Starlight and Lady led the way through the store, her horn and its feelers glowing to provide plenty of light to navigate the maze of aisles and racks that had been set up. As Fluttershy stayed close to Alice’s side, the echoing sound of jingling keys from some unknown corner made her hyperventilate.
“Is it too late for me to go back with Nanu?” she whimpered.
“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” Alice cooed. “We shouldn’t have to be in here for very long.”
“I sure hope not…”
Turning a corner around another isle, Sam looked over to see a brighter blue patch reflecting Starlight’s illumination on the bottoms of one of the shelves. Walking past Starlight and Lady, he and Doublade went over to the spot and knelt down, seeing a pink spray bottle resting on a frosted over spot.
“Oh, a Hyper Potion! Could use one of these.” Sam reached for the bottle, only for Lady to pull it away as it and Starlight came near.
“Sam, careful! That could be some sort of trap!”
Sam tugged his hand back. “Okay, and worst case scenario, I have an Absol in perfect health that will help fight whatever Pokémon I piss off, but in the meantime, Doublade could use some health.”
“Sam!” Alice came over with Fluttershy just as Sam reached over and took the bottle.
“Hoh…” Sam passed the bottle between both hands every few seconds.
“What, what is it?”
“It’s freezing.” He tried squeezing the trigger as well, only to find it was completely jammed. “Though I guess that would be the case when it’s frozen.”
“Ah! Look!” Fluttershy squealed as she pointed her trembling hoof at the now barren spot.
To everyone’s mounting horror, letters began to appear on the icy patch as if being written down by dozens of invisible fingers. It didn’t take long for the message to become clear:
DON’T TAKE WHAT YOU CAN NEVER REPLACE!
Fluttershy swooned and fell to the floor, Starlight, Lady, and Comfey quick to tend to her. Sam and Alice just kept their eyes on the message, wanting to decipher its meaning.
“Hmm, I wonder.” Rummaging into his jacket pocket, Sam pulled out a Comet Shard and put it onto the icy patch.
“Seriously?” she hissed. “You’re giving them a Comet Shard?”
“Hey, the last thing I want my tombstone to read is ‘Here Lies Sam Brier, Who Ripped Off the Ghosts and Died Stupidly.’”
They then watched as the letters of the message froze back over, the ice now covering the gemstone for the next person to enter to find. At the same time, the Hyper Potion in Sam’s hand began to thaw, the frigid exterior dripping into Sam’s hand. As he moved it around, the liquid inside also sloshed around until it too was completely liquid again.
He observed his restored item with newfound interest. “Huh. Spooky. Whatever. Hey, Doublade.”
As Sam began to spray his Pokémon from pommel to blade tip, Starlight helped pull Fluttershy onto her hooves as she held onto her head, still woozy from the fall.
“Ugh…” It took her a while for her body to stop wobbling. “What just happened?”
“It’s okay,” Alice responded, “Sam has appeased the spirits and we can keep going.”
“Oh, really? Thanks a lot, Sam. That makes me feel so much better.”
“Because nothing says feeling better like throwing 30,000 bucks away.”
“What?”
“…Nothing. Let’s just keep going.”
Sam placed the now empty bottle on one of the top shelves, his Doublade now more energetic in its following him. The group got to the end of the aisle and u-turned to enter the next one. Other than the foreboding air around them, the aisle looked comparatively normal and partially ransacked. As they continued on, Sam looked over to Starlight, who he couldn’t help but notice glancing off forlornly.
“Starlight?” Her ears perked up to his voice. “Something wrong?”
“Oh, nothing, it’s just… We’ve spent almost our entire time here by your guys’ sides, and after this little trip inside this haunted store… that’ll be the end of our adventure.”
“Well, I mean, we still have to get you guys to Mossdeep. Alice and I have never been to the Hoenn region before, so that’ll be an adventure in and of itself.”
“I guess, but I mean the Pokémon battles, finding our friends, meeting new people with the two of you, that’s what I’m talking about; that’s what I’m going to miss the most.”
“Who knows?” Alice said. “If we can get you back to your world safe and sound tomorrow, maybe there can be some way we can visit you guys in Equestria and go on adventures there.”
“I would like that very much,” Fluttershy responded.
“Me too.” Lady mewed to agree with its trainer. “Oh yeah, I can’t wait to show you to Sunburst! He’s going to get a real kick out of you!”
“And I’m sure you’ll be in heaven getting to meet all my woodland critter friends back home, Comfey!” Her Pokémon flipped about, excited about this prospect.
Sam could hardly take it to hear their Pokémon clamor about. “I’m sorry, can we just stop for a minute?”
Starlight and Fluttershy were confused as Sam turned around and went to his knees, getting to their level as they came close. “Sam?” Starlight wondered. “What are you–”
He put his arm around both of their necks, pulling their heads onto his shoulders. “I know we still have a bit more time together, but I’m going to miss all of this too, and I just want to savor as much of it as I can before you go. Just let me have a few moments, okay?”
“That’s not a problem at all.” Fluttershy put an arm around his back, stroking it.
“Nope!” Starlight shook her head as two tears fell from her eyes. “You two are the best things that could have possibly happened to us.”
Alice, starting to feel emotional herself, sunk to her knees and gave the three of them as wide of a hug as her arms could allow, sniffling as she held on. Lady and Comfey also joined in, nuzzling their heads into their bodies. Doublade left the group to finish their embrace and went off to the end of the aisle. Turning to continue on, it shifted back in surprise, quickly banging its swords together and ringing them out throughout the store.
Fluttershy leapt backwards as she screamed, forcing the hug to break apart. “What’s that?”
Sam stood up to see his Pokémon pointing excitedly to the next leg of their path. “It’s just Doublade, Fluttershy. I think he may have found it!”
He ran down the aisle to join Doublade, while Alice, the ponies, and their Pokémon scrambled to try and follow him closely. Turning the corner, they found themselves staring at a straight shot to the back left corner of the store, and as Sam had predicted, the walls in the corner were covered top to bottom in a thick blanket of black rock that had a purple tint with Starlight’s horn shining on it.
“Grows on the walls like mold,” Sam muttered. “Just like she said.”
With their discovery made, they walked up to the structure, each of them standing around the edges of its base.
“And there you have it,” Starlight breathed out. “The elusive Dusk Stone.”
Doublade stared, transfixed upon it. With the way its body rose and fell, it so badly wanted to go out and touch it, but felt itself held in its spot.
“Here we are, buddy!” Sam slapped Doublade on the back of its plaque, knocking it off balance before it wiggled back up to its spot, shaken by its trainer’s sudden hit. “You ready to be all grown up?”
Doublade slowly turned to Sam and glowered at him, despising his choice of words.
Sam looked to Starlight, ignoring Doublade’s expression. “Would you care to do the honors?”
“Honors? You mean, you want me to evolve–”
“What? No! I meant blasting one off for me!”
“Oh, sure! I was about to say…” Starlight charged her horn.
With a sparkling beam shooting from it at the middle of the formation, several fragments broke off and scattered along the ground. One piece sliding to Sam’s feet drew his eyes to it, and as he picked it up, Sam breathed deeply over how well it fit in his hand.
“Alright…” Facing Doublade, he held the stone up to it. “Ready, bud?”
Doublade couldn’t wait, moving himself toward Sam’s outstretched hand. Just then, a bright flash and zap appeared on the other side of the shelves, something Starlight took immediate notice to.
“Guys!” With her horn shining intensely, she parted herself, Sam, Doublade, and Lady toward the Dusk Stone structure while pushing Alice, Fluttershy, and Comfey away from it.
