Pokémon Eclipse

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 13 – Prism

Kukui plopped into his office chair at his desk, spinning around once before stopping before the bemused family and the two ponies.

“So,” Kukui began, “looks like you two kids found the most interesting things to come to these islands since the Ultra Beasts.”

“But,” Starlight interrupted, “we’re not dangerous, so let’s clear that up now.”

“Don’t sweat it, cousin.”

“But I’m not your–”

“Just a term of endearment is all. Anyways, I’m already pretty certain you two are cool. I wouldn’t exactly call ‘cheering on Pokémon battles’ dangerous.”

“Hahe, right…” Starlight bit her lip, focused on keeping her mouth closed until a more appropriate time.

“So, why’d you bring us here?” Alice asked.

“Yes, and I don’t want to sound like the typical mom here…” Benji’s remark earned him a peevish glance from Susan. “…but you said this wasn’t going to take long? We want to spend some time with our kids before they go off to the next island.”

“That’s fine, Benji, I also want to make sure your kids leave for the next island by tonight as well. The only reason I brought you here is to let you know that there’s someone I’d like you to meet tomorrow who can possibly help your kids’ friends here.”

“Who’s that?” Susan asked.

“Oh, none other than my lovely wife, of course!” Kukui’s sudden manic laughing made whatever joke he apparently tried to tell fall quite short to the others in the room.

Kukui stopped only once he realized he was the only one laughing. “Oh, you thought I was joking. I’m actually not! My wife, Professor Burnet, runs the Dimensional Research Lab in Heahea City on Akala Island.”

“I hope it’s not too far,” Fluttershy mumbled with a downward glance.

“Unless a five minute walk from the ferry is considered ‘far,’ I’d say you have nothing to worry about on that end.”

“Hold on,” Sam said, “you said that she studies dimensions and stuff. Does this mean she’s part of the Aether Foundation?”

“Well, she collaborates with them frequently for their own research, but for the most part, her work is independently run. Why do you ask?”

Starlight finally spoke up. “Let’s just say we had, um… a rough time with one of their… tougher employees.”

“Huh, that doesn’t sound like them. At least not anymore…”

“Anymore?” Benji looked down to his kids. “Who are these people that are following you?”

“So far, it’s only the one,” Alice said, “his name is Gladion, and–”

“Ahh!” Kukui exclaimed. “That explains it. Yeah, a bit edgy, he is. Other than him, I assure you that the Aether Foundation is–”

“Yes,” Sam interrupted again. “Hau told us this last night. It’s just considering that they’re responsible for Starlight, Fluttershy, and their friends being here, and we don’t quite know why, or even fully how.”

“That’s understandable. What I can tell you is that I taught two of the head researchers there everything I know, and I can tell you that–”

“They have good intentions? Yeah, Hau said that too.”

“Sam!” Benji hissed. “Stop interrupting him.”

“It’s alright,” said Kukui, “I seem to be repeating myself, and your kids already have a good idea of what’s going on, so I guess that’s it then.”

“Wait, that’s all?” Alice spoke up. “Just go see your wife on the next island?”

“Yep! That’s all. You go and enjoy your time at Ten Karat Hill now.”

“Any idea where to find this place?” Starlight asked.

“There’s a tourist center right outside the ferry harbor. They should be able to direct you. Now please, spend some time with your friends and family before tonight’s ferry.”

“Th– Thank you.” Sam bowed his head.

“There’s also a lot of neat Pokémon for you to catch there, so get moving!”

“Thanks again, Kukui.” Susan began ushering her children to the exit, prompting Starlight, Fluttershy, and Benji to follow.

Without another word, Kukui’s guests had all left. Once the door shut and he was certain he was alone, he took a deep breath and frowned.

“Just what is happening with this world now…”

Sam and Benji came from the cave carrying a large plastic cooler, Benji wearing a large backpack filled to the brim. The sight of the area around them forced them to drop the cooler at once and marvel at their surroundings. They were standing inside a massive, steep crater with the outer edges covered by hilly, cliffy greens.

“Hurry up!” Alice called out, stepping from the cave with Susan and the ponies. “Put your backs into it!”

Sam huffed out a laugh as he flexed and stretched his arm and hand. “I will literally kill you.”

“What, no!” Fluttershy screamed, jumping onto Sam and pinning him down. “Don’t even say something so terrible!”

“Fluttershy, calm down.” Starlight’s magic aura pulled Fluttershy off and set her back down beside her. “I’m sure he was just joking… even if it wasn’t that funny at all.”

Sam rolled his eyes over the ponies’ naïveté as she stood back up and patted the dirt off of the seat of his shorts as Susan and Alice came up to him.

