Equestria. Saddle Lake. Afternoon.
Arriving here at Saddle Lake, obviously attracted by the Pheromosa Idol made by the efforts of Rarity, Twilight and Cold Colt were three Pheromosa. And two of them were very familiar to Rarity's Pheromosa as they were her friends from the Ultra Desert. However, the reunion was anything but friendly. Immediately after her friends were seen again, they were already attacking as Rarity's Pheromosa narrowly dodged the attack from one of her friends. "M-Mosa!"
"Oh, it worked! They showed up sooner than we expected!"
"Yeah, but they didn't go for the idol first! They went straight for Pheromosa!"
"Mosa!" After missing her, the middle Pheromosa would slide on the ground, almost reaching the lake. But even after missing Rarity's Pheromosa, the idol was not of any importance to her. She instantly eyed down the Lissome Pokemon with an intense stare.
The other two Pheromosa stayed still but they would also gaze at the Lissome Pokemon. It was as if the idol that Rarity and the others worked so hard to make was insignificant to them.
"Phe! Phe!" Confused as to why her good friend would suddenly attack her, Rarity's Pheromosa would stave those thoughts away, focusing on the fact that she had seen her again. That goes for her second Pheromosa friend as she cried out to both of them. "Mosa-Mosa!"
"Phero." The middle Pheromosa, who had the strongest stare out of them all, would mildly growl at Rarity's Pheromosa.
"I don't understand. Did they not come here for the idol"? Rarity was in disbelief, trying to make sense of this. These Pheromosas seemingly came for her Pheromosa specifically, ignoring the flashy monument of their species.
"Are you sensing something serious here?" Ash questioned, speaking to not only his friends on the outside but also his friend Sombra on the inside. He could tell the looks on their faces and the fact that they weren't racing for the idol that there was some tension brewing here.
"I am. And it is wonderful." Sombra replied. This is something he greatly enjoyed. The former King of the Crystal Empire could feel the aura of anger brewing and it was delightful.
"Pheromosa. Do you...know these three?" Rarity asked.
"Mosa. Pheromo." She confirmed but she only pointed at two Pheromosa. The other one on the left was completely random. She could never forget her friends even if it was difficult to tell which Pheromosa was which. Rarity's Pheromosa seemed to be the only Shiny one.
She would approach the middle one who had a slight edge over the others. She was around the same height as Rarity's Pheromosa while the other two were slightly shorter but still overwhelmingly tall. Excited to see her friend, Rarity's Pheromosa held her arms out, wanting to reunite with a hug instead of an attack. But raising her arms prompted her friend to react. And it was far from friendly.
"Phero." The middle Pheromosa would suddenly smack Rarity's Pheromosa's arm away. She refused the hug or any form of greeting as the others looked in shock. Pheromosa was the most in shock after seeing her friend respond in such a way.
"Mosa?" Pheromosa held her hand, confused as to why her good friend would do such a thing. She didn't question the sneak attack from before but now she definitely had to question it and now this. At that moment, the other two Pheromosa would slowly approach, getting closer. The confused Pheromosa looked around her to see that she was the target here. Not the Pheromosa Idol.
"Hold on!" Rarity spoke up, getting in between them. "What's this about?! Aside from ignoring the idol we made, why are you suddenly out for my darling Pheromosa? Isn't she your friend?!"
"Yeah! Check out this idol that looks just like you all! Isn't it great?!" Pinkie Pie and Twilight would try and deviate their attention away from Rarity's Pheromosa, wanting them to focus on the idol instead. They would even stand around it like fashion models, trying to really spice it up.
"Pheromosa!" The other Pheromosa wouldn't answer Rarity. They didn't feel the need to. But they felt like shoving her out of the way as she was interrupting this moment that was not sincere at all. The middle Pheromosa went for a powerful kick, attempting to knock Rarity out of the way. But that was more than enough to prompt Rarity's Pheromosa to take action.
Rarity's pupils shrank as she was a bit too late to react to the incoming kick. But thankfully, her partner was right on time to block any damage. An interception came from her Pheromosa, blocking the opposing kick with her own. The impact caused a shockwave above Rarity, barely hitting her as it only brushed her mane, blowing the grass and leaves and even rippling the water.
