Pokémon Eclipse

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 84 – Darkness's Shadow

Lurantis slashed its scythe arm at a Slowking hybrid, only for it to duck underneath the attack. At the same moment, an Oricorio hybrid swooped in and kicked both feet into Lurantis’s face, knocking it far back and away toward Sam.

“Lurantis!” As it fell onto its back, Sam didn’t wait for it to come to a stop before he took out its Poké Ball and returned it back inside.

As an Oranguru hybrid charged him, Sam threw Aegislash back off his arm to let it deflect the hybrid’s advance. Sam took the opportunity to return Lurantis’s ball to his belt and throw another off from it.

“Absol, Megahorn!” Sam’s white-furred creature leapt forth from its ball, running at Aegislash’s back as it blocked the Oranguru hybrid’s vision.

With its horn glowing green, Aegislash picked up on Absol’s steps and jutted straight up into the air, leaving nothing to separate the two and allowing Sam’s Pokémon to ram forward at its chest. The horn pierced a couple inches into the hybrid’s chest, large, deep cracks spreading throughout its body from the impact point. With one final roar, Oranguru crumbled to brittle pieces and scattered along the street before being blown away into nothingness by the wind.

“Yeah,” Sam growled, “‘mon for a ‘mon, you bastard.”

Rainbow Dash and her Naganadel flew over Sam as they were both tailed by an Oricorio grunt and a Metang grunt. “Dude, pay attention!”

Sneaking around to him quicker than he expected, a Bruxish grunt sprinted straight at him with its mouth open wide, its speeds far too fast for Absol to protect him.

“Torkoal, Thunder Wave!” Just then, a net of electricity fired out from Bruxish’s left blind spot, wrapping around its body and throwing it to the floor.

Sam and Absol looked to his right just as Flannery ran up toward them, a small, heavy-looking red turtle with a coal shell somehow managing to catch up by her side. Also confused, Aegislash lowered itself back to its trainer’s side, Flannery and Torkoal stopping just short of their group.

“Flannery!” Sam gasped. “The hell have you been?”

Flannery chuckled as she slapped her hand down on his shoulder. “Good to see you too, kid.”

“No like, how does your Torkoal know–”

“Actually, hold that thought.”

Jogging past him and Absol, Flannery and Torkoal spotted an Espeon hybrid, a Drowzee hybrid, and a Slowking hybrid running in to face them. Flannery smirked, excited for what she was about to show off.

“Okay, Discord, this one’s going to be a big one!” She patted her belt gently, Sam and his Pokémon shocked beyond measure to see a wave of fur rise out and along its length before returning to leather.

“D– Discord?” Sam stammered.

“Okay, Torkoal, two Signal Beams and a Thunderbolt!”

A faint aura began to appear on the belt, the eyes of the three hybrids suddenly brightening up ominously. Just then, Torkoal tilted its head back before throwing it forward, its mouth and eyes open wide. With a shout, two rays of highly-repetitive sonic pulses shot out from its pupils as a sizable lightning bolt was expelled from its throat, leaving Sam and a couple of other trainers and Pokémon mystified by the most peculiar sight. The three individual attacks struck all three hybrids with tremendous force, throwing them backward and far away from Sam and the others.

Necrozma shut its eyes and reeled back from the pain it vicariously felt. Returning to its spot, it saw as Sam, Absol, and the others nearby had recovered from their shock and continued battling the hybrids. With a fanning out of its wings, two large twinkles shone out of its eyes, appearing as well in the hybrids on the south side. At once, they all began to retreat, stunning Sam and the others into staying still and letting them leave. Sam looked back up at Necrozma, who was already charging its mouth for its psychic attack, aiming its mouth right at his direction.

“No!” Sam and Aegislash ran out far in front of Flannery, the latter returning to his arm.

Necrozma shot out its sparking golden orb, prompting Sam to swing Aegislash up, sending them both up high enough to meet Necrozma’s attack halfway.

“Aegislash, King’s Shield!” Aegislash got back off its trainer’s arm and returned to its Shield Forme, flexing out to form its barrier.

Just then, a bow of psychic energy crashed into Aegislash’s shield, deactivating its barrier to Sam’s horror. Looking past his Pokémon, he suddenly noticed that an Oricorio had flown up to its level and delivered a decisive Revelation Dance.

With Necrozma’s attack fast approaching, Sam could only think to look back at his now vulnerable allies below. “Guys, run–”

The attack collided with Aegislash, who was pushed back into Sam, both of them shouting in agony as fragments of the psychic orb shot over and around into them as they were thrown toward the ground. Absol barked and charged toward where they’d land, only for Naganadel to swoop in low to the ground, the Ultra Beast catching the two as Necrozma’s attack hit the street and detonated. A pillar of light shot up to the sky and quickly expanded, the nearby Equestrians, humans and Pokémon turning to flee.

The shockwave tripped them all immediately. As Flannery and her Torkoal were thrown to the ground, the latent psychic energy from the blast began to wash over the Discord belt around her waist, immediately causing it to expand and writhe, breaking the straps holding it on. Discord quickly reformed to its normal form and size as he kept himself lightly constricted around her waist, cushioning her body and catching her Pokémon as the three were continuously blown away by the explosion.

Lana’s Cloyster, Mallow’s Tsareena, and Plumeria’s Gengar were also caught in the light pillar as the shockwave crashed into their trainers, throwing them all back. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were grabbed and flown far enough away back by Skystar and Gilda, the two ponies forced to watch the rest of the attack play out. Nanu and Acerola leaned into the blast, which had quickly settled down to the point to where it now felt like a strong burst of wind. The lines of trainers and Equestrians behind them felt the force of the explosion and looked back, only able to see the aftermath of Necrozma’s latest assault.

