around his arm projected in a straight shot into both the Slowking and her assistant. They both felt intense pain as the electricity coursed through their bodies. The fact that they were types vulnerable to electric-based spells didn't make the pain any less cringeworthy.
Both Penelope and her assistant were overwhelmed by the constant voltage until Harrison finally settled. The lightning ceased, leaving only crackling static around their crippling joints. They both fell to the ground with thuds in stunned convulsion.
With the two completely predisposed, Harrison turned towards the other mages, nodding firmly. As if they understood the signal, they hurried into the lab and faced the rows of Human Cubes organized. Spells were unleashed as many wasted no time in shattering Human Cubes. The sounds of shattering were heard throughout the hallway as no guards could come to stop them.
The exodus of mages lit up the lab in a flashy display of spells left and right. Human Cubes burnt, crushed, even broken to split halves. All while the Slowking and Ninjask couldn't move a finger.
Harrison looked over the handiwork, giving nothing short of a proud smirk at the start of their revolution.
Lucy panted heavily, trying to catch her breath. "Did we...did we lose them...?"
"Let's hope so..." Cana labored, equally out of breath.
The two women found themselves still along the shores of the island, though in a different area. They found themselves on soft white sand, with soothing ocean waves weaving in and out beside them. With the sudden retreat they had to do, everyone practically scrambled to get away from the Apostles.
Of course, that also led to detours for many to take for themselves. This was no exception.
Lucy bent herself backwards, putting her hands behind her back to stretch her lower spine. As soon as she felt a good stretch for about ten seconds, she took a look at her surroundings. "Where is everyone?"
"Looks to me that they had went the other way." Cana shot another look at her surroundings just to be sure. Aside from her and Lucy's Pokémon, there was nothing but white sand grains and fresh ocean air to accompany their loneliness.
"Well...aside from the fact that our situation has divided our numbers, I feel oddly sound." Liepard mused, digging her paws into the sand grains. They were soft like a cushion.
Prinplup huffed. "Well thanks for telling me how you feel, but I wouldn't get too comfortable if I was you."
Cana frowned. "He's right. Remember what Nic said. We've gotta head into the city and bust whatever their big operation is. The sooner we do that, the better off we'll all be."
Lucy suddenly had an epiphany. "But wait! Wouldn't it be easier for all of us if Nic or Mest just teleported us straight into the city?"
"Right...if you wanna get caught in the crossfire." Liepard chastised. "I'm pretty sure that your omelet-loving friend just said he made a massive stir in the city. You really think appearing out of thin air in the middle of that chaos is going to help our situation if the streets are littered with Pokémon?"
"She's got a point, Lucy. Remember, they all might have Human Cubes on them, too. This route we're taking may take longer, but at least it'll make us less conspicuous." Cana added.
Lucy looked down, her brow furrowing at the prospect. "Yeah, you're right." She shot a look back her guildmate. "Still, we're not out of the woods just yet. Those Apostles might be lurking around somewhere. I'd sure hate to run into them out here."
Liepard groaned, eyerolling. "Even for a Dark-type like myself, please don't jinx it."
Staryu turned away, its attention adverting towards the cliffs. BEEP BEEP-BEEP...BEEP.
"Huh? Lucy just did?" Klefki repeated. When she turned herself in the direction Staryu was looking at, she visibly sulked. "Oh...she did."
A swift flurry of footsteps came from the low cliffs beside them. In speeds that even surprised Liepard, a projectile sprung off the cliffside and somersaulted. It dropped down from the air above and landed on a knee in the soft sand.
"Well, well...look what we have here. A couple of gals and their wandering entourage of mismatched pets." The gruff tone belonged to none other than Blade, who stood in their way. "You gals look lost...be a real shame if some backwashed hooligans found you out here."
'He caught up so quick!' Lucy thought with shock. She was genuinely surprised at how fast they were found out. 'This Pokémon's gotta be one of those Apostles we saw.'
She needed to be sure. She pulled out her PokeDex and held it up to the opposing Apostle as his image appeared in front of the screen.
"Grovyle, the Wood Gecko Pokémon. This Pokémon adeptly flies from branch to branch in trees. In a forest, no Pokémon can ever hope to catch a fleeing Grovyle however fast they may be."
'An adept tree jumper...just like Nic.' Lucy came to another epiphany. She took another glance at her surroundings, especially the small forest atop the cliffs. 'That's how he caught up so fast!'
The opposing Grovyle stepped forward. "Name's Blade. Hate to do this on such short notice, but I gotta bring you all in." he shrugged. "Nothing personal, just doing my job."
"Oh really? And who decided to name you an edgy name like that?" Cana chastised.
Blade's face scrunched into a deeper scowl as he eyerolled. "Believe me, I ask myself that. If I'm being dead honest here, this whole name basis thing is annoying. But the gig means that I gotta put up with this new name I got. Anyways, I ain't the chitchat type so..." He put his claws together, folding them in and pushed outwards. A loud crack sound was heard. "You can all just turn yourselves in and make this easy, or we can do this the hard way."
Lucy and Cana spread their knees, both parties knowing what direction this was heading. Klefki, Staryu, Liepard, and Prinplup braced themselves as they stood against the Apostle with defiant looks in their eyes – core in Staryu's case. There was no going back now.
"Well...guess I can't say you told me so." Liepard whimsically chimed towards Prinplup.
"Hmph! I'd ask for an apology...but that can wait." Prinplup scowled, stepping forward with raised flippers. "Let's stop this oversized reptile in his tracks!"
Cana shot Lucy a look. "Lu!"
"I gotcha!" She turned to glare at Blade. "We wanna get ahead, we've gotta stamp this guy out. Let's go, guys!"
BEEP-BEEP! Staryu eagerly blinked.
"You bet, Lucy! The keys are ready!" Klefki cheered, jingling the keys she held in her key ring.
With no time to waste, Cana smirked. "Sorry buddy boy, but you want us, you've gotta come get us!" She reached her arm out. "Prinplup, Bubble Beam!"
"Guess we have no choice then..." Lucy swiped her arm as she made a command. "Staryu, use Psywave!"
Prinplup spread his webbed feet and inhaled, whereas Staryu blinked and jumped into the air with collective psychic energy manifesting within its core. Prinplup lurched forward as he projected dense blue bubbles in a concentrated beam. Staryu followed with a wave of physic energy snaking swiftly in succession of the former's gusto.
Blade remained still as he saw the attacks head his way, but he made no effort to maneuver or block. Rather, he closed his eyes and facepalmed himself.
"Hard way it is then."
Time slowed down to a drastically sluggish level. Mere feet before the bubbles and psychokinetic energy were from Blade, his yellow reptilian eyes shot wide open. The Water and Psychic-type attacks made impact with the sand, making it gush everywhere.
Lucy stepped forward, blinking to wonder what happened. Cana was a little more alert when she noticed a shadow from above. Before she could usher a shout of warning, however, it was already too late.
The shadow came down onto Staryu, who only noticed it moments before it came down in a bright green spiraling slash that carved straight into its body.
"Leaf Blade!"
The leaves on Blade's arms were all combined into a singular, bright green blade of energy on each arm. The blade slashed downwards onto the Water-type, embedding it into the sand with a harsh thud. It happened so fast that everyone else had shock spread all over their faces at the surprise attack.
"STARYU!?" Lucy yelled, fearful and surprised.
The sand cloud dissipated, revealing Lucy's Staryu as it was on its back, partially buried in the sand under Blade's foot. Its core blinked at a constant low, steady beep, signaling that it was completely unconscious. Blade deactivated his energy blades and looked down, partially discourage.
"With just one hit?!" Prinplup gasped.
"What kind of strength is that?!" Klefki panicked.
"Well...guess that's what you get for using a Water-type against a Grass-type." He chided.
Cana gnashed her teeth and showed glowing tarot cards. "You prick!" She swiped her arm, sending the three glowing cards in Blade's way.
Noticing the cards, Blade used his leg muscles and leaped off Staryu and the ground in an acrobatic burst. The cards completely missed their target and exploded in the far distance. Blade, however, showed nothing short of nimble feats as he leaped.
"He jumped...!" Cana quipped.
Blade scoffed as he set his sights on Prinplup. Meeting eyes, the latter realized this too. Once again, he crossed his arms and spread them, unsheathing another Leaf Blade and dove downwards onto him.
"Prinplup, quick! Use Metal Claw!" Cana shouted.
"Right, I hear ya!" Prinplup wasn't to give in so easily. Not like Staryu. He was actually prepared this time. He sprung off the sand skywards after Blade, his two flippers crossed with glowing metallic ends to them.
Blade and Prinplup cried out simultaneously as their respective attacks crossed in midair, creating a bright white static that intensifies the air around them. Though Blade's Leaf Blade had partially more momentum thanks to gravity, Prinplup's Metal Claw lived up to its namesake. The Steel-type move held firmly against the Grovyle's advances for as long as able.
Their scowls stinging holes into each other, the power struggle eventually halted, causing both to back off in midair.
"Don't give him any momentum! Liepard, use Fury Swipes!"
Lucy followed in kind. "Klefki, use Foul Play!"
Liepard and Klefki shot after Blade from either side, subsequently making a joint dart skywards after him. 'A pincer attack? Not bad.'
Liepard's claws glowed bright white as they lengthened from her paws. Klefki shot after Blade, ready to grab and twist him. However, Blade narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned his whole body backwards into the fall, leaving nothing between Liepard and Klefki as they crashed into one another.
'He's nimble even in the air?!' Cana was dumbstruck with the surprise maneuver by her opponent.
Blade worked through his somersault and landed on a knee at a steep angle at the two Pokémon still in momentary suspension. With another spring shot off the dirt, he lunged directly at them with his leg swung back.
"Pursuit!"
He swung his leg around in a harsh roundhouse, stamping Klefki and Liepard at the same time. Though it wasn't very effective, it was strong enough to send them flying into Prinplup behind them, subsequently sending all three into the sand with harsh thuds whereas Blade landed humbly sound with a huff.
Lucy's eyes shot wide open. "You guys alright?!"
"He's light on his feet, that's for sure." Cana reached back, pulling out some more tarot cards; these ones having flame patterns on them. "But even so, he said that Water-types are bad against Grass-types...so let's see how he handles a little fire then."
She pivoted and swung her arm forward, flinging the magic cards at Blade.
"Sun's Strength!"
The cards flew threw the air, all of them radiating enough heat that they shined a faint, searing red. The farther they traveled, the more heat was produced to where the cards themselves were set ablaze, making a half dozen comets heading for Blade.
Blade observed the attack streamlining his direction. "Fire, eh?" He scoffed. "Using your head I see, but...just because you use it, doesn't mean it'll work!" He leaned forward, a dense red aura engulfing his frame. "Agility!"
The flaming cards drew closer, but when they looked like they were about to make contact, Blade disappeared from view. The cards met the sand in a heated explosion that sent crystalized grains raining down across the beach before everyone present.
"Did he just vanish into thin air?!" Klefki quipped.
Liepard narrowed her eyes. "No, not exactly. Look!"
Ahead of her, Blade briefly reappeared in a take-off stance. He suddenly blitzed across the sand on his light footing, leaving small sand bursts to appear every now and again. He moved in zigzag formations as he closed the gap and maneuvered around Prinplup, Liepard, and Klefki. The three only saw Blade for only a split second in intervals before he would disappear in a lunge circling around them.
"Did his Speed just increase?" Cana grunted. "Great, like we didn't have enough trouble trying to catch him before."
"You can complain as much as you want, but that ain't solving your problems!" Blade shouted. He briefly broke free from his pattern and brought a heel around.
Completely taken back, Klefki only felt a slight breeze before the force of Blade's leg slammed into her metallic body, via Pursuit. The impact sent her careening skywards with a yelp of pain.
"Klefki, no!" Lucy shouted.
"She'll be fine, Lucy. Last I checked, Dark-type moves don't have much effect on Fairy-types." Cana felt like giving herself a pat on the back for remembering that bit of info. It was thanks to the – limited – studying she had done regarding Pokémon types. But she had no room at the moment to praise herself.
Lucy knew Cana was right. But still, it didn't do any good for them. 'At this rate, we can't even slow them down...alright then! Let's try something else!' Having an idea, Lucy reached up to Klefki. "Klefki!"
Klefki shook herself, recovering from the shock of the previous assault and nodded. "Right, Lucy!"
