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Old 02-19-2013, 09:17 PM   #1
EpicSquirtle
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Bulbasaur Archive of Memories

Act I: Jake's Stories
--------------
(Warning! Any adventures written before 2015 may have a noticeably lower quality then the rest of my writing. You've been warned.)

1. Jake and the Joltik Colony:
A short story on how Jake met and saved Sparky.
[2/19/2013], [4/3/2013], [4/6/2013]


2. Mysterious Reports:
A young man investigates on the rumors of a murder in the bar.
[8/17/2013]


3. The Birthday Surprise:
It's Jake's 14th birthday! But everything doesn't go according to plan...
[9/12/2013]


4. Training:
Jake trains with Sophie in hopes of getting stronger, before it's too late.
[11/23/2013]


5. A Christmas Miracle:
Jake is awoken to find he's the only one able to save Christmas! But everything isn't quite what it appears to be...
[12/24/2014]


6. The Carbink, the Magnemite and the Fletchinder:
When Diamanta is kidnapped by a wild Fletchinder, it's up to Error to save the day!
[7/1/2015]

7. The Electric Masters Tournament Part 1:
When Jake discovers a tournament made only for Electric types, he instantly joins! However, it's going to take all of his skills as an aspiring Electric type specialist in order to win!
[3/15/2016]


8. The Electric Masters Tournament Part 2:
Jake continues on his goal to place first in the Electric Masters Tournament! But first he has to find his missing Pokemon, and contend with an old foe! Will he have what it takes to overcome everything and rise to the top?
[7/5/2016]


9. The Electric Masters Tournament Part 3:
With nothing in his way, Jake puts all his attention on the tournament! However, things get a whole lot tougher then previously thought! With just one opponent left before the finals, will Jake make it to the top and fight the legendary champion, Ryan Williams?
[9/30/2016]


10. The Electric Masters Tournament Part 4:
With no one else left to face, Jake takes on the legendary champion, Ryan Williams! But without the help of some of his most reliable Pokemon, can Jake hope to stand a chance? Find out in the thrilling conclusion of the Electric Masters Tournament!
[12/31/2016]


11. The Guardian Of Ryuu Town! Shibo, Dusty and the Ebony Flute:
On their travels, Jake and Sophie stop by the town of Ryuu for the Dragon Festival! However after a brief misunderstanding, Jake must help find the town's precious treasure, which has mysteriously gone missing!
[2/23/2017]

12. The truth of Team Catalyst: Hagane Labs Assault!
Having caught word of Team Catalyst potentially being in Hagane City, Jake and his friends go to investigate.
[5/4/2017] - [6/23/2017]


13. Enter the Ultra Beast Hunter: Milo vs Guzzlord!:
On their way to the Electric Masters Regionals, Jake and Telpo stop at Tempus Village for the night. However, not everything goes to plan when a mysterious creature attacks the village...
[6/1/2017]


14. The Electric Masters Regionals: The Catalyst Crisis!:
Arriving at Amperet City, Jake signs up for the Electric Masters Regionals. However, everything is put on hold as an old friend approaches, desperate for help.
[6/14/2017]


15. Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 1:
Arriving at Team Catalyst's base, Jake and his friends begin their mission of stopping Team Catalyst once and for all!
[6/23/2017]


16. Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 2:
Jake and friends continue their journey through Catalyst tower in order to stop Team Catalyst once and for all.
[7/4/2017]


17. Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 3:
Jake and friends continue their journey through Catalyst tower in order to stop Team Catalyst once and for all.
[7/13/2017]


18. Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 4:
Jake and friends continue their journey through Catalyst tower in order to stop Team Catalyst once and for all.
[7/21/2017]


19. Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 5:
Reaching the top of Catalyst tower, Jake must face off against the leader of Team Catalyst. But will everything go according to plan?
[7/31/2017]


20. A Journey's End:
Jake's journey comes to a close.
[8/02/2017]

--------------

Act II: Robin, Anna, and Roxie's Stories
--------------
1. A Land of New Beginnings:
A young trainer is given a second chance.
[8/17/2017]


2. The Terror of Isshin Forest:
On the search for Anna's first Pokemon, Robin and Anna find themselves under attack by a strange creature that lurks in the forest.
[8/24/2017]


3. A Town in Shambles:
Anna embarks on her first adventure to deliver a package to a family friend. But things quickly turn sour...
[9/21/2017]


4. Of Dreams and Nightmares:
Roxie and Blues travel to Akumu mountain in order to complete a secret task. But not everything is as it seems.
[12/19/2017]


5. Blinded by Darkness:
A trip to the Tempus Ruins allows Robin to get reacquainted with a familiar organization.
[01/18/2018]


6. Clash at the Lutum Wetlands:
With her best friend away, Anna visits the Lutum Wetlands in order to escape boredom. If only she knew how strange things were about to get...
[02/06/2018]


7. The Stones of the Saigai Cliffs:
Following Zack's orders, Roxie and Marisa scale the Saigai Cliffs in search of urutora stones, said to only be found there. Of course, such a mission has it's dangers...
[05/07/2019]


Act II: Short Stories
Fairly self-explanatory. Short stories are stories that are much shorter then the main stories I write.
They serve to bridge the gaps between two main stories, where a full length piece won't fit.

--------------
1. The Deity from Springtide Isle:
After escaping from Springtide Isle, Voltaire meets a very interesting Pokemon.
[8/21/2017]


2. A Daring Escape:
In order to escape from the hands of Pokemon poachers, two Pokemon must make an unlikely team.
[12/08/2017]


3. Lingering Guilt:
Robin and Voltaire visit an old friend.
[1/10/2018]


4. A Lucky Break:
Hannah and Mudkip continue their journey to Cloud Garden.
[1/12/2018]


5. Amelia's Secret:
After returning from her trip, Robin tries her best to relax. But it isn't long before Anna arrives, along with a very familiar Pokemon.
[2/07/2018]


6. Under the Moonlight:
Roxie and Yume have a brief chat under the pale winter moon.
[2/18/2018]


7. Roxie and Marisa:
Roxie tries to enjoy a quiet lunch. Unfortunately, that doesn't quite work out for her.
[3/15/2018]

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 05-08-2019 at 12:48 AM.
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Old 02-19-2013, 10:53 PM   #2
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Jake and the Joltik Colony

Part 1 (Originally written 2/19/2013)
Spoiler: show
It was a sunny day and Jake was sound asleep in his room. As sunlight started to pour in from the window Jake awoke. "Jake get down here right now and do the dishes!" Jake's mom yelled. "Coming mom!" Jake yelled back before yawning and then walked down the stairs. "Do you know what time it is?!" Jake's mom yelled at Jake as he got downstairs. "Um 8:00 am?" Jake asked. "Your right you were supposed to have done the dishs half an hour ago" "Ok, ok don't have to be so bossy" Muttered Jake. "Don't talk to me like that young man!" Jake's mom yelled at him before slapping him. It was that moment Jake had, had enough. Before he knew it he was out the door running away. "You come back here right now!" Jakes mom yelled as she chased after him. Jake knew that he was going to get caught so he bolted straight into the nearby forest and quickly hide in a bush. "Jake come here righht now!" Jake's mom yelled. After a bit of searching she gave up knowing that he would come back eventually. "Stupid child" She murmured as she walked back to the house. Jake was overjoyed that she left, finally he wouldn't be bossed around for the first four hours of the day. However as Jake walked through the forest he eventually became lost. However just before Jake gave up hope he heard a rustling sound. "Hello anyone there?" Jake asked now scared. After a moment a Galvantula came out from a bush. The Galvantula then walked over to Jake curious of the human. "Cool, a Galvantula!" Jake said. "Tula!" The Galvantula said before walking back into the brush. "Hey where are you going, can you help me?, I need to find Route 19" Jake said before following the pokemon into the brush. As Jake went through the brush he came to a grove. The Galvantula then stopped in the middle of the grove. "Van-Vantula!" The Galvantula cried. Just then eight Galvantula came from there hiding places along with five Joltik. "So this is your colony?" Jake asked the Galvantula he had followed, apparently the leader. The Galvantula nodded. Just then the five Joltik scurried towards Jake before all letting out a "Joltik!" at the same time. "Hey guys, want a ride?" Jake said before streching his hand towards the Joltik. The excited Joltik quickly climbed up and all sat on Jake's shoulder. Jake then noticed a sixth Joltik watching him from a distance. Jake then walked over. "Hey little guy what's wrong?" Jake asked. The young Joltik just looked at him before shaking in fear. "Come on little guy, I don't bite" Jake said before offering him a ride along with the rest of the Joltik. The Joltik thought about it before slowly climbing onto Jake's shoulder. "I like you, I'm going to name you Sparky, is that ok?" Jake asked. The young Joltik nodded though he was still a bit nervous. Jake and the pokemon played for hours but dusk was quickly upon them. Jake then remembered that he was lost. As Jake started to freak out the leader Galvantula quickly managed to calm him. "Can you please help me find route 19 Galvantula?" "As much as I like it here, I need to go home, can you help me?" The Galvantula nodded before beckoning Jake. Jake then turned to face the rest of the colony. "See you guys, see you Sparky!" Jake said before following the spider pokemon. As Jake followed the Galvantula through the forest he realized the pokemon was making a thread from thhe grove through the forest. As Jake and the Galvantula came to the exit of the forest Jake turned to face the pokemon. "Thanks Galvantula, I have to go now though, I'll come back tomorrow though, bye!" Jake said before running to his house. He knew he would be in trouble when he got home but he didn't care, he had an awesome time with the spider pokemon. And he couldn't wait till the next time they met.

Part 2 (Originally written 4/3/2013)
Spoiler: show
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. The rain could be heard as it hit Jake's bedroom window. Boom! The sound of thunder could be heard. ''Ahhh!'' Jake screamed as he woke up in a jolt. ''Oh it's just the thunder'' Jake murmered as he walked over to the window and opened it up. Just then a flash lit up the room for a moment. ''Look at that lightning it's so cool'' Jake murmered again as he got back into his bed. ''Well I hope the storm doesn't keep up, I don't want to stay inside again.'' Jake thought shivering at the thought of staying inside. ''Though I do like the lighting, it's so bea....... Jake trailed off before falling asleep. That night Jake dreamed of being a pokemon trainer, on a mountain with a Snivy by his side battling a Rotom. In the dream he managed to catch the Rotom and then went on to the pokemon league of Fizzytopia. However the dream quickly became a nightmare as a Ditto who quickly transformed into a Mewtwo killed his Snivy and went straight for Jake. And then Jake awoke. ''W-well I'm gla-dd t-that's o-over'' Jake murmered in a wavered voice as he got up and made himself breakfast. Jake then got his coat on and opened the door. ''What are you doing?!'' A gruff voice yelled. The voice came from a man that was about 6 feet tall and had a gruff beard. His eyes were deep brown that looked as if they pierced the soul. He was also quite muscular. ''Um dad I'm just going, um to the, I'm just going out into the field. ''You better have the laundry and dishes done in an hour or your grounded!'' Jake's dad barked. ''Um yeah I'll get it done'' Jake said as he ran off towards the forest. However, completely unknown to Jake, his dad was following him. As Jake got to the forest he quickly spotted the thread the Galvantula made yesterday and followed it. ''I hope the colony is still there, come on they have to be there!'' Jake thought as he still followed the thread. Eventually Jake reached the grove where he had found the colony. ''Hello, Galvantula, Joltik, Sparky you still there?'' Jake asked. Almost instantly the spider pokemon showed up, all excited to see Jake again. ''Hi everyone how are you all doing?'' Jake asked as he looked at all the pokemon. Just then however Jake felt a sticky, sturdy thread wrap around him. ''What have I told you about being near pokemon Jake?'' ''I said stay away!'' Jake's father yelled before throwing two pokeballs into the air. Out of the pokeballs came a Venomoth and Turtwig to join Jake's fathers Spinarak. ''Venomoth poision powder on all the pokemon!'' ''Turtwig hit them all with Leaf Storm!''...........

Part 3 (Originally written 4/6/2013)
Spoiler: show
''Venomoth poision powder on all the pokemon!'' ''Turtwig hit them all with Leaf Storm!'' Jake's father commanded. Immediately the Venomoth flew up above the colony and let loose a storm of poison powder. Turtwig then unleashed a Leaf Storm attack severely injuring the colony of Joltik and Galvantula. "No, stop don't hurt them!" Jake screamed as he tried to break free of the string shot. "Galvantula!" The leader cried as he lunged at Jake's father. However Turtwig quickly intercepted with a Cut attack, which knocked out the leader instantly. "And let's finish this up, Spinark, use Spider Web to trap the whole colony!" Jake's dad said before taking out some berrys that looked like Pecha berrys and sprayed them with poison. He then walked over to the colony and gave them the poisoned berrys. "Now Turtwig use Cut on the String shot to undo my son" Turtwig lunged at Jake and Cut the sticky thread right off Jake. "Now your coming with me!" Jake's father yelled before grabbing Jake by the arm and took him home.

It was night time and Jake was crying in his bed. "It's all my fault, now Sparky, Galvantula and the others are all dead" Jake cried. Just then he heard a small squeak. "Jol-tik" "Huh is anyone there?" Jake asked wiping his tears. "Jol-tik" Jake looked at the floor to see a Joltik on the floor, obviously in bad condition. "Sparky you survived!" Jake exclaimed. Just then Sparky collapsed. "Your still poisoned!" "Hold on I'll be right back!" Jake exclaimed before he snuck out of his bedroom. About five minutes later Jake came back with an antidote. "I stole this from my father, he still goes adventuring sometimes so he has a bunch, hope this works Sparky" Jake said before spraying the antidote on Sparky. At first it didn't seem to work, but after about a minute Sparky started to get his strength back, though only a little. "Maybe you'll feel better in the Morning after you get some rest" Jake said before looking around his room for something Sparky could sleep on. Sparky then decided to crawl up Jake's dresser to sleep on. However he quickly fell before getting to the top. "Sparky, you don't have the strength to do that, here I'll help" Jake said before picking up the spider pokemon and putting him on the dresser. "Well good night Sparky" Jake said before climbing into his bed,and fell asleep.

As the sun rose Jake slowly got up. "Morning Sparky" Jake yawned before rolling over to see Sparky right there. Jake jumped half a mile. "Sparky don't scare me like that!" Jake exclaimed. "Though you do look like your better, I'm glad" Jake then looked at the floor to see several frayed wires on the floor. "Sparky, you can't do that, now I have to replace all of these!" Sparky looked apologetic before pointing at the door. "What you want to go outside?" Jake asked. Sparky nodded. "Well you can't, my father's probably down there" Jake stated firmly. "Though I'll go get us something to eat, stay put" Jake said before walking out of his room and downstairs. About a minute later he came back with a bowl of hot oatmeal and a small plate. Jake took a small scoop of the oatmeal and put it on the dish before giving it to Sparky. "It's breakfast, but don't eat it right away it's hot!" Jake warned. Sparky stared at the oatmeal in awe before taking a small bite. Jake could tell that Sparky was clearly enjoying the meal. Then Sparky noticed something he didn't before. Jake had a big bruise on his arm. Sparky pointed to the bruise. "What you want to know where I got this?" Jake asked. Sparky nodded. "Oh it's nothing, I got it yesterday after my dad found out that I had spent time with your colony." Jake stated. "It was just a couple of punch's" Sparky however looked worried. "Did his dad really do that to him?" Sparky thought "So hey um Sparky want to read some comic books after?" Jake asked. Sparky didn't know what comic books were, but he liked the sound of it. Sparky gave a quick nod. "Alright then" Jake said. Jake for once in his life was happy. He had made his first friend. He knew that it was going to be a good day. And so the same routine would happen for the next few years. Jake and Sparky would eat breakfast. They would then read comic books, before playing outside. Jake would then have dinner and sneak some into his room for Sparky. They then would read non fiction pokemon books before going to bed. However one day, something changed.

It was a regular day. Jake and Sparky were having breakfast, oatmeal in fact. When all the sudden Jake's mother burst into Jake's room, obviously mad at something to find Sparky finishing his oatmeal. "Jake!" She yelled before quickly running out of the room and quickly returning, wearing some rubber gloves and grabbed Sparky. "Don't hurt him!" Jake yelled trying to stop his mother. "Jake just shut up!" Jake's mother yelled before slamming the door in Jake's face and locked it. "Not again" Jake muttered as he fell on the floor, wondering what to do. Just then an idea popped into Jake's head. Quickly he jumped out the window. Though the impact hurt, Jake knew that he couldn't linger and snuck to the front of the house. There he saw his father and mother putting a jar containing Sparky in the front seat of the car. Jake however quickly entered the house and desperately searched around. "Come on, come on!" Jake thought. "I remember yesterday dad told us he was leaving for Fizzytopia, so where is his ticket?" Just then he found the ticket on the living room table, with a empty pokeball as well! Jake quickly grabbed the pokball and ticket and ran out the door. He spotted both his parents walking to the front door. They hadn't spotted him yet! Jake quickly dove into the nearby shrubs and waited until his parents were inside. Once they were Jake quickly ran to the front seat grabbed Sparky and booked it to the forest. Once he knew the coast was clear he opened the jar. "Oh Sparky I'm so sorry that I let you get caught" Jake said. He then showed Sparky the pokeball he stole. "I'm not going back there, not anymore I'm going to a place called Fizzytopia, and I was wondering, would you like to come with me?" Jake asked. Sparky nodded before smiling. "Alright then, go pokeball!" Jake said as tossed the pokeball at Sparky. One shake, two shake, three shake. Sparky had been caught! Jake smiled. "Well the ship is in Virbank city, and it will leave tomorrow" Jake thought. "Well it's time to go, and be free, and become a pokemon trainer!"

The End

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 07-17-2017 at 01:59 PM.
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Old 08-17-2013, 09:46 PM   #3
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Mysterious Reports

It had been a day since the mysterious reports of a murder were reported. But did these reports hold any truth?

Suddenly the door's of the bar swung open as a young man walked in with an Xatu. He was about 5'11". He had sleak black hair and was wearing a suit and a tie.
''Remember Xatu, try not to draw to much attention'' The man whispered.
''We only came to see if these reports mean anything'' At this his Xatu nodded. The duo then walked to where the murder was reported. ''Alright, we are going to need few if any watching.'' The young man said before tossing a pokeball in the air revealing a Swoobat.
''Swoobat, can you cause a destraction for us?''

The Swoobat nodded before flying away, and purposely hitting a wall.
''Swoo, Swoobat!'' The Swoobat cryed as it hit the floor and acted as if it had broken it's wing.

"Perfect" The man murmured under his breath before turning to his partner.

"Alright, there isn't any distractions now, so see what you can find!''

The Xatu was silent, concentrating on it's task.

Several minutes passed, and nothing happened, until.

"Xatu!" The Xatu indicated to her trainer. "Xatu, Xa-Xatu Xatu! Xatu Xatu tu Xa Xatu!"

The man turned to his Duosion, which had been watching the whole time.

"Can you translate for me please?" The man asked.

The Duosion nodded before starting to translate what the Xatu had said.

"I see six pokemon, in a group, watching something. A Bellsprout, a Grimer, an Abra, a Plusle, a Nuzleaf and a Joltik, that is all."

"A Bellsprout, Grimer, Abra, Plusle, Nuzleaf and Joltik together?" The man asked.

The Xatu nodded at this.

"Sounds like the pokemon may know each other, a trainers team maybe?" The man questioned.

He then returned his Swoobat to it's pokeball, before taking out his laptop.

The man booted it up, and quickly went on "Trainer Search"

He then typed in all the pokemon his Xatu saw.

Immediately a picture popped up of the only trainer to have those combo of pokemon.

Jake Eclair

"So this kid knows something about what's going on." The man said before turning back to his Xatu and Duosion.

"Can you try and see if those pokemon had anything on them Xatu?" He asked.

The Xatu nodded before starting to concentrate once again, this time taking a few minutes longer, but once again, found something.

"XATU! XA-TU TU!" The Xatu screeched.

"What's wrong?" The trainer asked.

"Those rumors, weren't just rumors, I see the dead body of the missing man!" Duosion translated in horror.

"Well I'll give him a call." The man said as he took out his Xtransceiver.

"Hello, Ryan?'' "My Xatu see's that there was a murder." "Also this kid named Jake Eclair knows something, or at least his pokemon do" "Oh you are?" "Well call me when you find out more" "Alright bye"

The man turned to his pokemon.
"He's heading to the kids base later on, we did good crew!"

His pokemon smiled before walking out of the bar with their trainer.

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 08-19-2013 at 09:50 AM.
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Old 09-12-2013, 07:05 PM   #4
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The Birthday Surprise

''I'm sorry Sprout'' Jake apologized to the Bellsprout who was walking beside him, crying all the while.

Jake and Sprout had just came from the Cable Club, someone who was going to trade them a Leaf Stone had backed out, leaving Sprout miserable.

However, Jake was unaware that Sprout was fake crying, in fact, the trade itself was just a set up.

''How about another slice of that apple pie you baked?'' Jake asked.

At this, Sprout pretended to feel better and stopped crying.

The duo kept on walking down the path until they came across the familiar oak tree, home to their base.

''Home sweet home'' Jake said as he got to the rope ladder. However as Sprout and him started to climb up, Jake sensed something was wrong. No noise could be heard except some Pidgey flying over head.

''That's weird'' Jake muttered, usually you could hear all sorts of noise from the base.

As Jake opened the door, he noticed that the lights were off.

Just as Jake started to clue in, all his pokemon and Sophie jumped out.

''Happy Birthday!'' They all cheered, Sprout included.

It was then Jake noticed a banner made of Joltik web, saying ''Happy 14th!''

''T-thanks everyone, but you really didn't have to'' Jake said.

''Of course we did, it's your birthday!'' Sophie insisted. ''When I found out you or your pokemon didn't have any real plans, I came over and put this together!''

''Everyone it's time for cake!'' Telpo chimed in everyones minds. Pom brought in the cake decorated with 14 lit candles.

''Come on, make a wish!'' Sophie insisted

Jake rolled his eyes, but leaned over anyway, and blew out all the candles.

''I-I wish to become the best electric specialist in Fizzytopia!''

Later that evening.........

''Well, I need to get going'' Sophie said as she put on her coat on.

''Alright, thanks for the party, I had a blast!'' Jake said as he waved goodbye.

Sophie gripped the door handle, and was about to turn it, when someone loudly knocked at the door. Startled, Sophie nearly jumped a mile.

Then shortly after, multiple knocks were heard.
''Help me!'' A man's voice yelled.

Immediately, Sophie opened the door, causing a man that looked like he was in his early thirty's to fall into the base.

''Close the door! Quick!'' The man panicked.
''What's going on?'' Jake asked as Sophie closed the door.

''They, they are after me!'' The man yelled.
''Who's them?'' Jake asked.
''They are cloaked figures,with powerful pokemon, THEM, THEM!''

''Are you ok?'' Sophie asked.
''I'm fine, just tired, that's all'' The man replied.

''Ok, do you want some tea?'' Jake asked.
''What's your name son?'' The man asked, avoiding the other question
''Um, Jake''
''Jake Eclair?''
''Yes, how do you know?'' Jake asked

''How could I not know?'' The man asked as he stood up. ''Jake Eclair, the aspiring electric specialist, you're known by many people, good and bad. How do I know you?''

''Your the murderer of, your father, my most prized worker.''

As soon as the man finished, a barrier surrounded the room.

''Ow, master, something's wrong with, t-this r.......'' Telpo didn't finish as he suddenly fell to the ground and couldn't move. As if something was holding him there.

''Now, just confess to the murder, or else.'' The man demanded.

''What murder?'' Jake asked pretending to be clueless.

''Not talking huh? How about this!'' The exclaimed as he grabbed Sophie and put a knife to her neck.

''Confess or she dies!''

''J-j-jake, w-what-t's g-goin-ng on?! H-hel-lp m-me!'' Sophie managed *stammered.

''I I did it, I m-murdered my father but how did you k-know?'' Jake asked, though he didn't really want to know who changed his life for the worst.

The man smirked, and it was then that Jake realized he had recorded his confession.

''Easy, I hired someone to use their Xatu to see the past, which brought up your pokemon, which I then used Trainer Search, which brought up you.''

''I then questioned people about you, I wanted to know if anyone saw the crime. And sure enough someone did.''


The man then let go of Sophie.

''Have fun with your last few moments of freedom.'' The man said before laughing.

The barrier then opened briefly allowing the man to walk out and make a call to the cops.

''Jake, why did you kill your father?! I can't believe you!'' Sophie yelled

''I-I can explain'' Jake replied.

''Then let's hear it!''

''It was self defense, Jake or him....'' Telpo strained to tell Sophie, he didn't want Sophie to think of Jake as a cold blooded killer.

''It was you or him wasn't it?'' Sophie asked, taking note of what Telpo had just said.

At this Jake nodded. '

'Well then what are we waiting for, we have to get out of here!'' Sophie exclaimed.

''But how?'' Jake asked

''I'll get some stuff we need, you try to break the barrier'' Sophie said before searching for potions, Burn Heals, and such.

''Alright Pom, give it all you got, Swift!''
Jake commanded. *At this, the monkey pokemon summoned stars and fired them at *the barrier. Nothing happened.

''Alright, how about the other side!''

Still nothing.

''What's going on?! What barrier is this powerful?'' Jake asked to no one in paticular.

''It doesn't matter, every barrier has a weakness, idiot'' A voice came from behind.

Jake turned around to see Aco out of his ball.

''Thanks, but was that last bit really necessary?'' Jake asked.

''Fully, it's kind of obvious, and since you hit both sides and I can taste emotions above, then the weak point is most likely the floor.'' Aco explained.

''Ok, everybody, return!'' Jake said, returning everyone except Sparky to their pokeball.

''I'm ready!'' Sophie said as she took Jake's pack and put various things like potions, and bags holding apples, oranges, the rest of the cake, apple pie, and steak into it.

''Alright, Sparky, use Thunder Bolt on the floor!'' Jake commanded.

Sparky let loose a bolt of lightning at the floor, breaking the barrier and the hardwood.

''Medit use Psychic to lift us down!'' Sophie commanded her Medicham.

Soon everyone was on the ground.

''Alright, let's go!'' Jake said before him and Sophie dashed off, leaving his base, and all his fond memories of Fizzytopia behind.........

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 06-18-2017 at 04:03 PM.
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Old 11-23-2013, 12:13 PM   #5
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Training

''Can we take a break yet?'' Jake asked.
At the paticular moment, the young trainer found himself walking on a trail with his friend Sophie, and though they had only been walking for an hour , Jake felt like he was about to collapse.

''No, not yet, we should almost be there.'' Sophie replied.

''I don't see why we had to go here anyway, I just participated in a contest, and had a little fight with Sprout.'' Jake said.

''It's not the point, we are supposed to be on the run, hiding, not going out to public areas and make ourselves known, besides, if we stand any chance, we need to get stronger'' Sophie explained.

''Isn't there a better way?'' Jake asked.

''It's the best way I know'' Sophie replied.

''Never knew training your pokemon involved having to walk on a trail for an hour'' Jake grumbled

''Training doesn't involve just your pokemon, the best trainers train themselves as well''

''But why do I-'' Jake stopped talking as there destination came into view.

It was a large field of grass, with a couple of maple leaf trees, there was also a river that had cut through the middle of the field and a small wooden bridge to cross to the other side. The river was quite high thanks to the rain the area had, had over the past few days.

''It's a bit marshy, but this will be a great place to train.'' Sophie said.

''What do you have planned for this training?'' Jake asked, not knowing what to expect after what Sophie had said.

''A pokemon battle of course, how about a 1 vs 1 with two pokemon each?'' Sophie asked.

''Sounds good to me'' Jake replied.

''Alright, three, two, one, go!'' Sophie exclaimed.

Jake quickly grabbed a pokeball from his belt.
''Sprout, it's your time to shine!'' Jake said before throwing the pokeball into the air, sending out the Weepinbell

''Alright, Chikara, I choose you!'' Sophie said before sending out the Gurdurr.

''Sprout, start with a Cut attack then follow up with Wrap!'' Jake commanded.

''Chikara, counter with a Fire Punch, then use Pound.

Immediately, Sprout lunged at Chikara, however before Sprout cold slash at the Gurdurr, she was hit with a punch enveloped in fire.

Sprout skidded back a few inches but quickly charged at Chikara.
Chikara then attempted to Pound the incoming Weepinbell with it's steel beam.

However, just as the Gurdurr was about to hit Sprout, Sprout bounced over Chikara and wrapped him up from behind with her vines.

''Chikara, use Ice Punch to try and break out of Sprout's grip, if you get out, then use Fire Punch!'' Sophie commanded.

''Sprout, keep your grip firm and use Sleep Power, then use Vine Whip!''

Chikara started to charge his fist in ice, but before he could use the attack, the Gurdurr had falken asleep from the powder Sprout had released. Sprout then let go of Chikara before smacking the muscular pokemon with her vines.

''Chikara return!'' Sophie said, before a red light absorbed Chikara back into it's pokeball.

''Sprout, you also return!'' Jake said before returning the Weepinbell into her pokeball.

''Not bad Jake, you definitely have improved since last time we battled, but I'm not about to give, up!'' Sophie said.

''You've also improved quite a bit'' Jake replied before grabbing another pokeball.

''Alright, Willbert, you're up next!'' Jake said, before sending out the Snow Hat pokemon

''Snorunt, Snorunt!'' Willbert chanted as he did a little jig.

''Ampharos Thunder!'' A gruff voice commanded.

A wicked lightning bolt shot through the air, hitting Willbert, and sending him flying through the air.

''What the hell was that for?!'' Jake demanded.

The man laughed. ''Looks like we found you, now just come with us and we won't have to hurt you!'' The man yelled.

''We aren't going to let them take us in, I have a feeling we have another battle ahead of us.'' Sophie whispered.

''We aren't moving!'' Jake yelled.

''Fine then, Shelly, help me take care of these kids!'' The man demanded.

From the brush came a women. She was quite tall, and had silky black hair.

Beside her was a fierce looking Houndoom.

''So, you are the two runaways huh?'' The women asked.

Jake and Sophie were both silent.

''I don't need an answer, the money I'm going to get from this is enough satisfaction for me.''

"I'll take Houndoom, you take Ampharos" Jake whispered to Sophie.

"Alright, Lucky, it's your time to shine!" Jake said before sending out the Chinchou.

Lucky took one look at the people around him before shrieking.

"Leave me alone!"

Lucky then hid behind Jake's leg, cowering in fear.

"Come on Lucky, I need you, can you please battle?" Jake pleaded.

Lucky shook his head, refusing to move from where he was.

"Your pokemon won't even listen to you, pathetic!" The man exclaimed.

"Oh well, it only makes our jobs easier, Houndoom, Flamethrower!" Shelly commanded

A intense stream of fire shot out at Jake, almost burning him to a crisp.

"Pom let's go!" Jake said, sending out the Ambipom.

Pom use Swift, then follow with a Mega Punch!

With a swish of Pom's two tails, a stream of stars shot out and assaulted the Dark Pokemon. Then Pom charged at Houndoom before slugging it with muscle packed power.

"Houndoom, use Fire Blast, then use Dark Pulse!" Shelly command.

"Pom counter Fire Blast with a Gunk Shot, then use Brick Break!" Jake commanded before looking over at how Sophie was doing.

She was using her Lucario, and seemed to be winning.

Wait, no he had to pay attention to the battle he was in!

He turned around just to see Pom's Gunk Shot overpower Houndoom's Fire Blast, hitting the Houndoom and poisoning it.

Pom then chopped at Houndoom, resulting in a critical hit.

Houndoom then tried to retaliate with a Dark Pulse, but Pom easily avoided the attack.

"You think your winning huh?" Shelly asked.

Jake didn't respond to her question.

"This hasn't even started, you don't know what you've gotten yourself into, Houndoom now!" Shelly exclaimed before holding up a small stone that had all the colors of a rainbow.

Suddenly, a intense ball of light surrounded Houndoom, and when it faded, the Houndoom was much taller, and had a forked tail. It's horns were now up straight and it had a bone like structure on it's chest with two large spikes on each side.

Jake was stunned, he hadn't seen anything like it before, Jake quickly took out his pokedex.

"No data currently available" The pokedex droned.

"This must be one of those new pokemon, but how did she know about this, the public shouldn't know about this, unless..." Jake thought.

"Jake, we have a problem!" Sophie called.

Jake looked over to find that the Ampharos had also changed.

It now had white wool coming from it's head and tail, with many red orbs, it's horns had also grown slightly longer and the gem on it's head had also grown.

"Jake, I think it would be best if we run!" Sophie exclaimed before running off in to the shrub.

"Alright, let's go!" Jake said before dashing off towards the bridge.

"Oh no you don't, Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" Shelly commanded.

Suddenly, Willbert jumped up from where he was and started to roll, faster and faster and faster before Rolling into the incoming Fire Blast from the Houndoom.

However, due to the big level gap, the Fire Blast easily over powered Willbert, causing him to crash into the mud.

"Ampharos, Dragon Pulse!" Shelly's partner commanded.

The shock wave missed Jake and his pokemon, but it hit the unstable cliff, sending Jake and Willbert into the river, while also fainting Pom and knocking out Jake.

Lucky looked around frantically, before looking at his trainer and Willbert, slowly going out of view.

"I'll save you!" Lucky called before diving into the river to save his trainer, and get away from everyone else.

"Well, they both got away, there goes our money" Shelly said.

"No it's not, look!" The man said.

There on the bank were several pokeballs, all containing pokemon.

"Looks like our target left some of their pokemon behind, the boss will be pleased with this!" Shelly said before going over to the bank and scanning the pokeballs with a small device.

"Joltik, Corphish, Nuzleaf, Plusle, Trapinch, Shuppet and this pokeball should be the Ambipom's." Shelly said.

"Looks like we got quite the haul" The man said before laughing.

"Should we go find the girl?" Shelly asked.

"Not now, this is enough." The man said.

And with that the two left, very satisfied with what they had accomplished.

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 11-11-2015 at 08:51 PM.
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Old 12-24-2014, 05:43 PM   #6
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A Christmas Miracle

"It's already Christmas Eve" Jake thought was he laid upon his bed.
"So much for the most wonderful time of the year"
He watched as his pokemon talked and played with each other in the base. Whispers of Christmas presents could be heard from almost every pokemon, until....

"He is real!" Bagel shouted.
The Emolga, Bagel was talking to sighed.
"Nope Santa is most certainly not real"
The Axew stormed off towards Jake. Once reaching the bedside, Bagel jumped up until she was right next to Jake.
"J-jake?" Bagel stuttered"
"What is it Bagel?"
"S-santa is real, r-right?"
Jake paused for a couple seconds, not knowing what to say. Finally he spoke up. "Sorry Bagel, but Santa isn't real...."
"I-I knew it" The Axew replied before jumping back down onto the floor.

Jake glanced at the clock, it was 11:15pm, where did the time go?
"Alright everyone it's bed time." Jake called to everyone before returning them to there pokeballs one by one. Finally he got to Bagel.
"Nighty-nighty Bagel"
"J-jake wait!" Axew cried
"What's wrong Bagel?"
"I-I'm scared, I-I want to sleep out here with you and Willbert!"
"Umm, ok that's fine"
"Yay! Thank you so much!" Bagel exclaimed, before curling up beside the Snorunt and dozing off
Jake glanced down at the two pokemon, fast asleep. He smiled before turning out the lights and jumping into bed.

He stared at the roof for what must have been hours, unable to fall asleep.
"Jake, what's the matter?"
Jake nearly had a heart attack, he immediately jumped up to see who was there. It was Willbert!
"S-sorry about that, didn't mean to scare you!"
"N-no need to apologize Willbert, what do you need?"
"I-I've noticed you haven't been getting much sleep lately" Willbert confessed
"O-oh, you've noticed?"
The Snorunt nodded. "W-what's keeping you up?"
Jake sighed. "I-it's just that, ever since that incident with my dad, everything in the life has just went to s*it"
Willbert nodded "I guess so....."
"I mean six of my pokemon were kidnapped a year ago and I haven"t been able to do anything!"
Wilbert cringed. "Yeah, I really hope they're ok...."
"It also doesn't help that everyday I fear of getting arrested for defending myself"
"I heard that the case went cold......" Willbert replied
"I'm still guilty of murder, and it makes me feel awful..."
Jake realized he was crying, he quickly wiped them away so Willbert wouldn't see. "Well I best be trying to get some sleep, night Willbert.
"Umm, night?" Willbert responded, confused at how quick the conversation ended.

By some miracle Jake finally managed to doze off, but it wasn't long until he was woken by a loud crash.
"W-what was that?!" Jake yelled as he looked around the room.
Nothing, everything was where it should be...
"W-what's going on?"
Jake turned to see Bagel and Willbert fully awake.
"You guys heard that sound, right?" Jake asked.
The two pokemon nodded.
"I think it came from outside, follow me"
Only in his pajamas and a light coat, Jake and his two pokemon went out in the chilly morning air.
They hadn't gone far when they spotted a sleigh.
"W-what's that?" Willbert asked.
"I think it's a sleigh....." Jake replied before running towards it.
Once the three had arrived they discovered they weren't the only ones there.
"Wait, are those Stantler?" Bagel asked
"I think they are, what is going on?!"
"I don't know Willbert, but standing here won't help, let's look around" Jake said before investigating the sleigh.
"So, who's the owner of this sleigh?" Bagel wondered
"Ho Ho Ho, and what brings you here?"
Bagel and Willbert turned around to see...
"Santa!" Bagel exclaimed before running over to the man.
Hearing the commotion, Jake quickly ran over and grabbed Bagel.
"Bagel, that's not Santa, Santa isn't real!"
Jake then looked the man in the eyes.
"W-what do you want with my pokemon?!"
The man laughed a jolly laugh. "Ho Ho Ho of course I'm Santa!"
"N-no you aren't, Santa isn't real!"
"What makes you say that Jake?" Santa asked
"B-because of last year, because my last Christmas I was left alone and afraid, and if Santa was real he wouldn't watch and move on!"

Willbert watched as Santa's face dropped, wasn't Santa always supposed to be jolly? He looked, disapointed.....
"Jake, I'm so sorry, I wish I could make it up too you..."
"Then bring my pokemon back, I want my pokemon back"
"I wish I could Jake, but I'm in kind of a pickle..." Santa trailed off
"W-what's wrong?" Bagel asked
"I-I was flying in my sleigh, w-when the sleigh was attacked by a murder of Murkrow."
"T-the sleigh seems fine..." Willbert said.
"It's not the sleigh that was damaged, the bag holding all the presents was!"
"What do you want me to do about it?" Jake asked
"The bag was taken into the forest, I need you to get it for me!"
"Why can't you do it?" Willbert asked
"Ho, ho, ho, I wish I could, but I need to get everything for the next takeoff"
"Sure....." Jake said before rolling his eyes.
"I really need your help Jake, I need you to save Christmas!"
"This is ridiculous!" Jake yelled
"Please Jake, I need your help!" Santa pleaded.
"Fine! I'll try and find your stupid bag!" Jake exclaimed before storming into the cottage to get some proper clothes on. Within five minutes Jake was ready to go.
With a flashlight in one hand and six pokeballs clipped to his belt Jake headed out into the woods.

"So, where do we start?" Bagel asked
"I don't know, I don't really care" Jake responded
"Why not?" Willbert asked
"Because I'm not even sure that's really Santa!"
"O-of course it is, that's Santa!" Bagel exclaimed
"Shhh!" Jake whispered
"What is it?" Willbert asked
"I hear someone" Jake responded
Sure enough someone else was in the woods, murmuring something that Jake couldn't quite make out.
"This way" Jake motioned to his pokemon as he walked towards the source.
Eventually they came to a clearing.
"Well that was quick, there it is!" Willbert whispered, pointing to the bag just ahead. "Yes, yes! I've struck it rich!" A man cackled as he circled around the bag. "Here goes nothing" Jake muttered before walking towards the man.

"Umm excuse me, that's my bag!" Jake exclaimed.
The man turned to face the teen.
"T-too bad, it's mine now, I-i'm rich, I'm rich!"
"P-please?"
"F-fine since I'm such a nice guy, I'll give it too you, on one condition"
"What is that?"
"You battle me, it'll be a 2vs2 match, winner takes this bag, hahahaha" The man cackled once more.
"I guess I'll do it then, Willbert, Bagel you can stop hiding now"
"A-are you sure about this Jake?" Bagel asked.
"It's our only way, let's do this!"
"Electabuzz let's go!" The strange man exclaimed, sending out the electric pokemon.
"An Electabuzz? Ok then Sprout let's go!" Jake shouted before sending out the Flycatcher pokemon.

"Electabuzz use Leer, then go in for a Low Kick and then an Electro Ball!" The strange man ordered

"Sprout use Growth, then when Electabuzz gets close, use Sleep Powder, finally go for a Sludge Bomb!"

Electabuzz started the match off an intimidating leer, leaving Sprout wide open to physical attacks. Sprout meanwhile started gathering energy, causing her to grow in size and increase the power of her attacks. Electabuzz then went in for a Low Kick, but before landing the kick, Sprout managed to launch a cloud of spores in it's face. The Electric Pokemon tried to keep it's eyes open, but couldn't and ending up falling asleep.

"Way to go Sprout!" Jake cheered.
"No, Electabuzz wake up!" The man urged for it to get up.
Taking her chance, Sprout fired off a powerful Sludge Bomb and landed a critical hit on the Electabuzz.

"Alright Sprout, use Cut, follow up with a Giga Drain and finish it with a Vine Whip!" Jake commanded.

"Electabuzz, wake up, you've got to wake up!" The man cried.

But Electabuzz didn't wake up and was soon subjected to a sharp Cut from Sprouts leafs. Finally, after having it's energy drained by Giga Drain, the Electabuzz woke up. "Yes, way to go Electabuzz, now go for a Thunder Punch!"

The Electabuzz started charging electricity in it's fist before attempting to punch Sprout. But before the fist could hit the flycatcher pokemon, two vines were wrapped around it. Sprount then threw the Electabuzz in the air before whipping it with it's vines, sending the Electric Pokemon flying into the ground.

"Come on Electabuzz, get up!" The strange man urged.
But the Electabuzz didn't get up, and on closer inspection it had fainted!

"Yes! we did it, one pokemon down!" Jake cheered
"W-wow Sprout didn't even take damage!" Bagel exclaimed.
"T-that's it, battles over!" The man yelled before tossing another pokeball into the air. Out of the pokeball came a Honchkrow, which started to caw.
The Big Boss Pokemon continued to caw, until suddenly a murder of Murkrow surrounded it.

"Y-you were the one who got those Murkrow to attack the sleigh!" Jake yelled
"Correct, isn't it hilarious?" The man asked before bursting into laughter.
"Stop this, give us the bag!" Jake demanded.
"I've had enough of you, everyone, Drill Peck!" The man commanded
Suddenly all of the Murkrow and the Honchkrow and started spinning like a drill. "W-we better run!" Willbert exclaimed.
"B-but we need the bag!" Bagel cried.
"Alright then...guess I have no choice, Crix let's go!" Jake yelled before suddening out the Electivire.
"Look Crix, I know you don't fully trust me yet, b-but I need your help, will you please help me?"
Crix looked down at the teen, thinking for a moment, before giving a single nod. "Alright then, Crix use Thunder!"
Crix started charging electricity for a moment, before releasing an enormous lightning bolt. The bolt consumed all of the Murkrow and the Honchkrow zapping them for super eefective damage. Most of the Murkrow fainted from the power of the attack and those that didn't quickly fled.

"T-that was awesome! Willbert muttered as he looked at Crix in awe.
"Alright, now to get that bag to Santa, Crix grab the bag please.

"No! Stop it's mine!" The strange man yelled.
But no one paid attention to him and soon Crix had picked up the bag and brought it over to Jake.
"Alright, everyone grab onto Crix, Crix can you Teleport us back to the cottage!" In a flash everyone was back at the cottage, bag in hand.

"Ho, ho ho, your back! Oh, and you found my bag!" Santa exclaimed
"Yup, we did hope we were of help." Jake said
"Of help? Of course you were of help, you saved Christmas!"
"So....." Jake trailed off.
"Ho, ho,ho you better get back to bed Jake, thank you for everything, and Merry Christmas!"
"S-santa wait I need..." Jake didn't finish his sentence before falling asleep.

Jake awoke to the sound of chirping.
"W-whoa what happened, where am I?!" Jake exclaimed looking around.
He was back in the cottage, as if nothing had happened at all.
"Must have been a dream" Jake muttered before sending out all his pokemon.
"M-erry Christmas everyone, sorry I couldn't get anyone presents.."
"It's ok" Hiku the Minun replied as he started writing something in his sketch book. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, Jake noticed a package by the door. "Who put that package there?" Jake asked. Nobody answered.
Jake quickly ran towards the door and checked who it was from.

He noticed there was a letter attached, it read:

"Dear Jake, thank you for saving Christmas. Because of you millions of boys and girls are happy today. I hope this gift is enough for you to put faith back in me.
-Santa

"S-so it wasn't a dream then..." Jake gasped.
Quickly he opened the box to find five pokeballs inside.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! Jake screamed before chucking the five pokeballs into the air.

From the six pokeballs came Sparky, Pom, Bubbles, Aco, Kage and Tasu.
"Big sister!" Hiku cried before running over to Tasu.
"Y-younger brother, is that you?"
"It's ok Tasu, your home now, your home!" Hiku exclaimed.

"Aco, we're home! We're gone from that awful place!" Kage said
"Sparky!" Jake called.
The tiny Joltik looked around before running towards Jake.
"I'm home, I'm home!" Sparky squeaked as he ran up to Jake.
"I won't let anything happen to you ever again Sparky!" Jake exclaimed
Sparky was crying he was so happy, he was back home with his teammates, his friends!

No, they weren't his teammates or his friends, they were much more, they were his family and he was home. Sparky felt a rush of adrenaline flow through his body. He then saw a bright light envelope him.
"H-has someone used flash?" He wondered. But his trainers next words told him what was happening.
"S-sparky, y-you're evolving!" Jake stammered.
"I-I'm evolving? I'm evolving!" Sparky was so excited!
He felt himself growing and growing until suddenly, the light faded.
He let out a mighty cry. "G-Galvantula!"

"Merry Christmas everyone! And to all a goodnight!"

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 12-07-2015 at 11:35 PM. Reason: General typos that were bugging me.
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Old 07-01-2015, 10:36 PM   #7
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The Carbink, the Magnemite and the Fletchinder!

It was a hot afternoon at the Cloud Garden. The sun was still bright in the sky, and it's rays washed over the people and Pokemon located at the marvelous place. It was a perfect time for a Pokemon battle, and in fact one was just finishing outside of a familiar secret base.....

"We can't lose Diamanta, use Rock Throw then go in with a Tackle!" Jake commanded
"Lux, finish this off with a Hi Jump Kick!" Sophie ordered.
Diamanta the Carbink quickly slammed into the ground, causing rocks to go flying towards Hawlucha. The wrestling Pokemon jumped up, narrowly avoiding the rocks, before slamming it's glowing foot into the Jewel Pokemon.
Giving a small cry, Diamanta couldn't take it, quickly collapsing onto the ground.

Jake let out a sigh. Despite him knowing all his Pokemon gave it their all, he couldn't help be disappointed. Once again Sophie had bested him.
"Once again, an amazing battle Jake!" Sophie exclaimed.
Jake couldn't help but smile.
"I-I guess your right" Jake replied as he glanced at his Pokemon
"Blues, Bagel, Diamanta, great work out there" Jake congratulated them.
Despite their trainers congratulations, the three didn't seem too happy.
"Why do you all look so glum, between the three of you, only Blues had any proper battle experience." Despite his words, Jake could already tell why.
Just like him, they were disappointed with their loss.

"Don't worry, we'll win one day, for now, how about something to eat?"
With that suggestion, the Poliwag and Axew's faces lit up.
"That sounds like a great idea!" Sophie added.
"Alright then, it's settled, time for a lunch break!" Jake exclaimed, before walking over to the oak tree that hosted his secret base, only a few yards away. As the teens started to return their Pokemon to their Pokeballs, Jake noticed that Diamanta, along with his Magnemite and Oddish weren't following. Why weren't they coming, were they hurt? Was Diamanta ok? What if those people were after his Pokemon again?!
"Jake, are you going to stand their all day?" Sophie asked as she noticed her friend staring off in to the distance.
"Umm, no, sorry about that" Jake muttered.
"You aren't worrying about them being kidnapped again, are you?" Sophie asked.
"H-how did you know?" Jake pondered.
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Because that's all you've been worrying about lately?"
"I guess that's true......" Jake confessed before climbing up the ladder into his secret base....


"Diamanta, what's wrong?" Error asked.
"Nothing Error, why do you ask?" The Carbink replied.
"Because you seem upset! Error doesn't want you to be unhappy!" Error droned
"T-thanks Error, truth be told, I guess I am a bit upset" Diamanta admitted
"Why? Error is here to listen!"
"Because I feel like I let Jake and everyone down." Diamanta replied
"In that battle I was the only one not able to take out my opponent. Blues took out Combusken, and Bagel took out Poliwag"
"Don't feel bad, Error doesn't win every battle!"
"I guess you're right, maybe I just need to redeem myself..." Diamanta trailed off.

"Error, can you help me train?" Diamanta asked.
The Carbink waited for a response for several seconds before asking again.
"Error?"
The Jewel Pokemon glanced up to see Error and Neku the Oddish running towards "her" in a panic.
"Diamanta! Watch out!" Error droned
Suddenly the Carbink felt somwthing grab "her" from above. Suddenly she felt a strong gust of wind and next thing "she" knew "she" was high above the ground.
"Help! Get me down, get me down!" Diamanta yelled at the Magnemite and Oddish below.

Neku and Error were shocked, the Carbink had just been snatched by a Fletchinder!
"I'll save you Diamanta!" Error droned before using "his" best Thunder Shockattack. However, despite the Magnemites best efforts, the Ember Pokemon avoided the attack with ease.
Angered, Error tried again and again to no avail.
Fed up with the Magnemite, the Fletchinder flew off towards the nearby forest.
"Come back here! Error isn't done with you yet!" Error droned before making haste towards the forest.

Meanwhile, Jake and Sophie, along with there Pokemon, had just finished lunch when they heard a cry for help.
"Help, help! Diamanta has been kidnapped! Error went to find her!" Neku called up to the base.
Jake quickly jumped out of his seat, and beckoned Sophie to follow him outside. Once outside the two found a very panicked Oddish.
"Diamantasbeen kidnapped, it'sallmyfault, weneedto help!" Neku cried
"Neku, slow down, Diamantas been kidnapped?!" Jake asked.
"Y-yes, this Fletchinder flew over and started a-attacking me, Error went to help a-and then it snatched Diamanta!" Neku explained.
"Where did it take her?" Jake questioned
"To the forest, we've got..." Neku didn't manage to finish his sentence as, somehow, the Weed Pokemon fell asleep.

Jake rolled his eyes before looking over at Sophie.
"Diamantas been kidnapped by a wild Pokemon, it's taken her to the nearby forest." Jake translated.
"Well then what are we waiting for, let's go!" Sophie yelled before running towards the forest.
Jake gave a brief nod before following right behind her.

Though the Fletchinder was fast, Error was right on it's tail as the Magnet Pokemon followed it into the forest. Strangely, the Ember Pokemon didn't go far in before stopping to take a break on one of the many branches. Despite this, Diamanta didn't dare try and escape. "She" knew if "she" did, the Fletchinder would easily catch "her". Instead "she" waited, hoping that Error would find "her".
And find "her" "he" did, only a few moments after the Ember Pokemons rest had Error caught up.

"That's it you fiend, give over Diamanta right now!" Error commanded
The Fletchinder glanced at the puny Magnemite and laughed.
"We'll see who has the last laugh, take this! Error droned.
The Magnemites body started to crackle and Spark with electricity, quickly "he" slammed into the Ember Pokemon.

The Fletchinder gave a small cry before dropping Diamanta.
"Diamanta!" Error droned before rushing over to the Carbink.
However, before "he" reached "her" the Magnemite met a Flame Charge
in the side. It was Errors turn to let out a cry before getting sent several feet back. "Error!" Diamanta called out.
Not one to give in, Error slowly started to rise, before getting hit with another Flame Charge
"No, Error!" Diamanta called once more.
This time the Magnemite didn't get up.
Angered, the Carbink quickly slammed into the ground, throwing several rocks into the fire birds face. The Fletchinder wasn't prepared for that. The impact left it hurt and stunned for a few seconds.
Trying to regain it's ground, the Fletchinder slammed a steel hard wing into the Jewel Pokemons body.

Giving all "his" energy, Error rose once more, clearly angry!"
"I won't let you hurt Diamanta!" Error droned.
Laughing once more, the Ember Pokemon let loose a Flamethrower from it's beak.
Error didn't even flinch and took the super effective attack head on.
Diamanta looked onwards as the flames covered the Magnet Pokemons body.

Suddenly, from the beam of fire came an intense glow, in the shape of a Magnemite! Diamanta could only watch as the form grew slightly larger.
On the bottom left and right side of the Magnemite, two more similar forms appeared. The light then dispeled the flames revealing a Magneton.

Without wasting anytime, Error put his newfound strength to the test, the Magneton started sparking with electricity.
"Take this!" Error droned before slamming "himself" into the the Fletchinder.

That was the final blow, the ember Pokemon gave one last cry before falling to the ground.
"Error, you did it!" Diamanta cheered.
"It wasn't all me, you helped too" Error replied.

Suddenly the two Pokemon could hear voices coming from behind them.
"Error! Diamanta!" Jake called.
"Over there!" Sophie pointed as she noticed the two.
"Error! Diamanta, are you to ok?" Jake asked as he got closer.
"I was so wo-Error! You evolved!" Jake exclaimed.

"He evolved to save me!" Diamanta replied.
"I'm just glad you two are save!" Jake said, hugging them both.
"It's a good thing we didn't have to go very far, I thought you would have been long gone...." Sophie added.
"How about we go home, you probably have quite the story to tell..." Jake said before smiling.
With that Sophie, Jake, Diamanta and Error headed back to the base...
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Old 03-16-2016, 12:54 AM   #8
EpicSquirtle
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The Electric Masters Tournament! Part 1

It was a cold winter morning in the land of Fizzytopia. Spring was coming soon, and many people and Pokemon were starting to come back out and explore the world. One trainer being a certain aspiring Electric type specialist.

Though Jake had lived in Fizzytopia for roughly three years, the teen had never taken the time to fully explore what the region had to offer. That was, until today, when his Abra had given him the idea of checking out the nearby town of Rayo....

"Here we are, this is Rayo Town!" Jake declared,
After a long walk, Jake had successfully reached the bustling town of Rayo. Bright flashing lights covered the sides of buildings, and many people were scurrying on their way.

But Jake hadn't traveled their by himself! Right by his side, was his Eevee, Hazel.

"Isn't it awesome Hazel?" Jake asked the young Eevee as they started to walk through the busy streets.
Hazel quickly shook his head. He didn't like all the activity of the town, he preferred the peaceful walk they had getting here.
"Aww, cheer up Hazel, it's not that bad.." Jake said.

The Eevee let out a small sigh, before continuing to follow his trainer through the streets.

"Watch out, watch out, out of my way!" A voice suddenly pierced the air.
Jake turned to see a young man riding a Zebstrika at an alarming speed, and it was coming right at him! The teen didn't have time to react as the Pokemon rammed into him, sending both him and the trainer riding the Zebstrika flying onto the pavement.

Hazel seemed shocked at what had transpired, and quickly ran over to his trainer to see if he was ok. The Eevee grabbed his trainers jacket and started tugging on it, hoping for some response.

"I-I'm fine Hazel." Jake murmured as he got up and dusted himself off.
Though he had landed on the cold hard pavement, he didn't seem to leave with anything more then a small scrape.

Jake turned to the trainer who had been riding the Zebstrika. He looked panicked, and was already attempting to get back onto his Zebstrika.

"Hey, you should watch where you're going next time!" Jake barked.
"I'm sorry, I've got to make it on time!" The young man stammered before rushing off once again.

"I wonder what his problem was...." Jake murmured, glancing at Hazel.
Hazel didn't seem to interested in what his trainer had to say, instead eyeing a piece of paper where the man had been.

"Hmm? What are you looking at Hazel?" Jake asked, aware that the Eevee's attention wasn't with him.

The young trainer then noticed the paper that Hazel had found.
"What's this, some sort of flyer?" Jake questioned as he picked up the paper. It indeed appeared to be a flyer of some kind. It had a deep blue background with what appeared to be lightning bolts coming from all angles. In the center, a man and a Manectric. Above them, a boldly fonted message.
"Do you have what it takes to become the next Electric master?" Jake read the message aloud.

He then turned the flyer over, discovering more text.
"If you think you have what it takes, head to the one and only electric masters tournament in Rayo town! Check at the Pokemon center near the Rayo stadium for further details..." Jake finished reading.

Hazel's ears perked up upon hearing the news. A tournament in this very town? Maybe this was his chance to prove his skills. But at the same time...what if he ended up doing poorly? The young Eevee didn't think he could take that kind of heart break....

"I can't believe my luck, an electric type themed tournament is being hosted right here? What are the odds?" Jake muttered to himself as he glanced over the flyer once more.
"Well, I guess I know what we're doing today, ready to go check it out Hazel?"
The Eevee quickly nodded. This might be just what he needed! Besides, he was getting tired of walking around with no real destination in mind.
------
At the Rayo Stadium Pokemon Center
------
"What, you mean you can only use Electric type Pokemon in the tournament?" Jake asked.
"That's correct." The young lady at the counter confirmed.
"I should have known..why else would it be called the Electric masters tournament if you could use any type of Pokemon?" Jake thought to himself as he looked over at Hazel.

The Eevee seemed somewhat disheartened at the news. He had been hoping this was his time to shine...guess he'd get his chance another day.

"So, is there any other restriction on Pokemon besides Electric types only?" Jake asked the attendant.
"Absolute none." The women said, shaking her head.
"Are you sure? Is there a maximum at all?" Jake continued.
"As long as you register at least one legible Pokemon it's fine."
The young trainer's face lit up at this news. "Alright then, hold on second, I need to use the PC for a moment."
Jake then quickly ran over to the PC and started typing something.

A few minutes later, Jake returned to the counter, trying to carry a total of seventeen Pokeball's in his arms.
"I'd like to register these Pokemon for the tournament please" The young trainer said to the attendant as he slowly tried to put each ball onto the counter.
The women looked completely shocked. She had seen people register a fair few amount of Pokemon into the tournament, but seventeen?

Not knowing quite what to say, she simply started to register each of the Pokemon. Each ball had to be fit into a small tray on a machine. The machine would then scan each one, identifying everything about the Pokemon.
Each name of the particular species started to pop up on the computer screen. Galvantula, Emolga, Electrivire, Mareep... each name went through the system.

"Alright, everything is registered and ready to go. If you'd like, you can sit in the lounge and wait for the tournament to begin." The attendant said with a smile.

"Thank you!" Jake replied as he took back his Pokeballs and put them in his bag. The young trainer then started to walk over to the lounge. The lounge wasn't anything too special. Just two, comfy black sofa's and a nice hardwood table. On the table there were all sorts of informational material about the tournament.

Upon sitting down on one of the sofa's, Jake grabbed one of the information sheets off the table. In all his excitement, Jake realized that he didn't know a whole lot about the tournament. In fact, in his rush to register, the only thing he knew about the tournament was that it was only for Electric types.
Maybe it was best if he read up on it.

"Welcome to the 14th annual Electric Masters Tournament!" Jake read the title aloud. He didn't really need to, the only Pokemon with him was Hazel, who wouldn't be participating. Nonetheless, Jake continued to read the rest out.

"In this tournament, trainers will have to use only their Electric type Pokemon in order to compete. This year, there are thirty two local tournaments scattered throughout each region. Each local tournament will have thirty two competitors in a first come, first serve basis. The top four trainers in each of these tournaments are granted entry into the regional level of the tournament." Jake paused for a moment before continuing.

"This year, the regional tournament in Fizzytopia is set in Amperet City. Each regional tournament will have one hundred and twenty eight competitors. The top four from this tournament will be granted into the international tournament, held in Nimbasa City in the Unova region this year. The winner of the international tournament will be crowned the Electric type Master of the year and will be rewarded with a gold Pikachu trophy and $50,000." Jake finished.

"T-that sounds a lot bigger then what we were lead to believe" Hazel finally spoke up.
"It is, but this just means I have to try even harder to win! I'm going to win this tournament, then the regionals and the international! Electric Master of 2016, here I come!" Jake exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air

"I wouldn't be to sure" A voice came from beside him.
Jake looked over to see a young women on the couch besides him, with what appeared to be....notes?
"Ryan Williams is competing in the tournament, so most of us have already settled for getting second place at best." The women continued.

"And why is that? Who's Ryan Williams?" Jake asked, slightly confused.
"He's the winner of one of last years local tournaments, and the year before. In fact, he's won every local tournament he's been in since they first started." She explained.

"Surely that doesn't mean having to settle for second place? Someone has got to be able to beat him!" Jake insisted

The women shook her head. "Nobody has ever come close to doing it before. He's won every local tournament with only one Pokemon. Not even one person has been able to beat it."

"He's been winning with only one Pokemon?!" The young trainer exclaimed.

"Afraid so. So if you're aiming for first place, you can just forget about it now." The women stated before walking off.

Jake turned to Hazel, who seemed anxious now.
"Don't worry Hazel, I'll find a way to win this, I promise!" Jake said with a smile.
The Eevee lightened up slightly, but was still quite worried for his trainer.
"How about we get some training done before the tournament starts?" Jake suggested.
Hazel seemed to like the idea of that. The Eevee smiled before quickly running out the door.....
--------
It had been almost an hour, but to Jake it had lasted maybe half as long.
In the midst of his training routine, Jake heard a voice call out to him.
"Excuse me? Do you happen to be Jake?"
Jake turned around to see one of the attendants for the event.
"Umm yep, that's me" The young trainer replied.

"Ok, then follow me, your match for the first round of the tournament is about to be begin." The man explained
Jake quickly withdrew all his Pokemon back into their Pokeballs before following the attendant.

Jake was led into a somewhat dark room, there was some small chairs, one's that you'd see in a clinic waiting room.
"Please take a seat while we set everything up." The man told Jake.
Jake took a seat on the far right seat and began to look around the room.
He was incredibly nervous. This was his first time at such a big event. and he didn't want to mess it up.

"Do you want me to explain the rules?" The attendant asked somewhat loudly, causing Jake to jump.

"Oh, umm yes please." Jake replied.
"The first round consists of a one on one battle. Each trainer can request the opening of the pool in the center of the arena if they show wish in any round. Also, you are not allowed to return your Pokemon at anytime during the tournament, doing so is considered a forfeit." The attendant explained.

"A one on one, huh? I've really got to think carefully on who I pick, one wrong move and I'm out." The young trainer thought to himself.

"Ok Jake, your match is ready to begin, please follow me." The man said before opening a door and walking outside into the arena.

As the door opened, a bright light filled the barren room, causing Jake to squint. Once outside, Jake could see a small battlefield, surrounded by bleachers in a circle. This seemed like an arena to watch and play sports more then anything.

On the opposite side, Jake could see who must have been his opponent. He looked to be no older then Jake. He had a blue baseball cap backwards on his head, with jet black hair sticking out from under it.

As Jake walked up to where he was supposed to be, he looked around at the small crowd. There must have been at least one hundred people watching!.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to our next match here at the Electric Masters Tournament!" An announcers gruff voice could be heard.

"On the left, we have Billy from Pewter City! And on the right we have Jake from Aspertia City!" The announcer continued.

"At the request of one of our trainers, for this match, the pool will be open in the center of the arena!"

Suddenly, Jake could feel the ground starting to shake. He watched as the middle of the arena started to transform. Two panels from the center started to pull back, revealing a large pool. The pool seemed to be quite deep, though Jake couldn't be to sure from his angle.

At the edge of the arena, a referee stood, waiting to start the battle.
"Alright, Billy you will be picking your Pokemon and making the first move, is that clear?" The ref asked.

"Fine by me" The trainer smirked before grabbing a Pokeball from his belt.
"Alright Stunfisk, you're up!" Billy shouted as he threw the ball into the air.

From the ball, the trap Pokemon materialized onto the battle field.

"It looks like Billy will be choosing Stunfisk for his Pokemon! What will his opponent choose?" The announcer asked.

"A Stunfisk huh? I can see why he wanted the pool. But Stunfisk are so unpredictable, they can swim, flop, some can even fly...." Jake thought to himself.

"It's a ground type, so most of my Pokemon won't be able to do much." Jake continued. Well, there was one, but Jake knew this was going to be a gamble. He knew if the Pokemon refused to battle, that he would have to forfeit. But if it did, Jake knew he could pull off a win.

Letting out a sigh, Jake decided to go for it. Grabbing a Pokeball from his belt, the young trainer tossed it into the air. From the ball, came a small Chinchou.
Upon seeing the crowd, Lucky quickly hid behind Jake's pant leg.

"It seems that Jake has chosen Chinchou, but what's the matter? Has Chinchou gotten cold feet?" The announcer spoke up once more.

"Hah! Your Pokemon don't even want to battle! How pathetic!" Billy yelled from his side of the arena.

"Look Lucky, I know you're scared, but I really need you to help me here." Jake pleaded to the Chinchou.

"N-no people are watching!" Lucky stammered
"Please Lucky? I promise I won't make you do this ever again! Please?"
Jake knew he looked like a fool at this point, begging for his own Pokemon to battle.
But Lucky looked into his trainers eyes, and seeing him like this..well he found bit of courage in himself.
The Chinchou gave a brief nod before walking into the arena.

"It looks like Chinchou is ready to battle, and with that ladies and gentlemen, let the battle...begin!"

"Alright Stunfisk, use Water Gun! Then follow it with a Mudshot!" Billy ordered.

"Lucky, you use Water Gun too! Then use Psybeam!" Jake commanded.

Stunfisk was the first to move, and began charging water energy before squirting it out in a jet. However, Lucky did the same and, at collision, the attacks petered out. They were evenly matched in power! However, without even flinching, Stunfisk prepared a huge glob of mud and spat it out towards Lucky! Unable to react in time, the Chinchou took a direct hit from the sticky mud, which started to cling to him. In retaliation, Lucky shot out a beam of all sorts of colours towards the trap Pokemon. However, Lucky was to slow, as the Stunfisk easily dodged the powerful beam.