As the dust and smoke cleared, Sam pushed his fainted Aegislash off of him and rolled off of Naganadel’s body onto all fours before wincing loudly and shifting his weight off his left hand. His Absol quickly rejoined his side, sniffing and licking at Sam’s left shoulder. As it did so, he glanced to his fainted Aegislash, letting out a long, dry sob. Continuing to look about, they also found Cloyster, Tsareena, and Gengar lying unconsciously on the street. As Pinkie Pie and Applejack were let back down by their winged companions, Plumeria, Mallow, and Lana ran over to find their Pokémon defeated.

“Naganadel!” Rainbow Dash landed hard upon the ground, nudging her Pokémon to try and wake it up. “Come on, buddy, don’t give up now!”

As Sam slowly pulled himself to his feet, his left arm limp and trembling, the roars of the hybrids broke through the smog, their furious footsteps sounding off soon after. Absol growled as it stepped forward to protect everyone and everything behind it. As Rainbow Dash and the three trainers called their fainted Pokémon back, the first couple of hybrids were now visible through the cloudy veil.

Sam glanced to his Z-Ring hanging on his wrist, his Key Stone seemingly shimmering into the corner of his eye. “Okay, Absol, ready for this?”

With an eager bark, Absol gave its trainer its permission. Sam screamed through the pain as he threw his left arm up and pressed his fingers onto his Key Stone, making both it and his Pokémon’s Absolite shine out like a warning beacon at the approaching hybrids.

“Respond to my heart Key Stone!” Sam loudly commanded. “Beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!”

Four DNA-shaped strands of swirling energy quickly snaked out of the Keystone and connected at once to the Absolite, transforming Absol’s entire exterior into the same aura. With an unfurling of its wings, an expansion of its horn, and a growth of its fur, the light shattered off of it and completed its metamorphosis into Mega Absol. Sam let out a rough sigh as he let his arm fall back to his side to relax.

“That’s it!” Sam threw his finger forward. “Mega Absol, Night Slash!”

Mega Absol stood on its hind legs and slashed the air with both front claws, sending out a pair of four black bows of dark energy that cut at the first two hybrids to advance, a Kadabra and a Metang. Upon their falling, several more came forward.

“Shit!” Mallow and Lana began to back away. “We’re out of Pokémon!”

“Don’t you worry about that!” Rainbow Dash detached a Beast Ball from her belt and tossed it out. “Stakataka, protect us!”

Upon her ball opening up, her sentient-brick tower Pokémon leapt out and landed flat upon the street in front of Mega Absol. As the hybrids approached, it thrashed its four legs out like a kraken’s tentacles, throwing each one of them back to where they came.

Plumeria stepped forward as she took an Ultra Ball off her belt. “Oh, no! You don’t get to hog up all the fun!” Her eyes spotted another Metang hybrid coming at Stakataka, certain that a Brick Break attack would be in its future. “Salazzle, stop the Metang with Fire Blast!”

Throwing her ball high up, her black-and-purple salamander landed atop Stakataka, who flipped several bricks about on its front side to allow Plumeria’s Pokémon to climb down and stand at the center of its face. With the Metang hybrid still continuing its advance, Salazzle’s mouth spilled with white-hot fire as it tried to pool as much as it could allow. Finally, with a forceful hock, it spat a large star-shaped flame point blank into the Metang hybrid’s chest and face. The intensity of the heat was enough to scorch deep into its body, and with a weakened stumble, the Metang hybrid’s body stiffened up and fell backward, crumbling upon hitting the ground.

Mallow and Lana took the opportunity to rush back behind the lines to join the company of Nanu, Acerola, and Tapu Bulu. Acerola could already tell the direness of their situation from their being there, and with a detachment of one of her Ultra Balls, she ran out from the safety of the center and out to the front.

“Acerola!” Nanu, Mallow, and Lana all called out.

“They need my help too!” She threw her ball out high enough that her Pokémon would be released above Stakataka. “Sableye, Shadow Claw!”

Her ball opened, up, letting out her spritely spirit. Landing atop Stakataka’s head, it ran off and leapt at an approaching Espeon hybrid and Oranguru hybrid. With Mega Absol rushing around Rainbow Dash’s Pokémon and attacking the Oranguru hybrid, Acerola’s Sableye focused on the Espeon hybrid, exacting its trainer’s chosen attack on it. With a new front line formed, Skystar, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Gilda rushed over to Discord, whom Flannery struggled to help get up onto all fours.

Flannery roared through her teeth as Discord’s lion’s paw slipped, making him fall back onto his chest. “We need to get him to safety!”

“Alright, alright!” Applejack exclaimed. “Hold on, sugar!”

As Flannery wrapped her arms around Discord’s right arm, the other four Equestrians, grabbed hold of his waist. Just then, Lana and Mallow rushed in, the former going behind Discord with each of them standing beside his legs. As Necrozma watched both sides continue to fight, it began to ascend, catching the attentions of several Equestrians, Pokémon, and trainers. Turning to the north, it threw its wings out, the webbing beginning to turn bright. With a roar, shards of bright rock shot out from the white surface of its wings like hail toward the battlefield.

Many hybrids facing the westward lines leapt back as Necrozma’s Power Gem fury began to rain down onto the streets. Cocoon charged another barrier, shielding herself, Chrysalis, Trixie, Starlight, and Fluttershy, as well as Lady, Comfey, and Chrysalis’s Mawile. With the strength and the amount of rock pelting her spell, Cocoon broke into a sweat as she strained to keep her magic strong enough to withstand the relentless barrage.

Around her, Guzma was embraced by his Golisopod, shielding its trainer as it took the full force of the Power Gem into its back. Molayne sent out his Metagross, who floated out with the top of its head pointing up at Necrozma. With its arms stretched straight out to each direction, four magenta quarters appeared between them as it shielded Molayne, Sandlash, Sophocles, and Togedemaru.

