Hybrid: Topaz Edition

by LuxBeacon

Our story centers around Topaz Heart, nephew of Volkner. He has set his sights on becoming a gym trainer worthy of the Sinnoh League, but in order to do that he takes risks. So many risks. Assaulting smugglers, beating up gang members, infiltrating terrorist bases, actually crazy rivals, getting lost underground and being a huge nerd. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

45. Ape of Annihilation (Ch45)

{}=Pokemon Speaking; []=Telepathic Speaking

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We arrive at the climax of the war against the last of Benedetto's foul forces. The ladies of Nyx versus Kakuen the Primeape. Prepare yourselves and bear witness to true might!

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~x1x Oppressor~

PoV: Violet the Human

Location: Oozaru Bog Battlefield - Great Marsh

Time: March - Day 5 - Jueyjuan Conflict

No hesitation.

Myself, Amethyst and Zenara rushed forward as one, Meliae at our backs. Holyn followed suit, providing support. Zenara rolled into a wooly ball, spinning in place with sparks flying. Holyn called forth several spires of stone, and Amethyst levitated Zenara, surrounding her with the stone.

Ahead were Kakuen and his group leaping straight for us, fists engulfed in a variety of elements.

They seem to be using the elemental punches for a power boost rather than necessarily exploiting weaknesses.

[You die first, feline!] He raved.

{Heads up!}

Amethyst hurled Zenara in her stony shell at Kakuen, spiraling through the air and crashing into him. He caught the shell, retaliating with a point blank Focus Blast. The rocky shell exploded, but did little to stop Zenara from shooting onward. Kakuen reeled back his fist, countering her Spark with his own Drain Punch before she leapt back. Seizing their chance, several Oranguru launched Shadow Balls towards us with Kakuen firing his own Focus Blast along with them.

Unusual for a Primeape to use special moves, much less one requiring the presence of mind such as Focus Blast. We cannot expect only physical attacks from him.

Meliae sent a hurricane of bladed winds through their attacks, cutting through them or knocking them off course. The Oranguru retreated to the trees whilst Kakuen blocked each attack.

The grass around was cut to ribbons, and large chunks of Kakuen's fur came with it. He brushed himself off as a diverse mix of his subordinates rallied beside him in battle stances, a Simisage handing him a Sitrus Berry. The others remained hidden in the trees.

He gobbled it in seconds as he pounded his chest. [Damn Tropius. We need fire and ice!]

So he is aware of weaknesses. Perhaps the Heterupts as a whole do not, and require his direction. Separating the two is the right move.

Darmanitan and Simipour retreated into the trees as Amethyst proceeded to blast right past him. I hurled smoke grenades up and into her telekinetic grasp. She stuck out her tongue, goading several of the Heterupts to move out of their formation.

She hurled the smoke grenades into Kakuen's support, a thick cloud of smoke erupting around them all. Oranguru began to blow the smoke away, but she quickly disappeared within it. The abrupt flashes of psychic energy and surprised cries of the Heterupts told us all the plan was proceeding without issue.

{We never got to finish beating you up last time,} Zenara bleated angrily, charging right at Kakuen, her tail blinking in a coordinated series of lights. {And now we're gonna fix that!}

Holyn let out an ice beam, coating the earth beneath Kakuen before sending out a flurry of stone shards after Zenara. She stopped abruptly, firing a blast of lightning directly at Kakuen as Holyn's stones caught themselves in her wool, almost giving her stony spines to deter physical attacks. Kakuen's eyes darted upwards toward a vine he could easily grab and climb up a tree.

Two of his allies stepped forward to defend him but a psychic glow enveloped them, quickly pulling them back into the cloud of smoke. Meanwhile, I threw a grenade at Kakuen's feet. It erupted, a blast of superheated air melting the ice around Kakuen and scorching him. He looked at his scalded arms, visibly injured.

Zenara wasted no time, scorching the puddle with electricity and turning the very ground he stood upon into an electrical trap. His body fried as he continued enduring the voltage. While he was clearly pained, his muscles pulsed and his veins became even larger, yet he refused to give in from where he stood.

Primeape are not known for standing still, Kakuen even less so. Either he has given in, or he is amassing power for a retaliatory attack.

Finally, the thin layer of shimmer across his body became more visible as he raised his hands into the air. He howled something intelligible and several of his allies leapt from the smoke and clambered up the trees. I eyed Zenara and Holyn, yet to retreat, but stanced cautiously.

I paid no mind to the Heterupts now within the trees. They quickly became entangled in Meliae's vines, which she used to rip them from their perches and slam them against the ground. I winced slightly, but they were promptly flung into the smoke cloud. I noticed several hazy, unconscious forms within it already. Meanwhile, the psychic blasts from Amethyst showed no sign of slowing.

Whatever Kakuen is doing, I need to assist in mitigating it. Amethyst is counting on us to give her the time she needs.

Alongside a rumbling chuckle, Meliae suffused the earth with her vines, a soothing green glow emanating from the grass as it wove itself into a tapestry. Zenara leapt into the air, hovering there with the electromagnetic brace I made her while continuing to blast Kakuen.

"Holyn!" I called out. He turned around to face me, and I quickly gestured to come to my side. He scampered towards me as I locked eyes with Kakuen, helping Holyn onto Meliae's back before leaping up myself, watching for Kakuen's next move as Meliae took to the skies.

I know he is less powerful than he believes himself to be, but that is no reason to underestimate him.

To belabor the point, in the distance Margrave pursued Donut's group with an unassailability we had not anticipated. They had clearly damaged him substantially, yet judging by their expressions, the battle was not progressing as smoothly as they hoped.

If we are to assume Kakuen is capable of similar resilience with sound mind, this battle will likely rage longer than we had hoped. For his sake and ours.

Kakuen's eyes remained locked on my position with his hands raised upwards. Two berries appeared in each of his hands, Rawst and Iapapa as he shoveled them into his mouth immediately. His burn cured and some energy returned to him, he pointed around where Meliae flew and howled.

Ipivoted to find flamethrowers burning past the leaves of the trees and striking Meliae's right flank. She angled herself to protect me from the flames, yet another burst of ice came from directly below striking her underbelly. Although she handled both assaults well, the longer she was exposed to these attacks, the more likely an ailment was to be inflicted and the more pain she would be subjected to.

Either we endured whatever he planned on the ground or he intimidated us to flee to the sky. Either way, I must not allow Meliae to be harmed this way. Did Benedetto teach them nothing but arson?

As the flames seared the trees, smoke began to fill the sky. It was clearly more controlled than Caellach's past attempt, as they needed the trees themselves, but limited Meliae's flight nonetheless.

"Holyn, ranged retaliation!" I cried, swiftly putting on the extinguisher I had made, grabbing a vine Meliae was providing and rappelling down to hang from her side.

While a single stream would not suffice, aiming the pressurized CO2 in a coordinated spiral would prevent more flames from reaching Meliae. As for those producing said flames and the frost my extinguisher was ineffective against, they now found themselves beset by falling stones from above and lancing electricity from below. All the while, Meliae continued to bombard Kakuen from afar with a tornado of Air Slashes.

Finally, he made his move running straight towards us, dodging between the Air Slashes. His body's glow had dimmed, allowing him to move freely again, but he refused to dispel it. I braced for what was to come as Zenara leapt before me. She shot a lance of electricity towards him, but he slammed his fist into the ground.

A rocky shield erupted forth, blocking her attack before he tossed it at us.

Zenara shot it out of the sky with another bolt, spraying dust all over, yet when it cleared we found he had completely changed course. Not far from where we stood were several of our wild pokemon allies fending off Heterupts. Among them included Aipom and Noctowl supporting their stronger comrades.

An ally Ursaring threw a punch at one of the Passimian, only for Kakuen to slide in, block it and kick them out of the way. He howled once again and immediately, Kakuen's allies fled from him as the white glow returned to him, this time mixing his hands with a brown glow. His body tensed with power once again as he slammed both his fists into the ground. Noticeably outside of Meliae's Grassy Terrain.

The carnage was immediate. The earth shuddered from the harsh energy crashing through it, running below the feet of most of our allies in that area. The ground they stood upon glowed magmatic red, erupting in a cataclysmic explosion. Mud, water and pokemon were sent flying in all directions. Trees and boulders were displaced on the borders of the immense sinkhole Kakuen had created.

Many of our allies splashed into the bog, either unable to continue or severely hindered as Kakuen's subordinates jumped back into the fray to finish them off.

What allies were left standing were horrified as more of their home was defiled. I felt Amethyst's fury through our link, her watching the battle through my eyes. Zenara's fury boiled, Meliae letting out an irritated roar. I grimaced, my throat tight.

I should have predicted this. Kakuen purposefully withstood our attacks with Bide and mixed it with Earthquake. This way he can decimate a large portion of our forces with less effort.

Kakuen watched as he took a second to consume a Leppa Berry only to watch as his subordinates were ripped back by Amethyst into our smoke cloud. The smoke dispersed and revealed a dozen Heterupts unconscious on the ground beneath her while she proceeded to incapacitate the rest. Enraged, Kakuen began running towards her to aid his men.

Zenara's anger surged as she charged forward. Kakuen noticed her incoming assault and stopped in his tracks to block her tackle with an open palm while Meliae descended with myself and Holyn, our assailants now dealt with.

{What's your problem?!} She shouted at him, golden electricity lancing through Kakuen and making all his fur stand on end. {We're the ones fighting you, and you just run and attack our friends for no reason?! Are you scared? Cuz you should be!}

He snorted as he gripped Zenara's head with his free hand to lift her up, pressed a Focus Blast to her body and blasted her off him. She rolled on the ground with smoke trailing from her, but got up quickly. Her fleece protected her from most of the impact. She seemed more irate than injured.

He spat in annoyance. [Don't spout your ignorant drivel to me, lamb!]

He pointed at Zenara, aiming a Focus Blast towards her, the glaring orange casting long shadows behind him. [This is war, the victor survives and the loser dies, your allies have made that abundantly clear. Any who stands on this battlefield should be prepared to die. Just as your precious Amethyst torments my men, I'll bring ruin to anyone who crosses my path!]

{And that makes this okay?!} She shouted back, sparking dangerously. {It's your own fault! Are you too stupid to figure out that you're the problem?! I know you'll all die, but you could at least face it with some dignity instead of running and hurting people cuz you're upset that you're a losing prick!}

Kakuen's eyes burned red with rage, the Focus Blast growing larger. [If you want a fair fight, request a duel! I'll not entertain your childish pleas when I'm trying to save my people!]

Holyn turned his attention to the gaping sinkhole, our allies lying injured in the mud. His eyes scanned them all solemnly until he spotted our Aipom friend laid unconscious, facedown in the mud. Noctowl was beside them, better off, but with an injured wing trying to pull them out. Kakuen's eyes darted to Holyn for a brief moment.