An explosion then blasted apart the shelf and its contents out, most of the debris and broken wood and metal flying safely away from everyone. With the small chips that hit them, they all shielded their faces, waiting until most of it had hit the floor. Now able to see, the group looked to see through the hole created and saw an Alakazam standing inside of it, waiting for someone to make any sudden moves.
Sam scowled as he gripped his Dusk Stone tight. “Oh good, I couldn’t think of a better Pokémon to use this on first!”
Sam reached out to touch Doublade with the stone, only for an amplified voice to stop him.
“Sam, Alice!”
With the stone inches from one of Doublade’s swords, Sam’s arms went limp as he looked out to the front of the store along with everyone else, whose lips quivered over her familiar voice.
“Burnet?” Fluttershy cried. “Burnet, where are you?!”
“Yes!” Faba’s voice rung out from the outside. “We have Professor Burnet with us! If you come out now and don’t do anything stupid, and I mean anything stupid, we might let you leave with her.”
Fluttershy looked up to Sam and Alice. “Do you think we should listen?”
“They could just be trying to lure us out,” Starlight spoke.
“Either way…” Sam reluctantly pocketed his Dusk Stone. “…we’re boxed in here, and if they’re looking to make some kind of bargain, we should at least consider hearing what they have to offer.”
Sam reached for his Poké Ball belt, making the Alakazam twist toward him and hold its glowing spoons out, ready to attack.
Sam put his arms up. “Hold on! I’m just going to call my Doublade back! Easy now…” He detached the front ball of his belt off and pointed it at Doublade, who blinked at him incredulously. “Sorry, Doublade. Evolution’s going to have to wait.”
With the red beam of the ball bringing it back inside, Sam put the ball back and put his hands up. Satisfied, the Alakazam relaxed its arms down.
“Well?” Faba called out. “Are you coming?”
Alakazam turned out of the hole and walked back down an aisle of the maze.
Alice was the first to follow. “Come on. We’ll play it by ear.”
With a fearful glance to each other, Sam, Starlight, Fluttershy, and their Pokémon all went through the hole, awaiting whatever fate would come to them once they exited the building.
The doors were already forced open, and as the Alakazam came out, a red beam brought the Alakazam inside its ball. Alice exited to see Faba holding the Ultra Ball that his Alakazam returned to, Dexio and Chrysalis standing there to his right. On either side of Chrysalis, Faba and a scuffed-up, disheveled Professor Burnet stood there with their wrists and ankles bound.
“Nanu!” Alice then became more surprised to see her standing there. “Professor Burnet!”
“Sorry,” Faba grunted. “I did my best to stop them, but that kid was too strong for me.”
“That…” As her brother and friends exited, Alice looked to Dexio, who crossed his arms and smiled confidently.
“Professor Burnet!” Starlight and Fluttershy both shouted.
“You guys!” Burnet moaned, exhausted. “You have no idea how good it is to see you two.”
“What have they done to you?!” Sam shouted.
“Nothing really,” Chrysalis chortled, directing her focus at Starlight and Fluttershy, “at least, not compared to what we have in store for you two.”
Starlight and Fluttershy ignored her, keeping their gaze on Faba. “What do you people want? I know that if you wanted to attack us, you would have done so by now.”
“Like I said,” Faba spoke, stepping out of line to face her, “we’re giving you an opportunity to rescue her… with conditions, of course.”
“And those are?”
With her converted magic, Chrysalis floated Burnet to Faba’s side, where he clutched her possessively. “If you want to save her from our clutches, all you have to do is trade places with her, you and your dainty little pegasus friend!”
“What?” Starlight and Fluttershy both gasped.
“Don’t do it!” Burnet begged. “I don’t matter in this, you mean everything!”
Faba pulled her arm up, making her yelp back into silence. “Or we can beat the lot of you here and now, and then we take the ponies and Burnet and you never see either of them again!” Faba giggled, angering Sam and Alice immensely. “That’s your only alternative. Make your choice!”
There was a long, uncomfortable silence as the ponies and their Pokémon looked to Sam and Alice, unsure how they could possibly help them escape this.
“No,” Burnet mouthed, tears forming in her eyes. “Please.”
While Sam looked reserved and hesitant, Alice stood strong as she faced Faba and the other two Prism admins.
“It’s tempting,” she responded, “but the one thing that’s losing me is… you implying that we’d lose if we chose not to hand them over.”
Sam turned to glance at his sister. “Alice?”
“So you’ve made your decision then?” He threw Burnet back to Chrysalis, who held her back up and flew her back to her side. “You really think you can beat the three of us?”
“Not exactly. Sam, Starlight, Fluttershy, you take Faba and Chrysalis. ‘That kid’ is mine.”
Dexio pouted, surprised over the challenge. “I’d be happy to oblige your request, but think about this. Your brother just finished fighting Nanu just now, if I’m not mistaken. He probably doesn’t have many well-rested Pokémon that can fight for him, if at all, and your pony friends only have a single Pokémon each. Would you really throw them into the lion’s den like that?”
“More like jumping in!” Sam tore a Poké Ball off his belt and tossed it out. “Let’s go, Doublade!”
As Sam’s dual-blade Pokémon exited its ball, Starlight and Fluttershy rushed in to join his side.
“Lady!” On Starlight’s call, her Sylveon rushed to take Doublade’s side.
“Comfey, you too!” Comfey floated off to Doublade’s other side.
Faba sneered and grunted, picking his Alakazam’s ball back off from his belt. “Why must children be so rude to their elders? Alakazam, help me punish these brats!”
Upon appearing from its ball and landing on the ground, Alakazam crossed its spoons together, covering the area in a bright light. Chrysalis scowled as she also charged her horn, adding to the brightness. At once, the light subsided, and with Faba, Alakazam, and Chrysalis gone, Burnet and Nanu fell to their knees, no longer being held.
Sam, Alice, and the ponies noticed a bright flash behind them as their shadows appeared before them on the ground, and on turning around, they found the backs of Faba’s feet and the back hooves of Chrysalis escape into the Abandoned Megamart.
“Figures.” Sam bolted off for the entrance. “Girls, stay close!”
“Right!” Both ponies and their Pokémon followed, galloping after him.
“Alice, you beat that bastard down for the both of us!”
Alice nodded, watching them disappear inside. Rotating her body around, Dexio stood where he had always been in the same pose as when she came out.
“And you believe they’ll be fine in there?” Dexio asked. “With the two of them?”
“We’ve all gotten stronger since landing here,” Alice said. “I have full confidence they can handle them just fine.”
“Your faith is proportional to your guts. Even Hau, the Kahuna of Melemele Island required the assistance of an elusive Pokémon like Marshadow in order to defeat me.”
“The way I see it, a Fighting-type trainer defeated a Psychic-type trainer, even without the power of Mega Evolution. I’ve dealt with monsters in closets that were scarier than you.”
Dexio blew a condescending whistle. “Then it sounds like you’re all ready to go then. So come on, Alice, show how unafraid you are of me!”
Alice pulled her first ball off her belt, chucking it out. “Let’s do this, Mimikyu!”
Dexio threw his own Ultra Ball out. “Go, Espeon!”
Both Pokémon shot out from their balls and landed upon the ground at the same time. Burnet and Nanu could only idly watch as the two Pokémon stared each other down, ready for the first attack to be cast.
Sam swung around to the next aisle, expecting anyone awaiting them. He relaxed only slightly upon finding it just as desolate as the last. He briskly slunk down to the end of the isle where Starlight, Fluttershy and their Pokémon manned the back, pacing backwards as they kept Sam’s blind spot watched over.
“They could be anywhere,” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Just keep your eye out,” Starlight warned. “They can’t attack us without us knowing.”
“They nearly did a few minutes ago. They could be hiding behind the shelves again for all we…” Hearing himself say that, he turned to the left shelf, suddenly realizing Prism’s strategy. “Oh, sh–”
He was covered in a magenta aura and then immediately yanked toward the shelf, just barely able to tuck his upper body in as his back crashed through it and was brought into the next aisle.
