Equestria. Canterlot. Canterlot Castle. Late Afternoon.
"I'm back!" Returning to Equestria after spending some time as a Human, Princess Celestia appeared back at Canterlot Castle. When she showed up, it was awfully quiet here. Celestia was expecting a little bit of noise, but that wasn't happening at all. Instead, an eerie silence filled the castle. "Hm?"
Celestia, Passion and Arcanine took a wander around the castle, curious. They saw that there were minimal guards located across the castle. They could only spot them on the first and fourth floors.
"Strange. Why is it that there are so few of you around?" Celestia asked, approaching one of the guards.
"Sorry, your majesty. But it was ordered by Princess Luna that a majority of us start guarding various places in Equestria." A guard explained.
"Various places? What happened exactly?"
"Well-"
"There's a superhero around!" Interrupting the guard and sliding over, appearing before Princess Celestia was Premium Polish. "That's why!"
"A superhero?" Celestia was all ears for this. "She sent guards for a superhero? Must be a big fan..."
"It's not that, Princess Celestia. This character, who goes by the name of Galaxy Master, is another Rift Creation. He's solely dedicated to restoring the Rift, targeting every area that hols anything Rift-related. Just earlier today, he interfered with our goal to open a gateway in between the seas of Hoenn and Gorebyss Cove, taking the Trave Sphere."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Here. This is what the guards said he looked like, so I drew him." Premium Polish used her magic to bring over a notebook. And on that notebook, she made a quick drawing of how the guards described his appearance, turning it into a child-like variation.
"Aw, that's adorable." Celestia admired Premium's artwork and its flaws. "So this is our culprit...a superhero made by the Rift, eh? That's certainly new. And it'll most likely create new issues for us down the road. The Pokemon Festival is in just one week from now."
"Should we postpone it?" The guard asked.
"Not for a moment. The Pokemon Festival will arrive on time. Everyone's too excited about it. And not even a superhero will get in the way of it. Luna's already focused on catching him and I'll do the same. Where's my sister now?"
"She's out looking for this character. Somewhere." Luna's actual whereabouts were unknown. But she was on the move, searching for Galaxy Master before things could get out of hand. And knowing that he was focused on anything Rift-related, she had a lot of places to choose from.
Saddle Lake. Nightfall.
The moon had risen via Luna's magic. The silent and peaceful night had come at last. The moon gracefully beamed across the sky, focusing on Ponyville in the far distance. And with the recent rise of Galaxy Master, Canterlot guards were stationed nearby at Ponyville. And for a good reason.
Ponyville was a big target, housing multiple Rift-related forces. From those affected by the Rift, created by the Rift or even a substance of the Rift itself. This would be a goldmine for the wandering superhero.
Up in the sky, a golden light was passing by. Two of them. Those golden lights were Galaxy Master and his Pikachu. While searching for some more Rift Energy to retrieve, their journey led them to Ponyville. The humble town where ponies and Pokemon are the most connected.
"Soaring through the night skies, the two heroes decide to finally take a break after hours had passed." Galaxy Master narrated to himself once again, this time, bringing his partner Pikachu into the mixture. The two of them dropped to the ground before emerging as their true physical forms. "Ah...that should do it for today."
"Pika-Pikachu."
"Hmm...But if we're going to rest, we must make ourselves comfortable..." Galaxy Master pondered. "The hero pondered greatly, knowing that he must rest. While justice never sleeps, the body still needs to be taken care of at all times. Then it hit him!"
"Pika?"
"Of course! How could I forget about my secret base? The Mighty Star Tower!" He cried out, causing his voice to echo once he brought up that name. "Hm. But...this world is the enemy's territory. They're practically everywhere. Thus, we'll need a secretive spot. Such as...underground! Yes, that's right! It won't be much of a tower if it's underground, but perhaps it's the best option we can have. Of course, we'll need assistance to get it underground."
"There you are!" But before he could do so, someone had found him. And that someone was Princess Luna. From above, she soared towards Galaxy Master, finding his location here at Saddle Lake. It wouldn't be the guards who found him first but Luna.
"What's this?!" Galaxy Master gasped before narrating again. "Suddenly, a pony with the complexion of the night appears with a mane as ethereal as the night sky and graceful yet intimidating wings. She confronts the caped hero and his partner are stunned at her arrival."
"Hm? Um...Thank you?" Luna realized she had just been complimented by Galaxy Master. She would now find out that he tends to narrate as if he were in a comic book. "Anyway. I found you. In the night sky, your golden light is easier to spot and it led me right to this place. Saddle Lake."
