Pokegirl Origins - Unova

by SocomSeal

Pokegirls. Humanoid monstergirls who live to battle and need human contact to stay sane. In this world some use pokegirls as tools, but many form close bonds with their partners. This is the story of one tamer and his journey. Inspired by the Moemon Project. Generation 5 - In which the old faces off against the new.

34. Chapter 34 - Pokeball Oppression

"Ice is getting thick," Nicholas whispered as he and Hugh climbed their way up a frozen waterfall. "You're sure you can't see the ship, Ashley?"

"No, Master, I apologize. The direction you are heading has only ice, all the way to the edge of the mountain."

"Maybe a cave?" Fiona said. "Somewhere out of sight?"

"That makes sense but then how big of a cave would they need?" Nicholas asked. "Big enough that you'd think Ashley could see it from the air. I don't like this. Something just doesn't add up."

"Maybe it's not here after all," Hugh muttered. "Maybe I wasn't as smart as I thought I was."

"They're here. I'm betting everything on it," Nicholas replied.

Hugh was reaching for the next level of the ice floes when Annabeth suddenly drove her blade into the wall and used it as a hold while she yanked him back down. "Master, wait!" the Samurott urged, holding Hugh steady so he didn't fall. "There's something up there."

"What in the world…?" Nicholas breathed. As he poked his head up to find what Annabeth had seen he was met by… his brain couldn't process it at first. What he was seeing made no sense. A huge, curved wall, obviously manmade with a two-tone coloring that had black vanishing beneath the ice while brown rose above the surface until it all just… stopped in midair. "What is that?"

"A wall?" Hugh asked as he peeked out more gingerly. "But we're up on this ice, right? The actual ground is way below us, where's this wall connected to?"

"What's with that shape?" Nicholas muttered. "Curving in at the bottom like that. It makes me think the whole thing is about to roll on top of us."

"Do we go around it…?"

"We can try and see if there's an edge, yeah," Nicholas agreed. "Come on."

The small group hurried to the wall, hiding beneath the curvature so anything that might be on top wouldn't be able to see them. "Okay, but left or right?" Hugh asked. "Which way do we go?"

Nicholas peered in both directions before pointing. "It looks like the wall curves towards the mountains in that direction. Let's try that."

The curve Nicholas had noticed soon became more pronounced and the group found themselves rounding a corner of sorts as Nicholas noticed another odd feature overhead. Some kind of extension off the wall, and when they got closer it looked as if this beam or walkway was running from the end of the structure…

"I've lost you, Master," Ashley reported, making Nicholas jump. "Did you find a cave?"

"What? No, we're still moving along this wall," Nicholas replied. "What do you mean you've lost us? We're completely exposed out here!"

"Maybe I've got a bad angle?" the Pidgeot grumbled. "You didn't go far from where I last saw you, right?"

"…When did you last see us?"

"You climbed up that ice chunk and then began moving out in the open for a while before vanishing," Ashley said. "What's this about a wall?"

Nicholas held out his hand to stop the others. "Big wall. Black and brown and stands out completely against the ice," he said to Ashley. "You don't see this."

"No, Master. It's just empty ice all the way from where you were to the mountains."

Nicholas glanced up again, focusing on the strange walkway he had noticed. Something absolutely wasn't right here. He felt like he had all the pieces of this puzzle but they just wouldn't fit into place.

…The shape of this wall. Curved from bottom to top. Curving again along its length. An extension coming from the… tip. Nicholas looked down, stared into the ice at the base of the wall, and really looked. The black continued to curve away, but then… did it come back? Did it end vertically? Forming a… keel? For the hull above them?

"Son of a bitch this is the airship," Nicholas blurted out. "We're standing underneath it right now. That up there, look." He pointed at the walkway, or as he realized now, the bowsprit. "That's the long bit that protrudes from the bow of a sailing vessel. We were about to round to the other side of Neo Plasma's airship."

"Why can't I see it? Why can't I see you?" Ashley stammered. "You found the ship, Master?"

"I don't know but the answer seems pretty obvious," Nicholas growled. "Some kind of camouflage. Come on. Let's keep moving around this thing, but carefully. We're definitely in enemy territory now."

His realization brought the group's speed to a crawl, but before long they were at the bow of the ship. Nicholas reached out to touch the obvious point where the two sides met at the center and tsked. "Far side would be the mountain side," he muttered. "If there's some kind of camouflage thing happening here it might not just be the ship they're hiding. There could be anything around this corner."

Kino slithered up the side of the airship above him, the Eelektross' clinging electricity having allowed her to treat the icy climb as if she was just on flat ground. "Should I look over the side?"

"Be careful!" Hugh urged as the Eelektross got closer to the top. "Don't go too far over!"

"Yes, Master," Kino replied sarcastically. She reached the lip and grabbed on, pulling herself up-

The entire group watched in confusion as Kino's fingers skittered off the very air, her pull turning into an uncoordinated scramble that brought her face slamming forwards to impact… nothing. She hit the empty air above the lip of the airship's hull and the Eelektross fell, managing to catch herself before she went too far and curling up as she nursed her nose. "OUFGH!"

"…What the heck just happened, Kino?" Hugh called up to the sulking Eelektross. "Are you okay?"

"There was nuffing there!" Kino called back. "I saw ice and snow and nuffing! But sumfing hit me!"

Nicholas thoughtfully moved his hand along his belt. "Jade." He released the Golurk and pointed up the hull. "Fly up there, would you? Test the space above the lip. The empty space."

Jade nodded and rose past where Kino was recovering, hovering in place and reaching out to push against the air. "There is a barrier here, Keeper," she reported, the area around her hand almost imperceptibly flickering as it shifted to maintain the illusion. "It is lightly pliable, but solid."

"Come on back down." Nicholas waited for Jade to do so before nodding his head towards the bow again. "I'm going to take a peek around. I think we're starting to figure out what's going on here."

"What?" Hugh asked as Nicholas edged forwards.

"The airship is being camouflaged somehow. Kino and Jade found that somehow," Nicholas replied. "Some kind of solid barrier that's projecting an empty landscape to anyone flying overhead." He very, very carefully eased his head around the bow. At first, he didn't see anything. At least not near the ship. He saw the mountains, though. And a massive opening that had appeared leading under them. Another few steps and something began to appear from behind the curvature of the hull. Some kind of metal object, resting in the ice… and then another step revealed a figure standing next to it, bringing Nicholas hurriedly back around to the others.

"Yeah okay they're on the other side," he gasped. "Some kind of ramp, probably to board the airship, and I saw a guard."

Annabeth growled under her breath and Hugh cracked his knuckles. "That's our way in, then," he said. "Let's go."

"Let's form a plan first," Nicholas retorted, holding out a hand to stop Hugh from charging in. "I've got Ashley overhead, but she's useless right now. Our first order of business should be to disable the ship's camouflaging system somehow."

"Some kind of barrier, right? Break whatever's making it," Hugh replied. "That'll be up on the ship. We go on the ship."

"There's no such thing as a hologram and field projector of this size," Nicholas replied patiently. "At least not that Neo Plasma should have access to. That barrier is a physical thing. Jade said it was lightly pliable, which means with a little effort we should be able to destroy it. So?"

"That ramp is still our best way onto the ship," Hugh said. "We need to secure it first or they might pull it up or throw it off or whatever. Then how do we get on?"

"Very fair," Nicholas agreed. "So we secure the ramp, and while we're doing that, we look to destroy the camouflage."

"Then we get onto the ship," Hugh growled. "And we find Rena."

"Once we're fighting we'll have to play a lot by ear," Nicholas said. "I need you to promise that you'll stay with me, Hugh. That we fight together."

Hugh snorted. "Maybe if you can keep up."

Nicholas sighed quietly. "Ever heard the term, 'front to back'?"

"Huh?"

"In video games. Battle sims." Nicholas used his hands to illustrate on the side of the airship. "You've got two forces, right? Us and them. If you push for the backline right away, in this case if we go straight for Kyurem and the bosses and searching for Rena… Well, this happens." He slowly pushed his fingers into his other palm and let the hand clamp down. "You penetrate the formation, but it collapses on you. You get surrounded. Now you're fighting on all sides. But if you go front to back," he said, opening both hands and pushing them palm to palm, "if you take care of everything and slowly work your way through, you're only ever fighting on one side. It means you don't miss anything, either. Slower, sure, but safer. We're in enemy territory. We need to fight safe before we fight fast."

Hugh kicked at the ice. "I'm this close to finding her."

"And she's not going anywhere," Nicholas soothed. "But who will save her if you fail? If you're captured? If Annabeth, Kino, the Flygon… Sandra? Yeah. What will happen to them if you let yourself be overwhelmed by Neo Plasma in their own base?"

Hugh's teeth creaked. "I'm not going to let that happen."

"So fight smart," Nicholas growled. "Together, even if we start getting overwhelmed, we can most likely break through. Alone…"

"I get it," Hugh snapped. "Fine. I'll stay with you, Champion. But don't expect me to just follow behind. This is my fight."

Nicholas gave the younger man a smile. "I didn't expect you to. Side by side, Hugh."

"Side by side," Hugh muttered.

"Let's secure that ramp," Nicholas said, reaching for his pokeballs and nodding at Jade. "I'm recalling you for now, Jade. Once we can get a better feel for the battlefield and break down whatever barrier is protecting the ship I'll be relying on you, but for now I'm thinking Kiana and Cindy. Fast, spread attackers."

Jade nodded. "Understood, Keeper."

"Who are…?" Hugh began, watching Jade vanish and Kiana and Cindy take her place. "Oh, a Galvantula and an… Arcanine, right?"

Kiana nodded. "Yes."