“Sam!” Fluttershy and Starlight screamed, Lady and Comfey also crying out with worry.
They were instantly distracted by a flash appearing at the end of their aisle, and upon looking that way, they found Faba and his Alakazam facing them. With the ponies isolated with him, Faba grinned wide and giggled excitedly.
Sam weakly got up, coughing up the dust he breathed in and wincing over the numerous scrapes and cuts that stung on his exposed arms and the sheer soreness he felt in his ankles and waist. Sam laid his hand over a particularly painful spot on his left shoulder, and upon looking at his palm, he was dismayed to see a noticeable line of blood there through the haze of dust.
Doublade took immediate notice, trembling sadly to see his trainer hurt. “It’s okay. Shouldn’t need stitches.”
A ball of air expanded before them and blew the airborne filth away, revealing Chrysalis standing in front of him with her horn holding a Psychic charge.
“Perhaps when I’m through with you, you will.” Chrysalis shot an energy blast from her horn, which Doublade was quick to deflect.
“Espeon!” Dexio commanded. “Hit Mimikyu first with Psychic!”
The red gem in Espeon’s forehead lit up as a magenta aura covered Mimikyu’s disguise. The energy twisted the head all the way to the right and then cranked it down, producing a small crack that left its head drooping when the light faded off of it.
Alice looked down to see Mimikyu trembling with anger, preparing to scream. “Just ignore it! Take it out on Espeon with Shadow Claw.”
With its shaking harder, it ran out at Espeon and let out a more controlled, quieter shriek. Leaping up, its dark arm shot out from beneath its disguise, and on its way down, slashed at Espeon’s face, sliding it back a foot. Espeon was quick to recover as Mimikyu landed before it.
“Shadow Ball!” Espeon heeded Dexio’s order and with an opening of its mouth, shot a swirling purple ball point blank into Mimikyu’s main body, throwing it back hard to Alice’s feet.
Mimkyu was weak to get up, slinking itself upright with Alice noticing its disguise having a much looser fit than before. “Looks like you’re in need of some juice. Hit her with Leech Life, Mimikyu!”
Mimikyu ran out once more, two shadow arms already slithering out from beneath it. They flew about in virtually every direction, Espeon prancing in place as it had trouble keeping focus on a single one. Both of Mimikyu’s arms latched on to the base of Espeon’s neck, and with a cry of pain from it, green energy was siphoned out from Espeon and fed through the arms.
Dexio breathed angrily as Mimikyu’s disguise looked snugger with each moment it stole health from his Pokémon. “Espeon, hold them!”
Alice looked confused, but both she and her Pokémon understood the second a psychic aura appeared around the shadow arms’ wrists that they realized what Dexio was aiming for. Mimikyu itself ceased its attack to try and retract its arms, only for them to be firmly held enough so that it only pulled itself closer to its foe.
“Mimikyu,” Alice huffed in fright.
“Can’t escape this one now!” Dexio threw his arms forward. “Espeon, finish Mimikyu off with Shadow Ball!”
Another dark-purple orb formed before Espeon’s open maw, and with a shout, it launched at Mimikyu’s body.
Alice nearly seized up. “Mimkyu, jump!”
Mimikyu leapt up as high as it could, getting plenty of air to avoid the oncoming attack. With its arms still held by Espeon’s psychic energy, it pulled on them hard, sending it back to the ground to take the Shadow Ball with even greater force, creating a small explosion of dirt and rock, Burnet reacting with a wince. Espeon let go of Mimikyu’s arms, and they fell limp to the ground. As the dust cloud subsided, Alice found her Pokémon laying still on its side, most of its form beneath the disguise emaciated.
Dexio slowly shook his head as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “You know that Hau got the first takedown in our battle, right? Doesn’t make things look that great for you.”
“Shut up.” Alice returned Mimikyu to its ball. “Knowing him, he probably had his Passimian take it out with a single Beat Up attack. I know that move, and I remember him using it on Sam’s Honedge during his Grand Trial. It worked for him only having that one Pokémon at the time, but with your five? I’d be surprised if your Espeon could outlast such fury.”
Dexio frowned, annoyed. “How studious of you, but all that matters is that I took out the one Pokémon of yours that’s most equipped to face me. Now, send out your next and see if it fares any better!”
“Certainly.” Alice detached and threw her next ball out. “Lycanroc, take out Espeon with Accelerock!”
Dexio watched as Alice’s wolf Pokémon leapt out from the energy of its ball, ready to land on the ground. “Espeon, Psy–”
The moment Lycanroc’s paws touched the ground, it vanished in a blur, appearing right in front of Espeon as its gem charged up for attack. With a swing of its claws, Espeon was knocked to the side and bounced to a stop. Dexio shuddered over the speed his opponent’s Pokémon possessed, and as he looked back at it, it growled and slowly backed up toward its trainer.
“Holy cow!” Burnet gasped. “I’ve never seen a Dusk-form Lycanroc up close before!”
“If any trainer could manage to get one,” Nanu said, “it’d be her.”
Dexio kept his eyes on it as he pointed his Pokémon’s ball out to where it lay. “Espeon, return!” Once Lycanroc returned to its spot in front of Alice, he pulled off another ball from his belt. “This one should be familiar to you.” He threw it out. “You’re up, Raichu!”
Dexio’s Raichu shot out from its ball and spun around to face Alice and Lycanroc, the former of whom appeared amused by its appearance.
“Yeah,” she said, “and as someone who has one, I also know what it’s weak against. Lycanroc, get her with Crunch!”
Lycanroc bolted off at the Raichu, neither it nor its trainer threatened by its approach.
“But I’m certain your Raichu doesn’t know this!” Dexio pointed up to the sky. “Reflect!”
His Raichu threw its arms to the side as rings of light began to scan over its body from both sides until its body was entirely covered in a reflective sheen. Lycanroc leapt up and clamped onto Dexio’s Raichu with each one of its teeth biting down. As Lycanroc held on with its arms it chomped on its chest, Alice grit her teeth as a metallic squeak rung out as its teeth dragged along the Raichu’s shield. Quickly tiring, Lycanroc let go of the mouse and hopped back to give itself some space.
“This should buy us enough time to make a few moves,” Dexio said. “Raichu, hit Lycanroc with Thunderbolt!”
With its glossy body sparking up, his Raichu threw an arm up to the sky and shot electricity up into the clouds. Quickly throwing its arm down, a stronger bolt of lightning struck Lycanroc. As it wailed, it widened its stance to maintain balance.
Even as the lightning disappeared, sparks covered its body as it struggled to stand up straight again.
“No, Lycanroc!”
The wolf strained to push itself up, but could hardly move any of its paws, much to Dexio’s amusment. “Looks like it can’t even move too much! Fine with us! Raichu, attack Lycanroc with Psychic!”
With the tips of its arms and tail-board glowing, Dexio’s Raichu lifted Lycanroc off its paws a few inches in the air. Throwing its arms out, the aura shattered off Lycanroc’s body and threw it back into the wall of the Megamart. Alice twisted back to see if it was alright, and to her relief, Lycanroc got back onto its feet and shook its body of the dirt and mud it collected.
“That’s it, boy!” Alice shouted. “Now, hit her with another Crunch!”
Alice threw her arm forward toward Dexio’s Raichu just as Lycanroc whizzed by her. Jumping up, Lycanroc bit down once again on the Raichu’s shoulder, ignoring the firmness the Refect gave its body. Biting even harder than before, there was a sound like chewing through ice before a loud, low-pitched crack was heard there, making the Raichu squeal in pain.