"Though it looks as if the two Pokemon are evenly match, Stunfisk seems to have gained the upper hand thanks to a powerful Mudshot! Chinchou will certainly feel the effects of that sticky mud in the coming rounds!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Lucky we can do this! Psybeam one more time! Then use Bubble!" Jake ordered.

"Stunfisk, Hidden Power! Then use Sludge Bomb! Billy shouted.

Even though Lucky had gotten his commands first, Stunfisk was the first to react. Three orbs of energy started to surround the Stunfisk. The orbs were glowing green like grass. The Stunfisk then shot the orbs towards Lucky!
Though the Chinchou tried to dodge, the fact that he wasn't really meant to move fast on land, and that he was weighed down by the mud still clinging to him meant that the attempt was in vain. Lucky screeched as the super effective attack sent intense pain through his body.

"No, Lucky!" Jake called out as the Chinchou fell back a few feet.
This was bad, Lucky had already taken a lot of damage, meanwhile Stunfisk was still fairly fresh.

But Lucky wasn't ready to give up! Quickly, the angler Pokemon charged up a power multi coloured beam before firing it right at the Stunfisk. This time, the beam managed to hit, making the Stunfisk reel back in pain.

The Stunfisk then started to charge up some poison energy, ready to send a barrage of sludge at the Chinchou. Lucky meanwhile started to charge up a bit of water energy before spraying a thick cloud of bubbles at the Stunfisk.

In response, the Stunfisk let lose his own attack, sending hard sludge flying towards Lucky. Both attacks managed to hit, causing both Pokemon to take quite a bit of damage. However, once the round was over, Jake could tell something was off. Lucky seemed to be in constant pain, even when no attacks were being used against it.
Lucky had been poisoned!

"And it seems Billy and Stunfisk are still in the lead! Though Chinchou managed to get off a few nasty hits, Stunfisk seems to be in a better condition overall! What's more, Chinchou seems to be poisoned! Can Jake and Chinchou turn this around?" The announcer spoke up once more.

"Alright Stunfisk, let's wrap this up! Hit them hard with Earth Power! Then show them your Mud Bomb attack!" Billy yelled at his Pokemon.

"Earth Power? That move would shake the entire arena! The pool water was surely going to spill everywhere" Jake thought to himself.
"Wait, the pool, that's it!"

"Lucky, jump into the pool! Then use Surf!" Jake commanded.

Stunfisk quickly started to channel ground energy throughout it's body. It then flew up slightly before slamming it's self into the ground, sending the energy through out the arena. The arena began to shake, and a huge amount of energy began erupting under Lucky's feet. The poor Chinchou was sent flying into the air by the power blast before smashing back into the ground. Barely able to stand at this point, Lucky tried with all his might to run for the pool.
Luckily, the Chinchou had time, as Stunfisk had to take a short break to recover from all his spent energy.

However, before Lucky had reached the pool, the trap Pokemon was already preparing his next attack. The Stunfisk charged up for a few seconds, before firing out a giant glob of mud.

But it was too late , as by the time the attack was about to hit Lucky, the Chinchou dove into the pool, narrowly missing the attack.

Lucky then began gathering the water around him before creating a decent sized wave. The tidal wave crashed right into the trap Pokemon, dealing a substantial amount of damage.

"This battle is coming down to the wire folks! Though Jake and Chinchou were far behind last round, they seem to be only just behind Billy and Stunfisk now! This next round could decide everything!

"Enough games, let's finish this, use Thunder! Billy ordered.

"You can do it Lucky! Let's use the rest of the pool water to good use with anotherSurf! Then use Waterfall!" Jake commanded.

This time, Lucky was the first one to act, using up a hefty amount of pool water, the Chinchou started to summon a tidal wave.

Stunfisk meanwhile, began charging a large amount of electric energy, preparing for an extremely powerful attack.

Lucky's attack was ready first, and the angler Pokemon rode the moderately sized tidal wave towards the trap Pokemon.

However, before the tidal wave could hit, Stunfisk let loose a powerful Thunder attack. The sheer might of the attack caused Lucky fall back into the mostly drained pool.

Billy laughed as the wave of water crashed helplessly before Stunfisk.
"Guess it's gameover for you, too bad!" Billy mocked Jake.

"It looks like things are over for Chinchou and Jake...what's this folks? Chinchou isn't down yet!" The announcer was shocked, as from the pool rose Lucky.

The Chinchou seemed to have not taken any damage from the Thunder attack, in fact it looked as if it had recovered health from it!

Quickly, using the rest of the water in the pool, the Chinchou created a pillar of water in which to climb. The Chinchou then quickly swam up the pillar before slamming into Stunfisk!

The attack was to much to bear for the trap Pokemon, as it quickly toppled over and fainted.

"Stunfisk is unable to battle, Jake and Chinchou win!" The referee exclaimed.
Cheering came from the crowd, some chanting Jake's name, others were cheering for Lucky!

"Would you look at that folks! In a surprising turn of events, Chinchou over came all odds and beat Stunfisk! Thus, moving Jake on to the second round!" The announcer exclaimed.

"B-wh-how?! That Thunder hit! I should have won!" Billy yelled.
"Billy, you underestimated your opponent" Jake explained.
"If you had been thinking more about the Pokemon you were facing, and less time worrying about using raw strength, you'd have realized that Chinchou can have the Volt Absorb ability." The young trainer continued.

"I don't want to hear it! I should have won that! I should have won!!" Billy yelled before storming off.

Jake then turned to his Chinchou.
"Thank you so much Lucky. I doubt I would have won without you." Jake said as he pat the angler Pokemon on the head.
Lucky gave a brief nod before eyeing his Pokeball on Jake's belt.
Noticing this, Jake took the ball off before lightly tapping the Chinchou on the head, sucking him back inside.
"You were awesome out there, now take as long of a rest as you need." Jake said before attaching it back to his belt.

"Congratulations on your victory!" The attendant he had previously been with said with a smile.

"Thanks, truth be told, I didn't think I was going to win for a second" Jake confessed.

"Now, if you'll come with me, I'll show you the way out." The man said before slowly walking towards the two crimson red doors they had exited from previously.

Jake followed the man as they made their way through the halls and into the barren waiting room.

"Well, that was quite the performance you put on there. Keep it up and you might make your way to the top." The attendant chuckled.

"Umm, thanks.." Jake replied

"As for your next battle, it's a double battle. Same rules as before. It takes place this evening at 6pm." The man informed the young trainer.

Jake checked his watch and let out an audible sigh at what he saw.
It was only 3:15pm, after that last battle, Jake felt as if he was unstoppable! He really wanted to battle now...

"Until then you may go where ever you like, just be here on time now, ok?" The attendant asked.

"Ok, sorry about earlier" Jake apologized before walking out of the waiting room.

"I still have almost three hours left....what am I going to do?" Jake asked himself as he exited the stadium.

"Well, I still don't have a place to sleep for tonight, mine as well get a hotel room or something....." Jake reasoned.

Eventually, the young trainer found a somewhat reasonably priced hotel and decided to buy a room for the night. Though he didn't have too much money left, Jake managed to pay for one of the cheaper rooms...
---------
Hotel Room #134
---------

Jake sat on the twin sized bed in the hotel room. Though the bed was pretty uncomfortable, the young trainer didn't mind too much. He was only going to have to sleep on it for one night, besides he had other things to worry about, like what Pokemon he was going to use for the rest of the tournament. He didn't want another situation like Lucky's, and so Jake decided to send out all his Electric types and see what they wanted to do....

"A tournament? Sounds fun! Count me in!" Hayai exclaimed.
"Tournament? Error loves tournament's!" The Magneton droned as he flew around the room.

Jake chuckled at the Magneton's antics. He was just as hyper as when he was a Magnemite.

"Sounds like it'll be fun... You can use me in battle if you wish...." Tessa said in a hushed voice.

"A tournament with hundreds of adoring fans? Who can say no? I just hope some ladies are watching...." Voltaire chuckled.

This went on until every one of Jake's Pokemon agreed. Well almost everyone...

"No thank you, I'd rather not take place in such barbaric acts, thank you." Milo scoffed.
Unfortunately for Milo, his response was nothing but white noise in the sea of excitement.

"Alright everyone, I'm glad you're up for the challenge. I know this is going to be hard, but I know you've all got what it takes!" Jake assured them.

Now the young trainer had to decide what Pokemon he was going to use. The attendant had informed him that his next match was to be a double battle. He needed two Pokemon that were going to be able to work together...

This might take a while, how much time do I have to decide?" Jake asked himself as he glanced at his watch. It was 5:50pm. That would give him plenty of time. Wait 5:50pm?!
"Shoot, I'm going to be late!" Jake exclaimed as he quickly grabbed his Pokeballs. As soon as the last Pokemon had been withdrawn, Jake raced out the door and down the hall......
------
Rayo stadium
------
As fast as he could, Jake sprinted through the doors of the stadium. He took a sharp left and quickly opened the first door there.

"There you are! You had me worried! I thought I told you not to be late." The attendant scolded.

"Sorry....again...." Jake replied weakly.

"Well no matter, your match is ready to begin, please follow me once more." The man said before walking out of the familiar crimson red doors.

Once again Jake found himself at he edge of the battle arena.
There seemed to be even more people watching then before!
On the opposite side of the battle field, Jake spotted a familiar young man.
He had dirty blonde hair, and was wearing a bright red jacket.

"Y-you're the guy from before! The one that crashed into me!" Jake exclaimed, recognizing the man as the one with the Zebstrika.
"So you're competing as well? Heh, small world..." The man smirked.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the final match in the 2nd round of the Electric Masters Tournament!" The gruff sound of the announcers voice could be heard once more.

"On the left we have Tyler from Phenac City! Tyler and his Zebstrika managed a clean victory last round, but how will he fare this time?" The announcer questioned.

"And on the right we have Jake from Aspertia City! Jake and his Chinchou barely managed to scrape by last round! Will things be brighter for Jake this round? Let's find out!" The announcer continued.

"Jake, you will be picking your two Pokemon and moves first, is that clear?" The referee at the edge of the battlefield asked.

Jake gave a brief nod, before thinking about what he was going to do.
He knew that Tyler had a Zebstrika, and based on what the announcer had said, it was a tough opponent. Would he want to use it again? Or would he try and be a bit more unpredictable? Surely if he did use Zebstrika, Jake would need a speedy Pokemon to be able to win!

Having finally decided, Jake grabbed two regular Pokeballs from his belt and tossed them into the air.

"Hayai, Alfie I need your assistance!" Jake called.
From the balls, a Blitzle and Electrike were unleashed.

"It looks like Jake will be choosing Blitzle and Electrike for this battle! Both seem ready for action! How will Tyler react?" The announcer asked.

"Magnemite, Zebstrika it's your time to shine!" The trainer exclaimed as he hurled two Pokeballs into the air.

From the balls, the two Pokemon emerged onto the hard clay arena.
Hayai took a step back upon seeing the Zebstrika. So this is what he'd look like when he evolved! The Blitzle was stunned.

Alfie, meanwhile growled upon seeing his opponents. They didn't look so tough! If they wanted to try and hurt his trainer, they could forget about it!
Alfie was willing to protect Jake with his life, and he wouldn't let anyone hurt him!

"And Tyler has chosen Magnemite and his trusty Zebstrika for this battle! With that ladies and gentlemen, let the battle begin!"

"Alright Hayai use Flame Charge on Magnemite! Alfie, you use Flame Burst on Magnemite!" Jake ordered.

"Magnemite, use Flash Cannon on Electrike! Zebstrika go for a Signal Beam on Blitzle! Tyler commanded.

Tyler's Zebstrika was first to react, and started building up bug energy before firing a magnificent rainbow coloured beam at Hayai!

The beam seemed to do quite a bit of damage, causing the Blitzle to recoil in pain.

Hayai then began to coat his body in bright orange flames! The Blitzle then started charging towards the Magnemite with incredible speed!

Alfie, meanwhile started charging up fire energy, before firing a blast of flames towards Magnemite.
Upon contact, the flames exploded, causing hot embers to rain down on Zebstrika!

The Magnemite reeled back in pain at the powerful burst of flames. Before the Magnemite had time to recover, Hayai slammed into the magnet Pokemon, dealing even more damage!

However, Magnemite wasn't ready to give up so soon! Slowly, the Magnemite began gathering steel type energy, turning it into a bright ball! Magnemite then fired the blast of energy towards Alfie.

But the attack was much to slow. With barely any effort, Alfie jumped away from the blast, letting it explode pathetically upon contact with the ground.

"Though the battle has only just begun, Magnemite seems to have already sustained an incredible amount of damage. Will Tyler be able to turn this around?" The announcers voice once again rang through out the arena.

"Alright Magnemite, use Flash Cannon on Electrike once more! Zebstrika use Double Edge on Electrike!" Tyler called to his two Pokemon.

"Alfie, show Zebstrika what a real Double Edge looks like! Hayai go for a Double Kick on Zebstrika!" Jake ordered once more.

Zebstrika was the first to take action. The thunderbolt Pokemon started to recklessly charge towards Alfie, with no regards for it's own safety.

However, Alfie was determined to show the Zebstrika all he had! He, too started to charge recklessly towards the Zebstrika!

The two Pokemon collided against one another! However, Zebstrika was much larger then Alfie, and so with little effort, Zebstrika managed to overpower the lightning Pokemon, sending Alfie hurling backwards.

Alfie landed with an audible thud as hit the hard clay...
Usually one to get back up on his feet rather quickly, Jake was surprised to see that Alfie wasn't getting up.
"Electrike is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"Alfie fainted to one attack from Zebstrika? That Pokemon is way more powerful then I first thought..." Jake thought to himself as he returned the Electrike to his Pokeball.

"Would you look at that folks? In an unbelievable twist, Zebstrika knocked Electrike out with only one move! Now Tyler is far in the lead with both his Pokemon still standing! Can Jake still pull off a win?" The announcer questioned.

Despite Alfie no longer being at his side, Hayai was still as ready to battle as ever! Zebstrika had to recover some of it's energy after it's duel with Alfie.
The Electrike had left quite a number on the Zebstrika, it didn't seem like it had much health left!

Taking advantage of the Zebstrika's vulnerable state, Hayai charged towards it, before kicking it hard with his two back legs.
The Zebstrika cried out in pain, barely managing to stay on it's feet.

Meanwhile, Magnemite was ready to win the battle for it's trainer!
Once again, the Magnemite began gathering steel typed energy, converting it into a bright ball! The Magnemite then fired the energy towards Hayai! The Blitzle was unable to react in time and the powerful blast racked pain throughout his body!

Once Hayai recovered from the attack though, Jake noticed something was wrong. It seemed as if the Blitzle's defenses weren't as strong as before, especially to special attacks!

"After Zebstrika's reckless attacks, it seems the thunderbolt Pokemon isn't doing to well! Magnemite also seems to be just scraping by! However, despite the loss of his teammate, Blitzle seems to still be in a fairly good condition! How long will that last? Only time will tell!" The announcers voiced boomed.

"Alright Hayai, you can still do this! Let's go for a Flame Charge on Magnemite! Follow that up with a Double Kick!" Jake called to the Blitzle.

"Magnemite, Mimic Blitzle's attack! Zebstrika, you use Stomp!" Tyler commanded.

Hayai was quick to act! The Blitzle surrounded himself in a cloak of flames, before charging towards Magnemite! Hayai slammed into the Magnemite with incredible speed, causing the Magnemite to go flying back!

Not one to slack around, Zebstrika prepared it's next attack. The thunderbolt Pokemon ran towards the Blitzle, before leaping high into the air! Zebstrika then came crashing down, feet first into Hayai!

Hayai cried out in pain, the attack had incredible strength! Barely able to stand, the Blitzle wasn't prepared for Magnemite's attack!
Trying it's best to mimic Hayai, the Magnemite cloaked itself in flames!
The Magnemite then flew towards the Blitzle and slammed into him!

Once again, intense pain shot through Hayai's body. The Blitzle wanted to give up, he really did. The pain was so intense.....but he had to keep going!
He didn't want to let Jake down!

Snapping back to his senses, the Blitzle began to charge towards Magnemite.
The Blitzle then turned around, before delivering two power kicks to Magnemite using his back legs.

The attack was too much for the magnet Pokemon. Letting out a small cry, the Magnemite fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Magnemite is unable to battle!" The referee declared.

"That last attack proved to much for Magnemite! Now each trainer is down to their last Pokemon! Though both Pokemon are in bad shape, Zebstrika looks to be a bit better overall! Still, it's anyone's match! Let's see what happens!" The announcer once again commentated on what had just taken place.

After recalling his Magnemite, Tyler looked over to where Jake was standing. "I never imagined you'd be this powerful of an opponent, it's a shame that it's not going to be quite enough to win this battle" Tyler smirked.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Hayai and I still have a few tricks up our sleeves." Jake replied.

"We'll see about that, Zebstrika let's finish this! Giga Impact!" Tyler yelled.

"Giga Impact?! That'll knock Hayai out for sure. I need to be able to hit Zebstrika with a powerful blow, and fast! But how am I going to pull it off?" Jake thought to himself.

Wait, what if he used Zebstrika's power against him? It surely couldn't take a Giga Impact either...

"Alright Hayail, use Me First!" Jake ordered.

Using all the energy he could muster, Hayai began charging the incredible amount of energy around him!

Zebstrika too, began charging up spiraling purple waves around him.
However, it was already to late for the Zebstrika. Having finished channeling the energy for his attack, the Blitzle shot across the arena!

His muscles, loosened from his previous uses of Flame Charge, carried him towards the Zebstrika at an incredible rate.
Hayai slammed into the Zebstrika with all he had, causing the much taller Pokemon to be sent flying.

Once the Thunderbolt Pokemon had landed, it was clear it wouldn't be getting up!
"Zebstrika is unable to battle, which means Jake and Blitzle win!" The referee called.

"Once again, Jake manages to defy the odds and come out on top! Thanks to his quick thinking Jake managed to use Zebstrika's incredible strength against it! With this, Jake moves on to the 3rd round!" The announcer exclaimed.

Satisfied on his win, Hayai gave a small smile before falling over, defeated.
The amount of energy he had used to win was to much for the electrified Pokemon!

Jake quickly returned the Blitzle to it's Pokeball.
"You did great out there, now take as much of a rest as you need" Jake said as he put the ball back onto his belt.

"Congratulations on your victory once again!" A familiar voice came from behind him.
Jake turned around to see the same attendant from before.
"Thanks, it was a really close match" Jake replied.
The man nodded. "Yes, I didn't think you would get so lucky two matches in a row! Now if you'll follow me, I'll escort you out"
Though he already knew the way out, Jake followed the attendant through the crimson red doors and into the waiting room.

"I must admit, just seeing you battle is rather exciting! I hope you'll make it even farther with your battles to come." The attendant confessed.

"Thank you, I've never really battled in such a setting before, so you saying that really helps." Jake smiled.

"I see...well as for your next battle, it seems you'll be competing in the first match of round three, so you'll only have to wait about fifteen minutes this time" The man explained.

"That's good, what kind of format is it?" Jake inquired.

"It shall be another double battle, same rules as always." The attendant told him.

"Another double battle?" Jake thought to himself.
"Alfie and Hayai aren't in any condition to battle, which means I'm going to need another pair that'll work well together..."

"May I make a suggestion?" The attendant suddenly spoke up.
Jake gave a brief nod, interested in what the man had to say.
"I'd suggest you drop off your tired Pokemon at the Pokemon center right now. Then when you're done, maybe you can come back and stay here instead of wandering off again?" The man asked somewhat coldly.

"He's never going to let that go, is he?" Jake questioned as he walked out of the room, heeding the mans advice.
-----
Getting everything in order at the Pokemon center only took a couple minutes. After all, the only Pokemon he had needed to leave there were Alfie and Hayai. Soon, the young trainer walked back over to the waiting room, where the attendant was waiting.

"Ah, I see we've decided to come back at a reasonable time, hmm? That's a surprise" The man teased Jake.

"Ya ya I get it, I was late twice, sue me" Jake muttered as he sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs.

The man ignored him and instead waited for when he could escort Jake outside. It only took a few minutes, but soon the attendant had gotten the signal to usher the young trainer outside.

"Your match is about to begin Jake, please follow me" The attendant
said as he stood up and walked towards the doors.
Jake followed the man out into the stadium. While the stadium had still been covered in a strong light before, now the sun had began to set, and as such the arena was starting to become a whole lot darker.

Still, even in the slightly darker conditions, Jake noticed that there were still a lot of people on the bleachers. Perhaps even more then before? Jake couldn't really tell.

Once Jake had reached his side of the arena, he spotted his opponent making their way to the other side.
She seemed to be in her early twenties and had a scowl on her face. She also had long dark brown hair, or was it black? Jake couldn't tell from where he was standing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our very first match in the 3rd round of the Electric Masters Tournament!" The announcers gruff voice could be heard yet again.

"On the left, we have Elizabeth from our very own, Rayo Town! She's managed to win both of her matches without a sweat! Will she be able to do it again?" The announcer asked.

"And on the right, we have Jake from Asperita City! He's managed to narrowly win both of his matches today! Will his luck continue?" The announcer continued.

"Elizabeth, you shall be choosing your two Pokemon and moves first, understood?" The referee asked.

"I know the rules, you don't need to tell me! The woman barked.
"Alright my lovelies, time to show them how we play!" Elizabeth cackled as she chucked two Pokeballs into the air. From them emerged an Elekid and a fearsome looking Luxio!

"It looks as if Elizabeth has chosen Elekid and Luxio! Elekid proved to be a powerful ally for Elizabeth during the first round, but how will it fare now?" The announcers voice boomed throughout the arena.

"Alright Error, Milo it's your time to shine!" Jake called as he threw a Pokeball and Thunderball into the air. From them, an energetic Magneton and a Mareep materialized.

"Yay! Error loves tournament! Error will do his best!" The Magneton droned

"And Jake has chosen Magneton and Mareep! Both of these Pokemon have yet to see any time here in the tournament! Will they make a name for themselves here?" The announcer continued.

"Now that both trainers have chosen their Pokemon, and with that ladies and gentlemen, let the battle begin!"

"Alright Elekid and Luxio, let's show them how nasty we can get! Elekid, use Fire Punch on Magneton! Luxio you use Night Slash on Mareep!"
Elizabeth barked.

"Let's do our best out there! Error use Double Team! Milo, you use Body Slam on Luxio!" Jake ordered.

Luxio was the first to act! It's claws started to glow an eerie purplish colour and the spark Pokemon dashed towards Milo! The Luxio lunged forward, ready to deliver a powerful slash to the Mareep! However, Milo had different plans. As the Luxio came towards the wool Pokemon, Milo nimbly jumped to the side, dodging the attack.

The Luxio was completely caught off guard! The Mareep didn't look capable of such nimble maneuvers. Now was Milo's chance to strike! The Luxio was vulnerable! However instead of attacking, Milo let out a yawn and laid down on the hard clay battle field.

"Milo, what are you doing?!" Jake demanded.

"What's this folks? It seems as if Mareep is completely disobeying orders and not attacking at all! Will Elizabeth be able to take advantage of this struggle?" The announcer asked.

"How pathetic, your Pokemon won't even listen to you? What a complete joke of a trainer you are!" Elizabeth taunted.

Despite his teammates disobedience, Error was as excited as ever! The Magneton quickly moved back and forth between several places rapidly!
As "he" was doing this, the Magneton began creating copies of himself in order to confuse the opposition. When Error was done, there were two lookalikes of the magnet Pokemon!

Elekid seemed quite unfazed by this, however and proceeded to charge at one of the three Magnetons! His fist cloaked in fire, the electric Pokemon threw a punch at one of the Magnetons! Upon contact, the Error vanished leaving but two of the Magnet Pokemon left!

"It seems things are starting rather slowly for the match between these two trainers. Both Elekid and Luxio completely missed their targets! What's more, Mareep doesn't seem to be cooperating with Jake at all! Which one of these trainers will manage to grab hold of the lead?"

"Alright, Milo can you please cooperate?" Jake asked the Mareep.
Milo shook his head in response to his trainers question.
"Milo, please? I'm begging you, please help me win this fight! I promise I won't ask you to do anything else in this tournament!" Jake pleaded to the Mareep.
But Milo ignored his trainers pleads, instead deciding that it was the perfect time for a quick nap.

Jake let out an audible sigh before turning to Error. "Sorry Error, looks like you're going to need to pick up Milo's slack here. Let's start with a Super Sonic attack on Luxio! Then follow through with a Mirror Shot on Elekid!"

"Alright Elekid, let's help out Luxio with a Helping Hand! Luxio give it all you've got with Wild Charge!

It looked like Error was the first one to move! Quickly, the Magneton began to gather a moderate amount of energy! The magnet Pokemon then fired the energy out in a form of a small beam straight at Luxio!

Luxio couldn't react in time, and was hit by the strange beam! Slowly, the spark Pokemon's head started to spin. Soon the Luxio couldn't tell friend from foe, it was completely confused!

Elekid was next to take action! The electric Pokemon started to encourage Luxio in an attempt to boost it's confidence and pride! Luxio felt the support from Elekid, and felt even more powerful then before!

Luxio, now even more confident in it's skills, began to cloak itself in a large amount of electrical energy before charging towards it's opponent.
However, the Luxio completely missed both Error and the napping Milo!

Now Error was ready to attack again, and began to gather steel type energy into a reflective ball! Elekid was prepared to dodge the attack, and stared at the magnificent energy ball. However, as Error fired the powerful blast, a powerful glare of light shot into Elekid's eyes, causing it to see spots!
Now unable to see, the electric Pokemon was completely vulnerable to the attack, which sent a sharp pain throughout it's body upon impact!

"And with that round over, it seems that Jake has taken the lead! Once again, both Luxio and Elekid have missed their mark. Even worse, Luxio is completely confused! However, with Mareep still not listening to Jake, can he hope to maintain the lead for long?" The announcer questioned.

"Don't disappoint me now you two! Let's keep our focus on Magneton for now. Elekid, show them the power of your Fire Punch! Luxio Fire Fang!" Elizabeth commanded.

"You know, I won't be mad at you Milo if you decide to battle now. So can you please do it, for me?" Jake pleaded once more to the Mareep.
Once again, Milo ignored anything his trainer had to say. No way was he going to compete in a battle!

"Fine, be that way." Jake scoffed.
"Alright Error, let's go for a Double Edge on Elekid! Then follow with a Magnet Bomb!"

Error was quick to act, and the magnet Pokemon began to recklessly charge towards Elekid!

The Magneton slammed into the electric Pokemon with incredible power, causing it to reel back! However, the attack had hurt Error too, and the magnet Poke on had to rest in order to recover from the attack. Taking advantage of this, Elekid began cloaking it's fist in flames!
The electric Pokemon ran towards Error, before delivering a powerful blow!
Though the Elekid had merely hit a clone of Error last time, this time it was the real deal!

Taking advantage of the Magneton's vulnerable state, Luxio charged towards the Magnet Pokemon, it's fangs enveloped in bright orange flames!
Despite the spark Pokemon's confusion, it had managed to score a direct hit on Error! However, upon contact with it's fangs, the Magneton completely disappeared. Luxio had hit a clone!

Not ready to back down yet, Error began to charge up a moderate amount of steel type energy! The Magneton transformed the energy into a glowing silver ball! Error fired the projectile towards Luxio, which immediately began to home in on the spark Pokemon! The ball latched on to Luxio, no matter what Luxio did, the ball of energy wouldn't let go. After a few seconds, the mass of energy exploded, causing moderate damage to the spark Pokemon.

"With the end of this round, Jake still holds a firm lead! Though he's only commanding one Pokemon, Magneton remains at a reasonable level of health. Elekid, meanwhile seems to have taken a lot of damage this round, and is completely exhausted! Luxio seems to be faring decently, though it seems to still be confused! How will Elizabeth attempt to turn this around?" The announcer questioned once more.

"Alright Error, let's keep this up!" Jake cheered, deciding to ignore Milo entirely. "Let's go for another Double Edge on Elekid! Then use Mirror Shot on Luxio!"

"Elekid, use Dual Chop on Magneton! Luxio, snap out of it already and use Double Kick on Magneton! Elizabeth barked.

Elekid was the first Pokemon to act! The electric Pokemon quickly began to surround both his arms in dragonic energy before rushing towards Error! Elekid swung one of it's arms, managing to strike the magnet Pokemon! It then went for a second swing with it's other arm...and missed? It seemed the earlier effects from Mirror Shot hadn't completely faded away as Elekid had completely missed it's target!

Not one to stand idle, Error once again began to recklessly charge towards Elekid! As the Magneton slammed into the electric Pokemon, it let out a loud cry! It seemed that the attack was too much for it! Once Elekid had hit the ground, it became obvious that it wasn't getting up any time soon!

"Elekid is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.
Elizabeth grunted as she took out the electric Pokemon's ball.
"You were a complete disappointment, don't ever fail me again!" She shouted as she returned the Pokemon to it's ball.

"With that ladies and gentlemen, Elekid is unable to battle! Now Elizabeth is down to only one Pokemon while Jake still has two! However, Magneton took some heavy damage from using that double edge attack, and isn't looking too good! Can Elizabeth take advantage of this and turn the tables?" The announcer asked.

Despite it's teammate going down, Luxio wasn't ready to go down without a fight. Still under the effects of confusion, Luxio managed to charge towards Error, delivering two powerful kicks once it reached the magnet Pokemon!

Error reeled back in pain! It was obvious that the attack had done a lot to him! Error wasn't ready to admit defeat though! Beginning it's next attack, the Magneton began gathering steel energy, forming it into a glowing orb! Error then shot the reflective ball towards Luxio!

Unlike it's teammate, Luxio was smart enough not to stare at the reflective ball as it shot out towards the spark Pokemon. However, Luxio still couldn't get out of the way in time and as such, the powerful attack made direct contact with it! The pain shot throughout the spark Pokemon, causing it to cry out! However the pain was just what the Luxio needed to keep it's head clear! Any left over effects of it's confusion were completely gone thanks to the attack!

"With this round coming to a close, Luxio and Magneton seem to be much closer in health! It could be anyone's match now! Who will be victorious, Jake or Elizabeth? It all comes down to this!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Error, it's all or nothing! Give them your most powerful Double Edge attack!" Jake ordered.

"Luxio, you better not fail me! Use Wild Charge, max power!" Elizabeth screamed.

Luxio began to surround itself in a veil of electric energy, glowing a bright yellow! The spark Pokemon then began to charge towards it's opponent!

Error too, began to charge up a large amount of energy before bolting towards Luxio! The two Pokemon made contact, and due to the massive amounts of raw energy, a small explosion was made!
Both Pokemon were engulfed in the dark smoke, the outcome of the clash was unknown, leaving everyone on the edge of their seats!
As the smoke began to clear, Jake could make out the shape of a Magneton, still floating. Jake smiled. He knew Error would never give up!
Sure enough, as the smoke fully cleared, there was only one Pokemon left standing.
"Luxio is unable to battle, Jake and Magneton win!" The announcer exclaimed!
Instead of cheers of excitement that Jake was used to from winning, the young trainer was met was an excessive booing!

"You stink, your Pokemon won't even listen to you!" Jake could hear someone yell.

"How can you call yourself a trainer? You should quit while you're ahead!" Another voice called out.
Jake tried to ignore the voices, but they really stung. If Milo had just listened, it wouldn't have been a problem! It was all Milo's fault!

"Why did I even bother with you? You're a pathetic excuse for a Pokemon!" Elizabeth yelled as she returned the Luxio to it's ball.

"Error won! E-error is s-so excited!" The Magneton droned weakly as he floated back over to Jake.
"You were amazing out there Error! Now take a nice long break, you deserve it!" Jake said with a smile as he returned the Magnet Pokemon to it's ball.

Jake then glared at Milo. The Mareep was still resting on the side of the arena. Without a word, Jake returned the wool Pokemon into it's ball.
"It's all your fault, if you had just listened like all of the others for once, I wouldn't have had to embarrass myself like this!" Jake thought as he put the Thunderball back onto his belt.

"Congratulations on your......somewhat strange victory." The attendant said as he walked over to Jake.
"I don't want to hear about it!" Jake yelled as he stormed passed the man and out of the arena.
---------
Rayo Town Outskirts
---------
Jake, in his anger, had managed to storm of out of the arena and through the streets. Eventually, the young trainer had reached the outskirts of the lively town. Once he had arrived, Jake grabbed a Thunderball from his belt and threw it into the air. From the ball, materialized a familiar looking Mareep.

"What the hell was that for?!" Jake yelled once the Mareep realized where he was.
"What was what for?" Milo asked, pretending to be oblivious.
"You know exactly what I mean! Back there in the arena you made me look like a complete fool! People were booing me!" Jake yelled once more.
"I told you I wasn't going to battle, and you tried to use me anyway!" Milo countered.
"You never ONCE said that, and even if you did, you didn't have to make a complete fool of me!" Jake continued.
"I didn't want to battle! I don't care if you looked like a fool! You were trying to force me into doing something I didn't want to!" Milo retaliated.
"What kind of a Pokemon doesn't want to battle?! It's not like you have an excuse like Lucky where he's incredibly shy! If he can do it why can't you?!" Jake demanded.
"Maybe we don't all have to like battles ok?! Maybe some of us just want to do something other then a be a complete barbarian!" Milo yelled.
"Well then maybe I don't want a Pokemon that refuses to battle! How about you just leave and never come back! How about you go do those stupid contests somewhere else!" Jake roared.
"I guess I will then! I don't need a complete freak of a trainer anyway! It's what you are! A complete freak and you know it!" The Mareep screamed before running off into the nearby woods.

Jake sat down on one of the nearby rocks to take a breath. He needed a break after all that yelling. "I don't need a complete freak of a trainer!" Jake could hear Milo's words ring in his head. Over and over. The more the young trainer sat there thinking about it, the more he realized how right Milo was.
He was a freak, an absolute freak! Maybe Milo was better off without him anyway....

Jake sat there for a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Playing the small fight in his head over and over. Finally he stood up. Jake realized that he had been to harsh on the Mareep. If he didn't want to fight, he had no right to try and force him. He needed to find Milo. It was his fault that the wool Pokemon had ran away. Quickly Jake grabbed a Pokeball off his belt and tossed it in the air. From the ball materialized an Eevee.

"Hazel I need your help, I got into a fight with Milo....long story short he's ran off into the woods! We need to find him!" Jake explained.
Hazel gave a brief nod before running off towards the woods.
"Wait for me!" Jake called before sprinting after him.
Already the sun had set and the moon had started to come out from hiding.
Jake could only hope he could find Milo before it was too late. He had to repair the damage he had caused!

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 08-15-2016 at 10:45 PM. Reason: Correcting more spelling errors.
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Old 07-05-2016, 06:59 PM   #9
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The Electric Masters Tournament! Part 2

With nothing but a thin spring coat, Jake ran towards the cold, foreboding forest that sprawled in front of him. The teen gave a small grin as he realized how badly Telpo would have scolded him for it, had he been with him.
But warmth wasn't on the young trainers mind as he recklessly charged ahead.
He had to find Milo! The Mareep, despite his decently sized pool of moves, had never actually participated in a battle to his knowledge.

Jake knew from experience how dangerous it could be in a forest on a cold winter night! Luckily for him, he wasn't alone. Right ahead of him, Hazel was also running towards the forest, which was now right in front of them.
Despite the situation at hand, Jake couldn't help but smile at the Eevee's antics. He was so used to seeing him timidly approach anything remotely eerie, and now Hazel was paying no heed to the ominous trees that surrounded the path ahead.

Though previously unconcerned about himself, it was only once Hazel had approached the entrance to the forest that he froze in place, all his fears suddenly rushing back to him.
"Is everything ok?" Jake asked as he noticed the Evolution Pokemon.
"I-I should be fine....Milo needs us..right?" Hazel responded.
Jake gave a brief nod before looking ahead into the veil of darkness. It was times like these he regretted not teaching any of his Electric Pokemon flash...

"Well, there isn't any use just standing here, let's go Hazel" Jake said firmly as he slowly made his way into the forest's grasp. After a moments hesitation, Hazel followed his trainers lead.

The first thing Jake noticed as he began exploring the forest, was just how dark it was. The canopy of leaves provided by the countless trees left little room for light to shine down upon the floor of leaves.
"The fact that it's practically night doesn't help!" Jake mused as he continued through the winding woods, unsure of where to start his search.

The young trainer was unsure if Milo would even answer, should he call his name...but he didn't have any other ideas... looking for him otherwise would take way too long!

"Milo! We need to talk!" Jake called out into the darkness.
The only response the young trainer received was the echo of his own voice.
Slightly discouraged, the pair continued their search for the Mareep, only to stop a few seconds later at the sounds of footsteps.

"I've got you now! Zebstrika use Take Down!"
Jake didn't have time to react as the voice pierced the air! Hazel could only watch as his trainer flew off his feet as a Zebstrika suddenly slammed into him.

It wasn't the first time Jake had taken a Pokemon's attack head on, but the sudden impact left him gasping for air as he flew back and onto the hard ground.
As the young trainer struggled to get up, the source of the voice he had heard approached him, a very familiar young man, sporting a bright red jacket and dirty blond hair.

"Maybe you'll think twice before you steal from....wait you're.."
"Jake" The young trainer cut the blond man off as he got up.
"Right. I'm sorry for ordering my Zebstrika to do that! I didn't expect you to be in the woods this late." Tyler apologized.

"It's alright, it's not like that's the first time your Zebstrika has managed to knock me over." Jake chuckled lightly.

"I hope you don't mind me being a bit nosy, but what are you doing out here? Don't you think it's a bit dangerous to be out here at this time?" Tyler asked as he glanced at Jake and Hazel.

"I could ask the same to you!" Jake retorted with a light smile.
"I'm looking for my Mareep, he umm...ran away..me and Hazel here are trying to find him." Jake continued, the smile suddenly vanishing from his face.

"Hmm, that is somewhat troubling.. wish I could help..but I have my own problems I have to deal with." Tyler replied.

"If I may ask, what kind of problems?" Jake questioned.

"Well... after our battle, I wanted to train here for a bit. There's still some tournaments left before the nationals, so why not, right? Well I was about ready to pack it in, when suddenly these weird guys came up to me and attacked me.....they managed to overpower me and, and they took my Eelektrik!" Tyler confessed.

"That's terrible! Do you remember what they were wearing, where they went, anything?" Jake questioned.

"I-i don't remember what they looked like.....only that they ran off into this forest." Tyler replied glumly.

"Well...let's not give up hope just yet..the thieves could still be in this forest...how recently did this happen?" Jake further inquired

"About fifteen minutes ago if I had to guess." Tyler answered the best he could.

"Well then that settles it, since we're both looking for something in this forest, it'd be best if we stick together." The young trainer suggested.

Hazel let out a small sigh at his trainer's suggestion. He knew Jake was going to ask, but the Eevee was hoping he wouldn't. As much as Hazel wanted to help, he wanted to leave the ominous forest even more!

"Really? You'd actually be willing to help? That'd be great!" Tyler exclaimed, his Zebstrika nodding in agreement.

"Alright, then it's settled then!" Jake replied.
The trainers both smiled for a moment, but soon started to look around awkwardly.
"So umm...where do we start looking?" Jake asked after a few seconds.

Tyler was going to shrug in response, but before he could, a sharp cry pierced through the otherwise quiet forest. Jake recognized the voice as it startled the others around him, it was Milo!

"That's Milo, we have to hurry!" Jake exclaimed as he ran towards where he had heard the voice. He knew that Milo wouldn't have made a peep unless he was in danger.

Tyler was confused for a brief moment, before he pieced together that Milo was probably Jake's Mareep and quickly ran after him, his Zebstrika following suit.

Hazel froze as he was quickly abandoned by the two trainers. Did he really want to throw himself headlong into the danger that surely awaited him? Not really...
But staying in the cold, scary woods all alone was probably worse.
Having decided on which terrible choice he would follow, Hazel ran off in hopes of catching up with Jake and Tyler.
----
The location of Milo's cries hadn't been very far, as such Jake easily found where the Mareep was located. Just beyond where Jake stood was a small clearing in the otherwise dense forest. Not wanting to charge right in, the young trainer peered through a small gap in a nearby group of bushes.

The first thing Jake spotted was two humanoid figures. They appeared to be wearing pink suits...or was it grey? Jake couldn't really tell. What he could tell though, was what they had cornered! The young trainer almost cried out to the Mareep, who was shaking as a Lickitung and Eelektrik slowly approached the wool Pokemon. Jake knew that they belonged to the people corning Milo.

Jake remembered Tyler's words. A strange group had attacked him and taken his Eelektrik not too long ago... These guys certainly fit the bill.. but he didn't want to make any assumptions just yet..

The young trainer almost jumped as he felt a tap on his shoulder, confirming Tyler's presence.
"Well, did you find him?" Tyler whispered.
"See for yourself..." Jake replied as he moved over, giving the blond trainer enough room to see through the small gap.

A small gasp from Tyler confirmed any suspicions he had.
"Jake! They have him! That's my Eelektrik." Tyler said as he tried to keep a low voice.
"Then we have to stop them, let's think abou-" Jake's words were soon cut off by Tyler's screams.

"You think you can get away with taking my Eelektrik, you'll pay for this!"

Jake and Hazel could only watch as the young man stormed towards the two figures, completely blowing their cover.
"-this rationally." Jake pointlessly finished.
Seeing no reason to hide any longer, the young trainer quickly exited from the bushes, following Tyler towards the group.

The two figures turned to face the sudden commotion that had so rudely disrupted them.

Now that Jake was closer, he could make out what they looked like. The first looked to be in her early twenties. She had straight brown hair and wore a strange looking suit. Her partner appeared to be about the same age and had jet black hair. He too, wore the same strange looking suit that looked like it belonged in a science lab. Both of them were quite a bit taller then him.. then again, who wasn't?

"Looks like we have company! Look, why don't you two be good little boys and scram?" The woman taunted.

"Yeah can't you see we're busy?" The man chimed in.

"I'm not going anywhere until you give me back my Eeletrik!" Tyler demanded.

Jake, meanwhile said nothing. He was too fixated on their uniforms. He hadn't noticed until now, but they each had an X stitched onto the suits.
He had passed it off as a coincidence before, but not now. There uniforms looked almost exactly like what the people people who had stolen his Pokemon, almost three years ago, had worn! He remembered the moment vividly, it was because of them that he had lost six of his Pokemon for over a year, including Sparky!

"You! You're the ones responsible for kidnapping my Pokemon!" Jake shouted.
"Because of you, six of my Pokemon suffered for over a year, and I'll never forgive you for what you did to them!" Jake's voice dripped with disgust for the people in front of him.

"I won't let any Pokemon be a victim of your crimes ever again! Not Eelektrik, not Milo, no one!"
At this point, Hazel quickly hid behind his trainer. He had never seen the young man so full of rage before...and it scared him.

"If that's how it's going to have to happen, so be it... Lickitung use Lick on Zebstrika!" The woman commanded.

"Oh no you don't, Eelektrike use Crunch on Lickitung!" Tyler shouted.

Lickitung was the first to act, it quickly extended it's long tongue and prepared to lick it's opponent!
Eelektrik had other plans, however! In a brief act of defiance, the elefish Pokemon
coated it's teeth in a dark energy, before biting down hard on the licking Pokemon!

Lickitung let out a yelp as the powerful attack forced it to stop it's attempt at harming Zebstrika!

"S-still won't listen, huh? Guess I'll have to crank it up to an eleven!" The strange man shouted, caught off guard at Eelektrik's defiance.
He then took out a strange remote from his pocket and started fiddling with it.

Jake was confused at what exactly the man was doing, but it all became clear as he looked towards Tyler's Eelektrik. It started shaking it's head back and forth, almost as if suffering from a headache...

"Eelektrik, what's going on?! Snap out of it buddy!" Tyler called out to his companion.
Eelektrik's shaking stopped, almost as quickly as it had started, now the elefish Pokemon was simply hovering there, unaware of what had just transpired.
Suddenly, the Eelektrik started flailing about in a fit of rage! Looking for anything to release it's anger upon, it soon met eyes with Tyler! The elefish stopped it's rampage for just a moment, giving it time to fire a thin, but powerful charged beam at it's trainer!

Jake had seen something like this, he remembered back to when Kieth and his older sister had visited his secret base. Pom had gone into an absolute fit of rage! Randomly attacking his friends and trainer, as if for no reason at all. He remembered that Neku's sweet scent had helped calm him, but Neku wasn't here, nor did he have any Pokemon with sweet scent!

Tyler froze in place as the beam shot across the air towards him. Though his trainer was frozen in fear, Zebstrika was not! The thunderbolt Pokemon quickly ran in front of his trainer, protecting him from the powerful electric attack.

"Eelektrik, w-why are you doing this?! I'm your trainer!" Tyler shouted.
"It's no use Tyler. I've seen this before....you can't snap him out of it...not now anyway." Jake stated

"You'd be wise to listen to the kid, once a Pokemon is put under my control, you mine as well give it up!" The man laughed.

"So not only were you responsible for taking my Pokemon, you also forced my Ambipom to fight against his friends and family....gives me one more reason I want to destroy everything you stand for!" Jake shouted.

Completely fed up with the pair that stood in front of him, the young trainer decided to take things into his own hands.

"This is for all the people and Pokemon you've wronged! Hazel use Bite on Lickitung, then follow through with Take Down!" Jake ordered.

"I hate to do this but ....Zebstrika use Wild Charge on Eelektrik!" Tyler commanded.

"Lickitung, let's teach them a lesson for meddling with us! Use Thunder Punch on Eevee!" Lickitung's trainer barked.

"Alright Eelektrik, let's end this quick! Start this out with a Super Fang on Eevee. Next target it with a powerful Zap Cannon!"

Having previously taken an electric attack head on, Zebstrika was the first to act, thanks to it's motor drive ability! The thunderbolt Pokemon began surrounding itself in a bright yellow aura of incredible electric energy! Zebstrika then began charging towards his old teammate before crashing into him!

Wasting no time, Hazel began it's approach towards the Lickitung! Despite his appearance, Hazel managed to run towards the licking Pokemon at an incredible rate! Unable to react in time, Lickitung was subjected to a powerful bite!

Itching for a fight, Eelektrik quickly floated over to the evolution Pokemon, ready to show Hazel just how capable his fangs were! Still recovering from his previous display, Hazel had no choice but to become the victim of the elefish's incredibly powerful attack!

The Eevee cried out as the powerful fangs racked his body with an incredible pain! Though previously feeling completely fresh, Jake couldn't help but notice that the Eevee was already starting to falter. The young trainer had no doubt that Tyler's Pokemon were quite strong..but the difference in power between Hazel and Eelektrik was alarming!

Ready to contribute to the battle, Lickitung began surrounding it's hand in a current of electricity. Despite the Lickitung's slow approach, Hazel was still recovering from the shock of Eelektrik's Super Fang attack! Unable to react in time, the Eevee once again cried out as the Lickitung's attack connected, sending the Eevee flying back onto the cold, hard forest floor.

"Hazel!!!" Jake called as he could only watch in horror as the Eevee fell to the ground. The young trainer knew that, if things didn't turn around, they'd surely be in trouble. He didn't know about Tyler, but Hazel was his only Pokemon he had on hand that was capable of fighting. Alfie and Hayai were still at the Pokemon centre, Jake hadn't even thought of swapping them out... Error was seriously weakened from his last match, and Milo.....
Jake glanced behind his opponents for a brief moment. Behind them, Milo stood shaking completely, as if caught in a terrible nightmare....

"Come on Hazel, now's not the time to give up! You can do it!" Jake cheered the Eevee on.

Not wanting to disappoint his trainer, Hazel found the strength to get back on his feet and faced the Lickitung ahead of him. The Eevee then charged forward, going as fast as his tiny legs would carry him!

The Eevee's attempt did not go unnoticed by Eelektrik, who quickly began gathering a massive amount of electric energy. The elefish Pokemon transformed the energy into a large yellow ball, before then firing it at Hazel! Despite Hazel's best efforts, his tired legs could only take him so far, unable to reach Lickitung in time, the Eevee collided into the mass of energy!

The power of the two colliding forces caused a mini explosion, throwing up leaves and dust around the battlefield. When the dust cleared however, the result of the collusion became clear. Hazel was lying on the ground, his energy completely exhausted, the evolution Pokemon showed on signs of getting up.

"Hazel, no!!!" Jake cried out as he realized just how hopeless the battle had become!

"Heh, the way you were talking, you would have thought your Pokemon were worth something!" The women laughed.

"It really is pathetic...." The man added.

"Why I-I'll..." Jake began stumbling over his words in an attempt to come up with a comeback.

"Jake, don't worry about it! If you hadn't noticed..me and my Zebstrika aren't going to lose!" Tyler tried to reassure him.

"Umm...ok, I trust you then." Jake replied, a small smirk on his face. He knew just how powerful Tyler's Zebstrika was. If it hadn't been for his clever use of me first, Jake knew he wouldn't have managed to beat him in the second round.

The young trainer then turned back to his fallen Pokemon, taking a Pokeball off his belt as he did so. "Rest well Hazel, you did well out there" Jake said as he returned the evolution Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"Alright, it's all on us now Zebstrika, let's show Eelektrik the power of your Wild Charge!" Tyler shouted.

"Lickitung, stop Zebstrika in it's tracks with Lick! The woman barked.

"Eelektrik let's start with a devastating Super Fang! Then let's use Aqua Tail!"

Once more, Zebstrika was the first to act as it began surrounding itself in a bright yellow aura of incredible electric energy! The thunderbolt Pokemon then dashed towards it's target, slamming into it with incredible power!

The Eelektrik recoiled in pain, but soon recovered and began floating over to return the favour! Zebstrika cried out as the elefish chomped down upon him with incredible force. But Zebstrika wasn't through with his suffering just yet!
Not one to waste an opportunity, Lickitung quickly extended it's massive tongue and licked the thunderbolt Pokemon, covering it in saliva!

Eelektrik wasn't done just yet! The elefish started surrounding it's tail in a veil of water energy, before smashing it right into Zebstrika! The thunderbolt Pokemon recoiled as the pain racking his body suddenly intensified from the attack.

It seemed Zebstrika had taken quite a beating, and Tyler knew his companion wouldn't last much longer. This wasn't lost on Jake, the young trainer could see it as Zebstrika was struggling to stay on it's feet.

"Jake....take Milo and run!" Tyler ordered, a sudden shift in his previous behaviour.

"What, are you crazy?! I'm not leaving you here!" Jake exclaimed, shocked that Tyler would even suggest such an outlandish idea.

"Look, things aren't looking too good for us. If one of us runs, we still have a chance...I can hold them off..." Tyler explained weakly.

Tyler did make a decent point. It would certainly be easier then to stay and watch hopelessly. If he did run, he could get some help from...someone.
But since when had he taken the easy way out? Besides, Jake didn't see the pair of attackers letting him flee that easily..

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to have to decline. I'm not just about to abandon you with these freaks, I got you into this mess in the first place! If anyone's running, it should be you." Jake explained.

".....thanks. Guess I have no choice but to win this for us then! Zebstrika let's give it everything we've got, use Signal Beam on Eelektrik!" Tyler ordered.

"Eelektrik let's end them with a Crunch!" The strange man commanded.

"Lickitung show them our true power with Focus Punch!" The woman barked.

Not willing to give up just yet, Zebstrika started to gather up a large amount of bug energy! This energy was then transformed into a powerful rainbow beam, which the thunderbolt Pokemon fired towards his former teammate.

The elefish recoiled at the sheer force of the beam, but quickly recovered as if it never happened! Eelektrik then floated over to the thunderbolt Pokemon and sunk it's teeth into Zebstrika's flesh!

Zebstrika began to wobble as it tried to regain it's balance after the attack. Jake knew that the thunderbolt Pokemon wouldn't survive another hit...things were looking quite bleak for the pair.

To make matters worse, Lickitung was still raring to go! The licking Pokemon began concentrating all it's energy into it's hand. Maybe if he managed to pull this off, his trainer would finally praise him! With this in mind, the Lickitung began to charge Zebstrika, determined to deliver the final blow!

Jake couldn't stand to watch as the Lickitung drew ever closer. This was it...maybe he really should have taken Tyler up on his offer!
It was if time had stood still for that brief moment. Milo shivering...Tyler's face riddled with fear...and their opponents, smirking at the inevitable result between Zebstrika and Lickitung.

"Manectric use Hyper Beam!" A gruff voice called out, shattering the illusion of the frozen scene. Jake and Tyler both gasped as a giant beam of pure energy shot out from beside them, blasting both Lickitung and Eelektrik into a nearby tree!

"Wha-bu- what is the meaning of this?!" The women demanded as she cast her gaze to where the hyper beam had come from.

From his left, Jake spotted a man and a Manectric approaching. The man looked to be in his early thirties. He was wearing a cap, with straight black hair sticking out.

"It's you! You came to save us! I can't believe it, you're really here!" Tyler exclaimed upon spotting the man.
Jake was confused at Tyler's strange reaction to the man, but figured it wasn't the time to ask questions, instead watching the scene that unfolded.

"W-what is the meaning of this si- I -who are you?!" The trainer of Eelektrik questioned as he stumbled over his words.
The older man smirked for a brief moment before suddenly scowling.

"I don't need to explain anything to you! Now stop harassing these young men before I send my Manectric after you." The man growled.

"I'll- show you what you get for messing with tea-" The women was quickly cut off by her partner.
"N-now's not the time Victoria...let's get outta here!" The man said as he withdrew Eelektrik into it's Pokeball.
Victoria gave a brief nod to her partner, before turning to Jake. "Just you wait Jake Eclair, we'll get what we need from you... one day..." With that, the pair ran off, leaving the three of them behind.

"Wait! That's my Eelektrik!" Tyler cried as he began to take off after them.

"Tyler wait, you can't chase after them!" Jake shouted as he grabbed his arm and stopped the older trainer.

"W-what are you doing Jake?! I need to get my Pokemon back!!!" Tyler screamed as he tried to remove himself from Jake's grasp.

"We're in no shape to fight, your Zebstrika is barely standing!!" Jake explained.

"Jake is right you know....you two are in no shape to pursue them." The strange trainer addressed them.
At his words, Tyler immediately stopped struggling and turned towards the man. "I-i guess you're right...." Tyler muttered.

"So Tyler....mind if I ask how you know this man..you seemed awfully excited about his appearance." Jake questioned

"You don't know about him? This is Ryan Williams! The guy has managed to sweep every tournament with only his Manectric! He's my idol!" Tyler explained.

"Wait, you're Ryan Williams?!?" Jake questioned the man, not sure if he fully believed it.

"The one and only...nice to meet you!" Ryan said with a smile.

"So this is the guy everyone has been talking about... If I'm going to win this tournament, then I'm going to have to get past him....." Jake muttered, forgetting just where he was at the time.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're competing in the semi-finals tomorrow, right Jake?" Ryan asked the younger trainer.

"That would be correct!" Jake confirmed as he gave a small nod.

"Well good luck out there! Who knows, maybe you'll have a chance to take on me in the finals!" Ryan exclaimed.

"Wait, Jake you made it to the semi finals?!" Tyler asked, completely shocked at the revelation.

"I thought you would have known that, considering you're still hanging around here!" Jake teased.

"Well good luck! If I know you as well as I think I do, you're going to make it to the finals! Then I won't know just who to cheer for!" Tyler joked, causing the other two trainers to burst out laughing.

"Well it's been fun chatting, but I need to get ready for tomorrow, I hope to see you in the finals Jake!" Ryan exclaimed as he began to walk away, his Manectric
following right behind.

"I guess I should pack it up as well...thank you for helping me Jake. I may not have been able to get my Eelektrik back, but I'm not giving up hope! Next time we meet, me and my Eelektrik will show you just what we're made of!" Tyler assured him.

"Sounds good to me! Good luck on trying to get into the nationals!" Jake replied.

"Thank you, until we meet again..farewell!" Tyler said with a wave as he and his Zebstrika went their own way.

Though Jake was disappointed that the pair had left, the young trainer was also somewhat glad. He needed the time alone with Milo....it's what he had come to this forest for. Jake slowly walk over to the Mareep, who had stopped shaking, instead preferring to lie on a pile of leaves.

"Hey..umm Milo....we need to talk...." Jake started awkwardly. Milo's eyes opened, and for a brief moment the Mareep glared at his trainer before speaking.
"Talk about what? I think we made our arguments perfectly clear." Milo scoffed.
"I wanted to apologize...for what I said. You don't have to battle if you don't want to...in fact, I'd be glad to have you back." Jake confessed.
Milo was stunned at his trainers words, he began looking over his face, seeing if they held any truth.
"I-I'm sorry for what I said too. You aren't the worst trainer out there....just don't force me to battle and we're good." Milo responded, a tiny smile began to form.
"It's a deal, welcome back Milo!" Jake exclaimed before trying to hug the Mareep.
Doing so caused a small static shock, making Jake jump in surprise.

Milo started to laugh at his trainer's antics, and soon Jake did too. The pair didn't even notice anyone was with them until Jake felt a long tongue lick him from behind. The young trainer almost jumped, but kept his composer as he turned around, coming face to face with a Lickitung!

"Ahh! Lickitung..what are you doing here? I thought you belonged to Victoria?" Jake asked the licking Pokemon.
The Lickitung knew that Jake wouldn't be able to understand him, but he still found himself explaining the situation.

"S-she abandoned me....I-I don't want to be alone....." The Lickitung explained, trying his best not to cry. Jake could see the Lickitung was quite shaken up about the whole thing, and did what he thought was best to calm it.

The young trainer wrapped his arms around the pink Pokemon and patted it on the head. "It's going to be ok little guy...we'll get you out of here.." Jake assured it.
Surprised by the action's of the young man, the Lickitung couldn't help but feel a bit better.....maybe everything would turn out ok.
-----
It wasn't long before the trio had found the exit to the long and winding woods. What little light had been in the sky before was completely gone. Once the they had arrived, Jake turned towards Lickitung.

"Here you are, you're free to go Lickitung." Jake smiled at the pink Pokemon.
The licking Pokemon turned to the trainer and gave a brief nod. Though he wanted desperately to accompany him, they both agreed that it would be better for him to return to the wild.
Lickitung watched as Jake took out his old Pokeball from his coat pocket. They had managed to find it on their way out of the woods, Victoria and her partner probably dropped when they had fled.

Jake took the round red and white sphere and crushed it under his foot.
"You're completely free now little buddy!" Jake exclaimed as he watched the Lickitung for a reaction. Though the Lickitung didn't smile, he did give a brief nod and a wave of his hand, as if to say goodbye. He then turned his back and started walking off, away from the giant stadium in the distance.

"Lickitung wait!" Jake called out to the licking Pokemon before he could very far.
Lickitung quickly faced Jake and tilted his head as if to question him.
The young trainer ran over and dug something out of his pack, before eventually handing it to him.

"I didn't want to leave without giving you something, as a memento of our friendship.." Jake explained as the Lickitung inspected the amulet in his hand. It appeared to be a small glass Bellsprout...
Confused, the Lickitung tilted his head once more, wondering what the trainer's intentions were.

"It's a Bellsprout amulet...I gave it to one of my Pokemon a long time ago, as a sign of our friendship. But they don't need it anymore, and...I want you to have it...to remember me." Jake explained.

Lickitung smiled at the idea of it, and quickly managed to put it around his neck.
"It looks good on you." Jake smiled at the licking Pokemon.
The Lickitung smiled and gave Jake another lick with his saliva drenched tongue.
"Stop it that tickles!" Jake laughed as he wiped his face with his coat sleeve.

Lickitung smiled at the young mans laughter and gave him another wave. Then he turned his back and started off towards a new adventure.

"You know, I'm going to miss him, even if we only met for a few short minutes." Jake smiled as he turned to his Mareep, who had watch the entire ordeal go down.

"Why didn't you offer him to join? I'm sure he would have...." Milo said, shaking his head in confusion.

"It just didn't feel right, after what had just happened... Besides, I'm sure we'll meet him again." Jake reassured the Mareep.

But now wasn't the time to think about that. Jake's mind wandered back to what Victoria had said. "Just you wait Jake Eclair, we'll get what we need from you... one day..." What could she have meant by that? What did they need from him that was so important? The thought sent shivers down his spine.

"Can we go home now? I'm tired!" Milo whined.
"Definitely, I need all the rest I can get for tomorrow" Jake explained, turning his attention to the stadium ahead. The past hour had been quite an eventful one. But Jake wasn't done with Rayo Town just yet. Tomorrow, the Electric Masters Tournament was coming to an end. He knew he had already managed to qualify for the nationals, but that wasn't enough. He still had to get through two more trainers before he was crowned the victor. Jake had promised Hazel that he would beat Ryan Williams and place first, and he had no intention on going back on it.

"Ryan Williams, you're about to meet your match! First place, here I come!"

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 07-06-2016 at 01:10 AM.
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Old 09-30-2016, 10:59 PM   #10
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The Electric Masters Tournament! Part 3

Jake could feel the excitement in the air as he entered the Rayo stadium. The lobby was crowded with people, hurrying to purchase their last minute tickets.
"It's even busier then yesterday...." Jake thought to himself as made his way through the crowd.

Eventually, the young trainer made his way out of the lobby and into a long stretch of hallway. It wasn't until he had gotten to the familiar dark waiting room that he realized just how fast his heart was racing.
"It's going to be ok, you've already made it this far, you can do this!" Jake reassured himself.

"Well well, look who decided to arrive on time!" A voice called out, shattering the otherwise quiet atmosphere.
Jake turned to see the attendent who had helped him the previous day.
"Aww, I was hoping you had taken the day off!" Jake chuckled as the man walked towards his desk.

"So, are you ready for your next match?" The attendant asked, ignoring Jake's comment.
"Umm, not really......can you explain the rules?" Jake asked. In his excitement to get to the stadium, he had completely forgotten to check the format of the next battle!

"The next battle will be a single battle, with each trainer allowed to use three Pokemon. The rules are the same otherwise, except that their isn't any switching allowed. If you return your Pokemon to it's Pokeball before it has fainted, it will be counted as a knockout." The man explained.

"What about moves such as Volt Switch or U-turn? Are you allowed to use those?" The young trainer questioned.

"Yes, moves that switch Pokemon out, such as Roar or Volt Switch are the exception." The attendant explained once more.

"Alright, let me just go get my Pokemon! I'll be back real quick!" Jake promised as he made his way to the door.

"Not so fast! Knowing you, you'll be late if you go out there now....instead withdraw your Pokemon from here." The attendant advised, pointing to the PC in the corner of the room.

"You mean I could have just used this the whole time? Why didn't you tell me earlier?" The young trainer asked with a sigh, before making his way to the PC.
----------
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our final match in the semi-finals of the Electric Masters Tournament!" The familiar sound of the announcers voice rang across the stadium.

"On the left we have Lily from Jubilife City! Though Lily scrapped by in the first round, she's since shown how much of a threat she is, sweeping in the previous two rounds!" The announcer explained.

"And on the right we have Jake from Aspertia City! Jake has struggled every step of the way to get to where he is. Despite this, he's always found a way to pull through!" The announcer continued.

"This is it! All I have to do is win this, then I'll make it to the finals!" Jake thought to himself, as he waited to send out his first Pokemon.

"Lily, you'll be the first to choose your Pokemon and moves, is that clear?" The referee asked the young woman.

"Yes sir." Lily nodded before tossing a Pokeball into the air.
From the red and white ball materialised a familiar electric mouse! The mouse Pokemon sniffed around for a second before facing Jake and letting out a small cry.

"And Lily has chosen Pikachu as her first Pokemon! Her Pikachu managed to help Lily win the second round, but how will it fare against Jake's Pokemon?" The announcer questioned.

Though most might have laughed at Lily's use of Pikachu, Jake knew not to underestimate the mouse Pokemon. Despite it's looks, Pikachu could learn a whole variety of powerful moves! The young trainer needed a Pokemon with a variety of resistances, and he knew just the one!

"Alright Error, I choose you!" Jake called as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. From the ball came the Magnet Pokemon, Magneton!

"And Jake has picked Magneton as his first Pokemon! His Magneton managed to single handily win the third round for Jake! Will he be able to do the same here?" The announcer once again spoke up.

"Error is super excited to battle! Error will win again!" The Magneton cheerfully droned as he floated over to his place.

"Now that both trainers have chosen their Pokemon, let the battle begin!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Pikachu, show them your adorable Tail Whip! Then use your amazing Agility attack!" Lily called to her partner.

"Error let's give it all we've got! First use Mirror Shot, then follow it up with Double Team!" Jake commanded.

Pikachu was the first to act! Making us of it's speed, Pikachu ran towards Error at an incredible rate. Before Error could react, the Pikachu slapped the Magnet Pokemon with it's tail.

Despite the sudden impact, Error didn't even flinch! Was this all his opponent had? Error scoffed at the Pikachu, letting it's guard down in the process!

Now it was Error's turn to attack! The Magnet Pokemon started to gather steel energy into a glowing orb, before firing it towards his opponent!

Despite resisting steel type moves, Pikachu still let out a small cry as the orb slammed into it! Jake knew a Pikachu's main weakness was it's defences, if he kept up the assault, he would surely beat the mouse Pokemon!

But Pikachu wasn't done yet! The mouse Pokemon stopped attacking, instead focusing on relaxing it's muscles!
Seeing an opportunity to act, Error began to rapidly move between several locations! Soon enough, there wasn't just one Magneton on the field, but three!

"Not much action has been had on either side this round! Despite this, Jake seems to be in the lead by a small margin! Let's hope things pick up in the next round!" The announcers voice picked up once more, causing the crowd to start cheering for who they wanted to win!

Jake couldn't help but smile at the results of the first round. Despite Pikachu getting a Tail Whip in, Error now had two copies on the battle field! Surely that would buy him some time to do serious damage to his opponent!

"Alright Error, let's go for a Tackle! Then go for a Double Edge!" Jake ordered.

"Pikachu, let's show them how powerful we are with your Discharge attack! Then attack with Brick Break!" Lily called out once more.

Wasting no time, Pikachu quickly began to charge up electrical energy, preparing for a powerful Discharge!
Error, not one to stand by, charged towards his opponent at a surprising rate! Pikachu seemed unfazed at the three Magneton charging towards it, in fact it seemed to be waiting! Just as Error was about to hit Pikachu, the electric mouse Pokemon released all the energy it had been storing!
The discharge of energy hit the surrounding area, shocking Error and his clones!