“You need me to carry the cooler some?” Alice asked.

Sam responded with a melodramatic swing and point of his arm, as if saying, “Be my guest.”

Sam scoffed as she took one handle with her father and began leading the way. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m actually the older brother here.”

“Ditto…” Sam continued walking beside Fluttershy and Starlight.

“You really won’t hurt your sister, will you?” asked Fluttershy.

“Absolutely not,” Sam replied. “She’d never give me the chance.”

Starlight couldn’t help but make a short chuckle this time, but Sam’s additional self-deprecation was just as unfunny for Fluttershy as his other remarks. They all began climbing a small slope to the northern edge of the crater where a perfectly flat part of the knoll invited them to set up their picnic.

“Ah…” Benji sighed, “this looks nice. Thank you, Alice.”

“You’re welcome, dad!” Though Sam was only a few yards away, Alice’s shout was directed right at his face.

“Okay, seriously,” Starlight said, “you two need to stop fighting. We’re supposed to be relaxing here, and you’re already making Fluttershy and I uncomfortable.”

“Yes, sorry,” Sam admitted. “After all, we should also use this moment to celebrate our clearing of our Melemele trials, right?”

“Wonderful idea.” Susan slipped her bag off her shoulder, allowing her to stretch up both arms and feel the breeze. “Now that we’re all here, why don’t you and your sister go off and look for some Pokémon like Kukui said.”

“Actually, I was going to help dad with the grill, if that’s okay.”

“I’ve got it!” Benji hissed through his teeth as he slipped the heavy backpack off his shoulders. “You go play with your sister and your friends.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘playing,’” Alice said with curl of both index and middle fingers, “but yeah, this is our last chance to catch some new Pokémon on Melemele before we leave, so we should make the most of it, and I don’t mean this as an insult, Sam, but you could do with some new Pokémon yourself.”

“We still have three other islands to go through.” Sam already began unzipping Benji’s backpack. “I’d rather wait and see what they have to offer.”

“Come on, Sam, you can’t let Honedge fight on his own forever. I’m sure he’d love to have a new Pokémon partner to battle with.”

Sam looked out along the plains, suddenly feeling the seconds to their departure ticking away bubble around his body.

“Alright, alright,” he said, dropping a red bag of charcoal beside the backpack. “Dad, how much until you think lunch is ready?”

“I’ll give you two an hour,” Benji responded, “how’s that sound?”

“Perfect.” Alice already began bounding down the hill and to the grassier areas, leaving a now flustered Fluttershy behind.

“Alice, wait for me!” Fluttershy galloped after her.

Sam looked about the area, only to be distracted with a light whip of Starlight’s tail hairs at this leg. “Where should we head first, Sam?”

“I saw some neat looking cave paths on our way here,” he said.

“Well then, lead the way.”

Sam walked forwards to the cavern exit, Starlight matching his speed beside him. Sam looked back to his parents as Benji pulled out a circular cast iron grate from his bag.

“Sam,” Starlight’s voice called out, “it’s okay, I’m sure they’ve got it. Come on!”

Starlight broke into a mild gallop, about to leave Sam behind, pressuring him into running after her. From the top of the crater on the southwest, a figure stood crouched and balanced on its edge. Most of its body was shrouded by a black hooded sweatshirt with a long hood that reached down to the lower back, even with it covering the owner’s head. Seeing both the ponies in their sights, they hopped back and slid down the crater’s edge, lobbing a Poké Ball from his belt beside him.

Sam and Starlight kept going as they passed by Alice peaking around the grass with Fluttershy. Suddenly, she saw a mound hiding under the tops of the grass, and with slow, calculated motions, she slipped her hands between two bunches. Quickly, she parted them, only to deflate over the mound of dirt she had uncovered.

“Is it nothing?” Fluttershy asked timidly as she came from behind.

“As far as I’m concerned,” she responded, “it’s nothing to me.”

“I just saw Starlight and Sam going into the cave. Maybe we’ll have better luck there.”

“Nah, I’m not looking for any Zubats. I’ve already got Noibat for a Flying-type, so what I’m looking for is something I can’t get anywhere else. I mean, we’re about to leave Melemele behind, so I want get as much out of this place as I can.”

“Well, how many Pokémon are you allowed to bring with you at a time?”

“You can only carry six at the most, and–”

“Just 6? That means you’ll be halfway there, and we still haven’t been on the other islands yet. Maybe we should settle down until then.”

“Jeez, you’re sounding like my brother…”

As Fluttershy and Alice continued arguing, they were unaware as a shape snuck up under the grass towards them.

