//------------------------------// // Sci-Twi vs Sunset // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Unova. Ventstone Pass. Day. After encountering each other here at Ventstone Pass, Sci-Twi and Sunset were about to have themselves a battle with only one side being the victor. To defend Volo or to reveal Volo's true colours. The two friends stood away from each other, choosing to battle at the flat lands of Ventstone Pass. It made a perfect battlefield, not too big and not too small. Both girls stood opposite of each other, staring their opponent down. "I have more than six Pokemon with me and you only have three. Let's make it fair and use three Pokemon each." Sci-Twi suggested. "Three? Okay. I can do that. You're the challenger, so I'll let you make the first move." "I guess I'll be the referee." Carlita felt like she couldn't stop this battle from happening due to how heated they were. But it was up to her to make sure that this was a fair match. "Three Pokemon each. Once all three Pokemon from either side are unable to battle, the other side wins. So, bring out your first Pokemon, you two." "Go! Dusknoir!" For Sci-Twi, she summoned Alpha Dusknoir, choosing one of her heavy hitters from the start. If she was going to win, it would be with maximum efficiency. "Dusknoir!" "Volcarona, go!" For Sunset Shimmer, she unleashed her Volcarona. "Volcarona!" As the two girls stared each other down, Sunset Shimmer was determined to see the truth. But Sci-Twi strongly thought otherwise in every way, especially after last night. "I won't let you bad talk my friend." She had to make sure that her friends were safe, regardless of their differences. "Even if you're my friend. I'll defeat you and you'll give Volo a chance." "We'll see about that." Sunset Shimmer replied with narrowed eyes. Clearly, the tension was strong n the air and their Pokemon could feel it. Watching from the side were Kirlia, Pikachu, Zorua and Delphox, who weren't saying at the moment. They would only observe. "Dusknoir, use Shadow Ball!" Sci-Tw started things off. "Dusk!" From his hands, Dusknoir generated a blob of shadows. He then seperated them, making two Shadow Balls and launching them with all of his might. "Counter with Hurricane, Volcarona!" Sunset Shimmer commanded. "Rona!" Volcarona created a tornado-like storm by flapping his wings around, sending the two Shadow Balls back towards Dusknoir. The Hurricane was large and vicious, picking up any nearby rocks and blending in well with Ventstone Pass's environment. "Dusknoir, defend with Shadow Punch!" "Noir!" The Shadow Pokemon punched the ground, generating a large amount of shadowy energy. The force was strong enough to create a barrier of shadows, stopping the two Shadow Balls. And when he saw an opening, he used the shadows to form to large fists that would rise from the ground, aiming at Volcarona. "Quiver Dance!" "Vo!" Volcarona flew around the shadowy fists, easily dodging the attack. And he wasn't done there. As he was moving, the Fire Moth Pokemon was able to gather energy within his body, making the flame on his body grow in size. "Volcarona! Use Fiery Dance!" "Volca!" In an instant, the fire on his body increased, turning into a burning aura that surrounded his body. And with the Quiver Dance he did earlier, his speed increased drastically, giving the Sun Pokemon a massive boost in speed. He was flying so fast that the winds generated from him were incredibly powerful, creating a large updraft. "Dusknoir, use Dark Pulse! Take him out!" "Noir!" The Shadow Pokemon released a black pulse, aiming it directly at Volcarona. But the Bug Pokemon was simply too fast, moving around the Dark Pulse and flying behind Dusknoir. "Now, Volcarona!" "Rona!" In an instant, Volcarona cloaked his body in flames and dashed right into Dusknoir, creating a powerful impact. The fire-clad Volcarona struck the Shadow Pokemon, sending him tumbling across the ground. "Dusknoir!" Sci-Twi gasped. "Don't let him rest! Bug Buzz!" "Roooooona!" Volcarona used the vibrations in his wings, sending it straight into Dusknoir's ears. He was hit by a deafening sound wave that caused him immense damage. "D-Dusk!" Dusknoir held onto his head, struggling to get back up. Afterwards, the Bug Buzz would materialize a light green energy that took the form of a giant green bug, slamming its pincers onto the Shadow Pokemon. Dusknoir was pushed back and slammed into the wall, groaning and moaning from the pain. "Is that it?" Sunset Shimmer asked. "Dusknoir's not done yet." Sci-Twi shook her head as Dusknoir immediately ripped himself out of the wall. He had a serious look on his face, staring straight at Volcarona. The damage he sustained was quite significant, but he was still capable of fighting. "Now, Dusknoir! Earthquake!" Twilight would slam her fist into her palm as an example. "Dusknoir!" From the ground, Dusknoir generated an immense amount of energy, shaking the entire floor. He then stomped his feet, generating a golden shockwave that travelled towards Volcarona. "Stop