Now that the Magnet Pokemon's clones had been taking care of, Pikachu took no time in showing off it's true speed, delivering a powerful chop to Error before he could even react! The Magneton cried out upon impact!
The attack had delt an extreme amount of damage! While the Magneton had previously been near full health, he now dwindled at about the halfway mark!

But Error wasn't ready to give up just yet! The magnet Pokemon began gather energy, before recklessly charging into his opponent! Now it was the Pikachu's turn to cry out! The impact from the powerful attack sent the mouse Pokemon flying back a bit!

"And that ends round two folks, and what an exciting round it was! Though Jake had a small lead before, both Pokemon now seem to be pretty low on health, though Pikachu has a slight lead! How will things go in the next round? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Pikachu, let us show them your beautiful Iron Tail attack! Then let's dazzle them with one more Brick Break!" Lily told her Pokemon.

"Let's end this now Error! First use Mirror Shot, then put your all into a Double Edge!" Called out to the Magnet Pokemon.

Pikachu began the match by gathering steel energy into it's tail! At the same time, Error also began to gather steel energy, forming it into the shape of a sphere! Pikachu then ran towards it's opponent at lightning speed, it's sliver lined tail right behind it! Not wasting any more time, Error shot the sphere of energy towards the mouse Pokemon!

However, just as the attack approached Pikachu, the mouse Pokemon swung it's tail towards it, cutting right through the shiny sphere! Completely caught off guard, Error had no time to react as Pikachu once again delivered a powerful chop to his metallic body. Crying out in pain, Error fell to the ground after the assault.

"Error, snap out of it! Get up!" Jake called to the magnet Pokemon. But he knew it was already too late...

"Magneton is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"Would you look at that! In a stunning display of power, Pikachu managed to cut through Magneton's Mirror Shot and snatch a ko! Will Jake be able to recover from this? Or will Lily continue to hold the lead?" The announcer questioned.

"See? My Pikachu isn't just adorable, he's strong as well!" Lily exclaimed.

"Error return." Jake said as he returned the magnet Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"You did well out there, thank you for trying your hardest" Jake thanked the Magneton before grabbing another Pokeball from his belt.

"Alright Seiteki, it's your time to shine!" The young trainer exclaimed as he tossed the red and white ball into the air.

From the ball, a flat fish like Pokemon appeared.

"And Jake has chosen Stunfisk as his second Pokemon! Will it be able to take on Lily's Pikachu? Only time will tell!"

"Alright Seiteki, let's do this! Let's start off with a Mud Slap, then follow it up with Earth Power!" Jake ordered.

"Ok my darling Pikachu, let's use a wonderful Grass Knot attack, then show them your wonderful Quick Attack!" Lily called out to her Pokemon.

Once again Pikachu was the first to act! The mouse Pokemon began to charge up grass energy, and quickly fired it into the ground! Suddenly vines started to snare Seiteki's fins, tripping the trap Pokemon! Despite the Stunfisk's relatively light weight, the super effective attack dealt a moderate amount of damage!

But now it was Seiteki's turn, and he had no intention of letting his opponent off easy! The Stunfisk flopped towards Pikachu, intent on slapping it with mud! Pikachu, however had a different idea. The mouse Pokemon began running towards the trap Pokemon at an insane speed, slamming into Seiteki before he could have time to react!

Despite dealing only a small amount of damage, the trap Pokemon flew backwards upon impact! But Seiteki quickly recovered, flopping over towards Pikachu once more, before sending dirt directly into it's eyes!

Still raring to go, the Stunfisk continued it's assault by charging up a large amount of ground energy before sending it into the ground! The ground around the mouse Pokemon began to erupt, causing a massive amount of damage to it!

"And that's the end of the 4th round! Though Pikachu still had an ok amount of health the previous round, it's now just hanging on! Meanwhile Stunfisk seems to be holding up quite well! Will Lily be able to turn it around, or is this the end for Pikachu?" The announcer questioned.

"Pikachu, let's show them we aren't to be messed with! Give them another dazzling Grass Knot! Then show them your amazing Brick Break!" Lily called out once more.

"We've got this Seiteki, let's end this now! Fly over the Grass Knot and use Tackle!" Jake commanded.

Pikachu knew that it was now or never! Once again the mouse Pokemon began charging up grass energy, before pumping the energy into the ground!

Vines began to sprout from the ground around Seiteki, intent on tripping the trap Pokemon once more! But the Stunfisk had different plans, and bounced into the air, hovering right over the vines!

Going as fast as his tiny fins would take him, the trap Pokemon made his way to Pikachu, slamming into the Pikachu from above!

Letting out on last cry, the mouse Pokemon finally fell over, the tackle had proved to be too much for it.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"After a brilliant play by Jake, Stunfisk manages to grab a ko! Now both Lily and Jake have just two Pokemon left! Will Lily be able to stay in the lead? Lets find out!" The announcer's voice called out yet again.

"Return my darling." Lily said quietly as she returned Pikachu to it's Pokeball.
"Alright Electrode, now it's your turn!" The young lady exclaimed as she tossed another Pokeball into the air. This time, a round Pokemon appeared.

"And Lily has chosen Electrode as her second Pokemon! Will it be able to hold it's own against Stunfisk?" The announcer questioned.

"Let's keep this up Seiteki! Start off with a Water Gun! Then go for another Earth Power!" Jake ordered.

"Lets win this my sweet Electrode! Let's show them your mighty Screech attack! Then give them your best Rollout!" Lily called.

This time Electrode was the first to act, letting out a terrible screech! It was like nails on a chalk board! The disturbing sound was loud enough to cause both trainers to cover their ears!
However, poor Seiteki had no way of stopping the sound, causing his defence to be lowered!

Not willing to let his opponent off easy, the trap Pokemon flopped over to the ball Pokemon, before shooting it with a jet of water! Electrode didn't even flinch at the attack, and quickly rolled towards Seiteki, slamming into the trap Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage.

Seiteki wasn't through with his opponent just yet! After charging up a large amount of energy, the trap Pokemon pumped it into the ground, causing the field to crack and shift! Unable to avoid the attack, the ground erupted under the ball Pokemon, dealing massive damage!

Jake knew that, much like Pikachu, Electrode's main weakness was also it's frailty. Another Earth Power or two would surely do the ball Pokemon in!
However, after all those powerful attacks, Seiteki was looking rather tired. The young trainer knew he needed to keep the next round light...

"And with that another round comes to an end! After holding the lead for a bit, Lily has finally fallen behind! Will she be able to retake it, or is she doomed to continue falling behind?" The announcer's voice once again boomed across the arena.

"Alright Electrode, let's show them your adorable Tackle attack! Then we'll show them your marvellous Signal Beam!" Lily ordered.

"Let's keep it light for now, Seiteki use Water Gun! Then rest a little bit, you deserve it!" Jake commanded.

Once again, Electrode was the first to act! Moving at an incredible rate, the ball Pokemon rolled over towards Seiteki before slamming into it! The trap Pokemon let out a cry, recoiling from the assault.

The Stunfisk then began it's retaliation, after charging up briefly, Seiteki fired a jet of water right towards Electrode! The ball Pokemon, intent on stopping the jet, fired a rainbow beam of bug energy towards it! The powerful beam cut through the small jet of water like it was nothing, continuing on to strike Seiteki for a large amount of damage!

"Though Jake started in the lead by a large margin going into this round, Lily has managed to close the gap by a fair bit! Will Lily manage to take the lead, or can Jake continue to stay ahead?"

"Alright Seiteki, let's finish this now! Give them all you have with an Earth Power!" Jake commanded.

"My dear Electrode, let's end this with a stunning Mirror Coat!" Lily called out to the ball Pokemon.

Jake could only watch in horror as Seiteki began to charge up energy for another Earth Power! In anticipation of the upcoming attack, Electrode surrounded itself in a shimmering blue aura!

Ready to go, the Stunfisk pumped the energy into the ground, causing it to crack and shift around the ball Pokemon. The ground then erupted underneath Electrode, causing it to cry out in pain.
But now it was payback time! Using the power of the attack, Electrode fired a large beam of ground type energy! Before Seiteki could even react, the beam of energy swallowed him, dealing a tremendous amount of damage!

Unable to hold it together, the trap Pokemon flopped over in defeat.

"Stunfisk is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"In a twist of fate, Stunfisk's power was used against it, putting Lily in the lead once more! Now Jake is left with only one Pokemon left! Will it be able to contend with both Electrode and Lily's third Pokemon?" The announcer questioned once more.

"Seiteki return!" Jake called out as he returned the Stunfisk to his Pokeball.
"You did admirably out there, now take a nice rest.." Jake said as he put Seiteki's poke ball back on his belt.

This was it, his last Pokemon. Jake knew that whichever one he picked, it was going to have to be a Pokemon he could trust. The young trainer knew it would be hard to come back from where he was, his final Pokemon had to defeat both of Lily's Pokemon. Jake grinned as he grabbed a solid red Pokeball from his belt.
He knew that if he had to put all of his trust on one Pokemon, it was this one!

"Alright Sparky, the spotlight's now on you!" The young trainer called as he tossed the cherish ball into the air. From the special ball, an electric spider appeared on the field.

"And Jake has chosen Galvantula as his final Pokemon! Let's see just how well it preforms!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Electrode, let's show them the power of your Tackle! Then use your lovely Swift attack!" Lily called out to her Electrode.

"Sparky, let's give them something to remember! Start off with Screech! Then follow through with Rock Climb!" Jake ordered.

Electrode was once again the first to act! The ball Pokemon quickly rolled towards Sparky at an incredible rate, before slamming into the elespider Pokemon!

Sparky recoiled slightly at the impact, but the Galvantula quickly retaliated with a powerful screech. Once again Jake and Lily had to cover their ears at the harsh sound that filled the air! Unable to cover it's ears, Electrode was fully subjected to the terrible sound, lowering it's defence!

Electrode was fully intent on making its opponent suffer for what it had done, and began to charge up some energy, firing it in the shape of several stars!

Though Sparky tried his best to avoid the projectiles, the stars changed paths, homing in on the elespider Pokemon! Upon impact, Sparky recoiled slightly, before beginning his retaliation!

The Galvantula started to charge up a large amount of energy, before releasing the energy into the ground, creating a small mountain under his opponent!

Sparky then started climbing the landmass at an incredible speed! His opponent was completely caught off guard, unable to stop the Galvantula from slamming into it for a massive amount of damage!

The Electrode flew backwards from the force of the collision, landing onto the arena rather hard. Despite this, the ball Pokemon managed to get itself back up. But Jake could tell that it was barely hanging on, one more attack would surely end it!

"And yet another exciting round has come to an end! Speaking of end, Electrode seems to be on the ropes! Will Galvantula be able to land a finishing blow, or does Electrode have a few more tricks up it's sleeves?" The announcer's voice boomed across the stadium once more.

"Alright Sparky, let's finish this with Cross Poison!" Jake commanded.

"My darling Electrode, let's show them your true might with Hyper Beam!

Electrode started the match, quickly trying to gather enough energy for it's next attack! Sparky knew he had to act, and fast. Quickly, the elespider began to amass poison energy, coating his pedipalps with it in the process!

The Galvantula then ran as fast as his four legs could carry him! Which Pokemon would release their attack first? The whole audience was on the edge of their seat!
Sparky knew the Electrode was about to fire it's attack, it was all or nothing! Giving it his all, Sparky swung his pedipalps towards the Electrode....and scored a direct hit! The ball Pokemon let out a sharp cry as the powerful attack wracked it's body with pain. Unable to take anymore, the Electrode rolled over in defeat!

"Electrode is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"With little effort, Galvantula manages to net a ko against Electrode! Now Lily is left with just one Pokemon! Will it be able to take on the powerful elespider? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Return my darling." Lily said quietly as she returned Electrode to it's Pokeball.
"Alright my marvellous Jolteon, now it's your turn!" Lily exclaimed as she tossed another Pokeball into the air. From the Pokeball emerged a yellow quadruped with spiky fur covering it's body.

"And Lily has chosen Jolteon as her final Pokemon! Lily's Jolteon showed admirable strength in the last round, taking on two Pokemon at once! But will it be able to take on Galvantula? There's only one way to find out!" The announcer spoke up once more.

"Alright Jolteon, let's show them the power of your marvellous Thunderbolt! Then give them your adorable Quick Attack!" Lily called out to her partner.

"Let's give it all we've got Sparky! First go for another Screech! Then follow it up with Bug Bite!" Jake ordered.

Jolteon was the first to act! The lightning Pokemon quickly amassed electrical energy, before firing it towards Sparky!

Sparky, seeing the bolt of lightning, swiftly moved to the right, allowing the bolt of energy to dissipate rather pathetically as it hit the arena.

Now it was the elespider's time to strike! Once again the Galvantula let out a terrible screech, causing many to cover their ears! Unfortunately for Jolteon, this wasn't an option! Instead the poor lightning Pokemon was fully subjected to the harsh sound, lowering it's defence!

Angered by the assault on it's ears, Jolteon quickly charged at the Galvantula in retaliation! Unlike last time, the lightning Pokemon was too quick for Sparky to dodge! Instead, the Galvantula took the full brunt of Jolteon's attack, recoiling slightly upon impact.
But now the lightning Pokemon was left wide open to attack! Taking advantage of his opponents vulnerability, Sparky quickly laced his fangs with bug energy and bit the larger foe with all his might, causing the Jolteon to cry out in pain!

"And with that folks, yet another exciting round has come to a close! Though he spent several rounds behind his opponent, Jake has now taken the lead! But both Jolteon and Galvantula still have a lot of stamina! It could still be anyone's match!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Sparky let's keep it up! First let's get you going a bit faster with Agility! Then go for a Slash attack!" Jake ordered.

"My sweet Jolteon, let's show them your terrifying Toxic attack! Then let's have another adorable Quick Attack!" Lily chirped.

Jolteon was once again the first to act! The lightning began to amass poison energy into a purple glob! The Jolteon then fired the orb of poison towards Sparky! The Galvantula, focused on relaxing it's muscles, was unable to dodge the attack!
The toxic glob splashed all over the elespider, before slowly being absorbing into it's skin, leaving the Galvantula badly poisoned!

But the lightning Pokemon wasn't done just yet! The Jolteon dashed towards Sparky, before slamming into the elespider at an incredible speed! The Galvantula recoiled upon impact, but quickly recovered. Once again the Jolteon was left vulnerable after the attack.
Quickly taking advantage of this, Sparky slashed at his opponent using a glowing pedipalp, scoring a direct hit! The Jolteon cried out as the critical hit racked it's body with an intense pain, causing it to wobble slightly!

Once the attack was done however, Sparky too let out a sharp cry as the effects of the poison began to kick in!

"What an exciting round folks! After a trade of powerful blows, Jake remains firmly in the lead! Galvantula still seems to have over half of it's health! Things aren't looking good for Lily though! After taking a number of powerful attacks, Jolteon seems to be hovering just under half it's health! Can Lily make a comeback, or will Jake be able to hold his lead?" The announcer questioned.

"Alright my sweet Jolteon, let's show them your marvellous Shadow Ball! Then let's use Dig!" Lily chirped once more.

"We're doing good so far Sparky! Let's first use Pin Missile! Then continue on with Slash!

This time it was Sparky who went first! Gathering up a moderate amount of energy, the Galvantula fire five glowing projectiles towards Jolteon! Though the lightning Pokemon tried it's best to dodge them, the speed at which they flew towards it proved to make this impossible, causing three of them to crash into the Jolteon.

In retaliation, the lightning Pokemon began to gather ghost type energy, forming it into a powerful indigo orb! The Jolteon then fired the sphere of energy towards Sparky!

The elespider was too fast for the attack however, and with little effort Sparky jumped to the side, evading the attack entirely!

Now it was Sparky's turn to strike! The Galvantula began charging energy into one of his pedipalps before charging towards his opponent! Sparky swung at the Jolteon and...missed? Sparky, in his concentration hadn't noticed that Jolteon had began to dig into the soft ground!

The lightning Pokemon was now nowhere to be seen! How could Sparky hope to avoid an attack if he didn't know where it was coming from? The elespider looked all around, desperate for any signs of Jolteon.

But it was too late for Sparky! Before the Galvantula had time to react, Jolteon emerged from underneath Sparky, striking him with a super effective attack!

The Galvantula let out a sharp cry as the sheer force of the attack sent the elespider Pokemon flying, before crashing into the ground!

But it wasn't over for Sparky just yet! The elespider managed to get back up and faced his opponent once more! Just then, Sparky began violently coughing! It seemed the effects of Toxic were only getting stronger!

"And yet another exciting round has come to pass folks! Though Jake seemed to be in a firm lead last round, Galvantula and Jolteon are now roughly even in terms of health! However, both Pokemon seem to be rather winded from their constant use of attacks, maybe Jake and Lily should keep it light this round?" The announcer questioned.

"Ok my sweet Jolteon, let's show them your Hidden Power!" Lily called out to her partner.

"We can do this Sparky! Let's go for a Bug Bite this round!" Jake exclaimed.

Once again Sparky was the first to act! The elespider quickly laced his fangs with bug energy, before running towards Jolteon with all his might! The Galvantula bit down hard on the lightning Pokemon's body, injecting it with the energy coating his fangs!

Jolteon let out a yelp as the energy coursed through it's body. Things weren't looking good for the lightning Pokemon! One more powerful physical attack would surely end it!

Now it was Jolteon's time to strike. The lightning Pokemon began to channel the power hidden inside it! Three orbs began to surround it, burning as bright as the Jolteon's passion to win!

The burning flames shot out towards Sparky at an incredible pace! Unable to react in time, the elespider Pokemon let out a scream as the powerful fire attack viciously attacked his body.

Once the powerful attack subsided, the Galvantula proceeded to violently cough once more! Toxic seemed to be doing more and more damage by the minute! To make matters worse, that last bout of coughing had sent Sparky into a critical state!

"It seems things are about to wrap up soon! Now both Lily and Jake's Pokemon are at their last stand! Who will be able to seize the win and make it to the finals?! Let's find out!" The announcer spoke up once more.

"This isn't looking too good for us.." Jake thought to himself.
"Jolteon is too fast for Sparky to land a reliable hit. If Sparky misses, it's all over. I need a way to land a guaranteed first hit. A move that no matter what, will always act first."

"Alright my darling Jolteon, let's finish this with a Quick Attack!" Lily chirped.

"I have an idea! Sparky, let's use Sucker Punch!" Jake called to the Galvantula.

This time it was Jolteon's turn to act first! The lightning Pokemon began charging towards the elespider at an incredible rate!

This time, Sparky was fully prepared for the attack! The Galvantula started to rapidly wave one of his legs around, before pointing to the right of his opponent. The lightning Pokemon was completely confused by the spectacle, leaving it wide open for an attack!
Seizing the opportunity, Sparky slammed one of his pedipalps into the Jolteon for a surprise attack!

The attack appeared to be too much for the Jolteon, and with a sharp cry, the lightning Pokemon toppled over.

"Jolteon is unable to battle, which means the winner is Jake and Galvantula!" The referee yelled.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, many chanting Jake's name.

"Thank you everyone!" Jake called out as he waved at the audience.

"Would you look at that folks! Thanks to Jake's last minute decision, Galvantula managed to come out on top, despite all odds! What will we see from Jake going into the final round, only time will tell!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Return my dear Jolteon" Lily murmured as she placed the lightning Pokemon back in it's ball.

"You did amazing out their Sparky! Let's take a brief rest before the finals!" Jake chirped as he returned the Galvantula to it's Pokeball.

"Magnificent work out their Jake! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!" The attendant exclaimed as he made his way towards Jake.

"Thanks, it was a tough battle for sure, I wouldn't have been able to win it without putting all my trust in my Pokemon." The young trainer said with a smile.

"No doubt, you seem to have a strong bond with most of your Pokemon. Now, please come with me, we need to be prepared for the finals, do we not?" The attendant asked before making his way back to his office.
----
"What do you mean the finals start in fifteen minutes?!" Jake exclaimed.

"I mean it starts in fifteen minutes, was I not clear?" The attendant asked.

"But...how am I supposed to heal my Pokemon from last round, there's no way they can be ready to go so quickly!"

"Then you'll have to use some new ones I guess. Usually we have more time between rounds, but our main funder has made a personal request to have the match start so soon." The announcer explained.

"I.....guess I'll just have to make due. What's the format exactly?" The young trainer asked.

"Do you ever listen to me? The format is the same as before. The only difference is that each trainer can use six Pokemon." The announcer explained once more.

"Ok, so I need six Pokemon this time, got it." Jake said with a nod before walking over to the PC to exchange Pokemon.

Without the help of Sparky and Error, Jake knew the final battle was going to be tough, maybe even impossible. But when had that ever stopped him before? No matter what the battle ahead had to offer, Jake knew he was going to win!

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 12-31-2016 at 10:18 PM.
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Old 12-31-2016, 10:17 PM   #11
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The Electric Masters Tournament! Part 4

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final match in the Electric Masters Tournament!" The familiar sound of the announcers voice rang across the stadium once more. "Both of our contestants today have fought through four difficult battles in order to make it here! Despite this, only one can emerge victorious!"

"On the left we have Ryan Williams from Virbank City! Ryan is an impressive trainer indeed, having managed to win this tournament for seven years in a row! Even more impressive, he's managed to win it all with just one Pokemon! Will he be able to keep his impressive title?" The announcer questioned.

"And on the right we have Jake Eclair from Asperita City! Though this is Jake's first year at our tournament, the young man has made a name for himself! He's managed to always come back whenever he's in a pinch, causing some to call him the comeback kid!" The announcer explained.

"Hey Jake, I'm glad to see you've made it so far! After seeing you in action at the forest, I was hoping to face off against you!" Ryan called to the young trainer.

"Thanks! I thought I was doing this to fulfill a promise to one of my Pokemon. But after fighting so many different people, I've realised that I'm not doing it just for them, I'm doing it to prove to the world my true strength. I hope you're ready to give it your all, because I will not stand to lose here!" Jake exclaimed.

"I'm glad to hear it...now give me everything you have!" Ryan replied.

"Ryan, you'll be the first to choose your Pokemon and moves, is that clear?" The referee asked the man.

"Sounds fine to me, Manectric let's go!" Ryan called out as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged a blue and yellow canine Pokemon.

"And Ryan has chosen his trusty Manectric as his first Pokemon! Manectric has managed to knock out every Pokemon it's been faced against! Even during the double battle rounds, Manectric was the only one used! Let's see how it faces up against Jake's Pokemon..." The announcer explained

"Manectric.....I knew you'd start with that." Jake smiled before grabbing a Pokeball from his belt.

"Alright Hayai, you're up first!" The young trainer exclaimed as he chucked the ball into the air. From the ball a Blitzle materialised onto the field.

"And Jake has picked Blitzle as his first Pokemon. Blitzle was shown to be a formidable opponent in the second round, having managed to take on two Pokemon at the time! How will it fare here? Only time will tell! And with that, let the grand final of the Electric Masters Tournament begin!"

"Alright Manectric, let's go for Flamethrower! Then go for a Crunch!" Ryan commanded.

"We've got this Hayai! Start things off with Double Kick! Then use Flame Charge!" Jake exclaimed.

Manectric was the first to act! The discharge Pokemon began by gathering fire energy in it's mouth. The Manectric then fired an intense wall of flames towards Hayai, inflicting heavy damage to the Electrified Pokemon!

Not one to waste any time, Hayai bolted towards his opponent, before delivering two powerful kicks to Manectric! Despite the powerful attack, the discharge Pokemon barely flinched.

Hayai was completely caught off guard by this, and before he knew it, Manectric had his fangs digging into his flesh, sending a wave of pain through the Blitzle!

Hayai wasn't willing to give up just yet however, and the electrified Pokemon began cloaking his body in bright orange flames! The Blitzle then galloped towards Manectric, intent on slamming into it!
But the discharge Pokemon was too fast, and dodged the attack with little effort!

"And so the first round comes to an end! To the surprise of almost no one, Ryan seems to have a firm lead! Though it's only the first round, Blitzle seems to already be sitting at just over half it's health! Is Manectric just too strong for Blitzle? Let's find out!" The announcer's voiced boomed cross the arena once more.

"Hang in there Hayai! Let's give them a taste of your Double Edge! Then follow through with Signal Beam!" Jake called out to his partner.

"Manectric, go for a Headbutt! Then use Flamethrower once more!" Ryan commanded.

Thanks to his new found speed, Hayai was the first to act! The Blitzle began to charge towards Manectric, paying no attention to it's own safety.

However, the discharge Pokemon wasn't intent on being a sitting Ducklett! Instead, Manectric began to charge towards the Blitzle, head first! The two Pokemon collided, one attack against the other! But Manectric proved to be the one with the most power, causing the poor Blitzle to be sent flying back!

Despite the tough position he was in, Hayai wasn't ready to give up! The Blitzle quickly began to gather bug energy in his horn, before firing it at his opponent in the form of a rainbow beam!
But Manectric was also prepared for this! Once again the discharge Pokemon gathered fire energy in it's mouth, before firing an impressive wall of flames! The two attacks collided against each other once more!

The powerful fire attack was too much for the signal beam, and Hayai was once again hit with the overwhelming power of the flamethrower!

"Once again another thrilling round comes to a close! Although Blitzle started with over half it's health, it's now looking at less then a quarter of it! Things are looking really bad for Jake, will he be able to turn it around?" The announcer questioned.

"Let's finish this Manectric! Go for a Crunch first, then use your Hidden Power!" Ryan barked.

"Stay strong Hayai! Let's go for another Double Kick! Then follow it up with Flame Charge!" Jake ordered.

Once again Hayai was the first to act! The Blitzle galloped towards his opponent, intent on delivering two powerful kicks! Once the Electrified reached his target, he spun around and kicked his hind legs towards the Manectric! Once more, the discharge Pokemon took the attack, before sinking it's fangs into Hayai!

The Blitzle let out a screech as the powerful attack sent waves of pain through his body! Hayai teetered as he tried to recover from the attack. It was evident that the Blitzle wouldn't last much longer!

Giving it everything his all, Hayai began to cloak himself in flames once more, before galloping as fast as he could to his destination! Manectric, meanwhile began to tap into it's hidden power. Three orbs began to surround the discharge Pokemon, calm as the ground itself! The three orbs then shot out towards Hayai, smashing into the Blitzle before he could reach Manectric! With one final cry, the Blitzle toppled over in defeat.

"Blitzle is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"And with that folks, Jake is down to five Pokemon! Despite Blitzle's best efforts, the electrified Pokemon barely left a mark on Manectric! Can Jake's next Pokemon hope to do better?" The announcer questioned.

"Hayai return!" Jake called out as he returned the Blitzle to his Pokeball.
"Hayai was barely able to land a hit on Manectric...maybe I should use my secret weapon now... If Hayai didn't stand a chance, what chance do most of the other's have? I've got to use him." Jake thought to himself as he grabbed a thunderbolt from his belt.

"Alright Crix, it's your time to shine!" The young trainer exclaimed as he tossed the ball into the air. From the ball emerged a menacing yellow and black, with two black tails!

"And Jake has chosen Electivire as his second Pokemon! We haven't seen Jake use Electivire in this tournament before. Let's see just how powerful it is right here and now!

"Ok Crix let's show them what we're made of! Let's start with a Fire Punch, then follow it up with Ice Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Manectric go for another Headbutt first! Then use Quick Attack!" Ryan commanded.

This time Manectric was first to act! The discharge Pokemon charged towards the Thunderbolt Pokemon head first, delivering a powerful headbutt!

Crix reeled back slightly due to the powerful blow, but quickly recovered! The Electivire then cloaked it's fist in bright orange flames, before slamming his fist into Manectric! The Discharge cried out in shock at the power of the attack! Unlike Hayai, Crix seemed to be the perfect match for the Manectric.

With it's passion for battle reignited, the Manectric charged towards the thunderbolt Pokemon at an astounding rate, slamming into Crix before he even had time to react! In retaliation, the thunderbolt Pokemon cloaked his fist in freezing cold ice energy, before slamming it into Manectric! The discharge Pokemon stumbled backwards from the sheer force of the attack, before quickly regaining it's composure.

The two Pokemon began to glare at one another, both had something to prove! For Manectric, it was to maintain it's streak in the tournament. For Crix, it was to make up for the loss he had experienced against a Magcargo not so long ago! Neither of them were willing to lose!

"Yet again, another exciting round has come to a close. Though Manectric was able to easily able to wipe the floor with Blitzle, it seems Electivire is a much more fearsome opponent. With both Pokemon at around the same levels of health, it could be anyone's match!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Manectric first use Headbutt! Then go for a Swift attack!" Ryan barked.

"Alright Crix, we can do this! Start off with Cross Chop! Then use Rock Smash!" Jake exclaimed.

Once again the discharge Pokemon was the first to act! The Manectric ran towards Crix, intent on slamming it's head into him! But Crix wasn't ready to let that happen! The Electivire began channeling fighting energy into both his arms, before crossing them. The thunderbolt then slammed both of his arms directly into the Manectric.

Both attacks collided against each other, but Crix's power proved to be too much, easily knocking Manectric off it's feet!

The discharge Pokemon quickly recovered from the attack, and started to gather energy energy for it's next attack. Manectric then converted the energy into stars, which shot out towards Crix! The Electivire was too slow to dodge them, instead taking the full brunt of the attack!

Not willing to let the Manectric off easy, Crix ran towards the discharge Pokemon, his fist glowing white with energy! Unable to react in time, Manectric let out a cry as the powerful attack sent waves of pain through it's body!

"And with that, another round has ended! Though previously even, Electivire has now taken the lead, with just over half his health! However, Manectric isn't far behind, sporting just under half of it's health. It's still anyone's match!

"Let's keep this up Crix! Let's start things off with Dual Chop! Then use Ice Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Manectric wait for Electivire to get close, then use Hidden Power, then go for a Headbutt!" Ryan commanded.

This time it was Crix who started the round! The thunderbolt Pokemon began to amass draconic energy, coating both of his arms, before running towards Manectric, intent on striking it down! Meanwhile, Manectric began to channel it's power hidden deep within. Three orbs of earth once again began to circle the discharge Pokemon.

As soon as Crix got ready to strike, the orbs of energy shot out, hitting Crix for a direct hit! The Electivire cried out as the powerful attack caused it to fall on one knee. Not only was the attack super effective, it had also been a direct hit!

"So that's why he wanted Manectric to wait to attack, so Crix would leave himself open for a critical hit...." Jake mused.

Not willing to give up just yet, Crix began to cloak his fist in icy cold energy! The Electivire then charged towards Manectric, intent on making it pay for it's previous attack! Manectric also began to charge towards it's opponent, head first! The two attacks collided once again, though this time both Pokemon fell back from the blow. It seemed the attacks were equal in power!

"And with that round out of the way, it seems Manectric has retaken the lead! Though previously at half health, Electivire now finds itself at just under a quarter. Ouch, that hidden power really hurt! Meanwhile, Manectric is holding on with over a quarter of it's health! However, both Pokemon seem to be rather tired after all those powerful attacks, maybe they need a quick break!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Ok Manectric, let's use Howl! Then take a rest for now." Ryan commanded.

"Hang in there Crix! Let's go for a Rock Smash for now. Then you can take a little break." Jake ordered.

Crix was once again the first to begin the match! Channeling energy into his fist, the Electivire began to run towards Manectric, his fist now glowing white from the energy. Crix was much too slow however, and Manectric dodged the attack with ease. Now Crix was wide open for an attack, but instead of taking advantage of it, Manectric let out a howl, pumping it up for battle and raising it's attack!

"Well that was anticlimatic folks. Though with Manectric raising it's attack, maybe things will get more interesting in the coming rounds!" The announcers voice rang through the arena once more.

"Alright Crix, let's use Cross Chop, then follow it up with Ice Punch!" Jake called out to his partner.

"Manectric, let's finish this with Giga Impact!" Ryan barked.

Manectric was the first to act! The discharge Pokemon began to gather massive energy, surrounding itself in a cloak of extreme purple energy! The Manectric then began to slowly charge towards the thunderbolt Pokemon!

Not willing to let up, even in the face of danger, Crix began to channel fighting energy into both of his arms. The Electivire then crossed his arms, before charging towards Manectric and slamming both his limbs into the discharge Pokemon! But Manectric was simply too powerful for Crix, and with little effort the Manectric overpowered the Electivire!

Crix wobbled as he tried to get up after the powerful blow. The thunderbolt Pokemon was about to get up on his feet when he simply toppled over. The strain from Manectric's assault had proven to be too much!

"Electivire is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"Would you look at that! Though Electivire still had roughly a quarter of health left going into the round, Manectric's devastating Giga Impact proved to be too much! Now Jake is left with four Pokemon, while Ryan still has all six of his! Will Jake be able to make a comeback?" The announcer questioned.

"Crix return!" Jake called out as he returned the Electivire to it's Thunderball.
"You did spectacular out there, now go take a nice long rest..."

"Even Crix couldn't beat Manectric....and he's the most powerful Pokemon that I'm using here. I need some way to finish Manectric off, maybe a Pokemon that's small and nimble?" Jake pondered

"Small and nimble....Tasu will probably be my best bet!" The young trainer exclaimed as he grabbed a Thunderball from his belt.
Wait, didn't his Plusle reside in a regular Pokeball? Jake shrugged, he had probably changed it and forgotten about it.

"Alright Tasu, you're up next!" The younger trainer exclaimed as he tossed the Thunderball into the air. From the ball emerged a blue sheep with cream coloured wool.

"Wait Milo?! But....Tasu's ball......" Jake stammered as he saw his choice of Pokemon. He must of somehow grabbed Milo's ball instead of Tasu's during the transfer process!

"And Jake has chosen Mareep as his third Pokemon! Mareep proved to be a stubborn one for Jake when it refused to battle for him in the third round, maybe
Mareep has had a change of heart!" The announcer exclaimed.

Milo quickly looked around at the battlefield, before lying down once more on the dirt.
"Milo, I know this isn't the most ideal situation, but please listen to me!" Jake called to the wool Pokemon.
At his trainers call, Milo glanced at the young man, before quickly turning away in disgust.
"Milo I'm sorry that I sent you into another battle. I mixed up your poke ball somehow, I promise I didn't mean to! But I really need you to help me here, you've got to help me win this battle!" Jake pleaded.

"Having trouble with your Pokemon? Sorry kid, but I can't wait here all day! Manectric, use Crunch then go for Headbutt!" Ryan called out.

"Come on Milo, you can do this! Start with Agility then follow it up with Body Slam!" Jake ordered.

Manectric was the first to act! The discharge Pokemon began by lacing it's fangs with energy as dark as the night! The Manectric then ran towards Milo, intent on sinking it's teeth into his flesh! But Milo wasn't having any of it, and nimbly dodged the attack. Manectric then charged at the Wool Pokemon, ready to slam it's head into it! But once again Milo managed to gracefully out of the way!

What an anticlimatic round folks! Though Mareep refuses to attack, it also seems unwilling to get hit either! Will Jake manage to overcome Mareep's disobedience? Or will Manectric stop it first? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

Once the voice of the announcer died down, the audience began to boo!
"Why are you even here if you can't control your Pokemon?!"
"Well we certainly know who's the worst electric trainer."
"What a stupid Mareep, won't even listen to his trainer!"

"Come on Milo, you can do it! Show them what you're made of with Body Slam! Then use Cotten Spore!" Jake ordered once more.

"Alright Manectric, use Thunder Fang, then use Spark!" Ryan commanded.

Manectric was once more the first to act! The discharge Pokemon began to amass electrical energy, lacing it's sharp fangs with it, before charging towards Milo, intent on hitting it's target this time. But alas, Milo was too quick for the Manectric, and dodged the attack yet again.

Now more angry then ever, the discharge Pokemon began to surround itself in blue sparks of electricity, before charging towards Milo once more! Yet again the Mareep dodged out of the way, completely unharmed.

"And yet again the round comes to a rather anticlimatic end. Mareep seems to still be refusing to battle! With Manectric unable to land a hit, it seems the two are in a bit of a stalemate!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Manectric, use Flamethrower, then go for Iron Tail!

Jake could only watch as Ryan called out another set of orders. He knew that Milo refused to fight, yet at the same time, if he withdrew him, he'd be down to only three Pokemon...
"Milo! I...I understand if you don't want to fight...it's not your fault. It was mine for mixing up your ball with Tasu's.....and for breaking my promise and trying to get you to fight again." Jake apologised to the Mareep.

Manectric, unwilling to wait for Milo to receive his orders, began to amass fire energy, channeling it into it's mouth! The Mareep, still looking at his trainer, didn't even realise the danger he was in! Manectric then shot the energy out in an impressive wall of flames! Unaware of the attack, Milo had no time to dodge or even brace himself, instead taking the full brunt of the attack!

The Mareep cried out at the surprise attack, the powerful move sending waves of pain throughout his body. To Jake and Milo's surprise, the audience started laughing!

"Ha ha, looks like that Mareep got what it deserved!"
"I can't believe Jake managed to get this far, what a loser!"
"Not so nimble now, are you Mareep? What a pathetic excuse of a Pokemon!

Even Manectric was laughing at the pair!
"Y-you've insulted me and my trainer, and I will not stand for it! You think it's funny to attack someone when they're defenseless? You've just made a very big mistake Manectric!" Milo exclaimed, a raging fire burning in his eyes, the likes of which Jake had never seen.

Not one to make idle threats, Milo charged towards the discharge Pokemon, slamming into it with all his weight behind him! The Manectric was completely caught off guard by Milo's assault, crying out after the powerful blow.

"M-milo! You're willing to fight?" Jake asked, deeply moved by the Mareep's resolve. Milo turned towards his trainer and gave him a quick nod and a smile, before turning back to face his opponent!

Intent on showing the Manectric his true power, the Mareep began gathering energy as hard as steel into his tail! The wool Pokemon then began to charge towards his opponent!

Manectric wasn't willing to watch as the Mareep prepared his assault, and so he too began to gather steel energy into his tail!

The two Pokemon swung their tails at each other, causing the two attacks to collide against each other! To Jake's astonishment, the two seemed to be evenly matched! The two Pokemon both fell back from the attack before glaring at one another! Milo had promised himself he would never battle again, yet here he was... But this was different! This was for his trainer!

"And it seems things have finally started to pick up! Though Mareep initially refused to battle at all, it seems it's had a change of heart! To make things more interesting, both Pokemon seem to be evenly matched! Though Mareep has a strong lead, it's still anyone's match!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright, let's do this Milo! Start things off with Take Down! Then use Agility!" Jake ordered

"Manectric, start by using Wild Charge! Then go for an Ice Fang!" Ryan commanded.

Manectric was the first to act! The discharge Pokemon began to amass electrical energy, surrounding itself in a cloak of yellow electrical sparks! The Manectric then ran towards Milo, ready to slam into the Mareep for massive damage!

Meanwhile, Milo began gathering energy, surrounding himself in a bronze aura, before recklessly charging towards Manectric in an attempt to take it down!
The two Pokemon slammed into each other, neither giving an inch! But Manectric proved to be the most powerful of the two, causing Milo to be sent flying back!

Seizing the opportunity for another attack, Manectric began to gather energy as cold as ice, lacing it's fangs in the process! The discharge Pokemon then lunged towards Milo, sinking it's fangs into his flesh!

The Mareep let out a sharp cry and reeled back slightly as the cold energy sent waves of pain through him.

But now it was the Mareep's time to act! Milo began to relax, letting his muscles loosen and causing his body to become lighter, increasing his speed greatly!

"And with that, another exciting round has come to an end! Though Mareep had a firm lead at the beginning, it seems to be slowly slipping! Still, Mareep is sitting comfortably at just under three quarters of it's health! Manectric, at a quarter! Will Ryan be able to turn this around?

"Manectric, don't let this thing win! Start by using your Hidden Power! Then use Crunch!" Ryan barked.

"Let's keep this up Milo! Let's start with Body Slam! Then go for another Agility!

Once again, Manectric began to channel it's power hidden deep inside itself. Three earth like orbs began to circle around the discharge Pokemon. The orbs then shot out towards Milo, striking him for a super effective attack!

Not willling to let Manectric's assault slide, Milo lunged at the discharge Pokemon, slamming into it with all his weight! Despite his small size, the Mareep hit surprisingly hard, causing Manectric to cry out briefly.
Not one to sit around, Manectric began his second attack, cloaking his fangs in a dark energy! The discharge Pokemon ran towards Milo, before sinking his sharp fangs into his flesh! The wool Pokemon let out a sharp cry as pure agony swept over his face!

Once the assault had stopped, the Mareep once again began to lighten his body, causing him to increase his speed even further!

"With another round over, Jake finds himself in an even tighter bind! Though Mareep had a huge lead going into the fight, it now finds itself at under half health! Meanwhile, Manectric is just under a quarter! How will the two fare in the comings rounds? Only time will tell!" The announcer spoke up yet again.

"You know, I'm impressed Jake...you're the first to give me such a challenge! I knew you were something back when I met you. Sadly, it's time for these games to be over!" Ryan exclaimed as he took out what appeared to be a badge. In the center, a familiar rainbow stone...

"Alright Manectric, it's time to...mega evolve!" Ryan exclaimed as he pressed the center of the badge causing it to glow, sending out powerful tendrils of energy! At the same time, the leg band Manectric was wearing also began to glow with energy! Manectric then began to transform! It's mane started to grow considerably, now covering it's entire back! The Manectric also began to grow taller! The discharge Pokemon now stood even taller then Jake!

"No way. He's capable of mega evolution? I shoulda figured considering his status here...." Jake murmured as he watched the Manectric change even further.

"Impressed Jake? I'm sorry to tell you, but while your Electivire way have fought admirably, it was nothing more then a test of your skill! I'm surprised you made it this far, but no further! This is it for you Jake!" Ryan called to the young trainer.

"We'll see about that! Your Manectric is still low on health, and me and Milo will pull through!" Jake responded.

"Let's stand strong Milo! Let's start with Growl! Then follow up with Tackle!" Jake ordered.

"Let's finish this Manectric! Go for Electric Terrain first! Then use Thunderbolt!" Ryan barked.

Manectric was the first to start! The discharge Pokemon began to amass electrical energy, before pumping it into the ground! Milo could feel the massive amount of electrical energy, constantly sending tiny jolts into his feet. If he could use this energy, his electric attacks would surely be more powerful! But now wasn't the time for that! The Mareep ran towards the Manectric, before letting out a harsh
growl in an attempt to startle the discharge Pokemon!

But with the massive size difference between the two, the Manectric couldn't help but laugh at the Mareep's attempt to startle it! This angered Milo even more, who proceeded to ram into the discharge Pokemon!

Letting out a small cry, Manectric slid back slightly, before preparing it's next attack! The discharge Pokemon began to gather electricity into it's body, before releasing it as a wicked bolt of electricity! Milo had little time to react, and soon the powerful attack had Milo in it's grasp, causing the wool Pokemon great distress! The Mareep cried out as the attacks assault seemed to last for ages! Finally the pain stopped and Milo collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted...
-----
"W-where am I?" Milo asked as he slowly began to rise from his slumber. The Mareep looked all around, trying to get a feeling of his surroundings. But all he saw was darkness, in every corner of the room.

"What is this place? Wasn't I just in the arena?" Milo question the darkness surrounding him.

"Why did you do it Milo?" A sudden voice pierced the otherwise quiet room.
"W-what are you talking about? Who goes there?!" Milo yelled into the empty room.

"You promised you'd never fight again. You decided not to fight, to protect the ones you love... So why are you fighting again?" The mysterious voice spoke once more. Suddenly, images of different Pokemon started to appear in the empty room. Machop, Cottonee, Skitty, Timburr.....

"W-what do you want from me?! Why are you here?!" Milo screamed at the Pokemon before him.

"Are you proud of what you did? To all of those innocent Pokemon? Think of all the suffering you brought... You're a monster for what you did. You should be ashamed!" The voice continued without remorse.

"N-no it's not true...I-I didn't...." Milo stammered, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"And the worst part is you lost your only friend because of it. Do you think anyone actually cares about you? Your original trainer, the one with the cowboy hat, traded you away for a measly candy!
Your second trainer exchanged you for a stone! And as for Jake, do you honestly believe he cares about you? He's using you as a tool, nothing more!" The voice exclaimed.
"N-no, y-you're lying..Jake c-cares a-about me!" Milo stammered.
"Is that why he constantly ignores what you have to say? He's only using you because of your power. Your power to harm anyone and everyone in your path!" The voice continued once more.

"Milo! Don't give up now! You need to stay strong!" A familiar voice cut through the dark words of the Mareep's subconscious.

"J-jake? Is that you?" Milo murmured.

"You have to stand back up! I know you're stronger then that! I believe in you!" The young trainer's voice once again pierced the air, snapping Milo back into reality.
-----
Milo once more began to rise from his slumber, finding himself in the arena once more!

"Way to go Milo! Let's stay strong for just a little longer!" Jake exclaimed at the sight of the Mareep's recovery.

Once again Milo turned to face the Manectric that stood before him. Though the fight had previously seemed impossible, the Mareep found a new sense of encouragement in his trainer's words. Jake was counting on him, and Milo wasn't planning on letting him down! Soon the Mareep felt a strange rush of energy flow through him, and with a small cry, began to glow in a bright light!

"Milo, y-you're evolving!" Jake exclaimed as the wool Pokemon began to change shape. He began to grow taller, and his back legs grew stronger. Some of his wool began to fall off and his skin colour changed from blue to pink! Even his tail changed colour!
Once the transformation was complete, the light faded completely, revealing an adorable .

Though Jake was excited for Milo, he couldn't help but feel a bit confused. Milo had never been in a battle to his knowledge, so how was he able to evolve so fast?

"What an amazing turn of events folks! It seems as if Manectric's latest assault has caused Mareep to evolve into Flaffy! However things aren't looking too bright for Flaaffy! After Manectric's powerful thunderbolt, the Wool Pokemon finds itself at just over a quarter of it's health! Meanwhile, after using so many powerful attacks, Manectric looks like it could use a break! Will Flaaffy be able to take advantage of this? Let's find out!" The announcers voice boomed across the arena.

"Heh, just because your Mareep evolved, doesn't mean it's got any shot at winning! Manectric use Thunderbolt once more!" Ryan barked

"We've got this now Milo! Let's start with an Iron Tail, then follow it up with one last Agility!" Jake ordered.

Manectric was the first to move! Once more the discharge Pokemon began to amass electrical energy into it's body, before releasing a bolt of lightning towards Milo! But the Flaaffy was fully prepared for the attack, and with new found strength easily jumped out of the way. With the discharge Pokemon left wide open, Milo lunged at it before swinging his iron clad tail upon the Manectric, causing it to cry out in pain!

Milo wasn't ready to stop just yet! The Flaaffy began to relax it's muscles for a third time, lightening his body as much as he possibly could!

"And with that another exciting round comes to an end! It seems that with it's new strength, Flaaffy has got Manectric on the ropes! Will Manectric have some way of turning it around?" The announcer questioned once more.

"Alright Milo, let's give it all you've got with Iron tail! Then follow up with Body Slam!" Jake called to his partner.

"Manectric first use Headbutt! Then go for a Facade!" Ryan barked once more.

Thanks to his use of agility, Milo found himself being the first to act! Once more the wool Pokemon began to channel steel typed energy into his tail, before dashing towards his opponent!
Prepared for the attack, Manectric began to charge towards the Flaffy head first! The two Pokemon smashed in to the other, each of their attacks clashing against the other. But it seemed the two were equal in strength, causing the two Pokemon to slide back!

"B-but how's that possible?! Crix struggled to match Manectric's power, and yet Milo seems to be truely equal to it?" Jake thought as he watched the two electric types clash.

But neither of the two Pokemon were finished! In a fit of rage, Manectric charged towards the Flaaffy, intent on slamming into it with all it's might! But Milo had the same idea, the Flaaffy quickly lunged towards his rival before slamming into the discharge Pokemon with all his weight! Yet again the two Pokemon seemed to be equal in power, each of them bouncing back once more!

"Yet another exciting round comes to a close in this exciting final match! And it seems as if the battle between Flaaffy and Manectric is about to come to a close! Each of them are barely holding on! A good hit or two could easily end them! Let's see just what happens next!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Manectric, keep Flaaffy at bay with Discharge!" Ryan yelled at the discharge Pokemon.

"Milo, get out of the way of Manectric and use Charge!" Jake chirped.

This time it was Manectric who started off the match! The discharge Pokemon began to charge up a moderate amount of electrical energy, before discharging all around it! Milo was quick to act, and with his superior speed, managed to narrowly avoid the storm of electricity in front of him! Now safe from danger, the Flafafy began to amass electrical energy! But instead of unleashing it for an attack, the wool Pokemon instead stored for an upcoming move!

"What an uneventful round folks! Though Manectric tried to finish Flaaffy off with a powerful Discharge attack, Flaaffy managed to dodge it! But with Flaaffy storing up energy for a further electric attack, things could get a lot more interesting folks!"

"It's time to finish this Milo! Let's give them your best Electro Ball!" Jake exclaimed.

"Not so fast! Manectric stop them in their tracks with Hyper Beam!" Ryan shouted.

Eager to win it all, Milo began to charge up even more electrical energy! The stored energy, along with the electrical current still flowing under Milo's feet helped boost the power of the attack to astronomical levels!

Not willing to stand by, Manectric too began to amass an incredible amount of energy in it's mouth!

The two rivals glared at each other for a brief moment, before each of them unleashed their extremely powerful attacks! The two attacks clashed in the middle, sending severe amounts of energy to bounce around in the air! Finally the two attacks exploded in a ball of black smoke, completely covering Milo and Manectric!

The previously loud crowd fell completely silent. Everyone one was on the edge of their seats! Who would emerge victorious, Milo or Manectric? It took Jake a couple seconds to realise he had been holding his breath! The young trainer coughed briefly before turning his attention back to the field, where the smoke was beginning to dissipate. In the center of the arena, both Milo and Manectric were lying on the cold dirt, completely unresponsive.

"Flaaffy and Manectric are both unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"This is incredible folks! For the first time in the history of this tournament, Manectric has been knocked out! What an incredible feat for Jake and Flaaffy!"

The crowd roared, Jake could hear them cheering, even chanting his name!
"Wow, I was wrong about him. Jake rules!"
"I can't believe that Flaaffy actually stood toe to toe with Manectric! What an incredible Pokemon!"

"Milo return!" Jake called out as he returned the Flaaffy to his Thunderball. "You were simply amazing out there. Thank you for helping me when I really needed it."

"I never thought I'd see the day!" Ryan exclaimed as he returned his Manectric to it's Pokeball.

"Jake, your next Pokemon please!" The referee called to the teen.

At the referee's request, Jake quickly grabbed a ball from his belt.

"Alright Arthur, let's give it your all!" Jake exclaimed as he tossed the Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged an orange and white Pokemon consisting of plasma!

"It seems Jake has chosen Rotom as his fourth Pokemon! Despite having already gone through four different battles, Jake has yet to use Rotom in the tournament! Let's see just how well it fares against Ryan's second Pokemon.

"Ok Raichu, let's go!" Ryan called as he threw another Pokeball into the air. From the ball materialised a familiar orange rodent!

"And it seems Ryan has chosen Raichu as his second Pokemon! We've never seen Ryan use anything but Manectric before, so this will surely be a treat to watch! And with that, let the next round begin!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Behold! A legendary hero makes his way to this hellish landscape!" Arthur exclaimed as he got a good look at his surroundings.
"You! You shall be my battle of overwhelming fate today!" Arthur continued as he faced the Raichu before him.
"Two wills clash in a burning inferno of might! No hards feelings I hope? It's just how this has to be!"
Raichu seemed completely unfazed by the strange Rotom, instead awaiting it's trainers orders.

"Let's do our best out there Arthur! Let's start with Astonish! Then follow with Signal Beam!" Jake chirped.

"Alright Raichu, start things off with Iron Tail! Next use your Thief attack!" Ryan barked.

Raichu was the first to start things off! The mouse Pokemon began to gather energy as steel into it's tail! The Raichu then bolted towards Arthur, slamming it's tail into Arthur with incredible force! The Rotom hovered back slightly at the attack. Though it didn't seem to have done a ton of damage, it seemed to have cut right through Arthur's defence, lowering it slightly!

Eager to show off his power, Arthur dove towards Raichu at an incredible speed! Just before the plasma Pokemon made contact, he let out a loud shriek, hoping to make Raichu flinch! But the mouse Pokemon stood strong, not flinching for even a second!

Arthur was completely shocked that his attack hadn't made Raichu flinch, and in his confusion left himself completely open for an attack! Seizing the opportunity, Raichu coated itself in a dark aura before slamming into Arthur, hoping to snatch any item on the plasma Pokemon! Arthur let out a loud shriek as the attack connected, sending the poor plasma Pokemon flying!
Despite the mouse Pokemon's efforts, it didn't manage to steal an item from the Rotom, most likely because he didn't have one in the first place!

Ready to make the Raichu pay for it's assault, Arthur began gathering bug energy inside him, before firing it out as a magnificent rainbow beam! Unable to react in time, the mouse Pokemon took the full brunt of the attack, causing it to slide backwards a bit.

"What an exciting round everyone! It seems Raichu's taken an early lead in the match, still sporting most of it's health. Meanwhile, Rotom seems to be trailing behind at just over three quarters of it's health. Will Rotom be able to turn things around, or will Raichu maintain a firm lead?"

"Raichu, start with Disarming Voice! Then use Thunderbolt!" Ryan barked once more.

"Ok Arthur, let's start by using Signal Beam! Then follow through with Uproar!" Jake ordered.

Once more Raichu found itself being the first to act! The mouse Pokemon let out an emotional cry, sending out pink sound waves, which quickly homed in on Arthur! Though the Rotom tried his best, he found the waves were unrelenting, and was soon struck by the attack!

Eager to retaliate, Arthur began to channel bug energy into his body! Once more the plasma Pokemon used the energy to shoot a rainbow beam towards his target! But Raichu was much more prepared then last time, and the mouse Pokemon easily avoided the attack!

The mouse Pokemon then began to amass electrical energy into it's body! Once the Raichu was satisfied, it let loose a wicked bolt of lightning! The bolt was simply to fast to avoid, and Arthur found himself in the power attacks grasp!
The Rotom let out a small cry as the attack's energy slowly coursed through his body. Though he hated to admit it, the Raichu was simply too strong for it!

But the Rotom wasn't willing to give up quite yet! The plasma began to gather energy into it's mouth, before letting out a loud screech! The screech transformed the previously stored energy into large sound waves, which quickly made it's way to Raichu, smashing into the mouse Pokemon for a large amount of damage!

"With that another exciting round has come to a close! It seems things aren't looking too good for Rotom! After this past round, the plasma Pokemon now has under three quarters of it's health! Meanwhile, Raichu is still leading with three quarter of it's health! Let's see if it stays this way in the next round!" The announcer's voice rang over the arena.

"Let's keep it up Arthur! How about you start things off with a Shock Wave! Then follow it up with another Uproar!" Jake chirped.

"It's time to show them our true strength Raichu! First use Thunder Punch! Then use Fling!" Ryan yelled to the mouse Pokemon.

Eager to get started, Raichu began to channel electric energy into it's fist! The mouse Pokemon then lunged at Arthur, slamming it's fist into his frail body!

Angered by the assault, Arthur began to charge electrical energy inside himself, before firing it in the shape of a blue beam! Raichu was fully prepared for the attack, and jumped out of the way before the attack had a chance to connect. Unfortunately for the mouse Pokemon, the beam was relentless, quickly circling around and striking the Raichu in the back! The mouse Pokemon let out a cry of shock as the surprise attack caused it to fall over.

Seizing the opportunity for another attack, Arthur once more channeled energy in his mouth, before releasing it in the form of blue sounds waves! The waves of energy quickly zoomed towards the mouse Pokemon, smashing into it for a large amount of damage!

The mouse Pokemon, now fuelled with rage, glared at the Rotom that stood before it. The plasma Pokemon hadn't felt it's worst, and Raichu loved the idea of it screaming in pain as the attack took it's full effect! Eager to see it in action, the mouse Pokemon took out a poison barb, and flung it towards Arthur with all it's might!

Unable to react in time, the plasma Pokemon let out a scream as the powerful dark type attack sent agonising pain throughout him! To make matters worse, once the pain of the attack finally subsided, a new pain emerged, causing the plasma Pokemon to cough violently, Arthur had been poisoned!

"Things aren't looking too good for Jake and Rotom! Though Rotom previously had just under three quarters of it's health, the recent assault on it has left it with under half! Raichu meanwhile holds a firm lead at barely under three quarters of it's health. Can Rotom hope to turn it around?" The announcer questioned.

"This is bad. If Arthur stays on the field, there's no way he can win!" Jake thought to himself.
"If only I could switch him out for another Pokemon...but I'm not allowed to switch. Wait, yes I can! I can use Volt switch!"

"Alright Raichu let's keep it light this round! Use Thunder Punch!"

"Hang in there for just a bit Arthur! Let's give them your Volt Switch attack!"

Once more the mouse Pokemon began to gather electric energy into it's fist, before leaping towards the plasma Pokemon. With a swing of it's fist, Raichu slammed into Arthur with all it's might!

In retaliation, the plasma Pokemon coated itself with a veil of electric energy! The Rotom then converted some of the energy into a large ball, before blasting it into his opponent! Using the attack as a distraction, Arthur flew back into his Pokeball without any danger!

"Thanks to Jake's quick thinking, Rotom managed to return to it's Pokeball for later use! But just what Pokemon will Jake pick next? Let's wait and see!" The announcer's voice boomed.

"Hmm...who would be a better match up against Raichu?" Jake questioned as he observed the mouse Pokemon. Raichu was quite fast, and had a large variety of attacks. As the young trainer continued to ponder, he noticed the mouse Pokemon's tail. Unlike most Raichu he had seen, this one's tail was flat on the end, instead of pointy.
Raichu's with flat ended tails were female, Jake knew just what Pokemon he could use!

The young trainer quickly grabbed a Pokeball from his belt before throwing it into the air.
From the ball emerged a black, yellow and white squirrel Pokemon, who quickly glided down onto the field!

The sky squirrel Pokemon quickly looked around at his surroundings, before waving to the crowd.

"It looks like Jake has chosen Emolga as his fifth Pokemon! We've never seen Jake use Emolga before, so it's battling capabilities are completely unknown! Will Raichu be able to hold it's own? Let's see in the next round!"

"Alright Voltaire let's start with Fatal Attraction! Then use Metronome!" Jake exclaimed.

"Raichu use Wild Charge! Then use Thunder Bolt!" Ryan barked.

The mouse Pokemon was the first to act, surrounding itself in a bright yellow aura, before slamming into Voltaire! The Emolga cried out upon the mouse Pokemon's impact, but quickly got a hold of himself.

The sky squirrel Pokemon gave the Raichu a small smirk and a wink before emitting a dark pheromone into the air. Raichu couldn't help but inhale the chemicals, causing her to become infatuated with the Emolga!

Though it was now her turn to attack, the Raichu couldn't bring herself to attack Voltaire! Seizing his chance, Voltaire began to wag his finger back and forth, summoning the knowledge of a random move! The Emolga then surrounded itself in flames before charg(e)ing into Raichu!

Once Voltaire was done his assault, Raichu cried out once more. It seemed as if pheromone had entered it's blood stream!

"What an exciting round! Though Raichu seemed to have the upper hand going in to this, Emolga seems to have gained the upper hand with Fatal Attraction! As long as Raichu is under it's effect, it'll keep taking damage! Will Raichu be able to turn this around?" The announcer questioned.

"Raichu use Thunder Bolt, then use Disarming Voice!" Ryan barked

"Voltaire let's start with Quick Attack, then follow it with another Metronome!"

Voltaire was the first to act! The sky squirrel Pokemon jumped into the air, before gliding towards his opponent at an incredible speed! The Emolga then slammed into the mouse Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage!

Now it was Raichu's turn to act! But once again the mouse Pokemon couldn't bring herself to attack the Emolga!

Not wasting any time, Voltaire began to wag his finger once more! The Emolga then began to surround himself with large, sharp edge stones!

The Emolga then fired the stones towards the mouse Pokemon! Still conflicted on what to do, the Raichu was unable to react in time, allowing Voltaire to score a direct hit!

Not willing to let Voltaire off easy, the mouse Pokemon let out an emotional cry, sending out several pink sound waves! The sounds waves quickly homed in on the sky squirrel striking him for light damage!

Once the Raichu was done she let out a small cry. It seemed as if the pheromone was starting to deal more and more damage!

"And yet another thrilling round comes to a close! And it seems as if Emolga is still firmly in the lead! After that powerful Stone Edge, Raichu is dwindling at under half health! Meanwhile Emolga has roughly three quarters of it's health left! Will Emolga continue it's firm lead? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Voltaire use Aerial Ace! Next go for an Iron Tail!" Jake chirped.

"Raichu use Hidden Power, then use Iron Tail as well!" Ryan barked.

Voltaire was the first to start the round, jumping into the air before gliding towards his opponent at astounding speed!

However, Raichu was prepared for the Emolga and began to surround itself with three orbs, as cool as the winter breeze! The Raichu then fired the icy orbs into the sky squirrel, causing it to cry out in pain!

Not willing to give up, Voltaire coated it's tail in metallic energy before swinging it 's tail towards his opponent! But once again Raichu was prepared for the attack, and counter the sky squirrels metallic tail with one of it's own, causing the two Pokemon to be sent flying back to their ends of the field!

"With another round over, it seems as if the gap between Emolga and Raichu has shrunk significantly! While Raichu still remains at under half it's health, Emolga is now just barely over half! On top of that, Emolga seems to be tuckered out after
using so many powerful attacks, maybe Emolga should keep it light next round?"

"Raichu use Hidden Power then use Thunderbolt!" Ryan barked once more.

"Let's not push ourselves too much Voltaire! Use Metronome, then take a little break!" Jake exclaimed.

Not one to waste any time, Raichu began to gather it's inner power, converting it into three orbs which began to circle the mouse Pokemon.
Raichu then fired the icy orbs into Voltaire, causing the sky squirrel to cry out in pain!

Intent on winning the match, Voltaire began to wag his finger back and forth, gathering knowledge to use a move at random! The Emolga then began to run towards Raichu, his paws coated in earth like energy! Voltaire then leaped into the air, before spinning like a drill into the mouse Pokemon!

Raichu cried out as the powerful attack nearly made it fall over, but the mouse Pokemon managed to hold on! Raichu was ready to attack Voltaire once more, but it seemed as if the pheromones effects once again were stopping her from wanting to! To add insult to injury, the pheromones once again sent a shot of pain through out the mouse Pokemon's body, nearly causing it to keel over!

"Things aren't looking to good for Raichu! Though the mouse Pokemon previously had just under half it's health, it now find's itself with barely any left! Even a single attack from Emolga could end it! Is this it for Raichu?!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Alright Voltaire let's finish this with Iron Tail! If that's not enough follow with Aerial Ace!" Jake chirped.

"Hang on Raichu! Use Iron Tail, then go for Hidden Power!" Ryan screamed at the mouse Pokemon.

Hoping to end the battle as soon as possible, the sky squirrel began to coat his tail in metallic energy, before swinging it towards his opponent! Once again Raichu countered the attack with it's own Iron Tail, causing the two attacks to collide! But this time Voltaire seemed to have the upper hand, sending the Raichu flying into the ground!

"Raichu is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

The crowd once again went wild. Jake could hear them chanting his name once more! He'd beaten two of Ryan's Poemon, something unheard of during the tournament!

"And Jake has managed to take out Ryan's second Pokemon! Will Ryan be able to end his streak, or will Jake finally beat our seven year champion?! Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Return Raichu!" Ryan barked as he returned his Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"Alright Voltaire let's keep this up. With any luck we can turn this battle around!" Jake exclaimed to his partner, who seemed to be quite happy with the attention he was getting from the crowd.

"Rotom your up next!" Ryan called out as he chucked another Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged another plasma Pokemon! Unlike Arthur though, this Rotom seemed to have taken the form of a refrigerator!

"It seems as if Ryan has chosen Rotom as his third Pokemon! Seeing as how Ryan has only used Manectric until this match, Rotom's battling capabilities are completely unknown! But if Rotom is anything like Ryan's other Pokemon, this next match up is going to be an exciting one!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Rotom use Thunderbolt! Then use Dark Pulse!" Ryan shouted to the Plasma Pokemon.

"Alright Voltaire let's start with Quick Attack, then follow it up with Aerial Ace!" Jake exclaimed.

Voltaire was the first to act! The sky squirrel Pokemon jumped into the air, before gliding towards his opponent at an incredible speed. The Emolga then slammed into Rotom dealing a small amount of damage!

Seizing the opportunity to attack, the Plasma Pokemon began to gather electric energy in it's body, before releasing a bolt of lightning, striking the Sky Squirrel Pokemon and causing it to cry out in pain!

Not ready to give in just yet, Voltaire jumped high into the air, before gliding towards his opponent so quickly he almost seemed to disappear!

However, the Plasma Pokemon was one step ahead. It began to gather dark energy and thoughts, before sending out waves of dark purple rings! The rings crashed into Voltaire, interrupting his attack and causing the Emolga to crash into the ground!

"With this round over, it seems as if Rotom has a firm lead over Emolga. Though Emolga tried it's best, it could barely land a hit! Meanwhile Rotom managed to land two powerful attacks, causing the Sky Squirrel's health to drop to about a quarter! Will Emolga be able to turn this around?" The announcer questioned.

"Hang in there Voltaire! Let's go for an Iron Tail first! Then use Metronome!" Jake chirped.

"It's time to end this Rotom! When Emolga get's close use Blizzard!" Ryan barked.

Voltaire was once again the first to act! The Sky Squirrel Pokemon began to coat it's tail in metallic energy, before swinging it towards his opponent!

Fully prepared for the attack, Rotom let out a large blast of frigid air! Unable to stop in time, Voltaire was subjected to the powerful attack, shards of ice, sleet and snow hitting him directly! Unable to withstand the attack, the Sky Squirrel let out a final cry before collapsing onto the field.