“Maybe your brother has a point,” Fluttershy continued. “You shouldn’t want to catch Pokémon that you can’t take care of.”

“Fluttershy,” Alice replied with slight condescension, “it’s only my third Pokémon. Plus, I want to have the strongest team I can when I take on the other trials–”

*ARH* *ARHARH* *ARH*

The loud barking behind Fluttershy made her leap over Alice and huddle up behind her, who was already grinning at what came up to them. Jumping around with each yip was the small, brown puppy with the organic white collar that she could remember seeing.

“Oh!” Alice pulled out her Pokédex. “Kukui has one of those.”

“Rockruff,” the Pokédex explained, “the Puppy Pokémon. This Pokémon has lived with people since times long ago. It can sense when its Trainer is in the dumps and will stick close by its Trainer's side.”

Fluttershy peeked around Alice’s legs and saw the Rockruff continuing to bark at the two of them, her ears drooping and her lips curling into a smile. “Aw, he’s a cutie!”

“Go, Pikachu!” Sam threw out her Pokeball, her Pikachu coming out from it and standing before the Rockruff, who now began growling.

“Wait! You’re going to catch it?”

“Hell yeah, I am! Go, Quick Attack!”

Pikachu bounded out in a zig-zag motion, the Rockruff completely unable to dodge in time as Pikachu’s body checked into it.

Sam and Starlight ventured further into the caverns, the holographic display of his Holo Caster providing a small amount of light. As they went in deeper, the amount of light around them began to dwindle until they could only see a few inches from their faces.

Sam checked the brightness levels on his display and groaned to see that they were already maxed out. Suddenly a bright light glowed out from beside him, and when he turned to see the source, he found Starlight’s face illuminated by the light of her horn, allowing him to see her helpful wink.

“Ha…” Sam put his Holo Caster away, smiling gratefully for her help. “Thanks a bunch.”

“Come on, let’s go deeper!” Starlight hopped in front to lead. “I wonder what kind of Pokémon live in here!”

“Yeah. Just hope it’s not another Zubat.”

“What’s wrong with a… Zubat?”

“It’s just… they’re everywhere, and I don’t just mean on Alola. They had so many back in Kalos too, and while they’re a good beginner’s Pokémon, it’s just not what I’m looking for.”

“You know, I think your sister has a point.”

“About what?”

“That you can’t rely on just your Honedge forever. You’re going to need to get other Pokémon to help you, and I don’t think the other trials are going to be nearly as easy for the both of you.”

“I know that, it’s just… I want to find a Pokémon that will be as special to me as Honedge is.”

“But… you and Honedge have been together for years, right?”

“Right, and–”

“The point is that you should find a Pokémon that can help you on our journey, and if you devote the same level of kindness and trust into it as you did with your Honedge, it’ll become just as special to you.”

“But that’s just it. I don’t just want any Pokémon. When I saw my Honedge for the first time, I saw a Pokémon that I wanted to represent who I was and what I wanted in life. I want to find the Pokémon that completes a part of me the same way that... that your friends complete you! You can understand that, right?”

“I do, Sam, but sometimes, the friends we make can be just as good as the friends we find. I mean, who knows? You might get something better than what you hoped for.”

Sam stopped for a second and sighed, slowing Starlight to a stop too. “I suppose you’re right. Alright, how’s about next Pokémon we see, I catch, okay?”

“Hey, that’s not what I’m saying at all! I want you to have the best Pokémon team you can, but at the same time, you still need a team. How’s about before lunch, we find a Pokémon here that you like enough to put on your team. Sound like a deal?”

Sam cocked his head as he thought about the compromise he’d have to make. “Sure, I suppose that’s fair, but we’re going to have to fight a lot of Zubat’s in order to find the right–”

At once, the air around the two of them began to harden and the walls, ceilings, and floors of the cave seemed to ripple and wave like oil, accompanied with the bassy crunch of the stone around them. At once, Sam and Starlight collapsed to the ground, grunting loudly as they felt every centimeter of their body being pushed in, just slightly harder and harder with each passing moment.

Sam croaked in fear as Starlight’s horn light went out. “Starlight… your magic…”

Sam couldn’t see her or anything at all, but could hear her strained moans.

“I can’t!” she cried. “This force is…”

Sam could already tell that she was close to fainting, and with the push making his arms feel like forty pound weights, he reached to his sole Poké Ball and tossed it out as hard and as quickly as he could before his arms gave out.

“Honedge!” he roared. “Shadow Sneak!”

Honedge popped out of the Poké Ball and raced forwards through the cave, its offensive shadow attack trailing further ahead. After several seconds of feeling even more immovable weight on their bodies, a blast and subsequent scream up ahead sounded. The force had stopped, and Sam ended up pushing himself off the ground hard enough to almost stand still on his knees.