Dexio breathed a grunt out, unable to let Alice get the better of him. “Raichu! Finish it off with Psychic!”
The Raichu, even with the searing pain running up its arm, managed to put both hands into the corners of its mouth and pressed in. Lycanroc, seeing the arms start to glow, tried to relinquish its bite, but with a blast from the tips of its fingers, Lycanroc was torn from the Raichu, flipping back and landing on its head, going unconscious before it rolled back to Alice’s feet.
“No, no, Lycanroc!” Alice ran and slid to her Pokémon’s side, putting its body on her lap and putting her ear to its chest.
Burnet was breathing heavily, frightened by Lycanroc’s lack of visible movement. “Is he alright?”
Alice heard a heartbeat, and on massaging its neck, she was even more relieved to feel no breaks or displacement on the bones in its neck. “He’s fine!”
Burnet then looked up to Dexio. “You’re a monster. If no one has told you already, I am.”
“Just breaks my heart,” Dexio sardonically breathed out, looking at the large, bright crack in the Reflect that Lycanroc fractured. “Both of ours.”
Alice hugged her Lycanroc tight as she brought its ball out from her belt. “That was a great try. I’ll heal you up later…” The red beam of the ball sucked the Pokémon back inside, the lack of weight on her body allowing Alice to stand back up. “…but right now, we have our other friends to save.”
“Ooh, and who’s next on your roster? I’m guessing your Mudbray given its strength against Raichu’s–”
“I’ll send out whoever I damn well want, thank you!” Alice took out her next ball and held it out to the side. “And to be honest, I’ve always wanted to do something like this. Your turn, Raichu!”
Dexio rounded his mouth as he let out an exclamation of shock. Tossing the Poké Ball out, Alice’s Raichu soared out from the energy within and took its place to face Dexio’s Pokémon, getting taken aback to see its spitting image before it.
“Hmph,” Dexio sighed, “yes, this should be interesting.”
“Bruxish!” Faba commanded. “Hit the Sylveon with Psychic Fangs!”
As Lady hit Faba’s Alakazam with a Shadow Ball, knocking it on its back, Faba’s triggerfish swam at Lady with its mouth wide open, its fangs glowing bright. Starlight and Lady both gasped at the attack they knew they couldn’t avoid.
“Comfey!” Fluttershy shouted. “Hit the Bruxish with Energy Ball!”
Comfey swung around Fluttershy’s left and turned to face Bruxish’s left side. It formed a swirling green ball in the space between its arms, and with a cracking whip at it of its tail, it shot the attack out, perfectly hitting Bruxish’s head and sending it careening into the aisles to Starlight’s right.
Starlight and Lady faced Fluttershy. “Thanks for the save.”
Faba grunted as he returned Bruxish back into its ball. “You’re just as much trouble as those damned kids!”
“You brought trouble onto yourself the day you decided to attack me and my friends!” Starlight shouted.
“And trouble is what you and your friends deserve!” Fluttershy spoke in.
Lady and Comfey both cried out in agreement, Faba backing into the shelves behind him as his Alakazam got back onto its feet.
“The day I let two of you ponies beat someone like me in a Pokémon battle is the day I draw my last breath! Now, let’s finish them, Hypno!”
Throwing its ball directly from his belt, Faba’s Hypno shot out from it and landed beside Alakazam, creating an imposing wall between Faba and the two Pokémon to break through.
Sam could only back away as he held on to Doublade’s hilts, swinging and blocking at each spell Chrysalis hurled his way. With one particular blast, Sam required both blades of his Pokémon, sliding him back toward the back wall. The grip the cloth arms had on his forearms began to weaken, Sam realizing what this meant.
“Come on,” Chrysalis taunted, slowly approaching him, “I realize this is a one-sided fight, but I expected a little better than this. Not a problem.” Her horn flared up even brighter. “Any last words?”
Sam nodded and smiled, bemusing the changeling. “Such an original request, but since you asked so nicely… Flash Cannon!”
Sam pulled his arms free from Doublade’s hold and began to bolt around Chrysalis. Before she could launch her next spell, Doublade’s swords shimmered brightly and blasted Chrysalis to the floor in a flash of light. Sam slid past Chrysalis as she skidded down the aisle, and as she began picking herself up, he spun around and plucked two Poké Balls from his belt. He aimed the one in his left hand at Doublade and returned it inside while flicking the ball in his right out.
“Absol,” he shouted, “use Night Slash!”
Disoriented, Chrysalis could only register Absol right as it landed onto the floor from its ball, already charging at her. Leaping up, it swung its claws at her face.
The two Raichus stood before their trainers, awaiting each one to make the command to enact their joust, both of them charging the electricity in their cheeks to intimidate the other. Burnet and Nanu could hardly breathe with the suspense thick in the air.
“They’re really fired up,” Dexio commented. “Of course, it won’t be a fair fight considering your Lycanroc already got a few hits on mine.”
“Screw your ‘fair fight.’” Alice spat. “My Raichu’s taking out your Raichu and whichever Pokémon you choose to send out. We’ll be ready.”
Dexio lowered his head, accepting of the situation. “I’m sure you will be. Raichu!”
“Raichu!”
“Thunderbolt!”
“Wild Charge!”
Dexio’s Raichu shot electricity upward as Alice’s rode off in a beeline directly at its foe. Halfway across, Dexio’s Raichu threw its arms down, and rained its bolt down to the ground for Alice’s Raichu to crash into. Alice’s Raichu was prepared, and with a bank to the right, it ran the bottom of its tail-board along the bolt, leaving it charging with enough electricity to form a trail of light behind as it continued flying.
Dexio and his Raichu suddenly looked fearful. “Crap.”
With an increase in speed, Alice’s Raichu swung tightly around and flew at the side of his Raichu’s face, paddling it with the back of its tail-board. With the speed and strength of the hit, Dexio’s Raichu was flung off its tail as they both clattered to the ground, unconscious before it even hit it.
Alice’s Raichu continued its momentum and flew in a wide circle behind its trainer before pulling in tight and stopping back in its original spot. “Nicely done.”
Her Raichu squeaked proudly as Dexio returned his to his ball. Putting it back on his belt, he removed another Ultra Ball and looked down on it. “You sounded so confident back then, saying that your Raichu could beat whatever Pokémon it faced next. I could easily disprove that by sending my Alakazam out right now, but you and I both know I can’t do that. That’s why my next Pokémon will be the perfect one to put you back in your place. Come on out, Metagross!”
The white energy exploded out of Dexio’s ball upon him throwing it, and his metallic disk Pokémon fell to the ground with a heavy bang that knocked Burnet over to her side and nearly did the same for Nanu and Alice.
“Ugh, dammit!” Metagross glanced over to Burnet and yanked her back up to her knees by her shoulders, the mild whiplash making her yelp in shock.
“Metagross, huh?” Alice studied the Pokémon intently. “Physically strong, but not too fast. Okay Raichu, hit it with Thunderbolt!”
“Metagross, Meteor Mash!”
Raichu charged its body up with electricity as Metagross tucked its arms in and floated itself directly on level with Raichu. Throwing its arms forward, Raichu shot the bolt of lighting out at Metagross just as it began to shoot out at it. To Alice and Raichu’s horror, the lightning seemed to do nothing except bend around its body from above and below upon contact.
Raichu was so shocked that it didn’t bother moving as it took the Meteor Mash straight into its gut. Flung off its tail, it crashed into the front of the Megamart and left a large divot into the side.
Fluttershy squeaked upon hearing the loud bang against the wall. “Ahh! What was that?”
“It sounds like your friend outside is having a bit of a difficult time, like you will soon! Alakazam, Hypno!”
The spoons and pendulum of Alakazam and Hypno lit up as they charged to attack Lady and Comfey.
