Trials of Sarah Vol 5: Pokemon Horizions

by Snow Nadder

(Takes place during the Summer of Paldea Adventure) While being a guest speaker at the Indigo Academy in Kanto, Sarah and Race suddenly get sucked into another world trotting adventure when they meet Liko and her Sprigatito. When the Explorers target the three of them for their Terapagos, they suddenly meet Professor Friede and the Rising Volt Tacklers.

62. Hatenna and the Otherworldly

Liko -We've finished our Basics tests for the Terastal Course, and now, on the way back to the academy, we're observing and researching wild Pokémon for our reports to Mr. Jacq. We're heading deeper into the forest searching for a Pokémon Roy heard from Montenevera Gym Leader Ryme known only as "The One Not of This World". But, we're also on the hunt for Xerneas, the Life Pokémon and Diancie's mother, hoping she could help Sarah recover from the Mark of Evil given to her by Spinel's Arbok. With our royal friend's life on the line, we can only hope we're successful in our efforts before we return to Uva Academy for our midterms interquel

It was now September 17th on a Monday (Day 15 of the Terastal Course) and the heroes were currently searching for the Pokémon Ryme told Roy about and Diancie's mother, Xerneas. But, despite their best efforts, they only found wild Pokémon native to the area they were in including Lokix and Shroomish.

Given they still had a long way to go given their current dilemma and were still in the forest for the time being, Sarah decided to have Necrozma, Kyogre, and Groudon enter her briefcase (despite Kyogre being able to fly despite not being near any large body of water since his size and fins would've knocked any nearby trees over). The same predicament Kyogre was presented with also applied to Groudon and Necrozma since she didn't want them to burn down part of the forest and risk repeating what happened to Arboliva's old home.

There was also the possibility of hunters wanting to find them along with the Westros Dragons, Tsar, Hunter, Zalkia, Fang, Ripper, Topsy, Billy, and the mythicals (save for Starla), so with that in mind, Race and Sarah decided to return them to their briefcases as well. This left Bumpy, her family, Firestar, Bluestar, Red, Blue, their raptor siblings, and the Chibi 13 the only ones amongst them out.

"Hello! One Not of This World! Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Roy shouted to no one in particular.

"You know it's not gonna come out if you keep shouting like that, Roy," sighed Drayton.

"I doubt it would even come if it could hear us walking around these parts right now," Lazuli added doubtfully, having Dondozo in his Pokeball as he couldn't roam with her and the rest of his family on land as was the case with Lapras and his family (while Arboliva moved carefully around so she wouldn't damage or knock down the trees around her).

"Are you even sure such a Pokémon exists?" added Dot, feeling skeptical.

"It's gotta or else Ryme wouldn't have told me about it two nights ago! You do want to find out whether or not the One Not of This World is real and meet it, don't ya, Dot?"

"Well... If I get a photo or video of it on camera, it'll be worthy material for a Nidothing video."

"What about you and Sarah, Liko? Don't you want to see it, too?"

"Yeah, sure. If it is out there, I'd like to see it at some point. I sure would love us to make a report out of it for Mr Jacq," Liko nodded eagerly.

Sarah, however, didn't answer as she turned away slightly and self-consciously touched the Mark of Evil (worried about how everyone back at Uva Academy would react to it and what they would say about the Roar should she somehow go out of control with it). Feeling concerned for the little princess following the attack on her by Spinel's Arbok and Atrociraptors, the Kilowattrel, Corviknight, Staraptor, and Talonflame Titans stayed with the heroes, not wanting her to go unprotected should they be ambushed again.

Surprisingly, they found out that Jane knew them as the Titan Girls (whom she met at one point during one of her private assignments from Lightspeed Rescue and her father) named Stormfeather, Ravenna, Ligtas, and Fulgor respectively.

Before their unorthodox meeting with the heroes, Stormfeather was once the queen of the skies, her long-distance flying and her uncanny ability to ride the wind currents with unparalleled grace second to none against other Flying Pokémon.

However, her days of flying originally ended in tragedy as she had the misfortune of encountering a skilled Pokémon Hunter she escaped, coming out of the confrontation with a broken left wing he left her that sported the scars she wears to this day. And, ever since then, she was grounded with no hopes of recovery and flying again; forever haunted by the hunter that cost her her left wing, she became a recluse and avoided humans and Pokémon alike like the plague until she crossed paths with Fulgor, Ravenna, and Ligtas.

Despite Carla's best efforts to heal Stormfeather's wing, Dot examined the wing and realized that the equipment found in Pokémon Centers wouldn't do much since her left wing was too broken for the staff at the nearest Pokémon Center they're at to treat. It also didn't help that the Super Potion she was given only healed a small part of the wing where it was burned and not all of it.

Therefore, Sarah took the initiative to help yet again as she performedBrachio Emendum(properly following Gilderoy Lockheart's epic failure in Chamber of Secrets following Harry's 2nd Year Quidditch match against Slytherin), healing the broken bones in her left wing and usedIgnisRemedio(the spell making a sweeping arc, two rapid zigzags mimicking a flame, and making a golden light that gradually repaired the damage the hunter had done to it) to make it look as good as new.

Naturally, because they had no idea what magic could do to them, the Titan Girls were floored by what they witnessed, Stormfeather more so as she stretched her left wing to its full length and flapped it, seeing what the little princess had done to help her regain her ability to fly.

But, as the heroes walked through the forest and searched for the "One Not of This World", Fuecoco stepped over a branch that snapped and loped him in the face.

"D'OH!" he yelped in pain.

"Huh? Fuecoco! You okay, buddy?" Roy blinked, getting a pained groan before some wild Shroomie appeared and scuttled along.

"I'm fine..."

"I'm not liking this, guys. The forest is getting thicker the deeper we go into it," Dot noted, seeing how thick it was becoming as they went deeper into the forest for the "One Not of This World".

"Stay close to us, Princess," Glaciel warned Diancie as he and Haunterstride edged themselves closer to her for her own protection.

"I can't help but feel anything could pop out when we least expect it-AH!" Liko began before she yelped at a small flock of Rookidee that flew out from a nearby bush as if they were frightened by something nearby.

But, at that moment, Hatenna, Serrate, Tony, Jessie, Char, Breeze, and Plume all perked up as they sensed something within a dense part of the forest covered in a fog bank.

"Hatenna, Serrate? What is it?" Liko asked her Calm Pokémon and Razorwhip, staring out into the trees they stared at which were covered with vines and leaves and situated in the fog bank in front of them.

---

(Theme Song - Hiten (TV Size - Rurouni Kenshin (2023)) ft. AyaseR-Shitei) Pokémon Horizons Pt. 3: Terastal Debut Ver.

~Kizu ari no sasurai no mi, itami ni donkan na boku tachi~ (Wounded wanderer, we are insensitive to pain!)

~Mou sabitsuitari wa shinai, nozarashi joutou no kissaki~ (Won't rust anymore, exposed to the elements, our blades are sharp!)

Our opening to Part 3 of Liko, Roy, and Dot's journey with the Rising Volt Tacklers and the Alolan Royal Family begins as Liko and Floragato walk out of Uva Academy's gates together before the young girl greets the readers/viewers first and she's later shown holding a Pokeball as they walked along. Roy then greets the viewers/readers before he is shown walking with Fuecoco and Dot and Quaxly following suit as the young recluse greets the viewers/readers herself. After Dot greets the viewers/readers, Sarah, Race, and their family are shown with the Paldea School Gang and their Partner Pokémon

Akumade mo kankaku teki ni, tadashii to omoeta michi wo~ (Always instinctively, we've been running, deceiving ourselves)

Boku tachi wa damashi damashi hashitte kitan da, machigai no hitotsu ya futatsu wa atta~ (Along a path that seemed right to us, there may have been a mistake or two)

Our Horizons Trio, Quaxly, Floragato, and Fuecoco are seen with Galaxagus (with Lazuli on his back), Char, Serrate, Plume, Breeze, and Shadow and his fellow Night Furies flying overhead beside Mistral (who was in her Dragon Form). Next, the group was shown with their Pokémon (now with Liko's newly-evolved Hattern and Roy's newly-evolved Kilowattrel, Stormfeather, Ravenna, Ligtas, and Fuglor), mythicals, dinosaurs, and dragons enjoying sandwiches by a campfire at night.

Surikomareta soutai teki na, shiawase ni kyoumi nado nai~ (Ingrained relative happiness but we have no interest in it)

Yuzurenai mono mamoru tame kono, atama wo hineru katana wo nigiru~ (To protect what we can't give up, we grasp the sword that twists our minds)

Then, the group was shown trudging through a snowstorm as Articuno flew above them and Glastrier and Glacial covered them from either side, all keeping a watchful eye for anything that could give them trouble during the frigid blizzard. As our heroes then lay down on the grass (happy over the chance to catch a break after wandering together), we are shown various Pokémon that reside in Paldea from the nearby trees and brush including a Kingambit.

Juujiro de kousa, kinou no you da, kioku no oku de me wo samasu douran~ (Intersecting at the crossroads, it feels like yesterday, disturbances awaken in the depths of memory)

Itomo kantan, miiraresou da, makka na ame ga kanaderu chinkonka~ (So easily, it could enchant us, a requiem played by the crimson rain)

A singalong shot features Ann and Nemona on the bench closest to the camera with Liko, Sarah, and Kieran directly behind them in the middle, Dot, Penny, and Race on the left, and Roy and Carmine on the right with Ann's evolved Dewott, Kieran's Hydrapple, Carmine's Mightyena, and Pawmot jumping and cheering to the beat first and Floragato, Quaxly, Blitz, Bella, and Fuecoco doing the same afterward. Soon after, we are greeted by good ol' Captain Pikachu, Friede, and the unconventional professor's Charizard as they smirk at the viewers/readers.

Hakanaku chiru mouja temaneiteru monban, mi no uchi kara yakitsukusu gouka~ (The fleeting undead beckon as the inferno consumes from within)

Jigoku darou ga, tengoku darou ga, miteru mae saki wo isogou ka~ (Whether it's hell or whether it's heaven, should we hurry ahead before our eyes?)

Amid a sunset or sunrise before them, Sarah, Race, their Pokemon, dragons, dinosaurs, and mythicals, joined by Diancie and her friends, Lazuli, Breeze, Galaxagus, Pantherra, Dragonite, Honchcrow, Timburr, Delight, Woobat, Gengar, Mismagius, Roggenrola, Lacey, Granbull, Drayton, Flygon, Crispin, Taloneflame, Metagross, Amarys, Incinearoar, Kieran, Mightyena, Carmine, Liko, Floragato, Serrate, Roy, Char, Fuecoco, Dot, Plume, and Quaxly braced themselves, ready for what lies ahead of them.

Kizu mamire nan da tokku ni, kasabuta mou ichido hagashi~ (Covered in scars long ago, peeling off scabs once again!)

Hiten takaku tobitatsu tame ni~ (To soar high into the sky!)

We are then shown Sidian, Coral, Garganacl, and Glalie as the two Explorers are in disguise, going incognito for a supposed mission of espionage for their comrades, Hamber, and Gibeon by secretly learning about the Terastal Phenomenon.

Tatoe kyou ga kusatta hi demo, asu ga motto owatteitemo~ (Even if today is a rotten day, even if tomorrow is even worse)

Returning to Dot, Liko, and Roy, they unleash the power of their newly-gained Tera Orbs amidst three Tera symbols glowing in their respective colors and Tera Crystals appearing after. Through the power of Terastallization, Floragato, Fuecoco, and Quaxly Terastallize, thus becoming a Tera Grass Type, a Tera Fire Type, and a Tera Water Type respectively.

Hitori kurai wa konna no demo, aishite kureru to honki de shinjiteru ze~ (I truly believe that at least one person will love me, even in this state)

Amid the approving stares of Jacq, Clavell, Geeta, and Dendr and a nonchalant stare from a disguised Chalce, Liko, Roy, Dot, and their partners run across a field to join their friends and face the challenges the Terastal Course provided for them as we're shown transitions of Paldea's Gym Leaders, the Paldea Elite Four, and their respective Partner Pokémon they would formally meet throughout the course: Katy and Teddiursa, Brassius and Sudowoodo, Iono and Bellibolt, Kofu and Wugtrio, Tulip and Espathra, Ryme and Houndstone, Grusha and Cetitan, Larry and Staraptor and Flamigo, Hassel and Baxcalibur, Poppy and Tinkie, and Rika and Clodsire.

Aa itsuka itsu no hi ni ka, doro no naka ni saite kumo no ue de chiru no sa~ (Ah, someday, somehow, blooming in the mud, scattering in the clouds)

Liko is then shown preparing to eat a sandwich she prepared only for Floragato to jump in and cheekily snatch it from her. Then, we see one of her eyes as it crystalizes as if Terastallization or something else dazzles and amazes her.

Aa baka mitai na hibi wo, ikinuite miseru no sa~ (Ah, those foolish days, I'll show you that I can survive them)

Finally, we see the heroes on a hill overlooking a stunning view as Lucius' Moltres and Rayquaza (with Marena riding on the latter's back again) soar overhead into the heavens before the opening closes with multiple Pokeballs thrown in the air before they become the new main titles and Cap, Blitz, Rosie, Chili, and Crest appear and wink at the viewers/readers, smirking together.

