//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 – Dark Skies Ahead // Story: Pokémon Eclipse // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Gladion kept his sights on the land east of Hau’oli City as Melemele Island quickly approached them. Rainbow Dash hadn’t broken a sweat the entire flight, but the same could not be said of Gladion’s Ride Charizard. Upon seeing the land coming up, the Charizard moaned with exhaustion, dipping slightly as they were just about a mile away from being above the western shores. Gladion pet his Charizard’s neck. “We’re almost there. We can rest in just a few minutes.” A second groan, not as reverberant but nonetheless as loud, sounded off behind him from Pinkie Pie’s stomach. “We should also get something to eat. I’m sorry, Gladion, but those granola bars were not really that filling.” “Where exactly are we even going anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked. “We’re going to see a friend of mine,” Gladion explained. “He can tell us where Starlight and Fluttershy are.” “And you’re certain we can trust him?” “Yes. Though it doesn’t seem we have much choice. My Charizard needs some rest and you clearly need to eat something.” He then smirked fondly. “He’s the kind of person who always keeps a stocked fridge.” “Well, you know what they say!” Pinkie Pie quipped. “The best way to a pony’s heart is through lots of yummy free food! Or, something like that.” By now, the three of them were already flying just north of the Hau’oli Beachfront, and the wooden buildings of Iki Town were visible behind the trees. Gladion kept his eyes trained on the stone platform outside Hau’s home, where he found him dueling with Makana. Hau had his Hariyama out while Makana’s Pokémon appeared to be a large wolf with sandy-brown fur and a long, fluffy white tail. Even from their heights, Gladion could tell that both Pokémon looked tired. “Charizard, stay.” The charizard moaned as it flew in place above the battle. Rainbow Dash flew in place beside it, looking annoyed. “What’s the holdup?” “Their battle’s almost over,” Gladion said. “Let’s wait until the other trainer leaves before we go down.” “Ugh, fine…” Pinkie Pie peered over the Charizard’s other shoulder as the three of them looked down to observe the battle. Gladion looked down on Hau, wondering what kind of moves he’d make to finish the duel in his favor. “Lycanroc,” Makana called, “Accelerock!” Lycanroc appeared to vanish, only to suddenly appear before the Hariyama and swipe at it with its claws. Hau was ready. “Hariyama, use Heavy Slam!” Hariyama shifted its right leg bag, about to push, but Makana was also prepared. “Hurry, dodge it!” As Hariyama thrust its body forward, the Lycanroc climbed up on Hariyama’s head and pulled itself just over its body with a single frontflip. As the Lycanroc landed on its paws, Hariyama stopped its advance once it realized its target was no longer there. “That’s it!” Makana cheered. “Let’s finish this. Use Accelerock!” Hau had to get there first. “Hariyama, Close Combat!” Using its momentum to push its foot to the ground, Hariyama began to swing its body around, just as the Lycanroc disappeared and appeared before it. As it got halfway, Hariyama was hit by the Lycanroc’s attack, but followed through. With a thrust of its massive palm, Lycanroc was struck hard in the face and upper chest, being flung down to Hau where it slid to a stop just at its feet. Makana knew his Pokémon did not survive the attack, and he ran past Hariyama and slid down on his knees before his fainted Pokémon. Cradling its head in his arms, he took out his Poké Ball and returned it inside. “One day,” Makana promised it. “One day we’ll get him. Thank you.” “You were much closer this time, man,” Hau said as Makana stood to face him. “Perhaps you need to train your Slowpoke just a little more too and you’ll have it.” “Right. Maybe by the time he’s a Slowbro, I’ll have a shot.” “I wouldn’t count on waiting that long.” Up above, Charizard moaned louder and began to descend, panting as its wingbeats became even more labored. From below, the Charizard’s cries made Hau and Makana look up to see Gladion and Pinkie coming down on Charizard’s back. Rainbow Dash flew down alongside Gladion, looking incredibly annoyed. “Gladion,” she hissed. “I thought you said–” “Doesn’t look like my Charizard can wait that long,” he answered. “We’re coming down.” Hau smirked once he saw Gladion’s hair past the Charizard’s body, as well as the blue pegasus flying close beside him. Once the Charizard landed, Gladion and Pinkie Pie hopped off of it while Rainbow Dash set herself down beside Pinkie Pie. Gladion