With a furious scowl, Raichu pushed off the crater it left on the wall and mounted its tail, soaring back out to return to its trainer.
“You okay, Raichu?” Raichu let out a couple of yaps and nodded, ensuring that she not worry.
Metagross floated back down to Dexio’s side, shaking its front two arms before it rested all four of them on the ground. Alice huffed with a smile, glad that her Pokémon’s attack was still successful.
“Nice hit, Metagross! Now let’s take this rat out before it can do the same to us!” Dexio pointed forward. “Bullet Punch, now!”
With even greater speed than its Meteor Mash, Metagross leapt forward and drove its arm into Raichu’s face, sending it flying back once more.
“Raichu!” Hearing Alice’s cry, Raichu held onto its tail-board and used the momentum of the hit to flip it back upright before it moved to soar back to the battle. “That’s it! Now, hit him with Grass Knot!”
Raichu slid to a stop as its arms and tail became outlined with light. At once, four large, thick vines shot out from the ground around Metagross, each one reaching under and grabbing the furthest arm by the wrists. Raichu strained as it controlled the vines to pull and hold the arms beneath it, pulling it in each direction. Metagross let out a loud wail as it tried floating up and out from its bondage.
Just then, a fifth, even larger vine shot out from the ground and slammed down on Metagross, sending it back to the ground. The vines holding it from under snapped and sprayed in fragments out over the field like broken, overstressed rubber bands. Dexio was genuinely surprised to see Metagross move so laboriously as it tried getting up.
“Holy shit…” he whispered.
“Yes,” Burnet nearly wept, “she’s doing it.”
“Come on,” Nanu muttered.
Metagross was back on its arms, and Dexio frowned furiously. “No! I won’t let you defeat it! Metagross, finish it off with another Bullet Punch!”
Alice’s face suddenly brightened up with inspiration. “Raichu, hit him with Wild Charge!”
Metagross bent its arms to ready its push-off, and Raichu’s body surged with energy as it readied to advance. At the same instant, both Pokémon went at each other at incredible speeds. Raichu leaned to the front of its board as Metagross held its arm out toward Raichu’s head. In the last possible moment, Raichu twisted its body and flipped its tail-board to send it toward Metagross’s face, managing to dodge its arm.
With both of their forces meeting each other, the bottom of Raichu’s tail pulverized Metagross as it’s entire body lit up like a Christmas tree with the electricity being blasted into it. Metagross was knocked back while Raichu bounced off from the recoil. While Raichu quickly recovered and took its spot again, Metagross crashed into the ground and rolled to stop before tipping over upside down, unable to muster the strength to move.
“Incredible,” Burnet said. “Just look at her go.”
“Amazing job, Raichu!” Alice whispered, still in awe over her Pokémon’s endurance.
Raichu grinned as it panted, getting tired, but too proud of itself to stop now. Dexio scoffed and looked away as he returned Metagross to its ball. Still refusing to look Alice or Raichu in the eye, he put his forehead to the top of his ball. “You did your best,” he whispered. “Nice work.”
“Sorry?” Alice asked . “What was that?”
Dexio finally turned to look at her as he put Metagross’s ball back and took out his next. Without answering her, he tossed his next ball out. “Go, Slowking!”
The energy from the ball brought Dexio’s crowned Slowpoke Pokémon down to the ground, where it stood laxly and obliviously before Alice and Raichu.
“A Water-type?” Alice reached into her pocket and pulled out her Aloraichium Z and placed it in the empty spot of her Z-Ring. “Must be giving up now. Let’s finish this quickly!”
Alice crossed her arms before her face, and her Z-Crystal along with the Z-Ring that held it shone brightly, Raichu getting covered by the same glow. Once it put its short, stubby arms in the same position, Alice and Raichu put their arms down and crossed them out. Alice swung her arms to the right as Raichu did the same, angling its tail-board to keep its balance. They then turned to the left on bended knees and bent their arms and hands into the shape of a lightning bolt. The Z-Power Alice summoned shot out from her back, and all of it flowed into Raichu’s tail-board, and along with the flaring aura that it created, a multitude of sparks popped and crackled as well.
“Of course she is,” Dexio grumbled.
“Dexio!” Alice’s hair floated up as if picked up by an upward wind. “You tried and failed three times to take my friends away! If you didn’t get it then, I’ll sure as hell make you get it now! Raichu, take out Slowking with Stoked Sparksurfer!”
With sparks raining off of its tail-board, Raichu flew back toward the Megamart and rode and along the edge of the roof. Both Burnet and Nanu were in awe as the path Raichu rode on hung in the air, blue-colored plasma cascading down from it like electric water. Raichu sped off toward the ground and looped back to the front of the Megamart, riding up the plasma waterfall it created like a wave. Reaching the center, it surfed down it and brought the entire plasma wall with, riding the top of it as the electric tsunami rushed to swamp Slowking.
Dexio balled his fists; there was no way it could end this simply. “Slowking! Take it out with Ice Beam!”
Mist began falling from Slowking’s bottom jaw as the saliva in its mouth froze over. Raichu came ever closer with the torrenting current, and with a shout, Slowking launched its beam at Raichu, hitting it in the top of the chest. Raichu grunted through the sheer cold and continued riding its wave until it converged onto Slowking, exploding up into a pillar of light upon contact.
Burnet and Nanu closed their eyes and looked to the ground as Dexio and Alice shielded their eyes, unable to see whether either of their Pokémon survived. Once the pillar faded out of existence, the two trainers and two spectators looked to see both of their Pokémon lying still on their backs, fainted from the blows each one took. Dexio frowned, almost ashamed that he was so surprised by the outcome.
“Holy cow…” Alice breathed heavily.
“Wow,” Nanu huffed. “That little Raichu managed to do all that?”
Alice and Dexio returned both their Pokémon into their respective Poké Balls, Alice hugging hers close to her chest once the red beam fully retracted. “I’m so very proud of you. Thank you, Raichu.” Dexio detached his final Ultra Ball from his belt, Alice looking at it with anticipation. “Now all you got left is your Alakazam. Even with your Mega Evolution, there’s no possible way I can lose this!”
Dexio stared at his ball for a while and then chuckled into a sly grin. “Oh, Alice. Your confidence is exemplary. Unfortunately, it can only get you so far before you face a Pokémon with strength far beyond any you have at your disposal in a form that can only make it that much more unbeatable.”
“My confidence is doing far more for me and my Pokémon than your fancy-worded threats are doing for yours. Come on, send him out already. My friends are waiting for me to join them inside the Megamart.”
Dexio clutched his ball even tighter. “You know what? You’re right, that’s enough chatter! It’s time to finish this and usher in the new world at last! Let’s end this, Alakazam!”
As Dexio threw his last ball out, the Alakazam landing on the ground upon appearing from the energy within, Alice threw a Poké Ball of her own. “You’re up, Mudsdale!”
The white energy from the ball formed into Alice’s stocky horse upon the ground, Dexio muttering a small sigh of admiration. “So, she evolved it today? Hmph, no matter!” He then threw his left arm up, the Key Stone in his Mega Ring glistening in the moonlight. “Now Alice, prepare yourself; you and your Pokémon! Your light of victory will be snuffed right here and now!”
He brought his arm back down and pressed on the Key Stone with his fingers, causing it to burst with brightly colored light. “Respond to my heart, Key Stone! Beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!”
DNA-shaped bands of color shot out from the Key Stone and spiraled about until their ends connected with Alakazam’s shoulders and the back of its calves. Alakazam trembled as the energy flooded its body, transforming it into the same energy connecting it and its trainer. Before Alice and Mudsdale’s eyes, they watched as the light mutated its body, transforming its head, growing its massive beard, and enlarging the pads on its chest, arms, and knees.