The Trials of Sarah - Pokemon Horizons Pt. 3: Terastal Debut

---

"Something's coming this way..." Dot noted warily as the heroes braced themselves for what was about to come after hearing what sounded like frantic rustling.

Dot was right to feel anxious; the group was staring into the foggy depths of the forest area before them and felt something could jump out and attack them at any point. The rustling sound was soon accompanied by the sound of running feet as they listened in and then, from out of the fog and foliage, there came three kids wearing similar clothing to Liko, Roy, and Dot's traveling outfits and Partner Pokémon in the form of a Roserade, Darumaka, and Ducklett.

Everybody, even the new kids, screamed in surprise and fright but Eternatus looked between the new kids, Roy, Dot, and Liko and he could only sigh as he sarcastically quipped (while the others screamed), "Oh, great...! Ladies and Gentlemen, the Doppelgangers from the Forest of No Return!"

"H-Huh? People...?" the Liko look-a-like breathed, sounding relieved as she stopped screaming and looked at the heroes.

The heroes stared in surprise at her before the look-a-like sighed and chirped, "Oh, thank goodness, what a relief..."

"Did we get away from it or did it follow us over here?" the Roy look-a-like added worriedly as he and the Dot look-a-like looked behind them.

"Phew... It's not with us, we're safe," the Dot look-a-like finished as the group of three breathed sighs of relief and collapsed (forcing their partners to look at them with concern), allowing the heroes to see the small team of six covered in scratches and bruises.

"...Uh, okay? What the hell just happened...?" Rooster snarked incredulously, breathing heavily as he nearly had a heart attack and held his chest.

"Yeah, you nearly gave us fatal heart attacks when you jumped out of nowhere!"

"I was about to make a break back the way we came for lunch," grumbled Pig and Sydney, glaring at the new trainers.

"...Agreed, I'm sorry but what do you mean by 'get away from it'?" Ox put in.

Sensing their distress and seeing the painful yet frantic state of the kids and their partners, Hatenna, Tony, and Jessie went to the new trainers and used Heal Pulse to heal them and their Pokémon.

"Ahh... Thank you," the Liko look-a-like thanked with a small smile.

But, she and the other two kids became shocked when they saw Plume, Breeze, and the Tiny Tooth Night Lights approaching them, forcing Sarah to reassure them, "No, don't worry! It's alright, they're very friendly."

"Um, excuse me, what exactly happened to you three?" Liko asked, wondering what happened that got the three trainers in such a state before everybody got around to talking after they had calmed down moments later. "Huh?! So, you're all students attending Uva Academy, too?"

"Yeah, we came to Paldea to try our hands on the Terastal Course with two other friends we knew from childhood," the girl, Luka, nodded as Hatenna, Tony, and Jessie healed Roserade, Ducklett, and Darumaka.

"Hey, the same thing happened to us days ago!" Roy quipped in surprise.

"So, what's got you guys so banged up earlier?" Tai Lung questioned.

Niko and her friends, Rob and Dash, then explained that they were heading towards their assigned gyms for their Basics tests when they got lost in the forest and entered a foggy area. Upon arriving in the area, they ended up at a river close to a strange tree on the other side. They were just about to head back and continue to their assigned gyms but Niko's bag strap snapped and she had to cut off a piece of vine from a nearby tree to fix it. This was supposedly a bad move on her part as something large and vicious took offense to her seemingly harmless act and attacked them without warning.

"We were chased by that monster for days after it appeared. We tried to fight it off with help from our partners but it was too strong so we had no choice but to run," Rob sighed hopelessly.

"I've never seen a Pokémon that could keep up with us like that nor beat us so violently without even trying," Bocco shuddered.

"It was so scary when we first saw it... It was like something from out of this world," Niko mused in agreement, her words making Roy recall what Ryme told him a while back.

"'Something from out of this world'?" he echoed before he got a brain blast and looked at his group, saying, "You know what that means, right?"

"Mm-hmm, that must be what Ryme told you after you caught sight of Capsakid two nights ago," Arven nodded.

"That means the 'One Not of This World' we're looking for is somewhere around here," Lacey concurred.

"Actually, you three, we were just looking for that mysterious Pokémon," Crispin noted, shocking Rob, Dash and Niko.

"But, why would you-?" Niko began until Carmine explained what she and her group were doing.

"Our friend, Roy, heard of it from the Montenevera Gym Leader, Ryme, when he met her and her Houndstone and saw a wild Capsakid running about two nights ago. We think it would be a good subject for one of our reports for Mr. Jacq when we return," she told her.

"Eyewitness statements would make it more credible which is why we're going to observe it ourselves," Dot clarified.

"And, based on what you told us, it could still be nearby," Roy stated.

"Are you crazy?!"

"You can't be serious about going there! It'll attack you once it sees you!" Niko and Rob rebutted frantically, trying to talk the heroes out of finding the Pokémon that attacked them and Dash.

"You big babies got yourselves into that mess for some reason. And, since you saw this 'mystery Pokémon' and failed to take photos or record it, you'll have to lead us to it. Also, you said you came to this region with two other friends; since we met you three stooges moments ago, where are your Abbot and Costello?" Eternatus huffed at the look-a-like trio who gasped in horror and realization after they got the implications behind his jab.

"Oh, no! We completely forgot about them!"

"Elara, Jace! I thought they were behind us!"

"We lost them after the Pokémon started chasing us!"

"Wait, Elara, Jace...?"

"Who-what-now?" Silvally and Tou-Tou quipped in confusion as Sarah and Race looked at each other awkwardly and pictured Rob, Niko and Dash's missing friends being their own real-world doppelgangers.

"Well, that settles it. Unless you guys want to join us on this little rescue mission you set up for us, we'll have to get them back," Tyson offered.

"And, if we all go in there together, I'm sure we'll find your friends sooner or later," agreed Freezeon.

"Forget it, we're not going back there even for our friends!" Niko denied as she rushed off after grabbing her bag.

"You're on your own for this one but thanks for the first aid! If you see Elara and Jace and rescue them, tell them we'll be at one of our assigned gyms!"

"Our apologies! See ya!" Rob and Dash told the heroes as they joined Niko and ran until they were out of sight.

"Hey! Come back here!"

"You damn cowards owe us and your friends big time for this!" Spookeon and Brawleon shouted incredulously.

"...Too late, they're gone."

"Oh, great, what'll we do now?" groaned Thundereon and Seleneon.

"GOOD LUCK CRASHING AND BURNING IN THIS STUPID COURSE, YOU BIG BABIES!" snapped Eternatus at Niko, Rob and Dash after they had gone.

Tony and Jessie tried to use Teleport to catch the trio and their partners and force them to come back but Guardeon and Breezeon stopped them as the Jungle Guard's supreme commander shook his head and said, "Let them go, it's not our place to force them to do what they're afraid to do. Whatever attacked them earlier shook them to their cores."

Breezeon nodded as he then added, "They'll be alright once we find their friends and deal with the 'One Not of This World'."

"Well, I suppose if they're on the run from that thing that attacked them, we better split, too! Right, gang?" whimpered Scooby, sharing Niko, Rob and Dash's sentiments.

"Wrong, if it was the 'One Not of This World' that scared them to death like that, whoever it is over where we're going is not gonna get away with this."

"He doesn't sound tough given we faced stronger and nastier Pokémon before, Scooby! And, those three just abandoned their friends! We can't leave them behind like they did! They might need our help!" Sarah and Scrappy retorted.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Scooby gulped in reply.

"Well, whoever busted their hips must've been a powerhouse," Liberty quipped.

"It sounds as though the 'One Not of This World' is stronger and crazier than we thought," Dot nodded.

"But, still... If it's that amazing and crazy, and what Ryme said about it is true, I'm more eager than ever to meet it!" Roy replied.

"And, that freakazoid who terrified and made a Pacman game out of them is just past that area before us," concurred Kieran's Grimmsnarl, pointing everyone to the forest area where Niko and her friends popped out of.

"Somewhere deeper in the forest... Maybe we'll find Elana and Jace there, too," Liko nodded, knowing they have a lot on their plate now.

Scooby tried to sneak away and join Niko and her friends but Scrappy picked him up and ran on his hind legs as he charged head-on into the forest, "Come on, Scooby! Where's your sense of adventure and mystery? Let's go! Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da, Puppy Power!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Della cried as she raced after them.

"Don't go in there without us, you three!" Mallow shouted to the three puppies.

"Sounds to me like Niko, Rob and Dash made the 'One Not of This World' mad for some reason and I can't help but wonder if it had to do with that piece of vine Niko used to repair her bag strap. It's almost like it was taking its anger out on them just for that supposedly harmless act," Mistral pondered thoughtfully.

"But, why would a Pokémon like that get so wound up and attack them over a vine piece as a bag strap patch?" Sydney questioned, confused.

"I don't know, guys, but we've just gotten ourselves locked and loaded onto a mystery," Lazuli replied, getting an agreeing nod from Hu as he knew what his charge was thinking.

---

Steeling themselves for what was about to come, the heroes proceeded to make their way to the last spot where Niko, Rob and Dash were and left Elara and Jace behind in their panic while being attacked. As they went through the foliage around them, taking care to stay close to each other so they don't get lost or separated, the fog came down and quickly grew thicker the deeper they went in.

"Well, it's just as Luka and her friends said, everybody. The fog's coming in thick and fast," Naomi informed.

"You know, I wonder what these Elara and Jace people would look like if we do meet them."

"You think they'll look like Uncle Race and Auntie Sarah to a tee?"

"It'll be awesome to see, like looking through a mirror!" Tot, Nano, and Mini quipped as they rode on Liberty's sidecar while she manned her Power Scooter.

"Now, that'll be double trouble if I've ever seen any. I wouldn't be surprised if they're a far cry from them apart from looks," she chuckled.

"Well, we better not let doppelganger matters deter us from the mystery while we're still alive, everybody. The fog's getting thicker now," Ox reminded.

"You're right, stay together now," Rabbit warned.

"That means we're getting close," Roy grinned before the heroes jumped slightly over panicked and frantic chattering from afar. "What's happening?!"

Sarah blinked in surprise as her Lion's Hearing picked up the frantic yapping and recognized the kind of Pokémon it belonged to, "Hey, that sounds like..."

"...Mankey!" she and Dot deducted, seeing a swarm of Pig Monkey Pokémon jumping past the heroes from the treetops and sounding scared and agitated.

"Hmm, wonder what's gotten those meddling kids in a twist right now," Rooster mused dismissively before a loud shout echoed around the forest and stirred up the wind and leaves around them.

"What was that?!" gasped Roy as Shadow, the Night Furies, Aegis, Haze, and Gale snarled warningly.

"What is it, guys?" Stacey questioned before a large Pokémon jumped down and confronted the heroes some distance from them.

It was a simian-like Pokémon standing 3'11" with a round body on two thin legs having black shackles around its ankle, three-fingered hands, two-toed feet, shaggy grey fur streaming upward and fading to white, shaggy ear fur hanging down, dark grey skin, a broken metal shackle on its left arm, no shackle on its right arm, a large pink pig-like snout on its face, and multiple throbbing veins visible on the left side of its face.

"YAH! What in the Great Merciful Buddha's name is that thing?!" Sydney shrieked as he hid behind Hu (much to the Tiger Zodiac's annoyance as he rolled his eyes at him).

"It's an...Annihilape!" gawked Sarah, gritting her teeth at it.

"Annihilape?" Liko echoed as she scanned the Fighting Type.

"Annihilape, the Rage Monkey Pokémon. A Fighting and Ghost Type; when its anger rises beyond a critical boiling point, this Pokémon gains power unfettered by the limits of its physical body."

"Unfettered by the limitssss of its physsssical body, huh? Doesss that mean it'll be like thisss when it diessss and reincarnatessss out of anger and hatred?" Snake balked before she narrowed her eyes, seeing the Annihilape before her and her friends as a threat.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Pig gulped, feeling sick as she grimaced in fear.

"...That's disturbing," Jane admitted before she steeled herself and readied her Rescue Blaster.

"If that's so, maybe that hotheaded furball should relabel himself as a Poison/Ghost Dual Type or a Ghost/Dragon Dual Type like me!" Eternatus barked.

As if it wasn't making its presence to the heroes clear enough, the wild Annihilape jumped up and snapped a nearby tree in half with one punch before it punched the ground and sent a ton of rock piling on the space in front of them. While it did all that, its eyes were glowing red, showing everyone it was in a deep and uncontrollable rage.

"Okay, now I'm scared!" Carmine gulped fearfully.

"Crazy!"

"No, more like 'creepy' with how he pounded that tree clean in half!" Tera and Shockwave bantered, sweatdropping in fright.

"I don't like that, me no likie!" gulped Poseidon, feeling the need to run.

"Ha! That rage fit is nothing, you should see me on a bad day when I had to do bath time at Mother's behest!" Moltres taunted the Rage Monkey Pokémon with a mocking smirk.

"Brother, don't you antagonize the Annihilape like that!" Arboliva chastised.

"Don't you UNDERESTIMATE ME! You'll pay for defiling our only means to reach our feeding ground!" snorted the wild Annihilape as it prepared to attack while standing on the rock pile it made, surprising Tony and Jessie as they heard what it said.

"It's coming at us!" Lazuli shouted as she drew her sword.

"I guess our only choice for this is to run!" Carla decided.

"You're right, fighting it won't do much good!" Hazel agreed.

