Author's Note
Chapel: Good day, everyone. You know…life is strange. It throws things at you to overcome and become stronger, either physical, mentally, or spiritually. Life has certainly been something else since our story's last post. Where did we go? Did we disappear? Did we hit a Writer's Block, never to be seen again?
Yumi: It's like you said, life has many obstacles…
Chapel: We sincerely thank you readers for your support. You are the ones who keep our story going. This isn't the end. This isn't some grand return to form. This…is only the beginning of our story: Pokemon Virus Version.
Yumi: Our story is far from over. Many adventures have been created, waiting for posting.
Chapel: We hope you enjoy this new chapter. This one's for you guys ;D
Pokemon Virus Version Chapter 141: Uncle Bastion Part 3
"Chi…"
"Lar…"
Chikorita was face to face with Lairon, while Seth was face to face with Bastion – Neo Snagem's 15th Commander
"Your Chikorita doesn't look like the battling type." Bastion smirked, "She looks more suited to be a household pet tending to the garden."
Bastion got no reaction from Seth, nor did he elicit any react from the spectators. Yumi, Chapel, Banette, and a conflicted Rose was on Seth sideline, while Volbeat and Illumise stood on 15's side.
"Energy Ball." Seth commanded.
"Chi!" Chikorita extended her leaf in the direction of Lairon. From the tip of the leaf, a ball of electric green energy was created and launched at the Steel type.
Before the ball of energy hit Lairon, Seth took a mental note of Chikorita. While she was breathing somewhat heavily, she was not surrounded by the aura of Overgrow, meaning that this fight was far from over.
"Ron!" Lairon was hit. Energy Ball was effective – more effective than any physical move. "Rnn…" The move sent Lairon sliding back before he halted his own momentum by planting his foot on the ground. A slight cloud of dust, along with small rock pellets could be seen from where the Steel type slid.
"So you think an insignificant move like that is going to make Lairon fall?" Commander 15 asked, "Lairon, use Sandstorm!"
As Lairon roared into the sky, a storm of san made its way onto the battlefield. A Sandstorm was quite fitting for their location. The green-less plateau and ravine that Seth and the group have been traversing looked so much like a desert.
"Chi…chi…" It was a struggle for Chikorita as far as visibility was concerned. As soon as the Sandstorm settled in, Chikorita winced, hoping sand would blow into her eyes. "Chi!" But then she was knocked off the ground, buffeted by sand.
"Chikorita!" Yumi called.
"That's a strong Sandstorm!" Chapel took note as sands of gust had lifted Chikorita off her feet.
"Chi!" Chikorita was being tossed by the wind like some lightweight ragdoll!
"Your Chikorita is a lightweight." 15 looked on as Chikorita had absolutely no control over her body. It wasn't as if 15 was overestimating the Grass-type/ Everything he's said so far had been true, from being a lightweight to being a pokemon not suited for the battling lifestyle. All his words culminated into the sight before him: Chikorita unable to even touch the ground due to Sandstorm.
"Chikorita's in a tough spot." Yumi noted.
"But what can Seth do?" Chapel asked, "15 and Lairon could simply watch Chikorita struggle with the Sandstorm until it defeats her."
From 15's sideline, Volbeat and Illumise looked on.
"So the fate of 26…" Volbeat started.
"…Is in the hands of some lightweight Grass type." Illumise finished.
The fireflies looked at each other, respectively giving a coy smile before bursting out into obnoxious laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"This must be some cruel sick joke!" Volbeat exclaimed.
"I bet you Lairon kills the Chikorita!" Tears of laughter coming from her eyes, Illumise offered Volbeat a 'side-bet'.
"No need to bet me!" Volbeat answered, "I think Chikorita's gonna die too!"
Everyone was starting to believe that Chikorita stood no chance, like 15 said. 15 felt no urgency to call an attack. Sandstorm was more than enough suffering for Chikorita. Guess you could call it 15 being human. Whether or not Chikorita opposed 15 didn't matter, as he could not help seeing Chikorita as fragile as a flower.
Seth was still brainstorming for a way to free Chikorita from the Sandstorm. But before Seth reached an idea, he was called out by his opponent.