brought back his Charizard and retuturned the metal Poké Ball into his Ride Pager. “More of them, I see.” Makana crossed his arms with a fond smile on his face. “Hey!” Pinkie Pie, in a movement much like Makana’s Lycanroc’s Accelerock, appeared before Hau and Makana, the latter hopping back with sudden surprise. “Have you seen a pair of ponies just like us except one has wings like Rainbow Dash but she’s yellow and one who’s pink kind of like me except she has a horn so I guess they’re not quite like us at all?” “You mean Starlight and Fluttershy?” “Eeee! You do know where they are?” “I do,” Hau said. “They’re no longer on this island.” Pinkie Pie kept her happy demeanor, but her eye suddenly twitched. “…What?” “As I’m sure Gladion has told you, the ponies you’re looking for have already befriended a pair of younger trainers and have continued on to Akala Island to look for the others.” Rainbow Dash slowly turned to Gladion, the light in his eyes slowly draining. “Gladion, you never told us that.” “I had hoped that they’d still be on the island and we could find them before they had a chance to leave,” he explained. Hau shook his head. “No, man. They each defeated me yesterday in the Grand Trial and they took the ferry out last night.” “Who are these ‘trainers?’” Rainbow Dash asked, flustered. “How do we know they can be trusted?” “They can be trusted. In fact, they’re the reason why Gladion and I, as well as the other trial captains, Kahunas, and the trainers at the Pokémon League know about Team Prism. I have to believe that Gladion told you about them, right?” “…Well, kinda’, but that’s no excuse for not telling us about these two trainers.” “In any case,” Hau said, “your other two friends are safe with them.” Gladion pressed his lips together, Hau’s remark sounding sour in his ears. “The ponies aren’t the only reason we’re here. My Charizard has been flying me around for the better part of the whole day and needs to rest. Also, these ponies haven’t had any real food to eat since they got here.” Hau suddenly brightened like a Christmas tree, placing his arms over and behind his back. “Why didn’t you say so?! Let’s go to my place! Makana? Would you like to come?” Makana gasped slightly over suddenly being recognized, but smirked cooly shortly after. “Sorry. I have to go and train some more. We’ll be back, Hau. I’m going to beat your trial eventually!” “I look forward to it. See ya’ next time!” Makana waved as he jogged away and to the end of town. “So, you’re friends of Starlight and Fluttershy.” Hau casually put his fists at his side. “What are your guys’ names?” “Me? I’m Rainbow Dash!” the pegasus said with a proud flap of her wings. “And I’m Pinkie Pie!” she exclaimed, hopping up on Rainbow Dash’s back. “Nice,” Hau replied with a nod. “Like I said, I should have plenty of food at my place. Follow me.” Hau called back his Hariyama and led the way to his house. Once she realized which house they were headed to, Rainbow Dash was won over by the size of the place, her open mouthed smile getting wider. Once Hau opened the doors, both ponies were the first to walk inside, marveling over the authenticity and craftsmanship of the place. “Holy crud!” Rainbow Dash gasped. “You live here?” “Yeah,” Hau said. “This house has been passed down from Kahuna to Kahuna until it got passed down to me.” “That’s so cool!” Pinkie Pie squeaked. “…What’s a Kahuna?” “They’re the ones that protect the island and everything on it. As Kahuna, I also serve as the last challenge a trainer must face on Melemele during their Island Trials. But enough about me, let’s get you guys fed. Make yourself at home while I whip something up.” Hau strolled into the kitchen, leaving Gladion, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie alone. Gladion went over to the couch and sat himself down, the ponies following him to lay down on the sofas on either side of him. Rainbow Dash leaned and tilted her head toward him. “So… who exactly are these Team Prism guys?” “They sound like some cool hippity-hoppy dance team!