it, Volcarona! Hurricane!" "Volcarona!" Flapping his wings, he sent a vicious Hurricane that would meet with the Earthquake. These two staggering attacks collided, creating a devastating clash that shook the entire battlefield. Once they clashed, a mixture of a destructive wind pressure and a powerful shockwave exploded, pushing both sides back. "Volcarona!" Sunset bellowed while using one arm to cover her face. "Dusknoir!" Sci-Twi shouted, covering her eyes with both arms. The smoke cleared up and the two girls saw their Pokemon in bad shape, but not completely beaten. Their attacks clashed, leaving both parties hurt and fatigued. But neither were willing to give up, even in their state. "You alright, Volcarona?!" "Volcarona!" Sunset Shimmer's partner gave a cry of reassurance, ready for the next command. "This is my chance! Shadow Ball, go!" "Use Bug Buzz!" Dusknoir threw another Shadow Ball, only for Volcarona's sound waves to stop it. Volcarona managed to release a second wave, this time being much stronger than before. It crushed the Shadow Ball, disintegrating it before reaching Dusknoir. The Bug Buzz was loud, making it difficult for him to hear. Afterwards, the energy would combust around Dusknoir's body, pushing him back and dropping him on the ground. "Dusknoir..." Dusknoir had fainted. "Dusknoir..." Dusknoir had fainted. "Dusknoir is unable to battle! Volcarona wins!" Carlita announced as the first victory went to Sunset Shimmer and her Volcarona. "Just because you Alpha Pokemon on your team, doesn't mean you'll automatically win." Sunset spoke to Sci-Twi, who would glance back at her. "After all, I sometimes re-enter Equestria for my part-time job as its 3rd Gym Leader. I've battled more times than you have, even if I only have 3 Pokemon. So, don't underestimate us." "Right." Sci-Twi was a bit embarrassed by her attitude, thinking she was just getting cocky. She recalled Dusknoir back into his Poke Ball and decided on her next Pokemon. "But you're forgetting I've been taught by Ash! I'm not a slouch either! Go for it, Rapidash! Use Flame Charge!" From the Poke Ball, a bright light emerged and from it, Alpha Rapidash made her appearance. "Right." Sci-Twi was a bit embarrassed by her attitude, thinking she was just getting cocky. She recalled Dusknoir back into his Poke Ball and decided on her next Pokemon. "But you're forgetting I've been taught by Ash! I'm not a slouch either! Go for it, Rapidash!" From the Poke Ball, a bright light emerged and from it, Alpha Rapidash made her appearance. "Rapidash!" She reared her head, releasing a powerful neigh. The two Fire-Types stared at each other, knowing that this battle would test their friendship. The way it was playing out, this friendship was beginning to crack. "Alright, Volcarona! Fly in with Fiery Dance!" "Rapidash, use Dragon Pulse!" "Dash!" Thanks to his unique status, Rapidash tapped into Dragon Pulse, shooting a powerful beam of draconic energy that formed into the shape of a dragon. It met with the fiery Volcarona, exploding upon contact and causing a massive smoke cloud. Volcarona went flying through the smoke, having his flames dwindle. "Now, Rapidash! High Horsepower! Finish him off!" "Rrrr!" With a mighty cry, Rapidash charged straight into Volcarona through the smoke at high speeds, bashing her head and horn directly at him. Volcarona staggered from the blow as a shockwave sent him back, causing the Sun Pokemon to bounce on the ground for a while before landing. "Volcarona..." Volcarona had fainted. "You were saying?" Sci-Twi smirked, looking at her. Sunset simply glared back at her, rolling her eyes and returning Volcarona to his Poke Ball. "Don't get cocky." She held out her next Poke Ball. "This isn't over just yet. I can get ahead of you, no doubt about that. Go, Pyroar! Show her the strength of a true leader!" "Pyroar!" Sunset Shimmer's Pyroar would emerge from his Poke Ball, standing proudly as he looked at Rapidash. His mane would flow elegantly in the wind with flames spurting out of them. Now, both trainers were down to two Pokemon each. The fact that they agreed to use only three Pokemon made this battle all the more intense. Things were heating up and Volo simply watched the entire thing with a straight face. But occassionally, he let out a smirk. "Hm." The man from the past watched the two girls fight, seeing the anger and frustration in their faces. He had no qualms with what was happening. Not one bit. He did seem to look at Sci-Twi more than Sunset Shimmer. "They say a true friend would never turn their back on you. Even if their opinion differed, they'd be able to reach an agreement. But look at the two of them. It seems their bond isn't as strong as I thought. Perhaps Sunset Shimmer's words hold some truth after all." He thought to himself. "Pyroar, use Flamethrower!" "Rapidash! Dragon Pulse!" "Py...Roar!" The Royal Pokemon unleashed a fierce stream of fire while Rapidash used Dragon Pulse. The two attacks collided, creating a powerful impact. Neither were pulling back, giving it their all. The power behind their