Nothing to warn for here aside from some suggestive dialogue, but that's in a humorous way. Just sit back and enjoy.

-:-

CHAPTER 17: The Bard and the Diva

-:-

Northeast of the National Park and Battle Cafe, between Ecruteak City and Mahogany Town, stretched Route 42. It was a rugged road broken up by multiple rivers, which flowed from within Mt. Mortar. The craggy peak dominated the landscape, casting a wide shadow over the woods around it.

The thick brush around the road rustled as a black-and-white shape cut through. It was Nikolai's jacket, and when he was about halfway down the route, he emerged from the bushes to observe his surroundings.

"Something's not right here," he mused out loud to himself. "I can feel so much negative energy here, so much suffering…"

A cry from below attracted Nikolai's attention. It had come from a wild Magcargo, which was slithering away as fast as she could from a crab Pokémon with a large block of earth on his back.

"Transcend the confines of time and space!" Nikolai chanted, closing his eyes. "Crustle, please, stop chasing… oh!"

Overwhelmed by his attempt to connect with the Crustle, Nikolai reeled back. Down on the road, Crustle raised his claws and formed a giant boulder between them, which he then used to violently sweep away the Magcargo.

Just as Nikolai managed to recover, however, his ears filled with the sound of beating wings as a horde of large-eared, blue-and-black bat Pokémon flew over him. He raised his arms to shield his face and only lowered them when the Pokémon had passed.

"Noibat…"

All of a sudden, another rock flew through the air after the Noibat, nearly hitting Nikolai in the head. He whipped back around and saw that it had been thrown by a Timburr standing on an outcropping. The Fighting-type was accompanied by two other humanoid Pokémon, one red and one blue. Both of them had thick black eyebrows and wore white robes.

"Timburr, Throh and Sawk driving out Noibat…" Nikolai shook his head in disgust. "These Pokémon just cannot adapt to their new environments naturally…"

"Grab that Crustle!" a voice down on the road ordered. "The Timburr, Throh and Sawk too. Their aggressiveness is just right for Dr. Colress's experiment!"

Nikolai returned to hiding in the bushes, but cleared just enough space so he could peer down at what was going on.

A group of five people - three men, two women, all dressed in identical Polaris uniforms - had assembled. On the orders of their leader, they drew gun-like weapons and began firing strange, blue-and-black Poké Balls at their targets. It took mere seconds for the Crustle, Timburr, Throh and Sawk to all be engulfed. Each ball floated to the person who had fired it, depositing themselves in tanks worn on the Polaris members' backs.

The commander took a handheld computer out of his pocket and tapped on its screen. "These Pokémon should be enough to fulfill our work for Dr. Colress. With the work of the other teams, we've surely passed the quota. Come on, let's get going."

Nikolai waited until the Polaris members had completely retreated from sight before stepping out from the foliage.

"Those people…" he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "They say they're taking Pokémon for an experiment… I can't sit and watch this."

His mind made up, Nikolai carefully climbed down the rocks and headed for the road west to Ecruteak City.

-:-

Immediately after leaving the main dining floor, Nekou and Olivia had begun heading for the Battle Cafe's exit, leaving Matt behind to wait for his next match. Right near the doors, Olivia stopped walking and grabbed Nekou's arm to stop her.

"Olivia?" Nekou glanced back over her shoulder and down at her young friend. "What?"

"Before we go out training, I have…" she gestured toward a line of videophones against the wall, "...something I think I want to do first. I want to call someone."

"Go ahead, I'll wait here."

Olivia released her grip on Nekou's arm and hurried over to the phones. She methodically punched the number she wanted to call into the keyboard of one; at first, Nekou failed to understand the automatic nature of Olivia's movements, but when Anabel's tired face appeared on the screen, it hit her.

"Olivia…" Anabel's voice sounded strained, and the bags under her eyes were particularly prominent. Nekou immediately thought she looked like she hadn't slept for several days. "I'm… I'm really glad to hear from you."

"I really had to call you, Mom. I wanted to tell you that I just had a battle with Matt."

"Oh?" This news seemed to make Anabel's tired eyes brighten slightly. "How did it go?"

"I lost," Olivia said with a shrug. "I don't care though. I got what I wanted, which was a chance to understand how strong I have to be. And besides, I got to knock out one of his Pokémon, so I'm happy with it. That's not the only reason why I called you, though."

"What would the other be?"

From her vantage point several feet away, Nekou could see Olivia's fists tighten. "I made a decision. You've seen those Polaris broadcasts, right? Well, Matt, Nekou, Bunny and I… we got caught up in what happened in Goldenrod City."

"What?" Anabel's eyes went wide, and from her side of the call, the sound of something crashing down could be heard. "Olivia, please, stay out of trouble! If anything happens to you, I…"

"Nothing is going to happen to me," Olivia interrupted her mother to firmly say. "I decided that I'm going to honor Dad by standing up to Polaris. What they want is against everything he taught me. And… I have to admit, I have very good friends who will help me get stronger and protect me. I can do it."

"Your father's primary concern was your safety. After all the torture we had to go through together… all we wanted was to give you a safe, comfortable life."

"I… I…" Suddenly, Olivia was choking up, leaving her speech broken. "Don't you think I know that? But you saw the news, if nobody does something to stop Polaris, there won't be a safe, comfortable life for anyone!"

"But why does it have to be you?" Now Anabel was becoming noticeably distressed. "How much more do we have to give? Is it going to take my life and yours too before this stops?"

Olivia took a deep breath, seemingly in preparation to voice a strong counter to her mother's fear, but instead relaxed slightly and changed the subject. "I know Dad would want me to do what's right. I… I want to remember what having him around was like before things get any worse. I'm going to be in Ecruteak City later, so I want you to send some old home videos to the Pokémon Center for me. Please."

"I… I can do that," Anabel muttered, accepting defeat. "Not like I could do anything. I couldn't save Rich from himself when I was right there, why would I think I could save her from here…"

While Olivia and Anabel worked their conversation to its conclusion, Nekou found herself standing rigidly still and staring. A cold chill worked its way down her body in spite of her coat.

"She tries to be tough, but… her strength isn't just from her. She is strong when she has strength to draw from around her. She relies on Matt and Bunny and Monroe and…" Nekou felt her heart skip a beat, and her skin began to feel as cold as ice. "...me. Fuck… I've been using her and lying to her just like everyone else… but, I'm… I'd be nothing without Maman, and now there's someone who needs me just like I need Maman…"

"Nekou, I'm ready to go."

The sound of Olivia's voice snapped Nekou out of her daze. "Yeah, yeah… sorry about that, I started daydreaming." Before she could check herself, Nekou blurted out, "I have something I want to tell you."

"What?"

"I…" Nekou had realized what she started, and suddenly found her courage gone. She quickly improvised, putting on her usual attitude and saying, "I really can't fucking wait to help you train! Let's get out there and raise some hell, how about it?"

-:-

About twenty minutes after Nekou and Olivia departed for the park, Matt found himself facing down the elegant yet furious force of Nando's Kricketune's offense. Charlotte was desperately trying to free herself from the Sticky Web she was trapped in by burning through it with Acid Spray. Yet, with Kricketune bearing down on her with his arms glowing intensely, she knew that her chances of escape were slim.

"Come on, Charlotte, go for it! Break through!"

Charlotte redoubled her efforts on Matt's urging, and with the more intense flow of acid she used, she finally managed to burn the last of the threads away. However, just as she got free, Kricketune was on top of her. With a flowing motion he cut her twice in a brutal X-Scissor attack boosted by his earlier Swords Dance. Charlotte collapsed backward, two long gashes slashed into her sides.

"Eelektrik is unable to battle!" the refereeing maid announced over the roar of the crowd. "The winner is Kricketune!"

"He totally wrecked me…" Matt thought to himself as he recalled Charlotte. He took a moment to note the warm smile Nando greeted Kricketune's performance with. "I can't underestimate him. Beneath that calm surface is a real fighter."

"He will have to tread very carefully," Dante observed, leaning back in his chair and gripping his cane. "Kricketune's moves are much more powerful as a result of that Swords Dance. Nando thought this out well."

Deciding on his next course of action, Matt removed another Poké Ball from his bag and threw it. "Cordelia, it's your turn! Make your mark!"

Matt's Sigilyph took shape in the air above the battlefield, hovering safely over the Sticky Web hazards. She quickly glanced over the battlefield to gain an understanding of her environment.

"Go with caution, Kricketune," Nando advised his Pokémon. "A partial Flying-type will not be an easy opponent."

"Krick!" Kricketune enthusiastically responded.

"Cordelia, let's strike first! Air Slash!"