"So it seems. You are the one who is the sister to the reigning monarch of this world. Princess Luna." Galaxy Master was already aware of Luna's existence. "A shame I can't place my tower here now."
"You won't be pacing anything anywhere. Seeing that your goal is to restore the Rift, you've already prone to being arrested and locked up. There won't be any shenanigans from you."
"Hm-hm. So you say. However! You cannot arrest justice! I've set my sights on a goal and I plan to see it through!" He pointed at Luna. "I don't sense any Rift Energy in you, so I must kindly take my leave."
"You're not going anywhere." Luna narrowed her eyes as from the darkness of the night, an eerie shadow had popped up. The shadow of Darkrai. Darkrai ascended from behind Galaxy Master, already having a Dark Void available to quickly put an end to this colourful character as soon as possible.
That is until Galaxy Master reacted.
"Milky Way Backflip!" With a bombastic voice, he had already sensed Darkrai's presence, performing a stylish backflip which had evaded Darkrai's Dark Void once it had been unleashed. Darkrai gasped as Galaxy Master let out a star pose after he landed, managing to be both goofy and clever at the same time.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu ran to the side of his partner to keep himself safe.
"A backhanded trick like that won't work on me!" Galaxy Master declared. "You and your Avatar of Darkness will have to do better than that."
"Avatar of Darkness?" Darkrai repeated after being referred to as that. "I actually like that." Once again, Galaxy Master managed to impress others with his bombastic words.
"Dark Void didn't work. I suppose the other options are free to use now." Luna sighed.
"I suppose I have no choice." Galaxy Master then stood tall, narrating once again. "Face to face with two emissaries of darkness, Galaxy Master and his partner Pikachu have been found. In an attempt to bring about their Mighty Star Tower, the radiant Princess of the Night had discovered them and had the power to find them during the night skies!"
"Again with the narration?" Luna raised an eyebrow.
"He speaks as if he's in a book," Darkrai observed. "Even going as far as to describe us instead of himself."
"For the sake of the future, he cannot be allowed to lose here. Thus, he confronts the ebony forces!" Galaxy Master then pointed at them. "Pikachu! I choose you!"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu ran forward, standing in front of Galaxy Master with his arms crossed.
"If it's a Pokemon Battle you want, then fine! Darkrai, let's make this quick!" Luna shouted as Darkrai went ahead, ready to face off with Pikachu.
"Swiftly, the hero makes a valiant first move! Light Speed!"
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu went first, using Extreme Speed as he became an immediate yellow blur, rushing towards Darkrai.
"Light Speed? You mean extreme...never mind! Darkrai! Poison Jab!" Luna ordered as Darkrai covered his claws in poison, violently swinging them at Pikachu. The two of them clashed with Pikachu smashing his head onto Darkrai's claws. He used the aura of Extreme Speed as protection from the poison as a fierce clash ensued.
"Immediately, the clash is fierce!" Galaxy Master even narrated the battle. "The two Pokemon meet, seeming equal in strength. However! Thunderbolt!"
"Pika!" Pikachu ended the clash by moving back. He then switched to his next attack. Thunderbolt. The Mouse Pokemon leapt into the air, manipulating the clouds as Darkrai and Luna looked up. The clouds swirled with thunder flashing within them. And from those clouds, a blast of lightning shot down, covering Pikachu in its power.
"Dark Pulse, quick!"
"Chuuuu!" Pikachu had used the power of the storms themselves, releasing a bolt of electricity that possessed 100,000 volts while Darkrai retaliated, unleashing a beam that was imbued with dark thoughts. They entered a struggle with the two attacks fighting for dominance. The two attacks were equal, cancelling each other out in the process.
"We're already struggling against this one Pikachu?" Luna growled as she had come across another Pikachu who was surprisingly strong. It wasn't just Ash's Pikachu. "Darkrai! Dark Void!"
"The Avatar of Darkness summons a malicious orb of nightmares, unleashing it in the form of multiple orbs! But the reaction to this is swift! My friend! Evade it with Light Speed!"
"Pika!" However, the second Dark Void had been unleashed Pikachu used the speed of Extreme Speed to evade them. He zigzagged, moving in the pattern of a lightning bolt as that continued to work well for him. By evading all of the Dark Voids, he managed to tackle Darkrai, landing the first. "Chu-Pi!"
"Ugh!" Darkrai groaned as the impact of Extreme Speed was fierce thanks to the velocity as he was then pushed back.
"Poison Jab!"
Darkrai retaliated as quickly as he was knocked back, however, immediately returned a counterattack. He swiftly slashed Pikachu with Poison Jab, knocking the Mouse Pokemon away at a greater distance.