Seeing the collision, Rarity would back away. Rarity's Pheromosa may be confused as to why her friends were suddenly attacking her, but when it came to Rarity, she didn't need to ask any questions. All she needed to do was defend her.
"Mosa!" The middle Pheromosa wouldn't stop there at all. Now that Rarity's Pheromosa had engaged with her, she would continue attacking, bringing no answers at all. "Phero!"
"M-Mo!" Quickly, Rarity's Pheromosa managed to block the incoming strike with her arms. No questions asked or any answers answered. After blocking it, the other two Pheromosa took action, targeting Rarity's Pheromosa who didn't understand what was going on. "Phero?!" Spotting the other two, the Lissome Pokemon quickly used her speed to zip out of the way, avoiding a Dual High Jump Kick from above.
After avoiding it, the two Pheromosa harmed themselves thanks to the consequence of using High Jump Kick and missing. Both of them groaned as Pheromosa had a rather upset face after seeing them take damage.
"Pheromosa definitely doesn't want to battle them!" Ash exclaimed. "Those are definitely her friends but something's wrong! They're attacking her for some reason!"
"Pika?!"
"Well, they're not going to harm my Pheromosa! Not for a moment!" Rarity saw this as a clear threat and wouldn't let it stand. "How dare you try and attack your friend after she hasn't seen you in so long?!"
"Phero...!" The middle Pheromosa was already getting tired of Rarity's babbling. She would try and scare the Fashionista off and for a moment, she managed to intimidate her. But Rarity stood her ground as she's definitely seen scarier.
"Mosa." Just then, Rarity's own Pheromosa would ask her to stand down, holding her arm over her.
"Pheromosa?" Rarity gasped.
"Phero." The Ultra Beast looked back at her partner, wanting to prevent any conflict. She did not wish to battle her friends but she also didn't want to see Rarity and her new friends being harmed at all. Pheromosa would speak to her friends, trying to reason with them.
She explained that she was glad to see them but wasn't sure why they were suddenly so hostile. Especially since there was currently an invasion of Pheromosas who are all stealing whatever they can. The longer they keep this up, the more the Pheromosa could steal.
"Pheromosa's doing her best to diffuse the situation, but I don't think it's working," said Twilight, observing the scene.
"Mosa...!" However, the middle one, who seemed to be the one prone to attack more than the others, clenched her hands. She would glare at the gentle Pheromosa before taking a step.
"If you have a problem with Pheromosa, then it's a problem with us," Ash said, defending the Lissome Pokemon. "Something's up and you're not telling us, let alone Pheromosa."
"Pikachu!"
"Phero." However, Pheromosa did not wish for Ash and the others to get involved, halting them immediately. This was something she wanted to solve on her own since the other Pheromosas weren't listening. But they would surely listen to Rarity's Pheromosa, even if they weren't answering her questions. Pheromosa knew she had to find a way to get them to respond and she didn't care how long it would take.
"Pheromosa? Alright. You know what you're doing." Ash understood Pheromosa's decision. But she should also know that her friends would always be here to help her no matter what.
"Pheromo!" Immediately after, the Pheromosas would attack Rarity's Pheromosa yet again, wanting only violence and no peace. In a flash, all four of them left behind afterimages thanks to their absurd speed. Rarity felt the wind brush against her as the Pheromosas were rapidly moving all over the place. They practically became physical speed lines as the three of them were trying to surround Rarity's Pheromosa.
Rarity's Pheromosa could see that the only way she was going to talk some sense into them was by beating some sense into them. She wasn't one for violence, especially amongst her friends but if it had to be this way, so be it.
"Mosa!" Pheromosa would engage with the middle Pheromosa fighting back, much to the surprise of the middle Pheromosa. This whole time, she has been the aggressor and only saw Rarity's Pheromosa as too cowardly to fight back, only defending herself. However, she may be sweet and innocent but she was certainly powerful, especially since she has gone up against some of the most cruel and aggressive opponents out there.
Both Pheromosas used Triple Kick. In unison, they could clash their legs against each other, sending sparks flying from the sheer collision despite their supple bodies. However, they wouldn't make it just three kicks. They would use Triple Kick in succession, rapidly clashing as their movements became swifter. And thanks to their ability Beast Boost, both of them were getting faster. But soon, the other two Pheromosas would close in on her again, attempting to sneak attack her.