"Kricketune, you know what to do!" Nando immediately countered, throwing his free hand into the air. "Disable it using Sing!"

While Cordelia's wings started glowing, Kricketune crossed his arms and began rubbing them to create a soothing song. It manifested in the form of colorful music notes that first surrounded their maker before starting to float toward his enemy.

"Stop attacking and dodge!" Matt hurriedly directed.

Just before the notes reached her, Cordelia aborted her attack and threw herself backward. The notes floated harmlessly past her, but she struggled to right herself in the air.

"Use that opening to perform another Swords Dance," Nando calmly said, running his fingers over his harp's strings.

"That's really bad…" Bunny gasped as she watched Kricketune sway on the stage. "Sigilyph might have been able to weather an X-Scissor with one boost behind it, but two? This could be over already…"

"How Matt responds to this will tell us if he really thinks he can stand up to Polaris or if it's all bluster," Dante added.

Up on the battlefield, Matt was well aware of the danger he faced. A combination of the intensity of the battle and his nerves from the increasingly enthusiastic crowd left sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Nothing we can do but attack, Cordelia! Try Air Slash once again!"

"Kricketune, X-Scissor will be adequate for defense."

Once again, Cordelia's wings took on a soft blue glow. She crossed and then sharply separated them, sending several blades of wind through the air in Kricketune's direction.

The Bug-type wasn't shaken, however. He merely swung his arms, which were now cloaked in twice as much energy as before, and cut down each blade before they reached him.

"So now you're so strong that you can use an attack to defend," Matt said through clenched teeth.

"Indeed," Nando confirmed, "but I would like to show you Kricketune's offensive capability as well."

"I guess there's no way we can avoid that. Cordelia, Psychic!"

Nando pointed forward and called, "Kricketune, another X-Scissor!"

Kricketune started to fly upward, only to be pinned by the psychic energy Cordelia used to restrain him. He valiantly fought to free himself, but Cordelia had a sharp focus on his position.

"Ah, well played, Matt," Nando complimented. "I see you still had some tricks up your sleeve."

"But what now?" Just as his thought completed, Matt was hit by an idea. "Cordelia, release Kricketune!"

Nando was taken aback by this turn. "He must be intending to execute a plan… but what?" Once Kricketune had been freed from the Psychic, Nando said, "One more X-Scissor, if you please."

With his arms once again shining brightly, Kricketune flew straight at Cordelia. This was, however, exactly what Matt expected.

"Ice Beam right now!"

Before Kricketune could deliver his blow, he was blasted back by a ray of freezing energy that Cordelia fired from her body. Ice formed on the edges of his arms and wings, impairing his movements.

"Kricketune, you must try to move!"

"Just what I had hoped for." Matt smiled, his focus on the battle allowing him to forget the crowd momentarily. "Air Slash!"

Several air blades rained down on Kricketune, and this time, he was unable to knock them away. His lack of defense left him to suffer the rapid, cutting strikes, and when they finally relented, he fell.

"Kricketune is unable to battle! The winner is Sigilyph!"

"He turned it around!" Monroe cheered.

"Perhaps I was underestimating his capability…" Dante said to himself.

"Kricketune, your performance was admirable. Have a fine rest." Once Kricketune had returned to its confines, Nando placed the Poké Ball in his bag. "Matt, I am impressed with your techniques. For someone with no Contest training, you are skilled at improvisational movements."

"I studied in Hoenn for years, what can I say?" Matt chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. His nerves had returned after his brief spike in focus. "I've seen my share of Contests, even if I haven't participated in them myself."

"Then we shall see how you handle my next Pokémon." Throwing his next Poké Ball in a fluid, dramatic motion, Nando announced, "Ludicolo, make your entry!"

Nando's Ludicolo seemed completely unaware of Cordelia once she materialized on the battlefield. She simply danced cheerfully around in place, singing to herself.

Matt thought back to when he had seen Dahlia's Ludicolo fight Nando's Leavanny at the Battle Arcade. While the tables had been turned back then and the Ludicolo belonged to a Frontier Brain, the sight had left Matt well aware of what the species was capable of, especially in the hands of a creative tactician like Nando.

Cautiously putting his right foot forward slightly, Matt directed, "We shouldn't take this easy, Cordelia. Try to get in an Air Slash right away!"

"Ludicolo," Nando said, closing his eyes, "Rain Dance."

Ludicolo continued to ignore Cordelia and dance around. Dark clouds gathered against the ceiling over the battlefield and soon gave way to a steady rainfall. Cordelia brought down the blades of her Air Slash, but with sudden, surprising speed, Ludicolo swayed away from most of them. Only one nicked her, across the leg.

Matt started to gasp, but he realized what was going on and stopped himself. He looked up and mumbled, "Oh, right. Ludicolo's Swift Swim, raises up its speed in the rain. I should have figured it out."

"Very apt observation, Matt. Swift Swim is the centerpiece of Ludicolo's performance." Thrusting his finger forward again, Nando called out, "Now please, experience it! Blizzard!"

As soon as her trainer gave the direction, Ludicolo performed a sharp backflip and breathed out a vicious gust of icy air. Cordelia was able to anticipate it, however, and frantically flew away from the vortex. Just before Ludicolo ceased her attack, though, it managed to clip Cordelia's wing. The Psychic-and-Flying-type shuddered violently; she wasn't terribly hurt, but the blast had sent a strong chill through her body.

While the Pokémon separated, Matt stared forward, trying to take stock of his situation. "Cordelia's just a bit too slow. She won't be able to keep up, and those Blizzards will overwhelm her. On the other hand, Rocky is more threatened by the Sticky Web… although…" He raised up a Poké Ball once he came to a decision. "Come back, Cordelia. Rocky, make your mark!"

"He's sending in Hitmonchan?" Bunny gulped as Rocky appeared on the stage. "A land-based Pokémon is susceptible to those traps Kricketune laid…"

"I suspect he has a trick up his sleeve," Dante mused. "If not, his reckless nature will only lead to his demise in battle."

"Hitmonchan? I consider that a surprise. Ludicolo, let's incapacitate it swiftly. Grass Knot, please."

"Rocky, use Role Play!"

Rocky and Ludicolo locked their gazes, and both Pokémon had their eyes flash. A tendril of grass appeared below Rocky's feet and attempted to grab his leg, but the Hitmonchan avoided it by leaping agilely out of the way.

"Ah!" Nando exclaimed, his eyes briefly widening. "Clever, very much so. You used my strategy against me."

"That's right," Matt replied, focusing in on the battle once more. "Now we both have Swift Swim, so we're on even footing."

"Very well. You're thinking like a Coordinator would, so please, show me what you make with my strategy in your hands."

"Alright!" Vivid images were running through Matt's mind. Once he had shut off the crowd again, he was actually able to visualize a number of ideas for how to conduct the battle. "Rocky, Ice Punch!"

"Ludicolo, Surf!" Nando countered, dramatically waving his free arm.

Rocky shot like a bullet toward Ludicolo, who surrounded her body with a wave of water she sent his way. He swung and punched the water itself, causing some of it to freeze back to Ludicolo while the rest buffeted him.

"Drain Punch, and use the ice for a vantage point!"

Rocky jumped onto the trail of ice the clash of attacks had created and skated down it toward Ludicolo, his fist pulled back and glowing green. The tactic caught Nando off guard, and he hesitated in giving an order.

"Ludicolo, Blizzard!"

Nando's hesitation resulted in Ludicolo not making a move before Rocky had already hit her with a strong uppercut to the chin. The green light broke away from his fist and flowed back into his body, healing some of what he had suffered due to Ludicolo's Surf.

Once she shook off the blow, Ludicolo had nearly point-blank range to blast Rocky with her harsh, icy gale. He stumbled back several paces, only just managing to avoid stepping right into one of the Sticky Webs.

"Alright, Ludicolo, use Surf once more!"

"Meet it with Thunder Punch!"

Ludicolo released another flood of water, which Rocky met with an electrically charged punch. The electricity flowed through the water, shocking the Pokémon on both ends. An explosion moments later forced him to break apart once more, and both of them were battered and breathing heavily.

"It looks like this will be the conclusion of this match," Nando commented. "Shall we go ahead and see who prevails?"

"I'm up for it if you are…"

"Then let's find out how this performance ends!" After pulling his fingers quickly across his harp strings, Nando said, "Ludicolo, Blizzard!"

"Rocky, use Drain Punch!"

Using what speed he could gather from the fading rain, Rocky tried to rush Ludicolo in the hopes of recovering some stamina, but she was more than ready to stop him. The Blizzard she unleashed violently washed over him, sending waves of painful cold through his muscles. Well before he had gotten to within reach of Ludicolo, he fell to his knees, then collapsed forward.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle! The winner is Ludicolo!"