Sarah nodded as she screamed, "Got it! Arrietty, Sho, Bitter Malice! Let's go!"

Knowing they had to escape while they still had time, the two Hisuian Pokemon unleashed their species' signature move that engulfed the Annihilape in an explosion that it tanked despite taking some damage. Marena decided to follow up on the assault by pointing Moltres and issuing an attack from him to the Ghost/Fighting Type.

"Moltres, use your Air Slash!"

"Oh, yeah! Let's do this!" smirked Moltres as he unleashed his Flying Type move and pummeled Annihilape.

"Yeah! That's using your battle noggin, Sarah, Marena! Now, let me show ya how to really take this big bully to school! Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da, Puppy Power!" Scrappy smirked as he charged towards Annihilape!

"SCRAPPY!" Scooby and Della screamed as Annihilape walked towards Scrappy and stared at him as he got on his hind legs and went into a boxing stance.

"Come on, ya big lug! I can take you! Put 'em up! Let me at 'im, let me at 'im!"

"No, Scrappy!" Della and Scooby screamed again as they grabbed him and ran behind Hu with the Tiger Zodiac bringing out his sword and pointing it at the Rage Monkey Pokémon who just stared at the quartet.

"This isn't good, you guys. Carla's right, our only option right now is to run," Dot stated.

"Okay, follow our lead. Blue, Red, now!" Race bellowed, having his Mist Twister spew out their hot and cold mist breaths together to create a steam screen.

With Annihilape momentarily blinded, the heroes quickly ran to escape from the powerful Fighting/Ghost Type with Sarah and Race leading the way but not before Hatenna, Tony, and Jessie looked back and saw it not chasing them as it remained where it was. The Psychic Type trio didn't know it as they and their families and friends ran but it looked as though it wasn't concerned with them running, realizing that it somehow knew where they were going and would meet them again soon.

---

Eventually, after getting some distance from the angry Pokémon, the heroes stopped to catch their breath and go over what they just went through.

"Did we lose it?" panted Kieran in relief.

"I don't know but I did lose my lunch back there-bzt," gulped a terrified Manteon as he slumped down.

"Looks like it, we did run pretty far," Dot sighed, equally relieved.

"Have you ever seen a Pokémon that brutal and merciless to anything let alone us in your lives?" Kiawe grimaced to no one in particular.

"I haven't before now, that's for sure," Drayton admitted.

"Hey, Sarah, didn't you mention to us at one point you went up against Eri who also had an Annihilape on her?" quizzed an exhausted Amarys to the little princess.

"Yeah, it wasn't pretty when she revealed it and started to tear into us when Race, Sis, and I finally confronted her. We were lucky to beat it but by the skin of our teeth when it really started to go at us after we backed Eri into a corner," Sarah replied.

"Well, that wild Annihilape was something else, all right... H-Huh, hey... Look, you guys," Roy added before he noticed something in front of them.

The group turned to what he was looking at and the heroes were surprised to find that they ended up at the same river where Niko, Dash and Rob first encountered the Annihilape that attacked them.

"Hey, it's the river Niko, Rob and Dash ended up at earlier before we met them!"

"This can't be a coincidence."

"But, where are Elara and Jace?" Liko, Gladion, and Hau remarked as they looked around.

Of course, the fog became as thick as pea soup when they reached the river so they couldn't see within a few feet. But, with Race and Sarah, with their enhanced sight from their Pyroar, Solgaleo, and Lion DNA, the young couple was even more surprised to find what looked like a pile of berries stockpiled in the large hollow of a giant tree on the other side.

A cluster of angry chatter, blaming, and finger-pointing grabbed the heroes' attention, making them turn to find a group of Mankey angrily bantering with one another as one held a broken vine much to Hatenna's dismay as she covered her ears.

"Hey, guys, it's that tree with a spooky face on it!"

"It must be the same tree Niko, Rob and Dash told us about!" Blitz and Curly gasped as Tony and Jessie comforted their tiny friend.

"What's that one close to the tree holding in its left paw?" puzzled Nyx as she stared at the Mankey closest to the tree, holding a broken end of a vine.

"It looks like...a vine from the tree," Liko deducted until she remembered Niko telling them that she used a piece of the vine to fix her broken bag strap and realized what she had done. "Wait! I remember; Niko told us she used a vine piece earlier to fix her bag strap when it broke!"

"Intruders! Thieves! Criminals! Scum! Animals! Fiends! Vandals! Bastards!" the Mankey (joined by a couple of Primeape) screeched in fury, seeing the heroes and thinking they were responsible for the broken vine as they surrounded them.

"Guys... I think they're really mad about us coming here," gulped Crispin, feeling scared as the heroes huddled close to each other (with Hatenna covering her ears again as she couldn't take much of the Mankeys' anger and hatred).

"Hey... I just realized; this may be a hunch but what if Niko somehow offended them by cutting off a piece of that vine and the tree it was attached to was important somehow?" Dot theorized as Sarah winced over the Mankeys' accusations and held her right eye, the Mark of Evil continuing to play up and rile her emotions.

"You mean along with the river, that tree is part of what is the Mankeys' den?" Hau answered, concerned.

"If the tree's that important to them, then the broken vine is why they're mad?"

"If that's the case... Niko, Rob and Dash were the only three we met since coming here and they left their friends, Elara and Jace who supposedly look like Race and Sarah, behind in their panic when they were attacked earlier today. And, the three of them had Pokémon that looked similar to ours," Roy and Liko realized, starting to get why the Mankey are mad at them.

"And, the finer details regarding you two, Dot, your partners, and them don't matter to them since they're acting impulsively; they wanted to find the culprits responsible for cutting that vine and defiling their tree. Since you and your partners looked similar to Niko, Rob and Dash along with their Roserade, Darumaka, and Ducklett, they must think you're the culprits and we're your accomplices," Carmine concurred as she and her team along with everyone else braced themselves for a fight.

"No wonder they're all so mad in the first place and why Annihilape attacked us earlier!"

"Those pig-headed hyenas!" Mistral and Eternatus grumbled.

"If you want to blame someone for this mess, Eternatus, blame those three stooges that bailed on us and their friends for pulling their screws loose!"

"As I said, those cowards owe us big time! And, that's if we get out of this alive!" Veneon and Brawleon spat at the former Darkest Day.

"GET 'EM!" the Mankey screeched as they began throwing rocks at the heroes without mercy, all of them and the Primeape too mad to listen to reason.

"Look out!" Race shouted as he, Ash, and the Pokémon School Gang were forced to draw their old sidearms and the Bio Lion Talon to defend themselves against the ongoing rock shower from all sides.

"AH! Ow! Stop it! Please, listen! We weren't the ones who cut the vine!" Liko yelped frantically as she and some of the others and their partners ducked to avoid being hit.

Glacial and Haunterstride did their best to protect Diancie from the rocks (while the Diamond Pokémon used Diamond Storm to counter them (proving she's not as helpless as some of the heroes thought)) and Lugia went as far as to use Safeguard to shield everyone else vulnerable to the Mankey and Primeape's rage-driven assault.

"It's no use, Liko! They won't listen to us as long as they're mad!"

"They'll fight until we drop!"

"The only way we can get out of here or make them listen is to fight them!" Mallow, Lana, and Lillie said.

So, that's what they did; while everyone else took cover or shielded themselves from the rocks and the Primeape that charged at them, Liko, Dot, Roy, and some of the others fought back as best they could. It looked as though they were fighting on equal ground despite how relentless and stubborn the Mankey and Primeape were towards them. However, as they were fighting, one of the Mankey nearly pulled a cheap shot on them when it suddenly noticed Terapagos popping out of his tote bag to see what was happening and threw a rock at him.

"Terapagos!" Liko screamed, seeing Terapagos in danger as the rock sailed towards him.

But, Hattena was faster as she quickly used Psychic to save her little brother figure from the rock, stopping it dead in its tracks.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the only cheap shot because a second rock came hurtling at the heroes from one of the other Mankey, its main target being Race which forced Sarah to jump in and take it. The rock did hit her but to the heroes' horror, it ended up hitting her patched-up right eye where the Mark of Evil was, making her scream in pain as she held it after it bludgeoned her.

"Island Girl!" Race cried in alarm, making the Mankey and Primeape stop as they realized their second cheap shot was a step too far for the little princess.

It was all too much for Sarah to bear as the Mark of Evil acted up again, her nerves running on full chat and her scar hurting more than ever before she gave the Pig Monkey Pokémon a scathing glare and a terrifying growl that shook them as they started to sweat in fear of her until...

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!"

With that hate-filled scream and back in her angered trance, Sarah lost control and unleashed the Roar again, now targeting the Mankey and Primeape as they were struck by it while causing the earth around the heroes to splinter.

"Sarah!"

"Oh, no!"

"Stop it!" Liko, Roy, and Dot gasped in horror.

"Princess!"

"No!" Tsukumaro and Solar screamed.

Finally, Sarah stopped roaring and breathed heavily before she glared daggers at the Mankey and Primeape again and growled with utter loathing at them, "STOP ATTACKING US WHEN WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO OFFEND YOU! NO MORE OUT OF YOU, WHETHER IT'S FRIEND OR FOE, IF YOU DARE ATTACK US OUT OF BLIND ANGER AND IMPULSIVE ASSUMPTION, I WON'T ALLOW IT ANYMORE! IF YOU DARE ATTACK US WITHOUT REASON AGAIN, I WON'T HESITATE TO KILL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU!"

"Stop it, Sarah! Listen to yourself!" Lazuli bellowed as she, Hu (quickly going into his human form), Liko, and Tsukumaro held her tight as she tried to break free of their hold.

"Sarah! No!" Liko begged frantically.

"Please, Princess! Please! Control yourself!"

"What are you doing, kid?! Don't act crazy!" Tsukumaro and Hu shouted before the Tiger Zodiac was forced to slap his former student to snap her out of her trance (which did the trick as she gritted her teeth and held her head from the pain throbbing at her).

Seeing that she was beginning to regain control of herself, the swordswoman, the young girl, the Tiger Zodiac, and the old advisor breathed a sigh of relief as they let her go. However, when she saw the splintered earth around her and the others and the shared terrified looks on the Mankey and Primeape's faces as they held one another from either side of them, she was stunned. But, what horrified her and broke her heart the most were her family and friends sharing their horrified looks as they stared at the little princess.

She even recalled what she had spat at the Mankey and Primeape moments ago after she let her anger get the better of her which scared the living daylights out of her as she realized what she had just done now.

Feeling like she couldn't look her family and friends in the eye again after what she'd done to everyone (as tears of shame and regret welled up and fell from her eyes), Sarah ran away as fast as she could.

"Sarah, no! Please, wait!" Liko pleaded as she vanished from sight.

Hateena, Tony, and Jessie, in particular, were just as distraught as Liko was as they didn't know how to help Sarah out of her biggest rut by far as they felt their shame and sadness respectively. Unfortunately, nobody had time to go and help the little princess because once she was gone, after a moment of looking at each other and being sure that she was out of sight, the Mankey and Primeape went back to attacking the heroes out of blind hatred.

"Hey, you meanies! Nobody makes a raging monkey out of Mommy Sarah!" Bumpy raged.

"FORMATION AND ATTACK!" bellowed her father in agreement as they and the rest of their family formed their defensive circle around the heroes, their Pokémon, Bluestar, Firestar, Blue, Red, their siblings, and the Chibi 13 (with all of them being in the center) and attacking the Mankey and Primeape should any of them get too close.

Stormfeather, Ravenna, Fulgor, and Ligtas also didn't take too kindly to the Mankey and Primeape's assault and what they had done to the Kilowattrel Titan's savior as they fired back at them with Spark, Steel Beam, Steel Wing, and Close Combat before the former queen of the skies unleashed her Discharge attack.

"Ow! So, you little brats want to play rough, huh?" Kleavor snorted in annoyance after one of the Mankey hit him with a rock to the head, bolting at the Pig Monkey Pokémon that assaulted him and the other Mankey that targeted him and his family with Fury Cutter and Quick Attack.

---

With Sarah, she managed to get herself a fair distance from the others and found herself crying to herself near a small lake in the middle of the area she was in. Once she had no more tears to cry, she looked at her reflection in the lake water, gingerly touching the Mark of Evil on her face. She shuddered in fear of herself as she recalled the first time she used the Dark Roar two years ago in Alola and when she used it against the Mankey and Primeape coupled with the terrified looks on the faces of her loved ones.

True to her fears from earlier, she had done exactly what she vowed to never do again and why she wanted Liko and the others to return to Uva Academy without her.

But, just as she had lost hope with what she did to everyone around her and herself moments ago, help came as beams of lights pierced through the clouds. A soothing voice got her attention and she looked up, seeing Mufasa and Askari appearing before her once more (but this time, boring concerned looks on their faces as they saw how broken she was).

"Hello, Sarah," Mufasa greeted as he and Askari gave her sad yet sympathetic smiles.

"Mufasa, Askari...?" the little princess breathed.

"Is that our little kitten? Dear child, what troubles you so?" Askari questioned, his gaze sharp but with a fatherly warmth.

Sarah remained silent as she hesitated, gingerly covering her right eye that bore the Mark of Evil and feeling unsure of how to tell them about her being on borrowed time due to the venom coursing inside her body.