Upon landing back on his stomach, he crawled over to Starlight, feeling her upper body about until he found her head to cradle in his hands. “Starlight?! Starlight!”

“Kadabra, Flash!”

As instructed by the matured male voice in the darkness, a bright flash several yards ahead illuminated every inch of the natural corridor, allowing Sam to see a groggy Starlight in his arms.

Looking forward where his Honedge was, he saw that it was confronted by a humanoid Pokémon with a fox-like face with a long moustache that draped down from the end of its snout that matched the mustard-yellow color of its body, minus its brown chest that resembled a breastplate and shoulderpads. The bright light shining throughout the cave came from the single silver spoon that it held in its three-fingered claw of a hand.

Standing behind it were two black hooded figures with tight black pants, black boots, and glittery black tank tops with three paper thin white lines across their chests.

“What was that?” Sam stood to his feet. “What the hell were you trying to do to us?”

“We didn’t intend to kill either of you, if that’s your concern.” The man pulled his hood off his head, revealing a young, lightly-tan-skinned man with short sandy-blonde hair on the top of his head, the hair on the side of the head buzzed shorter. “We just needed to take the pony with us.”

“Pony!?” Sam gasped incredulously. “You know about them? Just… who are you?”

“You were simply supposed to get knocked out and let us take her,” the second hooded person said, the voice belonging to an older teenaged girl, “but then you decided to attack us.”

The second figure pulled her hood off, revealing a baby-faced woman with a bright-purple bobbed haircut.

“Now that you have your silly little Honedge to try and protect you, I’m sorry…” the girl pulled out a Poké Ball of her own. “…I’m afraid we’ll have to show how rough Team Prism can really be.”

“Team…” Starlight moaned, “Prism?”

“Go, Bruxish!”

The female grunt tossed her ball out, and from it came a yard-long triggerfish with a yellow underbelly and magenta top with splotches of light-blue and purple about the rest of its body. At the end of its mouth were a row of razor sharp teeth and a set of voluptuous lips. Sam and Starlight were both amazed that it was able to float in the air as if it were water.

“Bruxish?” Sam asked himself as he brough his Pokédex out. “What’s your deal?”

“Bruxish,” the Pokédex said, “the Gnash Teeth Pokémon. It stuns its prey with psychokinesis and then grinds them to mush with its strong teeth. Even Shellder's shell is no match for it.”

“Damn,” Sam said, producing a bluffing smile. “And you’re so threatened that you need to two-on-one me?”

“We don’t need to do anything,” the male grunt said.

“We’re just not keen on giving our opponents any chance of winning,” the female grunt finished.

Despite himself, Sam’s smile melted back into a nervous frown. He glanced behind him, feeling even more cornered without Alice there to back him. But with her and, most of all, Fluttershy away, he tensed his body confidently, smiling in realization.

“Psychokinesis,” he said, “Kadabra. You’re harping about me not winning, but you send two Psychic-types to face a Ghost-type Pokémon? So much for that. Honedge, you already got a piece of Kadabra, use Shadow Sneak on Bruxish!”

Honedge’s shadow slithered quickly along the ground and came to an end beneath the Bruxish, where it blasted upwards and tossed it up into the ceiling, the hit disorienting the fish long enough for it to fall back to the ground.

“Ha!” Sam shouted. “You’re making it really hard for me to take you seriously right now.”

The female grunt’s Bruxish swam up back to its original position before her. “You got two easy hits with a fast and weak move. Big deal.”

“Right,” her partner said. “Now it’s our turn. Kadabra, use Shadow Ball!”

Sam and Starlight gasped as the Kadabra tilted its spoon to the side, the bowl centered in the gap of its thumb and middle finger. An insidiously swirling ball of dark purple expanded before the spoon, and with a push, Kadabra shot it out at Honedge.

“Block it!” Sam crossed his arms, prompting Honedge to cross its scabbard over its blade.

The sphere hit Honedge in the center of the cross, the strength of the attack enough to pull Honedge’s defensive stance apart, much to Sam’s horror.

“No!” Starlight cried. “Honedge!”

“Now we go!” the female grunt shouted. “Quickly, Bruxish, use Crunch!”

Bruxish swiftly swam at Honedge, managing to come from below and clamp down where the hilt met the blade. Sam growled as Honedge’s moans of pain echoed through the cave. As fast as he could, he held both crossed arms out, and chopped both arms out. Honedge managed to cross his scabbard at the tip of its blade and with a swipe, managed to knock the Bruxish off, where it swam back to its trainer.