attacks was quite remarkable, showing how strong their bond was. The force of the collision even caused one of them to slide back. In this case, Sci-Twi. Her body would slide back a bit frmo the collision, covering her face. "Go in, Rapidash! High Horsepower!" "Dash!" Stomping her feet on the ground, Rapidash would envelop her body in an orange light before rushing in, approaching her fellow Fire-Type. "Meet it with Acrobatics, Pyroar!" "Py!" In an instant, the lion was gone, zipping around Rapidash. But Rapidash, being a speed demon naturally, would also start zipping around Pyroar, meeting his movements. The two Pokemon would constantly disappear and appear in the blink of an eye, making it impossible to track where they were going. The two Pokemon them butted heads in a flash, pushing each other back. Afterwards, they would dash around the battlefield, meeting each other with incredible speed. Each clash generated a shockwave, causing the winds to blow wildly. Rapidash and Pyroar slid back upon colliding with each other, however, with unbridled tenacity, Pyroar rushed back in a flash, meeting with Rapidash and tackling her face. "Rapidash!" Rapidash neighed , sliding back from the initial blow, only to gaze back at Pyroar with an intensive glare. Pyroar was coming back for another Acrobatics, planning to put on the pressure. However, when anoter strike from the Lion Pokemon came in, the Fire Horse Pokemon would sway her body to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. "Now, Rapidash! Kick him!" "Dash!" Finding an opening, Rapidash would strike Pyroar's body with her hind legs, dealing super-effective damage by channelling High Horsepower. It was so effective that Pyroar was thrown all the way to Sunset Shimmer's feet. He managed to recover, jumping back and glaring back at his opponent. "Tch." Sunset scoffed with a bit of irritation on her face. "Flamethrower!" "Roaaaar!" Pyroar released another stream of flames from his mouth, stronger than the last one as it ate up all the rubble in the area, moving like an out-of-control train. "Rapidash, Dragon Pulse!" "Dash!" Another Dragon Pulse was fired from Rapidash, colliding with the flames and cancelling them out. This was a perfect chance for the Fire Horse Pokemon. She would run in, cloaking her body in an orange glow. She was about to finish Pyroar off, charging right into him. "Pyroar! Jump over her!" Sunset commanded. "Py!" Pyroar jumped up, managing to leap over the attack. He was about to land, but suddenly, his trainer had a different idea right when the iron was hot. "Wait, Pyroar! Bite her horn!" "?!" Sunset's command shocked both Sci-Twi and Rapidash, seeing the lion go down and latch his teeth onto Rapidash's horn. "Dash?!" She was taken aback, trying to shake him off. But his grip was strong and now, the two Pokemon were locked together. "Rapidash! What's wrong?!" "Roar!" Pyroar cried out, his mouth still on Rapidash's horn. "Rapidash! Don't fall for his trick! You can still win this! Use High Horsepower and toss him away!" "Dash!" Rapidash cloaked her entire body with orange light, kicking the Lion Pokemon as hard as she could with her hind legs. Unfortunately for Pyroar, his body was large enough to leave the rest of him vulnerable even when latching onto Rapidash's horn. She was able to send Pyroar flying all the way into the air, having him fly up high. Pyroar was airborne, floating through the air but not completely off balance. He managed to catch himself, landing on his feet, not far from his trainer. The fight wasn't over just yet. "Flamethrower! Up close and personal! Make sure she doesn't see it coming!" Sunset ordered. "Pyroar!" Pyroar rushed in, unleashing a Flamethrower that was point blank range. As if Rapidash and Sci-Twi were going to let that casually happen. "Flare Blitz, Rapidash! Charge right through it!" "Rapidash!" She cloaked her body in a veil of fire, running in and meeting with Pyroar's Flamethrower. The scarlet stream of Pyroar's Flamethrower flew out, meeting with the burning Rapidash, engulfing the two in an explosive collision. The two Pokemon were in the midst of the blast, neither holding back. Sci-Twi gasped as the pressure of the explosion sent her back yet again. This time, she ended up falling on her back. "Agh...!" She screeched when falling on her back, the many pieces of rubble flying past her. "Twilight!" Sunset cried, seeing her friend get up. But that was not important. The important thing was that the fight was not over. The flames dispersed, revealing Pyroar and Rapidash in the centre. Both slid back, somehow still active and able to battle. The two Fire-Types drive to win was as hot as their flames, but they also understood the circumstances of this all. "Ngh...!" Sci-Twi groaned, getting on her knees to help herself back up. "Not yet. We're not done here, Sunset." "You're starting to irritate me, Twilight..." Sunset clenched her hands, her irritation rising. "Look at you! You're doing all of this for him?! You're gonna risk our friendship for Volo?!" "I'm not riskng