Blade raised a brow as he continued sprinting laps around Liepard and Prinplup. 'Wonder what they're up to this time?'
Klefki drifted towards Lucy's side, backing off from everyone. She undid her key ring and levered one side stocked full of keys for Lucy to choose from. Lucy wasted no time selecting a golden key and raised it high in a chop.
"Open: Gate of the Archer – Sagittarius!"
Manifesting into existence, Sagittarius stood before Lucy in a stalwart salute. "Righty-o, I'm ready to be of service, Miss Lucy!"
A grin fell on Lucy's face as she pointed Sagittarius' key directly to her own chest. "And now..." A golden light radiated from her body from contact with the key's tip. Magic Power caused her body to radiate a bright light.
When the light faded, Lucy's hairstyle hadn't changed, but her blue bandana changed to orange. She wore a bright green dress with bare shoulders and a large window to show off much of her ample chest. The legs were in a skin-tight piece with orange-yellow accents along the thighs with a bright green gem on the shins. However, what was the most notable change to her was the deeply gilded bow she had in her grip. Such a majestic bow was accompanied by an arrow with a yellow tip, and the other end being a star pattern with an orange center.
"Star Dress: Sagittarius Form!"
'She gained powers from that man in a horse costume?' Blade pondered with a scowl. 'These humans just keep getting more and more freakier.'
"Ready, Sagittarius? Aim for that Grovyle!" Lucy shouted, raising the bow she held up in the general vicinity of the battle.
"Can do, Miss Lucy!" Sagittarius raised his bow and arrow and readied to attack.
"Star Shot!"
The arrows in both their fingers glowed and multiplied in numbers. Star-shaped golden energy expelled from the bow as the arrows went through and projected in even greater numbers, all of which were homing in on Blade. The rogue Grovyle saw them head his way and immediately backed away from Prinplup and the others. He backflipped onto his hands and feet in rhythmic fashion as the arrows were forcing him away.
'These arrows are special. They home in on their target.' "You won't get away from me this time!" Lucy fired more arrows at Blade in relentless succession.
As the arrows were firing away at him, Blade eventually lost momentum in his flips and found himself facing an onslaught of golden arrows looking like shooting stars. Realizing he wouldn't be able to outrun them, his leaves glowed bright green as he reeled his arms back.
"Fury Cutter!"
He suddenly slashed at the arrows in bright green glimmering cuts. The arrows supposedly seemed unfazed as they flew by Blade, but seconds later, they lost momentum and became stationary. A split second later, they all split down the middle before shattering to golden stardust.
"My word! He cut through them all?!" Sagittarius fretted.
"Don't let up, Sagittarius! Keep firing until he tires out!" Lucy insisted.
Realizing her plan, the Zodiac Spirit grinned. "I see...in that case...here we go!"
Alongside Lucy, Sagittarius continued firing celestial arrows that homed in on Blade. With his immense Speed, the Grovyle was slicing through the dozens of arrows with his Fury Cutter. Each slash was stronger than the last, making it stronger and stronger by the second. It became a battle of stamina as to who would get tired. If Blade let up – even by a little – he knew he would have been overcome by the onslaught.
He slashed away, as much as he could, as fast as he could...but that didn't stop all of them sadly. One arrow barely grazed his left cheek, leaving a scrape. Another grazed his right side. Then his left shoulder.
'He's starting to lose traction...c'mon!' Lucy grunted.
Feeling his arms getting tired at long last, Blade knew what would happen if he didn't change his strategy. In between waves of arrows, he suddenly sprinted away and around the arrows. The arrows continued following him, raining down constantly into the sand behind him. He continued sprinting away from the attack while closing in on his opponents.
"These darn arrows are so annoying...!" He scowled. When he glanced ahead, he gasped when he saw Prinplup and Liepard standing in his path ready to attack.
"Prinplup, Peck! Liepard, Assurance!" Cana ordered.
Prinplup closed his beak, which turned pure white and lengthened to a pointed end. Liepard's paws also became shrouded in energy, but with a purplish glow. Both lunged ahead after Blade simultaneously as he barreled right for them.
Blade, however, knew a backway out. Knowing the arrows prevented him from backpedaling, he saw Liepard sprint after him first. He sidestepped and moved past her into Prinplup. As he dove for him with his beak stretched out first, Blade made a small jump and pressed a heel against his head and used it as a springboard, burying Prinplup's face in the sand in the process.
"Nice try!" Blade scoffed...before he was face-to-face with Klefki. "A fake out!?"
"Now, Klefki, use Foul Play!"
Following Lucy's order, Klefki hummed as she used her key horn and jabbed Blade in midair. With amazing momentum with them being airborne, Klefki rotated and twisted her body until the momentum intensified. When enough was gathered, she threw Blade into the sand below.
"GAH~!" He plummeted into the sand, creating a small burst of grains upon impact.
Lucy pumped a fist with a big smile. "Alright, it worked!"
"Now we're talking!" Cana chimed.
"An excellent strategy indeed, Miss Lucy. Though speedy our foe may be, he cannot overcome sheer numbers!" Sagittarius praised.
The sand gradually simmered back into the earth, revealing Blade as he was on his hands and knees. He lifted his head and grunted at Lucy. "Lucky shot..."
'He's still moving! Gotta keep the pressure on him!' Pressed for time, Lucy reached an arm out. "Klefki, Metal Sound!"
"Right!" Klefki swiftly drifted closer, her key horn glowing a metallic energy. She glared at Blade and expelled bright silver soundwaves, accompanied by a high-pitched sound like scraping metal to blast into him.
Barely reeling, Blade didn't have time to dodge. The soundwaves met their mark, engulfing him and his surroundings in a loud and powerful shriek that made him cover his ears. He grunted painfully as he found himself unable to move as the noise was breaching through his claws. All while a dense blue aur surrounded his body, sharply reducing his Special Defense.
Lucy turned towards Cana. "Alright Cana, you're up!"
"Thought you'd never ask, Lucy." Cana followed up on the opening provided in kind. "Prinplup, Bubble Beam!"
Prinplup shook his head to get rid of the sand on his face from earlier. He looked at Blade with a particularly dense scowl as the inside of his beak glowed bright blue. Inhaling, he filled his lungs with oxygen that he expelled in dense blue bubbles projected at the incapacitated Grovyle.
Though the noise was intrusive, that didn't stop Blade from using his eyes. He saw the bubbles head his way and crossed his arms.
"Leaf Blade!"
He leaped off the sand and shot into the bubbles head-on. His arms crossed with elongated bright green energy blades that protected him from the projectiles as he closed the gap. It didn't help for Prinplup that Blade's Speed was already up by his Agility, making him carve through at a faster rate than normal.
Unfortunately, it didn't go in Prinplup's favor as he exhausted his breath. The Bubble Beam was carved clean through and left shimmering green blades in his field of vision. "Oh no-!"
Too slow to finish his exclamation, Blade passed Prinplup in a slashing stance on a knee. The trail diminished to thin air as the blades returned to leaves as he scoffed. A split-second later, a bright gash followed by an eruption of smoke engulfed Prinplup. He cried out in agony followed by a thud in the sand.
"You're kidding me...Prinplup!" Cana quipped.
The smoke dissipated, revealing Prinplup on his back with spirals in his eyes. He fainted.
"Cana, a little help here!" Liepard chimed. She only looked away for a second, but the opening was all Blade needed to appear in front of her with bright green leaves that he slashed her with, via Fury Cutter. "GAH!" She cried out as she slid back in the dirt.
Blade adjusted his footing as he scowled at his opponents for the umpteenth time. "How much longer till these lot have to suffer by you deplorable people? Really."
Lucy was starting to feel more pressure put on them. They needed a new strategy, and fast. 'There's gotta be a way to stop him in his tracks. There just has to be...' She looked down at her feet. 'Sand...'
It was only brief, but she had an epiphany. She knew an answer!
"That's it..." She breathed. "Klefki! Here!" She outstretched her arm.
"I'm coming!" Klefki zipped over towards Lucy, unlocking her key ring once again. The selection opened up and Lucy plucked out another Zodiac Key.
"Perfect!" She pointed the key out towards the ground. "Open: Gate of the Maiden – Virgo!"
Appearing before her, Virgo made herself present. However, much to Lucy and Cana's surprise, Virgo was...
"You summon me, Princess?" The maid voluntarily greeted her master...as she wore nothing but a bikini version of her usual attire. White frills surrounded the bra and around the rim of her lower-half.
Blade seemed anything but amused at such a sight. "You serious? A half-naked maid? You seriously don't have common sense, do you?"
For a moment, Lucy was completely puzzled. "Um, Virgo...?"
"Yes, Princess?"
"I'm grateful that you're here, but...why are you wearing that?" She pointed to her bikini for clarification.
Virgo looked down at herself and hummed. "Oh, this? Well, it's the beach, right? I figured that I would come in a more appropriate attire. Would you have preferred it that I came without clothes?"
"Nononono! That's not necessary!" She shook her head to rid of such a humiliating thought. "Anyways..." She turned and pointed an index finger at Blade. "You see him? Make sure he doesn't go anywhere!"
Virgo's eyes briefly flashed red, a sense of seriousness taking over. "Yes, as you wish." Suddenly, a bright orange magic seal appeared beneath her before a spout of sand erupted. When it fell back into the earth, Virgo was gone.
"Lucy, watch out!" Cana warned.
Lucy looked back up, seeing Blade raced through the sand to get to her. Once more, Lucy raised her bow and summoned more arrows to derail the Grovyle. "Sagittarius!"
"Right-o!" He followed suit and fired more arrows directly at him. Once more, a shower of arrows barreled after Blade in no less numbers than before. Once again, the latter found himself backing off, as expected. He pulled away as he saw many arrows heading right for him.
"Tch!" Sneering, he took a running stance. "Agility!" Another dense red aura outlined his body. It faded mere seconds before he vanished in a blur, completely missing the arrows' trajectory entirely.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. 'He's gotten even faster. At this rate, we won't know where he'll come from!'
Cana pulled out more magic cards, glowing with energy. "Oh no you don't!" She flung them outwards across the sand, making constant explosions along the sand.
It became a midday fireworks show as celestial arrows and colorful magic cards rained down along the beach. Several bursts of sand spouted every second. It blended well with the few smaller bursts that were really Blade's feet pressing and leaving the ground. He maneuvered past every single arrow on light footing. Zigzags, lunges; nimble movements that got him through the barrage, he used.
"You're kidding...he's still so fast?" Cana grunted.
Despite the frustration rising, Lucy reminded herself of the situation. 'We don't need to hit him. We just need to keep our distance.'
Blade didn't stop running around. He blitzed so fast that he was in the trajectory of an arrow one second, then vanished in the blink of an eye, appearing closer than before.
'Just a little more...'
The closer Blade got, the more pressed they became with their attacks, until finally...
"Guh!?" Blade felt his heel press into the sand a little too deep. Just when he was about to clear the minefield of magic attacks, his whole world sank. Quite literally at that. The sand depressed in a meter-wide range all around him into a concave pit.
Lucy felt a smile rise. "Alright! Nice work, Virgo!"
A mound of sand pushed up before Lucy, revealing Virgo as she smiled merrily. "Of course, Princess...though it seems that my garments had gotten grains stuck in them. It's quite uncomfortable." Of course, her smile completely contradicted the statement of dismay.
"Uh, thank you for sharing...I guess?" She blinked. She couldn't dote on it. She and Cana went over towards the sand pit to see how Blade was faring himself.
Inside the concaved pit, the Grovyle shook his head as he felt his dizzy spell lift itself. "What the hell just...?" He looked around to find sand surrounding him. When he looked down, he saw that his feet were also covered by the offending grains. He couldn't help but grunt. 'Great, they set me up.'
When he looked up at his opponents, he saw Lucy and Cana approach the edge of the sand pit. Sagittarius had a hand on an arrow at the ready should his master give the order.
"Hmph...looks like you have me. Better get it over with." Blade sneered.
"Thought you'd never ask." Cana held up a tarot card, but before she could use it, Lucy stretched out an arm n front of her. "Lucy?!"
"Hold on, Cana. Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just trap him inside of your cards like you did with the others?" Lucy reasoned.
Cana frowned, showing hesitation at the more reasonable solution her comrade was offering. "Yeah, guess you're right...but still, you know he's in league with someone responsible for turning everyone's Pokémon against them, right? Not to mention the other lives that were hurt because of this little 'revolution'. Do you really want me to remind you of what happened with Brandish?"