“Did you really think that because we have Psychic Pokémon, we wouldn’t have the proper moves to counter Pokémon that are typically stronger than them?” The male grunt asked. “You must be as foolish as you thought we were just a few minutes ago.”

“You’re right,” Sam said, removing the Fightinium Z from the face of his Z-Ring. “I should have been more thoughtful.” Putting the crystal in his pocket, he pulled out his Normalium Z and put it inside. “Which means I need to get really serious to defeat you two clowns.”

“It’s true,” the female grunt gasped.

“He really does have a Z-Ring,” the male grunt added.

“Not the small fry you made me out to be, huh?” Sam crossed his arms at the wrist, the Z-Ring shining in response.

Sam performed the activation pose for the Normalium Z, showering both him and his Honedge with energy. He looked down to Starlight, who continued lying down watching the battle.

“Sorry,” he said under his breath. “I’m going to need some extra help here. Now, Honedge, take out his Kadabra. Breakneck Blitz!”

The male grunt seethed nervously as Honedge began to sheath itself in preparation for its attack. “Kadabra, quickly, use Protect!”

Sam seized up. “What?”

Honedge shot out, the tip of its covered blade darting at Kadabra with tremendous speeds as Kadabra held its spoon out again. Right before the moment of impact, Kadabra’s spoon twinkled, Honedge’s blade striking it in the center, producing a loud and powerful bang that shook the entire cave.

Pikachu attacked the wild Rockruff with another Thunder Shock, and while it whined loudly from the hit, it stood resolutely and still energetic enough to continue fighting. Pikachu smiled as it panted, the intensity of the battle entertaining it greatly.

“Dang…” Alice drew out. “You’re a real trooper. Let’s see if you’re ready to come with us.”

As Alice pulled out an empty Poké Ball from her bag, the Rockruff’s tail wagging eagerly, she felt the ground tremble beneath her, followed closely by a deafened boom from the direction of the inside of the cave.

“What was that?” Fluttershy squealed.

“Sam?” Alice immediately put the Poké Ball back into her bag. “Pikachu, Fluttershy, let’s go, now!”

Alice gave one regretful glance to the Rockruff and sprinted toward the cave, her Pikachu and Fluttershy just a couple paces behind her. Rockruff looked out where Alice and Pikachu had gone, whimpering as it approached the cave slowly, hoping in vain that she’d come right back.

Honedge’s hit still managed to send the Kadabra sliding back, causing it to crash into its trainer.

“Kadabra,” he said, “you alright?”

Kadabra nodded and grunted. With his trainer treating it with an assuring pat on the shoulder, Kadabra ran back to join the Bruxish in battle. Starlight winced in disappointment.

“No way,” Sam muttered. “Even moves like Protect can soften a Z-Move.”

“You act surprised,” the male grunt said. “It’s clear you haven’t had that Z-Ring of yours for very long.”

Starlight began to stand to her four hooves. “For someone who doesn’t have one, you sure act like you know a lot about them.”

“Don’t have one, you say?” the female grunt asked.

Both the male and female grunt unrolled the left sleeve of their hoodies, revealing Z-Rings of their own. Unlike Sam’s natural, stony one, both of theirs looked metallic and electronic. A magenta Z-Crystal was lodged inside the faces of each.

Sam was visibly dumbfounded. “Where did you–”

“Yeah, ours aren’t the real deal like yours are,” she explained, “but they still get the job done. We’ll show you!”

“Even though the Psychic-type Z-Move won’t be too effective on your Honedge,” the male grunt said, “it’ll probably be more than enough to take him out. Now…”

Sam felt time and gravity disappear as he helplessly watched his two opponents begin to move their arms to cross. Tears welled in Starlight’s eyes as she watched Honedge’s grip on its scabbard loosen, knowing that it wouldn’t survive.

“Noibat, Bite on Kadabra! Pikachu, Thunder Shock on the fish!”

As Sam suddenly came to, Noibat had whooshed past him on the left while a stream of thunder arced around him and headed straight at the Bruxish. At the same instant, Noibat bit down on the side of Kadbra’s waist while Pikachu’s attack covered Bruxish in electricity.

“What the–” the female grunt gasped.

“That girl!” the male grunt yelled.

Both Kadabra and Bruxish cried out as Alice’s Pokémon’s attacks refused to let up. Finally, Kadabra used its psychic powers to pull Noibat off while Bruxish formed a bright pink bubble around itself from the top of the protuberance on its head, bending the electric beams away from it until they finally stopped. Noibat rejoined Pikachu’s side as it came up beside Alice on her right. The female grunt, once angered, lit up upon seeing Fluttershy.