"Emolga is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"It seems as if Rotom's Blizzard attack was simply too powerful for Emolga! After very little resistance from Emolga, Jake is left with just two Pokemon! Will Jake's next Pokemon be better suited against Rotom? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Voltaire, return!" Jake called out as he returned his Emolga to it's Pokeball.
"You were amazing out there, I'll win this for us, I promise."

Jake then grabbed another Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the air. From the ball emerged a blue, yellow and black Pokemon with a star shaped tail.

"And Jake has chosen Shinx as his sixth Pokemon! We have yet to see Jake use Shinx during this tournament, so it's capabilities are unknown to us! Will Shinx be able to take on Ryan's Rotom? Let's wait and see!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Ok Rotom, start with Thunderbolt! Then use Shadow Ball!"

"Alright Lenna let's give it our all out there! First let's use Fire Fang! Then follow it with Double Kick!" Jake chirped.

Lenna was the first to start the round! The Flash Pokemon began to gather fire energy, coating her fangs in orange flames, before sinking them into her opponent's body, causing the Rotom to cry out!

Angered by the Flash Pokemon's assault, Rotom began to gather electric energy, before striking Lenna with a bolt of lightning! But the Plasma Pokemon wasn't done just yet! The Rotom quickly gathered energy into an indigo orb, before firing it towards it's opponent.

Lenna wasn't about to sit by, as the orb came close to her, she jumped to the side, managing to avoid the attack entirely. In return for the Rotom's assault, the Shinx charged towards the Plasma Pokemon, before delivering two powerful kicks to her opponent!

"What an exciting round folks! Unlike Emolga, Shinx seems to be holding it's own against Rotom, having hit it with two super effective attacks this round! After this powerful assault, Rotom finds itself at just under three quarters of it's health! Meanwhile Shinx is looking fairly fresh! Will Rotom be able to close the gap between the two? Let's find out!" The announcer's voice boomed over the arena.

"Let's keep this up Lenna! Let's go for another Fire Fang! Then use Tackle!" Jake exclaimed.

"Rotom use Blizzard! Then go for Hidden Power!" Ryan barked.

Lenna was the first to start the round, once more coating her fangs in flames before sinking them into Rotom! Angered by the attack, the Plasma Pokemon began to gather cold, icy energy, before sending a blast of frigid air towards the Flash Pokemon!

Unable to react in time, Lenna was pelted with shards of ice and snow, causing the Shinx to cry out in pain!

But Lenna wasn't easily discouraged, and quickly charged towards Rotom, intent on slamming into the Plasma Pokemon!

However, Rotom had other plans, and with little effort moved out of the way of the attack, causing the Shinx to leave herself wide open for attack! Taking full advantage of this, Rotom began to tap into it's power hidden deep within. Three orbs of energy began to circle the Plasma Pokemon, as calm as the earth itself! The Rotom then sent the orbs towards Lenna at an alarming rate! Unable to react in time, Lenna cried out as the super effective attack sent her flying onto the ground.


"Wait Rotom's Hidden Power is Ground typed as well?" Jake pondered
It was if Ryan's whole team was made to have a counter to each of his Pokemon, but that couldn't be right, could it?

"And it seems as though the fight between Shinx and Rotom has grown closer then before! Despite being in the lead by quite a bit at the start, Shinx now finds itself at under half of it's health! Who will the next round favour? Shinx or Rotom? Here's hoping for another exciting round!"

"Rotom go for another Shadow Ball! Then use Hidden Power!" Ryan shouted at the Plasma Pokemon.

"Lenna counter Shadow Ball with a Night Slash! Then go for a Double Kick!" Jake called out to the Flash Pokemon.

The Rotom once again began to gather a spooky energy, forming it into a indigo ball before firing it towards Lenna! The Shinx was fully prepared for the attack, and coated her claw in a dark energy before swinging it at the Rotom's attack! With little difficulty, the Shinx cut though the ball of shadow and scored a powerful hit on her opponent! As if that weren't enough the Shinx then spun around and delivered two powerful kicks to the Plasma Pokemon, causing it to fly back to it's side of the field!

Once more Rotom began to gather it's hidden power, causing three earth-like orbs to surround the Plasma Pokemon. Rotom then sent the orbs right at Lenna, striking the Shinx for a large amount of damage!

"Once again both Rotom and Shinx are neck and neck at the end of another thrilling round! Both Pokemon find themselves barely under a quarter of their health! However after so many powerful attacks, both Pokemon seem to be a little tired, maybe a quick break would do them both good!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Let's end this Rotom! Start with Ominous Wind! Then finish with Thunderbolt!" Ryan barked.

"Hang in there for a little bit longer Lenna! Let's go for another Night Slash! Then follow it with Shock Wave!"

Lenna was once more the first to start the round! Desperate to prove herself, the Flash Pokemon began to coat her claw in a dark aura, before swinging it towards Rotom!

But the Plasma Pokemon was ready for the attack, and quickly began to gather energy before releasing a purple wind towards the Shinx! The wind was too powerful for the Shinx, and with little resistance caused the Flash Pokemon to fall back onto the hard ground.

But Lenna wasn't done yet! She had to beat Rotom, no matter what! The Shinx began to gather electric energy into a light blue ball, before launching it towards Rotom in the form of a beam! Rotom too, had been gathering electric energy, sending a bolt of lighting towards Lenna's attack!

The two electric attacks clashed against one another, each Pokemon's pride was on the line! Unfortunately for Lenna, Rotom's attack proved to be stronger, cutting through the blue beam and striking the Shinx! With one final cry Lenna fell to the ground, completely exhausted!

Shinx is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"And after a close and exciting match, it seems as if Rotom has once again triumphed over Jake's Pokemon! Now Jake has just one Pokemon left. Even worse, his Rotom has already taken a lot of damage in it's battle against Raichu! With Ryan still having four Pokemon, can Jake hope to make a come back?" The announcer questioned.

"Return Lenna!" Jake called as he returned the Shinx to her Pokeball.
"You were great out there, now rest up well."

Jake then grabbed another Pokeball and tossed it into the air.
From the ball emerged a familiar orange and white Pokemon consisting of plasma!

"And once more Jake's Rotom appears on the battlefield! Last time Rotom struggled to fight Ryan's Raichu, will it's luck change against Ryan's Rotom? There's only one way to find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

Once on the battlefield, the Plasma Pokemon began to take in his surroundings. At the sight of his new opponent, Arthur spoke up once more.
"A legendary ice demon! What a strong opponent a hero as I must face! Fear not peasants, for even in my weakened form Arthur, legendary hero of Plasma shall strike this beast down!"

"Let's try and stay focused on the battle, ok Arthur?" Jake called to the Plasma Pokemon.

"Umm....right!" Arthur exclaimed as he turned to face his opponent, waiting for his trainer's orders.

"Alright Arthur let's do this! First start with Signal Beam! Then follow with Astonish!" Jake chirped.

"Rotom use Shock Wave! Then use Blizzard!" Ryan barked.

Unable to contain his excitement, Arthur quickly began to gather bug energy, before firing towards his opponent as a magnificent rainbow beam! Unable to react in time, the beam struck Rotom, causing the Rotom to almost fall over!

With what little energy Rotom had left, it began to gather electric energy, forming it into a blue beam of energy, which was sent quickly towards Arthur, striking him for some moderate damage!

Not willing to let his opponent off easy, Arthur dove towards Rotom at an incredible speed! Just before the Plasma Pokemon made contact, he let out a loud shriek, before slamming himself into his opponent!

This proved to much for Rotom, who let out a brief shriek before falling to the ground!

Arthur started to laugh as his opponent fell to the ground. The great Plasma hero had been victorious! However the Plasma Pokemon's celebration was cut short as he began to cough violently. It seemed as if Arthur was still under the effects of poison!

Rotom is unable to battle!" The referee exclaimed.

"It seems Ryan's Rotom, after it's battle against Emolga and Shinx, couldn't continue it's winning streak! After a brief battle against Jake's Rotom, Ryan's Rotom has been defeated. Now Ryan has three Pokemon left! With Jake's Rotom at under half health, can it hope to win against it's next opponent, let's wait and see!

"Rotom return!" Ryan barked as he returned the Plasma Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"I admit Jake, your Pokemon are really something!" Ryan called out to his opponent. "I haven't seen a trainer and their Pokemon with this amount of determination in quite some time. That being said, it looks as if your time in the spotlight is over!" Ryan exclaimed is he tossed another Pokeball into the air!

From the ball emerged a yellow lizard Pokemon, with a frilled collar around it's neck!

"And Ryan has chosen Heliolisk as his fourth Pokemon! It goes without saying that Heliolisk's battle capabilities are unknown at this point! Will Rotom be able to stand up against Heliolisk, or will Ryan emerge victorious? Let's wait and see!"

"Heliolisk let's end this battle here and now! Let's start with Dark Pulse! Then follow up with another Dark Pulse!" Ryan shouted to the Generator Pokemon.

"Stay strong Arthur! Let's go for a Thundershock first, then use Uproar!" Jake exclaimed.

With astounding speed, Heliolisk began to gather dark energy and thoughts, before sending out several waves of dark purple rings!

Unable to react in time, Arthur cried out as the powerful attack almost caused the Plasma Pokemon to fall over!

Trying his best to stay strong, Arthur began to gather electrical energy, before releasing a wave of energy, striking Heliolisk for a small amount of damage.

Barely bothered by the attack, Heliolisk once again fire wave after wave of rings coated in a dark aura, smashing into the Plasma Pokemon and causing him to fall onto the ground with a loud shriek!

"Rotom is unable to battle, which means the winner is Ryan and Heliolisk!" The announcer exclaimed.

"What an amazing match! After a thrilling display of power, it seems as if Ryan has once again won the Rayo Electric Master's tournament! This concludes our tournament for this year folks. And remember to tune in to the Electric Master's Regionals, where you can watch more shocking battles! Until next time, see ya!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Arthur return!" Jake called as he returned the Plasma Pokemon to his Pokeball.
He had lost. Despite trying his best, Jake had lost against Ryan. But strangely enough he wasn't disappointed....but happy? Even though he had lost, Jake realised that he had a lot of fun making it as far as he did. Besides, the top four contestants were allowed to compete in the regionals, that's when he'd get his moment to shine!
--------
"I'm sorry I didn't win like I promised." Jake said as he walked through the busy streets of Rayo town, ticket to the Regional Electric Master's Tournament clutched in his hand.

"That's fine...once I evolve I can compete, then maybe I can face Ryan myself." Hazel replied as he walked right beside his trainer.

"So should we go home? I bet you some of the others are waiting for us!" The young trainer exclaimed.

Before Hazel could respond a girl's voice cried out, causing the pair to turn around.

"Jake! I knew I'd find you here!" A familiar voice called out to Jake before quickly approaching.

"Sophie.... I didn't expect to see you here." Jake said at the sudden appearance of his friend.

"So you went on a little adventure and didn't even ask if I wanted to come?" Sophie asked.

"I just thought maybe I could do something alone for once.....how did you find me anyway?"

"Telpo told me you would be here! Anyway that's not important. Now that you're here we can go to the dragon festival together!" Sophie exclaimed.

"What's the dragon festival?" Jake questioned.

"That doesn't matter, let's get going!" Sophie exclaimed before grabbing her friend's hand and dragging him away. Hazel let out a sigh before following the pair. It looked as if they had another adventure in store!
-------------
Meanwhile Ryan was sitting in his office, waiting impatiently for someone to arrive. The tournament had been a success yet again, but what was the pay out this year?
A sudden knocking at his door caused the man to quickly turn around and face the door.

"Come on in!" Ryan yelled.

To this two people in grey suits came in, an x stitched on their right sleeve.

"Victoria, Fredrick...did you bring the Pokemon?" Ryan questioned.

"Yes sir!" Fredrick exclaimed as he handed his superior a Pokeball.
"Three Pikachu, a Raichu, two Elekid, a Blitzle and of course, that Eelektrik we got back at the forest!"

"Why do I only have the Eelektrik then?!" Ryan shouted at the pair.

"Already ahead of you sir, I already sent the weaker Pokemon to the boss to be sold!" Victoria spoke up suddenly.

"Very good! Now get lost, I have something to do!" Ryan shouted, causing the pair to quickly flee the room.

The man let out a small sigh as he glanced at the ball in his hand. He'd done this countless times, and yet? He knew that it was necessary, no matter what he had to do.

"I'm sorry Jake...but Team Catalyst must prevail, no matter the cost!"

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 01-01-2017 at 08:16 PM. Reason: Flaaffy, not Flaffy
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Old 02-23-2017, 06:16 PM   #12
EpicSquirtle
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The Guardian Of Ryuu Town! Shibo, Dusty and the Ebony Flute.

"Wait, so this town we're going to, it's holding a special tournament honouring Dragon Types?" Jake questioned.

"Exactly." Sophie said as the pair continued to walk down a small dirt path, their destination just ahead.

"But....whats the point of us going? Back at Rayo town you seemed to make this out to be a big thing...." Jake replied.

"It is. The winner of the tournament is awarded a Z-Ring and a Normalium Z! If we're serious about getting stronger we definitely got to get one of those!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Z-Ring? Normalium Z? I don't know what those even are....." Jake muttered.

"They're tools required for pulling off Z moves. They're attacks brimming with power. It's sort of like a Mega Evolution for one of your attacks. If you want to get revenge on those freaks who attacked you back in Rayo town, you'll definitely need one." Sophie explained.

"They sound cool." Jake said as he gave a brief nod. "How did you know about those people who attacked me though? I don't think I ever mentioned that...."

"You did, you probably just forgot, is all." Sophie said. "But nows not the time for that, we're here, this is Ryuu town!"

"Oh wow." Jake murmured as he took in what was before him. The town was certainly smaller then Rayo....in fact it looked more like a small village!

Many people were running along the paths that weaved around each building, quickly preparing for the upcoming festival..

"Welcome to Ryuu town! I trust you're here for the festival?" A old woman asked as she slowly walked towards the pair.

"That's right! I'm Sophie, and this is my friend...Jake!" Sophie explained.

"Hello." Jake said as he gave a brief wave to the lady.

"It's nice to meet you both...I'm Flora, I'm the organizer of this lovely event. I'm guessing you've come from pretty far away, in that case why don't you come to my place for a cup of tea? I'll fill you in on all the details of the tournament while we're there."

"Sounds good to me, what do you say Jake?" Sophie asked.

"I'm ok with it." Jake replied.

"Lovely. Follow me, my place is just over here." Flora said before slowly walking towards a small red house not too far from the plaza.

As the trio passed through the small town, Jake couldn't help but notice a large statue in the middle of the town. The statue showed a young lady pointing to the sky, a fearsome Flygon beside her.

Once inside Flora's home, the old lady ushered the teens to a small wooden table.
"Here, you two take a seat....and feel free to bring out any of your Pokemon if you wish, everyone is welcome here.

"Umm...thank you." Jake said as he took a seat. The teen then grabbed a Pokeball from his belt and quietly sent out a Pokemon. From the Pokeball emerged a Trapinch, who quickly looked around, hoping to find an opponent to face. Once she had realised there wasn't a battle at all, the Ant Pit Pokemon hopped up onto her trainers lap.

"That's a cute Trapinch you have there. What's it's name?" Flora asked.

"Her name is Dusty." Jake replied.

"That's a very good name.....What kind of tea do you kids want?" Flora asked.

"I'll pass on the tea" Jake said.

"Orange pekoe if you have any!" Sophie exclaimed.
---
"So Flora, if you don't mind me asking..what's the point of this festival anyway?" Jake asked as the lady passed Sophie her tea.

"Hmm...well it's been a tradition of this place for roughly seventy years..." Flora explained.

"Seventy years? That's a long time." Sophie said.

"It is, but this town has a very good reason for doing it. I could tell you the story, but it'll probably take a bit." Flora said.

"I'd love to hear it." Jake said. "...If that's ok with you."

"Yeah I'd love to hear it as well." Sophie added.

"Well it all began when I was just nine years old...or was I ten? I can't remember. Back then this place was nothing but a tiny village. It was usually quite peaceful back then. It was like any other morning, until a giant void filled the sky, and a strange beast came through it. It was as if it came from another world!" Flora exclaimed.

"A beast from another world? Are you sure?" Jake asked.

"It was nothing any of us had seen before! The beast was thirsty for destruction or something...it started to lash out at the people of the village, it couldn't be stopped." Flora continued. "We had all given up hope until she appeared..."

"She?" Sophie questioned.

"Just wait a second, I'm getting there!" Flora exclaimed. "The youth of today have no patience anymore! Anyway where was I? One morning a giant void filled the sky, and a strange beast....wait no I've already said that!" Flora exclaimed.

"You were going to tell us about someone appearing" Jake said.

"Oh that's right! Just when we'd given up all hope a young lady appeared. She wore weird clothes for the time...it was quite strange really. Not that any of us really cared since our small village was up in flames and such. Anyway she and her partner Flygon stood up to the beast and managed to drive it away with a Z-Move.
It was the most powerful attack I've ever seen to this day. Once the beast was gone the girl left, leaving behind a Z-Ring and a Normalium Z in case we ever needed help again. In her honour we held a festival every year, celebrating her and her Flygon for saving us." Flora finished.

"Wow that's amazing!" Jake exclaimed.

"Indeed, what happened to the gifts she gave the town though?" Sophie asked.

"They're still here to this day, held in the Dragon's temple at the edge of this very town, guarded by the new guardian of this place, Salamence." Flora explained.

"One day I'm going to be even stronger then that Flygon!" Dusty exclaimed. "I'll be the ultimate dragon!"

Jake laughed at the Trapinch before patting her on the head. "Maybe one day you will."

"Well that was a nice story and all, Flora can you tell us how to sign up for the tournament?" Sophie asked.

"You need to get permission from the mayor first." Flora explained.

"Wait.....you mean you're not the mayor?" Jake asked.

"While the mayor does indeed live here, I am not her. That title belongs to my granddaughter." Flora explained.

"Do you know when she's going to be back? We really need to sign up for that tournament." Sophie said.

"Fret not young one...my granddaughter should be home soon...while we wait, I wanted to show you something." Flora said before standing up and grabbing something from her shelf.

It was a painting, carefully protected by a fancy frame. The painting showed what Jake assumed to be the girl in the story, doing several different poses, including a weird one of her making a z shape with her arms.

"These are cool! Did you make this?" Jake asked.

"I did. I owe her for saving me and my home, the least I could do was make this piece in her honour." Flora explained.

"Wow, she's really pretty, I think you did a good job." Sophie said.

"Yeah...what's she doing here though?" Jake asked, pointing to the weird pose he had noticed earlier.

"That's her preforming the Z move Breakneck Blitz. In order for a Z move to work one must make the correct movements." Flora explained.

At that moment the door to the house swung open and a young woman entered, a Houndoom right behind her. The woman was quite tall, and had long, silky black hair.

"Shelly! It's so good to see you home. Are you done with all that work for now?" Flora asked.

"Of course I am grandma." Shelly said before turning to the two teens at the table. "And who are these two?"

"I'm Sophie, and this is my friend Jake. It's nice to meet you." Sophie said.

"Umm, have we met before?" Jake asked. "You look really familiar...."

"I noticed that too." Sophie said.

"I seem to be getting that a lot! But no, I don't believe we've met before." Shelly said. "I assume you're here for the festival?"

"That's right!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Ok then, follow me, I have some forms just over here." Shelly said before showing the pair into an office. From there she picked up two papers from the stack on her desk and handed them to Jake and Sophie.

"We need to sign this form?" Sophie asked.

"Of course! What tournament have you went to that doesn't make you?" Shelly asked.

"Come to think of it, I don't remember signing one in Rayo town...." Jake murmured.

"Hey Shelly, if you're the mayor, and everyone has to go through you to join the tournament, why does your grandma organise the event? Is it because you're too busy?" Sophie asked.

"Well....you see I'm actually not around all that much." Shelly explained.

"Why's that?" Sophie questioned.

"Well, I have another job besides being the mayor of this town. This festival costs a lot of money. I've considered cancelling the festival many times, but my grandma loves it...I don't want to break her heart, so I'm constantly out trying to earn enough money for her..."

"Oh.....sorry I didn't mean to pry." Sophie said.

"It's fine. Are you done signing the forms?" Shelly asked.

"Yep, here you are." Jake said before passing the form.

"I'm done as well." Sophie said before passing hers.

"Perfect, thank you both. I just need to grab one more thing before you're registered, hold on a second."

"Mayor! Terrible news! It's a disaster!" A man shouted before entering the house.

"Now calm down....tell me what's going on." Shelly said calmly.

"It's terrible, the Ebony Flute has been stolen!" The man exclaimed.

"That's terrible! Do we have any idea who did it?" Shelly asked.

"Yes! Everyone has the beast cornered in the plaza, come quickly!" The man exclaimed before running out.

"I'm sorry to delay your registration, but I really do need to tend to this." Shelly explained.

"That's ok, we'll go with you....right Jake?"

"Right, we'll help you get that Ebony flute....whatever that is." Jake said.

"Thank you both, now let's get going. Grandma, you stay here." Shelly said before running out the door, Sophie right behind her.

"Wait up!" Jake called before scooping up Dusty and running off.
----
As Jake approached the plaza, he noticed a small mob surrounding something. "Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" Jake could hear the crowd chanting.

"Silence everyone!" Shelly yelled, causing the crowd to quickly disperse, revealing the beast they had been harassing. To Jake's horror it wasn't a beast at all, but a Lickitung! The poor Pokemon was shaking in fear of the crowd that stood before it.

But something was different about this Lickitung...it was wearing a familiar amulet... It was the Lickitung he had met back in Rayo town!

"Lickitung!" Jake called out, causing licking Pokemon to look up in surprise. Jake quickly put Dusty down, before running over to the Lickitung. The Lickitung in turn gave the trainer a slobbery lick!

"Ah! That stings!" Jake cried out. "You need to warn me next time." He chuckled before turning to the crowd.

"I'm sorry everyone, but this is all one big misunderstanding, this Lickitung didn't steal your flute." Jake explained.

"Though I wish to believe you, we don't have any evidence that this is not our culprit" Shelly said.

"Kill the beast! Kill the beast!" The crowd began to chant once more.

"You can't kill this Pokemon, we have no proof it's done anything wrong!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Just say the word and I'll take them all out." Dusty said to her trainer.

"I don't think that'll be necessary Dusty, I'm sure they're reasonable people.." Jake replied.

"Let's have a vote!" Shelly exclaimed. "Raise your hand if you think this Pokemon is our flute thief."

In unison, nearly all of the crowd had raised their hand.

"Then it is settled. This beast shall be slain at the start of the Dragon Festival tonight!" Shelly exclaimed, causing the crowd to let out a cheer.

Jake couldn't believe his ears! How could anyone kill a Pokemon, innocent or not?

"This is barbaric!" Sophie exclaimed as Shelly began to walk towards the group.

"I won't allow you to take this Lickitung! You have no evidence of who took the flute! It's obvious that Lickitung has been framed!" Jake exclaimed.

"That's too bad, Ryuu town has spoken. If you don't move then I'll have no choice but to burn you to a crisp." Shelly explained coldly, as her Houndoom began to snicker.

"This isn't going to solve anything! The real culprit could be getting away." Jake said.

"It's no use Jake. Nothing is going to convince her..." Sophie said.

"I can't just let this Lickitung die! It's an innocent Pokemon." Jake replied.

"If you're so sure that this Lickitung is innocent, then prove it." Shelly said. "If you can find the Ebony flute before tonight, then I will let this Lickitung go."

"Deal." Jake said before turning to the Lickitung. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here....I promise." With that Jake quickly scurried away, Sophie and Dusty quick behind him.
-----
"This is terrible! There's no way we can find this flute in time!" Jake exclaimed as the trio began to walk around the town.

"We have no leads, and we don't even know why this flute is so important, or what it even does!"

"It's not completely hopeless, we could always ask someone....though I suppose Shelly is out...and most the townsfolk...." Sophie said.

"......what about Flora? She seems to know a lot about this place...plus she's the only one that's not absolutely crazy." Jake said.

"Well what are we waiting for? We better hurry!" Sophie exclaimed.
----
"So you two have returned! How was it?" Flora asked upon greeting the pair at the door.

"Not good....can we come in for a moment?" Sophie asked.

"Of course! Make yourselves right at home!" Flora exclaimed.

"So did you want more tea? I've still got lots of hot water." Flora said ads the pair sat at the old wood table once more.

"I'm fine." Sophie said. "We actually need some help....do you know anything about the Ebony flute?"

"Of course I do! That thing is very important in this town! It's a treasure even older then what the great hero gave us." Flora explained.

"What does it do exactly? Why is it so valuable?" Jake asked.

"It is said that the sound of the flute is so soft and pure that any Pokemon will automatically obey you should you wish. Though it's never been used for generations, many even question if it's powers are but a legend."

"I can see why whoever stole it would do so, that flute seems like a dangerous tool." Jake said.

"Jake I think I know where the thief might be!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Wait what? How?!"

"They're probably at the Dragon's temple....where the Z-Ring and the guardian Salamence are." Sophie said.

"Why would you think that?" Jake asked.

"Think about it, if they're already stealing one of the treasures, why not the other? With the flute they can take the Salamence and the Z-Ring without worry." Sophie explained.

"I didn't even think of that! Even if the culprit isn't there, it may still be a great place to start." Jake said.

"I'm glad I could help. The temple is at the other end of the town from where we met" Flora explained. "And please, be safe out there, that includes you Dusty."

"We will, thanks for everything!" Sophie exclaimed before running out the door.
Dusty turned to Flora and gave her a brief wave before leaving with her trainer.
----
"So this is the temple? It looks really run down...are you sure we're in the right place?" Jake asked.

"I think so....maybe not as many people are as fond of the hero as Flora...." Sophie said.

"If the thief is in there, we should be prepared for a fight....are you ready Dusty?" Jake asked.

"I was born ready, that thief won't know what hit them!" Dusty exclaimed.

With that, the three entered the run down building in hopes of finding the flute inside.

Despite the run down look on the outside, the inside of the temple looked like it was kept in pristine condition, much to Jake's surprise. It was smaller then Jake had imagined, just a large room dotted with pretty lights. In the center of the room, a large flight of stairs.

"So this is i-"

"Shh, Jake quiet." Sophie whispered. "Listen"

The room quickly grew quiet...wait no...Jake could hear voices coming from upstairs. He couldn't quite make out what the voices were saying, but the teen realised that there was definitely more then one!

"Let's hurry, we need to get that flute back." Jake whispered before he began to creep up the stairs.

Once he was at the top, Jake noticed a large room in front of him. In the center was large pedestal which seemed to have a strange bracelet upon it. At the very back was a rather large Salamence, larger then any Jake had seen before. Walking towards the back of the room was a pair of adults, wearing grey lab coats, a black x stitched on the back and side.

"Stop right there thieves!" Sophie exclaimed, causing the pair to turn around.

"Well look who it is.....it's Jake, here to try and stop us again. The boss said that you were on our trail, but I didn't think you'd make it in time." Fredrick said.

"You know these two Jake?" Sophie asked.

"Unfortunately, these two were the ones that attacked me back in Rayo town..." Jake explained.

"Don't think you can beat us like last time, that stupid Manectric isn't here to save you any longer!" Victoria exclaimed. "Once we defeat you, we'll use this flute and Z-Ring to make sure Team Catalyst prevails!"

"Team Catalyst? That's some nice information....are you sure you wanted us to hear that?" Sophie asked.

"Way to go Victoria! Why don't you spill all our plans while you're at it!" Fredrick exclaimed.

"Well it's not like it matters anyway! Once we bring this flute back to the base we'll be unstoppable." Victoria explained.

"I guess you're right. This is for making fools of us at Rayo town!" Fredrick exclaimed before tossing a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the Scarecrow Pokemon, Cacturne.

"Porygon-Z let's show these two that we're not to messed with!" Victoria called before sending out the Virtual Pokemon.

"Let's show them what we're made of Pom!" Jake exclaimed as he threw a Pokeball into the air. From the ball materialised the long tail Pokemon, Ambipom.

"Let's give it our all Scraps!" Sophie called before calling out the hoodlum Pokemon, Scrafty.

Pom turned to his partner, recognising the Scrafty. He had fought him back when he was a Scraggy, alongside Cyanide. The Ambipom remembered that battle quite well, it had allowed him to evolve after all. Still, Pom was glad to see such a formidable Pokemon was on his side now.

"Scraps let's boost your strengths with Dragon Dance, then use Brick Break on Porygon-Z!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Pom use Gunk Shot on Cacturne, next use Screech on Porygon-Z!" Jake called out to the Ambipom.

"Porygon-Z use Thunderbolt on Ambipom, then Aerial Ace on Scrafty!" Victoria barked.

"Cacturne go for Brick Break on Ambipom, then follow with Seed Bomb on Scrafty!" Fredrick yelled.

Pom was the first to act, and quickly began to gather slime and garbage into an orb of toxic energy! The Ambipom then fired the energy at Cacturne, causing the Scarecrow Pokemon to cry out!

Eager to get in on the action, Porygon-Z started to channel electrical energy within itself. The virtual Pokemon then let out a beam of electricity, striking Pom and causing a fair bit of damage to the Ambipom.

As if that weren't enough, Cacturne quickly charged towards Pom, before striking him with his arm! The powerful attack caused Pom to shriek and fall onto the cold stone of the temple floor.

Not willing to give up so quickly, Pom rose to his feet and let out an awful screeching noise! Unable to stop the horrible sound, Porygon-Z let out a cry as the sound waves assaulted it, causing it's defence to be lowered.

Now it was Scraps turn! The Scarfty began to dance, causing his speed and attack to heighten! With his new found power, Scraps ran towards the virtual Pokemon, before striking it with his open palm, sending Porygon-Z flying backwards.

Enraged by the Scrafty's assault, the virtual Pokemon flew towards its opponent at an incredible speed, before striking the hoodlum Pokemon!

Cacturne wasn't ready to stand by, and began to gather grass energy into a sphere, before firing it towards Scarfty, dealing a large amount of damage.

"Jake, we need to end this as soon as possible, so let's focus on one Pokemon at a time!" Sophie exclaimed. "Just follow after me, ok?"

"You've got it." Jake nodded.

"Porygon-Z use Aerial Ace on Scrafty again. Then use Dark Pulse on Ambipom!" Victoria barked once more.

"Cacturne go with Seed Bomb on Ambipom, then follow it with Low Kick!" Fredrick shouted.

"Alright Scraps let's use Focus Punch on Porygon-Z, then use Brick Break on Cacturne!" Sophie hollered.

"Pom let's back up Scraps! Focus on keeping him from getting hit until he can use Focus Punch. Afterwards use Double Hit on Cacturne!" Jake exclaimed.

Scraps was the first to act, and began to slowly focus energy into his fist. Intent on stopping the hoodlum Pokemon from preforming it's next move, Porygon-Z began to fly towards it's opponent at high speed. Just as the virtual Pokemon was about to strike, Pom leaped in front of Scraps, taking the damage in his stead!

The Ambipom turned to the hoodlum Pokemon and gave a brief smile, one that Scraps quickly returned. Not willing to waste anymore time, Scraps gave a mighty swing before smashing his fist into the virtual Pokemon!

Porygon-Z let out a loud shriek as it went flying into a nearby marble pillar, before falling onto the floor, defeated.

"Did you see that?! Now that's team work!" Sophie exclaimed before raising her hand in the air.

"That was pretty awesome." Jake agreed, before high-fiving his friend.

"You just got lucky! Don't think my next Pokemon will be so easy!" Victoria exclaimed as she returned the virtual Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"Alright Wigglytuff, you're next!" Victoria called as she threw another Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged a cute pink Pokemon with rabbit-like ears!

"Let's keep things up Scraps! Let's use High Jump Kick on Cacturne, then use Poison Jab on Wigglytuff!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Ok Pom, let's use Gunk Shot on Wigglytuff, then use Brick Break on Cacturne!" Jake called out to the Ambipom.

"Wigglytuff use Play Rough on Scrafty! Then use Dazzling Gleam!" Victoria yelled.

"Cacturne dodge Scrafty's attack, then use Spikes!" Fredrick barked.

Scraps was once again the first to act! The hoodlum Pokemon began to channel energy into his knee, before leaping into the air! The Hoodlum Pokemon then came crashing down, intent on slamming into Cacturne!

Prepared for the incoming attack, the scarecrow Pokemon leaped out of the way, causing Scraps to crash into the floor! The Scrafty cried out as intense pain shot throughout his knee, but he wasn't going to let that stop him! The hoodlum Pokemon began to cloak his fist in a purple aura, before jabbing it into Wigglytuff!

Not keen on standing by, Pom began to gather slime and garbage into an orb of toxic energy! The Ambipom then shot the glob of toxic energy at Wigglytuff, causing the Balloon Pokemon to cry out!

Angered by the recent assault, Wigglytuff dove towards Scrafty, dealing a flurry of powerful blows! The attack almost proved to be too much for the hoodlum Pokemon, but Scraps managed to hang on!

Now it was Pom's turn again! The Ambipom began to channel energy into one of his tails, before striking Cacturne with it! In retlaiation the scarecrow Pokemon began to fire a layer of spikes all over the floor! Though it didn't those any harm to Jake or Sophie's current Pokemon, the duo knew that it would only make things harder for them should Pom or Scraps fall...

Ready for round two of it's assault, Wigglytuff began to gather fairy energy within itself, before releasing it in the form of a bright burst of light, striking both Pom and Scraps! The powerful attack proved to be too much for Scraps, who let out a small cry before toppling over!

"We'll get them next time Scraps! For now let's rest up." Sophie said before returning the Scrafty to it's Pokeball.

"Alright Lux, it's your turn now!" Sophie exclaimed as she threw another Pokeball into the air. From the ball the wrestling Pokemon, Hawlucha appeared. Noticing the spikes, Lux flew gently onto the ground, in order to avoid stepping on them.

"Wigglytuff, use Play Rough on Hawlucha. Then use Thunderbolt!" Victoria barked.

"Cacturne, it's time to use our final attack!" Fredrick shouted, much to Jake's confusion. Had the pair created a certain phrase to say in order to confuse the opponent?

"Ok Lux, let's use X-Scissor on Cacturne, then use Hone Claws!" Sophie hollered.

"Let's keep it up Pom! Start with Double Hit on Wigglytuff, then use Mega Punch on Cacturne!" Jake exclaimed.

Eager to start the match, Lux began to coat his arms in bug energy. The Hawlucha then dashed towards Cacturne, swiping his arms at the scarecrow Pokemon, causing it to almost topple over!

Pom was next to act, and raced towards Wigglytuff, before hitting the ballon Pokemon with each of his tails in quick succession.

Still filled with anger towards the opposition, Wigglytuff lunged at Hawlucha before delivering a harsh series of blows!

In an attempt to increase his strength even more, Lux began to sharpen his claws, causing his power to rise.

Meanwhile, Cacturne still hadn't attacked, and was standing completely still. Taking the opportunity to strike, Pom began to gather energy into on of his tails, causing it to be washed in a white glow. The Ambipom then swung at Cacturne, causing the scarecrow to cry out and topple over in defeat!

However, as soon as the scarecrow Pokemon toppled over, Pom did too. It seemed that Cacturne had used Destiny Bond, ensuring that one of it's opponents had gone down with it!

"Cacturne return!" Fredrick barked as he returned the scarecrow Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

The man then took a second Pokeball from his belt and threw it in front of him. From the ball emerged the big boss Pokemon, Honchkrow!

"A Honchkrow huh? Looks like an Electric Type would be best..." Jake muttered to himself as he debated on which Pokemon to use.

"Pick me! Pick me!" Dusty exclaimed as she began to tug on her trainers pant leg.

"Sorry Dusty, I don't think you'd be the best choice at the moment....you'll get your chance soon, I promise." Jake said as he grabbed a a gold plated ball and gently tossed it in the air.

From the special ball materialised an equally special Pokemon. To the unobservant eye the mouse Pokemon would look like an ordinary Pikachu, but what made this Pikachu different was her black tipped tail. Along with that, Tessa could wear special costumes, allowing her to pull off special moves.

"Oh! Is that a rare Cosplay Pikachu I see? And it's wearing that adorable pop star outfit as well! Such a Pokemon would be excellent for our cause." Victoria said.

"I guess that's too bad for you! Tessa would never join your awful cause." Jake spat.

"Is what we're doing so wrong? We just want everyone to be happy." Fredrick explained.

"Enough! Lux use Poison Jab on Wigglytuff, then use Rock Tomb on Honchcrow!" Sophie barked.

"Ok Tessa let's start with Quick Attack on Honchkrow, then use Iron Tail on Wigglytuff!"

"Wigglytuff use Thunderbolt on Hawlucha. Then use Dazzling Gleam!"

"Honchkrow go with Night Slash on Pikachu, then follow it with Shadow Ball!"

Tessa was the first to act! The mouse Pokemon ran towards Honchcrow at an incredible speed, slamming into the big boss Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage.

It was Lux's turn now, and the wrestling Pokemon was eager to start! Hawlucha quickly began to cloak his arm in toxic energy, jabbing it into Wigglytuff's body and nearly causing the balloon Pokemon to topple over!

In retaliation of Lux's assault, Wigglytuff began to gather electrical energy, before releasing a beam of it towards Lux! The Hawlucha braced itself as the bolt of energy grew closer, but to his surprise the bolt turned away from him, instead striking Tessa's tail, increasing her special attack power!

"Dammit! That Pikachu has lighting rod?!" Victoria hollered in surprise.

With Wigglytuff side open, Tessa started to amass energy in her tail, causing a sheet of metallic energy to envelop her tail. The mouse Pokemon then swung her tail at Wigglytuff, slamming into the Wigglytuff with all her might!

The attack proved to be too much for the balloon Pokemon, who let out a small cry before falling onto the floor.

"Wigglytuff return!" Victoria barked before returning the balloon Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"I can see what the boss saw in you....you really are a capable trainer if you've got me having to use my last Pokemon." Victoria said.

"Wait you only have three Pokemon?! I could have sworn you had four!" Fredrick exclaimed.

"I did, I lost that stupid Lickitung back in Rayo remember? I haven't had a chance to snatch another one yet" Victoria explained.

"I see....Victoria is right though Jake, this fighting is pointless. I know you've made your stance on us clear, but please reconsider! With your strength, our goals could easily be accomplished!"

"Never. The fact that you think I would join you after all you guys have done makes me sick!" Jake exclaimed.

"I figured you were a lost cause..." Victoria said before grabbing a third Pokeball and tossing it in front of her. From the Pokeball came the predator Pokemon, Staraptor.

"Ok Staraptor use Brave Bird on Hawlucha. Then use Take Down on Pikachu!" Victoria commanded.

"Honchkrow use Brave Bird on Hawlucha, then follow with Nasty Plot!" Fredrick shouted.

"Lux use Rock Slide, then go for Aerial Ace on Staraptor!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Let's keep up the good work Tessa! Let's start things off with a Electro Ball on Honchkrow, then use Thunder Punch!" Jake ordered.

Lux was the first to act, quickly summoning rings of energy above his opponents. From the rings large boulders came raining down on Staraptor and Honchkrow, causing the pair to cry out in pain!

Keeping the momentum going, Tessa began to gather electrical energy at the tip of her tail, forming a bright yellow orb with it. Tessa then launched the ball of electricity at Honchcrow, the extremely powerful attack nearly causing the big boss Pokemon to fall to the ground!

Now it was Staraptor's turn to strike! The predator Pokemon flew up as high as it could go, before begging to cloak itself in energy. Staraptor then dove towards Hawlucha, smashing into the wrestling Pokemon with all it's might!

The powerful attack proved to be too much for Lux, and with a final cry the Hawlucha fell over in defeat.

"Lux return!" Sophie called as she returned the Hawlucha to it's Pokeball. "You preformed nicely out there, let's rest up for now."

"Alright Chikara let's do our best out there!" Sophie exclaimed as she chucked a third Pokeball onto the field.

From the ball appeared the muscular Pokemon, Conkeldurr, who quickly cried out as the spikes previously put down by Cacturne dug into his feet.

"Chikara use Ice Punch on Staraptor, then go for Thunder Punch!" Sophie commanded.

"Ok Tessa let's start with Thunder Punch on Staraptor, then use Draining Kiss on Honchkrow!"

"Staraptor use Double Edge on Pikachu. Then follow with Close Combat!"

"Honchkrow use Psychic on Conkeldurr, then use Aerial Ace!"

Tessa was the first to act! The mouse Pokemon began to channel electrical energy into her fist, before striking Stararptor!

In retaliation, the predator Pokemon began to recklessly charge towards Tessa, slamming into the frail mouse Pokemon and sending her flying across the room!

Unfortunately for Staraptor, it's previous attack left it wide open! Taking advantage of this, Chikara began to envelope his fist in a frosty aura. The muscular Pokemon then slammed his fist into the predator Pokemon, causing it to shriek loudly!

Eager to get in on the action, Honchkrow began to deeply concentrate, a sudden veil of energy grabbed onto Conkeldurr, tossing the muscular Pokemon into a wall!

Despite the assault from Staraptor, Tessa wasn't out of it just yet! The mouse Pokemon ran towards Honchkrow, her lips surrounded in a pink aura of energy. Tessa then gave a quick kiss to the big boss Pokemon, leeching it of the rest of it's energy and giving some of it to her!

With one last cry, Honchkrow fell to the ground.

"Return Honchkrow." Fredrick muttered as he returned the big boss Pokemon to it's Pokeball.

"Don't fail me now, Weavile!" Fredrick called as he sent out the sharp claw Pokemon.

"Alright Chikara let's use Focus Punch on Weavile, then go for Thunder Punch on Staraptor!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Tessa, protect Chikara until it can pull off Focus Punch, then use Iron Tail on Weavile!" Jake ordered.

"You're not doing that this time! Staraptor launch Pikachu away with Double Edge. Then use Aerial Ace on Conkeldurr!" Victoria commanded.

"Once Conkeldurr is open use Aerial Ace. Then use Counter!" Fredrick shouted.

Chikara started the round, starting to focus all of his energy into his fist. Tessa meanwhile, jumped in front of her partner, desperately trying to keep any attack from hitting him.

Once more Staraptor began to recklessly charge towards Tessa, slamming into the mouse Pokemon and causing her to fly far away from Chikara.

Seizing the opportunity, Weavile dashed towards the muscular Pokemon at an incredible speed. At the last moment, Weavile changed it's direction and attacked Chikara from another angle, catching him off guard and making him lose concentration.

Following in it's teammates footsteps, Staraptor made it's way towards the Conkeldurr, striking the muscular Pokemon with another Aerial Ace and almost causing it to keel over!

With what little energy she had left, Tessa began to channel metallic energy into her tail. Fully prepared for the attack, Weavile began to cloak itself in fighting energy in preparation for a counter attack.

With all her might, Tessa slammed her metallic tail into the sharp claw Pokemon's body! Weavile let out a small shriek, before smashing the mouse Pokemon with twice the force!

Once more Tessa was sent flying onto the cold floor of the temple. Unlike last time, Tessa didn't get up....

"Tessa you were great out there, have a nice rest, you deserve it." Jake said as he recalled the cosplay Pikachu into her gold and black ball.

"It's my turn now, right?" Dusty asked, still eagerly tugging on Jake's pant leg.

"Be patient Dusty." Jake said before grabbing a pink ball with a heart on it.

"Ok Opal, it's you're time to shine!" Jake exclaimed as he threw the Love Ball into the air. From the ball emerged a Venomoth with wings that shone with many bright colours, like a polished opal.

"What a pretty looking Venomoth. With wings like that I'm sure our boss would be pleased if we snatched it." Victoria mused.

"Indeed. A Venomoth of that colour could definitely get us some cash. All the more incentive to win." Fredrick added.

"Staraptor use Aerial Ace on Venomoth. Then go for Brave Bird on Conkeldurr!" Victoria barked.

"Weavile start with Hone Claws, follow with Ice Shard!" Fredrick shouted.

"Ok Chikara use Low Sweep on Weavile, then go for Thunder Punch on Staraptor!"

"I know you can do it Opal! Let's go for an Energy Ball on Weavile! Then use Bug Buzz!"

Weavile was the first to start, and eagerly began to sharpen it's claws, causing it's strength to rise.

Meanwhile, Staraptor began to fly towards Opal at an incredible speed! At the last moment, the predator Pokemon changed directions, catching Opal off guard by the unexpected angle of the attack!

Quickly recovering from the attack, Opal began to gather the energy of nature itself, forming it into a green sphere. The Venomoth then fired the sphere of energy at the sharp claw Pokemon, causing it to shriek and fall back slightly!

But the assault on Weavile wasn't over just yet! Chikara ran towards the sharp claw Pokemon, before sweeping his leg at Weavile, causing it to trip!

Weavile cried out as the powerful attack sent intense pain through it's legs, lowering it's speed!

Weavile wasn't about to let that stop it however! The sharp claw Pokemon began to create multiple shards of sharp ice, before firing it towards Opal, causing her to cry out as the shards dug into her body.

Angered by the Weavile's attack, Opal began to flap her wings rapidly, causing waves of sound to viciously assault the sharp claw Pokemon!

Eager to continue, Staraptor flew as high as it could, before diving towards Chikara, surrounded by flames and flying energy! The attack proved to be too much for the muscle Pokemon, who quickly toppled once the predator Pokemon had crashed into him.

But all was not well for Staraptor either. Staraptor had been a little too reckless with it's last attack, and hadn't even considered it's own safety. Exhausted of all it's health, the predator Pokemon join it's opponent on the floor.

The two trainers returned both of their Pokemon, but to Jake's surprise Sophie didn't send out another.

"Aren't you going to send out someone else? It's not like we have to play by the rules with these guys." Jake said.

"About that.....I kind of only brought three Pokemon, I didn't really expect to get into a fight." Sophie confessed.

"Why am I not surprised? I'm pretty sure this happened back in Rayo town as well....." Jake thought to himself.

Not that it really mattered anyway, Jake had noticed that Weavile looked quite beaten up. Surely one attack could even push it over!

"Alright let's finish this Opal! Start with Aerial Ace! If that doesn't finish Weavile off, go for Sludge Bomb!" Jake exclaimed.

"Weavile finish these pests with Aerial Ace! If that doesn't work use Ice Punch!" Fredrick barked.

Both eager to win, Opal and Weavile began to charge towards each other! At the last second both Pokemon switched directions, slamming into each others sides with all their might!

Each Pokemon let a shriek as the attacks proved to be too much for them, each falling at the same time!

"Return Opal." Jake said before returning the Venomoth to her Love Ball. "You were amazing out there."

Jake then turned to face the pair in front of him.
"Looks like it's over Team Catalyst...hand over the Ebony flute, or you might be Dusty's next victims!" Jake exclaimed as the Trapinch slowly made her way towards the pair.

"You think we'd hand over this flute that easily? We aren't scared of your puny wanna be dragon....when we have this!" Fredrick shouted as he pointed to the giant Salamence behind them.

Jake had completely forgotten about the dragon Pokemon at the back of the room. It had been watching the whole fight ensue, but hadn't done a thing to stop. It seemed to only care about that strange ring...

"You wouldn't! If you use that flute on that Salamence....it could go into a rage!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Oh we will! Let's see how you do against this!" Victoria shouted. before putting the flute to her lips.

Jake and Sophie froze as a soft melody started to play from the instrument. Instantly the giant Salamence began to rise, before looking at Team Catalyst, waiting for orders.

"Salamence! Eliminate these two at once!" Fredrick cried out.

The dragon Pokemon let out a mighty roar, causing the ground to shake and any unstablele pillars to topple over! The beast then started to gather draconic energy in it's mouth, preparing for an intense move.

"Sophie look out!" Jake called to his friend, who had previously been glaring at Tema Catalyst.

Suddenly coming to, Sophie jumped out of the way as Salamence let loose a mighty Dragon Breath, scorching the floor and back wall of the temple.

"Now's our chance Victoria, let's get out of here!" Fredrick shouted before racing down the stairs of the temple, Victoria following right behind.

"Sophie you get those two...I've got this." Jake said.

"As you say!" Sophie exclaimed before chasing after the pair.

Jake then brought his attention to the massive beast before him...

"Well Dusty, looks like you'll have your battle after all." Jake said before grabbing his two remaining Pokeballs.

"Robin, Bagel, I need your help!" The teen exclaimed before tossing the balls in the air. From the balls emerged the Murkrow and Axew, both of them almost fleeing in terror at the sight of their opponent.

Salamence meanwhile, began to flap it's wings violently, causing some of the ceiling to collapse, allowing it to have a bit more room for flight. The dragon let out another mighty roar and a light orange aura began to envelope it, raising all of it's stats!

"We're going to have to give this everything we've got you three!" Jake called out to the Trapinch, Murkrow and Axew.

"Alright, Robin use Twister, Bagel you use Leer, and Dusty go for a Bite!"

Salamence started the match by letting out a mighty roar, shaking the ground once more and summoning multiple rings of energy in the air. From the rings large boulders came crashing down, dealing heavy damage to the three Pokemon that stood before the Salamence.

Robin was next to act! The Murkrow quietly flew towards his opponent before flapping his wings violently, causing a small twister to form! The wind picked up the debris from the previous battle, pelting Salamence with stones and draconic energy!

Wanting to give it her all, Bagel ran up to her opponent, before making a somewhat fierce looking face, catching Salamence completely off guard and lowering it's defence.

"Eager to get in on the action, Dusty lunged at the dragon Pokemon before sinking her teeth into it!"

Furious at the small Pokemon attacking it, Salamence began to amass electrical energy into it's massive fangs, before sinking them into Robin!

The attack proved to be too much for Robin, who fell with out a cry.

"Robin return!" Jake called as he returned the Murkrow to his Pokeball. "You did your best out there, now rest up."

"We have to stay strong. Bagel use Dragon Rage, then follow with Leer! Dusty start with Rock Slide, then go another Bite!"

Once again the giant Salamence began to amass draconic energy into it's mouth, before letting loose a mighty Dragonbreath!

Unable to react in time, Bagel cried out as the blue flames washed over her, nearly causing her to faint on the spot!

In retaliation the tusk Pokemon spat out a ball of fire and dragon energy, dealing a small bit of damage to the mighty dragon Pokemon.

Hoping to prove herself, Dusty summoned multiple rings of energy. From the rings many small boulders came crashing down, causing the Salamence to cry out in anger!

Desperate to get rid of the pests before it, Salamence began to coat it's large fangs in a dark aura, before biting Dusty with all it's might!

Bagel once again ran towards the giant dragon before making a fierce face, once again catching Salamence off guard and lowering its defence further!

Seizing the opportunity to punish the dragon Pokemon further, Dusty lunged at the beast before sinking her teeth into it's flesh!

"Let's keep this going! Bagel use Assurance, then go for a Scratch! Dusty you start with another Rock Slide, then use Quick Attack!"

Salamence let out a mighty roar and began to surround itself in draconic energy, before slamming into Dusty! The Trapinch let out a shriek as she was sent flying into the air, before crashing down onto the floor.

Hoping to avenge her teammate, Bagel began to cloak herself in a dark aura of thoughts and emotions, before crashing into the giant dragon Pokemon with all her might!

Having recovered from the Salamence's assault, Dusty once again summoned multiple rings of energy. Many small boulders came crashing down on Salamence once more, causing the mighty Pokemon to let out a deafening shriek!

Hoping to get rid of the Trapinch, Salamence let out a frightening roar, startling Dusty! The dragon Pokemon then began to gather water energy in it's mouth, hoping to shoot an intense jet of water at the ant pit Pokemon.

Dusty was unable to move, she was completely frozen in fear! Noticing that her teammate was about to be hit, Bagel jumped in front of her friend, taking the jet of water head on!

"Bagel! W-why did you save me?" Dusty asked as she came to her senses.

"B-because you looked like you were in trouble....I'm sure y-you'd have done the same." The Axew replied, struggling just to stand.

"It's up to you now Dusty...but I'm...sure you can win. Win for us....ok?" Bagel asked.

"I've been through tougher before! Of course I can!" Dusty exclaimed.

Bagel smiled at the Trapinch's words. She always was confident in herself. Bagel's legs then gave out, and the young Axew toppled over in defeat.

"Bagel return!" Jake called out as he returned the Axew to it's Pokeball. "You were great, now rest up for now."

"It's up to you now Dusty! I know things aren't looking too good now...but I believe in you!" Jake called to the Trapinch.

Dusty turned to face her trainer, giving him a brief nod, before turning back to face her opponent. The Trapinch knew that she had promised Bagel that she would win....but even she was beginning to worry...

But both Jake and Bagel had put all their trust into her....she couldn't let them down! She had to be as brave as the mighty Flygon she wished to be someday!

Dusty let out a cry of determination, before an intense light enveloped her body!
Her body began to change drastically, she sprouted wings and her body became long and thin. Her eyes grew bigger, and two antennae sprouted from her head.
Once the light had faded there was no longer a Trapinch but a !

"Dusty..you evolved! I'm sure we can win this now!" Jake exclaimed.

"Ok Dusty let's start with Crunch! Then go for a Quick Attack!"

Despite Dusty gaining a large boost in mobility, Salamence was still the first to act! Once more the giant Salamence began to amass dragon energy into it's mouth, before letting loose a storm of blue flames!

The freshly evolved Vibrava let out a shriek as the flames washed over it's body. It seemed as if Dusty's evolution had been a double edged sword! Despite gaining a lot of mobility, now the Vibrava was vulnerable to Salamence's dragon type attacks!

With her brand new wings, Dusty quickly flew towards the dragon Pokemon, her small fangs coated in a dark aura! The Vibrava then chomped down on the Salamence, causing it to to let out another dealing shriek.

In a fit of rage, Salamence cloaked it's tail in dragon energy before swinging it at Dusty, causing the Vibrava to be sent flying to the back of the room.

Gathering what little strength she had left, Dusty flew towards Salamence at an incredible speed, slamming into the beast for some small damage.

The Vibrava then returned to her position in front of her trainer, her wings barely able to carry her there.

Jake could tell that Dusty didn't have much energy left in her. One more dragon attack from Salamence would surely finish the vibration Pokemon. At the same time, Salamence seemed relatively well off, if only Dusty knew an attack powerful enough to end this....

Jake glanced at his surroundings, hoping to find something that could help. His eyes quickly fell to the pillar holding the strange bracelet. It had fallen over during the ongoing battle, but the ring still seemed to be fine. Was that the Z-Ring that Flora had been talking about? Jake figured it was worth shot. The only problem was Salamence. With it being the guardian of the temple, Jake figured that the dragon Pokemon wouldn't let anyone go near the bracelet...

"I have an idea Dusty! Use Quick Attack on Salamence and bring me that ring!" Jake ordered.

Upon Jake's words, Salamence let out a mighty roar and started to make it's way to the bracelet, as if to protect it!

With all her might, Dusty flew towards Salamence, striking the dragon Pokemon and catching it completely off guard. Seizing the opportunity, Dusty grabbed the bracelet and quickly carried to her trainer.

Jake had never seen such a device before! The bracelet had a strange gem in the center of it. The entire thing gave off a strange glow, as if it was filled with a strange energy..

Jake quickly slipped on the bracelet and turned to face Dusty.

"I'm not really sure how this is supposed to work but let's try our best!" Jake exclaimed. "Let's power up your Strength to umm.....Breakneck Blitz!" Jake called out as he tapped the crystal in the center of the ring.

Once the ring was activated, a wave of emotions over took him. Suddenly he knew how to preform the dance required for the Z-Move. It was if he and Dusty were the hero's of Ryuu town for a brief moment. The knowledge gifted to them by the strange Z-Ring allowed the pair to complete the dance just as the hero and her Flygon had before! Once the dance had finished, all the energy the Z-Ring had poured into Dusty, giving the Vibrava a tremendous amount of energy, soaring far beyond what even a normal Z-Ring would! The vibration Pokemon then flew towards her opponent, faster then even an Extreme Speed! Surrounded in a veil of extreme energy, Dusty crashed into Salamence, who let out a large shriek before collapsing onto the floor.

Once the Salamence had collapsed, the Z-Ring shattered into thousands of pieces, it's finally duty completed.

"W-we did it Dusty! We beat the guardian Salamence!" Jake exclaimed.

"I told you I can take on any foe! I could probably take on all those Catalyst thugs at the same time!" Dusty said as she landed onto Jake's shoulder.

"Congratulations! It seems our work here is done then." A voice said, causing Jake to turn around.

"Sophie! Did you manage to get the Ebony flute back?" Jake asked.

"I did...but it's kinda broken.." Sophie said, showing Jake the flute, which looked as if it had been snapped in two.

"How did it break?" Jake questioned.

"I don't know, the fools probably broke it themselves. Let's not worry about that though, let's give this back to Shelly. I'm sure this will be enough to set Lickitung free." Sophie said.

"That sounds good to me, let's get out of here!" Jake exclaimed before making his way out of the temple, Sophie right behind him.
----
After a small walk, Sophie and Jake had found there way back to the town plaza. Once more people were hurrying about, preparing for the festival that would soon be starting. All of them not seeming to care that they had sentenced an innocent Pokemon to death not too long ago...

The trio soon spotted Flora and Shelly, along with Lickitung, who was being contained in a small cage...

"Jake, Sophie! I'm assuming you didn't find the Ebony flute?" Shelly asked.

"Actually we did!" Sophie exclaimed as she handed the broken flute to the mayor.

"Sorry to say though, we found it to be a little damaged....hope you don't mind. Sophie added.

"I see." Shelly said as she shot the girl a cold look. She quickly looked to Flora, who seemed to be pointing at the Lickitung.

"Right......I guess I'll release this Lickitung, for it was not the thief after all..." Shelly said as she took out a small key and unlocked the cage.

As soon as the door had been unlocked, Lickitung lunged at Jake, nearly toppling him over. He then began to his face, again and again, as if to say thank you.

"It's nice to see again as well Lickitung...." jack said as he tried to gently push the Lickitung away.

"Well I'm off....I have business to attend to, some idiot has apparently damaged the temple..." Shelly muttered as she stormed off, her Houndoom right behind her.

"Thank you two so much! Without your help I don't know what would have happened!" Flora exclaimed.

"Aren't you mad? The Ebony Flute is destroyed." Jake said.

"I don't care about that flute. I care that this little one is safe and sound." Flora explained, pointing to the Lickitung.

In response to Flora's words, Lickitung turned and gave the lady a hug.

"I see your Trapinch evolved as well. Am I right to assume that it helped you recover the Ebony Flute?" Flora asked.

"That's right, Dusty was a huge help." Jake explained.

"Well I guess this town is forever in your debt, Dusty, Jake and Sophie." Flora said. "Without your help, I don't know how long this town would be under the flutes spell."

"Spell?" Sophie asked.

"Did you not notice? Everyone was crazy over that thing! So much so that they'd put this innocent Pokemon to death as a means of revenge." Flora explained.

"I did notice that." Jake said. "Well thank you for everything Flora, but I think it's time for us to leave."

"You're not staying for the festival?"

"Sorry, but I think I've had enough of this place to last me a life time." Jake said.

"Fair enough. Be safe on your future travels! You're welcome here any time!" Flora exclaimed.

"Thanks Flora! Come on Jake let's get going, you can tell me about your battle with Salamence on the way home." Sophie said before slowly walking away.

Jake was about to leave too, but before he could Lickitung started to pull on his pant leg in protest.

"Hmm? What is it?" Jake asked the licking Pokemon.

"I think Lickitung wants to come with!" Dusty exclaimed.

"Lickitung, is that true?" Jake asked.

The Lickitung gave a nod, before licking Jake's face once again.

"Well ok then...." Jake muttered as he grabbed a brand new Pokeball and gently tapped it on Lickitung's head, sucking the licking Pokemon inside. The ball shook only once in his hand before making a small noise confirming the capture.

"Welcome to the team.....Shibo" Jake said with a smile. Today had been a crazy day to be sure. Fighting Team Catalyst and even a giant Salamence. But in the end he had made a new friend in Shibo, and that made it all worth it.
Wondering just where his adventures would take him next, Jake ran off to catch up with his friend, leaving the legend of Ryuu town and it's guardian behind....

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 05-25-2017 at 04:18 PM.
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Old 06-01-2017, 01:03 PM   #13
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The Truth of Team Catalyst: Hagane Labs Assault!

(Note: This is an archive of both mine, and Missingno. Master's posts in his base. As such, the format of this story is a bit different from the others in this Visionary Glade, in order to keep everything as authentic as possible.)
Credit to Missingno. Master for all posts in this colour.

Part 1:
Spoiler: show
Though he had been to Keith's base yesterday, Jake couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as he approached the three story house. Unlike last time, his arrival wasn't for a cause of celebration.
Yesterday, Keith had managed to persuade Jake into letting him join his investigation with Sophie. According to Sophie, there was a possible lead concerning Team Catalyst in Hagane City, a city well known for it's research regarding Pokemon.
"I'm sure it will be fine." Sophie spoke up, noticing how anxious her friend looked. Beside Sophie was her Lucario, who nodded in agreement of his trainers words.
"Umm..thanks." Jake said as he approached the door, giving it a light knock.

----
As Jake made to knock on the front doors, they slid open automatically. Considering the ground floor was now a Pokémon Center, it seemed more fitting, at least in Keith's opinion. And as the doors slid open, both Jake and Sophie would see the man of the house himself standing at the counter, while a blue-eyed Banette put a small variety of Poké Balls onto the tire-shaped healing machine. One familiar-sounding jingle later, and she handed them back to the Trainer. "Aaaand, they're all fighting fit," smiled Helena. "And not a moment too soon, either," she added, waving to the guests. "Hi, Jake," she called. "This must be Sophie, right? I'm Helena, it's nice to meet you!"

At Helena's words, Keith Masters wheeled around, as he affixed the last ball to his belt. Said ball split open at that point, and Meowth emerged, landing in his usual spot on Keith's shoulder. "Hey," Keith greeted the guests. "Alright, I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be," he stated. "If either of you need to heal up, Helena here will be more than happy to help," he added, the Banette nodding to confirm this.

----
Once Jake had knocked on the door, they slid open automatically. Inside, the pair noticed Keith, who had just finished healing up his Pokemon. Helena waved at the pair, asking if the girl with Jake was Sophie, before introducing herself to her.
"Yep, that's me." Sophie said with a smile. "It's nice to meet you Helena."
Upon noticing them, Keith greeted Jake and Sophie, saying that he was as ready as he could be. Keith then offered them the use of the healing machine, in case they needed to heal up.
"I'm all good." Sophie said. "I made sure to heal up before I got here."
"Umm...yeah I...kinda forgot...sorry." Jake said as he made his way to the counter. He rummaged through his bag, before pulling out three Pokeballs.
"I-I just need these three healed." Jake said as he placed them on the counter for Helena to take. "Uhh...please."

As Jake went to get his Pokemon healed, Sophie turned her attention to Keith.
"So, long time no see. I'm glad that you'll be joining us, we need all the help we can get." Sophie paused briefly, before continuing. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of Pokemon are you bringing?"
----
"Certainly," Helena smiled, accepting the Poké Balls from Jake. She put them on the healing machine while Sophie talked to Keith.

Keith nodded. "It's no trouble," he responded. Then, Sophie asked him what Pokémon he was bringing. "It was hard to pick just six," Keith stated. "But, first and foremost, Meowth has so generously elected to stay behind and keep an eye on the house," he said, rolling his eyes as Meowth hopped down off his shoulder.

"Well, yeah, someone's gotta," Meowth shrugged.

"Yeah," Keith nodded. "And I'm sure this wasn't at all influenced by fear of Team Catalyst or the desire for some alone time with Ruby," he added with a smirk.

Meowth shrugged. "I ain't sayin' dere weren't no contributin' factors," he said, before dashing off upstairs.

Keith chuckled as he put Meowth's Poké Ball away. "Meowth doesn't know I know this, but he'd already planned to spend the day with my Houndoom today, and it's getting pretty serious between those two. So yeah, I didn't really put up much of an argument when he asked to stay behind. Now then, there's these," Keith added, gesturing to the other five balls on his belt- a Ground Ball, a Level Ball, a Violet Cyber Ball, a regular Poké Ball, and an Ultra Ball. "My Stunfisk, my Heatmor, my Ditto, my Dusknoir, and my Beedrill. And I have a sixth one all picked out, too, now that Meowth's staying behind," he added, leading the way over to the nearby PC as he spoke. He accessed his storage system, and swapped Meowth's empty ball for another Poké Ball. "...And my Scrafty makes six," Keith grinned, affixing Bart's Poké Ball to his belt. "What about you, Sophie, what are you and Jake bringing?" he asked.

----
Jake continued to wait at the counter as Helena grabbed the Pokeballs, placing them into the strangely shaped healing machine.

Keith explained that it was hard for him to pick just six, causing Sophie to nod in agreement.
"I can see that being a problem, that's why I like keeping a smaller team. It's a lot less of a hassle too."
Keith went on, saying that Meowth was going to stay home and keep an eye on the house, teasing the scratch cat Pokemon on just what had influenced him to do so.
With Meowth gone, Keith told Sophie what Pokemon he was planning to bring. A Stunfisk, Beedrill, Dusknoir, Heatmor and a Ditto. Shortly after, he confirmed his sixth to be his Scrafty, once he had withdrawn it from the PC.
"That seems like a well rounded group. I'm sure those Team Catalyst goons won't know what hit them!" Sophie exclaimed. "Uh...that is if our lead turns out to be anything."
Keith then asked Sophie what she and Jake had brought for the journey.
"Well...I brought my Combusken, Medicham, Mienfoo, Poliwhirl, Scrafty, and of course my Lucario." She said, gesturing to the aura Pokemon.
"As for Jake? I'm not entirely sure.....I know he's bringing his Vibrava and Torkoal though. I saw him training with them before we left." Sophie explained. "I'll go ask him, if you want."

----
After just a minute, Helena handed the Poké Balls back to Jake. "And that should do it," she smiled. "You're all set, Jake."

Keith nodded. "I see what you're saying," he said. "I mean, I still wouldn't give up any of my Pokémon, though- I like having such a huge variety, even if it makes it tough to narrow down a team of six sometimes." He nodded once more as Sophie listed what she was bringing, up to and including the Lucario what accompanied her. She then mentioned that Jake was bringing his Vibrava and Torkoal, but she didn't know what else, before offering to ask. "Sure," nodded Keith.

----
"...uh...thanks." Jake thanked the Banette once she had handed back the Pokeballs. He quickly put two of them into his bag, before making his way over to Keith and Sophie.

