A/N: This is an original Pokémon Fan Game, made by Amethyst. if you wish to check it out and play the game download it at Reborn Evolved. search for it on your web browser if you want to get to the website.

Okay, while I initially was just going to put "So... here we are. All I have to say is... Enjoy.". But then I realize that in two days Pokémon Legends: Arceus is going to be released... And I've been excited to try and play that game since it's trailer had been released. Not only that, since Pokémon Reborn e19 is in beta testing, its release is going to be happening some time soon. This story may go on another hiatus. While not exactly the best given the chapter, it's not too bad of a break finale I think? But please this story has been going for about 2.25 years (With several hiatus points, mind you). This has literally gone on for 73 actual chapters of story and 2 chapters of background info... And probably new information that I'm going to have to place out...

Ugh... So many things to do this year and so little time to do them. I love Pokémon (Main game or fan made), and I want to get a good job in chemical engineering. So while I so desperately want to get as far as I can before e19 drops, I also believe I won't be able to. So until then, see you guys after e19 drops... Unless I feel like (writing) posting chapter 74 next week because that is also a decent ending chapter.

Even still bewary as predicted from last chapter, foreshadowed in many chapters before, tonight the Demon dies. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 73- Nero's Last Stand

Time: ?

Location: ?

Rewinding time back inside the "Devon Building". Up in a separate roomed, there was a boy tied to a chair unconscious. His Pokémon not by his side.

"Grah…" Groaned the black-haired boy as he woke. Seeing he was tied and bound, without his Pokémon he cursed. "Fuck… Thought I was pretty sneaky about it too…"

Here sat the Meteor Member who left the anonymous tip to the Reborn Group who would attack the building. Though he thought he had his tracks completely covered. Seeing his current situation and what he could barely remember before getting knocked out… Lin had seen through Nero's plans.

"…Why'd she let me live still?" Nero questioned as he struggled to grind the rope against the chair, trying to cut it. The only reason is that Lin was being too arrogant, or… just leaving him to be tortured. Either way, Nero's first goal was to get out of here… get his Pokémon, and find wherever the reborn strike team was and release them.

There was a faint ripping sound as Nero finally grinded the rope away from the chair. Nero looked at any and all entry and exit places. There was vent way too small for him to crawl through, and as for the door…

"Electric seal…" Nero grimaced as he looked at the sheet of metal that made the door. There was no lock to pick, and from what he could see there was no panel that he could access for wires. "Even if the vent is too small for me, could there be wires for it… or the lights would they be connected to the system?... They really did think of a room to keep me locked…"

"To bad, others don't want you locked away." A voice said as the door opened. It was an older man, part of team Meteor. Nero took a defensive stance as he entered the room. Though Nero didn't expect as the man extended his arm holding the belt of Nero's Pokémon. "We meet again, Nero."

"…Simon? What are you doing?" Nero looked at him questioningly. Nero by this point should certainly be labeled as a traitor. Simon of all people should know what this could mean for helping Nero.

"I joined Team Meteor because I lost my wife." Simon solemnly stated, "I was told that Team Meteor would create the world anew, and I'd have my wife back. I was all to happy to except that. But then I was partnered with Tara and she was always so energetic and sincere and... I fell in love with her instead…"

"…" Nero was silent as he took back his Pokémon from Simon. He walked toward the doorway. "…It's just the ends aren't worth the means. I understand even if… seeing Lucille again, it was painful, after everything I done."

"Yeah… How could I explain that to Lyssa?" Simon questioned to himself. "All it would ever hold would be guilt. Even if I saw either of them again, I… wouldn't be able to face them."
"And that has to do with you helping me?" Nero didn't look at Simon, didn't want to make eye contact.

"I've been dwelling on the past, I can't take telling myself the lies anymore…" Simon held the name tag of his partner, the name tag Nero gave him back in Labradorra City. "I'm Resigning from Team Meteor,"

"…" Nero was silent, and reluctantly thankful, but unwanting to show. "Then you should have done both of us a favor and not paint a target on your back. I'm sure both Tara and Lyssa would want you to live."

"I don't think they'd let me leave you to die." Simon smiled back.