As Luna stepped in front of Ilima and his Komala, prepared to defend him from Necrozma’s attack, Zeraora appeared before both of them, floating in the air. Right before the falling stones could reach, Zeraora shouted loud as it produced a thick web of plasma over the two that vaporized the rock that flew into it. Despite the stones that jutted into it, Zeraora stayed steadfast in its position, growling and grunting through each individual shard that hit it as it kept Luna, Ilima, and his Pokémon safe. By the time the stone maelstrom subsided, Zeraora let its barrier vanish before it collapsed onto the ground, barely able to catch itself.

Cocoon dropped her shield spell, exhausted to the point that she buckled onto one of her shins, worrying Chrysalis and Starlight.

“Sister!” Chrysalis helped lift her back up. “You’re tiring yourself too quickly! Let me take the Amulet for a while!”

“After the attack you just took,” Starlight mentioned, “it may be useless to you! I still have some magic in me, let me have it!”

Just then, a Bruxish hybrid and a Kadabra hybrid charged the group, Chrysalis, her Mawile, Lady, and Comfey running back in to face them. Starlight and Trixie then saw that the light in the Alicorn Amulet’s gem was far dimmer than before, almost as if the color was fading away.

“It’s no use,” Cocoon looked out as the Pokémon of her sister and friends continued to fend off the changelings as they returned to the battle. “The Amulet’s magic has already nearly been expended. Just let me finish this!”

As Cocoon walked forward to stand near her sister, Starlight, Trixie, and Fluttershy continued to watch as Chrysalis and their Pokémon kept on fighting. Guzma quickly returned his fainted Golisopod into its ball, at the same instant tossing out his next Ultra Ball to send out Masquerain, who immediately attacked an oncoming Slowking hybrid with an Energy Ball attack. Molayne’s Metagross fell to the street and crumpled, leaving Molayne to disdainfully bring it back to its ball.

“Zeraora!” Ilima slid to his knees as he scooped Zeraora up and cradled it. “Are you alright?!”

Zeraora weakly put its arm on Ilima’s and looked into his eyes. “Now you must protect her…”

With its paw slipping off, Zeraora went limp in Ilima’s grasp. Panting, he began to fish through his vest pockets, feeling more and more alarmed with each empty space he went into.

“My Revives…” His grip on the Pokémon he failed to protect got tighter. “I’m out…”

“Ilima!” Luna faced forward again as a Hypno hybrid and an Espeon hybrid charged at them.

Charging her horn, she blasted a spell at the Hypno hybrid, only for it to put its arm up and let it burst onto its skin like it was a simple water balloon. Luna fearfully backed away as Komala rolled its way at the Hypno hybrid, hitting it with the bottom of its drum. With the Espeon hybrid still approaching, Ilima shot up to his feet and tossed his last Ultra Ball.

“Gumshoos, Super Fang!” Upon the ball opening up, Ilima’s Pokémon barely formed from the white energy inside before it bounded at its enemy and tackled it hard into the street, clamping its jaws as tight as the muscles would allow.

Luna stood stunned as Ilima came out to stand in front of her, his two remaining Pokémon ready to face their share of the hybrids they faced.

“Don’t worry. I’ll save you.” Ilima looked back at Zeraora’s unconscious body. “I’ll save you both.”

In the center, Olivia, Mina, and Hapu watched all about them with Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini as the hybrids’ fervor refused to let up. Behind them, Mega Mohuku delivered a hard Leaf Blade to a Bruxish hybrid, the cut deep enough to destroy it. Just then, another Bruxish hybrid clamped onto Mega Mohuku’s chest with its frosted-over fangs, making it roar out in pain. Finally, a Slowbro hybrid shot an Ice Beam at the two of them, the attack hitting Mega Mohuku on the center of the left side and flung it toward its trainer. As it fell toward the ground, Mega Mohuku’s form shone with a bright colorful energy before it shattered off, returning Mohuku to its regular form.

Kaj screamed as she reached out for her fainted Pokémon. “No, Mohuku!”

Letting go of Mohuku, the Bruxish hybrid made a mad dash at Kaj, and as she lowered herself and cowered, Decidueye swiped it away with with a Leaf Blade of its own. As it slouched over, tired and battered itself, it turned to look at Kaj and ensure she was okay just as a faraway Espeon hybrid struck it from behind with a Shadow Ball, sending it fainting to the ground. Kukui’s Braviary swooped down from above, snatching the hybrid in its talons before tossing it into the side of a building, breaking a part of the corner off.

Kaj glanced to her left, watching as Hau’s Pangoro took an up-close Dazzling Gleam from a Kadabra hybrid, arching back in pain and becoming too exhausted to catch itself as it fell. To her right, she watched as a Slowking hybrid drenched Lillie’s Rapidash with Hydro Pump, only to be finished right off by a Metang hybrid’s Brick Break, the horse now a rag-doll as it succumbed to its injuries.

Far away, Raichu stood on its board, panting and slumped over, Mimikyu and its busted disguise sticking close by it as three hybrids closed in. Facing a Hypno hybrid, it jumped at it with a set of shadowy fangs receding out from the bottom of its costume, only to be mashed in its actual body by a Metang hybrid’s Bullet Punch. Raichu and Alice watched sadly as the space filling Mimikyu’s disguise deflated, leaving it to nearly flutter away into the rest of the fray. Angered, Raichu shouted and shot out at the Metang hybrid, only to be brought down by an Espeon hybrid’s Shadow Ball, knocking it off its tail-board as it fell to a hard, uncontrolled stop. Alice backed away as she brought both Pokémon back into their balls, glancing her eyes about at the three hybrids creeping up at her.

Olivia turned back toward Necrozma’s direction, putting a hand on one of her Ultra Balls. “I can’t keep doing this.”

Olivia broke out from her group, Tapu Lele’s distressed squeals catching the attention of Mina, Hapu, and Tapu Lele.

“Olivia, get back here!” Hapu shouted.

“Not a chance!” Olivia glanced back to her out the corner of her eye. “I’m not letting my friends and their Pokémon go down for me!”

With a worried moan, Tapu Lele flew away from its companions, tracking Olivia as she made her way to the front besides Ilima and Luna. With the Espeon and Hypno hybrids getting the upper hand on Smeargle and Komala, Olivia tossed out her Ultra Ball.

