Moving forward with Dawn's arc.
Made it extra long. Arc goes on longer then expected. But I'm happy with this chapter.
And probably a couple of surprises in there, some which weren't even planned until I started writing.
Anyhow, enjoy
Thanking RI2 for inspiring me, because his recent project reignited a spark for this entry to get written.
Dawn sighed. She knew that she would go through a lot, becoming both a Coordinator and a trainer. She expected a bit of extra hard work, something she never shied away from. But then Team Galactic. She thought that they were buffoons at first. And maybe they still are, but in the end proved to be dangerous buffoons. Cyrus was going after the Pokémon of Time and Space, Dialga and Palkia. Fighting a guy with a god complex was not on the list of things she expected to.
But Cyrus had to be stopped. He was insane, he was dangerous. She couldn't stand by. She now had all but one badges. She had her Pokémon, friends and family by her side. And she would fight to protect them.
"Mother, let me come with you." A Lucario said. She was young, you could tell from her size. It hatched from the Riolu egg that Dawn received from her birthday. "I can fight."
"I know. But…I can't take everyone with me. And for Cyrus I need my strongest Pokémon. Khebhut (1), you are strong and have come a long way in a short amount of time. But I need all the experienced fighters I have." Dawn said. "Besides, you, your sister, and some other teammates best stay here in Twinleaf. While Cyrus may have the majority of his minions on Mt. Coronet, there may be a few left ever since the Lake fiasco. And they may try something to distract me from my mission. So I count on you and the others to help your grandparents and Professor Rowan protect the people."
"I promise to protect them with my life, Mother!" Khebhut swore as she put a paw over her chest.
"I'd rather you try to keep alive, Kebby." Dawn said as she patted her Lucario.
"I'll make sure she doesn't get too reckless, Mommy." Tune the Togekiss said, as she put a wing over her little Lucario sister's back.
"Khebhut, I know you possess great strength and you will use it wisely. If something happens to us, pass our teachings on to the other Pokémon." Kentaro the Infernape said.
"I promise I will, sensei!" Khebhut said as she gave a polite bow to the fiery monkey Pokémon.
"I wish, that as your starter I could be there at the front with you, Trainer-Mother Dawn." Ozzy the Piplup said. "Though I understand, you need experienced warriors, not performers."
"You are still strong, you and the others despite being performers." Dawn said. "It is hard for me to, but…Cyrus only understands force. Besides, I know you'll do well leading your teammates."
"Not my teammates, my family." Ozzy said. "And if someone steps to them, I'll show how big things come in small packages."
"Yeah, they'll try to eat you and find your not that small they can swallow you down." Valerie the Luxray snarked with a toothy grin.
Instead of getting a rise like she usually does, Ozzy looked pensive. "Don't get killed out there. Know that despite everything I am honored to have you part of the team, and your feisty personality, while annoying at times has been…attractive. Not to mention your strength and the fact you don't take Muk from anyone."
Valerie blushed as she stammered. "I-er…whoa, er…" she was flustered. She recovered, and grinned though still blushing. "If I get out I'll rock your world, little bird."
Johanna wiped tears from her eyes. "Why does it have to be you, Dawn? You were supposed to be a normal trainer and coordinator. This should not have been up to you."
"I'm sorry mom, but I'm involved deeply. I thwarted them at every turn. Team Galactic was hurting people and I couldn't stand by. And if in the progress I put a target on my back…so be it. I couldn't just let them get away with what they're doing." Dawn said.
"Why couldn't it have been someone else?" Johanna asked.
"Then it would be someone else's burden to bear." Ingo said as he put his hands on his wife's shoulders. "And it'd be someone else's family being worried sick."
"You don't have to worry, Dawn will not be alone. She'll have her friends. And I'll be there too." Cynthia said. She had come to specifically ask Dawn for help.
"Why couldn't you do it alone? You are the strongest trainer in the region. You are the freakin' champion?" Johanna asked.
"I am. But I am not going to be around forever. The region needs a champion. And I don't mean the silly title you get for defeating five strong trainers in a row. No, I mean an actual champion, a defender, a warrior. One day I may grow too old, or fall, whatever comes first." Cynthia said. "And if that happens, there need to be someone whom can pick up the pieces, otherwise the people would be lost without me."