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “But… I’m guessing that’s not what they are, right?” “Not at all.” Gladion put his fingers on his forehead, concentrating. “According to Hau, they’re a group of Psychic-type Pokémon users who are trying to kidnap you and your friends. Why, I have no idea.” “W– w– wait a minute!” Rainbow sat back up in her seat. “You haven’t even seen these guys yet?” “No, and I really don’t want to. And if they’re as fearsome as Hau made them out to be in his call to me this morning, neither do you.” “Well, it’s kind of hard to know what we’re up against if we don’t even know what they can do.” “I’ll tell you what they can do.” Hau’s voice left everyone turning back to the kitchen doorway. Hau carried in a large plate with eight sandwich halves with a layer of egg salad as thick as the two slices of bread holding it. “I’m super sorry, but I forgot that your friends already ate a bunch of my food, and all I had was this leftover egg salad.” “It’s still free, right?” Pinkie Pie grabbed a wedge with her teeth before Hau could set the plate down on the table. “Free food is still good food!” “I like the enthusiasm.” Pinkie Pie swallowed her first sandwich half after a few chews. “I like the sandwiches, Hau! May I have another?” “Yes, please! I made two for everyone.” Rainbow Dash ignored Pinkie Pie as they both took their own sandwich from the plate. “Hold on! Did you say you know what Team Prism can do?” “Yes, but I’m certain it’s nothing that Gladion couldn’t have told you.” “Gladion could have told– So, you haven’t seen them either?” “No, but one of the trainers that Starlight and Fluttershy went with gave me some interesting details. Have you by chance seen Gladion use Z-Power?” “I’m pretty sure it has something to do with that Z-Move his Pokémon did this morning, right?” Pinkie Pie asked, licking her lips over the second sandwich. “I guess so,” Hau said to himself. “Anyway, those kinds of moves are only usable by people who wear a Z-Ring, which are only made with stones granted to someone from the island guardian.” “Island guardian?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “They haven’t met Poni Island’s guardian,” Gladion explained, his right cheek half-stuffed with sandwich. “They ran off before it could catch up.” “Oh… well then. Team Prism are in possession of artificial, human-made Z-Rings that allow them to draw Z-Power for Z-Moves. In great numbers, they can deal a ton of damage.” “And you let those two trainers go off to Akala Island in spite of that?” “I don’t see why I wouldn’t. They both survived their first encounter, and they were each able to beat me on their first tries at the Grand Trial. As much as you’d hate to admit it, my friend, those two trainers are strong enough to–” “They’re NOT strong enough!” Gladion slammed his palm upon the table, the sudden volume of his voice, the bang of the wood, and the clatter of the plate shocked the entire room into silence. Gladion’s grimace grew longer and more furious as Hau, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie refused to break the silence. Just then, he bowed his head down, a look of calm regret replacing his anger, and he set the last bite of his sandwich down on the plate. Standing up, he began to walk to the door. “I’m sorry, but I cannot be the one to take you to Akala Island.” “What are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash shot off her chair and took a couple of steps toward him. “What’s wrong with you?” “Gladion?” Pinkie Pie also slid off her chair and joined her friend’s side. Hau stood up as well, unsure what Gladion could say in this moment. Gladion stopped, his hand upon the door’s handle. “There’s… something I should have told–” *WOCKPH* The doors violently swung open by themselves, the vaccum created by the pull tripping Gladion to the floor. From the outside, he could see five hooded figures in black hoodies surrounding the house in a semi-circle. Standing in the center beside another hooded figure was a creature similar in appearance to a Kadabra, though taller, possessing stronger, broader legs as well as two spoons in each hand. The creature held up both spoons, which began to glow. Gladion turned back to the ponies to see them both covered in a silver light and lifted off the ground, being pulled screaming and flailing through the doors and outside. “Rainbow Dash!” Gladion cried. “Pinkie Pie!” Gladion charged outside, leaving Hau behind. Stepping onto the front porch, he looked on with teeth grit in a hateful scowl as the creature in the center held both ponies in each of its hands. Rainbow Dash squirmed and swung herself with all her might, but the creature’s grip was too tight. “Gladion! Help… us!” “You were right!” Pinkie Pie cried out. “These guys are really mean!” Gladion widened his stance and placed a hand on one of his Poké Balls. “Let them go right now, you bastards!” “Sorry, Gladion!” The person in the center had a high-pitched voice like it was spoken through a broken microphone. “We got all we came here for, and now we have to be off. Alakazam, Tele–” “Pangoro, Thief!” Before anyone outside could register whose voice that was, Gladion suddenly realized he was standing in the way, leaping off to the