"Yeah I guess having a large variety can be a good thing." Sophie agreed. "I try and make up for my lack of variety in types with all sorts of different moves."
"Uhhh....sorry about the wait..." Jake apologized as he approached the group. "I-I think I'm already to go now..."
"That's good." Sophie said with a nod. "By the way...Keith was wondering what kind of Pokemon you were bringing."
"R-really?" Jake asked in disbelief. "Umm...well ok. I'm bringing my Vibrava, and my umm...Corphish..as well as my Oddish, Torkoal and uhh my Tauros."
"Oh umm...I nearly forgot, I'm bringing my Abra as well." Jake added as he sent out the psi Pokemon. Once in the room, the Abra gave a brief wave to the pair, before speaking to them.
"Keith, Sophie...it's nice to see you both again." Telpo's voice chimed in the trainer's minds. "And thank you once again for agreeing to join us." The Abra addressed Keith. "Though I know Jake might not admit it, I'm sure he's grateful for your help here."
"It's nice to see you again as well Telpo." Sophie replied. "Alright, it looks like everyone's ready...should we head out?"

----
Keith nodded. "I know what you mean," he said. "I mean, I got Pokémon of almost every type, but Poison-types are my main thing. And my Poison-types know a lot of different moves." At that point, Jake approached them, and at Sophie's question, explained he was bringing his Vibrava, Corphish, Oddish, Torkoal, Abra, and his Tauros. Keith grinned as Jake mentioned the Tauros. "Oh, cool, you're bringing Vernon," he said. "Haven't seen him in a while." Jake then sent out Telpo, who greeted Keith and Sophie, and explained that Jake was undoubtedly grateful for their help, even if he might not admit to it. Keith nodded. "Good to see you too, Telpo," he said. And at Sophie's words, he nodded once more, adjusting the brim of his Mega Hat. "I'm all set," he grinned. "Let's roll."
----
"Umm...yeah." Jake replied in response to Keith mentioning Vernon. "H-hopefully he'll be able to h-help against Team Catalyst...."
"O-or maybe not." Jake added a moment later. "I'd rather we not run into them...t-truth be told."
"Uhh..y-yeah...I'm all ready as well." Jake said, once Keith had confirmed he was ready.
"Alright then...no use in wasting precious daylight." Sophie said as she exited the base, Jake and Telpo following close behind.
----
Once outside, the group began to walk down the ramp, Jake and Telpo turning to the left once they had gotten off of it.
"Where do you think you two are going?" Sophie asked as she saw the pair begin to wander off.
"Umm walking to Hagane city?" Telpo responded, confused on just what she had meant.
"Did I really not tell you? My apologies." Sophie said as she reached into her bag, before pulling out three mysterious devices, handing one to Keith and Jake.
"These are called ride pagers. The people in Alola use them a lot in order to summon ride Pokemon. We're going to use them in order to get to Hagane City." Sophie explained.
"These ones are fashioned for use here in Fizzytopia..though they're not available to most of the public at the moment."
----
"If I know Vernon, I'm sure he'll be able to," Keith nodded. He also nodded as Jake admitted he'd rather not encounter them if he could help it. "I know the feeling," he agreed. "I was checking out this alleged Team Rocket hideout, going off of a tip I got from Vinny, and while I was all for taking them out, at the same time, part of me wished I wouldn't find anything, y'know? But, of course, I end up getting chased by a bunch of Rockets, then taken out with a Vileplume's Sleep Powder, one thing leads to another, I team up with an old rival to take down Rocket Executive Remy- it was a whole thing."

As they exited the Secret Base, Jake and Telpo started walking to the left. Sophie asked where they were going, and upon their confused responses, she gave Jake and Keith an odd device- a Ride Pager, she called these machines. "Oh, cool," Keith grinned. "Thanks, Sophie. Now, how do we work these?" he asked, examining his Ride Pager.

----
"Oh sorry! I nearly forgot to show you." Sophie said in response to Keith's question.
"Here, you press these buttons right here....and a list of available ride Pokemon should pop up." Sophie said, showing the pair what she was doing on her device.
"Now let's see here....we click this to select Pokemon that can fly....and then you click this to select the Pokemon you want to fly with...and there." Sophie finished as a strange ball appeared in the slot at the top of the device.
Upon clicking the ball, the ride Pokemon Sophie had picked emerged. A mighty Charizard, which turned to Sophie, letting out a mighty roar, as if to say it was ready whenever she was.
"See? It's easy...and makes traveling a breeze." Sophie said as she returned her Lucario to it's ball.

Following his friends instructions, Jake began to press the various buttons on the ride pager, before eventually summoning a Dragonite. The dragon Pokemon appeared to be just as ready to take off as the Charizard Sophie had summoned.

"Wow...t-these ride pagers are pretty cool...but...where do the Pokemon come from?" Jake asked.
"And how did you get your hands on these? I thought you said these weren't available to the general public?" Telpo questioned.
"Where do the Pokemon come from? That's not really important at the moment. As for where I got the ride pagers? That's also not really important at the moment." Sophie replied.
"I know you're Jake's friend and all....and I know you mean no harm...but you're acting kind of suspicious right about now." Telpo said.
"Am I? That wasn't my intention. Look if you want to know, I'll tell you when we get to our destination. Now, any more questions before we take off?"
----
Sophie demonstrated how to use the Ride Pager, by summoning a Charizard with it. Jake followed these instructions, summoning from his own Ride Pager a Dragonite. Keith found it odd and more than a little suspicious that Sophie wasn't willing to talk about where the Ride Pokémon came from, or how she was able to get the Ride Pagers in the first place, though she was Jake's friend, so he couldn't be too suspicious of her. Though he was quite glad his Pawniard wasn't within earshot- Ginny was far more paranoid, and would likely be more suspicious of Sophie's words than anyone else. Choosing to not get involved in the matter, Keith pressed the buttons, perused the list of Ride Pokémon, specifically the ones that were used for flying. There was Charizard and Dragonite, like Jake and Sophie were riding, and there were many more as well. Keith grinned as he saw one option. Unable to resist, he made the selection, and from the Ride Pager Ball emerged a Golurk. He climbed the clay colossus and sat atop it, ready for takeoff, the Golurk also ready to take flight. As Sophie asked if there were any more questions, Keith shook his head. Any questions he had were already raised and subsequently dodged. He'd ask his questions when they got to their destination.
----
Keith didn't seem to have any more questions, and neither did Jake and Telpo.
Seeing that Keith and Sophie were ready to go, Jake helped Telpo onto the back of the Dragonite, before climbing up onto it himself.
"Alright then...to Hagane City!" Sophie exclaimed, before signaling for the Charizard to take flight. With another roar, the flame Pokemon took to the skies, the others following shortly after.
----
Thanks to the help of Charizard, Dragonite and Golurk, it wasn't long before the group could see their destination. With massive skyscrapers and countless busy streets, it seemed that their destination was a textbook example of a busy urban city.
"Oh wow....i-it looks so cool up here." Jake said to Telpo. With none of his Pokemon able to carry him into the skies, it was quite rare for Jake to see things from such an angle.
"I agree master. We should get Dusty to take us places like this, once she evolves." Telpo replied.

"That right there, is where we'll be going!" Sophie yelled, in order for everyone to hear her. She was pointing at a large, domed building. It appeared to be quite busy, with many people entering and exiting. On the front it seemed to have a large sign, but Jake couldn't quite read out what it said.
"That's Hagane Labs, it's a research facility specialized in Pokemon studies." Sophie explained. "Apparently there's been some suspicious activity as of recent, activity that might link them to Team Catalyst." Sophie finished, before Charizard started to descend towards the lab.
Realizing that Keith might not have heard anything over the sound of the Golurk, Telpo relayed the messages to Keith via telepathy.
Seeing that Sophie had started to descend, Jake signaled to the Dragonite, who began to follow it's fellow ride Pokemon.
----
Sophie and Charizard led the way, with Jake, Dragonite, Keith, and Golurk not far behind. And soon, they could see the bustling urban city below them that was their destination. Sophie pointed out the large domed building in particular- Hagane Labs, which had allegedly been undergoing illicit activity as of late, which could potentially link them to Team Catalyst. Keith nodded as Telpo telepathically relayed this info to him- indeed, the sound of the Golurk propelling itself across the sky like some sort of rocket-propelled giant fighting robot was rather loud, and it made it hard to hear Sophie. As Jake and Sophie started to descend Keith knocked on his Ride Pokémon's large shoulder to grab its attention. "Golurk, descend!" Keith shouted, trying to make himself heard to Golurk over itself. Thankfully, Golurk got the message, and followed Charizard and Dragonite.
----
The group continued to descend, before stopping their flight not too far from Hagane Labs entrance. Wasting no time, Sophie hopped off the Charizard, before returning it to the ball. She then placed the ball back into the slot of the ride pager, clicking a single button to make it disappear into thin air.
"See, to return the ride Pokemon to where it came from, you just tap this button here." Sophie said, pointing to a red button on the bottom of her device.
"Return where? You still haven't told us that." Telpo replied, his voice ringing in everyone's heads.
"Calm down Telpo, I'll tell you in a second. For now, just follow me." Sophie said, before beginning to walk off in the opposite direction of the research facility.
"U-umm....aren't we supposed to....be going there?" Jake questioned, pointing to the domed building before them.
"Of course we are. We just need to make a quick stop first." Sophie explained. "Trust me..we'll be in and out before you even know it."
Jake quickly returned the Dragonite back to it's home...wherever that was, before turning to Keith, giving him a shrug.
"I-I guess there's no point in splitting up....l-let's just see what we need to stop for..."

----

As they came in for a landing, Sophie demonstrated how to withdraw Ride Pokémon. Telpo asked where exactly they had come from in the first place as Keith withdrew Golurk. Once more, Sophie dodged the question, before walking in the exact opposite direction Keith figured they'd be going. And Jake figured this as well, judging by how he asked about it. Keith raised an eyebrow- Sophie was acting more and more suspicious by the minute. "Yeah," Keith nodded as Jake suggested they follow her. "Might as well." As he followed the others, Keith brushed his fingers up against his Poké Balls. He hoped there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for Sophie's suspicious behavior, but he decided he wanted to be ready just in case.
----
Deciding to follow Sophie, the group made their way through the busy streets, occasionally stopping to cross a street. Eventually Sophie turned and walked into a nearby alleyway.
"Master I don't mean to alarm you, but your friend here is being rather suspicious." Telpo said aloud, insuring that only Jake could understand him.
"Is it possible that this is a trap perhaps? I'm not trying to-"
"Here we are!" Sophie exclaimed, cutting off Telpo's words.

But wait, why had Sophie said this was the location? It seemed to just be another part of the long stretching brick wall...a dead end in fact! Did the alleyway lead them to nowhere?
"Ummm t-this is just a dead end though...." Jake said.
"It won't be for long, I just need to get....this!" Sophie exclaimed as pulled out a small red key card. She then took the card and inserted it into a small crack in the wall. Jake wouldn't have even noticed the crack had he not just witnessed what he had.
"Authorization granted. Welcome back Sophie." A robotic voice spoke aloud.
Suddenly the wall in front of them began to tremble, before opening, revealing that the brick wall in front of them was actually a door. Beyond the door were stairs, descending down to the unknown.
"Sophie.....that was amazing." Jake said, any suspicions he had were replaced by a sense of curiosity and wonder.
"That was pretty neat I admit, but what is this place?" Telpo questioned.
"You'll find out once we get down there." Sophie said, dodging yet another question.
"Now we don't have all day, so we better get going." Sophie said, before she began to walk down the mysterious staircase.
Jake was eager to follow, wondering just what would greet them at the end.
"I guess we have no choice. Even if this is highly suspicious, we mine as well see what this is about." Telpo's voice chimed in Keith's head.

----
Keith was baffled by all this. Sophie was acting more and more suspicious. Indeed, the only thing stopping Keith from outright distrusting Sophie was the knowledge that she was Jake's friend- Keith trusted Jake, after all, and he felt it wouldn't do to mistrust anyone that Jake trusted.

Sophie had stopped them at seemingly a dead end, further baffling Keith. That is, until Sophie produced a card key and inserted it in an inconspicuous crack in the wall. A mechanical voice welcomed Sophie back, and the wall opened up, revealing a very well-hidden door. Keith was also rather impressed by this, but couldn't help but notice that Sophie was dodging yet another question. Telpo was right, however- as suspicious as this all was, they did at least have to see what was going on. Keith nodded at Telpo's words, and followed. He had taken a precaution while following Jake and Sophie- he only hoped it would be necessary against Team Catalyst, and not against Sophie. Staying alert and wary, he followed Jake and Sophie.

----
As the group made their way down the stair case they eventually reached the end, revealing what appeared to be a waiting room at the bottom.
The room seemed oddly calm, and Telpo couldn't help but feel slightly more at ease upon entering it. The walls and floor of the room were both a sparkling white.
It seemed that this room was cleaned quite frequently...

"Wait what? A-a waiting room?" Jake questioned. "What's a waiting room doing down here?"
"You'll see. Now come this way, you need to sign in." Sophie said as she beckoned the group over to a nearby counter.
Once Jake had arrived, she handed him a clipboard and pen, attached to the clipboard appeared to be a sign in sheet. Hesitating for a few seconds, Jake eventually wrote his name on the sheet, before handing it over to Keith.

"So why is there a waiting room here? And where are we for that matter?" Telpo asked. "You said you'd tell us once we were here."
"Yes well..there's a lot of things I need to tell you, so I figured I'll tell you all at once." Sophie explained. "Once everyone's done signing in, I'll be happy to tell you everything."

----
Sophie explained everything- the place they were at was known as the CPA- the Catalyst Prevention Agency. A group that dedicated themselves to eliminating Team Catalyst. And Sophie herself was a part of the group. The ride pagers were made by the CPA, and the Ride Pokémon they summoned were ones that were rescued from Team Catalyst and rehabilitated. Keith had to admit, he was right to not act on his suspicions regarding Sophie- as he had hoped, she had a perfectly reasonable explanation for withholding answers and acting all secretive about the Ride Pagers.

"I only got one question now," Keith said in response to Sophie, a grin on his face. "How can we help?"

----
"How can you guys help? Well...I guess you can keep your eyes peeled for any activity regarding Team Catalyst. If you notice anything you can call this number here." Sophie said, digging a CPA business card out of her pocket, before handing it to Keith.
"Besides that...well, you're already helping by joining us as we investigate Hagane Labs, right?"
"I-I guess so... I just wish there was a better way to help." Jake said.
"Don't worry about it. You guys are already helping plenty." Sophie replied.
"Now..Telpo you wanted to know what I meant by urgent, right? Truth be told even I'm not exactly sure. My boss said he'd brief us all on exactly what we're doing in Hagane Labs, so I'm sure he'll tell me then." Sophie explained.
"Wait, are you sure we're allowed to?" Telpo asked. "I mean, I don't think your boss would want to have us sit in on an important meeting, right?"
"Of course you're allowed. My boss did say he wanted to meet you guys, especially you Jake."
"W-what? Why me?" Jake asked. "I mean...I'm nothing special."
"Beats me, but I have told him a lot about you...so maybe that's it. Regardless we shouldn't keep him waiting. Follow me, I'll bring you guys to his office." Sophie said as she walked to the back of the room, grabbing onto the door and holding it open for the group.

----
Keith nodded and accepted the business card. He entered the number on it into his Xtransceiver, then pocketed the card. "Thanks," he said to Sophie.

Sophie then went on to explain that her boss was to brief them on what exactly they would be doing in Hagane Labs. Jake was a bit surprised to know that Sophie's boss had wanted to meet them, claiming he was nothing special. Apparently Sophie had told her boss much about Jake, which she speculated to be the reasoning behind aforementioned interest in him. In any case, there was little time to speculate on this for Sophie had no desire to keep the man waiting, and urged them to follow her to his office.

"Alright," Keith nodded, standing up and heading towards the door. "Let's get going."

----
With everyone ready to go, Sophie lead the group through the door, revealing a rather long hallway to be behind it.
"You know, I never understood why we have so many offices." Sophie said as she continued to guide the group to their destination. "Despite the size of the place, we actually aren't that large of an organization."
"R-really? How many people work here?" Jake asked.
"About thirty or forty I guess...most work in the rehabilitation branch though." Sophie explained.
"I wonder why that is?" Telpo pondered aloud.
"Zack is very picky when it comes to hiring people and Pokemon. He says he likes not having too many employees... I don't know why though."
Before anymore could be said, Sophie stopped in front of a large black door. A small sign with a name on it was plastered onto the door.
"Zack Esprit? What kind of a name is that?" Jake asked himself as Sophie gave a firm knock on the door.
A moment later the door swung open, and a man poked his head out. He appeared to be slightly taller then Keith, and was dressed in a formal suit and tie. At a glance he appeared to be in his late twenties.
"Come on in, I've been expecting you." The man greeted.
Indeed, from what any of them could see of the office, it appeared to be made just for their arrival. Three large chairs could be seen on the sparkling white floor, and one small one that appeared to be Telpo's size.
"Feel free to take a seat as well." Zack added.
----
Sophie led the way, remarking on the strangeness of their excess of offices, considering her boss didn't hire especially many people. And soon, they came to the office of that very boss- one Zack Esprit, who greeted them and invited them to enter. Oddly, there were chairs for all of them. Even Telpo. Keith found that a bit odd, but didn't press the matter. He nodded in response to Zack and entered the room, taking a seat in one of the large chairs.
----
Jake, Sophie and Telpo also entered, taking the remaining three seats. Once inside, it was clear that the floor wasn't the only thing neat and tidy.
The entire room seemed like it had just been washed, the black desk in front of them sparkling under the light of the chandelier hanging above. The room seemed bare otherwise, Zack's laptop and a Duosion were the only other things of note.
The Duosion hid in the corner of the room, eyeing the group, but not interacting with them at all...
"Don't mind Duosion..he can be a little shy around new people." Zack explained as he took a seat behind his desk.
"Well before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself. If you didn't see on the door, I'm Zack Esprit, head of CPA, it's a pleasure to meet you both." Zack said.
"I'm especially happy to finally meet you in the flesh Jake. From what Sophie's told me, you seem like a pretty special trainer."

"H-huh? Me? I-I'm not special...I don't no what she's been telling you, b-but it's not true." Jake said.
"I-if you're looking for a special trainer...w-well I mean you have Sophie...and Keith here as well."

"Nonsense." Zack said, shaking his head. "Placing second in the tournament at Rayo town? Fighting off Team Catalyst in Rayo woods? Or how about you saving Ryuu town from Team Catalyst, while helping Sophie destroy the Ebony flute? I can assure it takes a special kind of trainer to do those sort of things."

"U-umm I-I guess." Jake replied, amazed at just how much Sophie had told him.
"B-but umm...didn't you say Team Catalyst broke the flute?" Jake asked Sophie.
"Nope." Sophie replied. "That was actually the whole reason I brought you there in the first place. The CPA learned that Team Catalyst were planning to use the flute, so Zack sent me to destroy it." Sophie explained.

"Indeed." Zack said with a nod. "But enough about that, though I certainly know a lot about you, Jake and Sophie, I don't know a whole lot about you." Zack said, turning his attention to Keith.
"Obviously you've got to be at least decently skilled in order for Sophie to have allowed you to come. But I want to know a little bit more, just to know what we're working with ok? So....tell me a bit about yourself."
----
As Keith entered the office, he was once more struck by just how amazingly clean it was. It was also rather barren- aside from the oddly specific seating, there was a desk, a laptop, a Duosion, and not much else. Zack introduced himself after explaining how shy his Duosion was around newcomers, before telling Jake in no uncertain terms why he was considered to be such a special Trainer. Keith could only nod his agreement to this sentiment- Even back when he first met Jake, back when he was still a rookie Trainer who hadn't yet made his decision to specialize in Electric-types, Keith had immediately gotten the feeling that Jake had potential. Between the three-on-three battle he had with Jake some time ago and all the incredible deeds Zack was citing as evidence, Keith was of the opinion that Jake very much lived up to the hype.

Zack then turned his attention to Keith- unlike with Jake, Zack did not know very much about the Poison-type Trainer. He reasoned that if Sophie had allowed him to come that he must be at least somewhat skilled, but he wanted to get to know Keith a bit more. "Well, I come from Lavaridge Town in Hoenn," Keith began. "I caught my first Pokémon, a baby Koffing, in the Fiery Path in order to rescue it from a pair of Machop, and when I set out to Fizzytopia, I made it my goal to become a Poison Pokémon Master. Most of my Pokémon are Poison-types, though I've been more than glad to work with virtually any Pokémon I get the chance to. Now, all this about Team Catalyst is pretty new to me, though I've been doing my part going up against Team Rocket. I also love a good Pokémon battle, and I've taken part in several tournaments. The Shiny Battle Tournament in Greenmuk City, I took first place in that. There was also the Stunfisk Spelling Standoff in Static Town- it was kinda cancelled due to Team Rocket activity, but I'd been doing very well in it. And I took first place in Springreen Town's annual Grass-type tournament, too. And, well, I kinda also saved Aduro Island from a giant tyrannical Heatran, and in doing so, ensured the continued survival of Mt. Aduro's Heatmor population," he added, trying to sound modest- he was never much of a braggart, not by any means, but to claim to have essentially slaughtered a volcano god, it's quite hard to make such a claim without sounding boastful to some degree.

----
The group listened intently as Keith began to explain a little about himself. From fighting team Rocket, to placing first in multiple tournaments, Zack seemed rather impressed as Keith continued to tell his tale.
"Wait wait, you were the one who saved Aduro Island? That's amazing!" Zack exclaimed. "I can definitely see why Sophie brought you here."
"Now, you said you didn't know much about Team Catalyst, I'm assuming you don't either, Jake and Telpo?" Zack questioned the pair.
That was weird. The Abra didn't remember telling Zack his name, and yet? Maybe Sophie had told Zack about him as well, that must have been it. With that conclusion reached, Telpo gave a nod, along with his trainer.

"I see...well then maybe I should tell you a bit more about them first. Just so you know who we're truly up against." Zack said.
"It all started many years back....there was a pair of scientists, best friends in fact, with a goal. Their goal was to create the most powerful Pokemon in existence." Zack began.

"Wait, you mean like Mewtwo?" Telpo asked, his voice ringing in everyone's heads.

"No not Mewtwo, something even stronger." Zack explained. "A Ditto...but with the ability to perfectly copy and harness the full might of any and all Pokemon, even legendary ones.
With it, they strove to make the world a better place using the creature.
They dubbed it Project: X. With the help of a group of other scientists, and after many years, they succeeded in it's creation. But Project: X didn't take kindly to being trapped in a lab. Predictably, the creature broke out, never to be seen again."

"The two friends were heart broken. All their life's work had been for nothing. One of the friends began to hunt and kill Pokemon, selling the scraps on the black market, he hoped he could raise enough funds for them to retry the experiment, a new Project: X so to speak.
But in doing so, he completely lost sight of his original goal, of making the world a better place. Sadly he never learned the error of his ways, as he was eventually killed by his child, in a certain bar downtown." Zack finished.

Though Zack didn't exactly spell it out, it didn't take a genius to realize who the man was talking about.

"A-about that....l-look I can explain..." Jake stammered.

"No need to. I already understand the situation, you were merely acting in self defense. Anyway, back to the story.
The other friend, desperate to find the original Project: X, formed a small group in an attempt to find it. This group mostly consisted of the scientists that worked on the project, all desperate to find Project: X.
However, much like Jake's father, they too began to forget what the entire thing was originally about. The group resorted to stealing Pokemon, brainwashing them, trying to steal elusive artifacts, anything that could help them recapture Project: X.
This group is now known as Team Catalyst, as you've probably guessed by now."

"W-wow......I never realized...t-that's kind of tragic in a way. A-are you sure we c-can't try and reason with them?" Jake asked.
"Absolutely not. They're too far gone by now. Blinded by their goal of reaching Project: X, I shudder to think what they'll do with it should they find it." Zack replied.

"So, any more questions before I continue?"

----
Zack was very much impressed by Keith, especially as he revealed his involvement in saving Aduro Island. He then went on to explain about Team Catalyst- their origins could be traced back to a pair of scientists, seeking to create a Ditto with ultimate power, that could copy and harness the full extent of another Pokémon's power, no matter how strong. The idea was to make the world a better place, but once they had succeeded, this Ditto decided it didn't really like being trapped in a lab, and so it broke out, and was never seen again. This was very hard on the scientists, considering the culmination of their life's work had vanished without a trace. One of them took to hunting down and killing Pokémon, selling on the black market, all in the name of funding a repeat attempt at the experiment. Ironically, in doing so, he lost sight of the whole point of Project X in the first place, but before learning the error of his ways, he was killed... by his child... in a bar... downtown... why was this story starting to seem familiar to Keith?

And then, just as Keith pieced it together, Jake spoke up, confirming what Keith had just realized for himself- Jake's father had been one of these two scientists. Jake started to speak up to try and defend what he did, but Zack forestalled this, already knowing the incident to have been motivated purely by self-defense, before resuming the story. The other scientist had a different approach- namely, gathering a team of scientists who had all helped work on Project X, with the intention of finding their escaped creation. And not unlike Jake's father, they too lost sight of the whole point of Project X, and started resorting to theft and brainwashing to try and achieve their goal. This group became known as Team Catalyst.

Keith was in shock. The group had such tragic beginnings, but according to Zack, they were too far gone to listen to reason. Zack asked if there were any questions before he continued. In response to this, a flash of light emerged from the Violet Cyber Ball on Keith's belt. The Ditto that appeared quickly Transformed into a copy of his Trainer. "So, this Project X," Jack said. "This Ditto... whatever happened to it?" he asked. "Do we know? I mean, it and I, we're both Ditto, ain't we? I can't help but wonder, y'know, is it OK?"

"This is Jack, my Ditto," Keith said to Zack. "Jack, this is Zack."

----
In response to his question, Keith's Ditto emerged from it's ball, before transforming into a copy of Keith. The Keith clone seemed rather concerned about Project X, asking what had happened to it, and if it was ok.
Meanwhile, Keith introduced Zack to the Ditto, explaining that his name was Jack.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you Jack. As for your question..according to my sources...Project X is still very much alive and well." Zack replied.
"Which makes this situation all the more dire. You see, it's come to CPA's attention that Team Catalyst has recently developed a way to track down Project X's exact location." Zack explained.

"What?! That's terrible." Sophie said. "We need to destroy that thing as soon as possible!"

"Indeed we do. Which is what takes us to our plan at Hagane Labs. I've been informed that the tracking device may very well be there. My sources say that it's not just the tracker, apparently Team Catalyst is using the entire lab to develop their technology."

"So what do we do then?" Telpo asked.

"Well if Team Catalyst is truly using Hagane Labs to develop their technology, it won't be easy to get in. I do have an idea for you guys, though you might not like it." Zack explained.

"W-what is it?" Jake asked.

"Well...I was thinking that you guys could disguise yourselves as employees, that way it'd be easier to find the tracking device. Of course, you'd probably be found out pretty quickly, so you'd have to work quick." Zack continued.
"Unless you guys have any other ideas. In no way is my suggestion set in stone, so feel free to offer any other ideas."
Jake thought for a moment, before shaking his head. It seemed Telpo and Sophie didn't have an ideas either, the room turned to Keith and Jack, wondering if they had anything to say.

----
Zack revealed that Project X was apparently still alive and well. While this in and of itself did not seem a cause for concern, the fact nevertheless remained that Team Catalyst had developed a means to track Project X's location. This tracker was supposedly at Hagane Labs, and the facility itself was apparently being used to help develop Team Catalyst's technology. Understandably, this was a troubling notion all around, though Zack's initial idea was not exactly the most brilliant of plans- the idea was for Keith, Jake, and Sophie to infiltrate the lab, posing as employees while searching for the tracking device. The flaws in such a plan were obvious- they wouldn't have long before being found out, and they also didn't really know where they'd even begin to look, or indeed, what the tracker even looked like.

Though Zack welcomed any and all potential alternatives, neither Jake nor Sophie seemed to have any to provide. Keith and Jack looked at each other. "What do you think?" Keith asked the Ditto.

"I think it ain't the best idea," stated Jack. "We don't know what it looks like or where in the lab it'd be kept, and from the sound of things, we wouldn't have much time to work any of that out."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Keith nodded. "I mean, that can't be the best option, though, can it?"

"Maybe we don't need to go in blind," Jack murmured thoughtfully. "Suppose one of us goes in there, takes all the time he needs to get some serious spy work done?"

Keith raised an eyebrow. "And how would we do that?" he inquired.

"OK, my thinking is, I Transform into a Rotom, right?" said Jack. "I go into Hagane Labs through the power lines, I scope the place out, find out what goes on, what you gotta do to pass as a real employee, things of that nature. Then I come back, report to you guys, tell you how to pass as employees, and where to find the tracker, yeah?"

"I dunno," Keith shook his head. "Are we sure infiltrating the lab with a Rotom would work? Besides which, Project X is a Ditto, and the tracker is meant to detect it. I'm worried there might be a risk of the tracker detecting you," he said to Jack.

"...Yeesh. Hadn't thought of that," Jack admitted.

"Yeah," Keith nodded. "I mean, I do like the idea of sending in a spy beforehand," he conceded. "Zack, what if I have my Dusknoir do the spying? He can float right through the walls, go invisible if he needs to. He can get a feel for what we'd need to do in there, report back to us, and kinda steer us in the right direction, how's that sound?"

----
Though previously silent, Duosion couldn't help but laugh at Jack's words in regards to his trainers plans. The Ditto suggested that he could transform into a Rotom, scoping the place out, before returning to the group and helping them with sneaking in.
Keith didn't seem to sure of that plan, stating that the tracker could very well detect him.
"Very true. There would be a good possibility of that." Zack nodded. "Besides, even without the tracker, Hagane Labs is wired to prevent Rotom interference, we'd have an easier time breaking in through the front door."

Keith then suggested that they send his Dusknoir in as a spy instead. The ghost could phase through walls, and even turn invisible.
"Now that sounds like a good plan." Zack said. "As long as your Dusknoir is careful going about it, I think we can make it work."
"It does sound like a good idea." Sophie agreed. "Smart thinking Keith."
"Yeah. This sounds like it will have a high probability of working." Telpo chimed in.

"It seems everyone's in favor of it. So let's see this Dusknoir of yours." Zack said. "We need to brief it on what exactly it needs to be doing."

----
Jack rolled his borrowed eyes as Duosion laughed at him, but winced as Zack explained that the lab was wired against Rotom intruson. "OK, OK, I get it- not my best idea," the Ditto grumbled.

Keith's version of the plan was better received. Keith nodded at Zack's words and tossed a Poké Ball in the air. "Alright- go, Peeves!" Keith exclaimed as the Dusknoir appeared before them. "Peeves, we need you to spy on Hagane Labs for us," Keith explained. "Zack here will fill you in on what you need to know."

Peeves nodded, then turned to Zack. "Alright," he said. "What exactly am I looking for?"

----
"You'll be looking for a tracking device...it's key that you find that." Zack began as he grabbed his laptop.
"But you're going to need to be sneaky about it. If Team Catalyst truly is in Hagane Labs, they're going to be on high alert for any intruders. If they catch even a glimpse of you, it could very well be game over for us." Zack said as he continued to fiddle with his laptop.
"As for what the device looks like? My sources say it looks something like...this." Zack said as he turned the laptop around, showing the group a rough sketch of the device. It seemed to look like a massive..computer, with two antennae on the top left and right of the frame.

"That's.....gotta be the weirdest tracker I've ever seen." Telpo said in bewilderment. "Are we sure that's the thing we're looking for?"
"Positive." Zack replied.
"Well...how's Peeves going to find it for us anyway? I'm sure there's a lot of computers in there..." Telpo responded.

"I doubt there's that many with those strange antennae, dummy!" Duosion exclaimed, being the first words that he had spoke since the group had arrived.

"Oh.....I-I guess you're right." Telpo replied weakly.
"So, if you have any more questions, now would be the time to ask." Zack said.

----
Peeves nodded as he took in the information. Tracking device. Needed to be sneaky. "No problem," Peeves replied. "I can turn invisible, I can melt into the shadows if need be, and if all else fails, I can create illusions. I'm not bad at it if I say so myself- learned from the best." He raised his singular eyebrow at the sight of the tracker. "That... looks weird," he agreed. As Zack asked if there were any more questions, Keith and Jack simply shrugged. Peeves spoke up again, however. "Question," he said. "If I get a clear shot to destroy this tracker, you want me to try for it, or is it too risky?"
----
Peeves seemed rather confident in his abilities, explaining that he could melt into shadows and create illusions, among other things.
"Good. You may very well have to use all of those skills." Zack replied.
When it came time to ask questions, Peeves spoke up, asking if Zack wanted him to try destroying the machine, if he had a clear shot of it.

"Hmm...I didn't even think of that..." Zack began.
"Well...it might be too risky..but..well, as long as you don't let your presence be known, it might very well be worth it. But don't be afraid to pass it up if the risk is too great."

"Master, this Dusknoir probably has no idea where Hagane Labs is. May I suggest I teleport them close to it?" Duosion asked.
"Otherwise, this nitwit may very well be wandering around the city for who knows how long."
It was becoming more and more clear with each sentence that the Duosion wasn't as shy, as he was rude.

"Good idea Duosion. Yes, I think we should leave Duosion here to Peeves transportation." Zack nodded. "That is, if you wish to, Peeves."

"Well, when you're ready, just grab on to me and we'll be there in a flash. It won't hurt...that much." Duosion said to the Dusknoir, ready to Teleport them in front of Hagane Labs as soon as Peeves grabbed onto him.

----
Peeves nodded as Zack conceded that taking a shot at destroying the tracker could very well be worth it, and made certain to emphasize that there was no shame in passing it up if it was indeed too risky. He didn't seem especially thrilled by the Duosion's words. "Hey, watch who you're calling a nitwit," the Ghost-type snapped. "I may be dead but I'm not stupid." He sighed and rolled his eye as he realized that he'd have to depend on this rude Duosion for actually getting to Hagane Labs. "Fine," he grumbled.

"Oh, cheer up, Peeves, you've dealt with ruder," Keith said.

"And I've shown them even more disdain than I'm showing Jell-O boy here," retorted Peeves.

"Yeah, well, just bear in mind that it'll be a lot harder for him to call you a nitwit if you save the world, huh?" Jack pointed out.

"Yeah, there's something to that," conceded Peeves. He floated over to Duosion and grabbed hold. "OK, man- Hagane Labs. Let's do this," stated the Dusknoir.

----
Duosion glared at Peeves as the Dusknoir called him names, but said nothing. Once Peeves had grabbed onto him, the mitosis Pokemon began to gather up psychic energy. In a flash of light, the pair disappeared from the room entirely.

Part 2:
Spoiler: show
In an instant, Duosion and Peeves appeared outside, in front of them was a familiar domed building.

"Here's your stop. One Hagane Labs. You should be glad I didn't teleport you into the sewers after your last comment." Duosion quipped.
"And really? Jell-O boy? I've heard newborns come up with better insults. But enough about your incompetence, get going on your job already. Oh, and don't expect me to come save you if you get yourself caught."

----
"Hey, you're the one who called me a nitwit," Peeves retorted. "I'd love to stay and argue with you, but one, I got a world to save, and two, I don't really enjoy a battle of wits against an unarmed opponent." With that, Peeves turned invisible and sank into the ground before floating off towards the laboratory. He could not be seen or felt in this state, and as he infiltrated the building, he would cast his Foresight in every direction, trying to locate this tracker.
----
Not willing to stick around and fight with Duosion, Peeves sank into the ground, making his way to the laboratory. Once inside, the Dusknoir began to look around using his foresight.
With his new sight, Peeves would be able to make out numerous rooms, all filled with people and Pokemon. One of the rooms appeared to be a testing facility. Inside, a man in a lab coat appeared to be injecting an Eevee with some strange medicine.
In another room, it appeared that they were testing some kind of Pokemon gear. A Machoke inside the room could be seen wearing some type of armor. The person accompanying the Machoke seemed to be administering some electric shocks to it...
There was no sight of the tracker though. Could it be further to the back of the lab? Or maybe it was on another floor...
----
CPA Head Quarters
----
"So I have an idea." Telpo spoke up. "If Team Catalyst is after this Project X...what if CPA found it first? You could maybe reason with it, try and have it come to a safe spot until this whole Team Catalyst thing is dealt with."

"Sadly that won't work. You see....from what I know of Project X, it would be a very bad idea to approach it. You see...Project X also has the ability to alter your memories...so to speak.
If we were to approach it without the proper tools, Project X could make us forget everything about it." Zack explained. "But at the same time, we can't just wait around doing nothing, as my sources tell me that Team Catalyst has the means to prevent such mind altering. "

"Oh...yeah I guess that's a bad idea then." Telpo replied.

"Hmm...well, while we're waiting, feel free to ask any questions." Zack said.
"Not just about the mission either, if you want to know more about Team Catalyst, or even about us, go ahead. We could be waiting for a bit for Duosion and Peeves to come back."

----
Peeves silently surveyed his surroundings. He resisted the urge to exclaim in disgust as he witnessed the armored Machoke receiving electric shocks, or the Eevee being injected with Arceus only knows what. But what he couldn't see was the tracker. So far, anyway- clearly it was elsewhere in the building. Silently the Dusknoir moved further towards the back of the building- he'd see if it was anywhere on the ground floor. He'd take this search one floor at a time for simplicity's sake.


Zack's revelation about Project X was a rather unexpected one, though Keith seemed to be rather disturbed by it in particular. He visibly shuddered as he sat, the mention of memory modification prompting some... less than pleasant memories. Memories that made him see it as a necessity to produce his Chespin doll from his backpack and hold it close to him.

Jack sighed as he watched this, then turned to the others. "Altering memories- kind of a sore subject with him," he explained. "Question, though- the proper tools, I'm guessing that's something to counter the memory altering thingy, but... is it something you guys can make happen, or is it just these Catalyst goons what got that sort of technology?"

----
As Peeves continued his search for the radar, things got more and more disturbing. One of the new rooms contained a large amount of cages, all crammed full with various Pokemon! One of the Pokemon was shaking on the cage door, begging to be let out.
The begging soon stopped as the woman inside the room opened one of the cages, dragging a small Lillipup out of it. She then slammed it onto a nearby table, causing it to yelp in pain....

The next room appeared to be used as a transportation room. Various Pokemon were crammed into cages, just like the ones in the previous room. A small door lead outside to a large dumpster.
Many hallways could also be seen as Peeves continued his search, various employee's walking back and forth between them.

Yet the radar still wasn't in sight. The ground level still seemed to have a few more rooms left, would the Dusknoir find the tracker there?
----
Keith didn't seem to take word of Project X's mind altering abilities too well. The Poison type trainer took out a Chespin doll from his bag, before holding it close to him.
"Sorry, didn't realize that." Zack apologized once Jack had explained the situation.
Jake, Telpo and Sophie said nothing, but all gave Keith a sympathetic look.

"As for your question, the "proper tools" are indeed able to counter Project X's mind altering abilities. While we at the CPA have the means to make such a thing, I can't, in good conscience, allow the development of such technology." Zack said firmly.
"In order to make the machine, one must first slaughter countless Dark Type Pokemon, in order to harvest their essence. With this dark essence, the machine can create a field of energy, blocking out any and all psychic influence." Zack explained.
"However, if this machine weren't horrific enough, it also runs out of fuel rather quickly. In order to keep fueling it, you must constantly murder the Pokemon that it requires."

----
Was it possible for a Dusknoir to vomit from rage? Peeves didn't know, but he felt as though he wasn't too far from finding out firsthand. The further he got into the building, the more disturbing and sickening the scenes became. Peeves shook his head- he had to keep focused on the mission. Had to find the tracker. Had to keep moving. Though he dreaded what he might see, he continued onward to the few remaining rooms on the ground floor.


"...It's OK, it's cool," Keith murmured as Zack apologized. "You didn't know. I just... I-it's not right," he mumbled.

Zack then went on to give the answer to Jack's question- yes,the CPA had the capacity to make such items to counter Project X's memory-altering abilities. And that's where the good news ended abruptly. The equipment required a very specific kind of fuel- the essence of slaughtered Dark-types. And as if that wasn't bad enough, this stuff did not get a lot of mileage out of a single load of fuel, meaning that Dark-types needed to be slaughtered on a nauseatingly constant basis. "...That is disgusting," Jack said to break the horrified silence that followed Zack's explanation. "And they're seriously OK with doing that... Holy shit...

"Yeah, we need to stop Team Catalyst," Keith stated. He stowed his Chespin doll back in his backpack, in the special compartment set aside for it alone. "And I thought Team Rocket was bad... I hope Peeves finds something soon," he added.

----
As Peeves continued on his way, the Dusknoir came across some less unsettling rooms. One seemed to be a break room, a few people could be seen enjoying their meals inside. The next room appeared to be a storage room.
Various boxes containing unknown materials could be seen crammed into the back of the room. Several of the boxes looked as if they'd been there a while, some of them oozing strange, black liquid.
It seemed the rest of the ground floor was devoid of the radar.... Wait..way off to the side of the building was another room. Inside it, a man and a woman appeared to be having a conversation.
Unlike the rest of the employees, these two were wearing gray lab coats, a black x was stitched on the back and side of them. If Peeves was to approach the room, he would be able to hear their conversation...

On the other hand, the radar was still no where to be seen. Would Peeves investigate the strangely garbed employees, or continue his search for the radar?
----
Jack seemed horrified at the explanation of Team Catalyst's machine, as did the others.
"Sadly they do seem to be ok with this." Zack replied to Jack. "I said it before, they've completely lost touch of what they wanted to do with Project X in the first place. They've become everything they originally despised."

"Yeah, we definitely need those scumbags eradicated." Sophie nodded. "They make my blood boil just thinking about them."
"Indeed....just your explanation of that machine has left me sick." Telpo added.

"That is the plan. We just need an opportunity to strike...when Team Catalyst is at it's weakest. Unfortunately today is not that day." Zack stated.
"We just got to take it one step at a time. Destroying their Project X tracker will surely help weaken them."

----
Peeves paused as he saw the man and the woman. The ground floor offered no answers, so going up was clearly the way forward. But... just what were they saying? Would it be useful information? Peeves had to find out. Silently he moved towards the room, so as to eavesdrop on them.


"Despicable," spat the Ditto. "Just... Gah! You should've brought your Banette," he said to Keith. "Both of 'em. These Catalyst fuckwads deserve the nastiest Curses any Ghost has ever dished up."

"They'd tire themselves out before Cursing even half of them," Keith retorted. "Though it must be said, your idea does have a certain appeal to it," he added fairly.

Zack went on to state that they were to strike when Team Catalyst was at its weakest. This wasn't gonna be today, though their efforts to destroy the tracker would surely lead them closer to that day. Keith and Jack nodded in agreement with Zack's words. "It'll certainly set them back," Keith agreed.

"Gah... Y'know, it's too bad Project X'll just wipe our memories if we get too close," sighed Jack. "I'd like to be able to talk to the guy, y'know, one-on-one. One Ditto to another. I mean... Any other Ditto in the world, they're kinda like family to me. You know what I'm talking about, yeah?" he added to Keith.

Keith nodded. "I do indeed," he said.

Just then, Jack's eyes lit up. "Saaaaaay," he murmured. "Zack- you said that the anti-memory wipe stuffs, that's powered by the essense of Dark-types?"

"Oh, jeez, Jack, don't remind us-" groaned Keith.

"No, no, no, hear me out here," said Jack. "I mean, think about that- if they gotta have Dark-types powering this shit, think about what that means- maybe Dark-types themselves are immune to the memory wipe effect," he said. "What if we track down Project X, right? And I turn myself into an Umbreon or a Mandibuzz or something, yeah? I get my Ditto-to-Ditto chat with the guy, I try to convince him to trust us, and he can't wipe my memories. What do you think- any chance this'll work?" he asked Zack.

----
As Peeves made his way over to the pair, parts of their conversation began to become more and more clear to the ghost.

"-and that's why I think we should quit while we're ahead. I mean, I don't plan on working in this dump forever." The man said.
"Same. I just wish the boss would hurry up and find that stupid Ditto already. Speaking of, did you hear about the radar?" The woman asked her colleague. "Apparently Steven was saying that our target has been sited nearby."

"Really? Hey, maybe we can catch X for ourselves? I'm sure we could become the new admins of Catalyst once we turn that baby in." The man replied.
"Are you stupid? Of course we can't do that! Haven't you heard? Apparently X has some memory erasing powers." The woman explained.

"Oh yeah..I remember hearing about that, I guess you're right then. Oh well, so much for that promotion. I was looking forward to it to, just seeing Ryan's face after I kick his smug face down from admin, to a regular employee."
"Okkkkk then....I'm just going to go." The woman said, turning to exit the room.

"Hold up. Where's the radar again? I mean I kinda want to check it out for myself." The man said. "You know, since it's being so hyped up by Steven.
"I'm afraid you can't. Remember? The fifth floor is closed off to us low level employees..."

It seemed that listening to the pair had payed off! If the woman was correct, the tracker was on the fifth floor! Would Peeves go off in search of the tracker, or listen to the pair ramble some more?
----
Sophie couldn't help but smile as Jack expressed that he really wanted to talk to Project X, them being family and all. It seemed the Ditto was quite determined to come up with a way for the two to meet, something that Sophie admired.
Jack's idea was that he could transform into a dark type, before meeting with Project X. With his memory protected, Jack could try and convince the follow Ditto to trust them.
"Though I respect your resolve to meet Project X, I don't think it'll work." Sophie spoke up. "I mean, even if your memories can't be wiped, I'm sure that Project X has other ways of dealing with you. Besides, I doubt one Ditto would be able to get Project X to change it's heart, after all that it's had to endure.
"Sophie makes a point." Zack added. "Even without memory altering effects, Project X is something you probably wouldn't want to face in a battle. That's without considering the fact that we don't know it's exact location."

----
Peeves's eye widened. He had hit the eavesdropping jackpot! The two employees were discussing the tracker. On the fifth floor! The low-level Catalyst Grunts weren't even permitted access, but like such things mattered to a Ghost-type. Peeves decided- the fifth floor was his destination. But not just yet- he kept listening, for the grunts kept talking. Suppose they spill any more valuable tidbits? Every little bit helps, after all.


Jack did not look dissuaded by Sophie and Zack. "I... I still want to try, at the very least," he said adamantly. "I mean, yeah, we can't track it, obviously, so I'm probably not gonna get the chance, but... I mean, what, it was born in some lab, knowing nothing but the jerks who made it, probably treated more like a means to an end than a living being? If there is any Ditto on the face of the planet that can relate, you're looking at him," stated Jack. "You know why I consider every other Ditto in the world to be like family? Because technically they are. Every Ditto in existence is, however distantly, descended from yours truly." Jack sighed. "You probably know the story- Team Rocket makes Mewtwo, Cinnabar Labs burns down, yadda yadda yadda... Point is, Mewtwo wasn't their first end result. It was their second. I was considered their failed attempt at cloning Mew. Were it not for that Dr. Fuji, I probably would've thought all humans were assholes. I... I just... Project X sounds like what I'd be like if I didn't know Dr. Fuji, I guess," said Jack. "I just..." He trailed off, deep in thought.

----
Instead of going off in search of the tracker, Peeves decided to listen to the pair a bit more...

"-Bet that Ryan is allowed to go up there!" The man exclaimed.

"Dude, what's your problem with Ryan anyway?" The woman asked. "Of course he can go up there, he's an admin. All four of the admins are allowed access." She explained.

"I don't know...that guy just rubs me the wrong way. All smug because of that stupid tournament thing he has going." The man replied.

"Really? I think Steven's worse. Thinks he's all special cause his family started this whole facility."

It seemed that the pair's conversation had shifted to talk of their higher ups. Would Peeves take the opportunity to find the radar? Or would he continue to listen to what the grunts had to say....
----
Jack still seemed insistent on meeting Project X, stating that if anyone could relate, it would be him. Jack explained that the reason he considered every Ditto family, was because they were. Apparently Jack was the very first Ditto, making every other one his descendants. He went on to explain his origins.
Everyone in the room had heard about the story of Mewtwo's creation, but what they didn't know, was what came before it.
Apparently Mewtwo wasn't the first result of their experiment, Jack was. If it wasn't for a certain Dr. Fuji, Jack speculated that he would have been just like Project X.

"Wow...I never knew..." Sophie murmured. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through something like that..."

"Y-yeah." Jake added. "That must h-have been terrifying."

"Indeed, it is unfortunate how much suffering these groups have caused." Zack said with a nod.

"Hey wait, I get why you want to meet Project X now! You just want to meet your long lost child." Sophie teased Jack.
"Like some sort of father-child bonding time." She continued, hoping that this would be enough to cheer the Ditto up...

----
Peeves listened- the topic of conversation had shifted to that of Catalyst's higher-ups. He already had two of the four admins' names, as well as the knowledge that there were four admins to begin with. He decided to keep listening- maybe they would spill the other two names. He knew he had to find the tracker, but he also knew that would be just the tip of the Bergmite. Peeves intended to gather as much intel as he could.


Jack nodded, giving a small, appreciative smile as Sophie, Jake, and Zack all started to understand his desire to get through to Project X. He even chuckled at Sophie's teasing comment. "Yeah... I just feel like, if I could be to Project X what Dr. Fuji was to me... I mean, I never really got to repay the man for his kindness, this feels like it'd be a good start, y'know?" Keith nodded- Jack had told him this whole story once before, so none of this came as a surprise to him.

----
"-she's at least nicer then the rest." The woman finished.

"Yeah, I agree she is the nicest of the four." The man said with a nod.

"So....I never did get to ask you...what type do you specialize in again?" The woman asked.

"Ground types of course." The man replied. "That way I can easily crush Ryan and his dumb Electric types, should the need arise."

"I should of figured." The woman said with a sigh, before checking her xtransceiver.
"Well....I've gotta get going. Wouldn't want to be late. Umm....good luck with that whole, defeating Ryan thing though." The woman said as she exited the room.

With one of them gone, it was highly unlikely that Peeves would hear any more information by staying here. Still, if the Dusknoir wanted, he could continue eaves dropping, in hopes that the man would say anything else.
----
Much to Sophie's delight, Jack seemed to chuckle at her comment. He then explained that he never got to repay Dr. Fuji for his kindness, the Ditto felt like talking to Project X would be a good start.

"Hey well...though the probability isn't especially high, you could always meet Dr. Fuji again." Telpo chimed. "I mean you never know, stranger things have happened before."
"Yeah." Jake added. "I-I mean...you c-could try finding him again....r-right?"
----
After the woman left, Peeves started to move onward and upward, literally. Unless the guy was going to start a highly incriminating conversation with himself, the Dusknoir had very likely heard everything he'd be able to hear. Now, on to the fifth floor.


"Yeah, I guess," Jack shrugged. "I... I mean, I hope he's still alive. Dude's gotta be old by now if he's still alive. And... well, I mean, you know the story- Mewtwo blew up the lab and everyone in it. If Fuji was at work that day..." He trailed off, shuddering at the prospect. "But yeah... I could definitely still try and see if I can find out."

"I'll help, too," Keith nodded. "I'd like to meet this Dr. Fuji myself, honestly."

"Thanks, dude," Jack smiled.

----
As Peeves moved up towards the fifth floor, he would be able to catch brief glimpses of the other floors. The second floor looked to be much like the first, various horrifying experiments could be seen within many of the rooms. The third floor appeared to be much nicer then the ones below.
Instead of questionable experiments, this floor seemed to be focused on developing technology. The only thing weird about it...was that all the technology seemed to be the same. From what could be seen, it appeared the machines were some sort of capturing devices...
As the floors got higher, less and less employees could be seen, until finally the Dusknoir reached the fifth floor. Unlike the last couple floors, the fifth one seemed mysteriously empty. The radar's home was apparently somewhere in one of the many rooms, the question was where.
----
Jack explained that, while he hoped Dr. Fuji was alive, he very well could have passed. With Mewtwo blowing up the entire lab, if Dr. Fuji had been at work at the time, he surely wouldn't be among the living.

"O-oh yeah...I-I didn't even think of that." Jake murmured.
Jack continued, saying that he could definitely try and find out what happened, something that Keith agreed to help him on.
"I could help you look into it." Sophie piped up. "I mean, if that's ok with you. I'm sure I can find something on Dr. Fuji, provided that he's still around."

----
Peeves felt sick as he ascended through the building. More horrible experiments were taking place on the second floor. The third floor seemed more focused on developing technology. It all seemed to be capturing devices of some sort, though... Another thing Peeves noticed was that the higher he went, the fewer people he saw. Indeed, the fifth floor seemed devoid of people altogether, though this did not prompt the Dusknoir to reveal himself- all it took was the mental image of what Ginny would say if she knew he'd let down his guard like that in enemy territory. Peeves was often one to question the wisdom of what the paranoid Pawniard would teach anyone who listened (and several who didn't), but right now, he figured a little paranoia couldn't hurt. He started to move about the fifth floor through the floors and walls, still invisible, still intangible, in search of that tracker.


"Thanks," Jack nodded to Sophie. "I'd appreciate that. The guy wasn't like the other scientists... maybe he got himself out of Team Rocket," he speculated. He was the first living being I ever Transformed into, I still remember... he always had his doubts about whether joining them was the right thing for him to do."

----
Even with no one in sight, Peeves still opted to remain invisible. This proved to be a good idea, for shortly after continuing his investigation, a Mawile could be seen patrolling the hallways....
Unlike the last several floors, this one seemed to have nothing of importance. Many rooms were entirely empty, while others looked as if they hadn't been used in ages. Besides that one Mawile, there wasn't a sign of any life at all.
This floor also seemed quite dirty. While the ones below seemed to be kept in good shape, this one hadn't seen any sort of mop in years. It was hard to believe that it was even part of the same building.

Still, the radar was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it was deeper within the fifth floor?
----
Jack thanked Sophie for her offer, before explaining that Fuji wasn't like the other scientists, and that he had doubts that joining Team Rocket was the right thing for him.

"No problem, I'm always happy to help." Sophie replied. "But yeah...Dr. Fuji does sound like he's an ok guy."

"Indeed. I too would like to meet him, if I got the chance." Zack said.
"I mean..even if Team Rocket is a terrible organization, their technology has always intrigued me. He would probably know a thing or two about it, having worked for them as a scientist..."

----
Peeves couldn't help but feel a bit of smug satisfaction as his decision to remain hidden proved to be the right one- a Mawile was patrolling the fifth floor hallways. However, it seemed that the Mawile was the only one up there- nobody else, human or otherwise. And guess what else Peeves couldn't find? Yep- the tracker. He kept moving, however- he hadn't seen the entirety of the fifth floor yet, and he wouldn't stop until he found that tracker.


Jack and Keith both nodded as Zack confessed an interest in Team Rocket's technology. "I get it, yeah," Keith nodded. "They're horrible people, but if their technology could possibly be used for good..."

"Yeah, can't argue with that logic," Jack agreed. "And he was one of the guys who brought my kind into existence, so yeah, I'd say he knows his stuff."

"I hope he got out, though," Keith stated. "I mean, three of their four executives are either dead or in jail by this point," he pointed out, for this took place prior to Keith's encounter with Rocket Executive Elmer. "If he's even just half as good a guy as Jack says he is, I hope he knew to get out at the first opportunity."

----
As Peeves continued his search, the Dusknoir passed by more and more empty rooms. It was hard to imagine that the floor had ever served a purpose.
As he continued, a Bisharp could be seen guarding the entrance to a room. If Peeves were to peer inside the room, he would notice that the room was packed with many sort of strange electronics.
At the very back of the room appeared to be a large computer, with two antennae on the top left and right of the frame.
There was no doubt about, the strange machine was in fact, the tracker that Peeves had been looking for. With the tracker in sight, would Peeves take the risk and try destroying it?
----
Keith seemed to get what Zack meant, stating that if their technology could be used of good..
"It could mean a lot of good for the world." Zack nodded. "Unfortunately I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Keith then stated that he hoped that Fuji had gotten out, explaining that three of their four admins were dead or in jail at the time.
"Well that's good." Telpo said. "About the admins, I mean. It's nice to see that Team Rocket's power is waning, however slowly."

"Yeah, Team Catalyst is already a pain as is." Sophie added. "I'd hate to have both of them running around at their true potential..."

----
Peeves was puzzled as he passed more and more empty rooms. Was there any point to this fifth floor at all?

The answer, as it turned out, was yes. Peeves soon came across a Bisharp guarding the entrance to a room, which was packed with odd electronics. And at the very back of the room... there it was, there was the tracker! But now Peeves faced a difficult decision- destroy it immediately, or report back to Keith and the others? The fifth floor was devoid of humans completely, with the only signs of life being the Mawile roaming the corridors... and the Bisharp right outside the room. Peeves narrowed his eye as he looked back at the Bisharp. Could he destroy the machine without attracting the Bisharp's attention? And if not, could he take on the Bisharp if need be? Bisharp was a Dark and Steel-type, which gave it the type advantage. The evolved form of Pawniard, a species Peeves know better than to underestimate. He had a lot of Fighting-type moves which would give him a, ahem, fighting chance. But... could he avoid attracting the Bisharp's attention altogether? Peeves considered his options... what if he spat a Toxic at the machine? The horribly poisonous liquid would eat away at the tracker, destroying it, surely. Or maybe a Will-O-Wisp would fry the circuits. Or... Ice Beam. He could coat the machine in ice. Not only would it very likely not function when encased in ice, but when the ice melted, it would become water. Water being, of course, detrimental to the functionality of any machine. That was looking like his best option thus far, but he kept thinking. Shadow Punch, maybe? Perhaps he could manipulate the shadowy fist so it passed clean through the outside of the machine and only destroyed its innards. Truly a slap in the face- the tracker would appear normal from outside, but would be naught but a pile of useless scrap metal on the inside. And Peeves realized something else- if he moved to the part of the floor directly under the machine, he could use Shadow Punch without giving away his position, couldn't he?

This new plan in mind, Peeves floated into position, double and triple checking that he was still invisible, before going into a carefully controlled Shadow Punch, trying to mash up and destroy the machine's innards- and only the innards, ideally, so it would take a while for Team Catalyst to realize something was wrong.


Keith nodded in agreement with Telpo. "Yeah, they're about all but done for. My Camerupt has connections who are able to give him inside info about Team Rocket. Mainly he uses this info to warn me if they're planning an attack on my Secret Base, or if they're cooking up a world-endangering scheme of some sort. According to him, ever since the death of Rocket Executive Remy McPhione, the organization's been in a kind of panic. Apparently they're relocating their bases of operation to remote, uninhabited islands for the time being. My Swoobat actually suggested to me that I go for a voyage on my boat sometime in the next few weeks- maybe I'll be able to find and take down the final executive," he grinned. "But yeah- right now, Team Catalyst is our main concern," he nodded.

----
While Peeves came up with multiple ways to take care of the tracker, he finally decided on mashing the insides of it with Shadow Punch. With this in mind, Peeves got into position under the floor, before sending a a shadow fist directly into the machines interior.

As soon as the attack hit it's intended target, an incredibly loud alarm sounded.
"Tracker #2 is under attack! Tracker #2 is under attack! Back up is requested!" A loud robotic voice shrieked.
At the sound of the alarm, the Bisharp rushed into the room, the Mawile from before soon followed.

"Way to go nitwit, I don't know what you did, but I can hear the alarm from out here." A telepathic voice sounded in the Dusknoir's head. "Regardless of what you did, I don't recommend sticking around. Just come to the entrance so I can teleport you out."
With the sound of the alarm, it wouldn't be long before others showed up. Still, it was unclear if the tracker was fully destroyed or not. The question was, was it worth making sure?
----
"Indeed, Team Catalyst is definitely our main concern." Zack nodded. "And the sooner Peeves and Duosion return, the easier it will be to plan for the future."
"I-I wonder if Peeves h-has found what he needed." Jake said. "I-I mean...I'd rather not.....i-infiltrate anywhere Team Ctalyst might c-call home."
"There's no use in pondering it though, I'm sure the two will be back soon." Telpo added. "There's a pretty good chance Peeves will have taken care of things for us though, so you don't need to worry."

----
Peeves felt like exclaiming in frustration as an incredibly loud alarm sounded, but he resisted- he was still invisible. Even as the Bisharp and Mawile entered, he knew they couldn't spot him. Even so, though, it would likely not be prudent to remain in the building for much longer. What troubled him in particular is that the alarm referred to this as tracker #2. As in, there was more than one tracker. Oh, yeah, that boded real well. He rolled his eye at the sound of Duosion's telepathic snark, but knew he still had a point. He decided to land one more Shadow Punch on the machine's innards for good measure, then get the hell outta there as fast (and as stealthily) as he possibly could. That he couldn't stick around to be more certain of the machine's destruction irked him, but he reasoned that a couple of Shadow Punches to the inner workings of a machine, the parts that the outer shell was meant to protect, couldn't possibly have left it still in perfect working order. He had to content himself with this for the time being.


Meanwhile, Jake wondered if Peeves found what he needed. "I know Peeves well," Keith stated. "He's good at getting things done when he needs to. He'll probably get that tracker destroyed and even score some information for us as well. Heh, I remember when I first hatched him," he added, smiling slightly. "The guy's really come a long way."

----
After hitting the machine with one more Shadow Punch for good measure, Peeves fled from the scene. As the Dusknoir descended closer towards the entrance, he could see just what madness he had caused.
Many Pokemon could be seen scrambling towards the fifth floor, while some scientists opted to run for the nearest exit. Yet, a large portion of scientists remained at their stations, as if nothing was happening at all...
Over all of this, the alarm blared on, though it seemed to get a bit quieter as Peeves neared the exit.

Once outside, it seemed most of the chaos had stopped. The obnoxious sound of the siren could still be heard though, confirming Duosion's earlier words.
Speaking of which, the mitosis Pokemon could be seen just ahead. From the look on his face, he appeared to not be too pleased with the latest turn of events. Despite this, he appeared to be patiently waiting for Peeves to return.
Perhaps he was thinking of a few choice words for the Dusknoir upon his arrival.....
----
Keith seemed quite confident in Peeves, saying that he would probably destroy the tracker, as well as get some information. Keith added that the Dusknoir had come a long way from when he had hatched him.

"W-well if you believe in him...I-I guess I will as well." Jake replied.
"Me too." Sophie added. "But, what do you mean that he's come a long way? What was he like before?"

----
Peeves saw as he descended that a lot of Pokémon were headed up to the fifth floor, while some of the scientists were making for the exit. But for the most part, the scientists were acting like nothing was happening at all. Perhaps they thought the Pokémon that were rushing to the scene would be sufficient to deal with the problem?

Peeves rolled his eye as he saw Duosion looking displeased. At least he was waiting for the Dusknoir. Peeves rose up out of the ground next to Duosion. "Whatever you're thinking of saying to me, it can wait until we get back," he muttered to the Psychic-type.


Keith nodded, smiling appreciatively as Jake stated that if Keith could believe in the Dusknoir, so could he. He then turned to Sophie at her question. "Right, I never really told you about Peeves's past, did I?" he said.

"Yeah, I never Transformed into him, so I'd kinda like to hear this as well," said Jack.

"Alright, well, it all starts with my Weezing," said Keith. "You know the story, right? I'm wandering near the volcano near Lavaridge, I go into the Fiery Path, and I save a baby Koffing from a pair of Machop? One of those Machop? That was Peeves when he was alive. Apparently, both Machop were killed the day after that by a murderous Camerupt, and years later, one of them came back as a Duskull, which hatched from an Egg I was taking care of. Initially, Peeves had no memory of his past life, but he still had a mischievous streak- always loved playing pranks and getting reactions out of people. Heh, but he was still a good guy underneath, I could tell," Keith nodded. "Never disobeyed me in battle, never really tried to take things too far... and knowing Liliana helped, too, I think," he added. "This female Duskull belonging to a good friend of mine," he explained. "She and Peeves became good friends almost right away, and ended up falling in love. Then, they both remembered their respective pasts at one point, and Peeves was so overcome with remorse for what he'd been like- for by this point he'd kinda dialed it back with the pranks and the mischief. But yeah- we all forgave him. Even Gemini could forgive him. He ended up a better Duskull for the experience. Y'know, being there while Peeves grew up and matured, it really was a cool experience," he smiled. "One of the awesome things about being a Pokémon Trainer is getting to watch your Pokémon grow up, seeing how far they can go, and helping them realize their full potential."

----
"Oh good, you're here." Dusion said upon Peeves rising up from the ground.
"But yeah, I'll certainly save embarrassing you until we get back, so let's get going." The Duosion added upon the Dusknoir's request.
----
Keith explained that Peeves had been one of the Machop that attacked Gemini, back when the Dusknoir was alive.
When he had hatched, Peeves had no recollection of his past life, though he was still just as mischievous as before. At one point Peeves remembered his past, he felt remorseful, but all his teammates forgave him for his earlier actions.
Keith then added that a great part of being a trainer was watching your Pokemon grow and achieve their full potential.

"Unlocking the true potential of a Pokemon...that is indeed, a wonderful thing." Zack nodded.

"Y-yeah." Jake added, thinking back to his various Pokemon. He had been with some of them for a long time, and some had certainly shown a lot of improvement.
Like Bubbles, she had previously been quite hostile, but eventually mellowed out. Or Sparky! He was extremely shy when Jake and him had first set foot on Fizzytopia, but over time Sparky had transformed into a much more courageous Pokemon...
In contrast Telpo had mostly remained the same...always calm...always caring...always there for him....

"I-I can't wait...umm...to see how the future turns out for us." Jake said, specifically addressing the Abra beside him. "To see how much we can improve."
"Me too master" Telpo replied. "But with Team Catalyst around...I do fear what it will be. Having them out of the picture would definitely put my mind at ease."

----
Peeves nodded. "Let's do that," he agreed, ready for Duosion to Teleport them back.


Keith nodded in agreement as Zack and Jake agreed with his sentiment about helping one's Pokémon achieve their full potential. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of being a Trainer," he smiled. "It's not just Peeves, either- one time I traded for a Makuhita that had been getting traded from Trainer to Trainer, always for rock-bottom prices. Nobody seemed to want her, and it did a number on her self-esteem. But I had no intention of trading her. It just took a while to get this through to her, but it was well worth it- Helga's no longer worried about getting traded away again," he smiled. "She's now a Hariyama, and probably one of my most dependable Pokémon. She's actually the one who landed the finishing blow on Heatran in Mt. Aduro," he smiled. "Had to fire a Focus Blast between swirling pillars of magma, with no time to really properly aim it, and she pulled it off beautifully." There was a hint of pride in Keith's voice as he spoke.