Lucy paused when her friend reminded her of the incident. Had it not been for Aquarius intervening when she did, she couldn't lie to herself when she said she wouldn't have made it. Even though things between her and Brandish were much better than what they were before, their rocky start would have led to a steep end for her.
Still, Lucy found it in herself to think past all that. "I know, but still..."
"You should listen to your gal pal right there, blondie. You'd be doing everyone here a favor and saving yourself a lot of trouble in the long run." Blade reasoned crudely. "By the way, this sand is very uncomfortable. So make your decision soon."
"Hey, listen! Is that really a way you should talk to someone who's trying to offer you a way out?!" Lucy chastised. "We know you're working for the guy responsible for all this, but don't you have any value for your own life?"
"Nope." His answer was so blunt as he folded his arms.
"Geez...somebody's stubborn." Cana murmured. "...or has a really bad mood swing."
"Y-yeah..." Lucy quickly dismissed the notion to continue her say. "Listen, we're not like the people that you think we are. We don't just kill our enemies without reason or at all. That's not how our guild works."
As Lucy spoke, something shapely was making way along the sand behind, closing in on her back. However, nobody took notice.
Blade scowled loudly. "And remind me again why I should care what an enemy's code of conduct is? If we attacked you violently, you'd just lock us up and not give us the pink slip on life?"
"That's not what I'm saying! You shouldn't just rush to assumptions on your enemy without getting to know them first!"
"No law saying I can't, either." Blade harrumphed. He started getting really sick of this girl's attitude. That's when he noticed the shapely silhouette closing in behind Lucy. It was faint, but a small smirk on the corners of his jawline.
"What's so funny?" Cana inquired offensively.
"You said just now that you're not the people I think you are. Then if I thought you're all a bunch of heartfelt idiots...wouldn't I be right?"
"That's not-!" Lucy felt something grab her shoulders from behind. Before she realized it, she was whipped around and only saw a pair of abnormally massive, pink lips that were moist under the sun. "W-what the-?!"
Without warning, Lucy's world turned to a hot pink shade as the pair of giant lips made contact with her own – though really the lips were so massive they puckered up much of her face in the process. As the kiss processed to her, the large lips glowed bright pink.
"The hell?!" Cana looked over, visibly shaken by the sight. It didn't take long for everyone else to follow her lead and look back just as confused at the sight.
The opportunity couldn't have come at a better time. Blade gradually pivoted his heels out of the sand pit until they were loose enough for him to leap out. He closed in on Sagittarius and Virgo as they were too surprised by Lucy's predicament to catch it in time.
"GRAH!" Using Fury Cutter, Blade unleashed a flurry of relentless slashes that carved bright green gashes all around the two Celestial Spirits. He passed them with another cutting pose as they gawked at the harsh pain they felt all over their bodies.
"Milady...my apologies...!" Sagittarius grunted before returning to the Celestial Spirit World.
"Princess, I'm sorry..." Virgo wheezed, before her own body lost power and went back home shortly after.
"Like I said...you should have taken me down rather than ramble, you dunce!" Blade sneered.
The predicament Lucy was in was awkward. She didn't have time to process what was happening before the soft, moist lips parted with her own. She only caught the faint glimpse of bleached blonde hair just as her vision completely blurred out.
As her body went limp in Suria's hold, the Jynx hummed cheekily. "Sweet dreams~." She cooed.
"The hell are you supposed to be?!" Cana backlashed at the perpetrator holding onto her guildmate. "Get your grubby hands off her, you freak!"
Suria turned away from the limp Lucy as she focused on Cana. "Oh? Dear me, that's not a very nice thing of you to say. I only put your friend to sleep with a good night kiss. The poor thing really looked like it needed one. Just look at her."
Cana looked down at Lucy held in Suria's arms. True to what she had told, the girl was soundly breathing, indicating deep sleep. However, there was a massive pink lipstick stain that painted all around her mouth and nose in the shape of lips. It was equally hilarious as it was disturbing. For Cana and the current mood however, it leaned more towards the latter.
"Liepard, give me a hand here!" Cana shouted.
Liepard growled as she got to a crouching stance against Suria as a warning. However, she was blindsided by Blade, who had an arm pulled back that glowed bright green for another Fury Cutter. Before she could react in time, the Bug-type move met its mark, cutting a bright green gash across her fur that sent her soaring.
"Oh no~!" Klefki chimed horrifically.
Blade didn't waste a second. He reappeared in front of Klefki, startling her as his arm was reeled back with a bright green, unison blade. With only enough time to gasp, Klefki was outsped by Blade's Leaf Blade that carved into her metallic body. She cried out in pain as she fell onto her back in the sand.
Both Liepard and Klefki laid close to each other, neither moving as their eyes were replaced with dense swirls.
'Crap, this is bad...our Pokémon are all wiped out, and Lucy is...' Cana balled her fists tight. To say she was livid would be putting it lightly. She reached for her cards in a last-ditch maneuver.
Blade, however, caught on. "Pursuit!" Moving faster than Cana could blink, Blade performed a flying roundhouse on Cana's right arm. The cards that she had just pulled out all went flying around the area as the drunkard stepped back until she fell into the sand.
"Damnit...!"
Blade turned away, scoffing. "Sorry, no card games allowed here. Now if you'll excuse me..." He turned away and started walking off.
"Hey, hold it! The hell you going!?" Cana shouted, sitting herself up.
Blade continued walking away, waving back dismissively. "I've had my fun with you. I don't stoop so low as to kick another person when they're down." He slyly smirked. "You have my condolences."
Cana was confused, before she felt something loom over her. A sudden chill ran up her spine as she turned and saw Suria looking down at her with a mischievous smirk.
"Oh, sweet dear. Just look at you, all wounded from playing around with Blade like that." She cooed. "But don't worry..." She leaned into Cana's face. "I'll be sure you'll be given great care..."
Cana wanted to get away, but her body was already near its limits. First the rocky boat ride through a sea of Frillish, and now having been thrown into disarray like this; it was enough to make her head spin. She felt Suria's hands grab her cheeks as she pulled her closer towards her large lips.
"Wait, don't...!"
"Lovely Kiss."
Before Cana could protest, her quips were muffled by the soft lips connecting with her own. They engulfed much of her face in a soft, wet mark of affection that glowed bright pink. Cana's body convulsed in shock from the surprise, but a smooth and soothing calm oddly began washing over her.
It only lasted a few seconds, but when Suria pulled away, the shocked look on Cana's face had a massive lipstick stain. She watched as her eyes rolled backwards and her body went limp like Lucy's. Like her, she also was sound asleep.
Suria looked down at her, smirking merrily at her handiwork. "There we go, nice and tucked in."
Blade watched from afar, disgust painting his face. "You know that move can be used for long-range too, right?"
Suria looked back, shrugging. "Of course, dear. I'm well aware of that...but I think it's more meaningful if you give it directly to someone." She winked.
"You are one messed up Pokémon, both you and your human fetish." Blade eyerolled.
"Oh, but could you trouble yourself to help me for one second? I would appreciate it if I had a hand with getting all these wonderful darlings to custody."
Blade looked around at the defeated Pokémon around him, then at the sleeping women. His scowl was as stalwart as before as he turned it onto Suria. A second later, he turned and stomped away from the scene. "Nope, not doing this."
On another section of the beach, Juvia found herself isolated from the others. The only company she had being her Pokémon that were able to get away with her.
"I think...we were able to lose them." Juvia breathed, finally able to catch her breath from that hasty retreat. When she looked around, her face turned crestfallen. "But...it looks like we've lost the others in the process."
"Yes, so it would seem." Wartortle noted, taking notice of the high rock formations on his left. "We must have taken a sidetrack route and hadn't realized it until just now. We shouldn't be too far from where we started."
Vaporeon's fins flicked. She turned towards Azumarill. "Azumarill, anything?"
"Hang on, let me see?" Azumarill closed her eyes and used her long ears to locate the others nearby. After several seconds of homing the various surroundings around her, she opened her eyes and shook her head. "Nope. Nothing."
Juvia frowned. "I'm worried. Do you think the others will be alright?"
"I mean, I get where you're coming from, Juvia. But it's not like the others are helpless, either. You know that." Vaporeon chimed. "Besides, the others aren't hypnotized anymore, so they can count on backup if they need it."
"With all do respect, Boss-Ma'am, I have to agree." Wartortle chimed in. "You recall what Nic said. It's imperative that we all make way to the city with the goal to get to shutting down this operation. Odds are likely that everyone else might he heading there right now."
"He's right. We should focus on that for the time being instead of about the others." Vaporeon added.
"I suppose...you're not wrong." Though Juvia wasn't going to say anything to counterargue their intentions, it wasn't necessarily the others that she was concerned with. Rather, one person in particular. 'I hope Gray will be alright...he better not have gotten lost with any of the other girls!'
Azumarill's ears twitched, causing her to turn towards the water. Her eyes widened in shock. "Juvia, look out!"
Before Juvia could spiral into another Gray crisis, Azumarill's warning kept her aware enough to where she was able to dodge a slick black liquid that stained the sand behind her. When she looked back, she saw the spread gradually sinking into the grains, staining them in a thick coating of black.
"Ink...?" Juvia murmured lowly. She felt a bad feeling in her gut. She turned towards the sea, where at the base of the waves washing up, two familiar women stood side-by-side.
"It would seem that we have found one of them." Reela, the one who shot ink at Juvia, chimed.
"Indeed, sister." Marcella noted.
Juvia narrowed her eyes. "You two...from the guild hall!" She remembered the last time she encountered them during the ambush at the guild hall. "Then that must mean..."
A radiant light beamed from the ocean waters behind the two women. The light got brighter and more concentrated the closer it got to the surface. When it finally surfaced, it was none other than Lumina as she found her way towards the wandering rain woman.
"Found one." Lumina eyed Juvia carefully, glaring at her actions.
'They've found us so soon!?' Juvia balled her fists as she mentally cursed herself. She looked around for a potential escape route, but all that was surrounding her was white sand and high cliffs. She could breach for the ocean, but Lumina already occupied the vicinity. As it stood to reason, Juvia found herself locked in place with only one alternative to get out of the situation.
'There's no one else nearby...I guess there's only one way to find Gray and the others.' She spread her legs, preparing herself. 'I used up all of my magic trying to navigate us through that storm. It was stronger than I thought to nearly deplete my reserves. Bur if I have to defeat her here and now, it'll save us a lot of trouble in the long run.' Her brow furrowed as she started to look more serious. "Vaporeon, Azumarill, Wartortle, I need you all!"
"Right!" Vaporeon nodded.
"Just give the order, Boss-Ma'am. We're ready." Wartortle insisted.
"Oh, it's battle time! This will be fun!" Azumarill chimed.
Lumina glared at the three Pokémon that were present in front of their trainer. She had enough common sense to know that in terms of numbers she was outclassed. 'Those Pokémon should be free from that human. Are they all still working alongside her?' She didn't dawdle on the matter. Instead, she opted to reach a fin out in front of her. "Marcella, use Bubble Bomb!"
"Right away, Miss Lumina." Marcella humbly nodded at her command.
Juvia remembered well of that attack. She knew how to counter it. "Vaporeon!"
"Got it!" she shouted, crouching at the word.
An aqua blue magic seal appeared before Marcella as her right palm stretched out at them. The magic drew in surrounding vapor from the moist atmosphere that sea had and magnified it into condensation. That condensation harvested many water molecules until they finally gathered into a singular, spherical mass of water that was launched at them.
The bubble-like projectile closed in on the Pokémon in front of its trajectory. At the last second, Vaporeon suddenly sprung ahead of the others and spread her forelegs in brace for the attack. The bubble met its mark, exploding in a gushing burst that spilled water everywhere around Vaporeon as she stood unfazed.
"No effect?" Lumina gasped.
"Sorry, but your water attacks won't do anything against Vaporeon and her Water Absorb Ability." Juvia smirked.
Lumina lowered her head, looking particularly contemplative about the revelation. "You don't say..."
Not wanting their advantage taken, Juvia reached an arm out. "Vaporeon, now! Aurora Beam!"
Vaporeon didn't hesitate. Using her hindlegs, she sprung off the sand into the air. At the base of her mouth, a dark green and black hemisphere manifested and concentrated to a singular point. Once ready, she lurched her head back and rolled her neck to give the sphere momentum as a cold, black and green beam fired at Marcella and Reela.