right. Charging out the door on all fours was a gargantuan black bear with white fur on its head and stomach, a longer fringe of black fur hanging off its back like some kind of cloak. It’s coal-black eyes struck fear into the Alakazam holding the ponies, buying the Pangoro enough time to leap from Hau’s porch and straight in front of the Alakazam. With its hands held around the lower half of the ponies’ bodies, the Pangoro stood up and delivered a swift kick to the Alakazam’s head, the hit disorienting it into letting the ponies go, where they safely fell into his palms. Pinkie Pie looked up to her savior with a sense of wonder before giggling almost uncontrollably. “You’re cute!” The Pangoro looked down to her with its intimidating frown, but even with its angry eyes, managed to pull off a toothy smile, happy for the compliment. Hau ran outside next to Gladion as he saw the grunts beginning to pull out their own Poké Balls. The two shared a look before Gladion took out his own Poké Ball. The grunts began calling out their own Pokémon. “Come on out, Hypno!” Two grunts threw theirs at the same time. “Go, Espeon!” “Let’s do this, Bruxish!” “Show them what you’re made of, Oranguru!” Along with the colorful floating fish from the fourth grunt’s ball and the white and violet ape that belong to the fifth, the first grunt’s Pokémon appeared to be a yellow bipedal creature with a white, furry collar, a long nose, and two long ears, holding a pendulum in its left hand. The two Pokémon that came from the second and third grunts’ Poké Balls both shared the appearance of a purple lanky, hairless cat with forked tail, a red gem in the center of its forehead, and tufts of fur jutting out just beneath each ear. “Simple,” Gladion grunted, detaching one of his own Poké Balls. “Go, Silvally!” Gladion’s chimeric Pokémon emerged, the membrane on its tailfin and the spines in the back of its head colored black. It landed beside Hau’s Pangoro, facing the area behind it. Just then, each grunt scattered off through the town, their Pokémon trailing not too far behind them. “Silvally! Let’s hunt!” Gladion jumped from the porch and followed his Pokémon as it went after the group’s leader and their Alakazam. Hau ran to his Pangoro as it let Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie down. “Are you guys okay?” “We sure are, thanks to you,” Rainbow Dash answered as she brushed herself off with her wings. “You both need to hide. I’m sorry, but I have to stop them!” Hau sprinted off into the town, his Pangoro running alongside him. Rainbow Dash reached out to him, but put her arm down as he and his Pokémon disappeared behind the buildings. Pinkie Pie began to trot into a gallop, but was pulled back by Rainbow Dash with her mouth biting down her tail. “What are you doing, Pinkie? Hau told us to hide!” “That’s probably what these Prism meanies expect us to do. Besides, we’ve been through rougher scrapes than this!” Rainbow Dash looked out where most of the grunts ran off, slowly smirking as she did. Gladion kept his sights on the lead grunt and his Alakazam, running down the hill where the homes and stores formed a labyrinth down to the end of town. As he continued following them through the winding path, a sudden burst of snow and ice shot out between two of the homes, tripping Silvally and sending its front forward, flipping it onto its back. Gladion gasped and slid to a stop to see his Pokémon felled so easily. Turning into the alley, he found a grunt and their Bruxish smiling at him. Pulling her hood off, she revealed herself and her hot-purple bobbed hair. An elderly woman, hearing the commotion, stepped outside to see what the matter was. Seeing Gladion and his downed Silvally, he jerked his sights back to her. “Get back inside!” he barked. “It’s not safe.” The woman moaned, close to swooning as she stumbled inside and closed the door. The grunt refocused her attention to her vulnerable foe. “Bite him,” she ordered. Gladion balled his fists and held them up as the fish swam at him with its maw wide open. Just then, Silvally stepped in between them, allowing the Bruxish to bite the metallic joint on the side of its jaw. With a whip of its head, the Bruxish was flung back to the grunt. With a smirk, the grunt ran at the two of them and prepared to jump. Gladion and Silvally could only watch as she suddenly soared and flipped forward several feet over them, Gladion noting the slight magenta glow around her body as the Bruxish flew close beside her. Landing nimbly on her feet, she turned back to them and chuckled. “Try and catch me now!” Immediately, both trainers and both Pokémon gave chase. The