Pokémon the Movie: White: Victini and Zekrom
When Carlita had finished talking about her encounter with Victini, her mother nearly drops the figurine of the aforementioned Mythical Pokémon. Analyzing it one more time, she becomes satisfied to see no cracks or nicks in the miniature likeness of the Victory Pokémon.
"You really met Vitcini?" Juanita asks after setting the tchotchke down on her stall, her voice rife with her incredulity. While, admittedly, she had heard tales of berries from the harvests of previous years disappearing without a trace, she thought it might just be a slight miscalculation on the part of the harvesters. What tested her disbelief even more though, were stories of her fellow Eindoak Town's denizens speaking of how they found their children gone from their beds during the night, only to return in the morning with tales about an "orange beast" and that they had played with the odd creature. Even her own daughter had been susceptible to such a fate.
Brushing it off as mere fancies of little children, Juanita realizes that that orange beast they bore witness to was actually the Mythical Pokémon known as Victini. And to think that such a creature was under their noses the whole time.
Carlita nods her head with barely-concealed enthusiasm as Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris stand behind her. Ash, for his part, remains dispirited in the event of Victini's departure. "Yes mom, we really did!" She exclaims.
"Juanita." Cilan interjects as he gestures for the older woman's attention. "Where would someone go to find a place of comfort and peace?"
"Huh?" Juanita asks.
"After a bad experience," Cilan elaborates as he spreads his arms out wide.. "where do you want to go to feel better?" Without waiting for a response, he leans back as he holds up his right hand. "A place that feels like home."
At the Pokémon Connoisseur's inquiry, Juanita hums as she puts a hand to her chin and closes her eyes. Thinking, she repeats his question out loud before smiling at her daughter and the four teenagers behind her.
"While I don't know where Victini would go specifically," She starts as she removes herself from her chair. "I do know a place where both humans and Pokémon tend to go when they're feeling down."
"Sounds like a place I need right about now." Ash mutters.
Ignoring the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer, Juanita turns to her Pokémon.
"Golurk?" She says, her voice drawing the Pokémon's attention. "Could you possibly watch the stand for a moment while I escort my daughter and her acquaintances?"
Her Pokémon gives her a stare before raising their left arm slowly to their head in a sort of salute.
Juanita smiles at her Pokémon. "Thank you Golurk."
Satisfied with her Pokémon's compliance, she walks by her daughter and her new allies. After she was a good few inches away from them, she looks over her right shoulder. "Well, what are you five waiting for?"
The five Pokémon Trainers look at each other before following the older woman to an as of yet unfamiliar locale.
"Perhaps, Victini didn't like the barrier." Carlita suggests, trying to fill the silence that had appeared as they walk along one of the many paths crisscrossing through Eindoak Town.
"Barrier?" Ash inquires before thinking back to the minutes that lead up to Victini's disappearance. "You mean that purple wall that surrounded Victini and part of Eindoak Town?"
Juanita nods her head. "Indeed." She glances back at them for a moment. "Our village has an invisible barrier around it and it is said that Victini can't go beyond the Pillars of Protection."
As if on cue, the six of them turn around a corner to see one of the massive purple structures awaiting them.
"Go beyond the Pillars of Protection?" Ash echoes as he thought back to when he was pulling Victini along before a purple wall flared to life and sent the Victory Pokémon spiraling backwards.
"They form a barrier." Cilan adds.
"That must've been what that was back there." Iris says.
"Yeah." Ash agrees.
"Question is," Misty begins. "why does it prevent Victini from going beyond them in the first place?"
However, before anyone could respond to the orange-haired female's question, a familiar masculine voice curbs their attempts at conversation.
"Hey everyone!"
Looking up, they see Damon approaching them from above as the mayor of Eindoak Town follows close behind.
"So, we meet again." Damon states as his right hand is raised in greeting.
"It's Damon!" Ash says as Carlita runs past him and his companions.
"My brother!" She exclaims.
"Your brother?" Iris repeats.
"Well, what do you know." Cilan remarks before looking between the two. "I do see a familiar spice in both of them."
"That's one way of putting it." Misty comments, giving the green-haired teen an odd look as Carlita hugs her big brother.
"It's been too long mother, sister." Damon reflects as he returns his sibling's affection before letting her go.
"For your information," Juanita commences, her tone incensed as the back of her hands are on her hips. "six months to be exact."
"What brings you back here?" Carlita questions in a tone displaying how she didn't feel as slighted as her mother by her brother's extended absence.
"I'm just helping out with the restoration of the castle." Damon answers as Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris catch up the them.
"Upon my special request!" Mannes adds proudly as he jerks his right thumb at himself.
Juanita shifts her displeased glare from her son to the mayor. "Look Mannes," She begins as she walks closer to the man. "Your position of major does not," As she stands in front of the shorter male, she pokes him roughly in the chest to add to her statement. "allow you to boss my son around!"
Mannes stares at the finger leaving his chest before gazing up at the woman's furious glare and backing away with a chuckle and holding up both his hands in surrender.
"Wh-whatever you say my dear Juanita!" He proclaims as he tries to abate the angered woman.
The comment only manages to rile up said woman more. Instead of erupting on the man though, she steps away, crosses her arms, and takes the comment in stride.
"Damon!" Carlita exclaims, effectively getting her sibling's attention. "Victini actually exists!"
As she stands there, excited and waiting for her brother to show a similar state of alarm, he instead looks to the sky as he responds.
"Yes, I know." He states tersely.
His sister blinks in surprise as she takes a step back. "You know?!"
Her brother merely keeps his gaze on the sky above.
"Anyway," Mannes starts, seeming to have recovered from Juanita's slight tirade. While he talks, he retrieves a small, black and white handkerchief from his shirt pocket and dabs at his forehead. "What brings you out here?"
Juanita looks at him sourly for but a moment before replying. "As you know, my daughter says that she," She gives the four other teenagers her progeny has recently met a brief gander before turning back to the mayor. "along with these four have met Victini."
"That's incredible!" Mannes declares as he puts away his handkerchief.
Juanita nods. "However, they say that Victini fled after running into one of the barriers on the outskirts of town and are curious as to find where they might see Victini once more."
"Yeah." Ash agrees as he interjects into the conversation. "I have to apologize to Victini about what happened!"
"See Victini once more…" Mannes repeats as he walks away from them and reiterates the phrase twice before returning to them. "I think I might know just the place where you might find Victini."
With that said, he begins to walk away with the others soon following them as they follow the path they were taking. "However, I make no assertions that the location I am about to show you is where you might actually see Victini."
Continuing along the dirt path - Mannes leading in the front as Juanita stands next to him as Cilan and Iris linger behind them as Ash, Misty, Damon, and Carlita bring up the rear - Cilan inhales deeply as he spreads his arms wide and tilts his head back a little.
"Ah, the scent of growing grass." Cilan remarks blissfully as he cuts between Mannes and Juanita. "Lots of fresh air!"
He gives Juanita a glance as he continues. "This area's as sweet as ripe fruit!" Turning he waves his arms to the trees and the bushes all around them. "And plenty of Oran and Pecha Berries as far as the eye can see!"
"Yes?" Juanita murmurs uncertainly, out of breath. The older woman, after meeting up with her son and the mayor, ran back to retrieve her Automaton Pokémon and made sure her stall full of Victini-inspired merchandise was adequately locked up and away from anyone who might want to steal any of the knickknacks.