“Golem, Steamroller!” The ball burst open, her Pokémon forming out from the energy with its body already rolled up into itself.

Spinning rapidly, it crashed into the Hypno hybrid hard enough to shatter it to dust. With Gumshoos and Komala facing the Espeon hybrid together, they shot out at it far too fast for it to register, striking them with a combined Crunch and Sucker Punch attack. The Espeon hybrid’s head broke apart, and with a single spastic, flailing of its arms, the rest of its body went limp before crashing onto the street and breaking apart into a loose, black powder. Necrozma growled down at Olivia, Ilima, and Luna, the former of whom looked up to it with an unafraid, vengeful glare. Finally, Tapu Lele joined Olivia’s side, looking up at the fearsome creature. At once, Necrozma’s body began to turn to light as it prepared to retaliate with a Smart Strike attack.

*BYOOF*

*BYOOF*

Two massive Shadow Balls exploded into Necrozma’s chest, sending it soaring back away from the city. Gasping, Olivia and the others turned and kept their eyes skyward, looking for the source of the ambush. Having seen the flashes of the attack shooting out from above, Sun and everyone on the northeastern side of the city looked up to spot Rotomjet hovering several stories above the ground on the same level as Necrozma.

“Zzzt!” The speakers beneath it sputtered to life. “Zzzorry I’m late, everyone zz-zzt! Can’t exzzactly launch a zzzurprizze attack in plain zzzight!”

Lillie breathed in elatedly as Gladion and Hau smiled up at their unlikely savior, the latter chuckling to himself.

“Rotom!” Sun’s call was quickly followed by a sorely angered screech from Necrozma, who recovered and began to ascend higher, Rotomjet following its motions perfectly.

Rotomjet took its eyes off its enemy to glance down where Sun and his other friends were. “Zzzun, buddy zzzzt! I’m zzzorry I can’t go on any more adventurezz with you, zz-zzzt, but I’m zzzuper happy at the time we were able to zzzpend tonight zzzzzt!”

“Rotom?!” As a realization came to him, Sun’s gladdened smile turned to a devastated frown. “What are you saying?!”

“Don’t worry about me, buddy zzz-zzzzt! If you can go without my help for ten yearzz, you can do juzzzt about anything!”

A light began to fill Necrozma’s mouth, something that went detected by everyone except Sun and those nearest him.

Rotom’s jets began to whir louder as it prepared to launch. “Whoopzz, zzzorry, Zzzun zzzt! I gotta’ go! Love ya’, buddy zz-zzzt!”

Jets of whitish-blue flame erupted out the back, sending Rotomjet shooting out at Necrozma, who looked to be only seconds away from shooting out another of its ultimate attack.

Sun and the others spun around as they watched Rotomjet perform its ultimate sacrifice. “ROTOM!!”

Rotomjet couldn’t help but giggle as its nose stayed on line with the top of Necrozma’s abdomen, already away from the city. “Howzz thizzz for a Zzzmart Zzztrike, Necrozzma zzzzzz–?”

Rotomjet’s body crumpled completely inward upon crashing into Necrozma, a big, fiery explosion following instantly after that made everyone still in the city shield their eyes. As pieces of the jet went shooting off around, above, and below it, Necrozma let out a weakened cry as the light of its failed attack died in its maw. Even the light composing its body began to dim slightly as it fell backwards into the ocean along with the rest of the debris. As its splash burst upwards over the tops of the highest rooftops in the west side of Hau’oli, every creature, human, Equestrian, Pokémon, and hybrid alike stood still in complete awe and wonder as they saw the fruits of Rotomjet’s final attack.

With the spot where it was struck still black and smoldering, Necrozma weakly began to sink down beneath the depths of the waves, having only enough strength to keep its head above the water to breathe. Finally, it could no longer keep above the ocean and rest its head down to let the rest of itself submerge. From the windows of the many buildings, people and Pokémon young and old put their hands and faces to the glass, wondering themselves if the battle was truly over.

“He did it…” Hau clenched his trembling fist as he looked at the black smoke that still hung in the air from where Rotomjet blew up. “He took him out.”

As he and Marshadow turned around, the hybrids that had seen their master fall all now gazed at him, almost as if they were now unsure what to do. Hau’s breathing began to intensify, along with the frown on his face that became a bloodthirsty scowl. Breaking into a run, Marshadow faded into Hau’s shade as his fist flared up with purple flames, Hau’s shout getting shriller as he made his way at the Dexio hybrid.

With a jump, Hau drove his knuckles into the hybrid’s stomach, slamming it down the street and isolating himself among the remaining hybrids, who now appeared as angered and vengeful as he was. The others in his group looked behind them, stunned over the silence that was so quickly broken.

“Don’t stop now!” Hau tossed an Ultra Ball upward. “This is the moment Rotom gave us! Keep fighting!”

As the other hybrids began to converge, Hau’s Passimian shot down from its ball and landed beside Hau, leaping into one group of hybrids and wailing on them with its Beat Up attack. Hau took on the rest of the hybrids that Passimian couldn’t reach, dodging and blocking each punch, kick, or beam and bow of energy that shot his way.

Sun detached another Poké Ball from his belt. “Hau’s right! Just these guys left and its over!”

As he tossed his ball out, Silvally and Braviary shot out to assist Hau while Kaj and Lillie threw out their next balls, sending out Kreigen and Blissey, who charged to join in. Sun’s next ball opened up, his Incineroar breaking out into a sprint immediately, reaching Hau and Pangoro before either of his friends’ Pokémon.

Hearing the commotion behind them, Olivia spun back to face her group’s hybrids, running at them with a shout of her own, prompting her Golem to roll alongside her. Ilima’s two Pokémon, along with Sandslash, Togedemaru, Mawile, Lady, and Comfey, all ran out as well, invigorated by their victory almost within their grasp. With trainers and Equestrians on both sides fighting, Hapu and Mina shared a glance with each other before nodding. After detaching a Poké Ball from each of their belts, the two ran out to help Olivia, Tapu Fini floating right beside its Kahuna.