"Pfft, more like you just hastened it." Nero laughed at his own situation. He knew this a suicide mission from the beginning, he knew he wasn't going tonsure for a while.

"I'm not so sure about that." Simon said, he didn't understand much about Nero's powers. "I'm not sure what exactly you saw, but I'm sure the future has changed. What was seen was the death of a Demon right? And I don't think I see one right now."

"…" Nero didn't answer, he… He just turned around and thanked Simon. With a rare actual smile on Nero's face. "Thanks Simon. I barely knew you, but you're a good friend. Make sure to live a long fulfilling life."

Nero left, leaving Simon to escape on his own way. Both leaving to meet the ends of their lives on their own terms.

Nero walked through the halls of the building. He needed to sneak around less than he thought, taking note of lack Meteor Members. Nero wondered if it was ordered after the Strike team was captured to leave the building. But that did leave the worry of what was happening to the strike team.

Eventually Nero made it to the place he'd find information about the strike team. It was a computer room, one that ZEL often used for their PULSE experimentations, but also a room filled with information.

"…" Nero was silent as he entered easily seeing some cameras on the room… It showed a sort of twisted tournament. Where Members of the Strike team were to fight each other. Nero was going to run over and try to do something, but he looked at the "single" person in the room. With the person was a twisted and changed electrified magnet.

"Please calm down! Please!" though it was from the body of a grown man, the voice was of a young girl. The person here was an important Meteor member, ZEL. A person made up of three souls: Zero, Eve, and Lumi.

"Just what the hell did you mess up so badly?" Zero yelled. Nero perked an eyebrow; something went wrong with something…

"This wasn't a user error." Another voice, one of a different girl. Eve had tried to explain calmly. Though she shook as she spoke. "Some kind of corrupted program must have been injected into the system."

"So, then your security was just shit." Zero snapped at Eve.

"Stop blaming her!" Lumi yelled back. "I don't see you helping!"

"Shut up, Lumi." Zero yelled, turning his head to speak to an invisible Eve. "Can the data be repaired or not?"

Eve sighed as she talked. "All PULSE2 and Arc-PULSE data has been left unaltered, However, the PUSLE-Magnezone damage is irreparable. I will need to rewrite it."

"…" Nero fell silent. Almost every single person knew how important that Magnezone was to ZEL. If something went wrong with it… well no one really understood what would happen, but most assumed it would kill ZEL if it was destroyed.

"What? But… if Magnezone is damaged—" Lumi sounded horrified as she spoke.

"There's no time to rewrite!" Zero yelled in interruption. "Lin wanted all the PULSEs out of here hours ago."

"I'm aware." Eve responded frustrated. "Hence why the other projects have been safely relocated. However, Magnezone cannot be moved under the current circumstances. The timing could not be worse."

"Tch, Lin must have known this was coming." Zero grimaced. "I bet it has something to do with Nero's betrayal and how she had that hero brigade hauled in. th—"

"Something wrong with the Magnezone?" Nero seeing, he wouldn't have a chance to sneak in and out, chose only to call out.

"Speak of the devil…" Zero grimaced looking at Nero. "How'd you get out of the cell?"

"As if a cell can hold me." Nero claimed.

"Nero… did you… Did you come here to destroy everything?" Lumi asked hesitantly.

"If it comes to it." Nero said with a defensive tone. Even if they weren't on the same side anymore… Lumi and Eve were still young, if possible, he didn't want their blood on his hands. "We all know how important that thing is."

"Then do you request release everyone?" Eve came to a logical conclusion.

"Oh, hell no!" Zero screamed in defiance. "They're getting what they deserve. Besides I don't believe you for a second Nero."

"Control your temper, Zero." Eve cried back, hoping for a peaceful solution. "Remember, Lin requested for Nero to not be harmed."

"Yeah, but he's dead anyways. Why can't we just get the final shot in." Zero snapped back, having spent a long-time hating Nero. With a chance in his hands, he'd gladly take it. "Besides, who says he won't try to destroy my projects. He's a demon after all."

"Your projects?" Lumi critically called out. "Eve is the one that does all the hard work! You just bully her all the time!"

"Just stop talking and fight already! Aurorus!" Zero screeched. Sending out a blue sauropod, bright blue eyes with a long neck and tail. As the Tundra Pokémon took its place on the field the temperature dropped as it began to snow.