When she catches her breath shortly after the green-haired male's statement, she cannot help noticing how...peculiar...he is. While many travelers have been known to drift through Eindoak Town, she can legitimately say that no one has been quite as...unique...as the green-haired man before her. Well, except for one.
"This orchard belongs to my family." Mannes interjects as he brings both his arms close to his chest.
"There really are a lot of berries." Iris murmurs, her brown eyes roving over them.
"Yeah." Ash agrees.
"I don't think I've see so many berries in one place before in my life." Misty adds.
"Well, you have mainly-" Ash begins before stopping as he watches as Pikachu jumps off his shoulder with Axew removing himself from his trainer's hair and Marill extricating herself from her trainer's arms. The three Pokémon make their descent down the nearby hill.
Iris makes a noise of worry as she is the first to chase down her Pokémon. "Slow down Axew! You could slip and hurt yourself!"
As the Pokémon Trainers and their newfound companions catch up with their Pokémon, Ash is the first to speak.
"What is it Pikachu?" Ash inquires. He looks around the area. "Wait, do you think Victini's around here somewhere?"
Pikachu calls out into the air before glancing at his trainer, nodding his head, and giving him a thumbs-up from his left paw.
Ash nods his head in satisfaction before he adds his voice to the Pokémon. "Victini! We didn't know you couldn't pass the barrier!" He shakes his head before cupping his hands around his mouth. "We didn't even know there was a barrier!" He starts walking as he looks around. "Please come on out!"
"You don't have to hide from us!" Iris adds, her hands around her mouth as Cilan brings out a familiar brown container.
"We've got delicious macarons!" Cilan exclaims as he opens the container and pulls out a random confection, its color a soft blue. He holds it up as he sniffs it. "A delightful treat if there ever was one!"
"Yeah, come out and have some!" Ash adds as he raises his right hand to his mouth.
"We know how much you love them!" Misty appends her boyfriend's statement.
Before they continue any further, they stop in front of a tree as an unfamiliar Pokémon leans against a tree, their purple fur standing in contrast to the pink surrounding their eyes.
Except for the Pokémon watching them with calculating eyes, everyone is oblivious to Cilan closing his container of macarons as it looks like a shiver runs through his entire body.
Oh, how unfortunate! He exclaims with distress in his head. A Purrloin! If there is one Pokémon that I, as a Pokémon Connoisseur cannot stand, it would be a Purrloin!
"A Purrloin, huh." Iris remarks as the sound of ground being broken fills the air as another Pokémon makes their appearance.
"And a Drilbur too!" Cilan exclaims, momentarily getting over his discomfort at seeing a Purrloin.
With one last glance in Cilan's direction - which is more of a half-glare, half-look of amusement - the Purrloin steps away from the tree as they motion to Pikachu, Marill and Axew. The Mouse Pokémon perks his ears up as he grins at Ash before bounding after the Purrloin with Axew, Marill, and Drilbur close behind.
"What did Pikachu say Ash?" Iris inquires.
"He says they're telling us to follow them." Ash answers as his Pokémon bound after the Purrloin and Drilbur as their other Pokémon are close behind.
As they follow the Pokémon, the group of humans see several multitudes of different Pokémon going by and heading in the same direction they are.
"Look, a Minccino!" Iris exclaims as the furry Chinchilla Pokémon runs by.
"And look at all the Petilil!" Cilan remarks as the Grass-Types runs around them.
"And Cottonee too!" Ash adds.
"I wonder," Misty starts as she looks at each individual Cotton Puff Pokémon. "if any of them are the Cottonee we met."
The raven-haired trainer glances at his girlfriend before looking at the Pokémon.
"Maybe." Ash murmurs.
Continuing their trek, the eight people and their Pokémon find themselves before a small pond, seemingly man-made as it's dotted with lily pads that glide slowly across the water's azure surface. On the side opposite of the humans and the Pokémon around them, is a moderately-sized mahogany windmill, the spokes of it turning slowly as a gust of air blows by. At the bottom of the windmill, surrounded by cobblestone, seems to be a current of water flowing past the stones.
Stopping, the Purrloin, Drilbur, and Minccino call out to the water, as if a creature lurks silently unseen on one of the lily pads. At first, nothing happened. However, it would appear that something did indeed reside close by as one of the lily pads rustles, alerting Ash and his companions as the Victory Pokémon makes a reappearance. Victini, seemingly startled, jumps onto a nearby lily pad before becoming invisible.
"Victini!" Ash exclaims as said Pokémon bumped into a barrel close to the water's edge.
Without hesitation, the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer rushes over to where he last saw Victini.
"Victini!" Ash echoes as Pikachu is on his right. "You're here!" He begins to look around as Pikachu adds his voice. "I'm so sorry about what happened!" He sighs as he looks around more insistently. "I'm really sorry."
Looking around, Ash and Pikachu spot where Victini could be as the Pokémon bumps into something that looked like an avian Pokémon.
"Huh?" Ash says, subconsciously taking a step forward. "Victini, you don't have to hide!" Another step. "Come on out!"
However, it would seem that the raven-haired teenager got too close to the water's edge as he stumbles, a hairsbreadth away of falling into the water. After a few moments of fruitless struggling (along with a snide remark of being such a kid from Iris and a sigh and an exasperatedly affectionate Ash from Misty) Ash falls into the pond's waters.
With his face to the rocks of the pond's shallow bottom, Ash blinks his eyes before coming back up for air as Misty, Cilan, and Iris rush over to him.
"Ash!" Cilan exclaims.
The aforementioned trainer shivers as he hugs his arms. "Man, this water's cold!" He declares with a chatter of his teeth. It would look like Ash isn't alone in the water as Victini materializes next to him.
Noticing the Mythical Pokémon, Ash cups his hands as he throws some of the water up to Victini. "Got you!" He shouts, satisfied that Victini reappeared.
Victini, giving the male the barest of grins, returns the favor by throwing more water onto Ash. This proves to be the catalyst for the human and Mythical Pokémon to continually throw water on each other before culminating in Ash trying to kick water up at Victini with his right foot only to land on his backside.
"I really am sorry about what happened Victini." Ash states with a sincere smile after the two stopped throwing water onto each other. "I didn't know that there was something that prevented you from traveling around."
On the part of the Mythical Pokémon, it appears that Victini forgives him if the way the Victory Pokémon smiles at him and hugs one of his arms is any indication.
"As touching as this reunion is," Juanita interjects kindly as she approaches the four teenagers and their Pokémon. She smiles, glancing at each of them before her eyes fall on Victini. "I believe it's about time to enlighten you four about the connection between Victini and the Pillars of Protection." She pauses, looking over her left shoulder as she gives Mannes a knowing smile. "Wouldn't you agree Mister Moment?"
Said male appears to be flummoxed by the other woman's formal address before returning the smile. "Indeed," He states curtly. He turns away from them partially to regard the impressive Castle of the Vale. "I believe that the Castle of the Vale's Archives should possess such documents."
And with that, he starts to walk away, Damon and Carlita on his heels as the two give a passing glance to their mother and the Mythical Pokémon.
"Ah, yes." Cilan begins thoughtfully, cupping his chin as he gazes up at the sky. "Knowledge - especially about the past - can prove to be an essential ingredient of any nostalgic meal!"
Misty, Iris, Juanita, Marill, and Axew all stare at the Pokémon Connoisseur blankly, sweatdrops forming on their heads as Ash, Pikachu, and Victini share a puzzled look.