On the other south side, the battle was in full swing once again. Sam’s Mega Absol drove its horn into the throat of a Hypno hybrid, breaking it apart instantly. Skystar carried Pinkie Pie’s cannon with its owner riding atop of it and pressing the back button to rain down blasts of confetti that bogged down on the hybrids that it hit. Gilda weaved around each of these hybrids, slashing at them with her talons before Applejack rushed in and delivered several bucks and kicks to their chests and heads, destroying some of them. As for the ones that survived, Plumeria’s Crobat swooped in as deftly as Gilda had and finshed the rest off with X-Scissor. Stakataka swung its leg at a Bruxish hybrid and Espeon hybrid that ran at it, swiping them into the side of a building hard enough to make them shatter like glass.

Alice’s Mudsdale spun around and bucked an Oranguru hybrid in the head hard enough to swing it onto its back. With it disoriented, Alice gripped her spear tight and drove it as hard as she could through the forehead, splitting the now stony head in two before the rest of its body crumbled. Shining Armor swung its head about and lodged the head of Kahili’s iron into the temple of a Kadabra hybrid, its body falling apart before it could land. As a Metang hybrid rushed the unicorn as his weapon clanged to the ground away from him, Celaeno rushed in to stab one of her swords upward into its chest while tossing the other behind her back for Shining Armor to catch in his teeth. As the hybrid Celaeno slayed turned to ash, the two gave an understanding nod before rushing their separate ways.

Twilight and Spike stood close to each other as Spike’s Nihilego floated close behind Clefable, the two of them facing an Oricorio hybrid and a Slowking hybrid. With a wage of its finger, Clefable faced the Slowking hybrid before leaping jovially at it, reeling its fist back and delivering a Thunder Punch that blasted a hole through its chest, disintegrating it. Nihilego responded with a close-range Power Gem of its own, blasting the hybrid’s body until it was virtually sandblasted away. With impressive, almost planned movements, Kiawe and his Marowak managed to attack the hybrids trying to get a hit on them with their flaming clubs while also keeping them at a safe distance from them. Pointing her finger at a Metang hybrid, Kahili ordered her Mandibuzz to swoop in and attack it, butting its head into it and cracking it open to destroy it.

From an alley, Flannery, Discord, Lana, and Mallow watched as hybrid after hybrid fell at the hands of their friends and Pokémon. “They’re doing it!” Flannery exclaimed. “We’re going to win!”

Acerola’s Sableye took a swipe at the last remaining hybrid facing Sam and his group, a Kadabra variant. Though its claws dug deep, the hybrid still managed to stumble around and get its balance. This was quickly thwarted by Mega Absol, who pounced on its target and cut its neck with Night Slash, its body going limp and its body crumbling away. As everyone looked around, a hybrid now no longer in sight, their cheers of victory began to grow louder. Sam approached his Pokémon, prompting it to turn back to him. Hopping its front up, it wrapped both its arms and its wings around its body to hug its trainer, which he responded to with a hug using his good arm.

With combined efforts, Ilima’s Komala, Hapu’s Dugtrio, and Mina’s Granbull pulverized a Bruxish and Oricorio hybrid, finishing off all of theirs on their end. With the battle having almost completely settled down, the humans, Pokémon, and Equestrians could hear the sounds of their friends celebrating to the south. Despite the assuring atmosphere, neither creature could feel confident to join their friends in their jolly uproar.

“Is…” Guzma wondered aloud, “is it over?”

He suddenly felt something gently below into the backs of his calves, despite feeling the wind blowing into his face. Looking downward, the ashen remains of the slain hybrids were indeed flowing against the breeze and out to the west. As more and more began to pick up and flow past the buildings, Guzma became more and more convinced at the fearful feeling that began nagging him the moment the hybrids were defeated. As if urged by some kind of outside force, Guzma broke into a sprint around the bend of the street to run southward, his Masquerain chasing right after him.

Molayne and Sophocles gasped, watching him run off so anxiously. “Guzma! What are you…”

They then noticed the hybrid’s ash themselves, each of them and their Pokémon trailing a piece until they were looking out in the direction of the sea where the rest were flying off. It wasn’t much longer until everyone else and their Pokémon recognized this too, feeling compelled to stay put and ride out whatever was coming now.

Behind them, Hau leapt out at Dexio, his punch getting blocked by one of its regular arms before it leapt up and spun one of its Metagross legs at him, throwing him back with his other friends. Sun and Gladion were quick to pull him up onto this feet from under his arms. With Dexio the only hybrid left, the Pokémon were ready for what was sure to be an easy beatdown. Everyone south of them watched as the last of the hybrids’ remains flew away from them to join the rest converging between them up north, already certain by this point that the battle was not over yet.

The ashes that had already landed in the ocean began to swirl into a shallow whirlpool. Soon after, the rest mixed themselves in. Upon the last flake that touched the surface of the water, the entire area of it began to shine brightly as if beaconing the beast that had sunk just minutes ago. Then, from the depths, a beam shot up to the center of the whirlpool, striking it and creating a depth charge of light and psychic power. As water continued to rise against gravity, the western lines of each side ran backwards several paces as they prepared for the worst to happen. Guzma, already in his fastest sprint, felt his legs carry him even faster down the street as he glanced to his right to look upon Necrozma’s return.

Suddenly, three large beams spiraled out and up from behind the water, causing it all to fall back to the sea. Each beam then quickly soared about and flew out to before the lines of its enemies. One beam struck the ground in front of Alice and her group, the rest of it converging until it became a large orb that started to meld and compact into shape. With its pantherine appearance and the black arms reaching off its back, Alice and many others recognized it as Dusk-Mane Necrozma.