An ocean of cheering erupted from the spectators surrounding where Matt's friends had gathered. They didn't share the sentiment. As they watched Matt bring Rocky back to his Poké Ball, they began quietly murmuring amongst themselves.

"He's only got Sigilyph left now," Bunny pointed out.

"And Ludicolo can beat it with Blizzard…" added Monroe.

"Sigilyph still has a type advantage." Dante tightened his grip on his cane until his hand started to redden. "You're his friends. I'm sure you're hoping for him to win. He needs to, right?"

The rain ended and the clouds dissipated while Matt prepared Cordelia's Poké Ball once more. His nerves were more frayed than ever; he stood still, nearly crushing the Poké Ball in his grip. He wasn't shaking violently enough for the crowd to see it under his heavy coat, but the cheering was echoing through his head and making him dizzy.

"Matt!" Nando's voice was actually relieving to him, as it gave him something to ground himself back into reality with. "Don't give up yet. You came this far, so I think you have a bit more left to show me."

"Al…" Matt steadied himself by widening his stance slightly. "Alright… you're right, sorry about that."

"Shall we begin, then?"

"Get through this and you get to talk to the Cafe Diva about Reshiram," Matt thought. Taking a breath, he finally threw the Poké Ball. "Cordelia, make your mark once again!"

When she appeared in the air in front of Matt, Cordelia looked down. She lowered her eye when she noticed that Ludicolo was still active and grumbled to herself.

"Don't get worked up, Cordelia!" Matt called up to her in an attempt to soothe her. "Ludicolo's not as fast anymore!"

"Good thinking, Matt," Nando complimented. "Your perception is accurate. Unfortunately for you, I still have Blizzard!"

"Cut it down with Air Slash! Hurry!"

The absence of the rain was enough to tip the balance of power. Both Cordelia and Ludicolo readied themselves to strike at each other, but Cordelia was the one to act first. Her Air Slash blades cut away at Ludicolo's body, sending pieces of Nando's Pokémon's grassy cloak flying everywhere.

Nando gasped and stepped forward, but there was nothing he could do. Ludicolo spun around in place, then collapsed forward.

"Ludicolo is unable to battle!" the referee maid confirmed. "The winner is Sigilyph!"

"And now it comes down to one-on-one."

"Say again? I can't hear you…"

Dante looked at Bunny and, after a moment, laughed. He hadn't realized that the crowd was drowning out his voice at first and raised it. "I said it now is one-on-one. And you doubted him before?"

"I didn't say I did!"

With a chuckle, Dante turned slowly back to the battle. "Fine, fine. Forgive me. Let's find out how this ends."

"I know what's left, Nando," Matt said, speaking loudly so he could be heard. "The Fighting-and-Flying-type Pokémon. I picked you so I could see it. Please, bring it out!"

"So you want to see one of my newest Pokémon? Very well. Allow me to show you a new kind of performance I've crafted." After a quick strum of his harp strings, Nando pulled a Poké Ball from his bag, threw it and announced, "Hawlucha, make your entry!"

The Pokémon that appeared was shorter than Matt had expected, only about three feet in height. His white body was cloaked in red, cape-like feathers, and the green pattern on his head made it look as if he was wearing a mask.

"Haww!" the Pokémon cried, spreading his wings and raising his head to the sky.

"That sure isn't anything I've seen before after all…"

Matt fumbled with his bag to get his tablet out, then pointed it at the Pokémon and scanned him with the Pokédex program.

"Hawlucha, the wrestling Pokémon. Type is Fighting and Flying. Although its body is small, its proficient fighting skills enable it to keep up with big bruisers like Machamp and Hariyama. With its wings, it controls its position in the air. It likes to attack from above, a maneuver that is difficult to defend against."

"Hawlucha is a Pokémon from the Kalos region that has come here," Nando calmly explained, "and it is also the only Fighting-and-Flying-type in existence. No Pokémon can perform in the way that Hawlucha can. Your choice to face it out of curiosity was a good one."

"It's not like the Pokémon I know you use, at least the usual lot." Matt lowered his head. "That's an understatement. Kricketune and Ludicolo, I had an idea how he'd use them. This thing…"

"I think you'll enjoy the aerial show I've devised. Shall we begin? Hawlucha, Swords Dance."

Hawlucha crossed his arms, cloaking himself in his feather cape. Sword-shaped lights surrounded him, much like they had done for Kricketune earlier, and revolved around him for a moment before floating into his body. As soon as they connected with him, he spread his wings and cried upward once more.

"Fighting and Flying means the weaknesses of both," Matt reasoned. "Let's take quick action, Cordelia. Use Psychic!"

After her experience with Kricketune, Cordelia knew well enough to not underestimate a Pokémon fueled by Swords Dance. She swiftly used her power to wrap Hawlucha in light and lift his shaking body upward.

"Alright, Cordelia," Matt shouted, throwing his hand upward. "You know what to do!"

Mimicking her trainer's motion, Cordelia swung her body back, tossing Hawlucha toward the ceiling.

"So you're not used to Hawlucha's battling style yet, I see." Smiling smugly, Nando played a chord and directed, "Recover and use Steel Wing, please."

Almost instantly, Hawlucha turned his erratic flight path into an elegant somersault. Matt could only watch in awe as the Pokémon landed gently against a nearby pillar, then dove straight for Cordelia with his wings shining like metal.

"Hurry, get out of the way!" Matt gasped.

Cordelia couldn't react quickly enough to her opponent, who was shooting at her like a bullet. She only barely managed to avoid a direct blow to her body. Hawlucha's iron-hard wings slashed a thin but bloody gash into her side instead.

"Cordelia!" While Cordelia was tumbling through the air, Hawlucha landed on another column. Matt could see him preparing his stance for his next attack. Desperate to cut it off, Matt called out, "Air Slash!"

"Hawlucha…" Nando responded, accompanied by a chord from his harp.

Hawlucha sprang off the pillar and dove straight toward the blades of air that were approaching him. Just before the collision, he spread his wings, catching the wind from his opponent's attack and using it to propel himself upward.

"Flying Press!"

Straightening out his body, Hawlucha dropped himself into a body slam technique that Cordelia had no defense against. The two Flying-type Pokémon separated violently from each other, with Hawlucha using the impact force of his attack to throw himself into the lights above the battlefield.

"Recall what your Pokédex said about Hawlucha, Matt. It uses its wings to control its movements and prefers to attack from above."

"That's right," Matt silently realized. "I should have paid attention…"

"And Flying Press is a move that only Hawlucha can learn," Nando further elaborated. "It is unique in that it does damage of both the Fighting and Flying types at the same time. Truly, a performance technique that only Hawlucha can achieve!"

"I have to have some response for that… if I can't even outmaneuver it in the air, there's no way I can win at all…"

"Hawlucha, Steel Wing!"

"Cordelia, dodge it and use Ice Beam!"

With a shrill cry, Hawlucha darted straight down at Cordelia from the lights. She managed to swing out of the way of his attack this time, however, and responded with a quick shot of ice into his back. He recovered only a fraction of a second before he would have hit the ground, but it was still enough for him to spread his wings and glide back onto a column.

"Ah, well done, Matt. If Hawlucha was to take much more of that, it would be the end for us. So, shall we end this once and for all? Hawlucha, Steel Wing once more!"

Hawlucha, now angered by Cordelia's resistance, started growling at her before springing off the pillar. Even though he'd been weakened, his emotion was driving him to shoot through the air at an even higher speed than before. She began to prepare an Air Slash despite not having a command to do so, but Hawlucha collided with her long before she could act. Nando's Pokémon used the force of the blow to kick himself back up toward the lights, while Cordelia hung limply in the air, her body battered.

"Cordelia can't take much more of this. I'm lucky she survived that one alone…" Seeing Hawlucha getting ready to finish the battle with another Steel Wing, Matt was suddenly struck by an idea. "Air Slash at close range! Fight it on its own terms!"

Just as Hawlucha started to descend toward her, Cordelia found a final burst of energy within herself. She used the wind blades that took shape around her wings to lash out at Hawlucha. Despite avoiding getting directly hit, he couldn't break through to strike her either, so he used the wind coming from Cordelia's wings to drift back.

"Steel Wing again and again!" Nando shouted, extending his arm in the direction of the clashing Pokémon. "Do not relent!"

"You keep fighting back with Air Slash, Cordelia!"

Using every bit of strength they had, Cordelia and Hawlucha rushed each other. Neither could score a finishing blow with how fast they were moving. All they could do in their furious duel was graze each other.

