Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Greninja
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
Wisteria - Galarian Ponyta
At Oak's
Nettle - Naganadel
Leon stayed quiet, staring at the slumbering monster before him. He's never seen anything like it. The head was indistinguishable from any other part of the body. There was no telling how big this creature truly was.
"You know, Eternatus is terribly misunderstood. Yes, it brought about The Darkest Day," Leon jolted, "but that's only because it needed some energy. If only those dreadful Legends Sonia told us about didn't interfere, we would have had even more Particles available to us!"
Rose twisted his lips, but soon smoothed his expression back to one of joviality. He clasped his hands behind his back and walked towards the dome until he was mere inches from the transparent metal surface. "Eternatus only needs a little direction."
Swallowing thickly, his heart thudding in his chest, Leon spoke up. "Where did you find it?"
"Deep underground, beneath 3,000 years of rubble. It was comatose and pieces of its body were missing. Some rather genius scientists in Alola managed to create a machine that can track radiation signatures given off by Pokémon non-native to this planet. The blueprints were difficult to find, but we managed with a little help."
"It was broken apart?"
"Oh yes, but I knew how to fix it." Leon made a sound of inquiry, which Rose was happy to answer with a wide smile. "Why, Wishing Stars of course. They are pieces of its body. Why do you think they give off such strong signals? Our… friends lended some help to find them all, but eventually we managed."
Rose and Oleana shared a look full of knowing.
Trying to stamp down his grimace, Leon asked, "Why isn't it awake?"
A sly smile crept onto the Chairman's face. A ring-adored hand dipped into his pocket, removing a sliver of dull purple. "This is a momentous occasion, and it's only fitting that the Champion of Galar be here for it. And when better to witness history than on the anniversary of The Great Wave? It was Particles that gave me hope then, and it will be Particles that ensure we are never left powerless again."
With a showman's grin, Rose fixed his tie and looked at Oleana. "My dear, are the sensors at Sellafield online?" Looking at one of the multiple screens, Oleana nodded. "Wonderful, and what about our access to the public's radon sensors?" Once again Oleana nodded.
Leon was digging his fingernails into his palms. Radon sensors are only accessible by the Department of Environmental Protection, not corporate CEOs.
Stepping back, he placed his hand on one of his Pokéballs, uncertain and agitated. He had a bad feeling about this. But Rose was… he put his faith in Leon when he was nobody. The least he could do in return was give Rose a fraction of that faith.
"Retract the roof, and open panel H-97. Let's save Galar."
Muffled sunlight spilled into the chamber as two slats retracted above them. The light did nothing to make the situation any less foreboding.
Leon was supposed to be enjoying the tournament. He was supposed to be hanging out with his brother and appreciating some good battles. Was the entire tournament just a distraction? A diversion to keep attention off Rose Tower?
A tinny schlink echoed through the cavernous room. Rose walked over to where a small square of transparent metal was unlocked and swung it open. Now, even with a narrow window open, Eternatus's presence was pressing. Leon felt heavy, like it was suddenly difficult to find the energy to stay standing. Rose must have experience with it, because he barely paused as he reached through.
The final Wishing Piece slotted in place with a clack.
The Chairman quickly latched the section and stepped back to watch.
Through the still transparent cage, Eternatus shifted. It coiled and writhed and breathed, the ugly gray of its armor clack clack clacking into place in a wave down its enormous body. Rose grinned like a madman. "Oleana, activate the beacon at Sellafield. Time to rid that place of its nasty radiation."
There was a metallic noise, like gears grinding, as a slender antenna emerged from the top of the dome. A rattling, a whirring, and a constant hum created a harmony of tech that buzzed in Leon's bones. His entire frame was tense, waiting for the worst to happen.
What did he do? If this worked… if this worked Galar would have a safe, clean, and unlimited source of energy. Their advancements would keep them at the top of the world's leading powers.
But if this went wrong… it could be catastrophic.
He kept a hand on a Pokéball and he waited. Rose had never steered him wrong before.
"Iodine-131 terabecquerel levels dropping sir. Caesium-137 levels dropping as well. Polonium-210 just hit zero terabecquerels. Closing in on natural levels. Increasing range and switching objective to radon."
"Wonderful! The radon should keep Eternatus fed for years!" Rose released a booming laugh, full of accomplishment. Leon could feel his hands releasing slightly, did Rose actually do it?
Years? But… would Eternatus remain caged? It's entire life condensed down into merely being someone's battery? Discomfort churned Leon's gut.
That wasn't what Galar stood for.
Oleana's lips twisted in displeasure almost imperceptibly from where she stood by the controls. "Sir, have you forgotten our benefactor's conditions?"
The Chairman scoffed. "Oleana, please, there are much more important things to focus on than honoring those pieces of scum. We're shooting towards a brighter future!"
Leon's eyes widened in shock and a small bit of dread when Oleana's face contorted into one of such rage, it was like her skin cracked from the force of it. "I will not have you bring their wrath down on our heads!"
The Chairman turned to her and frowned. "Oleana, what do you think they'd do with Eternatus? It can't be anything good."
'And a life like this is better?'
The woman laughed, it was high and shrill and made Leon want to plug his ears. "Oh please, you know what they'll do to us if we don't hold up our end of the agreement. I care more about my life than whatever plan they think up. We get Eternatus for a week, and then we hand it over."
"No, we keep Eternatus however long I say."
The two glared at each other, enough malcontent in the air that Leon still felt awkward even with all the nausea roiling within him.
Alright, he had to put an end to this. Macro Cosmos had obviously made a deal with some unsavory people. That could count as treason, not to mention the Pokémon abuse. Even if Eternatus wasn't a 'Pokémon', Aether had set the precedent. No creature could be subject to abuse, no matter where they're from.
He took a step forward, removing a Pokéball from his belt, when alarms started to blare.
Red pulsing lights filled the chamber even with the overcast light shining down. Rose and Oleana rushed over to the controls. "The- the radon levels are nearing zero."
The Chairman blanched. "That's not possible." He whispered.