"…" Nero sighed. His first Pokémon already out of it's pokeball blending into the background with the snow. Nero admittedly was always impressed with his Zoroarks illusion ability, Hela had come a long way since he first met her. "If this is the way it has to be, don't expect me to hold back. Nasty Plot."

"Hela is on the floor already… Aurorus Stealth Rock!" Eve commanded the Aurorus. Where it summoned several entry hazards, limiting Nero's switching capabilities. But at the same time limiting areas that Hela could hide.

"Smart move Eve, but it's too late. Grass Knot." Nero ordered Hela. Invisible to the eye, Hela made no noise as she summoned grass around the ancient Pokémon, knocking it to the ground. A technique Nero had often used against Percival's Milotic. But boosted easily one shoting the Aurorus.

"Damn it… Umbreon!" Zero cursed with the first Pokémon down. The next was a black Pokémon with several gold rings on its body.

"Flame thrower!" Nero called, and peering from behind a floating stealth rock did a blast of flame appear.

"Umb…" the Umbreon was strong enough to withstand the hit. Shaking off the flames that disappeared from sight.

"Foul play!" zero commanded. Where the Umbreon leaped to the rock that Hela hid behind. Only to find that the target had already sneaked away.

"It'll take more than that to get Hela." Nero smirked, "Flamethrower again."

"Umb!" The Umbreon cried as it was now taken out by the flames.

"Ah… Umbreon!" Lumi cried as the Umbreon was taken out. "Uh… Glaceon! Hide yourself in the snow!"

"…" The Hail still rained across the battle field, making it easy for the blue eeveelution of ice to hide in.

"Ha…" Nero felt bad, because even at it's best attempts Nero and Hela could easily make it out. "Night Daze."

"…" it was a move that would reveal Hela's position. But Both Hela and Nero felt that a Flamethrower here was overkill. Suddenly a crimson spot appeared on the field before being unleashed upon the Glaceon.

"Gla!" The Glaceon cried being taken out.

"Hiding won't seem to work, Alakazam help dig out Hela's location!" Eve called out an Alakazam as a hope to find Hela. "Charge beam!"
"krrr!" Hela Cried, as she finally took a hit in this battle. Though even without an order, Hela immediately retaliated with a blast of dark energy from another Night Daze.

"Al!" The physically weak alakazam was unable to withstand the hit, immediately got knocked out with one hit.

"A-Alakazam!" Lumi cried out as it got devastated.

"Hela… No, guess I did say we weren't holding back." Nero almost wanted to yell at Hela. But that wouldn't do anything to change the situation. Even if Nero did feel guilty for hurting Lumi and Eve's Pokémon.

"Espeon, come out!" Eve said in an attempt to defeat Hela without reliance on the PULSE.

"Hela." Nero simply stated, at this point none of them were a threat.

"Zor!" The Zoroark, Hela, breathed a steam of fire easily strong enough to take out the Espeon.

"Give it up now. You out of Pokémon." Nero threatened…

"Don't get cocky you little shit! You haven't won yet! Magnezone!" Zero shouted. The dull metallic grey Pokémon flew over with the separated magnets floating around its magnetic field. The red eye beaming down on its target Nero.

"Lumi, Eve. You two are also in that body. And I know unlike Zero, you two aren't idiots." Nero warned one final time.

Lumi with hesitation, whether fearing what Lin do to them, or something else entirely. She reluctantly agreed with Zero. "I'm sorry, Magnezone... If we're gonna get through this, we need your help!"

"So be it, Hela! Flame thrower!" Nero yelled out to his Pokémon.

"Ar!" Hela howled unleashing another blast of fiery energy at the Magnezone though it hit heard, the Magnezone was able to resist the blast.

"Hidden power!" Eve called out to the Magnezone immediately after the flames settled. Where the Magnezone unleashed a white blue blast of energy upon Hela taking her out of the fight.

"Ice huh…" As Nero returned Hela to her pokeball. He sighed one final time placing a fierce look on his face. "I gave a fair chance… now li—Die with the consequences. Hades."

