Prologue

A Little Adventure in Alola

Prologue

“Just a bit longer… stay still please,” Nica murmured as she gently moved a brush up and down the fur on Pikachu’s back. His eyes were closed and a satisfied smile was present on his face as his tail twitched from side to side. A bucket of dirty water, a damp towel, a used comb and a few other products were scattered around the pair as Nica continued to groom the Pikachu. Translating collars crafted by combined effort of Rarity, Twilight and Starlight decorated their necks. “Our fur sure got messy from our training, but a few more touches and yours will be presentable once more.”

Pikachu didn’t answer, instead choosing to respond by dropping his ears to the side and exposing his head for additional rubbing, one look at his face being enough to know he pleaded for more. With a follow up from the electric mouse’s puppy dog eyes, Nica relented with a sigh and continued to brush.

Starlight and Twilight’s horns were lit, sparking with powerful magic as they sent strong surges into a star-shaped rune before them, eventually charging it. A few open books supported against a stone lay by their side, as well as a large, pony-sized bag with Twilight’s cutie-mark inscribed on it. They were in the post-tirek battlefield, surrounded by daunting walls of stone and numerous craters deep into the ground.

Rainbow Dash kept staring at the rune in anticipation, her shining teeth displayed in a wide smile. Unable to contain her excitement, she darted into the sky and launched back down, creating a huge gust of wind and earning an annoyed, “Hey!” from the princess.

Ace was sitting on his levitating tail, staring at both pokemon with crossed arms. <This isn’t fair, sis! You’ve never brushed my fur. Why is he getting this special treatment?>

”He is getting this ‘special treatment’ because I volunteered to be his guardian during his stay in Equestria. It’s my responsibility to look after him, protect him and ensure that his stay is enjoyable.” Nica closed her eyes and raised her head in pride as she kept pressing her brush against back of Pikachu’s head, her tone serious. “I take my responsibilities very seriously. When he returns to our world and reunites with the heroic Ash Ketchum, I want his fur to be clean and look presentable. What kind of first impression would it be if we returned looking like a mess?” She opened her eyes, grabbing the comb with her tail and rubbing Pikachu near his ears with it. “Besides, you have psychic powers. You can levitate a brush and help yourself.”

<That’s not the same and you know it,> Ace pouted before levitating forward, rounding Nica and stopping in front of Pikachu’s face. <You’re one lucky Pikachu, getting the celebrity treatment and all. Better enjoy it while it lasts.>

“Don’t worry, I enjoy every second of it,” Pikachu said, peeking open one eye. “I’ve had lots of great fun at the riverside with all my new and old friends, witnessed an amazing spectacle, and I even got to train with Nica! I cherish every moment.” He stretched his little limbs, starting with his tiny rear legs and finishing with his forepaws like a cat. “I’m clean and in great shape, and soon I’ll reunite with Ash and show him what I’ve learned. I can’t wait!”

<Oh well. If we’re going with celebrity treatment, we may as well go all out,> Ace exclaimed with a toothy grin. A second later, a silver aura coated his ears as a clean towel and white bottle came floating over from the collected supplies directly into his paws. At Nica and Pikachu’s confused looks, Ace explained, <Coco left me with some of this sweet fur polishing shampoo. This will definitely make you look like a star.> With several drops of the white liquid sinking into the wet towel, Ace proceeded with rubbing Pikachu from top to bottom, levitating the pokemon up as he finished up by quickly cleaning the bottom of his tiny feet. It wasn’t long before the sun began to reflect off of Pikachu’s shiny fur, causing the pokemon to quite literally sparkle.

Ace levitated the bottle and towel back to their respective spots before getting a colorful box with Pinkie’s face drawn on it. “And something from Pinkie’s party supplies,” he said as he unleashed a tiny bit of glitter onto Pikachu’s fur. <And the finishing touch!> he shouted before placing his black glasses on Pikachu’s eyes. <Perfect!>

“I think glasses are a bit overdoing it,” Nica said, pulling the shades off. Ignoring Ace’s complaints she carefully brushed Pikachu’s cheeks, not daring to touch his sensitive dots, before giving a paws up in approval. “And done. I must say, you look great.”

Pikachu examined himself. His limbs, tail, back and belly were all clean and shining. “Thanks.” He looked at Nica. “You’ve really outdone yourself. I don’t deserve any of this.”

“Think of it as my own way of repaying you for all the pokemon and people you saved alongside your trainer,” Nica said with a small blush, wholeheartedly believing in every word she said.

Pikachu snached the brush from Nica’s forepaws and pointed at her. “Nope, none of that!” he called, before stalking forward and attempting to brush the Raichu in return. “Please, just let me repay you for the amazing job you did!”

Nica took two steps backward and shook her forepaws dismissively. “You really don’t have to.”

<Do me, do me!> Ace chanted as he bumped into his sister, pushing her out of the way. He held his forepaws together in a pleading gesture. <Can you work on my fur, pretty please?>

Nica rolled her eyes.

“Uh, I don’t know. I was going to brush Nica…” he began, though stopped when he saw the Raichu’s frown. “Fine, alright.”

<Haha, yes!> Ace cried, allowing Pikachu to climb onto his tail and brush against his white belly. <Oh yes… that’s the spot.>

Nica chuckled before curiously walking towards the large bag with Twilight’s cutie-mark, poking it with a bronze tipped paw. “Are you planning to live in our world or something?” She asked, turning to face the alicorn. “Why did you pack so much?”

Twilight didn’t dare to look away from the rune she charged. “While I’m working on a two-way portal, there’s still a three percent chance something may go wrong. I simply packed the essentials in case of an emergency.”

“Essentials?” Nica questioned, giving the mare a confused glance. “Like what?”

“Well, according to what you and the others have told me, it seems your world doesn’t contain any of the magic ours does. I simply packed a couple of enchanted gems used to refill my reserves in case of a worst case scenario.” Twilight paused and gave a low grunt, powering the rune with an extra burst of magic before continuing. “Oh, I also have several tomes of literature and stacks of notes I can use to make a portal spell leading back to Equestria.” Twilight took a quick breath. “Bottles of water. Hay sandwiches.” She smiled. “And most importantly: Empty notepads for notes and scrolls filled with questions I want to ask the first scholar I encounter! Who knows what mystery your world holds, just waiting to be discovered.”

“Of course you do,” Nica said with a giggle, holding a forepaw in front of her mouth.

Playfully rolling her eyes, Twilight turned her full attention back to the rune before her, exclaiming, “And it’s done!” She jumped back as a portal twice Big Mac’s size grew in front of them. A black and white aura of magic was swirling in a circle, seemingly powering the portal.

“So, what’s the plan, Twi?” Dash asked as she trotted in place, more than eager to fly in as her tail flickered back and forth in excitement.

Twilight walked towards the portal and turned around, addressing pokemon and ponies gathered around it. “Alright, here’s the plan. First, we will use this portal and see if it actually leads into the pokemon world.” She pointed at the regular Raichu. “At this stage of research, I can only open portals to locations where pokemon have already been summoned from in the past. When I consulted it with Nica, she plead for it to be opened at the place where Pikachu was summoned from.”

Pikachu turned to Nica, giving her a grateful smile. “You know you didn’t have to… Actually, nevermind. Thank you,” Pikachu said while sitting on Ace’s tail, their sides pressed against each other. “And thank you Princess Twilight for working so hard on getting us home.” He lowered his head respectfully. “I really appreciate it.”

<What he said,> Ace added. <The trip into this word was nice and all, but only Nica was meant to be here for this long. We better get in touch with Astra and Emily before they panic or something.>

“As I was saying…” Twilight interrupted, giving the two pokemon who spoke up an annoyed glance. When all eyes were on her, she continued, “After we ensure that the portal leads to Alola, we will test if it allows us to return to Equestria and then assess the portal’s stability. If everything seems to be working, we’ll gather all of Ash, Emily and Astra’s pokemon from Ponyville and start to explore Alola until we reunite them with their trainers.”

“And Lillie's Vulpix,” Pikachu cut in. "Not to mention how much Lana must be missing her Popplio."

Twilight sat and clapped her forehooves in excitement. “And I shall make diplomatic contact with the citizens of Alola, and most importantly, research your world!” She spread her wings. “Oh, I just can’t wait.”

Landing next to the group, Dash jumped in and added, “I want to see some cool pokemon battles.” With everyone’s attention on her, she flew up next to the portal and began to punch the air, throwing in a few kicks for variety. “I betcha I could fight them myself. Those pokemon are no match for this Wonderbolt!”

Starlight rubbed her foreleg, glancing at the Raichu with a smile. “And I want to explore that world alongside Nica.”

I visit all the islands of Alola quite often and still remember most of its attractions, Ace said in Starlight’s mind before patting his chest. I can be your guide.

“Appreciated,” Starlight said.

Ace looked at Pikachu and asked, <By the way. Why aren’t Litten and Ninetales here? I thought they would be joining us on this little exploration.>

“They won’t be coming with us this time.”

<What… but why?> Ace asked with a hint of disappointment in his voice, his ears drooping to the side of his head.

Pikachu cleared his throat and explained, “Well… Don’t take it the wrong way, but when I mentioned that you would be part of the exploration team, Litten backed off. Then Ninetales offered Litten a whole day of harsh training, claiming that he could try and teach him the move ‘Flare Blitz.’ As soon as Litten heard that, he took the offer in an instant.”

<Wait… ‘Flare Blitz?’ But Ninetales has never used that move. How will he teach him if he doesn’t even know it?>

Pikachu nodded. “Yea, I asked the same thing but Ninetales said he would improvise. He mentioned that since Litten is his pupil, his performance will reflect on his teaching, so he’s putting in extra work to help Litten improve as much as possible.” Pikachu chuckled. “Saying that my fire buddy is happy with this would be an understatement. This is probably the happiest I’ve seen him since Stoutland.”

Nica held her forepaws on the sides of her head, a dreamy smile present on her face. “So Ninetales finally made a friend outside of the team. That’s so touching!! I thought it would never happen.”

<Same,> Ace said before gesturing for Pikachu to let him borrow his collar. Looking at the portal and pressing collar against his neck, he said, "So, it looks like only the elite, magical pony duo and the adventurous chu brigade will jump in on this mission."

Dash frowned. “Hey, aren’t you forgetting someone?”

"Am I?" Ace asked in a teasing tone, much to her annoyance, and looked at Pikachu. "This makes me wonder. While in Alola, have you and your trainer had to fight any big threats, defend against any criminals or face a large crisis?"

<Well...> Pikachu tapped his chin as Ace gently attached the collar back onto his neck. “There were some great dangers we faced.” Everyone turned to stare at him, startled by how casually he spoke of great danger.

<Do tell,> Ace said.

Nica looked at Pikachu in concern.

“Team Rocket has been trying to capture me and the rest of Ash’s pokemon for years. Lately, a really strong Mimikyu has joined their ranks, and I’ve failed to defeat him in one versus one fight ever since.”

Ace gulped, covering his face with his forepaws. <M-Mimikyu? He’s a ghost and fairy type. Does he know any ghost type attacks?> the Alolan Raichu asked in worry.

“Hmm, I think ‘Shadow Claw’ is a ghost type attack,” Pikachu said as Ace broke into a nervous sweat. “He’s really strong with this move and uses it quite often to hurt me whenever he gets the chance. Why do you ask?”

Ace bit his bottom lip and then gave a small sigh. He held his forepaws together in a pleading gesture and said, <If we… encounter this Mimikyu… can I hide behind you? Please.>

“Hide behind me?” Pikachu asked, caught off guard. He stood up, placed his forepaws on his hips and said, “I thought you were braver than that.”

Ace dropped his forepaws and anxiously rubbed his neck. <Come on little buddy, I’m an attacker. I can’t take strong hits, especially super effective ones! My defensive stats are just too weak.> He pointed at Pikachu. <You may not be a Raichu, but I bet a hardened veteran like you can still take physical hits better than me.> He blushed.

“Fair enough,” Pikachu said with a nod. “As for the other threat; a few days before I was summoned here, we faced and defeated an Ultra Beast to save a woman named Lusamine. It was an all out battle in another dimension and stuff.”

Dash stomped. “You had such an amazing fight and didn’t tell us? Booo!”

“Ultra Beast? Are they dangerous?” Twilight’s questioned, her notebook and quill hovering beside her.

“Very. So far I have met only one, and it gave us a hard fight. I heard about stuff like Ultra Space, but to be honest,” he shrugged, “it was too complicated for me to understand.”

Twilight smiled. “I see. Hopefully we won’t encounter any of them.”

Pikachu waved his forepaw dismissively. “There’s no need to worry. It has been a week and a half since we rescued Lusamine. There’s no way another Ultra Beast could arrive in Alola already, more or less many of them to cause chaos over the four islands. Besides, if anything does happen, the island guardians can surely take care of it.”

Ace facepawed.

“What?” Pikachu asked.

Ace gave Pikachu a stern glance. <You couldn't help yourself, could you? You just had to Jinx it.> He massaged his forehead.

“You worry too much,” Pikachu teased before pointing ahead. “Let’s not waste any more time and get going already. I can’t wait to introduce you all to Ash. It’s going to be so amazing!”

Twilight nodded, calling out, “Okay everybody! Next stop, the Alolan Islands.” The alicorn made her way forward before being cut off by Rainbow Dash, who barreled past the mare and flew into the portal with reckless abandon. Rolling her eyes, Twilight followed, her giant bags swinging at her sides. Starlight and Nica both grinned and went through together, matching each other’s steps as the Raichu’s tail was encircled around the unicorn’s hoof.

Ace balanced himself on his rear paws, levitating towards the portal with his VIP passenger sitting right behind him.

Stepping, or in this case floating into another world was certainly a unique experience. Squinting his eyes, he could barely make out his destination, struggling to make out what seemed like a beach covered in miles of sand. So far so good. Doesn’t seem different from diving into water or climbing up a waterfall. His movement slowed down as he had to put more and more power into pushing forwards his levitating tail. Ugh, I would have been there already if it didn't feel like I was floating through a pool of jello… As he got closer, the image became clearer and sharper, and soon enough he was able to make out the finer details.

The spacious beach covered most of the island while further down were rows and rows of comfortable huts and buildings with water being just underneath his tail. He looked at his companions.

Nica kept walking towards the beach while water covered more than half of her belly, eagerly jumping towards her chin. Starlight and Twilight had water reaching up to their knees, while Rainbow Dash flew towards the beach immediately and started scouting the area, on the lookout for anybody who seemed important.

A few seconds later he felt his tail become lighter as his passenger stepped onto the sand.

“Uh, guys,” Twilight said, drawing their attention away from the vast beach. She pointed at the multiple holes and scorch marks covering the buildings on the horizon. “Shouldn’t this be a popular tourist spot? Why is the beach abandoned and some of those tall buildings in ruin?”

Dash flew over and pointed at a floating, white jelly-like creature with numerous tentacles sticking from it. “Is this a pokemon? He’s the only living thing on this beach.”

The creature released a piercing screech and shot a tentacle towards the pony. Dash dodged it in the nick of time and added, “And it doesn’t seem friendly!”

Pikachu took a step back as his rear foot sank into the sand. “It’s… Nihilego! The Ultra Beast we faced before… though a little smaller.”

A few riveting explosions came from the deeper part of the town as smoke started to float towards the sky.

Ace placed forepaws on his hips and looked at Pikachu with a sassy smile. “Time to pick up the phone, Pikachu,” he exclaimed, earning him a confused look of the smaller pokemon. “Because I totally called it!”

Ch.1 - Ultra Battle - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 1
-
Ultra Battle - Pt.1

“Sooo… does anyone know what to do? Because I certainly don’t,” Twilight exclaimed as she slipped out of her bags and tossed them onto the sand. She shook sand from her hooves in annoyance before glancing at Pikachu. “You’ve faced this creature before. If you have any valuable information that can help us, please, share it now.”

Pikachu looked up at the tall alicorn while pointing at the floating, jelly-like creature. “All I know is that it’s from a different world and that it can control others. It seemed to merge with Lusamine, making her go insane, and when Lusamine commanded her pokemon to attack us, they were surrounded by an aura that made them stronger.”

“Aura? Was it similar to the one that Totem Pokemon have?” Nica asked, glancing at the Pikachu curiously.

“Oh, right. You’ve challenged Totem Pokemon as well. And to answer your question, yes.” Pikachu nodded. “Those auras were very similar.”

“So in other words,” Starlight said, “this creature can take control of others and give an aura that makes them stronger?”

“Um-maaaybeee,” Pikachu responded, the uncertainty clear in his voice.

“So you’re even unsure of that? Great, just great,” Starlight muttered as she lowered her head and shook it in disbelief. “So rule number one; keep your distance from this creature and avoid physical contact.”

“What about its types?” Twilight asked. “According to Nica’s weekly reports, pokemon types play an important role in your world. What type would this creature be classified as?”

“I…” Pikachu took a step backwards while giving the princess a sheepish smile. “I don’t remember.”

“You don’t, but how? You were fighting it,” Twilight pointed out. Her wings spread in aggravation. She stomped as sand flew up, accidentally coating the pokemon. “How could you forget?!”

“Ash is the one who always pays attention to this kind of stuff,” Pikachu responded, quickly wiping the stray sand from his fur. “Give me a break.”

Twilight mumbled under her breath for a moment before taking a few calming breaths. She forced a smile and exclaimed, “Well, let’s look on the bright side. This creature don’t seem to be too aggressive. Maybe we can still salvage the situation with some good old fashioned diplomacy.”

“Watch out!” Dash shouted.

Turning their heads, the gathered group stared in shock at a bubbling stream of violet poison flying towards them.

Ace and Pikachu’s instincts kicked in and they dropped to their paws. Nica threw herself before the ponies, raising her metallic tail in preparation for the attack. At the same, Twilight’s horn sparked to life, summoning a protective dome around the group.

The poison struck the protective dome, melting away at the alicorn’s shield before finally piercing the bubble. Nica responded accordingly and swung her ‘Iron Tail,’ using the move to block the toxins that burst through, before shuffling back as a few stray drops of venom fell to the ground and incinerated the sand below her paws.

“Forget what I said. Certainly aggressive,” Twilight concluded as she examined the toxins scattered amongst the sand. Shaking her head, she muttered, “Looks like a diplomatic approach is out of the question.”

“It attacked with ‘Venoshock!’” Pikachu shouted, catching everyone’s attention. “I remember one of Team Rocket’s pokemon using the same move against me. Uh, Mareanie I believe? This one was identical and much, much stronger.”

“So… a poison type…?” Nica whispered to herself.

As the group conversed, the ultra beast prepared another attack, freezing as a little, violet gem appeared on the beast’s head. A moment later, a destructive beam shot forwards, aim straight for the collection of ponies and pokemon.

Nica jumped up to interpret the blow, slightly wincing as the beam made contact with her tail.

Twilight looked to the side. She raised her left foreleg and spread her right wing, holding them both protectively over her face. Squinting, she attempted to watch the battle, yet every time she tried, the blinding light between the clash of Nica’s ‘Iron Tail’ and the beam left her turning away.

The creature screeched, sending more power into the attack.

Nica grit her teeth as she landed, struggling to contain the beam. The bronze tips of her rear paws sank into the sand as her rear legs trembled. Through pure determination, she kept the attack at bay, refusing to budge backwards an inch.

Starlight answered the creature’s calls by shooting a beam of magic at the aggressor while Pikachu assisted with a ‘Thunderbolt.’

Nihilego ceased its attack, floating left and right while bending its body in a display of great flexibility, evading both beams of magic and bolts of electricity.

Both Pikachu and Starlight gasped, watching as their attacks flew past harmlessly. Narrowing his eyes, Pikachu hopped on top of the mare and called, “You’re not going to get away that easily!” With his cheeks sparking in annoyance, he added, “You messed with the wrong group, pal.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Starlight responded before charging towards the beast, Pikachu in tow.

Floating above the battlefield, Ace watched as Pikachu and Starlight charged towards the beast. He grinned and flew beside them, his own cheeks sparking, before noticing a certain rainbow-haired mare darting towards Nihilego. Upon realizing that she was attempting to kick the creature he narrowed his eyes and his ears flashed with power. He surrounded the Ultra Beast in a silvery aura and threw it against the stairs connecting the beach with the city. Sharpened stone fragments scattered on the sand as Nihilego ended up trapped inside the crater in the middle of the stairs.

No touching or kicking, Dash. No buddy of mine gets brainwashed on my watch, he explained telepathically while immobilizing Rainbow Dash in his telekinetic field.

“Brainwashed? This thing does that?” Dash asked before giving the trapped creature an angered glare. “Wow, thanks for the save. Bullet dodged.”

“Great job, Ace, that was a close one,” Starlight called, wiping sweat from her forehead. She pulled up beside them, catching her breath. With a small jump, Pikachu leapt off her back and sent another ‘Thunderbolt’ towards the ultra beast. He grinned as it made contact, electrifying the stunned Nihilego.

As the noise of wayward explosions reached the group and wandering smoke coming from the deeper part of the city became visible among the local buildings, Ace levitated towards Nica and tried to snatch her collar.

Nica leaped backward, evading his paws. “What are you doing?”

Need to borrow your collar, sis. Hurry! Ace said in his sister’s mind before taking the offered collar and putting it on his neck.

Nihilego flew from inside of the crater before attacking once again. A ‘Venoshock’ came flying at the group before the creature followed up with another ‘Power Gem.’ Starlight and Twilight teleported out of the way while counter attacking with beams of magic, missing the flexible opponent.

Pikachu jumped into the air and swung his tail against the stream of poison before attacking with ‘Thunderbolt.’ His electricity ended up in a stalemate against the beam for a few seconds before being overpowered. He was thrown to the side as the poison scalded his side.

With the translating collar on his neck, Ace said, “Leave this pokemon to me.” He pointed at the smoke coming from the ruined city. “Something bad is going on. I’m sure whoever is there needs your help. Go and check it out while I take care of Nihilego.”

Twilight looked away from the hostile creature and glanced at Ace instead. “While I admit that investigating the cause of those explosions and checking if anypony… anyone needs our help is important, we can’t leave you alone. What kind of friends would we be?”

Pikachu nodded in agreement. “Even with Type Null’s help we couldn’t stop Nihilego from capturing Lusamine. How can you stand against it alone?” He leaped to the side, evading another stream of toxins.

Ace rolled his eyes before pointing at the Ultra Beasts. “Poison and rock type attacks.” He pointed at himself. “Psychic type.” He pointed at the sea behind him. “My loveable water surface field and my ‘Surf’ attack.” He pointed at himself and raised his head proudly. “I got this.”

“Rock type attacks?” Twilight asked before intercepting one of the Ultra Beast’s beams. She was locked in and one on one struggle against the Nihilego, slowly overpowering it. Her raw power proved superior as the beast was forced to evade.

“That beam you just overpowered, it is called ‘Power Gem,’ a rock type attack,” Ace explained.

Twilight teleported closer, now staring at him in confusion. “How can its beam be a rock type attack? There were no earth elements to incorporate into the attack and it wasn’t as simple as throwing a rock, so what makes it a rock type? What’s the logic behind it?”

Ace pointed at his own forehead. “A small gem appears on its forehead and unleashes a destructive beam. The gem shoots the beam and a gem is a rock, so it is a rock type move. Simple.”

“Oh… I see. The more you know...” Twilight mumbled before giving Ace a confident look. “If you’re sure you can handle this creature, go right ahead.” She pointed at the portal which was still open in the sky, resting high above the water. “But keep guarding this portal. Pokemon are way stronger than the usual monsters that live in Equestria.” She pointed at Nihilego. “So we certainly don’t want a powerful creature loose in it. Especially with two of the Elements of Harmony stuck over here.”

“Got it! I won’t let you down,” Ace called, saluting before levitating towards the pegasus. “Hey, Dash.”

“Yes?”

“Pegasi can control weather. Can you make it rain?”

Rainbow Dash looked up before flying towards the closest white cloud. She pulled it into the water for a short moment before pulling it out. She punched the cloud lightly, turning its color to black in a matter of moments. “Sure can.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Though I’m not sure how much that’s gonna help.”

“Trust me, it will help a lot.” Ace turned towards the rest of the group. “With Dash’s help, I’ll defend this portal and defeat the Ultra Beast.” He patted his chest while standing proudly on his tail. “We got this!”

His ears flashed with a silver aura as an incoming stream of toxins ended up neutralized by his psychic powers. He glanced at Nica and added, “Also, sis, you really need to get rid of that electricity-absorbing feature from your collar. You can keep your electricity in check better than anyone I know and it just gets in the way.” He untied the collar from his neck before levitating it into Twilight’s large bag.

<Good point,> Nica responded before looking at him with a confident smile. <You’re in your element, Ace. I believe in you.>

<Thanks sis, and I promise I won’t fail!> Ace shouted before his attention focused on the floating Ultra Beast. From the corner of his eye, he watched as the princess and the gang gathered together, moments later disappearing in a large, lavender flash. The massive bags accompanying Twilight were gone as well.

He grinned as rain began to fall, soaking the floating Alolan Raichu in water as the raindrops slid down his cheeks and arms.

“Here’s your rain, Ace,” Dash said from her new spot atop a stockpile of clouds. “Still no clue how it’s going to help.”

The moment his opponent summoned a gem for another rock-type attack, Ace concentrated and levitated towards the water before using ‘Surf.’ A massive wave formed protectively in front of him while intercepting the beam, absorbing some of its power as well. He levitated to the very top of his massive wave, as if riding a wild and ferocious creature and shouted, <Now listen up, Ultra Beast! You may be powerful and come from another world, but now you’re in my neighborhood, so get ready to be washed away!>

Dash gave an approving nod and clapped.

Nihilego, not seeming to appreciate the Alolan Raichu’s humor, flew up towards him, both to escape the oncoming wave of water and to grab him in its constrictive grasp.

With a grin still present on Ace’s face, he concentrated, grabbing and pushing Nihilego towards the sand with extreme force from his ‘Psychic’ attack. A large cloud of airborne sand quickly ended up covered by rushing water as part of the beach turned muddy.

“And that’s for good measure!” Dash shouted before kicking a few clouds. A small barrage of lightning bolts began to assault the beach, casting the sand and waves in an eerie light. Not wasting a moment, she flew closer to Ace, now hovering next to him. “That wave you attacked with… it was massive! Way bigger than your previous ones.” She spread her forelegs in excitement. “Even that rock beam couldn’t pierce it. It was awesome!”

Ace raised his chin and rubbed his nose, speaking telepathically, Told you rain would help. Not only does having the sea behind me boost my ‘Surf’ attack, rain makes it even stronger. That’s an extreme combo.

Dash rubbed top of her head. “I still don’t get it. How does rain make your attack so much stronger? It was only a little bit of rain, and it didn’t magically charge you like Twilight or Starlight powered up Pikachu that one time, so how the hay did that happen?”

Ace shrugged. Beats me. I’m not making the rules, just following them. He closed his eyes the moment pegasus tackled him.

“Huh, that was a close one,” Dash said before pointing at their doused opponent.

Upon seeing a stream of toxins that would’ve hit him if not for his pegasus friend, Ace’s attention focused on the bruised and wet Nihilego before him. He narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. If his theory was correct, his opponent was a rock/poison type, making it weak to ‘Psychic’ and “Surf.’ As a dedicated attacker, his moves had a lot force behind it while rain and the presence of water boosted his water attacks. To still have the will to fight him after being hit so hard meant his opponent wasn’t a pushover.

Time to get serious, Ace thought before levitating towards the surface of water, surfing on a small wave in the rain. Turning left, turning up, surfing into the sky while performing a triple spin in mid-air, he evaded numerous beams and streams of poison, using his favorite field for extra agility.

With a sharp turn, he surfed towards his opponent, every moment making the wave bigger and bigger. He yelped in pain as a stray ‘Power Gem’ took him by surprise and struck him in the belly, launching him into his own wave and pushing him into the water. Nihilego ended up swept away by the powerful wave as well a moment later.

Both Ace and Nihilego emerged from the water at the same time, unleashing another round of devastating attacks.

Ace felt the sting of ‘Venoshock’ cover his body as he struggled to keep balance on his tail, grumbling as his trembling rear legs refused to move an inch. He grit his teeth and tensed his muscles, preparing for the next exchange of moves. In response his ears flashed with power as he pushed Nihilego away, harshly throwing the Ultra Beast against the water from his own ‘Surf’ attack before smashing it into an abandoned shop.

After a quick dive into the water to get rid of the poisonous substance, Ace flew closer to the ruined shore front and stared at the third large hole, this one of his own creation. He narrowed his eyes upon seeing Nihilego float outside while covered in ice-cream and what was looked like leftovers of a big malasada. With a warcry, he unleashed powerful ‘Thunderbolt,’ his opponent too injured and exhausted to evade.

Nihilego screeched before collapsing onto the street, now lying flat against it in an exhausted heap.

Ace displayed a toothy smile before dancing cheerfully on his own tail, ignoring the big bruise on his belly and post-poison burns covering his fur. He lowered himself to the ground, mentally patting himself on the back as he chanted, <Go Ace, go Ace, go Ace!> He looked to the side. <Dash, Pikachu, did you see that…> He lowered his head as some of his enthusiasm vanished in an instant. <Oh…right… he’s not here.>

“If this is how pokemon battles look in this world, sign me up!” Dash shouted as she flew closer to the levitating Raichu. She hovered in mid-air with forehooves on her hips. “Dash, the best like no one ever was. I like the sound of that.”

Ace chuckled at his friend’s remark before looking at the collecting smoke in the distance. I hope the others are doing well. His ears drooped at the sudden realization and a sad whimper escaped his mouth. Now I really regret that Pikachu wasn’t here to see me in action. It would totally have impressed him. He sat on his tail and frowned, lightly hitting his forehead in aggravation. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

“I don’t know what I was expecting,” Twilight said to herself while staring at the source of the commotion. Two lines of damaged buildings flanked everyone from both sides, creating a very uneasy atmosphere. The mixed architecture on this island reminded her both of Las Pegasus and Manehattan. The city was stunning, from tall residential buildings to recreation spots, shopping mails, fashion shops, and smaller hotels, though the area’s damage ruined the view.

The creatures ahead of her looked like two large bugs.

One was absolutely massive, reminding the ponies of Bulk Biceps in so many ways. The Alolan sun shone down on the beast, illuminating the creature’s transparent, crimson muscles. It stalked closer with its four, sharpened legs, oblivious the the ponies as it examined multiple damaged vehicles. Small cracks rippled underneath the beasts steps as its two antennas twitched, highlighting the enlarged, metallic proboscis sticking out of the ultra beast’s face.

Twilight stared in shock, her jaw hanging open. “How… how… fascinating!”

“Fascinating... are you crazy?” Starlight gulped as a few drops of sweat fell down her face. She stumbled backwards, taking a deep breath and preparing a protective dome incase the creature became aggressive.

“Wow, it seems as though its very muscles are made from some sort of liquid,” Twilight observed, ignoring Starlight’s concerns. “It’s almost as if this creature is a mixture between Big Mac, Bulk Biceps and a mosquito. I’ll have to tell them!”

The unicorn shook her head, calling, “Twilight, what is wrong with you!? This thing looks ready to suck every last drop of blood from our bodies, and all you can talk about is how interesting it is?”

Twilight blinked at the large creature who started flexing its muscles while taking different poses, one of said poses having one hand raised towards the sky while another as if ready to throw something heavy. “To be fair, it’s hard to be intimidated if all it’s doing is showing off.”

Growing bored with a variety of poses, the creature bent down and snatched a four-wheeled device from the road, oblivious as it’s grip nearly crushed the car in half.

Twilight bit her bottom lip as what seemed to weigh about half a ton was lifted towards the sky with a single finger. She approached Nica, who was maintaining a defensive stance next to Starlight, and asked, “Hey, Nica, what was your lifting strength limit… the one you reached without the help of your ‘Iron Tail?’”

<A bit more than four hundred kilograms, why do you ask?> Nica answered, refusing to take her gaze away from the Ultra Beast before them. Her tail remained raised and at the ready, in case of an attack.

“She said over four hundred kilograms,” Pikachu translated while staring at Nica in admiration. “That’s nearly four times my limit. I’m impressed.”

Twilight pointed ahead. “I believe that this Ultra Beast beat your record with a single finger.”

As if handling a toy, the creature threw the vehicle into the air and caught it moments later, before ripping it in two. The metal shrieked as it was torn, revealing a small complex device hidden in the front hood.

“Alright, now I’m intimidated,” Twilight commented before looking at the second creature.

This creature was painted in pure white, walking on thin, skinny legs that looked ready to snap at a moment’s notice. Two antennas sprouted from its head and curved down in a sloped descent, ending with rounded golden tips. They rested just above the ground, bouncing as the creature strutted on an invisible runway. The beast’s feet were cut into thin points, reflecting the image of high heels. Dark eyes stared back as its hair fell down like a waterfall, seemingly larger than the actual beast itself.

Starlight sighed, muttering, “So, one of them is a bodybuilder while the other looks like a model? Who are we even fighting?”

“I know, right!” Twilight shouted, misinterpreting Starlight’s sarcasm with genuine glee. “It’s times like these where I wish I could conduct my studies and ask questions rather than fight.”

“I don’t think you understood,” Starlight began, but froze as the beautiful Ultra Beast zipped towards a nearby vehicle with unrivaled speed before sinking its arm into it. It pulled a metallic device identical to the other one.

“What are they doing?” Starlight asked.

“I think they’re pulling out engines for some reasons,” Pikachu said, scratching his head in confusion. “Those cars won’t be driving anytime soon.”

“Engines? Like the steam engines that our train uses, or rather engines running on magic and magical gems that our zeppelins are equipped with?” Twilight asked with a growing curiosity. She was twitching with unanswered questions, only growing more fidgety as she spotted more odd looking devices trapped inside the building’s ruins. “I have sooo many questions.”

“Save them for after we beat those two creatures into submission,” Starlight commented as she lit her horn, taking a fighting stance. “Right Nica?”

The Raichu rubbed her chin before hesitantly lowering her tail. <I’ll… I’ll try to take a diplomatic approach. It hasn’t attacked us yet, right?> she joked, attempting to keep her voice steady. <It’s worth a try.> With slow steps, she walked on her two rear feet while approaching the Ultra Beasts.

“Nica, what are you doing? It’s dangerous!” Starlight yelled, instinctively powering her horn.

“She’s going to talk with them,” Pikachu said before grabbing Starlight’s rear leg and pulling it, stopping the pony from following Nica or grabbing her with her magic. “Let’s give her a chance.”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “I approve. Diplomacy should always take priority.” At the same time though, the alicorn flared her wings and charged her horn, whispering, “Though we should be prepared if things turn south.”

Starlight gazed at the demolished homes and buildings around her, gulping as she truly took in the damage around her. “Please be safe,” she murmured, charging a protective shield as Nica walked before the massive Ultra Beast.

Ch.1 - Ultra Battle - Pt.2

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 1
-
Ultra Battle - Pt.2

Nica cautiously moved closer, taking small steps as she observed the beasts from afar. Clearing her throat, she gave a cheerful smile and called, <Excuse me!> Both of the Ultra Beast’s heads snapped in her direction, before tilting to the side in curiosity.

She stopped in the shadow of the bulky creature and stood on the tips of her rear paws. <In the name of all humans and pokemon living on this island, I would like to ask you both to cease this meaningless destruction.> She held her forepaws together in a pleading gesture. <Pretty please…?>

The bulky creature knelt to take a closer look, ending with its long, sharp proboscis only a few centimeters away from her face.

Nica gulped, feeling antsy at having the deadly point so close, but quickly overcame it, reminding herself how much rested on this peaceful negotiation. Now’s not the time to feel intimidated, she thought before asking out loud, <My name’s Nica and I’m a Raichu. What’s your name?>

<Nica… Raichu…> the bulky creature mumbled before poking its own chest. <Buzz… you can call me Buzz.>

<Alright, Buzz. Nice to meet you,> Nica said before stretching her little forepaw towards the massive creature. <Welcome to Alola! If you could stop destroying Melemele Island, I would really appreciate it.>

The large creature grabbed Nica’s forepaw and squeezed it with a powerful grip before crushing it against the street. <Arm-wrestle?>

Nica grit her teeth, struggling to stay standing as a few tears dripped down her face. She forced a smile. <N-no… j-just… h-hand s-s-shake…> She sighed in relief the moment her forepaw was released, shaking it out before cradling the limb against her chest. <By the way, what are you doing here?> She pointed at the numerous destroyed cars that were littered across the street, each having its engine torn out. <Are you looking for something?>

<Electricity…> Buzz said before poking one of Nica’s yellow dots, causing her to whimper and unleash a few stray bolts of electricity.

<You’re looking for electricity?> Nica took a few steps back and pointed at herself.

The muscular pokemon lifted himself back up, returning to his full height before cracking his knuckles. Buzz gave a greedy grin, looking like a mob boss preparing to give a merciless beating to the poor chap who failed to pay the monthly fee. <You have lightning?>

<Um, yes.> Nica took a few more steps back as the Ultra Beast began to descend towards her. <Is… something wrong?>

<Electricity. Big Bzzzzz seeks electricity. Big Bzzzzz devours electricity. Big Bzzzzz angry.> The bug gave a feral grin, stalking closer. <We bring you to Big Bzzzzz as offering, we sate his hunger.> Buzz spread his large hands out wide before slapping them together in attempt to grab Nica.

In response, she backflipped, evading the powerful grab. She followed her action with quick leaps to the side as the thin-looking creature charged at her, trying to grab her with its long and graceful fingers. Nica felt drops of sweat fall down her forehead, while her heartbeat and breathing substantially increased in speed. Despite her great speed and reflexes, she barely dodged the near-instant grabbing attempts from the taller creature.

Nica attempted to fall back to the group, seeking the aid of the ponies and other pokemon, but before she could make her move, she was snatched up by the thin creature. It let her dangle by her tail, ignoring her struggles to escape as it leaned closer.

<Such a tasty offering will satisfy Big Bzzzz. You’re coming with us miss, conscious or not,> the model-like pokemon sneered, raising her up to face level.

Nica narrowed her eyes, sending a large surge of power into her tail. With a precise swipe of the lightning bolt part of her tail, she struck the thin hand of the hostile creature before jumping towards the group.

“I take it the negotiations failed?” Starlight deadpanned.

Pikachu nodded before taking a fighting stance next to Nica. “Those Ultra Beasts are looking for electricity. They want to catch Nica and bring her to someone they call Bzzzz.” He moved from beside the Raichu to before her, exclaiming, “And I’m- I mean, we’re not going to let that happen!”

“Bzzzz…? That’s a terrible name,” Starlight complained. “Whatever, it’s not gonna matter once we take these brutes down.” Her horn sparked, small bits of magic flying out.

Both Ultra Beasts took a fighting stance in response. The bulky one bent its four legs simultaneously and flexed its muscles, allowing the sunlight to shine through while the thin one lowered its hands to the street, as if preparing for a race it knew it would win.

Twilight’s ears drooped and a disappointed whimper escaped her mouth. “Awww… so much for my opportunity to do some field research.” She spread her wings and lowered her horn, adopting an angered glare. “I don’t like doing things the hard way, but it seems we have no choice. No one messes with my friends!”

Nica stared at the Ultra Beasts before her with narrowed eyes, examining the situation. Since the Raichu had no idea what types her opponents were and what they were capable off, there was little strategy to come up with. One of them is extremely strong, while the other is really fast. The quick one will be harder to counter, I can’t lower my guard. She glanced at the Pikachu beside her. My hero may have talent, skills and experience, but the difference in power between these Ultra Beasts and an unevolved pokemon must be big. If we’re going to perform as frontline fighters, I need to keep him safe from harm no matter what.

She glanced at the alicorn and unicorn stationed behind her before turning to whisper to Pikachu, <Can you please, tell Twilight and Starlight to support us at a distance? They have a lot of raw power but lack combat experience. We’ll need to keep our opponents away from them for them to be useful.>

Pikachu nodded. With the help of his translating collar, he relayed the pokemon’s message and watched as the ponies nodded their heads in agreement. Twilight grabbed Starlight by her forelegs and flew towards the roof of the nearby tallest building, both standing ready.

As Nica was distracted making sure her friends were situated and prepared, the thin-looking creature charged at her. Out of reflex she raised her ‘Iron Tail’ defensively, only for it to shatter like glass from a quick collage of three rapid kicks. Nica yelped in pain and withdrew her tail, taking a few steps backward.

Pikachu leaped at the Ultra Beast while swinging his ‘Iron Tail,’ only for the beast to round him and grab him by fur lining his back in mid-air. Bolts of electricity began to sporaticaly spark from the pokemon’s cheeks, though before he could deliver a painful ‘Thunderbolt,’ he was interrupted by a ‘Silver Wind’ unleashed from his opponents mouth.

Nica leapt to the side, catching Pikachu with her forepaws before shielding him from the damaging wind with her back. The moment her rear legs pressed into the street, she released Pikachu and took a fighting stance. A moment of distraction and we’re already pushed back. No more. Focus Nica!

Twilight and Starlight saw an opening and took it, shooting beams of magic from the higher ground. Somehow, the agile beast zipped in between them with little to no effort, a grin present on its face as it watched the ponies attacks harmlessly fly past.

While the others were busy, Buzz took the opportunity, using ‘Bulk Up’ as its muscles shone brightly with power. It flew at its opponents and then dived into the fray while recklessly swinging its fists.

Nica and Pikachu leapt backwards in time to evade the attack as Buzz’s fist sank into the street, creating a crater while spreading numerous cracks in a wide range. An aura of power surrounded a beast’s fist before spreading around the rest of the body.

W-wait… I recognize this attack. It’s a ‘Power Up Punch.’ Oh no… Nica bit her bottom lip the moment Pikachu charged at the Ultra Beast with ‘Quick Attack’ and ‘Iron tail.’

<Pikachu, no!> Nica shouted, stretching her forepaw towards her hero who fearlessly charged into his demise.

Pikachu first struck Buzz’s chin with his head, and then followed it up with a firm swing of his ‘Iron Tail’ against this creature’s cheek. His eyes became wide as the Ultra Beast refused to flinch and grabbed his metallic tail with its massive fist, crushing it with its powerful grip.

Buzz rubbed the little bruise on its head before raising its massive arm as Pikachu struggled fruitlessly to escape.

Nica jumped to her hero’s rescue, only to feel a ‘Triple Kick’ strike her from the side. She raised her ‘Iron Tail’ defensively in time to reflect the ‘Silver Wind,’ only for her ‘Iron Tail’ to be broken by another ‘Triple Kick.’

Pikachu screamed in pain as Buzz slammed him deeply into the street with a ‘Hammer Arm.’

Buzz pressed his arm into the hole, preventing Pikachu’s escape attempts while keeping him pinned.

Unable to use her tail for defense, Nica raised her forepaw, summoning ‘Light Screen’ to weaken the ‘Silver Wind’ which was used against her. Ignoring a few bruises on her fur, she charged at the agile beast while repeating ‘Rai, Rai, Rai...’ over and over, surrounding herself with a field of sparking and crackling electricity.

The flexible beast evaded her strike with ‘Agility,’ only to do the same against a rain of fireballs and a freezing beam shot from the sky as the surface of the street partially melted into tar and partially became crystallized. Using its boosted speed, it charged towards the ponies on the roof, climbing up the tall building with ease. Each beam was evaded and each levitation field was dispelled with the use of ‘Silver Wind.’

Nica looked between the ponies and the trapped Pikachu, ultimately deciding to charge at Buzz who slowly lowered its metallic proboscis.

Pikachu struggled and shouted, unleashing ‘Thunderbolt’ against the bulky creature.

Buzz yelped in pain, yet didn’t back down. He squeezed Pikachu in his unrelenting grasp with even greater force as his proboscis was but millimeters away from sucking the life-force from the electric mouse.

With a desperate jump, Nica slammed herself into Buzz’s chest, managing to push him away with the full force of her ‘Volt Tackle,’ yet Pikachu was still held tightly in its grip. Seeing as psychical strikes barely scratched the creature, Nica followed up with a quick ‘Thunderbolt’ while charging power into her damaged tail at the same time.

Buzz yelped in pain, yet still refused to release Pikachu. Instead, he aimed his proboscis at him, ready to press it into his flesh.

Thinking fast, Nica slammed her ‘Iron Tail’ against side of Buzz’s proboscis, causing ‘Leech Life’ to hit the street instead.

<Pikachu, you need to attack with ‘Thunderbolt!’ Special attacks seems to work best, but I don’t have enough raw power to do much damage!> Nica shouted as she leaped onto Buzz’s arm. She managed to strike its hand with ‘Iron Tail’ in an attempt to free Pikachu, yet its grip still held strong.

Pikachu opened his eyes and grit his teeth, ignoring the massive force squeezing his belly. With a loud scream, he attacked with the strongest ‘Thunderbolt’ he could muster, causing a pillar of electricity to shoot into the sky.

Nica attacked with her own ‘Thunderbolt,’ aiding her hero as the electric pillar became even wider. Upon seeing the metallic proboscis once again aimed at Pikachu, she wrapped her tail around it before pulling it into one of Buzz’s muscles, causing ‘Leech Life’ to hit the very pokemon who was using it. Thanks to the combined force of their electricity, Buzz’s hand finally opened, freeing Pikachu.

Not wasting a moment, Nica wrapped her tail around Pikachu’s belly before running away to safety and increasing the distance from the bulky foe.

“O-o-on it-t,” Pikachu responded with a nod, pain clear in his voice. The moment her tail withdrew from his hurting belly, he repeated his name, summing an orb of electricity. With a firm swing, he threw it at the bulky Ultra Beast.

Nica ran with all her speed, bypassing the orb of electricity. Using her own tail and magnetic electricity, she took control of the orb while continuously powering it up with her own small shocks. As she expected, Buzz flew to the side in attempt to evade, but it wasn’t enough. <Not so fast!> With a very quick movement of her paws, she followed the beast, then circled around it.

Buzz’s eyes started to roll in confusion as it failed to keep up with Nica. It raised its hand, attacking her with ‘Hammer Arm.’

Nica leaped to the side and grinned as Buzz’s hand ended up stuck in the street. As powerful as ‘Hammer Arm’ was, it was known for temporarily lowering the speed of the pokemon using it. With a quick jump and a firm swing of her tail, she slammed the powered up orb of electricity into Buzz’s face, causing a massive lightning explosion. As the beast flew through the air towards Pikachu, both pokemon jumped, delivering another ‘Thunderbolt’ form both sides.

Pikachu smirked before charging another ‘Electro Ball,’ more than happy to have a little revenge for all the agonizing squeezing and crushing he experienced a moment ago. He eagerly threw this inaccurate but powerful attack against the large foe.

Nica leaped towards the beast, wrapping her tail around one of its legs. She slammed it into the street, making sure it wouldn’t avoid the incoming sphere.

As the smoke of yet another explosion descended, both Pikachu and Nica looked at the bulky beast lying in a crater, unconscious. With a swing of their paws, they paw-bumped each other while smiling at each other cheerfully.

Their happiness over their victory proved short-lived as a noise of crashing reached their ears. After turning around, their eyes became wide as the thin-looking Ultra Beast held Starlight and Twilight by their necks.

“R-release… us!” Twilight choked out before her horn sparked into life, creating a forcefield which pushed the creature away. With help of her levitation she pulled the injured Straight to her side.

Nica and Pikachu jumped in front of the ponies, ready to defend them if needed. Their tails were raised threateningly while bolts of electricity escaped from the dots on their cheeks.

“This creature… was… too fast… Nothing could hit it,” Twilight commented between her fast breathing as numerous bruises covered her wings and body. She helped Starlight stand on her trembling legs. “Even our levitation couldn’t hold it in place.”

Starlight raised her injured foreleg before sending bits of healing magic into it, wincing as the injury stung.

Nica glanced at the princess and her student. While Starlight’s raw power could rival the one of Articuno, and Twilight wasn’t far behind the ruler of time Dialga, the gap in combat skills between ponies and pokemon was massive. Even her training sessions to improve Twilight’s skills were nothing when compared to the years of fighting each pokemon endured daily.

With her attention on the remaining Ultra Beast, Nica narrowed her eyes. Her senses sharp and muscles tense. If only… if only I could deal with that speed. I can give the princess and her student an opening to attack… Nica’s eyes shined at realisation. She bent her legs and charged at the agile opponent while using ‘Volt Tackle,’ repeating ‘Rai, Rai, Rai...’ over and over.

“Go Nica, show this beast what you’re capable off!” Pikachu cheered before looking back at his opponent and maintaining his defensive stance.

As Nica expected, the Ultra Beast used ‘Agility,’ rounding her at extreme speed while hitting her back with ‘Stomp.’ She felt her belly and chin demolish the asphalt below her. With a quick movement of her tail, she wrapped half of it a few times around beasts’ thin leg, like a snake wrapping around its prey.

The feminine-looking beast tried to pull its leg away, yet Nica refused to release it.

Pikachu attacked with a ‘Thunderbolt,’ missing. The Ultra Beast leaped to the side in time to evade his attack.

But then, Nica pulled her tail, causing the beast to trip over.

With growing aggravation, the beast delivered ‘Triple Kick’ against Nica’s belly, only for the pokemon to unleash paralyzing electricity upon direct contact with the help of her ‘Static’ ability. Now, with Nica holding it down and the slowing properties of ‘Static,’ the pokemon was at the mercy of the group.

Taking this opportunity, Nica wrapped the other half of her tail around the beast’s second leg before sinking her ‘Iron Tail’ deeply into the street. <Now, attack with everything you have!>

Pikachu nodded before looking at the ponies. “Attack with everything you have!”

The Ultra Beast struggled against the strong grip, yet failed to free itself in time to dodge the incoming barrage. Pikachu’s ‘Thunderbolt’ alongside two powerful beams of magic struck it with great force, causing its body to bounce several times through the street, reaching a hundred meter distance away from the group.

With her tail no longer wrapped around the beast’s legs, Nica regrouped with Pikachu, who looked back at her with respect.

In a flash of teleportation, Twilight and Starlight appeared in front of the Ultra Beast and aimed their horns.

“Please, surrender! We don’t want to fight you,” Twilight said, trying to negotiate with the creature.

Starlight glanced at the injury on her foreleg and frowned. “Speak for yourself. I’m up for another round.”

The Ultra Beast leaped backward and then ran away, leaping from one roof to another with a great display of speed and agility despite the numerous burns and bruises present on its body.

Nica ran towards the ponies with Pikachu by their side, yet the Ultra Beast was nowhere to be seen. She sat and wiped sweat from her forehead, sighing in relief. <Huh… that was a tough fight. Wouldn’t you agree?> She yelped in surprise before realising that Pikachu wrapped his forepaws around her neck while nuzzling her cheeks.

“Thank you!”

<What for?> Nica asked and blushed, finding herself in an unexpected, yet very pleasant predicament. Hugs were nice after all, and a hug from a hero she respected was even more precious and special. In fact, she wouldn’t mind if it lasted a bit longer.

“For being a great partner and friend!” Pikachu released her and looked at her with his sparkling eyes. “No matter what kind of challenge we face, you always keep me safe and step up with great teamwork and strategy.” He raised a forepaw up to his mouth and chuckled. “I’m even starting to wonder if you may have what it takes to be a pokemon trainer. When you tell me what to do, I feel as if I was with Ash.” He winked. “You’re certainly someone I trust and would listen to.”

Nica smiled sheepishly, her cheeks becoming red and her ears flattened against her head. She closed her eyes and covered her head with her forepaws. <S-stop it. I don’t deserve such praise and kind words.> Suddenly, she sensed a warm aura growing in strength. They weren’t alone, and whoever was nearby was getting closer.

Pikachu and Nica started looking around in confusion, searching for the owner of the mysterious voice.

“I think I heard something,” Starlight said before unleashing a scanning spell over the nearby building. A ruin of a shop. A tapestry with pink pokemon like Clefairy and Jigglypuff inscribed to it was barely recognizable. “Someone’s coming.”

The ponies and Pikachu took aggressive stance, but Nica didn’t feel threatened in the least.

As the totem-like pokemon emerged from behind the ruined shop, Pikachu shouted, “Tapu Koko!”

“Tapu what now?” Starlight asked before aiming her horn at the intruder.

Pikachu turned towards the ponies and shook his forepaws. “Calm down everyone. He’s a friend and guardian of this island. He can help us.”

Nica’s ears drooped upon noticing the numerous injuries covering the proud guardian. His large, yellow hand-shields were bent in multiple spots, far from their former glory. Even large orange feathers on the upper and lower part of Tapu’s body were creased. When compared to bruises covering Pikachu after the recent beating, guardian’s injuries were a lot more severe. Without hesitation she ran towards the injured guardian and looked up at him with pity in her eyes. <You need aid! We need to get you to the nearest Pokemon Center.>

<No healing center is left untouched. No nurse remains. No power left,> Tapu answered while shaking its black head.

Nica lowered her head and whimpered sadly.

Pikachu, Twilight and Starlight approached the guardian, their faces filled with questions.

Tapu examined each of the pokemon with a growing curiosity. The friendly faces greeting him, ones recognized from the now abandoned islands, filled him with hope as he neared the Pikachu. Observing the battle from a distance, he recognized the pokemon as the loyal partner of a trainer named Ash Ketchum, the same one in which he generously gifted with his blessing.

<Where have you been, Pikachu?> Tapu questioned, quirking his head to the side in confusion. <Not much escapes my watchful gaze, yet your vanishment surprised even me.>

Pikachu rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly at the island’s protector. “Hehe, it’s a long story. Let’s just say that I somehow ended up in another world because of… unexpected circumstances.” He pointed at the Raichu. “But I was in very nice company.” He looked away from the blushing Nica and pointed at the creature with both wings and a horn. “But thankfully, princess Twilight here discovered the means to bring me back, and here we are now.”

<Princess…> The Tapu immediately lowered its head and performed a polite bow. It may be known as prankster among the population of island he swore to protect, but showing respect to royalty was something he took somewhat seriously. <Honored.>

Twilight shook her forehoof dismissively. “There’s no need for bowing. My name’s Twilight Sparkle. Nice to meet you… ummm…”

“Tapu Koko. He’s the deity guardian of this island,” Pikachu quickly explained.

“Guardian Deity? The honor’s all mine then,” Twilight said, performing a polite bow of her own.

Starlight looked around at the ruined buildings. “Being a guardian at a time like this. You really had it rough.” She looked at Pikachu and asked, “I take it you are both great pals or something, am I right?”

Pikachu chuckled nervously. “Well… great pals is a strong word, but we’re getting there. Tapu helped Ash and I learn how to use our Z-moves and he challenged me to a duel a few times.”

Tapu observed the exchange between Pikachu and the pokemon with a horn. Their way of speech seemed to be the one of a human, which only added fuel to his flames of curiosity.

<He challenged you? How did the fight go?> Nica asked. <Did you lose?>

Pikachu nodded. “I lost every time, even when using Z-moves to my advantage. Tapu’s are very strong and tough.”

<You show great skills and have a strong spirit, but the power gap between us is simply too great. You may have lost, but for the first time in a while, I found fighting you to be quite entertaining and worth the efforts,> Tapu said before gently patting Pikachu’s head with its injured limb, careful not to poke the tiny pokemon with its damaged shield.

Pikachu walked closer to Nica and pointed at her. “I may not be a match for you...yet, but I bet Nica would defeat you. She’s that amazing.”

Nica glanced at Pikachu with a sheepish smile before shaking her forepaws in panic. <H-hey, stop it. I mean…> She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. <Thank you for your words of confidence, Pikachu. I hope to live up to your expectations in me should I ever face Tapu in a friendly battle.>

It narrowed its eyes, giving the Raichu a challenging glare. <I’ll look forward to a time when peace returns to my island, so I can challenge a powerful opponent like you.>

Nica smiled back.

“Wait a moment…When I challenged you, you didn’t want to fight me because our fight wouldn’t be fair, yet you don’t seem hesitant to fight Tapu Koko.” Pikachu crossed his arms and frowned. “Nica… I would lie if I said I didn’t feel a bit cheated here.”

Starlight gave the Raichu a questioned glance.

Nica simply rubbed the back of her neck. <Sorry Pikachu. As a Raichu I have an unfair advantage against you,” she pointed at the injured Tapu, “But against a Guardian Deity, it is another story.>

Pikachu shrugged. “You got a point there.”