Leon stalked forward, immediately knowing that they just lost control. He grabbed the lapels of Rose's designer jacket, almost tearing the expensive fabric as he loomed over a man he once trusted. "What's the next most abundant source of radiation?" He growled, towering over the man he'd trusted, the man that had mentored him for over a decade.
"Ultraviolet."
It was at that moment, the rumbling started. Leon, Rose, and Oleana were thrown to the ground, the tremors emanating from the metal dome that now seemed very, very fragile. The antenna atop shook and cracked, falling to the ground.
The sky darkened.
The dome exploded.
Eternatus shrieked.
Styx swerved and dropped, missing the massive claws by a hair's breadth. The feral-eyed Beartic bellowed, the sound reverberating across Route 10 and blowing Styx back from the force of it.
The Ice type was hundreds of feet tall, the swirling red haze above its head looking more frantic and chaotic than Ash had ever seen before. As far as he could tell, this was one of the last Dynamaxed Pokémon standing between them and Rose Tower.
Their flight across the region was heartbreaking.
Postwick was practically demolished, the herds of Dynamaxed Wooloo running rampant and crushing the wooden houses like toothpicks beneath their massive hooves. Someone's Onix had Dynamaxed in Motostoke, obliterating a large section of the second level.
A Gigantamaxed Butterfree had blocked their way and it took the combined might of Styx, Sagitta, and Alloy to bring it down.
But it had cost them a half hour, making their hours-long flight even more fraught.
The clouds above had only gotten darker, thicker, and heavier. Hardly any light was breaking through, instead making them rely on the multitudes of Dynamaxed Fire and Electric types that were trampling across the region. The fires that ignited Route 5 gave them a cursed glow to see the obliteration of a once proud region.
The Hydreigon and Corviknight were pushing themselves to their limits trying to cross the entirety of Galar. The intermittent battles they were trapped in were proving to be debilitating. He had taken to using Sagitta and her Yawn as much as she was able, but some Pokémon were completely immune.
Frustrated, worried, and desperate, Ash released a Pokémon from high up, directly above the Beartic.
Libra plummeted through the air with the force of a meteor, landing with a crash.
Beartic's eyes rolled to the back of its head and its legs crumbled like paper beneath it. Styx was quick to swoop down, Libra being recalled before she crashed to the ground.
The Beartic was not so lucky.
Ash didn't wait to see the Ice type return to normal, whistling to Hop for them to continue. They could see the beam of light rising from Rose Tower, and now that they were closer they could see something different.
There were two beams. One was shooting into the sky and one was being pulled from the sky. Ash couldn't begin to find an answer.
The next 20 minutes were tense as the distance became shorter and shorter. They had to escape a particularly stubborn Dynamaxed Baltoy, but soon they were closing in on the tower.
The roof was open, exposing a large metal expanse. There were fragments from the roof torn from their places, littered around the chamber with debris scattered about. It looked like an Explosion had torn the tower asunder. But in the center, in the remains of what looked to be a sphere of sorts, was a monster.
A Behemoth.
For a brief moment, Ash expanded his senses.
"GAH!" Styx screeched in concern when Ash almost toppled off her back from the agony. Too bright, too powerful, too other.
Too familiar.
Ash fisted the Hydreigon's feathers in his hands, panting but keeping the black void from reflexively slipping into his fingers. His mind prickled with residual sparks; whatever creature was at the epicenter of this tragedy was stronger than anything Ash had ever encountered.
If he thought Slumbering Weald was painful, it was nothing compared to this.
Once they were close enough, Ash squinted through the migraine and finally saw the Behemoth of legend.
It was toxic purple and angry red, glowing as bright as a star. A swirling mass of energy in what looked to be its thoracic cavity was emitting the red beam of light into the sky. A smaller, whiter beam was being pulled into its body, leaving it glowing brighter.
Ash could hardly describe the being. It was serpentine but segmented and all harsh angles. It looked robotic and other-wordly. It was skeletal and angry and unnatural.
It reminded him of the Ultra Beasts.
The two trainers landed, hopping off their Pokémon - Ash almost stumbling - and dashed through the broken remains of the roof. A shock of plum pulled Hop away from Ash's side, and he glanced over to see Hop pulling an unconscious - but breathing - Leon from some rubble.
Ash continued on, spotting the two perpetrators against the far wall. Rose and Oleana were a few meters away from each other, clothes torn and dirty and both staring with barely disguised horror.
They looked like statues. How long had they been like that? How long has it been since the airport?
Ash didn't know.
Styx stomped along behind him as he dashed over. "What in the Nether happened!" The two jerked, turning their heads to look at him, not having noticed him approaching. Rose's mouth moved without sound, but Oleana's twisted into a sneer.
"What are you still doing here?" Styx growled as Ash paused.
"What do you mean?" He asked with deliberate slowness, letting even more anger seep into his tone.
Oleana bared her teeth and pushed herself to her feet. Her black heels let her tower over him. "You should be halfway back to Kanto right now, unable to stick your nose into Galar's business."
Ash clenched his fists and took a step closer, not letting her height intimidate him. "How do you know that?"
The woman let a vicious smile cross her face. "We know your tendency to insert yourself into situations that have nothing to do with you. Sierra made sure you'd run back to Kanto with your tail between your legs."
He froze.
Resentment and humiliation twisted in his throat.
It had been a set up.
Sierra's win hadn't changed his ranking number. There was hardly anything on her in the trainer database. She had a Grass type when it was the only type strong to both his Pokémon.
And Oleana had been there when he said the tournament was the last thing he'd do before going back to Kanto.
The amusement and cruelty in Oleana's eyes was offset by the outrage in Rose's. "Why didn't I know about this?"
Scoffing, Oleana backed up a few paces. "You're too caught up in your philanthropy and altruism," she spat the words like a particularly dirty curse, "to see the bigger picture. You have unlimited power at your hands and you want to keep it tucked away? Grow up! Our benefactors will do more. Sierra was lent to me as a favor."
"Enough! This ends now!"
The words didn't come from Ash's mouth. They came from Rose's. The Chairman picked himself up and dashed for the control panel.
A flash of light and an ivory serpent wound around his body, immobilizing him.