two grunts with their Espeons split off in several directions at a time. While the grunts split off and separated on the paths, weaving around townsfolk with virtually no opposition, the Espeons leapt from rooftop to rooftop, using their psychic powers to lift themselves to buildings across the dirt road. The grunts finally came to an intersection where they were set to intersect. Just then, a large shape landed down in the unpopulated center of the crossing, launching a cloud of dust into the air, frightening grunt and citizen of Iki alike. Once the cloud cleared, Pangoro faced both grunts, who were soon guarded by their Espeons, both hissing at him. Hopping off the bear’s back, Hau walked circles around it, looking into the faces of each of the bystanders frozen with fear and intrigue. “Everybody, get inside somewhere! Don’t come out until I say so!” It was clear the situation had to be dangerous, and at once, each of the people quickly shuffled away to the nearest building they could find. Hau then faced both grunts, the fury in his eyes making the Espeons hiss again. “You must be very desperate to come to my town to stir up trouble.” “We’re just here for those ponies,” one grunt, a male said, taking his hood off to reveal dark brown skin with buzzed short hair. “We wouldn’t have come to this if you hadn’t attacked us.” “Besides…” The other grunt, a female, took off her own hood revealing black hair tied back in a short ponytail. “…they’re just simple townsfolk. Who cares if they get caught in the crossfire?” Hau kept steadfast. “They still live on my island, and as Kahuna, I refuse to let you harm them.” “Hmhm, cute. Espeon, Dazzling Gleam!” The gem in the female grunt’s Espeon’s forehead shone bright, rays of harsh pink light shining into Pangoro and its face. The bear dug the claws of its feet into the ground, shielding its eyes. The male grunt reached out. “Espeon, Grass Knot!” With a glow of its gem, the other Espon summoned two vines out from the ground that shackled the Pangoro’s wrists from its face. The gem gleamed once more, and the vines receded back into the earth, throwing Pangoro down to its stomach and holding him there. “Come on, buddy. Come on, buddy!” Hau quickly spoke. “Do the best bicep curl of your life!” The grunts watched as the Pangoro crawled its legs up toward its wrists. “Espeon, another Dazzling Gleam!” The bright shine of the Espeon’s attack nearly flung Pangoro back to the ground, but it managed to keep its left foot in place. Despite the onslaught of the Dazzling Gleam, Pangoro fought through it, getting to its feet and slowly pulling the vines up, unwinding to attempt to stand straight. By the time the female grunt’s Espeon could no longer hold its attack, Pangoro pulled up again, roaring loudly as the vines were torn out from the ground, the roots holding large clumps of dirt like a ball and chain. Hau smiled at the happenstance. “Alright, Pangoro, use Brutal Swing!” Pangoro also smirked as it swung its arms out, sending his two makeshift weapons out as well. With a clap of its hands, the vines swung in, the dirt aimed at both Espeons standing in between it. They were too stunned to move as the dirt hit both Espeons and slammed them against each other, the dirt and dust exploding off the vines. Pangoro slipped the vines off its wrists and flexed as it looked to the two Espeon’s buried under the dirt, both fainted from the attack. Both grunts called back their Pokémon, seething as Hau and Pangoro approached both of them. A loud whistle sounded off to their right, and the two grunts immediately leapt up, flying high to the elevated level of the town where a messy brown-haired grunt with his Hypno awaited. Once both grunts had made it up, Hypno dropped them both, allowing the four of them to continue running. “Hey!” Hau clung to Pangoro’s cloak fur, and with a crouch, it bounded up to the edge of the rock wall, climbing up the rest of the way as Hau hopped off, allowing the two to chase them. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie galloped around, turning their heads into every crevice and gap between houses. Once they reached the last pair of buildings before the next slope down, Rainbow Dash led Pinkie Pie in between them, where they stopped. From the edge, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie could see clouds of smoke and dust where Gladion and Hau were doing battle. “What should we do?