Tapu lowered its head, taking a closer look. <Nica… that name sounds familiar. I think a trainer named Astra who faced the islands’ trials had a Pichu named Nica. A baby pokemon who mastered the use of a Z-move, facing against great odds despite her weak form.>

<Yep, that’s me,> Nica confirmed with a nod. <It was the only time I faced the trials of Alola, seven years ago… or was it six. After I became a Raichu and helped Astra earn the title of Pokemon Master, we visited Alola from time to time to relax and enjoy ourselves… and that one time we caught a Mimikyu. We were here incognito to avoid fans and the press.>

Nica stood on the tips of her rear paws and gestured at their surroundings. <Speaking of helping, what happened here? Is there anything we can do to help?>

Tapu looked at the ponies once again. If they indeed came from a different world, one that Pikachu was allegadly trapped in for the past week, would this mean they are no different than Ultra Beasts? Tapu shook its head. Now wasn’t the time for doubts, especially ones about his only allies.

<Hey, Cocoa, long time no see!>

“Who’re you talking too?”

The group looked towards two newcomers. One being a pony with wings, sporting a spectrum of colors on her mane while another surfed in on his tail, throwing a cheeky smile to everyone in the area.

<Ace…?> Tapu chuckled as the memories of Emily and her enthusiastic Raichu surfaced in its mind. It was one thing to challenge a Pikachu to a fight as the electric field he summoned boosted both of their electric attacks equally. It was a completely different story when a surfing Raichu used its field for a massive boost in speed while also using ‘Psychic’ to go around guardian’s resistances. The enthusiastic and playful personality of Ace and his advantages in battle were inscribed deeply in its memories.

<Wow, you’re really beat.> Ace pointed at each pony individually before adding, <Looks like you all need the calvary, so here it is.> Turning, he flew closer to Tapu and exclaimed it. <What’s going on old dude?>

Tapu felt his hope for salvation growing. If Emily’s pokemon are here, as well as the Pokemon Master, there might just be a chance of victory after all. Tapu levitated into the restaurant through a hole, perching its damaged body on the closest, undamaged dining table while waiting for the group to go inside. A story-telling was certainly in order.

Ch.2 - Ultra Giant - Pt.1

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 2
-
Ultra Giant - Pt.1

Tapu Koko sat in silence atop a nearby dining table, watching as his newfound allies picked comfortable spots around him. Beside the table rested a demolished laptop and a T.V, both useless as a result of the Ultra Beast’s search for electricity. Though many items were trashed, some were still intact, such as a few lone chairs and the table he was currently stationed on.

Nica jumped up beside the guardian while keeping a respective distance. Perching herself on the white table cloth, she settled down in between a vase housing a red rose and an abandoned meal, worry clearly visible in her eyes.

Ace, as usual, was settled on his levitating tail, an uneasy expression gracing his normally confident features. What Tapu found odd however was Ace’s attempt of polishing a side of his tail. He watched as the Alolan Raichu rubbed three wet napkins back and forth. With half of his tail now clean and shining, he patted it, motioning for the pokemon at his right to hop on. Pikachu quickly took the invitation, perching himself beside Ace. They both floated next to Nica, gazing at Tapu Koko with unrestrained curiosity.

On the roof sat a sky blue pegasus, her wings twitching in anticipation as she scanned her surroundings for any intruders looking to cause trouble. Her rainbow mane fluttered in the slight breeze as she listened for any conversation in the building below her. Using a hole blown into the top of the shop, she occasionally peeked inside, gazing down at the creatures gathered below.

Twilight and Starlight were huddled together, sharing hushed whispers as they examined the inside of a damaged TV screen before taking a seat on chairs of their own.

Tapu looked at the ponies curiously, imagining them with flames engulfing their manes. A mental image of a tourist riding a Rapidash came to mind, though he couldn’t think of one for the pegasus. He scoffed, picturing one of the majestic horses with wings.

Twilight opened her large bag and plucked out a few notepads and a quill with her magic, eager to take notes. She displayed a toothy smile and urged the guardian to begin, staring back with knowledge-hungry eyes.

Tapu Koko poked at the collar which Nica generously shared with him, with the group being lucky that it was big enough for his neck. A device with mystical power capable of translating pokemon speech to the human language. Such a marvel. I wonder if they would be willing to share their creations? Not that he needed such a device when choosing or guiding Kahunas, but when sharing a story with a group, it was going to be most helpful.

“Tell me everything!” Twilight exclaimed, unable to refrain from flapping her wings in excitement. It was only when the group gave her a blank stare that she froze and gave a sheepish smile. “Or, uh, maybe you can you start your story from when things started to go wrong?” He opened his mouth to begin, but she cut him off, adding at the last second, “The more details, the better!” The group merely rolled their eyes, giggling as she displayed an undying grin.

Tapu nodded before speaking, “A week after some brave trainers and their pokemon rescued a fellow human from the clutches of an Ultra Beast, Pikachu and a couple others of Ash’s pokemon vanished without a trace. A few days later numerous portals opened across Alola, inviting the invaders into our land.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped. “I wonder… i-if we stayed, could we have made a difference?”

Ace patted Pikachu on the back before placing a reassuring forepaw on his shoulder. He shot him a compassionate smile, attempting to cheer up the saddened pokemon.

Tapu continued, “The Guardian and Kahuna on each island worked together, fending off the invaders from their respective islands while catching them into ‘beast balls.’ The fights were glorious and tiring, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“Beast balls?” Twilight asked.

At the inquiry, Tapu took out three rounded objects he was hiding in a damaged hand-shield. Each orb was a deep, dark-violet coated with vibrant light blue rings circling the pokeballs. Four claw-like, yellow strips were curved around the ball, casting the illusion of a creature with sharpened talons gripping it. He presented them to the group before lowering to the table. “These were created by the Aether Foundation. From much trial and error, we’ve found that so far, only these can contain the invaders.”

“Really?” Twilight asked. “Nica’s reports mentioned these ‘pokeballs’ quite often. You throw them at weakened pokemon to capture and contain them, correct?”

Tapu nodded.

Starlight grinned before levitating one beast ball over. “Say no more.” Her horn lit with a blue aura before she vanished in a flash of teleportation. Silence overtook the room, lasting several seconds.

In yet another flash, Starlight returned with the beast ball by her side, a cocky grin present on her face. “Looks like the big, bad Buzz has been captured.”

Pikachu’s mouth hung open in shock as the Alolan Raichu beside him gave an amused grin. <Well... that was fast,> Ace said, giving the unicorn a paw up.

Starlight smiled in response at the pokemon’s friendly gesture before gazing at the beast ball. After a moment, she looked up at Tapu and asked, “Does this mean he’s on our side now?”

The island guardian shook its head and then shrugged. “It is difficult to predict. Ultra Beasts are dangerous and independent, very different from the pokemon of this world. Allying with trainers is unheard of for them, but they also respect strength and determination, each having their own unique personalities.” He pointed at the regular Raichu. “It may obey Nica, seeing as she bested it in battle,” and then pointed at Starlight, “but it will most likely rebel against you, since you didn’t earn its respect in battle.”

Tapu continued. “Not to mention it’s been weakened. I don’t think Buzz will be battle-ready any time soon.”

Twilight rubbed her chin thoughtfully before speaking up, “Portals… beast balls… I assume that you all tried to find a way to send the captured beasts home; ether by opening portals or finding new ones. Am I correct?”

Tapu clapped its shielded hands together while gifting the alicorn with a proud smile. “You’re not wrong, wise Princess.”

Twilight blushed, hiding her flushed cheeks behind her left wing.

<So you had it covered. Key word being ‘had.’> Ace placed his forepaws on his hips and raised an eyebrow. <Sounds like something big happened that ended up screwing you all up. My bet is on a super, powerful Ultra Beast that those things couldn’t catch.>

“You aren’t wrong.” Tapu sighed while his shielded hands dropped. “The next day, a large portal opened and with it came a gigantic monster that wielded devastatingly powerful electricity. It was surrounded by a furious red aura, that made it extremely aggressive and dangerous. It challenged any Ultra Beast that it came across simply to show its dominance. Each defeated beast started to listen to it out of fear and respect.”

Starlight raised her foreleg. “So this giant beat other beasts into submission, turning solo creatures into a powerful and nearly unstoppable, organized army? No wonder this city is abandoned. I’d get the heck outta dodge as well.”

“Correct, a sad truth we had to face in our struggles. This creature hungered for the taste of electricity, absorbing everything this city had to offer and more. It ordered any defeated beast to aid it in its quest,” Tapu explained. “It sought my electricity as well.”

“What happened next?” Twilight asked, eagerly writing down notes in her overfilling notebook. Her ears perked up, listening with full attention. “Did you try to defeat this creature?”

Tapu nodded. “I, several other fellow guardians, their chosen kahunas, and a group of brave trainers; we gathered on this island to challenge the giant and their army.” He sighed, placing his head into his shielded limbs. “A colossal mistake we made.”

“Meaning?” Twilight questioned, sensing the negative, underlying tone in his voice. “How could an attack with such high numbers fail?”

Pikachu looked at Tapu with worry clearly visible in his eyes.

“These beasts possess a powerful ability. Each time they defeat their foes, they grow temporarily stronger. A dangerous boost of power. The giant we tried to defeat… one of its limbs glowed brightly before spreading a spark of overwhelming electricity. It covered a massive range, defeating numerous pokemon at once, both wild ones and those serving their trainers.” His words became lodged in his throat. “I’ve n-never seen such high casualties before.”

“Casualties?” Nica murmured, hugging her tail close.

Pikachu raised forepaw up to his mouth as he quietly murmured name of his trainer, his ears drooped.

“Yes. It didn’t just defeat them… but killed those that weren’t durable enough to survive. The beast’s power only grew and soon, we could only escape with our lives from its might.” Tapu glanced at Pikachu and reassured, "I can tell what you wish to learn, and I assure you, you can put your worries at ease. Your trainer is fine." Seeing as Pikachu sighed in relief, he added, "Sadly, I know not of his whereabouts. I know only that he's no longer on this island."

A sad whimper escaped from Pikachu's mouth. It became obvious that his expected reunion was going to be delayed again.

Ace’s mouth opened in shock before he shouted, <Tail glow!>

Pikachu’s ears collapsed in on themselves, the pokemon wincing from Ace’s outburst.

As everyone turned their attention to the levitating Raichu, Ace snatched the translating collar from Pikachu’s neck and continued. “I have faced my fair share of bug-type pokemon that were sent against me. Some of them know a move called ‘Tail Glow.’ It’s like a stronger version of ‘Nasty Plot’ and it powers up special attacks temporarily to an extreme level.” At the group’s blank expressions, he added, “I believe that’s the same move this super powerful Ultra Beast used, explaining how he was able to take out so many pokemon at once.”

“That would also explain why the ‘Discharge’ it used was so powerful,” Tapu said in a sorrowful tone.

Ace gulped before muttering, “So let me get this straight. This Ultra Beast is way bigger than others and is probably ancient, meaning it is among the most powerful of its kind.” Ace tapped his forepaws. “It is surrounded by an aura that boosts its power.” Another tap. “It seems to be very aggressive and merciless.” Another tap. “It knows the move ‘Tail Glow’ which boosts its special attacks.” Another tap. “It can use ‘Discharge,’ which hits all pokemon in a wide area.” Another tap. “And each pokemon it defeats or kills, makes it temporarily stronger.” He closed with a final tap, causing the group’s heads to hang in defeat.

“Correct.”

“Great… just great…” Ace mumbled with a roll of his eyes. “Forget about Tapus from Alola or legendary rulers of elements from kanto or any other low tier legendary pokemon from each region.” He spread his forepaws in aggravation. “Call in Mewtwo, Ho-Oh, Palkia, Dialga or even Giratina. The size and aura alone makes that beast strong enough to defeat even the most powerful legendary pokemon in a one vs one battle, and it's a walking army slayer. Good luck beating that.”

Nica tapped her chin, thinking in silence.

“Why can’t we just get reinforcements?” Starlight asked. “We have a lot of strong pokemon in Equestria. Elites that belong to the pokemon master Astra and some of Emily’s veterans. I’m sure they can help us.”

Ace was about to respond, but Pikachu beat him to it by seizing the translating collar for himself. “You forgot to mention Ash’s Lycanroc, Litten, and Rowlet. They’re strong! They can help too.”

“Right… sureee…” Starlight fibbed before shaking her head, disregarding Pikachu’s feelings. “Actually, no. Someone needs to be honest with you about this.” The unicorn pointed at Pikachu and said firmly, “Your friends have only a few months of experience and are mediocre at best. Rowlet is lazy and sleeps the day away, Lycanroc has anger issues and frankly, needs to see a therapist and Litten is a tiny, cat that hacks up fire hairballs…” She paused, rubbing her chin. “Well… maybe I’m being a bit too harsh on Litten. He seems very eager to improve under Ninetales guidance, but I would rather put my faith in a battle-hardened pokemon like you than your friends.”

The unicorn took a deep calming breath. “Astra and Emily’s pokemon have years of experience, so no doubt they possess a lot of raw power and sharpened skills. Not to mention that when facing a gigantic beast that grows stronger with each victory and can hit numerous opponents at once, we can’t risk the lives of weaker pokemon while letting him grow stronger.”

Pikachu crossed his forepaws and shot Starlight a cheeky raspberry. While his trainer had a big share of strong pokemon in the past, some even stronger than himself, his current team was still small and far from competent.

Ace smiled sheepishly, speaking in Starlight’s mind. About that… I fear we won’t get any reinforcements from Equestria anytime soon.

“What?” Starlight stomped, turning to face the Alolan Raichu. “What?!” Huffing in aggravation, she muttered, “Let me guess, something has gone wrong with the portal.”

Dash peeked into the restaurant and added, “It shrank and shrank until it was gone.”

The unicorn merely shook her head.

“So my portal only remains stable for a limited time. That’s… unfortunate. Good thing I prepared for this possibility.” Twilight glanced into her bag with supplies, weighing her options as she dug through the items stored inside.

Nica kept staring at her own feet while rubbing her chin.

Starlight shot Tapu an annoyed glare and asked, “Anything else that has gone wrong that you forgot to mention?”

“Yes… there was that one issue with the first beast balls we were given…” Tapu started, but was cut off.

“On second thought, I don’t want to know. We already have way too many issues at hoof as it is.” She stepped from her seat and approached Nica, poking her shoulder. “You seem deep in thought. Did you think of something? Anything?”

Nica looked at Starlight and nodded. She glanced at Tapu. <Is this pokemon an electric type?>

“It is, but make no mistake, it knows one powerful grass type move it can use to counter any ground type pokemon it come across,” Tapu warned.

<Well… I have been thinking. If we managed to somehow defeat that large beast, the others won’t respect it and hopefully no longer listen to its commands. They won’t be as much of a threat,> Nica pointed out. <If I learned anything from my adventures with Astra, it is to go after elites. From there, the rest of the army will surely crumble.>

“And how can we defeat it?” Pikachu asked. “You heard it yourself, it can stand on an equal ground against even the most powerful legendary pokemon.” His ears drooped, his voice lacking of the usual confidence. “We are separated from our friends. What can we do on our own?”

Nica looked at Pikachu with a firm stare. <You’re not fully evolved, yet you still managed to defeat Regice and have never backed down when facing even stronger legendaries.>

“Y-yes… that’s true… but I was rarely alone when fighting against them. Ash, his friends, and his pokemon fought beside me and cheered me on.” He flattened his ears against the side of his head. “And this Ultra Beast defeated four Tapu’s and pokemon that belong to Kahunas… And it even managed to kill...”

<You won’t be alone.> Nica pointed at herself, and then at everyone gathered in the room, before pointing p at the roof where Rainbow was stationed. <You have me, Ace, Tapu and the ponies. We’ll fight beside you.>

Pikachu tapped his forepaws together, his smile still hesitant. <Even if we work together, how can we defeat an opponent stronger than even the most powerful legendary pokemon? His aura makes him way stronger than what we're used to.>

Nica raised her head proudly and pointed at herself. <If an unevolved pokemon like you managed to defeat Regice on your own, by that logic, as a fully evolved and well trained pokemon, I might be able to stand up against a way more powerful legendary pokemon and win. Have confidence in yourself and me. I’ll support you with all the skills and power at my disposal.>

Pikachu smiled lighty, both at her praising herself and the added boost of confidence it gave him. “I suppose your logic is sound… You may even be more efficient in combat then Solgaleo, and your brother’s techniques have a lot of raw power.>

Nica placed her forepaws on her hips and smiled encouragingly. She placed forepaw on Pikachu’s shoulder. <Now’s not the time to doubt yourself and your friends. We need all the determination and confidence we can get.>

“You’re absolutely right.” Pikachu smiled and clenched his forepaws in determination before punching the air. “Bring them on!”

<That’s the hero I know.> Nica stood on the tips of her rear paws and pointed at Twilight and Starlight. <We may not have access to Z-moves without our trainers, but magic can easily enhance our powers and durability. It may not last long, but should be just enough to overpower that beast’s aura.> She pointed at Ace. <We have four pokemon resistant to electricity and boosted by ponies’ magic. Oh, and Ace can use his secret technique! If we can cover each other and not let that beast defeat any of us, we can overpower it.>

<Count Koko out,> Ace said. He smiled at Pikachu and pointed at his collar.

Pikachu nodded, giving him the translating collar.

Ace pointed at Tapu and said, “I believe the guardian should keep his distance. Not only is he in no condition to fight, but we don’t want ‘Electric Terrain’ to be summoned anywhere near that Ultra Beast. I would prefer its giant discharges to not lay waste to half of the island, thank you very much.”

Tapu groaned in aggravation. “As much as I hate to admit it, Ace is correct. But if these ponies’ mystical force can indeed empower you all, you may actually win.”

“Excuse me,” Twilight coughed, catching everyone’s attention. “Can some pokemon translate what Nica said? I fear I’m missing a big portion of the plan.” She stepped onto the floor, before looking down at her own hooves. “Has anyone felt that?”

Starlight stood up and looked at the floor. “I felt a weak trembling.”

Nica jumped from the dining table and started tapping at the floor. <The tremors seem to be getting stronger.>

“Girls!” Dash shouted while peeking into the restaurant from the higher ground. “You should totally see this!”

Ace levitated towards the roof with Pikachu perched on his tail. Twilight left her notes and quill before flying onto the roof with slow flaps of her wings, as to not disturb the papers lying on the table. Starlight arrived at the roof with the help of a quick teleportation. Nica jumped towards the roof with a weak leap.

Tapu flew towards the roof, joining the gathered group.

Twilight’s eyes become wide and her wings drooped. Starlight gulped as sweat fell down her face. Ace and Pikachu’s jaws and ears drooped. Dash kept staring with a firm glare, putting on a war-face in an attempt to hide any sign of fear. Nica looked at the rest of the group in worry.

Their attention was now focused on a titanic being on top of the mountain.

Twilight examined the topography. It quickly became obvious to her that the city was built at the edge of a mountain, which was completely swamped by a sea of trees. One kilometer height, give or take a hundred meters. A few odd areas made of crushed trees caught her attention, while the top of the mountain was bare and devoid of life, no doubt a result of the fight between the Tapus and the Ultra Beast.

She gazed up, spotting the hunched over Ultra Beast at the top of the mountain. Gasping, she watched as it rose to its full height. Its head was similar to a 3-D white, star and it seemed to have a bunch of cables attached to it. The cords snaked down and formed legs, arms and a tail, that were held together by white bands, each taller than a skyscraper. No, taller than that. Sweet Celestia, this creature is over a hundred meters tall… It’s even bigger than an Ursa Major! We’re royally screwed.

She couldn’t help but think back to the Ursa Minor she barely managed to subdue, when she first moved to Ponyville. If I couldn’t even take care of a creature like that with ease, what chance to I have against a massive threat like this? I can’t be the weak link, the creatures of this world need me!

Taking deep breaths, she calmed herself. No. That was years ago, when I was fresh out of Celestia’s school. I’ve learned and grown stronger, even managing to defeat Tirek and Discord. Her wings fluttered at her sides. I’ve earned my place as an alicorn and a princess and with my friends by my side, I know… She froze, when she recalled she was alone. There was no Applejack, no Pinkie, no Rarity, and no Fluttershy by her side. Even Rainbow Dash was busy fluttering around behind her, eyes locked on the massive creature before them.

Her wings began to droop until she really observed her surroundings and spotted the creatures’ around her. She had the kind and ever loving Nica, who wouldn’t hurt a fly along with her eager brother. She had Pikachu, determined to never give up and the mysterious guardian, who was willing to point them in the right direction. Even Starlight and Rainbow Dash were still here, right by her side. Even if they weren’t her first, she still had friends that would work with her until the end. She grinned, until a massive tremor shook her out of her daydreaming.

The gigantic creature took its first step down the mountain after half a minute, crushing several trees with a single stomp.

Twilight’s ears drooped while sweat fell down her face. There’s no way I can open another portal before it reaches us. She gulped while her face began to show signs of the panic she was working so hard to restrain. She turned around and pressed her muzzle against Ace’s nose. “If Nica’s plan can get us out of this mess, translate it to me immediately!”

Pikachu closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the empowering rush of magic. The last time I was enhanced with magic, it was meant to help me fight Nica on an equal footing, but this time it will be different. He felt Nica’s bigger left forepaw wrap around his right paw and give a loving squeeze as they held each other, both seeking comfort, trust and courage in the other’s company. This time I will fight alongside her, facing what seems to be the greatest and largest challenge of my life. Peeking open his eyes, he snuck a glance to the side, smiling at Nica’s determined expression. Thank goodness Nica’s on my side.

He felt Ace’s forepaw hold his left paw with a way stronger grip. Feeling his tight hold alone told him that Nica’s brother was scared, not looking forward to the battle ahead. Ace is certainly less brave and experienced than Nica and I, often relying on terrain and type advantages in battle. Even with that though, he’s nice, creative and fun to be around. I trust he’ll pull his weight. In fact, he has what it takes to do the greatest damage to the Ultra Beast of all of us.

Pikachu grit his teeth and his ears drooped as the two ponies magic rushed over him. He tightened his grip over the forepaws of the two friendly Raichu while the spell bolted through him, sending an exhilarating spark through his blood and bones. As the magic was established, he opened his eyes and smiled, once again feeling a great sense of strength as his body was coated by a mix of a blue and lavender aura.

Turning his determined gaze to the forest before him, he watched the gigantic creature stalk towards the city, only a few steps away as it neared its destination.

The earth trembled from the beast’s massive steps.

Feeling something poke his right leg, Pikachu looked down and noticed a cracked brick which fell from a nearby damaged building. Curious, he raised his rear leg before descending his tiny foot against the brick, crushing it with a single stomp. Yep, way stronger.

Pikachu glanced to both sides, nodding at the befriended Raichu who were coated in a layer of the magical aura as well. He released their forepaws and said, “I have trust in your plan, Nica. It will be hard, but we’ll overcome it, together!” He stepped onto a free space on Ace’s tail, who in turn grabbed Nica by wrapping his paws around her belly.

“Let’s do this!”

Ch.2 - Ultra Giant - Pt.2

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 2
-
Ultra Giant - Pt.2

Ace darted up into the sky, causing both Pikachu and Nica to gasp as they were thrust upwards. Narrowing his eyes, the Alolan Raichu pushed himself forwards and was forced to travel at an angle to match the mountain’s slope.

Pikachu held the sides of Ace’s belly. He grit his teeth, struggling to maintain balance, before turning his gaze back to the massive Ultra Beast. Fighting against a larger opponent wasn’t new to him due to how small he was, even in comparison to his trainer, but this time the size difference was like nothing he had ever experienced. One mere look at the Ultra Beast he was about to fight made him feel insignificant, like he was nothing more than a tiny bug to the massive creature. They hadn’t even reached their opponent and it already hogged most of his field of view.

He glanced at the crumbling city behind him for a moment. In order to save what was left of it, they needed to lure the beast away and towards the sea.

<Time to get its attention,> Nica said before pushing herself free from Ace’s hold. Narrowing her eyes, she leapt into the air and landed on the tip of a nearby tree with the bronze patches of her four paws. She sprung from the top of one tree to another, keeping up with Ace’s speed. <Pikachu, throw me an ‘Electro Ball!’>

“On it!” Pikachu’s cheeks sparked as he sent a surge of electricity to his tail, the sphere growing larger as he chanted his name. The orb soon greatly surpassed its usual size. Once the ‘Electro Ball’ grew as big as he was, he jumped from Ace’s tail and spun, throwing his attack towards Nica. As he had hoped for, the superior Raichu took control of his attack using magnetic electricity while empowering the orb further.

The ‘Electro Ball’ circled around Nica’s tail… growing...

Having thrown the electric orb, Pikachu began to fall back down, using his momentum to fall forwards and land on the tip of a tree. Following Nica’s example, he dashed from branch to branch, following his friends with a determined glint in his eyes.

<Ace, your turn!> Nica shouted before swinging her tail, throwing the orb towards her brother.

Ace grabbed the ‘Electro Ball’ with his psychic powers, adding extra sparks of his own electricity as the sphere surpassed the size of a Raichu. <Pikachu, catch!>

Pikachu nodded and leapt, intercepting the orb in mid-air. Drops of sweat began to trickle down his face as the pressure from ‘Electro Ball’ became difficult to ignore. With a magical boost, they charged the orb way faster than before, yet it didn’t make it any easier to control. Should the sphere grow too big for his little tail, their strategy would, quite literally, blow into his face.

<Throw it to me and get ready to dodge! ‘Power Whip’ is coming!> Nica shouted.

Pikachu glanced over at the Ultra Beast, whose limb shone in a bright, green light. If Nica was indeed correct, the Ultra Beast was about to strike with a very powerful grass-type move. He gulped. The fact that its flexible limbs were the size of a skyscraper only added to its intimidation factor. It’s a good thing that this beast’s large size means we can see its movements from afar, he noted. Thankfully, we’ll at least have time to react.

With a firm swing, Pikachu threw the orb towards Nica before changing his course. He jumped from tree to tree, trying to avoid where the Ultra Beast’s ‘Power Whip’ would land. Noticing that Ace was levitating by his side, he leaped onto his tail and used his forepaws to wrap around the Alolan Raichu’s belly, effectively anchoring himself. He looked over his shoulder at Nica who ran in the opposite direction with an orb of electricity in her possession. Cupping his paws around his mouth, he went to call for her before shaking his head and dropping his arms. He needed to focus on the battle, not distract his partner.

With his attention once again on the descending limb, he repeated “Pika, Pika, Pika” as a small orb of electricity sparked to life. It was much smaller than the one Nica and Ace helped charge, but even then, it was much stronger than his usual. Swinging it around his tail, he leapt off Ace’s tail and launched it towards the Ultra Beast. His attack exploded upon contact, pushing him back mid-air. He landed awkwardly on nearby tree, struggling to stay balanced, as his ears clamped to his side. The blinding light forced him to close his eyes as his tail shook from the blast. Squinting his eyes, he managed to crack them open, spotting Ace standing over him. A moment later, he felt the Raichu’s paws on the sides of his belly, pulling him back atop his tail as they gazed at the scorch mark left on the Beast’s limb.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and frowned. Despite his attack having way more power, it only managed to slightly slow down the descending limb. He tightened his hold on Ace and his ears drooped the moment beast’s massive limb crashed into the forest, destroying any tree that stood in its way. If he wasn’t standing on a levitating tail, the quake of the impact would no doubt have knocked him off his feet.

Nica’s four paws were wrapped tightly around a tree, which bent and shook from the shockwave. Her tail straightened, keeping the orb of electricity in check. Once the tree stopped trembling, Nica climbed back to the top and jumped towards the massive cables which formed the Beast’s limb.

Pikachu watched Nica as she landed on the cables and began running on it towards the head of the gigantic Beast with a massive sphere of electricity following her long tail, leaving a sparkling trial right behind her.

Ace shouted before levitating towards the large limb, taking his sister’s example.

The titanic arm slowly raised from the ground and swung left and right, trying to shake off the intruders.

Ace remained unaffected, floating above the moving limb with a stressed smile.

Nica grit her teeth, running relentlessly despite the sharp, jerky movements of the cable underneath her paws.

The massive beast seemed to shake its head in annoyance before raising its other arm, aiming straight for the two Raichus and Pikachu. The bronze tips of its limb twitched like fingers, stretching forward and preparing to grab them.

Bunching her legs up underneath her, Nica jumped forward, avoiding the bronze tips that flew towards her. Her tail was spiked with the sparking ‘Electro Ball’ following its magnetic pull. She landed on the Ultra Beast’s cables once more before leaping again, this time flying over the creature’s star-shaped head. A trail of electricity zipped after her.

Ace bit his bottom lip. With a sharp turn, he flew up, evading the large cables that came flying towards him.

Pikachu leaped from Ace’s tail and started sprinting along the black limb. A memory of the time he ran on Milotic’s long body surfaced in his mind, though this time, the limb he ran on was several times larger than Milotic as a whole.

With the help of ‘Quick Attack,’ he caught up with Nica, leaving a white blur racing behind him.

<Ready?> Nica yelled.

“Like never before,” Pikachu responded, summoning another ‘Electro Ball.’ With a firm swing, he threw it against the massive head.

Nica kept running, getting a little closer before swinging her tail, coordinating the timing of her massive orb of electricity to hit the beast’s head together with Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball.’

Pikachu felt and saw Nica’s tail wrap around his belly, which filled him with a sense of safety. He yelped as Nica put a lot of force into her jump, pulling him away from the explosion.

“I must admit; when it comes to jumping, you’re simply incredible!” He called, before glancing over his shoulder as his gigantic opponent was probably half a kilometer away. Her legs may be enhanced by magic, but it doesn’t make the speed and range of her jump any less impressive.

Ace’s ears flashed with power as he struck the burned head with ‘Psychic,’ causing it to tilt backward several meters, yet the Ultra Beast refused to lose its balance and stayed standing. Huffing, the Alolan Raichu levitated away from the large limb, now flying towards the sea of trees. <Hey, wait for me!>

As the trio regrouped together, now making their way towards the sea, they looked at their pursuer. The Ultra Beast was taking steps at a much faster pace than before, taking fifteen seconds with each step instead of thirty. Faster movements and bolts escaping from its body indicating either rage or hunger for electricity.

Ace’s mouth opened as he pointed at the limb which the beast raised behind its head. The tip of the gigantic cable flashed like the world’s biggest light bulb. <Tail glow!> he shouted before speeding up, grabbing both Pikachu and Nica with his paws. He levitated up, now surfing on top of the forest once more. <Run, run, run!>

The Ultra Beast bent two of its limbs and the electricity surrounding its body became stronger with each passing second. It spread two of its uncontrollably flapping arms forward while unleashing a gigantic wave of electricity, turning hundreds of trees into ash in a matter of seconds. Even the ground became scorched with the excess energy.

<We can’t outrun it!> Nica shouted before pressing her forepaws against Ace’s shoulders, freeing herself. She balanced herself on the back of Ace’s tail. <Both of you, hide behind me and press your tails into the ground!>

Ace flew towards the ground as numerous trees now blocked the view from the incoming demise.

Pikachu felt his feet touch the grass as he was released from Ace’s grab. He stood on his four paws and charged power into his tail before pressing it into the ground. His eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed. Much to his surprise, Ace took a standing position in front of him protectively before pressing the yellow part of his tail into the ground as well.

Pikachu blinked in confusion. Ace wasn’t the bravest of the bunch, but was still willing to take the hit for him. A gesture he appreciated.

Nica stood on her rear legs, taking an intercepting position in front of the group. She raised her forepaws in front of her face, summoning ‘Light Screen’ three times taller and wider than her body. She pressed her ‘Iron Tail’ deeply into the ground and clenched the bronze patches of her forepaws, awaiting the impact.

Much to everyone’s surprise, a lavender dome of magic covered them, no doubt a long-range assistance from the princess.

<Get ready, here it comes!> Nica shouted.

Pikachu bent his legs as a drop of sweat fell down his face.

The wide wave of electricity burned away any tree that got in the way, partially smashing against the protective barrier.

The dome of magic shattered in an instant as electricity struck the empowered ‘Light Screen’ a second later.

Nica grit her teeth and than screamed in pain, nearly collapsing as wild electricity coursed through her.

Pikachu and Ace lowered themselves and covered their heads as Nica shielded them from the brunt of the attack, which went through her body into the ground.

A few seconds later small pillars of electricity shot from the ground under and around Nica’s feet, creating a massive crater.

The moment the wave of electricity passed by, Pikachu pushed himself to stand and then ran to Nica to check on her health, his eyes wide. One of the toughest pokemon he had ever met, a Raichu who could take his empowered ‘Electro Ball’ without blinking an eye, now stood on trembling legs inside a crater while covered in burns. He sniffed and grimaced, taken aback by the smell of burned fur.

He ran into the crater and looked at Nica in pity, no, in terror. The combined might of Light Screen, magical barrier, magic which enhanced Nica’s already insane durability, natural resistance to electricity for all electric pokemon and ‘Iron Tail’ pressed into the ground, all together still not enough as Nica now looked heavily burned and in pain.

If this ‘Discharge’ did so much damage to her… what would it do to me or Ace… Would we even s-s-survive? Pikachu’s face became pale as he struggled against the growing fear. How many wild pokemon perished to such power? I c-can only h-hope... he gulped, ...that their end was quick and painless.

<No time to rest, we need to run!> Ace shouted before placing his sister on his tail. He levitated up and surfed above the forest.

Pikachu climbed up the nearest tree, then leaped from one to another, trying to keep up with Ace’s speed. The Beast may not be all that fast, but that wave of electricity is another story. I fear even my ‘Quick Attack’ won’t outspeed it. He didn’t dare to look over his shoulder, too focused on the trees he leaped on. It takes a long time for that giant to charge an electric attack. Hope it doesn’t use another ‘Discharge’ anytime soon.

Several seconds later, Pikachu noticed a lack of trees ahead of him, now seeing only sand and water on the horizon while noticing a familiar house on a cliff not far to the right. While they succeeded in luring the giant away from the Hau’oli City while avoiding the Iki Town, they reached Melemele Sea dangerously close to Kukui’s house.

With a firm jump, he flew towards the beach. He bent his legs and closed his eyes as sand flew around him from the impact.

<Sis, you alright? You’re not looking too great...> Ace asked, his ears drooping as he realized the full extent of Nica’s damage.

Nica said as she stepped onto the stand, standing firmly on her burned legs. <We did some damage with a few strong critical hits, but it wasn’t enough. We need to hit back even harder.>

Pikachu nodded. I should have known better. There’s no way even a deadly attack like that can keep her down. He looked at the approaching Ultra Beast. Judging by the range and speed of its steps, I think we have two minutes before it reaches us, top three. Hope Nica’s plan works. He repeated “Pika…” over and over, creating yet another ‘Electro Ball.’

<Perfect, now throw it to me!> Nica commanded.

Pikachu did as he was told, throwing the orb towards Nica, who in turn empowered it and threw it towards Ace.

Pikachu looked at the alicorn, who landed on the beach while breathing heavily. Sweat covered her face.

“I’m sorry… I tried… but…” Twilight said in between each breath. She shut her wings and lowered her head. “Powering you up weakened me and Starlight, and my magic doesn’t seem to be recovering. I wish we had more time to use the gems I brought with me to restore our reserves.”

“It’s alright,” Pikachu said before intercepting and throwing the sphere to Nica. “We can handle it.”

Starlight appeared in a flash of teleportation, landing on the sandy area with Tapu Koko by her side. “Okay, mighty guardian, do your thing.”

Tapu flew towards the sea, levitating very close to the coast. He screeched while unleashing a wide field of electricity.

Ace grinned, now surfing on the electric waves instead. He zipped on the edges of the field, surpassing the speed of Pikachu’s ‘Quick Attack.’ <Now that’s more like it.>

Nica stood on the tip of her feet while electricity reached the middle part of her rear legs. The sphere which circled around her tail grew in size even more. <Sorry, Pikachu, but I fear that with our magic boost while on ‘Electric Terrain,’ your ‘Electro Ball’ will grow way too quickly for your tail to handle. Ace and I will strengthen it instead.>

Pikachu glanced between his short tail and the massive orb, which was already the size of a pony while still growing. “I approve.” He yelped as the sandy ground started to tremble. He stood on a single foot, struggling to maintain balance. He looked at the Ultra Beast who was almost atop of them. Two steps left before they would all stand in its shadow.

Ace sent another portion of electricity before throwing the orb towards Nica, his breathing heavy as a few drops of sweat fell down his face.

“Rain incoming!” Dash shouted before kicking gathered clouds, causing rain to fall over the sea.

Nica balanced the orb above her tail, which grew to the size of Big Macintosh. She pointed at her brother and the guardian. <Ace, unleash your secret technique. Tapu, assist him!> She turned around. <PIkachu, I need you to…> Her eyes became wide as she pointed towards the forest. <Watch out!>

Pikachu turned around and took a step back, now looking at a thin-looking Ultra Beast from before. It charged at him from the forest as sand scattered around its fast moving legs. He stood on the tip of his rear foot before backflipping into the range of ‘Electric Terrain.’ The moment he landed on the field, it filled him with electricity and he shouted, unleashing a massively boosted ‘Thunderbolt,’ which spread across a wider area than before.

The beast dropped to four legs and ran to the side, evading the bolts of electricity.

Remembering Nica’s advice and using a bigger spread and power of his attack, he redirected his ‘Thunderbolt,’ aiming where his opponent was going to be. The beast leaped over his attack, only to get hit in mid-air and pushed away.

<Nice work!> Ace shouted encouragingly while clapping his forepaws. <Go Pikachu, go!>

<I’ll use your ‘Electro Ball’ against the giant and distract him. I’m counting on you to protect Ace and Tapu while they charge our ace,> Nica said before running towards the forest with the orb of electricity following her raised tail.

Pikachu saluted.

Ace clenched the white tips of his forepaws and shouted, <Naval!> as a gigantic wave grew from the sea, reaching a height far greater than ever before. The aura of magic was still surrounding his body, though a bit fainter than before. His ears flashed as he raised the massive amount of water upward, forming the winged draconic beast once again. He dropped to four paws as his limbs trembled, barely enduring the pressure from using so much power at once.

Pikachu was tempted to watch, but stayed focused as he charged power into his tail before swinging it against his opponent’s ‘Silver Wind.’ The moment his tiny feet touched the sand, he felt a triple strike against his belly with great force, pushing him away. He rolled in mid-air, trying to aim his electricity at the Ultra Beast, but it was nowhere to be seen.

<S-Storm…> Ace mumbled while using ‘Nasty Plot,’ summoning a dark aura to boost his special attack even further.

Tapu Koko screeched, sending what electricity he recovered into the levitated water.

Pikachu yelped as something struck his back from above, smashing him into the sand. Despite the magic enhancing his body, as a little creature he still found the move ‘Stomp’ to be quite painful. He pressed four paws against the sand, struggling to lift the thin leg which was pressing against his back.

“Leave him alone!” Twilight shouted before pushing away the Ultra beast with the force of her magic.

Starlight appeared next to Pikachu as her horn lit, summoning a protective barrier around the two.

The beast charged at the barrier immediately, relentlessly striking against it with ‘Triple Kick.’ Its burned legs seemed to slow down, showing signs of weakness.

Ace grit his teeth and closed his eyes before unleashing the strongest ‘Thunderbolt’ he could muster into his creation, his attack alone powerful enough to form a gigantic pillar of electricity, clawing for the sky.

Pikachu ignored the newly acquired bruises as the flash of light got his full attention. He glanced over his shoulder and gasped, finding the pillar of electricity created by Ace far bigger than the one he and Nica created in the fight against Buzz. Wooow… A combination of Nasty Plot, Electric Terrain and ponies’ magic with the power of an Alolan Raichu is no joke. The unleashed power was like nine of my most powerful ‘Thunderbolts’ combined… maybe even ten. If such power won’t take down that giant, nothing will.

<D-d-dragon…> Ace said before his face slammed into his own tail as sweat covered his entire body. His flashing ears trebled. With more struggle, he raised his head, trying to control his creation as a few tears slid down his cheeks, every muscle in his body begging him to stop.

“Pikachu, my defenses are breaking!” Starlight shouted as ‘Silver Wind’ caused her magical barrier to crack, the bug-type move proving devastating against her magical defenses. The Ultra Beast pierced through, going for the unicorn’s neck.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and intercepted his opponent, striking at its belly with an empowered ‘Quick Attack.’

The beast pressed its four legs into the sand, leaving trails in it. It dropped to one knee as its thin limbs started to tremble.

Pikachu attacked with ‘Thunderbolt,’ forcing his opponent to jump further away.

“It seems our last fight against this creature really hurt it. It is slower and weaker than before,” Starlight commented.

“Or its defenses may be extremely weak,” Twilight commented. “I mean, look at the body-structure of this creature. It is so thin. It may be incredibly fast and powerful, but it must be very fragile as well.”

Pikachu nodded in agreement. His opponent had already received a beating before and didn’t get much time to recover. It was no match for his enhanced powers and the ponies by his side. The moment his opponent started to run away, Pikachu smiled, satisfied with the victory.

“Nica!” Starlight shouted as she pointed at where the beast was running. “I hope I am wrong, but what if this creature is running to help the Big Bzzzz.”

Pikachu bit his bottom lip in worry before following the creature’s path. Using ‘Quick Attack’ for a boost of speed, he created a large cloud of sand behind him. He could apologize to the ponies for sending sand in their faces later, but helping Nica took first priority.

“I’m done with the rain duty! I can’t stand on the sidelines while my friends do all the fighting,” Dash shouted as she flew to Nica’s aid.

Pikachu jumped towards Rainbow Dash, grabbing her tail before climbing onto her back. He looked ahead, searching for his long-tailed friend. It didn’t surprise him to see Nica throw the large orb of electricity against the Beast’s star-shaped head, causing an explosion of electricity. He covered his head protectively, so did Dash. While his usual ‘Electro Ball’ exploded in a few meters radius, the charged one Nica threw covered fifty meters or more, enveloping the titanic Beast’s head as a whole.

He lowered his forepaws, looking for Nica among the descending smoke. His durable friend held tightly against the Beast’s limb with her tail pressed in the free space between two gigantic cables, refusing to let the explosion, or anything for that matter, push her away.

The red aura around the Ultra Beast shrank more and more in past minutes, only to finally vanish after that one powerful strike, leaving the giant greatly weakened.

Nica didn’t back down, but ran at the massive head while surrounded by electricity, striking it with ‘Volt Tackle.’ She backflipped, landing on the Beast’s limb further away from its head.

Pikachu’s attention focused on two gigantic limbs which were shining with power while moving towards Nica from two sides, no doubt in an attempt to crush her in between them.

“There it is!” Dash shouted before flying towards the thin-looking bug-like Ultra Beast who was climbing the same black limb that Nica stood on.

Pikachu yelped, almost falling off his ride the moment Dash turned around to deliver a kick, his paws wrapped against the pegasus’ mane.

Dash’s kicks clashed against the Beast’s hair which covered most of its back as the thin-looking creature seemed too busy with climbing to defend. Dash’s fifth air-kick missed as the bug-like creature vanished from their sight. Her hoof harmlessly struck against the giant’s limb, which proved flexible enough to push her away.

Upon noticing that the Beast ran towards Nica at an even greater speed, most likely after using ‘Agility,’ Pikachu jumped from Dash’s back and followed, using ‘Quick Attack’ while climbing the same limb.

Nica bent her legs, waiting for the two ‘Power Whips’ to get closer before jumping up.

The agile beast timed her jump with Nica’s while sending ‘Silver Wind’ to intercept her.

The long-tailed pokemon shielded herself from the attack with her ‘Iron Tail,’ only to end up grabbed in a strong grip and pulled down.

Pikachu bit his bottom lip and changed the course of his ‘Quick Attack,’ now running away before he could end up sandwiched in between two gigantic limbs, the shockwave of the impact pushing him further away. His fall was stopped by two familiar hooves.

“You okay there, Pikachu?” Dash asked as she flew up with him between her forelegs.

“I’m fine, but what about Nica… oh no!” Pikachu shouted as his attention focused on two limbs the size of two buildings which released Nica from their crushing grip, only to catch her with cables serving the Beast as fingers. The other Ultra Beast fell towards the ground and crashed, unconscious after being smashed between two gigantic ‘Power Whips.’

Pikachu pointed at Nica and shouted, “We have to save her, hurry!”

Dash glanced at the Naval-Storm-Dragon sent by Ace, which seemed to be twenty meters long, nearly one fifth the size of the gigantic Ultra Beast. “Ponyfeathers!” She flew towards Nica, releasing Pikachu before kicking and punching one of the Beast’s fingers.

Pikachu swung his ‘Iron Tail’ against another finger, trying to free his friend.

Nica’s belly and forepaws were wrapped and squeezed by one cable-like finger, her rear legs by another. A third was squeezing her neck. Her tail was wrapped by a fourth. The fifth finger which was pressed against her face to drain electricity from dots on her cheeks ended up pushed away by Pikachu’s empowered ‘Iron Tail.’ One look at Nica’s painful expression and creased ears proved difficult to watch.

<R-run! L-leave me… p-please,> Nica plead as tears of pain slid down her cheeks. The aura of pony magic no longer present around her body.

Pikachu ran closer to his bigger friend and shook his head. “I won’t leave you!” He slammed his ‘Iron Tail’ against another of the beast’s fingers, only to realize that the magical aura which enhanced his body was gone as well. He struck again, yet his attacks proved too weak to free his friend.

Hazardous bolts of electricity started escaping from every part of the Beast’s body.

Nica grit her teeth before summoning her ‘Thunderbolt,’ striking against Pikachu while pushing him away.

Pikachu yelped before opening his eyes, now staring at the trapped Raichu while falling towards the ground. Rainbow Dash flew towards him, catching him in mid-air. Why… why did you attack me? His question was quickly answered as a powerful portion of electricity burst from the beast’s limb, causing Nica to scream in pain. Ace’s Naval-Storm-Dragon struck against the Beast’s large head two seconds later.

Dash grit her teeth while flying away from the titanic creature with all the speed she could muster.

Pikachu watched his trapped friend in terror who ended up covered by an explosion of water and electricity from the Ace’s attack. He didn’t dare to look away from the blinding light, seeing as Nica was launched kilometers across the sea before his watering eyes finally closed against his will. It wasn’t the first time he saw someone blast away as he repeatedly sent Team Rocket packing in such a way, but seeing the nicest Raichu he ever met, face such a fate while extremely injured caused his heart to ache.

His eyes started watering as a surge of fear overwhelmed him. The punishment his friend endured could kill most pokemon twice over. What if she didn’t have enough strength to swim? What if she drowned in the sea? Crashing into the hard ground would no doubt be a blessing to drowning in soft water.

“Nicaaa!” he shouted from the bottom of his lungs before bursting into tears. He felt his throat become dry and heavy as guilt weighed on his heart.

Ever since he befriended Nica, she didn’t hesitate to rush to his aid, protecting him from many dangers. Whenever in trouble, the superior Raichu helped him without fail by distracting his opponents or by taking the hit for him. This time however the roles were reversed. Nica ended up trapped, injured and in peril. But did he save her? Did he repay the favor? Did he prove to be a dependable partner and friend? No! He screwed up when it mattered the most.

Ace, who lay flat on his tail, pushed himself to standing position, his trembling rear legs struggling to keep him stable. <S-sister… I’m coming!> Without a second thought, he surfed to where Nica was heading, ignoring the tremor caused by the crashing giant.

He blinked as electric field formed under his tail, only to notice Tapu flying by his side. <Thanks... Your help… won’t go to waste,> he said between his heavy breathing before using ‘Electric Terrain’ for an initial boost of speed. His muscles burned and his body was in pain from using such an overwhelming amount of power at once while a magical aura no longer surrounded his body, but he didn’t care. He levitated with all speed he could muster, leaving even the mighty Tapu behind. Saving his sister from drowning was the only thing on his tired mind.

Ch.3 - Chaotic Team Up - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 3
-
Chaotic Team Up - Pt.1

<Nica, Nica? Where are you!?> Ace shouted as he surfed with all the speed he could muster, rounding Akala Island. By following the course of his sister’s flight, he could tell that she was shot over Konikoni City which was located at the south part of Akala, falling somewhere in the sea next to Ula’ula island.

I know the islands of Alola are rather close to each other, but come on! It’s like she got shot from a battleship or something, Ace thought, whimpering as his search seemed to be turning up empty-pawed. While his sister’s landing would be softened by the deep water, it would be up to what strength she had left to keep herself from drowning, assuming she hadn’t lost consciousness yet. Maybe some friendly water pokemon helped her out… Oh please, let her not encounter some nasty Carvanha or Sharpedo!

Ace grit his teeth and closed one eye for a moment, feeling an unpleasant headache blooming to life. His rear legs trembled under the stress of keeping his body upright. Was he getting heavier? Or was it the fault of his aching muscles and stressed mind? One thing was certain, his body had been pushed over its limit by the extreme force of his ultimate attack.

He didn’t dare to slow down despite having such little stamina, using the nearby waves to his advantage. During his frequent visits in Alola, he more than once was challenged by Mantine surfing trainers, a sport he enjoyed and even dominated at one point. This time however his surfing speed would determine the life of his sister.

<Please, Nica, don’t drown…> he whispered, nearing the spot where his sister most likely fell. His heartbeat pounded against his chest, echoing in his ears as he frantically searched for any sign of Nica. He dived underwater, taking a quick peek at the bottom, yet his sister was nowhere to be seen. The moment he flew back to the surface, something orange and blue caught his attention. <Nica…?> As he surfed closer, the image became clearer than before. What was once a blurry blob became his sister lying atop a large, blue creature. Actually, it seemed more like a large number of tiny creatures smudged together, forming one massive beast.

White, long, blue back, able to merge together, Ace recited to himself, watching the creature before him. Must be Wishiwashi. He floated closer, trying to catch up with the merged pokemon. <Wait!> He passed the large creature, now levitating in front of it.

Ace covered his face with his right forepaw as a strong roar flapped his big ears, pushing him slightly away. <You saved my sister from drowning, thank you! Thank you so much!> he shouted before lowering his forepaw, and then looked into holes with one Wishiwashi in each, which most likely were meant to imitate two big eyes. His eyes sparkled as he stared at the creature with a look of pure joy.

<Crashing…>

<Swimming… tired…>

<Struggling... gasping for air.>

<Shouting… help… help…>

<Crushed… burned… struggling to live…>

Ace listened to at least hundred of voices as tears of joy fell down his cheeks. He smiled widely, spread his forepaws and levitated towards the tip of the schooled Wishiwashi’s nose, embracing it in a hug. He nuzzled it with his nose while careful not to touch it with the dots on his cheeks. <Thank you, thank you, I owe you all a big time…> The stress that was consuming him released, and he sighed as he was allowed himself a moment to pause and untense his aching muscles.

He released the large pokemon before levitating onto its back in panic, now checking on his sister. While Nica looked as if finishing her usual all-out training routine… maybe a bit more creased and burned though, he couldn’t see even tiniest movements of her belly. He pressed his ear against Nica’s fluffy belly, not hearing her heartbeat or breathing.

<N-n-no!> Ace stepped from his tail, now balancing himself on the large pokemon. Using his tail, he tilted Nica’s head back slightly. Taking a deep breath, he pressed his mouth against hers, sending air into her lungs. After giving his sister two big portions of fresh air, he placed his trembling forepaws on her fluffy chest, pressing against it. <One, two, three, four, five, six…> Ace chanted as he followed the standard procedure. His eyes began watering, filing with tears.

He raised Nica’s head again to deliver more air into her throat. <After everything you have endured, don’t you dare to give up now!> He placed his forepaws on her chest again, pressing against it repeatedly as water started to stream from Nica’s mouth. <You can’t die! The water I love to explore and play in so much can’t take your live, I won’t allow it!>

<Danger…>

<Sharpedo…>

<Run…!>

<Fight…!>

<No, run!>

Ace’s body trembled as he felt a chill go through his bones. He looked around in shock, searching for the dark/water pokemon. <D-don’t panic.> He quickly delivered another portion of air into his sister’s throat, causing her to cough up water mixed with blood before gasping for air.

Ace didn’t dare to celebrate as his attention shifted towards the aggressors. <Just swim to the shore, I’ll cover you!> he shouted, his voice lacking confidence. His relationship with Sharpedo was odd, where his electricity gave him an advantage against the water pokemon, but its dark typing left his psychic side at a major disadvantage. They both had an offensive advantage against each other, but with how aggressive Sharpedo were, he didn’t want to take any chances, especially with Nica’s life on the line.

Upon seeing the water spread around five speeding pokemon, he grit his teeth and clenched his forepaws, unleashing bolts of electricity against the attackers. He frowned as the raw power of his ‘Thunderbolt’ seemed to be only a third of what he was normally capable of.

The five Sharpedo roared in anger before speeding up, more enraged than hurt.

<They’re gonna eat us…>

<We’re doomed…!>

Ace bit his bottom lip before leaping onto his tail and grabbing Nica with his forepaws, preventing her from falling into the sea as the schooled Wishiwashi split. He darted towards the side, watching as the Wishiwashi scattered and created a quick distraction, momentarily confusing the Sharpedos. His sister coughed, casting more blood into the ocean and onto his tail. He pressed his ear against her belly, confirming her weak, but still beating heartbeat.

He froze as a nearby snarl caught his attention.

<I’ll devour them first.>

<Damn, damn, damn!> Ace shouted as he sped up and surfed towards the numerous rocks near the coast, hoping they would stop his pursuers. His face was sweating like a fountain as his and his sister’s life were on the line. Not only was his injured and exhausted sister struggling to breathe, but her condition was anything but stable. My sister may be insanely durable, but even she has her limits. I fear one powerful attack or another drowning situation may be enough to end her life.

He looked over his shoulder at his pursuers as three out of the five Sharpedo decided to feast on him and Nica instead of the Wishiwashi. He attacked with another ‘Thunderbolt,’ trying to slow down his pursuers by targeting the surface of the water. Two Sharpedo jumped over his electricity, using ‘Aqua Jet’ to charge at him.

Ace zipped to the side, evading one of the attackers. The other one however successfully struck his back while pushing him at the nearby rock. He threw his sister up before his head, belly and limbs sank into the stone, causing a few cracks to spread from the impacted area.

Nica landed on top of the rock, now laying flat on it as a few drops of blood fell from her mouth onto the stone.

<Eat dirt, you stupid Raichu!> one Sharpedo growled.

<While I eat you,> another one said before opening his jaw as his teeth shined, reflecting rays of the sun, only for dark aura to surround them.

Ace pressed his aching forepaws and rear legs against the stone, pushing against it. His struggle ended the moment he felt teeth sink into his backside. He screamed in pain while unleashing ‘Thunderbolt,’ destroying half of the stone while pushing the Sharpedo away.

He climbed up the rock’s leftovers and looked at Nica with watering eyes. <’Bite’ and ‘Crunch’ moves…> he gulped, <hate them so much!>

<Sharing is caring,> the other Shadpedo chanted, casting a snarky grin, before jumping from the water.

Ace grabbed Nica and quickly surfed away while a ‘why me’ was drawn onto his terrified face. Those Sharpedo are a literal pain in the ass! Ace thought as he levitated towards the coast, his adrenaline and willpower being the only thing keeping his exhausted self going, yet his pursuers were catching up while smashing any rock that got in the way. He gasped as a pink orb of power flew over his shoulder, catching his attention. Moonblast? One of the Sharpedo chasing him ended up being struck by the pink orb, pushed away several meters from the recoil before falling into the water with a big splash.

Ace looked towards the source of the firm but gentle voice, seeing a long-tailed water/fairy pokemon. Two big white fins supported the pokemon on a rock. Its nose pink, pink star and white pearls decorated the top of its head. <Primarina?>

Primarina looked at the remaining Sharpedo with a smirk. <So… are we going to battle, or…?>

The water/dark type pokemon swam away, leaving a trails of bubbles behind.

<That’s what I thought,> Primarina said from his spot on the stone as numerous Wishiwashi gathered around, giving their thanks.

Ace joined, levitating towards his savor with Nica perched on the second half of his tail. <Thank you! You saved us!> He spread his arms and levitated over, only to be stopped by Primarina’s fin which pressed against his face.

Ace pushed aside the fin and answered, <Giving you a hug and kiss of gratefulness!>

<I’m a male!>

Ace blushed before withdrawing away from Primarina. <R-right… Hehe, my trainer has a Primarina on her team, yet I still can’t get used to your misleading genders.>

Primarina rolled his eyes. <Tell me about it.>

<Well… thanks a lot anyway. If you ever need any favors, I’m in your debt,> Ace said, giving a bow.

<Think nothing of it. I simply like keeping my territory peaceful. That’s all.> Primarina pointed at the injured Raichu. <Still, what happened to your friend? She… she looks terrible. Is she even alive?>

Ace exclaimed, biting his bottom lip before pressing his ears into her belly, just to check on her slowing heartbeat and breathing. He lowered his head and sighed in relief. <She’s alive,> he muttered to himself before raising bis head. <She’s still alive, but barely...>

He gave an exhausted smile. <Long story short, together with my sis and a little heroic Pikachu, we fought against the giant Ultra Beasts that took over the islands. My sister took an insanely large and deadly double ‘Power Whip’ on herself. She won’t last long unless I get her to the Pokemon Center.>

<No time for the full story,> Ace said before turning around. He waved a farewell.