"Pika!"
"My electrifying friend! Are you alright?!" Galaxy Master gasped as Pikachu managed to recover by sliding back. He was doing fine.
"Pikachu!"
"For someone so new to the world, you're a skilled one," Luna commented. "The way you battle feels familiar as well."
"Justice always adapts and catches up!" Galaxy Master declared. "Pikachu. My friend. I believe you should deserve some rest for now."
"Pika?"
"In our battle to defeat this evil that spreads across a nation, we must have more allies. No. More friends by our side. For now, sit back and allow your friends to join in and help reach our goal."
"Pika...Pikachu." Pikachu ran back to Galaxy Master, taking a break.
"He's treating this like a normal Pokemon Battle? Don't you understand the stakes here!" Luna aimed her hoof at the caped character.
"Of course I do!" He yelled back with a greater voice. "More than anything. If I lose here, it's all over. And I can't let that happen...so I need your assistance to make sure that is the case, my friend!"
Suddenly, as he let out an echo, an immense pressure was coming from his body. Luna and Darkrai gasped as Luna's mane and tail were being blown by this instant pressure that was coming straight from Galaxy Master.
"W-What is this?!" Luna put up a barrier to try and protect herself from the pressure while Darkrai dug his claws into the barrier to hold on.
"Now! In my galaxy! A great supernova flare of six crimson flames appears!" He shouted out as an actual flare of fire combusted behind him. It resembled that of a supernova as it began damaging Luna's barrier. Six flaming stars had also surrounded Galaxy Master before becoming one with the supernova. "Do you wish to back out?! It's too late to back out, I'm afraid! With a blazing glory! Come to me! Dragon of the Mighty flames! Charizard!"
Pillars of fire had burst out of the ground, making it seem like there was a volcano erupting around the area as there was even a red ambience. There was a second combustion with the supernova as out of it, the Flame Pokemon Charizard let out a mighty roar. The supernovas were obliterated by his roar as Galaxy Master had summoned a Charizard.
"Charizard!"
"Unbelievable...he summoned a Pokemon...?" Luna couldn't believe her eyes. She had never seen anyone casually summon a Pokemon. Or even summon them at all.
"Stunned, they come face to face with the Dragon of the Mighty Flames." He narrated. "Charizard! A great advantage has been made for the side of justice!"
"I-It's not a dragon though..." Luna stammered.
"Charizard! My friend! Guide us to victory! Draconic Crush!"
"Char!" Charizard would use Dragon Claw, summoning massive green energy claws before immediately charging in.
"You mean Dragon Claw?! Poison Jab!" Darkrai would meet Charizard's attack with his own claws. Now that Galaxy Master has shown how strong he was, Darkrai couldn't afford to take it easy as Dragon Claw and Poison Jab had clashed. Sparks flew from the impact as they went back and forth, clashing their claws against each other.
"Charizard!" Charizard blocked some incoming hits from Darkrai's Poison Jab, holding his claws out in an x-shape. e then pushed Darkrai's claws back before going in for a swing, only for Darkrai to fly over him. The Flame Pokemon ascended, pursuing Darkrai as an aerial battle ensued.
The Flame Pokemon and the Pitch Black Pokemon had an aerial battle that was both heavy and swift. Orange and black blurs zoomed through the skies with green and purple sparks flying everywhere. They butted heads while also putting their claws against each other.
One final strike and they both managed to hit each other in the face. Both Pokemon had been knocked back as Darkrai was now having to hold his own against two powerful Pokemon.
"Don't let up Darkrai! Thunderbolt, now!"
"Charizard! Great Blazing Stream!" And by that, he meant Flamethrower.
"Chari...Zard!" Charizard would meet Thunderbolt with Flamethrower, unleashing a blazing scarlet stream from his mouth as it smashed into the bolt of 100,000 volts. And this time, the one to win the struggle was Charizard as his flames had blazed through the volts.
"What?!" Luna gasped.
"There's nothing the Great Dragon cannot burn down! G!"
"Charizard!" Charizard flames had consumed Darkrai's Thunderbolt before then engulfing him. Darkrai received a heavy hit from Charizard's Flamethrower, causing him to grimace. The flames then combusted, bringing out a bright explosion that rustled the trees.
Darkrai flew out of the explosion with smoke trailing out of his body. The Dark-Type was still conscious but that attack winded him a bit.
"Ah, but we aren't finished! Relentless, he makes another attack! Charizard! Cleaving Blades of the Sky!"
"Zard!" And by that, he meant Air Slash. Charizard flapped his wings, sending out blades of wind that could cut through the sky itself.