"Fast and spread sounds smart," Hugh muttered. "Unfortunately I think that just means Annabeth and Kino? Sandra can do spread but she prefers to be in the air, and if there's a barrier…"

"I will lead," Kiana interjected. "I can create space once I reach the deck."

"Same. I'll be with you," Annabeth said. "I'm Annabeth."

Kiana cocked her head and bumped the fist Annabeth was offering. "Kiana. Master Nicholas' Alpha."

"I'm Master Hugh's," Annabeth said. "We have to lead the way for our harems, eh?"

Kiana broke into a huge grin. "Sounds like a plan, sister Alpha."

"I only saw one guard, but I didn't look very far," Nicholas said. "More likely there's at least two watching the ramp. One for Cindy, one for Kino?" When the two pokegirls nodded he held out a hand to Hugh. "Ready?"

Hugh reached out to grip Nicholas' hand tight. "Ready."

The two Neo Plasma members posted at the ramp were bored. Very bored. "You think they'll be sending us to search the caves again?" one asked the other. "Whole place is a falling hazard."

The other grunted, his pokegirl curled up against him to stay warm. "Maybe if the coats want more samples. Didn't they send a team in there yesterday?"

"Yeah-"

Two bolts of lightning speared out, sinking into their targets and bringing both humans to the ground in a mess of thrashing limbs. The Krookodile that had been curled up with her tamer immediately turned towards the source, the electricity harmlessly grounding out through her body, and was met with a slash from Annabeth's sword for her trouble. She joined the Neo Plasma members in the snow.

"Guards at the top!" Nicholas yelled as a cry went out from farther up the ramp. "MOVE! MOVE!"

The metal vibrated when Kiana began sprinting up it, her slamming footsteps making the entire ramp bounce and flex. On this side the camouflage wasn't active, allowing her to see the entire deck she ran towards. Two more guards at the edge. More figures all around. A control panel next to their only way up.

One of the guards dove for cover when a flaming foot smashed through the circuitry next to him, sparks flashing from the broken connections as the mechanism controlling the ramp's extension shuddered and died. The other was reacting to the attack, falling back as she called for a Scrafty beside her to engage, when Annabeth caught up. Staccato blasts of water blew the enemy pokegirl away and Kiana covered the Samurott as a Sneasel attempted to lunge for her blindspot. Flaming claws ripped a hole in the black-haired pokegirl's side.

Nicholas was running up the ramp, Cindy finishing securing the guards at the bottom while Hugh and Kino came right behind him. As he stepped onto the deck it was to watch Kiana blowing fire in a semicircle in front of her, driving a few humans back while Annabeth flipped a white dagger into her hand and sent it flying into a Watchog's chest. The rodent pokegirl gurgled, falling to her knees with the hilt protruding from her cleavage and Nicholas reached through her flames to slap Kiana on the back. "IT'S THE SAILS!" Kiana glanced up to see sheets of material trailing from the masts of the ship to form the camouflage they'd encountered. "BURN THEM!"

"I've got you, Alpha," Cindy said, slipping past the burning Arcanine and flinging a massive web of sparking silk across the stairs and pathways that a few reinforcements were trying to use. "Now who wants to be my next plaything."

"Kino, cover the Arcanine!" Hugh urged, reaching for his own belt in preparation. "Sandra!"

A momentary lull, as the battle shifted. Then a plume of flame blasted as high as the main mast.

Kiana wasn't limited in the range of her flames any longer. She'd drawn them free protecting her pack in Opelucid and now they roared, spewing from the Arcanine to lick across the canvas underside of the airship's sails. Instantly they burned. The dry, cold air meant there was no humidity to slow the blaze and pops and bangs could be heard as the circuitry woven into the fabric ignited. Nicholas watched as a wave raced out from where Kiana's flames were taking hold, the projection on the surface being burned away just as the canvas was beginning to blacken and break apart.

"I see you now, Master!" Ashley cried, pumping her wings to bring her towards the large object that had just appeared and more specifically the black ring that was starting to burn out from the center. "Think you can get rid of the rest of the roof?"

"Oh I think it's going to be gone here in a moment," Nicholas laughed, watching as the flames burning along the sails surged in strength and the canvas began to crumple in a blazing inferno. "Yeah, there it goes! Whole thing just caught! Everyone, watch your heads!"

"You've got more-!" Ashley began, squawking and aborting her pass when a storm of electricity sprayed in her direction. "WHOAH!"

"Intruders!" Nicholas turned to see a woman in Neo Plasma's uniform stepping into view, a large number of other Neo Plasma members breaking onto the deck with a huge variety of pokegirls between them. "I congratulate you on making it this far. However… do you see how many of us there are?" Nicholas heard Hugh snarling under his breath as the deck seemed to be choked in black uniforms. "I strongly suggest you surrender already."

"Seems we found someone who thinks she's important," Nicholas remarked brightly, causing the Seviper at the woman's side to hiss. "Why don't you come down here and make us, sweetheart?"

"Hey. Heads up." Nicholas kept his eyes on the woman while he listened to the suppressed anger in Hugh's voice. "I'm about to snap."

"Show me."

Hugh's fists were clenched down, hard. "You'll back me up, right?"

Nicholas smiled and gave a slight nod. "Yeah."

The woman's eyes narrowed as she watched the short exchange. "Seems the answer is no. ALICE!"

The momentary peace was shattered when the woman's Seviper shot forwards, her jaw popping open to bare her long fangs as she tried to bypass Kiana in favor of Nicholas. A fatal mistake. She didn't even make it an inch past the Arcanine when sharp teeth were sinking into the back of her neck, Kiana unleashing a screaming roar as she spun completely around and sent the Seviper's long body flipping into the air.

"ANNABETH!" Hugh screamed, his voice joined by the Samurott's while crackling blue energy built in front of her mouth before lancing out to impact the tumbling Seviper in an explosion of ice that sent the serpentine pokegirl blasting past the still burning sails and off the side of the ship.

"KILL THEM!"

"On your left!" Nicholas yelled, ducking a barrage of metal fragments from a jittering Klinklang. "Hugh!"

"Sandra, get out here!" the other man yelled.

"Got them distracted now? Good!" Ashley remarked brightly, diving down again as the Neo Plasma horde pressed in. "And it looks like you've got even more joining the party!" The Pidgeot blasted past, her wings tucked in to facilitate speed as a barrage of feathers sliced through a wave of Neo Plasma reinforcements. "Let me soften these ones up for you!"

Nicholas chuckled and grabbed his pokeballs as Sandra appeared behind him, the Flygon finding the nearest pokegirl and sending a chittering cry to crash over them. "Melody! Sounds like you've got a duet with Sandra over here, and Ada! Let's get some defenses up! Jade, Silla!" The entire harem materialized and Nicholas pointed at the half dozen pokegirls charging towards them. "Take your pick!"

With the sails burnt away the deck was completely exposed, attacks blasting through the entire space and more importantly turning the edges of the airship into battlefield hazards. Hazards which Nicholas immediately made use of when he smashed his foot into a Neo Plasma member's leg and then grabbed the screaming man by the jacket and threw him from the deck. But they just kept coming. He and Hugh were holding their own, but holding wasn't what they needed to do. They needed to make progress. They needed to break through.

Ashley was coming down for another pass when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Huh-? Master!" She whirled, zeroing in on the form heading straight for the airship. "There's someone else in my airspace! On approach!"

"Some kind of Neo Plasma scout? An outer guard we missed?" Nicholas cursed, turning in an attempt to see the incoming threat. "Can you intercept?"

"I'm trying but-"

"No!" Annabeth leapt up, digging her blade into the main mast and staying there, raising an arm despite the attacks that whizzed past her. "HERE!" she screamed, waving at the speck rapidly growing in the distance. "OVER HERE!"

"What are you-?" Hugh began, turning to see Annabeth clinging to the mast. "Annabeth?!"

"She made it," the Samurott breathed, her eyes dancing. "At last."

A haunting cry echoed over the ship and a winged figure blew overhead, a few Neo Plasma pokegirls trying to turn their attention to it before a hurricane blew them off their feet. Hugh's jaw was hanging open as a haughty avian pokegirl swooped past, doing loops before lining up with the deck. "Maria…?"

When the Unfezant passed by this time it wasn't wind she sent flying. A small object glinted in her hand as she flung it, the spinning orb of red and white bouncing off the deck before breaking open, loud thuds echoing as a massive pokegirl rose in the center of the battlefield. Hugh was beyond words, nothing but sputtering noises coming from his mouth as the pokegirl finished forming to reveal a body of rippling muscle and a head of voluminous curly black hair, her dark chocolate skin stretching tight as she raised her head to stare at the scrambling enemies around her. Human and pokegirl alike. Her eyes did not differentiate. They simply locked on the nearest form before she unleashed an absolutely incensed scream and charged for her target.

"Damn, she's got a helluva rack on her!" Nicholas whooped, the Bouffalant's horns ripping through a Magnemite unfortunate enough to be in her way. "And a nice pair of horns as well, I suppose. I thought I left Cathy behind on this one!"

"Ma-Ma-" Hugh was stuttering, his eyes locked on the sculpted nude black body currently sending blood spraying across the deck. "Emma…?"

"Kino on me!" Annabeth barked, yanking her blade free and falling back to the deck while her harem fell into formation around the two who had been absent from it for so long. As if they had never left. "Sandra, you know what to do."

The Flygon was already in the air, spinning over Emma's head to intercept the lightning that played out towards the circling Unfezant and returning missiles of earth to batter the Electric-types who had tried to harm Maria. In an instant the battle had turned. Neo Plasma's ranks were breaking as they tried and failed to deal with the Bouffalant stampeding through them and Nicholas called for his own harem to turn towards the side Emma wasn't. "Let's keep up the pressure!" he yelled, falling back to let Melody and Jade to take his place and act as a wall for the attacks flying in. "Kiana!"

