Liko - In an ocean enveloped in fog, the Rising Volt Tacklers, the students of Uva and Blueberry Academies, the Alolan Royal Family, the Vikings of Berk, and the Power Rangers Ultra Rescue hoped to meet Lapras of the Six Heroes. At long last, we were able to pinpoint his location. In the end, Lapras was moved by Marena and Terapagos' feelings and decided to come with us. But, just when all seems said and done, after all this time, Rayquaza finally appeared again!
In their submarine, Amethio, Zirc, and Onia were continuing their search for Rayquaza, hoping to reach and claim him before their colleagues would have a chance to fight him. They tracked down the Terastallized Shiny Sky High Pokemon according to whatever Intel they could find and what they already knew until Zirc got an energy reading on him from one of the sub's radars.
"Ah! Amethio, we found it!" he alerted.
"So, at last, he finally showed himself again, huh?" Amethio quizzed.
"Yes, Sir. Our scanners indicate he's approaching a hidden cavern lagoon north of here. This will be the perfect opportunity for us to strike and catch him while the iron's hot," affirmed Onia.
"Mm... You two, wait on standby, I'll call you when I need you."
"Yes, Sir," Zirc and Onia complied as they drove the submarine to the surface, allowing Amethio to exit and prepare for his next challenge against Lucius' most trusted partner.
"Corviknight, let's go!" the Explorers top agent shouted, bringing out his Raven Pokemon and climbing aboard as the pair made their way towards Rayquaza.
(Opening)
Now, head forth! Pierce through the clouds~
(Our opening for Part 2 of Pokémon Horizons (i.e. The Gleam of Terapagos) begins with Liko, Sarah, and Race in a triangle formation (Liko up top, Race from the bottom right-hand corner from her left, and Sarah from the bottom left-hand corner on her right) as their pendant and Terapagos Three shone in darkness before the former turned into Liko's Terapagos)
(We swiftly pan across the oceans akin to the beginning of the opening of Attack on Titan S4 Pt. 2 (The Rumbling by SIM) before stopping amongst the horizon as the titles for Pokémon Horizons: The Gleam of Terapagos appeared amidst a sunset/sunrise)
When I remember the words I couldn't say
I dove down to hide myself
Swimming my way through in uncertainty
I cut through the clouds and head for the blue sky
(We see a young Liko walking with her parents through a marketplace before we see her as she is, her uncertainty lifted as she holds and looks at her pendant underneath a moonlit sky from the rooftop of her family's house along with Sarah as she enjoyed her life in Alola growing up before she is shown holding her family's Sun Sword in its powered-down form as the young woman she is and held it above her head underneath the Alolan sun in a split-screen sequence. Then, in a flurry of Leafage and cosmic energy, we see the pair with their three Terapagos, Sprigatito, Hatenna, Blitz, Curly, and Silvally enjoying the breeze together on the observation decks of the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft)
One day, I'll look back
At that fiery red sunset
And burn it all into memory
(A young Roy is shown being fascinated by stories his grandfather was showing him until we see him as the boy he is (looking dirty all over and wearing the Brave Olivine's flag like a cape) eyeing the Ancient Pokeball that once held Lucius' Rayquaza in his right hand and raising it high above him in the rising or setting sun while Race is seen being found by Brandon, enjoying life with him and the other Frontier Brains, and being the man he is now as he eyed the camera and held a Pokeball in front of him while glaring at the camera in the same split-screen sequence before they're shown via Flamethrower, Shadow Claw, and Thunder watching the sunset on the Brave Olivine's Wing Deck and the Dragon craft's sun deck watching the sunset with Bella, Robbie, Tou-Tou, Wattrel, and Fuecoco)
Even if I can't reach the truth of the world~
Or the feelings of that girl~
It's okay to not understand~
Just shine like a rainbow~
(We are shown their friends and Sarah's family including a few of their Pokémon in five/six slot group sequences as follows: Friede, Orla, Mollie, Dot, Ludlow, and Murdock with Charizard, Metagross and Elekid, Chansey, Quaxly, Rockruff and Alcremie, and Quagsire; Burnet (with the cute addition of Lei) and Kukui with Munchlax, Incineroar, and Braviary joined by Diane, James, Nikki, and Johnathan with Romeo, Dragonite, Lucario, Clover, Catnip, Juliet, and Clover; Ash, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, Lillie, and Sophocles with their respective partners; and Delilah, Doug, Donna (former queen), David, Asha, and Gladion with Mischief, Persian, the Tomoe Squad, Flicker, Flicka, June, Proud, Ziracon, Umbreon, Silvally, and Lycanroc; Goh, Nemona, Arven, Penny, and Team Star with Meowscarda, Pawmo, Killowattrel, Cinderace, Inteleon, Grookey, Mabostiff, the Eevees, Bisharp, Torkoal, Skuntank, Revavroom, Azumarill, Wigglytuff, Passimian, and Toxicroak; and the Blueberry Academy students with Hydrapple, Mightyena, Toucannon, Magmortor, Empoleon, Reuniclus, Whimsicott, Granbull, Flygon, and Haxorus)
(We see a smirking Cap from the Brave Olivine's bridge and Friede taking the wheel along with MK-1 on the Dragon Craft's Bridge at its controls with an eager bark, the three of them preparing to take everyone aboard their respective ships to new heights and continue discovering all the world has to offer among the horizons)
Now, head forth! Pierce through the clouds~
Stumbling, staggering~
Standing firm and reaching farther~
Now, run forth! Towards my future~
(In the horizons, with the heroes riding their respective ships, they dash forward with Lucius' Rayquaza roaring and flying alongside them before Liko, Roy, Dot, Murdock, and Ludlow are shown with their partners stumbling, running, or sliding along Rayquaza's body with Mollie, Chansey, and Orla following on Metagross and Sarah and Race tailing their new friends aboard Bolt and Winter with the rest of their family joining them before Marena and Stormcloud joined them. Meanwhile, Amethio is shown training with his Ceruledge and Corviknight with the former forced back by the latter and their master staggering to the floor and sitting on his ass from the intensity of the training battle. As his partners sparred, he gritted his teeth and tugged his shirt, feeling unsatisfied about the current progress he was making and wanting to do more to improve themselves and himself on something while Hamber and Dusknoir watched on)
At the end of this long, long journey
I'll remember you
One day, we'll shake hands
And laugh
(Lucca, Diana, and Liko were seen together with the final Terapagos in the young girl's arms who cried out and unleashed an energy wave, showing Moltres, Arboliva, and Rayquaza with the second half of the Six Heroes: Entei, Lapras, and Kleavor, in small bursts along with Lucius and Liko's Terapagos, before Sarah, Race, Liko, their Terapagos Four, Sprigatito, Rosie, Chili, Crest, Silvally, Tou-Tou, Robbie, and Bella along with a tearful Marena come across Lucius on a cliff point before they joined the Ancient Adventurer on his current spot)
A light appeared
At the end of the rainbow
And I found my dream
(We see the Explorers in short bursts along with a Tera Orb in Sarah's hand, Lucius' gear and records, one of the Terapagos Four in Stellar Form, and someone reaching out in between the heroes looking out to the horizon and the sun in the heavens before Sarah, Liko, Marena, and Race are seen face to face with the Six Heroes as the opening ends)
(End Theme Song)
"Rayquaza!"
"I-It is him!" Liko and Roy gawked.
Rayquaza roared loudly before everyone gathered, hovering proudly in his shimmering Terastal glory and power. For Marena, she was left astounded and in total disbelief; this was the first time she had seen her and her husband's most trusted partner and greatest friend/son since she had separated them for their protection and she was at a loss for words.
"Man, he hasn't changed much," commented Sprigatito, feeling uneasy as Liko's Terapagos babbled in awe at him.
Not waiting to waste their chance of finally battling Lucius' partner, Roy and Fuecoco rushed over and shouted to get his attention, "HEY! Rayquaza, I've been waiting so long to finally see you again! Please, battle me and Fuecoco!"
"BATTLE US, RAYQUAZA!"
But, Rayquaza took no notice of the pair as he scanned the area below and the skies around him for something. It was obvious he was searching for something else that drew him here.
"Why would the big guy come here all of a sudden and after we finally proved ourselves to Lapras thanks to Marena and Terapagos?"