The crowd, which had been actively cheering throughout the battle, became quiet. They were fascinated by Cordelia and Hawlucha rising higher and higher, twisting around each other as they fought for the one moment of dominance they'd need to come out victorious. Matt's friends at his table were no exception.

"Look at them go…" Bunny said in awe.

"This really is like a Contest battle," Monroe added. "I wish Olivia were here to see this."

Dante, meanwhile, sat silently in his chair. He was rocking back and forth, watching the battle through narrowed eyes.

"He is relentless!" Nando thought to himself. "Expecting basic techniques to win the day was a mistake. I will have to resort to my final performance combination!" Tightly holding onto his harp, Nando ordered, "Hawlucha, use Flying Press!"

Hawlucha abruptly broke away from the exchange, leaving Cordelia to fumble in midair. He dropped himself into her, but he failed to do significant damage.

This was, however, exactly what Nando intended to happen. "Now seize Sigilyph with Sky Drop!"

Pushing himself against Cordelia, Hawlucha sank his claws into her sides and started plummeting toward the stage with her in his grasp.

"Sky Drop has no effect on Flying-types," Bunny said out loud. "What is he going for?"

"The Sticky Web!" Monroe realized.

Indeed, Hawlucha was carrying Cordelia straight for one of the traps of thread that had been on the battlefield all along. Matt saw this and immediately knew what to do.

"Cordelia…" he said, clenching his fist, "...flip and use Psychic!"

"Hawlucha, do not allow it!" Nando cried, realizing instantly what Matt was trying.

Hawlucha tried to hold onto Cordelia, but her violent flip combined with the influence of her Psychic caused him to lose his grasp. She threw him downward, straight into the Sticky Web he had been aiming for.

"Now finish it with Air Slash!"

Righting herself in the air, Cordelia glared down at Hawlucha, who was completely trapped in the thread. After taking a moment to savor her victory, she rained down blades of wind upon him.

"Hawlucha!"

Even though he called out to his Pokémon, Nando knew the battle was over. Once Cordelia's assault ceased, Hawlucha was lying still in a pile of shredded feathers and silk.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle!" announced the maid, confirming what was already obvious. "The winner is Sigilyph, and victory goes to Matt!"

"I… I did it…" Matt said, staring blankly ahead. "Maybe I'll find something out after all…"

Nando, meanwhile, approached his fallen Hawlucha and lowered himself to take the Pokémon in his arms. "You gave it your all, Hawlucha. Do not find shame in your loss."

"Lucha…" replied the Fighting-and-Flying-type. He curled up comfortably in his trainer's arms.

"Rest up for your next performance. You'll win then." After sending Hawlucha back to the safety of his Poké Ball, Nando stood. "Well done, Matt. You completely overwhelmed my tactics."

"I… I don't know how I did it…" Matt was still frozen in shock, and could barely speak. "You were so much better…"

"Your Pokémon fought fiercely. I saw belief in what they fought for in every move. Perhaps you're not fully perceiving it yet?"

"I'll have to ask Nikolai if that's true…" Matt thought.

"Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in your battle with the Cafe Diva. I must be off for my own challenge battles. We'll meet again!"

Nando turned around and walked off the stage, playing an upbeat tune on his harp. Matt didn't snap out of his daze until he was approached by one of the maids.

"As you've fulfilled your challenge requirement," she said to him, "your next match will be against the Cafe Diva. You've won one hundred Cafe Points for finishing this battle with one Pokémon left, so you have a total of nine hundred points in reserve. Please return to your table and await your match with the Frontier Brain."

"Uh...right, thanks."

Bunny and Monroe were standing as Matt returned to the table. She went right up to him and said, "You really have to stop doubting yourself! Not everyone could have done that!"

"Bunny's right," Monroe agreed. "I think I even learned something watching that."

"I really didn't do anything special…" Matt responded, shrinking back from the compliments.

"No, they're right," Dante interjected. He didn't stand, instead gently tossing his cane back and forth between his hands while he spoke. "Your opponent was an entrant in multiple Pokémon League and Grand Festival tournaments. Not someone to be trifled with." Catching his cane in his right hand, he locked eyes with Matt and said, "I apologize for my words earlier. I can see now I was getting too big for my britches telling you that facing Polaris was a danger. I misjudged you. If anyone can lead a resistance to their plan, it's you."

Matt laughed weakly and gripped the strap of his bag. "I'm flattered, but really, I wouldn't say I lead anything against them…"

"Sometimes the strongest leaders are those who aren't even recognized as such, even by themselves," Dante said with a smile. "Now go on, face the Frontier Brain. I want to be even more impressed."

-:-

Zager's laboratory filled with the sound of Pierce's heavy boots striking the floor as the agent entered. He was carrying a case in his right hand, and there were traces of frost on his face, coat and hair.

"Pierce!" Zager came dashing out from a side room when he heard his visitor, and Galvantula emerged from underneath his table in the main lab. "I've been waiting for you! Please, show me what you've brought."

"As per Giovanni's command, the small piece of the Meteonite that we managed to steal from Polaris."

Pierce stiffly extended his arm, and Zager accepted the case from him. The two Team Rocket members then walked together to Zager's computer console. Galvantula followed, so Pierce turned around and leaned down to pet her.

"I'm glad to see you too, Galvantula. Sorry I didn't bring you any Poké Puffs this time."

"She only just finished that huge lot you gave her last time," Zager said, not turning from his work setting up the Meteonite piece on a machine. "She's not getting any younger. It's bad enough she ate half of Ariana's doughnuts."

"Yes, forgive me…" Pierce awkwardly stood up, then returned to Zager's side. He reached into his coat pocket, retrieved the flash drive and set it on the computer. "Giovanni and Rosalie also requested I bring this. It's the data extracted from the Purine Base's computers. We need you to decrypt it and see if you can learn anything about their plan."

Zager gulped. "I'll have a look…"

-:-

The car Zinzolin had used to flee Goldenrod City's plaza after Team Rocket attacked his speech tore north through the streets of Ecruteak City. A Polaris member was driving while the old man sat in the passenger seat with his arms crossed and his eyes tightly closed. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead, brought on by his thoughts of having to go before Ghetsis.

When the car reached the Bell Tower temple, it stopped. Zinzolin took a deep breath to compose himself before getting out, but what he wasn't aware of as he walked inside was that three trenchcoat-wearing figures were watching him from the trees.

"Well, well," Jessie said to James and Meowth "the iceman cometh."

"And he led us right to Ghetsis," James added. "I'd put our last paycheck on that shrine being his base."

"Come on, we gotta tell the boss about this!" Meowth pulled on the suitcase in James's hand. "We keep making him happy and we'll be at the top in no time!"

-:-

"I'm very disappointed in you, Zinzolin," Ghetsis growled, clutching the handle of his cane in one hand and the armrest of his throne in the other. Zinzolin was bowing before him, noticeably trembling even under his heavy coat. "You had a very simple task. Present our ideals to the people of Goldenrod City in preparation for the speech I'm going to give here. And yet some relics of the past like Team Rocket disrupted you?!"

Zinzolin clutched at his coat. His back was breaking, but he knew that if he straightened up, the consequences would be dire. "Flash polling suggests that our ideals have still taken hold, Lord Ghetsis. Team Rocket's interference caused only minimal harm."

Ghetsis turned his head up so he could glare down at the old man cowering in front of him. "And what gives you the idea that any harm at all is acceptable? Perhaps you do not recall who you serve, Zinzolin. You do not serve that idiot Finansielle, or even Father. He calls himself a leader and yet he fears showing himself… No, you serve only me, Ghetsis, the perfect ruler who will inherit this world in the name of Harmonia. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I… I dealt with them," Zinzolin stuttered. "I was ambushed, but I did what I could…"

"Team Rocket's members are not trembling at my feet and awaiting their judgment. You are. Does that make it sound like what you could do was enough? Perfect? Tell me, have you lost all hope? What punishment do you think you deserve for your failure?"

Zinzolin's skin ran cold. He knew exactly what Ghetsis was capable of, and feared that things had gone past the point where anything he could say would help. "A...Anything you decide, Lord Ghetsis…"

"Pray to whatever you can that my judgment will be merciful. Begone."

After struggling to stand, Zinzolin hobbled out of Ghetsis's chamber, his mind consumed with fear. "Just allow me to see the speech…"

Once Zinzolin was gone, Ghetsis relaxed. A moment later, Darkness of the Shadow Triad appeared next to him.

"Very well done, Lord Ghetsis. If I may ask, have you decided upon a punishment for his failure?"

"You just watched me give it to him. Now what is it?"

A look of awe and respect briefly flashed through Darkness's eyes. "I have received word that Team Plasma's Trojan horse has arrived in Ecruteak City, Lord Ghetsis."