Guzma rounded the corner to head toward Sam and his group just as one of the beams swirled about in the air before it too became a sphere of pure energy. The center split opened and unfolded to unveil Dawn-Wings Necrozma, its counterpart boxing the others in on the other side. Landing upon the ground in front of Olivia, Hapu, and their group, the final beam dug straight into the ground like a pillar, and floating ominously out from it was Necrozma’s base form. Lillie turned around and gasped to see the creature return, the others nearby her suddenly worried about the lone hybrid facing them. In her worry, Hapu slid her foot back just a couple of inches. Necrozma quickly turned its head to her, its crystalline eyes bearing into her heart and soul.

Hapu spun around and ran to the group to the east. “HAU!”

Necrozma wound its arm back, a smaller orb of electricity appearing in its hand. Just as it threw it out, Cocoon leapt up and charged her horn, its magic wrapping around it and immediately dissipating it apart. Behind them, the Dexio hybrid charged at Hau and Tapu Koko, Incineroar and Silvally running in to intercept it. With two downward swings of its arms, two spoons appeared from thin air and traced the tips of its fingers, clashing together and creating the tremendous flash of a Dazzling Gleam, throwing both Pokémon aside. While Incineroar managed to catch itself, Silvally rolled to a limp stop.

“Silvally!” Dexio shouted.

South of them, Dusk-Mane Necrozma ran forward at Alice’s group with reckless abandon. Mudsdale charged at it to stop it, but with two swift hops, Dusk-Mane Necrozma juked away from Alice’s Pokémon’s path and then lunged at it, its teeth clamped around its neck before it was slammed headfirst to the ground. Alice screamed as Mudsdale wailed in pain.

“You leave her alone, you monster!” Rarity galloped forward, Capper too late to reach out to keep her back.

Jumping up with a growing shout, Rarity spun about and kicked it dead center of its right eye. Despite the gentle thud of the back of her hoof colliding with the plating, Dusk-Mane Necrozma recoiled from the hit and let Mudsdale out of its mouth. Capper ran toward Rarity as she landed back on the ground, her bravery quickly melting away as the creature’s head slowly turned to face her and only her.

“Rarity!” Capper grabbed hold of Rarity’s neck with his paw and swung around her to show its back to Dusk-Mane Necrozma, pulling her tight to cover her with as much of his body and coat as possible.

With a bark, Dusk-Mane Necrozma sent out a pulse of energy that flung Capper and Rarity off their paws and hooves. Hitting the ground, Capper kept a tight hold of the white unicorn until his back rolled into the side of a building, knocking him unconscious with Rarity dropping out of his grasp.

Just to the west, Sam and the others looked up as Dawn-Wings Necrozma charged up an attack before it, the bars of its wings glowing with a metallic sheen. The silvery beam of a Moonblast shot out in front of its face, making its way down toward Nanu, Acerola, and Tapu Bulu. To Sam’s surpise, Mega Absol took off to the skies, staring the attack head-on. Further down, Guzma was shocked to see his Masquerain fly up to join Sam’s Pokémon, the two of them huddled together to ensure none of the attack reached the Kahuna and guardian.

The beam struck them both, detonating in midair and blasting them back down. Mega Absol’s body was awash in colorful energy, which broke apart the moment its body hit the street, coming to a painful stop as it lay fainted on the ground. With Masquerain’s light, motionless body gliding gently down, Guzma returned it into its ball before coming toward Nanu and Acerola.

“Guzma!” Acerola shouted. “Where’d you come from?”

“I saw what was happening with those ashes and knew I had to come.” Having not stopped running since breaking with his group, Guzma slouched and held himself up on his knees. “The other Kahunas are up there, and you guys need to do the thing real soon, or else–”

Another Moonblast was fired out, striking the ground and traveling at them. As Tapu Bulu snatched Nanu and Acerola in its arms and pulled back, Rainbow Dash swung around and tackled Guzma in the same direction. The beam blasted down the sidewalk, throwing chunks of concrete, asphalt, and rock up into the air. As they fell down over her group, Twilight strained as she caught each individual piece of debris in her magic and tossed them aside to the south. At that, Dusk-Mane Necrozma turned its attention to her and Spike.

Necrozma roared at Cocoon, who stood defiantly before it, Fluttershy squeaking in fright and hiding behind Starlight and Trixie. Holding its arms out, two pyramids of bright, magenta light formed in the spaces away from its hands, the pupils in Cocoon’s eyes narrowing.

Knowing what she had to do, her stare instantly became more determined than ever. “Sister! Take the ponies and their Pokémon and run!”

“But…” Chrysalis and Mawile took a step forward. “Cocoon…”

“I SAID RUN!!” Her aura charged almost half a foot off the surface of her horn, the gem in the Alicorn Amulet shining just as brilliantly.

With a second’s hesitation, Chrysalis and Mawile began to usher Starlight, Fluttershy, and their Pokémon away toward Hau and his group. Necrozma threw its hands and the prisms together, the smashing of which caused a powerful laser to erupt from the spot, shooting right at Cocoon. Her horn’s aura spread out to create an outward dome, the energy of the blast spraying away from anything behind or beside her. As Starlight, Fluttershy, Lady, and Comfey continued running, Chrysalis couldn’t help but stop and look back, needing to see her sister come out alright.

As Cocoon strained to keep her barrier up against this unrelenting force, the gem on the Alicorn Amulet began to flicker, its light growing dimmer with each flash. As such, the aura on Cocoon’s horn began to recede toward the tip, flashing between dark red and amber. Her hooves began to lose traction as she was pushed back, Chrysalis and the other trainers witness to this. Finally, the light of the Amulet completely faded, and Cocoon’s magic aura returned to a brownish orange. Cocoon looked up at her barrier as it was quickly dissolved away by Necrozma’s attack.

Cocoon shut her eyes, at peace. “Take care of them…”

Her magic could no longer keep up, the barrier disappearing with it. In an instant, the laser engulfed the changeling queen and shrouded her completely in white before an explosion of shards of light blasted out from where Cocoon stood, the shockwave of which knocked Chrysalis off her hooves. As she rolled to a stop, she looked back to spot Starlight and Fluttershy stopping with their Pokémon to see what had happened to Cocoon.