“Unbelievable,” Nanu breathed out. “Never ceases to amaze…”
It then leapt up and sat in midair, clasping its toes together as it brought both of its spoons above its head before their divided out to make five. The light then shattered off of it, unveiling its new form to Alice and Mudsdale, the exertion of energy blowing a strong gust out and away from its body into each person and Pokémon nearby.
“Alright…” Alice tried her hardest to hide the fear in her voice. “Here he is…”
Sam and Absol were thrown back by another of Chrysalis’s spells. As Chrysalis approached him, Sam climbed atop Absol’s back to help himself up. As Absol stood up, taking Sam with it, he kept his face near the back of her head, seemingly in fear of her.
“Don’t hide behind your pet, you coward!” Picking Absol up in her converted magic, she threw it against the side of the shelf, the broken pieces of it and the contents that were knocked off tumbling to the floor with it.
“Absol!”
“Hmhmhmm… You humans are such fascinating creatures. You lack the ability to fly like pegasi, wield magic like unicorns, and you don’t even possess the raw strength of an earth pony. Without your precious Pokémon to help you, what value do you truly have?”
“That’s just it.” Sam kept his ground, bringing Chrysalis to stop her advance and listen. “Those abilities you speak of, they aren’t worth a damned thing without someone or something worth using them for.”
“Spare me your ‘power of friendship’ nonsense! Your Pokémon are no longer strong enough to fight on your behalf, your sister is fighting Dexio, and your pony friends are dealing with Faba as we speak. What can you possibly do to stand up to me?”
Sam glanced to his still unconscious Absol, and with a weak start, he tried to run around Chrysalis to get to it, only for Chrysalis to hold him back and lift him up, cackling madly as he rotated him to have him look into her large, furious eyes.
“You fool!” Sam gripped at his chin as he was held up by his neck, flailing his legs to break free. “You have nothing against me. You poor, pathetic humans can’t do anything on your own, can you?”
“The ones worth their salt…” Sam gagged, forcing a smirk, “rarely do!” As Chrysalis sneered over his resilience, Sam tried to gulp for one last bit of air, but failed. “Absol, Megahorn!”
Distracted by her rage, Chrysalis didn’t notice as Absol leapt into the air, its horn driving directly into the base of Chrysalis’s, breaking apart the magic conversion ring there. Combined with the shock of its blindsiding and watching the pieces of the device fall before her eyes, Chrysalis grew instantly fearful as she came tumbling to the ground, Absol sliding off down the aisle. With her hold on him gone, Sam landed on his feet and ran beside his Absol.
Spinning around, he saw as Chrysalis charged her horn once again, now glowing a bright green. Sam’s eyes widened with realization, turning back around to face the other side, winding his arm back. Chrysalis vanished in a flash of light and reappeared behind Absol. With Sam facing her and thrusting his arm and fist forward, she was completely unprepared for the fist that drove into her face and knocked her back away from him.
“Absol, Psycho Cut!” Absol turned around and lashed several bows of psychic energy from its claws.
The still disoriented Chrysalis couldn’t avoid any of the bows as they crashed into her horn, her face and legs, knocking her off and back to her side.
She tried charging her horn once more, only for it to flicker uselessly. “N– No! You… little–!”
Sam and Absol stood over her resolutely, knowing nothing she could say or do would change the fact that she had no chance of winning now. “Power in numbers. Always.”
With another scowl, she hopped onto her hooves and ran through the hole she created in the aisle to her left.
“Hey!” Sam and Absol followed her through the hole, sliding in between her and Starlight and Fluttershy to keep her at bay.
Sam glanced behind her to see Faba’s Alakazam and Hypno kneeling weakly as Lady and Comfey panted, exhausted but far closer to victory than Faba was.
Chrysalis could only stand with mouth agape. “You seriously lost to these ponies?”
“And you lost to the boy?” Faba growled, also realizing his loss was imminent. “Forget it!”
With a snap of his fingers, Alakazam brought his spoons together and created a flash of light that removed itself, Faba, and Hypno from their spots. The ponies and their Pokémon turned back around to find Faba and his Pokémon now standing beside Chrysalis, Alakazam ready to make another teleport to freedom.
“No! Absol, Night–” Sam pointed out to Faba and Chrysalis just as the Alakazam’s light engulfed them, disappearing along with Faba, Chrysalis, and the two Pokémon. “…Slash.”
Sam dropped his arm down as Starlight, Fluttershy, Lady, and Comfey rushed to his side.
“Sam!” Starlight panted. “Are you alright?!”
Fluttershy then noticed Sam’s shoulder, her wings flaring open and her hooves covering her mouth. “Sam, you’re bleeding!”
“Like I told Doublade, nothing serious.” Sam glanced to his shoulder, miffed that the trickle had already reached his elbow without him noticing. “And what about you guys? Looks like you held your own okay.”
“To be fair,” Starlight responded, “we have gotten stronger since first coming here.”
“I sure hope Alice is doing okay,” Fluttershy added. “It sounded pretty rough for her outside.”
“Alice…” Sam began sprinting backward through the aisle maze. “Alice!”
The ponies and their Pokémon galloped to follow him, hoping they weren’t too late for her.
Mudsdale and Mega Alakazam stared down each other, and as Alice’s Pokémon ran its hoof along the ground threateningly, Dexio’s Pokémon stayed still and cool.
“Okay Mudsdale, we can still do some heavy damage to him. Ready, girl?” Mudsdale let out a roaring whinny, awaiting its orders. “Alright, hit him with Heavy Slam!”
Mudsdale galloped at Mega Alakazam, just as Sam and his friends all ran out from the Megamart, just in time to see Dexio plan his counterattack.
“Mega Alakazam!” he shouted. “Use Psychic!”
Mudsdale leapt up and collided into Mega Alakazam, sending both down toward the ground. Before its lower back could land, Mega Alakazam held its spot mere centemeters above the surface, also managing to suspend Mudsdale with it before its full weight could land on it.
Fluttershy gasped to see Mudsdale covered in Mega Alakazam’s psychic glow. “Oh no, it’s out!”
“Impossible!” Alice gasped. “Mudsdale is one of the heaviest Pokémon alive! For him to catch him like that…”
Mega Alakazam placed its hands on Mudsdale’s head as two blurry outlines of its hands closed in on them. Once the auras connected, a pulse of energy shot out from Mega Alakazam’s palms, throwing Mudsdale high up and crashing into the ground just short of Alice’s feet, producing a bang that bounced everyone off their feet, and threw Burnet and Nanu to their sides.
“Mudsdale!” Fluttershy and Starlight cried.
Alice turned back, finally noticing them. “Sam! Guys!”
Burnet relaxed her head and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Looks like you survived!” Dexio said to them. “Can’t even expect them to round up a couple of ponies.”
“You can’t break us so easily anymore!” Starlight shouted. “We’re ready for whatever you can bring at us!”
“I’ll get to you three real soon. In the meantime…” Mudsdale slowly got to its hooves, Dexio bringing his attention back to it. “Woo, and it survived that. Won’t be so sure about this, though. Mega Alakazam, finish it off with Energy Ball!”
Mega Alakazam’s five spoons formed a circle in front of it, and as they spun, a green aura formed in the spaces between them. A wind picked up that sucked the air into the sphere, and once it was about to touch the bottom ends, Mega Alakazam pushed the air in front of it and shot the ball out.
As it traveled, the ball continued to grow until it was as tall as Mudsdale itself. All the horse could do was turn to the side and wince as the ball collided with its stomach and threw it at its trainer.
“Alice!” Sam and the ponies screamed.
Alice leapt up and let Mudsdale collide with it, slinging herself over the side of its stomach as it fell to the ground and came to a hard stop, flinging Alice back off. Feeling safe to breathe, Sam and his friends watched as Alice crawled back to Mudsdale and knelt behind its head.