"Ada!" the Arcanine barked, slipping in behind the two Ground-types and using them as cover while she sent waves of flame to harry the side Annabeth wasn't focusing. "Get over here!"

The deck itself twisted and broke when the Serperior began pushing energy into the dead wood and before long Kiana's side of the battlefield was an uneven mess, the geography itself hampering the Neo Plasma forces still trying to break onto the battlefield. A process that became even more difficult when Cindy stepped up, spraying her webbing across every door and stairwell she could see and turning them into deadly chokepoints that were filled with screams when Silla jumped up on Melody and Jade's shoulders, her wings flapping to keep her steady as each head breathed a steady stream of crackling purple energy into a different opening. It didn't take long for the reinforcements to abandon the obviously impassable entrances and soon Kiana was barking orders to bring her harem around. Seeing a united front against them the already breaking Neo Plasma forces fled, desperately retreating belowdecks and leaving the deck of the airship burnt, broken, and covered in bodies.

Emma was still raging, her hand shooting out to grab a whimpering Trubbish by the neck and slowly lifting the feebly resisting pokegirl up to eye level when something flashed past her face. "That is enough, Beta," Annabeth growled softly, the Trubbish's eyes rolling back into her skull as her body went limp. "Turn and face your Master."

Emma didn't move for a few seconds, her grip tightening down on the unconscious pokegirl she held, before all at once her body relaxed and her fingers popped open to allow the Trubbish to crumple to the deck. Still, she didn't turn, not until Hugh took a stumbling step towards her with his hand outstretched. "Emma…?"

Emma remained where she stood, her head tilting slightly towards Hugh and her eyes slipping shut when his trembling hand pressed against her shoulder blade. "Master," the Bouffalant rumbled, her voice as deep as her glistening skin was dark. "I am… glad to see you again."

"You… You're here," Hugh breathed, his other hand shooting up to grab at the muscles running down the Bouffalant's back and then pulling at her slightly in an attempt to have her turn around. "You, you're here, and Maria…" When Emma finally let him pull her around it was to see that Hugh's eyes were filled with tears. "I've thought about you every day since you left," he choked out. "Why, Emma? Why?"

"I never left, Master," Emma replied quietly, lowering herself onto one knee so that she was closer to Hugh's height and pulling the man's hands into her own. "I only stepped away. I saw you when you returned home. I wanted so desperately to go to you then." Emma's grip tightened down on Hugh as she bowed her head. "You were… glorious. But even still, I… I was too weak." She lifted her head again to reveal that her own eyes were watering. "I stepped away because I was weak, Master. I needed you to be stronger. Strong enough to save me. You are now." Her tears began to drip down as she gave Hugh a joyful smile. "I'm here, Master. And I'm not going anywhere ever again."

A choking sob and Hugh threw himself against the Bouffalant, her hands releasing his to allow the man to wrap her in an embrace as best he could. She held him close, nestling Hugh's body between her breasts as he cried, her own chest jumping as Emma fought down her sobs.

"This is why Maria remained behind," Annabeth said quietly, squatting down beside the pair and smiling as she patted Hugh gently on the back. "I needed an excuse to stay in touch with my Beta, Master. Every time I called Maria…"

"…Y-You were calling her," Hugh cried. "Emma…"

"I told you you should trust in her," Nicholas said with a smile, walking over and giving Emma a nod. "And look at how much you've grown. She is looking to you now, Hugh. Looking to you to be her Master. Her strength."

"No, no… But that's all wrong," Hugh cried. "You're not weak Emma, you've never been weak, you're the strongest pokegirl I know…"

"I…" Emma stuttered, fresh tears welling before she squeezed her eyes shut and shook them away. "I couldn't be strong enough for you, Master. I just couldn't."

"But Hugh is strong enough now," Nicholas interrupted, reaching in to rest his hands on the pair. "And he's fought his way here, to this airship, Neo Plasma's stronghold. And he has you now beside him," he said, nodding slightly at Emma. "Strong or weak alone, it doesn't matter, does it? What matters is what you are together." He paused a moment to let the two absorb his words. "And what are you together?"

After a few seconds Hugh pushed free of Emma's arms, blushing when one of his hands sank into her naked breast but managing to get himself upright. "Together…" he whispered, glancing at the Bouffalant's face. "Together."

Emma wiped her face clean and rose, returning to towering over the battlefield as she cleared her throat. "Together," she repeated. "Together, Master… Together we are strong."

"Neo Plasma is regrouping," Nicholas said. "Shall we fix that?"

Hugh smiled up at Emma as the Bouffalant released a rumbling growl. "Yes." She held out a hand that Hugh took. "Shall we, Master?"

"Let's do it," Hugh whispered.

.

.

"You were not KIDDING about how she gets!" Nicholas laughed, listening as Emma's bugling noises were punctuated by bangs and the sound of tearing metal. The passages belowdecks were rather narrow in places and the Bouffalant seemed to take offense to that. "Hall left!"

Hugh ran, having gone mostly silent since the group had descended into the airship. "Where?" he whispered, eyes locked on the occasional flashes of a black shape he could see ahead of them. "Where are you, Rena?"

They caught up to Emma in front of a solid hatch door. She was straining, her muscles standing out as she tried to turn the handle. "Locked," the Bouffalant snarled, metallic creaking coming from the wheel in her hands. "It's LOCKED!"

"Any idea how we might-?" Nicholas began to ask when Emma answered his question by letting go of the wheel and slamming her foot into the frame. The entire ship shuddered and she went again, a dent forming in the door as she growled low and took better aim. This time when her foot impacted there was an audible crack from the hinges.

"Jade!" Nicholas called, moving aside so the Golurk could join the Bouffalant. "Together. Ready?"

Jade drew her fist back. "Yes, Keeper."

"Ready. Set." Emma set her body, bringing all of her musculature to bear. "NOW!"

The first blow from the two pokegirls twisted the hatch out of its frame. The second sent it flying through the room on the other side of the opening. Nicholas heard scattered shouts from within as the group advanced and his eyes were immediately drawn to the pipes lining the large open space, a few observation windows revealing the contents to be absolutely white.

"Think we found something important!" Nicholas cried when a number of Neo Plasma pokegirls jumped out towards them. "Girls!"

Hugh ran to a nearby railing, staring down into the massive space below and waving for Nicholas to join him. "Look! Over there!"

Nicholas ran over and hissed. Computers covered the walls. Scientists scampered about while even more black-uniformed individuals ran for the intruders. And at the far end. Suspended away from the main area, with only a simple walkway to access it, and what seemed to be every single pipe connecting to its edges. A glass tank making up nearly the entire wall. The interior nearly entirely frosted over, but with a massive shadow just barely visible lying in the center. And standing on the walkway, punching at the controls…

"ZINZOLIIIN!" Nicholas roared over the sound of the battle. "WE'RE COMING FOR YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

The man glanced up at the yell, barely acknowledging Nicholas' presence before returning to what he was doing. Lights were flickering on around the tank and as an alarm blared Nicholas felt the presence behind the glass stir.

"Master-!" Annabeth yelled, crying out in pain when she was struck by a poisonous missile and falling back to be replaced by Kino. "They- They're not letting us through," she hissed to Hugh when he ran over to begin checking the injury. "We're trying, Master, we are…"

"Watch the flank!" Nicholas yelled, drawing Melody's attention as a few forms scampered up the walls behind the group. "Ready-!"

Suddenly Nicholas found himself falling, stumbling back as the shadows beside him came alive and a Weavile appeared with her claws flashing for his throat. Before she could strike flame filled the space in front of him and he slammed to the grate, seeing stars as Kiana bodily grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him to safety.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Nicholas snapped, pulling himself from the Arcanine's grasp and getting back to his feet. "What's our status?"

"I hate to say it Master but I think we're about to start being pushed back," Kiana growled. "They really don't want us down here."

"Okay. Fuck!" Nicholas glanced out into the hold, at where Kyurem was beginning to move within her tank. "Reset, regroup! HUGH!"

Hugh snarled but didn't argue, Kino no longer on the battlefield after being forced to fight for both herself and her wounded Alpha and the group retreated, dragging the broken hatch back into place and doing their best to weld it shut with Kiana's flames.

"I thought we weren't going to run!" Hugh yelled, coming for Nicholas angrily. "RIGHT THERE! If we can get through right there-!"

"Resistance too thick. We need a new plan," Nicholas snapped back. "We've got injured, and-"

His words were cut off when a figure jumped from a side path, catching Nicholas by the shoulder and dragging him to tumble across the floor. "Don't shoot!" the newcomer gasped, choking when Nicholas' elbow sank deep under his ribs. "Don't… Friendly…" the Neo Plasma member gurgled, his fingers loosening their grip and allowing Nicholas to spin around and use the momentum to surge back upright and drive the man against the wall. "Friend… ly…"

"And we're so tired a human manages to get the drop on me?" Nicholas yelled, glaring at the frozen pokegirls around him. "Come on."

"I'm… friendly," the man gasped out, pulling at Nicholas' arm in an effort to breathe. "Sage… Rood."

Nicholas glanced back at the struggling man. "What did you say?"

"I'm… spy," the man managed. "Friendly…"

Nicholas let go and the man dropped to the floor, gasping as he forced air past his bruised throat. "Convince me, and do it quickly."

The man shook his head. "There's not enough time," he wheezed. "Right behind me… a pincer group. They were coming to surround you." Nicholas' lips thinned as he watched the man cough. "You have to get out of here, now. Run. Back abovedeck. You have to trust me." He struggled back to his feet, lifting a hand cautiously as he edged his way back towards the side passage he'd jumped out of. "The cavalry's coming. Just hold out a little longer."