"Beats me. But, he clearly has no interest in Fuecoco and Roy right now," Cap and Charizard pondered as they watched Rayquaza search the area around him from his current position.
"Is it possible that because Lapras, Arboliva, Entei, Kleavor, and Moltres call out to each other, Rayquaza's now here?" Friede wondered.
"I get it now... You must be indeed be Lucius and Marena's most trusted and faithful companion!" Diana gushed, completely amazed and inspired by Rayquaza.
"Rayquaza, hey! Down here!" Roy continued to cheer.
"Please, help us get through to him," Liko prayed to the rest of the Six Heroes should they know he's coming.
"Lucius, everyone... It's time," Marena silently remarked as she gave a determined look, staring at Rayquaza while she thought about her family with her and Lucius.
Everyone wondered what was on Rayquaza's mind as Liko's Terapagos babbled at the Sky High Pokemon and Roy and Fuecoco kept on calling out to him but to no avail. However, along with the Rayquaza Gem on Sarah and her family's Sun Sword, the little princess' Key Stone and Lapras, Moltres, Arboliva, Entei, and Kleavor's Ancient Pokeballs started to glow (giving off a brighter light than everyone else expected).
Rayquaza soon looked down and thought he could sense the presence of his old team, being closer to him than he thought before he roared again. The others looked on in astonishment from both the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft, unsure of what to think of the magnificent creature.
"Phenomenal, such radiance! So, this is the Rayquaza that belonged to Lucius and Marena! This is the best day in the history of Legendary Pokemon; a Shiny Rayquaza with a Terastallized body! A Terastal Rayquaza!" Rotom-Dex buzzed excitedly as he took photos of Lucius' partner.
"Uh, is it really a good idea for us to be here this time and while we're still in range of Lucius' partner?" Murdock gulped, knowing what happened after Rayquaza was awakened.
"We should be. By the looks of it, Rayquaza doesn't want to fight right now," Ludlow quipped calmly.
Unfortunately, everyone's hopes for a peaceful reunion with Rayquaza were dashed as Sarah noticed her Rayquaza Gem blinking wildly as if to warn her about something or someone approaching. Glancing around with her Lion Vision, she saw who was coming: Amethio and Corviknight as they have their sights set on the Terastallized Shiny Legendary.
"Ah! No, Amethio! When did he-?!" she realized in shock before she shouted to Rayquaza and pointed west, "Rayquaza, look out! Get away from here! It's Amethio!"
Everyone gasped in shocked horror as they turned and Rayquaza did the same, seeing the Explorers top agent and Corviknight making a beeline for him.
"There you are, Rayquaza. Corviknight, head for Rayquaza and get ready! I've been looking for you, you've given me quite a bit of trouble wondering where you went. But, this time, things are different; I will catch you right here!" he barked with a challenging glare as he took out an Ultra Ball.
"Hmph, we'll see, Vermin," Rayquaza scoffed as he fired Dragon Pulse, forcing Corviknight to dodge and drop off his master on a nearby slab of land and allow him to summon Ceruledge.
"Ceruledge, come out!" Amethio snapped as he summoned his true partner.
"Ready!" his Fire Blades Pokemon hissed, primed for their match against Rayquaza.
"Corviknight, Ceruledge, use Air Slash plus Psycho Cut!"
Together, Ceruledge and Corviknight fired their respective long-range attacks at Rayquaza but the legendary Sky High Pokemon of Lucius nullified them with a powerful roar which caused the shockwaves from it to create waves that surged along the rocky outcrops and threatened to knock everyone within range down despite them all holding firm.
"It is Amethio!"
"Where'd he come from?!"
"Damn you, Amethio!"
"How did he find us and Rayquaza?" Astrid, Zenna, Cap, and Friede remarked in disgust.
"Don't know, don't care!" Charizard replied, knowing that things are getting crazy now with Amethio back in the fray.
"Tch, so long-range attacks have no effect on you. No matter, Ceruledge, jump atop Corviknight and attack again!"
"Yes, Sir!" Amethio and Ceruledge bantered as the latter got onto the Raven Pokemon.
But, before they could rush Rayquaza again, the Terastallized Shiny Legendary fired Dragon Pulse at them again.
"Dodge it, Corviknight!"
With only seconds to spare, Amethio's Steel/Flying Type was able to dodge Dragon Pulse again but the angered and agitated Rayquaza kept on firing at them, going so far as to create more waves that threatened to wash the heroes away without warning.
"Roy, look out! Toothless!" Hiccup cried as he, Loki, and Toothless rushed towards the young adventurer and shielded him before he could be swept into the sea. "Are you okay, Roy?!"
"But, Rayquaza, we saw him first!" Roy replied, completely disregarding his safety as his eyes were still trained on Rayquaza.
"Calm down, Roy!" barked Loki, glaring at him intensely.
But, Roy didn't listen as he tried to rush towards Rayquaza only for Hiccup to hold him back by grabbing his right arm, "Roy! Not yet, don't get crazy!"
"But, Rayquaza's gonna-!" Roy screamed angrily, still trying to get to Rayquaza but struggling against Hiccup's firm grip.
"Forget it! Just stop!"
"Let go of me, Hiccup! Rayquaza's going to be-!"
"Not while he's in a fighting frenzy, you're not!"
"Hiccup! You and your friends bring Roy and Liko here and help protect the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft before it's too late!" Murdock called, seeing the danger Rayquaza posed now that he's agitated.
"Got it! Come on, buddy! Roy, let's go, stop struggling! There's nothing you can do!" Hiccup nodded as he, Loki, and Toothless dragged Roy back to the Brave Olivine before he shouted to his friends, "Guys, get ready to defend the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft before they get destroyed! Help the others get back inside!"
"Right/Yeah!" his friends replied as they escorted Sarah, Asha, and Race's classmates back inside the ships and braced themselves to defend them.
"RAYQUAZA! LET ME GO, HICCUP! RAYQUAZA...!" Roy screeched defiantly as he fought against their hold while he was being dragged back.
"This is not good! If Amethio keeps this up and Rayquaza ends up getting us caught in the crossfire..." Sarah breathed in horror, gritting her teeth before she grunted and turned to her friends. "Ash, Gladion, Race, guys, prepare to fight! We can't let Rayquaza shoot us down while he's in a frenzy! It's Morphin Time!"
"Right!" Ash, Race, the Pokemon School Gang, and Gladion nodded as they and their leader brought out their respective Morphers.
Sarah turned to Liko and Diana as Terapagos cried out to Rayquaza while Arcanine and Sprigatito prepared themselves to fight before she called out to them, "Diana, Liko, get back to the Brave Olivine and stay there! Don't come out until Rayquaza's calmed down somehow!"
"I appreciate your concern, Sarah, but I can't leave you all to fight alone!" Diana declined knowingly.
"No way you're leaving me on the sidelines!" Lazuli added as she and the Circle of Twelve got ready.
"That goes for me, too! I made a vow to see Rayquaza again and to have myself, him, Lapras, Moltres, Kleavor, Entei, and Arboliva be a family again! I'm not going back on that now even if I have to chase Rayquaza to the ends of the earth to bring him back to us!" agreed Marena as she brought out her staff and braced herself as well.
"Wait, Grandma, Marena, Sarah! We can't fight Rayquaza, we need to try and talk with him! Think about Terapagos and his feelings for him!" Liko begged frantically.
"Don't you think we know that?!" Look at him; Amethio's got him all riled up right now! Talking's not going to help us this time, actions speak louder than words and the only way to help him understand is to drive Amethio away and knock some sense into him! Ready, guys?" Sarah spat back before she brought out her Solgaleo Sphere and readied herself to morph.
"Ready!" her friends and Race replied as they brought out their Poke-X Keys and their Pokemon got into battle stances while they morphed.
"Cosmic Orb, Solgaleo Sphere!"
"Link to Morphin Grid!"
With not a second to lose, the Power Rangers Ultra Rescue took center stage again as the eight heroes morphed back into their alter egos and brought out their respective weapons.
"Rangers Forever, Defenders Together! Ultra Cosmic Poke Power!"
With Amethio, his partners were continuing to have a rough time with Rayquaza as he continued to shoot Dragon Pulse at them. However, they were able to get close to him as Corviknight flew up his body, allowing Ceruledge to jump up and prepare to hit him in the face.