"So you had to groom my daughter?" Johanna said with a growl. She was currently emotional, sad and angry.
"She was already strong and skilled. I just gave her a push in the right direction where needed. Because no one did the same when I was her age." Cynthia replied.
"But you didn't have to go up against an evil organization of this scale? You were an ordinary trainer before." Johanna said.
"No, I wasn't. Far from it. I had gone through my own fair share of high-stake crisis scenario before I even got all my badges, my childhood was ripped away by the time I reached the league." Cynthia said as she stared in the distance, reminiscing. She had images from the past…an army of evil spirits that she only beaten with the Odd Keystone and made subservient as a Spiritomb…a Colossus she found in the catacombs from Snowpoint and had to put back to sleep lest it causes great damage in its awakening…a pale woman in white with a slasher grin and a bloody kimono and a team of equally bloodthirsty Froslasses.
Johanna stopped crying and went pale as her face went neutral. She now Cynthia not as the icon, the invincible champion, but as a woman whom had gone through so much. She licked her lips nervously. Dawn decided to break the awkwardness. "You think I may become that champion one day? The one that Sinnoh needs?"
"I believe it. The choice is yours, but it seems you have already decided the path. Dawn, you…you are already stronger then I was at you age, and able to balance your passions better…" Cynthia admitted. "It is a path that I didn't want for someone else, but it's a necessity as I want that in the future our home region has someone to look after is."
"I'll think about the implications about that later. What is important now is stopping Cyrus. Mom, Dad…I promise I'll be fine. I am not alone." Dawn said.
"Dawn, you are a strong trainer…" Ingo said.
"And a skilled Coordinator." Johanna said.
"Which makes you twice as awesome." They both finished together as they hugged their daughter.
"Go kick his ass, honey." Johanna said with a sad smile.
"I promise I will." Dawn said.
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Dawn and Cynthia had caught up with Dawn's friends…and Paul. Zoey, Barry, Lucas and Paul stood there waiting for them. Zoey immediately ran for Dawn and hugged her. Dawn returned the hug, but it was half-hearted. "You shouldn't be here."
"No way I let you go into the Pyroar's den without me." Zoey said.
"You are skilled Zoey, but you are not a trainer, you are a coordinator." Dawn said.
"I can fight. It is not my main focus. And don't grab at straws and think of a Tauros-shit reason in a misguided attempt to protect me, I'm a big girl." Zoey said. "Besides, no way I'm missing you kicking Cyrus' ass, it'd be so hot and cathartic."
Dawn chuckled softly. "Guess I'm stuck with you. And I'm happy for it."
Barry and Lucas stared at Paul. "I'm not going to ruin the moment, promise." Paul said.
"Why is he here?" Zoey asked.
"He may not be a friend, but he's a strong ally at least." Dawn said.
"Also I hate Team Galactic. Bunch of weak ass losers grouping together to cover their own inadequacies." Paul said. "And if they succeed in their plan, it makes concepts likes weakness and strength become moot, and everything I worked for is gone." Paul said.
"You're also worried about your brother, right?" Dawn asked. Paul didn't answer but Dawn knew better.
"Looker has contacts within Team Galactic, they will provide us with a shortcut." Cynthia explained as she led them ahead. "While the Leaders and Elite Four keep the rest of Team Galactic occupied at the borders of Mt. Coronet, we should have a clear path."
"I wonder who…oh, you got to be kidding me." Lucas noted. He then saw two particular Galactic Grunts.
"'Sup pipsqueaks?" Mercury said. He was joined by Venus and their talking Chatot.
"Why these two?" Dawn said as she rubbed her temples.
"We're bad at being bad." Venus replied. "But Cyrus is good at being bad, and that's not good."
"I mean, one thing to steal, it is another to have this universe-altering business. That is too much, it's insane. That goes too far." Mercury said.
"So we decide to do the smart thing and help you." Venus said.
"Would be the first time they did that." Chatot said with a smirk, the two Galactic Grunts giving him a dirty look.
"I guess that makes these two nimrods and the Chatterbox the more sensible members of that team…and that's quite sad." Zoey noted.
"Chatterbox…you know, I like that name. I'll take on the nickname Chatterbox." The Chatot said.