Nicholas watched the man stagger away, turning to the group after a few moments. "Back to the deck."

"I don't care what any Neo Plasma member says," Hugh swore, stepping in front of Nicholas and gesturing back towards the hold. "If they're splitting to try and surround us there's less out there to slow us down!"

"Our pokegirls need to rest!" Nicholas snapped right back, pushing right into Hugh's space and forcing the younger man to stumble away from him. "Regardless of whether there's a second group or not we need to get back on deck and regroup. This is Neo Plasma's territory. Not ours." As if to punctuate his words the hastily sealed hatch shuddered as something on the other side hit it and Nicholas grabbed at Hugh, shoving him back towards the deck. "GO!"

Nicholas could hear shouting behind them as they fled, a loud bang echoing through the ship as their pursuers finally managed to break through the hatch and the group burst back into the open minutes later, prompting a rapid report from Ashley and Maria to swoop down from where she had been helping provide overwatch. "A couple of people tried to clear the doors you blocked while you were below, Master, but Maria and I chased them off. I think they were trying to get you from behind."

"Yeah, sounds about right," Nicholas grunted, directing the group into a defensible position near the mast. "We've got injured, Kalmiya! You charged?"

"Always, Master."

Hugh blinked when Nicholas grabbed Kino's pokeball from him. "What are you-?" he began, trailing off when he saw Nicholas fitting it into the healing module. "What's that?"

"I have a portable healing device built into my pokedex, but only a few charges to use with it," Nicholas replied, waiting for Kalmiya to signal that she was running the cycle. "Annabeth and the others will need to settle for regular medicine."

"B-But you can just heal Kino-?"

"Eventually," Nicholas growled, eyes flicking to the doors they'd just run through. "Not fast enough to have her back in action in time for that."

Hugh turned to see Neo Plasma members pouring onto the deck, Zinzolin striding right along with them and the man spread his arms with a mocking laugh while the group was quickly surrounded. "Where are you going, 'Hero'?" he called. "Going to make me pay, was that it?"

"We've already demolished dozens of your men," Nicholas growled back, the pokegirls snarling at the enemies all around them. "We'll get to you eventually."

Zinzolin just laughed. "You won't be able to free Kyurem," he taunted. "Even if you were to somehow get past me here we have taken exceptional care in crafting her prison from nigh indestructible materials! And even if you managed to put a crack in it, do you really think she would be happy to see you? No, the instant you'd think you've won, you'd just be frozen and shattered before her cold." He sneered. "Give it up, all of you. Surrender, and I may be merciful."

"You know full well we can't do that," Nicholas shot back.

"Yes. I do." Zinzolin laughed and gestured to the forces surrounding Nicholas and Hugh. "Ready!"

"Master, I can-"

"Stay out of this, Ashley," Nicholas muttered. "Even Maria is being forced to stand here with us. If you get downed behind the Neo Plasma line there would be nothing I could do."

"No!" Ashley cried. "Not that, Master. I can see additional contacts cresting the mountains!"

Nicholas blinked, turning slightly as he processed the Pidgeot's words. "Additional flyers?"

"Yes! I'm in position to stop these. Do I?"

"How many?"

"I can see six, Master. I am almost positive that all pokegirls are carrying humans."

Nicholas didn't reply, long enough that Ashley was fretting in his ear again when he finally spoke. "No," he murmured, turning to stare straight at where Zinzolin stood. "Let them through." A smile grew across his lips as he remembered the spy's words. "The cavalry has arrived."

"Destroy these intruders!" Zinzolin yelled, lifting his arm above his head. "Kill them all!"

"Sir, in the sky-!"

"What?" Zinzolin swiveled to see the figures approaching in perfect formation. "Who is that! Are those ours?"

"Sir, I don't think so-!" Another voice yelled, scattered screams filling the air when light flashed from the approaching group and blasts of energy started exploding through the crowd surrounding Nicholas and Hugh. Zinzolin was roaring, trying to muster the Neo Plasma forces towards the new threat but they couldn't stop the six from coming in hot, slamming to the deck in a loose circle around the beleaguered group and Nicholas stared at the motley assortment of pokegirls letting their riders fall to the deck.

"Poor Daniel could hardly speak after what you did to him, Nicholas!" Rood exclaimed as he swept forwards. He was dressed head to toe in the old regalia he had worn as Plasma's Sage and the other humans moved to stand behind him, each in the blue and white garment that had once been the uniform of Ghetsis' agitators. "Couldn't you have been just a bit more gentle?"

"That the guy who jumped me?" Nicholas asked, making full use of the confusion Rood's arrival had brought by pulling medicine from his bag and tossing it to each of his and Hugh's pokegirls. "He's got a funny way of introducing himself."

"Yes, well, he said something about running as fast as he could to reach you in time," Rood replied, stepping up to stand directly across from Zinzolin. "Seems we barely made it ourselves."

"Rood," Zinzolin sneered. "The traitor returns."

"Traitor? To Ghetsis?" Rood asked, raising his voice and projecting it across the deck just as he had once called across the pokegirl league. "Only a traitor could accuse the same of one who remained true to his King. You, Ghetsis, all the rest of you betrayed our lord N. Betrayed the ideal upon which Plasma was formed! Abused and exploited pokegirls for your own ends!"

"And what of it?!" Zinzolin cried, gesturing about at the Neo Plasma forces. "Everything has been for the greater good! This world is evil, and our peaceful ways could not bring about the change we desired! You, Rood, you and even that traitor king N did not have the STRENGTH to do what was needed! WE ARE NEO PLASMA! WE HAVE THE STRENGTH THAT IS NEEDED! AND WE WILL CHANGE UNOVA!"

Rood glanced around as the call was taken up by the crowd, shaking his head slightly as he returned his attention to Zinzolin. "Do you truly believe your own words, or are they just what you use to control these people? As Ghetsis controlled us?" He snorted. "I suppose it doesn't matter." He turned to the crowd. "LOOK AROUND YOU!" he roared. "If any of you are truly here for the betterment of pokegirls then look to your left and your right! Think about who you stand beside. Ask yourself if they truly share your beliefs! Or," he said, looking back to Zinzolin, "if they are here out of a desire for power. To conquer. Ghetsis' plans were always to take over Unova! The liberation of pokegirls was his convenient excuse! Our lord N, YOUR lord N believed in his ideal with a pure and noble heart! CAN ANY OF YOU SAY THE SAME?" He raised his hands beseechingly to either side. "If you can, then cast off the trappings of deceit! Do what is right!"

Zinzolin just laughed. "You think the words of a traitor will sway any of them?" he asked. "All you have accomplished by coming here is ensuring you will fall sooner. Look at you." Zinzolin stepped forwards, a confident sneer on his face. "Oh, sure, you've managed to convince a few pokegirls to fly you to your doom, but besides some pretty lights what did you really do? I don't think you even injured anyone with that farce. We'd already been about to sweep those two tamers aside, so what's the difference of another half dozen pokegirls who follow humans too weak to command them?" Zinzolin stopped at the edge of the crowd, as close to Rood as he could get without stepping into the thin no-man's land surrounding Nicholas and the others. "You're nothing, Rood," he jeered, smirking at the silent sage. "Words are empty. Power requires action. CONVICTION!"

"It does, doesn't it?" Rood asked. "In the years past I have lacked conviction, you are correct. But I do not lack it now." Zinzolin's confident smirk flickered ever so slightly but before he could react Rood was raising his hand. "KNIGHTS OF OUR KING!" he roared, slipping his other hand beneath his robe. "STRIKE NOW, IN THE NAME OF KING N!"

"Get them-!" Zinzolin began, but the words weren't even out of his mouth before the five behind Rood were sweeping their arms past the scapular of their uniforms, pushing the cloth back to reveal belts full of pokeballs.

The small space Hugh and Nicholas had been huddled in suddenly was expanding fourfold. Red illuminated the deck, the flying pokegirls each shooting into the air at Rood's command to allow room for the materializing pokegirls and the Neo Plasma forces were frozen. Perhaps in indecision at seeing Rood, perhaps in surprise at seeing the 'peaceful traitors' wielding pokeballs, each individual's reason didn't really matter. All that mattered was instead of barely a dozen pokegirls opposing them, there was suddenly double that amount. More than. And the ones appearing beside the Plasma members held no such hesitation.

Nicholas found himself unable to do much more than cheer as bodies exploded from around them, Rood and his forces falling on the Neo Plasma horde with a vengeance born of their righteous fury. There, a woman called out, her hands moving independently to direct a pair of excessively buff pokegirls to swing their respective weapons, two misshapen poles of raw metal, out at differing heights. With her direction their timing was identical, one sweeping for the legs, the other for the head, and so whether the pokegirls in their way jumped or ducked they were hit regardless and a chunk of the enemy force was sent flying. Past her a man released a shrill whistle, causing the intricate humanoid sarcophagus standing beside him to open and release dozens of shadowy hands from the inky void within. They arced up before slamming down into the crowd in a barrage of strikes, driving anything they hit to the ground, but one pokegirl managed to escape and lunge for the sarcophagus itself. It shuddered when the Raticate began scratching the surface and the shadow instantly retracted, racing back inside before a cloth-wrapped hand shot out towards the rodent pokegirl. The darkness inside the Cofagrigus' sarcophagus had become a black-skinned pokegirl with burning red eyes covered in tattered bandages and before the rodent pokegirl could react the Cofagrigus' hand closed on her wrist, the bandages wrapped around the mummy pokegirl lashing out to bind her attacker tight as she was dragged screaming into the sarcophagus and the lid slammed shut.