"Now, knock him out of the skies, Ceruledge! Psycho Cut, now!" Amethio shouted, having his Fire Blades Pokemon hit Rayquaza in the face with Psycho Cut only for it to have no effect on him.
"Is that Psycho Cut supposed to scare me? IT IS WORTHLESS!" Rayquaza roared in disappointment as he brutally slashed Ceruledge with Dragon Claw and followed up with Dragon Pulse three times, beating the Ghost/Fire Type to a pulp.
"Ceruledge!" gasped Amethio as he saw his mortally-wounded and downed partner before Rayquaza snorted and turned towards the heroes, looking for more of a challenge from them and getting his attention to them. "Ugh, the Rising Volt Tacklers and the princess and her family? Just my luck..."
Just as Hiccup, Toothless, and Loki managed to drag the screaming and struggling Roy to the Brave Olivine, Liko and Diana along with Terapagos, Sprigatito, and Arcanine managed to join them while Sarah and her team covered them, everyone seeing Rayquaza approaching them and looking ready for a fight from anybody he would deem as a worthy adversary.
"Here he comes!" Astrid shouted as Stormfly raised her spines, Hookfang ignited his flames, and their fellow dragons snarled at him, seeing how brutal he was in beating down Ceruledge.
"Ugh! Roy, no!"
"Get back here!" Hiccup and Loki grunted, seeing Roy finally break free from their and Toothless' hold to confront Rayquaza.
"Rayquaza! I challenge you to a battle!" he ordered with furious determination.
"NO, ROY!" Sarah, her friends with her, and her human family screamed in shock at the young adventurer.
"You, challenge me? Pathetic! DIE!" Rayquaza bellowed furiously at Roy (getting a worried coo from Liko's Terapagos) before unleashing a fully charged Draco Meteor attack on everyone.
"LOOK OUT!" Marena screeched, panic setting in as everybody was forced to dodge or defend themselves from the Draco Meteor attack coming down on them while screaming.
Lazuli was forced to dive towards Roy and knock him out of the way so he didn't get hit by one of the meteors meant for him (while Fuecoco darted over to them in a panic), causing her to hurt her left arm as she shielded him from the ground, "Argh! Draco Meteor?! Ugh, shit!"
"Kiddo!" Mr. Hu cried in alarm, seeing Lazuli hurt her left arm as she defined Roy.
"Lazuli, Roy! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Rowlet, Melmetal, Leaf Storm and Flash Cannon!"
"Snowy, Ice Beam! Let's go!"
"Turtonator and Pyroar, use Flamethrower!"
"Tsareena, use Magical Leaf!"
"Sandy, Primarina, use Swift and Sparkling Aria!"
"Vikavolt, Zap Cannon! Togedemaru, Zing Zap, go!"
"Robbie, Bella, Shadow Ball plus Discharge!"
"Let's go, Silvally, use Air Slash!" Ash, Gladion, Race, and the Pokemon School Gang barked, calling their Pokemon's best attacks as they destroyed multiple meteors coming at them while they jumped towards some of the meteors and cut them down with their blades.
"They're in trouble! Charizard, use Flamethrower to help them!" Friede added, allowing his Flame Pokemon to join in and give the Power Rangers a hand.
"Arcanine, use your Flamethrower, too!" Diana concurred, having Arcanine destroy one of the other meteors using Flamethrower.
With Dragon and Zephyr, they shielded Burnet and Kukui with their own bodies powered by the Gift of Mystic that made them invulnerable to the meteors from Draco Meteor.
With the dragons, while the Sky Torcher couple fired their fire breath and struck eight of the meteors down and Reshiram and Tao used Blue Flare and Ice Beam in turn, Toothless and his fellow dragons shot their own meteors down with their respective attacks.
Sarah managed to slash away at the meteors with Cosmic Grace and her Solgaleo Flare Saber before turning to Rayquaza and shouting at him, "Rayquaza, please! Calm down! We mean no harm, we just wanted to talk to you before Amethio interfered!"
"Do I look like I want to talk, human?!" Rayquaza boomed furiously, still in a rage after Amethio's assault on him.
"Rayquaza, stop! Don't deny the truth, we just wanted to speak to you! I want to speak with you! It's been so long, old friend!" pleaded Marena as she came alongside the little princess, shocking Rayquaza as he gasped upon seeing her again and momentarily pausing his assault. "It's okay! We're not the enemy! You're fine now! But, we can't help you if you don't open your heart to us! Trust me! Please!"
But, Rayquaza, still lost in his angered frenzy from Amethio's previous assault on him, ignored her as he roared and flew into the heavens before he glowed green. Seeing this, the heroes who knew about his regular counterpart realized he was going to use his species' signature move, the strongest of all Flying Type attacks in the World of Pokemon: Dragon Ascent.
"What's he doing?!" Friede shouted, wondering what Rayquaza was doing.
"That move... No! He's going to use Dragon Ascent on us!"
"That's the strongest attack used by Flying Types known in the history of Pokemon!" Kiawe and Lillie gasped in alarm.
"Dragon Ascent on us of all people, Rayquaza? Well, in that case, two can play that game! Let's go!" Sarah challenged back firmly as she planted her Solgaleo Flare Saber on the ground and held out Cosmic Grace.
Tapping into the Rayquaza Gem's power as her sword's blade shimmered in a green aura, Sarah flew up to Rayquaza (using her saber as a boosting platform after jumping from the ground) and enveloped herself in a green dragon of energy shaped like a Rayquaza.
Everyone who didn't know about the Sun Sword's ultimate power and Sarah's usage of it gasped and gawked in astonishment with Friede and Diana voicing their thoughts, "Oh!"
"What the-?!"
Letting out their own battle cries, Rayquaza and Sarah rammed at each other in the air and collided with great force, causing a great explosion of wind and water from where they were at. The blast was so powerful that everyone watching and was slightly sent flying back into the cave wall screaming while the Brave Olivine was rocked and Murdock, Orla, Mollie, and Ludlow staggered and fell down.
From the cloud of smoke that followed the explosion, Rayquaza was knocked back hard and he quickly righted himself before he could land in the ocean. Sarah, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky as she skidded across and righted herself back up before crashing into the rocks.
"SARAH!"
"Island Girl!"
"Sweetheart, no!"
"Princess!"
"Oh no, Little Buddy!"
"Kiddo, no!" Liko, Race, Delilah, Tsukumaro, Arven, and Hu gasped in horror, seeing Sarah stagger out of the rubble she was in but still standing.
She coughed and shook herself before she eyed Rayquaza and grunted, still determined to protect everyone around her, "Urgh! Rrgh, come on!"
Rayquaza followed through with Dragon Pulse but Sarah raised Cosmic Grace and the blade now shimmered in a sky blue and pink aura, letting out a roar and using Zacian's Behemoth Blade to cut the Dragon Type attack clean in half.
"No way!" gasped Eri as she and her classmates all stared in awe of the full potential of Sarah's Pokemon Gems (including her family's seven main gems when their full power is tapped into).
"What?!" Amethio gawked as he checked on his Ceruledge, completely taken aback by Sarah's use of such power.
Now, seeing Sarah displaying great power and daring tenacity, Rayquaza began to glare at her with curiosity as he gave off an intrigued snort. As far as he was concerned, nobody had been able to match him given he was the strongest of the Six Heroes and his own family can attest to it since they can't use Dragon Ascent. But, now, there was someone worthy enough to fight him: a lowly human who was more than meets the eye since she was able to use Dragon Ascent against him and counter the power of his Dragon Pulse.
"So, there is one of you who is worthy of being my opponent... Hmm, interesting, not many could say they used my Dragon Ascent attack and survived my Dragon Pulse as you did and lived to tell the tale. Still, given how you're on your last wits, I'm afraid this is where we part. Farewell, young maiden," Rayquaza purred as he unleashed Draco Meteor, forcing everyone within range to take cover or defend themselves again.
However, one of the meteors managed to hit where Liko, Roy, Diana, Arcanine, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Terapagos were and gave them a fright, knocking Liko down hard and making her drop Terapagos.
"Liko!" Diana gasped in horror, seeing her granddaughter down.
Recovering from his dazed state, Terapagos heard Fuecoco and Sprigatito's worried cries for their partners. Seeing Liko staggered and hurt from Rayquaza's attack nearly hitting her as well as Roy unable to do anything and feeling useless in his current position, Terapagos couldn't bear to see his friends (especially Liko) getting hurt anymore.