"Establish contact with her at once," Ghetsis ordered. He then turned upward, allowing the light of his video screen to sparkle in his eye. "The two Tenganist witches, Professor Elm, the Clear Bell and our Trojan horse… we now have everything we need. Polaris and this entire world will fall at my feet."

-:-

"Dalian, use Thief!"

"Minccino, counter it with Tail Slap!"

Nekou and Olivia were out in the grass of the park, not far from the Battle Cafe. They had all of their Pokémon out from their Poké Balls for the training they were conducting, with Minccino and Dalian the Gothorita currently sparring. While they dashed at each other, the other Pokémon were clustered together, watching from the sidelines. Mr. Mime was the only one separate from them, sitting off by himself.

"Snea…" Marie snickered as she watched Minccino and Dalian bat at each other.

Picking up on the passive aggression Marie was showing, Olivia's Roselia turned and hissed at her. Marie brought her claw to her mouth and simply laughed back, mocking the incensed Grass-and-Poison-type.

"Sneasel, snea. Snea ea sel…"

Roselia stared in awe of Marie's bad attitude, but Dewott was upset by how she was insulting Minccino. He pulled one of his shells from his legs and drew a Razor Shell with it, which he then angrily swung at Marie. She nonchalantly batted the weapon away with her False Swipe, then turned to her companions, Edgar the Duskull, Lenore the Murkrow and Nekou's Zorua.

"Sel!"

Edgar and Zorua laughed along with Marie at her prompting, while Lenore audibly groaned. Among Olivia's Pokémon, Herdier turned away, while Roselia continued to fume. Dewott's anger only increased with Marie's behavior.

"Dewott!" he cried, bringing out his other Razor Shell.

"Krab! Krabby!"

Though he was still a new addition to the team, Krabby was comfortable enough to try getting between Dewott and Marie, holding them apart with his claws.

"What are you all doing?!" Olivia had finally taken notice of the Pokémon fighting, and broke off her training to run over to them. "What is this?"

The Pokémon all turned up to face Olivia and Nekou, who stepped up alongside her friend. Their responses to her scolding were sharply divided by group. Olivia's own Pokémon seemed apologetic for the argument, aside from Dewott, who kept grumbling to himself as he retrieved his shells. Nekou's Pokémon, on the other hand, all looked smug. Only Lenore showed even a hint of embarrassment.

"Marie, were you fucking with them?" Nekou asked, though she didn't even need to wait for a reply before turning to Olivia. "She does this all the time, breaking the balls of other Pokémon. She doesn't mean it, it's all fun to her."

"Is that true?" Olivia demanded of Marie, putting her fists on her hips. Marie just snickered once more, prompting Olivia to say, "You little sneak. Although, it doesn't shock me much given who your trainer is."

Both Olivia and Nekou laughed, but their cheer was short-lived once they noticed Mr. Mime, who was still sitting alone.

"What's up with Mr. Mime?" Nekou wondered. "He's looking out of sorts."

"I… I'm not sure. Do you think that he's upset over losing before?"

While Olivia and Nekou continued discussing the circumstances, they were unaware of a pair of dark eyes watching them. A cloud-like yellow shape shifted through a nearby patch of grass, attempting to get a better view.

"Mareep…"

-:-

"Ladies and gentlemen," the head maid announced from the center of the stage, "we now present the main performance of today's Battle Cafe event! Entering on the challenger's side, Matt from Snowpoint City!"

A spotlight went up on the left-hand side of the stage, illuminating a path for Matt as he was escorted by the waitress who provided the menus. He cringed under the pressure of the audience's loud cheering and lowered his head, finding himself missing the hat he'd lost on the train. He did, however, find some comfort when he saw his group's table. Monroe and Bunny were applauding, while Dante smiled supportively.

"Matt, it's now time for you to make your final selection." After handing Matt the menu tablet, the maid said to him, "This round will work a little differently from the others. Because your opponent has already been determined, you will decide which of three pieces of information you would like to purchase about them. Please have a look."

Matt looked down at the options he was being given. For three hundred Cafe Points he could learn the types of one of the Cafe Diva's Pokémon, two moves of one for Pokémon for five hundred points, or the name of a single Pokémon for seven hundred.

"Well, I can afford any of these, so I think I have to take what sounds like the best one," he said with a shrug. "The name of a Pokémon."

"Very well." The waitress took back the tablet, then said to him, "The Cafe Diva will be using an Azumarill in your battle with her. Good luck."

"Did she say Azumarill?" Monroe asked Bunny as Matt got ready on the stage.

"Yeah. He should be well-equipped to deal with a Water-type, since he has Eelektrik plus Hitmonchan and Sigilyph with Electric and Grass moves."

The spotlights went down on the stage before the head maid began speaking again.

"And now… the moment you've all been waiting for! Honorable guests of the Battle Cafe, we now present to you the one you came to see! Our leader and Frontier Brain, the one and only… Cafe Diva Lyra!"

All the lights went on at once, in perfect sync with an eruption of cheering from the crowd. Matt didn't become nervous, though; instead, he just slouched when he saw Lyra coming up the stairs toward him.

"I knew it was her," he sighed.

"Thank you!" Lyra shouted, waving to the crowd. "Thanks, everyone! Aw, you're all so sweet! I love all of you!" She shifted her attention to Matt and fixed an intense gaze on him. "I had a feeling I'd get to face you from the moment we met. Thorton told me to watch out for you."

"How would he know? I never even got to battle him."

"He said you showed enough ingenuity to take down a Tornadus and only lost to foreign Pokémon you probably haven't seen before." Lyra put her hands on her hips and demanded, "Are you saying you're going to disappoint me?"

"Don't get your hopes up…"

"If you don't think you can win, why did you come here?"

"Because I'm looking for Reshiram," Matt immediately answered, a sudden surge of confidence flooding through him. "I figured trainers gathered from all over would be able to give me information, so Frontier Brains seemed natural to approach."

"You're a funny guy, you know that?" Lyra said with a playful wink. "I never thought anyone would come here looking for a Pokémon from Unova. But enough talk. Let's get started!"

"The challenger, Matt, versus the Cafe Diva, Lyra!" announced the referee maid. "Send out your first Pokémon!"

"Alright, it's showtime for us! Come on out, Ninjask!"

"Rocky, make your mark!"

"What is that boy up to?" Dante wondered aloud, seeing Matt's Hitmonchan come out to face Lyra's Ninjask. "Did he forget his bloody type matchups?"

"Bug-and-Flying is pretty nasty against Fighting," Bunny admitted, "but I think he's got some kind of plan. He must."

"The first round is Hitmonchan versus Ninjask! Begin the battle!"

Lyra wasted no time in giving her first order, saying it as she clicked her heel on the floor. "Ninjask, Swords Dance!"

"I thought you might do something like that. Rocky, Role Play!"

Ninjask was surrounded by swords of light that flowed into her body, much like Nando's Pokémon had been earlier. Rocky made no attempt to even approach her, instead, he stared at her and allowed light to flash in his eyes. A blue aura enveloped them both shortly afterward.

"Clever, that's simply so clever!" Lyra complimented. "Stealing my Speed Boost like that… maybe I can be as rough as I'd like to be with you!"

"I'd expect nothing less from a Frontier Brain." Raising his head, Matt directed, "Thunder Punch!"

"Ninjask, use Protect!"

Rocky lunged through the air toward Ninjask at a high speed, but the Bug-and-Flying-type's reaction was too fast. She put up a shield of green light in front of herself, and the Thunder Punch bounced harmlessly off of it. As the two Pokémon separated, their blue auras got slightly more intense.

"Alright, Ninjask, it's time to kick this into high gear! Baton Pass!"

A bright flash burst from Ninjask's body, and she turned into energy that returned itself to her Poké Ball. Matt grimaced as he watched Lyra take out another Poké Ball, which was glowing with the same light that Ninjask had flashed, and threw it.

A Typhlosion burst out from the new Poké Ball and roared toward the ceiling.

"I knew as soon as I saw Ninjask you'd be setting up power-ups to throw onto another Pokémon… and now I know all three Pokémon on your team! Rocky, Thunder Punch!"

Using all the strength in his legs, Rocky sprang at Typhlosion and hit the Fire-type across the face with his sparking right fist. He then retreated back toward Matt in order to prevent Typhlosion from quickly counterattacking at close range.

"Well played, Matt!" Lyra took a sharp breath, and her body shuddered. "I love it when challengers put their brains into it! Give me an Eruption, Typhlosion!"

Typhlosion instantly straightened up, his muscles full of energy thanks to the Speed Boosts he'd been given by Ninjask. A ring of flame ignited around his neck, and a number of fireballs erupted from it. They flew high into the air before threatening to rain down on Rocky.