"Couldn't leave you to fight our fight for us," a voice said, and Nicholas reached up when a hand appeared in front of him. "You hanging in there, Hero?" Nicholas let himself be pulled to his feet and face to grinning face with a familiar young man in the Plasma uniform. "Or you prefer just being called Nicholas, right?"

"Patrick, right?" Nicholas chuckled, clasping Patrick's hand while matching his grin. "Or was that Pat."

"Hey, if you're Nicholas then I'm Pat," Patrick joked back, laughing with Nicholas as he turned to run a quick eye over the battlefield. "Man you really stirred up the nest, didn't you? Thanks for leaving some for the rest of us."

"My pleasure," Nicholas replied, motioning for Hugh to join them. "Hugh, this is Pat. I first met him in Driftveil. He's a part of the Plasma you'd heard were in the city." He smiled and gestured around at the pokegirls standing proudly beside their tamers as they pushed back Neo Plasma. "Not quite the Plasma you were looking for, are they."

Hugh jerkily lifted his hand to shake Patrick's. "No, but… you were part of them before, weren't you? The Plasma that kidnapped pokegirls, the ones who took Rena from my sister."

Patrick's grin slipped as his eyes began to drift. "Well… I never did any of that, but…" he trailed off. "Yeah… Yeah, I guess I was." The handshake had turned into the two just awkwardly holding each other's hand. "I… am sorry. Plasma, the Plasma I followed then made people and pokegirls suffer. But that's not who we are now." He looked up to Hugh. "Now we search for a way to atone for what once was. By caring for the pokegirls our actions separated from their tamers. Rena, you said her name was?"

Hugh blinked, slowly. "Yeah. A Purrloin named Rena."

Patrick shook his head. "She's not one of the ones we've sheltered in Driftveil. I'm sorry she was separated from you."

"Separated?" Hugh hissed, yanking his hand from Patrick's grasp. "What a joke. KIDNAPPED. And you Plasma were the ones who took her!"

Someone cleared their throat and Patrick felt a hand rest on his shoulder as Rood stepped up. "Pat, Mia's looking to you," the man murmured, causing Patrick to turn towards where a shapely vulpine pokegirl fought, fire exploding from her body as her many tails waved through the air. "Don't you think you should help her?"

"R-Right, Elder," Patrick stammered, slipping away and giving Nicholas and Hugh a quick nod. "I'm so sorry-"

"Wasn't it a Vulpix who Anthea or Concordia was saying liked Pat?" Nicholas asked. "That's a beautifully elegant Ninetales over there."

"She, um, was," Patrick said with a nervous laugh. "She… evolved. After I found her a firestone."

Rood chuckled. "Little Mia grew so fast once Pat accepted her feelings. And she's not the only one, Pat, you know that! Danielle was all too happy to get a chance at having you in her arms for the flight here…"

Patrick's eyes unconsciously flicked towards the Braviary swooping overhead. "She's not like that, no…"

"Oh yes she is," Rood laughed. "Look at her now, she's showing off for you, Pat! She's trying to impress the man she wants to be her tamer!"

Patrick sputtered and tore his eyes from the figure above them. "No, no, it's bad enough that Mia wouldn't leave me alone, and even worse that we had to use a pokeball to carry her here, I'm not going to… to…"

"He's worried because he's quite popular with the pokegirls," Rood stage-whispered to Nicholas. "At this rate, Pat will have a full harem before long."

"No, no!" Patrick denied, wheeling away to hurry towards where Mia was and at least three of the Ninetales' tails came to attention as he approached. "No no no…"

Rood was still laughing as he reached out to offer a hand to Hugh. "Hugh, was it?" he asked.

Hugh didn't shake. "Don't bother apologizing," he growled. "It's worthless."

"You're right. Kidnapped. The Plasma you knew kidnapped pokegirls. And unlike Patrick, I had a hand in it." Rood's smile had vanished. "That is why we fight to make things right. Why we apologize, even if it doesn't fix anything. To move forwards, the first thing you must do is admit you were wrong and apologize."

Hugh was silent, staring at Rood and his outstretched hand. "You know, a year ago I would have spat on you," he said quietly. "Or worse. But since then, I… I've met people," he said, looking to Nicholas, "and I've learned there are those who look up to me." He turned to gaze at Emma, the Bouffalant gazing back. "The first step is admitting you were wrong and apologizing, yeah?" He turned back to Rood and finally lifted his hand to shake. "If the people like me can't forgive you, then you'll always be treated like the villains."

Rood bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."

"So you stand beside pokegirls now, eh?" Hugh asked, letting go of Rood's hand. "Why's that?"

"The same as you, I believe," Rood said with a small smile. "To protect what's important to us."

"Heh," Hugh replied. "Even if it means your ideals are damaged? If your actions lead your pokegirls to be hurt?"

"Even if our ideals must bend," Rood replied. "Even if our beloved friends are hurt because they stand with us. Avoiding conflict has caused only pain. The time to fight is now." He glanced over his shoulder. "Speaking of. PENROSE! That snake didn't slip away from you, did he?"

"Of course not, oh great and wise one," a voice replied. Some kind of plant pokegirl slipped into the conversation, her figure covered in metallic armor and with spikes running across just about every part of her body. "He shut up real quick after I sat on him."

"Yes, well, the weight of your ass is one of my favorite parts about you," Rood replied, watching Penrose drop Zinzolin on the deck in front of him. Even though he was unconscious the Neo Plasma sage was thoroughly trussed up in her vines. "Second only to your breasts."

"You always flatter me." Penrose jerked her head back towards the battlefield. "Adelaine took a nasty hit securing him, though. You think you can stop jawing with the humans and give her boo-boo a quick kiss?"

"I suppose I'd better." Rood stepped away. "Nicholas. Hugh." He nodded to the two. "We'll handle things up here. You can count on that."

Nicholas pulled Kino's pokeball from his pokedex when the device beeped and handed it back to Hugh. "Ready to charge right back into the lion's den, Hugh?"

Hugh took the pokeball and nodded. "I am." He caught Rood's attention before the sage could get too far away. "Rood! If we don't crush Neo Plasma, then it won't matter whether or not I can forgive you, does it? You'll still be the villains to everyone. Right?"

Rood nodded slightly. "And even if you forgave us, even if every person who we hurt could, that wouldn't absolve us of our guilt."

"No. But if I can rescue Rena." Hugh looked towards the path into the airship. "One by one, if the pokegirls you helped take away from their tamers… Their friends… If you can help rescue them." He looked back to Rood. "It'll help absolve you, won't it?" Hugh slammed his fist into his palm. "Guess I'll help you out with that!"

Rood's eyes were watering but he managed to fight the tears back. "It… would. Thank you, Hugh. Thank you."

"Nicholas." Hugh turned. "Let's finish this."

.

.

They didn't make it a hundred feet back towards the hold before running into a Neo Plasma member, but this time the woman who stepped out from where she'd been hiding made her allegiances clear from the start. "Hey, Hero. How's Sage Rood handling the deck?"

The group stopped and Nicholas nodded at her. "Prove it."

The woman chuckled and flipped her hat off, turning it upside down and yanking the lining out before jamming it back over her hair. "What do you think? Close enough to the hood?" she asked, pulling the light blue felt down to secure it beneath her chin. "I worked hard on these, don't lie now."

"Close enough," Nicholas replied. "You are?"

"Rachel. Daniel's still recovering so I wandered this way to meet you." Rachel flipped her hat back upright and tucked the reverse side away to return it to its Neo Plasma form. "Anyone who's not up there has pulled back to defend the weapon room. They're expecting you. Zinzolin stopped responding to radio a few minutes ago and it's got everyone jumpy."

"Zinzolin is currently roleplaying a trussed pig," Nicholas replied. "The rest of the Neo Plasma members up there are being whittled down by N's Knights. Are you one of them too?"

"I made the decision to infiltrate these traitors before Sage Rood decided what he was going to call us, but yeah, I am," Rachel replied. "My girlfriend's here too, but it's just the three of us that I know of. So if anyone else tries claiming they're your friend I'd take it with a grain of salt."

"Noted," Nicholas replied. "Well. Thanks for the warning, but we need to get into the hold. I'm here to destroy the weapon, Fiona here has a duty to face Kyurem, and Hugh is searching for a kidnapped pokegirl."

"You're planning on going after the monster?" Rachel said, looking towards Fiona before blinking and peering closer. "Hang on, who is… is that a sword?"

Fiona drew her blade with a nod. "It is."

"Lady Fiona," Rachel immediately replied, sinking to one knee and bowing her head. "I apologize, your form does not match any of the old stories. By what name would I know you by?"

"By none you would know," Nicholas interrupted. "She is not one of the three, but a fourth, who was given form only recently to oppose what is happening here."

"Oh… Oh, that… it makes sense, but it means we failed." Rachel winced as she lifted her head again. "Forgive me, Lady Fiona. If we had not been so easily fooled then you could have been allowed to slumber peacefully."

"I like this one," Fiona said in amusement, returning her sword to her side and holding her hand out to Rachel. "Stand, Knight of your King. You call him N, yes?"

"Yes, our Lord N," Rachel replied, reverently taking Fiona's hand and letting the legendary pull her to her feet. "He often spoke of the code of justice that the three Swords embodied, and how we should look to them for guidance."

"Well now it is I who looks to you," Fiona said with a smile. "I must reach Kyurem. How can we bypass those in my way?"

"Tiffany is in the hold, she's how I know what's going on in there," Rachel replied immediately. "We can help clear the way."

"How's that?" Nicholas asked.

"I'll go ahead of you," Rachel said, gesturing down the hall. "Pretend I'm being chased. You come in, everyone focuses on you, and then we hit them from behind."

Nicholas chuckled. "Trapping them in a surprise pincer attack. I like it. How will I recognize Tiffany or any of your pokegirls?"