"Behind you, Pheromosa!" Rarity cried out, warning her friend. Taking that warning, Pheromosa looked behind her as she was nearly struck by yet another sneak attack. Ending her clash with the middle Pheromosa, she narrowly avoided a Throat Chop from the right Pheromosa. And immediately after that, she managed to block the left Pheromoas's High Jump Kick with her arm. Pheromosa wasn't just skilled with her legs but also her arms, giving her the edge over the others.
However, they were still rather vicious as the middle one was the first to land a proper hit in the form of Poison Jab. A strong and virulent kick landed on Pheromosa's chest, knocking her away. "P-Phero!" She still managed to recover, merely sliding on the ground. It would take more than that to stop her.
"Pheromosa!" An angered Pheromosa rushed in as it was the middle one showing the most aggression yet again, using Close Combat against her. This was the one Pheromosa that Rarity's Pheromosa attempted to understand as she was the most infuriated out of the two. The left Pheromosa was not one of Pheromosa's friends so she could at least see the aggression there.
"Phe!" In response, the Lissome Pokemon would evade the rapid strikes from the middle Pheromosa. SHe would play it defensively, evading all those sharp and swift strikes, having an excellent reaction time. And she was doing all of this without needing Rarity to give out any commands.
"She's doing this with no help?" Cold COlt stared in amazement.
"That's my Pheromosa." Rarity said with a proud face and posture. "As if she'd let some ruffians get the better of her."
"Still..." Ash observed. "If they're upset at Pheromosa to the point where they won't even look at the idol, then something's bothering them. And I think I know what it is."
"You figured it out?" said Goh.
"Yeah. It's pretty simple, honestly and I get where they're coming from. It's just that they're so quick to action and aggression to really talk it out right now."
"Pheromosa!" Soon, all Pheromosas would rush in to try and overwhelm the Lissome Pokemon. They all threw out their fastest and strongest kicks, pressuring her.
"Mosa!" However, Pheromosa refused to let that put her on the back foot. In response, she used Quiver Dance. A move she hasn't used in a while. And by using it, she would evade their attacks with greater ease. She was already doing it with great efficiency. But now that was elevated. She would dance to evade, performing stylish movements that were also used in the movies which Rarity involves herself in. Spending time with Rarity has not only made her stronger but also extremely graceful which was also another strength to her.
"Phe?!" The opposing Pheromosa gasped as their attacks were completely whiffing and missing at every turn.
"Osa~" Pheromosa smirked, knowing that she had them bewildered. She would even wink at them before going on the offensive. After avoiding their attacks, she would be the one to retaliate, using a consecutive Triple Kick. And the difference between them had been seen. They both may be fast Pokemon but thanks to Pheromosa's time around her friends, she had the advantage in terms of speed. The other two Pheromosas on the side dispersed as the middle one was left to block the incoming kicks.
"Pheromo?!" The middle Pheromosa growled as these hits were harder than she expected. Her supple body was vibrating each time a kick landed. She was being pushed back, moving across Saddle Lake while the other two Pheromosa was trying to keep up. They ran after the opposing Pheromosa while she was moving back the aggressive one with these lightning-fast kicks
"Amazing...Even though they're also Ultra Beasts and she's just one Ultra Beasts, she's giving them a hard time." Cold Colt was flabbergasted. "What's up with that?!"
"Pheromo!" Pheromosa would shout, wanting answers immediately now that she was showing her friends that she wasn't afraid to strike back and pressure them as well. She threw a question in while also performing an axe kick, only for the middle Pheromosa to barely zip out of the way. Her afterimage was taken out instead as the axe kick would smash the ground, dealing heavy damage. After missing, this gave the other Pheromosas the chance to attack from the back.
But Pheromosa was prepared for that too, swiftly using Quiver Dance once more to evade the attacks. Their kicks failed once more as Pheromosa performed an elegant backflip over them. The two of them gasped, stunned that their attacks were failing repeatedly now. Pheromosa would then land on the lake, making a perfect ripple without a single splash.
The middle Pheromosa roared, finally answering Pheromosa. But even while answering, she would lash out, attacking Pheromosa either way. On the bright side, Pheromosa now had an answer while being approached by her angered friend. And now she was starting to see that this anger had a reason for existing.
"If only we had Fluttershy here to translate. Or even that one potion from Potion Nova." Twilight grumbled, wishing she knew what she was saying.