"And now I'm glad I took Speed Boost for myself. Rocky, go for it!"

After quickly nodding to acknowledge his trainer's direction, Rocky shot off toward Typhlosion, his body turning into a blue blur due to his newfound speed. The fireballs descended around him, but he sidestepped every one, leaving each to strike the floor and explode uselessly. Both Lyra and the crowd murmured in surprise at the Hitmonchan's skillful movements.

"Alright! Now use Drain Punch!"

Before Typhlosion could react, Rocky was upon him. When the uppercut Rocky aimed at Typhlosion's jaw connected, the Fire-type was thrown up and back, ultimately falling backward.

Lyra bit her lip. "So it's a close fight we're going to have, I see. I can't stop getting excited!" Tightening her fist, she called out, "Show him what you've got, Typhlosion! Wild Charge!"

Typhlosion rolled onto his stomach and charged at Rocky, his body becoming cloaked in electricity. Rocky had started to turn away, so Typhlosion's sudden lashing out caught him by surprise. With Matt unable to react quickly enough, Rocky simply swung his fist and tried to catch Typhlosion.

When Rocky's punch collided with Typhlosion's head, the Fire-type's trajectory was thrown off. He didn't hit his opponent cleanly, and the two of them ended up being tangled up as they rolled toward Matt.

"Break away by using Thunder Punch on the floor!"

The thrust of Rocky's punch combined with the burst of electricity pulled him from Typhlosion and pushed him several feet into the air. Typhlosion stumbled, but quickly recovered.

"Oh no you don't!" Lyra exclaimed, pointing at Rocky. "You won't get away from me that easily! Shadow Claw!"

"Meet it with Drain Punch!" Matt's reaction was automatic. The continued chatter of the crowd was starting to leave his mind as he focused on the action before him, to the point where he was developing tunnel vision.

Rocky spun in midair and descended toward Typhlosion, meeting Lyra's Pokémon's Shadow Claw with his own glowing punch. They collided in a shower of sparks, and Rocky deftly backflipped away.

"Keep it up!" both Matt and Lyra ordered at the same time.

As soon as he landed, Rocky rushed right back into the fight. He bobbed and weaved around Typhlosion, trying to avoid the dark slashes aimed at him. At first, they exchanged an equal number of blows, and their bodies quickly accrued the physical signs of such.

The fight had become an impromptu boxing match, and as Rocky and Typhlosion sparred, the blue glow of the former's Speed Boost steadily grew. Before long, Rocky was steadily outpacing Typhlosion and escaping his swings with little effort. At Matt's table, Bunny and Monroe were enraptured with the unfolding duel, much like the crowds around them. Dante had even leaned forward on his cane to get a better look.

"This is exciting, but…" Lyra's words were punctuated by heavy breathing, "...I think it's about time I put you in your place! Typhlosion, Wild Charge!"

Matt smirked. "I knew you'd have to do something differently eventually. Thunder Punch!"

As soon as Typhlosion stopped and covered his body in electricity, Rocky charged in. The combination of the energy from the two Pokémon and their respective moves caused an explosion that violently threw them apart.

"Please work… If this doesn't pan out, I've got nothing left up my sleeve…" The smoke started to lift, and the two Pokémon came into view. Both of them were still standing, though they were panting weakly. Matt's thoughts instantly turned bitter when he saw this. "Shit! Without this, I can't…"

He was cut off when Typhlosion's legs gave out, dropping the Fire-type Pokémon to the floor. Lyra urged Typhlosion to get back up, and he tried, but there was just not enough strength left in his body. He collapsed, leaving Rocky standing battered but victorious over him.

Lyra gasped, but it was drowned out by the cheering from the crowd.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle!" the maid announced from mid-field. "Hitmonchan is the winner!"

"Well that's one down," Bunny sighed as she slumped over the table. "Ninjask and Azumarill to go."

"I didn't think he'd be able to pull it off…" Monroe said.

"Think about it, young man," Dante explained, "during their fighting, Hitmonchan struck with Drain Punch several times. That gave it the stamina necessary to outlast its enemy."

"You're good…" Lyra said, continuing her heavy breathing as she recalled Typhlosion. "A lot of challengers get swept up in my Eruption once Typhlosion has the Speed Boosts… I see I'll have to try something a little special with you. Ninjask, come back out and use Aerial Ace!"

Lyra's Ninjask erupted from the Poké Ball she threw, and before she even had fully formed, she shot forward like a rocket.

"Ice Punch!"

Even with all his speed, Rocky couldn't react fast enough to Ninjask's assault. He barely had his arm pulled back before she collided with him, cutting him down in one swift movement.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle! The winner is Ninjask!"

Matt took a deep breath, releasing what tension he could. He had hoped to take down a majority of Lyra's team using Rocky's attacks supplemented by Speed Boost, but he was able to relax slightly without having to worry any further about Rocky doing it alone. His nerves tightened again, however, when he saw the blue glow of Ninjask's ability beginning to brighten once more.

"Oh, right, you still have it…" He held up Rocky's Poké Ball and recalled the fallen Fighting-type, then threw another. "Charlotte, make your mark!"

When she appeared from the Poké Ball, Charlotte shook herself out as she floated. Her eyes eventually settled on Ninjask, and when they did, she let out a hiss.

"An Electric-type against one that's partially Flying," Monroe mused. "This might go a bit better."

"But Ninjask's getting powered up with Speed Boost again," Bunny reminded him, waving her finger.

Matt shut his eye and pinched his nose, once again well aware of the threat he was facing. In an attempt to soothe his nerves, he tried to make small talk with Lyra. "I certainly get why you're a Frontier Brain. Looks like you're having a blast, too…"

"You bet I am…" Lyra's words failed to fully convey how much excitement she really was feeling, but her posture made up for it. She had become slack, standing hunched over with her arms hanging limply at her sides. She was still breathing erratically as she spoke. "It's not every day someone comes in here and shows off like this…"

"I...I…" Matt's uncovered eye went wide with exasperation at Lyra's actions. "...I'm not showing off. I'm just…"

"Shut up and keep going!" she snapped.

Matt sighed, then pointed forward. "Alright, then… Charlotte, Charge Beam!"

"Ninjask… Swords Dance!"

Swords Dance's glowing swords of light surrounded Ninjask and started circling her. The ray of electricity that Charlotte fired broke through one of them, but the rest remained intact and flowed into Ninjask's body. She shook herself off as the blue aura intensified, not hurt much by Charge Beam despite her weakness.

"Oh, shit…" Matt groaned. "I have to slow that thing down or I'll never be able to stop it… Charlotte, use Thunder Wave!"

Lyra grabbed at her collar and cried out, "Protect!"

Matt gasped and stepped forward with his right leg, but there was nothing he could do to stop the scene unfolding before him. The shield of green light that Ninjask encased herself in absorbed the pulse Charlotte sent her way, nullifying its effect completely, and Ninjask's aura got brighter the moment the shield went down.

"Oh, yes, Ninjask, that's exactly what I wanted!" Lyra shrieked, briefly spinning around on her heel. "Come on back now! Baton Pass!"

Lyra held up Ninjask's Poké Ball, and after flashing brightly, the Bug-and-Flying-type Pokémon returned to it. She then spun around and threw her last remaining Poké Ball, finally releasing her Azumarill.

"And there it is…" Matt said out loud to himself. "Powered up with Swords Dance and Speed Boost… the one thing I can do is slow it down! Thunder Wave!"

"Go on, my darling," Lyra ordered with a wink, "show that thing a taste of your Superpower! Go full throttle!"

Charlotte released another electric pulse, but Azumarill simply charged right into it. The electricity brought paralysis onto her, however, she kept charging forward. Once Azumarill got within reach of Charlotte, she struck the Electric-type with a double punch that sent its helpless victim crashing into a wall several feet away.

"What? How?!"

"Huge Power," Lyra explained as Charlotte fell, wide-eyed, out of the wall. "Azumarill's Ability. Surely you didn't forget it has one, right?"

"That's right…" Matt weakly answered, going slack-jawed as he spoke. "An Ability that…"

"It takes the power I came in with and dials it up all the way to twelve!" Lyra interrupted. "So what do you think? Behind the facade of this cutie lies the true terror of the Cafe Diva!"

"Eelektrik is unable to battle!" the refereeing maid finally announced. "The winner is Azumarill!"

"She's bloodthirsty…" Bunny said, her own mouth hanging open.

"Bloodthirsty?" Dante scoffed. "More like totally bloody insane. Do you see the physical arousal she's getting from this?" Lowering his head, he mumbled to himself, "Bloody disgusting, this show of hers. And young people look up to Frontier Brains…"

Once again, Matt found himself shaking. Having recalled Charlotte, he now held his last Poké Ball, but felt so weak that he feared he'd drop it.