----
With Peeves ready to go the mitosis Pokemon once again began to gather up psychic energy. In a flash of light, the pair disappeared from outside Hagane Labs...
----
Keith began to talk about another Pokemon of his, a Hariyama named Helga. Keith got her after she had been traded from trainer to trainer, all for a very low price.
This had effected her self esteem quite a bit, and it took Keith a while to convince her that he had no intention of trading her away. After that, she became very dependable, having landed the final blow on the Heatran in Mt. Aduro.

"Wow, your Pokemon are really something Keith." Zack smiled. "You seem like a really capable trainer. I'm very glad that you're on our side, and not Team Catalyst's."

Before much more could be said, Duosion and Peeves suddenly appeared in the corner of the room.
"We're back! You wouldn't believe what this idiot did though, he set off the alarm system!" Duosion exclaimed.

"What? You can't be serious!" Sophie exclaimed. "Please tell me you at least managed to detroy the tracker.

"Now now let's calm down. I want to hear what Peeves has to say first." Zack said, before turning his attention to the Dusknoir.
"So, tell us what happened, from the top. Did you learn any vital information? Did you find the tracker, and if did, were you able to destroy it?"

Part 3:
Spoiler: show
Keith smiled at the praise, though before he could respond to any of it, Peeves and Duosion returned. The Dusknoir facepalmed as Duosion informed them all that Peeves set off the alarm system. "Oh, yes, that's exactly the detail I wanted you to open with," he said sarcastically. He turned to Zack, for he at least was willing to hear the Dusknoir's tale. "OK. First off, yes, I got some info. More on that later- the tracker. Yes, I found it, and yes, I tried to destroy it. Had a clear shot, but unfortunately, my attempt was what set off the alarm. I tried working my way past the outside of the machine, land a Shadow Punch on the inside stuff, y'know?"

"Makes sense," Keith shrugged. "The outer shell's meant to protect the stuff inside. Bypass that, should make it easier to break."

Peeves nodded, gesturing to Keith. "This guy gets it," he said. "Now... I don't know whether I managed to destroy the tracker completely. The innards took two full-force Shadow Punches, but I didn't exactly have time to inspect the damage, yeah? Now... that's where the good news ends."

"That was good news?" Jack asked, earning him a glare from Peeves. "Just saying," the Ditto said, shrugging his borrowed shoulders.

"As I was saying," said Peeves. "First off, the alarm. What really troubled me was what it said- that tracker #2 was under attack."

"Tracker number two?" Keith repeated. "As in-"

"As in there's probably a tracker number one in there somewhere, that'd be my guess, yeah," nodded Peeves. "Also- managed to overhear bits of a conversation between two of the grunts. Four Catalyst admins in total. One of them's named Steven, and his family apparently started Hagane Labs in the first place. Another one's named Ryan, and he apparently specializes in Electric-types, and has something to do with a tournament of some sort. Didn't get any other names, but at least one of the other two admins is a woman, and apparently the nicest of the four. Any of this new info?" he asked Zack.

----
Peeves explained that he had gotten some info, and that he'd also found the tracker. Upon trying to destroy the tracker, he had managed to set the alarms off, but not before delivering two solid attacks to the device.
That was where the good news ended, as Peeves revealed that the alarm had implied there was a second tracker, the one he had attacked being labeled tracker two.

"What?! So they have two of them...and you only managed to get one at best?" Sophie questioned. "That means we've gotta go back in there! If they still have another tracker, then this entire mission will have been for naught!"

"While I do agree that this isn't looking good, we should wait to hear what else Peeves has to say." Zack replied.

The Dusknoir continued, explaining that he had overheard that there were four Catalyst admins. The first was named Steven, his family had apparently been the ones to start Hagane Labs.
The second went by the name of Ryan. He was an Electric specialist, and had something to do with a tournament. Why did that sound so familiar to Jake?

"Steven? As in Steven Hagane? Yes I know of him...he's the current owner of Hagane labs. His grandfather, Adam Hagane founded the research facility." Zack explained.
"Sadly, this does line up with our knowledge of Catalyst and Hagane labs. I say sadly, because Steven is a truly brilliant man. If he's with Team Catalyst, that makes this situation only more dire."

"What about this Ryan fellow? Does he ring any bells?" Telpo asked.

"Jake, didn't you say the guy that beat you at that Electric Type tournament was named Ryan?" Sophie questioned.
"U-umm...yeah. But...it couldn't be him. H-he was the one that saved me and a f-friend from Team Catalyst." Jake explained.
"Hmm..I see. Well there isn't any use speculating for now. Peeves, did you happen to get any more info?" Zack questioned.

----
Peeves's news went over about as well as he could've expected bad news to go. Zack confirmed that Steven Hagane was indeed the grandson of the founder of Hagane Labs, as well as the current owner. However, Jake did indeed recall somebody named Ryan... in an Electric-type tournament... but he saved Jake from Team Catalyst? Peeves raised his one and only eyebrow at this- Zack was right, there was no real use speculating, but all the same, that was a lot of coincidences lining up right there... He turned to Zack upon being asked if he got any more info. "Not a lot, and you probably don't want to know most of it anyway," stated Peeves. "They... yeesh... they perform experiments on Pokémon, and... yeah, let's just say I wanted to vomit from rage and leave it at that," he shuddered.

"Bastards," Keith stated, shaking his head. "The sooner we take out Team Catalyst, the better."

"Amen to that," Jack nodded.

"Also, there's apparently a grunt that specializes in Ground-type, with the specific intent of crushing Ryan and his Electric-types," Peeves added, shrugging to indicate that even he doubted the usefulness of that tidbit. "And... OH!" he exclaimed. "Should've mentioned this sooner, honestly- those blabbermouth grunts I eavesdropped on? They mentioned that the tracker had confirmed that Project X was sighted nearby."

"Wh- for serious?" Jack stated, his borrowed eyes widening.

"Yeah, but apparently it's got memory-erasi- I mean, uh," Peeves hastily stammered, realizing Keith was within earshot.

"Peeves, relax, I already know what it's capable of," Keith stated. "There's been some discussion going on in your absence. And Jack, don't forget- it's made to track a Ditto, and guess what you are."

"...Right. Right," Jack nodded. "Yeesh... Of all the freakin'..."

"I'm guessing you wanna meet this Project X?" Peeves questioned.

"Hell yeah, I do," Jack nodded.

----
"I-I won't let them get away with this!" Jake exclaimed. "Even if I have to charge into their headquarters and destroy them myself!"
"O-oh...umm..s-sorry..I don't know what came o-over me there." Jake apologized a moment later.
"It's ok master, I don't think any of us here blames you." Telpo replied. "For what it's worth, I too long for them to be punished for their actions. This is inexcusable."

Peeves continued, explaining that he had learned a grunt specialized in Ground types. But one of biggest tidbits, was the fact that Project X had been sighted nearby.
Jack seemed to like the sound of that, but Keith quickly reminded him that he was also a Ditto, and would probably show up on the tracker.

"That settles it then! We need to go back in there and destroy that other tracker, right now." Sophie said.
"What? Are you crazy? Peeves just set off the alarm, they're going to be on high alert now." Telpo replied.
"I know. I don't like it either, but we don't have a choice. If Project x was far away, we could wait it out a little bit. But if Project X truly is close by, then they may be preparing to snatch it as we speak." Sophie explained.
"If we don't deal with those trackers soon, then we may not be able to stop Team Catalyst in time."

"You do make a good point Sophie, we do need to take out those trackers, and quick." Zack replied.
"We may very well have to sneak in, even with the stakes as high as they are. I very much doubt that Peeves would have the luxury of going back in for us..."
----
Jake's outburst was met with nods of approval from Keith, Peeves, and Jack. The group began talking about going into Hagane Labs to destroy the tracker once and for all. "Well, count me in," Keith stated.

"Yeah, same," Peeves stated. "Though if our target is basically a Ditto tracker, I'm thinking Jack-"

"Yeah, I know, back in the ball," Jack nodded, rolling his borrowed eyes. "Just promise I can get in on the action if your cover gets blown, huh?"

"Hoping that won't happen, but you got a deal," Keith stated. "Now, then," he added, turning back to the group. "What are we thinking we'll do?"

----
"Well I was thinking...you'd probably have to disguise as employees, in order to get in." Zack suggested.
"That idea again? I'm not liking the sound of it. There's just too much that can go wrong with it." Telpo replied. "Besides, how are we even going to get employee outfits?"
"I know it's risky, but unless Peeves knows how to teleport, I'm coming up short on ideas. The good news is, if that's our best way in, we have plenty of outfits that could allow you to sneak in." Zack explained.
"Of course this isn't set in stone yet. I realize this isn't one of my better plans, so if any of you guys can think of a better idea, I'd be glad to hear it."

----
"Can confirm, no Teleport," Peeves stated. "So unless Keith has his Slowbro, Smeargle, Venomoth, or Qwilfish with him..."

"Nope," Keith shook his head. "None of those. But yeah... disguising ourselves as employees, I'm not loving the idea," he stated. "Telpo's right, there's so much that can go wrong..."

"Hey, wait," Peeves said suddenly. "What if... what if we can lure some of them out of the lab? We lure them into a trap, ambush and overpower them, then go back disguised as them? If we look like established members of Catalyst that were known to have left and were expected to return, I don't think we'd raise a lot of suspicion, would we?" he asked.

"I see what you're saying," Keith nodded. "But... How would we pull off such perfect disguises?"

"Heh, did you forget?" smirked Peeves. "I learned illusions from the best. I could make the disguises happen, no sweat. I'm the one who taught Helena how to create that illusion of what she looked like when she was alive."

Keith blinked, visibly impressed by this statement. "Hard to argue with that," he nodded. "But that still leaves the question of how we'd lure them into a trap in the first place," he added. "Only thing I can think of that'd get their attention is Project X, and somehow I don't think that's an option at the moment," he shrugged. He turned to Zack. "Any idea what might attract their attention, get them to send a few members out to check things out?" he asked.

----
Peeves confirmed that he wasn't capable of teleportation, and with that, plans of teleporting into the base were officially scrapped.
Peeves then suggested they lure some employees out of the lab, and right into a trap. The idea being, they could overpower the grunts, before going back in, disguised as them.
Keith questioned how they would be able to perfectly disguise as them, but Peeves explained that he could create illusions. With these illusions, he could easily disguise the group.

"Now this sounds much better." Telpo chimed. "We'll have a much lower chance of getting caught this way."

Keith then asked Zack if there was any way to attract Team Catalyst's attention, anyway to lure a few employees into their trap.

"Not that I can think of." Zack replied. "As you said, the only thing I can think of is Project X."

"There's no need to worry about that, I have a perfect way to bait them out!" Sophie exclaimed.
"Really? What's that?" Zack questioned.
"Just trust me, I've got it under control." Sophie replied. "What you should be worrying about, is what kind of trap you're going to set for them."

"Hmm...ok then, I trust that you've got it all covered." Zack nodded, before turning to the rest of the group.
"So...what kind of trap were we thinking? Besides a straight up ambush, not much else is coming to mind."

----
Peeves's idea went over quite well. The one problem was with the notion of luring them out in the first place, but Sophie stated that she had it covered. While this confused Keith, Sophie had proven to be quite trustworthy the last few times she told them to just trust her, and so he raised no questions.

The subject then turned to what exactly they could do for a trap, save for an ambush. Peeves raised a hand. "Just throwing this out there, I do know how to use Mean Look."

"And I could have my Stunfisk hide in the ground," Keith volunteered. "First Catalyst grunt to step on Rubeus gets a good, healthy dose of Thunder Shock," he grinned, plucking the Ground Ball off his belt.

----
As the group began to brainstorm ideas on just what trap they were going to set, Peeves brought up that he knew Mean Look.
Keith then suggested having his Stunfisk hide on the ground, shocking the first grunt that stepped on him.

"I-I've got an idea." Jake said, before turning to Sophie. "Y-you said you can l-lure them out...w-would this put you in the path of...of any traps?"
"Nope." Sophie shook her head. "So feel free to do whatever you want."
"O-ok..good. Well..how about w-we lure them into an alley, and have Keith's Stunfisk shock them."
"T-then Peeves..he can prevent them from escaping with Mean Look. F-finally, I'll have my Oddish use S-sleep Powder...in order to knock them out." Jake explained.

"Sounds good to me." Telpo replied.
"Indeed, I think it's our best shot at the moment." Zack nodded. "What do the rest of you think?"

----
Jake added his own input to the idea, though only after ensuring that Sophie's way of luring them out would not put her in harm's way. Keith, Jack, and Peeves nodded their satisfaction at this knowledge, before Jake suggested that they lure the Catalyst members into an alley, whereupon Rubeus would shock them, Peeves would trap them, and then Jake's Oddish would incapacitate them with Sleep Powder.

Keith nodded. "I like it," he stated. "I'm in."

"Same here," agreed Peeves. "Sleep Powder- I like that."

"Am I gonna get to help here?" Jack asked, not expecting a good answer.

"Possibly," Keith said fairly. "If Peeves's Mean Look doesn't trap them all at once, maybe you could help him out with that."

"I could do that, yeah," Jack shrugged.

----
"Alright, it seems that our plan is decided then." Zack said. "I'd love to come with you, but I'm afraid I have some things that need to be done first."

"Alright, instead of you fools bumbling around the streets, I'll Teleport you guys to where you need." Duosion chimed, before turning his attention to Telpo.
"You've been to the front of Hagane Labs before? If so, can you help me Teleport them there? Or are you also a dead weight, like the rest?"
"I can do it." Telpo nodded. "I'm not sure if I can carry more then two though."

"Two is all we need, you grab those two." Duosion said, pointing to Jake and Sophie with his head.
"As for the rest of you, I'm going to have to request no more then two at a time." The mitosis Pokemon explained, turning to Keith's group.
"Preferably not Peeves though. He may just be stupid enough to set off the alarm again, just by being near the entrance."

----
With the plan agreed upon, Duosion offered to help Telpo Teleport the group to Hagane Labs. While Telpo would Teleport Jake and Sophie, Duosion offered to Teleport Keith and one of his Pokémon- he wouldn't take more than two passengers, and specifically requested "not Peeves", which left the Dusknoir decidedly less than amused. "OK, listen, you-" began Peeves.

"Peeves, take it easy," stated Keith. "Duosion, considering how crucial Peeves is to the plan, I'm gonna have to insist he accompany us." He and the Dusknoir exchanged a high-five as he spoke. "Give him more credit than that, he's more careful than that."

"Besides which," added Jack. "I don't want to set off the tracker, so I'm thinking I wait in my ball until I need to get involved, yeah?"

"You're cool with that, right?" Keith asked Jack.

"No sweat," Jack assured him. "I want the plan to succeed. Besides, unlike Meowth, I'm cool with being in my ball," he shrugged.

----
Duosion couldn't help but roll his eyes as Keith stuck up for Peeves, saying that he was crucial to the plan.
"Yeah, but he was also crucial to the last plan, and look how well that went." Duosion retorted.
"Well whatever, I guess we do need him. So once Jack's in his ball, just grab on and I'll get us to where you need to go."

"Alright Sophie, Master, are you ready?" Telpo questioned, his attitude a complete contrast to Duosion's snarkiness.

"R-ready as I'll ever be." Jake replied.
"You bet I am! It's time to knock some Catalyst scum down a few pegs!" Sophie exclaimed.
With both trainers consent, Telpo grabbed onto the pair, before the three of them vanished in a flash of light.

----
"Oh, you mean how he got us information, and damaged one of the trackers, possibly beyond repair?" retorted Keith. "Like any of us would've known that Shadow Punching the inside of that thing would've set off an alarm."

"THANK you!" Peeves nodded.

Duosion then conceded that they did in fact need Peeves, so Keith turned to his doppelganger, holding out a Violet Cyber Ball. "Jack, return," he said, as the recall beam pulled the Ditto back into the ball's spherical confines. With that done, both Keith and Peeves grabbed onto Duosion, ready whenever he was.

----
In a flash of light, Duosion, Peeves, and Keith vanished from the room, before reappearing in front of Hagane Labs. Though it had been a site of panic only a few minutes ago, from outside everything seemed calm.

"Alright there you go. The greatest, most amazing Dusknoir to ever grace this earth has arrived at his destination." Duosion said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, and don't come crying to me if Peeves sets off the alarm again, I warned you." Dusion added.

Having just noticed them, Telpo, Sophie and Jake made their way over to the rest of the group.

"Alright, so you needed to find an alleyway to set up your trap right? In that case....hmm...how about that one?" Sophie asked, pointing to the east of Hagane Labs.
There, two large buildings could be seen, in between them was a narrow walkway. Though it seemed to be cluttered with all sorts of garbage, it was just what the group was looking for!

"I guess it'll work. I mean, we don't really need to get picky, do we?" Telpo questioned.
"I-I don't think so." Jake murmured.
"Perfect, then you guys get going. I need all of you to be gone in order for me to lure them out." Sophie explained. "If even one of you is around it won't work."

"Alright, this way then." Telpo chimed, ready to guide the group whenever they were ready.

----
Keith and Peeves arrived at Hagane Labs, thanks to Duosion. Of course, said Psychic-type wasn't letting things go without a healthy dose of sarcasm. Peeves rolled his eye, seemingly resisting the urge to shut Duosion up with an attack of some sort. "OK, seriously, Duosion, can you ease up on Peeves?" Keith asked.

Before Duosion could answer, however, Telpo, Jake, and Sophie approached. Sophie pointed out a nearby alley that would suit their purposes perfectly, and insisted that the others get going- whatever her plan was, it apparently required her to do this completely solo. Keith and Peeves exchanged glances, both of them wondering what Sophie's plan even was, but they both followed Telpo without question.

----
With most of the group behind him, Telpo lead the bunch through the streets of the city. Swerving through the crowds, the group eventually arrived at the alleyway Sophie had pointed out.
Unlike the streets, it appeared that no one was here. The stench of rotten garbage filled the area, causing Jake to plug his nose.

"Alright, we should probably get everything set up quickly. I'm not sure how quickly Sophie will get the grunts over here, but we've only got one shot. Let's make it count." Telpo chimed.

"Umm..right." Jake murmured, before pulling a regular Pokeball out of his bag. From the ball emerged an Oddish....who appeared to be having a nice nap.
"Neku..come on...wake up." Jake said as he lightly shook the weed Pokemon.
"Huh-what? What's....what's going on?" Neku asked as he slowly came to.
"Now's...not the time f-for sleep Neku." Jake replied. "L-long story short...there's...g-going to be some people coming..this way. I-I need you to use Sleep Powder o-on them, after Keith's Dusknoir uses...mean look." Jake explained.

"It'd probably be wise to hide though." Telpo chimed. "No matter how good Sophie is at luring them to us, they're not going fall for a trap with we're right in their line of vision. May I suggest hiding behind one of these garbage cans?"
----
While Jake sent out Neku and briefed him on the situation, Keith likewise took a Ground Ball off his belt and tossed it into the air, unleashing a white-finned Stunfisk onto the ground before him. "Rubeus," said Keith. "Before long, there's gonna be a group of bad guys coming through here. First one of them to step on you, I want you to give 'em a taste of your Thunder Shock, alright?"

"Stunfisk fisk," nodded Rubeus.

"Oh- and I don't know if this'll happen, but it's possible that Jake's friend Sophie will be coming this way as well," Keith added. "Needless to say, if she's the first to step on you, no Thunder Shock for her, got it?"

"Fisk," Rubeus nodded.

"Good," Keith nodded. "Now hide yourself, alright?"

"Stun!" Rubeus replied, attempting to conceal himself on the ground- something Stunfisk as a species were naturally good at.

Keith nodded as Telpo suggested that they all hide as well. "Let's do it," he agreed. Peeves, however, pulled him off to the side by his arm, and created a very convincing illusion of a garbage can around the both of them. From the outside, nobody would suspect a thing. Keith smirked, hoping Duosion saw this- saw that Peeves really was capable of not screwing up.

----
With Rubeus hiding on the ground, Peeves grabbed Keith, and the pair were soon replaced by a garbage can.

"Wow...t-that's pretty i-impressive." Jake murmured. He then grabbed Neku, and the pair made their way behind a nearby garbage can.
Though his way of hiding wasn't nearly as good as Keith and Peeve's, Jake reasoned that it would work well enough for the task at hand. With Telpo hiding behind a second garbage can, the group could only wait for their targets to arrive...

It had only been a few minutes, but soon a loud commotion could be heard nearby. Jake almost peaked out from behind his hiding place, but opted not to. He didn't want to risk whoever was nearby from noticing them.
Suddenly the sound of loud footsteps could be heard, and a pair of people could be seen headed straight towards Rubeus. Though the pair was foreign to most of the group, Peeves might recognize them as the two he had been eavesdropping on before!
"I swear, I saw it! It went right this way!" The man exclaimed, before stepping right on Rubeus....

----
It wasn't long before a commotion could be heard. Peeves's eye widened as he recognized the two Catalyst Grunts headed their way. "Son of a-" he whispered to Keith. "Those are the two I eavesdropped on in Hagane Labs!" he hissed to Keith almost silently. Keith nodded, though said nothing in response, watching intently as the man stepped right where Rubeus had hid...

"Stuuuun... FIIIIIIIIISK!" Rubeus bellowed, lighting the man up with his Thunder Shock attack.

"NOW!" Keith exclaimed. Peeves dropped the illusion, and fixed both Catalyst Grunts with a fierce Mean Look. Keith stood beside Peeves, and one could almost swear he too was using Mean Look, the way he was glaring at them. In fact, maybe he actually was. And now it was Neku's turn to act- they were waiting on the Oddish's Sleep Powder now.

----
The man let out a cry as Rubeus's attack sent lightning throughout his body! To make matters worse for the pair, Peeves dropped his illusion, before locking the two in place with his mean look.
"W-what the hell is this?!" The woman stammered, clearly frightened by the look Keith and Peeves were giving her. To answer the woman, Neku leaped out from his hiding spot, before spraying her and the man with a cloud of spores, knocking the pair unconscious.

"Alright...w-we did it. That was....actually k-kind of easy." Jake remarked.
"That it was. Whatever Sophie's plan was, it seemed to have worked brilliantly." Telpo chimed.
"See? I told you I had it under control." Sophie said upon entering the groups line of vision.
"I knew right from the start that it would go off without a hitch, those Catalyst scum can be so very dumb."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we still have a problem." Telpo said, glancing at the sleeping grunts.
"There's only two of them. We're going to have to lure in another grunt if we all want to be disguised."

"No it's fine." Sophie shook her head. "I'll stay here while the rest of you go in. Someone has to make sure these grunts don't wake up, right? Besides I don't think I can attract anymore grunts with out getting caught."

"I-I guess so..yeah." Jake replied. "I think t-that makes sense."
"That still leaves another problem." Telpo chimed. "If you stay here Sophie, that means either Jake or Keith is going to have to be disguised as a girl."

"Umm...I-I'll do it." Jake replied. "I-I mean...it's...not like I w-want to...but..if it's our o-only way in..."
"I doubt you could pull it off master. It'll be far easier to have you stay here, while Sophie and Keith go." Telpo replied.

"Actually, I'm not supposed to go in. Zack told me as much." Sophie explained.
"Of course he did. Look, I can't be the only one that sees this isn't going to work, right?" Telpo questioned, turning his attention to Peeves and Keith.

----
The plan succeeded beautifully- Rubeus blasted the man with Thunder Shock, Peeves held them still with Mean Look, and Neku's Sleep Powder put them both to sleep. Keith nodded as Sophie reappeared, reiterating that she had it under control. "For sure," he agreed.

Telpo, however, was not so optimistic, considering there were only two grunts to impersonate, and three people to impersonate them, but Sophie solved that by volunteering to stay behind, guard the grunts, and make sure they didn't wake up, though the Abra pointed out the new problem this created in its place- namely, the fact that one of the guys was going to have to cross-dress. This time, it was Jake who solved that, volunteering to disguise himself as the female grunt for the sake of getting in. But Telpo still had his doubts, and upon learning that Zack didn't want Sophie going in at all, he appealed to Keith and Peeves to take his side, to agree that the plan wouldn't work.

"I dunno," shrugged Keith. "It's a crazy plan, but then, so is taking on a volcano god to save the lives of a volcanic island's dwindling Heatmor population."

"Telpo, lemme let you in on a little secret," Peeves said. "You spend enough time being trained by Keith Masters, you start to get that nothing's really impossible, and sometimes the crazy ideas are what work. Besides, if Jake's disguise ends up needing work, I can do some work on it with my illusions," he offered. "Yeah, I say we wait and see what the final disguises look like before we make any calls as to whether it'll work."

"I'm with Peeves on this," agreed Keith.

----
While Keith seemed to think it was crazy, he pointed out that his plan at Mt. Aduro had been crazy as well.
Peeves then explained that his time with Keith had taught him nothing was really impossible, and that he could fix Jake's disguise with his illusions if it needed work.

"Ok I guess you're right, we should probably see how the disguises turn out first." Telpo conceded.
"I can say that your illusions need to be pretty good for it to work though, I mean..these Catalyst costumes don't appear to have anything covering their faces." Telpo said, glancing at the grunts.

"I'm sure we can figure something out, Telpo." Sophie replied as she grabbed the female grunt. She quickly pulled the gray lab coat off the woman, revealing her regular street clothes underneath.
"So...I guess this all they really wear." Sophie said, before handing the coat to Jake. "Here slip this on. It might be a bit too big though."

Sophie's words were confirmed as Jake slipped the lab coat over his sweater. With his small frame, the coat was just barely hanging off the ground.

"Yeah...we're definitely going to need at least a few touch ups Peeves." Telpo remarked.
"At this rate I wonder if we should just create the illusions from scratch. I think the coat is hurting Jake's disguise, more then helping." Sophie added.

"Would you really be able to create such illusions though?" Telpo questioned, turning his attention to the Dusknoir.

While Telpo addressed Peeves, Sophie took the time to slip the gray lab coat off the male grunt, before handing it to Keith.
"I'm not sure if this is the right size for you either, but..well we should probably at least try, right?"
Indeed, from a glance, the costume the male grunt had been wearing seemed to be much closer to Keith's build, then the female grunts had been to Jake's.
Still, there was always a chance it wouldn't fit either...there was really only one way to find out.

----
Telpo conceded that they could see how the disguises actually looked before making any calls about their plausibility, though as they started to go to work, it became clear that Telpo had a point- the disguises consisted pretty much of the lab coats. Nothing to conceal the face whatsoever.

Peeves nodded as Telpo asked if he could create illusions the likes of which they'd need. "I learned illusions from the best," he replied. "And Keith can back me up on that- he knows who I mean by that- better, perhaps, than most. Keith," he said.

"Yeah, Peeves?" asked Keith.

"Bearing in mind who I learned about illusions from, and what you know that individual to be capable of," said Peeves. "Telpo wants to know if I can create sufficient illusions to disguise you and Jake as these Catalyst grunts."

"He's got this, Telpo," Keith stated with neither hesitance nor uncertainty, while trying on the lab coat Sophie had taken off the male grunt. It did look to be at least close to his size, if not an exact match, so he was rather confident it would be a comfortable fit.

----
In response to Telpo's question, Peeves once again explained that he had learned from the best, something that Keith agreed with.

"Well ok, if you say it'll work, then I'm confident that it will." Telpo chimed. "Because yeah..I think it's going to take a lot of work to make my master look anything like a girl."

Were her eyes playing tricks on her, or had Jake winced slightly just then? Sophie wondered.
Chalking it up to her imagination, she quickly turned her attention back towards Keith.

"Alright, I think it'll work." Sophie said once Keith had put the coat on.
"I mean, it does look a tiny bit short on you, but it shouldn't be too noticeable. What do you think Jake?"

"H-huh what? S-sorry...I k-kind of blanked out for a s-second." Jake murmured.
"I asked if you think the lab coat will work on Keith." Sophie replied.
"Umm...y-yeah I guess. I-I don't really know..."
"Well ok then...I guess it's time for Peeves to work his magic. Unless I'm forgetting something?" Sophie questioned.

----
Telpo conceded that if Peeves was so confident in his abilities, than the Abra was as well, adding that it would take a lot of work to make Jake look like a girl. What struck Peeves as interesting, however, was Jake's reaction to this statement- Jake had winced slightly at Telpo's words, almost as if insulted by them somewhat. Keith noticed this as well, but neither Trainer nor Dusknoir mentioned this- they both had other matters at hand at the moment. Namely, the disguises. Keith had tried on the lab coat, and it did fit him well. It looked a bit short on him, according to Sophie, but not by very much. Jake very distractedly half agreed with this, at which point Sophie indicated that Peeves should try working his magic.

"Alright, let's do this," Peeves stated, cracking his knuckles. "Now, the general gist here is that the illusions will be psychically linked to each of you, and will also be solid due to the psychic power I'm gonna infuse them with. Not indestructible, though- that'd be pretty much impossible- but as far as being able to pick stuff up and interact with door handles or whatever, you'll be able to do it without a problem. Now then... Lemme focus..." Peeves murmured, closing his eye and concentrating intently... and seconds later, Keith and Jake were made to look exactly like the snoozing Catalyst Grunts.

----
Peeves quickly explained how the illusions worked, before beginning to concentrate. Suddenly Jake and Keith were gone, their appearances replaced by the ones of the Catalyst Grunts.

"Wow, that's amazing Peeves...I can't even tell the difference." Telpo chimed as he circled the Catalyst doppelgangers.
"Umm y-yeah...wow." Jake murmured, catching Telpo and Sophie off guard. The voice was very clearly Jake's, but coming from what appeared to be the female Catalyst grunts lips..

"Yep. I guess it doesn't really help with voices though." Sophie shook her head. "Oh well, I guess that was obvious in hindsight."
"I hadn't even thought of that." Telpo added. "But yeah, as long as you both keep quiet, it should be good."
"I imagine you won't really need to talk anyway. You're not having a staff meeting or something." Sophie explained. "Just get in and get out, as fast as you can. That was the plan."

----
The illusions were flawless, save for one minor detail- Jake still sounded like Jake, and nowhere near anything like Team Catalyst Grunt #2. Keith said nothing, but supposed that if he spoke up, he too would sound like himself, and not like the man he was masquerading as.

"Yeah, voices I can't really do," Peeves replied sheepishly. "I mean, you want a voice match, normally I'd recommend Jack, but Keith makes a good point about not wanting to trigger that Ditto radar. Now then- the tracker," he added. "Fifth floor tracker, implied to be one of two, but it's probably the backup, meaning the main one is probably not as well-protected. It's not on the first or fifth floors, the latter being fortunate since grunts aren't allowed up there anyways. Narrows it down to floors two through four. And whatever they might have in the way of a basement," he added. "Didn't really see what's what in that regard... But yeah- we go in, we destroy the tracker, we go out. Hopefully it'll go as simply as I say it," he stated. "We ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Keith responded (sure enough, sounding like himself)

----
Peeves explained that he couldn't do voices, that being something Jack was better with. The Dusknoir then began to tell the group what he knew about the tracker. The fifth floor one was implied to be a back up, meaning the main one was more vulnerable.
The main tracker also couldn't be on the first or fifth floors, leaving floors two through four, as well as a potential basement.

"I'm not liking the sound of that.." Sophie said. "I mean, that's a total of four different possible floors to explore, I'm not sure how you guys will be able to find it in time."
"Fear not, for that's where I come in!" A familiar voice rang in the groups heads as a Duosion floated up to them.

"You see, my trainer and I happen to have a map of the entire laboratory. If I remember correctly, the floor with most of the labs computers is..the fourth one." The mitosis Pokemon explained. "I'm not saying it is there but, well there's a good chance."

"Of course, my trainer told me to tell you guys when Peeves first went in..but well...it sort of slipped my mind until now."
"Slipped your mind? You say that like it was nothing! We really could have used that information earlier." Telpo chimed.
"Yes yes, and I'm deeply sorry for that. I hope I didn't hurt your little adventure too much Peeves. If so I'm so very sorry."

----
Sophie voiced her dislike of the situation- ruling out the first and fifth floors didn't rule out all that much. Then Duosion spoke up, voicing a solution which, while admittedly brilliant, also really should've been mentioned sooner. "Wh- you- a map of- what?!" Peeves spluttered. "OK, you just lost all right to give me crap about tripping the alarm- that map of the laboratory, that's the kind of information you open with on a mission like this!" he said.

"Forget it, Peeves," said Keith. "What's done is done. The important thing is, now me and Jake know where to go, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," grumbled Peeves. "Alright, then- fourth floor's our destination, it seems. Should we get moving?"

----
Peeves seemed less then impressed as Duosion revealed this information, stating that the mitosis Pokemon had lost his right to give the Dusknoir crap after forgetting about the map.

"I'll do whatever I please. My little mistake didn't alert the enemy that they were under attack...unlike someone's." Duosion retorted.
"That's enough Duosion. You need to stop giving Peeves such a hard time." Sophie said. "We're on the same team, right? There's no need to fight, that won't get us anywhere."
"R-right...sorry Sophie" Duosion murmured.

"Apology accepted. Now, how about you help me guard these grunts while the others go to Hagane Labs?" Sophie suggested.
"That sounds great!" Duosion chirped, before floating over to Sophie's side.
"Well now that that's taken care of...I think we're ready to go!" Telpo chimed.

"B-but umm..we should p-probably have you return to your..P-Pokeball." Jake stammered. "I-I mean...we don't if the grunt...I-I'm disguising as....if she e-even has an Abra."

"Good point." Telpo chimed. "But if you do get caught, well...I can always teleport us out in a pinch."

"I-I'll keep that in mind." Jake nodded, before reaching into his bag and grabbing Telpo's Pokeball. Upon returning the Abra to his ball, Jake began to rummage through his bag, before withdrawing the rest of the Pokeballs he had brought.
The grunt he was impersonating was wearing a belt..and Peeves had said the illusions could interact with various objects thanks to psychic power. With this in mind, Jake clipped each of the Pokeball's to what appeared to be the grunt's belt. Sure enough they remained there, as if the belt was real.

"I can't r-really wear this in, huh?" Jake said as he slipped his bag off his back, before handing it to Sophie.
"S-sorry about that. But yes...I-I think we're all ready now."

----
Peeves glared at Duosion, and was about to retort when Sophie told the Psychic-type to stop, reminding him they were all on the same side. And thankfully, Duosion was far more responsive to her words than to Peeves's.

As Jake made his preparations, Keith did likewise. He took off his Mega Hat and put it in his backpack, and he transferred his Poké Balls onto the illusory belt.

"Give it here," Peeves offered. "Your stuff's safe in the First National Bank of Peeves."

"Right," Keith nodded, handing his backpack over to his Dusknoir, who promptly popped the pack into the mouth on his stomach. Keith knew better than to mistake this for eating the backpack- it was being very safely stored within the Dusknoir's ghostly body, and it would be an easy matter for Peeves to retrieve it later on. Peeves than sank into the ground, ready to accompany Keith and Jake without being detected by anyone else. "Ready," he reported.

Part 4:
Spoiler: show
"A-alright..then let's head out." Jake said, before leading the way out of the alley. The streets seemed just as busy as before for the group, Jake being extra cautious of not banging into anyone.
The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves, even if they weren't in the laboratory yet.
As the group continued towards their destination, Jake couldn't help but notice that the crowd reacted no differently in his catalyst disguise, as they had in his regular attire.
Were people too busy to care about his appearance, or was his unusual garb not that big of a deal?
He didn't have too much time to ponder that question, as he soon found himself in front of Hagane Labs for the third time that day.

Jake was about to ask if Keith and Peeves were all set to enter, in case they had forgotten something, but quickly realized how terrible of an idea this was.
With his voice not matching his disguise, he would only be drawing attention to himself. Instead, he gestured to the entrance, hoping that they would get the message.

----
Jake led the way, and Keith followed, with Peeves quite literally underfoot. The Catalyst Grunt uniforms didn't seem to attract much attention, but then again, they did pretty much just consist of lab coats. With a prominent Pokémon lab right there in town, Keith reasoned, lab coats surely wouldn't look especially out of place, would they?

Soon they arrived at their destination. Jake said nothing, remembering that the illusion did not change his voice, and simply gestured to the entrance. Keith got the message and nodded wordlessly in response. He was ready, and judging by the fact that Peeves wasn't doing anything to impede them, he could only assume that the Dusknoir was also ready.

----
With everyone ready, Jake pushed open one of the massive doors and entered the building. Once inside, Jake couldn't help but compare the building to the inside of the CPA.
From the sparkling white tiles, to the pristine condition everything seemed to be in, the two buildings looked almost identical. As he admired his surroundings, Jake quickly realized that he shouldn't be looking around too much.
After all, a regular grunt wouldn't stop to check everything out, right? Luckily there seemed to be no one at the front counter to notice his mistake.
Reminding himself that they had to move quickly, Jake swiftly walked down the first corridor he spotted. As he passed by various rooms, Jake couldn't stomach more then a quick glance at each of them.
Peeves had said that Hagane Labs had been conducting some rage inducing experiments, and Jake wasn't all too eager to see what the Dusknoir meant....

----
And so they entered, Jake leading the way. Keith's first impression was that the interior of Hagane Labs bore something of a similarity to the interior of the CPA, it was all white and sparkling and pristine. So clean that if a Minccino wandered in it'd end up bored out of its skull.

And along they went, down the nearest corridor. Keith decided to try peeking in each room, but very quickly decided against this, recalling what Peeves said about the horrible experiments what went down in this place. Besides, their destination was the fourth floor, and so he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of stairs or an elevator. Peeves, thinking along the same lines, used Foresight to try and pinpoint any sign of stairs or an elevator, with the intent of giving Keith and Jake a gentle Psychic prod in the right direction. Not nearly enough to disrupt or break the illusion, but just enough for them to get the idea.

----
As Jake continued to walk through the maze of hallways, one thing stood out to him.
There wasn't a single person or Pokemon they had passed. Besides the few scientists in the rooms he had briefly glanced at, there was no sign of life at all.
Jake couldn't help but consider this very odd, this was the laboratory of a major city, after all.

With his use of Foresight, Peeves would be able to see that the stairs was only two right turns away.
Continuing his investigation, Jake suddenly felt an urge to turn right..as if he was being influenced to do so.
Following this strange feeling, he forked to the right at the presence of another hallway, doing so again once the strange feeling resurfaced. Sure enough, just ahead was the stairs the group were looking for.
Before progressing further, Jake turned back to make sure Keith was ready.

----
Keith followed Jake, noting as he did so just how empty the place seemed. No other people or Pokémon, save for whatever scientists were in the few rooms they peeked into. Just like Jake, he too felt the psychic pull, compelling him to turn right. Getting the feeling that this was Peeves's doing, Keith made the turns he felt compelled to, and soon they arrived at the stairs. Jake turned back to ensure Keith was ready, at which the Poison-type Trainer nodded wordlessly. He was as ready as he'd ever be.
----
With Keith ready, Jake began to ascend the stairs before arriving on the second floor. There, he quickly noticed another set of stairs, this one going even further up.
Jake couldn't help but smile, it seemed luck was on his side today. Climbing higher up, he soon discovered the same thing applied on the third floor. Upon reaching the fourth level, the first thing Jake noticed was how different it looked compared to the others.
Unlike the first three floors, this one looked very messy, as if the place hadn't received a proper cleaning in years. Another difference was that this floor seemed to have one large hallway stretching from one side of the building to the other, instead of the maze of smaller ones on the lower levels.
Jake couldn't complain though, this layout made it easier to find what they were looking for, after all. Making his way deeper into the building, Jake decided to take a gamble and peek at the various rooms to each side of him.
Much to his relief, he spotted no Pokemon of any kind, instead the scientists seemed to be tinkering with some kind of capture device. Much like the disguises the group was wearing, these scientist's lab coats were a light shade of gray, unlike the ones downstairs.
With no sign of the tracker, Jake pressed onwards down the hallway, unsure of just what he would find.

----
Keith followed Jake up the stairs. Conveniently enough, the stairs leading up to the third floor were right there as they reached the second floor, and upon reaching the third floor, once again they immediately saw the steps they sought. Keith smiled as well- he wasn't sure they were out of the woods just yet, but for the time being, luck seemed to favor them. And so they proceeded down the hallway. Peeves, still underfoot and out of sight, used Foresight once more, trying to locate the tracker they were searching for.
----
With his use of Foresight, Peeves would be able to spot what they were looking for. The tracker was at the very end of the hall!
Jake wouldn't need any sort of Psychic influence for this though, as there seemed to be no other way to go. Stepping over broken test tubes and strange liquids, Jake continued towards the end of the hall, before stopping in front of a rather large doorway.
With both doors stuck open, Jake could see the room contained all sorts of computers and electronics. But what really caught his eye was the machine in the center. It was a large computer, with two antennae on the top left and right of the frame.
There was no mistaking it, the strange machine was none other then the Project X tracker. It seemed Duosion was right about the tracker's location after all! Still, Jake couldn't help but feel it was slightly odd that the device had no one protecting it.
After Peeves managed to set off an alarm, he figured Team Catalyst's security would have been tighter.
With no one in sight, Jake walked through the doors and into the room. Once inside, he turned to Keith, wondering if his friend had a plan on how to proceed.

----
Peeves spotted the tracker fairly quickly, but this time, he wasn't gonna need to steer Keith or Jake in the right direction, for they were already headed that way. And indeed, Keith and Jake arrived at their destination, and were standing before the tracker in the center of the room. That was easy... entirely too easy, in fact, Keith realized. Shouldn't security be a bit tighter than this following the alarm Peeves set off? Then again, maybe the fact that they couldn't see any evidence that Peeves had infiltrated the building, maybe they simply chalked it up to a false alarm?

Keith eyed the tracker warily. It had to be disabled somehow, he knew. But directly attacking it would likely set off an alarm, just like with the other one. Was stealing it an option? Not especially likely- the thing was huge. There didn't seem to be some sort of way to get it out of here, or at least not without being noticed. But how to do this, then? It's not like they could just set something up, make their getaway, and be too far away to raise suspicion whenever the setup went off-

...Of course. Keith felt stupid for not having thought of it right away. He knelt down, pretending to tie his shoe just in case any actual Catalyst Grunts were looking in, when in reality, he was whispering to the floor. "Peeves, Future Sight," he whispered.

Peeves poked his face out of the floor ever so slightly, gaze fixed on the tracker as his eye glowed blue. "Alright- we got five minutes to haul ass," he whispered to Keith and Jake. "Let's try to be out of this building when the attack hits, yeah?"

----
It seemed Keith had come up with the perfect plan. Using Peeves Future Sight attack, they'd be able to flee from the scene before any alarm could sound.
With the Dusknoir warning them that they had five minutes to get out, Jake gave a brief nod before turning towards the exit, intent on heeding Peeves words.
Before he could take a single step however, a man walked into the room. Much like the others, he too was wearing a lab coat, this one being mostly black.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties, and Jake couldn't help but notice he looked somewhat similar to Zack. Beside him was a vicious looking Lucario.

"Ahh, Trevor, Charlotte, I didn't realize you two were here." The man said upon approaching the pair.
"How would I? I could have sworn I told everyone not to enter this room after the destruction of our other tracker." The man continued.
"Though I imagine you have your reasons, just like I have mine. You see..our systems report that you aren't wearing your trackers. Well actually, it says someone is wearing your trackers, it's just not you two. Maybe you can explain why that is."
Once the man had finished, his Lucario let out a menacing growl, as if ready to lunge at the pair at any moment.
"Now now Lucario, I'm sure these two have a perfectly good explanation. Let's wait to hear it, yes?"

----
Keith mentally cursed out this man, his Lucario, and their horrible, horrible timing. Just when they were getting ready to leave, this man approached. His lab coat was primarily black- did this mean this was one of Team Catalyst's higher-ups? Either way, it looked as though their cover was about to be thoroughly blown, if it wasn't already- one detail that managed to escape their notice was that apparently all Catalyst Grunts wore trackers of some sort, presumably to prevent exactly this sort of intrusion. According to this man, the trackers were not being worn by anyone present in the room. Oh, and apparently all Catalyst personnel had been told to not enter this room, following the destruction of the previous tracker. This piece of info, in spite of the dire situation, gave Peeves a small sense of satisfaction- his efforts had succeeded. But he had to focus- if either Keith or Jake spoke up, their already thin disguises were as good as busted, as neither of them knew how the grunts they were impersonating sounded.

But Peeves did. He'd eavesdropped on a whole conversation between Trevor and Charlotte. Thinking quickly, the Dusknoir passed up out of the floor and into Keith's body, invisible as he did so. Keith was a bit startled as Peeves possessed him, but he didn't argue with it, assuming that the Dusknoir had a plan. Which was better than what he had, which was to say absolutely nothing.

Peeves cleared Keith's throat before speaking up, in his best impersonation of Trevor's voice. "Of course we have a good explanation," he said, making sure to sound mildly indignant. "I'm insulted. Charlotte and I misplaced our trackers. As soon as we realized this, we saw a couple of Rattata running away. We thought they might have stolen our trackers, so we followed them. They're somewhere in here, we haven't been able to find them, though I'm guessing they don't actually have our trackers, considering you already know we don't." As Keith heard these words come out of his mouth, he was mildly impressed with Peeves for coming up with this cover story on the spur of the moment. It still felt funny that his Dusknoir was possessing him like this, but he certainly couldn't argue with his reasoning for doing so.

----
"So you...lost your trackers...which you believed some Rattata stole...before chasing them in here..." The man repeated, sounding very skeptical.
To this Jake gave a brief nod, impressed that Keith's voice had been convincing enough.

"Right..ok well, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and believe you here. But that doesn't mean you're clear to leave." The man said, before removing a remote from his pocket.
At the press of a button, the doors behind him slammed shut, before making a sound which suggested it had been locked.

Jake seemed quite surprised at this turn of events, though he kept his silence all the same.
"Now now, there's no need for alarm. I'm just going to be administering a little test, it's our policy, as you know." The man said, noticing what appeared to be Charlotte's reaction.
"As was explained when your trackers were first administered, whenever a member of our team loses their trackers, they must perform a test before receiving a new one."
"Don't worry, the tests should be easy. We just have to make sure you're not a Ditto or some sort of an illusion, as well as if you're in your right mind." The man explained.
"You're up first, Trevor. Given your consent, Lucario here will use Foresight to make sure everything is okay. Of course, if you're not okay with this, just let me know."

----
The man sounded highly skeptical of Peeves's cover story, but stated he would give them the benefit of the doubt. Keith was about to breathe a sigh of relief, when the man then pressed a button on a remote control, closing and apparently locking the doors behind him. Keith started to sweat under his illusion- they were trapped like the Rattata Peeves had fabricated for his cover story. Moreover, the man made clear Team Catalyst's policy regarding misplaced trackers- before getting new trackers, any employee who lost their tracker had to undergo a test- Lucario had to use Foresight to ensure they were who they claimed to be.

Peeves hastily exited Keith's body and resumed his position beneath the floor. They were fucked. Foresight would rip his illusions apart like tissue paper. He silently rose up out of the floor behind the man and his Lucario, shaking his head, trying to convey that his illusions wouldn't hold up against Foresight.

Whether Jake got the message remained to be seen, but for now, Keith at least got it. Remembering how Peeves sounded, he made an effort to disguise his voice likewise. "Of course. Naturally," he said to the man. "Policy is policy, we understand. With that being said, I guess there's only one thing for me to say now... Peeves! Fire Punch!" At this, the Dusknoir's right fist ignited, and he threw a powerful punch at Lucario.

----
Jake's heart fell as Peeves revealed himself from behind the man and his Lucario, revealing that his illusions wouldn't hold up to their test. Though he continued to say nothing, his hand immediately drifted towards his illusionary belt.
Much to his surprise though Keith seemed to agree with Lucario performing the test. This lasted for only a moment however, for Keith then called for Peeves to use Fire Punch.
Unable to react in time, Lucario let out a cry as the Dusknoir's flame covered fist scored a direct hit!
"Lucario, reveal these imposters at once!" The man bellowed.
Heeding his trainer's instructions, Lucario used it's Foresight to shoot a red laser directly at the pair. Upon making contact with the laser, the illusions shattered, revealing Keith and Jake's true identities.

With the illusions gone, nothing was left to hold Jake's Pokeballs up, and all six scattered upon the floor. Wasting no time, Jake knelt down, tossing the first Pokeball he managed to get his hands on.
From the ball emerged a rather angry looking Tauros, who seemed eager to destroy anything in his path.

"You dare take up arms against me? Pathetic." The man said, shaking his head.
"My grandfather put much of his life into this lab, so people and Pokemon had a better future. I won't have you two spit on his legacy. As one of the owners of this place, this I can assure you."

"Grandfather? Owner of Hagane Labs? Jake questioned. Then the man they were facing...it was Steven, one of the four Catalyst admins!
As Jake was lost in thought, Steven took the time to grab a Pokeball from his belt, before chucking it at the floor. In a flash of light, a Mawile appeared, the large mouth on it's head snapping at it's opponents.

"Y-your grandfather's legacy? I-I think you've..you've damaged it enough..by siding with Team Catalyst." Jake said.
"A-alright Vernon, use Flamethrower on Mawile, t-then go for..Rock Smash!" Jake ordered.

"Mawile, use Crunch on Dusknoir, Lucario go with Close Combat on Tauros!" Steven barked.

Starting the first round off, Mawile lunged at Peeves head first, intent on trapping the Dusknoir within it's large jaws!

----
The disguises had failed completely. Keith hastened to grab his Poké Balls before Lucario's Foresight landed, and was able to stop them from clattering to the floor like Jake's. He hastened to replace them upon his actual belt, just as Jake sent out a very familiar face- in spite of the situation, Keith couldn't help but smile as he saw his old Tauros. That smile, however, was short-lived as the man spoke up. He spoke of his family founding the lab, cluing the Trainers into the fact that this was Steven, a Team Catalyst admin. Keith scowled as Steven accused them of spitting on his grandfather's legacy. "The only thing we spit on is the heinous abomination you already twisted your grandfather's legacy into," Keith retorted. "A better future will be one where Team Catalyst falls!" He then whipped out his Pokédex and pointed it at the Pokémon Steven had sent out.

"Mawile, the Deceiver Pokémon. A Steel and Fairy-type," said the Pokédex. "Mawile's gigantic jaws are actually steel horns that have transformed. It uses its cute real face to lure in prey before snapping at them with its large mouth."

While Vernon was targeting Mawile, Mawile was targeting Peeves with a devastating Crunch, while Lucario was going for the Close Combat on the Tauros. "Peeves! Disable!" Keith commanded. "Hold Mawile still, give Vernon an easy target and stop that Crunch! Then intercept that Close Combat with your Dynamic Punch!" Peeves nodded and started to go for Disable, pausing only to quickly pull Keith's backpack and Mega Hat out of himself, and hand them back to their rightful owner. Keith replaced both items on his back and head respectively, while Peeves proceeded to attack.

----
With quick thinking on Keith's part, Peeves managed to stop Mawile in it's tracks, disabling it's movements entirely!
Taking advantage of his opponents petrified state, Vernon began to amass fire energy in his mouth, before unleashing a stream of flames at Mawile! With the deceiver Pokemon still incapable of movement, Mawile was forced to take the full power of the Tauros attack!

Eager to contribute to the battle, Lucario charged towards Vernon, ready to lash out at the Tauros. But Peeves was prepared for this too. With the Lucario's guard already down, the Dusknoir delivered a powerful blow to it, sending the aura Pokemon flying backwards!
As the Lucario slowly rose to it's feet, it was clear to see it's health level was critically low. One good hit would surely be enough to end the aura Pokemon. What's more, Lucario seemed to be quite confused after being hit by Peeves last attack.

Vernon gave a grunt of approval towards his former teammate, before turning his attention to Mawile once more. His horns glowing white, Vernon charged towards the deceiver Pokemon, before slamming into it with great force!
The power of the attack left Mawile's defenses damaged, allowing for Vernon and Peeve's physical attacks to be more effective.

"Vernon go for another Flamethrower on Mawile. T-then...use Stone Edge on Lucario!" Jake ordered, before glancing at Keith, wondering just what the Poison-type specialist had planned.

----
Keith grinned as the battle started going their way. Mawile and Lucario were both weakened, while neither Peeves nor Vernon had taken any damage. Jake had given Vernon more orders, and from the looks of Lucario, it wasn't standing up to much more... though, being both Fighting and Steel, it could in fact stand up to Rock moves, even one as powerful as Stone Edge. Could it stand up to Stone Edge when this weakened, though? Keith wasn't sure. For now, though, he decided to put most of the focus on Mawile, though he'd have Peeves jump in if Lucario threatened to be a problem.

"Alright, Peeves, use Fire Punch on Mawile!" he ordered. "And if Lucario withstands that Stone Edge, finish it with Seismic Toss!"

----
After Keith had called out his orders, it fell to Steven to issue some to his Pokemon.
"Mawile use Sucker Punch on Dusknoir. Lucario go with Reversal on Tauros!" Steven ordered.

This time it was Lucario who started the round! But in it's confused state, just what the aura Pokemon would do was anyone's guess! Charging it's entire body in an aura of fighting energy, Lucario rushed towards what it perceived to be the enemy in an act of desperation.
Vernon let out a loud cry as the aura Pokemon smashed into the Tauros, effectively cutting his health levels in half!

Though Lucario's attack had done quite the number to Vernon, the Tauros was still determined as ever! Once again he began to gather fire energy in his mouth, before roasting Mawile with a steady stream of flames.

Next it was Peeves turn to attack! The Dusknoir was ready to deliver a flaming fist to Mawile, when the deceiver managed to get in a sneak attack! The attack managed to deal some good damage to Peeves, before the Dusknoir did the same to Mawile!

Angered by Lucario's earlier assault, Vernon let out a cry as he summoned several sharp stones around himself. The pointy rocks hovered around the Tauros, before flying straight towards Lucario. As it was pelted with stone after stone, Lucario let out one final cry, before toppling over in defeat.
"Lucario return." The Steven said as he withdrew the aura Pokemon, before placing it's Pokeball on his belt.
"I admit, you two are rather impressive. It's a shame you're using your skills in order to destroy this world." Steven said, shaking his head as he grabbed another Pokeball from his belt.

"No matter. I'll make sure to stop you here and now, before you can cause any more damage. Bisharp go!" Chris bellowed as he tossed the Pokeball into the air.
From the ball materialized the sword blade Pokemon. Much like Lucario, it gave the group a rather menacing look, as if it was ready to cut them all down.

"Bisharp use Night Slash on Dusknoir, then Brick Break on Tauros! Mawile go for a Bite on Dusknoir and Iron Head on Tauros." Steven barked.

"Vernon use Rock Smash on Bisharp. T-then go with a Tackle on Mawile." Jake ordered.

Determined to end it's opponents, Bisharp began to make it's way towards Peeves, one of it's arm blades cloaked in a veil of dark energy!

----
Now Peeves and Venron started to take damage, the former from Mawile's Sucker Punch, and the latter from Lucario's Reversal. Nevertheless, Vernon's Stone Edge did the trick, knocking out Lucario. Keith grinned, impressed- Vernon was as strong as ever, if not stronger.

Keith scowled at Steven's claim. "You couldn't have it more backwards if you were an Inkay," he retorted. "We're trying to save the world here. From you clowns. Team Catalyst might have had good intentions once, but that's long since changed about you all, that much is clear." He then pointed his Pokédex at the Pokémon Steven then sent out.

"Bisharp, the Sword Blade Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pawniard. A Dark and Steel-type," said the Pokédex. "Bisharp commands a pack of Pawniard to fight in its stead, but will always insist on landing the finishing blow. It battles to become the boss of its group, but if it loses, it is cast out."

"The evolved form of Pawniard..." Keith murmured with interest, unaware of Ginny's distinct lack of interest in evolving. Not that he could exactly focus on that at the moment- a battle was taking place! "Alright, Peeves, intercept that Night Slash with Bind, and hold Bisharp still- give Vernon an easy target!" Keith stated. "Then keep hold of it and use your Seismic Toss attack- throw it straight into Mawile if you can!"

----
"I could say the same about you two here." Steven scoffed in regards to Keith's Inkay comment.
"But it seems talk will get us nowhere." The man added, before turning his full attention to the battle at hand.

Bisharp continued it's charge at Peeves, before slashing at the Dusknoir for a super effective blow! In the process of doing so however, the sword blade Pokemon fell into Peeves grasp, unable to escape.
Taking advantage of the bind his opponent was in, Vernon charged towards the Bisharp, his horns glowing a bright white! Bisharp let out a loud cry as Vernon slammed into him, delivering a great deal of damage to him, as well as lowering his defense!
Eager to help their teammate out, Mawile lunged at Peeves, ready to bite down on the Ghost-type. What the deceiver didn't expect was for her teammate to come flying back at her. But that's exactly what happened as Peeves tossed Bisharp right into Mawile, dealing damage to the both of them!

Ready to perform his next attack, Vernon charged towards Mawile. At the same time, Mawile lunged into the air, before swinging her large, iron clad jaws at the Tauros. The two attacks clashed, but Mawile's proved to be more powerful, sending Vernon skidding backwards.
Following Mawile's attack, Bisharp made his way towards Vernon, before delivering a powerful chop to the Tauros skull! All in all, things weren't looking to good for the Tauros. It was quite clear that if things kept up the way they had, Vernon would fall quite quickly.

"H-hang in there Vernon! Use Rock Smash on Bisharp once more. Then g-go for a Strength attack." Jake ordered.

Once again it fell to Keith to make his orders. Just what did he have in mind this time?

----
Peeves's Bind/Seismic Toss maneuver went off without a hitch, though both Mawile and Bisharp were still standing when all was said and done. Moreover, Vernon was taking lots of damage- it was very quickly falling to Peeves to get this battle over and done with. "Peeves, use Power-Up Punch on Bisharp!" Keith ordered. "Then hold Mawile with Disable and hit it with Focus Punch!"
----
"Bisharp go with Slash, then Revenge, both on Tauros! Mawile, use Iron Defense!" Steven bellowed.

This time it was Mawile who started the round off! Concentrating hard, the deciever Pokemon began to surround herself in a silver aura, patching her defense, as well as boosting it past what it ordinarily was.

Meanwhile, Bisharp charged towards Vernon, the blade on it's right arm glowing with energy! At the same time, Vernon made his way towards Bisharp, his horns also glowing with power. The two attacks clashed, though Vernon proved stronger, sending Bisharp stumbling backwards!
To make matters worse for the sword blade Pokemon, Peeves swung his fist at Bisharp, landing a highly effective attack, as well as boosting the Dusknoir's attack power!

But Bisharp wasn't ready to give up yet! In an act of revenge for the Tauros earlier actions, Bisharp lunged at Vernon, his body surrounded in fighting energy!
As the sword blade Pokemon slammed into him, Vernon let out a sharp cry, before falling to the floor. It seemed that last attack had been too much for the Tauros.

Back with Peeves and Mawile, the Dusknoir had successfully managed to lock the deciever Pokemon into place. Unable to move, Mawile could only watch as Peeves began to focus an extreme amount of energy into his fist, before delivering a powerful punch to her!
Even with Mawile's extra defense and Peeve's extra attack countering each other out, it seemed the attack had still done some hefty damage!

"Vernon, return." Jake said as he returned the Tauros to his Pokeball. With Vernon off the field, Jake now had the tough decision of which Pokemon he was to pick next.
From how the battle had been going, it was clear to see that Steven specialized in Steel-types. Knowing this, Vermillion or Dusty would be his best picks.

"Dusty..y-you're on!" Jake called as he tossed another Pokeball in front of him. From the ball emerged a Vibrava, who seemed very eager to battle, if the look she was giving Steven was anything to go by.

With another round about to begin, Jake began to quickly survey the Pokemon in battle. With both Bisharp and Mawile sustaining some powerful blows last round, neither of them seemed like they'd last much longer.
At the same time, the long use of Disable in turn with Focus Punch was sure to leave Peeves a bit tired at the least.

"Dusty, use Dragon Breath on Bisharp. T-then Mud Slap on Mawile!" Jake ordered.
"Bisharp, Night Slash and Payback on Dusknoir! Mawile go with Crunch and Payback on Dusknoir!" Zack barked.

Both eager to get their revenge on Peeves, Mawile and Bisharp charged towards the Dusknoir, ready for an all out assault!

----
The battle was heating up, and Bisharp knocked Vernon clean out with a Revenge attack. Peeves was still in the air, but Keith saw how the Dusknoir was moving- everything he's been doing thus far had been very tiring on him, and as Keith and Peeves exchanged glances and brief nods, they were in complete understanding- the Dusknoir knew he wouldn't withstand this next onslaught of attacks, but he at least wanted to go down fighting.

And Keith was willing to help make that happen. "Peeves! Hyper Beam!" he commanded. The Dusknoir responded with a devastating purple-black beam of pure destructive force, aimed right at Mawile, though this would leave him wide open to the Dark-type moves that would undoubtedly KO him.

----

Realizing that Peeves wouldn't be able to take the incoming flurry of attacks, Keith ordered the Dusknoir to use Hyper Beam. Following his trainer's orders, Peeves blasted the oncoming Mawile with a powerful beam of energy!
In doing so, Peeves left himself wide open to Bisharp's powerful Night Slash!

Eager to get in on the action, Dusty sent out a stream of blue flames from her mouth, which managed to envelop Bisharp, though it seemed to have little effect.

What happened next was an all out assault on Peeves. With Bisharp hitting him with a Payback attack, and Mawile with both Crunch and Payback, Peeves had no hope of surviving so many super effective attacks!

Once Mawile was done attacking the Dusknoir, she decided to take a small break, leaving herself wide open to Dusty's attack.
Taking advantage of this, Dusty spat out a small amount of mud at the deciever Pokemon! Unaware of the flying projectile, Mawile let out a loud shriek at the surprise attack, before toppling over in defeat.

"Mawile. Return." Steven said as he returned the deciever Pokemon to her Pokeball. By now, it was clear to Steven that he was in a tight spot.
Both his opponents had only lost one Pokemon, while he had already lost two, with Bisharp being dangerously close to fainting as well.

"I will not be bested by some rouges such as yourselves. I can not lose..I mustn't..." Steven said, before tossing another Pokeball in front of him.
Emerging from the ball was an Aggron, who let out a mighty roar as he sized up his opponents. What was curious however, was the arm band the iron armor Pokemon was wearing. From the looks of it, a strange stone was set inside of it...

"Aggron! These two terrible people mean to threaten the future we strive to achieve!" Steven exclaimed, producing a strange badge from his pocket as he did so.
"We can not allow them to steal our future...one of a better world. As such..I call on you to..Mega Evolve!" Chris exclaimed, before pressing the rainbow stone within the center of the badge.
Upon doing so, tendrils of energy shot out of the badge, linking to Aggron's band. It was then that the iron armor Pokemon began to transform! It began to grow bulkier, and a third horn began to grow on the center of it's head. Spikes poked out from each of it's arms, and it's tail grew even thicker.

"Steven...so h-he's also capable of mega evolution." Jake murmured as he watched the Aggron complete it's transformation.

"I suggest you two give up now, for Aggron shares the same determination I do, one for a better future for all." Chris explained.
"Together, we'll do anything in our power to stop a bunch of lowlifes such as you from ruining our goal."

----

The end result was no surprise- though Peeves had landed a massive hit with Hyper Beam, the resulting Dark moves knocked him clean out. However, his efforts were not in vain, for Dusty was able to finish off Mawile, the Mud-Slap being the straw that broke the Numel's back.

Keith held out the Poké Ball. "Come back now, Peeves!" he declared, withdrawing the defeated Dusknoir. "Take a rest- you did good, man," he grinned, replacing the ball on his belt.

Steven then sent out his next Pokémon- an Aggron. However, something about this Aggron caught Keith's eye, and not in a good way. "...Oh, crap," he groaned, seeing the stone set into Aggron's arm band. And sure enough, it was an Aggronite, and Steven knew how to use it- before they knew it, the formidable form of Mega Aggron stood before them, a formidable presence indeed. But, Keith knew, Mega Evolution did not make a Pokémon invincible. He briefly considered responding in kind, but Melittin would be more often than not striking Aggron's nigh-impenetrable physical Defense. No, he needed to hit where it would hurt. Special attacks. Super effective special attacks.

With this in mind, Keith plucked the Level Ball off his belt, enlarged it, and threw it into the fray. "Here's the next one- Kyle!" he exclaimed, as the ball split open, unleashing a Heatmor, who warily eyed the Mega Evolved Steel-type before them.

"Mor..." Kyle murmured, glancing back at Keith.

Keith nodded. "We're counting on you, Kyle- let's stop this fiend!"

"Heatmor!" Kyle nodded emphatically, turning back to face Mega Aggron.

"OK, then!" grinned Keith. "Kyle, Flamethrower, let's go! Then hit it with a Focus Blast, and follow up with Fire Spin!"

----
With Keith's Heatmor focusing on Aggron, Jake turned his attention to Bisharp.
"Dusty, use Bug Buzz and Mud Slap on Bisharp." Jake ordered.
"Bisharp, go with Stone Edge on Heatmor. Follow with Night Slash on Vibrava! Aggron use Head Smash on Heatmor and Dragon Claw on Vibrava!" Steven barked.

Dusty flew towards Bisharp at a great speed, before beating her wings towards her opponent! From her wings green sound waves shot out, striking the sword blade Pokemon and dealing a decent amount of damage.
But Bisharp didn't seem too focused on the vibration Pokemon, instead turning his attention to Kyle.
With a cry, Bisharp summoned several sharp stones around itself! The rocks floated around Bisharp for only a moment, before flying towards Kyle, striking the Heatmor with a super effective blow!

Next it was Kyle's turn to attack! The Heatmor was quick to unleash a jet of fire towards Aggron, scorching the iron armor Pokemon. Despite this, the Aggron looked as if it hadn't taken as much damage as it should have.
It seemed Aggron's thick armor had Filtered out some of the attacks power! Letting out a loud roar, Aggron charged towards Kyle, it's head surrounded in a large amount of rock energy!
The iron armor Pokemon then slammed into the Heatmor, dealing an extraordinary amount of damage! But in it's reckless charge, Aggron hadn't considering it's only safety, and had ended up suffering some considerable damage in the process!