<Good luck. I wish your sister good health,> Primarina said as the gathered Wishiwashi gave their good wishes as well.

<Farewell…>

Ace didn’t look back, ignoring the garbled mutters as he now focused on surfing next to the shore while zipping in between sharp rocks. An unpleasant feeling on his back and fear for his sister’s health was weighing on his heart, not leaving him for a moment. If I remember correctly, the closest way to a Pokemon Center is from this part of the shore. We’re finally getting a rejuvenating, well deserved rest. With a hopeful smile, he surfed towards the beach. On the higher ground he could see burned soil and destroyed buildings, yet those weren’t caused recently. If the rumors speaks truth, Tapu sure get destructive when angered. I wonder if the ghost trial has changed recently.

He surfed up the hill, heading towards the city.

“Not so fast!”

Ace stopped as a group of suspicious individuals jumped in his way. He narrowed his eyes, his attention on big ‘R’ symbol on uniforms the two humans were wearing. The woman’s violet-pink hair was extremely long while the male’s hair was blue.

“Prepare for trouble.”

“And make it double.”

“To protect the world from devastation.”

“To unite all people within our nation.”

Ace tilted his head to the side in confusion. I got no time for this stupidity. He shook his head and rounded the criminal clowns, using their distraction with their silly dances to his advantage.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going!” Meowth shouted as he jumped in front of Ace, his claws exposed and sharp. “No one ignores our motto and gets away with it.”

<Agreed,> said a tall, blue balloon-like pokemon with tiny black tail, one he recognized as Wobbuffet.

Ace’s ears shone with power as he caught Meowth in his levitation.

“Hey, what are you doing? Drop me immediately!” Meowth shouted while waving his paws in aggravation, only to end up pushed against Wobbuffet. Both pokemon crashed into the Team Rocket members, leaving them piled up atop each other.

Ace shook left and right, feeling a heavy fatigue as each use of his moves seemed to put a heavy strain on his body. He shook his head before regaining his balance. He started levitating towards the city once again, only to yelp in surprise as a long shadowy claw blocked his path. He turned to the side his trembling head as his face became pale. <M-Mimikyu…>

He gulped. If those two clowns were the Team Rocket members that Pikachu mentioned, this fairy/ghost type pokemon no doubt had to be the powerhouse that has been repeatedly defeating the little hero.

The female rocket member pushed herself to stand and started stomping repeatedly against the burned grass. “How dare you interrupt our motto!” Her face turned red. “I’m so livid right now! A first class beating will teach you some manners!”

<W-what do you want from me?> Ace asked as he looked between Mimikyu and the woman. He looked at his injured sister in worry. Ensuring her safety was his top priority.

Meowth crossed his arms and spoke in a sharp tone, “We want some answers from you. We just happened to observe Melemele Island with our binoculars, watching the amazing power of our boss’s gigantic experiment, when suddenly some electric pokemon started attacking it.”

The male rocked member clenched his fist and said, “Boss ordered us to keep troublemakers from interfering with his experiment, so we stayed on this island to keep our eyes on Ash and his dweeb friends.” He pointed accusingly at Ace. “But through our binoculars we saw how the gigantic Ultra Beast that was important part to our boss’s master plan was defeated and captured, and then how one of the electric pokemon was shot into the sea nearby.”

Meowth crept forward. “The boss was this close to completing his experiment,” he snarled, holding his paws apart, “and he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling pokemon!”

The female criminal walked with firm strong steps, her cheeks pink. “We had difficulty recognizing which electric pokemon interfered with our boss’s masterpiece, but something tells me that you two had something to do with it.”

Ace’s ears drooped upon hearing a malicious whisper from the side.

<And I am curious if that third pokemon that helped you win… was Ash’s Pikachu,> Mimikyu said before moving his ‘Shadow Claw’ closer to the levitating Raichu, poking his neck. <Now… will you tell me where I can find that strong and cowardly Pikachu, or should I torture the information out of you?>

Ace levitated to the side, now wary of his ghost opponent. <I… I would rather not fight you...>

<Wise. I hold no grudge against you, but anyone who sides with that Pikachu is my enemy. If you help me find him, I’ll not harm you.>

<As if,> Ace scoffed with a shake of his head. No matter how much he wanted to put his head into sand out of fear, he wouldn’t betray his sister’s hero. He gulped, very intimidated by the screech coming from the angered ghost.

“Mimikyu, catch those Raichu! Use ‘Shadow Claw!’” the woman commanded, anger still present in her voice. “And teach him what happens when one ignores our motto.”

<You gotta get over that!> Ace called, before levitating to the side. He evaded the shadowy hand, only for the black sharp claws to change direction and slash his side. He screamed in pain, crashing into the ground with his shoulder while his sister rolled on the grass, leaving a few tiny drops of blood on the green scenery. Using his trembling forepaws, he raised his head. His ears flashed with power before unleashing ‘Psychic’ against the ghost pokemon, who ended up pushed away as his fake head fell to the side. His attack neutralized by a decoy.

“Mimikyu, attack with ‘Shadow Ball! If he resists, make him suffer,” Meowth shouted while pointing his paw.

Ace grit his teeth, attacking with ‘Thunderbolt’ against the incoming ball of destruction. His weak electricity spread around the orb, not even slowing it down.

Ace’s eyes became wide. Another scream of pain followed as explosion pushed him against a tree, his body cutting the tree in half before rubbing against the ground. The earth trembled the moment most of the tree crashed against the soil.

Ace shook his head before climbing onto his tail. His back had bite-marks, his right arm had clear cuts while his belly and face were covered in bruises. He glanced at the water in distance before looking at his opponent. I… I can’t access my strongest arsenal… while away from the water… How am I going to win? He grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. I may be fully evolved and have strong offensive… but I used nearly everything I had against the giant Ultra Beast. I can’t win like this.

As much as he wanted to deny it, he lacked skills, stamina and durability. Even at full strength, fighting against such a strong Mimikyu would most likely end up in failure due to Mimikyu's type advantage. Exhausted and away from the sea, his defeat was but a matter of time.

“While Mimikyu is capturing the Alolan Raichu, I will simply pick up the regular one,” Meowth said as he approached the unconscious pokemon. He lowered his head and poked the injured Raichu with his paw. “Wow. Is this Raichu even alive? Even Ash’s Pikachu never looked that bad, no matter the beating.” He took a closer look, seeing movements of Nica’s belly and hearing her weak breathing. “Pity we don’t get to capture Ash’s Pikachu for our boss.” He closed his eyes, shrugged and shook his head. “Oh well… You may not be a special Pikachu, but some inferior and beaten Raichu will have to do.”

Ace clenched his forepaws. Nica is anything but inferior… If I’m going to sink with the ship, I’ll sink alone. Using the move ‘Surf,’ he summoned a wave of water before surfing to the very top. He glanced at the buildings in distance, and as he had hoped for, the Pokemon Center was in his view.

“Mimikyu, attack with ‘Shadow Ball!’ Don’t let him escape,” the woman shouted while pointing at him.

Ace’s ears flashed with power as he caught Nica in his silvery aura, levitating her up and towards the city. Too focused on saving his sister, he let the shadow orb strike his belly, falling off his tail and down his wave. With the last bits of concentration he threw Nica into the window of a Pokemon Center before losing her from his sight. He hit the ground with the back of his neck, then bounced onto his belly. A whimper of pain left his closed mouth as his eyes started producing tears.

<You brought this upon yourself,> Mimikyu said as he approached him, seemingly sliding against the ground.

Ace pushed his forepaws against the ground, raising his head as his every muscle rebelled against him, his breathing heavy as drops of sweat fell down his face. He shouted, attacking with ‘Thunderbolt.’ Seeing as his opponent zipped to the right, he altered the course of his attack, hitting Mimikyu with electricity while causing minimal damage. He followed up with a quick ‘Psychic,’ but his ears stopped flashing as he managed to strike with only a tiny fraction of his strength.

This was it, his body was at its limit. The fact that he even remained conscious despite his exhaustion and agony was already a miracle. Never in his life he pushed himself as hard as today, nor experienced this much suffering, but it didn’t matter as long as his sister survived.

Mimikyu screeched before unleashing ‘Play Rough,’ mercilessly striking his body with numerous devastating blows, stacking bruise after bruise atop another.

Ace raised his head with a great struggle, then struggled even more, climbing onto his levitating tail. The moment his forepaws were about to pull the rest of his body, his tail tilted to the side, causing him to fall off. He hit the ground with a dull thud, wincing as the full force of the fall slammed into him. Vision flashing, the nightmarish view of the vicious Mimikyu looming over him the last thing he remembered, before a ‘Shadow Claw’ struck him and made the world turn black.

Ch.3 - Chaotic Team Up - Pt.2

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Lost Little Ace

Chapter 3
-
Chaotic Team Up - Pt.2

“Did you hear that?” asked a girl with long golden hair cascading down her back. She was adorned in a pure white dress and boots, as though made from freshly fallen snow. “Sounded like breaking glass, did someone… yik!”

“What’s wrong Lillie? Raichu! Wait, is that blood? Who did this to you?”

“It looks horribly beaten up. Nurse Joy? Nurse Joy!”

Nica could only pick up yells of panic from the two worried trainers. One, the voice of a panicked girl, another of a concerned trainer. Simply too exhausted to open her eyes, she felt the hands of a trainer pick her up into a gentle embrace and pull her away from the shards of broken glass that were sprinkled beside her. What happened after she didn’t know as her consciousness faded away, escaping from the extreme agony into a blissful dream.

“Are you sure she fell here?” Starlight asked.

Twilight nodded while holding her student between her forehooves. Her wings flapped firmly while a large bag filled with precious equipment levitated at her side. “She has to be. We both saw her being launched in this direction.”

“And what if she flew over this city and crashed into the sea?” Starlight asked.

“Considering the trajectory of Nica’s flight, it would require a lot of force to fly this far. For now let’s keep our eye at this city. If we won’t find any–” Twilight paused upon seeing a pillar of flames heading in her direction. In a flash of teleportation, she and her student appeared further to the left, evading the attack. Even then, they could still feel the heat of the flames, causing them both to wince and jerk back. The large bag shifted and slid of Twilight’s magical aura, before collapsing to the ground.

Twilight groaned before descending towards the ground while catching her equipment with her magic.

Starlight pushed herself free from the alicorn’s hold, landing on the ground with a weak thud. She took a fighting stance, aiming her horn at the attacker.

Twilight landed next to her student while perching her precious equipment behind a nearby building. A quick look at the area told her it was an open marked with numerous stands on both sides of the road. The city as whole lacked any damage and seemed overall not affected by the invasion. If only the others were this lucky as well, she thought grimly, observing her surroundings for movement.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention and she turned to spot her so-called aggressors. Looking ahead, she examined them.

One pokemon looked very fat, but also had big muscular legs and hands. He wore white shorts, a blue undershirt, as well as white belt and yellow coat. A big, white rope was tied around his belly, his hair and mustache a similar tone.

Another one looked like a large, fat pokemon, one she remembered as Hariyama that Lily Longsock’s family took under their care. In comparison, both pokemon looked very similar.

The other aggressor wore a white lab coat which revealed his torso, grey undershirt, white hat and green boots. Upon a closer examination this creature also wore glasses.

Next to him stood a big red/black creature with sharp claws and fangs. His face similar to Litten in a way, but way more ferocious and angry. He wore some sort of championship belt, one that seemed much too big to be carried around practically.

All four creatures were standing on two legs, yet only two of them wore clothes. She could consider the one wearing belt to be the third, but most of his body was exposed and covered by fur.

“You already caused havoc on island that was under my protection, and now you dare to attack Akala? I, the Kahuna of Melemele, Hala, shall stop you!” Hala shouted while stomping with great force. “Prepare to fight, Hariyama!”

<Yes, Master!> Hariyama stomped twice as earth trembled, taking a fighting stance.

Hala looked at the creature which was wearing glasses. “Ready to assist me in this fight, Kukui?”

“I must say, you both look quite cute for Ultra Beasts, but looks can be deceiving.” Kukui pointed at the ponies. “Cuties or not, you’re still a threat. Prepare to fight them, Incineroar!”

Incineroar roared, the earth shaking alongside his bellow. Though only one pokemon present, it seemed as though a pride of lions roared beside him, and it was enough to make Twilight falter before she straightened up and marched forward.

Stalking closer, she narrowed her eyes and closed her wings, holding her head high. If what she learned from Nica was accurate, this situation looked like interaction between two human trainers and two pokemon. “First off, we’re not Ultra Beasts!” She stomped. “I understand your situation is dire, but it’s not an excuse to try to burn us. Apologize immediately!”

Incineroar roared at the princess while showing his claws aggressively.

“Calm down Incineroar,” Kukui said before taking off his glasses, now looking at the alicorn in confusion. “You can speak? I’ve never seen a pokemon like you before.”

“I am not a pokemon either, I am a pony,” Twilight said before taking more steps. Starlight followed her example.

Kukui placed hands on his hips and smirked. “And what region are you from, Miss Pony?”

“I come from Equestria, and it’s not a region but a place in a different world altogether,” the alicorn answered, copying Kukui’s confident attitude. “And my name is Twilight.”

“So you’ve come from a different world.” Kukui lowered himself slightly and rubbed the top of Twilight’s head. “Those creatures who come from different world, we call them Ultra Beasts. So in a sense calling you both Ultra Beasts isn’t inaccurate. You’re the first visitor from another world that’s corrected us.”

“Hey, stop that,” Twilight said before pushing the hand away and giving an annoyed snort. She poked Kukui’s chest with tip of her forehoof. “And I’m… I mean… I don’t come from this world, but I’m not like those creatures who invaded you.”

Starlight spoke up, “We prefer to be called ponies.” She raised forehoof up to her chest. “My name’s Starlight and I’m a unicorn.” She pointed at the alicorn. “I’m Princess Twilight’s protege.”

“Ohoho… royalty,” Hala said with a cheerful laugh. “Alola sure starts to attract a lot of interesting visitors lately. It’s nice to meet someone who isn’t hostile for a change.” He raised his pokeball, recalling his pokemon. “The name’s Hala. I’m a Kahuna of Melemele, chosen by Tapu Koko. Allow me to personally welcome you to Alola.” He paused, quickly adding, “Well, maybe now’s not the best time, considering Alola isn’t in the best condition, but… oh well.” Chuckling, he raised his hand for a handshake.

Both ponies shook the muscular hand respectively, their heads reaching Hala’s chest.

Twilight asked, “Tapu Koko? You mean that guardian we met at... Melemele was it?”

“You met the mighty Tapu Koko? Is he safe?” Hala asked, his forehead wrinkling in concern.

Twilight smiled and nodded. “He is. Together with Nica, Ace and Pikachu, we helped him defeat the gigantic Ultra Beast.”

Kukui gasped.

Hala took a step back, raising his left hand as if taking a defensive stance, shock clear on his face. “You… you bested the giant? The one who’s been destroying my home? The one who overpowered the might of four guardians and three kahuna working together?” He made a confused face. “Are we talking about the same giant?”

Starlight raised her head proudly as her horn lit. A beast ball levitated from the large bag as she presented it as a trophy. “We sure did, though Nica and her team deserve most of the credit for taking this baddie down. We boosted their power with our magic to make them stronger, but they did all the fighting.”

“Magic? Boosted pokemon enough so they could defeat the titanic invader?” Hala grabbed his belly with both of his hands and laughed. “You make the old Hala laugh?”

Starlight narrowed her eyes. “You don’t believe me? How about I show you that we did indeed capture the Big Buzz.” She raised her forehoof, ready to press a button which was supposed to release a pokemon.

“Nooo!” Hala shouted before slamming Starlight, pressing his weight against her before she could release the gigantic beast.

“Hey, get off! What were you thinking?” Starlight complained as she pressed her forehooves against the ground. Her forelegs trembled as she lifted and pushed away the fat kahuna, freeing herself.

Twilight facehooved. “Starlight… you almost flattened us all alongside with part of the city.”

Starlight’s eyes became wide from realization. “Oh… oh…hehe.” She gulped as a few drops of sweat fell down her face. “S-sorry,” she said in a squeaky voice, ducking her head down.

“Excuse me, Princess Twilight.”

The alicorn looked at Kukui, who looked back at her curiously. “Yes?”

“You mentioned that a Pikachu helped you defeat the gigantic Ultra Beast.” Kukui rubbed the back of his neck. “Well… I was thinking. Could this Pikachu belong to Ash? He kind of vanished one day with other of Ash’s pokemon and the kid has been going crazy worried ever since. Besides, I can’t think of another Pikachu that would be strong enough to even attempt taking down an Ultra Beast as strong as that.”

Twilight nodded. “He’s Ash’s Pikachu alright. He and his pokemon friends one day appeared in Equestria.” She sat and tapped her forehooves together. “It’s… a long story involving a failed attempt to get Nica back home.”

Seeing Twilight at a loss to describe it, Starlight quickly stepped in.

“We tried to fix this and return all the missing pokemon home, so we opened portal into this world, only to end up fighting some Ultra Beasts,” Starlight commented.

Kukui showed his teeth in a wide smile, swung his hand and snapped his fingers. “That’s great. Ash will be overjoyed!” He knelt on one knee and asked, “Where is he?”

“He’s together with Rainbow Dash, searching for Nica.” Twilight pointed at the sky. “You didn’t happen to see a Raichu crashing into this city of flying over it?”

“Since when can Raichu learn fly?” Kukui asked, receiving serious unamused glares in response. He stood up and shook his head. “Nope, sorry.“

Twilight lowered her head as her ears drooped. “Great… just great…”

Hala turned around, now facing the group. “With the giant gone, we can retake Melemele from the beasts. To arms, Professor Kukui! We have a battle ahead of us.”

“Wait Hala, first we should probably find Pikachu, ummm… why are you looking at me like that?” Kukui asked.

Twilight kept staring at the human with wide curious-hungry eyes. “Did he call you a professor? Are you a scholar?”

“I am.”

With a firm jump, Twilight pinned the human to the ground as a big stack of notepads, one scroll filled with questions, feather pen, and ink levitated towards her. “I have sooo many questions!” Her tail flapped left and right. “Why can tiny pokemon be as strong as the large ones? What are the properties of all pokemon types? Your government structure? Books about pokemon…”

Starlight approached Hala, stood up on her rear hooves, and then whispered, “Let’s go. They’re going to be at it for a long time.”

“Are you sure she flew this way?” Dash asked as she flew next to an inactive volcano as bits of steam were visible at the top.

“Of course… I mean… maybe. The explosion blinded me for a moment,” Pikachu commented from Dash’s back as his forepaws were wrapped around the pegasus’ neck. His tiny legs sank into her fur, keeping him grounded against the wind streaming across his back. “Just keep your eyes open, we have to save Nica!”

“Did you say Nica?!”

Dash and Pikachu looked around for the source of voice, only for a silvery beam to catch their attention. Their eyes now rested upon two humans standing on top of the volcano, at the very spot where trainers come to challenge the fire-trial.

“Hey, watch it! You almost hit us!” Dash cried indignantly as she spread and waved her forehooves in aggravation, forcing her passenger to tighten his grip of her neck.

“I wasn’t aiming for you, I just tried to get your attention! If you know anything about Nica, please come closer. It’s important to me!”

“Ugh… fine, but don’t try anything funny,” Dash muttered before descending towards the volcano, landing at the very top in front of the two humans. Her wings were ready at her side, able to take off in a moments notice if needed.

The girl observed the pegasus before her. “You don’t look like any pokemon I’ve ever seen,” she murmured, stepping closer. Mumbling to herself, she added, “Though, I doubt you’re a pokemon at all. If you know Nica’s name you must have had some interactions with her, but where…?" She snapped her fingers. “That’s it! You must be a resident from that world that my trusty partner was sent to protect.” The woman at her side remained silent, studying Dash’s features from top to bottom.

“I am. The name’s Rainbow Dash and I’m the fastest pegasus in Equestria. So, you’re that badass awesome trainer who made Nica into a super cool heroine… aside from her low self-esteem.” She grimaced. “That part is kind of a screw up.”

“I… I didn’t do that much. She reached where she is with hard work on her own free will.” She claimed, looking slightly offended. Shaking it off, she reached her hand out and exclaimed, “My name’s Astra. Nice to meet you.”

Dash shook it energetically before displaying a wide grin and hastily flapping her wings. “I get to shake hooves with the best pokemon trainer in the world. That’s so cool!”

Astra withdrew her hand and scratched the back of her head. “I think you got the wrong person. I’m not Ash Ketchum. I may have the strongest team and most respected title, but he’s the best trainer in the world.” She smiled at the pegasus. “I see your kind is capable of communicating in our language. I hope you don't mind answering a few questions about your world’s culture.”

Dash frowned. “Questions about our culture. Great… Where’s Twilight where we need her?”

After gathering his courage, Pikachu peeked from behind the pegasus’ neck, examining features of both female humans. One seemed young with orange hair partially standing out from under a helmet equipped with protective goggles. Upon closer inspection, both humans were wearing body armor, had crowd-control shields and some sort device attached to their gloves. Two types of pokeballs were present on their belts.

“Forget the questions about their culture, there are more pressing matters,” the woman beside Astra spoke up, shooting the Pokemon Master a disapproving glare. She looked at Dash and said, “My name is Emily, but now is not the time for introductions or casual chat.”

Dash glanced to the side, now seeing a sea of trees and some settlements, not noticing anywhere near as much damage that Melemele endured. “Nice view. Were you scouting those ultra’s or something?”

Astra nodded before looking the pegasus in the eyes. “I was observing the area with my binoculars, gathering intel, before noticing explosions coming from the titanic Ultra Beast on Melemele. I tried to figure out who challenged the unstoppable giant, but we were attacked.” She pointed at her belt, which had a few black pokeballs in red stripes, and pokeballs similar to the one Tapu Koko shared with the group. “We caught the attacker, only to see a massive explosion coming from Melemele, as well as something tiny fly through the sky.” Her eyes became wide while tone of her voice shifted into a depressed one. “D-don’t tell me… don’t tell me that it was actually my dearest partner. Please don’t tell my dearest Nica was in my sight and I ignored her!”

“It sure was,” Dash said with a nod. “And I can tell you, wow, that was an intense battle against a giant. Even Tirek wasn’t that terrifying.”

Astra held hand on her chest, taking a few calming breaths before attempting to recover her composure. “Panic will get me nowhere. I have faith in my partner’s survivability.”

Emily spoke up, catching master’s attention. “Was Ace or other of my pokemon among the ones who fought that massive creature?”

Dash nodded energetically. “You betcha. I got in some rain for the guy while Tapu Koko gave him a lot of electricity.” She held forehooves on her cheeks in excitement. “He changed the most epic Naval-Storm-Dragon I have ever seen… Granted, I saw it only three times so far, but it was ginormous.” She stood on her rear hooves and spread her forepaws, as if trying to show the size of the attack, feeling Pikachu’s grip on her back to tighten. “I was blinded by the explosion, but I bet he’s out there searching for his sis.” She lowered herself, giving the trainers a confident stare.

Astra lowered her head and sighed.

Emily patted master’s shoulder before speaking up, “If that’s the case, there is nothing to fear. Ace may not be my best fighter, but he knows Alola and its waters incredibly well. He’ll find Nica for sure.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped. After finally having enough courage, he jumped from Dash’s back and approached with quick steps, stopping in the shadow of the human trainer. He looked up in silence and gasped. The very trainer who raised Nica into the wonderful, brave, kind, and incredibly powerful Raichu she was today now stood before him. The Pokemon Master that Ash aspired to become had graced him with her presence.

The girl lowered herself, now kneeling on one knee. “I see you have a little companion with you, Rainbow Dash. Already catching a pokemon of your own or convincing one to join you? Quite an adaptive approach.”

“He’s not my pokemon actually,” Dash said. “He’s the partner of that Ash guy you admire so much, though personally, I think Raichu and Lucario are way cooler than Pikachu.”

“You’re Ash’s Pikachu!” Astra shouted, looking at him as if seeing a celebrity, her cheeks growing a slight blush. “It’s an honor.”

“T-the honor is all mine,” Pikachu responded with a sheepish smile before holding his forepaws together and lowering his head in respect, a gesture he remembered from his interactions with Nica.

“And you can talk.” She pointed accusingly at Pikachu. “You’re not a psychic type pokemon, and yet you’re able to speak? I suppose I should expect nothing less from the brave and special partner of Ash himself.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped and a sad smile appeared on his face. Not only had the Pokemon Master and her partner became too humble and developed an inferiority complex because of him and Ash, now Astra’s partner’s life was at risk because of his failure. If they knew how much suffering Nica experienced when fighting that gigantic beast, they wouldn’t be so sure of her wellbeing. It seems I’m going to be the bearer of bad news. He lowered his head and sighed, not looking forward to his discussion with the mightiest trainer in the world.

Ace’s sleep was interrupted as he felt cold water splash against his bruised face. As much as he wished he could remain asleep until the pain stop shooting up and down every nerve in his body, he could tell that he wouldn’t be allowed such a luxury. The moment he opened one eye, a familiar ghostly figure caught his attention.

<So, are you more willing to talk now, or should I get answers by using more, painful methods?> Mimikyu asked, circling around him.

Ace looked around despite feeling pain in his neck, his surroundings dark. The floor and ceiling were covered in dust, webs and cracks. Empty shelves with no products for sell, limited amount of light and creepy atmosphere of a ruined market. Ghost trial ground… the most terrifying place in the world. He gulped. Kill me now…

He looked at the Team Rocket members who towered over him with smirk on their faces, watching as his attempt to move his forepaws ended in failure. Tied up by a rope to a chair, trapped in a dark abandoned market-place and kept imprisoned by criminals and their Mimikyu’s ally, truly the most horrifying scenario. I feel as if getting away from the rain, only to end up under the gutter, or as if using a lifetime supply of bad luck in one day. His attempt to move his tail failed as it seemed to be trapped under a bookshelf, keeping it immobile.

Strengthening his resolve, he spat, <I… I won’t speak. I won’t betray Pikachu.>

Mimikyu moved his 'Shadow Claw' towards Ace’s neck before poking it.

<Alright, I’ll talk, I’ll talk, just don’t hurt me!>

“Well… that was easy,” Meowth said to himself.

The lower part of Mimikyu’s costume displayed a weak smile, eyes glinting devilishly.

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.1

A soft breeze and warm sunlight brushed against Dash’s face as she flew through the sky, soaring above a large body of water and leaving an island with a volcano in the middle behind her. Her attention focused on yet another island, this one had a very tall mountain with snow dusting the top. She glanced at the passengers on her back while her wings repeated strong flaps.

“So, let me get this straight,” Dash said as she looked at the two trainers she had met not long ago. While their weight on their own wouldn’t be much of a problem for her to carry, the armor they wore was slowing her down. Her usual speed which surpassed the speed of sound was now no higher than a hundred kilometers per hour. “Three days ago the sky turned black and numerous portals opened all over Alola. You both defended the vacation resort on that island we just left, but didn’t join the main battle that took place the next day.”

“Can you blame us?” Emily asked, her rear legs positioned on both sides of Dash’s rear legs, her hands wrapped around her boss’ belly. “Most of our pokemon vanished a week ago, leaving us with only a small part of our forces.”

Astra spoke up, “Even with the team members I kept in reserve, Emily had only three pokemon while I was left with two. Aside that, we lacked intel about our enemy and lacked means of capturing defeated beasts since regular pokeballs didn’t work. I wanted to avoid unnecessary risk without Nica watching my back. I know it was a bit cowardly of me… but...”

Pikachu withdrew his forepaws from Dash’s neck and turned around, now looking up at the Pokemon Master. “Nica mentioned that you’re more of ‘think first and then act’ trainer, and she wasn’t there with you to help you out. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Thank you,” Astra said with a look of relief. “Defending the resort against two Ultra Beasts wasn’t all that difficult, but it was very time-consuming since we couldn’t simply catch them. It turned into a game of Rattata and Meowth.”

Emily added, “After finally knocking them out and ensuring that the civilians were safe, we asked for means of transportation that we could use to get to the Aether Foundation. If we had any at hand, we could have used a water or flying pokemon to transport us, but… you know,” she mumbled, referring to the portal that abducted their team. “They let us use a tourist ship and we took the defeated beasts with us.”

Dash pointed at a big, white construction in the distance, one surrounded by water. “You mean that fortress? Building something like that on water sure is radical.”

“That one,” Pikachu said with a nod before grabbing the pegasus’ neck again. “They got you the beastballs, right?”

“Correct,” Astra said, nodding. “The Aether Foundation worked on a way to deal with Ultra Beasts for a long time. They helped us imprison the ones we captured and gave us some beastballs, though we weren’t the only ones who came looking for their aid.”

“You mean Ash?” Pikachu asked, looking over his shoulder at Astra.

“Most likely.” She gave a nervous chuckle, lifting her arm up to rub the back of her neck. “I... did my best to avoid them.”

“Avoid them, why?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side.

Astra blushed and looked to the side.

Emily laughed. “You have to forgive my boss. She’s trying to keep a low profile and she’s determined to avoid meeting with your trainer. She’s a bit shy about it.”

Astra hit Emily with her elbow, giving her disapproving glance before continuing, “Anyway… Miss Lusamine told me that the Kahunas were planning to attack the largest Ultra Beast alongside their guardians tomorrow morning. She asked if we would join the attack, but I refused.”

“Why?” Dash asked.

“Lusamine told me that many Ultra Beasts are gathered near the largest one and local reporters showed footage how this massive creature defeated a few beasts, taking control of the rest. I feared the attack was destined for failure,” Astra explained before pointing far into the distance. “I took a few beastballs and borrowed a faster boat to retreat to my main base instead.”

Emily spoke up, “First we rallied the former Guardians who once worked for Astra’s parents, then we put combat gear on.” She poked her own shield, causing the noise of clashing metal to reach others’ ears. “While preparing a plan of counterattack, we gave one of the beastballs to our engineers in case they could produce more. What we learned from them was very worrying.”

“Was something wrong with the beastballs?” Pikachu asked.

“They were sabotaged,” Astra said with a firm tone, her eyes narrowed.

“W-what?” Pikachu and Dash said in unison as their ears straightened.

“The next day when we were about to move out, our engineers warned us that someone tampered with the beastballs.” Astra explained, “There was a little device installed in them that would free trapped pokemon upon receiving a long-range signal of sorts.”

Pikachu’s ears drooped. “So… the Kahunas… and Ash... If they caught any beasts…”

“It would all be for nothing,” Dash commented.

Astra looked at the water in the distance, her tone now slightly depressed. “We split up and tried to warn the Aether Foundation and the Kahunas, but our efforts were in vain. All beasts held in the Aether Foundation were rampaging all over the area, while the Kahunas, four guardians and a couple brave trainers who assisted them, were scattered in the chaos at Melemele.”

Emily spoke up, “Together with Astra, we tried to save the Aether Foundation, but as we fought the beasts, suddenly numerous members of Team Rocket swarmed the area. Those criminals were equipped with flawless beastballs and other devices that helped them catch any Ultra Beast who tried to attack them. They simply used the raging chaos to their advantage, and managed to take over.”

Dash glanced at Astra, winking at her. “I bet you kicked their flanks. You’re not the Pokemon Master for nothing after all.”

Pikachu shook his head, speaking before the girl could answer. “Considering that most of their pokemon were in Equestria, I doubt they could defeat them.” He gave the girl a sad glance.

Astra sighed. “Team Rocket timed their attack, waiting for the beasts to weaken the Foundation’s defenses. Our pokemon were too exhausted at that point.” She raised her head, narrowed her eyes and raised a tightened fist. “I knew we couldn’t win, but I came up with an emergency plan. We knocked out around ten of Team Rocket’s members and took their beastballs before retreating.” She looked down, observing the ruined town from above. “Together with my men, we searched for the Tapus and Kahunas so we could give them working beastballs while also capturing any Ultra Beast we came across.”

“Our meeting with Tapu Koko was interrupted though,” Emily pointed out. “The beasts on Melemele were very interested in this particular guardian for some reason, and we were no match for the giant’s deadly ‘Discharge.’”

Dash grit her teeth as her attention focused on some sort of tall wall surrounding a ruined town, but she decided to fly over it for the time being. “So that’s why Tapu Koko had those beastballs with him.” She rubbed her chin. “Still, he mentioned that even captured beasts won’t simply follow orders. Those mob guys can’t use them, right?”

“Well…” Astra said, looking at the pegasus with a sheepish smile, one which only filled Pikachu with worry. “Team Rocket somehow managed to control the largest Ultra Beast. Let’s say that Team Rocket members could go to Melemele and release any Ultra Beasts they captured, letting the giant show its dominance and order them to do what the Rocket members say. For the time being it was enough for Team Rocket to control a powerful army. Taking back Melemele and the Aether Foundation was simply out of the question.”

Dash grit her teeth before descending into the forest, landing near the tall city wall. The moment two armored trainers and one light Pikachu were no longer weighting on her back, she shut her wings and stretched her limbs and back. It would be a lot easier to fly with them if I had a chariot. A five minute break for my wings is all I need.

Pikachu jumped onto the pegasus’ head to her annoyance, now staring at Astra. “But we defeated Big Buzz with the help of pony magic.”

Astra smiled warmly. “And thanks to this, it is only a matter of time before the beasts will rebel against Rocket members, and they certainly can’t recruit more. There may be a bit chaos involved, but without anyone in command, we can capture them one at a time.” She swung her armored hand energetically. “And once we retake the Aether Foundation, we can research a way to get the beasts back where they came from.”

“Now we’re talking,” Dash said before standing on her rear hooves, punching the air, nearly shaking the pokemon from her head, forcing Pikachu to hold her mane tightly. “Until now everyone was fighting except me. I can’t let others do all the work. I can fight too!”

“For now it will be best if we avoid fighting. We have more important priorities,” Astra pointed out as she walked forward, gesturing for others to follow her.

“Boring…” Dash mumbled, dipping her head down.

“I agree with Astra,” Pikachu said as he placed forepaws on his hips and shot a pointed look at the pegasus beneath him. “We need to find Nica.”

“Finding my trusty partner is important, but it is not a priority at the moment,” Astra said, causing Pikachu to gasp.

“W-what?” Pikachu narrowed his eyes and jumped, landing on the girl’s armored shoulder. He grabbed Astra’s face with his little paws, forcing her to look at him. “What can be more important than saving your partner? Answer me!” Bolts of electricity started escaping his cheeks.

Dash bit her bottom lip. Wow. That was bold.

Astra picked Pikachu up from her shoulder, now holding him with both hands on his sides and staring at his angered face. She returned his furious gaze with a calming one. “I have faith in my partner. I put a lot of effort in over the years to ensure that she can overcome any odds, and she worked herself way harder than I expected of her. It would take more than a couple attacks from a big bully to take her down.”

“I know you believe that she’s fine, but what is more important than finding her? Don’t you care about her?” Pikachu asked, his voice sharp and demanding.

“I care about her, but reuniting you with your trainer takes priority!” Astra snapped before masking her emotions with a firm stare. “Don’t you miss your trainer? Don’t you want to make sure he’s healthy and finally reunite with him? He must miss you as well. You’re his partner after all.”

Pikachu grew conflicted, his loyalty to Ash and his loyalty to Nica clashing against one another. “W-what? I mean… I want to reunite with Ash, like… a lot… but…”

“Listen,” Astra said firmly as she kept walking at a steady pace, the pegasus on her left and Emily on her right. “You, alongside your trainer endured great dangers and peril, facing many legendary pokemon and those who wanted to abuse their power. The world… the pokemon and humans living in it… they owe you both a lot for all you have accomplished.” She withdrew one hand, now holding it to her chest as Pikachu balanced himself on her arm. “You deserve to be reunited with your trainer, no matter the crisis, and I will do everything in my power to help you.” She looked to the side. “I… I am worried about Nica, but I have to believe that she’s fine, and I am certain she would want me to help you before searching for her.”

Pikachu frowned before talking a calming breath. He walked across Astra’s hand before balancing himself on her shoulder. “So you hold us in such high regard after all. Nica was the same.” He frowned and murmured quietly, “Even if we don’t deserve it...”

Dash lightly booped the girl’s side, catching her attention. “You really shouldn’t sell yourself and your partner short. If it wasn’t for Nica, Equestria would be conquered by now. And I heard that even when her memories were sealed away, she worked very hard to make up for it.” She flew up, now hovering in front of Astra while flying backward, noticing a small smile on the girl’s face. “Not only did she save Equestria from slavery, but also protected your world as well.” She crossed her forehooves. “I saw with my own eyes how our magic can make pokemon a lot stronger. Just imagine Darkrai leading an army of pokemon boosted by magic to get his revenge against humans…it wouldn’t be pretty. That’s one and a half world-savings on her account.”

Astra smiled brightly.

“Wow, I haven’t seen you smile like this for a long time,” Emily commented. “It’s both heartwarming and creepy.”

Pikachu looked to his right, turning to Astra and said, “When Litten, Rowlet, Lycanroc and I ended up in Equestria, I was lost and confused inside a dangerous forest. Nica found me, escorted me to Ponyville, helped me to find the rest of the team, and then she volunteered to become my guardian and take care of me.”

Dash held forehoof in front of her mouth and chuckled. “Which involved quite a lot of misunderstandings and drama… and a very long event involving Pikachu chasing after Nica. Oh, and that one tiny adventure. Now that was epic.”

“Drama?” Astra asked, staring at the pegasus in confusion.

“That’s… not important…” Pikachu sheepishly said as he gave Dash a disapproving glare, who only smirked in return. He looked back at Astra and said, “What’s important is that I was stuck in Equestria for the time being, and Nica did everything she could to make my stay enjoyable. Whenever she was around, I felt happy… as if I was with Ash.” He stood on his rear paws and waved his forepaws. “And we had an amazing adventure and training together. It was so much fun.”

Dash grinned and punched the air in front of trainer’s face, causing her to take a step back. “Not to mention that this team of amazing chu’s with help of Twi and Starlight’s magic bested that giant.” She spread her forehooves. “That was awesome!”

Pikachu nuzzled Astra’s cheek. “Nica saved me from that muscular Ultra Beast, came up with some great plans, took that deadly discharge upon herself to protect me, and was brave enough to fight that giant in close combat. Her brother was amazing too, delivering the finishing blow.”

A lone tear slid down from Astra’s watering eye as an even wider smile was present on her lips.

“Is… something wrong?” Dash asked.

The master wiped her face with her armored hand, forcing Pikachu to hold her shoulder for balance. “It’s… it’s just… it makes me happy. It’s like a dream come true.” She lowered her hand, now looking at Dash and then at Pikachu as more tears started to slide down her cheeks. “I can’t even describe the amount of pride I feel towards my trusty partner. Our dream, becoming a reality.”

“H-hey… don’t cry,” Emily said in a joking tone. “You’ll make me cry as well at this rate.” She looked up at the sky, shaking her head in amusement. “Ace, you clever Raichu. I knew your secret technique would prove useful someday. Even if I never knew when.”

“You sound surprised, Emily. Wasn’t such an incredibly powerful combo useful before?” Dash asked.

“Well… Considering that Ace needs to be near water and how long it takes to charge this exhausting combo, it is not always the best option,” Emily pointed out. “Aside from it’s cons, most pokemon wouldn’t even survive it. I am just glad that Ace finally got a perfect opportunity to use it. I believe that the pokemon you all took down together was not only ancient, but the aura surrounding it made it more powerful than even pokemon like a mega-evolved Rayquaza.”

Astra glanced at Pikachu, her smile still wide and warm. “Not only did she finally get an opportunity to put her skills and power to good use, but she cooperated and protected you. I hope wherever she is, she’s as happy and proud of herself as I am now.”

“If that’s the case, why don't we look for her? After everything she has done, she deserves to be rescued immediately,” Pikachu suggested.

Astra’s smile vanished as she now stared at Pikachu suspiciously. “You planned it from the start, didn’t you?”

Pikachu blushed and looked to the side. “Guilty as charged.”

Astra sighed. “How about this? We will look for your trainer and for Nica at the same time.” Pikachu’s ears raised as he looked at her with hopeful stare. “I glanced at Nica only for a moment when she was flying through the sky, but I suspect she landed either in Ulu’ula Meadow, or somewhere in this vast forest. We’ll just need to take the risk and explore this place on our way to the Tapu Village.”

“Tapu Village?” Dash asked.

“It is a small ruined town, damaged by an angered Tapu many years ago. According to Milan, this is where Ash and his friends evacuated after the Melemele fiasco,” Emily pointed out.

“Milan?” Dash asked, “A friend of yours?

“You could say that. He’s actually my subordinate and a former Guardian,” Emily answered.

“Guardian? Like Tapu Koko?” Dash asked, causing Pikachu to facepalm.

“Members of the organization that Astra’s parents lead were titled as guardians as a show of respect to the four guardian deities who protected the islands,” Emily corrected. “Milan was in recon and is working for us.”

“Cool,” Dash said before pointing at the trainers accusingly. “Still, you guys are moving like snails. We need to speed up.”

“Dash, what are you planning?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side.

“I’ll provide recon from the air, duuuh. If Nica is somewhere in this forest, I’ll find her in no time.” With a strong flap of her wings, she flew into the air, piercing through the leaves and branches of local trees.

“No, wait!”

“Come back!”

She ignored the calls from the trainers, now scanning the area from above. As the sea of trees blocked most of her vision, she descended, deciding to scout from a lower attitude. This forest is too dense. If Nica is here, I’ll need to fly close to the ground to find her. She shrugged. Oh well. Zipping in between trees is no challenge for me. Much to her surprise, a round object flew from between the trees, speeding in her direction. “Wait… is that a beach ball?” Dash asked, blinking. Why would anyone play with those at times like this? The round object flashed with a blinding red light, only to explode two meters away as if an anti-air shell.

Dash screamed in pain, pushed away by the force of explosion. She yelped again as she pierced through the branches, crashing into the ground as her shoulders sank at least three centimeters deep in the dirt. A few burns now decorated her fur. What the heck was that? She pushed against the ground, forcing herself to sit before massaging her aching head. Her hearing was still null, ringing from the force of the blast. After shaking her head and rubbing her ears, waiting for her hearing to return, she looked around.

“Another Alolan variant? Interesting.”

Dash narrowed her eyes, now staring at a tall, human creature. Said human seemed to be wearing a grey suit with ten yellow buttons decorating it. The trousers were grey as well, and she noticed very polished black boots. Looking up, she glanced at his head, spotting a satisfied grin while bronze hair decorated top of his head. One look at his face was enough to tell her that he wasn’t a survivor lost in the woods.

“It seems Blacephalon scored quite a rare catch. Should we add it to your collection, boss, or sell on black market?” spoke a female voice.

Dash looked at the approaching duo, who flanked their supposed boss from both sides. On the right she could see a female human with golden hair with two ponytails. She wore very long white boots and gloves, her skirt black and short. Her face radiated confidence. On the left of the boss, she spotted a human that had more male features. The uniforms were nearly identical, black trousers covering half of his legs. Aside from having green hair, his face looked like it was begging to be punched. Both uniforms had a big red ‘R’ decorating their chests.

“Who are you?” Dash asked before pointing accusingly. “You all certainly look like the bad guys! Were you the one who blew me from the sky?” She snorted, narrowing her eyes. “Not cool.”

“It talks, or maybe it is a ‘he.’ That’s quite a tomboyish tone for a pokemon,” the male human spoke, getting more than ire from the pegasus. He picked a pokeball from his belt, which had a mix of red pokeballs and some beastballs. “I like your design, so much better than that stupid, talking Meowth.”

“Can we catch it, boss? A talking pokemon of such size with wings would complement our motto and look great while doing so.” The female trainer looked at the tall man with expectations in her eyes, holding her hands together in a pleading gesture. “We’ll train him hard to make him far more competent than that small disappointment of a pokemon.”

“Granted, but be quick,” the boss said, causing his subordinate to jump in excitement.

With a firm movement of her hand, she deployed a pokemon into battle, one covered in yellow fur and some sort of mix between necklace and watch in his hand.

Dash stomped and spread her wings. “Okay, first, I am a female! Rainbow Dash’s the name.” She stomped again. “Second, I’m not a pokemon, I’m a pegasus pony!” She stomped again. “Third, who are you jerks. An introduction would be nice.”

The female glanced at her partner before waving her hand at the pegasus. “Our boss is in a hurry, so we can’t afford a full introduction, but you can call me Cassidy, your new master.”

“You wish,” Dash huffed.

The male seemed to pointedly ignore her comment and added, “My name is Butch, and don’t worry, we’ll give you a full rundown of our glorious motto when we have time to practice our choreography. Just be a good … ummm… pegasus… and don’t resist.”

“Hypno, attack with ‘Hypnosis,’” Cassidy commanded as her pokemon started moving his device in front of his face.

Dash looked to the side before flying into the air, feeling some aching leftovers in her bones from endured explosion. She rounded the bad guys, circling around them while zipping between the trees. As the circle shrank, she started to fly around the pokemon.

Hypno looked repeatedly left and right before his body started to shake, overwhelmed by the zip of colors speeding around him. His confusion only grew as he tried to stop the pegasus. The world started circling before his very eyes.

Using her momentum, she turned and stretched her rear leg, sending the pokemon crashing quickly into the tree with a solid kick. “How did you like that?” She started hovering in mid-air, forelegs on her hips and head raised in pride. “I’m not going to fall for some cheap tricks.”

“Wow, that’s some nice speed.”

Dash looked to her right. “Thanks, Butch.”

“My name is! Wait… you got it right,” Butch said before recovering his composure. “Now I want you on the team even more.”

Cassidy raised her hand, pointing at the pegasus. “Hypno, time to get serious. Catch her with ‘Psychic!’”

Dash bit her bottom lip. She flew for the trees, but her body stopped moving before she reached the cover. She yelped as she was pushed and slammed into the ground in front of Hypno. And here I am eating dirt. So embarrassing… She felt something hit her head lightly a moment later, only to feel some sort of force affecting her body. She closed her eyes struggled, resisting whatever was happening to her as if flying against powerful wave of wind. With the final push, she landed on the ground, free of whatever was affecting her.

“Seems he’s not tired enough,” Cassidy said in annoyance.

“Wait, I thought she was a female,” Butch commented. “A female Rainbow Dash. It is impolite to mistake someone's name or gender.”

“She, he, whatever. Hypno, attack with ‘Mega Punch!’”

Dash raised her head and stood up on her trembling legs, seeing the fist of the pokemon flashing with power. The way Hypno’s hand stretched, it indicated a powerful uppercut, something she wasn’t ready for. She jumped to the side, only to feel the other hand of her opponent to grab her wing. Her eyes became wide before she closed them, awaiting for the impact and steeling herself for the blow. Instead of experiencing pain though, she heard a harsh, clashing noise.

Opening her eyes, Dash spotted Pikachu’s ‘Iron Tail’ clashing with Hypno’s flashing fist. Taking this opening, she kicked the hand holding her wing before flying away.

“Hypno, attack with ‘Psychic!’” Cassidy commanded.

The medallion held by the psychic pokemon flashed with power while bolts started escaping from Pikachu’s cheeks. A flashy ‘Thunderbolt’ struck Hypno a moment later, who in return retaliated by throwing Pikachu through a tree, before slamming him into another one. Burn marks littered the grass and scattered fragments of wood filled the area.

Dash bit her bottom lip, watching as the electric mouse pushed himself free from the tree and took a fighting stance by her side. She looked over her shoulder, watching as Astra and Emily ran through the bushes to join the party.

“Rainbow Dash, that was reckless of you! There are many Ultra Beasts in this… forest…” Astra paused before her attention focused on the enemy officer. “You!” She stretched her arm as a longsword emerged from her armor.

“Well, well, well. If it’s not the famous Pokemon Master and the destroyer of the criminal elite. After all those years we once again meet face-to-face. Such an honor.”

Dash looked between Astra and the enemy boss, both staring at each other as if they were two chimeras ready for battle to the death. She narrowed her eyes and took a fighting stance. She was representing ponykind in battle against evil, and she wasn’t planning on losing.

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.2

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.2

Both parties stared at one another, an intense hatred burning in their eyes. To call it a staring contest would be an understatement. The boss maintained a firm posture, refusing to back down as he stood with his arms crossed and satisfaction present on his face. Both subordinates quickly took a protective formation in front of him.

Astra kept her long-sword raised ahead of her while she snatched a pokeball from her belt with her other hand. Emily followed her example.

Pikachu didn’t dare take his eyes from Hypno as bolts of electricity escaped his cheeks.

“Pikachu, I will need as much backup as possible in this battle. I know I’m not your trainer, but will you listen to me?” Astra asked.

Pikachu looked at the Pokemon Master before responding with a nod. If this trainer was the one who managed to raise such an amazing pokemon like Nica, he would trust her judgement and skills with his life.

“Your moves?”

“‘Thunderbolt,’ ‘Iron Tail,’ ‘Electro Ball,’ and ‘Quick Attack,’” Pikachu answered, naming each move aloud thanks to his translating collar.

“Got it.”

“Another talking one?” Butch said before grinning as the image of one, particular Meowth flashed in his mind. “I can’t wait to see their faces when I tell them how many pokemon can talk on this island.”

Pikachu took a deep breath and tensed his muscles for the upcoming battle. I may be a bit tired and hurt from my previous battles, but I won't let it hold me down. Bring it on!

Emily spoke up, glancing at the pegasus, “Rainbow Dash, I know you’re not a pokemon, and I don’t know your moves, but…”

“I can fly super fast, punch kick hard, control the weather, and make a tornado,” Dash said in haste. “I didn’t think I would fight in a pokemon battle like that, but I need to teach these punks a lesson for messing with us!”

The Pokemon Master and her subordinate Emily looked at each other and nodded before throwing their pokeballs, Astra’s first.

“Go, Haxorus!” Astra shouted as a two meter tall pokemon was summoned into the open area. Three large, blood-red claws dug into the ground, ripping up the grass beneath it as the dragon gave an earth-shattering roar. Three smaller ones were present on each hand, shining bright in contrast to the dulled armour plates that ran along its body. Shaking its head in agitation, the two battle axes on each side shook, swinging back and forth along with its tail as it awaited any commands from its trainer. Astra grinned as Giovanni narrowed his eyes.

Pikachu looked to his side and up at the massive creature, gasping. That’s one intimidating pokemon. He gulped and took a tiny step back without realizing it. He looks strong as well. I don’t remember Nica mentioning a Haxorus. Astra must have caught it some time after gaining the title of Pokemon Master.

“Go, Alolan Muk!” Emily shouted as a massive pile of multi-colored goo made of poison appeared beside Haxorus. Oozing waves of green, yellow and pink toxins circulated on his body, causing the ground beneath it to smoke and rot right before Pikachu’s eyes. Multiple white crystals were present as well, serving as deadly spikes, claws and teeth.

“We won’t let you touch our boss. Go, Primeape!” Bunch shouted as he sent his pokemon into battle, though unlike the intimidating duo from before, it seemed like a ball of fluff popped out, with two scrawny legs and arms, a metallic bracelet adorning each wrist and ankle. A vein seemed to bulge out as it looked on at the other two pokemon with a gaze of rage.

“Hypno needs reinforcements, go Raticate!” Cassidy shouted as she deployed a fat-looking rat with overstuffed cheeks, two razor-sharp fangs coming out of the top and bottom part of its mouth.

“Usually I won’t dirty my hands, but I respect those who are strong,” he snarled, giving a mocking grin. “I want to witness the power of the one who turned my proud organization into a joke. But make no mistake, I’ll make you regret the damage you have done in the end! Don’t mistake my respect towards you for mercy.” With a sharp flick of his wrist, he threw an ultraball into the field, a mix of black and white with a golden insignia visible at the top. A massive pokemon made of rock appeared on the field. “Rhyperior. Test the might of my opponents before I crush them.”

Both rocket members looked at their boss’s pokemon, both grunts lighting up with determination, inspired by their very own boss fighting right beside them. The pokemon itself was equipped with two wickedly sharp horns piercing out of the top of its head, though only one horn seemed long enough for drilling. While having very short legs, its body was massive and armored with orange plates, covering skin already crafted of rock.

“Pikachu is the weakest of the bunch, so let's get rid of it quickly,” Cassidy commanded with a strong swing of her hand. “Hypno, attack Pikachu with ‘Psychic,’ full power!”

Pikachu grit his teeth. His instincts screamed to try and escape the attack or counter, reminiscent of Ash commanding him, but he agreed to follow Astra so he stood his ground, awaiting command.

“Pikachu, jump towards Muk!” Astra called.

Following on to her boss’s plan, Emily shouted, “Muk, protect Pikachu!”

The little pokemon did as he was told, jumping towards his ally.

Muk spread his hands out protectively, carefully wrapping his gooey body around Pikachu. Though toxic, the pokemon made sure to avoid directly touching the small mouse, so when the Hypno’s pink aura came searching for him, Muk’s resistance to Psychic attacks was more than enough to ward off the unwanted presence.

Hypno dropped to one knee and grit his teeth as his medallion lost its light. His power was wasted against an immune opponent as the dark aura nullified his attack.

“Primeape, trash that Muk with ‘Thrash,’” Butch commanded.

“Raticate, get around Muk and hit Pikachu with a ‘Hyper Fang!’” Cassidy commanded.

Raticate tilted his head to the side and turned, slightly confused and glanced back at its trainer, unsure on how to attack the Pikachu while the Muk was quite literally draped over him. As soon as Cassidy spotted her pokemon’s inactivity, she stomped her foot and screeched, “I don’t care how you do it, just do it!” That spurred the Raticate into action.

Pikachu jumped out of Muk’s embrace and took a fighting stance next to the him, his attention focused on the charging pokemon. At times like this Ash would no doubt command him to hit it with ‘Thunderbolt.’ Was Astra going to do the same?

“Pikachu, prepare ‘Electro Ball’ but don’t attack yet. Haxorus, use ‘Dragon Dance’ and wait for further commands,” Astra commanded.

Pikachu repeated his name, charging the orb of electricity as it grew atop his tail, sparking and pulsing. Much to his surprise, Astra ran in front of him, raising her shield. What is she doing? She’ll get hit at this rate.

“Muk, ‘Minimize,’” Emily called as the size of her pokemon shrank before her very eyes.

Pikachu looked at Astra in worry as the attacking pokemon dashed closer. His attention focused on the shield as it flashed with power, only for some sort of square barrier to form ahead of them. His temporary trainer leaped backward, getting safely behind both pokemon, a weak quake shaking the ground every time her armoured boots made contact with the ground.

“‘Reflect’ set up. Haxorus, protect Pikachu,” Astra commanded.

Pikachu leapt backward as the large pokemon got in between him and the attacker. Raticate jumped, charging at the dragon type pokemon with his shining teeth exposed.

“Haxorus, tank and grab,” Astra said, her tone now calmer than before.

Raticate struck the barrier, losing some power and momentum before hitting the dragon. Haxorus’s massive legs didn’t even budge as he grabbed his opponents with both of his hands, sinking his claws into Raticate’s fur.

“My poor Raticate, release him this instant!” Cassidy shouted in an enraged tone, though Haxorus ignored her.

Primeape jumped at the Alolan Muk with all of his ferocity, swinging his arms. The once large pokemon, now only two times larger than Pikachu, stretched its flexible body, evading one blow after another due to its much smaller frame.

“Muk, attack with ‘Crunch’ while your opponent is close. Then hold him in vice-grip,” Emily shouted.

Primeape finally hit Muk with his fist, only for said fist to sink into the pokemon and promptly become trapped. Sharp, jagged stones formed above and below the Primape’s arm, before a dark aura surrounded them and delivered a painful crunch, along with the Muk’s toxic body burning into him. A violet color sprung to life on the Primape’s forehead as the Muk’s ‘Poison Touch’ ability infected him.

“Pikachu, strike Raticate with ‘Electro Ball’ while he’s immobile and follow up with a quick ‘Thunderbolt.’ Haxorus, attack with ‘Outrage’ the moment Pikachu finishes.”

The pupils in Raticate’s eyes shrank as it started struggling, desperately trying to free himself from the powerful grip.

With a swift swing, Pikachu pushed the ball of electricity against the pokemon before sending a follow-up ‘Thunderbolt’ into the smoke caused by the explosion. He raised his forepaw and closed his eyes, biting his lip upon hearing sharp yelps, furious roars and the noise of destruction caused by the ‘Outrage.’ Whatever was happening inside that cloud of smoke, he was happy not to witness it.