To the left, Tapu Lele held up a barrier that protected Olivia, Luna, Ilima, Molayne, Sophocles, and their Pokémon from the blast until it subsided. As the dust of the broken street slowly cleared, Chrysalis began to breathe heavily at the sight of Cocoon lying on her side with the Alicorn Amulet broken in two with the pieces of the gem scattered around it. Her body would not move; her chest couldn’t even rise to breathe.

“No… SISTER!” As Chrysalis ran to Cocoon’s corpse, Starlight and Fluttershy could only mourn from a distance so long before another explosion sounded off.

As they turned around, they spotted as Lillie’s Blissey, Hau’s Passimian, and Tapu Koko were thrown up into the air by a powerful attack from the Dexio hybrid. With desperate breaths, the two ponies resolved to run over to help their friends, their Pokémon not far behind. Up front, Hau threw his arm forward, Marshadow leaping out at the Dexio hybrid. Holding up its hand at it, the hybrid launched a Shadow Ball at Marshadow, hitting it in the gut and causing Hau to crumple to the ground in pain as well. Starlight and Fluttershy broke through to the front just as Lillie called her Pokémon back.

Hau looked up at the Dexio hybrid just as Kreigen flew overhead. Keeping its head trained on it, it breathed a plume of fire at Kaj’s Pokémon, forcing it to fly away to safety. Fizzlepop, her gallops noticeably more labored, prepared to jump at the hybrid, only to get kicked in the head and chest by one of its Metagross arms, sending her back to the others. Grubber ran to his dear friend and picked her head up, her eyes refusing to open. Marshadow clenched its teeth as the hedgehog screamed her name as she refused to wake up. Hau picked himself up to his knees, Tapu Koko weakly flying beside his trainer to be of any help.

Finally, Marshadow turned to its trainer, who looked down on him with his face a foot from its own. “Hau… I hoped we could stop him, but now I fear we have no other choice.”

“What…” Hau, feeling fatigue weigh him down suddenly like a ton of bricks, wobbled as he made sense of his partner’s words. “What are you saying?”

Marshadow looked back as Kreigen came out from behind the Dexio hybrid, only able to knick at the back of its head before it could fly away again to safety. “I can stop him, maybe even save him, but at the cost of my own life.”

“What?!” Hau was startled further awake, horrified by this suggestion. “No! I can’t have you–”

“You must! We can’t afford to hesitate like this again! We have to do this now!”

“But… Marshadow…”

“Go on, Hau.” Hau turned back, seeing Sun look at him with a compassionate and sympathetic frown. “If this is what he wants, let him do what he needs to.”

The shadow linking Hau to Marshadow began to glow brightly and turn a dark purple, surprising him. “Now stand up, Hau! Keep the promise you made to Hala!”

Hau slowly got to his feet, looking dead into the eyes of the Dexio hybrid the entire time. As his breathing got heavier, his shadow lit up even more.

“That’s it!” Marshadow began to flare up with a spectral aura. “Save your friends, Hau! Save the world! All of them!”

With its bright blue Raichu eyes looking down, squinting in preparation to attack, Hau clenched his fists and let out a tremendous shout, an aura raging around his own body that matched the intensity of Marshadow’s. Dexio ran forward.

Marshadow looked back at Hau one last time as the shadow linking them turned white. “Good-bye, Hau.”

Marshadow sprinted out of the area of Hau’s shadow, which faded away to divert in away from the light of the streetlamps still left undamaged. The Dexio hybrid jutted a Metagross leg out to kick, only for Marshadow to slip by over it and shoot its way into the hybrid’s chest. The Dexio hybrid came to a stop and patted its chest, uncertain where it went. Suddenly, it doubled over as the spot where Marshadow entered began to glow a brilliant blue and deep cracks began to spread out over its skin. As they moved across its arms, legs, and face, the hybrid found its limbs and neck went stiff as they were forcefully pulled out. With a final roar, the light reached peak brightness before the entire exterior of the Dexio hybrid exploded off of it, now replaced by a star that quickly began to dim.

Once it was safe to look forward again, the light faded away to reveal five unconscious Pokémon and their trainer lying on the street, the area of the street around them charred from the explosion. As Hau stared at the end result of his partner’s sacrifice, his eyes began to well with tears as he choked back a few sobs.

Chrysalis’s eyes flowed with tears as the realization of her sister’s death fully dawned on her. Mawile looked up to its trainer sympathetically, unsure how she would react next. The other trainers looked on as Necrozma slumped over and panted, exhausted by its attack’s drain on its energy. Finally, Chrysalis bit down on her teeth, her eyes narrowed to the thinnest of pinpricks as her rage and anger reached a boiling point.

“NECROZMA!” she wailed. “Mawile, attack with Crunch!”

With a raspy squeal, Mawile allowed Chrysalis to hoist it up in her magic and launch it at her enemy's head. Mawile swung its large second set of jaws at it, the teeth catching onto its face. As it reeled back and screamed, Necrozma reached for Mawile and tried to pull it off, the other trainers stunned at its sudden inability to do so.

Guzma and Rainbow Dash shot themselves up to their feet as Tapu Bulu helped Nanu and Acerola to theirs. All around them, chaos ensued. Guzma and Rainbow Dash watched as Skystar and Gilda both narrowly zipped around Dawn-Wings Necrozma’s next Moonblast which Stakataka and Plumeria’s Salazzle took the full force of, the former blocking the attack from Pinkie Pie and Applejack. With Sam and Flannery running forward with Archeops and Arcanine, they both looked upward and attacked Dawn-Wings Necrozma with Ancientpower and a Fire Blast. Even with Plumeria’s Salazzle’s own Fire Blast and Stakataka’s upward Rock Slide also hitting their enemy, neither attack seemed to fully faze the creature, filling the trainers and Equestrians with dread.