The two Great Lions, however, noticed the mark regardless and knew what was troubling her as they said, "You were bitten by a cobra of some sort and gained the Mark of Evil from it?"

"And, you are terrified of the Roar's dark power and what it will do to your loved ones and everyone else around you should you turn to the dark side as Scar had?"

The little princess sighed in defeat and nodded as she told them, "I'm scared, Mufasa, Askari. I fell through on my vow to never use the Roar out of anger and hatred after getting the Mark of Evil from the Arbok that attacked me and I don't know what I'm gonna do. It doesn't help that my family, friends, and I haven't seen hide or hair of Diancie's Mother, Xerneas, who she thinks might be the Tree of Life I need to find to counter the mark and its effects yet."

She groaned as she continued holding her eye and ranted, "What am I supposed to do now? With the Mark of Evil, I'm a danger to everybody around me and a total liability!"

Mufasa and Askari didn't see Sarah any less despite her fears as the former gently told her (his voice carrying a gentle weight as he spoke), "You may be afraid of using the Roar of the Elders with how powerful it is even after you were bitten but it's something to be proud of and for you to not fear for the rest of your life. The true battle you're facing lies deep within yourself; you will have moments of doubt and the darkness may return if you're not careful. But, the difference between you and Scar is you're not alone; your loved ones from your family to your friends and allies will always be with you to help you see the light and believe in you. I believe in you, too, Sarah... Because, as we and Askari already know, you are more than what you have become. You're stronger than you know and you'll surpass yourself at your lowest points with time..."

Askari shared his sentiments with a more direct yet wise tone as he said, "Anger and hatred are not what controls the Roar, Sarah; as you already know, it is only as strong as your heart. The Roar responds to who its wielders are from their hearts. Once you learn to free yourself from your anger and hatred and control your fears, your hopes of controlling the Roar will become clearer. Only then will it become your greatest ally, a stronger friend to someone as pure as you more than it was for Kion and his successor, Vitani."

The little princess stared at them as Mufasa lowered his head to speak with her and meet her gaze directly, his eyes gleaming with fatherly compassion before he told her, "As long as you remain true to your heart (who you are from the inside), the Roar will follow suit. Trust both yourself and those who stand beside you through the best and worst of times..."

Sarah relaxed her hold over her right eye and allowed their words to sink in. Her fears of hurting her loved ones with the Roar in the heat of the moment lingered but she now knew what she must do for her sake and everyone else's.

"...Alright, I'll try," she whispered.

Mufasa and Askari nodded in understanding and vanished into the clouds but not before Askari gave her a final tippet to keep in mind, "Good. But, 'Do', there is no 'try'. Trust your friends and keep fighting for them and yourself. For they and your heart are your guiding key..."

Sarah grew silent and thought over everything she was told as she looked at the river and saw her reflection again. While the Mark of Evil remained along with the scar Spinel's Arbok had given her, the weight she carried from it in her heart had loosened and she was ready to face her loved ones again.

---

At the same time throughout the last half-hour, following her little vanishing act, the others were still having their hands full with the Mankey and Primeape as the three Primeape went and them again for a frontal assault.

"Look out!"

"Here they come again!" cried Lana and Roy.

"I guess we'll have to fight them, too! Quaxly, use your Aerial Ace!"

"Tsareena, Trop Kick, go!" Dot and Mallow called, having Quaxly and Tsareena use Aerial Ace and Trop Kick to knock one of the Primeape back.

"Disarming Voice!"

"Accelerock!" Roy and Ash continued, having Fuecoco and Lycanroc use Disarming Voice and Accelerock to stop and attack the second Primeape before it could go at them.

Verdant breathed his dragonfire to make vines sprout from the ground and entangle some of the Mankey continuing to give everyone on the heroes' side grief while Draco instead used Twister to scoop a few others into the air, allowing Hydreigon to bombard them with Tri Atack and send them flying.

The third Primeape came at Floragato and Rosie but thanks to Liko calling for a Double Quick Attack, they avoided the evolved Pig Monkey Pokémon in time and bash it from behind.

But, the battle wasn't over yet as Annihilape appeared, demanding that the Mankey and Primeape step aside so it could fight them, thus making Silvally remark in annoyance at it, "Hey! Who invited Big Ape Man?"

"Hey, guys, look who's back!"

"It's the Annihilape from before!" Hau and Mallow gasped.

"Did the Mankey and Primepae attacking us clear a path for it when it arrived?" Roy questioned.

"It's like they're all scared of Annhilape or showing it respect based on what we've seen, maybe," Liko theorized.

"Anger going beyond the limits of flesh and bone... Maybe this Annihilape we're seeing here is a guardian deity to these Mankey and Primeape," Dot suggested just as the Rage Monkey Pokémon came at the heroes with its signature attack known as Rage First.

Seeing this, Floragato, Quaxly, and Fuecoco jumped in and fired Magical Leaf, Flamethrower, and Water Gun to counter the powerful Ghost/Fighting Type before their respective partners could get hurt, making them smile at the trio, "Thanks, Floragato/Awesome, Fuecoco/Good job, Quaxly!"

But, Annihilape wasn't done yet as it burst through the smoke and attempted to bash them, forcing them to dodge each of its blows and making Hau and Decidueye jump in to defend them this time, "Decidueye, use Spirit Shackle!"

"Right, Brother!" Decidueye nodded as he fired one of his arrows and latched it onto the Rage Monkey Pokémon's shadow, shocking it as it noticed it was stuck in place.

Seeing their chance, Sho and Arriety came at it again with Bitter Malice, engulfing the powerful Pokémon in their combined burst of spine-chilling resentment which landed a second super-effective blow on it. This made Annihilape even madder as it raged at the heroes and fired Rage Fist again only for Char to set himself on fire, spin around, and use his Wing Blast attack to send a plume of fire and wind to counter the blow while Serrate darted towards the Fighting/Ghost Type and slashed its right side with her tail, making it roar in pain before it tried to go on the attack yet again.

"Meganium, Leaf Storm! Feraligator, Hydro Pump, now! Flamethrower, Typhlosion! Verdant, use your Leaf Blade! Titan, Rock Tomb! Seraphine, Moonblast, let's go!"

A sudden six-attack ambush struck Annihilape and the angry Mankey and Primeape (who were shocked and angered at seeing their fellow Pokémon brutally attacked moments ago and tried to jump in), knocking them back hard and fast which shocked the heroes as they didn't know who was responsible for the unexpected assault that saved their bacons.

"What was that?!"

"Somebody saved us!" Roy and Liko gasped.

"But, where did those attacks come from? They looked so powerful and they came in so fast..."

"I bet none of the Mankey and Primeape saw that coming!" Gladion and Carmine remarked.

"Hey, look!" cried Kieran as he pointed to what looked like a female Meganium, Feraligator, Typhlosion, and Gardevoir and a male Aggron and Sceptile appearing from the west end of the forest.

With them was a young woman standing 5'7" with hazel eyes, a fair skin tone, and blonde hair with white tips in a ponytail akin to Sarah's (and at 20 years old, making her at least two years older than the little princess). Her outfit consisted of black fingerless gloves lacking a Key Stone, black pants with matching black and white sneakers, a simple white T-shirt with a lightweight black leather jacket atop it, a simple necklace with a small and non-magical locket hanging around her neck, a plain silver bracelet on her left wrist, and a Dynamax Band rest on her right wrist.

But, her Johto Starters, Sceptile, Aggron, and Gardevoir weren't the only ones with her as she also had a Pikachu, a Kantonian Meowth, her own Kanto Starters (Venasaur, Blastoise, and Charizard), a Noivern, a Torterra, a male Dragonite, a Salamence, an Ampharos, a pride consisting of 30 Pyroar, a Dragon Pokémon family (a female Dragonite, a male Hydreigon, and ten Dratini), an Audino, a pack of twenty Lycanroc, her own set of eight Eeveelutions, and a Rayquaza flying above them looking remarkably identical to Stormy.

In addition, a 19-year-old boy with a complexion reminiscent of sun-kissed sands complemented by tousled and sandy-brown hair and azure eyes appeared from the east end of the forest. His outfit is comprised of a tailored navy-blue hoodie with subtle white accents that exuded a sense of practical elegance, a Key Stone glove over his left hand, a pendant shaped like a Swellow in flight, and a sturdy charcoal belt with discreet compartments (akin to Robin's utility belt from Teen Titans) encircling his waist.

Joining him and his Sceptile, Aggron, and Gardevoir (who were actually his Starter, Emotion, and Iron Armor Pokémon from Hoenn that helped the girl's Johto Starters save the heroes) were his Swablu (whom he named Aurora) and Altaria, a Milotic named Marina, a Flygon he called Zephyr, a Breloom going by the name of Fungus, a Togekiss lovingly named Aira, a Metagross known as Vortex, a Staraptor, and his own Salamence.

"Altaria, Aurora, Whirlwind! Flygon, Salamence, Marina, Supersonic plus Twin Hyper Beam attack!" the boy shouted, pointing his Cotton Bird, Mystic, Dragon, and Tender Pokémon towards the Mankey and Primeape that made a beeline for them, stopping them dead in their tracks with Supersonic before lifting them into the air with Whirlwind and blasting them with Hyper Beam.

"Wow!"

"Did you see that?!"

"Look at them go!"

"Who are they?"

"Are they Elara and Jace Niko, Rob and Dash mentioned?" the Pokémon School Gang, Ash, Hau, Liko, and Lazuli gasped in astonishment.

"Hey! You guys alright over there?" the boy, Jace, shouted as he, the girl, and their Pokémon rushed to the heroes.

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Roy grinned thankfully.

"Thanks, you two, you really saved our bacon," put in Crispin gratefully.

"We're just glad we found you before those Mankey, the Primeape, and that Annihilape could hurt any of you," the girl, Elara, nodded before she noticed Annihilape preparing to use Rage Fist for the umpteenth time but with no holds barred. "Look out!"

True to form, Annihilape did fire Rage Fist at a rapid pace to take down its supposed enemies again but it didn't get a chance to finish as a barrage of fireballs shot from out of nowhere and not only stopped its attack but also knocked it back onto the ground before they circled around it.

"What's this?!" it raged, staring at the fireballs as they glowed with intense heat.

"What are they?"

"They're fireballs!" Liko and Dot gasped before they and the others heard a horse's whinny from behind.

Seiya and Mary gasped at the whinny as if they recognized it before they turned to its source (which made itself known as it and seven other creatures like it galloped into view from a hidden forest grove), leaving the couple to gasp in shock and amazement as Lazuli's mother cried out, "River, Cinder... You and your friends... YOU'RE ALL HERE!"

The creatures were a group of eight unicorns at around the same size as Celestia and Roseluck:

- a male Water Unicorn named River sporting a silver-blue coat that shimmered like the moon's reflection on the ocean, a flowing deep aquamarine and shimmering white mane and tail, and faintly glowing and intricate wave-like markings rippling down his legs and torso

- a female Fire Unicorn, Cinder, sporting a fiery red-orange coat glowing like embers, flame-like markings flickering along her legs and shoulders in molten shades of orange and yellow, a flowing mane and tail in crimson and gold that crackled with a fire's fierce intensity

- a male Plant Unicorn named Plant showing off a vibrant green coat akin to fresh leaves under the sun that reflects the beauty of the world around him, a flowing mane and tail adorned with colorful flowers and leaves and intricate glowing floral patterns flowing across his body

- a female Storm Unicorn called Tempest, joined them as she sported a dark and stormy gray coat streaked with silver lines resembling lightning bolts, a long and flowing jet black mane and tail and flashes of white akin to storm clouds swirling in the sky, and storm clouds patterns across her body

- a male Ice Unicorn known as Blizzard who sported a sleek yet pale blue coat glistened in the sunlight like freshly fallen snow, a flowing frosty white mane and tail tipped with icy blue streaks crackling with cold energy, and snowflake patterns adorned on his body

- a female Light Unicorn named Spectra with a radiant golden colt shimmering in the sunlight and the light of the grove they came from, a pastel mane and tail, and intricate light beam patterns dancing across her body

- Quartz is a male Mineral Unicorn sporting a pearlescent white coat streaked with pink, purple, and blue veins resembling raw minerals, a mane and tail shimmering with translucent strands catching the sunlight, and jagged crystal formations glowing across his legs and neck

- and, a female Gemstone Unicorn called Crystal who sported a dazzling translucent coat shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow akin to sunlight refracting through a prism, a pink, purple, and blue mane and tail resembling rare gem facets, and geometric gem-like patterns illuminating her body

"Whoa... Are you getting this, dude?" Zorua quizzed Sho in astonishment.

"No... We got a unicorn squad here," he replied, sharing her amazement.

The grove where the unicorns came from was on the other side of the river where Sarah and Race saw the food storage for the Pig Monkey Pokemon so with a powerful stomp of his front hooves, Plant created a bridge out of vines sturdy enough to take the combined weights of him and his fellow unicorns, flexible so it could still be taught and absorb whatever comes at it, yet long and wide enough for them to get across with no problem (which they did as they galloped over to the heroes).

"Mommy, these unicorns... Are they your friends you told me about earlier?" Lazuli puzzled in surprise as she gently caressed River's mane.

"Some of them as you can see here, darling," Mary told her as she rubbed Crystal's snout and the Gemstone Unicorn smiled at her. "I missed you, old friends..."