“Oh, wonderful. You brought the other one here!” she said. “How considerate of you.”

“Shut it!” Alice barked. “Sam, who are these people?”

“They call themselves Team Prism,” Sam said. “I wonder if they’re like that Team Skull that popped up that one time.”

“Hey,” the male grunt said in a joking manner, “I dislike that comparison!”

“Yeah!” his partner responded. “We’re much cooler and stronger than them.”

“More like more twisted and deranged,” Starlight spat back. “If I still had my magic–”

“No doubt we’d have a hard time,” the male grunt said. “Why else do you think I used my Kadabra’s Psychic before our battle?”

“Because you… don’t tell me!” Sam’s realization began to freeze his spine. “Are Psychic-type moves strong against magic?”

“Sorry,” the female grunt said, “I was having fun taking out your pathetic friend here.”

“We’re going to have to escort you out now…” The male grunt crossed his wrists, followed by his partner, the lines and gaps of their Z-Rings glowing red.

Alice stepped back in shock over the sight of the Z-Rings. “No way! They have them too?”

The two grunts widened their stance as they began their poses. Once they held their crossed arms out, they both swung their arms in and around until they placed their index fingers on their temples. Stepping back to the center with their right feet, they reached back out with their right hand and then joined the left foot with the right.

Both grunts howled as the Z-Crystals in both of their Z-Rings began glowing red, similarly red beams of energy shot from the center of their backs and covered their respective Pokémon, the sensation making the Kadabra and Bruxish shout loudly.

“What’s happening?” Fluttershy asked. “They look like they’re hurting.”

Both the Kadabra and Bruxish breathed heavily as the Z-Energy flared off their bodies, both grunts now standing more casually.

“Your friend’s Honedge may be stronger against Psychic-moves,” the male grunt said, “but your Noibat and Pikachu aren’t.”

“Next time,” the female grunt said, “you’ll know better than to interfere, now go! Bruxish!”

“Kadabra.”

Both of them threw their right hand out. “Shattered Psyche!”

Kadabra held his arms out and Bruxish wagged its whole body, countless red auras orbiting Kadabra’s spoon and Bruxish’s protuberance. Sam and Alice looked nervously as both Noibat and Pikachu were now glowing red as they were lifted up with nowhere to go.

Kadabra and Bruxish moved their limbs to the left, sending both Noibat and Pikachu flying into the cavern wall, pulses of hexagonal-shaped energy shooting out where they had hit. Alice gasped at the sound of her Pokémon’s agony-riddled cries. With a move of Kadabra’s arms and Bruxish’s body to the right, Pikachu and Noibat were flung into the other wall, the next hit leaving them too disoriented to shout anymore.

Kadabra and Bruxish continued going, slamming them into the ceiling, and then the floor, and then the walls, ceiling, and floor once again, going faster with each hit. Starlight, Fluttershy, and Honedge watched helplessly as the assault on Alice’s Pokémon continued on.

Finally, Kadabra and Bruxish had stopped, and Noibat and Pikachu were left motionless and silent on the floor. As Alice fell to her knees, scooping both of her fallen Pokémon up, Sam fearfully looked to Kadabra and Bruxish, only to see something that surprised him.

Kadabra swooned to one knee while Bruxish floated tiredly down to the ground, red sparks occasionally flickering off of their bodies.

“That fake Z-Power…” Sam huffed. “It’s damaging them. I might be able to… Honedge, hurry, use Return on Kadabra!”

Honedge, its eye squinted with raw fury, rushed out at the still weakened Kadabra. As Kadabra tried shielding its face with its scrawny arms, Honedge whipped around and chopped Kadabra square in the chest with the side of its blade. Kadabra’s head hit the ground and slid back to the male grunt, who fearfully looked down at his now fainted Pokémon.

“No!” The female grunt, looking worried for her partner’s fallen Pokémon, shot a seething, vengeful scowl at Sam and his Honedge. “That’s your last Pokemon. I’m going to make sure it doesn’t survive this! Bruxish, use Crunch!”

Bruxish let out a gargled yell as Honedge crossed its scabbard over itself, its eye closed as it hoped it could just survive this next hit. Just then, Sam, Alice, Fluttershy, and Starlight heard a barking behind them coming closer, and when Alice turned around, she saw the wild Rockruff rushing around the corner and continued its sprint toward them.

“No way…” she whispered.

Rockruff leapt up past Alice and Sam. At once, Sam crossed his arms and then flexed his forearms down. Honedge quickly tilted downwards, its X formation now parallel to the floor. The Rockruff landed up on the center of Honedge’s cross just in time, and then leapt up again at the now shocked and frightned Bruxish.