Hells. Amethyst, please be ready to intervene if you can. I am incapable of stopping this.

Kakuen side-eyed Aipom and fired his charged attack straight towards them.

{Aipom!} Holyn shouted for his friend, stepping forward.

He leapt forward, attempting to block the Focus Blast with Ice Beam. His attack was too slow. Zenara though had begun to move as soon as Kakuen changed target.

Zenara shot around and rammed into the Focus Blast, head low and teeth grit.

A large explosion erupted violently, sending her skidding back but refusing to buckle. She stopped skidding back mere inches in front of Aipom, shaking her head and glaring at Kakuen as a thin trail of blood trickled down her face. Her rage swelled further.

{Stop being such an evil, stupid, cruel coward and FIGHT ME!}

I watched Holyn run towards Aipom, trying to feed them a berry. Kakuen's body surged with the power of Work Up. [Focus on your friends.]

Zenara turned back to the sinkhole where our allies laid and saw the ground had begun to spiral downwards, like a whirlpool of mud and swamp. I looked back at Kakuen's feet, he had dug them into the ground while they were talking.

He's manipulating the sinkhole with Sand Tomb. He plans to bury everyone alive.

Holyn leapt forward again, pulling up a Swalot that was dangerously close to being buried alive.

{Then my other friends will help them, cuz they're better than your bunch of baddies!}

As she cried, the unconscious bodies of our allies were enveloped in a psychic glow. They were lifted quickly but gently out and towards Meliae, standing strong. Other wild Pokemon stood with her, and they began to tend to the injured as Meliae spread her wings protectively. Amethyst wore a hateful smirk, but her eyes burned with fury.

Kakuen turned to face her, aggravated. [Irritating bitch.]

{Is throwing a tantrum all you can do? Because I'm getting real sick of you just trying to drag down anyone you can before we feed your pestilent ass to Lou's comrades. I hope it hurts and you're awake for it,} she spoke in a dangerously even tone.

[Why are you even here!?] He demanded, pulling his feet out of the ground to face her.

{Was me taking out the trash not obvious? There's a pile of your lackeys over there, I can show you,} she sneered.

[We've not seen your hide since Benedetto and Pangoro were defeated. You couldn't have possibly hidden in the Great Marsh all this time. Where have you been lurking, Amethyst!? To arrive as soon as we make our move… it cannot be a coincidence!] He stomped the ground in fury, some earth shuddering and rolling into the sinkhole.

She sighed, glaring at him. {It literally was though. Sure, me and Vio have been keeping tabs on the Marsh for months now. We've been working on helping the world as a whole. I know it's incomprehensible for you, as is that word, but there are bigger problems than you munchkins. Lux wanted to find more people you'd hurt to help fix it, and hey lookit that, the trash thinks it's hot shit just because we haven't torn you down yet.}

I glanced at Meliae and Holyn, aiding our allies so they could retreat.

We must keep him distracted. Whatever energy he recovers can be drained. Lives cannot be recovered when lost.

"You could have lived in peace," I spoke firmly, one hand on several more grenades and another on a tree beside me. My gaze was steady. "We had no intention of impeding your lives, now freed from the clutches of humans. You believe us liars, and to expect that of humans is sensible-"

[Yes, Nyx, you are a liar,] Kakuen spat. [When I heard you had spared a Darumaka, I thought I understood you. Overly sympathetic towards pokemon; a stoic, bleeding heart. Yet, now my brethren are hunted down and devoured by maggots and you seek to spew your righteous nonsense towards me. I've met countless wretched humans, but you and your comrades are unique. Or do you wield a new brand of trickery?]

"I am a wretched human, yes," I spoke plainly. "I am aware of this." Even though I felt Amethyst's heart sink slightly, speaking nothing but the truth was paramount in this moment.

His brow furrowed in confusion. [What game are you playing, girl?]

I continued to stare directly at him. "I do not play with lives, least which those of Pokemon. This has never been a game, Kakuen. Humans are despicable, violent, irredeemable creatures not fit to be comprised of the matter that forms their very bodies. I am no exception. The only difference between myself and them is that I do not ignore this fact, and dedicate myself to righting the countless wrongs my kind has done. Part of that dedication includes putting my own desires behind the needs of Pokemon. If it were my decision, your troop would have been cared for, healed from your wounds that humans inflicted, and given lives you may have happily lived. But it was not my decision."

[Another lie you've spun for me?] Kakuen questioned.

I shook my head before locking eyes with him once more. "Only the truth. I will do whatever I must to uphold the will of the land and its people. Its people determined that the suffering you and your troop had caused warranted being taken as food by a coalition of bugs that came to help. To go against this decision would be to do precisely what Benedetto did; impose my will upon those who did not request it, nor need it. So I am here, after you refused the final offer of surrender that was given before any more fell. The same offer given to any and all who were willing to abandon this life of wanton destruction. To do what must be done, regardless of my opinion on the matter."

Kakuen gripped his head, a headache forming. [You are a confounding, loathsome creature that exists purely to deceive as Bloom said. To lead us astray!]

He turned his attention to Amethyst. [Amethyst! I can see through your machinations. You manipulate this human child to say whatever may disarray me, don't you?]

"Did Bloom not betray her closest friend, convince you that we lie?" I asked.

[Mareeta betrayed our cause!] Kakuen retorted.

{You don't get us at all,} Amethyst sighed, giving me a mournful look. {That's my sister. She's family. And she's not wretched at all, she does her damndest to make the world a better place. If I was trying to fuck with your head, I'd just rip open your brain and be done with it. Heck, during this conversation I would've done that while you're distracted. But the local leaders want you alive to face their judgment, so no brain ripping for you. Besides, I'd never impose my will on someone's mind like that.}

I glanced back again to see Meliae was ushering our allies away. Holyn, it seemed, had assisted Mareeta in defeating Bloom and was returning to my side. I smiled at him before facing Kakuen once more.

He's growing confused. Either the stress will calm his fervor or stoke his rage. Either way, we will deal with it. Perhaps he will stand down, though I highly doubt it. Still, it would be preferred.

[No! I perfectly understand your dynamic now,] Kakuen groaned as he leered at Amethyst coldly. [Your sister? A human? Here I thought you just partnered with one for power, but you've grown fond of this one. Was the time you spent in Fura City so miserable you clung to whatever creature showed you an ounce of kindness? You've strung this little girl along for all these years to exact your revenge upon Benedetto; turned her into your subservient human pet haven't you? That's all I see here.]

Zenara bristled at the slight towards each of us, wool sparking dangerously.

So he knows about Fura City.

The city's name made her fur stand on end. {As if. She risked her life for me, we grew up together, simple as. She's not my partner because I couldn't do some shenanigans with human stuff on my own, or someone I keep around to hold onto a Pokeball or something. She's family. Family's who you choose, not who you're born with.}

"Otherwise I would be stuck with my birthing humans and the prior womb occupant," I groaned.

{I don't think he even knows what it means to be family,} Holyn whispered as he glanced towards me. {But Fura City? Is that where you two met?}

"Yes. I will explain what I can later," I whispered back to him.

[Explain what I can? Protecting the boy from the cursed beast that lurks in Fura when I am right here?] Kakuen bellowed, his body surging with another Work Up. An abrupt blast of humming psychic energy forced him to leap away. The ground where he stood was atomized and he eyed it with clear caution.

{That's our mom you're talking about, jackass. If anything you should be worried what'll happen to you,} Amethyst hissed, readying another blast. {Just cuz they need you alive doesn't mean you need all your limbs. Or any of them.}

Kakuen raised his fists to a new fighting stance, his fists glowing an ominous hue. [Finally, you show your true nature! Beat your foreign concepts into my skull all you like! I will put an end to this sad charade you call family!]

Clearly Benedetto also taught them about the usual endeavors of human education systems.

Kakuen pulsed with power, his fur standing on end as the shockwave blew over all of us. Holyn stepped protectively in front of me, eyeing Kakuen's new fervor. {He's standing differently and he has fewer openings. Topaz said that's a bad sign.}

He is correct. Though at this point, I doubt openings are required for Amethyst to finish this rapidly. Nonetheless, he should be praised.

Amethyst wasted no time in loosing a rain of psychic blasts at Kakuen. I rubbed Holyn's dome gently while Kakuen was forced to block or be torn asunder by the unending torrent of psychic energy. "Good advice, thank you Holyn."

My kind words eased his anxiety a bit as the fighting raged on. In the smallest reprieve Kakuen could grasp, he rolled out of a blast and began leaping towards Amethyst with swift Acrobatics. His movements were unpredictable as he bounded across the ground and through the trees frighteningly fast as he closed in on her with a ghastly fist, his eyes full of anger.

Shadow Claw? No, the energy is too different. Nor is it Shadow Punch. This is something else.

[I've been training all this time to get you back for how you disgraced us, Amethyst! I'll tear those ears right off your skull!] He screeched.

{You wanna get up, close and personal? I can do one of those for ya!} She shouted back, a psychic glow enveloping his body as he was launched into the air. Zenara ran where he just was, concentrating before a blinding flash of lightning lanced upwards, electricity forcing its way through Kakuen's body.

He snarled as he landed on a large tree branch, looking downward. [Once again you get in my way, brat! Fighting fair, what nonsense!]

Kakuen outstretched his hands before him and focused. I glanced upwards to see what he was doing, finding he was summoning a Rock Slide directly over Holyn and myself. He didn't summon much, likely due to the range, before he ended his focus and returned to chasing after Amethyst through the trees.

He wants to distract Amethyst and Zenara by needing to come to our aid. I must not force them to do so.

I dodged the falling stones with Holyn while Amethyst sent more blasts erupting against Kakuen. {I'm fightin' fair, not my fault you're too slow!}

Every time he landed on a branch, he had to choose between getting hit by Zenara's lightning or Amethyst's psychic blasts. If he retaliated against one, the other would strike him, but if he didn't keep track of Amethyst he risked immediate defeat. He was adept enough to avoid incapacitory damage to himself, but he could not endure this forever.

They could do with a slower opponent.

I retrieved a freeze grenade, lobbing it into the air. Amethyst quickly caught it in her telekinetic hold, enveloping it in an illusory double. She set it in Kakuen's path, shrouding herself in another flash of Zenara's lightning. When he turned, he saw 'Amethyst' floating there, shadow boxing and grinning. {C'mon furious George, wanna try and hit me? If ya can!}

Enraged, Kakuen conjured a stone into his hand and tossed it straight towards 'Amethyst'. The illusion simply darted to the side, then back, goading him on as their ears unfurled. {Your aim's as shit as your smell! Didja roll around in dumpsters with Benjy, or is it au natural?}

[Shut up!] He screamed as he channeled more Smack Down stones, hurling them all at once to account for the illusion to dodge in multiple directions. No dodging was required, Amethyst diverting the stones and the illusion beginning to breakdance mockingly on the branch.