"Can you do that, you aren't trainer-owned?" Barry asked.
"Do I look like I give a Rattata's ass?" Chatterbox noted.
"I guess we move forward." Cynthia said. "Lead us the way."
"All right, follow us." Venus said. "We were just put on a simple mind-numbing task, hoping it was something that even we wouldn't mess up."
"Joke's on them, it meant that they didn't pay too much attention to us. They don't care. We can walk out, vanish or even die and they won't care…which reminds me why we want out to begin with." Mercury added.
"So things should be smooth sailing from here." Chatterbox said.
They led them down a tunnel. Only for the tunnel to be filled with several Galactic Grunts. "Oh bugger!" Mercury, Venus and Chatot said.
"Traitors!" one of the Grunts said.
"Great going." Paul growled.
"Keep going down that tunnel, if there are any forks, keep taking right it should take you where you need to go." Venus said.
"We will hold them off." Mercury said.
"What?" Dawn asked surprised. "But you're outnumbered."
"Not to mention you're not very strong. No offense." Lucas said.
"None taken. But…it's our chance to do something good." Venus said. "Besides, we are very good at taking blows, we'll endure anything they throw at us."
"We have to move on. I don't like it but, they are giving us a chance, let's take it." Cynthia said.
Dawn didn't like it, but time was of the essence. "Good luck." She said as she and her friends left.
"You could fly away now and get to safety." Mercury noted to Chatterbox.
"Nah. You may be dumb-butts, but you are my dumb-butts. I am not leaving you behind." Chatterbox said.
"You're a pain in the butt…" Venus said.
"And you're our best friend." Mercury chuckled. The two and the parrot Pokémon smiled at each other. "Canverour, Mastermime!" Mercury said as he threw two Pokéballs.
"Wormylady, Yanmega!" Venus did the same.
Mercury's two Pokémon were volutions of Mr. Mime and Carnivine. Mastermime was taller and more slender. Less awkward with puffy sleeves, a jester-like hood instead of mere tufts on the side of his head and pointy feet. Carnevour was larger then Carnivine, his maw was longer and had more teeth, and he had two arms that also ended into a pair of smaller toothy venus flytraps. He also had more red accents that made him look more ferocious.
Wormylady was bigger and more humanoid and looked like the trash cloak she wore was now woven in a large cress, and wielded a fan made of the same materials. Some of the trash cloak also was arranged in a haircut. Overall looking like an old-timey European Noblewoman.
"Get them!" the same Galactic Grunt whom called them traitors earlier shouted as they all let out their Pokémon. Though their selection was less varied and not as impressive, they had numbers on their side.
"Mastermime, Dazzling Gleam! Carnevour, Crunch!" Mercury said. The jester-like Pokémon did a backflip, then and a theatrical pose, and the room was engulfed in rainbow-colored light, which knocked the various Pokémon back. Carnevour stretched out its arms and snatched some Pokémon in the mouths on his hands and bit down. Several more got close but opened his large mouth and gulped down on a small group.
"Silver wind!" Venus called out. The Wormylady readied her fan, which glowed, and so did the wings of the Yanmega. They shot out bursts of wind with silver crescent waves from their fan and wings, knocking back hordes of Pokémon. As they came from both sides, they stood back to back as they went around in a circle to keep shooting out the Silverwind. It started to escalate as the two bug girls hold on to each other, kicked up in the air and became a silvery tornado that swept up the Pokémon and knocked them all down. As they stopped spinning, the Wormylady was in the arms of the Yanmega as if they had finished a tango…looking in each other's multi-faceted eyes and leaned closer. "Keep it for the daycare!" Venus reminded her Pokémon, both looking embarrassed."
Chatterbox may not be a good fighter; But he was good at taunting. As the Murkrow, Dustoxes, Beautiflies, Zubats and Golbats flocked around him, he just flew around erratically to shake them off. "Hey, keep up! I do want to break a sweat today."
"You are a fool and a joke! You don't belong in the flock. Everyone here hates you!" one of the Golbat said.
Chatterbox held up his wing, stretching out two feathers like an index and middle finger, put his beak in between and stuck out his tongue. "Your mates and sisters did like what I had to offer though. Bow-chicka-bow-bow!"