The aspiring Dragon-Type Master is the first to break the tense silence as she groans and slaps her forehead with her open palm. "Sometimes Cilan, even I don't know what to say."
"You see, both Juanita and I are descendants of a tribe called the People of the Vale." Mannes explains, perusing one of the castle's archives impressive bookcases before it seems he had found what he was searching for. Pulling out a moderately thick leather-bound tome - the words History of the Vale inscribed on its surface - he goes over to set it down on the mahogany desk sitting in the room. Behind it lies a window that the gathered people can see Pikachu, Marill, and Axew playing with Victini.
"People of the Vale?" Ash echoes curiously as Mannes opens the book, flipping and flipping the pages for the one he's searching for.
"It's the tribe mentioned in the castle's legend." Cilan elaborates.
"Correct." Carlita says with an affirmative nod of her head.
"We'll tell you a story," Juanita begins, getting closer to Mannes as she helps him find what he's searching for. "of Victini and the People of the Vale."
"Here we go!" Mannes exclaims triumphantly as the image of a pop-up version of the castle comes into sight. "Have a look." He clears his throat, as if about to segue into some mystical tale. "Over a thousand years ago, the People of the Vale proudly lived under the rule of a mighty king." To help illustrate his point, he flips the page, revealing what appears to be a sort of play area as said king sits in a rocking chair, his left held firmly grasping the right hand of Victini.
"It's Victini!" Ash notes.
"Was it the king's Pokémon?" Iris asks, no doubt assuming such a sentiment from the kind smile on the pop-up figure of the king and the warm handshake between the two.
"Yes, that's what the legend says!" Manners asserts before flipping the page once more. As he does, it shows the Castle of the Vale sequestered peacefully in some mountains as waterfalls come forth from the mountain before flowing in a river that ends in a small lake, forests on either side of it.
"The king ruled over what was called the Kingdom of the Vale." Juanita adds.
No sooner had she finished, a strange bluish-purple aura descends upon the room, wrapping each of the humans in its embrace. Before any of the four newcomers to Eindoak Town can make a startled exclamation though, two things prevent them from doing so. The first is their cumulative amazement at what lies before they eyes. It seems like a small village on the banks of the village come to life, the details of which prove to be nothing but truly stunning. The second is a good-natured chuckle that cuts through the air.
"Surprised, aren't you?" Damon asks rhetorically with a grin.
"Yeah." Ash states briskly at the same time Misty looks around and asks: "What are we seeing exactly?"
Still smiling, he motions his head to his left, a focused Gothitelle, their arms raised as they look to be in the midst of using their psychic powers to undoubtedly make some sort of lifelike simulation.
"To really understand the story," Damon starts, placing a hand on the Astral Body Pokémon's left shoulder. "one must be able to experience it."
"Oh, I see." Iris murmurs, her eyes lighting up with something like understanding.
"Indeed." Cilan says, a pleased smile on his face. He cups his jaw as he appears deep in thought. "By using Gothitelle's psychic powers, you're able to recreate the events of the story as they're dictated in this book." He glances between said book and the other male and what must certainly be his own Pokémon. Cilan's eyes seem to gleam. "What a truly magnificent fragrance!"
"Anyway," Mannes interjects with a hearty laugh of his own. "the Kingdom drew its energy from the Dragon Force."
"What's Dragon Force?" Ash inquires, his eyes subconsciously landing on Iris.
"Gothi." The Astral Body Pokémon seems to register the question as an aura of greenish light cuts restfully through a small meadow, a small group of Deerling and Sawsbuck grazing nearby.
"It's the power that flows invisibly throughout our planet." Damon explains as a group of Cottonee and what looks like their evolved forms judged by their size and proximity flutter on a breeze above the greenish light.
"It is also said," Carlita adds, a grin on her face as she contributes her own thoughts. She holds up her right index finger. "that the Dragon Force is mostly concentrated in Unova and that the entire thing culminates in Eindoak Town!"
"Concentrated in Unova, huh." Misty murmurs.
"By using that power wisely," Mannes continues as what appears to be an explosion of green light comes into existence as it weaves feather-like tendrils throughout the land, throughout the air, throughout the water. "people and Pokémon alike were able to create an environment in perfect harmony." The image changes, however briefly, to a sunlit field of wheat, a caravan of what is most likely some of its harvest travelling along a path as the sun sets in the background. "At one with nature."
The projection ceases for a moment. The aura dissipates to a faint glow as Gothitelle looks to be recuperating as Mannes flips the page to what appears to be the throne room of a castle.
In a masterful piece of furniture sits an image of the king, his arms spread wide as Victini stands on his left shoulder. But what was more interesting, were the two figures standing on either side of the room.
To the left of the king and Victini stood a man dressed in black robes with crimson accents as what could be deduced as billowing purple flames rose behind him. To the right stood a man dressed in almost the same manner. The key differences were his garb seemed more suited for battle whereas the man he stands oppose seems more suitable to pontificate about the wonders of all things poetic and study the mysteries of the cosmos. Behind the other figure stood what appeared to be scalding scarlet flames reaching into the air. The figure that stood in front of the aforementioned flames wore an alabaster cape and an outfit consisting of red, brown and white.
"The king had two sons, twin princes and both princes were filled with wisdom and courage." Mannes continues.
At that moment, before the older man could go on, it would seem Gothitelle chose that moment to bring the illusion back to life. The gathered humans now stood (or rather, hovered) over what had the appearance of a pathway or a castle's courtyard. However, what is most intriguing about the scene before the humans and their Pokémon is the fact that below them are the two princes and behind each of them, the Legendary Dragon-Types of Unova known as Zekrom and Reshiram. The former stood behind the Scholarly Prince as the latter made their stay behind the Warrior Prince. And from what could be seen from the facial expressions upon the two humans, neither of them seemed to possess wisdom or courage at the moment.
In fact, what etched itself firmly upon their countenances was something more akin to rage and jealousy. And also - as the words drifted soundlessly in the suddenly tense air between the humans like Electrode ready to detonate - downright murderous!
"Each prince possessed a unique quality for which they were nicknamed." Mannes continues. Extending his right arm, he points to the Deep Black Pokémon and the prince that stood in front of them. "The Hero of Ideals," He pauses momentarily, dropping his right arm to raise his left as he gestures at the Vast White Pokémon and the prince that stood in front of them. "and the Hero of Truth." He pauses once more, his voice sounding almost pained. "They were greatly loved."
"Were?" Misty echoes, her mind latching on to that one word and the strange tone of voice Mannes had when he uttered it.
Eindoak Town's mayor remains silent, as if talking about it brought physical pain upon his soul. It didn't take much time to figure out that something must have happened that turned the populace the two princes ruled over with their father against them.
"Are those…?" Iris starts, her voice snapping Mannes from his somber reverie as her eyes widening fractionally with disbelief as she watches the two Pokémon standing on opposite sides of the pathway.
"Pokémon?" Cilan finished.
"Both princes were accompanied by great Dragon Pokémon." Mannes explains.
"Zekrom and Reshiram." Carlita adds before pointing to the respective Pokémon.
"Both of them granted great wisdom and strength only to those judged worthy, but," Damon says before without so much as a warning, the sky overhead turned a dark, blood-red color as the entire illusion took on the unnerving tint. "The country lost its way and the two princes became enemies."