"We'll be the ones staying the hell out of your way," Rachel giggled. "I'd put the hood back on but then we'd lose the confusion factor, right?"

"That's true," Nicholas agreed. "Right. Well just so we have an idea, who should we be thinking twice before knocking out?"

"Tiffany's got great long blonde hair," Rachel said with a grin and pulled two pokeballs from her pockets. "And here's Diana and Leona, I'm pretty sure there aren't many other Lunatone or Solrock out there."

Nicholas nodded as the two pokegirls materialized. "Makes it easier. Tiffany's girls?"

"Oh, she's got a Gothitelle and Reuniclus," Rachel replied. "Morgana and Kayle. I'll also run to the other side of the room from where she's at, if that helps. We ready?"

"Think we should dirty up your uniform a bit? Maybe give Diana and Leona some scrapes or something to sell the act?"

"I don't want-" Rachel began before Diana turned to Leona and threw a wicked slap across the Solrock's face. "Oh look what you've done now," she sighed, Leona staggering back before lunging out and knocking Diana to the ground where the two pokegirls began to struggle. "OI! Would you two stop kissing already and get back up? That's more than enough to convince anyone." She shot Nicholas a look when the two on the ground kept rolling about, light giggles escaping as they continued playfully battering at one another and sending loud clangs through the ship. "Sometimes I think I've got two Liepard because by the Creator they love a rowdy catfight."

Nicholas snickered. "Pokegirls."

"Pokegirls," Rachel grumbled. "Seriously. Both of you up!" The two pokegirls immediately bounced back upright, each levitating slightly as they grinned at their tamer with their arms wrapped around each other. "I'd rather not take a slap to sell this, but this should do." With a grunt Rachel began yanking at her uniform, using her pokegirls' tough bodies as leverage to tear holes in the fabric and let her undershirt poke through. "The only thing this disgusting thing deserves, honestly. There, I'm messed up, they're bruising, that good enough?"

"More than," Nicholas quickly replied. "Sorry to have suggested that."

"Not your fault that these two barely need an excuse to start something," Rachel griped. "Okay. Let's do this thing."

Nervous muttering filled the air as the Neo Plasma forces within the hold milled about, many shooting glances towards the open hatch that had just minutes before been letting out loud crashing sounds. Now it was quiet.

At least it was until the faint sound of crashing footsteps began to be heard, humans and pokegirls alike moving towards the opening as the sounds got louder and a woman in Neo Plasma's uniform burst through the door, her breath coming in panting gasps as she threw herself to safety with two battered pokegirls stumbling out behind her. "The intruders!" she cried, stumbling into the crowd and grabbing the first human she saw. "They're right behind me!"

"Defend the boss!" someone cried, other cries going up as everyone in the hold moved towards the hatch, pushing past the panting woman and her pokegirls as her heaving chest slowed and she glanced across the open space to give another woman who was hanging back a slight nod.

"Here we go," Nicholas muttered when he saw the broken and twisted metal hatch door lying against the wall ahead. "I say there have been enough speeches today. Let's have some action."

"Emma?" Hugh asked.

The Bouffalant growled low. "Got it, Master."

"You take the lead as well, Jade," Nicholas said, pressing himself to the side to allow the hulking Golurk to move up. "Remove the impediments to your Keeper. Your Lord."

Jade's eyes danced from within her helmet and she began to laugh, the sound not quite as deep as Emma's but the Golurk's tinkling voice was certainly trying its best. "With great pleasure, Keeper."

"THEY'RE HERE!" a voice cried out as Emma burst into the hull, the Bouffalant barely pausing a moment to take in the staggered forces around her before she lowered her head and charged. Behind her Jade shoved her way out of the hallway, bringing her arms back before slashing them out with a roar and sending shards of stone slicing out into the Neo Plasma line.

Suddenly the air around the Neo Plasma members was warping, confused shouting coming from the rear before screams made many heads turn to see two pairs of glowing pokegirls beating their way into the crowd. The resistance shattered. Those who turned in an attempt to meet the Psychic-types breaking the lines from behind were not there to back up the ones who tried to remain focused on the two juggernauts tearing their way in from the front and when another half dozen pokegirls appeared from the halls to join their sisters even that tenuous defense broke apart. In a matter of minutes the small group of Neo Plasma tamers who had been the last line of defense for Kyurem were scattered about the room.

"Easiest fight of the day," Nicholas chuckled, walking forward to greet the two women making their way through the moaning crowds and taking care of any pokegirls who were still moving. "Rachel, and Tiffany, I assume? Nicely done."

Tiffany looked up from where she was helping her Reuniclus bind a Neo Plasma member with his own shirt and grinned. "Hiya, Hero! Thanks!"

Hugh moved up as well. "Do either of you know where kidnapped pokegirls might be held?" he asked urgently. "I've been keeping an eye out but I haven't seen anything. I'm looking for a Purrloin. She was kidnapped a few years ago."

Tiffany shared a glance with Rachel before she spoke. "The Shadows like Liepard," she said. "If they kidnapped a Purrloin, then… there's a good chance she's being held by them. Or one of their favored tamers." Tiffany's eyes slipped away from Hugh. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Where are they?" Hugh hissed. "Where do they keep them?"

Nicholas held up his hand. "Why are you sorry?" he asked quietly. "I know of the Shadow Triad. While I'm sure being their prisoner isn't a good thing, the way you said that makes it sound as if… you don't expect we'll be able to find her."

Tiffany flinched. "The Shadows, they… Not even the real Neo Plasma members like them," she whispered. "For us it was fear, fear every day that they might discover who we really followed. For the rest it's fear on reputation alone. People say, that… it's better for a pokegirl to be left behind than for them to fall into the Shadows' hands at all." She looked around. "Some of these pokegirls were kidnapped too. They all eventually found some reason to agree with their new tamers, even if they were essentially prisoners, but the girls who were taken by the Shadows… They became unrecognizable. If they were even seen again."

Nicholas breathed out, feeling how tense Hugh had become beside him. "We'll find her, Hugh," he whispered. "We will."

"We'll take care of things up here," Rachel said. "Down below, the lower level, there are doors to either side of the monster's cage. Those will lead you to the executive chambers. If the Shadows are keeping anyone anywhere, it will be there."

"Guess we head down, then," Nicholas replied. "Come on."

They moved down to the lower level and Nicholas strode straight for Kyurem's container, Fiona moving past him as she drew her sword before both realized there was one more figure in their way. Someone standing on the walkway, and as they got closer Nicholas was able to start picking out details beyond the long white labcoat the figure wore. "Hey! You there!" Nicholas called, Fiona spinning her sword in preparation. "Put your hands on your head and turn around!"

"I have no quarrel with you, Champion Topolski," a male voice replied, the man lifting his hands and resting them on his tightly slicked blonde hair as he began to turn. "I am only here to ask you not to destroy my research."

"Your research, huh? So you must be the head scientist here or something," Nicholas snorted. "And why shouldn't I blow up this entire place? Keep turning, let me see your face. You're not about to try and spring some pokegirls on us, are you?"

The man continued turning to reveal a calm expression on his face. "Not if you are reasonable," he said, coming to a halt before lowering one hand to adjust the blue half-rim glasses in front of his golden eyes. "It is my understanding you are a reasonable man, Champion Topolski. A man of science, just like me."

"I don't know what you think you know about me, but I'm nothing like…" Nicholas snorted, trailing off when he saw the streak of blue hair sweeping over the man's head. The way he adjusted his glasses again, the bemused smile as he listened to Nicholas speak… "Hang on a damn second. You?"

"Welcome to my airship, Champion Topolski," Colress said in amusement. "Thank you again for speaking to me back in Castelia. You gave me valuable data towards refining my theories of a pokegirl's true power."

"This doesn't make any sense," Nicholas breathed. "In Castelia, you said… You said Plasma was wrong, didn't you? That the separation, liberation of pokegirls from humans was the wrong thing to do? So you're just here to take power, the same as Ghetsis?"

"Do not compare me to that disgusting man," Colress snapped. "No. Neo Plasma offered me the means to continue my research, that is all. I despise Ghetsis, and only accepted his request to take the mantle of Neo Plasma's leader because it gave me easier access to their resources. My research is everything. If I can bring out the entirety of pokegirl potential, then I don't care what it takes! If it is as I wished, and that strength is best drawn out by the relationships between a pokegirl and her tamer, then so be it! If it means you must use a merciless approach, like Neo Plasma, to force that potential to surface, then so be it! And yes." Colress spread both arms out to indicate the lattice of tubes running from Kyurem's chamber. "If that means the entire world is to be destroyed as a result, then so be it."

Nicholas could only stare. "You're mad," he whispered.

"If only I could be," Colress replied. "Perhaps then the insatiable hunger I feel could be ignored. But I am, unfortunately, entirely sane. And so it claws at my mind, demanding I answer, demanding the truth!" Colress pushed one hand against his brow and began to laugh. "None of them here can help me! None of them could draw out the power of their pokegirls! Not like you! So I had to search, to find the scientific approach that could draw out a pokegirl's full strength, even if it was without conscience. I regret nothing! I have learned so much! I feel I am close! So close to the answer!"

"I've heard more than enough," Nicholas growled. "Step aside. We're here for Kyurem."

"Kyurem? Kyurem," Colress murmured. "Ah, yes. Kyurem. The empty shell of that ancient dragon. So much potential. And none of it being used. She was such a tragedy, you see? Even what little she was emanating when we found her was enough to freeze a man where he stood. I found a way, you see. To draw from her, to pull her potential out, but it wasn't enough. Not enough! She was still empty. I could draw out her power, but only to a certain point. She needed to be able to give."

Nicholas felt a hole forming in his stomach. "What did you do."