{I'll shuddup when you stop being an evil bastard! C'mon, is that your best shot? I thought you were gonna tear my ears off, ya can't do that if ya can't hit the broad side of a barn!}

[Fucking psychics and their bullshit!] Kakuen began pulling at his fur as he prepared to leap towards the illusion. As he was about to jump he looked down at the ground and then back at the illusion. [The brat stopped meddling and you're riling me up…] He suddenly leapt towards the ground, his fist glowing that strange ghastly color again as he aimed towards Zenara.

Zenara stuck out her tongue, the illusion darting in front with their arms spread out. {C'mon, chill why don't ya!}

As his face slammed into the illusion, it dissipated and the freeze grenade within erupted. Snow crackled forth from the superchilled air, forming a white blanket on his face alongside the frost pervading his form. Zenara had more than enough time to dodge to the side and kick Kakuen squarely in the nose. Some snow was blown off his face before Amethyst came rocketing in from behind, coated in indigo energy as she slammed him to the ground.

She then enveloped each of his bracers with the same energy, hurling him over her and slamming him against the ground in an arc repeatedly. All the while, her eyes tracked him, sighing as she shrugged and shook her head. {You with the ranged moves and me doing the physical attacks, what's the world come to? It's just as warped as your worldview, I guess. Isn't it, Georgey?}

[Get off me!] Kakuen shouted as he let loose an ear splitting screech.

I covered Holyn's head hoping to block out the sound, Zenara flattening her ears and Amethyst keeping hers folded. Kakuen'ss body blinked with black energy four times before breaking out of Amethyst's grasp.

Four black blinks? He's used Work Up twice, and the aura matches that of Power Trip.

[Can't handle me like this, can you!?] Kakuen boasted as he got his bearings.

Amethyst just stared at him, unimpressed as she shook her paw middlingly. {Eh, on a scale of one to ten? I'd give ya a three. C'mon, is being loud all you can do? Sure seems like it,} she retorted before launching purple lightning at Kakuen.

He changed his stance, manifesting a large rock wall to block the attack before he kicked it towards Zenara. She, however, had not been standing idle.

With Holyn's assistance, fresh stones had been engulfed in her wool. She shot forwards, the rock cracking before shattering to shards. As Kakuen turned to catch her, Amethyst blasted his arms away, leaving his face wide open for Zenara to come crashing in.

She spun violently, sparks and stones digging into Kakuen's face before rolling over top of him and slamming him in the back with a thundering tail slam. He stumbled forward, and was pushed face first to the ground once more by a volley of psychic blasts.

Amethyst floated in front of him, smirking with her paws on her hips. {Y'know, if you go down another time, it's a technical KO. That's the rules in boxing, though I dunno if you ever learned what boxing or boxes are.}

He slammed his fist into the ground again, shaking the earth around us as he brushed off the rock shards from his body. I could hear the intensity of his breathing from where Holyn and I stood. The abject fury he felt over how incapable he was of even touching Amethyst was as visible as the anger veins pulsing through his body.

{Looks like he's almost finished, huh?} Holyn noted. I nodded slowly.

{Honestly, maybe just give up? You're definitely not getting a padded room, you'd blow it up, but you're really good at going nowhere fast. Maybe face the music with some dignity for the first time in your life, huh?} Amethyst taunted.

He lifted his head to glare at her, his sclera turning a scarlet red. [I am better than Benedetto.]

He raised a knee. [I am stronger than Pangoro.]

His right fist curled with even more ghastly energy than ever before. [And I'll die on the battlefield before I ever submit to you!]

With all his might he lunged his fist straight towards Amethyst's core. She sidestepped easily, though she raised a brow at the spectral energy that lanced forward from his strike. It flew through the air, almost howling in rage, ripping the ground beneath it to shreds and leaving a bush nothing more than a few scorched twigs against the ground. Just as I grew concerned it may continue, it harmlessly dissipated against an Ambipom with developed hands.

I am not familiar with that. Some sort of ghost bide, perhaps? It would fit with his state and methodology. That explains the energy before, if nothing else. I need to look into that later.

{That was crazy! I thought it'd go on forever,} Holyn exclaimed.

Amethyst looked back, though her gaze was harder than it was before. {I guess you've got some bite in there after all. Time to cut this short, then.}

Her eyes glowed, a more intense psychic field enveloping Kakuen. His eyes widened and he tried to call forth spectral energy, then darkness. Neither worked; he was no longer in a state to mount real opposition. Amethyst simply glared at him, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly. His protruding veins forcibly shrank, the fur on his body cracking from frost as it was flattened against his form. She raised him into the air once more before sending him hurtling into the center of the sinkhole he had made.

He didn't move when the psychic glow faded.

Zenara peered over the side, Holyn next to her before looking at Amethyst. I stayed a healthy distance away, just in case. {Did you kill him?}

Amethyst shook her head. {No, he's alive. Definitely unconscious. Though since he's a Primeape, I dunno if either of those will stay true for long. Staying down is his best chance of not killing himself with anger.}

{So we just have to wrap him up, take him back to the others and we're done, right? We've won?} Zenara asked.

"That depends on the others' conditions," I answered, facing Holyn. "Could you please inform us of the others' status?"

{Roger!} He confirmed. {Bloom, Ursula and Riev are all being handled just fine. So their groups are rounding up all of their goons and making sure everyone who fought is alright. I think some Heterupts tried to run away, but they all got caught so everyone's just coming back with them.}

{What about Margrave?} Amethyst questioned. An uneasiness began to set within me.

I saw Margrave pursue Donut earlier. Did the battle go awry and I callously ignored his plea?

Holyn appeared shameful. {I've seen him all over the place fighting Donut. A bunch of us tried to help, but all of our attacks kept missing, so I dunno where they ran off to…} His expression shifted to one of faith. {But Donut is way better than that Margrave guy! He'll win at his own pace!}

That does not mean he would not appreciate help.

"We should go to his aid nonetheless," I spoke quickly, Zenara immediately nodding and turning with me to go towards where Margrave was. Amethyst suddenly flew in front of us, throwing up a shimmering barrier. Light Screen.

{Cover your eyes!} She shouted quickly.

I wasted no time covering Zenara's, closing mine and shielding Holyn. Even looking away, I saw the bolt of black lightning sear through the air. Small pops followed behind, the smell of ozone filing the air alongside a sudden rush of wind. A few stray bolts slammed against Amethyst's barrier, but didn't do more than cause some ripples. She wasn't the target.

A thundering shockwave shook the earth, the chaotic shadows dancing around as lightning filled the air. Only once they ceased, when Amethyst relayed that it was safe, did I uncover Zenara's eyes and look myself.

Margrave was embedded within a boulder, while Donut had been launched backward. Black lightning still sparked from his cheeks and his Light Ball, and he was clearly exhausted. Quite injured as well, from what was undoubtedly a Volt Tackle.

I do not know where the black lightning came from, but clearly he continues to showcase his immense aptitude.

"Donut!" I heard another voice call out. I glanced to the trees to see Topaz with Cenza on his shoulder, swinging via his grappling hook. They landed right next to Donut, tending his injuries.

{I'll watch Kakuen, go help 'im,} Amethyst said quickly.

I nodded immediately, running forward and retrieving several max potions with Zenara and Holyn. I noted the difficulties Topaz had, attempting to treat Donut through the involuntary shocks while Cenza directed the shocks toward herself. Both were mildly alarmed when we ran up behind them, but quickly relaxed once they realized who we were and spared room for us.

"Margrave turned out to be more challenging than we expected," Topaz admitted as he checked Donut for broken bones.

{I've never seen anyone fight so tirelessly,} Cenza added. {Donut did everything he could to keep everyone else safe, but Shizu took a mean blow.}

I nodded as gently inspected Donut for any injuries Topaz would not immediately aim for himself.

Underneath his bright yellow fur were black and blue bruises, uncomfortably large for his small frame, but distinctly Primeape sized. Electricity sparked across his body uncontrollably causing spasms, but he managed to keep the worst in check. His usually bright red cheeks were uncomfortably dull.

{Violet… Zenara… funny seeing you two here…} He wheezed. {Holyn too? Hoo…}

"Donut, try not to talk too much," Topaz spoke softly to him, as he treated him alongside me. "You can take it easy from now on."

Alongside gently parting his fur, spraying the potion where the bruises were darkest, I called upon my mother's blessing. Any of the electricity he could not handle, I drew to myself as covertly as possible. Topaz looked confused and Cenza gasped at the sight, but said nothing. Potential explanations or ramifications were for later.

If I do not use this ability to help those in need, I should not have it to begin with.

Zenara nuzzled Donut gently, licking his forehead. {You were awesome! Just rest for now, okay? Everyone's beaten!}

{I'm sorry I couldn't help you, next time I'll be even faster!} Holyn promised.

Donut exhaled slowly, trying not to laugh. {I had my job… you had yours. It's aight.}

"We'll get you treatment as soon as possible," Topaz promised. "You saved all of us again. Thank you, Donut."

"And copious quantities of donuts," I affirmed.

{Finally…} He wheezed, as Topaz reached for Donut's pokeball. Until Donut's ears twitched towards the direction of the sinkhole. {Wait… something's wrong.}

Amethyst flew over quickly, throwing up a Reflect in front of us this time. {Kakuen's brain is going nuts. I dunno if he's dead or alive, but better safe than sorry.}

"I'm sorry, did he become a zombie?" Topaz questioned.

We all whirled around, sensing the presence of incomprehensible violence to see Kakuen dredging himself out of the sinkhole. His body was bruised and battered, but his eyes shone the same vivid scarlet they had in their last attack. Even brighter now, consuming his eyes wholly in madness as they began to glow. In his hands, I spied squashed bottles of potions and ethers, as well as a revive nearby.

Amethyst would not have missed those. An Oranguru must have administered them when we were distracted by the Volt Tackle. It is the only way he would have a morsel of strength to stand.

His limbs clambered about unnaturally, veins visible across his entire body. He was physically capable of walking, but it was as though he had forgotten how to move his limbs properly. All he did was groan ominously, slowly making his way towards us. His body began to seep with a purple haze and the braces around his arms and legs began to crack.

{What… is happening to him?} Cenza questioned.

I scanned his entire form, attempting to reach an answer.

He is not dead as Primeape would usually be in this state. The purple haze is similar to the attack from before, and Primeape bands do not crack even in death. Perhaps…

"He may be evolving," I posited gravely.

{Primeape can evolve?} Holyn asked.

Topaz frowned. "Until today I wasn't led to believe they could, but… he's definitely shifting."

"I am unfamiliar with an evolved state," I added, "But that does not mean it does not exist."

Evolution at the brink of death was not unheard of. A pokemon would pool all their remaining strength to reach the threshold for evolution even if they did not yet meet the requirements. It is typically why in several cases, a human accosted Pokemon may be born and evolve to their final stage before they have even finished maturing due to excessive battles.