"I… I have to do this…" he stuttered to himself. "I just have to get through Azumarill. Then I bet I can stop Ninjask when I have it alone…"

"Aw, what's the matter?" Lyra taunted, leaning forward menacingly. "Don't tell me you're going to wimp out now. You brought me this far, seal the deal."

"If you say so…" Matt felt unsteady on his feet, so he spread them apart to balance himself before limply tossing the Poké Ball. "Cordelia, make your mark!"

"And so now I get to meet the Sigilyph that's been running up the ranks here," Lyra said. "It feels right, the final climax being this and all. You know?"

"I...I guess?" Matt took a step back. "She's too… erratic? I don't know. Whatever it is, it's impossible to get a stable read on her. She could do anything." Raising his arm into the air, he called, "Energy Ball!"

While she wasn't immobilized, the paralysis slowed Azumarill enough that she couldn't simply run away from the Energy Ball as she wished. She got out of its direct path, but it clipped her on the side, causing her to stumble.

"Looks like I better finish up myself if you aren't able." Lyra's face flushed as she issued her next command. "It's the most thrilling point yet, so let's throw everything on the table! Azumarill, Belly Drum!"

Regaining her composure, Azumarill began striking her stomach with her arms in a rhythmic fashion. A bright red glow enveloped her, and her expression only grew more intense with each passing second.

"He better have something up his sleeve right now to stop that thing…" Bunny said out loud to Monroe and Dante.

"Maximized attack power… plus the boost of Huge Power…" Matt's arms hung at his sides as he let the reality of his situation sink in. "Cordelia, we have to win this right now or never. Energy Ball!"

"I won't let you!" Lyra beamed. "Azumarill, claim victory! Aqua Jet!"

Cordelia started to form another orb of green energy, but she never had the time to finish. Azumarill, in full defiance of her paralysis, surrounded herself with water and shot like a rocket at Cordelia. When they collided, Cordelia was violently thrown back at an upward angle, eventually crashing into the rafters. She went limp as she fell to the floor, where she rolled over to reveal a huge bruise directly on the center of her body.

"No way…" Matt gasped, watching Cordelia in shock while Lyra let out an ecstatic groan.

"Sigilyph is unable to battle!" The maid had to scream to be heard over the roar of the crowd. "The winner is Azumarill, and victory goes to the Cafe Diva, Lyra!"

"That's it then…" Matt mumbled to himself, barely able to hear his own words thanks to the audience's continued reaction. He stood still and stared into space for a long moment before turning and walking deliberately to where Cordelia had fallen. Leaning down to her as she awoke, he smiled as well as he could and said, "You gave a hell of a show out there today. Everyone did. Remind me to treat you all tonight, you guys earned it."

Cordelia responded with a weak chirp, and Matt recalled her to her Poké Ball. As he stood back up, he could hear Lyra clapping as she approached him from behind.

"That… that was fun, all things considered!"

Slowly turning to face her, Matt replied, "I thought you'd say that. So much for finding out about Reshiram, I guess."

"Oh, I'll still talk to you," Lyra cheerfully said. "You just gotta give me time to finish up my battles for the day."

-:-

"Krabby, give me a Bubble Beam!"

"Edgar, Blizzard!"

A brisk breeze blew over the National Park as Olivia and Nekou continued their training, rustling the grass and leaves around them. From her vantage point, the Mareep watched them, as she had been doing the entire time. As she observed the attacks used by the Krabby and Duskull cancel each other out, she smirked to herself.

Seeing that Bubble Beam hadn't been effective, Olivia started to give another direction to Krabby. However, Nekou cut her off.

"That's enough for today," she said, stretching her neck. ""I'm starving, and I'm sure you must be too."

"You know…" A sudden growl from her stomach made Olivia realize just how hungry she really was. The training had completely distracted her. "That's a good idea," she replied with a weak laugh.

With an agreement reached, Nekou and Olivia sent all of their Pokémon back to their Poké Balls with the exception of Marie, who climbed up on Nekou's back and hid under her hair.

"I wonder how Matt is doing at his challenge," Nekou said once Olivia had started walking next to her. She winked and asked, "Think he fucked it up yet?"

"Who knows. Maybe he's got a shot, if he keeps going like he went against me…"

Immediately picking up on the tone of Olivia's voice, Nekou questioned, "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

Olivia did not answer right away, and there was a short, tense silence between them. "I just… I don't know what I'm doing anymore. What is the point of all of this?"

"You said you wanted to fuck up Polaris, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but…" After a brief hesitation, Olivia said, "I don't really feel like I know why I'm doing it. I mean, I know I said I wanted to do it because my dad would have, but… knowing he's gone now, something about that just feels so pointless. Who am I really trying to impress? A dead guy? What's the point…"

As they walked, Nekou set her hand on Olivia's shoulder. "This might be tough for you to think about right now, but what I'll tell you is that you have to live for yourself and nobody else. You're the only one who can truly give yourself what you need."

"I… I guess you're right." A small smile crept onto Olivia's face. "Nekou, when we get to Ecruteak City, would you do something for me?"

"Sure, what?"

"Buy me a Pokégear. I have something I want to do…"

-:-

In the woods on the Ecruteak outskirts, Jessie, James and Meowth stood rigidly before a projection of Giovanni generated by the R-Pad. Wobbuffet, Vivillon and Inkay were nearby.

"Boss, sir, we've confirmed Ghetsis's location," Jessie reported.

"He's holed up in the gateway shrine leading to the Bell Tower," James added.

"Hm, I see…" Giovanni shut his eyes and took a breath. "I am on my way to Ecruteak right now with everyone but Rosalie. Stand by until we arrive. I fear we must consider it a certainty that Ghetsis's true ambition is the Bell Tower."

"Wait, Boss, don't go yet!" Meowth blurted out before the transmission ended. "We got you another Pokémon for the army we're gonna use to knock Polaris off!"

"What?"

"Jessie, show him!"

At Meowth's urging, Jessie took the Poké Ball off her belt and released the Goomy. He simply sat still once he appeared, not even making a sound.

"It's a Goomy," James explained. "We found it on our way here."

"Goomy's a Dragon-type Pokémon from Kalos," Ada could be heard saying in the background, her words punctuated by the sound of her typing. "Evolves twice, into Sliggoo and Goodra."

"I see. What is it capable of?"

"It knows Body Slam, Sludge Bomb, Flail, and…" Jessie hesitated, recalling how violently they had been attacked. "...Draco Meteor."

"Goo…" The Pokémon began to slowly turn around. He glared dramatically at Jessie and James before launching himself toward Meowth and biting onto his head. "Goomy!"

"Aah!" Meowth screamed, clawing at his head as he ran off. "Go goom off somewhere else, you!"

In the projection, Giovanni scowled. "Do you have this under control?" he growled.

"Uh, yes, of course!" Jessie floundered. She used the Poké Ball to call Goomy back off of Meowth's head. While he stumbled to the ground and rubbed his head, she continued, "We're just socializing Goomy, that's all!"

"Yeah, you can count on us, Giovanni, sir!" James hastily added.

"Don't screw it up!"

With that last warning from Giovanni, the transmission cut out. James and Jessie both sighed as they turned to each other.

"You know, Jessie, we do have to do something if that Goomy won't listen to us. We can't rely on Wobbuffet forever."

"Tell me something I don't know. I shouldn't have had to put Wobbuffet against a wild Pokémon in the first place!"

"Hey!" Meowth shouted. "Did you two forget that I just got bit by that little slimeball?"

-:-

Giovanni leaned back in his chair in the car once the conversation was over.

"Sometimes I still wonder about promoting those three…"

Another holographic screen suddenly appeared. Rosalie was on the other end of this one, and her face was blank.

"Giovanni, is Ariana there?" she asked.

"I'm right here," Ariana spoke up.

Rosalie took a deep breath, then swallowed. "I've got something I need to tell you, and I don't know how…"

-:-

Hours later, the setting sun cast a warm, orange glow over the National Park and the Battle Cafe. The dining areas were bathed in the light shining through their floor-to-ceiling windows.

Matt's table had become much more crowded over that time. Besides Nekou and Olivia returning from training, Nando and Lyra had also joined them. Over their dinner, they had been discussing the events of the day.

"It is unfortunate that you did not manage to defeat the Cafe Diva," Nando said after hearing of the rest of Matt's challenge. "However, I did accomplish the deed. We should battle again someday to learn which of us is really stronger."

"I'd be up for that," Matt replied. "It was exhilarating fighting you."

