"What did they do to you?!" Kasi exclaimed, noticing their Pokemon's now much-more humanlike appearance.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sparta chuckled. "We've been spliced, just like you. With the human DNA that you used to have. Master Denzel explained every detail to us, himself."
Avery couldn't believe what he was hearing. "He spliced you with our human DNA?!"
"Oh, yes." Reaper smiled. "He spliced us with the very DNA sequences they took from you, before putting you through the procedure. We now can speak fluent language and have greatly improved cognitive abilities. Don't think this means we owe you anything, though. You did abandon us, after all."
"Yeah!" Venin exclaimed, baring his teeth. "After the splicing lab in Sinnoh was destroyed, Master Denzel found our Pokeballs in the cleanup operation. He saved our lives and gave us purpose. Something you failed to do. He's our master, now."
Avery couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No… We didn't even know you were alive! How is that fair to think we just ditched you?!"
Sparta rolled his eyes. "Well, it happened, and we've chosen our side. Maybe we wouldn't be so sore with you if Takuya had… I don't know, decided to stick around longer and… What is the proper word to use? Oh, right: Dig!" He finished with heavy sarcasm and a glare.
Oak walked up behind Avery and Kasi, Ash and Tyler at his sides. "Good lord…" He whispered.
"Well, look at that." Sparta said. "They even brought the renowned Professor Oak with them. He could make a great asset to Master Denzel with his expertise…"
"He's not going anywhere with you!" Ash snapped.
"Where else can he go?" Reaper smiled. "The only exit you had is now covered with rubble and debris. You can't just run away from this one, like our former masters ran away from us…"
"We didn't run away from you!" Avery shouted, sparks starting to emit from his body. "Snap out of it, you guys! We can fix this! Can't you see the truth?!"
"Yes. As clear as daylight." Reaper said, unmoved. "Face it, Avery: You left us for dead! Now, its our turn to return the favor." The three assumed combat stances.
"Please, don't do this…" Avery begged. "I don't want to fight you!"
"You don't have a choice." Reaper said, stretching his arms with claws ready to strike. "Right now, it's do or die. So think fast!"
Reaper charged forward with a quick attack, slamming his body into Avery! The impact threw him several yards, as he slid across the ground on his back.
Kasi quickly countered by tapping into her power, creating an icy wind! It whipped up the sand around them, sending frozen sand at their aggressors!
"You're going to have to do better than that, Kasi!" Venin said as he charged up and fired a hyper beam, cutting through the frozen sandstorm!
Kasi jumped out of the way, dodging the attack with grace. Avery jumped back up and sent a thunderbolt flying at Reaper, who took flight to evade it.
Sparta then charged forward at Avery, trying to tackle him. Avery managed to slide between the opening in Sparta's legs, and jumped up onto his feet again.
Reaper flew down from above, slashing into Avery's back with his sickle-like claws! Avery let out a roar of pain as they tore through his hoodie, digging into his flesh! He turned around, and grabbed Reaper by the arm, powering up an electric charge.
"That's enough!" He yelled, unleashing a thunder attack on Reaper at point-blank range! Reaper let out a cry of pain as the surge of electricity coursed through his body. When it stopped, he fell to his knees, weakened, but not ready to quit.
"Good… You remember your type disadvantages." Reaper groaned, then laughed. "This is getting fun… Sparta, you know what to do!"
Sparta unleashed a series of Cross-Chop attack on Avery, striking him several times in the torso as some of his hits landed on Avery's freshly opened wounds!
Tyler and Ash couldn't stay out of this fight anymore. "Pikachu, hit that goon with thunder!"
Pikauch let loose with a barrage of thunder attacks, hitting Sparta with fury.
Sparta was disoriented, but not severely phased as he turned to the trainers.
Tyler knew they needed to end this fast. "Quilava, mop them up with fire spin!"
Quilava the let loose with a furious fire spin attack, unleashing a blazing tornado of fire at their attackers! Reaper, Venin and Sparta had no choice but to fall back into the Key Lair.
"This is only the beginning!" Reaper called out from the entrance. "That was merely an appetizer for the dangers ahead… Follow us in if you dare… That is, if you want to see your dear friend, Takuya alive again!"
The gates to the entrance began to slide closed! Avery charged forward, hoping to get through before they shut!
Reaper continued to let out mocking laughter. "Run, little tiger! Run as fast as your little legs can carry you! Maybe you can make it, but you won't know if you don't try!"
Avery started sprinting on all fours, the doors almost completely shut! He could see the mocking gleam in Reaper's eyes. "Yes, hurry! Or we might just get away!" Reaper's laughter began to hit maniac levels, Avery pouring on all the speed he had!
It wasn't enough. The door shut before Avery could get through, he couldn't even fit his claws into the crack to pry the door open!
"No!" Avery started clawing at the door in desperation. "Takuya! I'm going to get you out of there! I swear it! I'M NOT LETTING YOU DIE!"