"Miss Lumina, your orders?" Reela asked, slight impatience with the attack heading their way.
"Remain calm. Allow me to deal with it." She insisted. She glanced over at Marcella once more. "Marcella, use Foam Barricade!"
"Yes, understood." Marcella humbly nodded again before facing the oncoming beam. She manifested another aquatic blue magic seal that was twice the circumference of the previous one. The seal began pouring out thick, large, blue bubbles that clustered together to make a large wall in front of her.
Vaporeon's initial attack continued its trajectory into the barricade of dense bubbles with a steep angle. The Ice-type attack met the superficial layer of the bubble wall, causing several dozen bubbles to pop and disperse. Yet, even more continued spouting from underneath like a never-ending reservoir. In fact, the beam's force actually caused the wall to thin out and spill bubbles everywhere.
'It absorbed our attack?' Juvia looked on, completely shocked at the defensive play.
"Now, Reela! Ink Rush!" Lumina shouted.
Reela nodded in understanding. "Yes, Miss Lumina. As you wish." She reached a palm out, creating a liquid silver magic seal that was directed at the wall of bubbles ahead of her.
The barricade of dense foam did something else coincidentally that didn't work out in Juvia's favor. As much as she wanted to know what was happening, the foam's range made it hard to get a visual. It was bad enough she was blocked off, but being unable to see her opponents only added an extra layer to her discomfort.
'What are they doing...?' It was hard to tell, but she knew something was coming. "Everyone, on guard!"
A rush of dark ink blasted through the bubbles, startling Vaporeon as she was too close. It rushed in a straight path right into her face, splattering her with enough force to send her rolling backwards with a loud yelp.
"Vaporeon!" Juvia quipped.
"Is she okay?" Wartortle worried.
Vaporeon eventually was able to stammer back up. However, her face was covered in pitch-black ink that smeared all over her. Her eyes were closed so as to keep the ink from hurting them. "Gngh...I can't see! What's going on?!" she fretted.
"Are you okay?" Azumarill hopped closer, seeing the dense ink on her face. "That...doesn't look good."
"I'm fine! I just can't see!" Vaporeon snapped, using a forepaw to try and wipe away the ink.
Juvia balled her fists tighter. She needed to get rid of this dilemma, and fast! She had to find a way around if possible. And the only way fallible at best was the standard Fairy Tail way – strike! "Wartortle, use Water Pulse! Azumarill, use Aqua Tail!"
Both Pokémon chose not to dote on the matter as they returned their attention towards the battle, this time with a fire ignited inside them. Both jumped into the air as they readied momentum for their respective attacks.
Wartortle pulled his head back and opened his mouth. Vapor condensed to a bright blue sphere of water that he aimed at the enemy. Similarly, Azumarill opened her mouth as bright blue energy was seen inside. A hemisphere and blue bubbles fired side-by-side at the enemy.
Lumina, however, was far from fazed. "That's not a good idea."
The two Water-type attacks met the thin wall of foam that was still standing in their way. The bubbles and dense sphere met their mark on the barricade and diffused into it. Suddenly, the bubbles from Marcella's spell suddenly multiplied and expanded, making a denser wall in front of them.
Juvia gasped, stepping backwards. 'But how? Did the shield just get bigger all of a sudden?'
"Have you humans every used a bathtub?" From the other side of the enlarged wall, Juvia could hear Lumina's voice. "If you add water, it adds to the suds and soap, making it multiply. I hear kids love to see them grow and play with them...but in this case, it's not a good idea to be using water, is it?"
"But...water is my specialty...if that's not going to work, then...?" With Juvia dumbfounded, she had to think of something else, and quick!
Unfortunately, Lumina didn't allow such luxury. Instead, she sprung up out of the water and got a steep angle fixed onto Juvia. The bulb on the end of its angler shined brightly.
"Thunder Wave!"
An electrical pulse in the form of dense, yellow, electrical rings shot at Juvia, expanding outwards as it got closer. The rings met her head-on, making contact and engrossed her in an electrical rippling field around her entire body. All Juvia could do was cry out in distress as she felt the numbing electricity conduct into her body.
"Juvia!" Azumarill shouted.
"Boss-Ma'am! No!" Wartortle gasped.
Vaporeon's ears twitched, but couldn't tell what was happening. "What's going on?!"
Lumina descended back onto the seawater with a loud splash. Still concealed by the wall of bubbles, she knew she had the advantage. "Marcella, now! Bubble Trap!"
"Yes, Miss Lumina." Dutifully nodding once more, Marcella calmly reached another arm out as massive bubbles from her barricade suddenly shot across the shores towards the others. The bubbles rushed at alarming rates after Wartortle, Azumarill, and Juvia specifically.
When the bubbles met them, they were all struck by them. Yet, instead of feeling recoil, they felt the bubbles sinking into them. Or rather...them into the bubbles.
"W-what's this...?!" Wartortle found himself unable to pull away. Though he tried withdrawing into his shell, the thick, sticky layer of suds on the bubble drew him in closer.
"I...I can't break free!" Azumarill yelped, feeling herself get drawn in further. "Juvia! Help! They got us this turn!"
Juvia wanted to say something, anything. But her body was so stricken with paralysis that she couldn't even get past the numbness in her jaw to say a command. It was aggravating, let alone humiliating. Even her own body found itself gradually growing immersed into the bubble.
Slowly, but steadily, the three found themselves inside their own personal bubbles. Each bubble looked thick and had a glossy surface, indicating a flexible texture. All of them, with Vaporeon as the exception, found themselves trapped within these confines.
Azumarill made an attempt to bang her tail against the surface. However, all it did was bounce it back, nearly making her fall over. "Woah...!" She caught herself, shaking her head as she looked back ahead. "That's some thick stuff there..."
"The more water that's poured into them, the denser and thicker they get." Lumina scoffed. "I'm sorry about this...I guess your abilities and magic that you're proud of just aren't suited for you this time."
Juvia banged against the bubble's tension, finding it rippling only a little. 'She used my own magic against me...I can't do anything about this!'
Lumina turned her attention towards Juvia's Vaporeon, who was still trying to make sense of her surroundings. She knew she couldn't leave her unattended, so she frowned and knew what to do. She channeled energy at the base of her bulb as crackling static magnified to a singular spherical point.
"Electro Ball!"
With a strong lurch, Lumina fired the electrical sphere at Vaporeon. The Electric-type attack pulsated into Vaporeon's side, landed an explosive blow that discharged static. The result was shocking at best. Vaporeon cried out in the discharge that she was caught off guard from.
It didn't help that it was a critical hit, hence the large discharge.
"V-Vaporeon..." Juvia wheezed through her numbness.
She and the others watched as the sand and static in the air gradually dispersed. They could only stare in horror as Vaporeon laid on her side, groaning in distress from the soreness on her body and the ink in her eyes.
With them predisposed for the time being, Lumina stared on as she thought about her options. She knew that she could make the human useful with her magic and add her to her arsenal, but she also knew of her orders. She would have to bring them all in first before any of their personal desires could be reached.
'If this human is able to use Water Magic...she might be useful after all. Any human whose abilities and magic that are helpful and special has to be taken into account. But, for now...' She turned towards her humans. "Reela. Marcella. Let us return to the city. Ensure their custody."
"Yes, Miss Lumina." The twin obeyed their orders. Lumina dove back into the sea, whereas Reela and Marcella started walking alongside the shores. Using her manipulation of the bubbles, Marcella moved Juvia, Azumarill, and Wartortle's bubbles by making them float. Vaporeon was taken by Reela as their direction was back towards their prized land.
'Gray...I'm so sorry...forgive me.' Juvia somberly thought.
Walking through the forest that sat more inwards from the beach, Gray felt a chill run down his spine. And being an Ice Mage, something like this meant something really wrong.
"Gray, what's wrong?" Snover asked, looking back at his trainer suddenly stopping.
Gray looked over his shoulder in the direction he came from. 'This feeling I got just now...Juvia?' Usually that would be the case. It just had to be. He wouldn't feel uneasy otherwise for anything else. He remained silent as he weighed his options shortly before begrudgingly turning back forward. "...it's fine. Nothing for you to worry about."
Snover didn't look convinced, but he didn't pry any further. "Okay, if you say so..."
Gray's expression turned stalwart as he looked ahead at the forest life before him. 'That's right. We have to stay focused. We need to get to the city and sneak our way inside. Whatever is causing this, that needs to shut down above all else. Hopefully everyone else got that, too.'
As they continued their trek, a sudden stomach grumbled from the group. Snorunt sheepishly tensed up. "Uh..."
"Seriously? Now?" Bergmite deadpanned.
"Hey, c'mon! Don't give me that! It's been like...forever since we last ate anything!" Snorunt argued.
"I mean...he's not wrong." Snover meekly agreed, rubbing the back of his snow cap. "I'm kinda hungry myself. But with everything that's happened, there hasn't been a good time to sit down and take a bite, huh?"
Snorunt turned towards Bergmite, staring at his icy frame. Bergmite noticed how focused he looked on him, making him feel more uncomfortable by the second. "What?"
Snorunt blinked. "Nothing, just wondering...how your ice tastes is all."
"Don't even think about it, Snorunt." Snover pleaded almost like a warning, causing the Snow Hat Pokémon to cringe.
"H-hey! I was just wondering was all! I wouldn't really eat him!" Snorunt argued, before turning towards his feet. "At least not intentionally..." he muttered.
Barely making out the last part, Bergmite justly stepped back, not taking his eyes off Snorunt.
'If Snorunt's starting to see Bergmite as a snack, then you know he's hungry.' Gray put a hand to his forehead, groaning. "Guess it can't be helped. Hang on." He held out his right arm with the palm facing up. Out of thin air, he created a small sphere of solid ice that was twice as large as a Poke Ball. "Will this do?"
Snorunt stared at the ice like he was possessed. It was a solid yes as far as everyone else saw it. Gray tossed it and Snorunt immediately jumped for it, grabbing hold of it in his tiny hands. "Thank you, thank, thank you! Ooooh! So hungry!" He yelled, before taking a cloud, crunching bite into the frozen water treat.
"Just make sure you finish that quickly, alright?" Gray got a swift nod from Snorunt as a response. 'Not gonna lie though, we've been running ourselves around a lot that we haven't been able to rest much. And that Dragonair and those Frillish we fought were only the coastguards. If they were that strong, then we've got a serious problem if we run into one of those so-called 'Apostles' we saw.'
"Don't worry, Gray. I'll make sure to help in any way I can to make sure you participate!"
Even though he tried not to think too much of it, the uneasy feeling in his gut came back to haunt him as he thought about Juvia. 'Wonder where she ended up?'
The munching of Snorunt's ice chunk was so loud that it was borderline grating. It was so loud that rustling grass and bushes nearby were completely mute to the obscene sound. And unbeknownst towards Snorunt, he was unaware of a set of glowing red eyes in the shadows of some shrubs.
Of course, Gray was more observant. "Snorunt, get down!"
"Huh? You shat shomeding?" Snorunt was oblivious to Gray's warning until the last second. A sleek shadow sprung out of the bushes and pounced onto him, baring hardened claws balled into a fist. His only saving grace was the quick reflexes Gray bared when he got between him and the attacker, brandishing an ice shield that shuddered violently from the force of the impact.
The figure pulled away, landing on his heels in the ground. The sunlight peered between the canopies to give a spotlight on the humanoid creature that had a white, rocky mane that covered his face.
Gray dispelled his ice shield, narrowing his eyes at the unwanted company. "So much for breaking in quietly..."
The figment standing several feet gave off a small snarl. "I woke up to an emergency call...and out here I find rats from the continental boonies running around like they own the place." He lifted his head, showing Gray his intense, bright red, glowing eyes that personified his anger. "You bloody humans...I'm gonna whack ya around a notch for this mediocre sham of an infestation!"
'Those eyes...he's definitely pissed about something.' Gray was unsure of what to say, but he knew this had to be a Pokémon. He pulled out his PokeDex just to play it safe. To his relief, an identical image if the humanoid wolf showed on his screen.
"Lycanroc, the Wolf Pokémon. It has no problems ignoring orders it doesn't like. It doesn't seem to mind getting hurt at all – as long as it can finish off its opponent."