When he finishes speaking, the two Pokémon each let loose a blood-curdling cry as they stared each other down. For a brief moment, the combined might of the haunting screams shatters Gothitelle's illusion before the situation can escalate. Judging by the book's depiction of flames jutting up from beneath the ground and the humans and Pokémon alike littering what appears to be a battlefield, it was a welcome change despite how fleeting it may have been.
"Which eventually led to a great and destructive war." Mannes states as the Astral Body Pokémon manages to bring the illusion back into existence at the precise moment that the two Legendary Dragon-Types of Unova readied their attacks. Reshiram gathered a mighty conflagration in their jaws before letting it loose in the form of a giant fireball aimed straight for Zekrom as the other Pokémon retaliates by enveloping their body in crackling electricity before charging directly at the fireball Reshiram had previously unleashed. The two mighty attacks met head-on in a collision, each force vying for dominance over the other. Zekrom shortly destroyed the sphere of flame before continuing on their warpath and ramming directly into Reshiram's midsection.
"The two fought ferociously, finally wounding each other." Juanita continues as a flash of light momentarily blinds the humans before revealing the two Legendary Pokémon reeling backwards and wailing in what looked to be an unprecedented amount of physical agony as a great blaze of golden energy seemed to be radiating outward from the two of them, completely obscuring anything else in the background..
"Which used up all of their life energy." Mannes adds as the two mighty creatures fall to the ground. As he speaks, the two Legendary Dragon-Types let out one last howl of pain before turning onto themselves, slowly transmogrifying into what had the appearance of two stones made up of alabaster and obsidian."These great Dragon Pokémon were transformed into stone and fell into a long, deep slumber."
The two stones soon fell into the awaiting hands of the two princes. However, gone was the brutality that lurked in their eyes. Instead, what existed in their irises could only be called contrition and heartache as they looked to be on the verge of tears. It was as if they had realized - had realized only too late - what their hubris and battling had done to their beloved home and such honorable Pokémon.
The illusion soon changes to a scene of utter darkness before a shaft of purple lightning crashes down as it divided into more lines of crackling electricity.
"By the time the two princes realized the mistake they had made," Juanita says, her voice wrought with pent-up emotion; as if this particular tale of prosperity and decay broke her heart, the pain as sharp as if she had been there herself. "It was too late."
For elaboration, the Dragon Force, which seemed so harmonious earlier, was now a raging display of uncontrolled chaos as it ripped through the land, devastating everything in sight that didn't manage to evade its unforgiving embrace. The very foliage that was tendered into life by the Dragon Force slowly withered away under the brunt of the very thing it owed its conception to.
"The Dragon Force energy became chaotic." Juanita continues, her voice sounding under control for the moment as the illusion fractures for a moment, displaying said moment in the book as Mannes turns the page, his expression grave.
"Witnessing the destruction of his people's land," He speaks up as the page reveals a pop-up version of the king holding his hand up to a confused Victini, as if beseeching the Mythical Pokémon for their assistance. "The king decided to use the power of Victini."
"Victini's…" Iris starts as she stares at the diminutive, puppet form of said creature.
"Power, wow." Cilan breathes, his awe obvious.
The illusion ripples to life once more, showing the king next to an apparatus of some kind as Victini floated in front of him.
"Victini, please." The king's deep voice said as he implored his friend for their aid. "Grant me the use of your power."
The Victory Pokémon looked almost too happy to oblige as they hovered above the king to the center of the strange apparatus.
"In order to harness Victini's power, the king created a barrier around the castle using the Pillars of Protection." Juanita says as the familiar structure falls into place among several others around the middle of the immaculate building.
The illusion shows the king performing some sort of ritual as smaller versions of the Pillars of Protection levitated above a dais of some kind before a flash of blinding light originated from the center of it. Victini sounded to have been concentrating with all their might as the interior of the structure shone, the markings covering almost every nook and cranny being illuminated by a lavender light as what appeared to be many, many, many other Psychic-Type Pokémon in the form of small, green spheres contributed their combined might to help the king and the Victory Pokémon. The effort was not in vain as the Sword of the Vale erupted from its place in the earth as it was flying in the air before landing on top of a familiar mountain.
"So with all the townspeople gathered on top of the castle," Mannes continues. "it lifted up into the sky! And the castle was carried to this mountaintop."
As the ritual was finished, the Pillars of Protection fell into their rightful places as Victini struggled to get up. As they did, they flew over to their friend with a determined expression on their face.
The king however, seemed worse for the wear than Victini had in the aftermath. With his right hand trembling, the elderly man cupped the right of Victini's face in his hand before the last of his strength ebbed out of him and he dropped his hand to the ground with a heartbreakingly silent thud.
Victini smiled uncertainly at their friend, moving in almost imperceptibly as they clasped their hands, puzzled at their friend's strange behavior.
"Poor Victini." Ash murmurs quietly, his eyes widening as the full weight of what happened dawns on him.
"Indeed." Mannes says softly.
"However, the king's power was spent and the Pillars of Protection and the barrier remained." Juanita says as rain began to descend from the sky within the illusion.
"Eventually, the chaos in the Dragon Force subsided." Mannes says, the illusion changing to a scene of the two princes holding the respective stones of their Legendary Pokémons within some indeterminable location before the illusion slowly fades to black and ends completely. "The two princes were filled with deep remorse and they moved the stone Dragon Pokémon to a safe and secret location."
And with that stated, the mayor closes the book.
"But," Damon starts after giving his Gothitelle a small smile and a gentle pat on the Astral Body Pokémon's left shoulder. He turns away from the other humans in the room before gazing out the open door at Victini still playing with the Pokémon of the newcomers to Eindoak Town. "The People of the Vale lost their bond with the land and scattered everywhere."
As he talks, he walks away from the gathered group of people to walk closer to the open door. "Even leaving behind Victini who had vanished from sight." He finishes, gesturing with his right hand at the Victory Pokémon happily playing about.
"Victini's been here for more than a thousand years?" Ash wonders.
"A thousand years?" Iris echoes as the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer looks away, seemingly fixated by a groove in the wooden floor of the library.
Misty, at first grinning faintly at her Aqua Mouse Pokémon and the Victory Pokémon looks to be wanting to balance on her tail, shifts her gaze to her boyfriend, as if somehow detecting his discontent at such a sentiment of Victini being essentially trapped in Eindoak Town for such a long period of time. Smiling, her green eyes crinkle with understanding as she places a hand on his shoulder.
At first startled by the sudden physical content, Ash jerks his head up, as if he was shocked by one of Pikachu's Electric-Type Moves. Glancing at Misty, his look of surprise fades to one of comprehension as he places a hand over hers, offering a slight grin in return.
"And trapped inside that barrier for all this time!" Cilan adds.
As the Pokémon continue to play outside the door, Ash notices Victini leave Marill's tail before floating over to play with Pikachu's tail. The latter jumping around in an attempt to evade the former before Victini catches up to Pikachu and grabs his tail, both of them grinning all the while.
"Victini." Ash murmurs, thinking that the Mythical Pokémon must be incredibly resilient to keep smiling so earnestly even after all this time.
Stepping over the doorway's threshold, Damon extends his left arm to point at a faraway crater across the land. "Look over there." Even from a distance, as the rest of the humans follow the request and come up behind him, they can see what looks like shattered ground, as if something was previously there before it erupted from the ground and disappeared without a trace. The truth however, is much different from such a sentiment; the state of the ground and the previously-shown illusion proof of what transpired. "That's where the kingdom once was." He pauses as the four newcomers pass him as his sister, mother, and the mayor trail behind him before he too exits the library completely. "My goal," he continues, before placing his right hand on the marble railing, his eyes never moving from the spot he fixed them on. "is to bring the Kingdom of the Vale back to life."