"No more!" he cooed determinedly as he staggered to his feet with Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet looking towards their family and friends and sharing his sentiments.
Seeing how they were trying to avoid Draco Meteor and Sarah, Race, and their friends backed into a corner as they were forced to protect everyone and themselves from the assault, they cooed and quickly waddled over to join their fellow Tera Pokemon.
But, their time to shine didn't come until one of the meteors came at Roy, forcing the young girl to push him out of the way and take it for him, screaming: "Watch out, Roy! Run!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!"
A loud combined cry from Terapagos, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet drew everyone's attention, seeing the four Tera Pokemon have enough of Rayquaza's brutality and tapping into the Terastal Energy within them. While Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz reaccessed their Terastal Forms, Liko's Terapagos achieved his true form for the first time in who-knows-how-long.
"... Terapagos?" gasped Liko as she and everyone else looked on in astonishment.
Sarah looked at the four Terapagos transforming into their Terastral Forms from her position, and as she saw Larmina and Topaz in their true forms again, she could only cry with widened and shocked eyes at what they were doing thanks to Rayquaza and his ongoing thrashing, "...L-Larmina, Topaz!"
Even Race couldn't help but balk at Garnet (back in his Terastal Form) wanting to fight to protect everyone they love, his breath shuddering as he only peeped in shock, "Garnet!"
"Ah! They did it again...! Sis, guys, look at this! Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, they did it again!" Kieran shouted at Carmine and his classmates in amazement, getting their attention as they and the rest of the Paldea School Gang joined him on the Brave Olivine after getting off the Dragon Craft.
"They're back in their Terastal Forms!"
"When did they get here?!"
"Hey, look! Liko's Terapagos now looked just like them!"
"But, how?! He's still a baby!" Carmine, Lacey, Giacomo, and Mela gasped.
"What's going on out there?" breathed an astonished Penny as she recorded on her Rotom Phone, seeing Rayquaza giving all four Tera Pokemon an intrigued glare as his attention was now on them.
"Pretty...!"
"Cool...!" breathed Della and Scooby as they watched from the Dragon Craft's bridge.
"Aww, yeah! Now, things are really getting wild! Time to show the Big Bad Dragon a little taste of Terastal Puppy Power!" hollered Scrappy excitedly as he went to Sarah's satchels and dug out her Tera Orb from them.
"Scrappy!" Scooby and Della cried in shock, seeing him leave the Dragon Craft and the Brave Olivine to join Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet.
"Hey!"
"What are-?!"
"Scrappy!"
"He's got Sarah's Tera Orb!"
"No, Scrappy, don't do it!"
"Scrappy, come back!" Carmine, Ortega, Drayton, Amarys, Lacey, and Crispin screamed in horror as Scrappy darted past them and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers.
"Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da! Terastal Puppy Power!" Scrappy cheered as he threw the Tera Orb over Topaz, Larmina, and Garnet and it charged with Tera Energy before they transformed into their shared Stellar Form.
"Rrgh, that form again...! But, why?!" grunted Amethio with a snarl, seeing what was happening.
As the last remnants of Rayquaza's Draco Meteor attack came at the heroes and Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet were back at full power, the four Terapagos unleashed a Group Tera Starstorm attack that countered the last of the powerful Dragon Type move to save everyone gathered from his wrath.
After seeing this, Rayquaza seemed impressed with the four Tera Pokémon (Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz more so as he saw them at their full power and true forms through Sarah's Terastal Orb). However, the same could not be said for Liko's Terapagos as he soon felt exhausted from his new power, his eyes growing heavy while he reverted to his normal form and collapsed onto the ground.
"Terapagos!" Liko gasped as she took her unconscious baby Pokémon into her arms.
Based on this, Rayquaza saw that while Terapagos' power was lacking, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet were at full strength and could keep going in their true forms so he turned back to them and gave off a challenging roar.
Knowing what they needed to do, the three remaining Stellar Form Terapagos turned to Sarah but unlike last time, much to the little princess and Race's relief, they (especially Topaz) recognized her. Once their eyes were fixed on hers, Sarah's Normalium Z appeared before her from her Z-Crystal case and their Terastal Energy seeped into it, causing it to sparkle before her eyes.
"Look, it's Sarah's Normalium Z!"
"What's going on? Why is Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet's Terastal Energy going into it?"
"And, what's it doing here?" Ash, Lillie, and Gladion breathed before everybody saw the Normalium Z transforming into a new Z-Power Crystal now that it is powered by Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz's Terastral Energy.
The new Z-Power Crystal before her was a larger yet more intricate version of a normal Z-Crystal/Z-Power Crystal, resembling a radiant star with sharp and angular facets. Its main body was translucent and a brilliant iridescent white, constantly shifting from blue, green, and purple hues. And, to top it all off, at the center of the new crystal was a luminous symbol that represented a radiant starburst with an overlay of a hexagonal pattern.
Sarah was stunned by it; this was the third time a new Z-Crystal was created for her to use following the Eclipsium Z and the Rainbow Z-Crystal.
"It can't be!"
"Is that what I think it is?"
"It's another new Z-Crystal!"
"But, who exactly does it work for?" Mollie, Murdock, Kukui, and Burnet gasped in shock, wondering which Pokémon the Z-Crystal works for until it resonated with the three Tera Pokémon remaining before everyone.
At this, Sarah realized that the new Z-Crystal created from Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz's Terastal Energy and her Normalium Z was meant to work with a Terapagos including her and Race's own.
"Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, are you sure...?" she began, getting affirmative coos from the three Tera Pokémon and an encouraging nod from Race as he understood what they were trying to do and tell her. "Okay, I'm with you... Let's go!"
Taking the new Z-Crystal in her right hand, Sarah got into a Z-Pose stance, her feet shoulder-width apart before she raised her right arm above her head and extended her left arm outward as if she was drawing energy from her current surroundings, consequently making the Z-Crystal in her right hand shine brightly and emit beams of light that began to surround her.
"Stars above, hear my cry! Bestow upon us your radiant power!" she began to recite.
Then, she brought both hands together in front of her chest to form a triangle with her fingers around the new Z-Crystal before she closed her eyes and focused on channeling the new energy building inside of her. Soon, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet challenged that same energy from their Z-Crystal through them, causing it to glow and emit a new radiant light that enveloped the battlefield around them which intensified and created a constellation pattern in the air around the little princess. She then thursted her arms outward and upward before she leaned back slightly, looking towards the heavens with renewed determination as all she thought about was safeguarding her family and friends in danger from Rayquaza's wrath.
"Ancient Light, converge and shine out! Fill my and my husband's Tera Pokémon and I with celestial might!"
Now performing swift circular motions with her arms, Sarah drew an invisible halo around them and herself before bringing her right hand to her heart and her left hand back outward towards the three Tera Pokémon fighting with her, "Burst forth, cosmic energy, and illuminate our path to victory!"
Then, the background soon transformed into a starry sky with constellations appearing and converging around the battlefield.
This, in turn, caused Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet's shells and bodies to begin shimmering with a brilliant aura, the facets of their newly created Terastallium Z projecting beams of multicolored light into the sky that formed a radiant starburst above the battlefield before its energy created a radiant burst that resonated from them and Sarah.
"By the power of the stars, unite! Shine, my Terapagos! Together, let your light shine bright as we command the skies! Tera Burst Radiance!"
Letting out a final combined scream as they unleashed the full power of their very own Z-Move with Sarah, Garnet, Larmina, and Topaz unleashed a powerful beam of pure dazzling energy condensed from the starburst around them that descended upon the shocked Terastallized Sky High Pokémon, striking him dead center on his chest. The beam then fractured upon impact, creating an explosion of light that engulfed him in a dazzling display of colors.
Everyone shielded their eyes from the bright light and immense power of Tera Burst Radiance. And, as if that wasn't enough to shock everyone, Rayquaza was sent flying back before he crashed into the ocean and several rock formations behind him once they got a good look at the Legendary.
"OH, SWEET ARCEUS!"
"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"
"A Z-MOVE? A Z-MOVE JUST BY THOSE SHRIMPS?!"
"YAAAAAAAY!"
"Yeah, HA-HA! That's what I'm talkin' about!"
"MIGHTY SARAH, MIGHTY SARAH!"