Rose's look of complete shock would have been funny in any other situation. "Oleana, what are you doing?" Milotic tightened his Bind, causing the man to wheeze.
Laughing, Oleana spread her feet, and from her pocket removed a spherical device not unlike a Pokéball. It was larger, bulkier, and heavy metal. Two glowing red dots emanated above the central button. "I appreciate what you've done for me over the years, Winston, be sure of that. But I can go so much further."
"Styx!" The Dragon reacted immediately, a small and controlled Dragon Pulse firing from one of her smaller heads, striking and burning Oleana's hand. The woman shouted, the odd Pokéball falling from her hand and rolling away under some debris.
Oleana's shriek of rage matched a louder, deeper, more terrifying one from above them all.
Leon's Charizard and Dragapult took turns attacking the Behemoth. Ash turned his attention back to the crazy lady in front of him in time to see her release a Tsareena and Garbodor.
With reflexes honed out of necessity, Ash pressed the release on the single Lure ball. Newly evolved Polaris, in all his sleek power, landed in a three point crouch. "She rigged the tournament so we'd lose. Let's show her what you can do."
Ash felt the determination and rage within him echo and double.
Polaris leapt, crossing the distance with one mighty push, Aerial Ace slamming into Tsareena with a crack.
The Grass type roared in fury, charging up a High Jump Kick before being body slammed by Styx. Polaris sent rapid fire Hydro Pumps at Garbodor, landing a solid Ice Beam at close range before darting around like a blur.
He might be faster than Bane now.
Tsareena's limp body was thrown towards Oleana, completely unconscious. Styx must be holding herself back. The Grass type was returned, a Gothitelle quick to take its place. Ash let Styx take care of the Psychic type, choosing to watch Polaris.
The Greninja was fast as a bullet, never getting hit by the giant Poison type. Fully mastered Dark Pulses rippled across Garbodor's thick skin, making it shiver from the Dark energies. Polaris capitalized on the flinch, throwing an icy Water Shuriken that tore deep into its flesh.
Ash was so engrossed in the battle that he didn't notice when reinforcements were called.
Milotic slammed into the Greninja with the force of a bus, throwing the frog's lanky body across the chamber. He flipped, Polaris landing in his three-point crouch and skidding back. Ash gritted his teeth, seeing Chairman Rose knocked out against a wall.
A nudge in his chest, feeling both familiar and not, flared to life. Polaris pushed himself to his feet, standing tall, mimicking Ash's stance, to face down his two opponents. Wind picked up, both from The Darkest Day and the water that suddenly engulfed his friend.
Something snapped into place within him and he gasped. A feeling akin to a cold, rushing river replaced the blood in his veins.
Milotic and Garbodor both fired off an attack, Dragon Breath and Gunk Shot. Swirling water swallowed them up before coalescing down, down, down, until Polaris was uncovered.
He looked different.
The blue fins on either side of his head were longer, spiky, and pitch black. The fin cutting down the center of his head was larger, bulkier, and bright red. Spiky black fins lined the frog's jaw, almost resembling… hair? The water surrounding the frog shrunk down until it was manipulated into one large shuriken on his back. His skin was a darker, richer cobalt, while his webbed hands were deep navy that crawled up to his forearms before fading into the lighter color.
But the most shocking change were the blood red eyes Polaris now sported.
He looked like Ash.
Ash took a single step forward, Polaris mimicking the action. Ash blinked rapidly, his eyesight doubling, their opponents looking both too close and too far.
"Water Shuriken! Double Team!" Their arms moved in tandem, the massive shuriken flying and curving in the air to slam into Garbodor, sending the dense Pokémon rocketing backwards and eliciting a pained cry when it tore into its skin. Acid dripped from its wound, sizzling the ground.
Milotic hissed, slithering out of the way and ducking when the weapon came back around. The serpent lashed out, an Icy Wind cutting through the clones and catching Polaris in the shoulder.
Ash's own shoulder suddenly felt chilled.
Stamping down his concern, Ash called, "Aqua Jet! Lick, then make distance!" Polaris was even faster surrounded by water, seemingly anticipating Ash's commands before they left his mouth. He cut through the air like it was frictionless, slamming into Garbodor and sending the pile of trash crashing to the ground. Milotic tried to swat the frog with its tail, but the Greninja swerved and his tongue unwrapped from its scarf-life appearance to slide along the serpent's side, coiling around its neck.
Milotic's breath seized in its chest from the chill of the Nether running over its scales. This gave Polaris the opportunity to make some space by kicking off her scaly hide.
Garbodor and Milotic were now in line. A perfect billiards shot.
Polaris took advantage.
Hydro Cannon exploded from his mouth, stronger than ever before. The condensed, violent orb of water slammed into Milotic with the force of a train, sending the serpent crashing into Garbodor and subsequently into the metal wall of the chamber. Milotic's chest was a mess of bloody, mottled scales and flesh.
Oleana shrieked, preparing another Pokéball. Then her wrists were caught in a slimy pink tongue. The woman's face scrunched up in disgust, body tugging uselessly against Greninja's tongue. Ash stalked forward, pressing the release on one of his Luxury balls.
Orion shook out his coat and glared around, seemingly unbothered by the chaos around him. "Hypnosis on her." Shrugging, the Alolan Ninetales stared into Oleana's furious eyes as Ash held her eyelids open. She slumped to the ground, Polaris assisting so Ash wasn't suddenly responsible for her weight.
Slipping his pack off and being careful of the very very sharp sword, Ash found his small stash of zip ties and bound the vice president's wrists behind her back, signaling to Polaris to let go. He did the same to her ankles and dragged her over to the wall.
He'd figure out what to do with her later.
Turning around to the main battle, Ash's stomach sank.
Leon was awake and frantic, his face pale and limbs shaking. His Dragapult, Aegislash, Rillaboom, Gallade, Escavalier, and Galarian Darmanitan were scattered around; battered and bruised and unconscious. His famed Charizard was the only one still standing; but she was on her last legs.
No one could risk Dynamaxing or Gigantamaxing right now. They could go completely manic.