But, the reprieve the unicorns had given the heroes was only temporary as Annihilape recovered along with the rest of the Mankey and Primeape have recovered as the Rage Monkey Pokemon roared in a rage and fired Rage Fist yet again.

This time, however, in its blind fury, it ended up targeting the area around the heroes and it even lashed out at the Mankey and Primeape. This didn't go well with the Pig Monkey Pokemon as they turned against it and the fight they were having with the heroes turned into a free-for-all with only them fighting each other.

This outcome surprised the heroes as Tai Lung and Keldeo spoke on everyone's behalf, "Hey, now the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape are at each other's throats!"

"Look at them go!"

"They're all acting like a bunch of brats with what they're doing here!" added Glaceon, appalled.

"I've never seen a group of Pokemon behaving like bulls in a china shop like Eternatus when he was in his worst days," Terrakion frowned, unimpressed.

"Hey! I'm standing right here, you blubbering bovine!" Eternatus snapped at the Cavern Pokemon.

"Okay, so... Annihilape is not really their guardian deity," Roy blinked, unsure of what he and the others were seeing.

While the others awkwardly watched the internal scuffle going on between the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape, Tony, Jessie, and Hatenna noticed a few Mankey staring at the tree on the other side of the river and went over to see what the problem was.

"Excuse us, what's the matter, friends?" Hatenna asked, wondering how she and her Kirlia friends could help them.

"Tree! Food tree! Food storage in tree hollow! Can't reach it! We hungry! Vine to food tree broken! Need way across river!" the Mankey screeched in reply, directing the trio towards the tree where they saw the food storage that belonged to the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape and a vine drooping into the river from it.

They gasped in surprised realization and now knowing why the Pig Monkey Pokémon were so mad, they rushed back to the heroes to tell them what they found out.

"Mama! Mama!" Hatenna called, getting their attention before she, Tony, and Jessie, pointed them to the tree with the broken vine and the Mankey's food storage. "There's a big tree on the other side, filled with berries in its hollow!"

"Something's on the other side of the river?" Liko deducted before the heroes went to the river's edge on their end and the fog cleared, allowing them to see the tree and its large hollow where the berries were stashed and the broken vine hanging from it.

"That's what Island Girl and I saw earlier before the Mankey and Primeape turned their anger on us after mistaking us for Niko, Rob and Dash," Race gasped.

"That pile of berries... Are you saying that's what you and Sarah saw earlier through the fog?"

"Does that berry pile belong to the Mankey?" Roy and Liko questioned.

"Hey, look, over there!" Dot called, pointing to the vine hanging from the tree with the other end drooping in the river (showing that it was the same vine Niko had cut to fix her broken bag strap). "Oh, now I get it... That must've been the vine Niko cut earlier to fix her bag strap and it was connected to the tree before we came here; the Mankey and Primeape had been using it like a rope to cross the river and reach their food."

"What?!"

"Are you saying Niko cutting that was the reason behind this whole debacle with the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape?"

"And, after her bag strap broke before we could offer her a spare?" Elara and Jace balked in total shock.

"Does that mean the Mankey can't reach their food without that vine after it was cut?" Liko quizzed knowingly.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure the Primeape with the Mankey and the Annihilape they're quarreling with also rely on that vine to reach their food storage."

"I see... If something like that happened to me if I was a jungle boy, I'd also be mad about that, for sure," Roy nodded, sharing their sentiments before he got a brainstorm. "Hey, I know! What if we make a bridge for the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape to use and replace the broken vine?"

"Mm-hmm!" Liko grinned in agreement.

"I think Plant can help with that but we'll need to give him a foundation to start making that new bridge," Mary offered.

The others agreed and with their idea in place, with the help of their Pokémon and Plant, they set to work on making a new jungle bridge for the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape to cross the river and reach their food. One of the Mankey Hatenna, Jessie, and Tony spoke to noticed what they were doing and called out to its fellow Pig Monkey Pokémon and Annihilape, directing them to the group, Elara, and Jace as they worked on the bridge and Plant stood at the ready to put it into place once it was complete.

"You think this is long enough for them to use?" Liko asked Roy.

"No, it's not. It needs to be longer for them. Much, much longer," Roy replied while Dot, Drayton, Seiya, Lana, Lillie, and Lacey ran a quality check to see which strands would be good enough to help hold the bridge together (and the Pokemon gathered the stands they were looking for).

The Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape were most surprised as they watched the heroes complete more of the bridge with Tinkatink bashing the logs they had gathered to act as part of its floor bed into place with her hammer and Hatenna, Jessie, and Tony held them together until they tied the finished bridge to the tree on their side of the river.

"Okay, Plant! You know what to do," Mary called to the Nature Unicorn.

With an affirming neigh, Plant reared on his hind legs and stomped onto the ground, his intricate floral patterns glowing along with his body to strengthen the vine bridge (which Roy managed to tie onto the food tree with Char and his Kilowattrel's help moments ago) for the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape and make a second one for the heroes to cross over and join them.

"Wow... That's amazing!"

"Now, that's what I call magic," grinned an impressed Elara and Jace after seeing Plant's handiwork.

"Hey! Mankey, Primeape, Annihilape, look what we made! It's your very own vine bridge; now you can use it to get to your food tree again!" Roy called to the Rage Monkey and Pig Monkey Pokémon.

Hatenna cheered happily as she, Tony, and Jessie went to the Mankey pack, the Primeape Quartet, and Annihilape to tell them the good news, "Your new bridge is finished, everybody!"

"Now, you can use it to get to your tree without it ever breaking!"

"Better hurry, your berries are calling out to you right now!"

This was all the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape needed to hear as they scrambled past the three Psychic Types and crossed over the new vine bridge to their tree and food storage, feeling much happier.

"Let's go and meet them!" Jace said to the heroes.

"I never thought I'd say this... Hey, wait for us!" Elara called to the Pig Monkey and Rage Monkey Pokémon as she, Jace, and the others went over Plant's second bridge and reunited with Roy and his team.

Once they were back together, they could see the Fighting Types crying gleefully, feeling happier than ever now that they were back with their food and home.

"They look so much happier now!" Roy grinned.

"Yeah, it's because you, Tony, and Jessie helped pick up on the fact that the Mankey were looking for a new way to get across the river and reach their food. We have you three to thank, Hatenna."

"You three did good, Hatenna, Tony, Jessie. You did good," Liko and Race praised the Kirlia Twins and Hatenna.

However, the happiness the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape were feeling was short-lived; as they continued to celebrate, chattering and jumping around happily with each other over returning to their food tree, their reckless partying shook the entire area (leaving the heroes on the ground staggered as they tried to get their footing). The violent shaking only got worse as the Pig Monkey and Rage Monkey Pokémon partied on in their excitement, eventually causing a large boulder atop the cliff face behind them to roll off and fall and land in the middle of them...knocking them all back from one another as they took the brunt of the blow from it.

Moments later, to the heroes' surprise and bewilderment, the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape began to fight and gang up on each other's throats again, trying to figure out who was to blame for the boulder crashing down on them.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?! YOU SNOT-NOSED BRATS CAN'T CATCH A BREAK WITH YOUR BLAME GAMES, CAN YOU?" Rayquaza huffed in disbelief.

"I'll say, they lack decency and manners and that's coming from me," Moltres concurred, unimpressed.

"...Uh, I guess it didn't take long for them to fight again after that," blinked Elara.

"And, after all the trouble of making that bridge and getting them to stop when they started roughhousing with you guys because of Niko, Rob and Dash," added Jace as Rotoscope, Rotoblue, and Rotospark recorded the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape's scuffle.

"But, they were so happy about returning to their berries a moment ago," Roy balked.

"Itwastheir own fault the rock fell from that cliff face above us and hit them, anyway," Dot remarked with a grimace just as two of the Primeape brawling with each other became covered in a familiar blue glow (something that appeared on Hatenna which Liko noticed while she and Race praised her, Tony, and Jessie but put on the wayside as the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape were celebrating wildly) and then became Annihilape themselves.

The heroes were shocked by what they saw as Mistral and Roy gawked on everyone's behalf. "Those Primeape, they've evolved into Annihilape!"

"Does that mean Annihilape is actually the new evolved form of Primeape?!"

Now, things had gone from bad to worse for everybody; with three Annihilape at play, the evolved Rage Monkey Pokémon trio now squared off against each other and forgot about the Mankey and the other remaining Primeape that never evolved with them. Of course, the sole remaining Primeape and the Mankey tried to pick a fight with them but their fighting prowess and numbers were nothing compared to the brutal strength and ferocity of the three Annihilape going at each other's throats as they were pushed aside. They even went as far as to use Rage Fist on them and knock them out cold (leaving only them to fight out their quarrel), forcing the heroes to take cover so they wouldn't get hit.

The only ones who didn't join them were Hatenna (who jumped out of Liko's hoodie), Tony (who took up a small sack he had been wearing around his neck), and Jessie as they made an about-face and rushed to the Annihilape without anybody noticing.

"Man, those Annihilape are really going at it with each other," remarked Roy once the heroes were safe.

"And, I thought some of our Partner Pokémon along with Ducklett, Darumaka, and Roserade were worse when they fought over breakfast yesterday."

"At this rate, we'll never get them to stop before they make things worse for themselves, that Primeape, and the Mankey," Elara and Jace pointed out.

"Yeah, we can't get closer without getting on their hit lists," nodded Dot worriedly.

"Are you guys o-hey! Where's Hatenna?"

"And, where are Tony and Jessie?" Liko and Sophocles said, realizing they were missing Hatenna and the Kirlia Twins who crept through the knocked-out Mankey and joined the squabbling Annihilape.

"Um, excuse me...!"

"What are you guys doing?!"

"Calm down, will ya?" they cried to them but to no avail.

"They're over there!"

"Hatenna, Tony, Jessie, watch out!" Roy and Liko gasped in horror as the three Psychic Types tried to break up the Annihilape and their fighting but were ignored after they were tuned out.

"It looks like they're trying to stop the Annihilape and break them up!"

"They won't stop fighting if they put them on their hit list and we don't get them out of there fast enough!" Ox and Kieran noted.

"They're gonna be crushed in a matter of seconds!" Donphan panicked.

"Let's get them out of there!" Mallow decided as the heroes rushed to the rescue.

"Tony, Jessie, Hatenna, come back!" Braixen wailed before a power surge resonated from the Annihilape and kept the heroes from getting closer.

That was the last straw for Tony, Jessie, and Hatenna with the male Kirlia bringing out the Dawn Stone Stoutland found and lent to him from the sack and throwing the bag away while the Calm Pokémon and the female Kirla held their heads and grimaced. Eventually, as the fighting between the Annihilape worsened, they finally snapped and were covered in a familiar blue light that once caused the new Annihilape to evolve from their previous forms.

The heroes all gasped as they watched Hatenna, Tony, and Jessie evolve together with the Kirlia Twins reaching their final forms and the Calm Pokémon reaching her second form:

- With Hatenna, she was now 2'00" and a humanoid-like Pokémon with a pink body, a large blue mass of hair surrounding her head with a conical white point on top (its tip crooked and tapering off at the end) being pink at the bottom and white at the top, new eyes with black sclerae and white pupils with two pink dots for highlights (which made her pupils resemble cartoon hearts), a pair of thin arms lacking finger digits, a white ovular spot on her chest, her new waist extending out into two lumps, tiny and light-blue joint-less and digit-less legs, and a pair of bulbous growths held by pink wings resembling pigtails from either side of her new hair

- Jessie, however, grew to 5'03" and became a bipedal humanoid Pokémon with an elegant white gown and flowing body shape but with her upper body being a soft white which matched with the pure white gown she now sported that gave her a delicate and almost celestial look to her while her hair, arms, and the underside of her gown were green.A red, fin-like horn extended from her chest now, and a shorter, more rounded horn extended from her back. A band of green on her chest extended to the center of the front horn and connects to her sleeve-like arms

- And, as for Tony, he was also 5'03" and a bipedal humanoid Pokémon but with a bishōnen-inspired look to him, his upper body now a deep dark blue that boldly contrasts with his white lower body with his torso sporting his upper body's dark blue shading that accentuated his lean and strong build. His softer light-red chest spike and sleek gray head spike had a metallic look and feel to them with his strong legs, rounded hips, and tonfa-inspired arms that sported extendable blades emphasizing his battle-ready stance. To top it all off, his gladiator-inspired design was completed by his helmet-like head which now sported a white face, red eyes, and side spikes.

Before the eyes of their friends and respective families, Hatenna, Tony, and Jessie had evolved into a Hattrem, a Gardevoir, and a Gallade.

"Hatenna, Jessie, Tony...!"

"They all evolved?!" gasped Liko and Roy in astonishment as Dot brought out her Rotom Phone and scanned them.

"Hattrem, the Serene Pokémon, and the evolved form of Hatenna. A Psychic Type; When it comes across anyone exuding strong emotions, it will use its braids to beat them up with the strength of a heavyweight prize fighter."

"Gardevoir, the Embrace Pokémon, and the evolved form of Kirlia. A Psychic and Fairy Type; Gardevoir will use all of its psychic energy to protect a trainer it shares a deep connection with."

"Gallade, the Blade Pokémon. A Psychic and Fighting Type; when Gallade feels it necessary to protect someone, it extends its elbow-like swords and fights with no holds barred."

"Hattrem!"