"You should've never sent Chikorita to battle," 15 started, "If you were seriously about protecting your sister, you would've sent a capable fighter to battle me."
The eyes of both Seth and Rose narrowed.
"I shall win the battle and the war. You will be rendered a broken man once I defeat you. 26 will return to the organization, and you will watch as she helps Neo Snagem usher in the very world you wish to destroy.
Long Live Neo Snagem!
For what seemed like forever, Chikorita struggled within the pokemon-made natural disaster known as Sandstorm.
Commander Bastion smugly awaited for the defeat of the Grass pokemon he didn't believe was suited for battle.
"Ron." Lairon awaited Chikorita's defeat as well.
"Chi…chi…!" Chikorita refused to give in. She endlessly flailed her body, trying to reach the ground. Whenever she would close in, the gusts of Sandstorm would send her flying back up.
"…" Helpless as Seth was, he was desperately trying to concoct a way for Chikorita to escape. Seth won't admit it out loud, but he couldn't help agreeing with what 15 said. About Chikorita being more suited for the domestic life. And how if he were serious about destroying the organization, he would've sent one of his more capable battlers in to fight.
Out of all Seth's Pokemon, Chikorita was the weakest and most frail.
"…"
"…"
Yumi and Chapel were losing hope in Chikorita's victory the longer this struggle went.
Rose was unusually neutral. She wasn't hoping for her Brother's victory, and she wasn't hoping against hope for Uncle Bastion to emerge victorious. She wasn't rooting for any winner in particular, but she wasn't against whichever outcome determined her fate. All she wanted was to love and be loved in return.
Seth didn't reciprocate Rose's feelings. He was walking contradiction. He wanted nothing more than to destroy the organization. He says that it doesn't matter to him if Rose wanted to return home with Bastion. But what Seth didn't realize was that should Rose return to the organization, he would lose an ally that he would probably rely on later. Meanwhile, Neo Snagem would gain that valuable ally.
'There has to be a way out of this Sandstorm.' Seth gritted his teeth, still unable to find a way to get Chikorita out of her predicament.
"Chi…" Chikorita's struggle was starting to waver, and her consciousness began fading.
'Come on…' Seth needed to act fast, as Chikorita wasn't going to last much longer!
"…" Chikorita closed her eyes, but just as she did, "Chi…" She began glowing a green aura.
Overgrow. But what good would it do if Chikorita couldn't even reach the ground?
Just then, cloudy sky began to give way to rays of light.
"Hm?" Seth looked up.
The sun…it was only going to be out for a few moments. There just so happened to be a momentary clearing between the endless grey clouds.
Chikorita's limb body began ascending even further up the Sandstorm. While still surrounded by the aura of Overgrow, Chikorita's leaf began glowing a white aura.
"That's it!" It was then that Seth had an idea. With the clouds covering the sky, Chikorita wasn't able to use her most powerful attack. It would've taken too long to charge, making her an easy target. But now… "Chikorita."
"Chi…" Chikorita could only slightly open her eyes. She was fading, but she could still hear her trainer fairly well. She was able to see Seth's lips move. He didn't project his voice due to not giving away to Bastion and Lairon what he was planning. Seth whispered the move 'Solarbeam'.
Chikorita began absorbing energy.
Commander 15 was unable to see this, as he thought Chikorita was still merely cloaked in the aura of Overgrow. In a way, Overgrow was managing to camouflage Solarbeam. This was what Seth didn't want 15 to know. Had he mindlessly blurted out 'Solorbeam', Bastion would've immediately taken precautionary measures.
But now… "Chi!" Because Chikorita was so far up in the air due to Sandstorm, she was able to absorb her needed energy in quicker fashion than usual.
Solarbeam was fully charged.
Seth only watched and waited.
"Chi!" Chikorita launched Solarbeam, powered up by Overgrow.
The eyes of Bastion and Lairon both widened.
"Solarbeam?" Bastion exclaimed.
Chikorita turned the exact Sandstorm used against her into her advantage. The large concentration of sand and wind made it easy for Solarbeam's ray to travel all the way to the source: Lairon.