our friendship!" She got back up. "I'm doing this so we can have an understanding. Just give Volo a chance and maybe...just maybe...you can trust him. Just like I trust you." "Twilight...We can have that understanding without having to throw a Pokemon Battle, you know!" "You wouldn't listen! And just like before when we first met, the only way we can really talk is by battling! Just like what happened at the Friendship Games! We had to battle and then, we were able to understand each other better. Right now, we're no different." "..." Hearing those words, Sunset would recall the day she fought her. When she was her enemy and they had competed at the Friendship Games when Sci-Twi was still from another school. In a way, this was a strong repeat of the past. While the circumstances were different, it all felt so familiar. "It doesn't have to be like before. But...if that's what you think, so be it! Let's finish Rapidash off, Pyroar! Hyper Voice!" "Py...ROAR!" From his mouth, Pyroar unleashed a loud and powerful roar that generated a soundwave. It picked up the rubble, crushing some of them while being wide enough to encompass the entirety of Rapidash. "I am not losing this! Rapidash, Dragon Pulse!" Sci-Twi had her partner release her strongest attack, aiming at the approaching soundwave. The Dragon Pulse emerged at a size large enough to compete with the Hyper Voice, colliding with the roar. The fangs of the Dragon and its claws would grab the soundwave, pulling it apart. The Dragon Pulse was begininng to power through the Hyper Voice, forcing Pyroar to use more strength to power his Hyper Voice. The force of their clash was so great that they were actually beginning to trigger the fearsome winds of Ventstone Pass. Usually, this area would be safe since it had weak winds, but thanks to this battle, the winds were picking up, generating from their clash. "Push through, Pyroar! Louder! Louder!" "Rapidash, don't let him push you back! Harder!" Both trainers and Pokemon were giving it their all, refusing to give in. The ground below would start to crack, feeling the immense pressure of the Hyper Voice and the Dragon Pulse. Just then, the Dragon Pulse, with all of its might would throw the Hyper Voice into the air, causing it to miss, but the Dragon Pulse would just fade away right afterwards. "Are you kidding me?!" Sunset growled. "Acrobatics! Go!" Pyroar became a blur ocne more, trying to outspeed Rapidash in her own game. Rapidash took some deep breaths, only to have one of them interrupted by Pyroar striking her. "D-Dash!" Rapidash neighed in pain before being hit by another strike from Pyroar's swift movements. "Rapidash!" "Hang in there, girl! Flare Blitz, now! Finish him!" "Dash!" With an intense flame around her, Rapidash tackled the Lion Pokemon, throwing him away. Pyroar recovered by digging his paws deep into the ground, still being active in this blazing battle. "You're actually getting on my nerves here, Twilight! If you won't listen, then I'll make you! Use Flamethrower, Pyroar!" "Roar!" From Pyroar's mouth, the flamethrower was fired. "You wish! Rapidash, kick the rubble up! Create a wall!" "Rapidash!" Rapidash cloaked her body once again, this time with an orange veil and kicked the rocks that Pyroar's Hyper Voice made. The rubble was lifted off the ground and in an instant, the flames would crash into the pile of rubble, causing it to combust into flames. "Hm. Carlita was it? Are you sure these two are friends? The way they're battling, it looks like they hate each other. That's not friendship. That's rivalry. And not a healthy one at that." Volo spoke, having the girl stand next to him. "Don't talk so casually. This is all your fault, ya know." Carlita looked at him. "Fighting over you is bringing out the worst in them. And I don't know if we can help them through this. I can see why Sunset Shimmer wanted Twilight to come back home with her." "Hah...Hah..." Both Twilight and Sunset started panting, trying to catch their breath. "This is getting ridiculous." Sunset muttered, having her head hang low. "Why won't you just listen to me?!" "I could say the same about you." Sci-Twi was visibly tired, trying to stand her ground. "If you never hid this from me, maybe this wouldn't be happening. Do the others know?" "T-They do. I told them a day after my battle with Volo. And-" "So you told them before you told me?! How long were you going to hide it, Sunset?! I can't believe you!" Sci-Twi was gutted by what she heard, shaking her head. "Hiding all of that from me...That's the worst!" "You're being just as stubborn here!" Sunset held her arm, gripping it tightly. "We've all been through a lot. A whole lot! We're supposed to trust each other, no matter what. You're just being stubborn and that's the last thing we need." Their emotions were burning bright as their Pokemon's flames. But not only that, something within them was beginning to emerge. In unison, Sunset and Twilight's eyes would both flash with magic. The flare of Flames and the Flare of a Sparkle appeared in both of