She stroked its face tenderly as she put her forehead down on its cheek. “Oh, Mudsdale…”
Dexio laughed as he clapped. “And you were talking all that good talk just a moment ago! Now all that’s left to separate me from Faba and Chrysalis’s leftovers is your puny little Noibat!”
Alice hissed through her teeth, the direness of her situation quickly dawning on her.
“Alice, please don’t!” Fluttershy ran to Alice’s side. “We’ll fight him for you now, you don’t have to send Noibat out!”
Hearing her friend’s pleas, it only made the knot in Alice’s gut feel even tighter. With a forceful hand, she removed Mudsdale’s Poké Ball from her belt. Pressing the center button onto its upper back, her Pokémon converted to red energy and was pulled into the ball.
“No, Alice!” Burnet shouted. “You don’t have to do this!”
“Alice, stop!” Alice seemed not to hear Starlight as she got to her feet, stepping forward as she brought Mudbray’s ball back to her belt. “She won’t survive against that thing!”
“I’ll leave that for her to decide.” Alice pulled her last ball off her belt and threw it out. “Finish this, Noibat!”
Dexio was eager and impressed as the ball opened up midair, the Noibat soaring out of it. As it came to its spot in front of Alice, it’s eyes shot open a bit wider upon seeing Mega Alakazam’s appearance. After a few moments, it hardened its face into a serious, undaunted scowl.
“Alice…” Sam felt chills as his breathing became shaky.
“So,” Dexio put his hands into his vest pockets, “you really want to do this? You’re really set about sending Noibat out to face my Mega Alakazam, knowing how badly it beat your Mudsdale?”
“It seems like my Noibat is just as eager to carry this on as I am!” Noibat squealed in agreement. “She’s been with me since the beginning, and I won’t deny her this last chance to end this!”
Dexio chuckled, slowly pulling his hands from his pocket. “Alright, so you won’t deny your Pokémon the right to battle me… so I will!” Dexio removed a Fairium Z crystal from his pants pocket and pressed it into the empty slot of his synthetic Z-Ring. “I’d be very impressed if your Noibat could survive my Dazzling Gleam, but I’m not taking any chances!”
Dexio crossed his arms in front of his face, the face of his Z-Ring and the border of the crystal slot glowing red. With the link between him and Mega Alakazam established, Dexio’s Pokémon also crossed its arms over its face. Dexio threw his arms down and crossed them back out, Mega Alakazam’s following the motions as he did them.
The two of them turned their hands in, forming a heart-shape with their index fingers and thumb. Dexio then leaned to the left as he stood on his left foot, daintily bringing its arms up like a bird in flight. Still in its seated pose, Mega Alakazam performed the same motions with its arms, finishing with the two of them pulling their arms down, their forearms up and their hands parallel to the ground. With the ritual complete, red Z-Power shot out of Dexio’s back and flowed into Mega Alakazam, filling it with the awesome, insidious energy.
“Noibat, get ready!” Noibat barked, understanding Alice’s command.
“There’s nothing to get ready for!” Dexio shouted. “This battle will end with this attack, and it’s coming right now, whether you’re ready or not! Mega Alakazam! Take Noibat out with Twinkle Tackle!”
Mega Alakazam held its arms out, the spoons above it floated in front of its outstretched fingers and forming into the shape of a star that sparkled with a pink energy that faded with a dark red tint. Balling its hands into fists, it punched them out and sent its spoons soaring out like a comet.
Upon crashing into Noibat, the energy erupted into a bright, colorful explosion like a firework, the force of which shot Noibat high into the air and above the treetops. Alice looked up to track it, but it was already disappearing from view as it climbed up and up and showed no signs of coming down soon.
“NOIBAT!!!” Alice screamed, reaching up to the sky. “No… how can…”
Without any Pokémon left, she fell to her knees, her arms and head coming down not long after. Sam, the ponies, and their Pokémon also tried to track Noibat up in the sky, but could no longer make it out amongst its vastness. Burnet faced the ground, unable to look at the devastation frozen on Alice’s face. Nanu closed his eyes, forced to accept the grim situation. Mega Alakazam panted through its pain as the red sparks of the fake Z-Power popped off its skin.
“How… could you?” Fluttershy slowly tilted her head down to look into Dexio’s eyes. “Why would you do that?”
“Don’t be mad at me.” Dexio shrugged, almost disappointed. “You even warned her to not continue. I guess she should have listened to you, huh?”
Fluttershy closed her eyes and let a stream of tears cascade down each eye, sickened by Dexio’s nonchalant cruelty.
“And now you have us to deal with!” Starlight bellowed, Lady stepping out in front of Alice. “We’ll show you just as much mercy as you showed Noibat!”
“You mistreat my sister’s Pokémon like that,” Sam growled, “and I’ll tear your Mega Alakazam apart myself if I have to!” Absol roared as it leapt out to join Lady.
Comfey pulled on Fluttershy’s mane, and on getting her attention, it pointed out to the other two Pokémon it wanted to join. “Yes, you’re right.” Standing on her hooves, she wiped her eyes as Comfey took Absol’s side. “We have to be strong now, for Alice and Noibat!”
Mega Alakazam looked upon the three Pokémon facing it, noting the scuffs and bruises they already attained in the Abandoned Megamart. Alice got to her own feet, feeling only the least bit emboldened by her friends fighting for her. She looked back up to the sky, hoping to find some sign of her Pokémon descending.
“Noibat…”
Just beneath the clouds, Noibat tumbled gracelessly through the air as it reached the arc of its ascension, slowly coming back down unconsciously, the ground ready to meet it.
“Noibat.”
Beneath it, Sam, Alice, Dexio, Burnet, Nanu, the ponies, the Pokémon; all indistinguishable specks on the ground from its height.
“Noibat!”
The Pokémon continued its fall, unable to hear her cries at all.
“Noibat!!”
With the wind rushing through its ears and the ways it still had to go, she only sounded as soft as a whisper.
“NOIBAT!!”
Then, like a sudden crack of thunder, Noibat heard its trainer clear as day. With its eyes shooting open, it straightened itself out to control its fall before tucking its wings in to dive straight down. Alice still couldn’t see it, and just as she breathed in to call it once again, a bright light in the sky shone down upon the area like a small sun.
Noibat’s body was covered in this light before it became a swirling, ethereal aura. It grew nearly three times its size, its small waist elongating into a stronger, more slender shape. The fur on its chest and legs receded, unveiling a bare, muscular breast and thighs, and the fur on its upper back grew out even longer.
Alice could finally make out her Pokémon’s shape, tears falling down her face as she watched it transform. “Noib…”
Dexio shielded his eyes with the top of his hand. “No way this is happening.”
Sam, Starlight, and Fluttershy also looked up at the spectacle, Fluttershy moved to smile as Noibat’s evolution continued. While Nanu looked on from the corner of his eye, his jaw dropped, Burnet rolled onto her back, not wanting to miss a moment of this.
The area of Noibat’s wings stretched and enlarged out as a membrane connected them to its waist, two spines appearing on the end of each wing. Its feet, once small and tender, widened out into two strong talons. Finally, a tail with two spikes on its end receded out of its back end and stayed straight as the wind flowed around all sides of it.
Starlight saw Noibat come in hot, taking a couple tentative steps back. “Guys, I think we should back up!”
Brightening up once again, Noibat eyed the space that Sam, the ponies, and their Pokémon ran away from, and with an opening of it wings, it slowed down just enough to make a hard, but safe landing upon the ground. The light shattered off its body and revealed its new form, now sporting sleek black scales, teal ears, a red snout and claws, and a purple underbelly that matched the edges of its wings.