"Roooonnn!" Lairon was completely smothered by the light of Solarbeam. Such a large attack scope, coupled with Overgrow effectively made Solarbeam a critical hit. The sand and the light blinded everyone from seeing what happened with Lairon.
"…" Yumi.
"…" Chapel.
"…" Volbeat.
"…" Illumise.
"…" Banette.
"…" Rose.
"…" Bastion.
"…" Seth.
"Chi…" And a Chikorita who landed on the ground with a stumble.
They all watched with overwhelming anticipation.
The raging winds calmed. The shifting sand returned to the earth. And the blinding light of Solarbeam faded. "…" Revealing a downed Lairon.
"Lairon…" Illumise questioned.
"Lairon is unable to continue." Volbeat finished.
And so, Chikorita was victorious. But there were no smiles, nor were there any jumping or celebrations.
"Chi…chi…" Chikorita was breathing heavily, almost completely overwhelmed by the fight. She and Seth both knew that this battle was far from over.
"Lairon…" Rose picked up her gaze and eyed the pokemon that was once her trusty stead. Her Brother was one step closer toward keeping her from going with Uncle Bastion.
Commander 15 recalled Lairon without word. That smug look was wiped clean off his face, as he was still taking in his defeat at the hands of Chikorita. 'I underestimated them.' The circumstances behind Lairon's defeat didn't matter. One would think Chikorita got lucky, but not Bastion. Chikorita and Seth emerged victorious because Bastion and Lairon got complacent. Chikorita and Seth found a small window of opportunity, and succeeded in exploiting it.
"Chi…" Chikorita's heavy breathing was starting to level out. She watched as Bastion put away Lairon's Pokeball.
Bastion addressed Chikorita, "You've made me eat my words. And for that, you have my congratulations. However…" Bastion's eyes narrowed, "This battle is far from over. There is a reason why I am the 15th Commander of Team Neo Snagem."
'Whispers…'
"Chi?"
'Whispers…'
"Hm?" Seth and Chikorita both looked to the sky.
The clearing in the endless see of clouds had passed. Any thoughts of sunlight seemed so distant now. But…there were echoing whispers coming from the sky.
'Whispers…"
"What's going on?" Yumi asked.
"Something else is here." Chapel answered.
15 chuckled as he began to emit a dark arua.
"Chi?!" Chikorita immediately became uneasy upon seeing that aura.
"Be on your guard." Seth took note of this dark aura too.
It wasn't just 15. Small concentrations of dark aura began appearing throughout this desolate plateau. These small concentrations immediately shuffled into one large concentration, right in front of Chikorita and Seth.
'Whispers…of the apocalypse.'
Something began emerging from this large concentration of darkness.
"My second pokemon." Bastion ensured.
This figure, combined with the dark clouds and desolate setting, made for a horror in which Chikorita and Seth were going to experience firsthand. This figure wore a long dark cloth, and brandished a Reaper's Scythe.
'Whispers of the apocalypse…these whispers…hunger for a living soul…'
The Grim Reaper. Also known as Dusknoir, the bringer of death.
'The Reaper…will deliver your soul to Hell…'
Chikorita, frightened, took a cautionary step back.
Bastion saw this, and let out a small smile.
Seth knew that this Reaper would be trouble. However…Chikorita was still cloaked in the aura of Overgrow. "Chikorita!" He wanted Chikorita to finish Death in one shot.
Chikorita, however uneasy, had to stand up for herself. She couldn't just let the Reaper defeat her without a fight. "Chi…" She prepared a larger-than-usual Energy Ball and launched it at the Reaper.
Seth and Chikorita expected Dusknoir to be a formidable opponent. What they didn't expect was the amount of evil that the Reaper housed. He was the bringer of death – the manifestation of Death itself.
Dusknoir's Shadow aura grew excited, as he moved at a speed imperceptible to the human eye. The Reaper appeared before Chikorita before she or Seth had any concept of what just happened.
"Chi…?!" Chikorita's heart skipped a beat. She'd never been this terrified before.
'The whispers of the apocalypse…' The Reaper readied his scythe, '…Shall feast on your soul…'
Seth's eyes went wide. Yumi and Chapel gasped. Even Volbeat and Illumise were rendered speechless at what they'd just seen. And finally, Rose's indifference wavered, as she became frightened by the sight.