"She'll beat them up?" Liko and Roy remarked in surprise and fascination.

"Looks like Island Girl's got a protector and gladiator on her now!"

"Those Annihilape shouldn't have underestimated them even if it was reckless of those three to try and stop them."

"Now, they're in for it," added Race, Elana, and Jace as Hattern, Tony, and Jessie prepared to stop the Annihilape.

"'Ouch' Time!" chuckled Rotoblue, Rotospark, and Rotoscope as they had been recording the entire thing along with the evolution of the new Annihilape.

"Okay... Now!" Tony called as the three Psychic Types jumped in the air and laid eyes on the original Annihilape.

With her ponytails glowing a dark red and spinning like a top while Jessie's arms glowed in a light blue light and Tony extended his elbow blades (which shared the black glow), Hattrem and her two friends pounded and slashed it mercilessly and knocked it out with one strike, telling the Rage Monkey Pokémon, "You, young man, are...GROUNDED!"

The other two Fighting/Ghost Types were stunned by this and prepared to go at them, thinking they had the nerve to butt in on their squabbling. But, they were slow on the draw as Hattrem, Tony, and Jessie cut them off and delivered the same punishing treatment they had given the first Annihilape to them (with the Serene Pokémon pounding them twice with one punch each and the Embrace and Blade Pokémon striking them down with three hits each). When they had finished, the three Annihilape were battered, bruised, and beaten, all feeling humbled and groaning in pain.

Seeing this, Timburr, Woobat, and Roggenrola, (cutely dressed in referee outfits) came over and pounded the ground three times before shouting, "Knockout!"

The other Pokémon, the Renlings, the Kwamis, and Mei Shi either gawked with the others, laughed at the Annhilape, or cheered for Hattrem, Tony, and Jessie's victory as Roy, Elara and Jace, and Lazuli could only answer on everyone's behalf, "So cool..."

"Daaamn!"

"Uh, did anybody get the license number on a Hattrem...? I... I want one, now."

"Hey! Since when did those pint-sized powderpuffs get tough like that?" Eternatus balked in shock.

"What were those moves just now?" breathed Stacey, astonished.

"Call me crazy but I think Liko's Hattrem, Tony, and Jessie just learned Brutal Swing, Night Slash, and Triple Axel!" Jane gasped.

"Such power!" agreed Lucario, aghast.

The heroes were even more staggered as Hattrem used Heal Pulse on the Annihilape as she, Tony, and Jessie knew they wouldn't be causing trouble for themselves, the Mankey, and the remaining Primeape for some time.

"Uh... Wait, Hattrem beats them up with help from Tony and Jessie...and she heals them?"

"...That's disturbing," Dot and Breezeon remarked, gulping at Hattern as they sweatdropped.

"Practically perfect...in every way," cooed Hattrem, feeling proud of herself, Tony, and Jessie for what they'd done with the evolved Gardevoir and Gallade sharing her sentiments as they nodded in agreement.

"Well, at least the Annihilape are humbled. But, now the only question is how are we going to get that boulder out of here?" the swordswoman reminded, seeing the boulder in the middle of the Mankey pack.

"Me do it, me do it!" Happiny offered happily as she jumped from Lazuli's arms and went to the boulder, lifting it over her head with no trouble and throwing it back to its original perch on the cliff face (shocking everyone watching). "All done, he-he-he!"

"H-H-H-Happiny, y-y-you just l-l-lifted...!" balked Lazuli, staggered.

"How did she do that?" Jace quizzed in shock.

"That's Happiny, alright; she reminds me of Brock's Happiny before she evolved with stuff like that. You got yourself a lucky one with her, Lazuli," grinned Ash, making the swordswoman point between her Happiness Pokémon and the rock she replaced for several moments before she promptly gave up and fainted.

"Oh, dear...!"

"I guess Happiny just got Dewdrop out like a night light with her phenomenal strength," Mary and Seiya chuckled in amusement.

"We got her," smirked Hu as he and Mistral picked up the fainted and thunderstruck Lazuli and took her off their hands to allow her to recover.

"So, what did I miss?" a familiar voice called, getting everyone's attention as they noticed Sarah returning but in brighter spirits thanks to her chat with Mufasa and Askari.

"Sarah!" the others cheered, happy for her return as Liko, Roy, Dot, their partners, Tinkatink, Terapagos, Hattrem, Kilowattrel, Serrate, Char, and Plume came over to the little princess.

"Whoa, are you getting this, El?"

"Crazy... That's Sarah those guys mentioned? She almost looked just like me," Jace and Elara bantered quietly in surprise.

"Liko, Dot, Roy... Listen, about earlier, I..." Sarah began, frowning apologetically before she looked away, not knowing how to apologize to them and everyone else who saw her going aggro due to the Mankey attacking them in their blind hatred.

"All's good!"

"Yeah, we're still friends!"

"One more sorry and you'll never hear the end of it from us, okay?" Quaxly, Fuecoco, and Floragato remarked reassuringly as their friends' dragons, Tinkatink, Kilowattrel, Terapagos, and Hattern cooed at her with a smile, sharing their sentiments.

Dot, Liko, and Roy couldn't agree more as they told their royal friend, "Don't worry about it."

"We had a little help dealing with the Mankey while you were gone."

"You could never hurt us on purpose, that's just not like you. Don't judge yourself too harshly, okay?"

"And, before you tell us to leave you here go back to the academy, no how, no way."

"We're friends to the bitter end and you can't back out on us now. We're not backing out on you, either, not when you need our help."

"In other words, despite what you might think, you can't get rid of us!"

"Liko, Roy, Dot, I..." Sarah began, astonished before she looked at her family and the rest of her friends (who all smiled reassuringly at her and nodded) with none of them blaming her for what happened earlier.

Before anything else could be said, however, a familiar hissing sound was heard from nearby. Sarah, Dot, Liko, Roy, their Pokémon, and their dragons looked around, trying to figure out where the hissing was coming from. Faintly recognizing the hissing as she gently urged them to rejoin the others, the little princess focused her mind on what she could hear and listened to the voice of the grass as Master Swoop and Virizion taught her to do so.

And, it was good that she did remember her lessons with them because the deep midnight blue Atrociraptor from the previous night appeared, lunging from the cliff face and forcing her to dodge it. She even managed to dodge a Quick Attack used by a familiar evil Eeveelution as it came at her from behind, causing her to land on the river's edge intact.

The others gasped in shock as they noticed the red, amber, and red-orange Atrociraptors arrived. And then, who should come out to join them and his Umbreon but Spinel and Arbok who stood alongside the former's Umbreon while the Explorers' brains chuckled darkly.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Spinel sneered.

"Okay, guys, who is this creep with those whacked-out eyes and the python?" Jace questioned, not liking Spinel at all.

"Spinel, and trust us, you don't want to know," Race told him.

"Spinel, we knew it had to be you!"

"That Arbok belonged to you and you were the one who gave Sarah the Mark of Evil when it and the Atrociraptors here attacked her last night, right?" Lillie and Gladion growled with disgust.

"Or better yet, how did you even get an Arbok in the first place?" demanded Kieran.

"I thought we might run into you again at some point," Sarah spat as she gingerly held her right eye.

"It's been a while, my friends. Still alive and kickin' as ever even though your plans have hit a small snag courtesy of my new pet whom I recently caught," Spinel replied, smirking.

"We can see that given what you've put Sarah through," Carmine huffed defiantly at him.

"You had to deal with this knucklehead before?" Elara whispered to Mallow.

"Not all the time. But, if he does show up when you least expect it, it's gonna get nasty," Mallow replied quietly as she brought out her Beast-X Magistick and Tsareena got into her battle stance.

"You got lucky attacking Sarah in the dead of night, Spinel! But, we guarantee things will be much different even if you now have your new Atrociraptors and Arbok backing you and Umbreon up!" Kiawe barked, drawing his Beast-X Magnum's sword.

"You and your friends continue to underestimate us even if your new 'pals' have no clue about us and our operations, Princess. With the Mark of Evil on you, you'll be handicapped for some time as Arbok's venom slowly eats away at you until your final moments. And, when you bid your last adieu to your loved ones, we'll soon have our hands on the Six Heroes, your Terapagos Four, and Master Gibeon's ultimate prize," Spinel grinned at Sarah, his smile and stare growing more menacing by the minute.

"Gibeon's ultimate prize?" Sarah echoed before her eyes widened in realization, quietly whispering in shock as she looked away, "The Laquium...!"

"Yes, and after doing a little more digging and reconnaissance here and there, I've thus concluded that you somehow got what we're looking for before we could even touch it."

"It doesn't matter what you know about Gibeon's 'prize', you moron! If you, Coral, Sidian, and Chalce even think about going after it for Gibeon, you don't know what you'll unleash upon our world and the Pokémon that inhabit it!"

"Oh, but what about your dear old mommy and daddy once they catch wind of what happened to you and try to stop us themselves? And, what about the Beast Morphers and Dinoy Fury Power Ranger teams? Surely, you don't want to drag them and even more of your friends once we seek what Gibeon claimed is rightfully his, do you?"

"I'm not gonna stand by and let you all and Gibeon do what you want with his precious 'thing'! Come on!"

Spinel could only laugh as he mockingly told her (with his Atrociraptors giving the heroes sneering hisses), "Can you? I surely don't think so because from my research after I found out that you now possessed the legendary Roar of the Elders, after being bitten by Arbok and gaining the Mark of Evil, you now have little to no control over it. And, with my new assets in the fray, you could hardly touch me. Such a shame and too bad there is no antidote to cure you of it and Arbok's venom and even if there is a way...that's too easy. Oh, what to do~"

"You and the Explorers are a disgrace to all Pokémon Trainers and Pokémon with what you've done!" Tsukumaro raged at Spinel.

"Shut up! Is bringing good people down all you ever do, you freak?! Was that supposed to be a joke? 'Cause we're not laughing!"

"I'll second that, I'm sick of that crap you keep spewing to trash others weaker than you! Don't you dare look down upon the princess like that!" snapped Jace and Elana in agreement as they and their Pokémon stepped forward and glared daggers at Spinel, his Umbreon and Arbok, and his Atrociraptors.

Even Red, Panthera, Tiger, Ghost (Atrociraptor), Blue, Delta, Charlie, and Razor thought Spinel was crossing a line with his mockery as they snarled back at him despite him not seeing or hearing them thanks to Sarah's Fidelius Beastia spell apart from his Atrociraptors.

"Iwasscared after using it as I am now thanks to your Arbok, Spinel. You're right; I did lose control over it when I let my anger and hatred get the better of me after your Arbok poisoned me and that's something I'll have to live with until I do find a cure. But, even so, if I do die a slow death as long as the venom courses through me and I'm not cured in time, I'm not gonna let that stop me from doing what I can to stop you and the Explorers from doing what you please to this world after you find Gibeon's prize!"

"And, that goes for us, too!" Liko concurred valiantly as the heroes got ready to fight.

"You freaks and Gibeon will never have a chance once we take you all down, Spinel!" Lazuli added, angered and shocked by her former colleague's presence which brought her out of her previous stupor.

"On the contrary as well as Master Gibeon's behalf, Sweet Cheeks, we would have something to say to that," Spinel sneered once more before he signaled his Atrociraptors, Umbreon, and Arbok to fight back should they choose (which they gleefully accepted as they began to creep on the heroes).

"This is not good, I don't want us getting more involved in fights like this than we already are!" grunted Elara, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"But, given what these guys are going through because of that dork, El, I don't think we have a choice," replied Jace, sharing her frustration.

Sarah wanted to ensure that Elena and Jace wouldn't be dragged into the mess she, her family, and her friends got themselves into while glaring at Spinel's partners and Atrociraptors. Even so, the little princess didn't know how as she wracked her brain for ideas on what to do. She did consider using the Roar again but was still being bogged down by what happened to the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape after they got caught in its power when she lost herself to her anger and hatred.

Then, she recalled a crucial tippet from Askari that would help her begin controlling the Roar of the Elders in her current state, "Once you learn to free yourself from your anger and hatred and control your fears, your hopes of controlling the Roar will become clearer. Only then will it become your greatest ally, a stronger friend to someone as pure as you more than it was for Kion and his successor, Vitani."

Remembering that she was allowing her anger, hatred, and fear to take hold of her again, Sarah took a deep breath and relaxed. For several moments, she remained silent as she put her faith and trust in her friends and family (who were still bracing themselves against Spinel and his team) and herself.

When the Atrociraptors saw their chance, they pounced on the heroes before Tsukumaro, Absol, Ash, the Pokémon School Gang, and their partners blasted and bashed them back just as a cluster of white clouds gathered behind them. Then, Umbreon and Arbok jumped in to strike down Sarah themselves. But, this time, the little princess opened her eyes and unleashed the Roar in its true form, taking them by surprise and knocking them into the evil Atrociratpors (making them act like bowling pins being knocked down in a bowling alley).

Spinel gasped in shock and surprise when he saw what had happened, "What's this?!"

The others gasped in surprise and amazement as they stared at Sarah as she stepped forward and ignored the pain from her right eye and the Mark of Evil, trusting them to protect her as she declared to the black-hearted Explorer, "You haven't forgotten that there is a counter to the Mark of Evil even if there is no known cure for it yet, have you, Spinel? I was scared of hurting everyone I loved with it but I remembered that they always had my back during my low points just as I've always been there for them and their lows. A few friends helped me remember that I'm not alone here and I'm not as useless as you think even after your Arbok poisoned me!"