Ash saw Hop off to the side, looking worried and frustrated. The younger teen stepped forward, but Leon shouted something at him, desperation coloring his voice even when Ash couldn't make out the words. Hop clenched his fists but stayed where he was as Leon turned his attention back to the Behemoth.
Styx had joined the Champion when Polaris had… changed. Running over with Polaris beside him, Ash skidded to a stop to see the Charizard and Hydreigon fire a Dragon Pulse simultaneously at the monster.
"Leon what's happening!" Ash still couldn't figure out what exactly was going on.
The man's yellow eyes, so like Hop's but also so tired, were too wide, the whites around them stark. "Rose calls it Eternatus! It takes in radiation! It was meant to only take in the natural radon and turn it into Galar Particles, but Rose underestimated how much it could consume! It switched to ultraviolet! The influx seems to be slowing down though!"
"What's after ultraviolet?"
Later, Ash would slap himself for his timing.
A thick, heavy languor began to settle over them. It was like all the energy was being sapped, a massive Giga Drain that pulled every bit of vitality from cells. A vice tightening around the torso, squeezing the breath, blood, and life from the chest.
Styx and Charizard crashed to the ground, breathing heavy and shallow, unable to muster the energy to move.
Hop, Leon, and Ash all crashed to their knees; Ash being the only one to completely collapse. A chill swept over his body, leaving him wanting, needing to shiver, but unable to muster the will to do so. His head was going fuzzy and his sight was darkening.
Eternatus's massive head snaked around, glowing white eyes locking on Ash. There was something-
"Thermal." Leon gasped beside him but managed to force out, breaking Ash's train of thought and allowing the fatigue to exert its control.
Oh shit.
Even with his sight going darker and darker, Ash could see the Behemoth - Eternatus - glowing and growing. Its eyes haven't left Ash.
That's never good.
'It's taking too much' Ash tried to gasp, his chest crying out in exhaustion from having to breathe.
He couldn't move, he couldn't talk, he could barely see.
Leon and Hop turned worried eyes to him,shivering but seemingly not as affected, but still unable to get up. What could they do?
Another chill swept through Ash, the scent of ozone and smoke entering his nose and mouth and soul. The rushing of a vacuum howled in his ears, the sensation of smoke slipping through his fingers.
For a moment, he was weightless.
Voices spoke, sounding far away and muffled.
"Ash-"
"What's happ-"
"Back up-"
"-is that?-"
His eyelids felt heavy, his head buzzing like TV static. Is this what would happen if an MRI went berserk? The thought slipped away, and he was unable to grasp it. Why was everything so slow?
There was a blackness in front of his eyes, a void beneath his fingertips, a golden glow on his arm. Something moved, a flow rushing past Ash, through him, threatening to carry him up, up, up.
He felt like a husk.
Something changed, and he could breathe. Blinking rapidly and sucking in lungfuls of air, he stared at the floor, darkness seeping out of the metal around them. Unfurling his fists, Ash saw black, withered fingers. Ash squinted at the metal beneath his blackened hands, hadn't the metal been silver? Why was it almost the same color as his hands?
Blinking, the metal reverted to its ordinary rough, silver sheen.
Shoving thoughts down and away, Ash looked up.
Oh.
Eternatus, or what he was pretty sure was Eternatus, was floating above the chamber, much too large for it now. All Ash could see were shifting, coiling segments. Dominating his vision were venomous purple and furious red rotating like skeletal chains.
Eternatus barricaded the sky.
A savage claw extending from its mass, twitching like it was spasming. The roiling core of energy could barely be seen from between its spiraled body. Ash's bones vibrated with an endless rumbling, and that's when he sensed it.
Pain.
It was in pain.
The Hand of Arceus reached out, begging for mercy.
"I think it's full now."
Leon and Hop had pushed themselves to their elbows, the Champion hesitantly approaching Ash to help stabilize him. Ash kept his fingertips hidden in tight fists.
The hand flexed violently, then the entire being glowed a livid fuschia.
Ash watched numbly as five beams of concentrated energy tore Galar apart.
The three sat back and stared up at the calamity above and around them. It was… it was the worst thing Ash had ever seen. Ash thought he had seen devastation, thought he had known hopelessness. The dead Ultra Beasts at Aether, the endless agony of his Houndoom scars, the brutality of Omen and the loss of Euryale.
But this…
He knew, somewhere deep in his core and tied to his soul that Death would receive en masse today.
"Leon… what do we do?" Hop voice was almost lost in the wreckage, imploring eyes locked on his brother, his hero, his idol.
The Monarch's chin fell to his chest, the bill of his hat blocking his face. "I don't know."
The loud scoff startled both brothers, their heads snapping towards Ash who was shakily pushing himself to his feet. He wavered, but pure spite kept him standing. "Well then fuck you. Don't know what kind of Champion you are if this is how easily you roll over." Ash felt his old go-to sneer flit across his face. It was an expression he hadn't worn in a long time, but it was welcome like an old friend.
Leon frowned, opening his mouth to retort but Ash cut him off with a dismissive gesture, instead turning to help Polaris up. "We're going to fight. Feel free to join."
Ash stalked forward, towards the highest pieces of stable-looking debris he could find. He dragged a hand along Styx's flank as he passed, dancing the fingertips of his other hand along his belt.
There was too much he had left to do.
He needed to repair his relationship with Nettle.
He needed to prove to Artemis that her faith in their bond wasn't for naught.
He needed to fulfill his promises to Hemlock, to Castor, to Libra, to Wisteria.
He needed to stand at the pinnacle of strength with Styx at his side.
He needed the world to see how his team, his family, deserved just as much love and appreciation as anyone else.
He needed to know if he deserved it too.
Ash would grip that need and wrangle it into hope until it poured into his veins and flowed as permanent as blood.
There were two verses of Sabrina's prophecy after this.
He wasn't dying today.
Squaring his shoulders, he scaled the thick beam protruding from the ground and tilted his face up to the swirling mass of Eternatus. It dwarfed the circumference of the tower, it might have even dwarfed Wyndon. Its claw was still spasming, dusty red Particles falling from it to the ground. Wind tore at his hair, his clothes, his skin.