Before it could turn away, the Rockruff locked its jaws on the bottom of the Bruxish’s mouth and sent it down. Bruxish struggled to escape, only to be stomped at by the Rockruff’s paws, rendering it more and more immobile with each hit.

The female grunt ran up and lifted her foot up. “Get off of her!”

“No!” Fluttershy immediately galloped at the female grunt with uncanny speed and butted her head into her stomach, sending the grunt crumpling to the ground several feet away. “Don’t ever try that again!” she shouted.

Finally, the wild Rockruff let its prey go and backed away, leaving the fainted Bruxish on the ground. Lowering its upper half, Rockruff growled at the two grunts, daring them to try it.

The female grunt whined as she pulled out her Bruxish’s Poké Ball. “Dammit.”

The male grunt also picked out Kadabra’s Poké Ball, and both he and his partner brought back their respective Pokémon at the same time. The male grunt, keeping its eyes on the wary Rockruff, scuttled over and picked his partner up, draping her arm around his neck and standing her to her feet. The cave had grown dark again, but Starlight managed to produce another light from her horn, brightening the area.

“Don’t ever think you’ll get that lucky again,” the female grunt managed to spit out through the shooting pain in her gut. “We won’t forget this.”

“Next time,” the male grunt said, “we will take those ponies from you.”

The wild Rockruff hopped forwards and continued barking, and with that, the two grunts hobbled off down the cave. Once it had felt they were truly gone, the Rockruff turned back and trotted to Alice, who whimpered as it sniffed the fainted Noibat and Pikachu, giving the latter a couple of worried licks.

Alice let out a single sob as she set her Noibat on her lap, allowing her to pet their savior. “Good boy. That’s a very good boy.”

“Jesus Christ,” Sam huffed. “Where the hell did he come from?”

“Alice was trying to catch it outside the cave,” Fluttershy answered. “We heard you battling and rushed to help you. I guess it followed us here and came to help too.”

Sam chuckled, kneeling down to the Rockruff and holding its hand out to it. The Rockruff sniffed the hand tentatively, and then pushed its head into Sam’s palm, allowing him to scratch the side of his neck. Fluttershy turned to Starlight, who breathed audibly as she kept the light on her horn lit.

“Starlight,” Fluttershy said, “are you alright?”

“I’m fine, thanks to all of you.” Starlight’s horn light flickered as she strained to keep it up.

“Guys,” Sam said, “let’s get to a lighter area so Starlight doesn’t exhaust herself.

“Right.” Alice picked her Noibat up and led the group back toward the cave’s exit. “What happened to her? Who even were those guys?”

“Team Prism,” Sam said. “I guess they’re some Psychic-type using group who are trying to take the ponies for some reason.”

“I think…” Starlight wheezed. “That Psychic-types… affect my magic somehow. They knew enough about us… to…”

“Easy, Starlight,” Alice said. “I’ve already got my hands full with my Pokémon. We don’t need you keeling over for one of us to carry. Besides, I see light up ahead.”

Sure enough, as Starlight’s horn light faded out, mild sunlight could be seen from the next turn in the cave.

“Either way,” Sam said, “we have enemies on our tail now, and the fact that they know enough about these ponies to take Starlight out is frightening enough, but being able to use Z-Power without the use of a real Z-Ring? That’s scary.”

“What do you mean ‘real Z-Ring?’” Alice asked.

“Like those aren’t like the ones we got from Hau. The Z-Power coming from those things didn’t look natural like ours did, and after Kadabra and Bruxish used their Z-Moves, they took some kind of recoil-like damage.”

“So whoever they are, they can just make their own Z-Rings, just like that.”

“Whoever they are,” Starlight added, “they came prepared, and while I hate to admit it, that female one was right; we lucked out with them. If it weren’t for that other Pokémon that came in at the end, we would have been gone by now.”

“So we’ll train harder, catch more, and get stronger. All of us. But first…”

Alice knelt down and gently laid her Noibat and Pikachu on the ground, rummaging through her bag, pulling out two Revives, two Super Potions, and finally a Poké Ball.

“Here.” Alice handed Sam the Poké Ball. “While I heal up my Pokémon, why don’t you go ahead and catch that Rockruff?”

Rockruff whimpered questioningly as it looked up at Sam.

“What?” Sam asked. “Why should I–”

“I already have two Pokémon, you should have one for yourself.” Alice put the Revives on her Pokémon’s tongues. “Go ahead. I think you two will get along.”

Sam stared at the Poké Ball as Rockruff continued looking up at him, sitting down expectantly for him to make a decision. Sam watched as both Noibat and Pikachu groggily got up, being sprayed on the chests by both Super Potions, bringing them both back to their energetic and chipper selves.