"WHAT A SIGHT! GOOD THING I RECORDED EVERYTHING!" Blitz, Silvally, Eternatus, Wooloo, Liberty, the Poms, and Rotom-Dex balked or cheered.
"Incredible, that move must've done some fascinating damage to him!"
"I've never seen a Z-Move like that before!"
"YEAH! YOU GOT HIM, LITTLE BUDDY!"
"YOU DID IT, YOU DID IT! WHOOOOOOOO!"
"¡Absolutamente fantástico! ¡Verdaderamente estelar!" Diana, Friede, Arven, Penny, and Nemona hollered or breathed while everyone else cheered or balked in complete shock and fascination for Sarah, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet's unexpected turnaround.
While the heroes were celebrating, Rayquaza silently rose from the rocks and ocean while breathing heavily, astonished that he was taken out by a Z-Move that appeared out of thin air by Garnet, Topaz, and Larmina's Terastal Energy and the little princess' Normalium Z. Everyone turned to him in silence as he stared at the three Stellar Form Terapagos and the young girl that bested him, seeing Sarah's Key Stone shining from her left-hand glove and the Rayquaza Gem shimmering from her family's Sun Sword (which she was using to prop herself up since Tera Burst Radiance had taken up a lot of her energy).
Finally, after a while, Rayquaza leaned back, prompting everyone to brace themselves again and think he decided to keep fighting. But, instead, he bowed in respect to his four opponents, earning their respect and seeing them with a lot of potential.
"I CAN SEE YOU THREE ARE AT YOUR FULL POWER AND YOU WERE WILLING TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR HUMAN TO ALLOW YOURSELVES AND HER TO BEST ME AS YOU DID. I THANK YOU... BUT, DON'T THINK YOU'VE SEEN THE LAST OF ME, THOUGH. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN, AND NEXT TIME, I HOPE YOU'RE ALL READY," he announced before he let out a final roar, having seen enough and left the heroes on their own.
Roy and Marena gasped as they watched Lucius' partner fly away with the former breathing solemnly, "Rayquaza..."
Marena was silent as tears fell down her eyes; she was disappointed to see her husband's greatest partner and the last member of her family flying away, having lost her current chance to talk to him.
As he left, he passed by Amethio after he returned Ceruledge to his Pokeball, gritting his teeth as he realized he was still out of his league after seeing the Terastal Shiny Legendary's strength as well as Sarah, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet's full power and their new Terastallium Z (which remained even after the three Tera Pokémon returned to their normal forms).
Night fell by the time Rayquaza was long gone while Amethio vanished from sight to regroup with Onia and Zirc and everybody was still trying to recover from what they had just gone through. Ash and the rest of his team managed to bring Sarah over to the others before she passed out, going out like a light after using Tera Burst Radiance to such a degree with her and Race's Terapagos Three, but now they were all at an impasse.
Rayquaza proved to be much stronger than everybody realized or remembered and despite the last-ditch miracle Terapagos, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet provided with the latter three managing to create a new Z-Crystal and use its power with Sarah's help, he was able to beat everyone at full strength and he couldn't care less about someone like Roy or wanting to talk as Marena hoped after Amethio riled him up as he did.
"Talk about unwelcomed and unexpected interruptions..." Friede sighed as he came up alongside Liko.
"You mean, the Explorers?" the young girl answered.
"Yeah. Based on Amethio's timing and his fighting Rayquaza earlier, I doubt they were tailing us this time... He was specifically after him but how and why, even I don't know... Still, his arrival worries me."
Lazuli, gingerly holding her left arm, approached Marena as the Sea Witch silently cried over her lost chance to reunite with Rayquaza, carefully asking her, "You okay...?"
Marena only nodded in reply as Roy muttered miserably while watching the quiet horizon before him, "He's gone again...and after we managed to see him again after so long. Why, why didn't I do anything...?"
"**Oh, Roy,**" peeped Fuecoco sadly.
"Roy, let's turn in for tonight, okay?" Friede called to the young boy.
"Hmm," the young adventurer agreed as everybody returned to the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft with Friede carrying Sarah so Mollie could examine her and Liko's Terapagos (upon her request).
But, as Liko joined the others, she noticed that Diana and Marena weren't joining them as the Sea Witch continued to stare into the distance and her grandmother was deep in thought while she and Arcanine did the same.
"Marena, Grandma?" she asked, getting their attention.
"U-Uh... Yeah, sure."
"Of course, we'll be right with you," they replied with sad or soft smiles as they and Arcanine came over and the heroes were on their way back to Paldea.
Now in Mollie's hospital room, Sarah was bandaged up and recovering along with Liko's Terapagos. The use of Dragon Ascent and her collision with Rayquaza and her fighting him had left the little princess exhausted but the good thing was that she was not seriously injured. As of now, she and Terapagos were sleeping like a pair of logs with the baby Tera Pokémon sleeping peacefully on her stomach.
Nobody had cause to worry because Tsukumaro mentioned that his goddaughter's Nephilim Physiology allowed her to heal from her wounds faster, unlike a normal human. But, even so, that didn't offer Liko any comfort as she sadly looked between her and Terapagos as she and Sprigatito stared at them, gravely worried over their conditions. She was still scared after seeing Sarah nearly die to protect her and everyone else despite the Hail Mary Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz had given her with their new Terastallium Z.
"Well, unlike Sarah despite her Nephilim Physiology, Terapagos doesn't seem injured. He must be worn out after using up all his energy like that," the traveling doctor diagnosed as the young girl continued to worry for them. "Hey, now... Why don't you and Sprigatito go to bed, Liko? I'll look out for them tonight, no need to beat yourself up for them..."
"...Mm-hmm," Liko replied, deciding to get some sleep and hope they would feel better in the morning.
Meanwhile, Roy and Fuecoco were out on the Brave Olivine's deck thinking over the entire incident with Rayquaza. He couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty for what happened to Sarah since it was his fault Rayquaza attacked everyone after Amethio riled him up in his failed opportunity to catch him. Despite feeling relieved that the little princess will be alright thanks to her Nephilim Physiology, her family was furious at the young adventurer for how reckless he was over his obsession to see and battle Rayquaza. And, as a result, they gave him the cold shoulder for the rest of the night.
They didn't want anything to do with him for the time being given how Sarah nearly got herself killed again to save everyone after he had unintentionally provoked Rayquaza in his riled-up state with his challenge to fight him. He felt his current position with them deeply and the knowledge that Lucius' partner had bypassed him and was beaten by one of his best friends didn't help much, especially since it made him feel a little jealous of Sarah.
"I wanted to see him again for so long after he disappeared... But, when he finally came and I unintentionally ended up putting everyone in danger, I couldn't do a thing... He barely even looked my way and Sarah nearly killed herself to save us all. But, in doing so, she managed to battle and beat him doing things I could only dream of doing. And, she, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet had to win by using a Z-Crystal and a Z-Move of all things that weren't even possible... How...? How was she able to do it when I couldn't?" he mused, disheartened.
He sighed as he recalled how he was with Sarah's family before he became determined to put things right and get back in their good graces again, "But, next time, for sure... Even if Sarah's family no longer trusts me, I have to show them... I have to *become better* for them, for her, for him..."
Of course, despite his determination to be better and his sadness over his current relationship with the little princess' family, there was a silver lining as he gathered his thoughts. He was nudged a little by a sleeping Fuecoco by his side as he tried and failed to stay awake, getting a small laugh out of him and giving him hope for a better tomorrow.
As everyone else slept and tried to put everything that happened back at Lapras and the Lapras Pirates' old base behind them while the night rolled on, with the Brave Olivine and the Dragon Craft flying peacefully in the dark, Diana, Marena, Lazuli (with her left arm in a sling since Mollie discovered she broke it while protecting Roy), Friede (joined by Cap), and the Circle of Twelve gathered in the Dragon Craft's dining room to discuss everything that went down and what they planned to do going forward.
"So, was Terapagos really the Pokémon depicted in Lucius' journal as you've discovered?" Friede questioned the elderly adventurer.
Diana nodded in confirmation as she told the unconventional professor, "Yes, the power I've sensed from him was identical to that of the Six Heroes. It's known as Terastal Energy, a type of energy born from Paldea's Terastal Phenomenon."