Its inaudible wail shook the heavens and the Nether.
Steeling himself, Ash released most of his family.
They gathered around him, silent and proud. Some bared teeth, some dug claws into warped metal, some merely glared. But they all stood by his side.
Wisteria would remain safe. Nettle would be safe.
Eternatus shrieked in torment and challenge.
"It needs to release energy! Styx, Mirae, Sagitta, be prepared to dodge! Everyone else, aim for the core!"
Styx, Mirae, and Sagitta flew up to the Pokémon, the family of three the only ones able to get close. Bane vanished as Polaris and Hemlock jumped from outcroppings to crumbling walls, the Morgrem's hair launching him forward. Castor, Artemis, Libra, Ladon, and Orion stood their ground and fired the longest ranged attacks they could muster.
Eternatus absorbed them all.
Until a Draco Meteor slammed into its open clawed hand, eliciting a pained shriek. "Libra and Orion, aim for the hand!"
But now, Eternatus's attention was finally off Ash. Its claw violently flexed a few times, tilted side to side, then swung around to face them entirely. It tore the tattered walls off the tower like tissue paper.
Ladon's Protect sprung to life, shielding Ash from the deadly debris.
Another Draco Meteor slammed into the open claw.
It retaliated.
The shifting layers of its body split, the roiling core of energy now easily visible. The core was pulsing at a high frequency, sparking and flaring like it was overloaded. Eternatus's entire body glowed too bright.
Ash's eyes widened. "Mass Protect!"
Every single one of his Pokémon came together, throwing up shimmering green domes of energy.
It hardly mattered.
The Protects shattered, sending him and his Pokémon flying in all directions. Ash was pretty sure he heard a snap from somewhere on his body but he couldn't' be sure with all the adrenaline. He weakly pushed himself to his feet, surveying the chamber. His previous double vision faded, a wave of regular exhaustion washing over him before it too faded.
Castor, Polaris, Sagitta, Artemis, and Hemlock were down for the count. Some were at the front of the protective line, others struck the ground too harshly. Gulping, Ash was quick to return them all, especially after seeing Polaris back to normal and his arm broken.
Libra, Mirae, Styx, Orion, Bane, and Ladon regrouped and shuffled towards each other, all while keeping their eyes in the sky. Eternatus still had its claw facing them, but its coils had closed to hide its core once more.
Ash grit his teeth and tightened his loosened grip on hope.
"Let's try this again. Orion, climb on Styx's back, try to slow it down as much as you can. Ladon, if you can manage some Leech Seeds, try. Libra, Noble Roar and Screech. Mirae and Bane, did you copy that?" Ash reached out a hand to reflexively brush against Bane's hidden fur before the Zoroark darted away. Mirae nodded, but he looked uncertain. Ash limped forward and ran a hand over his head, making sure not to mess up the pearl rings around his horns.
"Go." Once again, his team attempted to slow down the gigantic creature. A few small flinches and twitches were all they got for their struggle.
Then, more Pokémon joined the fight. Charizard darted by, a Swampert balanced on its back. A Tauros and Stonjourner stomped forward and fired projectiles. Leon stepped up beside Ash, not turning to look at him, keeping his gaze plastered on Eternatus. Ash sent him a nod anyway.
A lance of combined Ice Beams from Orion and Swampert struck the creature in the center of its opened claw, eliciting a spasm from the creature. Tauros sent an incredibly precise Stone Edge that temporarily wedged the giant claw open.
"Sagitta!" The Togekiss swooped low, five claws targeting her. He watched breathlessly as Eternatus glowed once more, coils shifting away to reveal the core.
"NOW!"
Mirae screamed at the same time Bane appeared too close to the core, fur igniting from his proximity. Both burned; sparking, spitting fuschia energy popping like electricity. Both howled from the energy they'd been absorbing.
Finally it was released.
What would become known as Eternabeam blasted from their bodies, impacting the vulnerable core.
Bane fell with Eternatus.
"SAGITTA!" Togekiss dove like a torpedo, grabbing the unconscious fox in her talons as Mirae collapsed beside Ash.
Eternatus fell down, down, down.
The tower trembled and dropped as the Behemoth collapsed onto it. Ash felt weightless as the floor fell out from beneath his feet. His gasp echoed in his ears, Mirae enveloped in light, returned to the safety of his ball as Ash plummeted.
"AH!" The floor met him once more, harshly.
Something sharp pierced his side as the tower stopped crumbling. The ground shook and tilted, the west end of the tower unable to hold the chamber floor evenly. The metal beneath their feet rocked like a ship in a storm. The platform tilted, wrenching whatever found its way into his skin but keeping Ash from rolling out into the dark skies. He roared in agony, tears collecting in his eyes as something twisted in his side.
Through blurry vision, Ash frantically searched for the remainder of his team. Sagitta was powerfully pumping her wings, hanging in the air and holding tight to Bane's limp body. Styx had Orion safely on her back, and Libra was unharmed, Ladon cradled in her giant hands.
Ash sobbed with relief and pain, though it quickly deteriorated to numbness.
Eternatus floated up, a few pieces crumbling from its body and dropping to the ravaged ground below.
It once again uncoiled.
"GET DOWN!" The bellow came from Leon. By pure reflex, everyone dove behind pieces of wreckage, but watched as Eternatus charged up its attack.
Ash had nowhere to go.
Eternatus's subaudible howl of agony echoed in his ears, and his eyes were filled with blinding fuschia light. He heard Styx's shriek of panic over the roaring end.
Over the wind and rumble of the Behemoth's power, twin howls rang out.
It was quick, one moment Eternatus unleashed its overwhelming attack, the next it was reflected off two towering figures.
The blade of energy split in two, rocketing towards the unsteady walls and completely dissolving them. The detonation far, far away still shook the earth.
Ash was panting, but quickly brought his gaze around to the newcomers, their forms slowly becoming visible as the mist and dust cleared.
Lupines. Tall, muscled, and unbelievably scarred. Both had chunks bitten out of their ears, ropy scars crisscrossed along their flanks where fur grew no longer. But that's where the resemblances stopped.