"I refuse to lose like this!" But Luna wouldn't let herself be beaten like this. Not under a standard Pokemon Battle. "Darkrai! Now's a good time to try this out."
Luna closed her eyes along with Darkrai as an aura of darkness had embezzled the Pitch Black Pokemon. They were digging into the Harmony Phenomenon as Darkrai was bringing out a newfound power. It was still new to both of them as it was only used once for a few seconds. But this time, the power showed more of itself as the forcefield of darkness had blocked the blades of wind.
"What's this?! The Princess of the Night and the Avatar of Darkness have brought out a dark power! The blades of wind have been completely blocked off!" He narrated yet again.
"Darkrai! Now! Use the shadows to your will!"
Darkrai put his claws together, manipulating not just his shadow, but also the shadows of everything here. The shadows of the trees, the shadows of the plants and even the shadows of Galaxy Master and Charizard.
"P-Pika?!"
"What?! We're being lifted?!" Galaxy Master then noticed that his body was being taken off the ground as his shadows were being manipulated by Darkrai.
"Thanks to the Harmony Phenomenon, I can bring out the best of Darkrai...It's still so new to me, but I believe I can understand it. With this, the shadows of everyone are under Darkrai's control. Go, Darkrai!"
"C-Charizard!" Charizard had been smashed into the ground by Darkrai manipulating the shadows. Meanwhile, Galaxy Master and Pikachu had been restrained by shadow tendrils that ended up wrapping around their bodies.
"The clutches of darkness have us restrained. Truly, a terrifying force." Galaxy Master growled while also narrating. Whether he was winning or in trouble, he would narrate. "But...the flames of Charizard say otherwise! Watch as they shine with the light of a supernova! Flamethrower!
"Charizard!" Just then, Charizard had used Flamethrower in a unique way. Much like how Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and Surf differently, Charizard ended up exuding fire from his entire body instead of just his mouth.
He became a living fireball, emanating a flame of great ferocity that any Fire-Type would admire. And the light from it was so intense that much to the surprise of Luna and Darkrai, it was pushing back the shadows, removing Darkrai's control over the Flame Pokemon. The flames had even protected Pikachu and Galaxy Master.
"That can't be!"
"Oh, but it be! Shine brighter my friend!" Galaxy Master's voice echoed out as Charizard had more to give out.
"This is dangerous but...let's use some more, Darkrai!" Luna had used her magic in unison with Darkrai's power. She would push herself with this newfound power from the Harmony Phenomenon as Darkrai expanded his sphere of darkness.
The flames and the darkness fought against each other viciously as it was taking more than what Luna expected to try and overcome this. The two of them were far too vast as an eclipsing light and a consuming darkness had filled Saddle Lake. Afterwards, the attacks had cancelled each other out in the process.
Their battle could be seen from Saddle Lake and this only boosted the intensity of it as the entirety of Saddle Lake had been overtaken by these dual forces. The Canterlot Guards were already heading there minutes ago before witnessing the bright flash of light that had eclipsed everything.
"You...!" Luna spoke while everything was being eclipsed. "You!" But then silence filled the air as Luna had pushed herself when it came to the Harmony Phenomenon, putting an end to this conflict.
4 minutes later.
4 minutes had passed ever since that flash of light. The guards had arrived to see the outcome. And the outcome was that there was no winner. Despite everything that happened, neither side claimed victory. Instead, they tied. However, Luna was being held by Darkrai after pushing herself while Galaxy Master and his Pokemon were nowhere to be seen.
"Your majesty! What happened!?" The guards asked.
"He got away...curse it all." Luna sighed, holding her head. "I wish we had better control of that power, Darkrai. Then maybe, we would've caught him."
"Maybe. But he was far greater than what we were told about him. Being able to summon a Pokemon and do that?" Darkrai replied.
"Right then. Keep searching for him. He's out there somewhere, aiming to start up his own base of operations." Luna was placed down.
"The Pokemon Festival is in one week, your majesty. What should we do about that since so many ponies, people and Pokemon will be there."
"Oh, we'll wait for him there." Luna breathed in and out. "The Pokemon Festival will be when we catch him. The presence of Rift Energy will be greater than ever. Just you wait, Galaxy Master."
Luna was now more determined than ever to catch Galaxy Master. He was a tricky one. Both were bombastic in how he acted but he was a formidable Pokemon Trainer, housing an amazing wealth of skill and the power to seemingly summon any Pokemon to his side.
The Pokemon Festival was nearby and Luna was aiming t meet him there. Because at the Pokemon Festival, all walks of life would be there. All she had to do was wait for that week to come.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 837 End.