"But, after Liko's Terapagos used up all of his Terastal Power to protect her, he returned to his normal form seconds after. Still, Larmina, Topaz, and Garnet maintained their Terastal Forms and Scrappy gave us the Hail Mary we needed by using Sarah's Tera Orb to transform them into their Stellar Form in Sarah's stead. And, that was their most powerful form," Mistral recalled.
"And, it seems as though Rayquaza decided to leave after they and Sarah proved themselves to him by beating him with that new unexplained Z-Move and after Liko's Terapagos changed back."
"So, judging from what we've seen earlier today, does that mean Rayquaza wanted to see Liko's Terapagos at full power then?" Lazuli quipped, raising a curious eyebrow at Liko's grandmother.
"Interesting, it's almost as if he didn't have any interest in fighting Liko's Terapagos while he was in his normal form. That didn't change after he reverted to his normal form when his brief transformation to Terastal Form ended following his first use of Tera Starstorm to protect Liko. It happened after she willingly put herself in danger of Rayquaza's Draco Meteor while saving Roy," Naomi pondered, rubbing her chin thoughtfully while getting an agreeing nod from Friede.
"If my theory is correct, Rayquaza may have been testing Terapagos' power. And, while he failed that test the first time, he approved of Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz and their power after Scrappy managed to Terastallize them using Sarah's Tera Orb. Also, the fact that Sarah used Dragon Ascent to protect us all and cut his Dragon Pulse using Zacian's Behemoth Blade before she could get hurt and match him even for a moment was completely unfathomable, even for him."
"You got that right. And, what about that rad Z-Move? It was completely out of nowhere and the giant dragon was sent straight down to the ocean after they used it on him! It was the bomb! BOOM!"
"And, it was the clincher to our fight against him that allowed them to earn his respect given how he bowed to them afterward before leaving us," Sydney and Rabbit noted.
"Perhaps meeting Arboliva, Moltres, Entei, Kleavor, and Lapras managed to awaken Terapagos and grant him some of his power, possibly Terastal Energy. And, what's more, Rayquaza being covered in such power allowed him to absorb enough of it to take on his Terastal Form as Lucius' notes described," Friede theorized based on what they already know.
"But, until we can find and confront Rayquaza and bring him back to his family, unlike the kiddos, his form won't be complete."
"It doesn't help that the Explorers might be going after Terapagos in addition to Rayquaza, after all. Especially given his connection to him and the rest of the Six Heroes," Lazuli and Hu sighed grimly.
Diana gasped in surprise as she asked the swordswoman, "Hold on! Lazuli, are you and Mr. Hu saying the Explorers want to find Laqua? And, they plan to do so through Rayquaza, Terapagos, and the rest of the Six Heroes?"
Lazuli nodded as she continued on Hu's behalf, "Mr. Hu and I; we'd mulled around for a bit regarding that but after recalling my missions with them, I can't see why they wouldn't be going after that paradise. Hear me out, Lapras, Rayquaza, Moltres, Kleavor, Entei, Arboliva, and Terapagos; they're the keys to their and our finding Laqua and they wanted me and the kid out of the way for reasons they already know. Whatever's inside Laqua is what Master Gibeon wants and it's why Amethio is planning to hunt Rayquaza down and capture him before we could have a chance to deal with him. Unfortunately, his energy is how he found him and us and set everything that happened earlier up."
"Master Gibeon, eh? So, I'm guessing he's the head honcho of the Explorers?" puzzled Marena, getting a nod from Lazuli.
"But, *we* have an ace up our sleeves; we have five of the Six Heroes, your family, and that just leaves Rayquaza. He's the only one left so our best hope is to find a way to get you to talk to him and explain why you and Lucius had to split them up as you did. By doing that, we can help you convince Rayquaza to willingly come with us and return to you and your family before they steal him from us and find Laqua first."
Diana and Friede nodded in agreement to Lazuli's suggestion as Rooster then quipped about Roy, "That also includes getting Mr. 'Hey, Battle Me!' under control and understanding his limits. The kid nearly got us roasted because he desperately a battle with Long, Giant, Powerful, and Creepy after You-Know-Who made him go through a rant-fest, and if the girls' crystal squirts hadn't saved our bacon..."
Friede was astonished by everything until he grinned and said, "Alright, if that's the case, it all gives us a clear goal to strive for!"
He turned to Cap and told him, "Let's give it our all, Cap!"
"Captain's honor, pal!" Cap grinned in agreement.
"I'm in."
"So am I."
"Wherever Lazuli and the princess go, we're going, too."
"Count me in."
"It's not even a question; I still have some unfinished business with Rayquaza, obviously," Hu, Mistral, Sydney, Lazuli, and Marena replied with determined smiles as the rest of their group joined in, sharing their sentiments.
Diana smiled warmly at the heroes before her as Friede thanked her on everyone's behalf, "Diana, we really can't thank you enough."
"You've done so much for us since we met you and you, Arcanine, and Squawkabilly joined us throughout this leg of our journey."
"How can we ever repay you?" added Dog and Snake in agreement.
"Come now, all of you. Why so formal all of a sudden? You don't owe me anything," smirked Diana in amusement, wondering what's gotten into them all.
"Well, if I'm being honest, this kind of stuff is what I've dreamed about since becoming a Pokémon Professor. Going on adventures of all sorts and getting to meet tons of exotic Pokémon on center stage... It all just hit me at once and in a way that really touches me," Friede elaborated.
"You've provided us with a new perspective of our world and going on adventures, and in a way, you've taught us more about having fun on adventures and understanding that we can become better beings after taking that first step."
"And, you've been a big help in getting us out of tight jams whenever we got ourselves in a pickle. I don't think we've ever met a woman as fiery and free-spirited as you," Pig and Ox chuckled.
"I know that feeling well; it's the same thing I felt when I decided to continue where I left off on my adventures thirty years ago. That said... I'll entrust Liko and her well-being to all of you," Diana smiled back, getting up from her chair and bowing to her friends.
"Right... H-Huh?! Where is this coming from?"
"Diana?" Friede and Cap asked, baffled.
Even Lazuli, Marena, and the Circle of Twelve were astonished as they looked at each other and Hu asked on everyone's behalf, "What is it you're saying, Diana?"
"What I'm saying is it's time for me to go on my own for the time being again. Our investigation into Lapras and his whereabouts and our run-in with Rayquaza earlier...it all helped to reassure me she will be safe with all of you: the Rising Volt Tacklers, the Alolan Royal Family, the students of Uva and Blueberry Academies, the legendary Circle of Twelve, and the Power Rangers Ultra Rescue. Not only that, there's something else that worries me... Lazuli, Friede, I'm sure you and everyone else with you back at my castle base remember me telling you how I met up with an old friend, right? He was in league with the Explorers so I want to see if I can dig up some information about them and why they're doing these awful things."
"You mean Hamber? But, Diana, wouldn't it be best if you stayed with us instead of going out to investigate them on your own? I know that gleam in your eyes but it's too dangerous, we don't know what they'll do to you if you run into them again or they catch you out," Lazuli protested worriedly.
Despite her pleas, Diana shook her head as she reassured her before giving her an admitting smile, "In times like these, it's usually best if one travels light so they could be prepared for the worst. And, if you haven't already noticed, traveling together in one big family isn't really my style."
"...I guess you've made up your mind, then," Friede said as he and Cap smiled in acceptance.
"I know that look; once you got something in mind and you're fixated on it, there's no way anybody can stop you. Take care of yourself when you do leave us but keep in touch whenever possible, okay?" chuckled Marena knowingly.
"Diana, I..." Lazuli began, feeling sad and concerned for the elderly adventurer just as the sun rose and its rays peeked through the portholes as a new day dawned before them.
Diana understood Lazuli's concern for her as they looked towards the sun, reassuring her while telling her and everybody else, "Fear not, Lazuli, I won't allow myself to be caught. But, even so, you must focus on safeguarding Lapras, Moltres, Arboliva, Entei, and Kleavor and finding out the location of Laqua. I'll figure out why the Explorers want the pendant and Sarah, Race, and Liko's Terapagos so badly for Laqua; that will be my atonement for everything that happened to you all ever since I got you, Liko, and everyone else roped into this mess."
"We understand," Hu nodded, supporting Diana's decision to leave and carry out her investigation into Hamber, the Explorers, and their motives.