One light blue, one rusty red. One sleek, one bulky. One built for speed, one built for defense. They were two halves of a whole, two sides of a coin.
The Legends. The Heroes.
The two were twice the size of Lance's Arcanine, almost as big as Styx when standing tall. They were war-torn and battle hardened and it rolled off the two in waves.
Somehow, an overwhelming sense of Protection wrapped around Ash like a blanket.
After a short pause, the two canines moved. The lighter blue one lept from each outcropping, appearing as if it was defying the forces of gravity. It glowed a bright, blinding pink, before it unleashed the most powerful Moonblast any of them had ever seen.
As Eternatus's claw followed the first Legend, the other backed up, step after step, before charging forward, building up speed, and jumped.
The Iron Head slammed into Eternatus with the force of 50 rampaging Rampardos. A number of pieces from the creature's arm broke off, falling to the region that relied on them.
However, the Behemoth was quick to recover. It swatted the bulkier Legend away, aiming and firing a Hyper Beam at the other. It managed to dodge by hardly a centimeter, the Hyper Beam soaring past, blazing like a comet miles away before it flickered out.
Styx landed heavily behind Ash, her two smaller heads frantically checking him over, growling at the pungent scent of blood. Orion hopped down, sniffing at his prone body. The Ninetales nudged Ash, flinching back when he released a cracked wail.
Styx's heads whipped around, looking for something Ash couldn't see. Black spots littered the edges of his vision, and Ash felt his heart rate rack up a notch in fear. His own gasping breaths were too loud in his ears, and the sounds of battle around him grew faded. With every shallow pant, he felt the metal scraping his insides.
Something large and pungent pressed against his body, eliciting another whimper. Sharp teeth grabbed his free hand, gently biting down on his wrist and lifting. His hand was dropped onto a rough, slimy surface.
Ash pulled.
Something lifted him, a wet sound ringing in his ears, but Ash felt disconnected from his body. He was deposited on his back, his hand still glued to what now felt gritty and rigid.
Eyes fluttered open and a gasp filled his lungs. A sliver of red and black sky peaked out from behind skeletal, writhing segments.
He felt Styx before he saw her, forked tongues flicking across his face and hair. He felt a sharp cold on his other side, Orion sniffing him and nudging his ribs. Ash moved one hand weakly down his side, feeling warm, wet fabric but no pain.
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Ash looked.
He stared at the petrified, dead Garbodor for a long time.
Styx used her wings to force Ash into a sitting position, his eyes never leaving the proof Ash had been trying to avoid. Ash had weaponized his hope against himself, telling himself the stone Gyarados was just a hallucination his frantic mind had conjured.
But Truth stared him in the face and he could lie to himself no longer.
Another crash and rumble made him close his eyes.
No time.
Ash stood, his Pokémon gathering around him.
Sagitta dropped Bane into Libra's other hand, Ladon's eye flaps lifting and staring at Ash. Orion pushed his head into Ash's quivering hand, unafraid after what he'd just witnessed. His heart stopped for a moment, but pale fingertips were all that greeted Orion's cold fur.
They all turned to watch The Darkest Day.
The lupines were on the defensive.
Both crashed into the ravaged metal floor, their sharp claws keeping them from sliding down the tilted stage. The blue one charged another Moonblast, the red one protecting the other with Wide Guard.
But Eternatus wasn't aiming for them.
It aimed for the brothers.
Leon's Stonjourner warbled in fear, slow hulking steps unable to close the distance in time. Charizard was pinned beneath metal and stone rubble, roaring in fear and heartbreak. Swampert's fins torn and bleeding and skin dry and cracking stood tall in front of the brothers.
Hop's Dubwool faced down the death sentence, protective till the end. His Cinderace's ears shivered as he braced, his Boltund pressed against Hop's leg, tail tucked between her legs.
Leon stepped in front of Hop.
But then.
A wall of Steel types blocked them all from the Behemoth's sight. A veritable barricade consisting of Copperjah, Steelix, Aggron, Ferrothorn, Magnezone, and Klinklang took the brunt of Eternatus's devastating attack, digging into the metal floor with sharp claws or powerful electromagnetism to stand strong.
Chairman Rose was leaning against a fallen wall, gasping, bloodied, and unable to put weight on his left leg. But he stood with horrified determination at the creature he unleashed. The man was sagging beneath the weight of his own guilt, but he was standing. How he survived the collapse was pure luck or fate.
Turning slightly, he dragged something out from behind him.
Ash's pack.
The sword gleamed even in the darkness of The Darkest Day, like it had its own source of light. Ash glanced around, finally managing to spot Hop among the ruins. They locked eyes; desperate, fearful, but not hopeless. No, not yet.
Abandoning his shelter, Ash gathered every bit of that hope and sprinted across the roof, sliding behind the wall Rose was using for support. He scooped up the golden sword, and felt something click into place.
Holding the sword was like his bond with Polaris, like a give and take, an equal exchange.
He strode forward, keeping the tip of the sword pointed at the Behemoth that could destroy Galar as easily as breathing if it was allowed.
If this doesn't work - whatever this is - nothing will.
He and Hop met in the middle, walking astride; the shield too heavy for him, and the sword too heavy for Ash.
The two stopped, staring up at Eternatus, then turned to the side. From Hop's left, the bulky lupine stalked forward. From Ash's right, the sleek lupine marched. There was a pull from Ash's hands, something unseen tugging at the ancient sword.
Once the blue Legend was close, so close Ash had to tilt his head back to stare in its eyes, it lowered its head and gently, so so gently, took the sword in its mouth, careful not to touch him. Glancing over, Ash saw the red Legend do the same with the shield, its teeth roughly grazing Hop's palms.
These two. These two were Zacian and Zamazenta.
The Legends closed their eyes, and it was like the world stopped breathing.
For the umpteenth time today, a tug came from Ash's chest. No, that wasn't right. The tug was coming from his lungs, his heart, his spine, coming from the very core of him, the very things that gave him life.
And the Legends began to change.