Primeape shook his hand, trying desperately to shake off the Alolan Muk, slamming the creature against the ground repeatedly, yet crunch still maintained its unrelenting grip while the poison spread inside his body. It didn’t take long before Haxorus jumped at him from the cloud of smoke, searching for his next victim.

Pikachu observed the descending smoke as both Raticate and Primeape lay unconscious with the enraged dragon towering over them, roaring in anger. One thing was certain, those two wouldn’t be able to fight anytime soon.

“Hypno, put them to sleep, now!” Cassidy commanded in panic, backpedaling as she watched her pokemon get demolished.

Astra took a step back, staring at her opponents in silence, a calculating look on her face.

“Rainbow Dash, interrupt Hypno and get him into Muk’s jaw!” Emily commanded.

“Finally!” Dash shouted before flapping her wings, flying into action. “Payback time, Hypno. Better get ready, cause here I come!”

Emily looked at Astra, giving her a knowing look. “Haxorus is out of control, you should probably switch him out.”

“Got it,” Astra said with a nod. She called back the rampaging dragon, sending out another team member instead. “Ninetales, I need you!”

Ninetales? But he’s still in Equestria, Pikachu thought as he saw the multi-tailed pokemon appear next to him. Instead of the golden fur and snarky attitude he was expecting, this Ninetales was snow-white and quite similar to Snowy, commanding over the power of ice. He raised his forepaws protectively, caught off guard by ‘Hail’ as it started to hit his little body.

Rainbow Dash flew circles around Hypno before kicking his hand, interrupting the ‘Hypnosis.’ She roughly grabbed the pokemon by his back and flew towards the Muk who had returned to his normal size, waiting with an open jaw. One look at Hypno’s face being enough to show he was in deep…

“Hypno, ‘Mega Punch!’” Cassidy commanded.

Giovanni shook his head in disappointment. “Seems my bodyguards are having some troubles. Rhyperior, end this with an ‘Earthquake.’”

With a high jump, Rhyperior slammed his entire body into the ground, causing the earth to tremble and the ground to split and shatter. A few trees from behind were ripped from the ground and tossed to the floor like twigs blowing in the wind.

Both rocket members struggled to maintain balance while their leader stood unmoving, a confident grin on his face.

Dash withdrew her forehooves, throwing Hypno into the jaw of the Alolan Muk. The ‘Mega Punch’ struck the barrier in front of Muk’s face, weakening the impact against Emily’s pokemon. The super effective biting move wasn’t weakened by anything though as the chewing commenced.

Emily and Astra ran away, increasing their distance from the spreading ‘Earthquake.’

“Pikachu, jump onto Dash’s back. Don’t let ‘Earthquake’ hit you!” Astra commanded.

“Rainbow Dash, pick up Astra’s Ninetales, fast!” Emily ordered.

The pegasus nodded, easily picking the lightweight fox pokemon up with her forehooves wrapped around her belly, while Pikachu held her neck. She closed one eye and grit her teeth, enduring the unexpected ‘Hail’ that accompanied her cargo. The opposing pokemon ended up being hit by ‘Hail’ as well while ignoring it.

The Alolan Muk stopped chewing his opponent and spat him out before closing his eyes. Despite what was left of ‘Reflect’ somehow weakening the force of incoming blow, both Muk and Hypno ended up being swallowed by the enraged ground.

“Ninetales, attack Rhyperior with ‘Ice Beam,’ then help Pikachu hit it with ‘Iron tail,’” Astra commanded.

Pikachu grit his teeth, charging power into his tail.

Ninetales opened her mouth, unleashing an icy beam against the massive pokemon, causing it to struggle against it while freezing part of his body. Hail added a little damage into the mix.

“Counter with ‘Stone Edge!’” the boss shouted out as his pokemon slammed a leg into the ground, causing numerous stones to shoot up and block the oncoming ‘Ice Beam.’

<Pikachu, hold my neck!> Ninetales shouted before pushing herself free from Dash’s hold. She landed atop one of summoned stones as Pikachu jumped onto her neck and grabbed it. The stones started trembling a second later.

Jump after jump, Ninetales leaped from one stone to another. Each stone exploded, yet none were fast enough to keep up with her quick feet and agile reflexes.

“‘Rock Wrecker!’”

Astra took a step back, a bead of sweat dripping down her forehead. “Evade! No matter what, don’t let it hit you! Pikachu, defend Ninetales with ‘Iron Tail.’”

Emily shouted, “Ninetales, you know Aurora Veil, use it!”

Astra looked at her subordinate and smiled. “Thanks. I almost forgot about it in the heat of the moment.”

Rhyperior growled, crashing his armored fists into the ground and causing a massive number of stones to dart out of the ground, ranging from pebbles to boulders as they shot towards the pokemon.

Both of the creatures balked for a second, turning to spot the rocks fly towards them, before leaping into action. Ninetales’ tails flashed brightly as a powerful aura formed around her and Pikachu, using hail to continuously sustain itself. She leaped left and right, evading whatever she could with agility and grace, though with every stone dodged, three more seemed to shoot down after it.

Pikachu leapt forward, quickly intercepting one massive stone from smashing into Ninetales’ face. He swung his tail in mid-air again, cutting a second and third stone before one flying in from the side took him by surprise and slammed him into the ground. His side ached, but he struggled to his feet, determined to help Ninetales. He managed to evade another two rocks and deflect a third before another crashed into him from behind and sent him stumbling to the ground as a multi-colored aura surrounded his body.

Before he could recover, a third, and fourth and fifth boulder rammed into him, burying him immobile under a few tons of pressure. Wincing, he swallowed his yelp of pain and spotted Ninetales running towards him thanks to a small opening in between the stones that trapped him. Above her the final wave of boulders came soaring, aiming to land right on top of the unsuspecting pokemon. He struggled, trying to scream out a warning. He watched, stunned as Ninetales failed to evade two massive boulders that crash-landed directly on top of her, though he noticed a rainbow-like aura around the ice/fairy pokemon appear in the nick of time.

Pikachu grit his teeth, preparing his attack as bolts of electricity started escaping his cheeks, but before he could push the boulders off his back with a burst of lighting, Ninetales freed herself with a burst of dazzling light. She followed up with a beam of ice, freezing the stones weighing on his body while pushing them away.

He ignored the chilling sensation as his crushed body suddenly started feeling a thousand times lighter, and as he was about to force himself to stand, Ninetales’ muzzle gently lifted him to a standing position.

“Thanks,” Pikachu said with a warm smile as his collar was still functional despite tiny cracks now present on its gem.

Ninetales grinned mischievously, gesturing with her forepaw to their recharging foe. <It seems that using ‘Rock Wrecker’ took a lot of out Rhyperior. How about we take advantage of that and repay him in kind?>

Pikachu stretched his back and limbs, which didn’t seem to ache all that much thanks to the protection of ‘Aurora Veil.’ He charged power into his tail and grinned. "With pleasure."

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.3

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.3

“Your opponent is recharging. Attack now!” Astra commanded.

Pikachu didn’t need to be told twice. He charged forward and jumped at his opponent’s head, his tail glossing over with a durable, metal sheen. One strike after another, he swung his ‘Iron Tail’ against Rhyperior’s face, some strikes blocked by his opponent’s massive hands. While his opponent was unable to fight back, his defenses were still solid enough to hold his assault and stand his ground. The moment he landed on the rocky ground, as most grass was blown off, a beam of ice flew over his head, striking Rhyperior’s face and hands.

With another ‘Iron Tail’ charged and ready, Pikachu jumped, striking the pokemon’s ice-covered face. The frozen hands failed to move, unable to block any of his oncoming strikes. The massive pokemon fell onto his back, losing consciousness from the stream of attacks, as a loud tremor followed.

Pikachu and Ninetales ran back towards the trainers, taking a fighting stance next to each other after shooting the other a cheerful glance.

<You’re really strong and durable for an unevolved pokemon. My trainer often mentioned a trainer she admires and his Pikachu partner. To think I would get the honor of fighting alongside you!> Ninetales gushed, looking to the side and down with a proud smile.

“Thanks. I’ve overcome many opponents without the need to evolve.” Pikachu looked back at Astra’s pokemon, staring back with a mutual respect. “And I must say, you’re really good too. All that speed and agility was solid, and it was one strong ‘Ice Beam.’ Knocked that Rhyperior out cold!”

Ninetales chuckled, ignoring the few bruises speckled across her back, outside of Pikachu’s view. <Thank you, but you are overestimating me. I am the weakest of Astra’s pokemon actually. I was the last pokemon she caught and I am years behind the other veterans in terms of experience.>

“Oh…” Pikachu muttered as his ears drooped. If this Ninetales was the weakest one, it was no wonder why Astra’s partner was so amazing.

<Still, why haven’t you evolved into Raichu yet? With skills like that and so many heroic achievements, you deserve to be a Raichu as much as Captain Nica. Maybe even more.>

Pikachu took a step back and looked at Ninetales with a sheepish smile. Even the most recent recruit in Astra’s team seemed to agree with her ideology.

“Muk, how are you holding up?” Astra asked in worry as she peeked into the hole. “Do you need a break?”

The Alolan Muk climbed up through cracks in the ground. Bruises littered the battered pokemon’s body and chipped fragments of hard rock were stuck in the creature’s goo, yet his fighting spirit was far from extinguished. Hypno remained unconscious in between the cracks.

Rainbow Dash landed between Pikachu and Muk, rubbing the ground with her hoof while giving the opposition a teasing smirk. “What’s the matter? We’re just getting started, and you guys are already on the ropes.” She rubbed her muzzle arrogantly. “Go on, send out more pokemon. We can defeat them one after another without breaking a sweat.”

Cassidy and Butch looked at their boss with worry.

“Sir… I hate to say it, but their team barely received any damage. Even Ninetales and Muk seem fine despite being struck by your amazing Rhyperior,” Cassidy commented, looking at her boss with a nervous smile.

“Should we keep fighting with our pokemon? Or…” Butch paused, hesitant to finish his sentence.

The boss chuckled, and then laughed, his arms still crossed while a confident smile stayed glued to his face.

Pikachu looked away from the boss, glancing at the trainers instead. Astra was now standing next to Rainbow Dash, whispering something into her ear. The pegasus nodded in return. What is she planning?

“From what my spies have reported, your partner and your best pokemon vanished a week ago, yet the leftovers of your team still crushed our pokemon effortlessly,” the boss praised with a mocking grin, while taking a step forward and slowly applauding the huddled trainers, pokemon and pegasus.

Pikachu titled his head to the side as he tried to read the man’s face. He saw a sliver of respect and admiration in his eyes, though it was heavily overshadowed by his hatred for them. Pikachu instinctively moved closer to Astra, putting himself in front of her, before muttering under his breath, “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”

“Now I see why my best men fell before you, Pokemon Master Astra.” He shook his head, giving an annoyed chuckle. “I would offer you to join me as my right-hand man, or woman, but I know you would refuse on the spot.”

Pikachu rolled his eyes. “There it is…”

Astra grit her teeth, but her face softened a moment later. She aimed her sword at the man in distance and spoke, “It is unusual… No, it is extremely rare for the boss of Team Rocket to go into the field personally and put himself at risk. What can be so important to bring you out of your little lair, Giovanni?”

Giovanni stopped clapping and instead put his hands into pockets in his suit. “You are clever. How about you figure it out yourself.”

Pikachu looked between the boss of Team Rocket and the Pokemon Master as he relaxed his tense muscles. It seems they’re pausing this battle to take a more diplomatic approach. He looked at where Rainbow Dash stood a moment ago, only to notice that the pegasus was now standing next to a line of trees in the distance. Something was going on behind the scenes for sure.

Astra glanced at the tall walls in distance. “Po town is where Team Skull is located. Were you trying to make a diplomatic relationship with Team Skull or recruit them?”

Giovanni laughed, taking a few seconds to calm down. “Well… you are almost right. While incompetent losers like Team Skull are worthless, even when compared to my weakest subordinates, I heard their leaders are more salvageable. I was considering giving their best a chance to join the winning side… or eradicate them if they tried to get in the way.”

Astra rubbed her chin with an armored hand. “You are behind this invasion, that is obvious. Considering how powerful the Ultra Beasts are, it must be very important for you to ensure that this invasion succeeds.”

“That’s correct.” Giovanni narrowed his eyes as his confident smile shifted into one of disappointment and resentment. “In the past, your parents and their subordinates hindered me and other underground bosses. After we finally got rid of them with assassination and false accusations, we slowly recovered over the years.” He took hands from his pockets and spread them. “My organization was growing more powerful and influential by the day.”

Giovanni pushed his men aside before stepping forward, pointing at Astra accusingly. “But their cursed daughter hid from my assassins and plotted her revenge. Not only have you slowed our attempts in finding Lugia and prevented us from capturing Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno. Not only did you put three of my best men behind bars away from my territory and influence where I couldn’t free them, but you used your title as Pokemon Master to inspire naive trainers to rise up against us. Even the Elite Four in Kanto and Johto and their champions no longer ignore us.”

Giovanni took a deep breath before shouting, “You endured everything the underground bosses threw at you and relentlessly hunted our elites!” He gestured at Cassidy and Butch, who trembled in fear from their boss’ outburst. “Because of you, those two are the best that my organization has to offer. You turned a respected and feared mob into nothing more than a joke.”

“T-thank you boss,” Cassidy said as she held hands together in front of her face, hearts seemingly visible in her eyes. “We are the best of the best, such an honor!”

“Ummm… Cassidy. I don’t think it was meant to be a compliment,” Butch said, only to get slapped aside

“Don’t ruin this for me!”

Giovanni raised his hands as if praying to the heavens. “However, this project of mine will revive my worthless organization. Even my weakest grunts will be able to defeat the strongest trainers in the world when in command of such powerful creatures. But most importantly…” He turned to the side, not taking his eyes away from Astra. “I can use all this power to kill you once and for all.”

“So that’s what this is about. You want to eliminate me personally,” Astra said before swinging her sword against the air. “You wanted to strike me down when I am at my weakest and you are at your strongest, or am I wrong?!”

“You are not wrong.” Giovanni turned around, now showing his back to the trainer. “Ever since we started using the technology from the Aether Foundation to explore this so called ‘Ultra Space’ in search for powerful creatures, I was unsure if we would actually win. With your presence in Alola, I feared you would once again ruin our plans.” He laughed, taking a few seconds to display his satisfaction. “However, my informants told me that your trusty partner is no longer with you, which caught my interest. The moment I heard about the accident on the beach where most of your team vanished without a trace… Well… I am sure you get the idea.”

Pikachu frowned at Giovanni, glaring at him in disgust. With Nica and most of Astra and Emily’s team out of the picture, there was little they could do against an invasion of Ultra Beasts, opening up a perfect opportunity for Team Rocket to realize their plan. Trying to hunt Astra and Emily while they are weak. Coward! He looked at where Dash stood not long ago, only to notice that she was now gone, no sign of her rainbow mane. When did she...?

“Technology from the Aether Foundation? Did you have a mole or spy who sabotaged the beastballs and stole tech for you?” Emily asked, picking up another pokeball, ready to throw it. “The Aether Foundation put a lot of effort into finding and combating Ultra Beasts, yet the results of their research were less than impressive. Were your spies behind it?”

“Spies? Nothing of the sort. Let’s just say… that a somewhat greedy friend of mine sold the Foundation’s secrets while sabotaging their work. I should thank the scientists from the foundation. Thanks to their efforts my men could travel through the Ultra Space with ease.”

“I see. Now it all makes sense,” Astra said. “I must say, you are quite open with information. Are you really so sure that we won’t get out of it alive and use it against you?”

“To be fair, I merely confirmed what you came up with yourself.” He walked forward, bypassing his men. “It was nice talking with you in person, Astra. It’s a shame, but your skills, your talent, and your powerful team will perish. Cassidy, Butch, take them to a world of pain.”

“Yes, boss!” both rocket members spoke in unison before grabbing beast balls from their belts.

“Pikachu, hit Cassidy with ‘Quick Attack’ and use ‘Iron Tail’ against her belt,” Astra called.

Pikachu glanced at Astra in confusion, wasting a precious two seconds before following her command. His speed increased in an instant while his tail slowly changed from yellow to a metallic grey.

Rainbow Dash flew from behind the line of trees, grabbing the beast balls from the rocket members hands.

“Wait, what?” Butch said, now staring at his empty hand. He looked at the pegasus who shot him a raspberry. “How could you!”

“Ninetales, ‘Dazzling Gleam!’” Astra commanded as a bright light emerged from the pokemon’s tails.

Both trainers raised their hands over their head, cowering from the blinding light as the force of the attack pushed them backward.

With a quick jump, Pikachu struck Cassidy with ‘Quick Attack,’ slapping against her belly. With a swift swing, he cut the belt and it clattered to the ground.

“Cut Butch’s belt as well. Dash, steal those belts,” Astra commanded, pointing at the rocket members with accusing finger.

“On it!”

Pikachu leaped towards Butch, slicing the belt before Dash grabbed it. He yelped as Rainbow Dash grabbed him by his belly and pulled him towards the trainers. The belts ended up thrown towards Astra’s hands and all that was left in their wake was a rainbow trail.

“Great job, Rainbow Dash, just as planned,” Astra praised.

“That was nothing,” Rainbow Dash bragged as she hovered over the ground, rubbing her chest in pride, her head raised arrogantly. “Just wait until I show them my Rainboom! This will totally blow your mind.”

Pikachu pushed himself free from Dash’s hold, now looking at the Pokemon Master in confusion. If he was with Ash, he would no doubt allow the rocket members to deploy the beasts into the field and fight them head on. Astra’s methods were so different, though he wasn’t complaining.

“I suspected that you were just toying with us, so I used Dash’s speed and blinding light from Ninetales’ attack to protect us,” Astra said before looking at the belts, noticing six beastballs in total. She threw them towards Emily. “I’m not planning to die today.” She glanced at Pikachu. “And I still have an important task to fulfill, no matter the crisis.”

“So you’re not afraid to fight fire with fire and play dirty, I can respect that,” Giovanni said before turning around, now facing Astra once again. “Unfortunately for you, that was just half of my forces.”

Pikachu’s ears perked up as he looked around at the lines of trees and bushes, hearing movements from all around. He narrowed his eyes as bolts started escaping from dots on his cheeks.

Rainbow Dash, the Alolan Muk, and the Alolan Ninetales took a defensive formation around Emily and Astra, scanning their surroundings warily.

From the northwest and southwest jumped two identical figures, ones with some sort of balls without eyes serving as their heads.

“Hey, their heads look like what was thrown at me before it just exploded.” Dash flew into the air, pointing at both beasts in aggravation. ”Were you clowns the ones who pulled that lame prank on me? Stick to whoopie cushions, not blowing up your own heads!””

The beasts picked up their heads with their hands, now holding them like basketballs ready to be thrown.

“Okay… that answered my question,” Dash said as she rubbed her neck nervously. “I expected weird stuff, but not this.”

Pikachu looked away from the Ultra Beasts, now staring in the opposite direction as he felt trembling under his little feet. He gulped as the noise of crushed trees followed with each passing second. At least five trees fell aside as two large beasts emerged from the forest. Is that a walking building? Pikachu thought as he looked up, staring at towering beast made of grey bricks. Wait… those legs have eyes… what the heck! He looked to the left, seeing an identical beast emerging further away.

“I ordered four of my Ultra Beasts to ambush you while you were busy fighting Butch and Cassidy. I hoped to surround and ambush you with ten beasts, letting you experience despair before taking your life,” Giovanni said as he gestured at both pair of beasts. “Unfortunately, you were clever enough to cut that number down to four, but it seems that was my mistake for allowing someone so incompetent to hold the beastballs. Make no mistake though, those beasts are more than a match for you.”

Astra stepped from between her pokemon, now looking at the beasts with explosive heads. “You no longer need to listen to them. That gigantic Ultra Beast, Big Buzz… he has been defeated.”

“You won’t lie yourself out of this one,” Giovanni said with a smirk. “Your silver tongue has no effect on these creatures.”

The beasts approached, indifferent to her pleas and ready to attack.

Astra took a step back and raised her shield, summoning ‘Light Screen’ into the field. “They aren’t listening. This is bad.”

“Crush them, my lovelies. Show them the might of the revived Team Rocket!” Cassidy shouted, dancing as if being a cheerleader.

“But go easy on that pegasus. I still want Rainbow Dash on the team,” Butch added.

“That again? I am not even a pokemon!” Dash shouted as she spread her wings, ready for another round.

“Your partner has been missing for a month and you’re already trying to replace her,” the boss said, sneering at the cornered trainers. “So much for your rumored loyalty to your team.”

Pikachu looked at Giovanni in confusion, who now stared at him with growing interest.

“If you still had Nica by your side, she would have sensed this ambush from a mile away. Trying to replace her with a Pikachu is worthless,” Giovanni mocked, giving the small pokemon a challenging glare.

“I am not a replacement!” Pikachu shouted.

“Exactly!” Astra shouted, catching everyone’s attention. “This is a battle between us, Giovanni. This Pikachu and pegasus Rainbow Dash were just tagging along. Can they leave?”

Pikachu and Dash looked at Astra in disbelief. No way were they going to run with their tails between their legs.

Giovanni shook his head. “No witnesses, no survivors. You’re smarter than that Astra.”

“That pegasus will work for us,” Butch cut in, ignoring the mare’s murderous glare as she fumed in the background.

“Well… it was worth a try.” Astra threw her other pokeball, sending Haxorous into the field. She raised her sword at the closest Ultra Beast and added, “It seems the real battle is starting now, but no one is going to die on my watch.”

Emily threw her two remaining pokeballs. The first pokemon being a large dog-like pokemon with rich fur, standing proudly on four paws. It growled at the living buildings, intimidating them as both stepped backward. The other one stood on two legs with a mole-like body as two massive, metal claws laid at its side. A large steel tip pointed from the creature’s head, acting as an impenetrable hood.

“Arcanine, Excadrill, I’m counting on you!” Emily shouted as she unleashed her own sword. “All of our pokemon are out. This is our final stand, and those beasts won’t break us.”

“We will see about that,” Giovanni said as he deployed pokemon of his own. “Nidoqueen, Nidoking, support the beasts. The destruction of my greatest enemy and revival of my organization is at hand’s reach and failure is not an option.”

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.4

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.4

Pikachu jumped towards the sky, avoiding the oncoming ‘Sludge Wave’ unleashed by Nidoqueen. As much as he wanted to counterattack with a shock of electricity, it would do little against a ground type opponent. Sadly, targeting the horn didn't seem to work either.

Landing on top of a tree, he steadied himself and quickly scanned the area, trying to make sense of the raging chaos surrounding him. His body was littered in bruises and sweat from the ongoing battle.

The dragon type pokemon, Haxorus, stood guard in front of the injured and unconscious Ninetales, enduring two explosions caused by the beasts’ heads. As powerful as those attacks were, the attackers seemed to get weaker after using them.

“Arcanine, attack with ‘Flare Blitz!’” Emily commanded.

The large, dog pokemon charged, coated in a cluster of orange flames before they sparked to a light blue, becoming dangerously hot. The beast threw another exploding head, leaving numerous bruises on Arcanine, but he didn’t slow down. The beast ended up being slammed into a few trees and getting badly burned in the process. The surrounding trees caught on fire pretty quickly, adding a ring of heat to the arena.

The Ultra Beasts crafted from stone summoned a rain of big boulders, most likely ‘Rock Slide.’ Some boulders were intercepted by Exadrill’s strikes while others were cut down by Astra’s sword.

Taking one breath after another as he gave his tired muscles a moment to rest, Pikachu observed the Pokemon Master with full attention. The moment the battle began, Astra had stopped giving firm commands and instead jumped into action, bravely summoning shields to protect her allies while striking harshly against her enemies. From Nica’s description, I thought Astra was more of an intellectual type. I didn’t expect to see her fighting so fiercely. I don’t think even Ash would fight by our side like that.

“Excadrill, attack with ‘Drill Rush,’” Emily called before running towards Arcanine and summoning ‘Light Screen’ for support. The beast unleashed a concentration of flames, causing Emily to shift the properties of her sword, using a water element for support. As if an Oshawott had attacked with shell strike, she intercepted the weakened ‘Fire Blast,’ her armor receiving a few small burns in the process.

Excadrill merged the claws on his arms together, turning into a living drill before charging at the large foe. Astra joined in, activating a water element for her sword. While it was hard to tell if opponent was a rock or a steel type, ground and water moves seemed to be the most efficient against it.

The living building dropped down lower as it trembled, struggling to stay upright under the onslaught of attacks.

“Muk, assist Arcanine with ‘Gunk Shot,’” Emily commanded before she wiped some sweat from her forehead, no doubt feeling the heat from the nearby flames.

Done waiting and observing, Giovanni stepped forth, calmly calling, “Nidoking, protect the headless Ultra Beast and attack with ‘Earthquake.’”

The poison and ground type pokemon jumped in front of the attack and the barrage of toxins smashed against it, though it did little. The pokemon resisted before slamming his leg into the ground and caused a massive tremor to rip through the ground.

Pikachu bit his bottom lip. The fact that he, Arcanine, Excadrill, and Muk were all weak to ground attacks didn’t bode well when facing Giovanni's pokemon, while the beasts made it impossible to focus attacks on them.

Emily summoned ‘Reflect’ with her shield before charging at the beast with her watery sword, only to lose her balance and trip over. Being surrounded while fighting against an opponent using ‘Earthquake’ put Astra’s team and her allies at a big disadvantage.

If only Emily had her Primarina and Astra had her Starmie, they would have disposed of the attackers already. I have to help somehow, Pikachu thought as his attention focused on Astra, who seemed too busy fighting the living buildings and too disorientated to give him any commands.

Rainbow Dash pushed a black cloud with her hooves, stopping above Nidoking with a smug grin. “Take this!” she shouted before kicking the cloud, causing a bolt of lightning to strike the pokemon. She gulped as her attack didn’t even leave a scratch and the Nidoking looked up in annoyance. He growled angrily, only to cover his head the moment rain started to pound down on him from the cloud.

“So… lighting doesn’t leave a scratch, but rain hurts you? Okaaay…” Dash said as she rubbed her head in confusion, only for a familiar ball to land on the cloud. “Ponyfeathers!” Before the ball could fall through the cloud, it exploded, sending Rainbow Dash crashing into the ground as numerous burns scorched her fur and wings.

Pikachu bent his legs and jumped from the tree, now running towards the injured pegasus.

“That… that was… too close,” Dash complained before yelping in pain. She looked at her burnt wing. “Oh no…” she said in a squeaky voice.

Pikachu sped up with the help of ‘Quick Attack’, charging power into his tail, remembering what he learned during his spar against Nica. He could see Nidoqueen approach the pegasus with firm steps, now towering over her with a menacing smirk.

“Work, work, work!” Dash shouted as she stumbled backward, trying to get her wing to flap but to no avail. She jumped to the right, only for Nidoqueen to jump higher and further, effectively blocking her way and nearly crushing the pegasus under her weight. With a swing of her arm, she slapped Rainbow Dash, then pinned her against the ground.

With a combination of ‘Quick Attack’ and ‘Iron Tail,’ Pikachu jumped towards his opponent, slashing Nidoqueen across the back with great force. His opponent didn’t lose balance though, rather turning around and giving Pikachu an enraged glare.

“Nidoqueen, attack with ‘Body Slam!’” Giovanni commanded. “Crush them without mercy.”

The pupils in Dash’s eyes shrank as the massive pokemon jumped up into the sky, only to start falling down at her. She started wriggling, struggling to free herself from the ground she was stuck in.

Pikachu resumed his ‘Quick Attack’ while charging his tail in haste. He jumped up and intercepted the enemy, trying to overpower the ‘Body Slam’ in mid-air. Despite his best efforts, he ended up pushed down, slamming into the ground with a loud crash. Though bested, he was able to stop the Nidoqueen’s attack, allowing Rainbow to lurch to her hooves beside him.

Nidoqueen bounced back from Pikachu’s attack, landing in front of the little pokemon with a big bruise on her belly.

Giovanni moved his hand under his chin, as if cutting his own neck, while looking down at the pokemon cowering beneath him. “Attack with ‘Superpower’ and ‘Earth Power.’ Deliver a killing blow.”

Pikachu pushed his paws against the ground, forcing himself to stand. Bruises littered his body while drops of sweat slid down his forehead. Fighting for the past few minutes already had hurt him and exhausted most of his stamina, and he wasn’t even strong enough to overpower ‘Body Slam.’ He was in no shape to endure two powerful attacks in a row, and there was also no telling if Nidoqueen would just finish him with a third strike, taking away his life.

Pikachu felt Dash’s forehoof snatch him up as the pegasus tried to get him away, but Nidoqueen was hot on their tails, chasing after them like a cat playing with their cornered mouse.

“Wait! If you kill Rainbow Dash, I won’t be able to add her to my…” Butch stuttered aloud to his boss, only to quickly stop and look away the moment Giovanni glared at him.

With a loud roar, Nidoqueen jumped and swung her fist, not caring if it struck Rainbow Dash or the pokemon in her hold.

Pikachu charged power into his tail, trying to summon a weak ‘Iron Tail’ for defense, yet he was too tired to do it fast enough as his tail half-heartedly gave a dim, grey shine. He grit his teeth, awaiting for the impact, only to watch in shock as a trainer jumped in between him and the attacker. “Astra!?” Pikachu shouted.

Summoning ‘Reflect,’ Astra weakened the incoming strike, yet it still proved strong enough to pierce through her shield and injure her hand, causing her to yelp in pain. As Nidoqueen landed on the ground, she stomped, causing the ground under Pikachu and Rainbow Dash to glow in yellow before shuddering from the gathered power.

Pikachu gasped as Astra jumped towards him, pushing both him and Rainbow Dash out of the way before being struck with the full force of ‘Earth Power,’ her armor and sword now in pieces.

“What were you thinking!?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she ran towards the injured human, staring at her in worry. She glanced at her wing and cursed, “Stupid wing. You just had to stop working at the worst possible time.”

“A-Astra,” Pikachu muttered as he placed his forepaws on the lower part of her injured hand, seeing bloody cuts as the trainer struggled to hide her pain and give the two a reassuring smile. She just… took two powerful attacks… for us. Just like Ash would…

“I’m… I’m fine…” Astra said as she stood up on her trembling legs, holding her injured arm close to her belly. “No one… dies… on my watch…”

Giovanny smirked, watching Astra stumble with a sick sense of satisfaction on his face.

Butch and Cassidy looked at the still-alive pegasus and collectively sighed in relief.

Pikachu ran in front of Astra and spread his forepaws protectively. No matter if he could barely walk, he would do everything in his power to protect her.

“Just run… both of you…” Astra said as she stepped forward, getting ahead of Pikachu. “You need to reunite with your trainer… and Dash’s friends must be worried about her.” Astra paused and grit her teeth, biting down a yelp as she felt a jolt of pain in her hand. “We will cover you.”

“N-no!” Pikachu shouted as he shook his head.

“That is an order!”

“I won’t follow that order!” Pikachu responded as he jumped forward, taking a fighting stance in front of Astra. Looking left and right, he could see that two Ultra Beasts were already defeated and the other two were on their last legs, but Ninetales was still unconscious while the other pokemon were on the verge of exhaustion. With everyone being weak to ground attacks, there was no saying how soon they would fall.

“If you think… I’ll abandon you… to save myself, you got the wrong pony,” Dash said as she took a fighting stance, wincing due to her wing injury while trying to hide it behind facade of confidence. “Broken wing or not, I am not leaving!”

Pikachu looked at Nidoqueen and then at Giovanni. The fact that this trainer specialized in ground type pokemon worked greatly against them. Were they going to win against the odds, or would he succeed at killing them? Whatever happened, he would fight to the end. For himself, for Nica, for Ace, for Twilight and everyone else that had helped him get this far. He wouldn’t let them down.

Focusing back into the battle, he looked up, only to see an odd newcomer emerging from the shadows of the surrounding, burnt forest.

"The infamous boss who beats you down and beats you down and never lets up... Yeah. Big, bad Guzma is here!"

Everyone’s attention zeroed in on the mysterious figure. White, poofy hair seemed to overflow from a pair of yellow goggles perched on his forehead as the man gave a goofy smirk. His arms swayed with his every step, matching the rhythm as he stalked up closer to the battlefield, ignoring the obvious peril of such strong Ultra Beasts lurking right beside him. He wore baggy, gray pants that dropped down to the floor, accompanied by a matching jacket and a long, golden chain holding a single charm, with a large ‘S’ inscribed into it.

Recognizing the insignia, Pikachu remained wary as electricity instinctively began to spark from the spots on his cheeks. First Ultra Beasts, then Team Rocket, and now Team Skull? Give me a break!

Guzma and Giovanni looked at each other, both remaining passive as they tried to read the other’s insufferably neutral expression.

“Having a big battle and causing a fire so close to my town. You’ve got some nerve. Some trashing is in order,” he taunted, “to teach the big, bad boss a lesson.”

Giovanni placed his hands in his pocket, now addressing the Skull leader. “If you want to trash someone, how about helping me get my revenge? Once Astra and Emily are dead, I will be out of your hair. Or you can just wait patiently until I am done.”

Guzma crossed his arms and laughed. “That’s rich. I think I will just trash you instead. This is Skull’s turf, and I don’t like seeing your goons and weird pokemon ruin our home. In other words, get the heck off of these islands or taste my boot in your face. Got it?”

“Skull’s turf?” Giovanni cackled, nearly bending over as he laughed at Guzma’s cocky attitude. “I am in command of some of the most powerful beasts from a variety of dimensions, control a nationwide crime-organization and have achieved far more than any of the jokes that scurried around these islands like pests.”

Pausing, he looked up and quickly examined Guzma. “I was actually considering offering you and a select few of Skull’s admins a place in my ranks.” Giovanni pointed at Astra and added, “Help me get rid of her and you can leave those losers behind and get a high position in my organization.”

“Are you stupid? My boys may be just numbskulls, but they’re my numbskulls.” He snapped his fingers as numerous skull members walked out from between the trees, a few tripping by accident or trying to put out the spreading fire. “Those boneheads will throw themselves into the fire or take a ‘Hyper Beam’ to their faces for each other and they’re under my care.”

From behind him, the grunts rallied behind their leader, quickly yelling out words of agreement or threatening the intruders on their territory.

“What the boss said, yo.”

“Get off of our turf, or we’ll make you surf!”

“We do the craziest stuff for Guzma, get it through that thick skull of yers.”

Giovanni narrowed his eyes, his confident smile replaced with one of annoyance. “I am so close to achieving my revenge. If you ruin it, I will show you a world of pain you have never experienced before.”

Guzma shrugged. “I dunno. You weirdos seem tired.” He looked at each beast one at a time, noting each’s exhaustion, before looking at Nidoqueen and Nidoking. “The kids here could probably beat you up if I didn’t show up, but whatever.” He looked at the injured trainer. “Hey, kid. Is your partner a super nice Raichu by any chance?”

“Y-yes,” Astra said with pain present in her voice. “My partner Nica is a Raichu, and she’s very kind.”

“Heh, called it. Now listen kid. I don't know much 'bout you, but I heard from my numbskulls that your Raichu was kind to them. If you find her, tell her that Guzma paid back the debt, got it?”

Astra nodded hesitantly.

“Good, then get out of here. Leave these thugs to us.”

“Alright, and thank you,” Astra said before calling back the unconscious Ninetales and exhausted Haxorus into her pokeballs. She walked towards a passage between the trees. “Pikachu, Rainbow Dash, Emily, we’re leaving.”

“W-what… but…” Pikachu said, causing Guzma and a few skull members to look at him in confusion.

“We need to regroup. Besides, Giovanni’s pokemon are just as tired as we are,” Astra said before giving Guzma a small smile. “Show them some Alolan hospitality.”

“Heh heh, got it, kid,” Guzma said.

“You’ll regret this Guzma,” Giovanni growled, “I may be outmatched now, but I’ll return with my men and wipe that town of yours from the face of this island. Cassidy, Butch, we're withdrawing.” He glanced at Astra. “This is not over yet. I will kill you, no matter what it takes.”

“Yes, sir,” Cassidy said before shooting Astra an enraged glare. “We’ll get our pokemon back and ruin you, Astra. I swear.”

Giovanni recalled his pokemon and four Ultra Beasts back into his pokeballs.

“Rainbow Dash, you’ll join us by the end of the day, just you wait.” Butch threw a few smoke bombs at the ground before the trio vanished from everyone’s sight.

“All bark and no bite, pfff,” Guzma said, before gesturing for his Skulls to follow him. “We’re done here.” He glanced at Astra and Emily. “Your hand looks nasty, feel free to stop by if you want.”

“You sure scared them to the bone, yo.”

“That’s our boss.”

“Guzma rules!”

Pikachu watched as the troublemakers followed their leader, never expecting they would be the ones to come to their aid. Nica… she was nice to them. I’m not even surprised. His ears drooped as a feeling of guilt easily topped the pain in his bones. Bruises seemed to shadow one another as they covered his once presentable fur.

Emily withdrew her pokemon back into her pokeballs before following Astra with Rainbow Dash by her side.

“What? That's it? It's over just like that?” Dash asked in confusion before looking at her injured wing. “On the other hoof, I don’t feel like having another swing at them. Their pokemon sure hit hard.”

Pikachu climbed up onto Astra’s shoulder, the one that wasn’t part of her injured arm. “Where are we going?”

“To Po town. I doubt the Pokemon Center there is operational, but we may find a safe place where we can patch up our wounds,” Astra explained as she maintained a firm stare.

Pikachu’s ears drooped again as he looked at the bleeding injury, one she sustained when protecting his life. He then glanced at Rainbow Dash’s burned wing in worry. The only one who didn't seem all that hurt was Emily, but mostly because she took command during the chaos, rather than jumping in alongside Astra.

Now that I think about it, Emily took charge during that fight while Astra fought more directly. Nica did say that Astra had trouble improvising, but nothing about her strength and bravery and will to fight alongside her pokemon. Pikachu took a deep breath. “Astra.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it,” Astra responded.

“Don’t say that! You’re injured and your gear is destroyed because you protected me. It is not nothing!” Pikachu shouted. He had experienced too much humility from Nica already. He was going to make Astra acknowledge her bravery, whether she liked it or not. “Nica did say that you trained your pokemon really hard so they could protect others, but she didn’t say you would take blows yourself.”

“My biggest wish was to make sure no one would have to go through the hardship that I endured. If I can accomplish that by taking the pain on myself, I will do it,” Astra explained as she walked towards an opened double gate, the guarding Skull members not paying her any mind. “Especially for someone as important as you.”

Pikachu sighed. I can see from who Nica got her selfless nature. I get a sense of Deja-vu here. He looked at Cassidy and Butch's belts which were now in Emily’s possession. If they didn’t steal pokemon from people who steal pokemon, they wouldn’t have survived that fight. The irony wasn’t lost on him.

Pikachu shook his head as a droplet of water splashed against his ear, then another. Black clouds gathered in the sky over their heads, unleashing harsh rain.

“Rain? I could clear it in seconds if not for my wing. Ugh… it still hurts,” Dash complained, giving the gathered clouds an annoyed glare.

The group took shelter in a ruined building, one filled with numerous graffiti and drops of water falling through hole in the ceiling. Some of the graffiti involved Team Skull’s symbol, while a few looked like a poorly drawn bone. The carpet in the middle of the room looked like it had been used for a game of tug of war, while big and damaged wooden furniture blocked the stairs leading to the upper floor.

Astra and Emily rested their backpacks against the wall before searching for medical equipment.

Pikachu watched as Astra bandaged her injury, doing it with surprising precision, as if she had practiced it before.

“Don’t worry. Like any good trainer, I get hurt from time to time. My body will heal quickly,” Astra reassured, noticing Pikachu’s worried expression before looking at the little pokemon with a cheerful smile.

“Here are our potions, should be enough for everyone,” Emily said as she approached Astra and sat by her side, placing five potions on the floor next to a first-aid kit. Each came in a variety of colors.

“Potions? I think the last time I saw potions like this was when we traveled with Brock. He was trying to become a breeder,” Pikachu pointed out.

“Don’t worry, Astra learned a lot from Nurse Joy in Orange Islands,” Emily said as she tapped her boss’ shoulder. “She read many books since then and got many opportunities to put what she learned into practice.” With a pointed look, she added, “Way too many opportunities if you ask me.”

Astra took gauze from the kit and next picked one potion filled with lavender liquid, ignoring Emily. “Stay still.” She sprayed bits of the liquid onto the gauze before gently pressing it against the pokemon’s forehead.

Pikachu closed one eye and grit his teeth, feeling a burning sensation on his bruise.

“I am using a very strong potion which should stimulate the healing speed of a veteran like you. Applying the accurate amount is essential to make the healing process both fast and safe,” Astra explained as she sprayed more of the potion onto the gauze before applying it into bruises on Pikachu’s cheeks. “I know it hurts, but you have to endure.”

Endure? I can take pain like that all day long, Pikachu thought as he exposed his left cheek to the trainer, wincing occasionally.

“Abusing potions is just like abusing recovery moves, it can weaken a pokemon’s durability as their bodies start relying on quick healing instead. I will apply it only to your bigger wounds. The rest should heal on its own as you rest and regain your stamina.” Astra replaced the used gauze with the fresh one before applying the potion on pokemon’s hands. Her attention quickly focused on the injured belly. “I see your belly and back were hit really hard multiple times today. Once I apply this potion, I should wrap some bandages around your injury to help it heal.”

Pikachu shook his forepaw dismissively. “No need. It will restrain my movements while we search...” He took a step back upon noticing Astra’s stern glare. “Fine, fine, I’ll rest.” He grit his teeth as Astra sprayed the potion on his belly, and then used the gauze for a finishing touch. A clean bandage soon covered one third of his body.

“Pikachu, please take a nap. I need to aid Rainbow Dash and the other pokemon,” Astra said as she gestured for the pegasus to approach, then examined her wings. “That’s one nasty burn. That Ultra Beast hit you really hard.”

“No kiddin’. The first time it exploded, it was from meters away, but this one… ugh…” Dash yelped in pain as the trainer gently applied a potion to her injured wing.

“I will take watch. This town may have a big wall, but I doubt Team Skull make for good guards.” Emily asked, “Any objections?”

“None, but come back soon. I’ll need to aid your pokemon as well,” Astra said.

Emily shrugged. “You know I have basic training in using potions.”

“It was many years ago. You know right now I’m still better at it,” Astra answered with a joking tone.

“Once we get through this, remind me to practice first and second aid. I’ll get better than you in no time.”

“Good luck with that,” Astra said with a chuckle.

Pikachu smiled before walking away, perching himself on what was left of the dusty carpet. As much as he wanted to look for Nica and reunite with his trainer, he would need strength to fight against the beasts. He placed his forepaws under his chin and closed his eyes, giving his burning wounds and tired muscles the break they so desperately needed.

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.5

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.5

Pikachu slowly opened one eye, then another, before scanning his surroundings. Numerous pokemon lay scattered inside the damaged building, all sleeping while some had bandages wrapped around their limbs. Though Ninetales, Arcanine, Haxorus, Muk, and Excadrill each fought admirably against the beasts, they still got outmatched in that last battle.

He touched his cheeks and forehead, examined his limbs and looked at the bandage on his belly. He wasn’t sure how long he was asleep, but it seemed no aches or pains remained on his once hurting body. This potion sure works fast. I feel healthy and ready for battle. I see why Astra said it could be used as a cop out for recovering pokemon. He stretched his limbs before scratching his back. This potion may work on bruises, but I doubt it works on stamina. I hope I’ve had enough rest for the upcoming battles.

He stood to his paws and approached each pokemon, giving them a proud glance. Alolan Ninetales, for being the least experienced member of the team, you sure fought well, same for Haxorus. He looked between three of Emily’s pokemon, each showing skills similar to Ash’s pokemon during tournaments.

Astra’s best pokemon ended up in Equestria while Emily and her team seems to be on a similar level to Ash. The fact that most of their remaining pokemon are weak to ground attacks also worked against us. He spotted Emily sleeping near her pokemon, supported against the wall, the belts with the pokemon stolen from the criminals snuggled in her embrace. Pity we can’t command Ultra Beasts. They would probably just turn on us or run away if we ended up releasing them. He looked at Rainbow Dash and bit his bottom lip. The bandaged wings showed no sign of recovery, though she refused to let that hinder her spirit. I fear the potion failed to work on Rainbow Dash. Is it because she’s not a pokemon but a pony?

In search for the remaining trainer, he stepped outside as the sun shone brightly. He felt wet grass under his feet, noticing a few puddles of water and nearly flinched as he heard a deep sigh from directly above him. Glancing up, he spotted Astra sitting atop the roof, the sunlight illuminating her features.

With a quick jump, he landed on the roof, climbing up towards Astra while shaking water from his feet. “Is it your turn to guard? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

The trainer startled for a moment, caught by surprise before looking down at him and patting her knee in an inviting gesture.

Pikachu nodded, leaping forward and taking a seat on the girl’s legs. Without all the armor, the powerful trainer now looked much more fragile. “I see your injury is fully healed. That potion really works wonders.”

“It is helpful in a pinch, but bad in the long run. I’d rather avoid using it,” Astra explained as she patted the smaller pokemon on the head.

Pikachu returned the gesture by rubbing the top of his head against her soft hand. “Any idea how much time has passed? Should we move out?”

“I’m not quite sure, but I’d say around an hour has passed.” Astra looked down and to her left, glancing at a little bronze bag which rested by her side. It balanced alongside her on the tilted roof. “We’ll leave soon.”

Pikachu smiled, feeling Astra’s hand scratch behind his ears. “If that’s the case, how about we talk to pass time. I have a few questions I’ve wanted to ask since I met you.”

“Sure.”

Pikachu took a deep breath, gathering the courage to speak. I hope she won’t get offended, but I have to know… He gently pushed aside her hand and looked her in the eyes. “Is it really true that you made your pokemon fight at a disadvantage and kept your pokemon from evolving until they earned it by winning near impossible battles?”

“More or less,” Astra answered bluntly as she started scratching the back of Pikachu’s head.

Pikachu ignored the pleasant scratching as his ears drooped, remembering the pain on Nica’s face after her last brutal training sessions. “But why?”

Astra looked confused for a moment, before her face lit up in understanding. “Oh, I get it. Let me explain,” she said as she raised her knees a little closer to her face. “I knew that in order to continue my parent's work and make sure that others won’t have to suffer as I did, I needed to face strong opponents and extreme risks. Not just my life, but the life of my pokemon would be put in danger.”

“You needed strong and skilled pokemon, I get it. But…”

“Let me finish,” Astra interrupted as Pikachu closed his mouth and nodded. “My pokemon were willing to support me, but they most likely didn’t know the risk. I feared they would die fighting for my cause, so I had to reduce the risk as much as possible.” She took a deep breath, continuing in a more depressed tone, “In order to reach the top and to overcome criminal elites, my pokemon needed to learn how to overcome the odds and face near unwinnable situations, if they had any hope of surviving in my line of work.”

Pikachu nodded as his ears raised upward, listening with full attention.

“Fighting while at a type disadvantage, fighting while outnumbered, fighting while unevolved against fully evolved opponents. If I went hard on my pokemon when we were still weak, they would have greater chance of surviving once we grew strong and faced the enemy.” She narrowed her eyes. “But make no mistake, I simply offered such tactics to my pokemon. If they wanted to evolve, I would let them, and if they didn’t want to fight while at a disadvantage, I wouldn’t force them.”

“You wouldn’t? And if they refused?”

“Then I would avoid risks whenever possible. I wouldn’t try to accomplish as much and fight criminals so fiercely, matching the danger with my team’s strength, besides.” She smiled. “I asked my partner if she was willing to train harder and face greater challenges than the rest of the team to improve morale and give a good example, but it was a choice. She agreed.” Astra’s face dropped, before adding on, “A little too much.”

Pikachu didn’t hear, too caught up in the next question. “You say you didn’t force them, but pokemon rarely go against the training methods of their trainers. What if they were unhappy?”

“Unhappy? None ever complained,” Astra answered, blinking in confusion. “In fact, I could see them take great pride whenever they overcame the odds. Whenever I allowed them to evolve, they were incredibly happy. Not because of evolution, but because they felt the satisfaction of earning it.” She shook her head. “I know my methods were very harsh, but my pokemon liked them.” She looked at the sky, adding, “Ninetales wasn’t exactly cooperative, but for different reasons. He approved of my methods when I swore we would avenge my parents.”

Pikachu nodded. Now that I think about it, Nica never complained about her trainer’s methods. Were they happy with this training strategy, or did they hide their discomfort? She seems like someone who wouldn’t force her methods if her team didn’t support them.

“Anything else?” Astra asked, lowering her knees slightly as she now started rubbing Pikachu’s chin.

“It is… about Nica’s training… Was it really necessary for her to push herself to near death?” Pikachu asked, his tone filled with sadness.

“You mean her morning and night practices?” Astra asked, receiving a nod in return. She sighed. “That… was a great miscalculation on my side. When I shared my ideology with my partner, I had no idea she would take it to heart.”

“Ideology? You mean how the stronger one is, the more they need to accomplish?”

Astra nodded, causing a sad pout to form on Pikachu’s lips. “Power alone is worth nothing if used poorly. I wanted my partner to not only grow strong, but also use her skills and powers perfectly under stress and tough situations. What I didn’t expect was her guilt. Everything started falling apart where she failed to save a human’s life.”

“You tried to stop Nica from overtraining herself? Right?”

“Of course I did!” Astra shouted, jerking up and forcing Pikachu to cover his ears. She took a calming breath before continuing, “After she refused to stop training and nearly died, I tried to stop her, tried to get that idea out of her mind, but her determination and guilt were too strong. She was just too stubborn.”

“I see... “ Pikachu pointed at Astra, asking, “But if you had another chance, would you prevent it?”

With great consideration, Astra shook her head in refusal.

Pikachu’s right eye twitched. “W-what?” He jumped, now holding Astra’s cheeks, his rear paws pressed into her neck. “I thought you didn’t want that to happen!”

“I didn’t, but in the end Nica survived and grew stronger for it,” Astra said as she pulled Pikachu away from her face… with a bit of effort. “In the end Nica became so much greater. Now I know that no matter what kind of peril she faces, she’ll survive. My partner was always willing to take pain and danger on herself to protect others. I fear she wouldn’t stay alive if not for that. Besides, what’s in the past is done, all we can do is look towards the future and prepare.”

“Oh…” Pikachu pushed his paws against Astra’s hands, freeing himself and landing on her knees. Now that he thought about it, if Nica wasn’t so durable, she would no doubt have died in the fight against the large Ultra Beast. At least for now there was hope that she was still alive. As much as he didn’t want to see her suffer everyday, he had to admire who she had become.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes and pointed accusingly. “Alright. I understand now why you were so harsh on your pokemon and that they were happy with you, but there’s one thing I still disapprove.”

“And that is?”

Pikachu stood on the tips of his rear paws and shook his forepaws in aggravation. “Did you really have to convince your partner to be so incredibly humble!?” He lowered his paws, continuing in a depressed tone, “In the past week I learned how incredible Nica is, and I admire her. It’s…” He lowered his head. “It’s so unfair that she still can’t see her own self-worth! That she keep comparing her deeds to Ash’s and mine. Her accomplishments are still incredible and have helped so many people and pokemon alike. Seeing her think so little of herself and unable to take compliments… it hurts.”

“Is… is it that bad?”

“Of course it is!” Pikachu shouted. “It took her saving Equestria and a face to face talk between us in a bathtub until she even considered to believe in her worth.”

“Oh…” Astra lowered her head, both brewing in an uncomfortable silence

“I understand that being humble is important, but taking away her pride like that… Was it really necessary?” Pikachu asked. “Nica was trapped in a loop. No matter how hard she worked, she would never be satisfied.”

“That… I think that is something that I would change… if given a second chance.” Astra massaged her forehead. “Arrogance can lead to underestimating your opponent and discourage training efforts. I believed that in order to respect others and work hard, we had to admit our flaws and strive to do better. I tried to teach Nica humility to help her become a kind and respecting soul so she wouldn’t be blinded by her own pride.”

Astra rubbed the back of her neck, smiling sheepishly. “My partner really takes everything to heart and tends to blow things out of proportion, but I had no idea it was that bad. If she really has an inferiority complex that makes her sad… I’ll need to apologize.”

“I will hold you to your promise,” Pikachu said as he smiled lightly, now understanding Astra a bit better. There seemed to be a naive side to Astra, one that blinded her from time to time, but in the end her heart was in the right place. She was a trainer who would take a harsh approach now, as long as it would benefit her pokemon in the future. From outside view her methods may seem to go too far or be even cruel at times, but she uses them because she cares. She truly loves her pokemon and will do what she believes will benefit them, and those harsh choices paid off, considering she raised an amazing team.

“You’re a very curious fellow and I admire that. Is there anything else you wish to ask me about?” Astra asked, now staring back with growing curiosity.

“Well… from what Nica told me, you were pictured as a very intelligent trainer, yet today you fought more like a brawler. Since when did you become so strong?”

“Huh. Nica didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side.

“How I had to climb up a snowy mountain over and over for half a year and rechallenge her back when she was a Pichu, fighting with my own hands to earn her respect and capture her.”

Pikachu nodded.

“And about the part how I started studying under the guidance of an incredibly strong Nurse Joy during our travels between the Orange Islands.” She raised and flexed, displaying her surprisingly wide muscles. “Keeping up with her on a kayak for two months did wonders for my condition.”

“Strong nurse, strong nurse,” Pikachu tapped his chin, trying to recall his memories. “Oh, right, the one with the giant Magikarp who evolved into not-so-big Gyarados. Still, Nica didn’t mention anything else in your later adventures.”

“I’m not surprised. To be honest, I tried to keep that part of me in check,” Astra said, catching Pikachu’s attention. “There is a thin line between bravery and foolishness. As my pokemon grew stronger, there was little I could do to help them with my bare hands, and I didn’t want to act without thinking. I tried to focus on improving my intelligence and strategy over muscles.”

“Well… what I saw today was quite different,” Pikachu said in a teasing tone.

“Nica probably didn’t mention it, but after I tried to revive the Guardians, engineers who joined my cause salvaged a lot useful technology from the destroyed base and the bunker I was hiding in. When I got my hands on a Guardian’s armor, shield and combat blade, I changed my approach.” She raised her head and punched the air. “It would be foolish of me to rush into a battle with my bare hands, but with this gear, I could support my pokemon directly. I asked Nica to train me and I embraced the part of me that I tried to contain. My dad was an officer while my mom had a more adventurous spirit. Instead of taking one approach, I used both.”

“I see…” Pikachu grimaced, now looking at Astra in annoyance. “Still, Ash quite often rushes into battle to help us and protect us without any gear, but he’s not foolish.”

“So your trainer is reckless?” Astra said in a joking tone.

“Well… I would be lying if I denied that,” Pikachu said before displaying a cheerful smile. “I still have some difficulty picturing you as a trainer. What Nica told me and what I see with my own eyes are a bit different.”

Astra chuckled. “I have a silly idea how to help with that.” She painted a letter ‘A’ in the air with her finger. “Let’s say that letter ‘A’ is for trainers who jumps into action directly, putting themselves in danger, and are in good physical condition.”

She painted ‘B’ with her finger. “B would be for trainers who improvise, who can come up with great tactics while under pressure and can take advantage of their surroundings. Who are creative and think of today, but not tomorrow.”

She painted ‘C’ with her finger. “C would be for intelligent trainers who rely on technology and books. Those usually lack strengths and don’t get their hands dirty with a dangerous adventure. Those kinds of trainers can memorize types, moves, and all sort of information.”

She painted ‘D’ with her finger. “And finally, D. This one is for trainers like chess grandmasters. They think not about the here and now but about tomorrow. They plan in advance, think many moves ahead and can delegate well. Those aren’t field officers but people who stay behind the frontline. They are terrible when under pressure or in heat of the moment, but their strategy gives birth to great fruits in future.”

Pikachu smiled, already suspecting which category fit Astra the most.

Astra held her hand on her chest. “I’ve changed over the years, but if I had to describe myself now, I would be 60% D, 15% C, 0% B and 25% A.”

“I thought as much,” Pikachu said before tapping his chin. “If I had to describe Ash by what you just said. I think he would be 55% B and 40% A. The rest would have to be split between C and D.”

“That little,” Astra said, blinking in confusion. “No wonder he has so many problems winning tournaments despite being such an incredible trainer.”

Pikachu narrowed his eyes.

“What? There are thousands other trainers who have their own ambitions and training methods. You can’t become number one if you never think ahead. Am I wrong?”

Pikachu sighed. “Fair enough.” He raised his head, asking, “What about Emily?”