"I agree; we're all heading to Paldea, anyway, especially given it was once Terapagos, Larmina, Garnet, and Topaz's homeland and Sarah and Race are still enrolled in Uva Academy. It would be an ideal place for us to know more about them, the Six Heroes, and Laqua; the knowledge that Terapagos is responsible for the Terastral Phenomenon there is a good starting point," added Friede in agreement.
"Mm-hmm... Ah, yes, now I don't want to worry the others given everything that went down last evening. So, if you wouldn't mind, would you kindly keep all of this to yourselves for now?" Diana requested.
"Our lipsssss are ssssssealed."
"But, if things get too hairy, they deserve to know."
"Of course, but in return, make sure to ring us if anything goes wrong on your end," Snake, Sydney, and Friede nodded on everyone's behalf.
However, the unconventional professor realized a snag in their plan, "Oh, right! I forgot; you don't have a Rotom Phone like the rest of us... Oh, this certainly poses a problem..."
"What good with that do? I'm not familiar with machines and how they work including Rotom-Dex. If ever I need you all, I'll yelp for help with this cheeky little devil right here," Diana smirked reassuringly as Squawkabilly woke up and flew onto her left shoulder, yawning cutely.
Everyone chuckled at him before Diana smirked and punched her right fist into her left hand, having one more thing in mind as she said, "Now, with all that said, I've one last thing to do before I take my leave!"
Morning of July 28th fully broke as the Dragon Craft and the Brave Olivine continued to fly towards Paldea and the next part of the heroes' ongoing quest to solve the mysteries of the Six Heroes and Laqua. In Mollie's nursing room, Liko, Hatenna, Sprigatito, Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, Blitz, Curly, Petunia, and Race were up bright and early to see if there was any change in Terapagos and Sarah following their night of rest.
To their dismay, they were still fast asleep, prompting Sprigatito, Larmina, Garnet, Topaz, and Petunia to babble, meow, and coo with great concern for them as they badly wanted their friend and human mother to wake up.
"Mama?" Hatenna peeped, wondering if Sarah and Terapagos would ever wake up.
Liko stayed silent but she gave the Calm Pokémon a sad yet soft smile before Diana came over and greeted her, "Liko, would you mind joining me for a moment?"
Over on the Wing Deck, Roy and Fuecoco were still trying to figure out how to get Rayquaza to notice and battle them. At the same time, they were trying to figure out what they could do to prove themselves to Sarah's family and get back on their good graces. They thought long and hard into the night and did the same thing in the early morning when they got on the Wing Deck but nothing came.
"Aww, man... I really screwed up yesterday. How can I have Sarah's family forgive me for everything that happened last evening? And, how exactly can I convince Rayquaza to accept my challenge to fight him? Ugh," he sighed as he flopped on his back and became lost in his thoughts before Diana and Liko came to see him.
"Roy, I'm wondering if you have a moment or two," Diana grinned before she told them what she wanted to do.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"You want the two of us to battle you?"
"I know you two have a lot on your minds as of late, especially after seeing Sarah getting hurt to protect us last night. But, I've seen you grow as trainers and people under Sarah's wing and you're now full-fledged trainers. Between wondering whether she and Terapagos would wake up and getting the cold shoulder by the Alolan Royal Family, what better way to lift your spirits than a good old Pokemon battle?"
"Grandma, you...?" Liko began, amazed by Diana's knowing how to cheer them up.
Roy took it in stride as the first step to getting back in the good graces of the Alolan Royal Family as he encouraged Liko to take part, "Great idea! Come on Liko, let's do it!"
Liko nodded in agreement to the idea as did Sprigatito and Fuecoco when they told Diana, "Bring it on!"
"Let's boogie!"
"That settles it, shall we begin?"
"Good luck," Arcanine concurred, feeling just as eager to test out Liko, Roy, Fuecoco, and Sprigatito's skill and teamwork.
Moments later, after calling Friede and telling him about their battle, the unconventional professor and Cap joined them to become referees with Orla, Murdock, Elekid, and Rockruff joining in to see how the young quartet would fare against the Legendary Pokemon and the elderly adventurer. Even Quaxly, Dot via her Rotom Phone, and Ludlow (who was fishing nearby) joined in on the fun with Ash and the Pokemon and Paldea School Gangs (who didn't hold a grudge against Roy for what happened to Sarah) arriving to enjoy the show as well.
"Well then, I guess we'll be your referees then."
"Make it good," Friede and Cap smirked as the six opponents readied themselves with the others cheering them on.
"Good luck out there, you two!"
"Fight wild but with cool heads!"
"Go for it!" Murdock, Orla (who was holding Hatenna until the match was over), and Rockruff hollered excitedly.
Ludlow had to chuckle at Dot as he told her, "Not one to miss the show, are we?"
"Of course, why would I? I mean, I couldn't let this opportunity to see them battle Diana pass by, could I? If I can record every moment of it, then it could be valuable reference material for a future video I'm working on!" Dot replied.
"Amen!" Quaxly grinned with an agreeing nod.
"Good luck, you guys!"
"Remember to have fun out there!" Ash and Carmine cheered for Liko and Roy.
"Now, for this battle, it'll be quite simple; all you need to do is land a single hit on Arcanine and you win," Diana told Liko and Roy, setting a benchmark for their battle. "If you can outwit him and land one blow, that'll show me you're ready for what the world has to offer. Alright, are you ready? Let's go!"
Arcanine let out a challenging roar, essentially giving Liko, Roy, and their partners the chance to have the first attack with Liko nodding, "Alright, we understand. Let's go, Roy! Sprigatio, use Leafage!"
"Eat Leaves, Big Guy!" Sprigatito meowed as she used Leafage to try and score a hit on Arcanine.
"Arcanine, use your Extreme Speed!" Diana countered, having Arcanine use Extreme Speed to dodge Leafage and knock Sprigatito back.
"Sprigatito!"
"Fuecoco, you use Flamethrower!" Roy added, having his partner follow through with his strongest attack.
"We'll answer back with Flamethrower, too! Go!"
Arcanine fired Flamethrower back at Fuecoco at full chat and immediately, he overpowered Fuecoco and knocked him to the ground, too.
"Fuecoco!" Roy cried as Arcanine stood proudly over the battered Paldea Starters.
"Crazy..."
"One thing's for sure; Diana's not holding back on them one bit," Cap and Friede gasped in amazement.
"Arcanine, Sunny Day!" Diana continued, having Arcanine howl and clear the skies above to reveal the sun and boost his Fire Type power.
"Sunny Day, that means trouble for them, right?"
"The real battle is getting started and Liko and Roy are already trailing behind," Orla and Murdock commented, astonished by Diana and Arcanine's prowess.
"We're not through here yet, Diana! Fuecoco, Stomping Tantrum, let's go!" Roy barked, not wanting to accept defeat as he kept to his vow to make amends with Sarah and her family and prove himself to Rayquaza.
"Mmgh, right! Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp...!" Fuecoco agreed, channeling his anger and righteous fury as he got back on his feet and used Stomping Tantrum.
"Nice one! Stomping Tantrum is a Ground Type move which is super effective against Fire Types like Arcanine!"
"Let's see if it helps," noted Friede and Cap before Arcanine dodged the splinter Fuecoco made with his Ground Type attack.
Roy gritted his teeth in frustration as he realized Arcanine was smarter and faster than he thought, "Argh! We were so close!"
"Not yet, there's still time! Sprigatito, use Leafage, again!" Liko reassured, having Sprigatito use her Grass Type move again.
"Arcanine, Flamethrower once more!" Diana countered again, allowing Arcanine to destroy Leafage with Flamethrower (while also scorching part of the Wing Deck).
"Outstanding! And, with one blast, too!"
"Using Sunny Day to boost Arcanine's Fire Type power and use it to cut through Sprigatito's Leafage, that's a clever strategy to throw someone off," Cap and Friede commented again, even more astonished over Diana's smarts and battle prowess.
"What's the matter, Liko, Roy? I'm feeling kind of disappointed, I can hardly call it a battle if you can't keep up," Diana smirked at the young trainers, eager for more of a challenge from them.
"I can't believe she and Arcanine are so strong..."
"How can we compete?" Roy and Liko fretted, seeing how easily outclassed they were.
However, they were about to get a miracle of their own because they soon noticed Sprigatito and Fuecoco becoming stronger and getting back on their feet and paws as they absorbed the power of Sunny Day as well.