The metal chamber around them wavered, then pulled inward. It picked up speed, pieces of the ground and floor and roof grinding down to specks and collecting around the two Legends in a shimmering sheath. It melded to the lupines' fur and skin, forming helmets and protective wings and armor from the space around them.
Eternatus paused, hand flexing.
It was like Mega Evolution; the two Legends were now more. Ash hardly had a few seconds to be filled with awe by their new appearances before they were charging. He unconsciously took a step forward, seemingly pulled by an invisible string that existed between him and Zacian.
Zamazenta and Zacian suddenly vanished.
Eternatus's howl sounded like both the turbulent winds of a hurricane and the empty echo of space as it crashed back into the tower. Pieces of its body rained down from where Zamazenta crashed into it, Galar Particles fell from where Zacian sliced through its carapace.
The transformation turned the tide.
Ash, Hop, Leon, and Rose couldn't afford to watch, constantly trying to keep their footing and dodging falling debris. But every few seconds, minutes, hours, they heard a pained shriek from the Behemoth.
When he had a moment, he watched as Zacian and Zamazenta crossed the immense distance to slash at or crash into Eternatus. But each leap took energy, and each modicum of power counted.
Eyes darting around the obliterated chamber, Ash spotted Leon's Stonjourner. His heart panged when he brought up the memory of Nettle, as a tiny Poipole, and its battle against a different Stonjourner.
That could help.
"Leon! Have Stonjourner use Gravity! Zacian, Zamazenta, brace!" Even over the roaring winds and inaudible rumbling in the air, the two lupines heard.
The numerous Pokémon rushed back to their trainers while Stonjourner lumbered forward until it was directly beneath the gigantic Pokémon. Placing its legs evenly and standing so incredibly still, it began to radiate a hazy, rippling wave. Stonjourner rumbled before crying out, the wave exploding from its body to encompass the entire area.
Eternatus wavered, then came crashing down.
Stonjourner didn't move, holding the Gravity even as it threatened to be crushed. Seconds from being flattened, two bullets slammed into the Behemoth.
Throwing its momentum off course, Zacian and Zamazenta sent Eternatus crashing onto the roof of Rose Tower, demolishing the floor and multiple stories beneath. Its massive claw scrambled to latch onto something as it slipped, slipped, slipped. The tower bent under its weight, part of its body resting on the ground far below, but it held.
Cracks had appeared on its arm, pieces crumbling off and falling like stars.
In the blink of an eye, the two Legends barrelled into Eternatus. Zacian's sword slicing through the core and Zamazenta's shield crushing it beneath its might. The Behemoth bellowed in pain and relief, writhing and causing more pieces to fall.
An explosion of energy lit up the dark, a river of fuschia like a geyser rocketing up. The wave of released power erupted over Galar like a fuschia downpour.
"ASH!" His head whipped around and saw Chairman Rose bent over, reaching beneath a pile of debris. Removing his arm, the strange Pokéball Oleana had was clasped in his hand. With a surprisingly accurate throw, the man shot it towards Ash, who managed to catch it above his head.
Taking a steadying breath, Ash ran forward, wound his arm back, and threw.
For a moment, he was worried. The Pokéball was heavier, denser than what he was used to and he thought his throw would fall short.
But it clipped Eternatus on the claw, and opened wide.
The world went quiet.
A single pulse from the odd Pokéball signaled the successful capture, and Ash's legs fell out from under him.
He gasped for breath like he'd been under water too long. Shaking, his skin crawled and went numb, his fingers digging into the flesh and muscle of his legs. A warm body pressed against him, driving the chill away. Turning, Ladon stared at him with bright yellow eyes and headbutted his jaw lightly. Giving a choked laugh, Ash reached up to uselessly swipe soot off the Dragon.
Styx, Libra, Sagitta, and Orion were quick to find their way over, practically burying him in an exhausted pile of Pokémon.
A click click click of claws upon metal pierced the bubble of loud breathing. Twisting his head from where it was being used as a headrest for Orion, red eyes met yellow.
Zacian was a sight.
The Legend stood tall and imposing over Ash, at least seven feet at the shoulder. Cyan blue fur looked glossy even covered by dirt and grime. Flowing fur of rust red extended from its jawline. The metal accents protruding from its shoulder blades pulsed slowly in an invisible wind. A golden helm curved down its cheeks and across the forehead, curving back by its ears in beautiful artsmanship to look like wings.
Zacian reminded him of a Valkyrie; battlescarred and beautiful.
Styx growled, drawing Zacian's eyes and eliciting a rather amused glint. Ash shushed her and climbed to his feet. From the corner of his eye he could see Hop being approached by Zamazenta and lightly smiled when he saw the reverence on the boy's face.
Facing Zacian once more, the lupine stared into his eyes for a long moment, then opened its mouth and let the massive sword tumble out. Ash squawked and quickly caught it, the edge slicing his right hand. Hissing between his teeth, Ash grasped the handle and looked at his bleeding palm.
The edge of the sword, lightly stained red, pulsed. Then the blood was gone.
Staring uneasily at the suddenly clean edge, Ash glanced up. Zacian radiated satisfaction, lips lifted to bear its sharp teeth in an approximation of a grin. He wasn't sure what just happened, but the Legend seemed happy about it.
Let's hope it's not anything bad.
"Uh, what do I do with this?" Ash waved the sword - as much as he could - in question.
Much like when he encountered Tapu Koko, an image forced its way into his mind.
The altar in Slumbering Weald.
Zacian stared at him for a while. Holding eye contact with a Legend should be more nerve-wracking than it actually felt. Their staring contest was broken when Zamazenta nudged its counterpart. Its formerly enhanced form was now slowly seeping from its fur, the golden sheen getting duller with every second. Zacian inhaled deeply and closed its yellow eyes, metal particles falling from its own body.
Ash felt something release within his heart, having not realized it was tense to begin with. His eyelids fluttered with sudden fatigue.
After a few minutes, the two canines shook, a few remaining shining specks drifting to the ground. Now they stood, their armor removed and ready to rest. With a powerful leap, both were gone.
He bit down a noise of surprise when an elbow nudged his arm. Hop grinned, his eyes shining with disbelief at what just occurred. "We did it."