"Huh?" Carlita murmurs as the three Pokémon that were playing with Victini return to their trainers. "Back to life?"
Before any further commentary could be contributed, Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris are distracted by the Tusk Pokémon as he slides backwards down the banister next to the staircase. When Axew reaches the ground, he tries to retain his balance, but his momentum sends him tumbling forward so he falls face-first into the ground, causing the new arrivals of Eindoak Town and Victini to laugh as Axew regains his balance.
It isn't long before Victini slides down the banister too, hovering over Axew before landing behind him and circling around the Tusk Pokémon before stopping on his left. Laughing, Victini hovers away from Axew before flying away, passing a smile at him as if silently beckoning him to follow. While Axew complies, Ash gives a slight yelp before running down the stairs.
"Victini!" He exclaims, Pikachu jumping on his right shoulder as Misty follows with Marill in her arms.
Lingering at the railing, Cilan and Iris exchange a glance as the former shrugs with a hesitant smile as the latter grins and shakes her head, not leaving much to the imagination of what she may be thinking. The two soon chase after their friends, leaving Damon, Carlita, Juanita, and Mannes alone for the time being.
When Ash and his friends rejoin Victini and Axew, they find the Victory Pokémon flying up to pull a Pecha Berry from one of the nearby trees. As the teenagers take in the sights before them from their vantage point atop a wall, they see that they are now in the middle of what looks like a thriving berry orchard. For as far as the eye could see, there seemed to be no end to the multitudinous berry Trees and all the different berries.
Victini flies down to give Axew and - having jumped off his trainer's shoulder upon arrival - Pikachu each a Pecha Berry before flying up to the tree again to get a berry for Marill after the Aqua Mouse Pokémon was allowed out of her arms by Misty.
As the three Pokémon begin to eat the berries they've been given, the Pokémon that helped lead Ash and his friends to Victini earlier surround them, the scene now looking much more peaceful. However, one such arrival sends a chill down Cilan's spine as he fixates his eyes on his number one foe: the dreaded Purrloin. When the aforementioned Pokémon glances over at him, a lazy look of self-satisfaction on their face, the green-haired Pokémon Connoisseur feels his entire body go rigid with fear before hiding (read: cowering) behind Iris, who merely reacts with surprise at first before shaking her head with a shrug.
The humans watch as Victini distributes more Pecha Berries to the recently-arrived Pokémon, each of them offering their thanks in either what is assumed to be verbal communication, a grateful smile, or vigorous devouring of the comestible.
Grinning, Ash runs down the stairs to join them as Misty and Iris follow. Cilan, having had his defense vanish on him, looks around worriedly, glances with apprehension at the Purrloin, and gulps past a lump in his throat before he follows after his friends.
"Talk about peaceful." Cilan remarks, the overall tranquility of the scene before him briefly quelling his usually overwhelming fear of the Devious Pokémon. He puts a hand to his chin as he inhales the scents of the orchard. "The Pokémon, entirely at ease as they dine on the finest of Pecha Berries that only nature can provide." He sighs reflectively before placing his hands on his chest as his eyes shine. "Like a timeless recipe, tempered with love, enhanced with the finest of ingredients, and topped off with the truest of feelings." He sighs once more before lowering his hands. "A true Pokémon paradise."
Usually put off by one of the Striaton City Gym Leader's strange metaphors that somehow always involve cooking in some way, Ash, Misty, and even Iris cannot help but agree with him.
"It really does seem like the perfect place for Pokémon to relax." Iris adds.
"Also," Cilan continues with a grin as he crosses his arms. "It looks like Victini wasn't so alone after all."
"Yeah." Iris agrees as said Pokémon flies over to them, carrying two Pecha Berries in his hands and one on his head.
"Are those for us?" Ash asks.
Victini's answer comes in the form of them nodding their head, dropping the Pecha Berry on their head into Iris' hands before delivering the two in his hands to Cilan and Misty.
"Victini, thanks!" Ash exclaims, though he couldn't completely ignore the fact how it feels that he was left out of this particular display of generosity. That is, until Misty tears the Pecha Berry in her hands in half before giving part of it to the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer.
"Thanks Misty!" Ash says around a morsel of Pecha Berry after he took a bite.
"Thanks Victini!" Iris says before she starts eating the Pecha Berry.
"Merci beaucoup, Victini!" Cilan says before declaring: "Bon appétit!"
"It's yummy!" Iris states as Misty takes a bite of her half of the Pecha Berry.
"Yeah, it's delicious!" Ash adds.
"Although," Cilan starts as he swallows a bite of Pecha Berry as Victini, overjoyed at the fact that they made their friends so happy, flies in the sky, looking for all the world to be on Cloud Nine. "I can't help but think that these Berries seem to be larger than usual."
"Just eat your Pecha Berry already!" Iris shouts, shooting her friend a good-natured glare. She sticks her chin in the air before eating more of the berry in her hands. "Only a little kid would worry about something like that!"
As the two begin to conversate - with Misty adding her own thoughts - Ash has his eyes firmly locked on the flying Mythical Pokémon above them. With a small smile, he takes another bite of the Pecha Berry before noticing Victini take a Pecha Berry of their own and sitting down on a tree branch as they begin to eat it with almost the same gusto they would devour Cilan's macarons. When he finishes his Pecha Berry, Ash cannot help but be grateful towards the wild Pokémon around Eindoak Town, providing Victini with something that no one should truly be without: friendship.
After a long evening of playing and sating their hunger by eating some of the berries from the orchard, Ash, Misty, Cilan, Iris and their Pokémon fall asleep around one of the bounteous trees. Cilan sleeps in his sleeping bag as Iris rests above them on a tree branch, Axew dozing comfortably in his trainer's arms. Pikachu and Marill sleep next to Ash, the former subconsciously making sure no harm becomes the latter as the raven-haired Pokémon Trainer has his hat on sideways. Misty sleeps with her back to the tree before her head falls on her boyfriend's shoulders, having fallen there some time during the night. The final piece that brought the serene picture together was a tired Victini as they have their hands on a light turquoise blanket Ash threw over his lap after feeling a slight chill.
While the Victory Pokémon appears to be at peace however, their dreams are anything but. Victini finds themselves on top of the Sword of the Vale, surrounded on all sides by the menacing purple inscriptions that are brought about by the Pillars of Protection. Looking around the place where Victini calls home, minutes turn into hours, into days, into weeks and so forth. The days and nights pass by with such unerring frequency - bright, sunny skies one moment, dark, mysterious skies the next - it gives Victini the slightest bit of vertigo. Glancing around, Victini notices the first tiny house of Eindoak Town at the base of the mountain before the first house turns into more and more houses before the entire mountainside resembles what Eindoak Town looks like today. Victini sees the seasons pass by with the same frequency that time passed by: rainfall in the summer, the leaves turning golden and amber in autumn, snow blanketing everything in white during winter, and the life of the land being renewed during spring as the cycle continues to repeat.
Before the display can damper Victini's spirits more, a golden light appears in front of them. And the Victory Pokémon's face almost splits in two at the sight of the kindly king that they befriended so long ago as he crouches low to the ground. They cheer at the sight of their old friend. At least, until the king begins to speak.