"Sprigatito?"
"Fuecoco, you're...!"
"Come on, guys!"
"Let's finish this!" their partners smirked determinedly.
"Hey, Liko! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Yep, I do! If Sprigatito and Fuecoco don't want to give up, neither should we! This is no time for us to stop and throw in the towel! What do you say, Sprigatito?" the young trainers bantered as they shared their partners' smirks.
"Exactly!"
"Let's go!"
The others cheered excitedly for Liko and Roy deciding to continue on despite their worries with Murdock and Orla commenting on their behalf, "Alright! Now, this is where the fun really begins!"
"Give it all you got, you two! Don't hold anything back!"
"Roy, let's show Grandma how we do things our way!"
"Our way, huh...? Ah, I got it!"
With that, Roy and Fuecoco decided to go first in their new plan by singing their favorite song to boost their morale and leave Diana guessing. And, it appeared to have worked since she and Arcanine gave them amused smiles, not knowing what they have in store for them.
Sprigatito, on the other hand, groaned with embarrassment as she could only deadpan, "Oh, not again..."
"Now, what exactly are you two doing?" the elderly adventurer chuckled at Roy and Fuecoco.
"Now, Sprigatito, use Leafage!" Liko screamed, seeing their chance and allowing her to attack with Leafage again.
"You won't get far distracting us, Extreme Speed!"
Arcanine used Extreme Speed to dodge Leafage again and he prepared to strike them down again. However, things weren't so simple this time as Liko and Roy put the next part of their plan involving their combined way of battling into action.
"Sprigatito!"
"Fuecoco, slide beneath him!"
And, that's what they did; taking advantage of Arcanine's Extreme Speed, the lunge he made to make a hit, and their small yet nimble sizes, Sprigatito and Fuecoco slid underneath the Legendary Pokemon and got behind him.
"What?!" Arcanine gasped in bewilderment as he looked behind himself.
"Sprigatito/Fuecoco, Leafage/Flamethrower!"
"Don't give them an inch to fight back, Arcanine! Flamethrower!" Diana called quickly.
Reacting as fast as he could, Arcanine burned Leafage and tried to overpower Fuecoco and his Flamethrower attack again. But, what he didn't know was that Liko and Roy were luring him into a trap with the smoke being generated, concealing Sprigatito as she closed the gap between him and her and didn't tip him off.
"Now's my chance!" Liko thought as she made her move. "Sprigatito, go! Use Scratch attack!"
"Gotcha! HYAH!" Sprigatito meowed with a determined smirk as she finally landed a hit on Arcanine, effectively clinching the match for her, Liko, Fuecoco, and Roy.
Everyone was surprised and amazed by what they saw and even Lazuli and Marena (who had arrived to see how they were getting on along with Terapagos and Sarah) were astounded to see what the quartet managed to accomplish.
"Roy, we did it! We got Arcanine!"
"Nice shot, Liko! Way to use the smoke for cover!" the two young trainers cheered as they shared high-fives, feeling happy for themselves and their partners.
"Now, that was a picture perfect finish, Fuecoco!"
"This absolutely totally rocks, Sprigy!" Sprigatito and Fuecoco smiled, sharing their partners' feelings.
"Well, now... I commend you on your brave thinking and ingenuity, Liko and Roy. It looks like you've beaten me," smiled Diana, accepting her defeat before she and Arcanine came over to congratulate them while everyone else praised them for their win.
"Well, it looks like you two managed to win by utilizing the old bait and switch tactic thanks to Sprigatito and Fuecoco's small sizes, huh? Way to use your brains!" grinned Friede.
"It wasn't hard, really; we just decided to do it our way like we did with Amethio and his Ceruledge months ago."
"Especially since Fuecoco was able to use himself as a front to distract Arcanine and give us an opportunity to hit him," Liko and Roy replied just as Diana came to them.
"And, beside taking advantage of their small sizes, you were able to deduct what Sunny Day does for you in addition to Arcanine. A sharp eye on such a tactic such as what you pulled gets top marks from me!" she congratulated.
"Congratulations, kids," Arcanine agreed, feeling proud of his friends and partner's granddaughter.
"You were awesome out there, Fuecoco!"
"You did great, too, Sprigatito!"
"No pressure!"
"Sure did!" the quartet smiled brightly.
"As you've learned just now, no matter how big or small the foe and even if you're backed into a corner, there is always a way for you to fight back. A good Pokemon trainer must remain as resolute in the face of adversity until they find a way forward. And, now that you understand this tippet of advice, you've grown stronger. I have no doubt things will be alright between you and Sarah with everything you've learned this morning."
"Yes/Yeah!"
"You did good today, kids," Arcanine added, extending his congratulations to Liko and Roy's partners.
"Thanks, Arcanine!"
"Yeah, thanks!" grinned Fuecoco and Sprigatito.
"D'you hear that, Liko? There's still so much we can do despite our circumstances, it's just like what Sarah learned while she was on her own journey to become the hero and Pokemon trainer she is now!
"I sure did! For her sake and to make her proud, I want to get better and better to become a truly great Pokemon trainer no matter how many times I stumble and fall in one way or another!"
"Same here!"
"Thank you, Grandma, you've taught us so much this morning and now I don't feel as bad as I did for Sarah last night and neither does Roy. Of course, I still have a lot to learn but..." Liko mused happily over her grandmother before...
Ring-Ring-Ring! Ring-Ring-Ring! Ring-Ring-Ring!
Everyone got a call from Mollie regarding Sarah and Terapagos as she happily told everyone, "Liko, Roy, I have good news for you two and everyone else! Terapagos and Sarah are finally awake!"
Back in Mollie's nursing room, not only was Liko's Terapagos back to his normal self as he munched away on a plate of berries given to him and Hatenna happily jumped around him, Larmina, Topaz, Garnet, and Petunia cooed as they all nuzzled Sarah, all of them being ecstatic to see her awake.
Everybody laughed happily at the pair until Roy approached Sarah and frowned sadly, deciding to apologize to her while he still could (while trying to fight his lingering jealousy), "Hey, Sarah... Listen, about last night, I... I'm sorry, about Rayquaza and what I did, I just... I only wanted to see Rayquaza again and battle him..."
Before he could continue his apology as he remembered how cold her family was towards him, the little princess gently reached out to him and tenderly held his right arm before smiling and saying, "...Forget it. Besides, seeing you like this because of me is not my thing... Instead of moping like a sad sack, why not make it up to me by having private lessons on Legendary Pokémon like Rayquaza and battle practice for such foes? I heard you and Liko squaring off against Diana this morning even while I was asleep. Besides, I don't blame you; we were all wild and crazy no thanks to Amethio. Not worth it dressing you down trying to prove yourself to Lucius and Marena's closest friend, that's why you came with us; if you quit on us because of me, you might as well throw in the towel..."
Roy was surprised to be forgiven by Sarah as he blinked in response, "B-But, your family... They blamed me for what nearly happened to us, to you... You had to push yourself to-!"
"I'll talk with them about it, don't worry; by the sound of it, you've had it rough last night and it would be pointless putting you down again... So, are you in?"
Now knowing she's got his back given her promise to help him and Fuecoco train in dealing with Legendary Pokémon, he smiled brightly and replied, "Yeah, you're right! No way am I quitting now! Thanks, Sarah, you're the greatest!"
Liko smiled at her two best friends reconciling with each other as she mused again, "There's still much more that I don't know about Rayquaza, Laqua, Lucius... Always, there are more unknowns than knowns... But, that's exactly why I want to start learning more about them! And, I plan on learning about them and more to the fullest with the Rising Volt Tacklers, Sarah and her family, her friends from Alola, Kanto, Uva and Blueberry Acadamies, and Sprigatito, my journey will go on! With them and Roy by my side, there's nothing we can't do or learn about!"
Meanwhile, Amethio returned to the Explorers HQ to report everything revolving around his encounter with Rayquaza to Hamber who greeted him as he arrived.
"Ah, Master Amethio, welcome back. I understand you've made contact with the Shiny Rayquaza after you and your co-agents found it last night?" Gibeon's right hand questioned.
"Of course. However, it managed to get away from me despite my best efforts to catch it," Amethio nodded.
"Hmm, interesting... I suppose you understand what you must do now since you came to me for help?"
"Yes... I want more power, please take me as your pupil."
To Be Continued...