As Kyle continued to launch powerful attacks at Aggron, Bisharp took the chance to attack Dusty! Coating it's arm in a dark aura, Bisharp ran towards Dusty, striking the vibration Pokemon with it's energy infused blade!
In retaliation, Dusty spat out a small amount of mud at Bisharp.

With Kyle's assault over, Aggron turned it's attention to Dusty. Surrounding it's claw in draconic energy, Aggron slashed at the vibration Pokemon, causing her to cry out in pain.

With the round over, Jake could clearly see that Bisharp was left barely standing. At the same time, Kyle's onslaught of attacks had left Aggron looking tired, though it seemed the iron armor Pokemon still had some energy left in it.
But after being hit with a super effective Stone Edge and Head Smash, Jake couldn't help but worry about the condition Kyle was in. Most of Dusty's ground type attacks were unusable indoors, so Kyle was currently their main source of damage to Aggron...

"Aggron Stone Edge and Headbutt on Heatmor! Bisharp go with Shadow Claw and Slash on Vibrava!" Steven shouted.

"Dusty, use Bide." Jake ordered.
With everyone else ready to go, it now fell on Keith to call out his orders.

----
Keith didn't look worried as Kyle was hit by some powerful Rock moves. It'd take more than that, much more than that, to take out this Heatmor, he knew. Indeed, the fact that Kyle was still standing served to prove Keith's confidence to have basis in fact. But even so, Keith knew, it would be a decent idea to play things a bit more defensively as well. And with Dusty poised to deal with Bisharp, Keith knew this left Mega Aggron up to him and Kyle. The two shared another knowing nod, both in agreement on how to proceed.

"Alright, Kyle, Double Team! Evade that Stone Edge!" Keith ordered. "When it comes in for Headbutt, hit it with Inferno at point-blank range, and if it's still standing after that, let it taste your Fire Blast!"

----
Starting off the round, Dusty began to fly in place, bracing herself for Bisharp's incoming attacks. As she did so, a aura of energy began to surround her, ready to absorb the power of any attack that struck!

Bisharp didn't seem to bothered by this, instead the sword blade Pokemon surrounded one of it's arms in a spectral aura, before swinging it at Dusty!

Next it was Aggron's turn to strike! The iron armor Pokemon let out another roar, before summoning several sharp stones, which began to float around it. The rocks then flew towards Kyle, ready to stab into the Heatmor's flesh!
But Kyle had other ideas, and began moving back and forth to several locations. Eventually there wasn't just one Heatmor, but three instead!
As this happened, the sharp stones drew ever closer, before pelting Kyle with it's sharp ends. In doing so, Kyle disappeared entirely...wait no, the Stone Edge had hit a clone!

Completely distraught at Kyle's antics, Aggron charged towards the anteater Pokemon, head first! However, Aggron wasn't able to hit his target, for as he approached Kyle, the Heatmor let loose a cyclone of flames!
Unable to react in time, Aggron ran directly into the powerful fire attack, causing it to let out a mighty shriek, before toppling to the ground.
Upon doing so Steven's Aggron began to glow, before returning to it's original form.

Meanwhile, having just sustained a powerful Slash from Bisharp, Dusty fired off a beam from the energy she'd been gathering! The beam of energy blasted into Bisharp, knocking the swordblade Pokemon backwards onto the floor.

"Bisharp! Aggron!!!" Steven shouted as both his Pokemon remained on the floor.

"N-no..this can't be...I-I've been...defeated?" Steven murmured as he returned his Pokemon to their Pokeballs.

"It's over Steven. N-now.. let us go..o-or I'll have Dusty make you." Jake stammered.

Steven said nothing to the young trainers threat, instead looking to his feet. Was he considering it? Jake couldn't really tell. Suddenly Steven's attention turned to the tracker, as if he had just noticed something.
It was strange..but Jake noticed it as well. It was the sound of the wind...and it was growing in power. Before Jake or Steven could question the source of the noise, a pink ball of energy appeared from no where, smashing into the tracker!

"Main tracker unit down! Main tracker unit down!" A robotic voice shrieked.
It seemed Peeve's Future Sight had landed..destroying the tracker entirely. The only problem, was that Jake and Keith were still trapped inside the building.

"The tracker!" Steven exclaimed. "No..no...no no no no! This can't be happening! Both trackers...they're gone!"
"You! Do you two have any idea what you've done?!" Steven hollered.
"I'd been going easy on you two before..hoping that you two would realize the errors of your ways. But I see now that I've been nothing but a fool." Steven continued, pulling out another remote as he did so.
As he began to fiddle with the device, Dusty suddenly let out a harsh cry, turning Jake's attention to the vibration Pokemon.

"Dusty? What's wrong?" Jake questioned.
In response, Dusty spat out a small amount of mud at her trainer, the projectile narrowly flying over his head! The vibration Pokemon the began to violently flail
around, as if she had completely lost control of her own body. Jake had seen this before, twice actually. Pom and his friends Eelektrik had behaved like this. But both times, they were under some kind of mind control, which meant...

"Isn't this beautiful?" Steven questioned. "Bare witness to all my years of research. With this little machine, all of your Pokemon are now under my control, Jake."
"But I really must thank you. Without your kind donation of Pokemon, this wouldn't have been possible. Your Pokemon were such good test subjects while under my care." Steven cackled.

"I-I'll kill you!" Jake spat.

"Really? More threats? There's no need to be so upset." Steven said, letting out a small sigh. "Just sit back and relax as your Pokemon help Catalyst secure our victory."
"Now Vibrava, use Dragon Breath and Mud Slap on Heatmor!" Steven barked.

----
Keith grinned- Kyle's Inferno had finished off Aggron, and Dusty's Bide blew away Bisharp. And to top it all off, Peeves's Future Sight landed, completely destroying the tracker. Steven didn't take any of this very well, to put it mildly. "Yeah, we know what we did," Keith retorted. "Just like we know you'll let us out of here, whether you want to or not."

But Steven didn't seem to plan on that. He claimed to have been going easy on them, in the hopes that they would see the error of their ways (cue derisive snort from Keith at this point), before producing another remote control and fiddling with it. This wiped the grin right off of Keith's face, for in response to the device, Dusty started acting weird, the Vibrava turning on her Trainer and firing a Mud-Slap at him! Keith looked at Steven, looking outraged and appalled as the Catalyst Admin explained that he had just put all of Jake's Pokémon under his control. Moreover, his next words implied that he was behind the kidnapping of Jake's Pokémon several years back.

At that exact moment, back at Keith's Secret Base, Cyanide felt an inexplicable stab of rage. She couldn't say why, but she had the strangest feeling it had to do with whoever had kidnapped Pom that one time.

Keith had some serious problems on his hands- now Kyle had Dusty to worry about, about to be on the receiving end of his ally's attacks! "Kyle, quick, Protect!" Keith ordered.

"Heatmor!" Kyle exclaimed, casting a protective barrier around himself to deflect the Dragon Breath.

"Now use Substitute!" Keith added. "Keep her occupied until we can fix this. And Kyle- don't hurt Dusty," he urged the Heatmor.

"Mor," Kyle nodded.

Keith then turned to Steven, a look of pure rage on his face. "You kidnapped my friend's Pokémon," he said. "You use them to conduct research into this Pokémon mind control and you decide you're going to up and control Jake's Pokémon to get your insane goals accomplished? And you call us the bad guys?" He said all of this with a somehow frightening sort of calmness. "You. You Team Catalyst scumbags, you preach this 'making the world better' thing, and maybe there was a time when you honestly believed it, but nothing you're doing here is going to lead to a better world. What you're doing here goes way past criminal- it's reprehensible. You are the one spitting on your grandfather's legacy, twisting it, mangling it into this horror show to accomplish your own ends, and not giving a Raticate's ass who you step on in the process!" He clutched another Poké Ball as he spoke. "And I won't let you do it!" he declared. "Bart, let's go!" he exclaimed, throwing the ball.

A flash of light erupted from the ball, and Keith's Scrafty materialized, wearing his usual Black Glasses. Notably, he stood five feet tall, decidedly taller than the average Scrafty. "Scrrrrafty!" he exclaimed, glaring at Steven.

"Bart, grab the remote from that guy," Keith stated, pointing at Steven.

"Scrrrrraft," growled Bart, the Scrafty slowly approaching Steven, putting on a particularly Scary Face as he did so. Of course, if he was having trouble, he'd simply exercise his superior Strength to forcefully take the remote, and if necessary, he figured a nice Low Kick might make this thug more compliant. Only if necessary, of course.

----
Jake was completely off guard as Keith ordered his Heatmor not to attack Dusty. He was glad Keith was looking out for the Vibrava, and yet..he couldn't help but worry that this would only make things more difficult.

Meanwhile, Steven seemed somewhat annoyed as Keith began to berate the Catalyst admin in a chillingly calm voice.
"Yeah yeah, we're the evil ones..sure buddy." Steven scoffed. "The way I see it, you two broke in to my facility, before trashing the place. For a couple of heroes, you sure seem intent on destroying other people's property."
"I'm simply defending this laboratory from two vandals who think breaking and entering is no big deal." Steven explained. "

Upon Keith commanding Bart to snatch Steven's remote, two of Jake's Pokeballs suddenly burst open. From them, Bubbles and Vermillion appeared, the Corphish and Torkoal quickly taking Steven's side.
"Corphish, Torkoal..keep that Scrafty at bay, no matter the cost! Vibrava keep that Heatmor occupied!" Steven barked.

In response, Bubbles sent a Beam of Bubbles from one of her claws, straight towards Bart! In contrast, Vermillion stayed next to Steven, ready to attack Bart with a Skull Bash should he come too close.

Meanwhile, Dusty let loose another Dragon Breath attack, scorching Kyle's substitute but leaving the Heatmor unharmed. She then prepared to unleash yet another Mud Slap at the Heatmor dummy....

With Jake's Pokemon having heard their orders, Steven turned his attention back to Keith.
"Though I admit that kidnapping Pokemon may be a bit unethical..I can assure you we have our reasons. Once this little experiment is finished, we'll be able to freely control and stop any Pokemon that may cause people trouble." Steven explained.
"It's a short term sacrifice for the greater good of all. Of course..you fiends would rather leave these trouble making Pokemon to run amok if i had to guess."

Jake was forced to watch as his Pokemon turned against him, fighting their former allies in the process. What else could he do? Three of his Pokemon were already in Steven's grasp, and Jake reasoned it wouldn't be long before Telpo and Neku followed.
Wait...that was it! Last time one of his Pokemon was in a frenzy, Neku's Sweet Scent had managed to snap them out of it! The only problem was that now Neku was also completely brainwashed. And yet..Pom had managed to resist the mind control back them..if only for a brief moment.
If Jake could get the Oddish to hit himself with the attack...it just might work.

It was definitely a long shot, but with little choice Jake tossed the Oddish's Pokeball into the air.
Just as Steven had said, as soon as Neku appeared, he immediately attacked his trainer, following the Catalyst admin's will.

"Neku! L-listen to me. You....you need to snap out of it!" Jake called to the Oddish.

In response, Neku sent a ball of acid towards his trainer, the attack flying just over Jake's head. It seemed his plan wasn't working quite as well as he had hoped...

----
Keith gritted his teeth- now Vermilion and Bubbles were added to the fray, also under Steven's control! He didn't even deign to listen to Steven's Tauros shit speech about how they were the bad guys, instead focusing on the poblem at hand. Bart was able to pull up his "pants" to deflect the Bubble Beam. "Scrrraaaaft-" he began, as he started to charge up a retaliatory Poison Jab.

"No, Bart!" said Keith. "You and Kyle use Double Team!" As this happened, Keith watched as Jake sent out Neku, with predictable results. And then he remembered- Neku had snapped Pom out of it last time... Keith knew what to do. "I'm counting on you!" he declared, tossing a Violet Cyber Ball into the air.

In a flash of light, the ball's gelatinous occupant appeared. "Ditto Ditto!" exclaimed Jack.

Keith pointed at Neku. "Jack! Transform!"

"Dittooooooo!" Jack squealed, glowing and changing shape. And soon... "Oddish odd!" exclaimed Jack.

"Now!" Keith grinned. "Use Sweet Scent!"

----
Jake was mildly impressed as Keith sent out Jack, the Ditto transforming into Neku's likeness. Having every move at Neku's disposal, Jack let out a Sweet Scented powder towards Jake's Pokemon.

"Oh no you don't! Vibrava, blow that powder right back!" Steven exclaimed.

Heeding the admins words, Dusty began to rapidly beat her wings, sending out a small amount of wind. The wind blew back the powder into Jack's face, protecting Dusty, Bubbles, and Vermillion from it's effects.

But Jack's attempts at curing the Pokemon were not wasted. Despite the Vibrava's actions, she could not protect Neku from the sweet scented powder, the Oddish accidentally inhaling a mouthful of the pink powder.

Immediately, Neku began to shake, the sound of crackling electricity could be heard.
"Huh? W-where am I? Was I sleeping again?" Neku murmured as he glanced at his surroundings.
"Neku! I-I'm glad you're ok." Jake smiled, too distracted to notice that Telpo had just exited his pokeball.

"I don't h-have time to explain so...hit everyone with Sweet Scent!" Jake ordered.
Neku gave a brief nod, preparing to release a cloud of sweet scented power. Before the Oddish could send the powder to his teammates, a Psychic wave slammed into the weed Pokemon, sending him flying back.
"Telpo.." Jake murmured as he finally noticed the psi Pokemon. It pained him to see Telpo in such a state. Mindlessly attacking others without thought or care, a sharp contrast to the Abra's usual self.

As Jake was hopelessly lost in thought, Telpo coated one of his fists in Fire, before swinging a Punch at his trainer!
Snapping back to reality, Jake could only watch as Telpo's flame covered fist drew closer towards him.
Just before the attack was about to land, Neku lunged in front of his trainer, shielding him from the powerful fire attack.

"Neku..you saved me." Jake murmured as the Oddish slowly rose to his feet.
"No...no problem...." Neku replied weakly.
After withstanding two super effective attacks, Neku seemed a little tuckered out.
But now wasn't the time to give up, Neku realized. His trainer was counting on him...and his teammates too. He wasn't going to be sleeping on the job today!
At this thought, Neku felt a burst of energy fill his body, and a strange light began to surround him. The weed Pokemon began to grow taller, and each of his leaves began to grow outward.
A small flower bud emerged from the top of his head as well. When the light faded a stood where the former Oddish had been.

"Neku..you've evolved! C-congratulations." Jake murmured, before turning his attention back to the battle.
"Alright Neku, use Sweet Scent...one more time!" Jake ordered.

"Vibrava, blow Gloom's attack back at it! Corphish, Torkoal..keep that Scrafty away! And Abra, make sure that Ditto is kept occupied!" Steven barked.

Following the man's orders, Bubbles lunged at who she guessed to be Bart, her X-Scissor attack at the ready! Vermillion continued to guard Steven, waiting to attack anyone with a Skull Bash should they come too close.

Meanwhile, Telpo floated towards Jack, ready to Punch him with an Ice covered fist.

As Neku sent a cloud of sweet scented powder towards his teammates, Dusty began to flap her wings rapidly, blowing the powder back into the Gloom's face.
However, with Dusty focused on Neku, she was leaving her teammates defenseless from Jack's interference....

----
Keith grinned as his Ditto unleashed Sweet Scent, though said grin faded as Steven saw it coming and forced Dusty to blow it away. However, some of it managed to reach Neko, snapping the Oddish out of it. But before the real Oddish could use Sweet Scent, it became clear that Telpo had emerged from his ball, and that his psychic power did not allow him to effortlessly fight off the mind control as Keith had kinda hoped. Neku, however, was able to save Jake from Telpo's Fire Punch, and then to make that moment even more moment-y, he then evolved into a Gloom before their very eyes!

Keith grinned. "Alright, let's do this!" he said to Jake and Neku.

Steven started giving more orders. Bart grinned as Bubbles moved in with X-Scissor... hitting only a Double Team copy with the Bug move. He could've landed a nice Thunder Punch in response, but he recalled Keith's orders to not attack, and instead opted to use Iron Defense, preparing himself in case the Corphish lucked out and hit the real deal.

Keith chuckled as Telpo moved in on Jack. "Occupy this! Sweet Scent!" he ordered.

"Oddiiiish!" exclaimed Jack, spraying a pleasantly-scented mist at the oncoming Abra. After which the Ditto-turned-Oddish planned to do likewise to the unguarded Corphish and Torkoal, and hopefully Dusty as well.

----
As Telpo made his way closer to Jack, the transformed Ditto sprayed the psi Pokemon with sweetly scented powder. As Telpo inhaled the powder, he began to shake as the sound of crackling electricity could once again be heard.

"...Huh? Where am I?" Telpo questioned as he came to his senses.
"I-I'll explain later. For now..use Psychic on Dusty...h-hold her in place with it. And Neku, u-use Sweet Scent on Dusty!" Jake ordered.
Despite the dire circumstances they were in, Jake couldn't help but smile. Not just because of Telpo's recovery, but also that things were slowly turning in their favor.

"Corphish, stop that Abra!" Steven bellowed.

As Telpo began to concentrate on Dusty, Bubbles charged towards the Abra, ready to preform another X-Scissor.
Fortunately for Telpo and Neku, Jack had sent out another blast of sweet scented powder around the room. With both Pokemon inhaling the powder, they both quickly came to their senses.

"What? What happened?" Bubbles questioned.
"One's thing for sure...I'm hungry!" Vermillion added.

Without worrying about Bubble's interference, Telpo was able to create a firm Psychic grasp on Dusty, ensuring that the Vibrava remained in place.

Knowing that Dusty was unable to stop his attacks, Neku once again sent a wave of sweetly scented powder at the Vibration Pokemon. Unable to move, Dusty was forced to inhale the powder as it washed over her. Much like the others, Dusty soon returned to her senses.

"...Did..did I black out or something?" Dusty asked, blinking in surprise.

"Team Catalyst..they've..they've been controlling you." Jake said, slowly approaching Steven as he did so.

"No! This isn't fair! How could I be bested....by the likes of you?!" Steven bellowed.

"I'll ask again. Release us now..o-or I'll have my Pokemon make you. And I-I don't think they'll...take too kindly to b-being controlled by you." Jake said.
"Never. I'll never surrender to a bunch of thugs like you." Steven replied. "One's that have no empathy for the future of this world. One's that would attack us to further their selfish goals."

Receiving a nod from her trainer, Bubbles lunged at Steven, ripping the controller out of his hand. With a smirk, the Corphish snapped her claw shut, crushing the remote as she did so.

"No!" Steven exclaimed as he watched his life's work crumble away in seconds.
"I...the..no....my past five years of work....i-it's all been for nothing..." Steven stammered, tears beginning to flow down his face.

"I-I'll remember this! Next time...I will stop you!" Steven exclaimed, pulling out a second remote as he did so. At this point, it seemed no words would sway him.
Upon pressing the remote, the doors to the room swung open once again, the Catalyst admin promptly exiting.

With Steven gone, Jake turned his attention to Keith.
"Keith..umm...t-thank you." Jake murmured. "I...couldn't have done it w-without you. Especially at the end."

"Though I'm sure everyone's been through a lot, would I be correct in assuming this is Hagane Labs?" Telpo questioned.
"If so, we'd best make our way out, and quick. I could probably afford to Teleport two people out...but everyone else would need to stay in their Pokeballs."

----
Keith grinned- Telpo was advancing on Jack, but the Ditto merely unleashed Sweet Scent, and the mind control was broken. And before Bubbles could stop Telpo from holding Dusty still, Jack intervened with more Sweet Scent, bringing the Corphish and Torkoal to their senses. And finally, Neku was able to snap Dusty out of it with Sweet Scent as well.

Keith turned to glare at Steven as he complained about being bested. Jake threatened the Catalyst Admin, demanding that he release them. Keith nodded. "What he said," he agreed. "And you might not have been controlling my Pokémon, but don't think for a second that buys you any mercy from them.

"Scraaaft," growled Bart, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"Heatmor!" added Kyle, glaring at Steven with levels of disdain previously reserved exclusively for a certain giant tyrannical Heatran.

"Oddish!" squeaked Jack. Then, upon realizing just how non-threatening he sounded, he hastened to Transform into a copy of the five-foot Scrafty instead. "Scraaafty," he smirked.

But Steven adamantly refused to surrender to them, referring to them as a bunch of thugs, calling them out on their lack of empathy for the future of the world. At this, Keith scoffed. "You want someone to fling those accusations at, your time would be better spent taking a long, hard look in the mirror," he spat. "At least Team Rocket doesn't deny their wrongdoing. You, on the other hand, you have the audacity to defend the heinous crap you pull, claiming it to be for a better world, when the fact of the matter is that you've lost all sight of what it means to make the world a better place to begin with. Pokémon poaching, morally reprehensible experiments that hurt Pokémon, Pokémon mind control- if you care even just a fraction as much about the world as you claim to, somewhere deep inside you gotta know how wrong all of that is."

Whether Keith's words had any impact on Steven, they might never know, for at that moment, Bubbles lunged, swiping the remote and crushing it with a well-placed Vice Grip. Steven started to cry as the culmination of the past five years of his work was shattered into pieces. He had no choice but to retreat, and so he did, opening the doors to the room and fleeing.

Keith smiled as Jake thanked him. "It's no problem," he replied. "That's what friends are for. You did pretty good yourself, though," he added. "Vernon's definitely gotten tougher since I last saw him, and it looks like Dusty's really grown as of late." At that moment, Telpo spoke up, pointing out that it'd be in their best interests to exit Hagane Labs as quickly as possible. Keith nodded his agreement. "Yeah, true- Steven might be back with reinforcements if we keep hanging around here," he said, as he held up a Poké Ball, a Level Ball, and a Violet Cyber Ball. "Bart, Kyle, Jack, return," he stated. It took him two tries- the Ditto still looked like a Scrafty, so Keith had guessed which one was which, and wound up guessing wrong. Once all three Pokémon were withdrawn, he nodded to Telpo. "Ready," he stated.

----
Jake smiled, but said nothing as Keith complimented him and his Pokemon.
But with Telpo's warning in mind, Jake quickly turned to his other Pokemon, taking out four Pokeballs as he did so. Though Bubbles and Dusty returned without hassle, Vermillion didn't seem nearly as keen to do so.

"Wait hold on....you know...being controlled like that...it was pretty traumatic." Vermillion began. "Watching myself attack everyone...it was horrifying. I think I should get at least a couple pies...to help cope with these memories."
"...I-I'll figure something out...ok?" Jake replied. Though he didn't truly believe the Torkoal's story, he knew better to argue with him.
Satisfied with his trainer's answer, Vermillion returned to his ball, leaving only Neku remaining.
"Neku...y-you were amazing out there. Thanks." Jake said turning his attention to the Gloom. Much to his amusement, Neku was already fast asleep, unaware of his trainer's praise.
"Never change Neku." Jake murmured as he returned the Gloom to his Pokeball. Finished with his task, Jake turned back to Telpo, confirming that he was done.

With both Keith and Jake ready to go, Telpo grabbed onto the both of them. The trio then disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Hagane Labs behind.
----
In another flash of light, the trio reappeared in a familiar alleyway.
"Jake! Keith! Good to see you two are back." Sophie greeted upon noticing them. "So, how'd it go?"

"I'm guessing it went better then a certain Dusknoir's attempt, yes?" Duosion snickered.
"Sorry." Duosion added a second later, upon receiving a glare from Sophie.

"We managed to destroy the tracker." Jake replied. "I-it's a pretty long story though.."

"Then it might be best to save it till we get back to Zack. It would save you from having to repeat yourself, master." Telpo explained.
"More importantly, where did those Catalyst grunts go?"

Indeed, the spot where Charlotte and Trevor were was now vacant.

"I'm embarrassed to admit it...but they managed to get away." Sophie replied. "I don't know how, me and Duosion only turned our backs for a second, before they disappeared."
"Yes yes very tragic..but an honest mistake. It could have happened to anyone." Duosion added.
"But enough about that minor error, were we heading back to my trainer or not? Or did you have somewhere to be?"

----
Telpo wasted no time in getting them the hell out of Hagane Labs, whereupon they reunited with Sophie and Duosion in the alley from before. Keith gave a small chuckle as Duosion couldn't resist the chance to get in another jab at Peeves. "As a matter of fact, Duosion," Keith retorted, "Peeves was instrumental in our success, so if I were you, I'd be thanking him." Telpo then pointed out the minor issue of the Catalyst Grunts no longer being present- apparently, Sophie and Duosion had turned their backs on them for only a moment, and that moment was all they needed to make good their getaway. Keith rolled his eyes as Duosion played his own mistake off as an extremely minor error, remembering how the Psychic-type constantly got on Peeves's case for tripping an alarm he couldn't possibly have known about, but elected not to bring it up- really, really wasn't the time for that. Rather, he nodded as Duosion asked if they were headed back to Zack. "Naturally we're heading back," he said. "I'm ready when everyone else is."
----
"Crucial? I somehow do-umm..I mean..that's good...great even." Duosion murmured. It seemed that the mitosis Pokemon was struggling to keep his mouth shut about Peeves, given the glare Keith received upon his eyes rolling.
"...Enough about that. Let's get going then. Telpo, you grab Keith and Jake, alright?" Duosion questioned, floating closer to Sophie as he did so.
"Sounds good." Telpo chimed.

In another flash of light, the group vanished from the alleyway, thanks to both Telpo and Duosion's Teleport ability.
----
A second later, the group appeared in the room that was Zack's office. The owner of the office seemed to be typing something on his laptop, but stopped as he realized he had company once more.
"Ah! It's good to see everyone back." Zack smiled. "I trust everything went ok?"
"Apparently it did..according to Jake anyway." Sophie replied. "But..yeah I'd like to hear what happened to..if you don't mind telling us, Jake."

"Umm...ok..s-sure." Jake murmured. Taking a seat on one of the available chairs, Jake began to explain what happened.
He started with their plan to get in, and how Peeves had used his illusions to disguise Keith and him as Catalyst grunts. He continued with their search of the building, and how barren it had been.
Next was finding the tracker itself, and Keith and Jake's encounter with Steven Hagane. He talked about the weird things the Catalyst admin had said..as well as how Steven had used mind control to take over his Pokemon.
"T-that should..be everything." Jake murmured once he was finished.
"Unless...a-am I forgetting something?" Jake questioned, turning his attention to Keith.

----
With everyone in agreement on returning to Zack, Duosion and Telpo worked together to Teleport the lot of them back to him. Jake started to tell the story, and as he finished, he turned to Keith, asking if he'd forgotten anything.

"I think you got most of it," Keith replied. "One thing, though- the reason they'd found us out? Turns out Catalyst Grunts are equipped with trackers of some sort, probably to prevent exactly what we were doing. Something to bear in mind if we ever end up needing to infiltrate Hagane Labs again. And the tracker- Peeves was able to destroy it with a picture-perfect Future Sight. Our plan was to get out of there after setting off the Future Sight, so we'd hopefully be out of the building before any alarms went off, but as Jake mentioned, Steven kinda sunk that plan. All things considered, though, this was pretty successful- we still destroyed the tracker, and in the process, we also destroyed their mind control device- apparently the culmination of five years of hard work- so yeah, that's gonna be more than a little setback for those guys," Keith grinned.

----
Jake nodded as Keith filled in the details he had failed to mention, namingly the fact that the Catalyst grunts wore trackers, in order to prevent what Jake and Keith had attempted.

"Hmm...that is something we should keep in mind from now on." Zack replied. "But besides that, well done you two, it seems thanks to your efforts, we were able to knock Team Catalyst down a few pegs."
"Yeah, it sounds like you guys really cleaned up!" Sophie exclaimed.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Jake, you mentioned Steven's words..how that you two were in the wrong? I don't think I need to tell you this, but just in case..please disregard anything he told you. He's clearly got a few screws loose." Zack said.

"O-of course." Jake replied. "I didn't believe him f-for a moment."

"Good call master. Anyone who acts like he did..he's clearly in the wrong." Telpo added.

"Well, I must thank you all for your hard work out there..I think it's safe to say our mission of investigating Hagane Labs is officially complete. Jake, Keith..you're free to go." Zack smiled.
"Oh but first! I have to request you return your ride pagers. You can do what you wish with the lab coat though." Zack added, turning attention to the fact that Keith still had the Catalyst lab coat in his possession.
"I doubt you'd really want some Team Catalyst memorabilia, but stranger things have happened."

----
The trackers for each Catalyst Grunt, that was clearly news to Zack. Keith grinned proudly as Zack praised him and Jake for taking Team Catalyst down a few pegs, then made sure to emphasize that Steven was clearly in the wrong. Keith nodded gravely, having tried his best to talk some sense into the man. "It's kind of a shame," he admitted. "I think he really believes he's working towards a better world. I wish there was a way to make them see sense and realize what they're doing won't achieve that at all." Zack then told them that they were free to go, though did request the Ride Pagers back. Keith relinquished his with no fuss- it was a cool little device, for sure, but by no means did he intend to steal it.

Then, Keith's attention was called to the lab coat he still wore. "Oh, yeah," he remarked- he'd never taken off the lab coat following the application of Peeves's illusory disguises. "Well, you're not wrong, I'm most certainly not in the market for Team Catalyst memorabilia," he chuckled. "That said, it's still a perfectly good lab coat," he added fairly. "Could come in handy. Who knows? Maybe this is one piece of Team Catalyst equipment that could end up actually doing some real good in the world somehow," he said with a grin as he took off the lab coat and tucked it away in his backpack. "So, Zack, any way I could access my PC Storage System in here?" he asked. "I'm gonna want to make a quick change to my team now that I've handed in the Ride Pager."

----
"I too wish there was some way to help them see the light." Zack replied, taking the Ride Pager from Keith.
"Trust me when I say I've tried. There isn't anyway that we can."

After putting the lab coat away, Keith asked Zack if there was a PC he could use. With the ride pager gone, Keith need to switch around his team.

"Umm..y-yeah me too." Jake added, handing over his ride pager as he did so. "I need to s-switch my team....for the journey ahead."

"Oh that's right. You were going to head to that tournament thing. Sure, I'll show you guys where the PC is." Sophie said, rising from her seat.

"After you're done showing them the PC, can you head to the meeting room? There's something I need to discuss with you and the others." Zack said.

"Alright. Well, let's get going then." Sophie said, guiding the group outside of Zack's office. Zack gave one last wave to them, before resuming with his business on his laptop.
----
"I know you've been getting this a lot, but thanks again for all your help." Sophie said as they made their way through the CPAs long hallway once again.
"I was really disappointed when I had to stay behind. I really wanted to destroy every last part of those piles of scum..for all that they did. But I can't really be too mad, considering the way things turned out."
Once she had finished talking, Sophie pointed to two PC terminals, both attached to an otherwise bare wall.

"There you go, just what you were looking for. Once your done proceed to the end of the hall and turn left. Then go up the stairs and press the button on your right to open the door." Sophie said.
"Of course...you can always teleport out if that's your style."

----
Keith followed Sophie down the hallway. "It was no problem," he said in response to Sophie's thanks. He nodded as she lamented her having to stay behind, citing her desire to destroy Team Catalyst thoroughly for all the crap they've pulled. Keith thought something sounded a bit off about that- he saw no fault with her desire to destroy Team Catalyst, of course, but the way she said it was what got Keith pondering it. As someone who had raised two Banette, Keith could tell, it sounded as though Sophie's beef with Team Catalyst was a bit more personal than she let on. He didn't press the matter, however. He simply nodded again as Sophie conceded that she couldn't complain, considering all that had been accomplished. "Just happy I could help," he stated. "In fact, if you guys ever need my help with Team Catalyst again, I can give you my Xtransceiver number," he offered, for this took place before Keith got his Z-Ring, and therefore, before he swapped out said Xtransceiver for a PokéGear, though the number to contact him would remain the same.

As Keith got to the PC, he set right to work, swapping out his Dusknoir for his Scolipede. "Alright," he grinned, clutching the Scolipede's ball in his hand. "Aaaand, all set," he stated. "Hey, Jake, you need a ride?" he asked. "Salazar's always cool with extra passengers, and I got nowhere to be today."

----
"Sure, sounds good to me." Sophie replied, taking out her Pokégear.
"Here..I'll give you my number first." Sophie said, flipping the Pokégear over for Keith to see. On the top screen was a string of digits, presumably Sophie's number.

As Keith took one PC, Jake took the other. Thinking for a moment, he swapped out Neku, Vernon, Dusty and Bubbles, replacing them with Kage, Sprout, Sparky and Milo.
Once he was finished, Jake turned his attention to Keith.

"I'm ok...t-thanks though." Jake replied to Keith's offer. "Me and Telpo...w-we're actually going a bit of a ways."

"Master is right on this one. We're actually headed to a place called Amperet City." Telpo chimed. "It's a bit out of the way, but I'm sure we'll manage."

"Right." Jake nodded. "But..I-I'll trade numbers..if you want."

----
Keith registered Sophie's PokéGear number, and gave her his own number in return. "Alright, cool," he grinned. After that, Jake thanked Keith, though declined his offer. He and Telpo explained they were headed a fair distance, to Amperet City, but that they'd manage. "Alright, then," Keith nodded. He then agreed to trading numbers, part of him wondering why he never already exchanged phone numbers with Jake. "Alright, then, I'll see you around," nodded Keith. "I might actually take the Banette's Revenge out for a little voyage later on," he added. "Luna's been suggesting it all morning before you arrived, and I can't imagine why." He started to head for the exit, though paused for a moment. "By the way," he added to Jake. "You were pretty awesome back there, against Steven.
----
"Alright. Then I guess that's all." Sophie said once she had finished trading numbers.
"I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a meeting to attend to. Farewell for now." Sophie added, giving the group a small wave, before heading back in the direction of Zack's office.

As Jake gave Keith his number, he also couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't done this earlier. But now wasn't the time for that. Once Jake had registered Keith's number, he rummaged through his bags side pocket, pulling out a folded map.

"Would I be right..i-in assuming you'd want this?" Jake questioned, handing the map to Telpo.

"You read my mind master. May I suggest we stop at a Pokemon Center? Just so I can properly plan out our route." Telpo chimed, grabbing the map as he did so.

"Sure. I-I need to heal Vermillion anyway." Jake nodded

As the pair turned to leave, they noticed that Keith had already made his way towards the exit.

"T-thanks...you were...great out there a-as well." Jake replied as Keith praised him. He didn't entirely believe what Keith was saying, but he figured there was no point in denying it at that moment.
"Umm..good luck on your voyage as well...I mean i-if you decide to go." Jake added.
"Can you tell Millicent that I'm ok as well?" Telpo chimed. "I realized after I left yesterday that she might be worried with me joining this investigation."

----
Keith waved back as Sophie exited. He nodded appreciatively at Jake's words. "Thanks, man," he replied. He then gave Telpo a reassuring smile. "You bet," he agreed. "She and Willow did seem a bit worried this mornijng, so I know they'll be happy to know everything went well." With that, he took his leave, and once outside, he climbed onto his dark grey Scolipede, ready for the ride back home. That Ride Pager was good stuff, and very convenient, no denying that, but Keith felt most comfortable on the back of the Scolipede he trained himself.
----
Telpo smiled as Keith let him know that he'd inform Millicent and Willow.
"Thank you, I can rest easy now." The Abra chimed.

Once Keith had left, Jake turned his attention to Telpo. "Ok..r-ready to head out?"

"You bet master." Telpo replied.

With that, the pair made their way out of the building. Though their time in Hagane City had certainly been exciting, both Telpo and Jake couldn't wait to leave the city and continue their journey.
Little did the two know their day had only started, and yet another adventure was about to unfold!
----
CPA - Meeting Room
----
"Sophie, come on in." Zack greeted as Sophie opened the door to the meeting room.
Giving a nod, Sophie entered the room, before noticing that it was only Zack and her.
"Huh? Where are the others? I thought you said some other members were also going to be here." Sophie said.

"They'll be here shortly, but while you're here..mine as brief you on what's happening." Zack replied.
"It's recently come to our attention that Team Catalyst has set their eyes on a certain device, one that is able to capture any and every Pokemon."

"Let me guess, they want to use it to capture Project X?" Sophie questioned.

"That's my best guess, yes. Now, you and another group of agents are going to go to the location of this device, and prevent it from falling into Team Catalyst's hands, simple enough, right?"
"Yeah, sounds pretty simple." Sophie nodded. "So, where is this device?"

To this, Zack gave a small smile, before speaking up. "Tell me, have you heard of the Amperet Museum?"

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 06-23-2017 at 06:56 PM.
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Old 06-01-2017, 02:16 PM   #14
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Enter the Ultra Beast Hunter: Milo vs Guzzlord!

After the incident with Team Catalyst in Hagane City, Jake found himself on the road once more. This time, his destination was set for Amperet City, home to the regional Electric Masters Tournament. At his side, was Telpo, having decided to take the role of navigator upon Sophie's departure.
"Master, I think it would be wise if we were to stop for the night." The Abra chimed. "According to this map...we're just about to hit the village of Tempus, I'd suggest we find an inn once we're there."
"Umm....okay...are you sure?" Jake asked.
"Positive. According to my calculations.....Amperet City is still another four hours away." Telpo explained.
Jake checked his xtransceiver... 9:30pm...Telpo was right, there was no way they were going to make it. Looking ahead, Jake could see the gate to what must have been Tempus Town.
"So...do you have any idea why it's called Tempus Village?" Jake asked as the pair quickly approached the sleepy town.
"Umm..I'm actually not sure. Sorry Master." Telpo apologized. "I didn't plan on us stopping here, so I didn't do any research about it."
"Fair enough." Jake said as the two passed through the open gate. "...how about we heal up at the Pokemon Center first, I'm sure you and everyone else could use a break..."
"That sounds like a fantastic idea Master, let's get going then." The Abra said before rushing off in search of one.
----
"Welcome to the Pokemon Center!" A nurse greeted as Telpo and Jake entered. "How can I help you today?"
"Umm...hello." Jake said as he made his way to the counter. "I'd like to have some of my Pokemon healed up." He said as he placed 5 Pokeballs on the counter.
"Certainly. I'll get them healed up right away." The nurse said as she took the Pokemon and placed them in one of the healing machines.
"So..are you tourists by chance?" The Nurse asked.
"Umm...something like that." Jake said.
"Oh...well I guess you've come to see the Celebi statue then?" The Nurse asked. "So, how was it? Or are you planning on checking it out after?"
"Umm, Celebi statue?" Telpo asked. "Never heard of it...what's it about?"
"You've never heard of it? That's odd...that's pretty much the only thing that keeps this place on the map." The nurse explained.
"It's said that the statue was created in honor of the Pokemon Celebi. Legend says that Celebi watches over this place, keeping it safe from any harm. It also says that all who touch the statue will be blessed with a bright future." The nurse finished.
Before anything more could be said, a small ding was heard, letting the nurse know that the healing was done.
"There you are." She said as she gave Jake his Pokemon back. "Have a nice day!"
"Umm...you too.." Jake replied before exiting the place, Telpo right behind him.
"So Master, are we going to find an inn now, or what?" The Abra asked.
"I-I will....but I kinda want to see the Celebi statue." Jake explained. "I...just need to ask someone where it is.."
"Master, you can't seriously tell me you believe in urban legends...touching a statue isn't going to do anything I can assure you."
"Yeah well....I want to see it anyway." Jake said. "You can book us a room if you're so inclined."
"Uh...yeah I'm actually kind of curious too....." Telpo admitted.
"Then let's get going...it's gotta be around here somewhere...."
----
After asking around for a bit, the pair discovered that the statue of the time travel Pokemon was atop a hill, overlooking the village.
"From up here, everything looks so tiny." Jake remarked as he made his way up the hill.
"Yes Master, that tends to happen when you get higher in terms of elevation." Telpo replied. "I do admit that it does put everything into perspective, just how small we truly are.
"Yeah....but enough about that...let's see what this statue is all about." The teen said as he ran towards the statue.
It was quite beautiful, Telpo had to admit. It seemed to be kept in good condition, judging by it's brilliant golden shine. It seemed to radiate with the good feelings of people and Pokemon....of all who had come to this very hill, in hopes of a bright future.
"She said you just had to touch the statue in order to receive it's blessing...right?" Jake asked.
"Indeed Master." Telpo said with a nod. "But I can assure you nothing is going to happen.
Without speaking another word, Jake slowly reached out, before placing his hand on the statues head. No sooner had he placed his hand, thick clouds began to envelope the sky. Jake recoiled instantly, before looking at Telpo.

"U-umm...I don't think that was supposed to happen.." Jake muttered, hoping for Telpo to provide a rational explanation.
"Master....you might want to take a look in the sky..." Telpo said.
Jake turned his gaze to the sky, and nearly fainted on the spot! The sky began to crack, before a strange portal began to form.
"W-what the hell is that?!" Jake exclaimed.
Suddenly, from the portal a giant, unworldly creature descended, smashing the Celebi statue and causing the earth beneath Jake to shake.
The first thing Jake noticed about the creature, was that it had a huge mouth. It was so big that it took up most of the beasts body! It had two large pincers, which came from it's mouth, prepared to snap up anything it saw! The creature also seemed to be bathed in an orange aura, similar to the one Jake had seen back in Ryuu town.

"W-what even is that thing?" Jake questioned as he whipped out his Pokedex and scanned the beast.
"No data present. Please try again." The Pokedex beeped.
"Huh? W-what's wrong with this thing?!" Jake exclaimed.
"Master, now wouldn't be the time to mess with that!" Telpo shouted.
Indeed, upon seeing the pair in front of it, the beast let out a deafening roar, before making it's way towards them.
"Uh right." He said as he grabbed a cherish ball from his belt. "Ok Sparky, let's go!" Jake exclaimed as he tossed the ball in the air. From the ball emerged the Galvantula, who took one look at his opponent, before turning to face his trainer, a worried look in his eyes.
"J-just what is that supposed to be?!" Sparky exclaimed.
"I-I don't know...but I do know that we need to stop it before it reaches the village....you can help with that..right?" Jake asked.
"Of course I will! You can count on me." Sparky said with a nod, before turning to face the hideous beast.
"Telpo, I need you to stay back. But umm....be prepared to Teleport us out....just in case."
"Of course Master." Telpo said with a nod, before floating behind his trainer.

"Alright Sparky, let's start with Thunderbolt, then use Slash!" Jake ordered.
Willing to give it his all, Sparky began to channel electrical energy throughout his body, before firing a wicked beam at his opponent! But the creature seemed to do little more then flinch!
"What?! Is it resistant to electric moves, or is it just that powerful?" Jake wondered allowed.
In a fit of rage, the beast slashed at Sparky with one of it's Claw's, having charged it with Dragon energy.
Not willing to give in so easily, Sparky slashed at the beast with a glowing pedipalp! The beast cried out as the Galvantula scored a direct hit, but quickly recovered. In retaliation, the creature began to gather a large amount of Fire in it's mouth. The beast then Blasted the fire at Sparky, causing the Galvantula to cry out and nearly topple over!

"We can't give up now Sparky! Let's use Signal Beam, then go with Cross Poison!" Jake exclaimed.
Once more Sparky was the first to act! This time the Galvantula began to gather bug energy, before firing it at the beast in the form of a rainbow beam!
It seemed this had much more of an effect then the previous attacks, causing the creature to let out a shriek! But this proved to only anger the beast further!
In a fit of rage, the beast sent out a Pulse of Dark energy! The attack shot past Sparky and Jake, before striking Telpo!
"Telpo, no!" Jake cried out as the Abra fell to the ground. With the Abra out of commission, Jake had no choice but defeat the beast, fleeing was no longer an option. A sudden shriek caused Jake to turn back to the battle, just in time to see Sparky collapse to the beasts terrifying might!
Before he could return the Galvantula to it's ball, the massive creature turned it's attention to Jake. The beast Rushed towards him, it's entire body cloaked in Dragon energy! Jake could only brace himself for the inevitable impact.....
"Flygon Dragon Rush!" A voice cried out.
On cue, a Flygon flew in between Jake and the beast, it too, cloaked in draconic energy! The beast fell back slightly at the attack, before letting out a roar!
"Return your Galvantula......quick!" The voice called out once more.
Jake turned to find the owner of the voice. The person who had saved his life was a woman, who looked to be not much older then him. In her arms she held his fallen Abra.
"Come on....that things not going to stay put forever!" The woman exclaimed.
"Umm...right. Sparky return!" Jake called as he returned the Galvantula to it's ball. Seeing that Jake was ready, the Flygon quickly flew back over to her trainer.
"Hop on, we're getting out of here." She said as she jumped onto the Flygon, before looking back at him.
Jake didn't have to be told twice, and ran towards the Flygon, before grabbing onto it's back.
The Flygon then took to the skies, narrowly avoiding another attack from the strange beast. Angered by their escape, the beast let out shriek, before lashing out at the land around it.....

"Umm.....thank you....for helping me out there." Jake said. "I probably wouldn't have survived if you hadn't intervened..."
"It was nothing...really. I just did what I had to do." The girl said. "But we're not quite out of the woods yet. Flygon, let's land there." She said, pointing to what looked to be an old house. The Flygon obliged, descended to the ground in front of the home.
"Umm....what are we doing? Don't we have to stop that thing?" Jake asked.
"Of course." The woman responded. "But first, I'm sure you're very confused on what's going on." She said as she got off her Flygon. Once Jake had gotten off the Mystic Pokemon, the girl handed him Telpo, before making her way inside.
----
"Here...let's have a seat." The woman said, pulling out two chairs from the side of the room.
"Umm..ok...but....umm isn't this breaking and entering?" Jake asked.
"Nope..this place has been abandoned for years, it's fine." The girl explained. "Besides, we won't be here for long. "
"Umm...ok so...what's your name? If you don't mind me asking." Jake asked.
"Oh. My name's Robin. It's nice to meet you." Robin said.
"Robin...that's a nice name" Jake said. "But..umm...do you know what that thing was that attacked me?"
"Certainly." Robin said. "The thing that you were fighting was an ultra beast."
"A-an ultra beast?" Jake asked. "What's t-that?"
"I'd like to know too...it sounds interesting." Telpo spoke up, startling Jake.
"Telpo? Since when were you awake?" Jake asked.
"Long enough to know what's going on." Telpo said as he floated out of his trainer's grasp and onto the floor. "I thought it be wise not to scare you while we were in the air."
"You want to know what an ultra beast is?" Robin repeated. "Well...it's hard to explain. Basically they're beings from a different dimension entirely. Most are quite violent, having been ripped from their homes. The one you encountered is Guzzlord, a dark and dragon type."
"W-wait, they come from a different...d-dimension?!" Jake exclaimed. "So....are they even P-Pokemon then?" Jake asked.
"Uhhh...the jury's still out on that one." Robin said. "But I've heard of a case of someone catching them in a special type of ball...so, probably?"
"Master, if I may...I don't know if we can trust her." Telpo said aloud. "This sounds very farfetched, all things considering. How would she even know about this anyway? Unless maybe she's with Team Catalyst?"
"You know I can understand you, right?" Robin asked, causing Telpo's face to glow red with embarrassment.
"I-i'm sorry....I just...didn't realize you could understand me...without me using telepathy." Telpo explained. "That was really rude...I apologize."
"It's fine, I understand if you're a bit suspicious." Robin said. "Let's set things straight though, I'm not part of.....Team Catalyst. Second of all, the reason I know about these Ultra Beasts is because it's my job to know." Robin explained.
"I-It's your job to know?" Jake questioned.
"Indeed. I'm known as an Ultra Beast hunter, where I'm from." Robin explained. "It's my goal to take on these beasts, making sure they cause as little damage as possible."
"Where you're from? Are you not from here?" Telpo asked.
"That would be correct. I was sent here by Celebi from the future, in order to stop Guzzlord from destroying everything in it's path." Robin explained.
"W-wait what?! That's crazy!" Jake exclaimed. "The legendary Pokemon C-Celebi sent you here? T-that umm....makes you a t-time traveler then?"
"Maybe you didn't want to tell us that?" Telpo questioned. "I don't know much about time travel, but wouldn't that be a bad thing to tell others about?"
"It'll be fine." Robin said. "I wouldn't have said it, if I knew it would bring harm to my mission. Besides, I wanted to come clean, in order for you guys to maybe trust me a bit."
Before anymore could be said, shrieks of terror could be heard from outside! The sound of houses being destroyed and screaming filled the air, sending a shiver up Jake's spine.

"Well it seems there's no more time for explanations, my friends, it seems we have an ultra beast to destroy." Robin said, unusually calm for the situation.
"Here's the plan, I want you to weaken the beast as much as you can. Use anything you have at your disposal to do so." The girl said. "Flygon and I will try our best to help. But when I give you the signal, you need to make sure Guzzlord is off our tail. Got it?"
"Umm, s-sounds like a plan." Jake said.
"Good, now let's get going, before anyone else is hurt." Robin said as she exited the building.
----
Once outside, the sound of destruction was completely overwhelming. People and Pokemon were running past Jake, screaming and crying, hoping that they wouldn't be the next to be eaten. Right ahead he noticed the ultra beast, Guzzlord, the terrible creature having just eaten an entire house!
Jake turned to Robin, who had just gotten onto her Flygon.
"Don't forget the plan!" She called, before her Flygon took to the skies once more, flying straight towards the ultra beast!
"Right..." Jake muttered as he grabbed four balls and tossed them into the air. From the balls, emerged a Nuzleaf, Weepinbell, Torkoal and a...Flaaffy.
Jake let out a sigh upon seeing Milo. He knew that the Flaaffy hated battling...Milo had made sure to remind him, and yet...somehow Jake had managed to send him out yet again.
"Kage, Sprout, Vermillion.....Milo...look I-I need all of your help. W-We need to defeat that c-creature before it destroys this place." Jake explained. "So...can we all band together and help....p-please?"
"Of course! That bully is totally going to pay for this!" Sprout exclaimed.
"As long as there's food after....I'm all in." Vermillion said.
Kage said nothing, instead giving her trainer a silent nod.
"I'll help too master." Telpo said as he floated over to his teammates. "I know I'm not the best at battling, but I'll try my best."
Predictably, Milo seemed to be unwilling to battle, instead watching his teammates from the sidelines.
"Alright let's give this everything we've got! Kage you use Shadow Ball, Telpo go for an Ice Punch. Vermillion start with Skull Bash, and Sprout, go with Sludge Bomb!" Jake ordered.

Wasting no time, Kage ran towards her opponent, before leaping into the air! The Nuzleaf summoned an orb of filled with ghost like energy, before firing it towards Guzzlord! The attack did little the junkivore Pokemon, however Telpo's attack sure did. Despite the power difference, Guzzlord let out a shriek as the Abra's attack connected! In a fit of anger, Guzzlord began to channel dark energy into it's body, slamming into Telpo as a means of Payback!
Or Guzzlord would have anyway, if Robin's Flygon hadn't stopped the attack with a well timed Dragon Claw!
Taking the opportunity to strike, Sprout fired a barrage of hard sludge at Guzzlord, successfully poisoning the junkivore Pokemon! In retaliation, Guzzlord began to gather a large amount of Fire in it's mouth. The beast then Blasted the fire at Kage and Sprout. Seeing the fire coming her way, Kage managed to jump out of the way just in time, Sprout however, wasn't so lucky. The Weepinbell shrieked as the super effective attack nearly caused her to faint then and there! The round wasn't quite finished though. Vermillion lowered his head, before charging towards Guzzlord, as fast as a Torkoal could possibly go! He then dived at the beast, dealing a decent amount of damage!

"Let's keep this up everyone! Kage you use Razor Wind, Telpo go for another Ice Punch! Vermillion go with an Eruption , and Sprout, you use Cut!" Jake exclaimed.

Kage was once again the first to act! The Nuzleaf's leaf began to glow white with energy! Kage then released the compressed energy, which slashed at Guzzlord, dealing a large amount of damage! To add on to the Guzzlord's pain, Sprout lunged at the beast, slashing at it with one of her leaves! Angered by the assault, Guzzlord attacked Sprout with a hard Crunch from one of it's appendages! This proved to be too much from the Weepinbell, who toppled over in defeat!
"Sprout return!" Jake called out as he returned Sprout to her ball. "You did good out there, now rest up."
"Hey, you better watch out!" Robin's voice called from above. "Guzzlord's ability is known as beast boost. The more Pokemon it defeats, the stronger it gets! That's on top of that aura that's already surrounding it!" The ultra beast hunter warned.
This wasn't good, every time he lost a Pokemon, it'd be easier for the rest to go down...this battle needed to be finished as soon as possible!
The round wasn't quite over though! Jake watched as a Signal Beam from Robin's Flygon struck Guzzlord, the super effective attack causing the beast to let out a loud shriek! Following Flygon, Telpo rammed his fist into Guzzlord, causing the beast to let out another shriek, before retaliating with a slash of it's claw surrounded in Dragon energy! Telpo flew back as the attack connected, the Guzzlord's improved strength proving to be too much.
"Telpo!" Jake cried out as the Abra collapsed onto the floor.
"Telpo return." He said as he recalled the Abra to his ball. "Now take a nice rest, you more them deserve it.
Now Jake was down to just two Pokemon..Kage and Vermillion, who had just let loose an Eruption of fire energy! Oh and there was Milo as well....the Flaaffy was still off to the side, occasionally moving to avoid debris. The Flaaffy had shown that he was a great battler back at the Electric Masters Tournament....so why didn't he want to battle? Especially at a time like this....

"H-Hang in there you two! Kage, go for another Shadow Ball, then follow it up with Feint Attack! Vermillion go with Ember, then follow through with another Skull Bash!" Jake ordered.

Once more Kage ran towards her opponent, before leaping into the air, delivering an orb filled with shadow energy into the beasts head! Robin's Flygon once more let loose a rainbow beam of energy, striking Guzzlord for some impress damage! In a fit of rage, the beast sent a pulse of Dark energy at Robin and her Flygon, but the pair managed to easily avoid it! With Guzzlord wide open to attack, Vermillion let loose a bunch of small embers towards the junkivore Pokemon! But the embers seemed to barely phase the beast! In retaliation, Guzzlord began to stomp at the ground, sending shock waves across the earth! The waves shook many of the houses, some giving out and toppling over! The Bulldoze attack proved to be too much for Vermillion, the Torkoal toppling over in defeat.
"Vermillion, return!" Jake called out as he returned the Torkoal to his Pokeball. "You did good out there, now rest well."
The teen then turned to access the situation. It seemed the attack had dealt some heavy damage to Kage as well. Surely the attack was wide enough to have hit Milo as well? Jake turned to where Milo was, but to his shock, the Flaaffy was holding onto a nearby tree! The shock waves hadn't even effected him. But how had Milo known to do that? Even Kage hadn't reacted in time to avoid the attack...
Now wasn't the time to think about that, the battle was still raging on!
In an attempt to trick the Guzzlord, Kage pointed behind the beast, causing the junkivore Pokemon to turn around slightly. The Nuzleaf used this opportunity to strike Guzzlord with her fist! Angered by the Nuzleaf's trickery, Guzzlord chopped at Kage with one of it's appendages! The Brick Break attack sent Kage flying towards her trainer, before collapsing onto the floor in defeat.
"Kage return!" Jake said as he returned the Nuzleaf to her ball. "Rest up well, you did great out there."
Now what was he going to do? He had no more Pokemon left...except for Milo. But the Flaaffy wasn't going to battle...And his bag was in some building, he didn't even remember where anymore...
"Hey watch out!" Robin shouted, bring Jake back to his senses. It was then that he noticed the junkivore Pokemon coming straight for him! Before he could react, Guzzlord grabbed him with one of his appendages!
"Ahh! S-someone help!" Jake cried as the colossal Pokemon shrieked at him, ready to make him it's next snack!
Jake watched as Robin and her Flygon dove towards Guzzlord, her Flygon ready to strike with a Dragon Claw!
But before they could Guzzlord struck them with it's own Dragon Claw, sending the pair flying away.
Noticing that his trainer was in danger, Milo leapt into action! The Flaaffy charged towards Guzzlord, his tail clad in Iron! Spotting Milo and his quick approach, the junkivore Pokemon swung it's tail at the Flaaffy, sending him flying, before collapsing to he floor.
----
Upon awaking, Milo found himself in a dark void, much like the one back during the tournament... The Flaaffy didn't need to ask where he was, he already knew...
"So...you've come back then...huh?" An ominous voice questioned. One that the Flaaffy knew all too well.
"I-I'm not scared of you!" Milo exclaimed.
"Why must you lie Milo? I can hear it in your voice...you're scared....maybe as scared as Cotton was?" The voice spoke once more.
"Y-you leave her out of this...I-I didn't mean to hurt her!" The Flaaffy shouted at the voice.
"It amuses me Milo....how your rage was the cause of her suffering...and yet, now you being too passive has caused the death of your trainer." The voice said, before breaking into laughter.
"It's not true....I-I...." Milo stammered, unable to form a proper sentence.
"It's ok dear Milo...not everyone can be a hero....I think it's quite funny. You always have the best intentions..but no matter where you go, you seem to cause everyone to suffer!" The voice exclaimed.
"No..I-I....." Milo trailed off.
"You're pathetic and a waste of breath! You should rot...just like Cotton did!" The voice screamed at the Flaaffy.
"No...I-I can still...m-my" Milo began, before his trainer's old words rushed back to him.

You have to stand back up! I know you're stronger then that! I believe in you!

"My trainer needs me, and I'm not going to let him down! I may not be able to save Cotton, but I can still save Jake!" The Flaaffy exclaimed, a new sense of courage in his voice.
----
Milo rose to find himself in the ruins of Tempus village once again! But he knew he didn't have the time to look around! The Flaaffy turned his attention to the ultra beast, which seemed like it was ready to eat Jake!
Wasting no time, Milo began to gather electric energy into his tail, before firing a ball of it towards Guzzlord! The Electro Ball smashed into the claw holding Jake, causing Guzzlord to lose it's grip on him!
"M-milo....you saved me...t-thank you." Jake thanked the Flaaffy once he had gotten to his side.

But the battle was just getting started! With a shriek, Guzzlord began to channel it's Dark energy, before sending a pulse of it towards Milo.
"Milo, dodge it and use Iron Tail!" Jake cried.
"Following his trainers instructions, Milo leaped out of harms way, before delivering a power swing of his tail into Guzzlord's face!

"Alright Milo let's keep this up! Let's start with Cotton Guard, then go for
Body Slam!" Jake ordered.
Milo was the first to act! The Flaaffy began to surround himself in cotton, creating armor that greatly raised his defense!
Letting out a shriek, Guzzlord spun around, smacking an Iron clad tail into the Flaaffy! Even with his increased defense, Milo skidded back, the attack obviously having quite an effect. With Guzzlord having defeated four Pokemon, his beast boost had obviously powered up his moves to incredible levels!
Not willing to give up, Milo charged towards the beast, slamming his entire body into Guzzlord! The junkivore Pokemon let out a cry, before quickly recovering. The beast then began to surround it's entire body in Dragon energy, before Rushing towards Milo, slamming into the Flaaffy with it's full weight! Milo let out a shriek as the powerful attack sent him flying backwards! Jake was sure that it was the end for Milo...but to his delight, Milo stood up once more!

Milo looked back at his trainer, before looking towards his opponent once more. He had promised that he wasn't going to let his trainer down, and he didn't intend on breaking it! He was too weak to save Cotton back then...but there was no way he wasn't going to give it his all to save who he loved now!
The Flaaffy let out a small cry, before a bright light began to envelope him! He began to grow taller, the rest of his wool fell off, and his skin changed to yellow, white and black!
An orb grew onto the front of his head, the colour of a beautiful ruby, and the orb on his tail changed just the same! When the light faded, Milo was no longer a Flaaffy, but a stunning !
"Milo...you evolved! Congratulations!" Jake exclaimed upon seeing the Ampharos. But it wasn't the time to stand around and admire Milo's new form, they still had a battle to win! Jake quickly scanned Milo with his Pokedex, trying to figure out if he had learned any new moves...

"Alright Milo, let's try Dragon Pulse to start, then use Power Gem" Jake ordered.

Eager to try out his new power, Milo began to gather draconic in his mouth, before releasing a beam of it, blasting Guzzlord for an incredible amount of damage! In retaliation, Guzzlord summoned several sharp stones, before sending a wave of them towards Milo! The Ampharos wasn't quite used to his new shape yet, and wasn't able to get out of the way, the sharp Edges of the Stones dug into his flesh, causing him to cry out! But Milo wasn't ready to call it quits! The Ampharos began to gather energy into his bright red orb, before sending the energy Guzzlord's way!
In return, the junkivore Pokemon slashed at Milo, it's claw coated in Dragon energy! Milo cried out as he skidded backwards... It seemed both Milo and Guzzlord were close to fainting...it would all come down to this next round!

"Alright Milo, use Body Slam! Then go for another Dragon Pulse!" Jake exclaimed.

Filled with determination, Milo charged towards his opponent, slamming into it and dealing a decent amount of damage! Desperate to end things and get back to eating, Guzzlord began to gather Dark energy, before releasing a pulse of it towards Milo, striking the Ampharos and causing him to nearly keel over! Ready to end things, Milo started gathering draconic in his mouth, before releasing a beam of it, blasting Guzzlord!
Letting out a terribly loud shriek the beast looked as it was about to topple over! But to the pairs horror, the beast began to Rush towards them, it's body cloaked in Dragon energy!

"Flygon, Devastating Drake!!!" Jake heard Robin cry out.
Suddenly a gigantic wave of dragon energy, in the shape of a dragon zoomed past the pair! The energy dragon smashed into Guzzlord, causing the beast to be engulfed in a large explosion of energy! Once the explosion had finished, Guzzlord came back into view, toppled over in defeat!

"Whoa...that was amazing!" Jake exclaimed as he turned behind him, noticing Robin and her Flygon. "T-that was a Z-Move, right? It's gotta be..."
"Indeed it is, the dragon z-move, devastating drake." Robin explained. "But I think the real amazing thing is your Ampharos. It held that Guzzlord off like it was nothing."
Robin had a point, Milo had done really well....almost too well. He had easily out preformed even Sparky in the battle against the ultra beast. But to his knowledge....this was only Milo's second time battling....How could the Ampharos be so powerful?
"So umm....what do we do with t-the ultra beast?" Jake asked. "W-won't it cause more havoc once it wakes up?"
"Nope, take a look behind you." Robin said, pointing to the beast behind him.
Jake turned, only to realize the beast had begin to flicker, before disappearing entirely!
"Once defeated, the ultra beast will be returned to it's rightful place." Robin explained. "It's a shame really, Guzzlord only did this because it was scared. Imagine being ripped from your home and being sent to a strange place, where everyone feared you....." The ultra beast hunter continued.
"I-I never thought of it like that before...." Jake muttered.
"That's fine, most people don't. Now we should probably go get your bag, I can heal your Pokemon once we're in a safe location." Robin said as she began to walk back to their old meeting point, which had surprisingly not been damaged.
----
"So...wouldn't it be better to use the Pokemon Center?" Jake questioned as Robin began to use some potions on his team.
"That probably wouldn't be wise master, it's probab- ow!" Telpo cried out in surprise as the potion stung his skin.
"As I was saying, there's probably a lot of people there after the attack." Telpo explained.
"Your Abra is definitely the brains of the group I see." Robin said.
"W-what's that supposed to mean?!" Jake demanded. "I-I think I'm pretty smart..."
"Anyway, your Pokemon are healed up." Robin said, ignoring Jake's outburst. "Well except your Nuzleaf, said something about not being a baby or whatever."
"Thank you." Jake said as he returned each of his Pokemon to their Pokeballs, except Telpo.
"I still can't believe you can understand Pokemon language." Telpo said as he floated back over to his trainer. "I haven't seen anyone besides my trainer with that sort of ability."
"I'd imagine it is kind of rare." Robin said. "Now I'm assuming you need to get to a town or city quickly? I'll fly you there on my Flygon, if you wish.
"W-wait how'd you know that?" Jake asked. " I mean...we are...and we'd be happy to accept..."
"How'd I know? Let's call it a time travelers intuition." The ultra beast hunter said.
"Wait really? That's a thing?" Jake questioned. "T-that's pretty cool."
"Of course not! I was just messing with you." Robin said. "I assumed because I didn't think you'd stop here just for a statue, you don't seem like you would, is all."
"Oh....ok. Well...we're going to Amperet City." Jake said.
"Alright, sounds great. Let's get going, before it gets too late." Robin said before exiting the house.
----
Upon take off, it took very little time for Robin's Flygon to make it to Amperet City, compared to how long it would have taken Jake to walk. Soon the four of them had landed in the coastal city of Amperet.
"Well here you are." Robin said as Telpo and Jake disembarked. "This is where we must part ways though, I must get back to my time, you understand."
"I-indeed." Jake said with a nod. "G-good luck with hunting those ultra beasts!"
"Thanks." The woman said, before ushering for her Flygon to take off.
"Wait!" Telpo called out, causing her Flygon to stop it's ascent before it even began.
"I mean this isn't goodbye forever....we can always meet again in the future, right?" The Abra asked.
Robin looked away from the Abra, instead turning her attention to the ground.
"Umm...y-yeah maybe..." She said, her usual confidence seemed to be missing from her voice.
"Just....remember to cherish what you have while you have it.... But if you wish for it...we'll surely meet again." She said. "M-maybe...sooner then you think."
With that, the Flygon flew off with her trainer, off into the distance....

"That was kinda weird." Telpo said once the pair were out of sight.
"Y-yeah...I can't say I expected to m-meet a time traveler and fight beasts from a different dimension." Jake said.
"Not that! The way she was acting at the end...." Telpo explained.
"Oh...I-I mean I guess so...I was still trying to process what happened....sorry."
"Hmm...she was nice though." Telpo said. "She kinda felt like she was an old friend, despite only having just met her."
"Yeah....i-it's getting kind of late though....we should probably find a hotel." Jake said. "It's a busy day tomorrow, w-we need to get some sleep."
Telpo nodded his head in agreement, before the pair made their way through the city streets, wondering just what the next day would bring them...

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 06-01-2017 at 02:51 PM.
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Old 06-14-2017, 04:36 PM   #15
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The Electric Masters Regionals: The Catalyst Crisis!

"Master, it's time to wake up!" Telpo exclaimed, causing Jake to nearly jump out of bed.