Chikorita…she was stricken by the Reaper's Scythe. Upon hit, she was sent flying backward. It was already too late to try and salvage the situation by landing on her feet. Everyone could see it – the blood all over her body, her eyes and facial completely blank…and her entire being limp.
"…" Chikorita landed on the ground, and didn't move.
Seth's eyes widened, his teeth gritted. He walked to where he was right behind Chikorita and fell to his knees. His stone-cold indifference could be seen about to shatter.
"…" Chikorita was unable to battle…but it wasn't just that. This wasn't about losing a simple battle anymore. Nobody had any idea just how bad this was going to be. This was no longer a matter of the will to battle. This…was about one's mortality.
Seth touched the bloodied Chikorita. Her eyes were wide open, but completely lifeless. Seeing a sight like this up close would scar people for life.
Chikorita was no longer alive…
Seth took out a cloth and wiped Chikorita clean of the profuse blood pouring out.
"Chikorita…" She was Seth's very first pokemon, and the one he cared for the most.
Now was not the time for Rose to admire the care her Brother gave Chikorita, as she too was devastated by what had transpired. Still, she remained silent and didn't take sides.
Seth grabbed Chikorita's body and carried it over to Yumi. "Please, take care of her."
Yumi could see the concern in Seth's eyes. He still maintained military-like bearing, but nobody had ever seen those eyes full of vengeance waver. Wordlessly, Yumi grabbed Chikorita's body and held it with much care. She watched as Seth slowly returned to the battlefield.
Bastion eyed Seth, surprised he was able to keep his composure. Seth glared right back at him.
"It seems the stakes of this battle have gotten even higher," Commander 15 said.
"What do you mean?" Seth was about ready to destroy them both…
"Should you emerge from this battle victorious, Chikorita's soul will be returned. However…should you fall against the Reaper…her soul will be delivered to Hell, where it will remain for all eternity."
Seth stepped up, "Where is her soul now?"
"Would you like to join her where she's at now?" 15 smirked.
"That's no fair!" Chapel was about ready to join in the battle and aid Seth's cause herself. "You promised a fair fight-"
15 cut her off, "-And a fair fight is what I've delivered. I've stayed within the parameters of what constitutes a fair battle. However…the Reaper…that's a different story. I never told Dusknoir to kill Chikorita. The Reaper acted of his own accord. In fact, I've yet to even give Dusknoir my first command."
"Hmph." Seth took out a single Pokeball. "Then it's fair game this Pokemon kills you right here."
Seth threw the Pokeball in the air. As the Pokeball opened, the dark sky was illuminated with an icy white light.
"Am I…pretty?"
Those three words…they echoed into the sky.
"Am I pretty?"
It was the voice of the woman from the icy mountains.
"Please…tell me I'm pretty…"
From the clouds, the figure of the ghostly Yukiko slowly descended.
"…" Commander 15 appeared somewhat vexed.
"I'm pretty…right?"
Yukiko the Froslass…she stood in place, staring at the Reaper across the battlefield. "…" She opened her eyes.
"…"
Yukiko had the power to completely hypnotize men with her breath-taking beauty. Those crystal blue eyes even hypnotized Seth, once upon a time.
"I am pretty…I am beautiful…"
But this was the first time Seth has used Yukiko since she joined him. Yukiko wasn't a Shadow Pokemon. She was the spirit of a young woman who lost her life in the Snowy Mountains over two hundred years ago. Even so, this was as close to a Shadow Pokemon Seth could use, without actually using a Shadow Pokemon.
It seemed Yukiko's beauty had rendered Lord Bastion completely incapable of fighting.
"…"
Until-
"Lord Bastion!" Volbeat yelled.
"Lord Bastion!" Illumise echoed.
The only thing Commander Bastion would hear from the fireflies was their natural pokemon cries. Which is why Volbeat and Illumise cried with a sense of urgency, rather than out of pure ignorance.
In unison, the fireflies screamed, "WAKE UP!"
"!"
As Commander 15 came back to his senses, Seth narrowed his eyes.