Hearing its own entry from Gray's device, Akando squinted angrily. "Tch, so that's what you lot say about me, huh? I'm not sure whether I should be flattered that you got something right about me, or annoyed...or rather, what I feel right now: Pissed!" He snarled.
Snover shrieked in fear and shuffled away. "Uh, I think this guy woke up on the wrong side of the rock..."
"Feeling threatened." Bergmite deadpanned his emotions aloud.
Gray didn't deter and kept his eyes fixed on Akando. "So then, fair to say that you're one of these so-called 'Apostles' we've caught wind of, huh?"
Akando scoffed aggressively again. "That damn Adamantine. When I see that lifeless shrimp again, I'll make sure he doesn't hear the end of it." He groaned. "Let's get this over with already, I wanna head back to bed without any work ahead of me to look forward to!"
Gray bent his knees, steadying himself in anticipation of the inevitable. "Well, guess this was bound to happen sooner or later." He grinned. "Actually, it works out this way. This saves a lot of hassle looking for a direct source remotely. So then..." He held up his palm and rammed his knuckles into it, cracking them with a serious and cold leer. "Wanna learn a trick and roll over for me?"
If Akanado were in a good mood, he would have chuckled at the irony – if he ever had a good mood. Instead, he just reached back and pulled out a Human Cube. "Piss off, you fleshy pleb. I think I'll make this easy for both of us and put you down instead."
Gray glanced back at his Pokémon. "You guys in on this?"
"Sure!" Snover, Bergmite, and Snorunt exclaimed, the latter chewing up ice chunks in the process.
Akando didn't bother to muster another sneer. He wanted to get this over with. "Get out here already..." He threw the Human Cube into the air. "Zestyr!"
The cube lobbed through the air until it breached a climatic height. It then clicked and unlocked, expelling magic energy that spat into the ground and took shape. The energy manifested into a humanoid shape that made himself apparent.
Standing between Gray and Akando was a tall, slender man. From the small wrinkles under his eyes, he looked to have aged, yet he had such smooth, young skin. He had long, platinum blonde hair that was tied in a high ponytail with a white band. He sported a long, silver, shimmering cloak with yellow edging, with a black long-sleeve shirt that hugged his upper body. A brown belt buckled his gray baggy pants that went all the way down to his shin-high brown leather boots.
His eyes remained shut, if not severely squinted. He looked ahead, putting on a placid expression of modest indifference towards the matter at hand.
"So he's got a guy working for him, too, huh?" Gray muttered low.
"You summon me, Master?" Zestyr spoke cordially towards his trainer, still retaining his placid grin.
"Yes, I most certainly did." Akando took a few paces forward, his eyes flashing red. "Help me get rid of this hooligan at once!"
Zestyr humbly nodded. "As you wish."
"Sorry pal, but we're putting this whole operation on ice as of right now." Gray taunted.
Snover, Bergmite, and Snorunt fastened themselves they opposed Zestyr and Akando. Snover's body suddenly expelled a small mist that dispersed into the atmosphere around them. In a matter of seconds, the temperature dropped by a few degrees as his Snow Warning Ability caused hail to plummet.
Akando felt the hail hit his rocky mohawk, making his left eye twitch. "Well, you sure can piss off a 'mon."
'It's obvious what we need to do.' Gray kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that it might alert his opponent if he spoke aloud. 'If that mage is taking orders from that Lycanroc like the rest of those guys did, they wouldn't have much sense of direction. Shutting him down fast is gonna be the key.'
Gray placed his hands together. "Ice-Make: Lance!" He stood his ground as his hands created elongated lances in numbers no less than half a dozen. The attack's angle made Zestyr spread his legs as he waited or the order...until he realized the lances' trajectory missed him completely.
"Heh, lousy aim much...oh?" He didn't realize it until it was too late. He looked back to see where the lances were all targeting after. "Oh my...that's certainly not good."
The lances continued streaming across the atmosphere, aiming for Gray's true target – Akando. The Midnight Lycanroc stood slouched as he saw what Gray was intending. Though he had the momentum to spring out of there, he instead stood his ground and brought a forearm up to guard.
All six lances met their mark, stabbing and erupting into large ice masses upon impact with the rocky fur. Ice flourished around Akando to where six large spikes jutted out from a united, misshaped ice mound. Zestyr looked on with a partially surprised brow braised as his face remained mostly the same.
Gray smirked. "How's that? Let's say you?"
Zestyr looked back at him. "My goodness, you're certainly bold to do something like that."
"It's the most obvious move. Silence the head honcho and the rest follow. Not much you can do if he doesn't give you orders, right?"
Zestyr nodded. "Right...I suppose I see your point. But, that's not exactly what I meant."
"What?"
Gray's question was answered when the entire ice spike mound suddenly started rumbling. He looked back at the spikes quickly losing their hold as pressure from its base suddenly escalated. A flash of red eyes and a colorful aura shimmered in the depths of the ice where Akando was, a fist pulling back searing in the radiant rainbow energy.
With one, incredulous punch to the base, the force exploded all at once. Akando howled as he not only shattered every fragment of ice off his fur, but sent the fragments past Zestyr, who continued grinning like it didn't surprise him.
The counterattack surprised Gray. The fragments came in too fast for him to block, and he cried out in pain as he was blasted off his feet and into a tree trunk with a harsh thud.
"Gray!?" Snover gasped. Snorunt and Bergmite looked just as horrified.
Gray slumped down onto his bottom and hunched over. He grunted as he gnashed his teeth to suppress the urge to scream on account of the pain he felt in all the places he was struck at once. "Damnit...what the hell was that about...?"
"I tried to tell you." Zestyr chimed.
Akanado stepped forward, sneering. "Quiet, Zestyr." His human obeyed, becoming silent as he turned towards Gray. "What's the matter? Ever heard of a Counter before? You thought it would be that easy to get the drop on me of all 'mons. Tch! You really are a boon."
"But you know...that actually hurt...so now I'm mad!" Akando's eyes glowed bright red again. "I'm gonna make sure I crush you and your frozen popsicles under rubble!"
It didn't take too long for Gray to come around, getting to a knee and bracing himself. "Let's see you give orders when you're catching some Z's then! Snover, Grass Whistle! Bergmite, Ice Fang! Snorunt, Bite!"
Snover's leafy hand glowed bright green as he brought it to his mouth. Bergmite and Snorunt reeled their bodies back as their jawlines glowed bright blue and bright white respectively.
Akando vaguely squinted. "Zestyr, Land Soften!"
Zestyr nodded, still grinning. "As you wish." The next moment, a grayish-green magic seal formulated beneath his feet, sending put a distorted pulse wave that engulfed the surroundings in an expansive radius towards Gray's Pokémon.
For a moment nothing happened as it faded a few feet past them. Just as they were about to spring forth with their attacks, however, their footholds melted beneath them, causing them to collapse.
"W-woah~!" Snover lost his concentration for Grass Whistle as he was using his arms to level himself from the mucky land beneath him. "H-hey! When did it become quicksand all of a sudden!?"
"Guuuuh~!" Snorunt grunted as he and Bergmite found their footing completely faltered by the lack of proper ground.
Gray's eyes widened in utter shock unfolding before him. "The hell!? The ground just turn to mush!?"
Zestyr kept his grin, though it curbed slightly in earnest satisfaction of Gray's ire. "More accurately speaking, I reduced the ground's particles to make it softer." He explained. "It's generally how Softening Magic works, softening non-living matter. Rest assured, it'll wear off...though I can't guarantee that it'll be anytime soon."
'So this guy is able to soften anything he touches, huh? That reminds me of that guy back in Edolas, the weapon he used that always turned my ice soft.' Gray recalled his Edolas experience, how he wounded up in a hectic battle against Sugarboy. 'Only difference this time is that it's legit magic and not by some tool. But still, I beat that guy once...no sense that I ain't beat someone else who has similar magic.'
The hail continued falling, pelting Zestyr and Akando as they winced slightly.
"If I attack directly, that hound is just gonna counter it with that same move again. And if I get close, we'll end up sinking before we even get to his human pet..." Gray knew he had to think fast. He was running out of time, and he knew Snover's Snow Warning wouldn't last forever.
That's when he noticed his surroundings aside from the ground that wasn't completely soft in front of him. More accurately speaking, above him. His eyes focused on the thick branches above.
'That'll work.' In haste, Gray swiped his arm out. "Snorunt, use your Ice Shard!"
"I-I'm not sure, but if you say so!" Though barely able to keep himself adjusted upright in the loose soil beneath, his lower half was sunk inwards. Thankfully, he didn't need that part to formulate ice chunks out of frozen, icy blue energy. He fired the projectiles at Zestyr in numerous missile-like fashion.
Akando squinted. "They just don't learn even when they're told." He muttered. "Use Soft Shield!"
Zestyr didn't bother with commentary. He simply raised his right hand and reached out in front, generating a silver-green magic seal that as large as the previous one. He stood still as the Ice Shard made way into the magic seal, coming out on the other end as liquified matter that splattered about across the air.
"Keep it up, Snorunt, don't let up on me now!" Gray encouraged.
Snorunt grunted as he continued producing more and more Ice Shards, sending them streaming with prioritized speed into his opponent with futile effect. Every single shard met the magic seal and came out on the other end as a sloppy pile of icy, slushy mush that littered the ground.
"Tch...idiots. What are they up to?" Akando snarled.
Gray's frown turned to a serious smirk. "Now let's see you like this..." He reached out again, this time upwards. "Alright Snover, use Razor Leaf! And aim for the trees above!"
As Snorunt expelled continual barrages of ice, Snover straightened himself the best he could. "O-Okay!" Not second-guessing Gray's decision, he swiped his arms, sending out a multitude of glowing green leaves with cutting edges that spun through the air.
Though Akando was ready to take the hit with its excess range, he dropped his guard when he noticed the funneling matter fly right over his head, missing him completely. Instead, they carved into the trees above.
This made Akando sneer. "What's that supposed to do?"
Gray only smirked, knowing that he got what he wanted.
The sounded of snapping resonated above Akando and Zestyr. It was only a few times, but each time grew louder to an uneasy creaking. Akando noticed the shadows on the ground shifting with the trees above him and looked up. What he saw made his eyes almost pop out of their sockets. "WHAT THE-?!"
Before he could finish, numerous thick branches plummeted down around him and Zestyr. They fell with loud thuds that rattled the solid earth around them and quickly piled up, burying them in heavy foliage and tree limbs.
"Now for an insurance policy!" Gray put his hands together, congregating more ice. He slammed his hands on the little solid earth in front of him. "Ice-Make: Ice Geyser!"
The ground froze in a small radius around him, but an even larger mass of ice exploded beneath the branches, swallowing the area in a tower of ice that trapped Akando and his human inside.
The hail continued falling, pelting the ice mass and surroundings still. Gray remained undeterred by such a thing.
"Okay, that'll keep'em busy. Now..." He reached down, placing a hand on the ground. This time, the ground froze around his Pokémon, allowing them firm footholds to crawl up onto. "You guys alright?"
"Yeah...somehow." Snover breathed tiredly, his heart still pounding from the horrific rush.
"In one piece. Not sinking." Bergmite noted.
Gray looked over at Snorunt...seeing him jump and munch on the ice floor. He sighed as he half-expected such a response. "Well, guess that answers that question." He turned his attention towards the frozen ground, noticing how beneath the surface, it was still mush. He walked over, kneeling in front of one of the holes his Pokémon crawled out from and dipped two fingers into the content. When he pulled them out, he frowned as he saw his fingers coated in mud.
Snorunt took a break from eating and looked back at Gray with stuffed cheeks filled with shaved ice. "Hey..." he swallowed some of it, causing his breath to frost. "Watcha looking at?"
Gray put his fingers together and spread them apart, allowing air to flow. However, it didn't harden and remained soft, just like Zestyr said. 'It's not completely liquid...but it's soft alright.' He looked at the slush piles around them from the softened Ice Shards. 'All these mages they've found...they've got some seriously crazy magic. If that's the case, did they want us to split up knowing that their magic would counter our own?'
The idea didn't settle him down one bit. It only solidified the uneasy feeling he had earlier when thinking about Juvia. He couldn't waste a second longer. "Snover, Bergmite, Snorunt, let's get going."
He turned to walk away with his Pokémon...but the sound of mush sliding behind him stopped him in his tracks when he only made it a few paces away. His eyes widened when he glanced over his shoulder, seeing the tower of ice gradually melting to a mound of surrounding slush.