"I'm sorry Victini." The king says softly, his voice tinged with remorse. "Please forgive me for trapping you here. I'm so sorry." The elderly man stands up before backing away, saying nothing more as he raises his right hand in parting before dissipating in a cloud of golden particles that drift on the wind into Victini's face, the Victory Pokémon trying in vain all the while to reach their old friend.
At the sight of their dearest friend vanishing without a trace, never to be seen again, Victini's expressive blue eyes brim with tears before he cries for his lost friend.
Victini's cries, however, do not fall on deaf ears as the mournful tune causes Ash to jerk into consciousness. Somehow, his surprised awakening doesn't alert anyone else. Including the fiery female that's currently using him as a pillow.
Looking around with faint confusion, Ash is perplexed at what he heard. Until he sees a tear shine in Victini's right eye before falling down their face and dampening the blanket on Ash's lap.
"Poor Victini." Ash says softly. He lifts his left hand to soothingly pet Victini's head. "So, you are lonely, aren't you?" He muses as he continues his gentle ministrations with an empathetic smile.
The motion seems to inadvertently wake Victini up as the Victory Pokémon stares off at some unseen object in the distance. The Mythical Pokémon flies up from their resting place to float in front of Ash's face before moving around erratically and gesticulating as if they wanted Ash to follow him.
Still sitting on the ground, Ash readjusts his hat with his right hand as he uses his left to wake Misty up before tossing the blanket off of them and chasing after Victini, heedless of the others. They aren't far behind though as the commotion causes the two still sleeping humans to wake up and soon give chase to their friends, Misty having gave chase already with Marill in her arms and Pikachu at her heels.
When Ash and his friends catch up with Victini, the group find themselves at a stone balcony that the Victory Pokémon perched themselves on overlooking a valley of hills and part of Eindoak Town as well as two Pillars of Protection. What is most eye-catching for the group is the expanse of cerulean on the horizon and the rising sun, blanketing the countryside in a soft glow.
Before the group can more adequately enjoy such pleasant weather though, Victini jumps up from their perch to point excitedly at the horizon whilst glancing back at Ash. Said trainer is baffled by the Mythical Pokémon's actions before an image of serene, undulating waves visits itself upon the raven-haired trainer's mind as the water then crashes upon a rough shore, two moderately-sized boulders experiencing the brunt of the impact.
When the vision disappears, Ash's features light up in understanding. "Victini?!" The aspiring Pokémon Master exclaims as the aforementioned Pokémon continues pointing at the horizon. "Do you want to go there? To the ocean?"
At the question, Victini's smile widens to an almost impossibly degree as they vigorously nod their head.
"Okay!" Ash exclaims, clenching his fists with determination before staring into Victini's eyes, his own alight with the strength of his conviction. "Victini, I promise I'll take you to the ocean!"
With their smile never falling from their face, Victini's azure eyes well with tears before they fly over to cling onto Ash's left arm. Letting out a cheerful laugh, the Victory Pokémon extricates themselves from the raven-haired male's arm before flying around, looking to be as content as can be.
However, it would seem that a certain someone decided to take it upon themselves to ruin the moment.
"You're such a little kid Ash." Iris declares, her voice exuding exasperation as her eyes are closed and she has her left hand to her forehead as if she was nursing a headache. Given her temperament though, a migraine might be a more apt diagnosis. "Making promises that you probably have no idea how to fulfill."
Ash, predictably, reacts with indignation at such a slight, the excitable Mythical Pokémon above seemingly oblivious to the imminent confrontation between the two Pokémon Trainers. "Oh yeah?!" He retorts hotly. "What makes you think I don't know how to help Victini?!"
"Well," Iris starts, eying him skeptically before placing her hands on her hips. "Do you have any idea how to get Victini pass the barrier?"
"She has a point Ash." Cilan admits with a sheepish shrug of his shoulders at the same moment that Ash realizes the hopeful Dragon Master does have a point despite the somewhat hostile approach she took when she mentioned it. "Unless you can think of some way to destroy the Pillars of Protection."
"Well, uh, um…" Ash stammers awkwardly as his cheeks turn pink. He crosses his arms defiantly as he looks away from his friends to stare out at the ocean. "I'll think of something!"
"And we'll be there to help you." Misty states, grinning as the Aqua Mouse Pokémon adds an encouraging cheer.
"Precisely." Cilan adds curtly, shooting Iris an expectant glance when the wild-haired female didn't say anything.
Sighing, Iris offers a hesitant smile. "Sure, whatever." She mutters half-heartedly.
"Wait." Misty speaks up, the smile falling from her face as a look of severity takes its place. She looks around sporadically, as if noticing something for the first time. "Where's Victini?"
True enough, as the three other humans and their three Pokémon look around, they can see that Victini seems to have vanished into thin air.
"Perhaps Victini absconded to find more berries?" Cilan suggests, putting a hand to his chin as he stares at the ground with a thoughtful air about him. Judging by the apprehensive grimace taking form on Iris' face, she was less than convinced. She opens her mouth to speak, only to have it be cut off by a shrill yell of terror cutting through the air.
"Victini!" Ash exclaims, looking around with increased intensity before Cilan points away from them at a spot dotted with a thick outcropping, green moss forming on some of its surface. And the familiar and unwanted sight of a bipedal catlike creature, a smirking woman with long magenta hair, and standing betwixt them, a smiling, lavender-haired male wearing what looks like thick, brown leather gloves on each of his hands. And squirming in the grip of those gloves, was none other than Victini.
"Team Rocket!" Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris exclaim, glaring at the terrible trio as their Pokémon growl at the sight of them.
"And Victini too!" Meowth adds, a triumphant sneer affixing itself to his face.
"I guess that when it comes to us, Victini's not so victorious after all!" James adds, his grip seeming to tighten on the Victory Pokémon.
"You creeps!" Misty growls out, her arms closing in protectively around her Marill.
"Return Victini at once!" Iris demands.
"Yeah!" Cilan adds.
Jessie puts a her left hand to her mouth, looking to be stifling a yawn. "Boring." She murmurs in a singsong. She gives them a sidelong glance as she too has a triumphant sneer on her face. "Victini now to belongs to us! The only thing that we'll be doing now is-"
Whatever Jessie was going to say gets cut off by a painful howl from her left. Turning to look at her partner-in-crime, she sees Victini encapsulated in a sphere of sweltering fire as it manages to free themselves from the ne'er-do-well's grasp.
"Yeowch!" James shouts, gazing at his most likely blistering hands before effecting a look of quiet reflection. "That's one hot Pokémon!"
Jessie growls in frustration as she yanks the gloves off her cohorts hands. "Give me those!" She demands before glaring at the Victory Pokémon. "If you can't handle it, then-"
However, as she reaches to grab at the still flaming Pokémon, she recoils as she feels her hands burn from the slight contact.
"I knew we should've sprung for the fireproof gloves." Meowth mutters with a shrug.
Jessie and James glare at the Cat Scratch Pokémon as the fires encircling Victini die down to a flickering light before snuffing out. With a worried frown on their face, Victini flies away from the Team Rocket Trio, continuing on their journey before landing behind Ash. Glancing at the cowering Victory Pokémon, Ash glares at the offending trio. Before he - or anyone else - can order their Pokémon to attack the trio and send them up in a puff of smoke as the criminals deploy their jetpacks, a roar rips through the air as the ground rumbles beneath their feet.
"An earthquake?!" Iris exclaims with a tone of incredulity, Axew falling out of her hair to land in her hands. Putting her Pokémon back in her hair, she braces herself for aftershocks.