Although in this case, it seemed the brink of death was the exact trigger Kakuen needed.

Amethyst sighed with a grimace. {My vote's for not fucking with this; trying to kill him first might make him get stronger for some bizarre reason if death triggers the evolution. If anyone's got another theory, my ears are open.}

{Killing him… makes him stronger?} Donut laughed bitterly. {I really hate these guys.}

If the spectral energy from before is required to evolve, then decreasing the amount of physical matter it must suffuse would hasten the process, potentially make the final state more stable. If this was most evolutions, I doubt Kakuen would survive. But in this instance…

"He's moving," Topaz tensed.

We turned our sole attention back on Kakuen who was clambering towards us faster than he had before, moaning angrily. He began stretching his hands forward. We looked to see he was reaching for Margrave's body. He was coming for those who defeated him.

Would trying to heal him stop the evolution or weaken it? Perhaps so, counterintuitively. Perhaps siphoning away the spectral energy would weaken it as well. I do not have such a device, and it would be dangerous for Amethyst to do so forcibly within herself. Channeling it into her own attacks and firing them into the air? Maybe an electric jolt would jumpstart the nervous system-

He took another step forward when he was shot from behind by an intense black beam. We turned our attention to find Shizu as the culprit with Jade and Rheneas by her side. Shizu's right horn was cracked and the strength of her Dark Pulse was shaky, but it hit its target.

Or that.

Jade stepped forward, surveying the battlefield before his eyes landed on Margrave's body. "Huh. Shizu, your bestie died. You hit a different Primeape."

{Ugh, they all blend together at this point,} she snarled, lashing her tail across the ground. {Didn't expect Donut to steal my prey while I was down… I hafta say, I'm impressed.}

{He looks like he's seen better days though,} Rheneas noted.

{That… might've made things worse, I'ma be real,} Amethyst grit her teeth, glaring directly at Kakuen.

Topaz stood up, unfazed and determined. "It's fine. We handle him and end everything. Whatever power he's mustered won't be enough."

{We just gotta give it all we got!} Zenara cried, wool sparking once more.

{Yes, even if he evolves we won't be afraid!} Cenza promised.

A guttural roar cleared the smoke from Kakuen's form, the purple haze billowing from his body as he began bounding towards us all on all fours. Both his fists were engulfed in the same vivid spectral glow.

Shizu fired another Dark Pulse to cut off his path, but he bowled right through it and continued straight at us. Amethyst's psychic energy enveloped us all, warping us across the sinkhole and then some, well behind Kakuen.

{Zenara, let's smoke this guy. We'll get some hits in for you too, Donut,} Amethyst relayed quickly.

{I'm… coming too,} Donut protested as he stood on all fours.

I nodded without hesitation as the two rushed towards Kakuen, looking at Donut. "It may not be wise. You are already injured, and Kakuen is capable of launching ghost energy via his fists that inflict major damage." I scowled, more at myself than anyone else. "I can administer as much aid as I am able, but entering direct combat may end very badly."

"You might have internal injuries, we shouldn't aggravate your body further," Topaz added. "You've done your part, we'll handle the rest. Alright?"

Donut clicked his teeth. {...alright. But I'll keep an eye out.}

"I'll need it," Topaz smiled as he recalled Donut to his pokeball. He nodded at it before placing it on his belt and facing Holyn. "I'm depending on you now, Holyn."

Holyn gripped his small hands tightly. {I won't let you down!}

You never would.

With that he ran a bit forward, eyeing Amethyst and Zenara handling Kakuen. Amethyst was flying around, sending bolts of energy into Kakuen's form and through the broken bands, briefly tripping him up each time the bands were rooted to the ground. Zenara ran right next to Kakuen, discharging as much electricity as she could directly into him to slow him down.

Except this time whenever he tripped or stumbled, it made him lash out even further. Wherever he slammed his fist caused the swamp to erupt in mud and water. He tossed whatever he could at the two, chaotically jumping around snorting uncontrollably the entire time.

To support the others, Holyn maintained a decent distance spewing ice and rock to limit his movements as well or at least make him expel more energy into breaking his constructs. On the edges of the fight was Shizu's group gradually making their way towards us. Whenever Kakuen got too close the others worked in tandem to push him back.

"His attacks are like Margrave's. Relentless and uncontrolled," Topaz noted. "This type of exertion should destroy your muscles, but it's not affecting him as much as it should."

{It's like Amethyst said… it's like he's a living corpse,} Cenza muttered. {His exterior finally matches his soul.}

A soul ripped from him by humans.

Amethyst was taking wider arcs around Kakuen than she had before this shift, her blasts of psychic energy glowing with more ferocity than before. Kakuen was not bothering to dodge or attempting to mitigate them. Whatever the ghostly aura around him failed to counteract, he simply ignored despite the eruptions against his form.

Zenara sent bolt after bolt into him, darting out of the way of his strikes and scorching the ground beneath him. Moisture from the swamp turned to steam as the heat from her bolts vaporized it, a misty fog beginning to coat the ground. Whatever water remained Holyn would strike with ice in attempts to freeze his body more severely.

{That bastard won't quit, huh?} Shizu spoke up, her group finally reaching us. I finally got a closer look at her to see how shaky her legs were. Her body didn't appear significantly damaged, but clearly she had sustained head trauma. {Personally, I'd snap his neck if he had one.}

"Shizu… you shouldn't be fighting anymore, what are you doing?" Topaz demanded.

She scoffed. {This is the first real challenge I've had since we got here. I'm not gonna rollover just because I got a bit of a concussion.}

"How many restoratives have you administered already?" I directed at Jade.

"I had to use a Revive to get her back on her feet again and had a Chansey give her a look over. She can manage…" He looked at her. "For a bit longer."

{I only wish that brute was still alive so I could curse him before he fell to Hell,} Shizu snarled again, wincing just by moving. {Fuckin' uppercuts…}

I grimaced, looking at Shizu. "Please be wary. More restoratives would have minimal effect at this point."

"You can't convince her?" Topaz asked Jade.

"Nah, I just love fixing her head so she fires attacks at enemies instead of allies," Jade drolly stated. "I'll recall her before she's in any danger."

Without the time to actually process the medicines, they could only do so much. Be they natural or synthetic, they had a limit. No medicine or tincture could replace proper rest.

"Okay, Shizu I don't really suggest you keep fighting, but just… stay with us, alright? You good, Rheneas?" Topaz asked.

She chuckled in fear. {I took a hit or two, but I'm fine. I dunno about fighting that though; that's more Meliae's area.}

Meliae, in the meantime, was standing protectively in front of our injured allies. Whenever Kakuen got too close, she roared, sending blasts of wind, solar and draconic energy at him to blast him away. She clearly would have preferred to join the engagement in earnest, but she would not abandon her kin.

Shizu snarled, annoyed. {This guy's a menace, but what is Amethyst doing? This guy is nothing, she could destroy him alone. I understand cats like to toy with their prey, but if he gets loose he'll go rogue on some stray weakling.}

"I have to agree. Usually she fights more definitively than this. What's up, is she tired?" Jade inquired.

"We discussed that. Our current theory is that Kakuen is evolving, and the closer to death we bring him, the more potent his evolution will become. They are stalling until it happens in earnest."

Jade clicked his teeth. "Is that a chance you want to take?"

"It may not be completely avoidable, but Amethyst is leading the charge and she knows best when to apply extra force. Her true power is pretty destructive though, so I can understand why she's not going for it now when they're all holding their own," Topaz added. "Although, if I do see an opening I wanna try and take it."

Even if the local Pokemon had not asked her to bring him to them alive, she is holding back for my sake. Even though I have told her I will follow her wherever she wishes, dispatching Kakuen via her methodology may force us to flee from the League. Zenara may enjoy the adventure, and I will not complain being away from humans once more, but she does not want to risk that. Not now, not yet. Perhaps if humans had rules that catered more to Pokemon, this would not be an issue.

{He's coming!} Holyn shouted, bringing all our attention towards him.

Amethyst and Zenara had done a superb job at keeping him away from our other allies as well as Meliae, but it seemed his power continued to surge despite their best efforts. He pushed Zenara's rollout to the side as he began bounding towards us while Holyn held his ground.

I glanced at Topaz and Jade. "Reel away, take cover."

Topaz grabbed Jade immediately and hooked onto a sturdy branch for them to perch on. Cenza hopped off Topaz's shoulder, watching below closely.

I opened the flap of my bag, Rheneas understanding and springing in. Topaz would be more mobile only having to pull Jade along. Jade had balloons filled with toxins, which still functioned on spectral Pokemon. As I vaulted off a stone and used it to launch myself upward into a tree, I felt a growing pit of dread in my stomach while readying grenades to support Holyn. Shizu stubbornly refused to leave Holyn's side.

Jade and Shizu are perfectly capable of evading. The question is if they actually will. Holyn, I am sorry I cannot assist you more directly… but I will do all I can.

"Shizu, you can't tank! Move!" Jade commanded from the trees.

And clearly we will need to work on his mindset later.

She grit her teeth as she stepped back, annoyed, allowing Holyn a chance to stand on his own. Meanwhile, Topaz seemed to have a new scheme in mind.

"Okay, so maybe we can use this… time for a last second lesson," Topaz muttered as he looked down at his partner. "Holyn, remember everything you've learned! You've seen everyone hone their psychic abilities everyday. Think as hard as you can until you feel like you're gonna have a headache and then ram all those thoughts into him! Don't think about anything else besides how hard you're gonna hit him! If you're in danger, we'll save you! Got it?"

I side-eyed Topaz from my spot. An interesting pep talk.

Taking his words to heart, Holyn closed his eyes, scrunching his face in thought. His head began to glow a soft blue, but it was still too weak to manifest anything. While I had the utmost faith in Holyn's ability to face opponents of Kakuen's intensity one day, it did not feel not feel appropriate to have him try this very moment.

"Holyn can't handle this, have the others support," Jade demanded and for once I agreed.

"No!" Topaz raised a hand, halting Amethyst and Zenara from immediately aiding. "He just needs a few more seconds and then we all strike. It's a gamble, but if I'm right Kakuen could go down before he evolves. Everyone, move on my mark!"

What do you see in this moment, Topaz? A path to victory or have you beset Holyn with expectations he cannot reach today? I suppose we are no longer attempting to withhold damage and will deal with the consequences of that.

[I'll let Zenara know,] Amethyst spoke quickly. I saw Zenara's tail perk up slightly, before she nodded to herself and began gathering energy.

Despite my misgivings Topaz maintained a confident expression, focusing all his attention on Holyn's form. It was as though there was an invincible tie connecting them, granting Holyn whatever he needed to succeed. I just hoped it was strong enough to withstand the current circumstances.