"I see now...well played for a boney." As the pile sank deeper, Akando's silhouette beamed with glowing red eyes. Standing in front of him with a silver-green magic seal was Zestyr as he seemed unfazed with his casual grin. "But believe me when I say, that's the only gratification you'll be getting from me."
Gray narrowed his eyes. 'Should've known that wouldn't last long.' He needed to act fast – to hurry and find an opening to flee! In a hurry, he placed his hands together to create more ice.
"My, my...seems someone's persistent, aren't they?" Zestyr mused.
"Ice-Make: Knuckle!"
Gray manifested ice from a magic seal before him. From it, a large sum of huge, frozen arms made of ice with dense knuckles fired at Zestyr. Same as before, they touched the magic seal, turning into large gushes of slush that poured out around him.
Akando scoffed, glancing at his sides in anticipation. "Really now? Like I'm falling for that twice."
True to perception, he was surrounded by Snorunt, Bergmite, and Snover all rushing after him from different angles. Snover had his leafy hands crossed as he was ready to swipe for another Razor Leaf.
"A coordinated attack, huh? Not bad...but still won't work!" Akando kicked up his left leg, stirring up sand. "Sand Attack!"
A rush of sand kicked up from his kick, spitting into Snover's face. The grains met their mark on his face as a dense blue aura covered him, depleting his accuracy.
"GAH! That's smarts!" With his vision momentarily blocked, he hesitated for a second before fiercely swiping his arms, sending his attack slicing in Akando's direction.
But that moment's hesitation was all Akando needed. With Snover startled, he jumped in the air, dodging the leaves that instead sliced into Snorunt and Bergmite. The two didn't have enough time to react and were blown back, screaming in pain.
"Guy?!" Snover panicked, hearing his friends' cries of anguish. With his field of vision still blurred, he was blindsided when Akando landed behind him, shoving a paw into his back and pushing him into the ground with the others.
"Tch! Lightweight." Akando mocked.
Gray let up on his spell, realizing it had no effect. He stood a short distance away from Zestyr, who continued grinning away so merrily. "I'm getting really sick and tired of that smirk you have." He snarled.
Zestyr cocked a brow. "You don't say? And you believe that it's to delegate my stature onto you, or is it because you have no sense of gratitude as I do?"
Now it was Gray's turn to raise a confused brow. "Wait...gratitude?"
"Why yes. You see, my parents have always taught me to be grateful for the things I have in life, be it being alive or having simple clothing. Having a life of poverty truly puts one into perspective.
"I'm housed and I'm treated well, provided that I do my part. What reason don't I have to smile in gratitude for having such little things?" Zestyr found himself recollecting his younger days, more accurately, when he was but a child with his mother and father. He can still remember how despite he was frowning, they were grinning. "After all...not everyone is as fortunate as others. And yet, despite the hands they are dealt, they brave through with the small bits that get them by. And I believe that such strength must be shown through their unwillingness to show distraught in the face of opposition."
Gray stared at this mage with a disgruntled fixation. To some extent, he could understand where he was coming from. He braved through the tragedy that was his family and his master Ur against Deliora, and through thick and thin was able to make it this far.
"You must feel gratitude for something or someone in your life. The least that you can do is accommodate them through your actions." Zestyr added.
"That's enough chitchat out of you!" Akando backlashed. Zestyr silenced upon the command, following his own advice to obey his master's wishes.
Once again, hail pelted the pair, causing them to sustain minor damage, but neither was deterred.
Gray glared at them, frowning as he thought of his options. 'That guy with the Softening Magic's countering my ice. If I get too close, he just might soften the ice like he did the ground. Guess I'll have to switch things up.'
Akando's eyes flashed red before he swiped his arm. "Use Land Soften!"
Once again, Zestyr nodded and created a grayish-green magic seal beneath his feet. A distorted pulse rushed through the earth towards Gray, having an immediate affect that caused the land to soften to mush. Even Gray's ice was softening to a liquid, doughy mush as it passed through.
"I don't think so!" Gray put his hands together and slammed them on the solid land beneath him. A blast of ice erupted into a slanted pillar that pushed him into the air above the sea of soft mush. He flipped over and brought his hands together to make more ice.
"Ice-Make: Cage!"
Ice manifested into a massive cage with parallel bars made of arched, solid ice confining Zestyr. The mage retained a calm expression despite being locked in, realizing he still had the advantage.
"Nice try." He moved his hands forward and touched one of the bars. The instantaneous amorphous melding caused the entire structure to collapse upon itself.
However, what caught Zestyr's attention was above. When he looked up at the wave of mushy cold slush dispersing around him, Gray came down with a large swell of ice turning into a longsword.
'He used the prison as a rouse just to close the distance!'
Gray roared as he brought all the momentum down. "Ice-Make: Cold Excalibur!"
The ice sword came down, closing in on Zestyr with intense speed. Suddenly, a rush of sand shot from out of nowhere, targeting Gray's right side. The sudden surprise attack caused him to wince as a blue aura enveloped his body, depleting his accuracy. The sword still swung down, but missed Zestyr's right by a few inches. A wave of icy shards jutted up from the ground as they carved through the forest, slicing and freezing the trees simultaneously.
"Gngh! The hell!? Sand!?" Gray landed on his feet to wipe off the dirt and sand that splattered his face.
As he did, Zestyr silently backpedaled as Akando took his spot.
"Tch! What's the matter? Ever heard of salt in the wound?" he brutally smirked. "You should have kept your damn eyes open."
Gray wiped the remaining grains off his cheek, turning to scowl at him. He saw the hail continue to fall, pelting Akando again, this time making him wince. 'He's gotta be accumulating damage from that hail. Have to strike while the iron is hot!' With no warning aside from his hands being brought together, he rushed ahead, brandishing a simple thin sword made of ice.
Akando sneered at the assault. "Come at me then!"
Gray abided with the taunt, slashing his sword of ice against Akando's sharp claws. When he pushed, the Lycanroc countered by brushing off the strikes with harsh swipes. The claws slashed at every opening given, causing Gray to steer clear and parry close calls with swift swings.
When Akando's eyes lit up with growing fury, he slashed once more; an opportunity presented itself for Gray. 'Got him!' He didn't waste a beat. He weaved around the jab and slashed. "GRAH!"
The slash of the icy blade met Akando's furry abdomen, causing an icy gash to stand against his fur. Once again, he winced in pain as he gnashed his canines together. He backpedaled and steadied himself before he could have fallen over.
"Are you half-witted…? I thought you'd learn…not to do that!" Akando's eyes gleamed brightly as he pulled back his fist as a rainbow shine covered it, signaling his Counter.
Despite the seemingly poor disadvantage, Gray smirked. "Yeah, I kinda caught on!" He twisted his body, summoning a cocoon of pure ice to shield him.
"Just go down already you nuisance!" Akando reeled his fist into the ice barricade, causing the surface to crack before erupting to shards that fell straight to the ground. He followed through, but found Gray gone. His eyes widened as he gasped.
That's when he noticed a bright light above him. Time slowed down as he glanced skywards. Gray was overhead, making ice from his hands that elongated into a sickling blade.
'He used that shield to take my Counter and distract me!'
"ICE-MAKE: DEATH SCYTHE!"
Gray swung the massive blade downwards, barreling closer to its target by the second.
'Got him!'
Akando's bright eyes burned red. His snarl had his canines bared as he knew what Gray was doing. In his fury, an orange wave of suppressed aura engulfed his paw as he swung it around.
"REVERSAL!"
In one fell backswing, the orange aura around his paw swung into the ice blade, meeting it with no hesitation. In no contest, the blade shattered like glass. Time slowed down around Gray as his eyes shrank in sheer shock of what just happened.
"GRAH!" With his left paw searing in intense fighting aura, Akando twisted his hips and unleashed a cross jab straight into Gray's exposed abdomen. The impact made a roaring burst of pressure that Gray felt throughout his entire body. The super-effective Fighting-type attack made his body go into relapse once again moments before an orange explosion burst on impact, sending him flying across the atmosphere once again across the vicinity into a nearby tree trunk, this time with enough force that it dented in the bark.
"GRAY!" Snover panicked.
"Not again~!" Snorunt whined, equally as worried.
They all watched as Gray slumped down onto his stomach with a thud. He laid there, processing the shock that his body felt. He was in so much pain that he could barely see straight.
"…what the hell…? He broke through my Death Scythe like it was nothing…" he gagged.
"Ever heard of a Reversal, either?" As Akando depreciated his opponent's condition, the hail that had been falling for a while finally stopped. "So…you wanna stay down, or you wanna lose a few more bones? I'm perfectly cool with whatever."
"We'll see about that…!" Gray started as he began pushing himself up.
"Zestyr, Land Soften!"
Understanding Akando's orders, the Softening Mage complied and generated another magic seal like before. For the umpteenth time, a distorted wave of Magic Power went underneath everyone's bodies. Gray immediately felt his own body suddenly sink nearly a foot into muddy mush.
"Gah! Not again!" Snorunt complained, struggling to move around with Snover and Bergmite.
Everyone found themselves stuck, all while Akando stood beside his human with huffing snarls. "Heh…remember what I said about wanting crush you earlier under rubble?" He narrowed his feral glare. "Well, I wasn't bluffing!"
Gray urged his body to move, but his muscles for his arms didn't seem to work at the moment. 'Damnit! Come on, gotta get my body out of this damn shock-!'
"ROCK SLIDE!"
Gray rocks fell from the sky, coming straight down on the trapped Gray and his Pokémon. As they all struggled to break away, the shadows of the rocks loomed closer onto them.
The last thing Gray saw were a dozen massive stones closing in before everything went black.
Further along the shorelines, The Freaks had found themselves apart from the rest of the party.
The area they were surveying as they were making headway was notably much more concaved and secluded. High cliffs marked the forest that stood not too far away. However, to save manpower as well as whatever Magic Power they had left after that scuffle in the bay, they conserved themselves by taking the long way inland.
Joey and Duncan took the front of the pack, with Dereece sauntering closely behind. Yanma hovered above him the entire time. However, lagging behind them was Joey's Trubbish, and for a good reason.
As the trash bag was sauntering behind, she stopped for what could have been the umpteenth time to open her mouth. A dark purple, bright purple, and whitish orb of toxic energy swelled in her jaws as she pointed up at the sky. She expelled the energy, sending the Toxic Spikes energy exploding in several meteors with purple smoke tails. They diffused into the sand around her, and once they dispersed from visual perception, she blinked slowly in her right eye, followed by her left, then sauntered her way along.
"Is all this really necessary, Captain?" Dereece inquired, barely keeping up with Joey due to physical fatigue.
Joey remained nonchalant as he kept his eyes ahead. "Better safe than sorry, right Dereece? Besides, if those Apostles are gonna be hunting us while we're still around, the least we can do is slow them down while we cover our tracks."
"I don't see how laying traps like Toxic Spikes will 'cover our tracks'. Besides, what if one of our friends catches up or heads this way? Then what?"
Duncan harrumphed. "Not like we should be concerned about that. Even if they did, they should have come prepared with at least some Antidotes or Full Heals."
"That's setting a pretty high bar…" Dereece didn't want to sound too doubtful in what his colleagues were on about. Though, at the same time, he understood the definition of caution…and Joey was taking them. "Guess we'll just have to focus on ahead then."
"So, Captain…what's your big plan this time?" Duncan chimed at Joey. The Captain of The Freaks kept his attention forward to show he was paying attention to the shorelines ahead.
"We'll have to find another route inland at this rate. We could climb those cliffs…but I don't even wanna think what could be waiting for us up there." He frowned at his testament. "We can hopefully find a backway and use the chaos that Nic-senpai made to sneak our way in."
Dereece sighed. "My feet are gonna fall off…" He turned his attention onto Yanma above him. Now that they actually had a little time to process things, this was as good as time as any for him to address something. "Hey, Yanma."
Yanma adjusted her height to match Dereece's. "Hm? Yeah?"
"Back there against that Dragonite, you used something different from Supersonic." He remembered the ball of silverish, hardened energy that she created. "What that a new move?"
Yanma paused, realizing it as well. "Oh! That, uh…well…it just…happened?"
'That looked like Ancient Power. Did she get enough experience from that battle to learn another new move?' Dereece thought to himself. He could address this verbally, but he'd rather focus his energy on keeping his pacing with the others.