“0% D, 30% C, 50% B and 20% A. She’s probably similar to Ash, but more balanced and more formal. I was relying on her a lot over the past days to make up for my weakness.” She frowned. “I’ll need to give her an advanced course of first aid, though. She’s neglected it for far too long.”

Pikachu thought back to their recent battle. So that’s why Emily took command while Astra fought more directly when things got chaotic. Now that I think about it, Nica can come up with some good strategies on the spot. She probably developed it by making up for Astra’s weakness. Pikachu stood on the tips of his rear paws, now staring at Astra with narrowed eyes. “I believe we’ve rested enough. It is time to move out.” He smiled proudly. “Since you’re so good at planning ahead, you must have come up with a good plan. What is it?”

“Well… I came up with two plans, but I need to ask you something important before deciding on which one to use.”

Pikachu tilted his head to the side. After his round of questions, it was only fair to let her have her turn.

“Giovanni no doubt called for reinforcements, Dash’s wing doesn’t want to heal, even with potions and our team is not exactly well balanced. To improve the odds and increase your chances of survival, I thought…” Astra reached for the bronze bag that rested by her side, untying it. “That you should use this.”

Pikachu looked at whatever the trainer was taking out form the bag before his face showed pure terror. He performed a backflip, landing in front of the trainer’s legs and balancing himself on the tiled roof. In the trainer’s hand was a green transparent crystal with small yellow lightning bolt glistening inside it.

Astra held a ‘Thunderstone.’

Ch.4 - Search Party - Pt.6

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 4
-
Search Party - Pt.6

Looking at Pikachu’s wary expression, Astra quickly began to backtrack. “There’s no need to panic,” she explained, pointing at the stone resting in her hand. “In order to improve your odds of survival, you’ll need to evolve into a Raichu. You have a lot of raw power, strong durability and impressive skills, but your true potential is held back by your fragile form.”

Pikachu took a step back, wary of Astra’s movements.

“I believe that once you evolve, you’ll become one of our strongest fighters. Actually, considering all pokemon that are with us at the moment, you’ll become the strongest. It may be just enough to tip the odds in our favor. Against Ultra Beasts, even the smallest advantage matters.”

Pikachu gulped. “B-but… I…”

“Is something wrong?” Astra asked in confusion. She stood up and stretched out her hand, the stone still resting in her palm, only for the little pokemon to step backward again. “While I managed to take two powerful blows for you back then, I can’t help but fear for your life. The increase in speed, raw power and durability thanks to evolution may decide between life and death in the middle of the battlefield.” She smiled. “Furthermore, someone as talented and skilled as you deserves to evolve. Your trainer should have given you this option a long time ago.”

Pikachu closed his jaw, now staring at the stone with growing curiosity. If he was in this scenario before meeting Nica, he would’ve slapped the ‘Thunderstone’ away without hesitation, but now…

“Why are you hesitating? Don’t you want to evolve?”

Pikachu took a deep breath before walking forward with hesitant steps, looking at the stone with growing interest. Astra’s hand was stretched towards him, holding it. Just a few steps forward and a small reach of his forepaw was all he needed to evolve. He closed his eyes, considering his options carefully. I… I wanted to prove… to prove that I can become strong without evolving, but…

Haven't you already proved it over and over again? Nica’s words echoed in his mind.

Pikachu clenched his forepaws and grit his teeth. He had already overcome the legendary pokemon Regice in a duel. He bested Tyranitar and Metagross during the tournament and still had enough strength to leave some lasting damage on the Charizard. Again and again he bested stronger opponents. What was there left to prove?

“Was it your choice not to evolve?” Astra asked. “But why? The chance that you, your friends and your trainer would die when facing legendary pokemon would’ve only increased if you stayed as a Pikachu. What can be so important to take such a risk?”

Pikachu opened his eyes, once again looking at the presented stone.

I will evolve one day, but not yet. This is a big change that I want to consider carefully. Pikachu reminded himself of his promise to Nica.

He closed his eyes as his forepaws started to tremble. A war waged in his mind. He did promise that he’ll give evolving a chance one day, and now he needed the power of a Raichu more than ever. If I become a Raichu, I won’t know how to take advantage of the longer tail for combat, but Nica promised she would teach me…

An image of Nica wrapping the black part of her tail around her belly flashed in his mind. The superior Raichu kept her tail close to her back, fencing with her tail as if she were still a Pikachu. If he did the same, he could still rely on the fighting style he had mastered already rather than be forced to learn a new one from scratch. His ‘Iron Tail’ technique wouldn’t change, while the greater durability and raw power would come in handy for sure. If I was a Raichu, even tired, I would’ve still had enough power to overpower that ‘Body Slam.’ Maybe I should…

Pikachu shook his head, thinking about the cons. Would becoming a Raichu slow him down? Nica is way, way faster and more agile than me, and she told me that her speed increased after becoming a Raichu. I don’t think being slower and less agile is something to worry about. He thought about Charizard who in the past rebelled against Ash, shifting his personality. Nica told me that if I was determined to keep my personality, I would stay the same even after evolving. I may change on the outside, but I will fight to stay the same on the inside. He grit his teeth. That’s it, I have made my decision. No regrets.

With a determined jump and swing of his forepaw, he pressed forward, trying to touch the ‘Thunderstone’, yet nothing happened. Wait… When poison joke changed me between Pichu and Raichu, I felt my limbs shrink and grow. What’s going on? Shouldn’t something be happening right now? He opened his eyes and blinked in confusion. The ‘Thunderstone’ was no longer held before him.

“It seems a change of plan is in order,” Astra said as she tied together the bag, safeguarding the ‘Thunderstone.’

“H-hey… why did you hide it?” Pikachu asked, his attention now on the little bag in trainer’s hand.

“You were hesitating for too long. It’s obvious that you don’t want to evolve for some reason, maybe out of fear of becoming a Raichu, or you had bad experiences with them and don’t want to change.”

“W-what? I don’t dislike my evolution… I want to evolve…” Pikachu weakly stated.

“You’re forcing yourself now. I don’t want to evolve you against your will, even if it puts us at a big disadvantage,” Astra said as she rubbed her chin. “I originally planned for us to fight our way towards the city while searching for Nica on our way. Maybe try to catch Giovanni off guard and hopefully arrest him. Now that I know a bit more about his fighting style and how he leads the beasts, I have prepared a strategy to overcome him.” She stood up, carefully stepping down the roof. “But it is a risky move. As a Pikachu, you’re too fragile and such a fight would put your life in danger. I can’t take that risk.”

“H-hey, what do you mean by that?”

“What I mean is that I can’t make someone else’s pokemon face deadly risk without improving our odds of victory.” Astra stopped at the edge of the roof and gave Pikachu a stern look. “I always balance the risks I take with the strength of my team and available resources. Not to mention that you’re incredibly important to Ash and your life holds a large value.“ She jumped from the roof, Pikachu landing a moment later atop her shoulder. “Giovanni uses ground type pokemon and as an electric pokemon with weak defenses, your life would be at risk when facing them. Escorting you safely to Ash takes priority. We can look for Nica together as a bigger group after that.”

She walked inside, recalling her two sleeping pokemon into her pokeballs. “We’ll walk near the shore towards the city. It is very close to water where we can throw Giovanni’s pokemon if they attack us and it is a lot easier to spot an ambush with no trees on all sides. We’ll avoid fighting no matter what.”

Pikachu grit his teeth, his face growing red. “B-but… but I want to evolve!”

“No, you don’t, you’re forcing yourself for Nica’s sake,” Astra stated as she approached Emily, shaking her arm in an attempt to wake her up.

“Give me that ‘Thunderstone!’” Pikachu shouted as he climbed down Astra’s arm, trying to reach for the bag in her hand.

“I said no!” Astra answered, waking up the sleeping pokemon and the injured pegasus. Her hand started wrestling against Pikachu’s forepaws for the ownership of the bag with the evolution stone, resulting in them losing balance and an accidental, quick electric shock followed the fall.

Astra pushed herself to the side, quickly placing the little bag inside her backpack. “I’ll not allow you to evolve yourself against your will. This is a discussion you need to have with Ash.” A few, small burns decorated her face as she turned away from the disgruntled Pikachu.

“But I want to evolve. How is it against my will?!” Pikachu complained before lowering his head, sighing in defeat. To think that I would live to see the day where I chased after a ‘Thunderstone’ instead of avoiding it. Nica, what did you do to me?

“I know you’re worried about Nica, but if Giovanni found her or knew she was here, he would have bragged about it,” Astra reassured, yet it did little to calm Pikachu’s growing anxiety. She stood up and wiped the dust from her clothes, now addressing the group. “Get ready everyone, we’re moving out. Our goal is to reach the city and regroup with Ash. After that we’ll prepare a counterattack and look for my partner.” The group nodded while Rainbow Dash did her best to hide her pain behind her determined stare.

Twenty minutes later, two trainers, one pegasus and an annoyed Pikachu on Astra’s shoulder made their way towards Tapu Town, taking quick steps on the sand near the body of water, ready to face whatever trap or ambush Giovanni had in store for them.

Ch.5 - Research Party - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 5
-
Research Party - Pt.1

“Ash, calm down,” Lillie said from her seat at the table inside the Pokemon Center.

Ash kept walking back and forth on the marble floor, receiving occasional worried glances from the nurse and her customers. With the situation of the three islands being at the edge due to the ongoing invasion, Ash was seen as one of the town's defenders. His panicked expression and nervous walk only worsened morale as a result.

Lillie rolled her eyes before taking a deep breath. “I know you’re worried, but we must remain calm.” She held hand on her chest and added, “My mother is being held hostage at the foundation, yet you don’t see me panicking about it.”

Ash tripped over, landing on his chin before jumping to a standing position. He turned around and started shaking his hands. “I know, I know, but everything has been going terribly for the past days, and just an hour ago Pikachu…”

“Raichu,” Lillie corrected.

“Raichu covered in insane injuries, barely alive, crashed through the window. Horrible things are happening all around us and I’m not even allowed to go out there to prevent them!”

Lillie narrowed her eyes. “The police officers informed us about Ultra Beasts being very active inside the forest next to this town.” She pointed at his belt. “With your pokemon that Professor Oak sent you, you’re one of a few trainers capable of keeping this town safe. What if it were attacked while you left?”

Ash’s hands and half of his body dropped in defeat. “But why do I have to be the one on defense? Couldn’t Olivia or Kiawe take over?”

“We pulled straws to decide who would guard the town. You lost fair and square,” Lillie pointed out before looking at her cup of half-empty tea. “You’re not the only one frustrated about it. I wish I could be out there helping my brother, but without Snowy I would only get in the way.” She clenched her fist before lightly slamming it against the table. “What if he’s trying to infiltrate the Aether Foundation to save Lusamine? At the moment it is the most well-defended fortress held by Team Rocket. It would be like walking into the jaws of a Shadpedo.”

Ash approached the table, taking a seat next to Lillie whose long blond hair was hanging down her back, no longer hidden under a spacious hat, her white clothing matched with a very short skirt covering a small part of her legs. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it before looking at the Nurse Joy in worry. Just like the other nurses, this one had pink hair, though a bit longer than the others. The uniform itself was nearly fully pink, white only in two little spots. Behind the nurse he saw a big blue screen with outlines resembling a pokeball and a light shining from above.

“First all my pokemon, especially Pikachu, vanish without a trace,” Ash said, not taking his eyes away from the nurse. “All my attempts to find them fail, and then the invasion. Then our failure against that giant pokemon where we barely escaped with our lives.“ He narrowed his eyes. “And now a Raichu, that is barely alive, jump, or is thrown through the window.” He looked Lillie in the eyes. “What if my Pikachu escaped to evolve, then got himself in a fight against the beasts and barely made it here?”

Lillie facepalmed. “Okay Ash, you need to calm down, you’re not thinking clearly when you’re like that. This wasn’t your Pikachu.”

“How can you be so sure?” Ash asked.

Lillie raised her finger. “Because this Raichu is a female.”

“Female?” Ash asked.

Lillie nodded. “I read a bit about Pikachu since I meet you. Their tails have a different shape at the end, and this one didn’t have pointy edge but was heart-shaped instead.”

“R-really?” Ash asked.

“Yes. Don’t tell me you didn't notice. Surely you know how to tell a female Pikachu from a male, same with Raichu.”

“Y-yea… I do,” Ash smiled sheepishly for a moment before his mood darkened. “I suppose I’d hoped to reunite with him so much that I was clinging to that hope that this Raichu was him.” He sighed. “What if he’s lost in the Ultra Space? What if my pokemon are trapped there?”

Lillie opened her mouth, but closed it in an instant as her throat suddenly became dry. While her mother was still nearby, waiting to be saved, her father was another story. She didn’t envy Ash if his pokemon had shared similar fate, gone forever as even the foundation didn’t make much progress at finding her father.

“Excuse me.”

Both Ash and Lillie looked at the nurse. Lillie spoke first, “Yes?”

“Ya have a call from Professor Kukui, somethin’ about yer missin’ pokemon. Ah thin’ it’s important,” Nurse Joy said, yelping the moment Ash got up from his seat and rushed for the phone, almost tripping on the way and nearly crashing into the PC.

He started to jog in place, staring at Kukui’s face on the screen impatiently. “You know where Pikachu, Litten, Rowlet, and Lycanroc are? Tell me!”

“Oh yeah! I knew I could get you excited. I got tons of great news actually.” Kukui rubbed his nose arrogantly. “Turned out that your team, Lillie’s Snowy and Lana’s Popplio, they all got sucked into a world filled with friendly ponies.”

“Snowy?” Lillie asked as she approached, stopping next to Ash as they both displayed a hopeful smile. “Is she alright?”

“They’re all good, and Pikachu even got a ride here with the princess. Take it over Twilight,” Kukui said as he stepped to the side as the image of a lavender pony took his place.

“So this isn’t a magical projection and no magical artifact is needed to make it work?” Twilight asked as she examined the device ahead of her. “To think that a combination of wires and glass charged by electricity is capable of something this amazing.” She poked the screen gently with her hoof. “Hey, you two, can you hear me?”

“Y-yes…” Ash said, staring at the talking pokemon in disbelief.

“Who are you?” Lillie asked.

“Oh, right, introductions, sorry, got excited and all.” She took a calming breath before speaking, “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and when it comes to species, I am an alicorn. As for my title, I am the Princess of Friendship and my residence is in Equestria that is located in… some sort of alternative universe. Nice to meet you.”

“Another universe?” Lillie asked before glancing at Ash. “Does this mean she’s an Ultra Beast?”

“What… I am not… actually, no matter, you can call me an Ultra Beast if you want. I would prefer to be called a pony though if you don’t mind,” Twilight said as she flapped her wings in aggravation. “In any case, you must be Ash Ketchum, the trainer of Pikachu and some of the other pokemon that ended up in Ponyville.”

Ash nodded in an instant before nearly pressing his face against the screen. “Yes, I am Ash. So my pokemon ended up in your world. Are they safe? Can I see them?”

“They are alright, though you won’t be able to reunite with them yet,” Twilight answered.

“What, why?” Ash asked in a rush of panic.

“Well…” Twilight tapped her forehooves against one another. “The portal we used to get here wasn’t stable enough and shut down soon after we crossed it.” She smiled, showing her shining teeth. “But don’t worry. We’re almost done making a portal back to Equestria, though I’m still working on a few improvements to increase its stability. Once it is done, you’ll be able to reunite with your friends.”

Ash jumped, raising his first towards the ceiling. “Yes! Finally!”

Lillie held her hands together in joy, hopping up and down. “I can’t wait to reunite with Snowy, and Ash was going crazy missing his Pikachu. That is wonderful news.” She took Ash’s spot in front of the screen and added, “Also, it is very nice to meet you, Princess. It is nice to meet a friendly Ultra… pony, and royalty no less. I would really love to learn more about your home once this crisis is over.”

“A cultural exchange, sounds great!” Twilight shouted, flapping her wings in joy. “Oh, I should also mention something about the Pikachu.”

Ash pushed Lillie to the side, taking her spot. “Yes?”

“When we arrived in this world, three pokemon accompanied us. Your Pikachu, Nica and Ace.”

“Nica and Ace?” Lillie asked. “So we’re not the only ones whose pokemon ended up in your world?”

“So Pikachu is here? Is he with you?” Ash asked.

“Not really. He’s up there looking for Nica,” Twilight said before Kukui’s cheek pressed against hers.

“You won’t believe this crazy and incredible story,” the professor said in excitement before pointing at Twilight. “Three ponies and three pokemon got into our world and got into a fight against the beasts on Melemele. After beating one and forcing another to escape, they found Tapu Koko and came up with a plan to take on the giant.”

“W-what!?” Ash shouted, pressing his nose against the screen. “You fought that giant beast? H-how? It was stronger and more deadly than any legendary pokemon I have ever met!”

“Legendary pokemon,” the nurse murmured to herself while a young male trainer in need of her assistance looked at Ash in amazement.

Twilight pushed Kukui to the side with her shoulder before speaking, “It was an incredibly powerful opponent. To counter its aura that Tapu warned us about, Starlight and I enhanced Pikachu, Nice and Ace with our magic, making them a lot stronger… for a time.”

Ash withdrew his head, now listening to the story with a growing amount of excitement, his veins now overflowing with adrenaline.

“They charged in as a team, attacking the beast with incredible bravery while luring it away from the town and towards the beach,” Twilight continued as each of her sentences seemed to cause Ash’s smile to widen. “I was really scared when that monster attacked with electricity, destroying hundreds of trees and scorching the ground. Luckily, Nica took the attack upon herself, protecting your Pikachu and Ace.”

“And Nica survived?” Ash asked in disbelief.

“But even ground types and pokemon with lighting rod were unable to withstand raw power of that magnitude,” Lillie commented. “Poor Togedemaru, knocked unconscious from overcharging.”

“Who’s Nica?” Ash asked.

“Only the most amazing Raichu in the world and Astra’s partner,” Twilight said, clapping her hooves enthusiastically. Her eyes were closed for a moment while a cheerful smile appeared on her face.

Ash bit his bottom lip while Lillie raised hand up to her mouth.

“Anyway, as I was saying.” Twilight continued, “After they arrived at the beach, Ace with Tapu’s help focused on creating the most powerful combo attack, using every bit of their power. Pikachu ended up fighting against one of the smaller beasts that we faced before as Starlight and I provided assistance, while Nica went ahead with Pikachu’s ‘Electro Ball’ to distract the giant monster.”

Ash nodded, already suspecting that Nica and the Raichu that crashed through the window were one and the same.

Twilight’s ears dropped. “Sadly, while Nica was distracting the giant beast, the smaller one went after her from behind. Rainbow Dash and Pikachu tried to help, but…” She lowered her head. “Nica ended up smashed between those two humongous shining limbs.”

“Double ‘Power Whip’ hitting from both sides. I couldn’t believe my ears when she told me about it,” Kukui jumped in.

Both Ash’s and Lillie’s faces became pale.

Ash gulped, remembering how one swing of that titanic arm was enough to knock unconscious nearly every pokemon it hit. To be smashed by two of them from both sides, and not long after being hit by a boosted ‘Discharge.’ This is… a deadly blow. Even my Pikachu would lose his life on the spot. How is she still alive? He lowered his head and clenched his fists. All those injuries and blood, her barely being alive… now it makes sense. P-poor Raichu. He already felt pity towards the injured pokemon, but now…

“I’m not really sure what happened next, but from what I saw, Ace’s attack was a fourth of the gigantic beast in terms of size while the red aura no longer protected the enemy.” Twilight frowned. “Sadly, even though the giant was defeated, Nica who was in its grasp was sent flying over the sea.”

“She was!?” Ash shouted, blinking in disbelief. “Does this mean she flew from Melemele, flying over Akala before landing here?”

Twilight and Kukui tilted their heads to the side in confusion.

Lillie shook her head and commented, “If this was the case, she would make a hole on the floor from the impact. I think someone threw her inside.”

“You mean Nica was thrown into the Pokemon Center?” Twilight asked before pressing her muzzle against the screen while flapping her wings. “A Raichu, a female one, extreme injuries. Is she really with you?”

Ash smiled awkwardly. “Y-yes…”

“That’s great!” Twilight shouted cheerfully. “What about Ace, is he with you as well?”

“Ace?” Lillie asked before pointing at the door leading outside. “I looked through the broken window, but I didn’t see anyone nearby.”

Ash nodded. “After the nurse took Pi...Raichu to heal her, I decided to go outside for a moment to find whoever threw her inside. The witnesses just mentioned that she flew from the beach area, but nothing besides that. We checked the beach later but nobody was there.”

“I… see…” Twilight said hesitantly, rubbing her chin. “Maybe Ace used his power to throw her.” She tapped horn on her head. “His power is similar to my levitation. I think it is normal for an Alolan Raichu.” She shrugged. “Ace was the first to go after his sister, but why would he throw her into the healing location rather than escort her there?”

Kukui clenched his fist. “What if he was in danger and did it out of desperation? That must be it.”

Twilight nodded before gasping. “Oh no… I hope he’s alright.”

Ash held a hand on his chest. “I’ll look for him immediately. What about Pikachu?”

“He’s with Rainbow Dash, a pegasus pony, and they’re searching for Nica. We lost contact with them though so we can’t give them the good news.”

Kukui narrowed his eyes, giving Ash an intimidating glare. “What about Tapu Town. How is it holding up?”

“It is unharmed,” Lillie responded. “The beasts in the forest aren’t approaching the town, though the police is armed at all times in case they do.”

“I see…” Kukui smiled, swinging his fist, causing Twilight to flinch. “Okay, here’s the plan. Once Twilight finishes working on the portal, she’ll get some strong pokemon that ended up in Equestria to help us. In the meanwhile, I’ll take Starlight to search for your Pikachu and the pegasus so we can tell them the great news. Since the strongest Ultra Beast is no longer an issue, Hala is already trying to get other Kahunas and Tapu together so we can push back the rest of those invaders.”

“Sounds good to me,” Twilight said with a nod.

“And what if they are no longer on Akala?” Ash asked in worry. “I’m talking about Pikachu.”

“This probably means that they’re searching for Nica on your island. They should reach Tapu Town sooner or later, so keep an eye out for a ponyta-like creature with wings,” the professor said, receiving an annoyed glance from the princess.

“Not ponyta-like. Just a pegasus.” She pointed at herself. “She’s blue, has a rainbow mane and tail, and she has a similar shape to mine but without the horn.”

“Got it,” Ash said with a nod.

“And Ash,” Kukui continued, “While searching for Ace or your Pikachu, don’t go too far away from the town, in case if it is attacked. Also, don’t go into the forest. It is way too dangerous to go there without backup.”

Ash lowered his head and frowned. “Fineee…”

Lillie spoke up, “I’ll stay here to keep an eye on Nica, and once Lana returns here, I’ll tell her what you told us. I am sure she’ll be happier once she knows that her Popplio is safe.”

“Alright, I think this accounts for everything. Let’s not waste any more time and get back to the research,” Twilight said before pointing at a button in front of the PC. “In order to end this… transmission… do I press this button?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

The face of professor and the princess vanished from their sight, replaced by blackness.

Ash and Lillie looked at each other, smiling cheerfully for the first time in a week before embracing each other in a hug. After facing a desperate situation since the invasion three days ago, a bright light of hope filled their hearts. Holding each other’s hands, they returned to their spots at the table, now sitting across each other.

“So… Pikachu and those two Raichu… they really managed to take down that unbeatable giant,” Ash said, looking at the girl in shock. “I… I have no words on how amazing it is. They must have made a great team.”

Lillie nodded. “Agreed. Not to mention that… what was it called… some sort of magic. To think it would make them strong enough to match the aura that the beast was enveloped in. Maybe their disappearance was a good thing.”

“Good? I don’t get it.”

Lillie chuckled. “Think about it. If your Pikachu and other pokemon were with you, I don’t think they would make much of a difference. In fact, if they were with you, you wouldn’t have asked Professor Oak to send you your other pokemon to make a full team while searching for them. Not to mention that Pikachu made some powerful friends while he was there.”

Ash rubbed his chin, thinking back to the massive battle that took place at Melemele. Three Kahunas and four guardians, working together with him and other volunteering trainers. A massive battle against the titanic beast and other smaller ones that supported it. My Rowlet and Litten still lack experience and I had only four pokemon in total. I suppose they would end up outmatched very quickly.

He glanced at Nurse Joy, or rather at one of two green doors at her sides where hurt pokemon were recovering. If other pokemon ended up in that other world, and Pikachu befriended them… He pictured Pikachu standing side by side with the Raichu and the alicorn princess behind them. The magic of that pony and might of those two other pokemon must’ve been incredible if they managed to win.

Ash narrowed his eyes, remembering the horrible bloody form of the poor Raichu. To think that she ended up taking that deadly ‘Discharge’ head on, and later got smashed between two titanic ‘Power Whips,’ and survived. What kind of training did that Raichu endure to get this tough?

“Ash, is everything okay?”

The trainer nodded. “Yes… I was just thinking about the struggle that Nica must have endured. Not to mention that her trainer must be worried sick about her Raichu.” He rubbed his arm nervously. “After everything she endured, I’m not sure if we should ask her to help us fight the beasts, even if she would be a really strong ally. She deserves a break.”

“I doubt she’ll just sit by.” Lillie looked at the window. “I think that Twilight mentioned something about her being Ace’s sister. Unless we find him, she’ll no doubt want to search for her brother.”

Ash glanced through the window as well, peeking at the sky, yet no pegasus was in his view. “I hope Pikachu doesn’t get himself in trouble. I already lost him once, I couldn’t bare for it to happen again.” He stood up and slammed his hands against the table. “I am tired of sitting here and doing nothing. I’ll go on patrol to find Ace or Pikachu.”

“Alright… just don’t go near that forest,” Lillie pleaded before placing her hand on her chest. “I’m doing my best to remain calm and collected, but deep inside I still worry about my mother and brother. If you left me on my own, leaving me to worry about your life too, I think I would start to panic as well.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t… at least not for now. But if Pikachu doesn’t arrive here in the next two hours, I’ll search the entire forest if I have to.” With determination burning inside him, he turned around, running towards the exit while a belt with six pokeballs was attached to his waist, waiting to be used.

Lillie watched Ash for a moment before looking peeking through the window at the sea. If the giant was indeed defeated, than the opportunity to rescue her mother would come soon. “Gladion, please, don’t do anything reckless…” she said to herself, hoping her brother wouldn’t share her mother’s fate.

Ch.5 - Research Party - Pt.2

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 5
-
Research Party - Pt.2

Twilight hovered in mid-air, clapping her hooves together. “Thank Celestia! Nica is safe after all!” She gave a quick flap, flying higher in the air, before exclaiming, “It’s as if a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders.” Her wings created a small gust of wind as a nearby worker dressed in a white coat scrambled over to snatch a stack of papers ready to blow away in the breeze.

“P-please be more careful, Miss Twilight.”

“S-sorry,” Twilight said with a sheepish smile. She descended onto the checkered violet and white floor, her hooves making a dull clack as they settled against the tile. On her sides, she noticed bookshelves piled with rows upon rows of precious literature, while behind her, an entire wall of screens closely monitored the beasts activity. What once was a little laboratory studying Ultra Space had now become a center of resistance for the four islands.

As much as she wished to learn more about the numerous PCs and the ongoing research that surrounded her from all sides, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

“You really care for that Raichu, don’t you little princess?” Kukui said after tapping Twilight’s shoulder.

The alicorn stood on her rear hooves, the top of her head now reaching up to the professor’s nose. “Hey, I’m not little. I just seem smaller when I stand on four hooves.” She lowered herself and nodded. “And to answer your question, of course I care about her. We ended up taking care of her for more than a month and she quickly became a major part of our lives, not to mention how much effort she put into helping us escape a future of war and enslavement, even with all the pain and agony she endured to do it.” She lowered her head and started rubbing the floor. “She’s so willing to push herself for others, yet never considers herself. Someone needs to worry about her wellbeing for her.”

“Heh, sounds like someone amazing. I can’t wait to meet her.” Kukui looked at the ceiling, holding hands on his sides. His face displayed in a cheerful smile. His attention shifted to his approaching wife who held a notepad in her hand. Her skin more brown than his with long white hair piled atop her head, while a grey undershirt and long black shorts covered her body. Whatever she wore atop was now wrapped around her middle, revealing most of her hands and neck. Next to his wife was none other than Starlight, whose face was twitching with impatience.

“So Nica is save, thank Celestia!” the unicorn said as she started trotting in place. “And yes, I eavesdropped on your conversation. I just hope that that Ash guy can keep the town safe long enough for her to recover.”

“Oh, you can trust him. He may seem clumsy and foolish at times, but when it matters the most, he goes above and beyond,” Professor Burnet said before addressing the princess. “I must say, I still find it a bit weird to cooperate with a visitor from another dimension in the middle of an invasion from Ultra Space, but I can’t deny your contribution.” She glanced at the princess’ horn. “To match the aura of that giant, your magic is really something.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said, hiding her blush. “I’m just glad we could be of assistance, considering that the spell that was meant to send Nica home instead of pulling more pokemon into our world.”

“To be fair, we were very close to having an all out pokemon invasion on our hooves,” Starlight commented, causing a few workers and both professors to look at her in confusion. “Sure, Chrysalis summoned Darkrai to do her bidding, but he used her instead and wanted pokemon to enslave us. So yeah…”

“Bygones are bygones,” Twilight said as she shook her forehoof dismissively. “Besides, even if one summoned pokemon tried to enslave us, another one came to our aid. We shouldn’t hold any grudges.”

“Fair enough,” Starlight said.

Professor Burnet scratched the back of her neck. “Seems we’re not the only ones with poor experiences here. I hope we can just engage in peaceful diplomacy once this crisis is over.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Twilight said with a nod before looking at the notes in the human’s hands. “Still, I can’t help but be amazed at how quickly you all were to cooperate with us, especially during an invasion.” She pointed at herself and then at Starlight. “I would assume as visitors from a different universe, it would be a bit harder to trust us, especially with how we seem to look closer to pokemon than humans.”

Kukui shrugged. “You kiddin’? With the massive variety of pokemon living all over the world, and the countless others being discovered everyday, there’s very little that we can find as odd anymore.” He patted the alicorn on the back. “To be honest, you fit in perfectly. If your fur were yellow and your mane and tail were made of flames, you could be mistaken by a flying Rapidash for sure. I’m sure some would go crazy over a rare catch like that.”

Burnet chuckled. “So true. Not to mention that Alola is already filled with many legends and out of the ordinary readings that we study. Ultra Space and alternative dimensions are basically the same.”

“Fair point,” Starlight said with a nod. “So, the faster we get the portal to Equestria working, the faster we can get reinforcements and clean this mess…” The unicorn began to trail off, noticing Twilight’s expression. “Hey, why the frowny face?”

The princess gave a soft sigh before glancing over to the PC screen beside her. “Well… I am worried about Ace. If he really found Nica, why did he throw her into the healing center instead of escorting her there, or even better, accompanying her inside? I fear he may be in trouble.”

Both professors looked at each other in worry. As much as they wanted to give the princess encouraging news, the risk of being ambushed on the way to any city had been very high since the invasion.

“Well, I would teleport to that other island and search for Ace…” Starlight narrowed her eyes, “but somepony told me to conserve my magic and avoid the risk until we get reinforcements.” She approached Kukui, standing on her rear hooves before pressing her forehooves against his chest. “And some professor refused my plea to let me get a pokemon of my own that would help me in battle.”

Kukui took a step back, holding his ground against the pony’s weight. “Sorry, we can’t entrust you with our pokemon when you don’t have much experience as a trainer.”

Starlight withdrew her hooves, now looking up at the professor in annoyance. “What about those so called ‘starter’ pokemon that new trainers can pick from?”

“First, only Kahunas can organize ceremonies where new trainers pick their pokemon, not to mention that said pokemon must agree to work together with their new trainer,” Kukui explained, his hands once again on his hips. “Not only we can’t afford to organize such a ceremony anytime soon, but there’s nothing an untrained pokemon can do against deadly Ultra Beasts like those.”

Twilight nodded. “Exactly. Even Nica and Pikachu working together barely bested that muscular beast and scared away the one that tried to choke us.” She frowned. “Nica told me that the more a pokemon gets hurt, the more durable it becomes, same with their strength, speed and power.” She shook her head. “Many wild pokemon have already died. We can’t risk more lives.”

“Fineee…” Starlight rolled her eyes, pouting.

Kukui laughed. “Cheer up. If you want you can still help me search for Rainbow Dash and Pikachu on Akala, just make sure to conserve that magic of yours.” He crossed his arms and lowered his head. “To be honest, I hoped I would be able to see how much stronger your enhancing magic makes my Incineroar.”

“And I hoped to cast some spells and command my own pokemon like a trainer. Seems no one gets what they want today,” Starlight complained.

Twilight looked at Kukui and her student walk towards the exit. “Good luck on your search. Please come back quickly. I’ll need your help with the final touches on the portal.”

“Got it,” Starlight said before stepping outside as the doors opened on their own.

Twilight looked at the other professor before saying, “The faster I open the portal, the faster we can get help.” She gestured over the room as other scientists seemed to be focused on their work. “As much as I hoped you could tell me more about all these amazing devices, I’ll need to fully focus on creating the portal.”

“Anything I can do to help?” Burnet asked, receiving a firm shake of refusal.

“Sorry, but your science and my magic are too different. I fear there’s nothing you can do to help,” the princess said before walking towards a room further in the building, one set up for her to work half an hour ago. “But thank you for offering.”

As the pony entered her room, Burnet crossed her arms, closed her eyes and chuckled. “Don’t underestimate me, big princess,” she murmured to herself. “I learned a thing or two about Ultra Space, I’ll find a way to your world, just you wait.”

In a flash of teleportation, Starlight appeared in the room reserved for the princess’ research. As she expected, most equipment was relocated, leaving the alicorn pony with enough space to summon a rune on the floor. Opened books lay scattered about with half empty bags lying in the corner. Several used gems ended up inside the trash-can while a high number of them lay on top of the table, next to an empty cup of coffee that desperately needed refilling.

“Seems someone has been working hard,” Starlight said before approaching her mentor, who seemed too distracted to acknowledge her presence. “Sadly, no good news on our end. I think Pikachu and Dash went to the third island after all.” She looked at the wall, which was also tiled, similar to the floor. “We did encounter two Ultra Beasts though. I tried using the muscular one that we captured…” She rubbed the black mark on her eye. “It turned out to be a bad idea.”

She sat down with a pout. “Looks like Operation: Trainer Starlight was a bust.”

Twilight looked away from the rune, giving her student an annoyed glare. “You know that those beasts are beyond our control.”

“Yes, yes, but I wanted to at least test it out to be sure.” Starlight glanced at the clock on the wall. “An hour has passed already? Wow… we were out there longer than I thought.” She tapped her chin. “This makes two hours since our victory over the giant. I wonder if Nica is feeling better already.”

The aura around Twilight’s horn flared to life as she started sending magic into the rune on the floor. “You’re seriously assuming two hours is enough for Nica to get from the brink of death to fully healed? I don’t think even the Pokemon Center can work that fast.”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Trust me. When it comes to recovery, that Raichu is something else.” She glanced at the rune. “So, anything I can help with?”

“Just send your magic into this rune to aid me. I added some slight changes so that we could return to the same spot from where we opened the first portal. There were still some tiny leftovers of magic in that spot in Equestria that helped me track the way home.”

“Wow, that was fast,” Starlight said before sending her magic into the rune. “You really came prepared.”

“Told you the materials I took with me would be helpful,” Twilight said with a proud smile. Her eyes sparkled as a portal started to form above the floor, slightly bigger than the one she created before.

“Is it really safe summoning it inside a building?” Starlight asked.

“Of course it is,” Twilight said before walking forward, approaching the portal one step at a time. “And... done!”

“Great, now let’s get some reinfor…” Starlight failed to finish and flinched, caught off guard when two creatures jumped from the portal, tackling the princess to the ground. One creature that was gifted with nine long tails had its fluffy belly now pressed against alicorn’s body. Ninetales?

“My deepest apologies, Princess Twilight,” Ninetales said as he leaped to the side before helping the alicorn to stand, supporting her with his own body. His translating collar was wrapped around his neck. “We came to the meeting spot in the hopes to reunite with our trainers, but when we arrived, we didn’t find you, or the portal.”

Starlight’s attention focused on the other creature who was now examining its surroundings. Its lower part was red while the upper part was black, though it had some sort of red mark on its darker back and what looked like two bands on its tail. Four legs seemed to have black bands instead while some sort of yellow ball decorated this creature’s neck. “L-Litten? Is that you? You look bigger...”

“I am no longer Litten. I evolved into Torracat.” He raised his head proudly as his ears now seemed longer, aside something red standing up from his face. “Our training was so intense that I evolved, and I also learned the move ‘Fire Blast!’ I can’t wait to show Ash my progress. He’s gonna be so excited!”

Torracat’s ears drooped for a moment, his bell chiming sadly. “I wish Ash could’ve been there. But oh well, I can still show him my new move!”

Ninetales frowned. “I tried to teach him ‘Fire Blitz’ as it would fit his style better, but instead of teaching him how to upgrade his ‘Flame Charge’ to this more powerful attack, I taught him how to spit flames in a shape similar to his own body. I shall redeem this failure during our next training session.” He increased his distance from the alicorn and sat.

Torracat jumped to the side and nuzzled the side of the taller pokemon. Even with his evolution, he didn’t reach Ninetales full height. “I wouldn’t call it a failure but a success. You may be strict, but you’re a really good teacher.”

“Good, but not good enough,” Ninetales complained, stomping a paw against the floor. “I know! Emily’s Arcanine knows ‘Flare Blitz.’ I’ll ask him to give you a proper demonstration.” He stood up and looked between the confused ponies. “Did you find Ash, Astra or Emily while taking so long with the portal? I need to consult Emily about Torracat’s training.”

“What about reuniting with your trainer first? You’re taking your role as my mentor way too seriously,” Torracat commented, only for Ninetales to press his muzzle against his nose.

“I promised to turn you from a rookie into an elite. You’re my pupil and I think about your future very seriously.” Ninetales pulled back with a huff. “Besides, how would it reflect on me if I couldn’t train you properly.”

Torracat simply grinned, leaning back into Ninetales and burying his face into the foxes rich fur.

Ninetales raised his head and blushed. “P-personal s-space, please,” he said, looking to the side, though made no move to shift away.

Starlight approached the friendly pair and spoke, “Sorry to disappoint you, but what we ran into is an invasion.”

“An invasion?” Both pokemon yelped together, jumping to their paws.

The unicorn nodded. “Powerful creatures called Ultra Beasts are standing in between us and finding your trainers.”

Twilight spoke up. “Actually, we know where Ash is. We had a talk with him with the help of… what was it called? A PC or something. He’s in the Pokemon Center in Tapu Town on another island. Nica is there as well, though she’s probably still recovering from her recent battle.” She shrugged. “As for Emily and Astra, I have no idea. There are no clues to go on.”

“Invasion! Ultra Beasts?!” Torracat shouted, hissing. “What next? Is an asteroid gonna come hurtling for us?”

Ninetales spread his tails threateningly. “Astra and Emily were at a vacation resort on Akala before we were pulled to Equestria. There is no way they aren’t currently on the frontline, fighting whoever invaded Alola.”

Starlight raised her hoof. “Actually, together with Kukui, we scouted this island. We’re on Akala. I also doubt she’s on Melemele, or else they would have come out from hiding during the big fight against the giant Ultra Beast. That leaves only two other islands.”

Twilight stood on her rear hooves and spread her wings for balance, holding her hooves on her sides. “The portal to Equestria wasn’t stable enough, so I had to make a new one. We hoped to get some backup.”

“All backup you need is here,” Ninetales said firmly. “Just tell me who to burn and I’ll get it done.”

Torracat nodded. “I’ll help the best I can.” He stomped both forepaws while showing off his claws. “I can’t wait to test what I learned against powerful foes. I won’t allow Ash to fight those creatures on his own.” He looked around. “By the way, where’s Pikachu and Rainbow Dash? They came with you, right?”

Twilight nodded as she lowered herself to four hooves. Her ears drooped. “Well… after Nica ended up greatly injured and was sent flying during our fight against Big Buzz… a gigantic beast, Ace followed her to save her. Pikachu and Rainbow Dash started searching for Nica not long after.”

Starlight joined in, “We suspect Dash and Pikachu are on Ula’ula, still searching for Nica. We have no means of informing them that she’s at the Pokemon Center in Tapu Town. Hopefully they have reached the city by now.”

Twilight lowered her head and whimpered. “Sadly, we still have no news of Ace’s whereabouts. All we know was that Nica was thrown into the Pokemon Center, so I suspect that Ace saved her but something bad happened to him on the way.”

Ninetales raised his head. “Well, with Nica recovering and Pikachu still out searching for her, finding and saving Ace takes top priority.”

Beside him, Torracat nodded.

Starlight gave a cheeky grin, looking over at Twilight.

“Y-yes?”

The unicorn pressed her hoof against Twilight’s chest and said, “While you go through the portal and get help, I’ll take Ninetales and Torracat to Ula’ula and search for Ace.” She solemnly dipped her head. “It might be a perilous task, but I’m up for the challenge, if it means saving my friends.”

“You really want to play the role of a pokemon trainer, don’t you?” Twilight sighed.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t.” She glanced at the fire duo. “Furthermore, I already saw those two in battle. I have a basic idea how to best use their combat moves.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Permission granted.”

Starlight jumped up, clapping her rear hooves in happiness.

“But…”

She landed, staring at the alicorn suspiciously.

“First I need you to make sure this portal is stable.” Twilight instructed, pointing at the circling mass of white and black before her, as well as the rune on the floor which powered it. “I need you to guard this portal for the next fifteen minutes. If it proves stable, you can go to Ula’ula and search for Ace, but if it starts shrinking, I’ll need you to send your magic into the rune on the floor.”

“Got it!”

“Perfect,” Twilight said before spreading her wings and flying into the portal.

Starlight took a fighting stance, looking between the portal and the clock on the wall, paying close attention to the time. Please be stable, please be stable, please be stable. She couldn’t help but fidget, jumping from hoof to hoof as she glanced at the time every five seconds or so.

Hanging her head, she muttered, “This is going to be the longest fifteen minutes of my life.”

Ch.6 - Rescue Party - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 6
-
Rescue Party - Pt.1

“Another dead end!” Jessie shouted, stomping the ground in frustration before kicking aside an empty, old barrel. An abandoned power plant stood tall in the background.

“But Ace swore that Pikachu was hiding somewhere inside,” Meowth said before glancing at the imprisoned and blindfolded Raichu, whose tail and belly were tightly wound by ropes and in the tight hold of Mimikyu’s long shadowy hand. Old bite marks and scratches were still scattered across his body, while new ones were added by the hour.

<He’s inside. Y-you j-just didn’t s-search h-hard enough,> Ace muttered, trembling whenever a shadowy claw scratched his neck.

“We just didn’t search hard enough, where have I heard that before?” Meowth asked as he held his paws at his sides, eyes narrowing in frustration.

James, standing next to Mimikyu, slapped the Raichu in the head. “You said the same when you told us he was hiding in the abandoned vacation resort on Akala, and then told us he was hiding at the dock of Ula’ula before swearing he was at the trash-utilization center.” He looked at damaged uniform on his arm. “Those Alolan Grimers and Muks bite really hard, you know.”

Mimikyu wrapped his shadowy hand around Ace’s neck, squeezing it. <Maybe we should’ve just thrown this stupid liar into a Muk’s jaw. It would teach him not to waste our time.>

<P-p-please n-n-no,> Ace said, gasping for air as the claw wrapped around his neck tightened, before lifting him higher and dangling him above the ground. <C-can’t b-b-breathe!>

Jessie ran over and yanked the pokemon by his golden ear, which only tightened the hold on his neck. “Now listen here you stupid Raichu! I can tell you’re terrified and aware of your situation, and you know full well what we’ll do with you if you keep sending us on these pointless searches. Either you are incredibly brave or incredibly foolish.”

<S-s-stop… p-please…> he said in a squeaky voice, his face turning an alarming shade of blue.

Jessie threw the Raichu onto the ground while Mimikyu loosened the hold on his neck. “If you keep lying to us, I can guarantee that Mimikyu will lose his patience and personally introduce you to the Z-move we practiced last week. So unless you want to face horrors beyond your imagination, just spill the beans!”

Mimikyu lowered his fake head and whispered, <I’ll do it. As long as you stay between me and that coward, you’ll get no mercy.>

Ace whimpered as his face was shoved into the dirt.

“Why do you even protect him?” Meowth asked as he crossed his hands. “Did you two became great pals or something? Why risk your neck for him?”

<B-because…> Ace responded as Mimikyu raised the Raichu to upright position. <B-because…> He gulped. <Because he’s a great hero! And because my sis loves him!> The moment Mimikyu pressed one claw against his neck, he plead in squeaky voice, <M-mercy… please...>

Meowth sighed. “You look as if you’re going to wet yourself at any moment. How can someone be so spineless and yet so brave at the same time?” He blinked in confusion before his eyes became wide. “Wait, Pikachu has another admirer? Didn’t he have a few already?” He placed paws on his sides and narrowed his eyes. “How many hearts is this charmer going to break?”

The discussion was cut off when the cell phone on James's belt alarmed them.

Not wasting a moment, he grabbed the device as a hologram of his boss popped to life before him.

“B-boss!” Jessie shouted before jumping towards her partner, standing at attention and saluting.

Meowth followed suit, getting onto James’ shoulder to be seen by his boss.

“How can we be of service?” James asked, staring back with a mix of fear and respect.

“Are you three still at your station at Thrifty Megamart? I am currently chasing after my arch nemesis and I need you to set up a blockade on the beach. No matter what, Astra isn’t allowed to reach Tapu Town. I need her stopped no matter the cost!”

The rocket members looked at each other, beads of sweat falling down their faces as they made eye contact with one another and gave a few nervous chuckles.

The boss sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. “Where the heck are you morons now?”

“W-well…” James started, holding the cell-phone in his trembling arm.

“We were looking for Ash’s Pikachu so we could catch him for you,” Jessie said, sweating.

Meowth pointed at the imprisoned Raichu. “But Ace here lied to us. Otherwise we’d already have him wrapped in a bow for you.”

“B-but don’t worry, Boss, we’ll get to Tapu Town immediately,” James reassured.

“Wait, did you say Ace?” Boss asked. “Is he an Alolan Raichu?”

Jassie raised the pokemon for her boss to see. “Yes, he is. Ace the Alolan Raichu. We captured him at the beach after your… glorious giant was bested by those electric annoyances.”

Meowth added, “We believe that Pikachu was among the pokemon that fought it, but fear not, he’ll be severely punished once we find him.”

Boss narrowed his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows, causing the trio to flinch. “I’ll ask a very important question, and I expect a truthful answer. No excuses,” he spoke with a calm but commanding voice.

“Yes sir!” the trio spoke in unison as Ace was quickly coated in sweat.

“Did you happen to see a female Raichu, Kantonian variant, among those who bested my Ultra Titan?” Giovanni asked, his tone more dead-serious with each word.

James nodded. “Oh, you mean that badly injured Raichu that Ace was carrying around?”

Giovanni’s eyes opened widely.

Jessie added, “When we tried to capture them, this Alolan Raichu used ‘Psychic’ to throw her into the Pokemon Center.”

Meowth shrugged. “That was where Ash was at the moment, so we decided to ignore her and focus…”

“You braindead idiots! Useless imbeciles! Incompetent morons! Do you have even the slightest clue of what you have done?!”

The trio knelt as their faces turned pale, none dared to say a word.

“Now listen carefully, because I’ll say this only once.” Giovanni took a deep breath before speaking in irritated tone as his very hologram proved as intimidating as a charging Tauros. “My mortal enemy is Astra, the Pokemon Master who has been hunting the criminal elite for years.” He took another breath. “Aside from having a team of well-balanced and incredibly well trained pokemon, she has a partner. A female Raichu. The most skilled Raichu, maybe even most-skilled pokemon in general, in the world who kept Astra safe, no matter what kind of assasination attempt or ambush we set for them.”

The trio nodded.

“This Raichu is the most wanted and most valuable pokemon to me, and you fools had her in hand’s reach, injured and for the taking.” He clenched his fists, took a deep breath and shouted, “And you idiots let her go!” The voice from the cellphone pushed the humans pokemon away as the device fell to the ground.

Jessie and James bowed to hologram of their boss, while Meowth’s tail bushed out behind him.

“We’re so sorry!” James shouted.

“Please forgive us! Please forgive us!” Jessie begged.

“Give us another chance!” Meowth pleaded.

“I don’t care how you do it or what underhanded tactic you implement. I either want this Raichu captured or its’ head on a platter. I don’t care if she’s dead or alive, just get her before Astra does,” Giovanni said with a firm tone. “I’ll keep as much pressure as I can on the Pokemon Master, but even then she may reach the town in between half and a full hour. I’ll personally lead the siege against Tapu Town if she breaks through, but if she reunites with that cursed Raichu, defeating her will become a lot more difficult.”

“We’ll get right to it,” James said in haste as he stood up and saluted.

“We’ll capture her for sure,” Jessie reassured.

Meowth added, “That’s right.”

“I want to talk with Mimikyu in private and take a better look at that Alolan Raichu,” Giovanni ordered. “Scram.”

“At once!” James said before placing the cell phone on the floor in front of Mimikyu and the Raichu he held captive. The trio retreated towards the abandoned power plant for a moment while the boss's attention focused on the two pokemon before him.

“Listen Mimikyu. Even though I equipped those idiots with three of my Ultra Beasts, you’re the only competent member on that team,” Giovanni said before his glance rested on the captured Raichu. “That pokemon in your hold. While he caused a lot of pain to Team Aqua and Team Magma, I don’t care much for him personally, but what’s important is that he’s very important to the partner of the Pokemon Master. If she resists capture, you can use him as a hostage against her to gain an advantage.”

Mimikyu turned around, ignoring the boss.

“I want that female Raichu, dead or alive. If you get it done, I’ll give you any reward you desire, be it money, fame or status.”

Mimikyu turned towards Giovanni’s hologram.

<Using me against my sister? Don’t you dare...> Ace murmured to himself before his neck once again ended up squeezed, forcing him to hold breath. He was so going to have a lasting mark on his neck at this rate.

The boss smirked. “I thought that would motivate you.”

Small tears dripped from Nica’s eyes as she found herself ensnared within the Ultra Beast’s long cables. With every breath, they twisted a bit tighter, causing the Raichu to gasp for air and increase her struggles. Every bone seemed to splinter, only causing more agony when the grip around her was tightened, and though she tried to hold it in, a small yelp escaped her.

“Ace? Pikachu? Anyone?” she cried out, before hearing a familiar crackle of electricity beside her.

Through a blurry haze of tears, she glanced to the side and spotted Ace floating beside her. Desperation rushed through her, clouding the fading adrenaline, and she reached out a single paw towards her brother. He stilled, his eyes growing unsure.

“Ace! Please,” she called out again, her cheeks sparking as a foreign burst of energy flowed through her. Gathering as much power as possible, she released a devastating ‘Thunderbolt’ and shocked the cables holding her, watching in satisfaction as they flinched back and loosened her restraints. Using the distraction, she jumped forwards and ran along a wire, closing the distance between herself and her brother.

He remained unmoving, his expression filled with pity as she ran, her heart pumping. She was so close. So close to freedom.

Just a few more jum- She began to think, before an explosion of electricity crashed into her, throwing her off balance and causing her to teeter.

Dangerously close to falling off, she wrapped her tail around the cable she stood on and look to the side, only to find Pikachu glaring back at her. His expression sad, as if devoid of hope.

“Pikachu?” Nica asked, confusion and hurt lacing every word. “What’s going on?”

Pikachu sighed, looking away. “We failed. All our efforts were for nothing.”

“W-what are you talking about?” Nica stuttered, ignoring the cables closing in on her as her gaze stayed focused on Pikachu.

“I mean, look around you. All this destruction and chaos because we weren’t strong enough.” He raised his head, looking back with stare filled with betrayal. “I truly believed you when you said we could do it. I believed in you and your skills, but it seems I overestimated you. Instead to victory, you lead us to our doom.”

Nica paused, gazing around at the landscape surrounding her. The forest was demolished, once flourishing trees crushed either by the Ultra Beast’s steps or the flames dancing around the woodlands. Pokemon lay scattered about, severely injured as their trainers struggled to help them, or laid beside them in conditions similar to their partners. Even Astra and Twilight were among those hurt, huddled together behind a burning tree as they watched the Ultra Beast in fear.

“Fighting by your side was nice while it lasted, but I suppose this is a goodbye,” Pikachu said as Nica could see tears sliding down his cheeks. “If I regret something, it is that I couldn’t see Ash one last time… and tell him… how much our friendship and teamwork meant to me.”

Nica trembled, barely able to stand as guilt somehow surpassed her agony. Did she really fail this badly? She swore to protect Pikachu and help him reunite with Ash, yet in the end she failed to keep her word. All her skills and training failed as she once again couldn’t protect another. No… this time it wasn’t just a father she never met, but a pokemon she admired and maybe even loved. And not just that. So many other pokemon and people perished because of her failure.

Her ears perked upon hearing another spark of lightning. The beast they stood on, its entire body sparked with electricity. She stretched her forepaw towards Pikachu, wanting nothing more than to push him away, but her rear legs refused to move. She grit her teeth, yet failed to unleash any electricity. Screams of pain followed as her hero turned into ash before her very eyes.

Her throat became dry and eyes burst with tears as she no longer cared about the pain. She dedicated most of her life and endless struggle to keep others safe, and yet here she was, dying powerlessly as those she cared about and numerous others perished before her.

In the end her life and all her efforts proved meaningless. And the worst thing was, she wasn’t even given the luxury to die while saving those she cared about.

Eyes snapping open, Nica jumped up and began hyperventilating, gasping for air as if there was no tomorrow. Drops of sweat covered her face.

<It was just a dream, it was just a dream,> she mumbled, desperately trying to calm her racing heartbeat.

She hastily looked around, yet instead of endless ruin and death, she could see that she was lying on a bed with soft white eiderdown providing her rear legs with a pleasant heat. Blinking in confusion, she slowed down her breathing and pushed away whatever mask was attached to her face, which upon closer inspection seemed to provide her with oxygen during her rest. She pushed the eiderdown aside, noticing numerous bandages wrapped over her four legs and belly, while numerous cables were attached to her body as a machine on her left showed her heartbeat and other health-related statistics. Beside a very quick heartbeat rate, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

A Pokemon Center? she thought, recognizing the familiar surroundings. She grimaced a moment later and spit into the trash beside her bed upon noticing the bitter taste of iron in her mouth. She left a bloody stain inside the bin.

She closed her eyes and curled into a trembling ball, holding rear legs close to her belly as memories from her recent battle hit her like a hammer. While she was used to pushing herself harder than any other every single day, even that didn’t prepare her for the recent battle.

I’m f-fine… I’m fine… I’m still in one piece, she thought to herself, taking a moment to push away the trauma. Pikachu, Ace, everyone, they’re safe… they have to be! They… they have to. She closed her eyes, recalling her recent memories.

A wave of electricity that penetrated her most solid defense, two physical attack smashing her from both sides at full force, a grip she couldn't free herself from even with the help of her trusty tail while the giant sucked away her electricity. How long had it been since she faced a challenge and danger of such magnitude?

Even when facing Darkrai’s attempts to break her, even when injured and with a broken leg while facing dehydration, she still managed to keep going through willpower alone. Even when powerless in Fluttershy’s embrace, she didn’t feel this afraid.

One thing was certain. She was so close to embracing death by crushing or drowning as her fate had been left entirely in the paws or hooves of her allies.

At least… at least I took… all those hits… for my friends… she convinced herself, fearing what Pikachu and Ace’s fate would have been if she weren’t there to tank all the damage. She was helpful, yes, she certainly was, nothing like in that horrible nightmare. With agility alone and able to power up and control Pikachu’s electro ball, she was the perfect distraction, buying her allies the time they needed to achieve victory. Yet, against such a large and powerful foe, evasion was key, something she had lost the moment a smaller and very agile beast ambushed her from behind.

“Oh dear, yer awake already?”

Nica loosened up her curled position, peeking from behind her paws at the nurse next to the door. She took a deep breath, trying to relax herself as she pushed herself to a sitting position, staring at the nurse curiously.

Nurse Joy glanced at the big clock on the wall, which showed the time of twenty to four. “Ya slept only fer two and a half hours since ya got here! How is that even possible? Ah was sure yer recovery would take a day in the least.” She gasped, holding a hand in front of her mouth.