"The crystal," Colress breathed. "Oh, it was exquisite. Simply bringing it near her triggered a response. Have you seen outside? When she first stirred, the energy overloaded our systems entirely. Can you imagine what will be possible when we harness that power?"

"I can, and I'm not going to entertain your ramblings any longer," Nicholas snapped. "I said to step aside. We're putting and end to her, now."

"Step aside?" Colress asked in confusion. "You are only here for Kyurem?"

"That's right. I'd love to break all your toys but we're most interested in Kyurem," Nicholas replied. "Now step. Aside."

"Well I wish you wouldn't take her from me, but I've already learned so much…" Colress thought for a few moments. "I suppose she is no longer vital to my research. Yes, do what you want with her. But she's not here."

Nicholas shoved forwards and pushed Colress aside, hissing when he saw the melting frost on the empty tank. "FUCK!"

"Where is she, human." Colress blinked when he saw the tip of Fiona's sword hovering in front of his eyes. "Answer me truthfully, or I will carve out your tongue."

"There's no reason for threats, honestly," Colress sniffed. "I've got nothing against any of you-"

"Answer her," Nicholas snarled.

"Zinzolin activated the backup control sequence," Colress replied. "I would assume Ghetsis has taken her somewhere. Away from you."

Nicholas slowly turned. "Ghetsis. He's here?"

"Of course."

"Oh don't give me 'of course'," Nicholas snapped. "I'd thought Ghetsis was still in hiding somewhere, not with Neo Plasma. FUCK!"

"He'd intended on making his appearance soon. To take back his position as leader of Neo Plasma," Colress explained, watching Nicholas stomp off the walkway. "I didn't mind. I've already learned so much."

Nicholas waved a hand in Colress' direction, growling under his breath. "Close your mouth before I have someone close it for you." He turned to the others. "We need to find where he's gone. Now."

"You might find a hint in his chambers," Colress supplied helpfully. "They're all the way through those doors there."

Nicholas glanced in the scientist's direction and watched as he pointed to the imposing hydraulic doors to either side of Kyurem's holding area. "Those seem pretty heavy. And probably locked. Unless you have some other helpful advice?"

"Oh, I can unlock them." Colress strode off the walkway, seemingly without care as a few of the pokegirls took an aggressive pose when he got close. "Let me see… password was… right." He tapped the control panel and the doors slid open without a sound. "There you are, Champion. Best of luck."

Nicholas slowly walked over. "As easy as that."

"Oh of course," Colress said. "I told you I have no quarrel with you, Champion Nicholas. And I have no love for Ghetsis. In fact, I see this as an excellent opportunity to gather data! Who will win? Will it be you, who forms deep bonds with his pokegirls in order to bring out their true potential, or will it be Neo Plasma, who seek to draw power by force? An ideal method, or an unfortunate truth? Won't you show me which it will be?"

Nicholas tsked and turned away. "I was wrong. You're not mad – you're just an unfeeling sociopath."

"Perhaps." Colress smiled and sketched a bow as the rest of the group joined Nicholas. "Best of luck to you all!"

"Come on," Nicholas growled, stepping into the wide halls beyond the door.

"We're just leaving that man alone?" Hugh hissed as the others followed Nicholas deeper into the ship. "We should restrain him at least, who knows what he's going to do?"

"We don't have time," Nicholas replied. "We don't mess with him, he doesn't mess with us, that's what he was saying. Testing whether or not he was bluffing is not worth it."

"But-!"

"Stop thinking about him and focus on what's around us," Nicholas retorted. "I can feel them watching us. The Shadow Triad are here."

The short hallways opened into a number of lavish rooms as they made their way forwards, a control room of sorts, a conference room, humming labs. Then they ended. Terminating at an ornate set of heavy wooden doors. Nicholas glanced around before approaching them. No sign of aggression from the ones he knew lurked in the shadows. They were being allowed to enter.

The doors groaned as they swung open, Nicholas looking through to a lavish office space. Monitors and machinery covered the walls, some displaying the world outside, some lines of text or status panels. A wide desk filled the center of the room, the chair behind pushed back and slightly askew. And standing there, his back turned, unmistakable despite the hunched posture, was Ghetsis.

"That BLASTED Colress," Ghetsis spat, turning as Nicholas stepped further into the room. "Stop you? He barely slowed you." A sharp crack as the man angrily slammed a metal cane into the floor, his fingers flexing as they clenched down on the ornamental head. "The fool is far too committed to pure science. This is how he repays me for making him the boss of Neo Plasma? Abandoning our goals? How DARE he put his personal intellectual curiosity before our ultimate mission of conquering this wretched League!"

"There have been enough speeches today, Ghetsis," Nicholas said. "Surrender. You've lost, and this time you're not slipping away from justice."

"Oh, there's always time for more speeches," Ghetsis sneered, stepping out from behind his desk. "You should consider yourself fortunate! Few have been the sole audience for one of mine." A wave of his hand and bodies appeared from all around them. "So before I leave you to my associates, you will listen. Neo Plasma has gathered the knowledge and technology to take Kyurem's true power to its absolute limit! The power of one of the first pokegirls, bent under my control. Unova will freeze! And the terrified people and pokegirls will bow at Neo Plasma's… no… at MY feet!" Ghetsis stepped closer with a sneer and slammed his cane down in the space between him and Nicholas. "Kyurem is nothing. An empty being, a shell. The perfect host for my desires to take hold! And what I desire is the absolute rule of Unova!" Ghetsis began to laugh, tapping his cane as he did. "An empty puppet is so much easier to manipulate than a freak with delusions of grandeur."

"N is stronger than you will ever be," Nicholas growled quietly.

Ghetsis' tapping ceased. "There is but one memory that continues to haunt me in my triumph," Ghetsis said, "and that unpleasant look in your eyes is reminding me of it. No matter." Ghetsis turned, sweeping the long black coat he wore around as he walked back behind his desk. "It's finally here! The wonderful era in which I am the absolute ruler of Unova has arrived!" He drove his cane into the floor, a hidden switch activating as the room shook and the monitors began to lift away from a hidden exit. "I'll let the three of you take care of this."

"Shit," Nicholas cursed, ducking back when one of the Shadow Triad lunged out and placed a slice where his head had just been. "GHETSIS! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME!"

"Worry about us, 'Hero'," the ninja snarled, dancing forwards before being pushed back when Jade pulled Nicholas to safety and swung, her fist crunching through the floor.

"Yes, you have much bigger problems to worry about," a voice said from outside the office, the pokegirls in the rear turning to see another human appearing with a handful of pokegirls around him. "We have been waiting for this for a long, long time."

Fiona fell back a step and set her stance, her steady gaze locked on two of the pokegirls that were approaching from within the office. "I have had quite enough of these distractions, my Lord. By your leave, I must trust you to deal with these."

"Abandoning me to chase Kyurem, eh?" Nicholas asked, Jade taking a slash from a Bisharp before punching back and driving the bladed pokegirl a foot into the wall. "I don't blame you. But you're not the only one who's fucking had it up to here with this whole ordeal." He snarled, lips drawing back in an angry scowl. "I DON'T WANT TO SEE A SINGLE THING MOVING!" He roared, his aura boiling up before shooting out to envelop the entire group and send energy thrumming through their bodies. Even Hugh and his harem were not excluded. "FINISH THEM!"

"We will cut you-" the Shadow Triad's leader's Absol was saying, raising her claws to menace Nicholas when there was a flicker. Fiona lowered her sword, blood dripping from the blade, as the Absol blinked. Her hand drifted to her chest, pressing into her fur before she choked, blood flecking her lips as she crumpled to the ground and the slash Fiona had drawn from shoulder to hip broke open to begin pumping the dying pokegirl's blood onto the floor.

"Son of a-" one of the Shadows outside the room snarled, bending as he prepared to strike, when a hand grabbed him by the face and he was sent smashing through multiple standing walls until he was left limply protruding through another, Emma releasing her grip on his head and turning back to the scrambling pokegirls between her and the others with her eyes red and body glowing blue.

There was one for each of them. A Bisharp beginning to scream when lines of webbing caught her limbs and then were yanked in all the wrong directions, tearing her joints from their sockets before a wad of silk shot into her mouth and gagged her completely. The Accelgor that had managed to slip away from Fiona in Opelucid trying to slip past the front line only to find herself face to face with Annabeth, the Samurott's blades frothing as they swung and parted the Accelgor's defenses as if they weren't even there. A twitching, broken mannequin lunging for where Cindy was cruelly wrapping the Bisharp's twisted body in a swathe before it was shorn in half, the Banette possessing the doll screaming in pain as her spectral link was similarly severed and the two halves clattered to the ground in front of Adalinda and the Serperior's glowing green blade. Two Bisharp stumbling back as Sandra and Silla each stepped towards their prey, the two dragons breathing crackling purple energy simultaneously and even with the Steel-types' innate resistance to their power it still ripped away at their bodies until the two collapsed. They were the lucky ones. The unfortunate Bisharp that got to stare into Kiana's eyes as the Arcanine gripped her by the skull and leaned in close, embers jumping past her jaws and melting sizzling holes in the Bisharp's flesh, had her screams silenced by a torrent of flame mere moments after she decided to release them. Leaving Kiana to stand back up, releasing her grip on the charred pokegirl and letting her lifeless body crash to the ground.

"Well isn't this unfortunate-" the Shadow Triad leader began before he was being grabbed and slammed down against Ghetsis' desk so hard that the coating on the wood cracked.

"What happened to your trickery, eh?" Nicholas growled, tightening his grip as he pressed the man against the desk. "Your confidence? Your numbers?"

"Tch. No room to maneuver in a space this tight," the Shadow forced out. "We got too close in our desire for revenge."