As they were marching their way, Trubbish readies to set up another round of Toxic Spikes when something got her attention. She let out a loud belch to alert the others.
BUUURP!
Joey stopped and turned around. "Eh? What's the problem, Trubbish?"
Trubbish let out another small belch as she pointed a flipper in the direction they came from. Yanma ascended to get a better vantage point of what she was referring to. As she used her compound vision, her clear eyesight allowed her a visual that unsettled her.
"Yanma, what do you see?" Dereece called up.
Yanma hastily flew down to give the men a distressed look. "We've got a problem. Something's coming this way…fast!"
The Freaks looked confused at first, until the realization dawned upon them. They all saw a projectile gliding a meter above the sand from afar. But even so, they knew from the speed it had that they couldn't outlast it.
"Quick, hide!" Joey urged everyone towards the cliffs, where numerous rocks and boulders were plentiful for cover. Trubbish flopped across the sand until Yanma swooped down and picked her up to help halt her more noticeable tracks. She dropped him into Joey's arm's and he sat her down beside her. Yanma dropped herself atop Dereece's head as they peered in silence.
It didn't take any longer than a few seconds for something to show up in their spots. Gliding to a stop above the sand, Zeus turned his body around, glaring at his surroundings with a discerning look. His presence alerted The Freaks.
"It's that Vikavolt." Dereece harshly whispered his shock. "How did he catch up to us?"
Duncan wordlessly gnashed his teeth, cursing at the inconvenience.
Joey kept his mouth shut, not wanting to alert the enormous Vikavolt. 'How did it catch up so fast? I thought those Toxic Spikes would have slowed it down. Last I checked back when we were fighting that thing, it was a Bug/Electric-type, right? So then how…' His eyes gradually widened in realization. 'Don't tell…does it have Levitate?'
A glaring flaw in their little strategy that wasn't accounted for. It was true that it being a part Flying-type would have been a problem by itself, but not accounting for abilities was another matter.
Zeus slowly turned to look at the ground, finding indents in the sand. The whole beach had rough spots, so it wasn't anything too discerning. When he cast his lenses towards the direction of their hiding spots, The Freaks hid and froze. The crude sound of buzzing was like granite in their ears the closer Zeus got to them. He only stopped a few feet away, scanning the boulders carefully.
Joey clamped his teeth together and held his tongue. His heart was beating fast. They were in no position to get into a battle. They knew their priorities, and they also knew what would happen if they came in unprepared and barely recovered.
Zeus leaned in, his massive mandibles barely sticking between the boulders…until he got a very intrusive smell from nearby. Immediately, he cringed as recoiled. "Bleh…what's that smell?" he flinched. "Did something just die over here and crapped while they were at it?" He shook his head. "Guh…forget it, I don't wanna see that. My insides are gonna be mush."
In haste, he glided away from the boulders and across the beach to continue his search in a less gut-lurching, scented environment. With him gone, The Freaks, Yanma, and Trubbish slowly prodded from their hiding place with a weight off their hearts.
"That…was way too close." Joey sighed tiredly, slumping down to his booty.
Feeling relief, Dereece collapsed onto his stomach. "Oi…that's putting it mildly. I'm actually glad that we've gotten used to Trubbish's smell. Guess that Stench Ability really came in handy."
Trubbish let out a light hiccup, taking it as a compliment. Joey patted her head and grinned. "You pulled through once again, Trubbish…knew I could depend on ya."
Recovering from his relief, Duncan looked in the direction Zeus flew off to. "You know, we could have made things simple by ambushing him then and there."
"Maybe…but who knows what other kinds of mages he would have." Joey pointed out. "Besides, we're trying to keep a low profile. Be a drag if we alerted the whole island residence that there was a big party with a lot of punch over here, if you get what I'm saying."
"And yet making a scene is what you never fail to do." Dereece sidenoted.
Duncan quietly groaned. "Fine…but now where do we go? That Vikavolt was heading down the direction we were taking, and you sat up those Toxic Spikes." He raised a brow. "So, what do you got?"
'Aw snap!' Joey just realized the ramification that Duncan pointed out. Though they were safe for the time being, now they had to think of another way through without causing any scenes along the way. Pronto.
Trubbish sighed in a very low belch. However, she suddenly had a hiccup, expelling an unexpected Sludge that was aimed at Joey. He narrowed leaned away from the attack and turned back towards her. "Again?!"
The Sludge continued its course into the cliffs where a collection of boulders was stacked. When the sludge met the top boulder, it caused it to stir…before it broke and crumbled atop the pile.
Joey was about to say something to Trubbish, when he noticed the dirty wall of boulders collapsing on itself. "What the…?"
The Freaks stayed quiet as they watched the whole wall gradually crumble. Large boulders merely toppled over one another into the sand until all of them had completely left contact with the cliffside. Instead, they all stared at something that stood behind the wall's enclosure.
A cave. A tunnel. It was narrow and small, enough to fit a full-grown person. From the sunlight shown, the walls appeared to have been carved out rather than cemented.
"A cave…?" Dereece murmured.
"Looks like that misfire caused an opening." Duncan noted, turning towards Joey. "Well, Captain?"
Joey's eyes widened, turning to look at the coincidence that Trubbish had created. He knew something like this had to be a sign. A good sign? The dreary vibe the cavern gave him didn't paint such a pretty picture. Though it was tempting to retrace their steps and look for another way in, time was a measurement that they couldn't have stretched for too long.
But still, experience taught him to tread lightly. One wrong move could mean the difference between life and death.
"Guess we have no other choice. Make sure you have your Escape Ropes ready if things look bad." He stated, making the first steps into the dark precipice.
Dereece and Duncan nodded in understanding. They followed behind their Captain's lead into the narrow tunnel, with Yanma and Trubbish following steadily behind.
As they went further into the darkness that was unknown territory, a large piece of cliffside that loomed out of place above the other boulders suddenly came down, crashing in front of the entrance.
As of right now, The Freaks had found themselves traveling between a rock and a hard place.
A shorter span of shoreline where serene beaches had very calm waves, an entirely empty atmosphere hung in the air around. At this time, there wasn't anybody present to experience this hollow atmosphere.
Or rather, any human.
There was one individual who was present, but she seemed sluggish and tired. It was none other than Arcelia, and to say she looked tired would be an understatement. Her smooth, silky, slender skin covered in partial dirt was a dead giveaway.
The young Dratini steadied her breathing, looking back and forth in search of something. However, to her mild dismay, her object of choice had yet to be found.
'Mom did say that she would eat it later. Did she finish up her job already?' She thought. 'Well…that would be good, I guess. But I guess she'll still chew me out a bit for not going back right away. Does she know what's going on?'
The frantic Dratini was in search of her mother, looking left and right until she noticed a familiar set of rocks that she knew where she sat the bento box close to. Despite her partial ware and partially tender skin, she was slower than what she wanted to be.
'Why did I have to shed my skin just the other day, of all times?' she mentally groaned.
When she made it to her designation point, she expected to see her mother, or at least the bento box she left having been used…but what she got was something totally different that it made her tender skin shrivel up.
"Take it easy, Carla. This'll be quick."
"Sorry, Wendy. Wish that I didn't slow us down."
"Oh, don't worry about that. It's not a problem at all! Now hold still, I think the paralysis is almost all out."
A few meters away from her hiding position, Arcelia saw a shade of blue hair that reminded her of her mother's skin. Yet what she saw was a human girl, and another with cat-like features that seemed to be getting treatment in green energy expelling from the former's hands. Nearby, there was also a Swablu and Amaura, both whom she wasn't familiar with.
'What are those supposed to be? Are those…humans?' Arcelia surmised. She studied them carefully, keeping herself out of sight. But even so, she couldn't help but feel insecure. 'Oh Arceus, I knew I should have gone back home!'
Wendy continued administering her Healing Magic until the last static around Carla dispersed. "So, how you feel now?"
Carla stood up, demonstrating her ability to stand without crippling. She soundly smiled. "Much better. Thanks for that, Wendy."
"Yeah, no problem. I'm just glad that you're alright." She smiled. "So then, you said that you got hit by a paralysis by this Dragon-type Pokémon?"
Carla frowned, recollecting the struggle everyone had against Adelita. Just thinking about it made her tail stand on end, even though she wasn't paralyzed anymore. "Yes, that's right. She was extremely territorial. Everyone had a hard time against her. Sorry if you were suffering because of that."
Wendy sheepishly chuckled. "Well, guess it's okay. We've made it here now." She looked around, scanning her surroundings. "Now then, where do we go from here?"
Though she was far enough out of eyesight, her hearing was still within range. Arcelia caught onto bits and pieces of what they were talking about, but that only added layers to her discomfort.
'I've never seen a human this close before. Wonder how they got here? And what's this about a territorial dragon…?' Arcelia didn't have to think long for an idea to surface. Her breath hitched. 'Wait a minute…don't tell me…!' Her eyes widened. 'Are they talking about Mom?'
A wave of terror washed over the young Dratini's mind. She knew better than to doubt her mother. Her mother knew best after all. She also knew that her mother had a job to do…but outside those very few facts, the rest of everything was in the dark.
'Is my Mom okay? How did these humans get past her?' She thought, starting to hyperventilate from anxiety. 'Oh no…Mom…did she…?'
Amaura was busy stretching her forelegs when she got a small whiff of something close by. "Hey, does anyone smell that?"
Swablu hummed as she smelled something as well. "Oh, I smell it, too."
"Yeah, me too." Wendy sniffed the air, having a far keener sense of smell than anyone else. "It smells fresh…hey, what's that?" She and everyone noticed what she turned to. A small box that sat idly in the sands several yards away, with a small picnic napkin tied in a knot to keep it secure.
Arcelia looked anxiously from her secluded hiding spot. 'No, not that!'
The four drew closer towards the unknown meal sitting close by. Carla was amongst to voice her concerns as she folded her arms. "Well now, there's something you don't see every day." She dryly mused.
"What is it?" Swablu asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"I think those are called bento boxes." Wendy answered. "They're really neat lunches that people pack for themselves or a relative. It really makes for a great meal by those who love you…wonder what one is doing all the way out here?"
"I doubt somebody would just leave something like this behind. This just spells suspicious." Carla chimed.
Amaura leaned in, smelling the contents from up close. "Maybe…" She felt her mouth water. "But it also smells delicious…" She was tempted to try a bite. It was written in her large blue eyes.
Wendy nervously smiled, scratching her cheek. "Uh, well…I guess it isn't like anyone's around. I guess the least we can do is check what's really inside, right?" She began reaching for it; an action that provoked the unthinkable.
"D-don't eat that!" Arcelia shouted on impulse, instantly regretting it. In a hurry, she hit behind a small rock.
Wendy gasped, turning her head with everyone else in the direction of the shout. Immediately, she recoiled from the box and stood guard.
"Uh…is someone there?" she asked, only to be met with silence. "Hello?"
Arcelia shuddered at her own fault. Her ears folded back as she slowly tried to squirm herself away from the scene. She made sure to be as quiet as possible as she slowly slunk back the way she came…
PLOP!
"Eep-!" Instantly, she froze when she felt something land on her head. It was light and…soft? When she slowly glanced up at her head, she noticed plumage that looked a lot like a cloud. "U-um…hi…?"
Swablu looked down , looking cluelessly at her with a simple blink in her gaze. "Hello!" she chirped.
"Wendy, look! Over here!"
Arcelia was barely mindful for a split second. When she realized it, she saw Carla pointing towards her direction, with the blue-haired human girl following her lead.
"Swablu, what is it?" Wendy saw the Dratini afar, immediately growing curious. "Huh? A Pokémon?"
"Oh no…" Arcelia whimpered. In a desperate attempt, she slowly wormed herself away. "S-stay back! I'm warning you!"
Wendy halted, sensing the creature's severe caution. "Oh, sorry about that. Are you scared?"
"D-don't come near me! Stay away, you monsters!" Arcelia hissed.
Now it was Wendy who was surprised. "M-monsters?" She quipped. "Y-you don't think she's talking about us, right Carla?"
"Judging from how she looked at us when she said it, yeah, I'd say so." The human-Exceed chimed indifferently. "Still…what's this one doing all the way out here, I wonder?"
Arcelia was too anxious to sit still. Whoever these people were, she knew better than to mingle in such affairs. She just knew it. Or rather, that's what her mother warned her about.