Kakuen's fist raged with the fearsome fighting energy, if Holyn took it carelessly it could be devastating. I opened my mouth to suggest a new course of action when Holyn's eyes opened and his dome turned a bright shade of blue. A thin psychic shield spread across his body as he held firm.

His gamble to assist Holyn paid off. Let us hope the one regarding Kakuen has similar results.

Topaz couldn't help but smirk in satisfaction.

"Jade, Violet now!" Topaz shouted as he tossed a wind bomb into Kakuen's path.

Jade tossed one of his inhibitive balloons while I flung a paralysis grenade as well. All three collided at one point, creating a miniature thunderstorm blowing winds of toxic liquid which Kakuen ran straight through.

The winds lashing against his body, the electricity coursing through him and the toxic water seeping into his skin was just enough to cause him to falter somewhat in his pursuit.

That was all Holyn needed to coalesce his body in blinding blue light, his spikes lengthening from the same energy. His crimson eyes turned cerulean as he rocketed forward with the intent to blitz right through Kakuen.

Kakuen stretched both his hands to catch the living bullet that was Holyn. The impact alone sent an azure shockwave blowing over the entire swamp as each side pushed with all their might. Kakuen attempted to channel a Focus Blast directly on top of Holyn's head, but his psychic shield disrupted any such attempt. Some sanity glimmered in his eyes as he tried to preserve his own life.

So this is the chance Topaz bet on Holyn for. Well done, Holyn.

"Everyone attack!" Topaz shouted and the others responded.

Shizu trotted to a new angle and began spewing red hot flames onto Kakuen's body. He could only take it lest he preferred being run over by Holyn. Meanwhile, Cenza ran onto a tree branch over Kakuen's head. She inhaled deeply, her body glowing pink as she shot radiant dazzling gleams directly onto Kakuen's head, burning into his skull.

I patted Rheneas gently on the back, giving her a small smile. Whether you decide to join or not, I will be with you.

She considered something before nodding to herself, leaning out of my bag. Her pearl shone bright as she let out a Psybeam at Kakuen, pushing him back as best she could.

Amethyst flew just above Holyn, focusing before she shot a solid beam of violet energy crashing into Kakuen in tandem with Holyn's pulsing energy. Zenara skidded in right next to Holyn, blasting Kakuen with lightning while Meliae sent blades of wind slicing into him.

Topaz shook his fist in cheer, radiating enthusiasm. "Hell yeah! Give it your all, Holyn!"

"He can't possibly survive all of this," Jade muttered.

Pokemon are far beyond what any of us humans could anticipate. I am not so certain.

"He either endures till he reaches the brink of death and evolves as Violet theorized; his body gives out before he can reach that point or he's overwhelmed and dies due to the sheer onslaught." Topaz theorized, watching everyone give it their all. "But it looks like he's giving in."

I still believe this was a poor course of action, but there is nothing for it now but to see it through.

We watched all our friends pour everything they had into one point in an effort to take down Kakuen. It had grown increasingly more difficult to make out what was happening, but the violet haze was bursting from his body at this point as though he were about to explode. His arms were beginning to give out as Holyn took another step, pushing even deeper into him.

Kakuen's shackles broke.

His entire body erupted in a violent violet smog that hissed upon anyone too close. Our pokemon allies were forced back, gagging on whatever spectral haze they had inhaled. The blast ripped me from my vantage point on the branch, sending me flying backwards.

I quickly glanced behind myself, determining the first branch I'd fly over that would support my weight. Reaching down I snagged onto it, doing a full rotation from the sheer force I was sent back with before I was able to regain my footing. I checked quickly to make sure Rheneas was still securely in my bag, and she was. I allowed myself a small sigh of relief.

Unless there is a spectral self-destruct move, I believe I was right. That… will make this more difficult. Although it still would not place him in the realm of Amethyst's capabilities.

I scanned the surveying trees to see Topaz had managed to perch himself on a new branch, meanwhile Jade was fortunate enough to catch a lower branch before he was completely knocked out of the tree. Seeing them well enough, I scanned the field for our pokemon allies.

Cenza was hopping back to Topaz, purifying the air and eliminating the stench gradually. Shizu was on the ground, setting her nose ablaze to diffuse the stench. Zenara was licking some grass to get the taste out of her mouth, small puffs of the ghastly mist erupting as she snorted it out.

Amethyst in particular was gagging, and she flew over to me for some assistance. I quickly gave her a small piece of raw fish; the smell and taste would help clear her senses while she condensed the residual energy into a small Shadow Ball.

"It smells like something died," Jade complained, covering his nose with a scented handkerchief. "Was that a part of your plan?"

"Not exactly what I expected, but no one is…" Topaz paused to gag, as Cenza continued purification. "Physically… injured…"

"Now we face the ramifications of your gamble, Topaz," I added, looking over at him. "Ending a battle more quickly does not always mean sheer force. We need to be more careful moving forward."

"Fine fine, you take the lead," he ceded pouting before he relented to an elated smile. "But because we attacked Holyn learned Zen Headbutt months before I figured he would and it was sooo badass."

I sighed at his inopportune joy before giving my own smile towards Holyn. "Holyn has been phenomenal. He is deserving of ample praise."

And I will do whatever it takes to ensure he receives it.

Holyn appeared a bit dazed, coughing as well as he tried to catch his bearings. But standing before him was our new concern. A looming, shadowy figure stood in the center of the fog, his body glowing faintly of the typical evolution glow. His fur was gray with white tips and flowed freely without wind. All four shackles that bound his strength were either shattered or broken.

And his scarlet red eyes were centered directly onto Holyn.

I hope Topaz' hindsight is 20-20.

Despite the situation, Amethyst chuckled.

"Holyn! Move!" Topaz shouted as he, Jade and myself readied our projectiles.

Kakuen leapt forward, his body gliding across the land as he raised his fist glowing with fighting energy. Holyn went to leap backwards, but Kakuen stomped the ground, sending him off balance. He looked over in panic, as we reeled our arms back to throw with all our might.

And then there was a clap of thunder.

Zenara had bolted between Kakuen and Holyn. Rather than simply get in the way of the attack, she had reared onto her hind legs, meeting it head on. I saw the white glow of energy in her eyes, her wool sparking with the same energy.

She needs a push.

I closed my eyes, focusing my being upon her. How hard she had fought, and how hard she continued to fight. How she never backed down, trusted me when I did not trust myself. She joined myself and Amethyst, trusting us to lead her well. Take her on adventures she had only ever dreamed of. How she needed more than simply a strong opponent to evolve, or time, or growth. She needed a reason.

Zenara… You can overcome Kakuen. You have never once let adversity hold you down, and it will NOT begin today. His fury is fueled by envenomed greed and thoughtless hate. You have only ever gotten angry at injustice, at foolishness and ineptitude. You are not his equal. You are the example he wishes he could be. Do not hold back. Show the world you are more than deserving of respect, of honor. Show them what myself and Amethyst already know to be true.

The white energy crackling from her wool seemed almost hesitant to engulf her body. Zenara grit her teeth, and it flooded her. A whirlwind similar to the one that had engulfed Tanya and the Sliggoo began spiraling at her feet, crackling with the same energy. Her body shone a brilliant white as her wool tightened, her stance becoming firmer.

No longer was she leaning forward as if to fall towards Kakuen, his strength holding her back. She stood strong, feet digging into the earth with her fists held strong against his.

The white light and whirlwind surrounding her suffused her form, being drawn into her fists in crackling bolts. Her newly pink form and crest of wool around her neck sparked with the same energy. I only saw her reel back for a nanosecond before she pulverized Kakuen's face, a loud boom echoing as he was sent skidding back.

He did not fall, but he did glare warily now at Zenara, snorting angrily. Zenara met his gaze with her own enraged glare, her tail slamming against the ground as she held up a fist.

{You wanna hurt my friends? You're gonna have to get through me, jackass!}

Kakuen roared in response, pulling on his own fur in madness. Holyn got up quickly, running beside Zenara.

He smiled at her with absolute appreciation. {Thanks Zenara. You were so cool.}

The anger left her face for a moment as she grinned right back at Holyn with a big smile. {Thanks!} She pointed straight ahead. {Now let's show this knucklehead that some spooky fart mist isn't gonna scare us!}

{Right!} He affirmed, as the two charged at Kakuen, all three raring for combat.

Zenara led the charge, clashing against Kakuen in hand to hand combat, already making use of her new bipedal form.

She also made certain to use her tail as a cudgel, slamming it into Kakuen while roundhouse kicking him. Unfortunately, he was no slouch either as he blocked her strikes and continued his onslaught. Amethyst nodded to me as she bolted forward, keeping a close eye on the battle, prepared to intervene at a moment's notice.

Both Zenara and Kakuen's movements are much sharper than before. Evolution's rejuvenation properties have given each of them more energy to keep fighting. Even so, not all the damage we inflicted onto him was healed. That was Kakuen's last opportunity to utilize any further support.

Holyn's aid in this case was imperative as whenever Zenara had an opening, he'd cut in with fearsome kicks or rock spires to deter Kakuen just enough.

If he turned his attention to Holyn, Zenara would pull him back and make him focus on her. The results of the duo's training was becoming more clear than it ever has before.

"Will this ever end? What even is he now!?" Jade demanded.

Topaz removed his pokedex scanning Kakuen's new form, but judging by his disgruntled expression he found few answers. "Nearly 900 available entries and it still can't tell me. Either this is undocumented or more commonly seen in other regions. What I do know is that he's a fighting-ghost type and that strange spectral punch is called Rage Fist. It increases in strength the more damage the user sustains."

"That would explain the explosive bursts of power. No other move in his arsenal harnessed so much strength so rapidly," I added. "As he can now harness the full extent of spectral energy, I caution everyone to avoid Rage Fist at all costs."

And clearly we will need to impress the idea that humans have cataloged less about Pokemon than they think.

"Fighting ghost… never seen that before, but that doesn't change his weaknesses much," Jade surmised.

"But his movements will be a lot trickier… Zenara's handling pretty damn well though," Topaz noted proudly.

I watched the battle alongside the others, analyzing Zenara's growth in her movements and how they compared to Kakuen. While they both evolved, each gaining a sizable power boost, Zenara's appeared to be more significant.

Her evolved form suited her personality much more and allowed her to endure and deal significantly more damage. Combined with the fact that she had much more conscious determination of her actions, and she was easily making better use of her evolved state.

Dodging strikes where Kakuen took them head on, blocking while Kakuen threw what would best be described as a particularly destructive tantrum. Her wool was more coiled, now in miniscule curls coating her body rather than clouds, but it was significantly more applicable in battle. She could pull it off to cushion blows, slow him down and create static surges as they clung to his fur.

Kakuen was certainly more mature than her, but he had not undergone the same formal training that Zenara has. Nor with such care to his capacity to learn. Every second they clashed, Zenara's strikes grew more sure. Minor stumbles all but disappeared, the power behind her attacks was filled with far more intentionality. She did not throw her new power around, she struck with precision and finesse that Kakuen could not fathom.