their eyes, signifying that their magic was emerging. And this time, the reason was quite clear. Much like their first encounter at the Friendship Games, Sci-Twi was summoning her alter-ego. Her dark variant to be exact. Midnight Sparkle. As for Sunset Shimmer, her alter-ego, Daydream Shimmer was also beginning to arise, being summoned by Sunset's anger. Their alter-egos appeared behind them as towering figures, having ethereal forms, essentially becoming avatars instead of fully manifesting and becoming them. Daydream Shimmer was not a being that associated with anger at all, but this battle changed that. In fact, the appearance of Daydream Shimmer, while much like how she previously appeared, was slightly different. Much like when Sunset Shimmer became a demon, this version of Daydream Shimmer looked like it was borrowing elements from Demon Shimmer. Her hair was a bit longer and she had a darker hue to her. Even her eyes were red. It was a sight to see. "Well now, what's this?" This was Volo's first time seeing these forms, albeit as avatars. "Go, Rapidash! Flare Blitz, full power! Take him down!" "Pyroar! Stop her with Flamethrower!" Their last command, both Rapidash and Pyroar charged at each other, cloaking their bodies in flames. They would collide, creating a devastating explosion and a huge wave of pressure. The impact was so strong that the flames pushed the winds of Ventstone Pass back. The two avatars protected them, having a powerful magical field that would block the pressure, preventing them from being harmed. But the girls were unaware of what was happening to them. They were just too caught up in their rage and anger to even notice. As the smoke cleared, it was revealed that both of their Pokemon had fainted. The fight was finally over, with both sides coming out of it tired and exhausted. Neither side could muster the strength to send out their next Pokemon, so the battle was considered a draw. "Both sides are unable to battle. Maybe we should call it a day, you two." Carlita suggested, not wanting this to continue any further. "No." Sunset Shimmer said. "We're not done yet. Twilight." "Mmrgh." Sci-Twi grumbled, her glasses being crooked as she was hunched over, her hand on her knee. "Let's finish this, Sunset. This is one battle I refuse to lose." "And neither am I." Sunset would glance at Delphox, knowing what she had to do. Delphox's face was one of worry, fearful of what was happening. She was hesitant to battle, knowing this was getting out of control fast. "Come on, Delphox!" The tone in her voice was drastically different. The voice of her alter-ego was leaking through, showing how angry she was. "D-Delphox!" Delphox stuttered, her face filled with dread. In the end, she stepped forward, ready to battle. "I need one you to battle for me!" Sci-Twi faced her Pokemon. Pikachu, Kirlia, Machoke and Zorua all received a fierce glare from their trainer, intimidated by what they were seeing, especially Zorua, who would hide in Sci-Twi's bag. "Pika..." Pikachu was frightened, holding onto his tail. "Kirlia..." Kirlia had her hands on her face, trembling in fear. "Come on! Don't tell me you're all afraid to battle all of a sudden?!" The voice of Midnight Sparkle came through, her anger and rage leaking through. She was furious. "K-Kirlia." Kirlia would be the one to step forward, wanting this to be over. Initially, Pikachu was planning to step forward and if not him, Sci-Twi would grabbed another Poke Ball. But Kirlia, despite being afraid, stepped forward. She was the only one brave enough. "Pika?!" Pikachu was shocked that Kirlia would step up since he was actually planning to take this pot. "Lia." Kirlia looked back at Pikachu, seeing his worried face. The Psychic-Fairy Pokemon knew that this was a battle that would put a strain on her trainer's bond with Sunset Shimmer to the point where it might be ruined forever. So she wanted to fix it. "Good girl. Let's get this over with, Kirlia." The voice of Midnight Sparkle would fade, leaving just Sci-Twi's normal tone. "Delphox. Make sure that Kirlia is taken care of. Understand?" "Del." Delphox nodded her head, preparing herself. The two Psychic-Types looked at each other with undestanding in their eyes. They felt rather powerless as the magical aura coming from their trainers was stupendous and intimidating. "Kirlia! Bombard her with Dazzling Gleam! Don't hold back!" "Lia!" Kirlia's body began to glow a beautiful, rainbow colour. She released a series of sparkling lights from her body, aiming straight at Delphox. "Delphox! Counter them with Psychic! Push those beams back!" "Fox!" Delphox held her staff, generating a blue aura that would push back the Dazzling Gleam's attacks. The Psychic Pokemon was pushing the rainbow-coloured beam back, using more strength to overwhelm the light. "Keep it up! Pressure her, Kirlia!" "Kirlia!" Kirlia focused all her energy into her beams, trying to push through. The battlefield was now littered with flying streams of rainbows that might at lightspeeds. These beams would be relentless, trying