"I know what it is." But Ash could fill that void instantly, understanding Pokemon very well as everyone looked at him. "They're upset at Pheromosa because of the day she left."
"The day she left?" Pinkie Pie repeated.
"Pheromosa appeared here one day just like the other Pheromosas. An Ultra Wormhole. And it was all by herself too with no one else coming along with her. And that's probably why they're so mad. They were her friends back home and she suddenly up and left. I'm guessing there wasn't a goodbye."
"Oh, right..." Twilight slowly nodded. "Pheromosa always wanted to see something beyond the Ultra Desert and she finally got her wish, ending up here. But her friends were left behind and it's only now that they're showing up."
"Aw. They're just mad that they got left behind without a farewell." Pinkie Pie pouted. "Is that right?"
They were right on the money. And as they said that, the thoughts within Pheromosa would appear as she knew the answer all thanks to Ash. As for the angered Pheromosa, she remembered it all too well. She remembered the promise that the three of them made on that day when they tried to escape from the Ultra Desert. One day, they would all head elsewhere. And even though that day finally came, it was two separate days entirely.
"Pheromooo!" The middle Pheromosa angrily said, being the most hurt from this. The right Pheromosa was also rather hurt but she had a less violent disposition than the middle one.
"Mosa." Understanding her anger, Pheromosa finally knew the truth. And for that, she was disappointed in herself for not saying goodbye. However, to calm her friend down, she would finally deliver consecutive attacks that would subdue her. This attack has gone on long enough. "Pheromosa!" With a bright flash in her eyes, she would use Triple Kick, finding an opening
"P-Phe!" The middle Pheromosa gasped after receiving a staggering kick to her chest, making her cough. The next kick would be an upwards one, raising her head so that she could see the azure skies which were very different to the skies back at the Ultra Desert. And the final attack would be a grandiose kick to the stomach once more. This one was so strong that the shockwaves were very much visible as the middle Pheromosa was launched like a slingshot.
Pheromosa ended up finishing the job by also having her friend crash into her other friend and this random Pheromosa that tagged along. All three of them hit the trees, making the leaves fall. Just like that, by herself, Pheromosa had won, defeating three other Pheromosa without a trainer.
"Mosa..." The middle Pheromosa groaned, in utter disbelief that she lost. The numbers did not matter at all. Rarity's Pheromosa approached her species, now wishing to speak with them. "Phero?"
"Pheromosa." Understanding the situation, she held her hand out, wanting peace. And also issuing an apology. Pheromosa apologized to them both, wishing she had said farewell to them. But there was more than that. She also wished that she could have brought them along. "Osa?"
"Phe..." The middle and right Pheromosa grunted, still recovering from that fierce attack. However, one obviously recovered faster and it was the right one. The right Pheromosa heard Pheromosa's apology and immediately lunged at her. But not to attack her. To cry in her arms.
"Pheromosa! Phero!" She suddenly started tearing up, hugging her fellow Ultra Beast. She would then point back at the middle Pheromosa, suddenly shifting some form of blame at them.
"What's happening now?" Goh asked. "Is she blaming her or something?"
"Looks like it," Ash confirmed with a nod.
"Looks like she was only doing what the middle one was doing. She does seem like the leader type." Rarity observed. "Since they are both Pheromosa's friends, they were both hurt by it. They were sticking by each other and one was more prone to take revenge."
"Mo." The middle Pheromosa scoffed as she was indeed the one to encourage the right Pheromosa to attack their only other friend. And when thinking about it, it was rather silly, even if it was a heat of the moment. She was her good friend and for a Pheromosa that was incredibly rare. If she went any further, she would've lost a friend for good.
"Pheromosa." But that was exactly why Rarity's Pheromosa was so sweet. She forgave them in an instant, understanding their emotions. She would then hold her hand out to them. The hot-headed Pheromosa would stare at her good friend for a moment, seeing how forgiving she was. Unbeknownst to her, Pheromosa had a Human Spirit within her which is what gave her an extra level of kindness.
"Phero." At a loss for words of how forgiving her friend was, she would take her hand, accepting her apology. But she also had an apology to throw in there. Attacking her out of the blue after they haven't seen each other in a while.
"Pheromosa!" Happy to hear this, Pheromosa was glad to have her friends back at last. She would then hug them both, over the moon. The other two gasped for a moment before taking in this hug. Their friend was still the same even if she had left them.