“N… Noibat evolved!” Fluttershy stammered.
“It’s not Noibat anymore,” Sam replied. “Now it’s–”
“Noivern.” Alice choked up, wiping her eyes on her wrist.
Noivern leaned forward with its wings upon the ground and roared at Mega Alakazam, bringing it and Dexio to shield their faces as its breath forcefully blew into them.
“And what does that matter!?” Dexio shouted. “Your Noivern barely survived that attack! One more hit on it and it’s done! You’re finished, Alice!
“Then we have to make this one turn count!” Alice threw a pointing arm forward. “Noivern, attack Mega Alakazam with Hurricane!”
Noivern wound its arms as far back as it could and then fanned them out, creating a large tornado that swerved its way toward Mega Alakazam.
“Miss!” Nanu hoisted himself into a seated position, giving him plenty of control to fall back in front of Burnet and shield her from the gusts, clasping one of the sleeves to her bodysuit.
Dexio bent his legs to keep from falling over as he was pummeled by the wind. “Mega Alakazam, brace for it!”
His Pokémon tensed its body up as the twister banked right at it. Even with its preparation, Mega Alakazam’s body was roughly pulled inside, getting jerked and spun about by the attack’s intense gales. Upon being blown out the top, the tornado dispersed, leaving it to fall down to the ground.
“Mega Alakazam!” Despite Dexio’s call, Mega Alakazam crashed into the ground and bounced into a sprawl, Dexio gasping in amazement over how his Pokémon could be so abused.
Despite Starlight, Fluttershy, Lady, and Comfey’s cheers behind them, Alice, Noivern, and even Sam studied Mega Alakazam closely, waiting for it to not make any movements. “Come on,” Alice whispered. “Stay down.”
Mega Alakazam pulled its arms up and pushed off the ground, floating back up into the air. Dexio blinked twice before smiling and chuckling with reprieve. Sam glowered, hating to have seen his worst expectation come true. However, as it tried to clasp its feet together in meditation, it appeared to have trouble, as if it could no longer sense their depth. Even as it floated, it was constantly moving and unable to keep from tilting and leaning.
Alice sighed contently. “Yes, that’s it…”
“No… First it evolves, and now you confuse my…” Dexio shook his head violently, trying to rid his defeatist thought from his psyche. “We still have a chance! Mega Alakazam, finish Noivern off with Dazzling Gleam!”
Mega Alakazam put its arms out, struggling to hold them still. The five spoons haphazardly formed a sloppy circle one by one, and as they spun and shone with light, several of them moved slower than the others, causing them to crash. With the attack uncoordinated, the light of the Dazzling Gleam discharged backwards, hitting Mega Alakazam in the face.
Dexio fearfully stepped backwards as Mega Alakazam clutched its eyes, wailing out as it could no longer see. “Impossible! To be beaten by a little girl on her Island Trials!”
“That was your biggest mistake, pal!” Alice shouted. “Noivern, finish this off for real! Take Mega Alakazam out with Boomburst!”
Ripples of air formed inside Noivern’s ears, bringing bigger and stronger ripples in as it readied its attack. Dexio then shot his gaze to Burnet and Nanu, who were in the crossfire. With a grunt of mild defeat, he ran over between them and grabbed the collars of their shirts, dragging them out of the way as fast as he could. Sam, Starlight, and Fluttershy were aghast.
Alice was equally as stunned. “What the…”
With the air in its ears warping and bouncing about like a glass of water in an earthquake, Noivern thrust its head forward, blasting a massive sonic pulse that threw Mega Alakazam off toward the black-sand beach.
Before it could land, a bright light covered Mega Alakazam and its utensils, and with a burst of the light, it returned to its original form, leaving only two spoons to tumble through the air with it. Alakazam hit the sand and rolled to a stop, unable to move.
With Nanu and Burnet out of harm’s way, Dexio twisted back to no longer see his Pokémon there. “Alakazam!”
Sam and Alice both ran out to the broken road ramp after him, Absol and Noivern following them. Meanwhile, Starlight galloped over to Nanu and Burnet, using her magic to break the bands holding Burnet and Nanu’s feet.
Fluttershy allowed them to pull off her back to get them to their feet. “Are you two alright?”
“Yes, all thanks to you.” Burnet knelt down and gave Fluttershy and Starlight a hug, happy to feel their warm embrace once again.
“Just what the hell was that about all of a sudden?” Nanu went off toward the beach as well.
Burnet broke the hug off and followed Nanu down the ramp, the ponies and their Pokémon staying close behind her. On the beach, Dexio slid down to his Alakazam’s side, checking its body for any injuries.
“You!” Sam’s stern tone compelled Dexio to turn and face him. “Why did you save Nanu and Burnet back there?”
“Forget it.” Alice cracked her knuckles as she came toward him. “Our Pokémon battle may be over, but I’ve still got a bone to pick with you!”
“Wait!” Dexio put his hands out as she quickly stood up. “Wait, wait! I’m sorry! Please, let me explain myself!” Alice stopped herself and took a single step back, willing to hear him out. “This is going to sound crazy, but… I’ve been spying on Team Prism.”
Sam and Alice both had to look at each other, unsure if either of them heard correctly.
“What?” Sam finally responded.
“Yes, it’s true. I realize you have no reason or right to believe me, but it is true. I’ve been working with Sun to get intel on Team Prism: learning why they’re doing what they’re doing, how they plan on doing it… what you guys are really up against. I know all of these things, and I’m willing to tell you; all my cards are on the table here!”
“I don’t know,” Fluttershy said. “This sounds awfully fishy, even for me.”
“Look, I’m so incredibly sorry for what I’ve done to you and your friends, but I had to play the part of a villain in order to keep my cover from getting blown. I never wanted to hurt anyone. If there’s any way to prove myself to you, say it, and I’ll do it.”
Starlight looked around at her friends, seeing as they contemplated for solutions. “We’re heading back to the Aether House right now. Sun should be there, and if what you say about you and him working together on this is true, then we can believe you. If not, we’re keeping you inside the House with all of us until we leave tomorrow morning for the next leg of our journey and can give you to the authorities.”
Sam nodded, glad to see her keep their destination a secret.
Dexio breathed out contently. “Fine, just… can you please just let me call my Alakazam back?”
Sam crossed his arms as Absol growled. “Hurry up.”
Dexio got his ball off his belt as Sam and Absol watched him. Nanu then came up to Alice, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“That was a fine battle, miss,” he said. “Not even I stood a chance against him. If you could, well…” He pulled a Darkium Z crystal from his jacket and slipped it into her vest pocket. “ … then there’s really no point for you to battle me, is there?” Alice turned to him, the feeling of the crystal in her pocket answering what he was already about to tell her. “For all intents and purposes, you’ve cleared the Grand Trial. Congrats.”
Alice smiled and shook the Kahuna’s hand, appreciative of his blessing. The red beam connecting Alakazam to Dexio’s Ultra Ball receded into the center button, leaving no trace of the Pokémon at all. With that matter settled, Sam and Absol went on both sides of him and walked down the beach toward its end. After giving its face a loving and thankful caress, Alice returned Noivern into its ball and walked off to follow her brother and their prisoner.
“It’s so good to have you back, Burnet!” Fluttershy chirped as she, Starlight, and their Pokémon walked beside her. “I’m sure Twilight and Hau will be delighted to see you!”
“Reuniclus, too!”
“Reuniclus…” Burnet hummed contently, not having forgotten her trusty Pokémon. “But first, I could really use a nice hot shower.”
The ponies giggled, the dirt and grime on her body speaking for themselves. As Nanu stood by himself on the sand, Burnet looked back and gave him a small wave farewell. He stood there still and steadfast in the cold ocean breeze, keeping his watchful eyes on them until they were all out of his view.