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Looks like Gladion and Hau are good down there,” she whispered. “We’ll fly down low to the next part down and take any of those Prism jerks by surprise–” She was suddenly interrupted by Pinkie Pie’s screams, and Rainbow Dash turned just fast enough to see her get lifted and then pulled in above one of the houses. “Pinkie!” She leapt up and instantly stopped to hover so that she was face to face with a pale, bald muscular grunt and his Oranguru with Pinkie Pie in its tight grasp, both balanced on the roof. “You should have just hid,” he said to her before laughing. Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth in anger. “Give her back!” Shooting forward with incalculable speed, she swung her lower body out and put her back right hoof out, kicking the Oranguru square in the jaw. The hit made the Oranguru let go of the pink pony and knock itself into its trainer sending them over the side. While Rainbow Dash caught Pinkie Pie to keep from sliding off, the Oranguru caught itself and its trainer before they hit the ground and floated themselves to their feet. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie crawled to the edge of the roof to see the state of their attackers, only for the Oranguru’s open palm to be aimed to them. Quickly retreating, they were just inches away from a portion of the roof and side of the house to suddenly get ripped away by Oranguru’s Psychic attack. A man in his mid-fifties opened the door of his bedroom, only to see the large gaping hole where his back wall and dresser used to be. He stumbled to the edge with his hands on his head with great sadness. He looked down to the grunt and Oranguru surrounded by debris and discarded clothing down below looking up where his roof was rather than the damage he caused. “You can’t stay there forever!” he shouted. “I’ll raze this whole house long before you can try!” “You–” The man pointed down with a trembling hand. “You destroyed my home!” “This doesn’t concern you, old man!” Rainbow Dash turned to Pinkie Pie, and before she could ask her what she could do, she was already staring Rainbow Dash dead in the eyes with a blue cannon with purple wheels and yellow flowers decorated on them suddenly sitting beside her. Rainbow Dash nodded, agreeing with whatever her friend had planned. “Giving you to the count of three!” the grunt shouted. Pinkie Pie’s voice broke out first. “Okay! Three!” Pinkie Pie rode the cannon off the side of the hole in the roof, Rainbow Dash holding it steady for Pinkie Pie to aim. The grunt and his Oranguru could not believe what they were seeing. “What the f–” Pinkie slammed the purple button on the back, instantly blasting a heavy stream of confetti at both of them that blew them to the ground. Rainbow Dash swooped up, allowing Pinkie Pie to safely land her cannon down and drift to a stop. Both could see that neither the grunt nor his Pokémon with their lazy, fainted eyes would be getting up any time soon, but with him taken care of, they felt comfortable in going back down to assist their other friends. “X-Scissor!” Gladion’s Silvally reeled both talons back at the Bruxish it chased, cornering it and its trainer between two buildings walled off from behind by the rocky elevation. As Silvally swung both arms diagonally down, it’s claws glowed a bright mustard-yellow, though the Bruxish managed to float up just above the attack. The grunt thrust her pointed finger forward. “Bruxish, quick! Scald!” With a deep inhale, the Bruxish blasted a hefty torrent of water at Silvally, the force making it slide back. Steam snaked around Silvally’s body and blew hard into Gladion, making him cover his eyes as the boiling hot water soaked his hoodie. Just being able to peak over one of his arms, he saw as the Bruxish lifted itself and its trainer up to the top of the elevation with its Psychic power. Gladion spun so that the steam could now hit his back. “Silvally, Multi Attack!” Crouching low, Silvally leapt up straight at Bruxish, who couldn’t see Silvally through its Scald’s stream and with a swing of its claws, a black aura trailing behind them, struck the Bruxish and caused it to faint. With nothing to hold her, the grunt and her Bruxish fell to the top edge of the elevation and tumbled forward, the former about to land on her head. However, Silvally landed before them and caught them both safely on his back, sliding them roughly off and to the ground. The grunt picked her Bruxish up and hugged it close, looking up at Gladion and Silvally from her seated position. “You stay here,” he ordered. Silvally growled at her, reinforcing its trainer’s point. Before they could run to get others, the footsteps of four sets of legs came toward him. He then spotted the two grunts with the Espeon’s running alongside the brown-haired grunt and his Hypno. Gladion took out