"You are dead!" the Golbat screeched as he and the flock charged.
Chatterbox dodged the clumsy attempt of the enraged Pokémon, whom were getting sloppy. "Oh too slow. My tongue is faster then your top speed, another thing your girls can all confirm…" more angry and sloppy attacks he dodged. "Not too bright are you? You should do better. I'm winning and I'm not trying…" another dodge. "Ah, almost. You know I can do this all day. Mostly the chattering. And it is chattering in every sense of the word as you guys didn't notice me lacing my voice with Chatter to confuse you guys. You should be flying ninto each other at any moment now."
"Wait, wha-" The Golbat said as he flew into a wall, as did several other flying Pokémon. And into each other.
"Oh, that's what I'm talking about!" Chatterbox said as he suddenly was engulfed in light. "What the…" He grew as the light grew brighter. Once the glow went down, he was much larger. His feathery patterns now looked like a conductor, his single music note tail crest resembled a cleff, and he was slightly smaller then a Staraptor now. Instead of a Chatot, he was now a Pokemon called Parreggio. "Oh, didn't know I could do that." Chatterbox said as a grin appeared on his beak. "Now I am going to have some…FUN!" that last word came out as a sonic boom, as he laced it with Hyper Voice and knocked more Pokémon out of the air. "Now that's what I call raising one's voice."
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The heroes went through more corridors, avoiding or defeating trainers along the way. But they were barely an obstacle. The two they came across though. "Well, well, well, do they look familiar, Neptune?"
"I'd say they do, Ouranos! They look very payback-able!" the androgynous and bulky Galactic Admins stood in their way.
"Leave them to me, I know how to deal with them." Lucas said as he pulled out a Pokéball.
"I'll stay behind too." Paul said. "Last time he fought them it didn't go well."
"Last time you were there but on Iron Island I kicked their butts. I've grown stronger." Lucas assured him.
"Then I still stay behind so I can see for myself. Between putting these losers back in their place, seeing you finally step up, or give me a good laugh, I get what I want;" Paul said. "Don't fall behind."
"Same to you, Mr. 'Always-in-resting-bitch-face'!" Lucas said.
"Let's move." Dawn said.
"You didn't seem to argue with them?" Zoey asked surprised.
"I didn't know what to think of Venus and Mercury. But I know Paul and Lucas. They are strong, they can do it." Dawn said. This reassured everyone else as they went through.
"Last time you punks got lucky, and now we're paying you back for our humiliation." Neptune said as she smacked her fist in her palm, her Probopass and Ouranos' Lickylicky already out.
"You two bore me, let's get this over with." Paul said as he threw a Pokéball and out came an Electivire. Lucas summoned his Torterra. Paul quickly took a glance at the unique form of this Torterra and to his credit hid his surprise well. "That's new." He quipped.
"Training with STAT did that for me." Lucas noted.
"Will you stop talking about annoying things and pay attention to us, we want to fight you!" Ouranos growled.
"If we focus on you, then we are still inevitably talking about annoying things." Lucas quipped. Ouranos and Neptune looked on confused for a few moments before the Poké-Penny dropped and they turned more furious.
"Seems you have gotten bite." Paul said. "Maybe you did find your strength, care to show me?"
"If you wish…" Lucas said as he gave a 'bring it' gesture to the Galactic Grunts.
The Lickylicky shot its tongue forward, but Tank the Torterra raised its foot and stomped on the tongue, pinning it into place and making the Lickylicky wave its arms as it cried tears of pain. The Probopass then fired a Flash Cannon. Lucas didn't give an order to dodge…he had learned Torterra's greatest strength wasn't speed, but bulk. He took the attack head on, but the silvery energy sphere was stopped in its tracks against Tank's head armor. Neptune grew nervous as she saw that. "Energy Ball!" Tank created a green sphere of energy in its mouth, lifted it up against the Flash Cannon, merging it into a metallic green sphere which he shot at the Probopass. At the same time the Torterra let go of the tongue, which snapped back into the Lickylicky's face. The blast hit the Probopass and it was knocked down;
Paul actually chuckled. "Not bad…Electabuzz, Thunderpunch!" Electabuzz charged electricity in its fists, punched them together, and then slammed them into the ground, creating a trail of electric energy across the ground, which hit the two Pokémon, whom twitched comically as they were filled with electric power and fell down.