to overwhelm Delphox. "Del!" Delphox was no slouch, able to keep up as she effortlessly waved her wand, firing her Psychic at the rainbow beams. They clashed, resulting in a devastating blast. However, Kirlia's attack was slowly gaining the advantage. "Not good enough! Delphox! Focus and use Dazzling Gleam yourself! Overwhelm her!" "Delphox!" The flames on her wrists would begin to grow, forming into a giant, flaming aura. Afterwards, a large, flaming ray would be released from her hat and wrists, flying towards the beams before gaining a rainbow-like energy around it. Kirlia gasped at the attack coming her way, quickly ramping up her own Dazzling Gleam in an attempt to block. "Lia! Lia! Lia!" Her cries were loud, unleashing a larger and more powerful beam of her own, hoping it would be enough to stop the incoming attack. "Urgh! This is pointless!" Twilight groaned. "Use Psyshock! Take her down!" "Kir!" Kirlia would then ascend, using levitation to move through the air as she generated three thick masses of Psychic Energy. Two on her hands and one above her head. "Kirlia!" In an instant, she fired the Psyshocks, aiming straight for Delphox. "Destroy them, Delphox! Solar Beam! Fully charged!" "Del!" With a simple point of her staff, she gathered enough solar energy in a single instant. Her body began to glow a brilliant green, her eyes closing and her mouth opening wide. Daydream Shimmer would then raise her arms, affecting the weather itself thanks to the magical pressure she was emitting. This allowed Solar Beam to instantly charge up. "DELPHOX!" The Fire Fox Pokemon would roar, her Solar Beam firing from her mouth. It was large and powerful, obliterating the Psyshocks with ease. The Solar Beam then made a direct hit, engulfing Kirlia in the devastating power of the sun. "Kiiiiiirrrl!" Kirlia cried as the Solar Beam was too much for her, pushing her back as the explosion sent her flying. "This is where I end it! Don't give a her a chance to rest! Dazzling Gleam!" "Del!" Delphox's body glowed a rainbow color once more, sending a barrage of rainbow rays while Kirlia was flying through the air. "I told you! This is a battle I refuse to lose!" Sci-Twi roared. "Kirlia! Mystical Fire! Burn them away!" "Kirl!" From her body, she summoned a small ball of fire that would expand and engulf her body. She would then create a ring of fire around herself, protecting her. Once she stopped, she would aim her ring of fire at the incoming rays, setting them alight and turning them into flames. The Mystical Fire burned away the Dazzling Gleam. "No way!" Sunset was in disbelief, seeing the attack go right through her own. "You won't defeat me that way, Sunset!" More of Midnight Sparkle was leaking through as seen by her grin and the way she leaned forward. Her hands were even forming into a claw shape, showing signs of her losing it. "Get all up in her face and scorch her! Mystical Fire!" "Kir!" In a flash, Kirlia had teleported away. This caused Sunset to look around frantically, wondering where she went. "She's gone?!" In another flash, Kirlia reappeared right in front of Delphox, startling her. Delphox looked down, seeing a flaring energy glowing across her entire body as Kirlia was going straight for her chest. "Kirlia! Don't hold back! Finish her at once!" "Liaaaaaaaa!" Kirlia unleashed the fire within her body, pushing her attack against Delphox. "De-" Delphox couldn't even let out a scream, feeling her chest get burned by the Mystical Fire. The flames roared out, engulfing the Delphox, throwing her back as the sheer force of the blow was pushing her. "This is my chance! Delphox! Flamethrower!" "Phooooxxx!" The Fox Pokemon roared, breathing out a powerful stream of fire. The flames would engulf Kirlia and cause a massive explosion, but Kirlia managed to use Psychic, preventing herself from being sent flying. Due to this devastating clash, a strong tornado would arise from Ventstone Pass, growing in a matter of seconds. The winds were so strong that they even started picking up the debris, creating a powerful vortex of wind and rock. The earthly structures were being ripped off thanks to the pressure, even some of the grass and the soil were being sucked up into the tornado. A huge rock from the tall structures would fall from above, heading straight for Sci-Twi and Sunset Shimmer, threatening to crush them. Carlita and the others all gasped upon seeing this garganutan rock that could easily end this battle for good. However, the sheer magical auras of Sunset and Sci-Twi were pushing against the tornado, even preventing the large boulder from reaching them. Volo's eyes widened as he saw their magical auras absolutely crush the boulder with ease, shattering it into dust. Such power from such a heated clash that was testing their friendship. "Twilight!" Sunset yelled, her hand easily removing the smoke around her. "Sunset!" Twilight would clear all the debris as the ground beneath them continued to open up. Both of them had their eyes and arms covered with the traits of their alter-egos as they