"Damn it!" Chapel cursed.
"Seth almost had him!" Yumi gritted her teeth.
Rose could only speculate. Which was the bigger evil? Continuing with a fractured relationship with her Brother, or leaving him behind in favor of her old family?
Yukiko, the centuries year old spirit who has preyed upon many men.
"Hmm…"
Dusknoir, the Reaper of Souls who has delivered countless lives to the netherworld.
"Hmm…"
The two murderous spirits exchange a long staredown as the wind blew. Spirit against spirit. Murderer against murderer.
Dusknoir had reaped Chikorita, leaving the fate of her life in Yukiko's hands, in a fight that would determine Rose's fate. What was at stake in this fight didn't stop there. Would Lord Bastion and Dusknoir kill Seth if they win? Would Seth and Yukiko kill Lord Bastion if they win? What was going to happen to Rose? Even if Seth wins, is there anything that would stop Rose from leaving the group someday? We'll have to see…
"Noir." The Reaper once again readied his scythe.
"Hmph." Yukiko conjured up Ice Shard, the shards of ice in the shape of cold, hard kunai. She grabbed the kunai, ready to fight The Reaper.
"Dusknoir, let's go." Bastion ordered for the Reaper to make his next move.
"Yukiko, defeat it." Seth mirrored.
The Reaper and Yukiko both rushed at each other. Dusknoir's deathly scythe clashed with Yukiko's kunai. Steel vs steel, the fight started off with a struggle in power. The Reaper and Yukiko were up close, making eye contact.
"…" Dusknoir was immune to the hypnotizing eyes of Yukiko. What he wanted, was death…
The power on both sides was palpable. The struggle ended when both sides ended up pushing each other back.
"So the struggle ends with a draw…" Yumi noted, holding a downed Chikorita closely.
"Froslass."
"Dusknoir."
Froslass and Dusknoir exchanged cries before charging at each other again.
"Lass!"
"Noir!"
Once again, it was Yukiko's ice kunai versus Dusknoir's scythe.
"Lass!"
"Noir!"
Only this time, the two would incorporate some evasive action. They did not struggle this time. Dusknoir went in with a horizontal slash, to which Yukiko swiftly ducked.
"Perfect." In that split second, Yukiko found the perfect opportunity to strike. Having missed with his scythe, Dusknoir's body was wide open for a strike.
Yukiko went in, piercing the Reaper's body with a clear stab.
Blood was expected to start dripping out of where Yukiko struck. This was what happened with all of her victims. However…
"…" The Reaper wasn't bleeding. But with the static look on Yukiko's face, perhaps she expected this. There was a reason why Dusknoir was called 'The Reaper.'
As he smirked, 15 ordered the Reaper to strike with a Shadow Punch.
The Reaper's fist was cloaked in a dark energy.
With her kunai still lodged in the Reaper, Yukiko was in close range.
Dusknoir struck, punching Yukiko square in what would've been her stomach if she were alive.
As Yukiko landed on the ground, "!" Her eyes widened.
Dusknoir descended at great speed, ready to plunge her into the earth with his fist still cloaked in the aura of Shadow Punch.
"Froslass!" Chapel called out in worry.
"Lass!" However, Yukiko was able to roll out the way, just as Dusknoir's fist hit the ground. Yukiko was right next to Dusknoir.
The Reaper shifted his gaze. He was determined to strike Yukiko with Shadow Punch. "Hmph!"
Again, Yukiko avoided the attack.
The Reaper tried again and again to strike Yukiko, who kept avoiding the Shadow Punches. With each dodge, Yukiko ascended further and further into the air, Dusknoir allowing no separation accordingly.
With Yukiko being a spirit, a Shadow Punch would do major damage. How strong was Dusknoir? Was he strong enough to defeat Yukiko in one strike?
"Yukiko! The kunai!" Seth raised his voice, urging Yukiko to take a closer look at Dusknoir.
"Hmm?" Yukiko was able to take a quick glance while continuing to avoid Dusknoir's Shadow Punches. The Reaper still had the ice kunai in his body! "That's it!" Only Seth could hear the voice of the woman Froslass used to be echo through the sky. Yukiko's eyes narrowed. She continued to avoid the Shadow Punches, but her focus was now on the lodged kunai.