another Poké Ball. “Weavile, Night Slash!” Gladion’s black-and-red weasel Pokémon emerged from the light from Gladion’s ball, sprinting out at the brown-haired grunt’s Hypno with its arms held out behind. The grunts and the Hypno saw it approach, coming to a sudden stop. “Hypno, Fire Punch!” On its trainer’s command, the Hypno swung the pendulum around its hand until it wrapped all the way around. With the coin hanging from it dangling from the knuckles, it ran and thrust its closed fist forward, the coin growing red hot before it engulfed the Pokémon’s fist in flames. Weavile was far too focused to not see the attack coming, and with it closing on its opponent’s fist, it leapt up over the Hypno’s arm, swinging its white claw in to cut at the Hypno’s head, leaving three black marks across the front of its face. “Silvally, Multi Attack!” The Hypno paid no attention to Gladion’s command as it clutched its stinging face, unable to see as Silvally slashed at its ribs, sending it to the ground fainted. The brown-haired grunt called his Pokémon back, trying to turn back to escape with the other two grunts, only for Hau to appear in their way with his Pangoro. “Hey, come on!” Hau exclaimed, feigning light-heartedness. “You’re leaving the party already?” The grunts looked back to Gladion, his Silvally and Weavile on either side of him. Rainbow Dash flew down from an elevation with Pinkie Pie, the bald grunt, and the Oranguru barely balanced on her back. Upon landing beside Gladion, Pinkie Pie got off, allowing Rainbow Dash to buck the grunt and his Pokémon back to the other three grunts. They both managed to weakly get up and join the others. Gladion looked back to the wall, where the purple-haired grunt pushed herself further back into the wall with her Bruxish. Gladion glanced down to the ponies. “Nicely done, you two.” “Would hate not to participate,” Rainbow Dash explained. “Nice rhyme,” Pinkie Pie whispered to her friend. “Enough!” Gladion, his Pokémon, and the ponies turned back to the source of the electronically-mangled voice, finding the grunt’s leader with their Alakazam. “I didn’t think I’d have to use this while pitting five of us against two of you…” “We helped too, you jerk!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “…but now you’ll have to face this!” The grunt held up their arms, crossing them in front of their veiled face, unveiling their synthetic Z-Ring with a bright-pink gem inside. Putting his arms down and stretching them out, crossed over, he then swung his arms out and reconnected his hands at the center, forming a heart-shaped hole with his fingers. Immediately, Gladion and Hau’s eyes widened with fear. “Gladion, get out of there!” Hau screamed. Gladion grit his teeth as he held his ground, his Pokémon stepping in front of him. The grunt finished their moves by standing on one foot and holding their arms up and out to the side, finishing by bending their left knee and elbows in and their wrists out. Dark red energy shot out from the grunt’s body, enveloping their Alakazam with the aura. “You know what’s coming now,” the grunt giggled. “Take it’s full strength! Akakazam, Twinkle Tackle!” The red energy brightened, becoming pink. With a lunge, the Alakazam threw its arms out, its fists and spoons forming bright tails like comets that propelled it like a rocket. Upon reaching Weavile and Silvally, Alakazam threw its arms in, striking both Pokémon in the chests with sparkling blasts, throwing them back. The force of the blast threw Gladion off of his feet as well, and he screamed in pain as he flew back with his Pokémon. “Gladion, no!” the ponies screamed in tandem Gladion, Silvally, and Weavile tumbled limply to a stop in front of the four grunts, who then formed a ring around him along with the purple-haired grunt. Hau ran forward with Pangoro, only for one of the Espeons to appear from the ring, standing guard. Hau looked to the black male grunt and the black-haired female grunt, waving her hand with several revives held between her fingers. “Your Pangoro isn’t strong enough to survive another Dazzling Gleam,” the grunt’s leader spoke, “and certainly not fast enough to avoid it. You and Gladion have both lost, and now, we shall collect our prize. Alakazam?” With red sparks popping all over Alakazam’s body, it slowly and weakly attempted to form an “X” with its spoons. Rainbow Dash turned back to face it, her face contorting into one of pure fury. With a shriek and a frenzied flapping of her wings, she shot out at it just as Alakazam could hold it just inches from its face. Rainbow Dash continued flying, pushing against Alakazam’s Psychic hold. As the