were gradually becoming them. "This is where I finish it once and for all! Kirlia! Psyshock!" "Delphox! Use Psychic! End this now! We can't let her win!" "Kir!" "Del!" As the vortex continued to grow and the wind became more violent, Kirlia and Delphox would collectively raise their arms, summoning their respective powers. Storms of Psychic Energy emerged around their hands, combining and turning into one. So much Psychic power in one spot as the magical auras were in tune with such ferocity. "Finish her!" Together, Twilight and Sunset bellowed the same commands, serious about their victory. In unison, Kirlia and Delphox unleashed their attacks against each other, creating a devastating impact. Their powers collided, resulting in a massive Psychic explosion. The vortex of winds would grow to the size of a mountain, having all of the rocks, dirt and grass swirling around in a dangerous fashion. The wind was so intense, it was threatening to throw anyone and anything up into the air. The avatars of Midnight Sparkle and Daydream Shimmer had a powerful aura around them, keeping them safe. And speaking of the avatars, they suddenly had their eyes wide open, staring at each other. "..." The avatar of Daydream Shimmer looked straight in the eyes of Midnight Sparkle's avatar. "..." Midnight Sparkle's avatar returned the look, glaring back at her. As the smoke and dust cleared, with the thunderous psychic sounds dying out, both Kirla and Delphox had fainted, falling to their knees. The battle between their trainers was a draw, resulting in a standstill. But in terms of how their friendship was doing, it was not. It was crumbling apart. "Ugh..." Sci-Twi was struggling to stay up, using her knees as support. "Ngh...!" Sunset was leaning forward, trying to keep her balance. "They're done, Twilight! Give up already! You're making a fool of yourself!" "You're the one making a fool of yourself, Sunset!" She retorted. "Don't you think you're overreacting here? If you had just listened to me, maybe we could've found another way to get through this. Instead, you've been hiding things from me and I didn't hear it from you. That hurts more than this stupid fight." "If you had just trusted me! Trusted me with Volo and everything else! The second he came into our lives, it's like all of we've been through doesn't matter anymore!" "You're one to talk about trust! You never said a word to us from the start! You're acting just like a villain." "I'm the villain?! That's rich!" Sunset scowled. In response to this arguement, their alter-egos would sparkle and shimmer even brighter than before. "Sunset! Twilight! Come on! Stop this already! Your Pokemon are worn out and you two are still bickering like a bunch of children." Carlita begged, trying to break through their rage. The second she stepped forward, the ground below started to open up some more. Carlita gasped as the two alter-egos would then fly at each other, creating a fierce shockwave that blew the girl away, having her fly through the air. Thankfully, Volo would catch her. The two avatars would go at it as this battle was not yet over. Them tieing only fueled the conflict further and their alter-egos, especially Midnight Sparkle, would gladly battle some more. "You're so frustrating!" Sunset shouted. "Right back at ya!" Twilight shouted back. "What is going on here?!" Carlita shouted, her face filled with concern and fear. She couldn't believe this. Energy whips from the clash would fly across the air, crackling and slashing the cliffs of this mountain pass. "This is quite something. Hmhmhm..." Volo chuckled. "These two. Their bond is certainly strong. It's a shame. A real shame. They've gone too far and now, it's up to their alter-egos." "I've been waiting for a rematch! You caught me by surprise the last time, Daydream!" Midnight grinned. "I can get my revenge and finish what I started! This time, Friendship won't save you!" "Keep dreaming! I can take you on without my friends, Midnight!" Daydream would fire a magical ray at her opponent, forcing the dark variant to dodge. She would fire back with her own magical ray. "I see. They're fighting their inner darknesses. Their alter-egos represent their worst aspects, which is why they're battling each other. But what's the point if they're only doing this out of rage and anger?" Volo commented before whistling. "My, my. This is certainly interesting. But this should be the right place to stop it." "How are we gonna stop this?!" Carlita screeched while watching these two titans clash, sending magical flashes that were almost blinding. "I'll handle this." Dropping his bag, Volo did have something that could put an end to this magical clash. He's collected many of them across Equestria after all and among one of them, was a gemstone that resembled a rainbow. After grabbing it, Volo, without wasting any time, raised into the air. The gemstone reacted to this clash, letting out a sparkling light that would shine brighter and brighter, eclipsing his body, Carlita and everyone else here. The two avatars were