"And Miss Olivia, I hear that you and Matt actually did battle, and you managed to defeat one of his Pokémon."

"That's right!" Olivia beamed. "I didn't manage to get far, but it's a step, right?"

"Indeed it is. I look forward to the day when we can battle each other as equals ourselves."

"You better get ready for her to wreck your shit!" Nekou laughed between sips of beer.

Nando simply reacted with a smile, as did Bunny. Monroe remained silent, and Dante grimaced.

Lyra took one of the small, square hamburgers off her plate and tossed it to her Typhlosion, who was eating from a bowl of Pokémon food next to the table. She then said, "So, Matt, what exactly is your deal with Reshiram?"

"Well…" He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm looking for Reshiram because I know of the legends surrounding it. They say that Reshiram's flames burn to reveal the truth, and there are some truths I must know. I've spoken to Dante before about it, and he's told me I've got to locate the Light Stone that will lead me to Reshiram by putting an overwhelming amount of effort into finding the truth."

"Is that true?" Lyra asked. Her question was followed by a loud sip from the strawberry milkshake she was drinking.

"It is," Dante answered.

"Then I hate to say it, Matt, but you're out of luck. I don't know anything." When she saw Matt slump in his chair, she quickly added, "Don't worry though! You're going to the Battle Hall, right? Talk to the Hall Matron, the Frontier Brain of that place. Kate has been all over the world to perform, so she knows way more than I do."

"Thank you."

"Hey, bard boy." Nekou sat with her arms crossed, recalling a conversation she'd had with Giovanni earlier in the day. He had contacted her from Olivine City before she had left Goldenrod City with Matt. "You know all about legends, right? Can you tell me about something called the Oberon?"

Nando turned his head to her and saw that Bunny, Monroe and Olivia were also staring at him in interest. Dante, Matt and Lyra also fixed their attention on the conversation, especially Dante. He played a brief chord on his harp, then began speaking.

"I know but a little. The Oberon is a part of the tale of the Tenganist king AZ, ruler of the Kalos region of three thousand years ago. They say that it was a great treasure he possessed that was passed down to humans from Arceus itself. Furthermore, it is said that the Oberon granted AZ power over a type of Pokémon that is unlike nothing that exists today. His most beloved partner was one of these Pokémon, a Pokémon said to be from the realm of fairies. That is why, in the performance describing this tale, he is described as Oberon, the king of the fairies, while Titania, his queen, is representative of AZ's beloved Pokémon."

"A Pokémon like a fairy…" Olivia said in wonder. "Like Clefairy? I don't understand."

"But what exactly is the treasure called the Oberon?" Nekou questioned.

"Unfortunately, I do not know of its true identity. However, I can guide you to someone who does. The famous Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City are very traditional Tenganist practitioners. They will be able to tell you the entire story."

-:-

Meanwhile, Pierce stood before Stacia in Team Rocket's secret headquarters, having delivered the crate of Pokémon. Giovanni's assistant was stone-faced as she analyzed the contents of the container using a holographic tablet.

"All the Pokémon that were reported to me have been confirmed," she said once she was done. When Pierce reached down and collected several Poké Balls, she coldly warned, "Do not disobey Giovanni. Do you have authorization to take some of these Pokémon?"

"They're for our army to defeat Polaris and take over the world. Naturally, I should put them to use for that purpose in Ecruteak City." Pierce turned and started to walk away, but he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What is coming is unlike anything Team Rocket has ever faced before. The danger is very real. Whatever happens, promise me you will continue to survive."

Though her facade didn't break, Stacia was dumbfounded at Pierce's strange words. She could only stare at him as he left.

-:-

"Happy birthday, Olivia!"

"Blow out the candles and make a wish!"

Later that night in their room in Ecruteak City's Pokémon Center, Olivia was sitting in the dark watching the old videos sent by Anabel. She clutched the blanket she had wrapped herself in, recalling the exact birthday party she was now watching once again. It had been her sixth, the last full year of peace she had living with her parents in their cottage.

After some time of seeing herself opening presents and celebrating, she had to close her eyes. A tear rolled down her face as her mind filled with both the images and voices of Rich and Anabel, as they were back in those happy times.

"I'm so proud of you, Olivia! Polaris collapsed because of you!"

"But I didn't beat them alone, Dad," she said aloud to the voices in her head. "Matt and Nekou and Bunny all helped me. A lot of people did."

"It doesn't matter, your father's right. Your resolve to see it through is exactly what brought them down."

"Does this mean I'm like you now?"

"You're better than us. We've both made a lifetime's worth of mistakes. You still have your entire life ahead of you. But for now, let's go home."

"Mom, Dad, thank you…"

Though Olivia was unaware, Matt was watching her converse with thin air from a doorway on the other side of the room.

"Is she alright?" Nekou asked him, suddenly appearing at his side.

"She's hallucinating… or imagining, or something. She's been sitting there talking to Rich and Anabel like they're right here."

"Should we do something?"

Matt put up his arm to stop Nekou from going into the room. "Not yet. I don't think we should interrupt her right now. She might not be totally okay, but she needs to get out of her own head herself… When she wants to talk to you, go ahead."

"Why don't you think she'll talk to you?"

Matt smiled, though his face thinly masked his sadness. "You get her in ways I've never been able to. I'm just a teacher to her, an authority figure. You were her first real friend and you were the only one she could go to after finding out Rich was gone."

"I…" Nekou drew a short, sharp breath. "No way. There is no way I'm her first real friend."

"I guess it's not literally true, but in a sense, it kind of is. Rich and Anabel sheltered her and she had everything she needed through them, and I ended up being a fool and continuing that. Everyone she interacted with was through one filter or another. You didn't know her or any of us, so I think she sees your friendship as genuine. I'd even go as far as to say she sees you as more of a big sister than a friend."

An overwhelming wave of emotion washed over Nekou, and she had to run her hand down her face to fight it back. "Then… in that case, she might be my…"

"You know, it's kind of funny," Matt continued, having not heard her speaking. "In spite of everything I think I'd say you're the glue that holds us all together. I would probably be dragging myself halfheartedly through this right now if you weren't forcing me to step it up."

"What are you talking about?" Nekou's eyes were going wide. She wasn't used to the kind of openness Matt was showing, and it left her on edge.

"Think about it," he wistfully said, avoiding her gaze with his glistening eye. "I probably would have folded in Ilex Forest if I confronted Cassy alone. I've been spending years trying to forget her. Knowing you were there backing me up, that made me feel less afraid to confront her."

"No way…" Nekou thought.

"And in Goldenrod, when I got stuck on that train. I never could have stopped it alone, and quite frankly, I don't know if I even would have tried. Having you telling me not to give up and let myself die actually made me not want to."

"No fucking way…"

Not noticing Nekou take a step back, Matt kept talking. "I don't get why, but you didn't judge me for what I am, either. Someone who's gotten a bunch of people killed and installed tons of robotics in his body instead of just letting himself die? You would have had every right to run like hell from me, but you didn't. Just knowing that there's someone who didn't know me already who wasn't afraid, that alone gives me strength sometimes."

"And… you did the same thing after Union Cave. I almost… I almost killed you, and you didn't act any differently around me. Like that shit in my head doesn't even matter…"

"Why should it?" Matt said with a shrug. "I knew that wasn't who you really are, and I've seen enough crazy shit in my life that something like that hardly affects me anymore. I know you saw yourself acting like a monster, but I saw someone who was terrified of the shell they're trapped in. I might have fucked it up with how I should have approached Olivia, but I couldn't turn my back on someone in your position."

"Why are you telling me all of this?!" Nekou stammered.

"Look at her out there." Matt gestured toward Olivia, who was still wrapped in her blankets. "She has no real family anymore, not with her father dead and her mother one step above catatonic. I feel like I sympathize with her… I never have had much of a real family either."

"What about Amanda?"

"If I got too close to her I'd drag her down. Look at how well she's done for herself largely on her own and away from me… Anyway, my point is, both of us, right now we have the closest thing to a family we can have, you know? Me, her, you and Bunny. It's not perfect but it works."

Nekou felt another wave of emotion hit her. "In the end he's just a sadsack piece of shit, just like I am… He really needed me, and I've been doing all of this… I've pretty much been doing it all to my own fucking self…"

"I have to find out the truth," Matt said, snapping her out of her daze. "There's no way I can move on with my life until I finally put this to rest.

"Matt, I've got something to tell you. I'm…" The weight of what she was about to do hit Nekou, overriding her guilt and making her change her mind about admitting her identity. "...really worried about what Polaris is going to do next."

"As we all are. We just can't let them hurt anyone, but I have no idea what our next step is."

END of CHAPTER 17