"…" Eve went silent looking at Nero, shuddering. Feeling dread that she didn't try to stop Zero sooner. "Lumi, regardless of what happens now—please remember that I will always, always love you."

"Arooo!" The Houndoom howled. While Hela, Grim, and Orcus are known power of Nero's Team. Hades was one… Vengeance was the first term that came to the mind of few.

"Overheat." Nero commanded.

"AR….OOOO!" Out spewed from Hades' mouth was a ball of white fire with a red orange stream of fire. Fire that completely engulfed Magnezone, Hades unleashed the fire for a long time, keeping it going as it went from a burning white to a dull yellow before smoldering out.

"Magnezone, Magnezone, no! Please be okay! Please—" Lumi begged from the melting pile of metal, to stay together. Out fear of what may happen though it was too late as…

BOOOOOOM!

"Ugh…" Nero groaned in pain, slowly regaining consciousness. Before he knew it, he felt a slight burn as Hades nuzzled his snout into Nero. "…I'm up… Hades… Return." Nero returned Hades to his pokeball as he got up. He felt a stinging pain in his left arm as he got up, and took note some sort of shrapnel lodged in it. Gritting his teeth, he used his other arm and pulled it out. It hurt like hell. "Gaaah…"

After pulling out the shrapnel and looking at an utterly destroyed room. Nero noticed a figure with black hair, under a piece of metal.

"… (please don't be dead…)" Nero thought to himself as he dug ZEL out of the debris.

"…Uggh…" ZEL? Groaned as he started to regain consciousness. "It's so quiet…"

As ZEL picked themself off the floor, he looked and saw the metaled and shattered remains of Magnezone "The PULSE—"

"We didn't lose hearing in the explosion, did we?" Zero called out to himself, as he heard nothing…

"…Zero?" Nero hesitated to call out to him.

Zero definitely reacted to Nero's voice, looking at him. then in fear, calling out to himself again. "H-hey, Lumi, Eve! Say something!"

"…" Nero glanced back once more at the remains of Magnezone. Silent, in respect for the two girls.

"No—" Zero held himself in terror. "Magnezone! I… I'm alone. I'm alone... I'm alone, I'm alone, I'm alone, I'm alone, I'm alone... And I'm... Empty." Ignoring Nero entirely, Zero ran out of the room yelling in a ragged breath. "I need to get to Agate."

Nero took steps to the remains of the Magnezone, bowing his head. "I'm sorry, you two didn't deserve this. I hope… I hope you'll find yourselves in a better place than I will."

Unable to withstand the smoke in the air, Nero exited into the hall. Judging from how destroyed the room was… That blast probably threw the tournament of Terror Lin designed off course. And in turn definitely pissed Lin off. Scrounging out some slips of paper from his pockets… held two letters addressed to Percival and Lucille… Nero's last will and testament.

"Grim come out." Nero took out a pokeball releasing a black furred Absol, with a white horn.

"…" Grim looked at its trainer, almost defiantly.

"Look things went awry, and I need you to find them, deliver these to them." Nero explained, tie the two letters, and a third scrap to Grim's horn. "And most of all get them out of here."

"Ar…" Grim barked weakly at Nero.

"C'mon… don't look at me like that." Nero's voice broke slightly looking at his most trusted Pokémon. His best friend… With a weak smile. "Who knows… I could end up surviving."

"…" Grim nuzzled his head into Nero, leaving some tears in Nero's sleeve.

"Yeah… I love you too, bud… Now go." Nero's silver eyes barely contained his tears.

"Aro!" Grim howled sadly, booking it down the hall. On to meet with Percival, Lucille, and the others.

"…" Nero wiped his eyes, looking down the other way of the hall. Apologizing to his other Pokémon. Telling them. "Sorry, but I'll need your help… With any luck, we can screw fate and get arrested. And if not, let's give Grim and everyone else a reason to be proud of us."

Though he said those words, he had little faith of being able to complete the former. Nero unsure what could happen walked down to face off against his fate. The vision he saw so many months ago.

What was that Vision you may ask? It was him facing off against Lin in battle. As many know the result of Ame's battle against Lin. It should be expected what the result this battle will be. And from the inevitable explosion from Lin's Hydreigon, what the result is.