Seth watched as Yukiko broke The Reaper's string of continuous Shadow Punches. Like a martial artist, she put her hand on Dusknoir's wrist, using his own momentum against him to throw him off guard. Once Dusknoir was able to regain his form…
"Ha!" Yukiko has pressed the kunai further into Dusknoir's spiritual body, until it was engulfed completely. This was followed by Yukiko making a swift retreat, floating away to add separation.
Before he could react, Dusknoir was engulfed by an icy blue light, which bewildered him.
One could hear Commander 15 whispering 'what's going on' under his breath.
What was going on? Hmph. Yukiko has many abilities which even Seth had yet to see.
"Now." Yukiko stopped and turned to The Reaper. She extended her hand in Disknoir's direction, and as she did, her eyes started glowing the same icy energy surrounding Dusknoir.
Volbeat and Illumise watched on as Yukiko slowly closed her fist.
"!"
"!"
The fireflies, as well as everyone on Seth's sideline all stood agape, as the icy energy caused Dusknoir to explode! The explosion created a cloud of icy mist.
Yukiko was able to concentrate energy into the ice kunai that was lodged inside Dusknoir's body. And when the ice kunai had too much energy to handle, it exploded.
The explosion wasn't longwinded. Seth and 15 stood on opposite sides, refusing to react until Dusknoir was confirmed to be defeated….But could a Reaper really be killed?
As the cloud of smoke began to dissipate, a sharp red light could be seen coming from inside. This light, was the eye of the Reaper.
"…" Seth knew that the Reaper wouldn't be defeated so easily. However, with the smoke dissipating, he also knew that the first phase of the fight was coming to a close.
The fast paced clashes and movement coming from Yukiko and the Reaper came to an end. The two began another staredown, just like at the start of the battle.
"Who knew Froslass was that powerful?" Yumi stood on the sideline as she asked this question to Chapel and Rose. "I mean, Dusknoir is the bringer of death, yet Froslass is able to keep up with his every movement."
"Froslass is just as much a murderer as Dusknoir." Chapel kept what she said at that. Her standpoint would be 'take away the implications of this fight. The fact is: Seth has murdered before.' But to root against Seth while he was facing the organization right now? Chapel realizes she would be a fool to do such a thing.
Commander 15 smirked, "I have not made the mistake of underestimating you. However, you make for an admirable opponent. I can see why your name has lingered around in the organization."
Maybe one day, Seth will do something heinous enough to warrant Neo Snagem to actively search for him. It would be a global manhunt if that were to happen.
15's smirk disappeared, "Commander Atticus will be pleased to learn I've defeated you of all people to bring 26 back to the organization." He looked at the Reaper, "Dusknoir, its time we show them more of our power."
Seth and Yukiko could only watch in curiosity as the Reaper revealed what he had up his sleeve next.
'Whispers of the apocalypse…'
The whispers of death once again echoed through the skies…The markings on Dusknoir's body looked so much like an actual face. Well, the mouth of this 'face' began to open up.
"Hm?"
"Hm?" It seemed as though this was new to Volbeat and Illumise.
"Prepare yourself, boy." Lord Bastion said, "I've only brought about this power a number of times. Consider yourself lucky that you're one of the few who will be able to bare witness."
Inside, where the Reaper's bodily mouth was open, a strange sphere of darkness appeared.
"A sphere of darkness…" Seth said to himself. "No…" A simple sphere of darkness was an inadequate way of putting what lied before him. What appeared inside The Reaper was much more sinister, "That sphere is a portal. And that darkness…is Death. A portal of Death…"
This Portal of Death grew stronger as The Reaper began moving toward Yukiko.
"Yukiko, stay away from Dusknoir!" Seth was weary, and could only speculate as to what destructive power this Portal to Darkness was capable of.
Yukiko didn't know what to do. She contemplated moving swiftly to avoid The Reaper's high speed pursuit…However…
'Whispers of the apocalypse…they are hungry.'
The Reaper was slow and steady. Even when it looked like Yukiko was going to take quick evasive action, Dusknoir took his time.