Nica glanced at the large clock as her eyes became wide. Two hours and thirty minutes? That’s… that’s half an hour longer than usual. I overslept! She jumped to a standing position, wincing as she still felt some leftover pain in her spine. As long as a Pokemon Center was involved, even after her harshest training routine she needed no more than two hours to fully recover. Was her condition that critical?

“Lie down, will ya? Yer far from healthy!” Nurse Joy shouted in panic as she placed her notepad on the table next to the bed, now using her hands to gently lower the Raichu to a lying position.

Nica didn’t resist, sensing an extreme amount of pity, worry and affection coming from the nurse. The softness the pillow provided for her head and neck was certainly something she gratefully welcomed. M-maybe I’ll rest just an itty bit longer, she thought to herself. After the crushing grip of the titanic beast, this bed feels as soft as the heavens themselves. I hope my friends will forgive me for being a little selfish… Her ears drooped as she felt sadness overcome her heart. Ace… Pikachu… Twilight… Starlight… and Rainbow Dash… please… be alright.

The injured pokemon closed one eye the moment she felt nurse’s hand gently massage her cheek.

“Ah’m not sure what kind of horrors ya endured, ya poor sweetie, but yer safe now. Please relax and rest. No one is goin’ to hurt ya anymore,” Nurse Joy said with a compassionate smile. “Ya have mah word.”

Nica returned the smile as she nuzzled the friendly hand, gladly accepting this gesture of compassion. That’s… a lot of pink on her uniform, and she smells like… apples? Oh right… this is how nurses in Alola look and talk. She grabbed the hand with her bandaged paws, stopping the pleasant massage as she looked at the nurse curiously. <W-where are my friends? What island and town am I on? How is Alola holding up with those beasts roaming around?>

The nurse raised her other hand before rubbing Nica behind her ears. “Ssshhh… yer safe. There’s no need to worry. Just lie down yer cute little head and get some rest.”

Nica released the hand from her hold and sighed. Oh right, no translating collar. She glanced at the notepad left on the table, and then noticed a pen in one of nurse’s pockets.

With movement of her tail, she grabbed the notepad while reaching for the pen with her bandaged paws.

“Hey, what are ya doin’?”

With important equipment now in her paws, she moved the half-written page before writing on an empty one, though finding slight difficulty due to the bandages getting in the way and the lingering pain in her paws.

“Those are important notes, give it back,” the nurse said in panic before pulling the notepad from Nica’s hold. She quickly glanced at her notes before looking at the Raichu in confusion. “Ya can write?”

Nica nodded.

The nurse scratched the back of her neck, thinking for a moment before handing over the notepad. “Alright… but stay away from mah notes, got it?”

Nica nodded again before writing down her questions.

The nurse read her writing a moment later, ignoring a few little mistakes and the off-line writing. “Yer on Ula’ula island in Pokemon Center located in Tapu Town,” she answered one of the questions, though not in the order they were asked. “Well… Melemele was hit the hardest, and Ah heard that many key locations in Alola were hit by the beasts and the foundation was taken over. The main town in Akala is being kept safe by the Kahunas though, and our town hasn’t been attacked yet. As for yer friends...” she looked to the side, “Ah can’t tell. Ya were thrown into the Pokemon Center through the window, but no one can tell who threw ya inside.”

<I… see…> Nica lay down, pressing the back of her head into the heavenly pillow. She closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. Think… think…

“Ah need to go now, check on mah other patients. Ah’ll check on yer health soon though. Just take it easy.”

Don’t you dare die! a familiar voice echoed in Nica’s head as she remembered the desperate cries from her brother, begging her to stay alive. <Ace?> she said to herself as she opened her eyes. Her brother saved her from drowning, that was obvious, but why didn’t he take her to the Pokemon Center instead of throwing her inside? Something was clearly wrong.

She glanced at the curtains which covered the window, denying her view of the outside world. I suppose I can just sneak out and search… She shook her head. No, I’ll just make everyone worry. I just need to convince the nurse that I’m fine and ask her more questions. If I’m going to find my trainer, my brother, and my friends, I need clues to go on. She glanced at the clock on the wall and then at the cables on her belly. The nurse mentioned she would check on my health soon. I suppose I should rest a little longer until she returns.

Five minutes soon bled into ten as Nica dozed in pleasant bliss, yet not daring to fall asleep. Wary of her surroundings, her ears twitched, picking up the noise of approaching footsteps.

She opened her eyes and raised her head, her attention focused on the door as she awaited the visitor. Yet… something seemed off. Those didn’t seem to be steps made by a human wearing boots. As the visitor got closer, she narrowed her eyes, sensing a malicious and greedy aura. Whoever was coming didn’t have good intentions in mind. The door opened slightly as a pokemon snuck in. A Kantonian Meowth? she thought as the pokemon before her wasn’t an Alolan variant for sure.

“Well, well, well, who do we have here, an injured Raichu? I found you on my third try, talk about luck.”

Nica blinked in confusion as she looked at the pokemon’s neck, not finding any translating collar.

“And look at you, covered in bandages and weak. This is going to be easy.”

Nica observed the Meowth curiously, deducing his male gender by voice alone. She watched him jumping onto the bed as he approached her. <Can I help you?>

Meowth chuckled. “Of course you can. Our boss wants seems to want your head on a platter, so let's get this over with. The sooner you come with me, the sooner I can be showered in praise and rewards.” He held his paws together, watching the ceiling with a dreamy smile. “He’s totally going to let me take the place of that pesky Persian after that. I can’t wait!”

<Boss?>

The pokemon nodded. “Yes, the boss of Team Rocket.” He exposed his paws, showing his claws before slashing away the cables attached to Nica’s belly. The Raichu winced as a harsh beep sounded, the machine showing that she flatlined. “Now here’s the deal. We were ordered to capture you dead or alive. Personally, I would prefer the second option, and since you’re still tired and wounded, it is in your best interest to cooperate.”

<So if I refuse, you’ll use force or even try to kill me?> Nica asked, her voice low and scared as she decided to take a diplomatic approach.

“Bingo, and don’t think we can’t pull it off. We already captured your brother, and you’re in no shape to fight back.”

<My brother? You mean Ace?> she asked, resisting the urge to unleash her electricity as it sparked beneath her skin. She faked a fearful expression, curling her forepaws under her neck, trembling in fear. She spoke in a squeaky voice, <P-please, d-don’t hurt me.>

“I won’t hurt you as long as you cooperate,” Meowth explained as he helped her stand, slashing away the other cables while pointing at the window. “Just follow me, and if you make one wrong move, you’ll taste my claws, got it?”

Nica took a step back, still trembling. <Will you… let me see my brother?>

“Sure. He’s in our hideout. The boss will appreciate getting two Raichu for the price of one.” He grabbed the bronze edge of Nica’s forepaw, pulling it. “Now get a move on!”

Nica stopped at the edge of the bed, resisting lightly. <W-where are you taking me?>

“To the Megamart where the ghost… hey, why I am telling you this? Just move your sorry-legs already and follow me or I’ll claw your face off.”

Ghost trial? Nica raised an eyebrow. She had learned what she wanted, the time for diplomacy was over.

Ch.6 - Rescue Party - Pt.2

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 6
-
Rescue Party - Pt.2

“Team Rocket again, what do you want this time!?” Ash shouted with a shake of his hand before grabbing a pokeball from his belt.

A girl named Lana with somewhat thin hands and legs stood by Ash’s side, holding a pokeball of her own. Her sea-blue shorts which looked a bit like a skirt covered most of her legs. “Not a step forward. I may not have Popplio by my side, but I have an Araquanid and I’m not afraid to use it.”

On Ash’s left stood Lillie as she clenched her fists, completing the human wall between TR and the Pokemon Center. The sun shone brightly from above with barely any clouds in the sky. Aside from numerous buildings located on both sides of the Pokemon Center, there was still enough space for a few trees and some green scenery, a common mix among towns of Alola.

“Capture pokemon to make our boss happy, getting rich, you know, the usual,” James said as he held a pokeball of his own.

“You won’t steal any pokemon on my watch,” Ash said with a stomp. “Not mine, nor my friends’, nor the ones in the Pokemon Center!” He fixed his hat and smirked. “Besides, if you want to capture my Pikachu, bad news, he’s not here.”

“Oh, we don’t want to capture your Pikachu. We have an eye on a bigger prey,” Jessie said, returning a smirk of her own.

“You don’t?” Ash blinked in confusion, relaxing his pose, no longer as wary of his opponents as before.

“Bigger prey? What are you talking about?” Lillie asked as she looked over her shoulder. “You can’t mean…”

Jessie’s eyes sparkled. “That’s right. We are here for a Raichu. Now hand her over, or we’ll raze this Pokemon Center to the ground.”

James stepped forward and shrugged. “Let’s say we fight here. Maybe an accidental attack will strike this building, burying the hurt pokemon under rubble. Surely you don’t want that.”

Lana jumped forward, sending the spider-like pokemon into the field. The creature reached up to her middle, standing on six legs while a protective bubble surrounded its head. She glanced at her friends and said, “We’ll safeguard the building, so don’t worry about it.”

Both groups stared at each other as if having a staring contest, holding their pokeballs, waiting for the other side to make the first move. The tension in the air was broken the moment something flew through the window of the Pokemon Center before crashing into a nearby tree with a loud thud, alongside the noise of breaking glass and smashed wood.

“What was that?” Lillie asked as everyone’s attention focused on a tree, or rather on the Meowth now stuck in it.

James ran closer. “Meowth? What are you doing here? Where’s the…” He failed to finish as bolts of electricity shot through the window, blowing up the tree, pushing the little pokemon further away.

The Team Rocket members and Ash’s team raised their hands protectively, hiding away from the fragments of flying wood.

Jessie lowered herself, shaking her hand in front of her nose due to the smell of burned fur. “So capturing her didn’t work. Plan B it is.” She grabbed Meowth before addressing Ash and his friends. “Here’s the deal. We have Ace, an Alolan Raichu in our custody. If you don’t bring… you know who…” she glanced at the pokemon peeking through the window, “to the abandoned Megamart in next ten minutes, his life will be forfeit.”

“What? Since when do you kill pokemon?” Ash asked, clear shock on his face.

“There’s too much on the line, kid. We can no longer afford to play nice,” Jessie explained before throwing a smoke bomb to the ground, only for her, James and Meowth to vanish from everyone’s sight.

Ash covered his face protectively, coughing from the unpleasant gas. Walking backward, he lowered his hand, only to notice a bandaged pokemon jump from the window of the Pokemon Center, charging into the cloud of smoke. “Raichu, wait! Stop!” He jumped to the side and spread his hands, blocking the pokemon’s way. “Don’t fall for their trap, Nica!”

The Raichu pulled herself to a full stop, reacting to being called by her name. She stood up on the tips of her rear legs and looked up at him curiously.

Ash knelt to one knee. “Listen. Those people are Team Rocket, they want to capture you, and you’re still badly hurt from your recent fight. They’ll take advantage of that.” Much to Ash’s surprise, the Raichu swiftly tore away the bandage, revealing her near-spotless fur as one needed to pay very close attention to notice marks of her previous fight. “Your burns and marks… they’re gone!” he shouted in shock as the pokemon before him stretched her limbs without a single show of discomfort.

Nica patted her chest and raised her head proudly as bolts of electricity escaped the dots on her cheeks. <Don't underestimate how fast I recover. I am fine and ready to fight.> She clenched the bronze patches of her forepaws and narrowed her eyes. <My brother saved my life and they captured him. I’ll not rest until he’s safe!>

Ash stretched his arm towards the Raichu and rubbed the top of her head. “A bea...creature from a different world named Twilight, she told me what happened: How you were summoned to her world just like my Pikachu did where you two became friends, and how you teamed up to fight against that gigantic beast.”

He carefully picked up Nica, now holding her gently in his embrace as memories of the many times he had held his beaten Pikachu in a similar manner flashed in his mind, though unlike his light Pikachu, Nica weighed a bit. The pokemon didn’t resist and just stared back curiously. “She told us how you saved my Pikachu by taking a deadly ‘Discharge’ upon yourself, and how you were hit by two ‘Power Whips.’ You fought incredibly and nearly lost your life. You don’t need to act tough anymore.”

He gulped, his throat dry as he resisted the urge to cry for the poor creature in his arm. “I’ll save your brother, I… I swear, s-so just t-take it easy, okay?”

Nica gasped, staring at the trainer for a few seconds before raising a forepaw up to her forehead, fainting.

Lillie and Lana flanked Ash from both sides, looking at the pokemon in worry, while the spider-like pokemon peeped over his shoulder.

“She must be very tired,” Lillie spoke up. “Should we leave her at the Pokemon Center?”

“We can’t let Team Rocket take her, but how will we rescue Ace without her?” Lana asked. “They seemed determined to carry out their threats.”

Nica’s eyes shot open and sparkled as she stared at Ash with the widest smile she could muster. <You… you’re Pikachu’s trainer, the heroic Ash Ketchum Astra praised so often! I can’t believe it.> She pushed herself free from his embrace, jumping and wrapping her paws around his neck as he lost his balance from the applied force while his hat fell from his head.

Now lying on his back while using his elbows for support, he felt the pokemon’s tight embrace as she affectionately nuzzled his chin and cheek. He felt her cold nose and her flexible ear rub against him while hearing a repetitive cheerful ‘Rai.’

Lillie chuckled. “For someone who nearly died, she’s incredibly cheerful and playful. I think she likes you.”

Lana added, “She’s so cute. Wish I could play with her too.”

Nica stretched her tail, rubbing and tickling Lana while still nuzzling the hero.

“H-hey, t-that tickles… stop it,” Lana said as she tried to push away the long tail.

Nica pushed herself further up before licking Ash’s nose playfully. <I can’t believe I get the honor of working with you. An amazing trainer like you will save my brother for sure, and I’ll fight by your side with everything I have got, and then we’ll reunite with the ponies and your Pikachu and end this mess.> She pushed herself away, landing in front of Ash while jumping from one tip of her rear paw to another, not daring to let more than a single limb to touch the ground at a time, as if jumping on a heated pan.

“Wow, you’re more enthusiastic than my Pikachu has ever been, well, maybe…” He stood up and smiled proudly at the dancing Raichu. “I can’t believe you have so much energy after resting so little, but you need to save your strength.” He held a hand on his chest. “Just leave the battling to me and my team.”

Nica shook her head as she pressed her tail into the soft grass, writing in it.

“I am fine?” Lillie read the marks on the ground. “You know how to write?”

Nica nodded as she continued writing.

“You… can’t be serious,” Ash said, his mouth agape. “You want to fight by my side after everything that happened to you? But you can’t…”

Nica shook her head before displaying her tail as it turned a metallic grey. She leaped up and swung it in mid-air as the trainer felt a gust of wind on his face. She wrote ‘Iron Tail,’ on the ground a moment later. She wrote ‘Thunderbolt,’ before summoning bolts of electricity directed towards the sunny sky. She stood on a single leg and stretched her forepaw, summoning a transparent barrier while writing ‘Light Screen’ in the dirt at the same time.

Ash opened his mouth, but closed it just as quickly as he read the names of the used attacks.

The Raichu wrote ‘Volt Tackle’ before repeating her name, running in circles around the trio of humans as her body ended up surrounded by an aura of electricity. She jumped, landing in front of the group a few seconds later on a single leg before leaping from one rear paw to another while punching the air.

Lillie looked at Ash. “She seems very determined. Maybe she regained more strength than we’re giving her credit for.”

Lana shook her head. “Or she’s just pushing herself.”

Ash rubbed his chin while saying to himself, “Iron Tail, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt. My Pikachu used the same attacks before he learned Electro Ball. Light Screen instead of Quick Attack though… what is that skill used for?”

“‘Light Screen’ provides the pokemon and its allies with temporary protection against special attacks. The opposite of ‘Reflect’ that does the same against physical attacks,” Lillie pointed out. “She may not have the speed that ‘Quick Attack’ provides, but when it comes to special defense and providing support, ‘Light Screen’ is really handy.”

“That’s neat,” Ash said, giving Lillie a glance of admiration. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ash turned towards the enthusiastic Raichu. “I can tell you really want to help us fight them, but try not to push yourself until you fully recover, alright?”

Nica rolled her eyes. One of the advantages of her body’s adaptation where it swapped some offense power for extra survivability was how quickly she could recover and return to the field of battle, something which caught plenty of trainers off guard.

Lana approached and lowered herself to the long-tailed pokemon. “Nica, please don’t panic, but your brother Ace is being held as hostage by Team Rocket at the abandoned Megamart where the ghost trial is often held.”

Nica said with a shake of her paw.

Lana looked at Ash and added, “There’s not much I can do with only one pokemon, so I’ll stay and guard the Pokemon Center. I’ll also tell Professor Kukui about what happened here. I’m counting on you, Ash, to send Team Rocket packing.”

“Got it,” Ash said with a swing of his hand. He picked up his hat from the ground, returning it on his head. “Now to the Ghost trial… ummm…”

Lillie smiled sheepishly. “Anyone have an idea where we can find that Megamart?”

“I think it is near the…” Lana failed to finish as Nica ran away from her, bypassing the others.

“Hey, wait!” Ash shouted, hastily rushing after the enthusiastic Raichu, only to trip over due to a log from the destroyed tree. He yelped and closed his eyes, yet his chin didn’t hit the ground. Blinking in confusion, he noticed the yellow part of Nica’s tail pressing against his belly. In a few seconds, the surprisingly strong Raichu pulled him to a standing position.

“Thanks…”

Nica smiled cheerfully before gesturing with her forepaw, pointing towards the shore. <Just follow me. I know the way.>

“Do you know the way?” Lillie asked as Nica nodded. “Seems you have a guide.” She clenched her fists and frowned in annoyance. “As much as I want to come, I would only get in the way without Snowy. I feel so useless.” She shot him a stern glare. “Ash, you better get back in one piece. Just rescue Ace and come back, no crazy stunts.”

Lana chuckled. “No crazy stunts? You know you are asking for the impossible.”

Lillie rolled her eyes before walking towards the Pokemon Center. Together with Lana they waved farewell while shouting, “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Ash waved back before jogging and then running after the impatient Raichu.

“You’re pretty fast,” Ash praised as his breathing rate increased in speed. With the ten minute time limit the Team Rocket members gave them, they still had five minutes left as they arrived at the shore.

Nica leapt between the remnants of damaged buildings, gesturing for him to follow while glancing at him every other moment. She pointed over the damaged buildings at the Megamart in the distance which was surrounded by scorched ground.

“So this is where the Ghost Trial takes place. Your brother must be held there, but not for long.” He wiped sweat from his forehead before preparing to jump down the slope as the stairs were damaged. Nica quickly ran over, as if afraid he would trip over for a third time.

As his boots landed on the sand, Ash walked towards his destination at a slower pace. “Hey, Nica.”

The Raichu stood on her rear paws, listening with full attention.

“I’m not sure how it is between you and your trainer, but when I travel with my Pikachu,” he patted on his right shoulder, “he often rides on my shoulder. So… if you want…”

Nica held her forepaws close to each other as her mouth opened in a wide smile. Her eyes sparkled in joy. <C-can I… can I really?>

“Hop on.”

Nica screamed a joyful “Chuuu” before rounding the trainer and hopping onto his shoulder while her tail swung left and right from excitement.

Ash tilted forward as he underestimated Nica’s weight, taking a moment to balance himself. He felt Nica’s rear paws press against his back while her forepaws were wrapped over his neck and his arm. As he glanced at the Raichu, he was greeted with a face showing pure joy. Why is she so happy just because I took her for a ride? Now that I think about it, whenever she looks at me, there’s this aura of admiration and happiness that follows her around. As his boots made continuous contact with the sand, he looked at the sky. Pikachu, what did you tell her about me?

Upon noticing the Rocket members standing near the entrance into the Megamart, he started trotting, not wanting to keep his enemies waiting. He spotted bolts of electricity from the corner of his eye, which were escaping from the dots on Nica’s cheek. That expression, those sparks. How often have I seen the same whenever Pikachu was on my shoulder while we were about to face an important battle. Still, seeing a Raichu do it feels kind of off.

Jessie and James grinned before opening the door and walking inside while Meowth exposed his tongue, blowing them a raspberry before mocking them to go inside.

Ash stopped before the stairs, almost tripping over due to the extra weight on his shoulder before stabilizing himself. Feeling the growing tension, he took a moment to examine his surroundings.

From the beach area stairs were located for potential customers among the people relaxing under the sun as a few damaged and knocked over ice-cream stands were located on the scorched ground. As he walked up the stairs, his attention focused on numerous desks blocking most windows, while those which weren’t sealed away had curtains preventing people from peeking inside. The building itself seemed less damaged than the surrounding area, yet rust covering the yellow walls and dirt on the glass meant no one had taken care of it in years if not decades. The entrance wasn’t from this side of the mart as Ash rounded the wall while Nica scanned their surroundings for a potential ambush, her tail raised and ready.

After rounding the wall, Ash spotted the entrance that Team Rocket used, as well as some cracked asphalt before it. If it was leftovers from an attempt to make parking for cars while connecting the Megamart with the rest of the city, the work was stopped quickly as the nearby forest and rocky hills sealed this area.

“The scorched ground, destroyed buildings, yet this Megamart is still standing. Why would Tapu leave it?” Ash asked, getting a curious glance from the Raichu.

<Maybe it was left as an example, or maybe the Tapu left this place for ghost pokemon to live in as they defend the ground he views as sacred?> Nica deduced, rubbing the back of her head, still well-anchored on his shoulder with the help of one paw. <To be honest, I have no idea.>

“All those sealed windows and rust, barely letting any light inside. A perfect place for ghost pokemon for sure,” Ash commented before stopping in front of the main entrance. “And even better to set up a trap. We better get prepared.”

Nica nodded before leaping forward, taking a protective stance between Ash and the door. Her ‘Iron Tail’ raised towards the sky, her muscles tense while sparks of electricity kept appearing on her cheeks.

Ash picked the first pokeball, positioning himself before swinging his arm. “Oshawott, I choose you!”

A big white head the size of this pokemon’s belly, a small bronze nose in between his eyes. The pokemon looked as if wearing green costume with a shell attached to it. Tiny feet, a short tail and little rounded ears were dark-blue, unlike his front limbs which were short and white. The little Oshawott looked to the side, raising his head slightly while giving Nica a confused glance. <Pikachu? Did you finally decide to evolve?>

The Raichu shook her head, still maintaining her stance. <He didn’t, but we became friends recently. My name’s Nica.>

“Infernape, I choose you!”

A monkey-like pokemon appeared on Nica’s right, taking a lowered fighting stance while his arms proved longer than his rear legs. His hair made of flames flapped above his head. His attention quickly shifted towards the electric pokemon. <Raichu?>

“Sceptile, I choose you!”

A tall green lizard-like creature appeared in all his glory. One could mistake his tail for a miniature tree while three yellow orbs were standing out from the pokemon’s back. He looked down, giving the Raichu a suspicious glance.

“And finally, go Krookodile! I am counting on you.”

Nica leaped backward, giving more space to the large pokemon.

Krookodile stood on two massive legs with his arms being very thin in comparison. He stared ahead with black glasses covering his eyes, resting atop his long muzzle. Most of his body and tail was red mixed with numerous black stripes, his white belly being exception. Each hand was equipped with three massive claws. <So, who do I need to trash today?>

“Everyone, say hello to Nica. Her brother was taken hostage and she’ll be our ally while we rescue him from Team Rocket,” Ash explained as he pointed at the Raichu, who now ended up surrounded on all four sides by the taller pokemon.

Nica withdrew from her batting stance, glancing at each pokemon with a cheerful smile while waving at them. <Hello, my name is Nica, nice to meet you all.> She held her forepaws together and respectfully bowed to each pokemon.

<Heroes?> Infernape asked, rubbing the top of his head in confusion.

<Heroes!? Wait, what?> Oshawott said, blushing.

Krookodile turned around, now staring down at the Raichu with a smirk of superiority.

Sceptile raised his head arrogantly while his signature twig was standing out from his closed mouth. <Seems our fame precedes us. It’s nice to be appreciated.>

Nica pressed the tip of her tail into the ground, raising herself up to reach the heads of the taller pokemon. She held a forepaw to her chest. She raised her forepaw towards the sky, shouting in excitement, <Lets rescue my brother and defeat every member of Team Rocket who gets in the way!>

Oshawott held his forward limbs together, looking up in admiration while overtaken by her charm and charisma. <So you’re Pikachu’s friend? Since when?>

Nica looked down, flexing her tail a little in order to lower herself. <It is a long story, but we met more than a week ago. He’s truly admirable.>

<Admirable? Lucky Pikachu, befriending such a charming lady.> Oshawott frowned. He grabbed his shell and slapped it against his chest. <Just watch me in battle. I’ll amaze you with my skills.>

<If Pikachu’s friend needs our help, I’ll fight even harder,> Infernape spoke up as the flames on his head intensified.

<Your brother is as good as saved,> Sceptile said while pointing at himself. <I’ll show them my best moves. You can count on that.>

Krookodile crossed his arms. <Those guys just don’t know when to quit. Hopefully a bite or two will teach them a lesson.>

Ash held his hands on his sides and smiled, already seeing how his pokemon had warmed up to the Raichu. “I must say, Nica, you sure know how to make friends. You’re like part of the team already.”

Nica lowered herself and blushed while rubbing the back of her head.

“Just don’t push yourself too hard. You’re not at your full strength since your recent battle.”

<Not at full strength?> Oshawott asked as he looked at the Raichu in worry. <If you’re tired… I can…>

Nica rolled her eyes. She patted her chest. <I’m at my best and ready for battle, and I shall prove it.>

<Then, then I’ll support you in battle, you can count on me,> Oshawott declared.

“Alight everyone, let’s go in, but be on guard. I have no doubt that this is going to be a trap,” Ash said before going ahead of his pokemon and opening the door.

Creating a formation with his pokemon, he walked inside, Krookodile and Infernape ahead of him to provide frontline protection and to light up the darkened area thanks to the fire pokemon’s flames. Oshawott took Ash’s left flank, Sceptile took his right while Nica secured his back, keeping an eye on the other pokemon in case they needed assistance. An important fight was ahead where she would fight alongside heroic Ash and save her brother, and she was going to do her best, fighting literally to her last breath and last bit of stamina. She wasn't going to fail.

Ch.6 - Rescue Party - Pt.3

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 6
-
Rescue Party - Pt.3

Nica’s ears perked up, alert to any sign of noise as she examined her surroundings, maintaining a fighting stance. Though Infernape provided most of the light, small sparks of electricity flickered from her cheeks and added a hint of light in the dimmed quarters.

From what they could see, the floor looked like a chessboard with bronze, checkered squares, some mismatched and cracked.

She spotted a few square support pillars made of bricks while an endless number of shelves formed a labyrinth. If ghost type pokemon indeed live here, they sure had plenty of time to move stuff around. They didn’t seem to bother cleaning the place though, she thought as she noticed specks of dust everywhere, from the floor that she walked on, to the numerous shelves. First sand and now dust. I’m gonna need more than a bath after this is all over. She shivered, accidentally reminding herself of her drowning experience.

<Are you scared?> Oshawott asked as they maneuvered around fallen shopping carts and abandoned Spinarak webs. He smirked and tapped his shell. <Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.>

Nica suddenly tensed, her ears twitching as she picked up a slight rustle, as though something flying through the air.

“Prepare for Trouble!”

“And make it double!”

Everyone looked around as the familiar motto echoed through the spacious room, yet telling from which direction proved difficult.

Ignoring the distracting motto, Nica focused her full attention on the rustle while sensing the aura of two nearby pokemon moving through the labyrinth of empty shelves. Something was coming, and it had hostile intentions.

<Watch out!> Nica shouted before jumping towards the smallest pokemon. Summoning her ‘Iron Tail,’ she preemptively blocked the incoming strike as a dull ring echoed through the abandoned mart. Spinning in mid-air, she slashed her ‘Iron Tail’ against the attacker. Whoever the enemy was, it withdrew towards the darkness in an instant, using hit and run tactics rather than pressing the offensive.

Oshawott grabbed his shell with his trembling hand, nearly dropping it.

<Are you okay?> Nica asked, glancing at the water pokemon with worry.

<Y-yes… thank you.> Oshawott mumbled, before narrowing his eyes and puffing out his chest.

Sensing the aura of another pokemon, Nica looked at the Sceptile and bent her legs, ready to jump to his defense, only for Krookodile to intercept the attacker with the help of ‘Dragon Claw’ as the two pokemon pushed the enemy away. She sighed, yet remained wary, expecting another attack at any moment.

“Hey, show yourselves!” Ash demanded, yet the attackers remained in the cover of darkness.

“To protect the world from devastation!”

“To unite all peoples within our nation!”

<Here they come!> Nica warned as she glanced at Ash. I wish we could brighten up the area, but there’s not much we can do. Infernape’s already putting out as much light as he can without draining himself and my short sparks of electricity can only do so much. As long as the enemies are attacking while remaining invisible to the eyes of the trainer, there is not much he can do to help us.

Krookodile’s claws extended once again and flashed with an acid green while Sceptile’s forelimbs readied ‘Leaf Blade’. Slash after slash, they struck against the air relentlessly before being quickly overpowered and thrown towards an unaware Ash.

Launching herself, Nica threw herself in between both the pokemon and their trainer before gritting her teeth. She pressed her tail against Krookodile’s back while the black part of her tail stopped Sceptile, her paws bent and trembled as she held her ground, keeping the larger pokemon standing while preventing them from crashing into Ash.

Infernape unleashed flames from his mouth, burning a nearby shelf to a crisp in an attempt to push the attackers back. His move missed though as the fire pokemon ended up slashed a moment later, leaving a cut-mark on his right arm.

“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above!”

Ash narrowed his eyes. “Enough of that. Infernape, use ‘Flame Wheel’ and ‘Flamethrower’ and light this place up.”

Infernape jumped into the air and spun as a few pillars of flames started striking their surroundings, setting fire to a few shelves, lighting up the area. The fire quickly sparked to life, consuming each shelf it touched and any items unfortunate enough to be stored within them.

Nica raised her forepaw, summoning ‘Light Screen’ to defend the team while Oshawott shot water from his mouth, intercepting any flames bold enough to dart towards them, creating a thin veil of steam as a result.

<Nice aim,> Nica said to Oshawott, who blushed and rubbed the back of his neck with his shell. She glanced between Infernape and Ash, impressed by their creativity.

“Jessie!”

“James!”

Everyone’s attention zeroed in on two floating figures, which hovered above the two speakers like kites on the wind.

<Those are our opponents? I could tear them in half,> Krookodile muttered in annoyance.

<Don’t underestimate them. They may look thin, but their moves are devastating,> Sceptile said, his limbs raised like two swords at the odd creatures.

<Gotta say, their strikes hurt,> Infernape said as he massaged the cut on his arm.

“Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!”

“Surrender now, or prepare to fight!”

“Meowth, that’s right!”

“We have no time for your games. Krookodile, attack with ‘Crunch,’ Sceptile, use ‘Leaf Blade’,” Ash commanded.

“You may have been beaten us in the past repeatedly, but since we arrived in Alola, the tables have turned,” Jessie spoke up as her voice boomed from the mart’s speakers. “I still remember that time when we would have taken Pikachu, if not for that annoying, overprotective Bewear.”

“You escaped defeat before, but now we have you right where we want you,” James said.

“We have Ultra Beasts on our side, we can’t lose,” Meowth taunted, “but try to resist, it will make our victory that much sweeter.”

Both thin, little beasts flew to the side, effortlessly circling around the larger pokemon while evading their strikes.

“Sceptile, attack with ‘Leaf Storm’ and Krookodile, use ‘Stone Edge!’ Don’t give them room to evade!” Ash commanded while pointing at the miniature beasts.

Together, the stones and leaves circled Sceptile and Krookodile before merging together as one, forming a thundering storm of jagged rocks and sharpened fronds. They pierced through numerous shelves as a few just managed to graze their targets.

Nica narrowed her eyes. While the beasts seemed small and vulnerable, they didn’t care much about the rock and grass attacks.

“Kartana, use ‘Leaf Blade’ to slice through the rocks and hit Krookodile,” Jessie commanded.

“Second Kartana, cut through those leaves with ‘X-scissor’ and hit Sceptile,” James joined in.

Zipping through rain of leaves and stones, both Kartana cut through anything that got in the way before striking their targets, leaving numerous, deep gashes on their opponents in seconds. Neither even had the chance to dodge.

“Oshawott, Pikachu, cover them with ‘Hydro Pump’ and ‘Thunderbolt,’” Ash commanded.

Nica smiled sheepishly, following the command while ignoring the obvious mistake. She combined her electricity with the water attack for a stronger combo.

“Kartana, ignore Krookodile and Sceptile. Focus on the little water pokemon,” Jessie suggested.

“Those beasts may look fragile, but their power is absolutely insane. Sweet dreams little Oshawott,” James said in a dark tone, chuckling.

Seeing as both attackers flew left and right to evade, Nica redirected her attack, landing a hit while leaving a few small burns on the beast.

“Infernape, intercept them with ‘Flame Wheel,’ Ash commanded, shaking his right hand.

“Not so fast,” Meowth said. “If you think you can win because the beasts are outnumbered five to two, think again. Time for third Kardana to make an entrance. Attack Infernape with ‘Aerial Ace.’”

Infernape’s ‘Flame Wheel’ collided with another beast’s ‘Aerial Ace’ as both pokemon were thrown in opposite directions, both accumulating massive damage.

With nothing to block their path, the first two Kartana charged with ‘Leaf Blade,’ cutting through ‘Thunderbolt’ and ‘Hydro Pump.’

Oshawott raised his shell defensively as it shone in blue light, yet his face showed anything but confidence.

Nica glanced at the smaller innocent pokemon, sensing his growing fear. With a rush of determination, she jumped at the attackers, intercepting with ‘Iron Tail.’ One slash after another, she countered carefully, using the length of her tail to her advantage, trying to strike the enemy’s ‘Leaf Blade’ from the side rather than directly like a fencer with a thin sword pushing aside enemy strikes.

Much to her shock, despite her careful approach and the fact that steel resists grass, her ‘Iron Tail’ started to crack within seconds, ready to break under the heavy pressure at any moment. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Oshawott struggled to defend with his ‘Razor Shell,’ which broke in half upon receiving a single strike.

Nica grit her teeth and jumped towards her ally, striking Kartana from the side as her ‘Iron Tail’ finally broke from the contact. She spread her forepaws protectively, intercepting another ‘Leaf Blade’ with her own belly as her fluffy fur received a slash mark.

With the help of her damaged tail, she pushed Oshawott into Ash’s embrace before taking another ‘Leaf Blade’ on herself. Ignoring the intense pain, she wrapped her four legs and tail around the attacker, allowing her ‘Static’ to paralyze the Kartana.

<You… won’t escape… I won’t let you!> Nica shouted as she attacked with ‘Thunderbolt’. The pokemon in her embrace flailed, flying haphazardly around the mart before smashing her into a wall, then against a nearby shelf before rubbing her against the floor, leaving holes and marks in the crude shape of a Raichu. In response, she withdrew her tail form the embraced pokemon, charging a new ‘Iron Tail’ before pressing it into the floor. With a flex of her tail and swift swing of her paws, she threw the paper-like pokemon towards the floor before pinning it.

Oshawott watched Nica in admiration, his mouth agape while hearts formed in his black, rounded eyes.

Ash looked at the scene before glancing between his other pokemon. “Infernape, help Nica. Attack the Kartana with ‘Flare Blitz’.”

“No, no fire attacks!” Meowth shouted in panic.

“Kartana, protect Kartana!” James commanded.

“This is so confusing, why do we have to command three identical beasts?” Jessie complained.

“I told you we should have named them!” Meowth shouted indignantly, momentarily forgetting about the battle at hand.

Jessie shouted back with even more volume, “I don’t care! Pinwheel is a stupid name and you know it!”

“Krookodile, Sceptile, keep the other Kartana from interfering!” Ash commanded in haste, snapping the team rocket members out of their argument.

Nica looked at the ball of fire and destruction, quickly withdrawing from the trapped Kartana before wrapping her tail around it. With a firm jump and quick spin, she threw the Ultra Beast towards Infernape’s ‘Flare Blitz.’

In an explosion of flames, she watched as the origami pokemon fluttered to the floor before lying limp, small burns etched into its body.

<Fire is working. Infernape, can you afford a ‘Flamethrower?’> she pled as she saw the Kartana begin to stir. Her prayers were quickly answered as Infernape spat a plume of flames towards the beast. She assisted with her ‘Thunderbolt,’ pressuring Kartana to ensure he wouldn’t get away from the incoming flames. The smoke descended a moment later, revealing the unconscious beast.

“They got one, this isn’t good,” Meowth said.

“Don’t worry, we still have two, and their pokemon are getting tired,” James reassured him.

Nica looked at the speakers, noticing cables leading further into the labyrinth of shelves. How can they command the beasts if they aren’t present? Maybe I should shut down those speakers... She looked towards the ceiling and narrowed her eyes. Is that… a camera? There are more! Clenching her forepaws, she unleashed ‘Thunderbolt,’ destroying one camera, then a second and the last one.

“Hey, that’s cheating,” James complained.

“You can’t blind us like that!” Jessie yelled in anger, “You’ll pay for that!”

Nica smirked, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. She may not be the one doing the damage, but she preferred the supportive role any day of the week.

“Wow, Pikachu… I mean… Raichu, you were amazing! Not only did you save Oshawott, but also helped Infernape take down that beast.”

Nica turned to the side and looked up, seeing Ash’s proud expression. Her eyes sparkled in joy and her mouth opened in a wide smile. The heroic… Ash Ketchum… gave me praise… This is the happiest day of my life! She just kept staring, hoping this moment would last a little longer.

Oshawott jumped from Ash’s embrace, hugging Nica’s neck. <You’re an incredible Raichu. That ‘Leaf Blade’ would have been my undoing for sure.> He nuzzled her cheek, a gesture she gratefully returned. The moment he released her neck, he looked to the side while rubbing his arm nervously. <Do you… do you… do you have a boyfriend?>

Nica blinked in confusion, caught off guard. <Boyfriend?>

<Y-yes? Because… if not… I could…>

Ash bypassed the two pokemon, commanding his Infernape, Sceptile and Krookodile against the remaining confused beasts.

Nica looked at the little sweetheart curiously, trying to gather her thoughts. Boyfriend? I suppose… I do feel affection towards Pikachu… but I don’t think he feels the same about me.

Oshawott picked up his shell, or rather its two parts as it was cut in the current battle. He held both parts together while taking a proud pose, obviously trying to impress the taller pokemon.

Nica smiled sheepishly. <You know… you do remind me a bit of Dewott.>

<Dewott?> Oshawott asked, taking a step back.

<Yes, Dewott. He was mature, very respectful, and he had a hilarious sense of honor. He was also very brave and loyal,> Nica praised, remembering her old friend.

<So Dewott is your boyfriend?> Oshawott frowned. <I… I can be more mature, braver and more respectful than he is. I can prove it!>

Nica rubbed the top of the smaller pokemon’s head, giving a soft smile. <You’re a cute and energetic fellow, but you still have some growing to do.> The smaller pokemon’s cheeks quickly became flushed, growing red from embarrassment.

She glanced over her shoulder just to make sure Ash didn’t need any assistance, though it looked as though he was fine. The previous flames lit by Infernape that light the area seemed to grow weaker with each passing moment.

<Just my luck! Why is every charming lady either taken or not interested?> Oshawott groaned as he kept staring at his broken shell in annoyance.

<To be honest, Dewott isn’t my boyfriend. Our trainers went separate ways.> Nica’s ears drooped. Now that I think about it, we cared and respected each other a lot. Maybe if one of us was honest with our feelings, something could have come out from it.

<Does that mean I have a chance?> Oshawott asked, staring at Nica with renewed hope.

The Raichu looked at the ceiling, now deep in thought. Is history going to repeat itself? Will we just go our separate ways? She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. No, it is my choice to make. I made that mistake with Dewott, but not again. I don’t care anymore if he turns me down in the end, at the very least I won’t feel regret that I never told Pikachu how I really felt.

<Sooo?>

Nica smiled sheepishly. While she decided to reveal her feelings towards Pikachu, she now needed to gently turn down this cute little admirer. They barely knew each other after all.

“That’s enough!”

Nica and Oshawott turned towards the source of the voice, now seeing Team Rocket and their Meowth standing atop a random shelf in the distance.

“So you finally decided to show up? Give back the Alolan Raichu!” Ash demanded.

“I don’t think you understand your situation, sucker. You’re in our hands, not the other way around,” Jessie said, holding her hands on her hips.

“Ace is in the shadowy claws of Mimikyu and trust me, our ghost friend is an impatient fellow,” James said, rubbing his nose arrogantly.

Meowth pointed at the Raichu. “Here’s the deal. Nica will stand still and allow Kartana to knock her unconscious, and then we’ll trade the Alolan Raichu for her.”

“And if she doesn’t comply in the next minute, then trust me, Mimikyu will not go easy on her brother… I don’t think the poor fellow will last long at this rate,” James said.

Jessie stomped repeatedly, shaking the shelf they stood on. “Fame, fortune, promotion, it is all within our reach, a big victory that was denied to us for years. Just do as we say!”

<Using Nica’s brother to capture her, how despicable,> Infernape stated. <That’s low, even for Team Rocket.>

<Do you think we’ll let you capture her without a fight?> Krookodile displayed his teeth.

Sceptile ignored his cuts, his attention on the weakened Kartana. <You’ll have to go through me first.>

Oshawott jumped forward. <You won’t lay a scratch on her, I won’t allow it.>

Nica narrowed her eyes and jumped forward much to everyone’s confusion, making quite a distance in a mere moment as she landed on a shelf close to the rocket members, who immediately became wary of her. <Where’s Ace? Where’s my brother!> She growled in anger.

Anger? Such an alien feeling that she held at bay for years. Sure, she got annoyed from time to time, maybe a bit frustrated or a little mad if someone pushed her nerves, but not this angry. The desire to hurt the people and pokemon in front of her, to punish them by force and make them miserable. It felt so wrong, yet it didn’t matter. If what Pikachu told me, these rocket members have been harassing and trying to capture him for years, and now they want to hurt my family. I… I feel no sympathy for them.

As much as she hated hurting others, as much as she hated unfair fights, she was very determined to keep those she cared about safe. <Release him this instant, or I am done playing nice, and trust me, you won’t like me when I don’t hold anything back!>

“We won’t tell you. You… you don’t intimidate us?” Meowth said, his voice cracking as he attempted to puff out his chest. A moment later, a short but sharp ‘Thunderbolt’ slammed into him, sending him crashing into the wall.

<Where is he!?> Nica shouted as sparks of electricity erupted around her.

James gulped. “Our mouths are sealed. Just surrender already. Time’s running out.”

Nica lashed with her electricity at the Rocket members, knocking them to the floor. Refusing to waste anymore time, she leaped from one shelf to another, occasionally jumping towards the ceiling while examining her surroundings from the higher ground.

“Everyone, scatter and search for Ace!” Ash commanded as his pokemon did so immediately, pushing aside any shelf or box that got in the way. The flames set up by Infernape finally extinguished as the area once again became dark.

“It’s pointless,” Jessie commented, crossing her arms. “Ever since we took this place as our hideout, Mimikyu has absorbed the lingering aura that made him as strong as a Totem pokemon. Your brother is hidden behind illusions and our pokemon are much stronger. Just give up already.”

Nica shook her head. Illusions. If I can’t trust my eyes, I’ll trust my other senses. She closed her eyes while focusing on what she learned from Riolu and Lucario all those years ago. Sensing a weak aura in the distance, she opened her eyes and jumped, leaping from shelf to shelf. She closed her eyes again, focusing on the aura of the living creature. She sensed… sadness, desperation, fear, and next to it anger. She opened her eyes, only to blink in confusion as she was now staring at a wall.

She narrowed her eyes and repeated her name, jumping from the shelf to the floor. With an aura of lightning surrounding her body, she slammed into the wall, piercing through with the help of her ‘Volt Tackle’ while aiming at the malicious aura. Time seemed to slow down as she saw her brother tied to a chair, a swarm of bruises and gashes decorating his beaten body while none other than Mimikyu stood beside him, wearing a devious smirk.

Ash and his pokemon followed Nica, so did Team Rocket as they stared at the hole in the wall in panic, only for a burst of electricity to escape through the hole. Much to Ash’s confusion, the spot on the struck wall vanished, only to be replaced by a damaged door.

“Oh no, the illusion is busted,” James said in a panic. “Where are those useless Kartana when you need them?”

Jessie yelled, “Kartana, get over here this instant and attack that stupid Raichu!”

Ash looked at the approaching beasts, but before he could even give any command, his pokemon immediately blocked their way.

With a slam of her tail, Nica pushed away the damaged door before trotting on her rear paws while holding a faint Alolan Raichu in her embrace.

Ash grit his teeth before shooting Team Rocket an angered glare. “You tortured this poor pokemon. I didn’t think you guys were this bad!”

James rubbed back of his neck, blushing. “Well… in our defense, it was Mimikyu who tortured him.”

Jessie crossed her arms before narrowing her eyes in annoyance. “When we tried to get info about where to find your Pikachu, that stupid Alolan Raichu was giving us false leads, one after another. He got on Mimikyu’s nerves. He if just spoke the truth, none of this would have happened.”

Ash knelt, taking a closer look at the poor creature.

<N-Nica? S-sister…>

<Yes, it’s me. I am with you.>

Ace opened his tired eyes, which immediately burst into tears as he embraced his sister with injured paws. <N-Nica… I knew… I knew you would come for me!> He tightened his embrace. <It was horrible. Those people were so mean.> He took a deep breath, sobbing. <First Shadpedo… bit me… then he slammed me into a rock… then Mimikyu beat me up... and beat me up... and beat me up... while I was trying to save you. He was so mean, a big merciless bully. He hissed at me, said all those mean words and kept squeezing my neck. This was the most terrifying day of my life.>

<Shhh… it’s alright, everything will be…> Nica failed to finish as her ears perked up. She leapt backward, just in time to evade a large ‘Shadow Claw.’

Ash lost his balance, falling to a sitting position as he looked to the side, spotting the enraged face of Mimikyu who seemed to be surrounded by a powerful aura. Wait… is he… bigger than before? Ash thought, remembering the increased size of other totem pokemon he had faced.

<Give him back!> Mimikyu screeched as another ‘Shadow Claw’ shot out from under its costume.

Ash stood up, observing how the ‘Shadow Claw,’ which seemed to be larger than usual shot after Nica, who in turn leapt forward, landing on the middle part of the attack as she stood on the tips of her rear paws. “Behind you!” Ash warned as the hand turned around, following the Raichu as if a heat-seeking missile. He yelped in surprise the moment Nica jumped and threw Ace into his embrace.

He look two steps back, balancing himself as he held the crying pokemon in a firm grip. Upon seeing the ‘Shadow Claw’ reaching for Ace, he turned around and raised his shoulder protectively, yet paused when he didn’t feel the attack land. Confused, he glanced over his shoulder, seeing the tip of Nica’s long ‘Iron Tail’ stretched towards Mimikyu and held threateningly before his cloaked head.

The moment of tension lasted for seconds as no one dared to move while ‘Shadow Claw’ and ‘Iron Tail’ were ready to strike their targets at any moment. He heard the repetitive ‘Raichu, Raichu, Rai,” as Mimikyu responded with a screeching noise.

“You can’t be serious,” Meowth said, receiving a curious glance from Ash and the Rocket members.

“What did she say?” James asked.

“She’s challenging Mimikyu to a duel. If she wins, she’ll take her brother away, but if she loses, she’ll surrender to us,” Meowth translated. “She demands one versus one, no interference from any pokemon or beasts.”

Jassie crossed her arms and asked, “Sounds good to me, but we’ll still use our Z-move.”

Nica nodded.

Ash protested in panic, “You can’t! You’re still hurt and tired, and you got hit by two powerful ‘Leaf Blades!’ Just let us…” He paused upon receiving a determined glare from the Raichu, seeing nothing but confidence. This fight was both important and personal to her and she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He sighed and lowered his head. “Alright, I’ll support you, but don’t you dare lose. After what you did for Pikachu, I couldn’t stand it if Team Rocket took you away on my watch.” Nica nodded in understanding, knowing how high the stakes were.

James looked at Jessie in panic. “Are you sure this is a good idea? If boss wants this Raichu so much, then she must be really strong. Can Mimikyu handle her?” His face became pale upon seeing fake ears twitch and hearing Mimikyu’s angered hissing that followed.

“Oh please. Don’t you remember how Mimikyu crushed pikachu everytime they clashed? And now he has become a Totem Pokemon, growing even stronger.” Jessie pointed at the ring on her wrist. “Not to mention we worked hard on the Z-move, and unlike Pikachu who can use his Z-move against us thanks to his strong connection to Ash, we have nothing to fear from that Raichu.”

Meowth grinned, small fangs peeking out. “Ultra Beasts are great, but Totem Mimikyu with a Z-move is even better. Neither Pikachu, nor Raichu stand a chance against it.”

James, Jessie, and even Meowth raised their beastballs, recalling two injured and one unconscious Kartana.

Ash followed suit, recalling his Krookodile, Sceptile and Infernape, though Oshawott evaded the recalling beam, demanding to watch the battle.

After finding a less ruined area, one spacious enough for everyone to fit in and surrounded by undamaged shelves, Ash approached a shelf that seemed to have some old soft material, a little stack of toilet paper. He didn’t bother to think why toilet paper was there in the first place as he gently placed the injured Alolan Raichu on the floor, supporting his back against the soft material.

He glanced at his water pokemon and said, “Oshawott, can you guard Ace? In case they try to capture him while we’re busy battling.”

The pokemon nodded, holding the two fragments of his shell together. He looked at the injured Raichu in pity, gently stroking his injured paw.

Ace wiped tears from his eyes, wincing in pain from moving his paws. <N-Nica… kick Mimikyu's… thing…? Does he even have that thing?> He shook his head. <Kick his ectoplasmic non-existent butt.>

Oshawott chuckled at this remark.

Ash stood up and turned around before twisting his hat backwards, a new fire burning in his eyes. While the inside of the Megamart was a bit dark, there seemed to be a few little holes on the ceiling, inviting bits of light into this particular area. Not much, but good enough.

Nica stood before him, already in a fighting stance while facing Mimikyu. He could see sparks of electricity escape from her body while her raised tail flashed in metallic grey. Focus Ash, this fight is important. Mimikyu was already strong, but now he’s even more powerful, and Nica is far from her best. This is going to be a really hard fight.

He gulped as drops of sweat fell down his forehead. Whenever Pikachu and I faced Mimikyu, we often ended up on the ropes. I’m not sure if Nica even stands a chance, but I must support her the best I can. Too much is on the line for us to lose. He glanced at his Z-ring, desperately wondering if it would even work with a Raichu he had met for the first time. They would need any advantage they could get.

Ch.6 - Rescue Party - Pt.4

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 6
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Rescue Party - Pt.4

“Ula’Ula, finally!” Starlight shouted as her hooves made contact with the sand as she examined her surroundings. Ahead of her she could see the city in which her dearest Nica was most-likely still resting inside the Pokemon Center. On her right she noticed a forest and hills separating beach, as well as numerous ruined buildings and scorched ground.

Should I pay Nica a visit, or start a search for her brother immediately? I wonder. She glanced at her two companions, one as tall as her, while the other was reaching only to her knees. “I am done sitting on the sidelines while my pokemon friends face all the hardship. I hope you two are ready, because we have pokemon to find and bad guys to burn. Are you with me?”

Both pokemon nodded at her while showing their teeth, determination visible in their eyes.

Starlight looked ahead and stomped. “Let’s do this!”

Meowth stood in between both battle-ready pokemon before swinging his paw. “The battle starts now!”

Jessie pointed ahead with her finger. “Mimikyu, attack with ‘Shadow Ball!’”

Ash swung his hand. “Nica, dodge and counter with ‘Thunderbolt!’”

The Raichu leaped to the side while wrapping her tail around the speeding orb of darkness, spinning in mid-air before throwing it back at the attacker. With a loud ‘Chuuu!’ she attacked with ‘Thunderbolt,’ striking Mimikyu the moment he tried to evade his own attack as his head fell to the side, his disguise busted.

Ash’s eyes became wide. “That tail-use was great, keep it up,” he praised, memorizing the trick he had just learned for later. He clenched his fist as he held it firmly in front of his head. “Attack with… Volt Tackle,” he commanded, remembering Nica’s moveset.

The electric pokemon charged forward while surrounded by an aura of electricity.

“Mimikyu, counter with ‘Shadow Claw!’” Jessie commanded.

Ash observed the battle with full attention, awaiting for the coming clash between two strong attacks as Mimikyu’s ‘Shadow Claw’ seemed bigger than ever before. Much to his confusion, his temporary pokemon jumped over the attack and spun in mid-air, striking the middle part with an ‘Iron Tail.’ The ghost move dispersed in an instant.

Jessie took a step back, panic on her face. “‘Wood Hammer,’ defend with ‘Wood Hammer!’”

Mimikyu jumped backward, forming a massive tail before swinging it in mid-air.

Nica stopped herself by pressing one paw against the floor, pushing herself to the side in time to evade. With the large tail now stuck as numerous cracks started spreading across the floor, she circled around her opponent to gain more momentum before striking Mimikyu from behind, causing a little explosion of electricity. Pushed back by the recoil, she pressed her paws against the floor, pulling herself to a stop.

“Now that’s agility! You’re doing great!” Ash praised, causing a blush to appear on the pokemon’s cheeks, as well as a prideful smile. He smirked, feeling a growing confidence in his temporary pokemon. I think I've underestimated her. Maybe we can actually win. Pointing at Mimikyu, he commanded, “Keep up the offense, attack with ‘Thunderbolt.’”

Nica nodded, unleashing thin but quick bursts of electricity.

“Mimikyu, we can’t afford to lose it. Show them your power with ‘Shadow Ball!’”

Ash blinked in confusion as the ghost attack effortlessly tore through the electricity. That’s weird. When compared to Pikachu’s attack, this ‘Thunderbolt’ seems very weak. He narrowed his eyes. “Nica. Counter with ‘Iron Tail’ and then follow up with ‘Thunderbolt’!”

She did as she was told, leaping to the side in order to wrap her ‘Iron Tail’ around the destructive orb, spinning while throwing it back at the enemy. She jumped, attacking with ‘Thunderbolt’ immediately after.

“Two can play in that game, Mimikyu, ‘Shadow Claw’ and ‘Shadow Ball’.”

Mimikyu grabbed the incoming orb with his ‘Shadow Claw’ before turning towards the troublesome trainer. A shadowy aura escaped from under his costume, heading towards Ash. He turned back to his opponent and threw the orb at the Raichu before summoning another one.

Ash massaged his aching forehead as his vision became blurry. He blinked, feeling as if looking through a fog. “Pikachu, evade and then use ‘Quick Attack’,” he commanded as his mind provided him with the vision of his loyal companion fighting by his side against the ghost/fairy pokemon. It was a deciding match after all where he and his Pikachu would finally conquer the ghost trial.

Nica raised an eyebrow at the odd command. She leaped forward, wrapping her tail around one ‘Shadow Ball’ before throwing it into another one, causing a large explosion as she raised her forepaws protectively from the spreading smoke. Her ears perked up, hearing the incoming enemy while sensing its presence in the smoke.

“Pikachu, jump back and attack with ‘Electro Ball’,” Ash commanded.

Nica jumped back onto a nearby shelf, increasing the distance from her opponent before attacking with ‘Thunderbolt.’ As her opponent zipped to the side in order to evade her attack, she redirected her electricity, striking the large Mimikyu with part of the initial force.

James whispered to Jessie, “I think something is wrong with Ash. He keeps calling her Pikachu and commanding her wrong attacks. Maybe Mimikyu had something to do with it.”

“We should take advantage of that,” Meowth suggested.

Jessie nodded. With a grin, she commanded, “Mimikyu, keep the pressure up with ‘Shadow Claw’, don’t let her keep distance from you.”

Mimikyu screeched before jumping up, stretching his ‘Shadow Claw’ to strike the Raichu from above.

“Pikachu, use ‘Quick Attack’ to evade!” Ash commanded.

Ace looked between his sister and the heroic trainer in confusion before whispering to a similarly confused Oshawott.

Nica leaped from shelf to shelf, which ended up clawed from above. Drops of sweat formed on her face as the attacks became faster and more aggressive.

Mimikyu pulled one shelf, causing it to fall at the Raichu who rolled to the side in order to evade, their distance substantially reduced.

“Perfect, now use ‘Play Rough’! Show no mercy!” Jessie commanded before laughing loudly. “Let’s see you evade that,” she said before continuing her sinister laugh.