"Aw, that's so sweet." Twilight gushed. "Does my heart good to see friendship prevailing."
"Yeah. That could've been ugly if they continued attacking." Goh sighed.
"Pheromo..." As for the left Pheromosa, she would slowly get up, hoping no one had noticed her. She tried creeping away, still shaking after that devastating hit.
"Phe!" However, that prompted Rarity's Pheromosa to eye her down, causing her to freeze in place. She was the only one she didn't recognize.
"M-Mosa...!" She would slowly turn around, putting on an innocent grin as if she didn't just attack her as well. However, her attention was soon shifted to something else. At last, the Pheromosa Idol had been spotted. All it took was this battle coming to an end for its magic to work. "Pheromosa?!"
"Jackpot. It worked." Twilight said, seeing that one Pheromosa gaze at the idol. She clearly wanted it and at this moment, no one else was going for it. Thus, it was up for grabs. She wasn't going to just stay around it. She planned to take it which is exactly what Twilight and the others expected, which is why they were waiting for the other Pheromosas to show up. They just needed the right spot.
"Mosa. Pheromosa." Now that she's reunited with her friends, she would immediately tell them what was wrong. While it was great to see more of her species here, it was not pleasant to everyone else. The danger levels were rising as nothing was really stopping a Pheromosa from attacking someone.
"So about attracting them all. Have we figured out a spot yet?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"I've got one. And it's a place that's recently come up." Finally, Twilight came up with a location that would allow the idol to stand out just like how Canterlot Castle could be seen in the distance. "Let's place it on the Winged Mountain."
Lapras Lake.
Fluttershy had been taken. A Pheromosa had shown at the Pokemon House, searching for anything to pawn. And it ended up taking Fluttershy who was definitely not an object. At this moment, Raboot, Bayleef and Audino were searching for Fluttershy, hoping that she hasn't gotten too far.
Other Pokemon from the Pokemon House would do what they could to find Fluttershy as a Houndour was currently sniffing her out. Flying-Types were in the air, spectating from above to see what they could find. Everyone followed Hondour's lead as they all ended up at Lapras Lake.
"Raboot! Raboot!" Raboot cried out for Fluttershy's name, hoping that Pheromosa hadn't dashed across the water and gone elsewhere. Thankfully, that was not the case. They didn't have to go on a long hunt for Fluttershy. She got far but not that far as their hunt stopped here at Lapras Lake of all places.
"Really? I mean, I'm sure there's something beyond the Ultra Desert." Lo and behold, sitting there and chatting with the Pokemon that kidnapped her was Fluttershy herself. Her Pokemon froze in place, watching her have a casual conversation with them. "
"Mosa." Pheromosa twiddled its thumbs, looking rather down. No longer was it holding Fluttershy.
"I can imagine that can get boring." Fluttershy nodded, taking the time to understand Pheromosa. And by extension, all of the Pheromosas. Soon, she would notice Audino and the others. "Oh, hello, everyone! You caught up!"
"A-Audino?!"
"I'm completely fine." Fluttershy waved, being in one piece and suffering no harm. It was impossible for her to be harmed as the Pheromosa only chose her because she was so clean. "Pheromosa here just wanted something or someone clean. I just happened to be the only one there. That reminds me. We should really clean up the place from time to time."
"Ra...Raboot?" Raboot just couldn't understand it. But at that moment, he ended up understanding it, realizing who his trainer was. It was Fluttershy after all as she had a strong talent that involved communicating with creatures.
"So, you came through the Ultra Wormhole because someone opened them up for you." Fluttershy continued. "And you all know who did it? Who was it? Did you see them?"
"Mosa." This conversation was more important than it appeared. Not only was Fluttershy understanding the Pheromosa species but also the fact that someone opened up the Ultra Wormholes. It was natural for something like this to happen. The Ultra Wormholes always seem to open up thanks to an external force. But this time, the Ultra Beasts knew exactly who it was.
It wasn't just one Pheromosa but apparently all of them knew who it was. This one Pheromosa could definitely remember what she saw. It was brief but after closing her eyes and reopening them, the mysterious individual that opened up these Ultra Wormholes was definitely up to something. And in her mind, it was a prismatic-looking figure as the journey continues.
Chapter 242 End.