"Neptune, I think we might be in a pickle…" Ouranos said. He and Neptune nervously drew out more Pokéballs, but they were not in for a good time.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Charon were the last line of defense for Cyrus. "No one shall pass!" Mars said. "No one shall thwart his great plan."
"He will create an ideal world, and you will not get in the way of his noble goal." Jupiter added.
"Oh, he totally gets pegged by these two." Zoey muttered under her breath.
"Stand aside. Cyrus is not creating an ideal world, and he is trying to controls forces beyond his means. He is not creating a perfect world, he is creating a world without spirit." Cynthia said. "Filling the world with empty people. Is that what you want."
"That doesn't sound ideal…" Saturn noted.
"Don't be swayed by her words, she is saying that because she can't stand that she is not the greatest power in Sinnoh anymore." Mars said, still fanatically devoted to Cyrus.
"I am ok with that. People without spirit are easier to control, and those whom have control have the power." Charon said with a smirk. "And Team Galactic has control."
"I don't have time for this." Dawn said.
"Let us do this, then." Barry said. "I'm itching for a rematch."
"Oh, you were the kid I left crying and broken at Lake Acuity. You bounced back. How cute…I'll have to break you again."
"I get knocked down, but I get up again. As many times as it takes." Barry said. "And each time I'm stronger."
"And I'm joining in. Let's dance, f***ers!" Zoey said.
"And so am I. Can't have the younglings have all the fun." Cynthia said.
"Wait, are you, but Cyrus…" Dawn asked.
"You can handle him, you have done so before. He has taken a personal interest in your as a result. You've beaten him twice and challenged his world views." Cynthia said.
"He was holding back those times!" Dawn noted.
"And so were you." Cynthia said in utter confidence. Dawn looked her in the eyes, nodded, sported a confident smirk and rushed away.
"You think you can hold against all of us? We outnumber you. Not just by one…" Charon said as several Galatic Grunts came onto the scene.
Cynthia laughed. "Oh, that's cute. I think you need a reminder of whom I am. I am Cynthia Tsukkinowa, Champion of the Sinnoh Elite Four and THE boss bitch of the whole damn region. I uncovered the long lost Snowpoint Temple, I bound the spirit of the King of Pokélantis and his equally bloodthirsty army to the Keystone and now they call me mistress! I prevented the rampage of Regigas and lulled him back to sleep. I took down the serial killer known as the Yuki-Onna. I could handle you all on my own, but I did want this to turn into a bonding experienced with these youngsters. Your master is so below me that I felt that Dawn would be sufficient. And as you are all under Cyrus…you are nothing but bugs to me. Not bugs that pollinate, or clean up or serve a purpose to the circle of life. No, you are all pests, parasites, plagues. And I will have to deal with you now!" Cynthia said.
"I think we made a mistake." Jupiter said as he didn't like where this was going.
"She's just blowing hot air, we can still overwhelm her." Charon said as he pulled out a Pokéball. Jupiter did so too, reluctantly. Charon summoned a Magnezone and Jupiter his Toxicraok. The grunts also pulled out a variety of Pokémon but the same shallow lineup that Galactic always had.
Cynthia still smiled confidently. "My little pal Megalodon hasn't had a playmate in a while, he'll be happy to come out." She threw the Pokéball and out came a monster of a Garchomp. Twice as big, a tower of muscle. Battle scars all over his body, a broken spike on his legs, chips in his fin. Teeth glistening and his eyes piercing. It seemed like it had an aura of malice that instantly create Pressure, like a secondary ability.
Several of the grunts and their Pokémon fainted or voided their bowels. Jupiter's Toxicroak shuddered so much from his Anticipation ability it was like he stepped into a blizzard. Jupiter was petrified and Charon realized he f***ed up. His Magnezone was so scared it dropped out of the air. Charon jumped on top of him and slapped him. "Magnet Rise! Magnet Rise! Magnet Rise!" he said in a panic.
Cynthia just smiled serenely, as if she was enjoying a nice stroll in the park, which made her look scary as she gently patted her monster of a Garchomp. "Meg…Play nice." She said. Then the Galactic Grunts and the two admins only knew terror.