Froslass stood in place. Like Froslass, Seth was bewildered by the Reaper.
"Ice Beam!" Seth called.
Yukiko let out a beam of pure cold. This Ice Beam looked cold enough to freeze the air around it.
"…" The Reaper didn't avoid the attack. Rather, he allowed the Ice Beam to hit him-namely his Portal of Death. He was moving at a deliberate pace so slow that the resistance of Ice Beam couldn't have made him move any slower.
Was Yukiko doing any damage to the Reaper? It was hard to tell.
The normally indifferent Seth was at a loss for words. Where was the Reaper's sudden drive coming from?
Bastion smirked fiendishly. "The whispers of the apocalypse are simply too thirsty. They will not be denied."
"Noir…" As the Ice Beam continued without pause, the Portal of Death began to react in a strange way.
"Ngh…" Yukiko wasn't particularly struggling with Ice Beam. "!" However, her eyes widened when she found herself getting pulled toward the Portal of Death, like a magnet.
"What's going on?" Yumi asked.
"…No way…" The answer Chapel had would shock everybody standing on Seth's sideline. "Seth!" She called, "The Portal of Darkness is using Ice Beam to pull in Froslass!"
Seth suspected that might've been what was going on.
"Yukiko, stop!" But by the time he'd told Froslass to call off Ice Beam, it was too late.
"NOIR!" The second Yukiko retracted her attack, the slow and deliberate Dusknoir made a fast charge toward the ice spirit.
One would think Yukiko was surprised. She'd fallen victim to Dusknoir's strategy. "!" Her eyes flickered. No matter how bad she'd fallen for The Reaper's trap, she was still able to react in time, narrowly dodging the portal of darkness.
"Hmph." Commander 15's smirk remained. "You might want to look behind you, Ice Woman."
The Reaper didn't simply stop in his tracks once Yukiko avoided the Portal of Death. No. He kept going.
And before Froslass could see what Bastion was referring to…
"Seth!" Yumi called.
The Reaper had already reacted.
"Lass?!" Yukiko realized that the Portal of Death kept going, until it claimed a life.
The Portal of Death…it'd gotten to Seth. And now he was being pulled inside.
"Hmhmhmhmhm." Bastion chuckled, "Ice Woman, it appears your trainer is no longer here and able to give me a proper battle."
Seth was gone.
Rose's eyes widened. "Huh?" It was the first time she'd taken her blank gaze off the ground this entire fight. The conflict she had with her Brother was becoming a threat to cause Rose to lose her already-fragile emotional wellbeing. Even so, even Brother Seth didn't deserve to go out like this…
Yumi embraced the dead Chikorita whom she held in her arms. "First Chikorita…and now Seth…"
Chapel clenched her fists.
"As I said, the whispers of the apocalypse were thirsty for death, and they would not be denied." Bastion closed his eyes, reopening them as he looked to Rose. "26, this was all done for you. Now come. Your Mother would love to see you again."
"…" Rose remained silent. Was the fight in her honor really over? Was she really going to see her Mother again?...Did she want for Uncle Bastion to do it this way, even though he'd sworn by keeping this battle fair?
The Portal of Death began to calm down, but as it did, Yukiko's eyes started glowing fiercely. 'How dare they…They talk as if the fight is already over-as if I've already lost.' To Yukiko, only foolish men would become passionate about something as trivial as being stronger than one another. Yukiko wasn't like that. Those foolish men who believe themselves to be strong have fallen victim to her time and time again. Yukiko didn't use brute strength to murder countless men; she used beauty and deception. 'Am I…pretty?' Seth was the first person to ever break through said beauty and deception. Yukiko didn't just want to be Seth's Pokemon on his journey. She wanted to be his partner. She wanted for him to answer the question he has eluded for so long: Am I pretty?
The whispers of the apocalypse's thirst for death has been satisfied…But Yukiko wasn't done with the Reaper yet. "Lass!" Yukiko flew straight for the Portal of Death.
Volbeat and Illumise's eyes widened.
"She, is a fool!"
"A fool, she is!"
For Seth and Chikorita, Yukiko will go to the depths of Hell if that's what it will take!
To Be Continued…