To the east, Nanu and Acerola watched as Alice Mega Evolved her Gyarados as Celaeno’s crystal peg leg was caught in Dusk-Mane Necrozma’s mouth. As Celaeno held on tight to its snout with one arm, she futilely banged the bottom of her sword’s hilt onto its thick, metal helmet. From the side, Kahili commanded her Mandibuzz to attack while Kiawe and Marowak charged it from the side. Dusk-Mane Necrozma swung its head to the side, colliding it, as well as the back of Celaeno’s head, into Kiawe, Marowak, and Mandibuzz. As Celaeno dropped her sword and fell back, unconscious, Kiawe, his fainted Marowak, and Mandibuzz crashed into him and Kahili, their full, combined weight landing onto them. As the back of Dusk-Mane Necrozma’s throat began to fill with a green energy, Shining Armor chucked Celaeno’s other blade at its head while Clefable and Nihilego attacked it on its right. Dusk-Mane Necrozma registered neither attack. Finally, just as Alice’s Mega Gyarados came to be, Dusk-Mane Necrozma fired out a Solar Beam from its mouth, vaporizing Celaeno’s crystal leg and blasting Mega Gyarados back, the gusts from the attack also blowing Alice back too.

Nanu stared at Dusk-Mane Necrozma, even as Acerola broke away from him to join Twilight and the others against it. Behind him, Guzma and Rainbow Dash ran back in to help Sam and Plumeria. With Nanu almost frozen in place by a myriad of emotions, Tapu Bulu floated in front of him, hoping its appearance would break him out of his trance. With a trembling hand, Nanu reached for an Ultra Ball.

“Dexio!” Sun and Lillie rushed out to their friend, who continued to lay still.

As Gladion and others gathered near, they were instantly repulsed by the sight of Dexio’s right hand. The artificial Z-Ring, now broken and destroyed, was partially embedded deep into his arm, the flesh below it bloodied and beginning to turn blue.

“Move it!” Hapu and Tapu Fini broke in between Gladion and Starlight as she yanked a dirty handcloth from her small bag. “It may not be clean, but it’ll at least stop the bleeding.”

Slipping it under his arm, she tied a tight knot around it just above the Z-Ring, the blood flow in his hands quickly slowing down.

“That’ll be all we can do until we get him to a hospital,” she said.

“If we get him to a hospital,” Fluttershy whimpered.

Just then, Hau and Tapu Koko entered, looking down at what had become of his friend and their Pokémon. “You did it, Marshadow… you really…”

Hau then drooped his head down, unable to suppress his sobs. With a deep breath, Sun faced Hau and walked to him. After placing his hand upon his shoulder, Hau looked up into the eyes of his oldest friend, finding as much sympathy there has he had in his voice moments earlier. With a weak lunge, Hau threw himself onto Sun and hugged him, Sun holding him up as he let it out. Hapu stood up and breathed out her nose as Hau continued receiving Sun’s consolation.

Approaching the two, she put her hand on Hau’s arm, getting his attention as he looked around his friend. “I know this is hard for you right now, but if you weren’t already aware–”

A bassy boom was heard down the street, bringing everyone’s attention to it. From the back, Necrozma rose up to look down upon its opponents, specifically Chrysalis and her fainted Mawile. As Chrysalis returned the Pokémon into its ball, Olivia, Golem, and Tapu Lele readied themselves to take over while she recovered. The two were stepped in front of by Ilima, his two Pokémon, and Mina, Sophocles and Molayne jumping in quickly after.

“Hapu’s probably gone to find Hau!” Mina tore a ball off her belt. “You should do the same and then go find Nanu!”

“But…” Olivia reached out to them. “You guys…”

“We’ll handle this monster,” Chrysalis seethed, sending out her Vespiquen. “I’ll do so myself if I have to!”

Olivia and Golem continued to stay put, even as Necrozma charged two wavy Psychic orbs in both of its hands, only to get crashed into by Ilima’s Komala and Gumshoos.

With an uncharacteristically dire expression, he turned to look back at the Kahuna. “Fly, Olivia!”

At once, the other Pokémon joined in on the assault against Necrozma. With the pandemonium spreading out, Olivia and her two companions backed away before spinning around to run to Hapu at the end of the street.

With Sun’s Incineroar coming close to its trainer, they began to march toward the battle with Necrozma. “We need to go help them before any more damage can be done.”

“Hold on!” Lillie protested. “What about Dexio?”

“I’ll watch over them!” Mohn exclaimed. “This unicorn and hedgehog too!”

“I’m staying too!” Kaj proclaimed as Kreigen landed beside her. These guys’ll need some good defense in case something else goes wrong!”

Hau and Hapu nodded, thankful for that much. Finally, just as they and Lillie returned their fainted Pokémon into their balls, Olivia, Tapu Lele, and Golem rushed over to them, surprising the group.

“Olivia!” Hapu gasped. “Aren’t you supposed to–”

“They told me to get you both,” she panted. “We have to find Nanu and put an end to this whole mess!”

While Hapu nodded, knowing this already, Hau’s face lit up with realization, already accepting this new plan.

“Then follow me!” Sun and Incineroar already began to run. “We can cut through the alleys!”

Quickly, Lillie and Gladion ushered Olivia, Hapu, Hau, and the three guardians to follow Sun and Incineroar first before they followed behind. As Mohn proudly saw them off, Alice fell on her behind to sit, breathing hard and rocking herself to stay away. Off and away, Necrozma glanced up as Sun tried to work with the latch on the gate between two buildings to open it.

As Olivia pulled Sun aside to allow her Golem to roll and crash through it, it began to aim its arms out at them to attack, only for a dual Thunderbolt attack from Molayne and Sophocles’s Magnezones incapacitated them long enough for the Kahuna’s and the guardians to rush in to relative safety. As it took another attack from Ilima’s Pokémon, Necrozma let out another shrill scream, this one more desperate than any that came before.