"No, it's-!" Cilan starts before stopping as he gasps, dumbstruck by what he's seeing.
"The Pillars of Protection!" Misty exclaim as the terrible trio gaze up in awe as one of the pillars lifts itself into the air. Sharing a look before glancing at their foes, they nod their heads before bidding a hasty retreat, deciding to hide themselves from view and to lie in wait for a more prudent time to abscond with the Mythical Pokémon.
The humans and Pokémon stare, frozen to their spots as the Pillars of Protection force themselves from the ground into the air. All the while the barrier flickers into and out of existence as they seem to be getting closer to the Sword of the Vale. And closing Victini's range of movement in the process.
Seeing the source of their confinement, Victini leaves Ash's side as they fly away, as if wanting to outrun the Pillars of Protection and their grisly barrier.
"Victini!" Ash exclaims as Pikachu jumps off his shoulder. It isn't long before he and his friends (along with Team Rocket) give chase.
Running as fast as they can, the two groups of humans and Pokémon watch as Victini flies up to the Sword of the Vale before disappearing inside. That and the Pillars of Protection flying up to encircle the middle of the impressive structure. Ash and his friends are the first to find their way in as they continue along the path.
"Victini!" Ash repeats, cupping his hands as he calls up into the building and the group stops for a moment to catch their breath..
"I don't think Victini can hear us from here!" Misty shouts before running off, grabbing Ash's right wrist with her right hand and dragging him behind her as Pikachu tries to catch up.
As the group keep running, they cannot help noticing an eerie purple glow that seems to exude from the very walls. That, and a strange sound floating on the air.
"I hope Victini's okay." Ash mumbles.
Emerging from the Sword of the Vale to find themselves on one of the building's many balconies, the group finds themselves reunited with Juanita and Carlita.
"Ash." Carlita says, her eyes widening in surprise as said male stops next to her, Pikachu on his shoulder as Misty, Marill, Iris, and Axew are behind him with Cilan bringing up the rear.
"Carlita, where's Victini?!" Ash demands. Opening her mouth to respond, it seems the words die on her lips as the very ground beneath them shudders as another loud roar pierces the air.
"What was that?!" Ash exclaims, baffled as the force of the sudden shuddering causes Ash and Cilan to fall against one of the balcony's walls.
Looking over the edge, the Ash and his friends are mystified by what they see.
"The castle!" Iris exclaims as the Tusk Pokémon extends his head out of her hair.
The Sword of the Vale erupting from the ground as it leaves the mountain.
Meanwhile, a band of villains is having a rather harrowing experience as they hang on for dear life on one of the Sword of the Vale's ledges.
"James!" Jessie exclaims, her features twisting up in frustration as she clings to the ledge with her left hand as she clenches her right in a fist. "What's going on?!"
"I think the castle's moving!" James replies as he struggles to hang onto his perch with both hands.
"It's flying!" Meowth adds as he tries to maintain his grasp on his perch with his right paw.
And with that, the Team Rocket Trio lose their grip as they tumble down one of the castle's walls, precariously close to falling off to their doom before they - after some effort and a lot of mindless thrashing around - manage to stay balanced on the edge.
"That was close." Meowth remarks, vocalizing what all three of them are thinking as the two humans cling to each other as the Cat Scratch Pokémon somehow finagled himself in between them.
"You think it's too late to get off?" James murmurs as the three stare over the edge. As they watch the ground get farther and farther away, the three gulp past lumps in their throats, hoping that they'll get out of this mess alive.
Aside from a flock of Pidove and Tranquill flying erratically through the air, no doubt thrown off course by the suddenness of the Sword of the Vale flying into the air, one of the things that Ash cannot help focusing on is the ethereal green-colored energy radiating from the ground where the Sword of the Vale previously rested.
Even in his distracted state though, he can still hear someone's voice call out over to them. "I'm using the castle to change the flow of the Dragon Force!"
As the castle continues to rise into the air and past the cloud layer, a flock of Bird-Type Pokémon rush by before it stops moving and merely levitates in the middle of the sky.
Looking down, the bottom of the Sword of the Vale flares green as the Dragon Force below begins to undulate across the land. It isn't long before the newcomers to Eindoak Town notice that the destination is the location where the massive building once stood once upon a time. As the Dragon Force winds its way through, the grass begins to look green and revitalized as the craggy walls begin to jut out clear, blue water from where the mysterious energy came into contact with it. The entire valley where the Sword of the Vale once was years ago is awash with bright yellowish-green light.
Ash, Misty, Cilan, Iris, Juanita, Carlita, and their Pokémon simply stay where they are as they gawk at the sight. What snaps Ash - and Pikachu by association - out of their trance is what sounds like a pained yell coming from inside that sounds like Victini. Turning to looking to his left, he wonders what's going on in there as a tremor shakes the building as the Sword of the Vale continues its path as it moves slowly, but surely, to its destination of where it stood years before.
Without dallying a moment more, Ash takes off with Pikachu in tow as his friends follow close behind. And what Ash and his friends see when they get inside the interior of the Sword of the Vale boils the raven-haired male's blood.
Victini, hunched over in what looks like throes of agony as they writhe about. Another ear-splitting scream echoes throughout the building as four objects - their likeness reminiscent of the Pillars of Protection - emit purple electrical energy into the vulnerable Mythical Pokémon.
Looking around the interior, Cilan and Iris notice that the noise they heard intensified dramatically. Upon closer examination, the two realize that the origin of the sounds are Solosis and Duosion. Lots and lots of Solosis and Duosion by the sound of it, as if the entire castle is filled to the brim with them. The two also spot Damon's Gothitelle and a Reuniclus milling about, their eyes sharp as if preparing for any and all attacks.
Ash and Misty on the other hand, after looking away from the tormented Pokémon encased in a field of violet energy as their screams sound louder and louder with each utterance, spot Damon walking away from what appears to be a pedestal that has six miniature Pillars of Protection floating above it. Gritting his teeth, Ash cannot help thinking that this place has too many things that look like the Pillars of Protection; as if someone had decided on some arbitrary whim to mass produce the devices.
"Everyone!" Damon exclaims upon putting a few feet between himself and his pedestal. "Victini is lending me their power!"
"Lending?!" Iris repeats incredulously, glancing between Victini and Damon. If this was lending, she didn't want to see taking!
"You're hurting Victini!" Ash states, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists. "You've got to let them go!"
"I won't!" Damon responds without missing a beat, looking at the Victory Pokémon with something akin to a serene smile on his face. It's as if he's oblivious to Victini's suffering or fully aware of it, but continuing on with his task regardless. "Not while I still need their power!"
As if in response, the electrical energy surrounding Victini seems to surge, eliciting a loud shriek from the Victory Pokémon as the dual Psychic- and Fire-Type begins to show signs of labored breathing.
Wanting to protect their newfound friend, Ash is the first to move towards the center of the room where a strange apparatus lies, the device holding Victini captive. His friends pause for a moment before giving chase as well. However, before any of them can scale the peculiar contraption, Damon orders his Pokémon to stop them.
"Gothitelle, Reuniclus!" He shouts, pointing at the four humans. "Get them away from Victini at once!"