grunts and the Espeon and Oranguru watched on, Hau blinked quickly, realizing his chance. “Brutal Swing, now!” Pangoro heard his call, and with a wave of its arm, it struck the Espeon in the side just as it turned around to face it. It fainted before its body stopped rolling. The other grunts soon became aware of Hau’s surprise attack. The black-haired female grunt quickly began to pass out her Revives, giving one to the purple-haired girl and the black male grunt as the bald grunt sprayed his Oranguru with a Super Potion. Before she could give one to the brown-haired male grunt, he and she were both blasted with inflated balloons and confetti, knocking them both out. Just as the black male grunt took out his fainted Espeon and fed it a Revive, Pangoro grabbed the Espeon by the scruff of the neck and threw it at the purple-haired girl’s revived Bruxish, knocking both out again. As Pinkie Pie prepared to blast her cannon again, the bald grunt’s refreshed Oranguru threw and held the cannon up into the air, leaving Pinkie with nothing to defend itself. Stepping forward, the bald grunt gripped Pinkie Pie by the throat and held her up, his eyes wide and his lips spread out to reveal each tooth in its mouth. As Pinkie Pie gasped for air, Pangoro swung a low uppercut into the Oranguru’s lower jaw, throwing it back. Still focused on Pinkie Pie, the bald grunt didn’t see Hau running up from behind him, leaping up and climbing one step up on his back, giving Hau just enough height to then kick the grunt in the temple, sending him unconscious to the ground with Pinkie Pie. As Hau pulled Pinkie Pie away, her cannon landing roughly back on the ground, Rainbow Dash continued fighting against the Alakazam. With sparks still shocking its body, the Alakazam strained one last time before its strength gave way, Rainbow Dash finally flying forward and punching the Alakazam in the face. As their Pokémon fell, the grunt’s leader backed away one step, observing Rainbow Dash standing before him with Pinkie Pie and Hau standing up to join Rainbow Dash’s side. The Alakazam slowly rolled to its side, only managing to get up on one knee. The grunt’s leader hissed in distress. “Alakazam, Flash!” With all of its strength, Alakazam held its spoons up, producing a blinding light that Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Hau were forced to shield their eyes from with their arms. After several seconds, the light piercing through their eyelids dissipated, and when they all opened their eyes, the grunt’s leader, the Alakazam, as well as the grunts and their Pokémon had all vanished. Hau spread his legs and doubled over, his hands on his knees for support. “You’re okay, Pinkie Pie?” “Yeah,” she panted. “That was really scary. I don’t want to do that again.” “Yeah… me neither.” Hau then looked to Pangoro, who also slouched its body and breathed heavily from exhaustion. “You were awesome, man. Get some rest.” Hau aimed his Ultra Ball at his Pokémon and returned it inside. Rainbow Dash looked to see both of her friends okay, but found Gladion and his Silvally and Weavile still lying unconscious on the ground. “Gladion! Gladion!” She galloped toward him, leading Hau and Pinkie Pie to tend to him as well. Rainbow Dash sunk to her shins, the sight of him and his fallen Pokémon proving to be too much for her to bear. “Is he okay?” Rainbow Dash spat, her voice choking with oncoming tears. Hau got to his knees and put his ear to his chest, sighing with relief. “I hear breathing and a heartbeat.” “Is he going to be okay?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Oh, yeah.” Hau took out a Max Revive from his jacket pocket and put it inside Silvally’s mouth. “We just need to get him back to my place.” Silvally lazily rolled onto its stomach, nuzzling its face into Hau’s face and chest as thanks for reviving it. Hau got up and picked Gladion’s body up, much to Silvally’s concern. After laying him across its back, Silvally stood up and waited for Hau to scoop up the Weavile and cradle it in his arms. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go home.” Hau, the ponies, and Silvally walked their way back up to the top of the hill. As they went, Rainbow Dash came closer to Hau. “Hey,” she said to him. “Before we were attacked, Gladion was about to say something to us. Do you have any idea what it was?” Hau emotionlessly nodded. “Yes, I do. However, he can explain himself when he wakes up.” Rainbow Dash looked back to Silvally and its trainer riding on its back. Somehow, she could just feel that the wait for him to awaken would be somehow more agonizing than they battle they had all barely endured.