Curious about what she meant by that, Spinel couldn't help but ask, "How will you help your pathetic family and friends fight me without the Roar of the Elders if you can't rely on your anger and hatred to give you power nor sit back and watch them fight in such a futile state against us?"

"...I know now that at times, I don't need the Roar to beat the likes of you; I've got a better weapon and a stronger one at that... My heart!"

At this, Spinel laughed harder as he smirked and taunted her, "Your heart? What a joke! As if a puny thing like that could best the Explorers, even me, I don't ever see that happening in a million years. What good will it do you now that you bore the Mark of Evil on your right eye?"

Sarah sighed as she shook her head at her and told him, "You and the Explorers, even Gibeon, don't know how powerful my heart can be when it's surrounded by those I love and traveled with ever since my journey began, Spinel. And, trust me, it's much more powerful than the object you're looking for, more powerful than you'll ever give it credit for. Although my heart is weak now that you and Arbok poisoned me, it's not alone. It's grown bigger and stronger with each new experience under my belt and it's found a home with all the friends I made. Each adventure with them taught me something that made me the girl I am now and helped me become who I am now, someone who is more than what I had become after a few stumbles here and there."

She turned back to her friends and family (along with Elara and Jace despite having just met the pair) and smiled warmly at them as she continued, "I've become a part of their hearts just as they had become a part of mine. A piece of their strength lies with me just as a part of my strength lies in theirs, and if they think of me now and then no matter how far apart we are... If they don't forget me, even when I'm at my lowest point, our hearts will be one and I'll bear all the storms you, Gibeon, Hamber, and the rest of the Explorers throw at me."

Pushing past her fears and steeling herself as she drew her family's sword, Sarah finished, "I don't need the Roar of the Elders to save our world, our universe, and everyone that called them home from the likes of you and the Explorers even if I die, Spinel... My family and friends are my power!"

Her family and friends were amazed by her proclamation as they smiled back at her and even Elara and Jace couldn't help but feel impressed by what they heard from the little princess as they all got ready to fight again.

Stunned by what he had heard and seen, Spinel growled in annoyance before he pointed his Atrociraptors, his Umbreon, and Arbok to the heroes and snapped, "Take no prisoners!"

"Yes, Master!" Umbreon and Arbok nodded with the evil Atrociraptors hissing in agreement as they charged at the heroes.

Sarah, however, snapped her right thumb and pointer and signaled for Red, Panthera, Tiger, and Ghost (Atrociraptor) to strike back at Spinel's assets, effectively canceling her Fidelius Beastia spell on them as they traded blows with each other via their claws and teeth.

Umbreon tried to go for a Quick Attack (knowing she and Spinel would want to take their royal foe down hard and fast) but Sarah blocked her using the Sun Sword and used the Roar to send her flying back to her human master. She then turned her attention to Arbok as she dodged his blows and sent him flying back with the Roar, too, making him crash into Umbreon when he met her.

Not wanting to give them an edge, the little princess used the Roar to demonstrate its Weather Manipulation ability, creating a small tornado that scooped the evil Pokemon up and dropped them into the river.

"...Lights out, punks," smirked Stormfeather as she used Discharge to electrocute the water and shock Arbok and Umbreon, making them buzz and yelp in pain as they shook from the blow.

"Blast! How is she doing this?! I thought after being poisoned by Arbok, the princess would lose control of the Roar as I've calculated. But, this... I didn't expect her to recover and use the Roar after getting the Mark of Evil so fast!" mused Spinel darkly as he stared at the battle before him before he returned his attention to Umbreon and Arbok while they recovered. "Umbreon, Arbok, don't falter! We still have a chance to destroy her! Get back in there and kill her friends and family before she can put you down!"

"Right/My pleasure!" they replied as the evil Moonlight and Cobra Pokémon charged at Sarah again and darted past her, making her realize who their new targets were this time.

"Guys, watch out!" she cried as her family and friends braced themselves for Arbok and Umbreon's coming assault.

Suddenly, the others would have a chance to fight, a glowing pink and blue beam struck Umbreon and Arbok without warning and sent them hurtling into the cliff face.

Everyone was shocked by the surprise assault but when Diancie turned to the one behind the attack, she screamed in astonishment as she pointed her friends to a being she knew all too well from their right (and Spinel's left).

The creature standing a short distance from them was a female quadrupedal stag-like Pokémon with four pairs of antlers, a pair of black eyes with X-shaped pupils, a black body with a blue stripe running down her back, a short bushy tail, a blade-like trim on her around each leg that stemmed from her knees (forming a point under each hoof), an upside-down V-shaped marking on her chest sporting the same color as her leg trims, a blue head and neck, and two large tuffs extending from her chest and curling upward.

Her first pair of antlers also extended onto her head while curving around the underside of her eyes. And, to top it all off, there was a short marking on her snout coupled with an upward-curving horn on either side of her head to make up for her lack of ears.

In her current state, her markings, antlers, and leg trims were a pale gold with the branches and bumps on her antlers being in various colors and she also sported multi-colored spots on her back.

"Whoa..."

"It's beautiful...!"

"What a Pokémon!"

"That's so cool!"

"What would you call that, El?"

"I see it...but I hardly dare believe it!"

"Who's that over there?" The Pokémon School Gang, Hau, Ash, Roy, Jace (who was recording the new arrival), Elara, and Dot gasped in astonishment.

"Hey, who's the cute-looking Stag there?" Moltres snarked as Floragato, Fuecoco, and Quaxly gawked at the magnificent Pokémon standing before them, their friends, and Spinel and his team.

"Is that...a Xerneas?" Arven balked in awe.

"The Life Pokémon, for real?" added Kieran, amazed.

"Mm-hmm... My mother," Diancie confirmed.

"Xerneas..."

"A real, live Xerneas, here in Paldea...!" Dot and Liko gasped in fascination before the young girl quickly scanned the new arrival with her Rotom Phone.

"Xerneas, the Life Pokémon. A Legendary Pokémon and Fairy Type; legend has it that it can share eternal life, sleeping for a thousand years in the form of a tree before its revival."

"A Xerneas...? Interesting, that makes it all the more perfect for us and Master Gibeon. Maybe once I capture it after we you down, I'll use it to find what we're looking for and harness its power for our master and his ultimate plan! Umbreon, Arbok, children, go for Xerneas!" Spinel remarked with menacing glee, having his Atrociraptors, Umbreon, and Arbok forget about the heroes as they instead focused on the Life Pokémon.

"Mother, look out!" Diancie cried in alarm until Xerneas used Safeguard to shield herself and prevent them from rushing her down as they knocked into her shield and were bounced back.

Not wanting Xerneas to fall into Spinel's hands, Sarah jumped and flipped toward the legendary Fairy Type in one great leap and stood in front of her with Blitz, Hashimoto, Ching Wan, the original Swords of Justice, Rosie, Crest, and Chili joining her and Red, Panthera, Tiger, and Ghost (Atrociraptor) reuniting with their human caretaker and standing alongside them, hissing at their evil counterparts again (and cutting off Arbok and Umbreon before they could go at her a second time).

"Going somewhere, Darkie, Poison Breath?" Hashimoto snarked.

"This Pokémon you're going after is off-limits to creeps like you!" added Ching Wan.

"Out of my way, fools! Umbreon, push past them, now! Use Snarl!" snapped Spinel again, having Umbreon use Snarl on Xerneas before Rosie, Chili, and Crest used Overheat, Hydro Pump, and Magical Leaf to counter the Dark Type move and dispel it.

Also, Sarah was faster as she used the Roar a third time and aimed it towards the earth, making a pillar that knocked her away from Xerneas again.

Red, Panthera, Tiger, and Ghost (Atrociraptor) went at their evil counterparts again, and while they had them in a deadlock, their latest round with them gave Blue and her siblings enough time to circle them from behind. And, once they saw their chance, they jumped Spinel's Atrociraptors without warning, tackling them to the ground and clamping their jaws down on their forelimbs thus making them scream and howl in pained outrage.

Umbreon, humiliated and bruised for the umpteenth time, snarled dangerously at Sarah as she prepared to maul her without mercy. But, she wasn't done with her, Arbok, and their master yet as she used the Roar yet again, summoning lightning from the clouds that struck near the evil Moonlight Pokémon, Arbok, and the evil Atrociraptors (who managed to pry her Raptor Squad off of them), sending them flying towards Spinel.

Seeing her chance to make him run from her and her family and friends, the little princess even went as far as to rush at his oldest Atrociraptor with her Lion's Speed and give it a Flying Dragon Kick. Amazingly, she kicked it so hard that after it, its fellow evil raptors, Umbreon, and Arbok crashed into Spinel, the Explorers' black-hearted researcher ended up getting a scar running down his right eye after it accidentally clawed him.

The evil Atrociraptors, Umbreon, Arbok, and Spinel slowly recovered despite feeling winded and beaten as they picked themselves up. However, Spinel noticed his scar and the blood trickling down from it despite him also not losing his right eye. Knowing he had been defeated yet again, he decided it was time to return to the other Explorers and their main HQ to recover and report his status to Gibeon, whistling for his team to retreat as they jumped to the other side of the river.

"Another day, Princess. Another day..." he growled darkly before he took out and threw a cluster of smoke and light bombs that blinded the heroes, Xerneas, Elara, and Jane while giving them time and cover to escape.

"Well, he's gone again..." sighed Sarah in relief and slight dismay over his escape.

"Well, at least you returned the favor with his own scar and sent him running so you're even now," Lazuli reassured before she looked at where her former colleague disappeared and vowed, "You, Gibeon, and the Explorers will never find the Laquium you're looking for, Spinel. We'll make sure of that..."

---

Dusk fell sometime after the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape recovered and the heroes' latest scuffle with Spinel ended. Now humbled by everything they went through including Hattrem, Tony, and Jessie's triple evolution and subsequent beatdown of the squabbling Annihilape, the Pig Monkey and Rage Monkey Pokémon were now happily feasting on their berry stockpile with the heroes eating some of the berries they had given to them (the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape's way of apologizing for the misunderstanding they blew out of proportions).

"Well, despite that little unexpected scuffle with the man you all deemed as your enemy based on what he did, I'd say everything turned out okay in the end."

"Yeah, look like the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape have all learned their lesson by now. This day has been quite the learning experience for all of us and them," Elara and Jace smiled, seeing how happy and at peace the Mankey, Annihilape, and Primeape now were as they ate.

"True but getting all those extra berries for them really wore me out," Dot sighed (given that the heroes also had to find and give the Fighting Types extra berries to help them compensate for the day's events) before she took out her Rotom Phone to record what she's seeing. "Oh, right! I'm sure it won't hurt to have an extra video of the Annihilape. Too bad we couldn't get a good shot of Hattrem evolving and dealing with them earlier..."

"Let's be good friends forever more, right, Hattrem?" Liko smiled at her Serene Pokémon.

"Always, Mommy," Hattrem smiled back as Terapagos and Floragato congratulated her.

Even Sarah couldn't help but feel proud of Tony and Jessie, seeing her newly-evolved Blade and Emotion Pokémon mingling with their family and friends while congratulating the Psychic Type siblings overtheirevolutions. She was sure Johnathan, Diane, Romeo, and Juliet would be proud of them once they were told everything.

"You know, this whole experience made me realize something. There's still a ton of Pokémon we've never seen before!"

"Yeah! I'm ready to learn more about them before and after the course is done!"

"Right. I want to befriend and connect with all kinds of Pokémon going forward. And, after all this, I think our reports will turn out perfectly!" Roy, Dot, and Liko noted happily.

"Same goes for us!"

"And, we'll also do our best to make everybody at Blueberry Academy proud!" concurred Lacey and Amarys.

"Sounds like a plan," Sarah chuckled, smiling despite wincing from the pain of her scar.

"Guess that means we'll have to kick it up a notch on our end, right, Jace?"

"I know the feeling, El," grinned Elara and Jace knowingly.

"Just a fair warning to you youngsters; make sure to tell your friends to be more respectful of their surroundings given what they've unintentionally started," Tsukumaro frowned at them warningly.

Jace nodded as he replied to the old advisor, "No problem, we'll give them a good dressing down so they'll come out of this whole thing wiser just as we did."

Elana agreed before she turned to the heroes and apologetically told them, "Listen, guys, we're sorry for the trouble our friends gave you earlier. We had no idea Niko cutting that vine connecting them to their berry tree would set the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape off like that."

"Nah, it's alright."

"You two couldn't help it," reassured Roy and Dot.

"Everything's fine now so there's no need to apologize," agreed Liko before she asked the pair, "Hey, Elana, Jace, how did you two and your Pokémon find us after we were attacked?"

"I led them to you, young lady."

Everyone turned to find Xerneas gently trotting over to them while in her Active Mode, her colorful antlers shining brightly amid the rays of the sunset.

"Oh, Mother!" Diancie cheered happily as she hopped over to the Life Pokémon who bent down and nuzzled her daughter.

"My darling... I'm relieved to see you unharmed," Xerneas cooed angelically via telepathy as Zygarde joined them.

"Xerneas, I'm glad to see you again. I was hoping you were doing well after we parted ways," he told her warmly, taking Sarah and her friends by surprise as they recognized the Xerneas before them as the same Fairy Type who helped them defeat and apprehend Rose and Oleana following their attack on the Alolan Royal Family the previous year.