“Pikachu, defend with ‘Iron Tail,’ push him back!” Ash commanded, only for water to spray into his face. He turned towards his Oshawott. “Hey, what’s the big idea? Can’t you see I have an important trial to…”

This is not a ghost trial! someone’s voice echoed in his mind as the injured Ace forced himself to shoot him disapproving glare. I know you’re missing Pikachu a lot, but he’s not here, you’re commanding my sister Nica, a Raichu. Wake up!

Ash blinked in confusion before looking at the battling pokemon, the illusion of Pikachu vanished, replaced by the Raichu who defended herself against the onslaught. Nica’s long tail clashed with Mimikyu’s shadowy tail, keeping the pokemon at a distance. While Mimikyu’s strikes proved to be very aggressive, the Raichu kept them at bay.

What am I doing? Ash grit his teeth. Pikachu wasn’t with him yet as he was in command of a Raichu, he had to accept this fact. This wasn’t the fight to overcome another trial but a fight to save Nica’s brother and not let Team Rocket steal the brave and skilled pokemon.

“Oh come on! You never had trouble landing ‘Play Rough’ on Pikachu, and you’re stronger and faster now. Just hit her already!” Jessie yelled, stomping repeatedly against the floor in annoyance.

Mimikyu screeched in rage, attacking with ‘Play Rough’ again with even more aggression as the Raichu kept defending with her ‘Iron Tail.’

Ash watched the Raichu with full attention. Unlike his Pikachu, who would jump forward and spin, clashing his ‘Iron Tail’ with Mimikyu’s shadowy tail as they would try to overpower each other, Nica’s style proved superior. She… she’s not trying to hit hard or push, she’s playing her opponent, Ash thought as he looked at how the Raichu moved her tail, using its flexibility in a way he didn’t think was ever possible. The more aggressive Mimikyu is, the more openings she finds to hit him. I really need to meet the trainer who raised such an amazing pokemon.

With his mind once again sane and his confidence in Nica’s skills growing, Ash stepped forward and commanded, “Raichu, combine ‘Volt Tackle’ with ‘Iron Tail’ and run around your opponent.”

Nica looked at him and nodded in understanding. She ran, gaining momentum as her tail flashed a metallic grey. An aura of electricity surrounded her body.

“Mimikyu, ‘Shadow Ball’,” Jessie commanded.

“Nica, use your tail to grab his attack,” Ash commanded, now understanding the fighting style of the Raichu a bit better.

The long-tailed pokemon wrapped her tail around the sphere, pulling it with her as she kept running around the Mimikyu.

“Keep attacking, she can’t use more than one attack with that cursed tail,” Jessie suggested.

One after another, Mimikyu bombarded the Raichu, causing one explosion after another while leaving holes with spreading cracks in the dusty floor.

“Evade and hit him with ‘Volt Tackle’!” Ash commanded while Oshawott performed a cheering dance.

<You can do it Nica, show him some cool combos,> Ace cheered, waving his paws before wincing in pain.

Zipping left and right, Nica evaded the barrage. She jumped towards the middle part of the costume, striking it with the full force of her ‘Volt Tackle’.

“Perfect, now slam the ‘Shadow Ball’ against your opponent,” Ash suggested, raising his fist towards the ceiling.

With a slap of her tail, she pushed the orb against Mimikyu’s face, pushing the Totem Pokemon away with a powerful explosion. Ghost types being weak to ghost attacks rather than resisting them worked in Nica’s favor.

“Now ‘Iron Tail’ and ‘Thunderbolt’, don’t let go,” Ash commanded, wondering if this Raichu still had the strength left to use so many moves in a row. Even my Pikachu would be too tired to make such a follow-up. Let’s find out if she has got what it takes. To his satisfaction, the Raichu attacked with a weak but fast ‘Thunderbolt’ in an instant, only to close the distance and push Mimikyu into a damaged shelf with ‘Iron Tail’. Her attacks may be weak for a Raichu, but she sure makes up for it in other areas. Once Alola is safe, I so much need to have a fight between my Pikachu and this amazing Raichu. He’ll love it.

“What’s going on? We’re being pushed back,” Jessie said with her hand raised in front of her terrified face.

“We can’t lose! The boss is counting on us,” James added.

“Mimikyu, get up and fight. Our glorious and luxury future is on the line!” Meowth yelled at the damaged shelf.

Much to Team Rocket’s relief, which quickly shifted into looks of terror, Mimikyu crushed what was left of the shelf with a large ghostly hand. It screeched with undying rage as the aura around his body grew in size.

Nica took a step back, feeling the pressure of power coming from the Totem Pokemon while sensing his growing rage. While her opponent was covered in burns, he still looked far from done. She narrowed her eyes and took a fighting stance, not intimidated in the least. Her opponent not only tortured her brother, but was also a big threat to her hero. <You think you can scare me? By the end of our battle, you’ll be the one trembling in fear.>

Mimikyu didn’t wait for any command, jumping into the air while summoning a large ‘Shadow Claw’.

Nica backflipped, evading the thrown shelf before it could flatten her. She leaped left and right, dodging the piercing claws. Seeing as Mimikyu ran deeper into the labyrinth, she followed. “Hey, wait!” she heard Ash’s voice but decided to ignore it for the time being.

With her opponent now gone from her sight as her surroundings were darker than before, she closed her eyes, trying to pick up the aura of her opponent. She opened her eyes and jumped back, just in time as two shelves were about to fall on her. She didn’t dare drop her guard yet as she raised her ‘Iron Tail’.

Sensing and hearing the attack coming from behind, she pushed the shadowy claw to the side with her tail. She turned around, only to spot a glimpse of Mimikyu before he vanished into the darkness.

Explosions of electricity and noises of clashing attacks followed as Nica danced from one rear paw to another, her tail constantly in use as Mimikyu tried to ambush her at every turn.

With the surroundings and lack of visibility working against her, Nica clenched her forepaws, unleashing a ‘Thunderbolt’ in all directions. Her strategy seemed to force Mimikyu out of hiding as he jumped at her while throwing a ‘Shadow Ball’. With a swift movement of her tail she pushed the orb to the side, only to jump in time to avoid ‘Wood Hammer’.

Nica raised her forepaws protectively over her head as a few fragments of the damaged floor shot in her direction. She hit Mimikyu with a quick weak ‘Thunderbolt’ as her opponent pulled the massive tail from the floor.

She didn’t get a moment to breathe, nor a moment to attack as Mimikyu was already on the offense, slashing his ‘Shadow Claw’ against her ‘Iron Tail’.

Nica grit her teeth, now face to face with Mimikyu who was as tall as her, both stuck in a clash as if two warriors pressing sword against each other.

<Why can’t I hit you, you stupid Raichu?!> Mimikyu screeched before using ‘Play Rough’, delivering a barrage of blows.

Nica leaped left and right, dancing on the floor and next leaping from shelf to shelf, evading some hits while pushing the other strikes aside with her ‘Iron Tail’. Her opponent was enraged and attacked without a break, yet if anything, she knew how to tire an enraged opponent. The more restless and reckless her foes were with their attacks, the more room she had to display her agility and skills at using her tail. While her breathing increased in speed and sweat started to cover her body, she still had plenty of stamina to spare. Keep attacking, Mimikyu. You’re only exhausting yourself.

The battle dragged on for a few minutes as nearly every shelf in the large Pokemart was either crashed or knocked over, more often than not used by Mimikyu in an attempt to crush his foe.

Nica shouted in pain, feeling ‘Shadow Claw’ strike against her belly. Performing a backflip in the air, she landed in front of Ash, standing on the bronze patches of her rear legs as her breathing was heavy but stable.

Mimikyu stood ahead of her. While it proved difficult to tell how tired he was due to the fake costume, she could tell he was getting slower and weaker by looking at his shrinking aura.

“I can’t believe my eyes,” Ash said as the Rocket members started in equal shock. “You… you defended… against all that. I have no words…”

Nica gave herself a moment to look at the proud and impressed trainer, gratefully accepting the praise.

“My Pikachu could learn a lot from you. Once we finally reunite, I want to have an epic duel. Oh, I can’t wait!” Ash raised his hand towards the ceiling enthusiastically.

Nica smiled sheepishly. Defeating her hero due to her unfair advantage was the last thing she wanted.

Oshawott’s mouth was agape as one could notice hearts in his eyes.

<Seems someone got charmed.> Ace murmured, <Sorry to dash your hopes, but my sis already admires someone else.>

Oshawott frowned at the Alolan Raichu. <Hush you!>

Nica looked at Team Rocket, their confidence crumbling before her very eyes, a look that filled her with satisfaction.

<Why… why...> Mimikyu said in a sad tone, catching Nica’s attention.

Nica approached with slow steps, walking on two feet. <Why is fame so important to you?> she asked, getting Mimikyu’s attention.

<Your… hero?> Mimikyu asked, tilting its fake head to the side. <You want to know why I hate him?>

Nica nodded.

<Because all those stupid Pikachu are so popular. Everyone in Alola loves them. My kin chose our appearance not to be feared, but to be liked, to be accepted and popular, yet it was all for nothing.> Mimikyu screeched as Nica flinched in response. <Why do those Pikachu get all that love while we are feared. I’ll… I’ll destroy them all!>

<That’s your reason?> Nica’s ears drooped. <Do you… do you envy them so much?> She narrowed her eyes. <Even so, you can’t just unleash your frustration on Pikachu, especially my hero. If you want to be liked, you need to earn others’ trust,> she pointed at the Rocket members, <rather than ally yourself with criminals.>

<Hero this, hero that, why do you call Ash’s Pikachu a hero?> Mimikyu screeched in frustration as a dark aura escaped from his costume.

<Because I admire him,> Nica said as her words seemed to cause Mimikyu’s rear eye to twitch. She held a forepaw to her chest and spoke calmly, <Ash faced many great dangers over the years. Together with his Pikachu, he kept the world and many pokemon safe while facing the odds. Legendary pokemon, criminals, catastrophes. They faced them head on and saved lives. I’ll forever respect and admire that.>

Mimikyu slid to the side, slowly rounding his opponent. <So that’s your reason? With your skill and power, you could achieve even more. Seeing how you call that inferior pokemon a hero makes me sick.>

<Hey!> Nica stomped. <He’s not inferior. He’s superior.> She pointed at herself. <Together with my trainer we worked restlessly to make the world a safer place and save lives. Yet, despite being weaker, Pikachu alongside his trainer achieved so much more. Ash’s Pikachu is far better than me.>

Mimikyu jumped and unleashed ‘Wood Hammer’, slamming it against the floor in frustration, causing everyone to become wary of its movements. <This is unbelievable! How can a superior Raichu think of her pre-evolution as superior!> Mimikyu started making quick circles around Nica, who maintained a defensive stance. <I fought that Pikachu many times, beating him up over and over, but he always got away. Now stronger than ever, I can barely keep up with you. Stop caring about what he achieved, stop thinking you’re worse! I can't stand it.>

Nica shook her head. <I won’t. All those years I’ve been doing my best, trying to be as helpful as I can and make as good use of my power as I can. Ever since I heard of Ash’s achievements, I have been working tirelessly to be as good as his Pikachu partner, to be as good as the hero that inspired me to be better, but no matter how much I wish I could be as good, I know I’ll never achieve it.>

<And doesn’t that make you jealous?> Mimikyu asked, now staring at Nica face to face.

<Jealous, why would I be jealous?>

Mimikyu slapped his shadowy hand against his fake face. <Don’t you feel angry that you work so hard, yet the weaker Pikachu succeeds. Don’t you feel angry that he got to face all those challenges and dangers while you couldn’t? I don’t believe that someone with your skills and willpower wouldn’t keep the world safe if that pesky Pikachu didn’t get in the way.>

Nica took a step back.

<Also, don’t you think how unfair it is that there’s a whole ‘Pikachu Valley’ dedicated to hundreds of Pikachu and how popular they are in Alola, yet you can barely find any Alolan Raichu. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same in other regions.>

<What’s your point?> Nica asked impatiently, which seemed to frustrate her opponent.

<My point is that everyone loves Pikachu and almost no one evolves them. As long as you are that cursed yellow pokemon, everyone gathers to pet and praise you, but the moment you evolve, all the celebrity treatment is gone.> He screeched. <Surely you noticed it after you used the ‘Thunderstone’. I would even bet that other Pikachu didn’t look kindly to you when you became a Raichu.>

Nica stood up on her two feet and rubbed her arm nervously. <Well… I would be lying if I said that after becoming a Raichu, not many called me cute or wanted to pet me anymore. And when I visited ‘Pikachu Valley’ during our vacation, I felt like an outcast as everyone kept giving me the cold shoulder.>

<See… see!>

Nica narrowed her eyes. <So you seriously believe that just because humans don’t like to evolve their Pikachu and like Raichu less, it is a reason for me to get jealous and angry? I don’t care about any of that.>

<What?>

Nica walked forward with firm steps, reducing the distance from her opponent. <I admit: I was disappointed in myself that I can’t accomplish as much as my hero, and the feeling that I didn’t do enough while being so powerful and skilled made me depressed, but you know what’s funny?>

Mimikyu tilted his head backward.

<Ash’s Pikachu himself helped me. While I saw him as a superior hero worthy of praise, he viewed me as a superior pokemon. We respected and admired each other, we saw each other in a great light. Thanks to him I finally took the first step in dealing with my inferiority complex and I think I helped him in turn.> She smiled warmly.

Mimikyu’s costume turned red as smoke started escaping from under it. <I… friends with that Pikachu. Are you out of your mind? I’ll never be friends with that yellow furball.>

Nica sighed in disappointment while lowering her paws. She looked at the Mimikyu in pity. <You know, I feel sorry for you.> She stretched her paw, gently rubbing the top of Mimikyu’s head. <While I became too humble for my own good and felt that nothing I ever did would be good enough, you became a prisoner of your hate and jealousy. It will only hurt you, harassing a pokemon that probably indirectly saved your life.>

Ash stopped listening to the exchange as he called towards the Rocket members. “Hey, Meowth. What are they talking about?”

Before the pokemon could refuse, James asked, “I’m curious as well. They have been at it for a while.”

Meowth rolled his eyes. “Fine. Nica was curious why Mimikyu hates Pikachu so much. He told her that he’s jealous of him and all other Pikachu who are very popular in Alola, or something like that.” He pointed at the Raichu. “From what I understand, Nica is… kind of a fan. She admires the same Pikachu we tried to catch all those years.”

“Admires?” Ash asked, giving the long-tailed pokemon a curious glance.

“Mimikyu asked why Nica wasn’t jealous of her hero, or why she’s not jealous that everyone likes Pikachu a lot more than Raichu and stuff. Nica just said that she suffered from an inferiority complex and felt depressed, but Pikachu helped her get over her issues and that she feels sorry for Mimikyu that he’s a prisoner of his hate and jealousy.”

“So that’s why he’s so determined to fight Pikachu. Now it all makes sense,” James commented.

Ash looked at Nica. “You… you really felt that way?”

Nica looked at Ash and nodded hesitantly. So much for my talk with Mimikyu remaining between us. Good thing no one mentioned that I’m a partner of the Pokemon Master. Nothing good would come out of that.

<You know what, screw what Giovanni said,> Mimikyu said as he slapped Nica’s paw away before poking her white belly with a shadowy finger. <In a battle against Pikachu, can you win easily?>

Nica nodded. she failed to finish.

<What?>

Mimikyu retreated towards Meowth before whispering into his ears.

Meowth grinned before looking at Jessie. “He wants to attack with our Z-move.”

Jessie’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, right, I almost forgot about it. We can turn this around!”

Nica watched as not just Jessie, but the trio of Team Rocket started to perform their ritual dance, charging Mimikyu with power for one powerful attack. For a Totem Pokemon to use a Z-move? Is that even a thing?

“Nica, be ready to evade,” Ash suggested while shaking his head, his voice commanding and filled with panic. “I saw your speed. You’re faster and more agile than my Pikachu. I know you can evade it.”

Meowth moved his finger in a ‘no… no…’ gesture. “Oh, there’s where you are wrong. If Nica moves even an inch, Mimikyu will hit Ace with that Z-move instead.”

“What?” Ash asked before quickly grabbing Ace into his embrace while Oshawott took a defensive stance in front of them. “I knew you guys would play dirty.”

Nica looked over her shoulder at her brother in Ash’s embrace. She gave them a warm smile. <Don’t worry, I got this.> Her words did little to calm Ash, yet Oshawott understood what she said and calmed down.

Feeling raging anger, she stood on the tips of her rear paws and spread her forepaws as her grey metallic tail returned to normal. She narrowed her eyes while giving Mimikyu an angered glare. Her pity, her compassion, gone, she no longer felt sorry for the excuse of ghost/fairy pokemon. <Give me your best shot!> she shouted. You already wasted a lot of your power during our battle, and I struggled for years during my merciless trainings. If you think I’ll go down easily, you have something else coming.

“You… you can’t just do what they say. We can still…” Ash said as he tried to run towards her, only to stop as Nica sent bolts of electricity through the floor in his direction.

Ace looked at his sister in understanding and trust, relaying her message to Ash with his telepathy.

Ash nodded. “Alright, I’ll trust you, but I don’t like it one bit.”

Nica focused her full attention on the charging Mimikyu as the Rocket members finally finished their ritual. She looked up, watching as Totem Mimikyu jumped into air and spread its costume, which suddenly became even larger than before. She could see his real form as it descended at her, a view she was familiar with as she allowed the Mimikyu from Astra’s team to jump onto her head for a honest hug.

Not showing a single sign of fear, she stood strong as the costume enveloped her, covering her in total darkness. Ghostly noises and a sinister laugh followed before her body became a punching bag for merciless blows. Slashes, claws, thorns and all kind of nightmares lashed against her body as if trying to tear her to pieces, an ongoing pain that wasn't ending anytime soon.

Author's Notes:

And here we have it folks, Nica going all out during a pokemon battle. Even Totem Mimikyu had trouble landing a hit on her when she holds nothing back.

Also, unlike Astra who specialized in long-term strategies and training but was unable to bring Nica's full potential during battle, Ash actually proved quite suited to command her and help NIca make best use of her abilities.

Anyway, what do you guys think? Did you enjoy the battle? What do you think of synh between Ash and Nica? Do you think that Nica could do great under Ash's command if they traveled together? And also, did I overdo Nica's agility as Mimikyu in the show landed hits on Pikachu quite easily? Or did you find the fight satisfying?

As always, I am looking forward to your feedback. As for the fight, the deciding conclusion will take place in part 5. I won't drag it more than that. Cheers.

Ch.6 - Rescue Party - Pt.5

View Online

A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 6
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Rescue Party - Pt.5

The Team Rocket members watched, frozen in shock with their mouths agape while Meowth’s face became ghostly pale.

Oshawott held his broken shell close to his heart as his body trembled at the mere thought of the horrors the charming and brave Raichu had to endure.

Ash grit his teeth, staring at the unjust torture as Nica wasn’t even given a chance to evade, yet the Raichu in his embrace didn’t show any sight of worry. He couldn’t tell why, but seeing Ace so calm about the fate of his sister felt reassuring, as though he knew something he didn’t.

Suddenly, both himself and Team Rocket began to stumble as the floor trembled beneath them, each party struggling to stay on their feet. The Mimikyu’s costume started drilling itself deeper into the floor due to the extreme intensity of its assault, the floor soon dissolving into spider like cracks as the very room started to split in half.

“We have to get out of here!” Meowth suggested.

“You don’t have to tell me twice, let’s go!” James said as he grabbed Jessie’s hand and pulled her towards the exit.

Ash walked backward before running for the exit, yet occasionally glancing at the crater where Mimikyu was assaulting Nica.

Both humans and pokemon rushed outside, neither able to pause as the building trembled around them. Everyone stopped outside, now looking at the Megamart, Team Rocket in satisfaction and Ash in worry. The air was filled with the noise of blows and tremors from inside, while the walls of Pokemart started to crumble.

Much to everyone’s shock, the very building started to crumble, falling apart before their very eyes as both Mimikyu and Nica ended up buried under the rubble.

“Nica!” Ash shouted, wishing he could go to her rescue, but he could only stumble backwards as cracks on the ground started spreading even outside of where the building stood a moment ago.

Ash lost his balance, watching in terror as the earthquake finally ceased. The tension high as he begged in his mind that Nica was okay. His attention focused on the moving rubble, yet his hopes were dashed when Mimikyu pushed the rubble aside before moving towards the Rocket members. Wait… the aura of Totem Pokemon… it’s gone completely, Ash thought as he noticed that Mimikyu seemed to be his regular size again. So using that Z-move… it cost Mimikyu the power he gained. But what about Nica?

“Hey, what’s that?” Jessie asked as she pointed at the pokemon who had climbed up onto the rubble.

Ash gasped, not believing his eyes. “N-Nica…” He could only stare in disbelief as the Raichu somehow managed to stay standing, covered in bruises from top to bottom as her tail dragged behind her. Both eyes had black marks like they had been continuously punched. Each step on those poor trembling legs suggested pain, yet she never faltered.

As the Raichu kept walking closer, he noticed blood dripping from cuts on her battered body, staining the rubble a few little drops at a time, while her right forepaw seemed to be numb as it hung down limply, tugged down by gravity. How she managed to keep staring at Mimikyu without wincing in pain was beyond him. A deadly ‘Discharge’, two giant ‘Power Whips’, Kartana’s ‘Leaf Blades’, and now a direct hit from Mimikyu’s Z-move. What’s this Raichu made off?

<Scared?> Nica asked as she ignored the aching in her bones, the burning sensations in her muscles and her numb limb. She felt her beaten paws make contact with the rubble as she approached the now smaller Mimikyu, who shrunk back to regular size.

“What, how?” Jessie asked.

“This can’t be!” James said.

Meowth held his paws over his mouth. “But we hit her with everything we had… and then more!”

<Was that… all… you got? You were more tired than I thought.> With a single jump, she flew over the rubble, landing in front of the destroyed building. She spit a wad of blood and wiped more from a cut on her cheek as she approached Mimikyu with firm steps, avoiding the cracked part of the asphalt. <Tired or not… if you used this powerful attack… on someone else, you would have won.> She held her working forepaw on her belly. <But you messed with the wrong pokemon. Enduring blows is what I am best at, and it takes a whole lot more than a Z-move to finish me off!>

<S-stay back,> Mimikyu said as a shadowy hand shot from under his costume.

Nica swung her ‘Iron Tail,’ effortlessly cutting through the ‘Shadow Claw,’ the attack nearly useless due to how little power it had behind it. <What's the matter, tired already?> she asked with a smug smirk on her face. Not only had she exhausted a lot of Mimikyu’s power and stamina when he allowed his rage to overcome him, but using a Z-move on top of that seemed to run the pokemon completely dry. The aura of the Totem Pokemon was gone, so was the size increase as she could now look down on her opponent.

Mimikyu yelled before throwing a ‘Shadow Ball’, only for the attack to be slapped back into his face. The Rocket members backed away, not daring to get in her way.

<What’s it like getting a taste of your own medicine?> Nica asked, still feeling frustration at the one who tortured her brother. She wanted to understand him, to show him mercy, and he spat on it. He deserved nothing but suffering. <You harassed Pikachu, you tortured my brother, and on top of that you allied yourself with the wrong people. Now you know how it feels to be on the receiving end.>

Mimikyu said as he lay on his back.

<It’s too late to try and beg for mercy. You had your chance!> Nica shook her head before grabbing Mimikyu with her working forepaw, raising him up to her face. Her fur was stained red, growing wet as clumps of blood began to collect. <You’ll leave? That is where you’re wrong. The only place you’ll go now is a prison!>

<W-what?>

<Do you think I’ll let you go? Do you think I’ll let you try to hurt my hero because of your stupid jealousy? I have the power to protect my hero from the likes of you and I’ll use it.> She wrapped her tail around the weakened Mimikyu, shocking him with electricity in order to harm him.

“Oh come on!” Jessie yelled. “Team Rocket is finally making its stand in the world and our boss is counting on us! Why did we have to fail!? That isn’t fair.”

“No less fair than threatening to hit an injured pokemon with a Z-move to keep the Raichu from evading,” Ash complained, giving the trio a look of disapproval. “You’re ones to talk.”

James placed a hand on Jessie’s shoulder. “We have to get out of here.” He picked a smoke bomb from his pocket. “We may have lost, but we’ll…”

Nica jumped forward, slapping her tail with Mimikyu still wrapped in it against James’ hand, pushing the smoke bomb into the water in the distance.

<Did I say you can leave?> Nica asked as bolts of electricity started forming on her cheeks. <Pikachu had told me about you. You have been hunting my hero for years. I’ll drag you all to prison and throw away the keys if I have to! You guys have all crossed the line.>

Meowth gulped. “I… I think she’s mad…” He yelped in pain upon being hit by ‘Thunderbolt’ as smoke started escaping his fur. “Y-yes… definitely m-mad.”

“Nica, calm down, we won,” Ash said as he ran closer with Ace still in his embrace. “Ace is safe and you defeated Mimikyu. Team Rocket’s plan failed. There’s no need for any more violence.”

Nica looked at Ash with narrowed eyes. No need? They’ve been horrible, not to mention they escape every time for their evil deeds rather than face justice. I… I’m sorry, but I can’t back down now. She looked back at the Rocket members, noticing how James tried to reach for one of his pokemon. Not wasting a moment, she jumped up, stealing the pokeball from his hand.

“H-hey! That’s mine.”

Nica placed the pokeball in Oshawott’s limbs before addressing Meowth. <Surrender immediately and I’ll show you mercy, but make no mistake, you’re going to prison! Team Rocket nearly destroyed Alola, I can’t let you regroup with your leader.>

“Surrender, prison?” Meowth asked.

Nica’s ears perked up. Not wasting a moment, she tackled Ash with her head, pushing him away in time before he could end up trapped under a descending Bewear.

“Bewear, you again? Why can’t you just leave us alone!?” Jessie whined.

“I don’t think we should complain considering the situation. I prefer Beware’s crushing embrace over prison,” James spoke up while giving Jessie a look of disapproval.

Feeling a growing frustration and continuous irritating pain in her whole body, Nica turned towards the unwelcome newcomer, who trapped the Rocket members in a tight grip. The Bewear was obviously strong and with the beating she just endured, it would be more than pushing her limit if she were forced to fight.

<Hey, what do you think you’re doing?> Nica asked.

<Taking them to safety,> Bewear answered.

Nica clenched her working forepaw before running to the side while slapping Bewear’s left paw with her ‘Iron Tail’. She followed up with a quick ‘Volt Tackle’, pushing the large pokemon away, only to follow up with a quick ‘Thunderbolt’. As if a bleeding and injured animal overwhelmed by adrenaline during critical moment, she fought with greater ferocity, not holding back in the least. <Those people invaded Alola with army of Ultra Beasts. They took my brother hostage. How can you side with these monsters?>

Bewear roared as she and Nica started glaring at each other, none daring to back down.

“Nica, what’s gotten into you?” Ash asked in worry while Oshawott pleaded for her to calm down.

Meowth grabbed Mimikyu, his body shaking in fear. “G-guys… I… I feel scared. That Raichu is insane.”

James gulped. “Normally, we would be sent flying by now. This is so wrong.”

Jessie grabbed the beastball. “We still have these. I think our Kartana will get us out of trouble.” She released her Ultra Beast.

Ash grabbed a pokeball of his own, ready to fight back, only for his attention to focus on yet another newcomer.

“Ninetales, attack with Flamethrower, trap that Ultra Beast in a pillar of fire. Torracat, hit the trapped pokemon with ‘Fire Blast’. Burn them, burn them to ashes!”

Caught off guard, Kartana turned around, not reacting fast enough as a gigantic pillar of flames surrounded it from all sides. ‘Fire Blast’ in the form of a flaming cat went into the pillar, striking it directly.

As the flames vanished, the Ultra Beast fell down onto the ground, scorched and unconscious. Despite all its offense power and speed, it proved completely incapable of taking fire and special attacks.

“Wait...a pokemon using pokemon, what’s going on!?” James asked in panic while holding hands to his cheeks.

“We’re surrounded!” Jessie added.

Bewear swung her arms at the injured opponent. Nica danced on her rear paws, evading every strike with a grace that she shouldn't have, occasionally pushing punches to the side with the help of ‘Iron Tail’. The asphalt received additional holes.

Ash looked at the pokemon that took down Kartana and waved at them. “Thanks! Nice teamwork by the way.”

Ninetales whispered something to Torracat, who nodded in response. He gave the smaller pokemon a pat on the back while gesturing with his head for the other pokemon to run ahead.

Torracat didn’t need to be asked twice, running forward before jumping into Ash’s embrace, pushing aside the Alolan Raichu, forcing him to levitate on his own tail with leftovers of his strength.

“Ash! Finally, after all this time we’re together again!”

The trainer felt weight press against his chest as the pokemon kept nuzzling his chin. “Do I… know you… wait… Litten, is that you?” Receiving a nod of confirmation, he said, “You evolved! That’s amaz-Wait, you can talk?”

Torracat smiled in pride. “I didn’t just evolve, I learned tons of neat tricks, all thanks to Master Ninetales,” he said, pointing at the majestic pokemon standing regally in the distance, who rubbed his chest with a satisfied grin. Torracat poked the collar on his neck and added, “Also, this magical stuff that ponies made is great. As long as I wear it, you can understand everything I say. This’ll make life so much easier.”

“Rarity did the decor while I worked on the magical enchantments… with some small help from Twilight.”

Ash looked at the pokemon… no, at the pony. This one similar to the alicorn, but with a different colored mane and missing wings.

“My name is Starlight, nice to meet you,” Starlight said as she trotted forward cheerfully. “I must say, I love this training business. I get to command and destroy everything that gets in my way without doing any lasting harm to any creature. It’s so much fun.”

Ash smiled sheepishly. The way this pony described his field of speciality wasn’t exactly how he would describe it.

“Nica! What happened to you? Did he injure you?” Starlight grit her teeth, glaring at the bear-like pokemon. “Don’t worry, I got your back. Ninetales, attack with Flamethrower, help Nica!” Starlight commanded, pointing at the Bewear while lifting her horn. She wrapped her levitation around the large opponent, keeping it immobile just long enough for the flames to hit.

Bewear started running back and forth like a dancing flame as her fur caught on fire.

With a wide smile, Nica ran and jumped, nearly knocking Starlight off balance as she embraced her neck with a single paw. A bit of her blood stained her friend’s fur as the result, but she ignored it and hugged her back just as hard.

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked at each other, and then at the slightly deflated costume of Mimikyu as the ghost/fairy pokemon didn’t seem to have any strength left. The Bewear was on fire, their Ultra Beasts defeated and they were surrounded. Nodding in agreement, they looked at Ash with saddened expressions and said in unison, “We… we surrender.” They gave a nervous glance to Starlight, or rather at Nica in her embrace. While they felt fear from Pikachu’s electric attacks that struck them every other day, it paled in comparison to the unstoppable force that this Raichu was. As long as this long-tailed pokemon was around, resistance was futile.

Ch.7 - Reunion - Pt.1

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 7
-
Reunion - Pt.1

<What in the world are you doing?> asked Oshawott from his spot beside Starlight’s teal and purple tail. He looked at the Alolan Raichu resting in Ash’s embrace, whose head was perched against one arm with his rear legs on the other. Ace’s side was pressed into the trainer’s chest while his long tail unconsciously wrapped around Ash’s belly.

Torracat, who walked by Ash’s side, raised an eyebrow. “That Mimikyu must’ve knocked a few screws loose.”

<Impossible to do when he didn’t have any to begin with,> Oshawott snickered.

Ace ignored the remarks and exclaimed, <Hey, I’m just trying to celebrate. We defeated a titanic Ultra Beast set on destroying the islands and life as we know it, Nica survived the battle after taking a serious beating, you all managed to save me and defeat that nasty Mimikyu, and best of all…>

He pointed ahead at Krookodile and Sceptile, who escorted the Team Rocket Members. Jessie cradled the Mimikyu to her chest in an unusual show of affection, careful to avoid the numerous burn marks scattered across the creature’s costume while Bewear followed behind at a distance, escorted by none other than Ninetails himself. <Not only are we getting the chance to reunite again, we also found the Ash Ketchum, and finally we’re going to lock those rocket guys in prison and get some well deserved food and sleep at the Pokemon Center. Things are finally looking up for us!>

Oshawott looked away from the Alolan Raichu and glanced at Nica. Her shoulders were trembling as she buried her face into Starlight’s neck, gently sobbing while her paws were wrapped around the mare’s neck. <Uhh… I-I’m not sure if everything is looking great. Nica seems a bit sad right now.>

“I can’t believe I was so mean!” Nica cried, Ninetales’ translating collar now stationed around her neck. She rubbed her cheek against Starlight’s mane as if seeking comfort in it.

“You, being too mean? Are you kidding? That word doesn't exist in your vocabulary. You’re the walking, overpowered incarnation of motherly kindness and mercy,” Starlight commented as her passenger tightened her hold on her neck with a single paw. The beastballs and pokeballs confiscated from Team Rocket lay safeguarded inside her saddlebag. “Now that I think about it, it really suits you.”

“But I was so mean!” She sobbed. “I just got so angry for what that Mimikyu did to my brother and for hurting Pikachu so many times. I got angry that those Team Rocket members had been trying to capture Pikachu and Ash’s pokemon. I got so angry that I wanted to hurt them, to make them miserable. I… I acted like a mean bully! I acted just like the people and pokemon I’ve dedicated my life to stopping… if not worse!”

“Seems Pikachu told you quite a lot about me and our adventures,” Ash commented. “Being angry just means that you care, and I appreciate it.”

“But I went too far. I was cruel! I don’t want to lose control of myself like that!” Nica shouted, rubbing her tear-stained eyes.

“Lose control, are you kidding?” Starlight raised an eyebrow. “When you were saving Equestria, you were forced to endure a lifetime of pain and suffering that you didn’t deserve, and even after all that you showed forgiveness and somehow managed to forgive. So this time, just this one time might I add, you get angry, it was for a perfectly justifiable reason. One we all back you up on.” She chuckled. “I wish I had even a tenth of your self-control. I seem to go into rage-mode for the silliest of reasons.”

“Saved Equestria? Suffering? You have to tell me what happened,” Ash demanded, receiving a nod of agreement from Raichu in his arms.

“Oh boy. Better prepare yourself because this is one heck of a story,” Starlight began as Nica’s eyes snapped open in alarm. “Nica actually wasn’t summoned against her will, but volunteered to…” The unicorn failed to finish, finding her mouth clamped shut as the Raichu’s black portion of her tail wrapped around her mouth, keeping it firmly shut.

“Don’t tell him, please,” Nica pleaded before climbing on top of Starlight’s head, now looking at the unicorn from an upside-down position. She used her most powerful weapon to buy the unicorn’s silence. Her puppy dog eyes.

Ash ran closer. “It sounds like you did some amazing things and had a great adventure. Why not share it?”

“B-because… because I didn’t do anything exciting or super important. I mean, helping saving the nation was important, but n-not when compared to your deeds,” Nica mumbled as she wiped a leftover tear from her face, her depression now replaced with panic. “And I was mostly helping. It was more of a team effort. Without you guys, I wouldn’t have gotten anything done.”

Starlight levitated the tail away from her muzzle and chuckled. “Sorry Ash, my friend here is too humble for her own good. She has worked hard and done a lot of… helping... but she wants to keep it to herself.”

Ash moved his hand, gently patting the Raichu on the head. “I’ve seen what you’re capable off.” He glanced at her numb forepaw. “I can imagine what this… helping… was all about.”

<You have no idea,> Ace commented.

Ash looked down, giving his pokemon his full attention. “Litten? Sorry, Torracat. You need to tell me about your training. To get from ‘Ember’ to ‘Fire Blast’ in a week, I’m impressed.”

The pokemon smiled proudly, purring for a moment before pointing at the pokemon further ahead. “What can I say, Ninetales is a great teacher. He provoked me so I fought and trained harder, he allowed me to use him as a moving target to practice on, he upgraded my ‘Ember’ to ‘Flamethrower’ by showing me an example, and in the morning he helped me unleash ‘Fire Blast.’ I couldn’t ask for a better mentor… n-no offense...”

Ash looked at the proud pokemon. “Thank you, thank you for helping Torracat so much. I’m in your debt.”

Ninetales said, only to receive a scolding glare from Nica.

Alolan Raichu’s ears flashed as he telepathically translated for Ash, though skipping on the last part.

“Trained elite, huh? After seeing Nica in action and the results of your teaching, I want to meet Astra more and more.” His eyes sparkled with excitement as he held his clenched fists in front of his chest before pumping them up into the sky. “We can work together to deal with Team Rocket and have a great battle afterwards. There’s so much I can learn from her… Well… after hitting the Pokemon Center that is.”

Ninetales narrowed his eyes and huffed, looking between Torracat and his trainer. <Ash, make no mistake. I still haven’t fulfilled my promise yet. I said I would teach your pokemon ‘Fire Blitz’ and I won’t rest until I do. It is a matter of honor for my word is at stake if I fail to do so.> The smaller pokemon smiled at his words as he sped up in order to catch up, though Ninetales was unaware. <My trainer’s ally has an Arcanine that can…> He paused as Torracat jumped onto his back, giving him a hug while nuzzling his neck. <H-hey…. Stop that!> He blushed. <This is embarrassing...>

“Torracat really likes you. You two look like best buddies now,” Ash commented.

“We are. He acts tough, but he really cares. He’s really great once you get to know him.” Torracat grinned, “A real big softie basically.”

Ninetales looked at the pokemon on his back in annoyance, rolling his eyes. <If you have to embarrass someone, why not hug Nica or Ace. They love this kind of stuff.>

<We do!> Ace said as he balanced himself on Ash’s hands, spreading his forepaws. <Come here Torracat, give Papa Ace a hug.>

The cat-like pokemon shot the Alolan Raichu a raspberry. “Hug you, no way you crazy water-lover!”

Ace tilted his head to the side. <You’re still going on about that?>

<Water lover?> Oshawott asked, only for Ace to jump on his tail and levitate over as he picked Oshawott up with his paws. <Hey, put me down!>

Ace’s rear legs trembled, struggling to keep him balanced as his body was far from healed, yet his enthusiasm kept him going.

Oshawott huffed, pulling his head back. <Geez, did you plan that?>

Nica wrapped her tail around Ace’s belly, pulling him and Oshawott onto Starlight’s back. “No surfing until you recover, brother.”

<Fiiine Mooom,> Ace responded while rolling his eyes. He glanced at his sister’s injuries, which now much surpassed the results of Mimikyu’s torture.

Ash held a hand over his head and chuckled. “Everyone is getting along so well. It’s really refreshing after all the hardship we’ve had to face in the past three days. It makes me really happy.” With Ace no longer in his hold, he looked at the other Raichu and pointed at his shoulder. ”Hey, Nica, do you want a ride?”

Nica’s eyes became wide and a large, toothy smile slowly grew on her lips. With a cheerful “Yay” she jumped, taking the spot that in the past was reserved mostly for none other than the heroic Pikachu. Her guilt was gone in an instant as she nuzzled Ash’s cheek.

“You’re one friendly Raichu, you know that?” Ash asked as he laughed cheerfully, only for the heavy pokemon on his shoulder to join in.

“I have heard that many times.”

James groaned. “Why do they have to be all happy while we’re going to prison? It was supposed to be our big time to shine.”

Meowth murmured. “Goodbye luxury and prestige. Our boss won’t trust us ever again after this failure.”

Jessie kicked the Meowth in annoyance. “So we failed, big deal. Team Rocket is conquering Alola as we speak. The boss will free us and we’ll get another opportunity to prove our worth to him. I am sure of that.”

Everyone’s attention focused on an explosion in the distance, and then another. The noise of battle started to rage from the deeper part of the town.

“See, it must be our boss sieging this city. Victory to Team Rocket!”

Ash narrowed his eyes before sprinting forward, running down the street with a bruised Nica on his shoulder, her expression similar to his.

Starlight galloped right behind with Oshawott and Ace on her back.

Ninetales and Torracat followed, quickly catching up with the unicorn.

Sceptile grabbed James, carrying him over his shoulder.

Jessie yelped when Krookodile did the exact same with her.

Meowth and Mimikyu ended up in the hands of Infernape while Bewear followed, not far behind.

Ash felt sweat fall down his forehead as he tried to close the gap between him and the ongoing battle. “Lillie, Lana, please be safe.” He grit his teeth, speeding up even more.

After finally running to the edge of the town which bordered with the forest, he dropped to his knees, desperately trying to catch his breath while giving his tired legs a rest. He and the Raichu observed the scenery ahead.

“Stop right there!”

“This is a restricted area. No civilians are allowed to pass this point for their own safety.”

Ash looked up at the cops, noticing a blockade in distance. Two dark skinned officers approached him, both having a mustache. They wore standard uniforms, with a dark blue shirt tucked in a pair of black slacks. Each had bulky mud-stained boots and a matching cap, while their belts each adorned a pair of pokeballs and a holster for some sort of weapon. Four large, muscular pokemon with four arms were stationed behind them.

“Calm down, officers. I recognize him,” Officer Jenny said as she approached from the side, accompanied by the local deep-in-thought gumshoos and Herdier, an adorable tan dog-like pokemon with a blue overcoat and pale tufts of fur puffed out on its face. “His name is Ash Ketchum. Professor Kukui and Kahunas Hala and Olivia recommended him to aid us in defending this city. He’s clear to pass.”

“Thank you,” Ash said, looking at the officer with a serious expression as plumes of smoke wafted into the sky. “Are the beasts invading the town? What’s going on?”

“They are... but the situation is under control,” the officer reassured him. “Around ten minutes ago a… pony, arrived in this city. She was levitating many strong pokemon with… magic… at least that is what she told us. We didn’t get to question her though. Apparently, Ultra Beasts have been chasing after two pokemon trainers from the beach side. The pony and pokemon she brought aided the trainer and they are now pushing back against the invasion.”

One of the officers spoke up. “The trainers introduced themselves as Astra and Emily and asked us to keep civilians away from this area. We were hesitant at first as it is our duty to keep the city safe, but when we saw those pokemon in action. Well… we figured she could handle it without our help.”

The other officer nodded in agreement.

“Astra, Emily, Twilight!” Nica shouted, confusing the cops who stared at her in disbelief. She gave Ash a confident glance and added, “Twilight is a princess and she took care of me when I arrived in Equestria. She must’ve opened the portal and brought other pokemon to aid us.” She smiled. “If Astra and Emily reunited with the rest of their team, than this town just became the safest and most defended place in the whole world.”

Starlight, accompanied by Ninetales and Torracat, caught up before grinning. She turned around, addressing the captured rocket members. “‘Go ‘Team Rocket’ you said? Well, you’re about to see your precious organization have its flank kicked. Multiple times!”

Ninetales commented.

“Who are those people?’ Officer Jenny asked.

Nica pointed her left forepaw at the prisoners of war. “Those meanies are members of Team Rocket who captured and tortured my brother. They used him as a hostage to lure us into a trap and then tried to capture me.”

Officer Jenny blinked in confusion, clearly not used to testimonies made by a pokemon, yet one look at the bruises and bloody stains covering the Raichu’s body, and then a glance at the Alolan Raichu perched atop the pony’s back was enough proof for now.

Nica climbed futherup, now speaking over Ash’s head while supporting herself with her hind legs. “What’s more, those people have been relentlessly hunting Ash Ketchum, trying to steal his pokemon and his Pikachu for years, and I can only imagine what other crimes they have commited in between. I demand that they are locked in prison for no less than fifty years! Their pokemon are to be confiscated and their uniforms searched diligently for any device that would aid them in escaping!”

She tapped her forepaw nervously against Ash’s head, leaving the officers speechless. “They need to be kept under heavy supervision and separated from any outside help, especially Mimikyu. He’s very skilled in combat and very dangerous. Don’t underestimate them or else they’ll escape from under your noses.”

Officer Jenny smiled sheepishly while her subordinates followed her example. “We… we’ll take your advice into account.” She gestured for the two officers to move in. “Take them to the police station and guard them, take two Machamp with you, but leave the other two here. I may need them to safeguard the street.”

The officers saluted before cuffing the Rocket members while Machamp took away the Meowth and Mimikyu, escorting them deeper into the city.

Now free from their guarding duty, Ash’s pokemon approached their trainer, ignoring the aches and pains that came from the previous battle. The powerful strikes from Kartana didn’t seem to be healing anytime soon.

Nica returned to her previous spot on Ash’s shoulder, frowning. “If Astra were here, she would convince you to take those criminals way more seriously,” she muttered to herself.

Ash just stared in silence, still overwhelmed by Nica’s initiative. For a pokemon, she sure is very smart and can think for herself. Even during the battle with Mimikyu she didn’t rely too much on my support, not to mention she knows how to write. Her trainer must’ve put a lot of effort into raising her.

With officers removing the blockade and letting him pass, Ash walked forward, saving his strength. The noises of battle seemed to have been replaced with silence.

As he reached the edge of the town with Starlight by his side and his pokemon guarding him, he spotted two familiar figures, who immediately recognized him and ran over. “Lillie, Lana?” He blinked, his attention on the Alolan Vulpix and Popplio. “You got your pokemon back!”

“We did!” Lillie said as she hopped in happiness, holding her dear Snowy like a baby, nuzzling her affectionately. “Oh, how I have missed her, my cute little baby, my little fluffy puff.” She stopped cuddling her pokemon as her attention shifted to Starlight. “Twilight Sparkle brought our pokemon with her, and you must be the Starlight she mentioned.”

“I am, nice to meet you,” Starlight said, only for her head to be rubbed by the enthusiastic girl.

“You’re sooo cute. Do all ponies look as cute as you?” Lillie gushed, receiving no response as the unicorn simply rolled her eyes.

Lana spoke up, holding Popplio in a similar manner. “I see you rescued Ace, though he seems beaten up, same with Nica. You two really need to hit the Pokemon Center.”

“Oh, I’ll get Ace to the Pokemon Center, but not before I reunite with Astra and find Pikachu,” Nica declared as she looked at her numb forepaw, trying to move it. She winced in pain as it moved a little, already showing signs of recovery.

“I played a bit of a role in making it,” Starlight said, raising her head proudly, only to receive a cheek-scratch from Lillie. “I don’t know if I should enjoy it, or feel offended right now.”

<Just roll with it. Ear scratches and cuddling are great,> Ace commented, repeating himself with help of his telekinesis.

“What about Astra and Emily? How are they holding up?” Ash asked, feeling his heartbeat at a quick pace in his chest.

“They’re holding the line really well,” Lana commented.

“The beasts are outnumbered and outmatched.” Lillie looked at Starlight. “By the way, there was a pony with bandaged wing with them. I think it is something you should know.”

Starlight nodded. “Rainbow Dash. Was her wing injured? Commanding pokemon and battling pokemon is a dangerous business. Still super fun though.”

Lillie looked at Ash and showed him the most cheerful smile she could muster. “Also, I have great news that will make you happy. I noticed a Pikachu on one of the trainer’s shoulders. I believe it is yours.”

Ash gasped before smiling widely, so did Nica on his shoulder. With his heartbeat even faster and excitement rushing through his every bone, he ran forward, bypassing the girls as he finally reached the crossroads.

He stopped upon seeing a sight to behold: On one side a forest with a few staggered Ultra Beasts covered in burns and bruises while a substantial number of trees were smashed to pieces.

On the other side was a line of buildings. Some homes and infrastructure seemed to have received significant damage, like holes in walls or cracks in the asphalt, though luckily no house was set ablaze. Each house was empty as well, with the populace seemingly having ran for their lives.

He spotted two trainers, one with orange hair wearing armor and armed with shield and sword with a familiar Pikachu on her shoulder.

On the frontline on the damaged road in between the town and the forest stood a massive Hariyama, who took a defensive stance. Venusaur stood tall by his side with a dark Umbreon balanced atop the large flower.

Starmie and Scizor flanked the beasts from the right while using trees as a cover.

Lucario and Gliscor flanked the beasts from the left while balancing on a branch of a tree.

Blissey and Audino, known for their numerous appearances in Pokemon Centers stood by the trainer’s side protectively while the egg-like pokemon graced the injured trainer and pokemon with her life-energy. Audino had its hands spread aside, like a bodyguard ready to defend.

A siren-like pokemon Primarina kept his full attention on a man in a suit and his two companions, who stood on the verge between the forest and the beach in distance. He had difficulty telling who accompanied the majestic pokemon due to their small size, but he could tell he wasn’t alone.

Much to Ash’s disappointment, Lycanroc and Rowlet were nowhere to be seen, but the view of Pikachu alone proved enough to fill his heart with joy.

Not wasting a moment, he and his companions ran towards the trainers, yet before he could catch their attention, he caught rancid mutterings from the Team Rocket boss.

“So those incompetent fools failed after all. I didn’t expect much from them, but I hoped that at the very least their Mimikyu would be able to accomplish the mission,” Giovanni said as both Astra and Emily glanced at Ash.

“We told you they couldn’t be trusted,” Cassidy said.

“To be fair, that Mimikyu seemed to have potential. Pity he didn’t succeed in capturing Nica,” Butch said.

Rainbow Dash looked at Ash and commented, “So you’re the big shot I heard about. You don’t look nearly as cool as I imagined you.”

Pikachu and Nica looked at each other, so did Ash and Astra, yet no one dared to say a word.

Ninetales growled, unleashing ‘Flamethrower’ at Giovanni as Rhyperior jumped to his trainer’s defense, scattering the flames with a grunt.

Primarina spread his fins and sang from bottom of his lungs, bombarding the large rock/ground type pokemon with ‘Sparkling Aria,’ before knocking the big pokemon off his feet.

Ninetales jumped onto the roof, taking a sniping position to aid the formation that his trainer created, Torracat immediately joining his side.

“That’s enough!” Giovanni shouted, catching everyone’s attention. “Astra Longshot, daughter of Guardian Penny Longshot and General Jeremy Longshot. I want to offer you a deal.”

“A deal? Whatever it is, I refuse!” Astra responded with a firm shake of her hand while Emily’s armor and weapons now covered her body, her own destroyed and abandoned.

“Trust me Astra, it is an offer you can’t refuse,” Giovanni said as he took his hands out from his pockets, his expression serious and commanding. “Team Rocket is at the peak of its power and with your pokemon once again by your side, so is your organization. I want for us to settle this once and for all.”

Astra grit her teeth, taking a moment before taking a deep calming breath. “I’m listening.”

“I shall return to the Aether Foundation where Team Rocket will make its last stand. I expect that you and your fellow Guardians will prepare and attack us. Both sides will fight to the very end. Either Team Rocket will prevail and unleash the beasts on the world, or you’ll ruin us once and for all. All or nothing. Victory or defeat.” Giovanni glanced at Ash. “And if any Kahuna, Tapu, or any trainer that’s wasn’t part of your Guardians will try to approach the Aether Foundation, we’ll start executing our hostages, including Lusamine and her son Gladion.”

Lillie clenched her fists and yelled. “Don’t you dare hurt my brother and mother!” Her Vulpix growled, still in her arms.

Ash glared at the enemy leader with growing anger. What’s with Team Rocket threatening to kill hostages. This is getting out of hand.

“And what guarantee do I have that you won’t use the hostages against me? Why should I even let you go instead of just capturing you here and now and ending this?” Astra asked as she gestured at her pokemon. “You know we could rush you and prevent your retreat.”

“Do that, and all the hostages in the Aether Foundation will be executed,” Giovanni warned. “While I understand that you don’t want to trust me, as I would do the exact same if I were in your shoes, I can give you my word that hostages won’t be harmed if you do as I say. I may hate you, but I still respect you… unfortunately.”

He spread his hands, gesturing at his surroundings. “Here in Alola nearly ten years ago my assassins eliminated your parents while I ruined the Guardians. It is only fitting that this is where I’ll settle the score with their daughter and what's left of that organization. Will you have your vengeance, or will I triumph and spread Team Rocket’s influence with the help of the Ultra Beasts? I don’t care about anything else.”

“Release half of the hostages and I’ll comply,” Astra demanded. “Do it and you’ll have your final battle.”

Giovanni smirked. “This is the part I like about you. You know what you want and know how to achieve it. If you’ll come to my fortress with only your men, no tricks or disguised trainers, in return I will free Lusamine and half of the workers. Her son Gladion and the rest of the staff you’ll need to free yourself by defeating me.” He chuckled. “We are both born leaders. Let’s see which one will come out on top. I am looking forward to our deciding encounter.”

“I accept those terms, but don’t think you can hide from me behind your Ultra Beast. Without your titan, you can’t easily recruit more of them to blindly serve you. Once you’re defeated, no beast will respect or listen to you and your men anymore.”

“Hey!” Lillie shouted and stomped as her cheeks looked like balloons from annoyance. “You can’t use my family as bargaining chip!” She placed her hand on her chest. “Why can only Astra come when it is my family that you’re holding hostage?”

“I suppose I can allow the daughter of Miss Lusamine to fight my troops, but don’t cry to me when your untrained Vulpix dies in the crossfire. My men will not show you any mercy just because you’re a child.” Giovanni recalled his beasts and then turned his back to the female trainer. “See you at the Aether Foundation, Astra Longshot, and bring your best. I shall finish what I started ten years ago.

Ch.7 - Reunion - Pt.2

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Chapter 7
-
Reunion - Pt.2

Ash watched two of Giovanni’s lackies, ones that seemed very familiar, activate their jetpacks and escort their boss over the sea. He quickly looked at Astra with a look of pity as the trainer just dropped to her knees, either tired or shocked by the experience. While he had had his own bad experiences with Team Rocket in the past, most of the time they were more of an inconvenience rather than a serious threat. Astra however seemed to have some sort of history with them, one involving dead parents and… some sort of an organization.

Actually, the more he learned about Astra, the more he wanted to meet her. Pikachu had already told Nica quite a lot about him, and Nica most likely told Pikachu a lot about her trainer. Now was his turn to get to know her.

He shook his head as his attention focused on Pikachu, who, ironically, was now on Astra’s shoulder, the same as Nica was on his. More than a week ago he was going crazy with worry, wondering what the heck had happened to his partner and his other pokemon, yet, in a sense, being summoned to another world kept them safe from the invasion that took place three days ago. “Pikachu…” he said as his eyes started to water and his throat suddenly became dry.

Astra stood from her knees and turned around as both trainers once again faced each other, this time with no outside distractions as the surrounding pokemon formed a circle. Emily, Lillie and Lana keep a respective distance as well.

Both pokemon jumped from the trainer’s shoulders, now standing next to the humans and across each other.

Ash looked between Astra and Pikachu. While he wanted to learn more about this amazing trainer, his desire to reunite with his dearest pokemon topped that immediately. He dropped to one knee and spread his arms in an inviting gesture.

Nica looked between her trainer and Pikachu, both showing signs of hardships and battles by their bruises and cuts. It had been more than a month since she had last seen her trainer, yet she knew that they would reunite sooner or later. Her mind filled with stories that just waited to be shared and the good news of successful mission she volunteered for. Still, there was also Pikachu who had to face the dangers of Alola, most likely searching for her. She wanted to embrace her hero and reveal her feelings to him.

Astra looked between Ash and Nica. She wanted to rush and hug her precious partner, to once again feel her soft fur and affection while congratulating her for a job well done. In fact, she felt the extreme desire to tell Nica how incredibly happy and proud she was. However, the presence of Ash Ketchum filled her with hesitation and anxiety. Her job was to escort and reunite the Pikachu with his trainer, but interacting with the trainer she admired wasn’t something she was looking forward to. Taking the example from Ash, she knelt and spread her arms, inviting Nica to jump into her embrace while keeping a respectful distance from the other trainer.

Pikachu looked between Ash and Nica. It was a fact that he missed Ash, that he wanted to reunite with him as seeing him in one piece despite the ongoing invasion filled him with joy. However… not long ago he experienced something else, he started to like and care for Nica and he felt terrified that she would be dead. His heart raced as seeing Nica alive felt even more important than reuniting with his trainer. Now when he had to choose who to hug first, his worry for Nica’s life proved stronger than his desire to accept Ash’s invitation.

As both trainers awaited their partners to jump towards them, Nica looked at Ash, then at Pikachu and then at Astra. She smiled brightly as an idea came into her mind. She wrapped her tail around Ash’s belly before charging forward, pulling the confused trainer alongside her as her three hurting paws proved strong enough.

Pikachu ran towards Nica, only to stop upon noticing that she was pulling his trainer. He took a step back while Astra blinked in confusion.

With a cheerful “Chuuu!” Nica jumped towards Pikachu, grabbing him with her left forepaw. She leaped towards Astra, pushing herself into her embrace before pulling her tail. A mere moment later, she nuzzled her trainer’s chin while also nuzzling Pikachu’s cheek, her paw and tail wrapped around their necks.