As Alice got smothered by her two Pokémon, Sam glanced back down to see Rockruff in exactly the same place, cocking its head in confusion. Honedge floated down closer, interested in Sam’s decision. Sam knelt down and petted the rocky puppy on the head, which it seemed to enjoy. Finally, Sam lowered the Poké Ball down.

Alice and Fluttershy came into the crater from the cave first, the former looking back as Sam and Starlight came from the cave next. She looked at Sam’s waist, seeing only one Poké Ball attached to his belt. Alice reached down and felt the third Poké Ball on her belt beside her other two.

“I still can’t believe it,” Starlight said. “He was right there ready for you to bring him with, and you still gave him to your sister.”

“He was never mine to catch,” Sam simply responded. “I can never thank my sister enough for all she’s done to help me, but I could never live with myself anymore for catching Pokémon that she helped me catch.”

“But now you’ll have to go to the next island with only Honedge.”

“Yeah, I know. But the next Pokémon that comes with me will be mine and mine alone, and I can’t think of anything better than that.”

Starlight breathed out, glancing at him with a slightly worrisome look.

“Actually, scratch that!” Sam suddenly exclaimed. “I can think of something better.”

“What’s that?”

Sam took in a huge whiff. “Lunch.”

The four of them looked up ahead to see Benji working hard on the grill, the food he was cooking smelling as if it would be ready as soon as they arrived.

Comments

[ponylover2]

Awesome chapter my friend I'll be waiting for the next upload for this story keep me posted

[Greed and Giving]

Gladion will be informed about Team Prism the next time they meet, right?

[Cyber Phazon GotDM]

those man made Z-Rings and the moves moves remind me of Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD wih the shadow pokemon, you know that move called Shadow Rush? yeah that's the only thingi can compare it to. I wouldn't be surprise if there was somehow going to be a character from those games in this story... hmm wonder what would happen if a shadow pokemon was not purified and was on alola. though I forgot about that no one can see the "aura" of the shadow pokemon unless with machinery and that one girl....
anyway , great job with this chapter, I thought it was going to end up with a bad ending. too bad he didn't keep rockruff, I hope he changes his mind though. that Pokémon evolves into one strong pokemon, in the right trainer that is. keep it up.
P.S.:
8135077
do you ever say anything else besides that praise or close to that praise? I swear I've seen you on a lot of fics saying that a lot. but its your choice, I can not complain. i'll just go find a parrot bot and make it repeat what you say! heh, kidding your a good reader Ponylover2.

[Cyber Phazon GotDM]

PSS also I still wondwer why the fire starter types are basd off the Chinese zodiacs, we got 7/12 of them, which is the dragon, Rat, Rooster, Pig, Monkey, Dog, and now tiger. anyone want to guess whats the next one is? I would guess, but I might be wrong. if I can guess, either horse (Fire/Rock) or rabbit (fire/Fighting, Fire/Ground or Fire/Electric)

[moviemaster8510]

8135974

those man made Z-Rings and the moves moves remind me of Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD wih the shadow pokemon, you know that move called Shadow Rush?

Well, yeah, the Z-Rings are fake, but Shattered Psyche is the standard Psychic-type Z-Move.

[Skylight Blossom]

I read this and one thought that bothers me is that while you take the same stance as the anime/manga series and allow for more realistic pokemon behavior and less direct uses of skills, you still stick to the game limitation of only having 4 moves at a time. It's a slightly jarring disparity between the more realistic freedom of creative application of abilities and the artificial restriction of gameplay mechanics. I can't see any reason in this setting that Honedge would suddenly be required to induce selective amnesia to learn a new move, with the possible exception of being easier for the author to keep track of what each pokemon has available. If that's the case, then it is understandable. There are hundreds of pokemon at this point, and probably a couple thousand moves, so keeping track, and making use, of so many would be a difficult task.
All told, I am enjoying this story so far, and plan to keep reading. I hope to learn about more of the ponies, or Spike, soon, though.

[moviemaster8510]

8550091 It’s partly about keeping track of moves, but considering that I’ve actually played Pokémons Sun and Moon using the same Pokémon in Sam and Alice’s parties, I do have a pretty fair grasp on what moves they all know. I have been trying to be flexible over what moves each Pokémon has on their roster for each battle (especially in the latest arc), but I try to keep changes to an absolute minimum so as not to appear that no one trainer has an unfair edge over another and has whatever moves that will perfectly suit them against whatever person they’re battling.

I do agree that the 4-move limit is kind of robotic in this kind of setting, but it was the best way I felt that I could wring some strategy from the characters and provide a little tension.