"I can say the same about you, Zygarde, you're being pretty dandy yourself in the princess' hands," the Life Pokémon chuckled at him.

"Mother, there's a reason why we all wanted to see you today," Diancie began as her mother nodded and understood what she wanted to say after seeing Sarah and the Mark of Evil over her right eye.

"I know why you were all looking for me, dear child. I know it is what you seek from me regarding what happened to your royal friend."

This caught Sarah's attention as she looked at the Life Pokémon and felt her scar before telling her, "...Yeah, Diancie did say yesterday that you're the Tree of Life. She felt you were my best chance at helping me with the Mark of Evil and Arbok's venom."

"Is it true, Xerneas? Can you please help heal Sarah?" Liko pleaded.

"I don't want to see her in pain from the Mark of Evil again!"

"Me, neither!" begged Roy and Dot as the others (save for Elara and Jace) nodded in agreement.

Xerneas was silent for a moment as she took in what she had heard from Liko, Roy, and Dot and looked between the heroes, her daughter, Zygarde (who nodded at her, encouraging her to trust the humans, Pokémon, and creatures before her), and Sarah as she continued to gingerly touch her scarred eye.

Finally, after weighing her options and personal feelings, she told everyone, "Very well, I will do what I must to help you; I will heal your friend to return the favor of looking after my daughter and her friends and because you are all such interesting and wonderful people. Normally, given the sins of humanity, I would be reluctant to trust you as my daughter warned you if she had the foresight to, thus refusing your offer on the spot. But, you all are different based on what I've seen throughout your battle with that horrid man before I stepped in and how you handled the debacle with the Mankey pack. It also makes it easier for me given the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon you have by your side; that suggests you've done wonders for them if you earned their trust. What's more, I can't help but marvel at the prehistoric creatures of the Mesozoic Era you have on you; I thought befriending such creatures was impossible given how vicious and unpredictable many of them are but you all changed my mind when I saw how they fought alongside and defended you with all their hearts."

Everyone smiled happily as Diancie gave her mother a thankful and relieved grin and remarked, "Mother..."

Xerneas nodded to her daughter before she looked at the little princess and gently beckoned her to come forward, allowing Sarah to face her before telling her, "You have suffered so much in such a short time, dear. I will grant you the wish of your loved ones and my daughter..."

Tapping into her Animancy (the ability or power to nurture life), the Life Pokémon channeled her Fairy Type energy to Sarah, infusing an adequate portion of it to heal as best she could. Everyone watched with bated breath, hoping that her Fairy Aura would cure her of the venom coursing through her body and greatly weaken the mark's effects. While the Mark of Evil wasn't completely removed (it shrunk to half its original size), the Fairy Aura did dispose of Arbok's Venom so her life wasn't in danger anymore.

When she had finished and lifted her head, Sarah felt her chest and gingerly touched her right eye again, discovering that it was no longer hurting as much as it used to and she felt as good as new. Arbok's Venom was completely gone and while the Mark of Evil was still there, it no longer resonated with her anger and hatred and she was back to her old self.

The little princess was astonished as she looked at Diancie's mother and she warmly told her, "The power to nurture all life lies within yourself."

"How are you feeling now, Sarah...?" Ash asked carefully.

The little princess felt herself all over including her right eye to see if they would hurt but to her delight and relief, she was okay again. She smiled and turned to the others, allowing them to see the Mark of Evil in its shrunken state and her no longer feeling Arbok's venom flowing through her body.

"Never better," she replied, getting heartfelt smiles and cheers from everyone while Diancie happily hugged her mother and Zygarde nuzzled his old friend.

---

Soon, it was time for everyone to go and Hattrem tried to squeeze herself back into Liko's hood. Unfortunately, because she had evolved and was much bigger than she used to be, she couldn't fit inside it no matter how hard she tried. The young girl could see this as she awkwardly smiled, knowing her Serene Pokémon wouldn't travel with her as much as she used to when she was a Hatenna.

"This is a problem... Sorry, Hattrem, it looks like you're too big for my hood now," she apologized.

"Oh, well... It's okay, Mommy," Hattrem replied as she jumped off and decided to walk with her human mother.

"Well, guys, it's time to say goodbye," smiled Jace as he and Elana prepared to leave and rejoin their friends.

"So soon?" asked Roy, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean, we're all students, right? Maybe we'll catch up at some point before we join you for the midterm interquel and we'll have some choice words for our friends when we see them again," Elara chuckled.

"Besides, we have some unfinished business involving our assigned gym leaders. And, at this rate, we gotta go," Jace continued.

"Thanks for finding and leading us to our new friends, Xerneas. Jace and I don't know what we would've done if you hadn't dropped by to give us a hand after Luka, Rai, and Bocco left us in the dust after Annihilape attacked us and we haven't gotten to Sarah, her family, Liko, Roy, Dot, and their friends in time," Elara thanked the Life Pokémon.

"Your safety and that of your new friends was my main concern, young lady. Just remember to be aware of your surroundings and always lend each other a hand when needed," Xerneas replied kindly, getting knowing and appreciative nods from the pair.

"Well, gang, so long!"

"See ya when we get back to the academy!" Elara and Jace called as they and their Pokémon said their goodbyes and left to find and rejoin their friends.

"Bye, Elara, Jace!"

"Good luck, you two!"

"See ya later!"

"Take care!" grinned Liko, Mallow, Ash, and Carmine as everybody waved and said goodbye to the departing Terastal Course students.

Sarah also turned to Xerneas, appreciating her help as she told her, "Thanks for everything, Xerneas. I'm glad we found you..."

"Yeah, but we should be thanking you, too. You know, for coming when you did, right?"

"You really saved us when Spinel was about to get serious with Umbreon, Arbok, and his Atrociraptors," added Crispin and Kiawe gratefully.

"It's the least I could do, especially to repay you and your royal friend for looking after my daughter. But, now, I must leave," Xerneas kindly replied before she prepared to leave as well.

"Hey, wait a minute, Xerneas! Don't go!" Roy cried, making her pause as she turned back to the heroes. "Are you sure you'll be okay going off on your own again?"

"Spinel knows about you now and where you live. So, for your sake and Diancie's, and to ensure the Explorers won't catch you, would it be alright for you to come and join us?" Hau offered.

"I'm sure you'll be most accommodated and safe with us and our friends given our previous circumstances, M'dear. With friends like us alongside you, you won't have to worry about being captured and used for evil purposes by anybody with a black heart including the Explorers," Calyrex concurred.

"We understand a girl such as you can be very busy but powerful as you are, we don't want to take any chances for your sake," Terrakion nodded.

"Ms. Diancie loves you, too, poi! Please, come, poi! We have fun together, poi!" Ogerpon cutely begged.

"Please, Mother, we promise we'll be good for you," Diancie finished as she bowed pleadingly to her mother, not wanting anything bad to happen to her after recalling what became of Keldera after she was first exposed to the Laquium.

Seeing the care and concern the heroes and her daughter had for her (coupled with the Diamond Pokémon's yearning for her to stay for her own well-being and safety), Xerneas looked between them again before she replied, "...I suppose... It wouldn't hurt to join you, especially after today when that monster and his creatures attacked you. Until then, I shall gladly tag along, if only for my daughter."

"Oh, Mother!" Diancie cheered as she hugged Xerneas' front right leg.

With that, and their reports at the ready, the heroes began the return trip to Uva Academy to continue with the Terastal Course.

---

Epilogue

With Spinel, however, after he got himself bandaged up and his Pokémon and Atrociraptors were busy recovering from their latest ordeal, he entered a virtual meeting with Amethio, Coral, Hamber, Chalce, Sidian, and Gibeon. He then laid out his entire report regarding the mission and his subsequent success and failure in his operation. And, when he had finished, while Hamber, Chalce, and Sidian were impressed with what he did despite the major setback he endured, Coral couldn't help rubbing his latest failure in a long time in his face as she cackled at him.

"Now, where have I seen this scene before? Way to flounder on your latest assignment, Spinel; success and failure in only two days, that's gotta be a record!" she sneered, smirking at him.

"You've held out much better than I had anticipated given what you've just gone through in a short time, Spinel. I'm impressed with how you handled everything before that unintentional setback you've endured," Gibeon pondered, sounding impressed.

Despite feeling the sting of his failure, Spinel couldn't help but smirk as he replied, "I appreciate your words, Master Gibeon. And, as for my little stumble that led me to be scarred and my assets being beaten in their own game, I'll engrave that failure deep into my heart."

"More to the point, while your performance has been...interesting, to put it lightly, have you anticipated the arrival of the Life Pokémon before it cured the princess of Arbok's venom?" questioned Chalce.

"Surprisingly not; I must admit, the arrival of Xerneas was completely out of left field thus ensuring Umbreon, Arbok, my prehistoric assets, and I having been caught unaware until it showed up to tie up the loose end we left after we gave the princess the Mark of Evil."

"And, you did achieve a crucial bit of intel after you goaded her into a little banter between you; is it true that she got the Laquium in her hands and out of Exceed before we could get a hold of it?" Sidian continued curiously despite feeling unimpressed at how his colleague screwed up despite his earlier success with the Mark of Evil.

Spinel kept his cool and his smirk remained on his face as he told him, "Her answers were vague but they paint a clear enough picture to give me an idea of what she did behind our backs."

"Even with all that said, I told you the princess was more mature than you give her credit for. While you did move a step forward with the Mark of Evil, the arrival of Xerneas has just put a wrench in our operations with what it could do," Amethio snorted, unamused.

But, Gibeon's grandson wasn't finished yet as he added, "And, more importantly, are you sure the Pokémon that appeared before you all and gave the princess and her family and friends an opening is a Xerneas? Legends said it's a Pokémon capable of sharing its life energy and vitality with others, proving she is full of surprises and ones that pop up when we least expect it. Then, we have those four Atrociraptors of hers that matched your own and the Velociraptors winded them down; do you know how many more dinosaurs she has on her apart from them?"

"Still, about the Roar of the Elders... Even if your plan with the Mark of Evil backfired, Spinel, what do you make of it?" Chalce interjected.

"Just as powerful as my research suggested and I'm quite impressed with how she was able to manipulate the weather with it to her advantage," Spinel replied, his face darkening despite seeing bright spots in his efforts.

"Either way, she has what we want and we'll be sure to get it by any means necessary."

"And, how do you propose we go about that? There are many things about her that we don't know yet and like I said, she's not as stupid as we like to think," Amethio reminded.

Hamber nodded in agreement with his pupil, telling everyone, "Hmm, I believe Amethio has a point. Master Gibeon, it's true that we know her as a Power Ranger and that she holds the Roar of the Elders but as we just found out, there is still much more she is hiding from us."

"Hmm, yes, indeed... She remains one step ahead of us in everything she does. But, even I have to wonder how long it will be before her luck finally runs out and she hits a proverbial wall..." Gibeon concurred darkly.

To Be Continued..

---

Occurred Events

Roy, Liko an Dot's doppelgangers, Niko, Rob and Dash make their debut alongside Jace and Elara - the doppelgangers to Sarah and Race

Some of Maya's Unicorn friends debut:

a male Water Unicorn namedRiversporting a silver-blue coat that shimmered like the moon's reflection on the ocean, a flowing deep aquamarine and shimmering white mane and tail, and faintly glowing and intricate wave-like markings rippling down his legs and torso

a female Fire Unicorn,Cinder, sporting a fiery red-orange coat glowing like embers, flame-like markings flickering along her legs and shoulders in molten shades of orange and yellow, a flowing mane and tail in crimson and gold that crackled with a fire's fierce intensity

a male Plant Unicorn namedPlantshowing off a vibrant green coat akin to fresh leaves under the sun that reflects the beauty of the world around him, a flowing mane and tail adorned with colorful flowers and leaves and intricate glowing floral patterns flowing across his body

a female Storm Unicorn calledTempest, joined them as she sported a dark and stormy gray coat streaked with silver lines resembling lightning bolts, a long and flowing jet black mane and tail and flashes of white akin to storm clouds swirling in the sky, and storm clouds patterns across her body

a male Ice Unicorn known asBlizzardwho sported a sleek yet pale blue coat glistened in the sunlight like freshly fallen snow, a flowing frosty white mane and tail tipped with icy blue streaks crackling with cold energy, and snowflake patterns adorned on his body

a female Light Unicorn namedSpectrawith a radiant golden colt shimmering in the sunlight and the light of the grove they came from, a pastel mane and tail, and intricate light beam patterns dancing across her body

Quartzis a male Mineral Unicorn sporting a pearlescent white coat streaked with pink, purple, and blue veins resembling raw minerals, a mane and tail shimmering with translucent strands catching the sunlight, and jagged crystal formations glowing across his legs and neck

A female Gemstone Unicorn calledCrystalwho sported a dazzling translucent coat shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow akin to sunlight refracting through a prism, a pink, purple, and blue mane and tail resembling rare gem facets, and geometric gem-like patterns illuminating her body

Tony, Jessie and Hattrem evolve into Gallade, Gardevior and Hattrem and learn Night Slash, Triple Axel and Brutal Swing at the same time.

The heroes find the Tree of Life, Xerneas whom heals Sarah of the Arbok Venom and joins the group/family.