Without delay, the Astral Body Pokémon and the Multiplying Pokémon raise their arms as their eyes glow with the otherworldly hue that is associated with Psychic-Type Pokémon and the energies they command. The two Psychic-Type Pokémon use their telekinetic powers to wrap the offending quartet and their Pokémon in their energies before propelling them away from Victini and inhibiting their abilities to assist the Victory Pokémon. The two Psychic-Type Pokémon inch closer to the newcomers of Eindoak Town as they keep the four of them and their Pokémon suspended in midair.
With the four humans and three Pokémon indisposed for the moment, they struggle against their psychic bonds as Juanita and Carlita come running up behind them. Giving them a fleeting glance, the two women turn their eyes unto their family.
"Stop or Victini will die!" Carlita cries, casting a furtive, worried glance to said Pokémon as they struggle against their purple bonds of electricity. "You're sucking the life out of them!"
"Damon, please, stop this madness!" Juanita pleads.
"But, mother?" Damon says softly as he takes an involuntary step backwards, as if taken aback by his mother's words.
Fighting against his bonds for a moment longer, Ash turns his head imperceptibly to his electric rodent. "Now Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Moving her own head with great effort, Misty looks to her right at her Aqua Mouse Pokémon, the Water-Type forced from her arms in the aftermath of the psychic attack. "Marill, you use your Water Gun!"
The two Pokémon nod their heads before glaring at their oppressors. With his cheeks sparking with the electricity flowing within him, Pikachu unleashes a bolt of energy at Reuniclus, effectively damaging the Multiplying Pokémon and weakening their psychic prison. Following her friend's lead, Marill puffs in her cheeks before unleashing a spiral of water straight at the Astral Body Pokémon. When it connects, it effectively drenches the Psychic-Type as well as making them lose their focus and causing the psychic energy surrounding the group of humans and Pokémon to dissipate and fall to the ground.
After they're freed from their imprisonment, Ash clenches his right fist in determination before spreading his left arm in front of them, indicating the prison around Victini before pointing directly at the Victory Pokémon.
"Pikachu, destroy the pillars! Use Electro Ball!"
Catching Marill in her arms, Misty glares at the objects subjugating Victini's power.
"Marill, use Water Gun again!"
Glancing at her two friends after catching her own Pokémon in her arms, Iris eyes the pillars with contempt as she lets Axew down. Pointing at the pillars, she barks out an order.
"Axew, use Dragon Rage!"
Shifting his eyes sporadically around his three friends and their Pokémon, Cilan effects a look of grim determination before reaching for a Poké Ball. "Pansage, come on out and use Bullet Seed!"
In order of command, Pikachu gathers his electricity might at the base of his tail, the energy increasing in intensity as a giant orb of lightning crackles off of it as he charges at the pillars with the intent to destroy them. Making sure he's within a good distance of it, Pikachu releases his attack straight for the pillars. Marill puffs in her cheeks again before releasing another spiral of water to aid her assistance.
A sphere of light blue energy begins to form within Axew's stomach as it slowly grows in power. Upon being satisfied with the accumulation, the Tusk Pokémon fires a blast of bluish-black energy in the shape of a ferocious dragon at the pillars. Finally, as he joins in the barrage of attacks, the Grass Monkey Pokémon puffs in his cheeks before releasing a volley of golden seeds, each and every one of them cloaked in a light green aura.
However, before any of the attacks can make contact with the pillars, a stream of pure, scorchingly hot fire comes hurtling through the air out of one of the interior's many openings and intercepts each individual attack. Surprised at the display, both human and Pokémon alike turn to look in the direction of the attack to see a mighty creature of white hovering outside, their magnificent features twisted into a snarl. The creature lets out a bellow of rage that sounds familiar.
It doesn't take long for everyone present to deduce that the two roars they heard previously came from the beast before them. The creature flaps their wings once before flying around the castle, stopping to land in front of Damon before - after letting out another roar, they brace themselves in front of Victini, their features a silent challenge, as if taunting them to attack once more.
"Reshiram." Carlita states tersely, clenching her fists at the sight of such a noble creature obstructing them and further prolonging Victini's state of distress..
"It is!" Ash exclaims, remembering the illusion that Damon's Gothitelle had shown them. However, while everyone else glares at the sight of the Legendary Dragon-Type Pokémon representing Truth, Iris is torn between doing the same, and outright gushing at the sight of such a majestic creature. In a split second decision, she decides to do a mix of both.
With another roar, Reshiram's tail engulfs itself in a blazing fire, flames licking across the surface of the Vast White Pokémon's tail. A blazing heat soon descends upon the interior of the castle as Pikachu, Marill, and Axew shield their eyes from the blaze as they shy away from the onslaught as Ash, Misty, Cilan, and Iris hold their left arms up to their heads in a vain attempt to shield themselves. Reshiram soon lowers their head before unleashing a buffet of wind that sends the four Pokémon Trainers and their Pokémon back to fall against the floor.
Upon lowering their own arms, Juanita pulls out her Poké Ball and throws it, not content with simply standing on the sidelines and allowing this travesty to continue without any impediment. "Golurk, stop Reshiram!"
With a sad glance at her brother, her eyes brimming with tears brought on by her brother's unspeakably horrible actions, she forces them back before releasing her own Pokémon, the Dragon-Type sparkling upon her liberation.
"Hydreigon, you help too!"
Upon uttering a battle cry, Golurk rears up before releasing flames from where their hands and feet usually are before ramming Reshiram with brute force. The impact forces both of them from the interior of the castle. Hydreigon, not allowing herself to be upstaged, bellows out her own battle cry before following the Automaton Pokémon. The humans (after some of them get up from the floor) watch as the three Pokémon hover in the air, glaring at each other as they seem to be in a stalemate.
A stalemate that is quickly ended as the Legendary Pokémon releases an attack. Gathering fire in their impressive jaws, Reshiram soon has a giant sphere of flame in their mouth as two rings enclose the sphere as they circle around each other. The Vast White Pokémon shoots the sphere at the opposing Automaton and Brutal Pokémon that, when it connects with the two, explodes in a fiery conflagration. The two Pokémon are consumed in fire and smoke before - to the horror of their Pokémon Trainers - are sent hurtling below the cloud layer due to the impact and overall damage done by the Legendary Pokémon's signature move.
"Golurk!" Cilan exclaims at the same time that Iris stifles a cry at the sight of Hydreigon being thrashed so thoroughly. The group does not have time to ruminate the state of the currently fallen Pokémon as Reuniclus hovers above them before landing next to Juanita as Gothitelle comes over to glare at the group from her spot next to Iris.
Sweeping his left arm through the air like an Air Cutter, Damon barks out a command.
"Gothitelle, Reuniclus, use Psychic!"
As the two Psychic-Types are enveloped in a light blue outline, the two Pokémon raise their arms as they follow through with their Pokémon Trainer's orders and imprison each of the humans and their Pokémon in invisible psychic binds.
"Stop, Damon!" Carlita cries, her plea falling on deaf ears as Damon stares impassively at them.
"Pikachu, quick, Thunderbolt!" Ash says as he struggles to look at his electric rodent. Before Pikachu can do so (and before Ash can make any more orders) the eyes of both Gothitelle and Reuniclus flare with the blue light encircling them as they strengthen their psychic hold over the two of them.
"Ash, no!" Cilan exclaims.
Struggling against the strength of the psychic energy surrounding him, it appears that the strain - both mental and psychical - is too much for Ash as he falls unconscious. The last things he hears before the darkness swallows him completely, is the panicked voice of his girlfriend when she undoubtedly notices his weakening state and one last pained cry from Victini.
Originally Added: June 22nd, 2016.