"Uh huh. And you underestimated how fucking done I am with your shit," Nicholas snapped, the aura he'd fed to the rest of the group still flickering around their bodies. "Pulling that trick is fucking exhausting but for you?" Nicholas chuckled. "Totally worth it."

"There you are." The third Shadow coughed when Hugh similarly found him and slammed the man against the wall. "Now you're going to tell me," he hissed. "I'm looking for a Purrloin. Kidnapped from Aspertia City, just about two years ago now. I know Plasma took her." He growled when the Shadow against the wall began to chuckle. "Where is she!"

"A Purrloin from Aspertia…? Oh, I remember that one. A feisty thing," the Shadow snickered. "What a wonderful memory that is. She was such fun…"

Hugh drew back and slammed his fist into the Shadow's cheek with a scream. "WHERE IS SHE!"

"HUGH!" Nicholas barked, letting up the pressure on the leader just slightly so he could yell at the younger man. "STOP! He can't tell you anything if he's dead!"

"Where. Is she," Hugh snarled, lifting the Shadow off the ground so that his arm against the man's throat was the only thing holding him up. "GIVE HER TO ME!"

"Oh, you can have her," the Shadow managed, still holding a cocky look despite his situation. "I'm sure she'll just love to see you."

"Where. Is. She."

"Sitting in the storage system I would assume," the Shadow replied. "Password protected. Don't bother trying to break in-"

"Kalmiya," Nicholas said, and before he'd even finished saying her name the Porygon-Z was forming from his pokedex and striding to the machinery on the wall, finding the correct terminal and vanishing inside.

"So you have one of them too," the leader sighed, chuckling when he felt Nicholas' grip increase again. "Colress had such fun playing with the International Police whore."

"Shut up."

Kalmiya didn't take long, popping out again in less than a minute and waiting for the storage machine to materialize a pokeball. "I can't be entirely sure, Master," she said, taking the orb from the platform and turning to offer it to Hugh. "But from the data I could gather I believe this is the Liepard Hugh knew as Rena."

"Liepard…?" Hugh said, taking the ball from Kalmiya and staring at it. "No, she was a… a Purrloin."

"She was."

Silence fell over the scene. Slowly Hugh turned, aiming for an open spot and triggering the pokeball's release.

The Liepard materialized on the floor, curled up in a resting pose until her nose twitched and her eyes snapped open to take in her surroundings. Hugh was silent, staring at the pokegirl as she pushed herself upright until he broke the silence with a whisper. "Rena…?"

Instantly at hearing him speak the Liepard sprang upright, staggering slightly as she found her balance and bending low, her tail flicking up as her eyes found the source of the sound and her fangs popped out with a hiss.

"Rena, it's me," Hugh choked, his eyes moving past the very obviously aggressive pokegirl to focus on the pattern of fur running through the Liepard's hooked tail. "I know that tail, it's you, it has to be…"

Rena's eyes moved from Hugh to the figure he held pinned against the wall and all at once her posture shifted. "MASTER!" With a yowl she sprang at Hugh, her claws slashing out and forcing the shocked man to drop the Shadow and defend himself, bloody lines opening themselves along his arms as the Liepard continued to attack. "I'll save you, Master-!"

"Oi, STOP!" Emma roared, forcing her way in and giving Rena a backhand that sent the Liepard flipping away, the feline pokegirl easily recovering and skidding to a halt before she began stalking forwards again, eyes flicking between the dozen or so enemies arrayed against her. "Rena, this is Master Hugh! I know you never liked him much but-"

"Your words are falling on deaf ears," the Shadow gloated, recovering and getting behind Rena as she continued to stare at the group. "She only listens to me, now. Such is the fate of pokegirls who are trapped in pokeballs!"

"No, Rena, I… Hailey, she…" Hugh stammered.

"Ah… I feel sorry for pokegirls sometimes," the Shadow said. "They're ruled by pokeballs and the whims of their tamers." He gave a noncommittal shrug as Rena hissed at Hugh. "You know, when Lord Ghetsis spoke about pokegirl liberation years ago it was simply for his own ambitions, but… if his plans had succeeded, many pokegirls would have been saved. Yes, even this Liepard – well, you knew it as a Purrloin – if we had released all of the pokegirls that we no longer needed, then it might have returned to you. But it's too late now." The Shadow sneered. "It's mine, and I will take great pleasure watching it tear out your throat."

Nicholas took a quick look around. Hugh and his harem were just standing there in shock while Rena's body coiled up in preparation to attack. "Hugh-!"

"Miss Fiona, if you would?" Kalmiya said, striding purposefully for where Rena stood and grabbing the Liepard when she began to react, electricity pumping from the Porygon-Z and dropping Rena into a yowling heap while Fiona stepped past and raised her bloody blade to the loose Shadow. "Time to sleep, sister."

"S-Stop, you're hurting her!" Hugh cried, jumping for Kalmiya before being thrown back when she used her free hand to form a barrier between them that the man bounced off of. "I said STOP-!"

"Ada, give me a hand with this guy?" Nicholas asked, shoving the leader off the desk and letting the Serperior take over as he tried to get off the floor. "Hugh. HUGH!" Nicholas grabbed Hugh, pushing him away from Kalmiya. "Listen to-"

"GET OFF ME!" Hugh roared, and Nicholas' head snapped to the side when he felt a blow. "Your pokegirl is hurting her, Rena! RENA-!"

"I SAID LISTEN TO ME!" Nicholas roared back, grabbing Hugh by the shoulders and fighting to hold him still. "It's been two years," he hissed, the rest of his harem stepping out to stop Hugh's when they started to move in. "Rena has been trapped here, at the whims of these men, for two years. Even if she recognized you on sight that's two full years of whatever abuse she's endured holding her back. She is not the Purrloin you once knew." He felt Hugh's struggles starting to slow and he gave him a firm shake. "Did you even hear what he said?" he whispered. "How sure he was that Rena would see you as nothing but an enemy? He's had two years to brainwash her. You're not going to undo that in a few seconds."

"Brainwash? The pokegirl is simply obeying her Master," the Shadow chuckled. "The same as either of yours. Why do you think they never run away?"

"Many, many pokegirls walk away from abusive tamers," Nicholas growled back. "The only difference with bastards like you is that you make sure they can't leave."

"Only for the first week or two," the Shadow replied. "After that, she was all too content sucking on my-"

Nicholas saw stars when he was flung away to crash against the wall, Hugh breaking his hold and shoving even Fiona aside before he fell on the Shadow, his fists slamming down and battering the man's face. "SHUT UP!" he screamed, blood spraying out with each blow as he mercilessly beat the grin from the Shadow's face. "I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL-!"

Hugh was launched off of the motionless Shadow with a gasp when Emma slammed into him, the Bouffalant dragging her Master completely to the other side of the room as she absorbed the blows he was still sending out. "MASTER!" she roared, grunting as Hugh's fists glanced off her chin and she scrabbled to catch his bloodied hands. "Master, that is ENOUGH!"

"I THOUGHT YOU WOULD WANT TO KILL THEM TOO!" Hugh screamed and sobbed at the same time, yanking at Emma's grip while tears filled his eyes. "LET GO OF ME!"

"THIS ISN'T YOU, MASTER!" Emma screamed back, putting more and more of her strength into her hold until Hugh's straining muscles were doing nothing at all. "This isn't you," she repeated softly, clinging to him as the tears began to fall and Hugh threw his head against her skin. "This isn't you."

"That's not Rena," Hugh sobbed, pressing his face against Emma. "It can't be."

Nicholas stepped over to the Shadow Triad leader. "I trust Kalmiya's analysis. That's the right pokegirl, isn't it," he said. "What did you do to her."

"Nothing more than what he said," the man replied from his position wrapped in Adalinda's vines. "We made her stronger, but that's not what you're asking about. Why does she turn against the one who has never forgotten her?" He smirked. "That's not because of us. And even though you act oh so high and mighty, neither of you are any different. You keep your pokegirls under your thumb with pokeballs, the same as any tamer."

"Pokeballs are a tool," Nicholas stated firmly. "And just like any other tool it can be misused by people like you."

"Oh, you actually believe that, don't you?" the leader said. "How wonderful. The great 'Hero', blind to the truth he claims to protect."

Nicholas just shook his head and got back up. "Now you're just trying to waste my time. Hugh, are you coming?"

Emma was stroking Hugh's hair as the man sobbed in her arms. "I don't think Master Hugh is able to continue, Sir," she replied softly. "We will remain here. Guard these enemies so they do not revive and follow you."

Nicholas glanced around at the unconscious pokegirls. "Some of them need medical attention."

"Some of them need it sooner than others," Kiana growled.

"We'll handle it," Annabeth said. "Go." She looked down at where Rena lay limply on the floor. "This is… This is where we've been fighting to reach anyways."

"Be careful," Nicholas said, waiting for Sandra to take control of the leader from Adalinda. "Fiona?"

Fiona was cleaning her sword, a thin layer of water between her fingers as she slowly ran it down the blade. "Ready, my Lord."

Nicholas nodded and took a look at his harem. They all stared back alertly. "Let's find Ghetsis."

.

.

POKEDEX UPDATED

Tamer: Nicholas Topolski

Badges:

Basic Badge

Insect Badge

Bolt Badge

Quake Badge

Toxic Badge

Jet Badge

Legend Badge

Harem:

Kiana, Arcanine (Alpha) – Level 56

Adalinda, Serperior – Level 55

Jade, Golurk – Level 55

Melody, Seismitoad – Level 54

Cindy, Galvantula – Level 56

Silla, Zweilous – Level 55

Non-Com Harem:

Kalmiya, Porygon-Z – Level 35
Cathy, Miltank – Level 72