Zenara is not significantly younger than Donut and has had many similar life experiences. She has been a Mareep for quite some time, so now her mental state is rapidly developing to match her maturity. Perhaps not as drastically as occurred with Lou's evolution, but the parallels are clear. Both in result and difficulty of attaining said evolution.

I was immensely proud of what she had accomplished and all I wished was to celebrate her evolution, but the fight was the main priority. Kakuen had yet to use Rage Fist in his new body, but it seemed his fighter instincts had been pushed even further.

Meanwhile, although Holyn was performing well, he could not keep up their pace. Until he met Topaz near the end of January, he had never truly battled and it has not even been two months since that fateful meeting. He's a remarkable fighter for his stage of training, but Zenara and Kakeun had years of experience over him and I feared what could happen if Kakuen abused this gap.

Mine and Topaz's bodies clenched in concern as Kakuen managed to exploit a crack in their defenses. He grabbed both Holyn and Zenara's heads, lifted them up and slammed them each into the ground, splitting the earth with their bodies.

Zenara planted her feet against the ground, reached up, grabbed Kakuen's hand and coated her body in electricity. Its arcs scorched the earth around her as she charged forwards, lightning lancing into Kakuen through her horns and forcing him off of Holyn. While pained, he coated one of his feet in shards of rock and kicked Kakuen's shin.

Zenara got closer, gripping onto Kakuen's hand so he couldn't retreat, reminiscent of when she clung onto the cage that held the Noivern, Noibat and Hawlucha. Her eyes were sparking as she grinned wildly up at Kakuen. {Don't blink!}

He snorted, first in confusion, then pain as the light shining forth from Zenara grew in intensity. Its electric yellow hue shifted to a neon pink, blindingly bright and blasting away most of the mist around Kakuen.

{That was Dazzling Gleam! She figured it out!} Cenza cheered.

Thanks to you, dear Cenza.

As Kakuen tried to wrench his arm free, I turned my attention to Shizu billowing in black flames, her eyes filled with fury.

{Disgusting, nobody poacher filth! Gag me with your putrid odor, will you? Evolution won't save you from what's to come!} She spat as the flames emanating from her body channeled towards her open maw into a large ball of fire. Her body shook at the immense power and all the focus caused the crack in her horn to spread. Her eyes surged in agony as the intensity of the cursed ball of black fire lessened to a scarlet red flame. {Burn until there's nothing left!}

{Zenara!} Holyn warned her as Shizu released her Overheat towards Kakuen's back. Zenara quickly let go, sending a lightning fast kick into Kakuen's nose that forced him backwards into the flames while she leapt off his face.

She gave Shizu a wave, though I felt her irritation at not being factored into Shizu's plan. {He's all yours!}

She still has too much influence from Jade informing her decisions.

Kakuen fell backwards into the ball of fire erupting against his body and sending him careening through the sky as a blazing fur ball of flames. He landed painfully in some mud that managed to quell the flames, but he did not jump back to his feet as quickly as he had before.

Shizu though appeared to be in foul condition as well as she staggered once she saw her attack had reached its mark. The remaining focus in her eyes dissipated as the crack in her horn spread further.

{I botched the attack dammit… can't even think straight. My head feels like it's gonna split open,} she groaned, panting rapidly. {That insufferable little sycophant really got me… just one lucky hit…}

Zenara bolted over, patting Shizu's side. {It's okay, take a rest, Shizu. You're obviously having a baaaaahd time.} I heard Amethyst snicker while Zenara had a big grin.

She growled at her, but it just made her head hurt more. {Mind your damn business!}

Holyn joined them quickly. {You alright, Shizu?}

{No, I'm not! I could've finished him there and I failed!} Shizu snarled again as she placed both her paws over her head enraged, her words slurring slightly. Her tail lashed angrily at the ground like a whip.

I looked over to Jade. "It is beyond time."

"I can see that," he replied as he fell from his low hanging branch and rushed over to Shizu.

He knelt by his partner pokemon as she looked up at him with slight shame.

{You puttin' me on the bench?} she questioned.

"Not unless you feel like losing your brand new horns," he retorted as he rubbed her back. "You've showcased enough grit to earn anyone's respect."

She spat ruefully at the ground as she tried to stand, but couldn't find the balance. {I'm a shame to my kind. To have to depend on a lamb- no… I guess you're a sheep now,} she smirked. {If only my old pack could see me now. I'm a certified disgrace.}

Zenara gave Shizu a confident grin. {Hey, don't feel bad. I toldja I'd take 'em all on before, didn't I? This just shows you were right that I could beat 'em, unless you were just trying to be nice.}

{This was just a minor… stumble. What matters is that you can't beat me,} Shizu affirmed before groaning again.

Zenara turned back to where Kakuen was picking himself up out of the mud, slamming her fists together. A shudder of electricity ran down her form as she glanced back at Shizu. {Uh huh. We can test that when you're feeling better and after I've punched this bozo in the face a bajillion times, okay?}

{Whatever…} Shizu muttered as she slumped to the ground.

"You're concussed so don't fall asleep. Just enjoy the show," Jade appeased her as he recalled her to her pokeball.

{I've never seen a Houndoom so proud look so… defeated,} Rheneas remarked.

"She has yet to learn from a proper mentor," I whispered to Rheneas.

Whether Jade has the presence of mind to recognize this, least of all from myself, is another story. Whatever the case, it is clearly impacting Shizu. When this is over, I will need to impress this upon him. To hell with his reaction, Shizu's life matters far more than his feelings.

{Violet,} Cenza called for me, {I know Jade isn't the easiest guy to get along with, but he helped us out the other day. He's not perfect, but let's give him some credit there. But maybe this loss will make Shizu a bit nicer to us smaller folk.}

I nodded, though a scowl still lay on my face. "Credit can be attributed when this has concluded. I do not doubt his potential to lead her well so much as his current ability." My gaze turned to her for a moment. "For all our sakes, let us hope you are more correct than I."

Topaz got up with his grappling hook. "Shizu got one last hit in at least. I'm gonna go get Jade. Watch our backs."

I nodded as Holyn and Zenara glanced at the rising Kakuen. His body was covered in the mud he used to extinguish the flames and his eyes twitched in annoyance. {First fart gas and now mud? How bad is he gonna smell by the- woop!}

Zenara grabbed Holyn and leapt into the air, away from Kakuen's Earthquake so it couldn't ground either of them. A spark shot from her tail, nailing Kakuen in one of his eyes. {Come and get us, stinky!}

{Wait Zenara, we left Jade!} Holyn protested.

Jade stumbled on the ground as he tried to get closer to Topaz. Kakuen howled in rage, digging his mitts into the earth and skidding across the ground. Before he even came to a full stop, he began clambering after Zenara and Holyn, his eyes red with fury. They shot several attacks towards him, but he bobbed and weaved between them all.

Topaz was getting closer to Jade so he could pick him up so I squinted at Kakuen, noting the sudden care of his movements. He is not even trying to stop their attacks, only dodge them… wait.

"Topaz, reel Jade from behind!" I shouted. "This is a trap!"

As soon as my warning left my lips, Kakuen changed targets, immediately leaping towards Topaz and Jade with haunting speed. Topaz barely managed to dodge a kick coming directly for him via his grappling hook. Unfortunately for Jade, he did not have such mobility.

Kakuen immediately switched targets, aiming for Jade with a spectral kick. Amethyst bolted above, throwing up a Reflect in front of Jade. Whereas normally it would have been more than enough, the excessive ghostly energy and rapidity of her action only caused it to absorb most of the blow. It shattered, though Kakuen's kick had lost the vast majority of its intensity.

Jade was sent hurtling backwards, crashing through one of the trees that had been destabilized earlier. Its wood cracked and buckled as he flew through its trunk, threatening to slam into another tree if Lyle had not chosen that precise moment.
He leapt down, catching Jade with both arms and planting his feet. The two slid to a stop, Lyle resting a foot against one of the roots of the tree Jade nearly smashed into.

"Y'know, props for being so close at all, but maybe stand a bit further back next time," he said with the same carefree tone as before. And yet, his eyes betrayed his intensity. He made light of the situation not from ineptitude, but to distract Jade from his current state.

Jade silently screamed in agony, gasping for air that had been knocked out of him. His clothes were torn by the wood he had crashed into, but it seemed the material protected him from anything embedding itself. He looked up at Lyle with pained eyes, trying to formulate a fitting response, but he was in no condition for retorts just yet.

"F-Flax…" was all he managed to stammer.

He should have stood further away. Humans break much more easily than Pokemon do. Due to his ineptitude, Shizu was injured badly enough to where she needed support. Along with how he likely made her feel she was invincible to tank an attack from an enraged Primeape, he is clearly failing her.

Even with Jade downed, Kakuen did not finish pursuing Topaz as he followed him into the trees. He was nearly on top of Topaz when he managed to toss a flash grenade directly into Kakuen's face, disorienting him severely while Amethyst blasted him backwards.

Topaz didn't waste any chance as he swung his hook like a lasso and bound Kakuen before cutting the tie. Cenza followed up shrouded in pink energy as she slammed Kakuen with all her might out of the tree, giving Topaz some reprieve to swing towards Jade.

"Jade! Jade! Are you alright? Can you move? Is he gonna be okay, Lyle?" Topaz begged for an answer.

Jade released an extremely pained grunt as he straightened his body. "Why… why is that bastard still alive!?"

Lyle sighed, glancing over at the battle. "Fucker's persistent, if nothing else." He looked back down at Jade. "I think nothing's broken, but definitely some dislocated limbs. I can fix that easy, but-."

"Fix it!" He demanded immediately, the calmness he'd maintained the entire journey was gone. Replaced with abject fury.

Lyle's face fell just a tad, but he nodded as he pulled out a cloth for Jade to bite into. Quick as a flash, he forcibly relocated Jade's leg, arm, forearm, and several fingers. I could hear Jade's muffled screams from here, but the fact he did not pass out was impressive. As soon as he was done, he pulled out a small vial and held it out to Jade. "Painkiller?"

"He needs the painkiller," Topaz answered for him hurriedly.

Lyle took the cloth out of Jade's mouth, popped the top off the vial and poured its contents down his throat. Jade swallowed it readily, his body immediately relaxing as he turned his head to glare at Lyle.

"And you didn't give me that first because!?"

"Watching your spasms. If they didn't stop after I relocated your bones, I'd know I fucked up. And it's better we find that out now than a few hours from now."

"You're talking now… you feeling any better, Jade?" Topaz asked.

"I'm fine," Jade answered calmly, but the pained shivers of his body and wheezing said otherwise. It was impossible to ignore the burning emerald fury in his eyes as well. He did turn to Lyle with a vaguely softer expression. "If you're here to make a joke out of my expense I'm taking out a loan and fleeing the country."