Pikachu ended up trapped, from one side feeling the strong affection of the enthusiastic Raichu as she nuzzled him without a care in the world, on another side he was pressed into Ash’s chest.

Ash felt Pikachu’s side and Nica’s back press against his chest as his hands ended up wrapped around both pokemon and the female trainer.

Astra’s face became red as she ended up hugging two pokemon and her hero, struggling not to faint while finding her predicament both pleasant and uncomfortable at the same time.

Nica kept everyone close with the help of her tail, which was now wrapped around everybody, not allowing anyone to leave. “Astra, I did it, I completed my mission and saved Equestria! I finally got the chance to use my skills and power and I kept those ponies safe and made many great friends! I was helpful! I did good, I did great. You’re proud of me, right, right? Please tell me you’re proud.”

Astra felt tears slide down her cheeks. She had faith that her partner would overcome the danger, but seeing her in one piece and admit her great success, it filled her heart with pride. “I’m proud Nica, I really am. To think you could achieve it on your own.”

She closed her eyes and pressed her face against Nica’s cheek, tightening the embrace. All those years filled with hardship and challenges, all the years where her partner endured one struggle after another, all the painful training she had condemned herself to. All that power and skill finally put to great use, saving countless lives while keeping a nation free from slavery. Moments like this were what gave her life meaning. “And the moment you returned, you risked your life to free us from the gigantic beast, giving us hope of saving Alola and pushing back Team Rocket. I am beyond proud. I’m the most proud trainer in existence.”

“R-really!” Nica asked with a squeaky voice before bursting into a cry of joy, feeling as if her heart was about to explode.

Not wanting to interrupt the reunion, Pikachu started nuzzling his trainer’s chest. “Ash, I’m so happy we’re finally together. I’m really sorry I left you on your own, especially now when you needed me more than ever.”

“It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could do, so don’t feel bad about it,” Ash said as he rubbed the back of Pikachu’s head and then in between his ears. They looked at each other with teary eyes before hugging each other again. “What’s important is that we’re together again. What’s more, not only did you help save Alola from that large monster, you made great friends. I am just happy everything is finally going right.”

“You don’t have to say that again. It’s actually nice to be able to talk with you, I can finally tell you how much I appreciate you as a trainer, your good heart, and your dedication to help others improve.” Pikachu grinned, adding in more relaxed tone, "It certainly outweighs the times when you get clumsy or make some dumb decisions."

“Gee… thanks,” Ash responded.

Pikachu smiled sheepishly as he pushed himself away from his trainer’s hug. “Please, don’t be angry, but… truth be told… I didn’t miss you as much as I thought I would.”

“Huh?”

Pikachu sighed. “Let’s just say that Nica did her best to make my stay in Equestria as pleasant as possible.” He blushed and tapped his paws together. “She… she made me feel similar… to how I felt when I was around you. I’m sorry.”

Ace’s ears perked up as he smiled from his spot on Starlight’s back.

“Why are you sorry for that?” Ash smiled. “I’m actually glad you two got along so much that your stay was pleasant. The last thing I wanted was for you to go crazy with worries like I did.” He looked at the Raichu as her head was still very close to his face. “Nica, I can’t thank you enough.”

The Raichu looked away from her trainer, her attention now on Pikachu who looked at her at the same time.

With some difficulty in turning while trapped in the large hug, Pikachu raised his forepaw and gently touched Nica’s face, noticing black marks on her eyes. In fact, her whole body looked beaten up as even her ears seemed creased. Her fur and cheek was more red than usual and her right forepaw looked especially nasty. “What… what happened to you?”

“Nothing really. After Ace saved me from drowning, he ended up captured by Team Rocket while throwing me to the Pokemon Center,” Nica started.

“Drowned?” Pikachu asked before glancing at Ace on Starlight’s back, who waved at him as his body looked as if subjected to torture. If he wasn’t trapped in a hug, he would jump at Ace to deliver a hug of gratitude. “Thank you! Thank you for saving Nica!”

<You’re welcome!>

Ash spoke up, “We worked together to rescue Ace, fighting three Ultra Beasts, and I must say, Nica knows the meaning of teamwork.” His pokemon nodded in agreement, so did most of Astra and Emily’s pokemon.

Nica blushed at the praise before continuing, “And here’s the best part. I challenged Mimikyu, who at this point had the power of Totem Pokemon on his side, to a duel. It was a long intense fight, I tell you.”

“Mimikyu? Power of Totem Pokemon? Did he beat you so hard?” Pikachu asked, remembering his encounter with the little powerhouse. To this very day he had still failed to defeat him in a straight fight. “And you managed to defeat him?”

“Of course I did, who do you think I am?” Nica asked, taking some of Pikachu’s lessons as she decided to allow herself to display at least a tiny bit of pride. “I actually managed to outplay him thanks to my trusty tail and use his rage to my advantage. I tried to talk some sense into him, but he just threatened that if I evaded his Z-move, he’d use it against Ace instead. I was forced to let him hit me with ‘Never-Ending Snuggle.’ It… kinda hurt, like… a lot.”

Pikachu gasped, staring in disbelief. More than once he had witnessed her durability, yet she still managed to surpass his expectations. Nica was like a combination of a selfless heroine and a walking shield.

“I bested that meanie and got that team that has been harassing you for years into prison. You’re finally free! I am so happy for you,” Nica said with an enthusiastic smile on her face.

Pikachu opened his mouth, but closed it immediately after. He didn’t deserve to meet this Raichu, nor to be in her presence. She called him a hero, yet in reality he was out of her league.

NIca withdrew her tail, freeing everyone from the forced hug.

Pikachu jumped onto Ash’s shoulder, nuzzling the side of his cheek while looking at Nica in admiration.

“What about you? You seem beaten up as well?” Nica glanced at Rainbow Dash, who looked even worse.

Dash stood on her rear hooves and started punching the air. “A lot of fighting against pokemon with exploding heads, pokemon that looked like walking buildings.” She spin kicked. “We ended up chased by the enemy boss and his lackeys while using nearby water to our advantage.” She wiped sweat from her forehead. “I feel as if I have had a week-long dose of adventure. Pity my wing got broken in the middle of it. It kind of stinks.”

Astra added as she looked at Ash, “I got to cooperate with your Pikachu, and I must say, he’s well trained and incredibly talented. Very durable considering his fragile body.”

Ash was about to respond, but Pikachu beat him to it.

“Hey, I wanted to evolve! You’re the one who didn’t let me,” Pikachu complained.

“Wait, what!?” Ash flinched. He grabbed Pikachu with his hands, staring at him in disbelief. “You wanted to evolve?”

“Really?” Nica asked.

“I did. We were outmatched and I wanted to find you. Astra suggested the use of a ‘Thunderstone’ to increase our chances.” He frowned and crossed his forepaws. “But she took it away before I could use it.”

“Because I didn’t want to evolve you against your will,” Astra pointed out.

Pikachu pressed his little paws against Ash’s hands, pushing himself free as he spun in mid-air and gave the female trainer an angered glare. “It wasn't against my will!”

“Really?” Astra asked before reaching for small pouch inside her backpack. She took out the ‘Thunderstone’ before presenting it. “Go ahead, use it, be my guest.”

“Well…” Pikachu looked at the green stone with a lightning bolt as he started rubbing his arm nervously. “Maybe another time.”

Astra raised her head arrogantly. “See. Now when the crisis is over and Nica is with us, you want to stay as a Pikachu. I rest my case.”

Nica dropped her paws and head, whimpering sadly. “Awww… so no long-tail-fencing sessions. Don’t raise my hopes up only to dash them. That’s… a bit mean.”

“What… I didn’t mean,” Pikachu said in panic before shooting Astra a raspberry. Not that he didn’t like her as he actually felt strong respect and trust towards her, but she was just too careful, not reckless enough for his liking. Actually… maybe that wasn't the case. “Astra.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” Pikachu said with a warm smile. “When you took two powerful blows for me and Dash, it was very brave of you. I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t.”

“I just… did what was important. I had armor and shield, using it to keep you both safe was the right thing to do,” Astra said as she massaged her arm nervously.

“Well, if you ever decide to evolve, just tell me. It’s your call,” Ash encouraged as he lowered himself to pat Pikachu’s head. He looked between Nica and Astra before adding, “Astra. Thank you for keeping my Pikachu safe. I appreciate it more than you think.”

The female trainer blushed, hiding it desperately be looking to the side and at the sky.

Ash stood up as competitive flame was lit in his eyes. “By the way, after seeing what your Raichu is capable off, I can tell that you’re a really great trainer. You really have to tell me all about your adventures and your goals. Maybe we can help each other achieve them.” He gestured at surrounding pokemon. “Once this crisis is over, I want to have a battle with you.” He looked between his Pikachu and Nica, who now stared back in panic. “I bet my Pikachu would love to have a one-on-one fight against your Raichu. It would be sooo epic. Right Pikachu?”

“I pass,” Pikachu said as he crossed his hands and looked to the side.

Nica sighed in relief before giving the smaller pokemon a grateful smile.

“See, he would love… wait… Pikachu, I think I heard you wrong,” Ash said as he ducked and exposed his ear.

“I said I’m not interested. I would love to train with Nica if she’s fine with it, but I don’t want to fight her,” Pikachu said with a firm nod, only to yelp in surprise when Ash brought him up to his face.

“Are you really my Pikachu?”

“What? Of course I am.” He started shaking his little paws in aggravation. “Why would you think that?!”

Nica chuckled at the scene before her, only to feel the hand of her trainer on her shoulder. Her senses quickly picked up an aura of growing regret. She turned around, now seeing guilt on her trainer’s face.

“Nica, I want… I want to apologize,” Astra said as her partner tilted her head to the side in confusion. “When I shared my ideology with you, I also tried to teach you how to be humble. I didn’t want pride or arrogance blind you, so I tried to teach you humility. I wanted for you to strive to be better by knowing that there’s always someone better, someone to take example from.” She looked to the side. “I had no idea that my action caused you to suffer from an inferiority complex, to feel a lack of accomplishment and sadness for years.”

Nica blinked before looking at her smaller friend. “Did Pikachu… mention it to you?”

Astra nodded. “He told me how bad it got. If I knew it got that bad, if you even mentioned it… Nica, I am so sorry… I know it is too late to fix my mistakes, but if I can do something to repay you, just tell me, and know that I truly regret what I did.”

Nica stood on the tip of a single paw, stretching herself in order to pat her trainer on the shoulder. “To be honest, it was my fault. You had the right idea, it was I who took your teachings out of proportion. I had no idea it was even an issue in the first place, and I already got better thanks to Pikachu and my pony friends. Besides,” Nica booped her trainer’s nose, “I love everything you taught me no matter the hardship it caused. I love who you helped me to become, and most importantly, I love you as my trainer and partner.” She embraced her trainer’s neck, feeling her hands warp around her back. “Why wouldn’t I forgive you a tiny mistake when I am grateful and happy for everything else?”

“Nica…” Astra said before closing her eyes, allowing herself to be lost in the affectionate hug.

What was once a room reserved for Twilight and her experiment had now become a chamber containing a portal to another world.

Ash stared at the portal with growing interest and with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. “So what you’re saying is: I can use this portal to visit your home and come back whenever I wish?” he asked as the alicorn pony and Torracat stood by his side.

Nica, Ace and Ninetales stood further back as bruises and cuts were no longer present on their bodies, all pokemon healed after a solid rest in the Pokemon Center.

“Of course, though I’ll need to recharge it from time to time with my magic. Since there’s no magic in Alola, my reserves don’t recover, so I’ll need to do it from the other side,” Twilight explained as she patted the trainer with her wing, pushing him forward encouragingly. “Go on, test it out.”

“Sure, sure, but I need to ask you about something,” Ash said.

“Yes?”

“First, can I keep one of those translating collars for my Pikachu and Torracat?”

“Sure,” Twilight said with a warm smile before standing on her rear hooves while taking a closer look. “Still, this one seem somewhat damaged, a side effect of wearing it during battle. We’ll need to replace those cracked gems with new ones.”

“Sounds good to me,” Pikachu said in approval. “I’ll be sure to take it off before any battle.”

“What’s your other question?” Twilight asked.

“Well…” Ash tapped his fingers together. “You said that you couldn’t find Rowlet and Lycanroc when you tried to get all the pokemon back to Alola. Why is that?”

“Simple. Maud Pie must’ve taken him on some exploration and they lost track of time while I lacked time to look for them. As for Rowlet,” she shrugged, “I have no idea where he has gone. Derpy said he was no longer with her when she woke up.”

“Then we’ll just have to find them,” Ash said with an enthusiastic shake of his hand.

“We can ask my friends to help us out, I’m sure you’ll like them. Pity that Astra is too busy preparing an attack plan to join us,” Twilight pointed out as her ears drooped.

“No kidding. To make it worse, I can’t even help her because of the hostages, and it may be just me, but I get the impression that Astra has been avoiding me.”

“She must be stressed about responsibility as fate of Alola now rest on her shoulders,” Twilight said.

Nica raised her eyebrows. “S-sure… let’s leave it at that.”

“Hey, Pikachu. While we’re in Equestria, I’ll be counting on you and Twilight to show me around. Also, if you learned anything from Nica about Astra and her adventures, tell me about it. I really want to get to know her better.”

Nica ran over and gestured at Pikachu with her paws while shaking her head.

“Sure.”

Nica’s ears drooped, so did her paws. She could only imagine Astra’s panicked reactions and Ash’s fanboying rush.

Torracat took a few steps forward before turning around, now looking up at Ninetales. “I… I wish you the best of luck. I know that you’re skilled and strong, but I can also tell that you’ll face extreme danger.” He lowered his head. “I wish I could come with you.”

<Heh, like I need a rookie like you to get in my way,> Ninetales said before correcting himself. <Well… maybe calling you rookie is a bit too harsh. You’ve certainly upgraded to experienced combatant under my guide, but you still have a long way to go.>

“Don’t die, please,” Torracat said with a pleading voice, his eyes displaying nothing but worry.

Ninetales rubbed the top of smaller’s pokemon head with his long thin paw. <Me, die? Who do you think I am? Furthermore, I don’t plan on dying until I talk with Arcanine about your training sessions and until we teach you how to use ‘Flare Blitz.’ Better enjoy your vacation in Equestria, kiddo, because you’ll get no breather from us.>

“That’s reassuring,” Torracat said as he rubbed his taller friend’s paw.

<What about me,> Ace asked as he spread his forepaws in invitation. <I’ll risk my tail and neck too. Can you give me some good wishes, pretty please.>

Nica glanced at the fire cat pleadingly, unnoticed by her brother.

Torracat frowned in annoyance. “F-fine… but only because you did a fine job beating that giant and saving Nica. Just don’t get used to it.” He approached and stood on his rear paws, hugging the self-levitating Raichu who immediately trapped him between his paws. “I… I wish you great victories and a safe return. Let the water you like so much aid you in sweeping those Rocket members and beasts away. Hit them with the power of a storm and a tsunami.”

Ash observed the friendly exchange with a warm smile, though understanding only his pokemon. “Good luck, I know you’ll succeed.” He walked towards the portal.

“Pikachu!”

“Huh?” Pikachu asked, his attention now on Nica. He jumped onto the floor. “You already said your goodbye, but I don’t mind doing it again.”

Ash turned around, observing the exchange while standing close to the portal with Twilight by his side.

Nica took off her translating collar, and she did so with Pikachu’s one. Now sure that their talk wouldn’t be understood by Ash, she spoke. <Pikachu, it is not really another goodbye. I just… I just wanted to do and tell you something very important, something I wanted to do but lacked courage until now.> She rubbed her forepaw nervously.

Pikachu blinked before nodding. She seems to be making progress, but she still has a long way to overcome her overwhelming humility. He stood on the tips of his tiny feet, stretched up to place his forepaw on her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. <Go on, you have my full attention.>

Much to his surprise, he felt Nica’s tail wrap around his belly before raising him very close to her head. What followed was not anything he expected. He felt Nica’s lips press against his, delivering him a firm, direct, and very strong kiss. It wasn’t an attack move, but a real affectionate approach.

His cheeks became red and his eyes wide as he could only stare ahead, his heartbeat increased in speed. A few seconds later, he was released from the kiss, now staring at Nica’s blushing but proud face.

“She… kissed you!?” Ash asked as he stared in shock.

“Oh, how lovely,” Twilight commented. “I must say, they look adorable together.”

Ace stood on the tips of the white patches on his rear paws and started a cheerful dance atop his levitating tail. Torracat hesitated at first, but a moment later followed his example.

Pikachu felt his feet touch the ground and tail release his belly. He looked up, his mouth agape as he was lost for words.

<However, while I could sense your respect and admiration in turn, I didn’t sense your affection or anything that would tell me that you felt the same way as I did. What’s more, I didn’t feel good enough for a hero like you, so I stayed silent, but no more.>

<You… you love me?> Pikachu asked, not realizing that their experiences lead to such affection. Now that he thought about it, he did feel great as long as he was in Nica’s presence. As long as she was around, he didn’t miss his trainer all that much, and when her life was in danger, he felt as if his heart was about to break. Is he feeling the same?

Nica nodded, only for her ears to droop as she continued in a somber tone, <However, while I sensed your admiration and respect, I could tell that you didn’t love me, nor were you interested in starting any deeper relationship. I mean… I was giving you subtle signals, but I understand; you desire thrills, challenges and adventures, and you don’t feel ready to go through this path yet.>

Pikachu took a step back. How was he supposed to answer a statement like that? A moment later he noticed Nica’s paw land on his shoulder as she gave him a cheerful… yet forced smile.

Both Ace and Torracat stopped dancing, now shaking their heads at Nica while Ninetales slammed his forepaw against his own face.

<Once you feel accomplished after facing countless adventures and challenges, when you’re finally feel ready to find true love, I am sure you’ll find a Pikachu worthy of a hero like you. I could even give you some tips.> Nica grabbed Pikachu by his side while gesturing over the room. <There’s a place called ‘Pikachu Valley’ in Alola that’s filled with more than a hundred Pikachu, so many wonderful females to choose from.>

<Pikachu Valley?> Pikachu asked as his confused brain still tried to comprehend what the superior Raichu was telling him.

Ash and Twilight looked at each other, wondering what the duo had been talking about while Ace and Torracat held each other, ready to burst into tears.

Pikachu’s eyes became wide as he finally understood what Nica had tried to tell him, but before he could even come up with an answer, he ended up pushed into the portal. The moment his little feet made contact with Equestria's soil, he shook his head and ran back in, but Nica was nowhere to be found.

Ace looked at him with pure disappointment and tears in his eyes. <I… I… I feel as if a glorious and luxurious ship just sank before even getting the chance to sail on the endless sea called ‘romance’. This is a horrible feeling. Pikachu, why didn’t you say a word?>

Pikachu took a step back as Torracat approached him and hissed in his face. <Once you decide to search for a female Pikachu to have an egg with, you better make sure it is a damn good Pikachu. Anything less would be insulting to the Raichu you just turned down.>

<B-but… I…> Pikachu’s ears, head and paws drooped as his body suddenly felt a lot heavier. All this time he never for a moment considered the idea of having a relationship with the amazing Raichu other than friendship. Now that I think about it, I tend to ignore this kind of stuff a lot, he thought, remembering other pokemon which made advances towards him, specifically one particular Buneary. He whimpered sadly, feeling as if he had missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime. If there was a counting device that would go up by one each time he screwed up, it would no doubt jump up by a hundred.

Ch.7 - Bonus Chapter - Fate of Alola (Greatly improved version)

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Bonus Chapter - Fate of Alola

After facing countless battles within the Aether Foundation, Astra and Emily now stood in the rooftop plaza. The structure was pockmarked with numerous cracks and holes, a testament to the power of the Guardians’ companions and those of their enemies.

The final Team Rocket grunts to face the duo lay slumped unconscious against a damaged satellite array, their stolen pokemon heaped around them. The mansion rising in the center of the plaza now bore a few cracks, but still stood strong and intact.

Astra regretted damaging a facility meant for the protection of endangered pokemon, but with Ultra Beasts reinforcing Team Rocket’s numbers, such damage was unavoidable.

Glancing over her shoulder, Astra beheld Umbreon, Mimikyu and Starmie lying prone on the cracked tiles, covered with wounds inflicted in their desperate battle. Her whole team urgently needed a visit to a pokemon Center, but as much as she wished to protect her exhausted pokemon from further harm, leaving now was out of the question.

Part of Astra’s plan involved releasing several of her pokemon in order to command more than six during the assault. Their bond not that of trainer and pokemon, but one of family, and family stand together to the bitter end. The only downside was that the pokemon that were released could not be recalled back into their pokeballs. It was up to Nica to deflect pokeballs thrown to capture her wounded companions.

Astra noted that the plaza was spacious and flat, a fitting battlefield to host the final battle. Ahead of the duo stood Giovanni, whose team was already unable to put up any further resistance. From the durable Rhyperior to the Kantonian Persian which seemed to be more of a mascot than an actual threat, all were covered in various wounds, ensuring their defeat. And yet, despite the condition of his party, and the complete lack of any grunts to back him up, that confident smirk still remained on his face, his attitude cool and collected.

A brush of fur against Astra’s leg prompted her to look down at her partner. Nica’s fur was covered in burns and cuts, yet her resolve remained unbroken, as strong and unwavering as the gleaming metallic tail raised over her head. From everyone in the world, she could count on her partner to overcome endless obstacles and still have strength and stamina to carry on. Nica was not out of this yet.

Emily’s team wasn’t unscathed either. A glance to her left revealed Ace curled in Emily’s arms, barely conscious, and the rest of her team wasn’t faring much better, with the exception of one pokemon who remained relatively healthy, saving his strength for a last ditch effort along with one of Astra’s team according to her plan. Ace breathed heavily, eyes glistening with tears borne from the sadness of not being able to help his sister any further.

An assortment of modern armor and weapons lay scattered on the battlefield, all in varying states of damage or destruction from the mighty battles fought over the past few hours. Emily and Astra stood, panting and sweating, each decorated with an assortment of minor injuries.

The fight had exhausted all of the Guardians’ healing supplies, bags full of their empty potions lying discarded. Astra’s Blissey was unable to provide any further assistance either, sleeping within her Luxury Ball after having exhausted herself by using Softboiled over and over.

“I must say, I am rather impressed,” Giovanni drawled, clapping his hands in a slow, mocking manner. “From poison gas and stunning powder to ambushes, we threw everything we had into your path, but you tore through it like it was nothing. That Raichu of yours is particularly annoying. Without her mastery of defense, skills and redirection, you’d be as good as dead.”

Nica ignored the complement, fur bristling and electricity sparking from her cheeks.

“Face it Giovanni, you’re finished!” Emily cried, glaring at the villain. “Your men and beasts have fallen. There is no escape. This ends here!”

Keeping one eye on her enemy, Astra looked at the mansion behind him, which still held half of the prisoners, hoping her partner wouldn’t be forced to deal with a hostage situation.

“Oh Emily, how I pity your naiveté.” Giovanni chuckled, shaking his head. “This battle is far from over. Astra, be a dear and explain to your subordinate why this is so.”

“Giovanni used his personal pokemon, but not a single Ultra Beast,” Astra explained. “I have a hunch that he has a few very strong specimens kept for him to use in a last resort. That last resort is now his only option. This is his final stand.”

“Very good. As always, I admire your forward thinking.” Giovanni replied, clapping his mocking applause once again.

Astra’s lips quirked up into a small smile as she approached Giovanni with slow, deliberate steps. “It runs in the family, which is why you should know that there’s no hope for your victory, even with those powerful beasts at your disposal.”

“Oh really, and why is that?” Giovanni asked, raising an eyebrow. Before Astra could answer, she spotted a Rocket grunt walking out from the mansion, carrying two pokeballs on a golden pillow. One looked like a Beast Ball, while another had a mix of black and white, looking similar to an Ultra Ball but slightly more advanced.

Nica darted forward, but before she could swat the pokeballs off the pillow, the Rocket grunt released both pokemon.

The first landed on the roof with a crash and a slight tremor. It was a rotund being, mostly black with yellow highlighting around the massive mouth that encompassed most of its torso. A tiny head rested upon its massive shoulders, and two pairs of very different limbs protruded from its upper and lower body. A stubby tail tipped with a spiked ball swayed slightly behind it. The beast’s evil little eyes fixed themselves upon Nica, and the many teeth within its colossal mouth began to rotate with a faint whining noise.

The second looked like a corrupted version of Solgaleo, with a similar, regal mane spiked with gold accents. Two black claws snared through the beast’s mane and blended in with the creature’s black coat. It gave a ferocious roar and prowled forward, a deep growl rumbling in its throat.

Nica leaped back, resuming her fighting stance with sparks darting from her cheeks.

Giovanni gestured at his ultimate weapons, his face betraying his sinister joy. “Allow me to introduce Guzzlord. Don’t mistake it for any ordinary beast. Where I obtained it from, this monster alone devoured entire cities, forcing civilisation to escape over the sea as the last remnants of their defenses were decimated. While my scientists only had the intel and resources to take control of a limited number of beasts…”

“You ordered them to use two thirds of the resources to take control of Guzzlord and that titanic pokemon from earlier,” Astra cut in, continuing her slow advance. “He’s ‘Dark’ and ‘Dragon’ type.” She had interrogated the Team Rocket scientists and searched notes in the lab during the attack in order to learn more about what Giovanni may have in store.

Guzzlord roared, causing Astra, Nica and Emily to shift their stances and shield their faces with their forelimbs as they withstood the Ultra Beast’s might. A strong red aura of power flashed into being around the large monster.

“I see. Clever. If that’s the case, you must be aware of my other servant,” Giovanni said, gesturing at his armored lion. “Dusk Mane Necrozma.”

“‘Psychic’ and ‘Steel’ type. You took control of Necrozma and used it to hunt down the legendary pokemon Solgaleo, combining their forms in the process.” Astra crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “I must admit, you really stepped up in your game this past week.”

Giovanni put hands into his pocket. “True, true. Unfortunately, I lost a few of my better members in order to capture them, Necrozma in particular, but their sacrifice won’t be in vain. Now, enlighten me, pokemon Master Astra! How do you plan to come out on top against such odds when your subordinates are busy fighting my men, and nearly all of your pokemon, not to mention yourself, are at their limits?”

“I do have the means to win this battle, a little something I prepared in advance just for this encounter.” Astra smiled, a normal innocent, cheerful smile. “However, even if we lose here, you’re still finished.”

Giovanni raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side slightly.

“After our infiltration, your beasts lost all their respect towards their masters, so even if you win, they’ll rebel against you. It means no army of unstoppable beasts, and your remaining subordinates aren’t exactly all that competent.” She smirked. “In other words, your organization won’t intimidate anyone and won’t conquer anything. You may still have the hostages, but no power, and in the end the people and trainers of Alola will stop you.”

Astra laid a hand on her chest, adding, “If I can’t protect the world, I’ll become a stepping stone for others to succeed where I fail. This is the life I’ve chosen for myself, and my pokemon... no, my family, have decided to support me all the way.”

Giovanni laughed cruelly, before taking an unknown device from his pocket and attaching it to his wrist. “Allow me to dash your hope and confidence.” Without hesitation, he recalled Dusk Mane Necrozma, only for the device to shine with power. The pokeball in his hand grew in size, becoming twice the size of his head.

Pivoting on his heel, Giovanni flung the enlarged ball behind him, releasing a titanic monster. The gigantic armored lion landed on the roof with a thunderous crash, cracks forming as its massive paws threatened to break through the reinforced composite material. Dark, red-hued clouds formed above the gigantic pokemon’s head. Necrozma roared, once again forcing the trio to endure its raw power.

Astra gasped, staring in shock at the giant, before glaring at Giovanni in anger.

“Caught off guard? Of course you are. You were never good at facing unpredictable situations.” He chuckled.”I learned many tricks while preparing glorious return of my organization. I may have lost my titan, but this is a suitable replacement. With Dusk Necrozma, I’ll regain respect of all Ultra Beasts and rebuild my army.”

“But how is this happening here?” Emily blurted out. “The Dynamax phenomenon only occurs in Galar. There’s no power spot providing the energy!”

“Emily, you can’t be that naive. With a bit of money and advanced technology, any power source can be replicated,” Giovanni purred. “Unfortunately, with all my resources used to capture Guzzlord and Necrozma, I could only afford to Dynamax only one pokemon, but it is all I need.“

Astra looked at her pokeballs, quickly considering her options. While she had prepared a countermeasure against Giovanni’s two elite pokemon, she didn’t account for a Dynamaxed Legendary pokemon opposing her. It didn’t help that Nica and Ace had both already used their Z-moves, leaving her at a disadvantage against such a foe. Still, while Dynamax was far superior to Mega Evolution in terms of durability and power, it did have one glaring weakness, one that her partner was more than capable of taking advantage of.

“Nica, I know I’m asking a lot, but you must fight Necrozma and Guzzlord at the same time. Use strategy sixty three!” Astra ran away, giving her partner a confident glance. Nica nodded, darting forward despite the odds. In order to not give away her tactics to her opponents, Astra often taught her pokemon different strategies in advance and named them with numbers. She could only hope it would capture her opponent off guard.

Giovanni pointed at the Raichu and commanded, “Dusk Mane Necrozma, slice this Raichu into ribbons with ‘Psycho Cut’. Guzzlord, attack with Crunch and devour what’s left!”

Nica leaped to the side, barely evading a gigantic lavender blade, which pierced through the edge of the building, cutting it off. The wide psychic blade struck the water’s surface with a massive splash, several tons of rubble from the building following a few moments later, leaving several water-dwelling pokemon bobbing face down on the surface.

She then jumped over Guzzlord’s limbs in two quick bounds. Seeing the follow up ‘Psycho Cut’ speeding towards her, she ran towards the legs of the Ultra Beast, then backflipped, avoiding the large jaw-like appendage which tried to grab her with its teeth, only for the second ‘Psycho Cut’ to hit Guzzlord’s back.

Despite the beast being ‘Dark’ type, the strike proved powerful enough to leave a mark, angering Guzzlord, who jumped at Necrozma, attacking him with ‘Crunch’ for super-effective damage.

Strategy sixty three, use opponents larger size and make them hit each other, using her agility and strength of her enemies against them. Did she believe she could win with this strategy? No. Giovanni was undoubtedly too smart to fall for this trick multiple times, but the fate of Alola or maybe even the entire world rested on her shoulders and she would fight to her last breath.

The roof was scored with cracks and fissures, seemingly ready to crumble at any moment.

Astra and Emily watched Guzzlord, who held an injured Nica with its limbs, gnawing into her fur and adding to the cuts that decorated most of her body.

Dusk Mane Necrozma began shining with blue light, shrinking a few metres every second before finally returning to its regular size. It landed next to the devourer of cities, armor covered in burns. Guzzlord seemed injured as well, the red aura surrounding its body wavering and vanishing.

Despite Nica’s best efforts at making the two powerhouses fight each other and using every last ounce of her strength and willpower during this battle, there was only so much her weakened body could accomplish. She could only scream in pain and struggle futilely in the Ultra Beast’s cruel grasp, her tail flickering silver, unable to draw on the power of ‘Iron Tail’ any further.

Ace wriggled in Emily’s hold, wanting to join the battlefield despite his exhaustion.

Astra grit her teeth before switching the device on her wrist, replacing her Z-Power Ring with a device similar to Giovanni’s. She glanced at Emily. “Giovanni’s ‘Dynamax’ ran out of power. Now’s our chance! Unleash our secret weapon!”

“Finally!” Emily shouted before replacing her own inactive Z-ring. She gently placed Ace at her feet before grabbing one of her pokeballs. “You sure took your time.”

Astra did the same, and both pokeballs grew in size. With a bit of effort, Astra and Emily threw the large pokeballs ahead, unleashing what they had held in reserve for the final battle.

“Dynamax? Is this what you had prepared against me this whole time?” Giovanni asked, taking a step back, his ever-confident expression showing signs of strain. His enjoyment at seeing Nica’s torture was interrupted as his attention focused on two gigantic foes.

A massively long tail landed on the roof, which crumpled like paper as a gigantic Primarina sank two floors deeper into the building. His fins pushed aside damaged satellites like children’s toys, Team Rocket members barely out of unconsciousness fleeing in terror. A deafening, yet melodious singing noise could be heard all the way on the islands in the distance.

Next to him, a titanic multi-tailed fox drew himself up to his full height. Ninetales stood proudly despite his paws sinking into the upper floors of the building, his tails fanning out behind him, one accidently pushing Emily, Astra and Ace away. His golden fur could be seen from miles away as Kahunas, Guardians and Professor Kukui observed the phenomenon from the islands.

The sky turned even darker than before, now filled with the flames of Ninetales and the haunting melody of Primarina’s song, before the rays of the sun suddenly pierced through the dark clouds, the air temperature quickly reaching a comparative level to a desert drought, thanks to Ninetales’ ability.

Ninetales growled before biting Guzzlord, freeing Nica in the process. With a shake of his head, he pushed the Ultra Beast against the wall of the mansion, cracking the wall from the impact.

Primarina whimpered sadly, gently sliding the very tip of his gigantic fin under the injured Raichu before sliding her into Astra’s embrace.

Both gigantic pokemon then focused their attention on their opponents, both determined to win and justifiably enraged.

Giovanni walked backward, taking a moment to regain his composure. “Photon Geyser! Dragon Claw!”

Guzzlord lumbered forward and leapt towards the gigantic Ninetales, swinging its glowing limbs with a hunger for revenge, only for Primarina’s large fin to block the attack like a massive shield, not receiving a single scratch. His other fin slammed against Guzzlord, pinning it against the roof. The Ultra Beast wrestled against Primarina’s fin, displaying incredible strength, yet the gigantic size of the Sea Emperor proved too much for the devourer.

Ninetales pounced forward, his gigantic body shimmering with the power of ‘Calm Mind’. The powerful beam exploded against his fur, leaving big bruises that the pokemon ignored.

“Primarina, use ‘Moonblast’ against Guzzlord. It’s incredibly weak to Fairy-type attacks!” Emily commanded. The Soloist pokemon started singing from the bottom of his lungs, summoning a house-sized pink orb which looked more like an explosive moon. Guzzlord wriggled and struggled, trying to break free from the two gigantic fins that held it from both sides. Using ‘Crunch,’ it gnashed at a fin with all its power again and again, a grimace of pain forming on Primarina’s serene features, yet it did little to prevent ‘Moonblast’ from being unleashed.

The orb completely filled the massive mouth of the town-devouring beast, striking with the power of a falling star and blasting it into the sea with a gigantic explosion.

Primarina leapt into the sky, his sheer size meaning the action took fifteen seconds, soaring over the artificial island and diving into the water to continue the battle on his home turf. With a splash that sent a geyser of water higher than the entire foundation, he disappeared beneath the waves. The water began to settle, then erupted with a frenzy of splashing and roaring surf, noises of intense battle emanating from underwater, explosions and blasts that shook the seas the only indication of the brutal exchange taking place within the depths.

“Ninetales, the hostages are inside that mansion. Be careful!” Astra warned, wary of the danger to those they had come to save.

Ninetales gave a nod, holding back the attack he had been charging until Dusk Mane Necrozma flew away from the mansion and into the open sky. Giovanni gritted his teeth, fists clenched in helpless rage, but he knew there was nothing more he could do.

Without waiting for a command, Necrozma concentrated, charging and unleashing ‘Prismatic Laser’ at the gigantic Ninetales.

“Calm Mind!” Astra commanded. “Tank it and counterattack when you see an opening!”

Ninetales padded forward, fur once again shimmering with power as the massive beam struck Ninetales’ cheek and chest. The Fox pokemon struggled against it, refusing to back down even as the surrounding roof started to melt from the intense heat. The door and wall of the mansion began melting as well due to their proximity to the impacted area, as the scent of singed fur filled the air.

Ninetales reared up on his hind paws, pushing against the powerful beam before slapping his paws together over Necrozma, holding the struggling legendary in his grasp. With the power of both ‘Calm Mind’s empowering his body and the intense sunlight strengthening his Fire-type attacks, he unleashed ‘Flamethrower,’ the flaring inferno scorching the armor of the pokemon alongside the edge of the foundation building.

Astra watched the battle intently, before looking down at the injured Raichu she was cradling in her arms. “Nica… I… I’m sorry,” she said, holding back tears, wondering if she had made a miscalculation. In her original plan, she had wanted to use Dynamax on Primarina and Ninetales, and with their help, defeat Giovanni’s secret weapons, which is why she saved strength of those two pokemon whenever she could. The artificial source of power needed for Dynamax had already been prepared by her engineers in advance, and an experimental power cell was safely secured in each of her and Emily’s packs, made for only the most dire of circumstances.

However, when Giovanni used Dynamax on Dusk Mane Necrozma, she wasn’t sure if her plan would work, which is why she send Nica to fight both powerhouses at the same time, trying to tire her enemies and buy time until Necrozma would shrink back to its regular size. But was it really necessary? Maybe Primarina and Ninetales would have won anyway, without putting Nica through so much pain and danger.

Astra was shaken from her thoughts by the feeling of Nica’s paw touching her cheek. The pokemon made no sound, just looking back at her with a proud smile. There was something in Nica’s gaze that portrayed tired accomplishment, as if the pokemon felt proud, happy and fulfilled from what she just did. Astra matched Nica’s smile with a relieved one of her own, then embraced the exhausted Raichu tighter against her chest, her furry brow nuzzled into the crook of Astra’s neck. “Thank you. I’m so, so proud of you.”

A deafening boom came from the direction of the battling pokemon as Necrozma struck the titanic Ninetales with a powerful blast, who in return assaulted the legendary pokemon with a gigantic pillar of flames, finally sending the armored lion crashing down into the remains of the plaza. The tender moment between Nica and Astra was interrupted as the roof and upper part of the building finally started to crumble.

The sound of a very large creature breaching the waves announced the return of Primarina, who emerged from the ocean, staring at the Aether Foundation in worry. His face, fins, left shoulder and numerous spots on his immense tail were covered in bite-marks, but the unconscious Ultra Beast lying atop his head spoke volumes of his victory. While the beast had proved powerful enough to raze entire cities to the ground, even such a monster couldn’t stand against the Dynamaxed Water/Fairy pokemon.

Ninetales curled himself around the mansion, his fangs clenched tightly together and sweat beading on his fur as he held the mansion stable, preventing it from crumbling alongside the rest of the roof.

Dusk Mane Necrozma was engulfed in golden light, which quickly faded to reveal two pokemon, both lying unconscious amidst the rubble.

Ace struggled to balance his trembling legs upon his tail, holding Astra, Emily, Nica, Mimikyu and Starmie in his ‘Psychic’ aura, and Umbreon in Emily’s embrace, as the humans and their partners looked upon the wreckage beneath them. While Team Rocket has been bested, the hostages secured and Alola saved, the Foundation was going to need major repairs in the near future.

Giovanni grimaced as he shoved rubble off of himself, attempting to struggle to his feet. His uniform was now covered in a fine veil of dust, adorned with rips and tears here and there. Before he could regain his bearings, an immense paw flattened him to the ground with a grunt. A familiar blue light shone from above, then faded to reveal Ninetales sitting on Giovanni’s back, dissuading him from moving by growling in his ear.

Astra towered over the defeated boss of Team Rocket, and the two of them stared at each other. Nearly ten years after her parents and their organization was destroyed by the man before her, Astra had finally avenged them, and ruined Team Rocket once and for all.

Giovanni gritted his teeth for a moment, then relaxed his tense muscles, an expression of calm acceptance on his face. “Well played, Astra Longshot. Well played.”

“You seem rather composed for someone who just lost his entire organization,” Astra commented, maintaining her hostile glare.

Giovanni sighed, continuing in a somewhat sorrowful tone. “Don’t get me wrong, I still hate it. I hate that the day my organization had reached the peak of its power, it was crushed into dust. I hate that I lost the most important battle in my life.” His lips quirked upwards slightly. “But in the end, part of me is glad that the one to bring down everything I strove for… was you. If it were anyone else, I’d be furious at myself.”

“Funny… because part of me is satisfied that I was the one to take you down,” Astra replied. She glanced at the battered Ninetales. “I’m also glad that my mother’s partner had the privilege of dealing the final blow.” Ninetales gave a firm nod of agreement, eyes glowing with satisfaction.

“From one leader to another, it was a fine battle, Astra. I accept my defeat,” Giovanni proclaimed. While he was a crime boss and conqueror at heart, part of him was also a trainer, a Gym Leader, and after today’s long ongoing battle, leading his men and facing Astra and her subordinates, he found himself feeling oddly satisfied.

Not that he would abandon his ambition or lust for power. He would still seek a way to escape from prison and rebuild his crime syndicate, but after today's titanic struggle, his heart burned anew with competitive spirit. Maybe one day he would face Astra again, not as a villain to a hero, but one trainer facing another in an honest battle.

Yeah… like that would ever happen.

Nica observed the defeated boss from her spot in Astra’s embrace, ignoring her burning muscles and aching bones. The only emotion in her mind was satisfaction. It was a little strange, come to think of it. In the past, she had often felt as though her accomplishments were nothing in comparison to how powerful she had become over the years due to harsh training and struggles, but after spending time with her hero, something finally clicked in her heart. Never before had she ever felt as fulfilled as she did now. She had helped save Alola, no, the entire world from Team Rocket’s slavery and helped her partner’s greatest desire be realised.

And now she had an amazing story to tell her hero, one that was sure to impress him. An exciting and action-filled story that she could share, making their farewell all the more special, before they finally went their separate ways.

A Little Adventure in Alola - Epilogue

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A Little Adventure in Alola

Epilogue

Libraries; there was something about them that Twilight just couldn’t resist. It didn’t matter if the library was her home, nor did it matter if it was built in another world. In fact, learning about Alolan and pokemon culture from books in Alola was like reading about a completely new and fresh topic, one begging to be researched and discovered.

After walking up the wooden stairs and ignoring the confused glances from nearby people, most likely assuming she was a pokemon, Twilight settled in front of a square table, climbing up onto a chair. With a dozen books in her levitation, she placed them on a single pile before picking ‘Legends of Guardians and Kings’ as her first.

It didn’t take long before she shot a warm smile to her reading companions, a cute and enthusiastic Lillie who shared her love for books. She was a human she could forgive for calling her adorable and rubbing her mane and behind her ears. As for hugs, she didn’t mind them, it was a pony thing after all.

The other reading companion however was a special case. A descendant of former kings that once allied themselves with the Tapu, Acerola. One princess to another, their discussions about legends intrigued her. In fact, the books Acerola recommended mentioned the existence of two specific pokemon, one called Lunala which represented the moon, and one called Solgaleo which represented the sun. I hope Luna and Celestia are enjoying the copies of the books I send them. I’m certain they would love to meet those two legendary pokemon. In fact, I could start my own research about them. Twilight chuckled. With the Aether Foundation once again free and the traitor dealt with, it was only a matter of time before the research about Ultra Space and those legendary pokemon would recommence.

“Have you made up your mind?” Lillie asked.

“About what?” Twilight asked, not taking her gaze from the book before her.

“About taking a temporary spot as Kukui’s assistant,” Lillie answered. “He did mention that you have what it takes to become a professor.”

“I’ll pass,” Twilight said nonchalantly. “I’m already a diplomat between Equestria and Alola, and there’s still so much I need to learn, not to mention all my other responsibilities in Equestria.”

“As professor's assistant, you’ll get access to research about Ultra Space and legendary pokemon.”

Twilight’s wings shot open in excitement as she pressed her muzzle against Lillie’s nose. “Say no more, I’m in!”

Hala laughed cheerfully, towering over the athletic pegasus as he stood on the rounded area while other residents seemed busy repairing their homes, carrying wooden planks and other tools around for patching holes. Aside from a few pokemon providing their assistance, Pinkie Pie and Applejack aided the repair crew with their strength and enthusiasm… and cupcakes; one couldn’t forget about those.

Rainbow Dash stomped. “I am serious. I want to become a pokemon trainer! I already have some coaching experience.”

“Well, you’ll need to wait until repairs are done before we can organize a proper ceremony. I’ll prepare some pokemon for you to choose from by then,” Hala explained before looking at the sea on the horizon from the higher ground. “You’ll have a rival though. Starlight is already preparing herself for the journey.”

“Sounds great. Nothing motivates me better than a good rival. Make sure there’s a ‘Flying’ type among the pokemon to pick. I need it to keep up with me whenever I go to perform at Wonderbolt shows,” Rainbow Dash said as she stood on her rear hooves, poking the kahuna’s large belly.

“You mean like Rowlet?” the kahuna asked, only to receive a firm head-shake.

“Rowlet? You mean that green owl with a bowtie that sleeps all day? No thanks.”

“Sounds like you met Ash’s Rowlet. I assure you, not all are like that, though it is worth mentioning that Rowlet’s final evolution replaces the ‘Flying’ type with ‘Ghost.’

Rainbow Dash rubbed her chin. “Hmm… a ghost pokemon. It sounds kind of cool, but losing the ability to fly is a bit of a deal breaker.”

“Well, you can always capture a flying pokemon after the ceremony,” Hala suggested as Rainbow Dash flew up and backflipped in mid-air.

“Now that’s an idea I can get behind,” she said before looking around. “Where is Starlight by the way?”

“She’s with Ace,” Hala answered as the pegasus now hovered in front of his face.

“With Ace, why?”

“To pick up a Pichu in advance. She was impressed by Nica so much that she wants to raise a Raichu of her own, and Ace offered to give her recommendations from his family. I asked her to bring the Pichu for the ceremony and not start her adventure before then.”

“Getting a Pichu, why didn’t I think of that?” Dash said as she slammed her hooves together. “Oh well, I’d rather not be unoriginal. I may catch a Pichu during my adventure while I pick up someone else. Litten would be cool. That flaming cat really impressed me.”

Hala slapped his hand against Dash’s back enthusiastically, forcing her to land on the ground. “Now that’s the enthusiasm I like to see in new trainers. I’ll be looking forward to our first battle.” He laughed again as Dash took his example.

With Rowlet once again snuggled into his trainer’s backpack, alongside a couple of translating collars and Lycanroc safely tucked away into its pokeball, Ash gave his farewells to the local ponies and headed for the portal.

Growing impatient, Pikachu jumped from his shoulder and ran ahead, hoping it wasn't too late yet. Despite being together with his trainer these past few days, he felt something was missing. He actually missed the enthusiastic Raichu, much more than he expected. He had already said goodbye to many pokemon and people in his life, yet Nica felt somewhat special. The past days had made him realize how much he wanted for them to travel together.

He had made his final decision and he was planning to go on with it.

With the help of ‘Quick Attack’ he charged towards the portal, jumping into it with great speed and force. Before he could press paws against the floor in attempt to slow down, he felt his head slam into something soft.

Whatever he struck held its ground, stopping his speed in span of three seconds. With his feets once again on the floor, he touched the fur ahead, finding the fluff to be familiar for some reason. He took a few steps back and looked up, quickly met with Nica’s smiling face, who didn’t seem bothered resisting the force of his attack with her strong rear legs and durable belly.

“Surprise!” Nica shouted as she waved her paws enthusiastically. “When Starlight told me Ash was coming soon, I came here to wait for you. There’s so much I want to tell you about.”

Pikachu smiled, overwhelmed with joy. If Nica was here and in one piece, it meant that the retake of the Aether Foundation must have been a success. Now was his perfect opportunity!

“To our surprise, Giovanni actually kept his word. He freed half of the hostages after we arrived at the foundation, and after many hours of battling, we broke the frontline and challenged Giovanni. We barely beat him, and then freed all the hostages!” She danced, spinning and hopping from one bronze paw to the other. Pikachu had to scurry back and duck just to avoid her swinging tail. “It was amazing! Not only did this battle feel incredibly personal, a big victory that we worked for all those years, but it also felt incredibly meaningful. It made me soooo happy to finally beat them!”

Nica’s jumps became even more intense, her head close to hitting the ceiling.

Pikachu opened his mouth, but didn’t get the chance to speak.

“We saved Alola, we did it!” Nica stopped her dance, grabbed Pikachu’s forepaws and looked him in the eyes. “Are you proud of me? Please tell me you’re proud.”

Pikachu closed his eyes, deciding to go for it. Standing on a single foot, he pushed himself towards Nica’s lips, delivering a kiss. After withdrawing his lips, he said, “I am proud Nica, but what’s more important, I love you.”

The Raichu remained speechless, caught off guard as she just stared back into Pikachu’s eyes, only now noticing his overpowering, affectionate aura.

Ace sat on his tail, levitating next to Starlight as he watched a group of Pichu, all trying to impress the arriving unicorn.

His ears perked and an odd feeling overcame his very being.

He levitated towards the edge of the snowy cliff, ignoring the snowflakes that fell onto his body as he stared at the large body of water.

“What’s wrong?” Starlight asked as one of the Pichu was now sitting next to her horn.

I felt… a disturbance in the force, Ace said telepathically to the unicorn. As if a sunken ship has just transformed into a submarine, only to emerge in all its glory, ready to explore the deepest parts of the endless sea.

“You and your love for water and ships. I can hardly believe you’re not a water pokemon but an electric one,” Starlight teased.

Ace ignored the comment, staring at the horizon with happiness filling his heart. He couldn’t explain it, but something beautiful had just happened.

“You… love me?” Nica asked, only to receive a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I do!”

Nica held her forepaws together very close to her belly. “Are you sure? Wouldn’t you want to find a more attractive Pikachu instead?”

“Nope.”

Nica pointed at herself. “You don’t mind that I’m a Raichu?”

“Nope.”

“But… but what if our trainers go separate ways?” Nica asked.

“After what I told Ash about Astra, I can assure you, he’ll stick to her like a glue,” Pikachu said encouragingly.

Nica bit her bottom lip before smiling sheepishly. “I can imagine. Astra will be a bit angry though.”

“Come on, we can make it work,” Pikachu said as he walked closer and peacefully rested the side of his head on Nica’s white belly. “I understand she’s shy about it, but we shouldn’t beat around the bush.”

Nica rubbed her chin for a moment while embracing Pikachu with one forepaw. “Well... I have an idea how to make it work, but I’m not sure if Astra will go along with it. It will take a bit of convincing.”

“So we’ll convince her,” Pikachu said before spotting some sort of box wrapped in a yellow thunder-decorated ribbon. “What’s that?”

“Oh, a present for you.” Nica released her hero before approaching the box with a cheerful trot. “While we were preparing our attack on Aether Foundation to retake it, I found something I thought may be of use to you in the storage at the bunker. It was salvaged from the old base that Astra’s parents ran, but it works perfectly fine.”

Pikachu leaped forward before untying the present, quickly opening the box. He stretched his paws, gritting his teeth as he pulled out the metallic object. It seemed to fit onto a human’s arm while having some sort of hole in it. He presented it to the Raichu as his forepaws trembled due to its weight. “What is it for?”

“It was a device used to study evolutions.” Nica pointed at the hole. “You basically need to put an evolution stone in here, then press the button and touch the pokemon you want to evolve.”

“And?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side.

Nica pointed at another button. While the other one was green, this one appeared to be blue. “Once you press the other button, you can touch the pokemon that this device evolved in order to de-evolve it. Thanks to this device, the scientists were able to evolve and de-evolve one pokemon countless times, and evolution would time out after a day or two anyway. They could observe changes caused by evolution as many times as they wanted. Pity that all the data was stolen or deleted in the end.”

Pikachu placed the device on the floor with a metallic thud, giving his little paws some rest. “And this can help me… wait… you don’t mean.”

Nica grinned. “Yes! With this device, you can evolve into a Raichu whenever you want.” She waved her forepaws in excitement. “You can use it before an important battle or before a dangerous adventure involving powerful legendary pokemon. You can see how much evolution affects you and get used to it. You can even develop a different fighting style for your long tail and switch in between. And most importantly, I can teach you all my best moves and you still can stay as a Pikachu. Everyone wins!”

Pikachu poked at the device, then looked at Nica. I swear, it is impossible to be bored with her around. She never fails to surprise me. With a quick jump, he wrapped his forepaws around Nica’s neck as he nuzzled her nose with his own, whose longer flexible tail took the shape of a heart.

“I knew you would like it, and I can’t believe you really returned my feelings. I… I can’t describe how happy I am!” She wrapped her forepaws and tail around Pikachu and closed her eyes as tears of joy began to well up.

“Not returning those feelings would have been the biggest mistake of my life,” Pikachu responded as he pressed his forepaws against Nica’s belly, withdrawing his head in order to nuzzle her nose with his own. “Now all that’s left is to tell Astra about your idea. Whatever it is, I have faith it will work.”

“I hope so! Now that I know you love me, I would hate if anything got in between us. It would break my… no… our hearts,” Nica said as she opened her watering eyes, taking a moment to calm herself. “All there’s left is hope Astra will approve of my idea. I wonder how she’ll react.”

“Sir,” Emily said as she walked into a spacious room, one with walls covered by maps of every region. Each was worn from time, with important little scribbles of crucial locations littered among them. The table in the middle also had a few maps next to a ream of paper filled with notes. Only a few days ago, she visited this ‘War Room’ as Astra was planning their attack on Giovanni. What could be so important to call her in again? “Is something happening, another emergency?”

“Nothing of the sort,” Astra said as she drew a line on the map, creating a patch between the starting point and the destination which ran through multiple gyms.

Upon closer inspection, Emily read a nearby note, one filled with data about… Ash’s pokemon, a big list of every single pokemon he had caught in the past three to four years. “Sir… what are you planning?”

Astra raised her head, now addressing her subordinate. “What does it look like? I am preparing a foolproof plan for how to help Ash win the closest tournament and beat the Elite Four.”

She paused, pointing at map of Alola. “I heard that Kukui planned on making a league in Alola, and I plan to share my wisdom and expertise to improve it, but there’s a big risk it won’t be taken seriously.”

“Meaning?” Emily asked.

“This league is new and just like with Orange Islands, it may not reach the standards of other leagues. With a lack of the powerful Elite Four to test trainer’s skills or no high standards to participate, the trainers that compete could be seen as nothing more than a joke. Every member of the Elite Four is many times stronger than a Champion of the Orange Islands, which is why it isn’t taken as seriously.”

“And you’re afraid that Alola League will not be taken seriously due to low standards and no powerful trainers to test if someone is worthy of the champion title?” Emily asked, receiving a nod of confirmation.

“Precisely. But even if becoming the Alolan Champion won’t be officially acknowledged, it will still be a good warm up. There’s one specific league where he may achieve victory and grow so much stronger.” She grabbed a list of Ash’s pokemon, examining it. “His method of replacing nearly his whole team with each region is extremely flawed considering his goal. If he wants to even participate in the Supreme Tournament, he must focus on training his best pokemon and helping them master their skills.”

“Seems like a tall order, considering that the Supreme Tournament will take place in a year and a half. Ash will have only have two chances to defeat the Elite Four and to become champion, or else he’ll need to wait five years for another opportunity,” Emily commented, receiving a panicked glance from her boss. “Or just one if the freshly made league in Alola won’t be officially acknowledged. Just like you said, It may share Orange Island’s fate if the Elite Four won’t prove it to be extremely strong.”

“Exactly, which is why I need to put in extra effort. If he wants to even have a chance to become the Pokemon Master, he must win the Supreme Tournament first,” Astra explained. “I shall accompany him to oversee his growth personally while Nica will do her best to keep Pikachu and his other pokemon in great shape. Failure is not an option!”

Emily looked around, taking a moment to consider what Astra had told her. She raised an eyebrow and said, “Sir, with all due respect, but do you realize what you’re doing?” With Astra’s attention on her, she continued, “You’re literally training a pokemon trainer to, forgive my language, kick your own ass and steal your title.”

“Yes, and your point is?” Astra asked with a clueless stare.

“N-nothing, Sir. I’ll provide any assistance you wish of me,” Emily said, deciding to play along. One thing was certain. From what she learned about Ash thus far, ironically, the only one who could help him become a Pokemon Master was the Pokemon Master herself. She could only hope he was up to the task.

Author's Notes:

I would like to inform you all that aside form this epilogue, I have written a side-story called "Chu and the Storm" that takes place a few months in the future. Basically Nica and Pikachu visiting Equestria for Friendship Celebration and getting involved into "Storm King's" invasion.

Since this series hasn't been doing well, I think it is best time to end it, and aside this epilogue, this one-shot side-story will close this series for good (hopefully on a cool and enjoyable note).

As always, I am looking forward to your feedback. What you thought of "A little Adventure in Alola" and specifically this epilogue. Is this ending satisfying and what you enjoyed about it?

Also, I encourage you to check this one-shot sidestory. We put a lot of efforts into it and if you liked "Nica/Pikachu's relationship/shipping, I guarantee that it will be most enjoyable read.

Link - Chu and the Storm