"Bellybomb!" Barry said as he summoned his Snorlax. The huge hulking and surprisingly huggable looking Pokémon came out, yawning. "Belly Drum!" he slapped his belly several times, hard! Then he glowed red. Finally he pulled out a berry from nowhere and at it as he regained health."
"Night Slash!" Jupiter ordered as the Skuntank shot forward, claws glowing with black energy and rushing at the Snorlax. He hit the Pokémon head on as he stumbled back.
"Headbutt!" Barry said as Bellybomb, at first leaning back an on the verge of tipping over, snapped back, shot forward and rammed his skull into the Skuntank, knocking it back.
"Poison Jab!" Skuntank came in again and rapidly slammed its purple glowing paws into the belly of the Snorlax. However, Snorlax didn't seem to be phased. "Why isn't it doing anything? I beat it last time as a Munchlax. It was a fat f*** and now it is even more of a fat f***!"
"I have grown stronger, I told you. Bellybomb, let's pretend Skuntank is on fire!" Barry said. Jupiter was confused until Snorlax grabbed the Skuntank's tail and started throwing him around and slamming him into the ground, as Bellybomb Hulk'd his Loki. "Now, Body Slam." As the Skuntank was thrown into the ground a final time, Snorlax jumped up, and came back down, belly forward. The Skuntank, still dazed wondered what casted the huge shadow until it looked up with the biggest 'Oh crap!' face it could muster before he was pancake'd.
"No! I defeated you so easily last time, I couldn't have lost to you. You're an idiot." Jupiter said as she pulled at the weird protrusions in her hair.
"I'm not the smartest I admit. But since you lost to me, the idiot, what does that make you?" Barry said.
Jupiter fumed in rage. Then all of a sudden something was dropped into her arms. Her very unconscious and very flat Skuntank. She also felt a shadow casting over her. "Uh-oh!"
"Pin her down, Bellybomb!" Barry said. As Jupiter screamed, she became covered in Snorlax blubber. There was no way she was going to escape with a Snorlax on top of her.
"Come forth, Nyatalie!" Zoey said as she threw a Pokéball. Out of came something that may have at first glance looked like a larger Glameow, but it wasn't. It was taller, bipedal. It was a like a cat variant of Lucario or Zoruark. She was slender and elegant. The long springy tail was wrapped around her waist like a belt, the long tuft of hair at the tip flowing behind her like coattails. White fur around her collar and chest made her look fluffy, cute and elegant alike. She also had a mane that looked both wild and stylish. Her forearms were covered in fur, paw pads and long claw-like fingers sticking out.
"What the hell is that?" Mars asked.
"Meowtiful. The evolution of Glameow that doesn't look like a Garbodor fire like your fat cat."
This ticked off Mars and her Pokémon. "Purugly! Use Slash!" the fatter, uglier version of an evolved Glameow charged forward with more speed then was possible from a cat like that.
"And…one, two, three, four, and two, two, three four!" Zoey said as she started dancing and Meowtiful mimicked the dance moves and used it to elegantly dance out of the way. The Purugly missed, stumbled and fell on its face. It got up and tried to slash again, but the Meowtiful kept dancing, and following her mistress' moves.
Mars was a decent battler. But she was straightforward and brutish in her fighting style. And she didn't deal with the unexpected very well. "Stop playing around and fight me for real!" she roared.
"I'm sorry, I don't hear you over the sound over a fat cat failing…and a Purugly!" Zoey said.
Mars screamed in anger. "Slash! Slash! Slash! Cut them to ribbons!"
"And a one, two, getting slick, a pirouette and a kick!" Zoey said as her own cat Pokémon danced out of the way of Purugly's slash, transition into a pirouette and into a kick in the Purugly's fat behind. "Now the handwork! One-two-one-two!" Zoey said as she made some aerobic-like moves with her arms, which Nyatalie mimicked as she delivered a few dance-like punches, which were actually Brick Breaks and were messing up Purugly.
Mars couldn't believe she was getting toyed with by this kid. "No! I'm a seasoned battler! You are a mere coordinator. You can only look pretty. You can't be strong."