about to shove two large magical spheres at each other for a devastating blow, but right before it could go off, the light from the rainbow eclipsed them as well. The two avatars screeched once this light met with their bodies, the energy shooting into the sky to the point where it pierced the clouds themselves. Afterwards, the light would shoot downwards, dispersing and clearing the area, calming down the howling energy that was formed from this battle. As the light faded, the effect that this item pulled off brought a rather shocking result. There, Sci-Twi and Sunset were laying on the ground, worn out and exhausted. However, standing above them, in physical form too, were their alter-egos. Surprisingly, they had been seperated from the bodies of their owners, but they weren't happy at all. The two girls had their eyes wide open, seeing their alter-egos towering over them, having their eyes filled with malice and disdain. It was almost as if the girls were seeing the dark sides of themselves. "Huh?" Midnight Sparkle was surprised, looking at her hands and seeing that she was out of her Sci-Twi's body. Even Daydream Shimmer was blown back by it, not expecting to be separated from Sunset Shimmer's body either. "What? How did we...?" "What's the meaning of this, Volo?!" Daydream Shimmer growled, glaring at the man. "It seems my little item was able to seperate the two of you from your vessels." He would say, having the gemstone glow a rainbow color before returning to its original state. "To be honest, I was just hoping to calm you two down and end this but...this was the last result I was expecting." "So...We're our own individuals beings now, huh?" Midnight Sparkle would say. "Whatever. It makes no difference to me. As long as I have this body, I can do as I please." She would ascend, deciding to leave here. "I don't have to worry about being stuck in an endless space forever. I can do whatever I want! Many thanks, Volo, dear!" With a maniacal laughter, she would fly off, being as free as she could be. "Hey! Get back here! This isn't over between us!" Daydream yelled as her anger was getting the better of her. She also took off, flying off in a completely different direction. Very soon, the two alter-egos vanished into the distance. "Ugh..." Sci-Twi stood up, her glasses off and completely broken from the event. Helping her up was Volo, who would give her back her bag. "Volo?" "That part was my bad. I didn't think they'd split from your body." Volo admitted. "Are you alright?" "Y-Yeah..." "Good." He looked at Sunset, who was still laying on the ground. "It's a shame what happened here. But at least this is over. Let's head back and call it a day already." "...I'm not going back." Sci-Twi dropped a bombshell, surprising Sunset Shimmer, Carlita and even Volo. "What?!" Sunset bellowed, groaning while getting back up. "Why not, Twilight?" Carlita asked, concerned about her. "I've decided." The girl would grab her bag. "I'm going to follow Volo from now. I can't go back now. Not after this. I can't face the others now. Not when my anger is still flaring." "Are you serious?!" Sunset roared. "This is because of Volo, isn't it?! If it wasn't for him-" "You'd still be hiding everything from me!" Twilight glared, stll distrustful of Sunset. "I'm going with Volo. We made a promise to each other last night. To find all the shards and reach Arceus. I wanted to do it with you and the others, because you're my friends. But now, I'll be going on my own. Don't worry, I'll find them and help Volo, so he can return home." "Twilight! You can't do this!" "Watch me. And when I'm done, I'll be back and everything will be normal." She turned away, walking with Volo. "Let's go, Volo." "If that's what you want, then fine. Let's go." The man walked with her, having them vanish into the distance, leaving Sunset and Carlita all by themselves. "You have got to be kidding me!" Sunset screamed, punching the ground. She would continuously strike it out of pure frustration. The most frustrated she's ever been. She completely lost and felt incredibly powerless to do anything about it. And due to all of this pent-up energy, Sunset would faint, passing out. "Oh, no. Sunset!" Carlita gasped, rushing to her side. The girl would be cradled by Carlita, holding her close. "Why...? Why didn't she listen...?" Her last words before she was down for the count. On this day, a friendship was greatly shattered. It was hard to tell if it hadn't come to an end, but one thing was for sure. Things would not be the same anymore. Nearing the arrival of Summer too, Twilight would not be there for the last days of the school semester. None of her friends would be seeing her. And as another large consequence, Volo was able to separate Midnight Sparkle and Daydream Shimmer from their hosts, creating an unintended result. The two alter-egos are free and able to wreak havoc across Equestria. What will happen now that they're their own entities? Much like Nightmare Moon and to some extent, Daybreaker. As the journey continues. Chapter 457 End.