Lyle chuckled. "Yeah, you're fine. You're welcome. Just chill for a while, you definitely sprained some stuff. Painkillers are magical, but you don't want the aftermath of ignoring sprains because of them. It sucks, trust me."

"Tch, so this is as far as I go…" Jade noted bitterly. "One careless attack and I'm down. Now I'm the disgrace."

That is not new information.

Lyle gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up. For a greenhorn? You did pretty good."

Immediately after he said that Flax swung in with the most outright dread I had ever seen from him, his eyes landing upon Jade in his broken state. {I knew I sensed something wrong… is he dying? Where is Shizu; she was supposed to watch him!}

Lyle shook his head. "He's not gonna croak anytime soon, he's just worse for wear and needs to chill. Shizu got walloped and could barely stand, let alone fight. Primeape after an Anger Point are no joke."

"Just because I'm human doesn't mean I'll break at the slightest touch, Flax. Shizu and I did our best, we just got unlucky," Jade assured him, although it seemed to pain him more to have Flax see him this way. "This failure is demeaning, but it's just as temporary as the pain."

Flax's eyes welled with tears as he approached Jade raising his blue rose and procuring a single thorn. The shimmering water of Life Dew soaked his rose as he pricked Jade gently. From where I stood I could see the flow of healing waters surge underneath Jade's skin as Flax sat by to watch him closely.

"Ahhh… was hoping you wouldn't need to use this technique, but here we are…" Jade sighed bitterly. "Glad you came though…"

Flax nodded softly before addressing Lyle. {Thank you, but I will protect him.}

And then his sole focus shifted to Jade, shutting out the world.

Lyle gently laid Jade down against the tree, giving Flax a thumbs up. "Counting on ya. I gotta go punch a pissed off monkey in the face."

Topaz seemed hesitant, but got up as well. "We're all still linked. Call any of us if you need us."

Flax nodded slowly, but continued to watch Jade as the others returned to battle.

Given Topaz and Lyle's dispositions, Jade was no longer in any immediate danger. Which meant that I could keep track of the battle to ensure neither of them joined Jade in his state.

{Jade… I'm so sorry… I should've stayed…} Holyn faced forward, his expression shifted to something primal. {He'll suffer for that!}

As Holyn took a second to process, Alkali joined the fight, drawing just as much ire as Zenara was. His strikes were precise and powerful, slamming Kakuen back a few feet each time he struck. Zenara was fighting right alongside him, watching Alkali's strikes to refine her own.

Amethyst, meanwhile, was flying a ways in front of Holyn and those with him. Whenever Kakuen came too close, she sent lances of psychic energy through his form and back towards his two main opponents.

Which quickly became three, as Lyle leapt into battle. As he thrust his fist forward, I could only just make out the spectral mist around Kakuen swirl around his strike. Whatever that meant, it was for later as Lyle slammed Kakuen directly in the nose, earning a screech of surprise and pain as blood poured from his nostrils. Considering the amount of times it had been hit, it was most certainly broken.

"Ayo, furious George! Can ya only bully kids, or you wanna step into the big leagues?" Lyle called out, beckoning towards himself with a hand and a smirk.

This callout stirred something with Kakuen as the red in his eyes began to dim. [How many more of you vermin must I deal with!?] Kakuen charged with enraged fists, but he was noticeably slower and every movement was filled with agony.

So when he is cognizant his body recognizes the pain he's enduring and slows him down. I doubt the adrenaline has waned, perhaps it has more to do with a blind fury that the Mankey line possesses.

Lyle just blew a raspberry. "We're pretty alive and well for you 'dealing' with us, y'know. I guess you're just that sad, huh?"
Alkali snickered, jabbing Kakuen with another dose of venom and leaving a clean hole behind. {Not so tough now, are you?}

Kakuen rolled to the ground, the energy dissipating as he clenched where he was stabbed, panting deeply. He got up slowly as he took a step vaguely towards where Flax and Jade were residing. A grave mistake.

{No escape!} Holyn snarled as he coated himself in the bleak darkness of Pursuit, closing the distance between him and Kakuen before he could even register the threat.

Holyn appeared right before Kakuen with an expression far different from the docile dinosaur I had come to know. No, this was the face of prehistoric pokemon and his primal nature unveiled. Holyn tilted his head all the way back and smashed it directly into the Kakuen's right leg, bending to an unnatural position. The unimaginable pain rekindled his sanity as he fell to the ground once again.

{That's what you get,} Holyn remarked coolly as he dispelled Pursuit's aura.

Before he even had time to recover, Zenara came in and shoulder tackled into his back, sending him skidding face-first across the ground. {Nice set up, Holyn! Let's keep it goin'!}

{Absolutely!} Holyn confirmed as he charged again with another Zen Headbutt. Kakuen laid face down into the earth, but his body began seeping with more ghastly energy before his entire body was consumed by shadows as he slipped into the ground. Holyn ran right past where he stood confused as he looked around for his opponent.

"He vanished… Holyn, he's using Phantom Force! He's going to warp in and attack!" Topaz warned from a nearby tree.

{Where from?} Holyn questioned as red eyes appeared from within his shadow.

Amethyst flew over, shooting a blast directly into his shadow and into Kakuen's face. {Right behind you!}

Kakuen burst from the shadow, his eyes full of madness once again startling Holyn. He lowered his head instinctually to block a rage fueled fist, although the pushback sent him flying.

Kakuen didn't stop there as he sent another towards Amethyst's direction. She simply squinted at the attack and it was dispelled, but while her expression was stoic her growing displeasure was clear to me.

Your anger is beginning to boil. Do not hold yourself back on my account.

Holyn flew through the air with his eyes squinted shut as he plummeted towards a pond. That is until Mareeta leapt from a tree, caught him and placed him gently on solid ground ensuring he was safe.

He opened his eyes to see the older pokemon looking him over and his expression lit up. {Mareeta, you're here!}

She gave him a sad smile. {Sorry for the wait, had to make sure Bloom was totally out.} She took out her stick, wielding it as a blade while suffusing it with dark energy. Her eyes were zeroed in on Kakuen. {Now for some payback.}

Once again Kakuen slipped into the shadows, causing us all to stay alert. Rheneas kept a lookout for Topaz and myself as we'd be doomed if he were to focus on us, but it seemed Kakuen had enough sanity to direct his hate upon Mareeta. He emerged from her shadow reaching for both her and Holyn.

Holyn sprayed the shadow with ice, but Kakuen punched straight through it as Mareeta struck his fist from below, diverting it upward. She followed up with several more blindingly fast swings, the telltale crack ringing through the marsh as each struck true.

{Wasn't enough to rip me and Bloom from our home, was it? You had to go and drag her down to your level of filth,} she growled before elbowing him in his broken nose.

Except this time, he faded right through it as her body leaned into his intangible body. She front flipped forward to catch herself just in time to block a Drain Punch with her stick. It managed to hold back the worst of the blow before it snapped under the pressure and he punched her in the jaw. She was sent flying back, but she rebounded quickly, fixing her maw and spitting out blood.

{Took me at least a couple days to find a good enough stick, you prick,} she muttered before darting back into the fight. As Kakuen went to fade into the shadows once more, Mareeta cloaked her fist in dark energy and uppercutted him off the ground.

He flipped through the air, forming a massive Shadow Ball above his head. [Die Mareeta!]

Just as he was about to throw, Cenza darted from above a tree, landing on his head before exploding into a ball of blinding lasers. His concentration thrown off by the searing beams of light, the Shadow Ball was sent flying towards Meliae haphazardly. She stood firm ready to fire back until Sylvia leapt in front of the orb, tanking it effortlessly.

Kakuen reached to grab Cenza when a gust of wind and seed bombs knocked him out of the sky, allowing Cenza the chance to gracefully land atop Holyn's head. Evangeline stepped forward with her hands surging with blue winds, accompanied by Marjorie and Clarabel ready for action.

{That's quite enough!} Marjorie remarked boldly.

The spectral ape landed on the ground poorly before he began to charge with the boosting power of Work Up. He had nearly finished executing the move when a vicious Psychic began to apply immense pressure on his damaged leg, ruining his concentration. I turned my attention to Gautier glowing fervently as he stood beside Zenara and Holyn.

{That's enough bolstering for you, Kakuen. I should tear that leg off for all the trouble it's caused,} Gautier stated coldly.

"What exactly is goi-" Evangeline's sentence was cut off when Sylvia barely leapt in time to block a Shadow Punch targeting her group.

They all readied themselves for combat as Kakuen bounded towards them all with an extra powerful Rage Fist until Alkali slid between them and Kakuen, blocking the punch directly.

A mighty shockwave burst from where the attack made impact as all of Kakuen's rage crashed against Alkali's arms. He was sent back a few inches, but just smirked before jabbing Kakuen in the gut with another dose of venom.

{That your best shot, furball? My grandma hits harder than you.}

Kakuen lumbered away, clutching his gaping wound as his ghastly energy began to pour out of it involuntarily. He fell to a knee, grimacing as his eyes surveyed everyone around him.

Everyone began to close in cautiously, fully aware of how tenacious he could be even at the brink. He opened both his gloves, revealing Focus Blast in one and Shadow Ball in the other.

[I don't care who! At least one of you will die!] He screamed as he smashed each ball of energy into each other.

All the remaining power he had was converted into his last gambit as Shadow Balls and Focus Blasts began launching from his body endlessly in every direction. Everyone took cover from the incoming hailstorm of energy, including myself. Topaz, Cenza, Rheneas and I ducked behind a particularly large tree, within one of the trenches carved throughout the battle.

The worst case scenario for us would be the tree getting struck and falling. Even then, the root system is powerful enough to-

Something in me told me to look over. A Teddiursa, holding a Sitrus berry, was running with wide eyes away from the onslaught. From her trajectory, she had been headed towards Jade, likely to help however she could.

And now an errant Focus Blast was hurtling towards her.

Setting Rheneas on the ground, I dove out from my bunker, hearing Topaz shout my name in warning and grabbed the Teddiursa quickly. There was no time to dodge the attack, not at this range. Not at its velocity. I only gave her as best of a comforting smile as I could before holding her against my chest, recalling mother's teachings.

Meager as my human energies were, I mustered all that I could, all that Amethyst had told me time and again slept within her. To absorb some of the blast, however much. Letting myself go limp, save for keeping the Teddiursa cradled close, so the impact would be less powerful.

As the orb slammed against my body, erupting in a flash of brilliant orange light, sending me hurtling over a patch of swampland? I was reminded once more of how phenomenally strong Pokemon were, to take blasts such as this without even a flinch.

As I was sent tumbling through the marsh, my vision already beginning to go dark, I held on. I could not falter. Not while I still needed to make certain the Teddiursa was alright. Not scorched by the same energy that seared my side.