"Don't underestimate coordinators. We have to train hard. Our moves have to be perfect. Our routine on point, we need to fit, and most of all, quick on our feet. Nyatalie, Night Slash!" Nyatalie ducked as the Purugly jumped at her. She was now right under the fat cat, then she thrusts her clawed hand upwards, and delivered a Night Slash style uppercut. The Purugly was sent skywards.
Mars lost her temper and charged at Zoey. But she danced out of the way of Mars' clumsy attempts. "You and your pals are bullies, targeting those smaller and weaker. You are only brute force. But us coordinators, we are dancers. We are swift, we have finesse, we are quick on our feet, we are in control of the stage!" Zoey said. Mars' attempts to grab her got clumsier but Zoey was too quick and graceful. And then Mars got stuck with her foot in a crack on the floor. Mars tried to pull free but no success. "Though at times you have to drop the theatrics and get rough!" Zoey then punched a distracted Mars in the face.
At least Mars got unstuck. Though now she was knocked on her back and she was dazed. "Kitty?" she asked dazed. Then her Purugly fell from the sky after being sent flying earlier and landing with its big fat heavy body onto her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. And with that, Mars and Purugly were unconscious.
Zoey panted. She got the upper hand but she had to put in a bit of a workout. She hoped Dawn was going great…
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Dawn worried for her friends a little. And Paul, Chatterbox, Venus and Mercury she guessed. But they were all strong in her own right (though doubts about the Galactic turncoat trio) and should be all right. She didn't worry about Cynthia since she was powerful. Even Cyrus didn't confront Cynthia head on and hid behind loopholes in the law, bribes and playing the media because a direct confrontation would turn him into a smear against the wall.
He was at the alter in the Hall or Origins. He had the Red Chain in hand. Cyrus didn't show much of an expression as Dawn neared. He had a case of constant 'resting bitch face' that makes Paul look expressive. "So you came, Miss Berlitz. You want to stop me from creating my perfect universe."
"Perfect my ass. You are taking away human spirit." Dawn said.
"A necessity. Humankind is flawed, easily led by their impulses. They rule them and they create disasters, chaos…loudness. What I'll create will temper them. Cold logic and nothing else, just one collective, no distractions, just focus."
"They wouldn't be human anymore, just machines. Humanity is flawed but removing emotions is going to hold them back. Emotions are warnings, emotions are as natural as eating and breathing. Emotions give life." Dawn said.
"I don't need any poetic speech, it is drivel spouted by a little girl grabbing at straws, blinded by youthful arrogance with no vision of the future." Cyrus said.
"If you want arrogant, look in the mirror. Just because you had an awful childhood…no one deserved the pain you suffered. And there are bad or flawed people out there but a lot of innocents whom weren't responsible for your suffering. You are mad at the world and throwing a silent tantrum. You aren't overcoming or hiding emotions, you are afraid and you run away form them. You may look like a grown man but you are still a scared little kid on the inside. And the worst is, you never needed that red chain. Your company was beloved, made a lot of process in various fields, you could have been beloved, fill the void, you could have been happy. Instead it was all about your pity party and your ego. Grow up, Cyrus!" Dawn ranted.
Well seems Cyrus wasn't as unflappable as they believed as his face contorted in a grimace of anger. "This rage, this anger…is all that is wrong with humanity. I hate these feelings. I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid, I'll overcome this. I'll overcome you…You won't stand in my way!" Cyrus threw out all of his Pokéballs at once.
Weavile, Houndoom, Crobat, Gyarados, Drapion and Honchkrow came out, looking menacingly. "Destroy her! Break every bone in her body, strip the flesh of her bones, and make sure its painful!" The Pokémon charged.
"Oh no you won't!" Dawn said as she threw out all of her Pokéballs on hand. Kentaro the Infernape, Sameryu the Gabite, Valerie the Luxray, Atilla the Floatzel, Brisen the Staraptor and Rie the Weavile. They charged at Cyrus' Pokémon.
Dawn also rushed, at Cyrus. Her Pokémon would keep Cyrus' occupied enough for her to get to him. He had already started his plan as the chains glowed and two small portals in blue and pink started to form. Small for now, but they'd grow. First was the Gyarados whose fangs became engulfed in ice. However, Valerie charged in, sparking with electricity. The Gyarados slithered out of the way. Then he smacked the ground with his tail, kicking up a layer of earth and a shockwave. The Luxray used Iron Tail in the ground to launch herself over the Earthquake. She fired a Thunderbolt, which the Gyarados countered with a Flamethrower, the attacks neutralizing one another.