Ash nodded slowly. "We did it." He agreed.
Looking back, his five teammates were practically dead on their feet, heads drooping. "Rest, everyone. We did it." He clipped the Pokéballs to his belt, lightly dragging fingers over the capsules in pride.
Squinting a bit, Ash looked up and watched as the black clouds started to thin and fade, stars peeking through. There was groaning from the side, Chairman Rose being helped to his feet by his Aggron. The man smiled at his teammate before straightening and tugging and smoothing down his torn suit jacket.
Lifting his chin, he strode forward.
Ash and Hop narrowed their eyes, but Leon's steady hands on Hop's shoulder made them wait. The Galar Champion strode forward to meet the Chairman in the middle. Ash's eyes darted down, and in Leon's tight hold was the strange Pokéball that now held the most powerful Pokémon in the world.
Leon held it up between them. "What is this Pokéball?"
Rose swallowed. "It is a lead enforced Ultra ball, with added substances to ensure… compliance. That lead mixture both reflects and absorbs radiation. The moment Eternatus was caught within it, it began to power the capsule, keeping it contained. It was specifically created for it."
Nodding, Leon sighed. "I hope you know you will be tried. You defended us and tried to fix it, which will lessen the sentence."
"I understand."
"Oleana on the other hand-"
Looking back, Ash should have known.
It happened quickly. Something slammed into Leon, talons wrapping around the bulky Pokéball in his hand. A wave of wind blasted them backwards, Ash able to keep his feet beneath him and watching in detached disbelief.
The unfamiliar Swellow dropped the ball in an outstretched hand, chipped, crimson nails curling tightly around it. Oleana grinned, a smug baring of teeth that made Ash's blood boil. Her clothing was torn and bloodstained, a gash along her cheek and shoulder dripping and making her look half-mad.
There was a dampness on her cheeks and a thumb brushing against a now forever empty Pokéball.
Ash opened his mouth, lips forming an order, but in the next moment, Oleana disappeared; a slight warping of the air was the only proof of Teleport.
"NO!" Leon's hand was outstretched as the woman blinked out of existence. He was frozen in that stance, murmuring "No, no, no, no," under his breath as if he could deny what just happened.
The realization settled heavy and silent in their hearts. Their victory hadn't been a victory at all.
Acceptance settled heavy in Ash's gut. He really should have known. Quietly, but loud enough for the others to hear, Ash recited their fate;
"Fell'd by the darkest day
Yester's estranged will defend
But the shackled of this wicked tale
Will be forced to take again"
"What… what did you say? What is that?" Leon's voice was thick and rough, holding back despair but hardly succeeding.
"I was given a prophecy at the beginning of my journey. This was part four of six. The other three have already… been accurate."
Leon was fuming. Inhaling sharp and furious, he took a threatening step forward. "You mean to tell me you knew this would happen?"
Ash wasn't about to put up with this crap. Rotating his wrist, he brought the point of the sword up, inches from the Champion's chest. "Don't give me that Tauros shit." He growled lowly. Wow, he really had a tendency to piss off Champions. "How was I supposed to know who was 'shackled'? It could have been Chairman Rose, it could have been you, it could have been me, it could have been a fucking Caterpie! Hindsight is 20-20 Mr. Champion! It's not like the prophecy said I had to watch out for an all powerful Pokémon being stolen by a crazy lady! So shut the fuck up and stop finding someone to blame. It sure won't be me." He sneered and turned away. He stalked towards where his backpack was buried beneath rubble. Dropping the legendary sword, he fished the pack out and chugged lukewarm water from his bottle.
The prophecies never made sense until after the fact. They were practically useless. Ash had been hopeful 'yester's estranged' meant Nettle… but it had been Chairman Rose. Everything is always so obvious looking back. 'Enduring flame' is Houndoom's fire, 'life's slumber' was fucking Xerneas. There's no way to predict anything because it could be a million and one possibilities.
Or at least that's what he keeps telling himself.
Even if he took Sabrina's prophecy literally and believed the Darkest Day was coming around again, how was he meant to stop it? How was he meant to know Rose had been putting an all-powerful Pokémon back together like a fucking jigsaw puzzle?
Maybe Ash wasn't meant to avoid all this destruction. Maybe there was a reason he was claimed by Yveltal and not Xerneas.
Maybe the prophecy was just a taunt, a taunt telling him fate was inevitable.
You can't hide from fate-
Ash shook his head, the memory hazy.
Growling under his breath Ash put his water away and did his best to dust off his pack. The sword was left haphazardly lying on the dented floor. He pinched the bridge of his nose, angry that the triumphant high of saving Galar was thrashed so completely.
Wanting to keep the sword close for the time being, Ash shouldered his pack and scooped up the weapon, its weight still too heavy in his hand.
Hop was ignoring Leon, his back turned to his older brother while the man spoke on his phone. Rose was sitting beside his Pokémon, soaking up his last few hours with them as a free man. Approaching him, Ash stopped a few feet away, waiting until the CEO acknowledged him.
"Mr. Ketchum."
"Rose. Who were the benefactors?"
"Excuse me?"
"Before, when Oleana said she rigged the tournament. Who were the benefactors she was talking about?"
Rose looked stricken and pale and guilty, wringing his hands before he finally spoke in barely a whisper, "Rainbow Rocket."
Woo, that was fun!
I feel like it's important for people to know I adore happy endings, so… take that as you will
The government is totally keeping an eye on me after how much research I did on radiation. Did I bend some concepts and poorly simplify it all? Yes.
Rose and Oleana were able to direct Eternatus's ability to absorb particulate radiation at first [Sellafield was the site of a nuclear power plant issue in the UK] It then switched to electromagnetic radiation. First was ultraviolet [hence why it's called the Darkest Day] and then thermal radiation from living beings.
Ash's official title is now "Champion Provoker," we got Lance, Diantha, Kukui, and Leon all getting pissed off at Ash at some point. It's a talent.
Again, unsure why some chapters aren't showing up, maybe try clearing cache and cookies?
Next chapter, the aftermath, a gift, and back to Kanto