As I slowly came to a stop, the world still spinning despite knowing I was not moving, I looked at the Teddiursa now held loosely against my chest. Her eyes were wide, but she was unscathed. She looked afraid, so I simply gave her a smile.

I hope you grow up stronger than I could ever hope to be, young Teddiursa.

The echo of Amethyst calling my name in my mind was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.

---

~x2x Violator~

PoV: Amethyst the Meowstic

Location: Oozaru Bog Battlefield - Great Marsh

Time: March - Day 5 - Heathen Conflict

I hope you grow up stronger than I could ever hope to be, young Teddiursa.

That was the last thought in Violet's mind before it abruptly went quiet. Quieter than sleep. Quieter than when she'd been worn out from sparring with mom, too tired to process everything she'd learned. Quieter than she'd been with the Espurr, making certain not to wake them.

{VIOLET!}

Time and space bent around me as I bolted to her side, the little Teddiursa she'd protected now looking at her with a panic. I put a paw on her, another on Violet's too limp, too slow of a heartbeat hand, before ripping open reality once again.

We appeared next to Lyle and Topaz. I looked at them both, already feeling my energy shuddering with fury.

Soon.

Lyle immediately began taking out supplies as Topaz fell to her side, noting her injuries. "Not again… no…"

{Heal her,} was all I said as I oh so delicately pulled the mud away from her side. It was coating the bleeding, angry red wound on her side, but it wouldn't stem the flow.

I clicked open one of her capsules, the salves inside applying themselves while I wrapped it quicker than any of them could blink. It wasn't gonna win any awards, but she wouldn't bleed out. Wouldn't die.

Despite SOMEONE'S best efforts.

Reality warped again as I hovered above Kakuen, glaring down. I could feel the energy crackling from my eyes, pulsing furiously within my ears. He was on all fours, breathing heavily, his body's physical form nearly as firm as it was a Primeape. Whatever energy he had left was to keep himself alive as he reached for a stray Sitrus Berry.

I hurled it away from him, towards Violet. I heard Lyle catch it as I continued glaring holes into Kakuen's form.

Say something. I want to know what your last words would be.

Instead, he just grumbled like a mindless zombie, slowly rising to his feet. He looked up at me with exhausted eyes before his attention diverted to Violet and the others. He squinted inquisitively towards them as they tended to her injuries and he huffed. No. He laughed.

Shizu and Jade were right. I should've been more definitive. Evolution or not, he's still nothing yet I played it so cautious and slow. Fuck the League. Fuck their rules. We'll do what WE think is right, ignore whatever their human bullshit says. And if they come after us for it, I'll tear them apart.

{Two humans down… only Lux to go…}He wheezed as he looked up at me, his eyes filled with wicked glee. All I saw was the manifestation of everything I hated about Benedetto and all of his followers. Except now Kakuen was creeping close to the top of my pyramid of hate. {I'm… happy though… If it had to be anyone… I'm glad it's your pet that will die first, Amethyst.}

I sent a lance of energy hurtling through the same eye Margrave had lost. His form blew open around it, his other eye widening as he tried to pull himself back together.

I floated down to eye level with him, my ears unfurling. {She won't die today, Kakuen. But rest assured, you'll wish you had.}

He was a ghost now, that much was clear. Somewhere between life and death, able to walk the line in a way few could.

Let's see how close you can get before you fall.

Bolts of psychic energy shone into existence, thousands of them all forming a dome around us. Encompassing the clearing, with only him and I within its space.

One shot down, blowing through his finger. There was no blood, ghosts don't bleed. No bones to break, no muscles to tear. This kind of pain was new to him.

He was about to become very familiar with it.

{Being a ghost doesn't mean you're invincible. It just means you won't leave a mess.}

Another bolt blasted open his head, the next carving a hole through his leg. Wherever I struck, ghostly mist seeped out, trying to reform. As he tried desperately to maintain his corporeal form.

And I let him. But that didn't mean I'd make it easy.

One after another, bolts of energy seared through his spectral form. The gaps between them grew shorter, until they all rained down upon him. Only giving him enough time to keep himself together, his glowing eyes wide with agony as the mist retained his silhouette. Even amidst the scorched, burning earth he now stood on.

Midway through, I saw it waver ever so slightly more. I halted the rain, engulfing the mist before crushing it all back together, a psychic mold of his corporeal form. It went from a purple-gray cloud of rage to how he'd looked before, eyes wide and coughing in shock at being forcibly reformed.

{No, you don't get to die that easy. We're not done here.}

The hail continued, ripping his form to shreds once more. Each time, some part of him wished for death, wanting it to end. Each time, I yanked him back to the living, not giving him any time to recuperate.

After several repetitions of this, I ripped open the earth. Its maw gaping wide, slamming shut around him, burying him. He may not need air, but he'd think he would. That was enough.

Moments later, I tore him up like an ornery carrot, then slammed him into the earth once more. Held immobile, floating in the air, I hovered up to him. {Now why don't you clean up your mess?}

I allowed just enough time for him to question what I meant before slamming him into the dirt again, sending him hurtling through the mounds of earth he'd created alongside the sinkhole. Bulldozing him through the earth, using his form to fill the land he sought to subjugate once more.

Using his face to push trees into a pile, for some Bibarel and Bidoof to use later. Slamming him into too shallow banks of swampland, restoring the natural paths it was in before he had any presence here. Beyond the fact that they were now pathetic monkey sized at the smallest.

The land wouldn't heal that quickly, I'd seen the length of time it took for a forest to recuperate. But the wounds were closed now as I tightened my grip around Kakuen.

My eyes seared with energy, causing his form to almost blow away just from how close I forced him to me.. {You wanna know what your pathetic little tantrum amounted to?}

He couldn't move. He utterly spent, unable to resist anything or anyone. His body had shrunk to the size of a Mankey due to me pounding out whatever spare spectral energy he could afford and he was left a quivering mess. All he could do was stare at me with eyes filled with pain and fear, like a cornered slaver.

Good. We're not fucking done yet.

I crushed him further. Bones would've broken, blood would've exploded out. Muscles would've torn and turned to jelly. But he didn't have any of that, not anymore. There was nothing to stop me from crushing him to the size of an oran berry, now only his terrified eyes visible amidst his purple mist.

{Lemme show you.}

I blasted across the battlefield. Maybe he got a look here and there while I was terraforming with his filthy mop of fur, but now? I made sure he got a good look.

Bloom lay unconscious on the ground, what few supporters she'd had webbed up right with her. {Didn't think about who'd support your support, did you?}

Dragging him through the air, threatening to let him be blown away by the wind, I stopped at Ursula. Her and the Vigoroth with her battered and broken, most poisoned and paralyzed at once. {All that strength, and it couldn't save you.}

I weaved through the trees, taking care to let Kakuen slam into them before he parted to either side and was forced to reform into a ball again. Only stopping where Riev lay, in his own personal gravelike pit. {All that bluster and pride, and it didn't mean a damn thing.}

I skipped him across the surface of the swamp like a stone, flying to the shattered, scorched boulder that Margrave lay still in front of. {And you thought you were angry.}

We rocketed into the air, above the canopy, above the hills, just below the clouds. I forced him to look down at the Grandtree, at the swamp we just destroyed the Heterupts in, at Mount Coronet, at the region he brought so many like me to to die.

Once I was sure he'd taken that in, I brought him into my palm, energy pulsing furiously as I glared at his pathetic state. {Violet's not my pet. She's my sister, you disgusting fuck.} I brought him up to my eye, energy sparking dangerously. {You think you know what anger is? What hate is? You could've killed my family. You're only alive because I can't wait to see what the elders choose to do with you and your pathetic cronies. You should be glad, though.}

I leaned forward, feeling him quiver in fear as I threatened to crush him outright. {Whatever they do, I could do SO much worse.}

Then, quick as lightning, I bolted back to ground level with Kakuen in tow. I gave him enough room to pull himself back together, then forced him to reform when he tried to let himself dissipate. He was barely the size of Cenza now, and I let him drop limply to the ground.

Taking a moment to steady my breathing, I calmed the energy within myself. It stopped erupting from my ears, my eyes dimmed back to their usual luster. I dusted myself off, turning to face Lou and Tanya flying over to me while Kakuen shivered in the mud. Lou bound him in webbing immediately and made sure it was tight.

Fucking asshole.

Rage still boiled within me, but I had things to do. I gestured back at Kakuen. {So I dealt with his bitch ass. Tanya, you mind telling that story to whoever's gonna get eaten? They need to know their cruelty was dealt with.}

She clicked, a smirk on her face. {We'll relish in it. Congratulations on inflicting on him what he did to so many.}

I grinned back. {Someone had to. Now I need to go see if I gotta warp Violet to a hospital or not.}

Lou buzzed. {We'll handle the rest. Do what you must.}

Regardless of what anyone else tells us to, you know it.

I nodded, flying over to Violet. Lyle and Topaz had done their best, but nothing was gonna replace actual doctors.

I looked at them both, holding one of Violet's hands. {I'll see you back at Pastoria.}

Lyle nodded, giving me a grin. "We'll fill you in when we get back."

"Wait," Topaz interjected, "can you bring Jade with you too? Please?"

I nodded, gently floating Violet with me before going over to Jade and Flax. Looked like Jade had passed out too. {C'mon, you're not gonna walk back with him, are you?}

Flax simply side-eyed me as he relaxed his guard, allowing me to come closer. I floated over, beckoning him to hold Jade's hand. He did, and I focused.

Pastoria… it's been a while since we spent some time there, hasn't it, Vio? Didn't think you'd be going in its hospital, but you just keep showing me new things.

Destination in mind, we were all engulfed in my energy, racing through spacetime back to Pastoria, into its hospital lobby.

I glanced at the startled receptionist. {So, we're gonna need two rooms, stat.}

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A/N: The first gen 9 pokemon enters the story! Which ones do you wanna see next?

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Group

Gym Trainer: Topaz Heart

Brothers in Arms: Lou (Vikavolt), Donut (Pikachu), Holyn (Cranidos).

Deck: Fool, Devil, Strength, Hermit, Fortune, Hierophant.

x

Human Companion: Violet

Pokemon Family: Amethyst (MeowsticF), Zenara (Flaaffy), Cenza (Dedenne).

x

Blooming Celebrity: Jade Forrest

Co-Stars: Flax (Roselia), Shizu (Houndoom), Gautier (Dottler).

X

Aspiring Lady: Evangeline 'Eva' Morebucks

Ladies of Grace: Marjorie (Steenee), Sylvia (Delcatty), Clarabel (Lairon).

X

Mistresses of Grace: Isadora Morebucks & Wilona the Persian

X

Allies: Meliae (Tropius), Rheneas (Spoink), Mareeta (Passimian), Tanya (Kleavor), Lyle and Alkali the Toxicroak, Great Marsh Natives.