The Houndoom came forth, but Kentaro tackled it before it got to Dawn and they rolled across the floor. Holding it into a grip, Houndoom bit him on the arm. Kentaro screamed in pain and started punching the Houndoom in the head several times to make him let go. The Houndoom smacked its Iron tail in his face and then shot a Flamethrower, but Kentaro countered with his own.
The Honchkrow and Brisen the Staraptor flew through the air, a black and brownish arrow shooting through the air and clashing into each other over and over. Honckrow fired a Thunder Wave, but Brisen's Heat Wave canceled it out. Honckrow shot forward with a Drill Peck and it hit its target. But Brisen struck back with Close Combat, beating on the Honckrow with her wings, legs and beak, pushing him back.
The Crobat's wings glowed and shot out a Cross poison. But Sameryu shot forward, engulfd in bluish green fire in a Dragon Rush. She clashed with the purple toxic X-shaped energy wave…She pushed against it…the flames turned white as she broke it, and rammed into the Crobat. When the white flames died out, she stood there as a Garchomp. "I bigger, I stronger…I can eat more FOOD!" she screamed.
"Good one, Sam?" Dawn said, briefly giving her Garchomp a thumbs up before continuing towards Cyrus.
"I hungry, need FOOD. I eat the bat now!" Garchomp said. The Crobat took to the sky in fear…and then found out Garchomps can fly and decides to FLY FASTER!
Drapion was behind Dawn but Atilla the Floatzel Aqua Jets him out of the way. The Drapion was knocked back. The Floatzel shot at him again. But then he was grabbed in the huge scorpion's arms. The claws glowed purple as it created a Cross Poison. The Floatzel was hurled back. It pulled out a Lum Berry and ate it to relieve the poison. The Drapion charged and Atilla used Swift, right into the Drapion's face. Then it used Waterfall to knock it back. It avoided Night Slash swiped and coated its fangs in ice, as it charged in again.
The Weavile was the last obstacle, but then Dawn's own came in. Rie was smaller then Cyrus' and had her featers tied up in a ponytail, but was matching him, keeping up in terms of speed, and exchanging blows with the claws, bouncing of each other. Rie created an ice rink with ice beam and skated across it. It didn't slow Cyrus' Weavile down as it is also an ice type, but Rie's skating fighting style gave it an edge in maneuverability. That is until the other Weavile used Brick Break on the ice, Shattering it. However, Rie used Ice Shard, the smaller shards she conjured absorbing the ice shards from the Brick Break, and becoming three bigger ice clumps which shot at the Weavile. It was fast enough with a Night Slash to destroy the first two chunks but the third hit him head on.
Cyrus had thrown the red chains into the portals. And now he was looking like he pulled something out of each of them. Red eyes became visible in the portals and she could hear the screeching of the Pokémon. Dawn didn't hesitate and jumped on Cyrus, and grabbed his wrists, also touching the red chains. "Get off! If you interrupt at this stage, it will destroy this universe!"
"You are going to destroy it anyways, it is a power beyond your control. No human can control this." Dawn warned.
"No! I am in control! I have the will, the intelligence, I can control this!" Cyrus said.
"You have issues with control. Now, we are both holding the chains, we both have power over it. you can try to pry me loose but you risk letting go of the chains itself. So it is a matter of which of our wills is the strongest, whom can bend its power to their will. The will of a man afraid to confront of himself, or someone whom fights for something else then themselves?" Dawn asked.
Cryus didn't reply but his face contorted in an even angrier one as he shouted out to the heavens. Dawn felt the Red Chains she was also holding burn, into her skin, she felt the burn in her very soul but she didn't let go, if she let go all was lost. She couldn't let go…She poured her own heart and soul as much as she could as she screamed out to the heavens too. The chains glowed and sparked with red lightning, the screams of the Pokémon in the portals growing louder too as they emerged, bound by the Red chains. The diamond and pearl-like cores glowed, the blue and pink glows merging with the red glow from the chains…
And then everything went to white.
TO BE CONTINUED
Daughter of Anubis in Egyptian myth