"Humans are vile, wild creatures that cause us nothing but trouble. They don't do any good for us and our homes, dear. Don't you ever think that even for a second that you'll be safe knowing such things are out there. I'll protect you from them. That's my job."
"I-I'm warning you! You better get back, or else…!" Arcelia started channeling whirlwinds around her body in self-defense, an action that startled the others.
"Hold on a second-!"
"TWISTER!"
Wendy's plea for Arcelia to calm down became moot the moment she swung her tail, shooting a medium-sized tornado that drilled across the sand. Swablu chirped in surprise as she shot off in surprise.
The rapid tornado shot towards Wendy, Carla, and Amaura. Just as it was about to engulf them, Wendy stepped forward and opened her mouth to inhale the winds. The funneling force instantly diminished as it was compressed sucked into the teenager's stomach and lungs like she was starving. In no time, all the wind was gone.
"W-what happened?!" Arcelia panicked, seeing her attacked nullified. "D-did she just…?"
Wendy breathed out a long sigh. "That tasted pretty good…" She mumbled in relief. She turned towards the Dratini again. "Hey, listen. We're not here to hurt you. Trust me! We're not the bad people here!"
Arcelia didn't look convinced. She didn't want to take her word for it. She turned towards Amaura and Swablu. "T-then…what are you doing here? And why are you guys with her?"
"Who? Us?" Swablu answered. "Oh, that's simple!" She drifted with soft beats from her wings, landing comfortably atop Wendy's head. "Because she's my friend and partner!"
"Uh huh." Amaura nodded in agreement.
"Your…partner?" Arcelia blinked, visibly confused. "But wait, my Mom told me that humans don't see Pokémon as equals, and all they do is just cause us problems. You really okay with her?
"Huh? Yeah, of course we are. Wendy is the kindest person we know." Swablu answered as though it was obvious.
Arcelia blinked out of pure confusion, which turned to an epiphany. She looked Wendy right top to bottom, seeing how she didn't look nearly as dirty as what her mother entailed. 'Now that I'm looking at her, she's not at all like what Mom said she would be. She actually looks…sweet.'
Wendy crouched down, offering a warm smiled. "Looks like we just got off on the wrong foot. Let's try this again. My name's Wendy, it's nice to meet you."
Even though she knew it hadn't been her best day for bright ideas, something inside Arcelia's gut was screaming at her. Screaming that this girl was trustworthy. It was all in her eyes. Besides that uncanny factor, there was also her own personal fear of what would happen if she actually listened to everything her mother said without her getting to understand the experience herself.
With that in mind, Arcelia mustered up the courage and gradually squirmed closer. "M-my name's Arcelia. Nice to meet you, Wendy." She drooped her head. "Um…sorry that I snapped at you like that."
Wendy waved her hand around dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about that. It's water under the bridge. So, are you a Pokémon?"
"Yeah, I'm a Dratini."
"Hang on, one second." Wendy reached back, pulling out her PokeDex in front of her. The screen slid up, showing a holographic image of Dratini herself.
"Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon. It sheds its skin – almost on a daily basis – and grows larger. Its skin is soft just after it's been shed."
Arcelia winced upon hearing the data about her inconvenient biology. "Y-yeah…my skin is still pretty tender right now. I…just shed again the other day."
"Really? Then is it really okay for you to be out in the open like this?" Carla inquired.
Once again, Arcelia sheepishly squirmed uncomfortably in place. "Uh…hehe…probably not." She looked more focused. "But, I had a good reason, though."
"Does it have to do with that bento over there?" Wendy turned her head, referring to the bento box that sat a short distance away.
"Yeah, that! That was for my Mom. She said that she would eat it if I left it for her after her job was done." Wendy and the others immediately saw the gloomy fixation dawning upon the young Dratini. "…and she hasn't come back yet. She's taking a long time…"
Carla leaned into Wendy, whispering something into her ear. "Wendy, I have a bad feeling about this…"
Wendy shot Carla a look. She knew well enough that if Carla had a bad feeling, it didn't mean well for their situation. That, and her precognitions were also subliminally accurate. She also just remembered why they were here to begin with. They couldn't dawdle forever like they have been.
"Um…don't worry. I'm sure your mother's doing just fine. Just be patient a little while longer." Wendy smiled. "But…I know you feel, to wait for your mother for so long."
Arcelia blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah, definitely." Wendy remembered her foster mother, Grandeeney, and how she was actually inside Wendy for the duration of her lifeforce thanks to Acnologia. "She was always so close to me, even when we were so far apart." Her chin lowered as she softly smiled – a genuine smile of happiness. "Knowing that she really loved me and saw me grew up is why I'm the person I am now. Her, and my friends."
"Wendy…" Carla trailed off. She, Swablu, and Amaura looked just as fixated with partially gratitude for Wendy acknowledging them.
She continued. "I'm sure what your mother is doing is out of love. You love your mother too, don't you? I'm sure she'll understand."
To say Arcelia was godsmacked would be putting it lightly. She looked at Wendy like she had preached something that had just changed her whole world. Though exaggerated, it still meant enough that it made Arcelia immediately regret ever thinking she was a truly bad human. This impression though left numerous questions rummaging through her mind. Many of which she can't even begin to sort out.
The first of many, though, was perhaps the most profound. 'I wonder…are there other humans like her?'
Before either could usher the conversation further, a massive geyser of water erupted from the bay, spouting seawater closer to the shorelines. Everyone present turned forward in shock of the sudden attack.
"What's that!?" Wendy worried.
The water spout diminished, causing seawater to fall in thousands of droplets like rain across the vicinity. Towering above was a serpentine silhouette that had feathered wings for ears. Her orbs on her tail and neck shined deep blue as her piercing gaze was immediately set on the intruders.
"It's the Dragonair!" Carla snapped in shock.
Wendy gasped. "You mean that one you were just talking about before?" She turned to give the serpentine dragon a slightly incredulous look. Almost instantaneously, she could sense there was something abnormal about this one. Something more potent, if not petrifying in her stern glare.
Arcelia's eyes widened as only one word quipped from her surprise. "M-Mom…?"
Adelita careened her head back and roared towards the sky. She swung her tail around and gathered momentum as green, crystalline energy scales collected around the tip of her tail for her Dragon Tail. She slammed her tail towards the Wendy, but the Sky Dragon Slayer pulled back immediately, allowing an explosive wave of sand to separate her and her friends from Arcelia.
"Wendy, we have to get out of here, now!" Carla urged.
"Yeah, you're right Carla! We have to go meet up with the others!" Wendy turned towards Amaura and Swablu. "Amaura, Mist!"
"Sure thing, Wendy!" Amaura took in a sharp inhale, before opening her mouth wider to expel a white, frosted cloud that gradually overtook the area.
The wake of the cloud simmered throughout the area into a thick fog. It wasn't so white as to completely blind the two dragons completely, but enough to conceal them from view and vice versa. Arcelia and Adelita found themselves surrounded by a cool white fog that made them feel rather ticklish; Arcelia more so due to her tender skin.
"W-wait, Wendy! Where are you going? Wendy?!" Arcelia called out to the mist, but failed to prevail a response.
Adelita scoffed at the setback. She brought her tail up and around again, this time channeling dense water pressure into a spiral. With a valiant Aqua Tail, the Dragonair swung the appendage counterclockwise. The force and density of the water instantly blew away the obscurity to reveal thin air and a sound beach yet again.
However, unlike before, Wendy, Carla, Swablu, and Amaura were no longer present. They had escaped to resume their mission.
Adelita scoffed angrily. "Tch! Where do they think they're going? They can run from me as much as they'd like, but it won't matter."
"Mom?!"
Adelita gasped at the familiar quip. She glanced down at the familiar Dratini that looked completely stunned. "…Arcelia?"
"Mom…" She half-expected to have her mother return from her shoreline duties with a partially quelled composure. But all that was dashed when the Dragonair immediately flew around and looped around her daughter, getting into her face with a heated leer.
"What did I tell you!? I thought I told you to head back home! What would have happened to you if I hadn't shown up just now!?"
"I-I'm sorry, Mom!" Arcelia quipped, but the mother Dragonair was far from appeased.
"I told you to stay far away from humans! They aren't something you should meddle with! They're nothing but trouble for Pokémon! If I hadn't come in time, what could have happened to my baby?"
Arcelia's ears folded back in embarrassment and shame. "M-Mon, it's okay. I'm fine, really."
"Hmph! Only because I was there. You're very lucky young lady that mommy is very busy with het job, otherwise I would have a lot to talk to you about what I just saw." She uncoiled around the Dratini and stood tall. "Now come with me this minute, Arcelia. This time, I'm making sure you get home myself."
Just then, Arcelia recollected something important. "Mom, that's the problem! I can't go home!"
"And why'd that?" Adelita asked accusingly.
Arcelia slunk closer, looking worried and sure alike. "The town is a complete mess! The streets are full of panicking Pokémon fleeing from the stadium!"
The stern look Adelita had faded to utter surprise. What she just heard left her profoundly surprised. "…what did you say say?"
The panic in the stadium was just the start. The more time passed, the greater the disarray followed.
Pokémon of various shapes and size were at a loss for what to say, let alone do. The news had long since been made public, though the vast majority saw it unfold with their own eyes. Though that didn't dilute their anxiety and rush for any sense of cover available.
And to make matters even worse for them, there was no sign of Nic nor the Pokémon that had partook in the ruse.
And the icing on the cake was that the police force was spread so far out that those in the outer limits had little to no backup. With their authorities having suffered tremendous backlash, keeping the citizens from running about in a frenzy was all but a high reach.
A Breloom wearing a uniform blew into a whistle, making a loud noise that attracted the nearby rummaging citizens. "All citizens please, remain calm! There's no need to rush! Everyone, please follow the signs around you to direct you all to a safer area!"
However, that still didn't stop some from crossing police tape to board off areas. Some of the younger Pokémon dared to get away from the city for the sake of their own well-beings. The police were spread so thin that they couldn't do anything about it. The citizens continued to remain unrest.
"What's going on?!"
"Are we all gonna die?!"
"That monster's on the loose! Who's gonna protect us when we don't even know where it is?!"
Their plight was vocal for all to hear, but with little justification for an answer. Some were genuinely terrified of the circumstances that followed. Others were more annoyed than upset and just wanted to complain to someone about something. But one thing they all had in common was their complete lack of understanding. And no matter of orientation by police could set brakes on their worries.
With the police and Pokémon running havoc, there was a narrow alley that Vanessa peered out from. She had a straight face as she saw the hundreds of Pokémon crawling around like ants. 'So many running out on the streets. This is going to start riots for sure…'
"So how badly is it?" Sophie asked, keeping herself hidden in the alley shadows.
Vanessa turned behind the corner, closing her eyes. "It's worse than I imagined. We won't be able to navigate in broad sight, not with this many eyes on us."
Sophie frowned. "Any buildings that looked like a factory perhaps?"
Vanessa shook her head. "No. Nothing that seemed any different from residence or small capitol. I'd imagined it'd be further in the city itself…it'd make sense, considering manufacturing industries are in places that require a large workforce to function."
"I see your point…but the deeper we go, the more Pokémon there will be. I doubt we'll be able to find the factory without having to get through a crowd."
"That's true. We'll just have to count on Erza's part of Nic's plan to forge an opening for us." Vanessa started back down the alley, with Sophie following. "Let's go."
Sophie nodded in silence, knowing well that Vanessa's sense of direction was far better than her own with her Aura Magic acting like a radar. They may have gotten to the city limits, but she knew that the real troubles were only just getting started.
And like it or not, everyone had to prepare for it.
Well guys, where do I begin?
First of all, I want to say sorry for the extended delay. Since April, my progress overall has been gradually waning down to where I could barely get a couple sentences a day, to where I just felt straight up unmotivated. It was a really bad burnout, and overall, it was a rough going to get anything done on my plate. It also didn't help that just when I was starting to recover my motivation, my laptop that I had been using for the past 6 ½ years finally crashed on me. Thankfully it had Windows and OneDrive, so everything was still saved. Still, I did many years of writing on that laptop. It served me well.
So now here I am, using my new laptop and with a better fixation on writing. Though I can't guarantee the usual updates like before, I will at least try not to burn myself out like I did before. I made this chapter my longest just to make up for that lost time you all waited for me.
Hope you guys still liked the chapter and share your thoughts! Thank you!