"Who's there, what do you...oh i-it's just you Telpo." Jake said sheepishly.
"It is, haven't you heard me calling you? If you don't get up, you're going to be late for the tournament." Telpo explained.
"Tournament? O-oh yeah...I nearly forgot..." Jake murmured.
"I don't know how you could. I know yesterday was quite busy, but we've been planning this trip for a while." Telpo replied, before leaving the room.
----
"So you're sure you got your ticket to register?" Telpo questioned as the two made their way down the busy streets of Amperet city.
"Of course I did....I'm not that forgetful." Jake replied.
"Need I remind you that you nearly forgot about the tournament in the first place?"
"Fair point." Jake nodded.

"Watch out, watch out! Get out of the way!" A voice suddenly cried out from behind the pair.
Jake spun around, just in time for a Zebstrika to slam him in the gut! The force of the impact knocked him off his feet, causing him to land on the hard cement below.

"Master are you ok?" Telpo asked.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you." The Zebstrika's trainer said, rushing over to help Jake.

"As I said, I'm really sorry, I was-wait, Jake? Long time no see!" The man exclaimed.

"Tyler...i-it's nice to...see you." Jake said as he got back onto his feet.
"Wait, you two know each other?" Telpo questioned.

"Um..y-yeah. Telpo...this is Tyler, h-he was the one I...mentioned before. The o-one at the previous tournament." Jake explained.

"A-and Tyler, t-this is Telpo. He's....one of my...Pokemon..yeah."

"Well it's very nice to meet you Telpo." Tyler said.
"The pleasure is all mine. What brings you here anyway?" Telpo questioned.
"The same reason you two are here I'm assuming, I'm registering for the Electric Masters Regionals" Tyler explained.
"W-wait...you actually...managed to get a ticket?" Jake asked.
"Hell yeah I did! After we parted ways, me and Zebstrika began training every single day.
Eventually we entered the tournament again, and we managed to make the top four." Tyler explained. "But enough talking, you're heading to Amperet stadium right? Mind if I join you?"

"I mean...the stadium is right there." Telpo said, pointing to the domed building. Indeed, the building seemed to be not even a block away.
"But sure, we could use the company."
With that, the group made their way towards the building, excited to see what the tournament had in store.
----
Once inside, Tyler let out a groan. The lobby was jam packed full of people!
"If I knew it was going to be this busy, I would have gotten here earlier!" Tyler exclaimed.
"No need to get so upset. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to register." Telpo replied.
Sure enough, it only took a few minutes for Tyler to reach the counter, and shortly afterwards, Jake.

"Ticket please." The attendant requested.
"Oh sorry...ummm, h-here you go." Jake said, handing over his ticket.
The attendant nodded, before scanning the ticket, bringing up a screen which seemed to contain various information.
"Thank you for registering Jake Eclair, you can have a seat until your first match." The attendant said.
"T-That's it? D-don't I...have to register m-my Pokemon...or something?" Jake questioned.
"No. Our systems have been upgraded to automatically register any Pokemon from your trainer profile, as long as they meet the requirements of the tournament." The attendant explained.
"Ok..t-thank you." Jake murmured, before taking a seat in the lobby, the one right next to Tyler.

"So, the attendant said it was going to be a bit before they start calling us." Tyler shook his head. "I just want to start battling, you know?"
"I-I mean..I guess so.." Jake murmured.
"Hey, is everything ok?" Tyler asked. "You've been acting kinda weird lately."
"Huh? W-what are you talking about? I-I'm fine." Jake replied. "J-just nervous, t-that's all."
"Really, well ok. So I've told you what I've been up to...so what about you? Anything exciting?"

Jake hesitated for a moment. Could he really trust Tyler enough to tell him what had happened recently? Tyler didn't seem like a bad person though...surely he'd be an ok person to tell, Jake reasoned.

With this in mind, Jake began to explain what had happened. His encounter with Team Catalyst in Ryuu town, and what had transpired in Hagane city. He even explained the origins of Team Catalyst, as well as his father's connections to them, though he left out the part about his murder.

"Oh wow, I never realized how much of a threat those guys were." Zack said once the story was finished.
"I mean, I knew they were bad people, what with taking my Eelektrik and all. But I never knew just how terrible they really were."

"It caught us all by surprise." Telpo chimed. "But the more people that are aware of them, the easier it'll be to stop them."

"You're right." Tyler nodded. "Just, tell me what I can do to help. Anything to stop those scum."

"Jake Eclair? Is Jake Eclair here?" The attendant called out, prompting Jake to walk to the front.
"Your first match will be starting shortly. It's going to be a one on one match for the first round." The attendant explained. "Please grab any Pokemon you need from the PC in the corner, then follow me."
----
Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to our next match here at the Electric Masters Regionals!" A familiar announcers voice boomed over the arena.

"On the left we have Erika Lee from Goldenrod City! And on the right is Jake Eclair from Asperita City! Both Erika and Jake managed to reach the top two in their respective tournaments, so this match should prove to be an interesting one!" The announcer exclaimed.

At the edge of the arena, a referee stood, waiting to start the battle.
"Alright, Erika you will be picking your Pokemon and making the first move, is that clear?" The referee asked.

"Fine by me." The woman nodded, before turning to her opponent.
"Let's give it our all, ok Jake? No matter the outcome, the most important thing is to have fun!"
The woman then grabbed a Pokeball from her belt and tossed it into the air. From the ball emerged a mostly yellow bird, with what appeared to be pom-poms on the end of it's wings.

"It seems that Erika has chosen Oricorio for her Pokemon! Just what Pokemon will her opponent choose?" The announcer questioned.

Jake had never seen a Pokemon quite like the one that Erika had sent out. Jake quickly reached into his bag, grabbing out his Pokedex, before scanning the strange Pokemon.

"Oricorio, Pom-Pom Style. An Electric and Flying type." The Pokedex droned.
"It creates an electric charge by rubbing its feathers together. It dances over to its enemies and delivers shocking electrical punches."

"An Electric Flying type huh? Hmm, it's probably pretty fast then." Jake thought to himself. If that was true, he was going to need to use someone that could match it's speed, and Jake had just the Pokemon in mind!

"Alright Tessa, you're up!" Jake called as he grabbed a golden plated Pokeball and tossed it into the air. From the ball emerged the Cosplay Pikachu, who seemed to be wearing a dress and bonnet.
"And Jake has chosen Pikachu as his Pokemon! With both Pokemon now ready to roll, let the battle begin!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Ok Oricorio let's start with Pound, then use Air Slash!" Erika barked.

"Tessa use Quick Attack, then follow it up with Iron Tail!!" Jake ordered.

Eager to finish the battle as soon as possible, Tessa sprinted towards her opponent as quick as she could! The Cosplay Pikachu then slammed into Oricorio and dealing a bit of damage to it.

In retaliation, the dancer Pokemon smacked Tessa with one of it's wings, causing her to be sent flying back.
But Oricorio wasn't done quite yet! The dancer Pokemon took to the air, before channeling energy into it's wing. Oricorio then slashed at the air, sending a sharp blade of energy towards Tessa.

Thinking quickly, Tessa leaped high into the air, narrowly avoiding the oncoming attack! She then cloaked her tail in a sheet of metal, before slamming down on Oricorio from above, sending the dancer Pokemon spiraling into the ground!

"What an amazing round folks! It seems that despite it's size, Jake's Pikachu is no push over! With Oricorio already falling quickly behind, can Erika hope to recover?" The announcer questioned.

"Let's...let's keep this up Tessa. Start with Icicle Crash, then follow it with Electro Ball!" Jake ordered.

"Oricorio go with Revelation Dance, next go with another Pound!" Erika called.

Once again Tessa was the first to act! She began to channel the power of her outfit in order to unleash a special move! The Cosplay Pikachu unleashed a strange icy mist, which quickly moved towards Oricorio.
The mist then thickened, creating a giant icicle, which crashed into the dancer Pokemon, causing massive damage as Oricorio let out a loud shriek!

In retaliation, Oricorio began to dance, rubbing it's pom-pom like feathers together as it did so. Once finished, Oricorio threw it's wings forwards, sending a bolt of lightning towards it's opponent!

Tessa couldn't help but smile as the electricity struck her tail, which acted as a Lightning Rod, increasing her special attack power!

Oricorio seemed quite distraught by this turn of events, allowing Tessa a chance to strike!

With her new found power, the Cosplay Pikachu began to gather electrical energy into her tail, forming a ball of it at the tip! With a swing of her tail, the ball of energy was sent flying, smacking into Oricorio and sending the dancer Pokemon flying backwards!

But Oricorio wasn't quite finished yet! Getting back on it's feet, the dancer Pokemon lunged at Tessa, striking her with one of it's wings!

"With another exciting round finished, it seems that Pikachu has continued it's lead! After being hit with both Icicle Crash and Electro Ball, it seems Oricorio's health has dropped to dangerous levels! Will it be able to recover? Let's find out!" The announcer exclaimed.

"We can't lose Oricorio! Go with Steel Wing, then Air Slash!" Erika barked.

"We've got this Tessa. When Oricorio get's close, use Thunder Punch. Then finish this with Icicle Crash!" Jake exclaimed.

Heading her trainers instructions, Tessa waited as Oricorio took to the skies once again! Surrounding it's wings in a sheet of metal, the dancer Pokemon dove towards Tessa, keen on striking her with one of it's metalic wings!

As the dancer Pokemon approached, Tessa leaped into the air, landing right onto Oricorio's back!

"Oricorio, you've gotta shake Pikachu off!" Erika called out to her Pokemon.

Tessa held on for dear life as Oricorio began to flail around in the air, the dancer Pokemon desperate to shake off it's opponent!
While holding on with one hand, Tessa began to cloak her other in a veil of electricity! The Cosplay Pikachu then swung her fist into Oricorio's back!

Tessa leaped off Oricorio as the began to fall to the ground, the Cosplay Pikachu landing safely on two feet.

Wasting no time, Tessa once again began to channel the power of her outfit in order to unleash a special move! The Cosplay Pikachu unleashed a strange icy mist, which quickly moved towards the dancer Pokemon.
The mist then thickened, creating a giant icicle, which crashed into Oricorio, causing it to shriek in pain, before collapsing to the floor.

"Oricorio is unable to battle, which means the winner is Jake and Pikachu!" The referee yelled.

"What an exciting battle! With Pikachu's powerful moves and quick thinking, it seems it and Jake have managed to move on to the second round!" The announcer exclaimed.
----
"So, how'd it go?" Tyler questioned as Jake entered the lounge once more.
"I won....B-but Tessa really s-stole the show." Jake said. "Oh, Tessa s-she's my Pikachu."
"Well that's great to hear." Tyler nodded. "Anyway, while you were out there, Telpo here suggested we check out this hot dog stand."
"Apparently Amperet city hotdogs are some of the best in Fizzytopia, or so they say." Telpo explained. "Of course, that's ridiculous, but I wouldn't mind trying them out anyway."
"W-well....sure...why not? I-I am kind of hungry." Jake confessed.
"Me too master. Now, according to what I've heard...it shouldn't be too far from this building." Telpo chimed. "Well...that's what I've heard anyway. Regardless it shouldn't be to hard to find."
With that Telpo floated out of the lounge and to the front entrance, the others following close behind.
----
Though the group was eager to find the hotdog stand, their search had barely begun before they were stopped.

"Jake! Jake I finally found you!" A voice called out, causing Jake to turn to it's source.

The voice appeared to be coming from a familiar looking Turtwig, who was quickly approaching the group. After a moment, Jake realized why the Turtwig looked so familiar, it was the same one that his father had originally owned!

"Turtwig?! W-what are you doing here?" Jake asked.
"Look..there's no time to explain. But..we...really need your help." Turtwig said in between deep breathes. "Just...follow me ok? I'll explain there."
"A-alright, everyone...let's f-follow him." Jake said, before taking off after the tiny leaf Pokemon.

"So, no one's going to explain who that Turtwig was? Or how Jake could understand it?" Tyler asked.
"I don't think we really have time to sit around and explain." Telpo chimed. "But I'll inform you as we follow them, ok?"

"Fair enough." Tyler nodded. "Then let's get going, yeah?"
With that, Tyler, Telpo and Zebstrika began to chase after Jake and Turtwig.
----
"So basically Jake's father used to own a Turtwig and a few other Pokemon." Telpo began as he continued to chase after Jake.
"Well one day Jake's father uhh...unexpectedly died, and so the Turtwig and the others were released. That was the last we saw of them, and that was about four years." Telpo explained.
"So for one of his Pokemon to show up now, I'm guessing it's for a good reason."

"Alright that makes sense." Tyler replied. "But what I still don't get is how Jake could understand it? Am I missing something?"

"Really, Jake hasn't told you? He can understand Pokemon language." Telpo said. "Before you ask, no we don't know how that came about. Apparently it doesn't even work in some locations, or with certain Pokemon, it's a real mystery."

"It sounds like everything about you guys is a mystery if I'm being honest." Tyler replied. "Still, being able to understand most Pokemon? That's a pretty cool ability."

As Telpo and Tyler's conversation died down, their chase did too, as soon Turtwig lead them into what appeared to be an abandoned building.
As he entered the building, Jake couldn't help but wonder why everyone insisted on bringing him to such places. Once inside, the group quickly realized they weren't alone. Inside the small room was a Boldore, Drilbur, and an Ariados.

"Glad you're back Turtwig. And you brought Jake with you? Perfect." The Ariados smiled.

"Alright, so we're here. Now, mind telling us what's going on? You said it was urgent." Telpo chimed.

"W-where have you guys..been anyway?" Jake questioned. "I-I mean..you just....left one day...and now you're back?"

"Don't worry, I'll answer both of your questions. It'll have to be quick though, we don't have much time." Turtwig explained.

As Turtwig began to speak, Telpo began to translate what the tiny leaf Pokemon was saying, in order for Tyler to be able to understand.

"To start, after Jake and the others saved us from our former trainer-"
"Wait, I thought he unexpectedly died?" Tyler questioned, cutting Turtwig off.
"Oh yeah, that's what I meant. Just a mistranslation on my part." Telpo replied.

"Anyway, as I was saying. After what happened with our trainer, me and the rest of the group began our mission to help Pokemon escape their abusive trainers." Turtwig explained.
"Eventually we met with a man who had a lofty goal. He wanted to take down an evil team, know as Team Catalyst. Though our former trainer had been a part of it, we had no idea just what the group had done, until the man explained it to us.
Together, we created an organization know as the Catalyst Prevention Agency."

"W-wait, you created the..CPA?" Jake questioned.
"I'm assuming the man you're talking about...that would be Zack Esprit, right?" Telpo added.

"Both of you are indeed correct." Turtwig nodded.
"As for why I called you here. Yesterday, after you left, Zack sent Sophie and the rest of us on a mission. I don't know if you know, but a popular tourist destination in Amperet city is it's museum." Turtwig explained.

"So what does that have to do with your mission?" Tyler questioned.

"I'm getting there, be patient." Turtwig replied.
"On the bottom floor of the museum rests a special type of Pokeball. It is said to be able to capture any and all Pokemon, even legendary Pokemon.

"So let me guess, Catalyst has their sights on it, and wants to snatch Project X with it?" Telpo asked.

"Correct. Now this ball isn't known about to the general public, and the bottom floor has tight security, so I don't know how, but they have managed to catch wind of it." Turtwig explained.
"This would be pretty bad already, but it gets worse. You see...when Sophie went to investigate the place, Team Catalyst attacked and kidnapped everyone inside, including Sophie."

"T-then we've gotta stop them. I-I can only imagine..what they'd do to everyone." Jake said.

"Indeed master. Turtwig, do you know where everyone's being held?" Telpo asked.
"All I know is they're being held somewhere in the museum." Turtwig replied.

"Well then what are we waiting for?! We've gotta save those people, and maybe teach those Catalyst scum a lesson while we're at it!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Agreed. If they have their sights on that ball, then we must insure they don't get it." Telpo added.

"Glad you're with us." Turtwig nodded. "We don't have time to waste. The museum shouldn't be to far. Let's go everyone!"
----
"Alright this is the place." Turtwig said as the group of eight approached the building. The tiny leaf Pokemon really didn't need to tell them though, the large sign on the front clearly spelled it out for them.

"So this is it? We just charge in there?" Telpo questioned. "I wouldn't say that would be very wise, maybe we should come up with a proper plan."

"Are you kidding?! We don't have time to think!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Yes, but let's not be rash about it." Telpo replied. But the Abra's words fell on deaf ears as Tyler and Zebstrika were already heading through the front door.

"Well....w-we tried." Jake sighed.
"Yeah. We should probably follow him though. I don't think we need any more hostages." Turtwig replied.

As the rest of the group made their way into the museum, they were met with a stunning silence. The entire floor appeared to be void of all people, there wasn't even someone behind the front counter.

"So no one's here? Did Catalyst evacuate everyone to the lower levels?" Telpo questioned.

"I don't know." Turtwig whispered. "But we should probably be careful. We wouldn't want to tip them off that we're here."

"Guys! I think I found something!" Tyler exclaimed, beckoning the others over to where he was standing.

"Quiet, y-you're going to give us away." Jake said as he made his way over to Tyler.

"I'm afraid it's a bit too late for that." A voice called out before a familiar pair of Catalyst stepped into the groups line of vision.

"You! You're ones that took my Eelektrik!" Tyler exclaimed.
"What a brilliant observation." Victoria replied. "Yes we snatched your Eelektrik, what of it? I can assure you it will serve a much greater purpose working for us."

"Greater purpose?! I-I'll beat every last one of you if I have to. No one messes with me and gets away with it." Tyler spat.

"Funny, we were about to say the same thing." Fredrick replied. "We almost have Project X in our grasp, and we'll beat anyone who gets in our way. Especially those who've betrayed us." Fredrick added, glancing at Turtwig's group.

"Don't compare us to you scum bags. We didn't have a choice in joining in the first place." Turtwig replied, Telpo quick to translate his words.

"Is that so? Well quite frankly I don't really care." Victoria said. "You see, we're kind of busy with something, so just...get out of our hair ok?"
Once her words had left her mouth, Victoria grabbed a Pokeball from her belt and tossed it into the air, Fredrick following shortly afterwards.

From the Pokeballs emerged a Lopunny and Absol, both seemed to be quite eager to battle the group in front of them.

"We really don't have time for this." Turtwig grumbled. "The longer they stall..well the more likely we'll be too late."

"Then you guys get going, I can handle these two!" Tyler exclaimed. "I still need to teach them a lesson for stealing my Eelektrik after all."

"That's cute. Sorry, but we can't let that happen. Lopunny make sure no one escapes our grasp!" Victoria barked.

"Same with you Absol. Strike down any who refuse to cooperate!" Fredrick barked.

Heeding their trainer's orders, Lopunny and Absol charged at the group at an incredible speed!

"Zebstrika, Wild Charge!" Tyler exclaimed.
Tyler's Zebstrika let out a cry, before speeding towards Lopuuny and Absol, it's body covered in an electrical aura! The thunderbolt then slammed into the pair, causing both Pokemon to let out a cry, before falling backwards.

"Now's our chance everyone, let's go!" Telpo chimed.
With a nod, Jake, Telpo and Turtwig's group rushed past the Catalyst grunts, and deeper into the museum...
----
"So umm...j-just how many floors does this place have?" Jake questioned as the group made their way down onto the second floor.

"Zack said there should be four. Though only three are known to most of the public." Turtwig explained.

"So the fourth floor, that's where that special Pokeball is, right?" Telpo questioned.

"That's correct. The owner of the museum decided that it was too dangerous for the public eye to know about it." Turtwig replied.

"W-wait. So then....why even have it?" Jake asked.

"Beats me. That's not really impor-"
"Quiet, I hear people coming." Telpo chimed, cutting Turtwig's sentence short.

Indeed footsteps and the sound of murmuring could be heard from nearby..and it seemed to be coming there way.

"Everyone hide." Turtwig whispered, before diving behind a display case, Drilbur, Ariados and Boldore soon followed.

"Master this way." Telpo chimed, ushering his trainer behind a large Tyrantrum statue. Though Jake was worried he'd be caught with such a silly hiding place, his fears proved to be for naught, for the Catalyst grunt past by without as much as a glance in his direction.

"Oh Emily, didn't realize you were here." The grunt said, grabbing Jake's attention.
He hadn't realized it before, but there had been a second Catalyst grunt, walking the opposite way the first one had been.

"Yeah well, I kind of had to. The boss did stress that this was important." Emily replied. "Besides, it's not like I'd miss out on that bonus for doing this."
"Bonus?" The man questioned. "What kind of bonus? I've never heard about any bonus."
"You're so dumb sometimes Michael. The boss said anyone who helps keep intruders from interrupting this gets paid double time." Emily explained.

"Really? Sweet. I don't really get why though." Michael replied. "I mean, no one in their right mind is going storm this place, right?"

"Who knows. With Project X nearby, that resistance group may very well be on our tails. So let's keep our eyes peeled, just in case, yeah?"

"Yeah." Michael nodded. "See you around."
With that the pair of grunts split off, each going their separate ways.
Once they were out of sight, the group emerged from their hiding places, before regrouping.

"S-so...you heard what they said...a-about Project X r-right?" Jake asked.
"Indeed." Turtwig nodded. "If what they say is true, it means we have no time to waste. Let's hurry."

As the group continued to search for the way down to the next floor, Jake couldn't help but glance at the various displays the museum had to offer.
Beside the Tyrantrum statue from earlier, was an Aurorus statue. Each statue seemed to have a small plaque in front of it, most likely explaining more about the pieces.
There also seemed to be displays of a Carracosta, as well as an Omastar and Kabutops.
"Master, we're here." Telpo chimed, gesturing to the stairs in front of them.
"Oh...right..sorry." Jake murmured. "I-I guess..I kind of g-got distracted..huh?"
"It's ok master just...Turtwig is right, we do need to hurry." Telpo replied. "I know you're probably worried about Sophie and Tyler, but we can help them after."
"Y-yeah." Jake nodded. "Let's go then."
----
Making their way to the third floor, the first thing the group noticed was that it was much smaller then the previous two floors. Though they had been big expansive floors, this one was nothing more then a hallway. On either side of the walls were various pedestals, each holding what appeared to be different types of Pokeballs.

"Well well well, look who's decided to show up." A voice called out, turning the group's attention to the end of the hall.
The owner of the voice was a woman who appeared to be quite tall, and had long, silky black hair. Unlike the gray lab coat the other Catalyst members the woman's was pitch black, signifying her status as a Catalyst admin. Beside her was a Magmortar, who watched the group rather intently.

"N-No way...Shelly?! Y-you're working with Team Catalyst?" Jake questioned.
"Yeah, what of it? I thought that was kind of obvious after our previous two encounters." Shelly retorted.

"P-previous two..encounters?" Jake questioned. "W-we've only met once...a-at Ryuu town."

"Is that so? You're sure some of your Pokemon didn't fall under our care for a bit? Maybe after a certain attack by yours truly? Because I can can tell you the money I got from that was very real." Shelly cackled.

"Ahh!" Jake cried out, griping his head upon hearing the woman's words.

"Master, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Telpo questioned as he rushed to his trainer's side.

"I-i'm....fine. It's just...I-I remember her now...." Jake murmured. "But..i-it's as if I just....r-relearned that information. L-like it had been...erased from m-my mind."

"Look you two and your group of traitors can stop babbling now. You see, I'm not too impressed with you after what happened in Ryuu town, Jake." Shelly spat.

"I had the perfect plan of snatching the Ebony flute for Catalyst, and you and that stupid girl had to ruin it. Unfortunately I wasn't able to roast you to a crisp back in town, but that won't be a problem now. Magmortar use Fire Blast!" Shelly bellowed.

Following his trainers instructions, Magmortar stuck out it's arm, before channeling a large amount of fire at it's tip.
Jake barely had time to react as the blast Pokemon sent a wall of flames his way!
Jake jumped to his left just as the flames reached his previous position, narrowly avoiding getting roasted.

"No matter how many times you avoid me, you'll become nothing but cinders in the end, even if I have to burn this entire place to the ground!" Shelly exclaimed.

"Jake we don't have time to deal with her. We need to get to the fourth floor now!" Turtwig exclaimed. "We're going to do what Tyler did before, ok? Just...make sure you stop them, ok?"

"R-right." Jake nodded.
"I'll help too, Turtwig. You're going to need very bit of strength you can get." Telpo chimed.

"Thank you, Telpo. Now Drilbur use Slash, Ariados use Poison Jab, and Boldore go with Rock Blast!" Turtwig ordered.

"Magmortar, we'll show them what happens when they mess with an admin of Team Catalyst! Use Fire Blast, then go for Mega Punch!" Shelly barked.

With both sides having heard their orders, all the Pokemon began to clash! In the resulting chaos, Jake managed to slip by Shelly and head to the bottom floor...
----
Much like the previous floor, the final floor was quite small, consisting of only a single hallway, with a small room at the end. Within the room stood a man, who appeared to be wearing a silver lab coat, a familiar x pattern was stitched onto the back.

"S-stop right there!" Jake exclaimed, causing the man to turn around.
Upon seeing the man's face Jake let out a gasp. He was the one that had attacked Sophie and him at his base nearly three years ago. Though it had been quite some time since the attack, the man's face had stuck in Jake's mind all the same.

"Welcome Jake, I see you've come to stop me once again, huh?" The man questioned as he slowly approached the teen.

"O-of course..I-I won't stand by as Team Catalyst...as you d-do these..horrific things." Jake replied.

"Horrific? Do you truly think we're that bad? What makes you think that?"

"T-team Catalyst preforms....unethical experiments on Pokemon. T-they slaughter...innocent Pokemon. All in the name of....making the world...a better place? You're doing the exact opposite." Jake explained.

"Unethical experiments? Slaughtering innocent Pokemon? I can assure you that we do none of those things." The man replied.
"Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot last time? Let me reintroduce myself. Some may know me as the leader of Team Catalyst, but you may call me Chris." Chris explained.
"Now I don't know where you've heard those things about Team Catalyst, but I speak the truth when I tell you that that isn't what Team Catalyst is about. Our goal is to capture a powerful Pokemon, known as Project X, in order to create a better world."

"You're lying. I know..y-you've been preforming those...disgusting experiments. You've even held a knife to my friends throat, so...I-I don't want to hear it about your better world." Jake replied.

"Whoa whoa, what? You're really confusing me now. I can assure you I never held a knife to your friends throat." Chris said.

"Liar! I-I've heard enough. I'll make you pay..for everyone you've wronged!" Jake exclaimed, before grabbing a Cherish Ball from his bag and tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a Galvantula, who turned to his trainer and gave a firm nod, before facing the man in front of him.

"You know, I really wish it didn't have to come to this." Chris said, letting out an audible sigh. "But I can't have you trying to stop us. Not when we're so close to our goal." He then grabbed a regular Pokeball from his belt, chucking it onto the floor.
From the ball materialized a mighty Hydreigon, which let out a roar that echoed through out the building.

"Hydreigon use Flamethrower, then Dragon Rush!" Chris barked.

"L-let's give it our all Sparky. Start with Signal Beam, follow it with Cross Poison!" Jake ordered.

Eager to begin, Hydreigon flew towards Sparky. The brutal Pokemon then sent a large stream of fire from it's mouth and straight towards Sparky!

Unable to react in time, Sparky let out a cry as the red hot flames washed over him, dealing quite a bit of damage!

In retaliation, Sparky began to gather bug like energy in his mouth. Once he was satisfied with the amount, the Galvantula released it in the form of a rainbow beam. The beam crashed into Hydreigon, causing it to also let out a cry, before flying back a bit.

Seizing the opportunity to let off another attack, Sparky began to gather poisonous energy into his pedipalps. The Galvantula then lunged at the brutal Pokemon! With great speed, Sparky struck his opponent with a direct hit!
The poison coating his pedipalps also seemed to have been absorbed into Hydreigon's skin, poisoning the brutal Pokemon.

Angered by Sparky's assault, Hydreigon cloaked it's entire body in draconic energy! It then rushed towards Sparky, slamming into the Galvantula with all of it's might!

"H-hang in there Sparky! Go with Pin Missile, then use Bug Bite!" Jake ordered.

"Hydregion use Stone Edge, then Flamethrower!" Chris shouted.

This time, Sparky was the first to act! The Galvantula began to amass bug energy, before firing a wave of missiles at his opponent! The super effective attack caused the brutal Pokemon to cry out, before quickly returning to it's senses

In retaliation, Hydregion summoned a series of sharp, pointed rocks, which hovered around the imposing dragon. The stones then flew towards Sparky, each one stabbing into his body! The Galvantula couldn't help but shriek as the powerful attack sent his health levels plummeting!

But Sparky wasn't out just yet! Recovering from the previous attack, he leaped towards his opponent, ready to sink his fangs into the brutal Pokemon.
But Hydregion had already prepared for it's next attack, and fired a stream of flames at Sparky, sending the elespider Pokemon flying back onto the ground!
Despite being hit directly by such a powerful attack, Sparky rose to face his opponent once more! Though as he did this, Jake could tell that the Galvantula was hurting badly. Even one more attack from Hydregion would probably prove to be too much.

"Let's finish this Hydregion! Use Hyper Voice!" Chris barked.

"Sparky dodge it and use Bug Bite!" Jake called out to the Galvantula.

Eager to finish the battle, Hydregion flew towards Sparky, before letting out a loud shriek! The irritating sound soon shaped into a series of blue sound waves, each swiftly moving towards Sparky!
Unable to react in time, the Galvantula was forced to take the powerful attack head on. This proved to be too much for Sparky, who let out a final cry before falling to the ground in defeat!

"Sparky return!" Jake exclaimed as he returned the Galvantula to it's Cherish Ball. "Y-you did..great. Now...rest up well." Jake murmured as he stuffed the ball back in his bag.
Chris's Hydregion was no joke. Even with a type disadvantage, the brutal Pokemon was easily able to overpower Sparky. Still, after taking multiple super effective attacks from Sparky, the Hydregion did seem rather tired. One or two hits from one of his strongest Pokemon would surely be enough.
With this in mind, Jake grabbed a Thunder Ball and tossed it into the air.

From the ball emerged an intimidating looking Electivire. Taller then most Electivire, Crix towered over both Jake and Chris alike.
Though he said nothing, the thunderbolt gave a small nod, signaling that he was ready to battle.

"Crix, l-let's finish them off with Ice Punch and Cross Chop!" Jake ordered.

"Hydregion use Dragon Pulse, then Dragon Rush!" Chris shouted.

With no time to lose, Hydregion flew towards his new opponent. From one of it's mouths came a large beam of dragon energy, which made it's way to Crix, before slamming into the Electivire!

Barely flinching from the Hydregion's attack, Crix charged towards the brutal Pokemon, smashing Hydregion with a ice covered fist!

Hydregion cried out as Crix's powerful attack nearly caused it to fall then and there, but managed to pull itself together.
In an act of desperation, Hydregion began to surround itself in a veil of draconic energy, before flying towards Crix!
Prepared for the oncoming attack, Crix crossed both his arms, before swinging them at his opponent!
The two Pokemon clashed against each other, both putting their full force behind each attack. In the end, Crix proved to be stronger, sending the brutal
flying to the ground in defeat!

"Hydregion return!" Chris called out as he returned the brutal Pokemon to it's ball.
Grabbing a second Pokeball from his belt, Chris chucked it in front of him. From the ball materialized a Breloom, who threw a few practice punches in the air, eager to begin the match.

"Breloom use Seed Bomb, then Sky Uppercut!" Chris barked.
"Crix let's go with...Ice Punch, then Dual Chop!" Jake called out to the Electivire.

Eager to begin, Breloom sent a glowing orb of grass energy flying towards Crix. On impact, the orb exploded, causing Crix to stumble backwards.
In retaliation, Crix coated his right fist in ice, before swinging his limb right into the mushroom Pokemon's body!
In doing so Crix left himself wide open for a counter attack. Taking advantage of this, Breloom leaped into the air, striking it's opponent with a powerful uppercut!
Crix wasn't quite finished though, and began to coat both his arms in draconic energy! The thunderbolt Pokemon then swung both his arms at Breloom, delivering two powerful chops!

"L-Let's keep this up Crix. Go with Crossfire, then f-follow it with Fire Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Breloom us Counter, then Counter again!" Chris shouted.

Ready to begin, Crix crossed both his arms, before surrounding them in a veil of flames! The Electivire then charged towards Breloom, striking the mushroom Pokemon with both of it's flaming appendages! In retaliation, Breloom slammed into Crix with a counter attack, dealing double the damage to the Electivire!

Crix then coated a single fist in flames, before swinging it into Breloom's body! Once again Breloom let off another counter attack, sending Crix reeling back.
After this round, Jake could tell Crix was hurting. They needed to come up with a new strategy, and fast. If Breloom was going to counter every physical attack Crix threw at it..then Crix would have to stick with special moves!

"Breloom, Sleep Powder and Swords Dance, let's go!" Chris barked.

"Keep it at bay with Psychic, t-then Rock Smash!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off yet again, Crix let loose a wave of psychic energy, which quickly made it's way towards Breloom. But Breloom was too fast for the attack, and simply leaped over the attack!
The mushroom Pokemon then sent a cloud spores Crix's way! The Electivire tried his best not to breath in the spores, but it seemed it was already to late for the thunderbolt Pokemon! Crix swayed from side to side, before collapsing to the ground!

Taking advantage of his opponents timely nap, Breloom began to perform a special dance, heightening it's attack power!

"Crix wake up!" Jake called to the sleeping Electivire. "W-wake up and use Psychic!"

"Let's finished this Breloom. Focus Punch!" Chris shouted.

With Crix still sleeping, Breloom charged towards the Electivire, before stopping right in front of him. The mushroom Pokemon then began to gather an extreme amount of energy into it's fist!
Once satisfied, Breloom swung at Crix, dealing a great deal of damage! The power of the attack was enough to wake Crix from his slumber, but it seemed to be for naught. Crix could barely rise to his feet, before toppling over!

"Crix return!" Jake called out as he returned the Electivire to it's Thunder Ball.
"Lenna l-let's go!" Jake exclaimed as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged a Shinx, who glared at her opponent with a look of determination!

Though Lenna wasn't the scariest Pokemon, Breloom couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by the look the Shinx was giving it.

"Lenna go with Leer, t-then Fire Fang!" Jake ordered.

"Breloom, Mach Punch and then Counter!" Chris barked.

Starting things off, Breloom ran towards Lenna, throwing a quick punch at the Shinx before she could even react!
In return, Lenna shot the mushroom Pokemon fierce look, causing his defense to lower! But Lenna wasn't done yet! Coating her fangs in fire, the Shinx lunged at Breloom, sinking her teeth into the mushroom Pokemon's flesh!
In retaliation, Breloom landed a powerful counter attack, sending Lenna flying backwards!

When the round was over, it was clear as day that Breloom was struggling to stay on it's feet. It seemed Crix's attacks had done more then the Breloom had originally let on!

"Breloom stay in this! Use Bullet Seed, then Force Palm!" Chris barked.

"Let's end this Lenna. Go with Double Kick...then Fire Fang." Jake ordered.

Breloom was once again the first to act! The mushroom Pokemon began to gather grass energy within it's mouth, before shooting out a storm of seeds at Lenna! Unable to react in time, Lenna was pelleted with attack after attack, suffering a great deal of damage for it!

In retaliation, Lenna charged towards Breloom, before delivering two powerful kicks using her hind legs! This stunt left the Shinx wide open to attacks, and Breloom intended to take full advantage of this. Looking for the Shinx's weak point, Breloom drove his palm right into it, causing Lenna to cry out, as well as stumble backwards.

Eager to end the match as soon as possible, Lenna once again coated her fangs in flames, before biting down on Breloom! This proved to be too much for the mushroom Pokemon, who let out one last cry, before toppling over.

"Yay, I did it!" Lenna cheered as Chris returned his Pokemon to it's ball.
"Yeah...y-you were pretty great out there." Jake replied.
In response to her trainer's comment, Lenna turned around, giving her trainer a bright smile. Something felt odd to her though..it was if she was overflowing with energy. Suddenly a bright light began to surround the Shinx, causing her trainer to let out a small gasp.
"Lenna..y-you're evolving." Jake murmured as he watched Lenna transform.
She began to grow taller, and her legs began to grow stronger. Black fur started to cover some of her head in what appeared to be a star shaped pattern. When the light faded from Lenna, she was no longer a Shinx, but a !

With her new found strength, Lenna turned to face Chris, waiting to see what the man would send out next.

"I must admit, I am impressed. You and your Pokemon are certainly quite powerful. It's a shame that you insist on stopping us." Chris said as he pulled out a third Pokeball. He was about to toss it, when a Catalyst grunt approached him.
That was odd, Jake didn't remember anyone else being in the room, except Chris and him. Had he been to distracted by the battle to notice?

"Sir, we've managed to secure the ball." The grunt said, handing what appeared to be a special kind of Pokeball to Chris.

"Perfect." Chris said, before turning his attention to Jake.

"Sorry, but it seems our battle is over now. But I'm assuming you're going to try chasing us down, so I'm afraid I'm going to have to do...this!" Chris exclaimed as he tossed a Pokeball in front of him.
From the ball emerged a Glaceon, which quickly turned to their trainer for orders.

"Glaceon, freeze these two with your Blizzard attack!" Chris shouted.

Letting out a cry, Glaceon summoned a storm of snow and ice, which quickly made it's way towards Lenna and her trainer.

The next thing Jake knew, his vision turned white, before.....
----
"Master. Master please wake up." Telpo chimed, startling Jake from his slumber.

"Huh? Wh-oh..it's you Telpo." Jake murmured upon spotting the Abra. "Where am I..w-what happened? Where's Team Catalyst?!"

"They're gone master. After they grabbed what they were looking for, they ran off." Telpo explained. "But I'm glad you're ok. Lenna approached me after they left, saying that you'd turned into an ice cube."

"It was nothing, Vermillion is the one you really have to thank." The Luxio said, pointing to the Torkoal using her head.

"Yeah. After Lenna confronted me, I managed to grab Vermillion from a nearby PC, so he melted you out of the ice." Telpo explained. "Sorry about the wet clothes though."

"I-It's ok. Thank you..Telpo, Lenna, Vermillion." Jake said as he rose to his feet.

"No problem! I do get an extra big dinner though, right?" Vermillion questioned. "I did help thaw you out after all."

"Yes yes..I-I'll make sure of it Vermillion." Jake replied.
"S-so..where is everyone? Is Sophie...is she ok?"

"She's fine master. Tyler, Sophie and Turtwig's group ran ahead to the harbour. Apparently Zack is supposed to meet us there." Telpo explained.

"Huh? Zack's here? W-what for?" Jake questioned.

"Oh! Maybe he's going to send us all on an adventure!" Lenna exclaimed. "That's be fun!"

"The chances of that are very low. Most likely he wants us to report on what happened." Telpo replied. "So let's not keep him waiting, yeah? Follow me." The Abra said, before floating up the stairs, the others following shortly after.
----
Sure enough, as the group made their way towards the harbor, Jake spotted Sophie, Tyler, Zack and Duosion, as well as Turtwig and his team.

"Jake, I'm glad you could make it." Zack said upon noticing the trainer's arrival.
"Well I would be glad, but now's not really the time for cheer, considering the circumstances of our meeting."

"Yeah.." Jake murmured, before turning to Sophie. "So, how'd you get out? I-If you don't mind me asking."

"Tyler saved me." Sophie replied.

"Yeah. After dealing with those two grunts, I managed to stumble upon where they were keeping the prisoners." Tyler explained. "Surprisingly they weren't being guarded, I guess maybe those two I fought were the guards."

"T-that's good to hear." Jake nodded. "But umm..what do we do now?"

"Well, now that Team Catalyst has all they need to capture Project X, I'm afraid we have little choice but to storm their base." Zack said.

"Wait what, are you insane?!" Tyler exclaimed. "I said I'd help you guys out, but there's no way we can storm their headquarters!"

"Zack's right. As much as I want those scum to suffer for what they've done, there's no way we're strong enough to take them on." Sophie added.

"Besides, we don't know where their base even is." Telpo chimed.

"If we all band together, I'm sure we'll beat them. Besides, we have no choice but to. If they manage to capture Project X, it's all over." Zack said. "Besides, we do know where their base is, or at least..I do."

"W-what? You do?" Jake questioned. "How? A-another one of your sources?"

"I suppose it's time you learn the truth. We've come this far, I suppose it's the least I can do." Zack said, letting out an audible sigh.

"You don't have to do this Zack! You don't owe any of them anything!" Duosion exclaimed.

"Do I not? They've stuck with me this far, I do owe them an explanation." Zack replied, before turning to the rest of the group.
"I'll start from the beginning, it's easier that way, since Tyler hasn't heard this." Zack began.
As Zack dove into Team Catalyst's origin's, Jake couldn't help but nod his head. Zack had only told him about this yesterday, back in the CPA headquarters, so it was still fresh in Jake's mind.

"So now everyone's caught up to speed so far." Zack finished. "But what I haven't told you, is what happened after. Upon forming Team Catalyst, the leader began his search for a research facility.
In order for Catalyst to be able to recapture Project X, they needed to develop new and powerful technology. Eventually he stumbled across Hagane Labs, a research facility owned by Adam Hagane's two grandsons." Zack explained.

"Wait, I-I thought Steven..was the only owner of that place." Jake said.

"I'm getting there." Zack replied. "The man convinced the owners of Hagane Labs to let him borrow their facility, in order to make a better world. That being the goal of Hagane Labs, both brothers agreed to the man's proposal.
Now being apart of Team Catalyst, both brothers began to be assigned various tasks, in order to help Team Catalyst succeed. At one point, Team Catalyst's boss ordered the eldest brother to track down the child of an old friend. Apparently he had murdered the man's friend in a downtown bar, and he was tasked with tracking him down." Zack continued.

At this point of the story, Jake began to shift around uncomfortably. It was obvious that Zack was referring to him, as the child who had murdered their father. Still he said nothing, allowing Zack to continue.

"Eventually the eldest brother tracked the child down..and in the end, Team Catalyst managed to capture some of the child's Pokemon, all thanks to him.
Up until that point, the oldest brother felt like he was doing the right thing..but after seeing what Catalyst was doing to the Pokemon they had captured..he changed his mind. He defected from Catalyst..and with the help of some Pokemon, the man managed to free the Pokemon he had helped take.
Ashamed at his earlier actions, he delivered the Pokemon to their trainer's house, though he altered his memory, so that the trainer would never know who had truly delivered the Pokemon." Zack continued.

"Still feeling guilty for his actions, the man..with the help of some Pokemon...he created the CPA, hoping to atone for his earlier actions."

"Wait..so then.y-you're the eldest brother?" Jake questioned.

"That's right. My true name is Zack Hagane, not Zack Esprit." Zack replied.

A stunning silence followed, no one daring to speak a word.

"Look..I understand if you hate me..I realize that what I've done was truly terrible. But..if we don't stop Team Catalyst, the whole world is in danger. Please..I need your help." Zack said.

"I-I'll go." Jake stammered. "What you did...it was terrible, b-but you're doing the right thing now. Besides, I-I have you to thank for..returning my Pokemon." Jake added.

"Count me in too!" Tyler exclaimed. "Sure you messed up, but hasn't everyone? There's no need to be dwindle on the past, especially since we have a world to save!"

"I don't know how to feel about you having been with Catalyst...but I'll go too." Sophie added. "Those scum need to be taught a lesson, and I'm not just going to stand by as you guys take care of everything."

"We'll go too, but I think that's obvious at this point." Turtwig nodded. "After all..we've know about this for a while..nothing's going to change now." In response to Turtwig's words, Drilbur, Boldore, and Ariados gave a firm nod.

"I appreciate the honesty...and..I'll help too, if that wasn't obvious." Telpo chimed.

"T-thank you everyone. It means a lot to me." Zack replied.

"Yay! We're going on a real adventure! This is going to be awesome!" Lenna exclaimed.

"Now's not the time for games Lenna." Jake replied. "Here, h-how about you and Vermillion get a nice rest." Jake added, returning the Luxio and Torkoal to their Pokeballs.

"Jake..would you mind if i requested you bring all of your Pokemon?" Zack questioned. "It's going to be a tough battle ahead..and we're going to need all the power we can muster."

"Umm....o-ok. Sure." Jake nodded.

"No worries, master, I'll grab them." Telpo chimed. "Just give me your bag, I'll handle the rest."

"Alright. Thanks Telpo." Jake smiled, handing his bag off to the Abra.

"So, where are we headed anyway?" Tyler questioned.

"Kairyu island. It's said that long ago a mighty Dragonite slumbered there. Now it's home to a massive tower, where Team Catalyst resides." Zack explained.
"We're going to be taking this boat here, so when you're ready, hop on." Zack added, pointing to a small boat off to the left of the dock.

As Turtwig and the others began to scramble onto the boat, Jake followed. Before he could get on board however, Sophie stopped him.

"Sorry, it's just I have something to give you." Sophie explained as she placed something in Jake's hand.
It was an amulet, a blue stone in the shape of a tear drop. In the center was a small hole, as if a stone was meant to fit inside.

"Oh umm..t-thanks." Jake murmured. "But umm, if you don't mind me asking..w-why?"

"Well..I thought..since we're going to Catalyst's base..I'd give you something to remember me by." Sophie explained. "It's going to be dangerous..and...well in case I die..I wanted you to have it."

"What? Nonsense." Jake said, shaking his head. "No one is going to die. We've got this."

"This isn't another of our silly adventures though. We're storming a criminal team's headquarters, anything can happen." Sophie replied firmly.

"I-I guess you're right..thank you." Jake replied, stuffing the amulet in his pocket, before climbing on board the ship.

*Jake obtained Sophie's Amulet!*

Soon after Telpo returned, Jake's bag floating behind him.
"Here you are master. Everyone is accounted for, all forty four of us." Telpo chimed as he placed the bag back on Jake's back with his telekinesis.

"Thank you Telpo." Jake replied.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Zack questioned.
With everyone's approval, Zack started the boat, taking them away from the docks and onto the open waters.

Jake watched as the city of Amperet became smaller and smaller. Though he had originally came to the city to compete in the Electric Masters Regionals..now he had an entirely different goal in mind. As the group drew closer to their destination, Jake knew there was no going back.
If they didn't stop Team Catalyst now, the whole world was in peril. With this in mind, Jake looked on towards the ocean, wondering just what trouble the future would bring...

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 06-23-2017 at 06:07 PM.
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Old 06-23-2017, 06:07 PM   #16
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Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 1

It was funny, despite the dire circumstances, the day carried on like any other. The sound of a boat cutting through the open waters. The sounds of Wingull overhead. It was so calm..peaceful even.
Yet..now wasn't the time to stop and enjoy the sounds of nature. They had come here for a purpose..one to cast Team Catalyst away from this world forever.

"Jake, are you ok? You've been awfully quiet since we set sail." Turtwig said as he approached the teen.

"Huh? Oh..i-it's nothing." Jake murmured. "It's just...I-I'm a bit...nervous..is all. I guess I...didn't fully r-realize how high the stakes were..until talking to everyone."

After they had set sail, Jake had taken the time to brief every single one of his Pokemon on the situation. With how many he had, and how small the ship was, Jake was only able to tell a handful at a time.
But what had really surprised him..was that every last one of them had agreed to fight, should the need arise. Even Milo and Aco agreed on following his orders. It was in that moment that he realized just how serious the situation had become.

"I see...well..just remember we're all in this together, right?" Turtwig replied. "I'm sure everything will be just fine..we've got this."

"..Thanks, Turtwig. I-I think I needed that." Jake murmured.
With a firm nod, Turtwig left Jake's side, scurrying off to join the rest of his group.

But Turtwig's presence was soon replaced by Hazel and Telpo. After Jake had explained what was going on to the Eevee, Hazel had insisted to stay with the group. The two had been helping Zack with navigating the open waters, so there presence meant...

"Master, Zack says we're almost there." Telpo chimed.
"H-he said you should t-take a look up f-front." Hazel added.
Giving the pair a nod, Jake made his way to the front of the ship, Telpo and Hazel following shortly behind.

Up at the front deck, Jake immediately spotted Tyler and Sophie, it seemed the two were already checking out whatever Zack wanted them to.

Looking ahead, Jake could spot a massive white tower, which cast a large shadow on the forest below. At the very top seemed to be a dome, though it's purpose was something that Jake could only guess.

"Whoa, that's their base?!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Indeed, though it's not quite as big inside, as it appears from here." Zack replied. "You see, each floor has a massive ceiling, in order for a Pokemon of any size to fit."

"I-it's incredible..." Jake murmured.

"It is. Unfortunately for us, Chris's office is at the very top, in that dome. If I had to guess, I'd say that's where they're keeping that special Pokeball." Zack explained.

"And because of that dome, we can't just fly in, right?" Telpo questioned.

"That would be right. We can't exactly teleport to the top either..so we're going to have to go in the old fashioned way." Zack replied, steering the boat towards a nearby dock as he did so.

Once parked, the group disembarked from the boat, before turning to Zack, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Alright, we're here...this is Kairyu island." Zack said upon planting his feet on the ground.
"Now, Team Catalyst's security must have spotted our boat, so we don't have much time. Jake, Tyler..I want you two to scout out the entrance, see if there's anyone guarding the front doors, got it?"

"Leave it to me." Tyler nodded.
"Y-yeah..we've got this." Jake added.

"Alright, Telpo, Zack and I will stay here." Sophie replied.
With nothing more to say, Jake, Tyler, and Hazel began to walk through the countless oak trees, and towards the Catalyst tower...
----
"This is going to be awesome! What do you think we're going to find in there? Maybe we can grab some call technology if we find it!" Tyler exclaimed as he pushed his way through tree branches.

"You know..t-this isn't a silly adventure...w-we're breaking into...a criminal teams headquarters." Jake replied, copying Sophie's earlier words.

"Yeah I know that, obviously." Tyler scoffed. "I'm just saying if we find anything of interest..well, maybe it can be of use."

"Fair enough...I-I guess." Jake said, before reaching a clearing. Little light could be seen, despite the lack of trees. Looking to the right, it was easy to see why. Blocking most of the sunlight was a gigantic white tower, at it's entrance stood two Catalyst Grunts.
Though Jake didn't recognize one of them, the other was very to familiar to Jake. It was Charlotte, the grunt Jake had impersonated back at Hagane City!

"Alright..l-let's report back to Zack." Jake whispered.

"What? No, are you crazy? Zack would obviously want us to dispatch them, then report back." Tyler replied.

"N-no..I don't th-" Jake began, before Tyler charged ahead, making his words completely pointless. Why did this seem so familiar?
Well there was no point staying behind now. Letting out a sigh, Jake made his way towards the grunts, Hazel following close behind.

"Alright Team Catalyst, it's time you were taught a lesson!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Oh look Charlotte, it seems we have an intruder on our hands." The first grunt said, seeming way too disinterested for what was happening.

"Kevin, it's him! That's the guy that Steven said was impersonating me!" Charlotte exclaimed, pointing at Jake.

"For real? That's the guy Steven was crying about?" Kevin questioned.

"I guess so. But that doesn't matter! You two think you can trespass here and get away with it? We'll destroy you!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Bring. It. On. We can take grunts like you on all day!" Tyler exclaimed, before tossing a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged a strange spherical, rodent like Pokemon. In response, Jake quickly scanned the strange Pokemon with his Pokedex.

"Togedemaru, the Roly-Poly Pokémon. An Electric and Steel type." The Pokedex droned. " The spiny fur on its back is normally at rest. When this Pokémon becomes agitated, its fur stands on end and stabs into its attackers."

"Alright Heracross, let's go!" Kevin exclaimed, chucking a Pokeball in front of him. Emerging from the ball was the single horn Pokemon, who seemed quite eager to fight.

"This is for impersonating me. Swellow, you're up!" Charlotte called, sending out the swallow Pokemon.

Rummaging through his bag, Jake pulled out a regular Pokeball, before tossing it in the air. From the ball materialized...another Pokeball? No, it Bakudan the Voltorb!

"Alright Bakudan..I-I need you to take these guys out...a-and fast. Think you can do that?" Jake asked.

"Affirmative, these freaks won't know what hit them." Bakudan replied.

"Alright. Bakudan use Tackle, t-then Shock Wave! Both on Swellow!" Jake ordered.

"Togedemaru, use Spark on Swellow, follow with Rollout!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Heracross. Brick break on Togedemaru, Mega Horn on Voltorb." Kevin said.

"Swellow, Quick Attack on Voltorb, next use Aerial Ace on Togedemaru!" Charlotte barked.

Starting things off, Swellow flew towards Bakudan as quick as it could, before slamming into the ball Pokemon!

In retaliation, Bakudan rammed into Swellow, dealing a small amount of damage to the swallow Pokemon.

Togedemaru was the next to act! Surrounding itself in a veil of sparks, Togedemaru slammed into Swellow, sending it flying back!

Meanwhile, Heracross ran towards Togedemaru, striking the roly-poly Pokémon with an open hand!

Once again Swellow flew towards it's opponent at a high speed. At the last second, Swellow flew around Togedemaru, before striking it from the side!

But in doing so, Swellow left itself wide open to attack! Taking advantage of this, Togedemaru began to roll towards Swellow, slowly picking up speed as it went! The roly-poly Pokemon then struck the swallow Pokemon, causing it to cry out in pain!

But Swellow wasn't in the clear quite yet. Bakudan began to gather electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards Swellow, following the swallow Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

With Bakudan distracted with Swellow, Heracross began to charge towards the Voltorb, it's horn glowing with energy! The single horn Pokemon then rammed into Bakudan, sending the Voltorb flying backwards.

"Ok Heracross, Close Combat on Togedemaru, Night Slash on Voltorb." Kevin said.

"Swellow use Brave Bird on Togedemaru, then follow with Air Slash!" Charlotte barked.

"O-ok Bakudan, use Sonic Boom...then Shock Wave. Both on Swellow!" Jake ordered.

"Keep using Rollout on Swellow, Togedemaru!" Tyler exclaimed.

Once again Swellow was the first to act! Surrounding itself in flying energy, the swallow Pokemon flew high up into the air. Swellow then dove towards it's target, it's body covered in a bright blue aura!

At the same time, Togedemaru continued to roll towards Swellow. The two attacks collided, but the roly-poly Pokemon proved to be stronger, with a cry Swellow was sent flying backwards!

Taking advantage of this, Bakudan sent out waves of sound energy towards Swellow, striking the swallow Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage to it.

Heracross was the next to act. The single horn Pokemon charged towards the rolling Togedemaru, before striking it over and over with it's arms. In doing so, Heracross left it's defense in shambles. From now on, any physical attack was bound to do more damage to the single horn Pokemon!

Angered by Bakudan and Togedemaru's assault, Swellow swung it's wing at Togedemaru, sending a blade of air towards the roly-poly Pokemon!
But Togedemaru was too fast, and effortlessly spun out of the attacks way, before leaping into the air, still spinning as fast as ever!
Togedemaru then slammed into Swellow's back, sending both Pokemon crashing into the ground!

Once Togedemaru leaped off of it's opponent, it was clear to see that Swellow wasn't getting up...

Meanwhile, with Swellow out of commission, Bakudan set her sights on Heracross! Once again Bakudan began to gather electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity flew out towards Heracross, chasing the single horn Pokemon, before hitting it with a a bolt of electricity!

In retaliation, Heracross swung at Bakudan with a horn covered in dark energy!

"Swellow, return!" Charlotte called, returning Swellow to it's ball. She then grabbed a second Pokeball, before tossing it in front of her. From the ball emerged a Yanma, who flew over to take Swellow's place.

"Ok Bakudan..u-use Charge, then Shock Wave on Heracross!" Jake ordered.

"Togedemaru use Wild Charge and Spark on Heracross!" Tyler shouted.

"Brick Break on Togedemaru, then Mega Horn on Voltorb." Kevin said, before letting out a loud yawn.

"Yanma use Hidden Power on Voltorb, then use it once more on Togedemaru!" Charlotte barked.

This time it was Bakudan who started the round off! The Voltorb began to charge up electricity, almost as if she was ready to attack! Instead, the ball Pokemon stored the electricity within her body, prepared for when she decided to attack next!

Eager to begin, Yanma began to channel a power from within itself, and soon three orbs started to float around the clear wing Pokemon. Each orb appeared to have come from the earth! The orbs then shot out towards Bakudan, striking the Voltorb and dealing a ton of damage!

The next to act was Togedemaru! Surrounding itself in electricity, Togedemaru recklessly charged towards Heracross, slamming into the single horn Pokemon with all it's might!

In retaliation, Heracross struck the roly-poly Pokemon with an open hand, sending it flying backwards!

Taking advantage of this, Yanma once again began to channel it's power hidden deep within, before sending the orbs of energy flying towards Togedemaru! The roly-poly Pokemon let out a cry as the super effective sent an intense amount of pain throughout it's body.
The Yanma's attack proved to be too much for Togedemaru, the roly-poly Pokemon toppling over in defeat.

Meanwhile, Bakudan sent out another shock wave, using her previously charged energy to boost it's power! Once again the blue electricity homed in on Heracross, before striking it with a powerful shock!

In return, Heracross charged at Bakudan, smashing into the Voltorb with a glowing horn.

"Togedemaru return!" Tyler called, returning the roly-poly Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"You were great out there, now leave the rest to me." Tyler said, taking out a second Pokeball and throwing it in front of him.
From the Pokeball emerged a mighty Zebstrika, the thunderbolt Pokemon appeared to be quite eager to battle!

As Tyler sent out his signature Pokemon, Jake took the time to examine the Pokemon on the battle field. Yanma had yet to have been hit, and seemed full of energy. Heracross appeared to be in a much worse state then it's teammate, but nothing compared to Bakudan.
The Voltorb seemed to be hanging on by a thread...even one attack would surely end her. With this in mind, Jake knew what he had to do.

"Ok Heracross, Seismic Toss on Voltorb, Mega Horn on Zebstrika." Kevin said.

"Yanma, use Quick Attack on Zebstrika, then Bug Buzz!" Charlotte shouted.

"Alright..l-let's go out with a bang, Bakudan! Once Heracross g-grabs you, use Explosion!" Jake ordered.

"Explosion, huh? Alright then Zebstrika, once Yanma uses Quick Attack, go for a Protect!" Tyler exclaimed.

Starting things off, Yanma flew towards Zebstrika at an astounding rate, striking the thunderbolt Pokemon and dealing some light damage.

The next to move was Zebstrika! After gathering some energy, the thunderbolt Pokemon erected a blue dome around itself!

Meanwhile, Heracross charged towards Bakudan, grabbing hold of the ball Pokemon and preparing to toss it!
At that moment, Bakudan let out all of her energy, creating a large explosion!
The powerful attack not only engulfed Heracross and Bakudan, but Yanma and Zebstrika as well! Not only that, but the power of the attack caused a smokescreen to be cast onto the battlefield. Once the smoke lifted, both Bakudan and Heracross could be seen on the ground, both unable to move.

"Bakudan..return!" Jake called, before returning the ball Pokemon to her Pokeball. "Y-you were great. Now rest up well."
"Heracross return." Kevin said, returning the single horn Pokemon to it's ball. The Catalyst grunt then tossed another Pokeball into the air. From the ball materialized a strange reptilian Pokémon with countless scales covering it's body.
Confused, Jake took out his Pokedex, before scanning the strange creature.
"Hakamo-o, the scaly Pokemon. A Dragon and Fighting type." The Pokedex droned.
"It leaps at its prey with a courageous shout. Its scaly punches tear its opponents to shreds."

Putting away his Pokedex, Jake grabbed another regular Pokeball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball appeared a Tynamo, who began to quickly survey her surroundings.

"Oh! My first battle! I guess it's time to put my research to the test!" Elena chirped.

"Ok Elena, u-use Charge Beam on Yanma, then Spark!" Jake ordered.

"Zebstrika use Flame Charge on Yanma, then follow with Double Edge on Hakamo-o!" Tyler shouted.

"Hakamo-o, Dragon Claw on Tynamo, Brick Break on Zebstrika." Kevin said.

"Yanma, Quick Attack and Bug Buzz, both on Tynamo!" Charlotte barked.

Starting things off, Yanma flew towards Elena at an astounding rate, striking the Tynamo and dealing some light damage.

The next to act was Zebstrika. Surrounding itself in a veil of flames, the thunderbolt Pokemon charged at Yanma, smashing into the clear wing Pokemon and sending it flying backwards! Due to the nature of the attack, Zebstrika also felt much lighter on it's feet, improving it's already impressive speed!

Angered by Yanma's earlier assault, Elena began to charge up lot's of electricity, before firing a narrow beam of it at Yanma, striking it and dealing some solid damage. If that wasn't enough, it seemed that Elena had charged up a bit too much electricity. Thinking quickly, the Tynamo reabsorbed the energy, increasing the power of her special attacks!

Next up was Hakamo-o. The scaly Pokemon lunged at Elena, striking the Tynamo with a claw surrounded in draconic energy!

Ready to go once again, Zebstrika recklessly charged towards Hakamo-o, it's own safety entirely forgotten. The thunderbolt Pokemon then slammed into Hakamo-o, causing the scaly Pokemon to cry out in pain!

In retaliation, Hakamo-o swung it's arm at Zebstrika, striking the thunderbolt Pokemon with an open hand!

Meanwhile, Yanma flew over to Elena, before beating it's wings even faster then before. From it's wings green sounds waves shot out, washing over Elena and dealing a large amount of damage to the Tynamo!

But Elena was far from done! Surrounding herself in a veil of electricity, Elena flew towards Yanma, ramming into the clear wing Pokemon with all her might!
This proved to be too much for Yanma, who let out a final cry, before falling to the ground!

"Yanma, no!" Charlotte cried, returning the clear wing Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"Damn...that was last Pokemon! No wonder Steven struggled to beat these guys."
"If you're all out of Pokemon...how about you report to the boss, I'll take care of this." Kevin said.
"Right." Charlotte nodded, before turning to Jake.
"You...I'll remember this! Next time I'll wipe the floor with you!" With that, Charlotte scrambled through the front doors, and into Team Catalyst's base.

That wasn't good. If Charlotte was going to report to Chris about their presence, that meant that they were going to have to end the fight quickly!

"Hakamo-o, Dragon Claw and Aerial Ace, both on Zebstrika." Kevin said.

"Elena...use Tackle, t-then Charge Beam!" Jake ordered.

"Double Edge then Giga Impact Zebstrika, let's go!" Tyler exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Zebstrika charged towards Hakamo-o, disregarding it's own safety in the process. The thunderbolt then slammed into the scaly, dealing a severe amount, but also hurting itself in the process!

Not willing to let Zebstrika do all the work, Elena flung herself at Hakamo-o, striking the scaly Pokemon with all her weight!

Angered by Zebstrika's earlier attack, Hakamo-o surrounded it's claw in draconic energy, before swinging it at the thunderbolt Pokemon!

In retaliation, Zebstrika began to gather an extreme amount of energy, a blue spiral forming around it's body as it do so! Zebstrika then began to charge towards Hakamo-o, slow gaining speed as it made it's towards it's opponent!
The thunderbolt Pokemon then slammed into Hakamo-o, the full force of it's attack behind it!
This proved to be too much for the scaly Pokemon, who let a loud shriek, before toppling over!

"Hakamo-o return." Kevin said, returning the scaly to it's Pokeball.
"Well..it seems you two have beaten me, congrats I guess." Kevin said, letting out a small sigh.
"I'm just going to go, have fun with the whole trespassing thing."
With that, the Catalyst grunt entered the tower, leaving Tyler and Jake to themselves.

"Oh yeah, we cleaned up!" Tyler exclaimed.
"R-right. Now let's go report back." Jake replied, returning Elena to her Pokeball as he did so.

"That won't be necessary, I'm sure you idiots have done enough." A voice rang in the trainer's heads.
Entering the clearing was Zack and the group, Duosion looking less then impressed with Jake and Tyler.
"Jake, Tyler...it's good to see you're ok." Zack smiled.
"After you didn't report back, we got kind of worried, so we went looking for you. Sophie added. "So what's the scoop? What took you guys so long?"

"Tyler...he umm..g-got us caught up...in a battle." Jake replied.

"Way to go Tyler! Didn't Zack here say to report back and not engage the enemy?" Duosion questioned.

"Now now Duosion, what's done is done..there's no use dwelling on it now." Zack said.
"Considering there's no guards, does that mean they went inside?" Turtwig questioned, Telpo quickly translating his question.
"Yeah." Jake nodded.

"Well then, we haven't much time, let's get going." Zack said, before entering the building, the others following close behind.
----
Once inside, Jake couldn't help but gasp. Despite what Zack had said on the boat, the size of the interior was gigantic! But now wasn't the time to admire it, they had other things to worry about!
Looking around, it appeared the group has arrived at a waiting room. There was a receptionists desk, as well as many small chairs scattered throughout the room. To Jake's left and right was a large archway, leading to even more rooms. A third one could be seen straight ahead, leading to a large hallway.

"Alright, which way are we going Zack?" Telpo questioned.

"I uh...actually don't know." Zack replied.

"What?! You said you worked here though!" Tyler exclaimed. "How can you not know where to go?"

"Yes well...it's been a number of years, alright? I guess we have no choice but to split up." Zack said.

"Split up? That never goes well." Turtwig said.

"I agree with Turtwig, spliting up will make it easier for Team Catalyst to overwhelm us." Telpo added.

"Well, what choice do we have? We won't have time to check every single way as a group. We have to work as quick as possible." Sophie said.

"Alright fine, maybe spliting up is our best option." Turtwig conceded. "So what are the groups?"

"Right. Well I was thinking, Sophie and Tyler can take the right side, Duosion, Turtwig's group, and I can take the left, while Jake takes the middle." Zack said. "Is everyone ok with that?"

"Sounds good to me." Sophie smiled.
"Me too! Come on Sophie, let's get going, we have a world to save!" Tyler exclaimed, before running through the right arch, Zebstrika right behind him.
"Tyler, wait up! Hold on!" Sophie called, chasing after Tyler.

With the two gone, Zack turned his attention to Jake.
"Sorry you don't get a partner. I figured since you have the most Pokemon out of all of us, that you'd be fine on your own." Zack explained.

"I-it's ok. I understand." Jake replied.

"Here, I wanted to give you this." Zack said, handing Jake a black bracelet.

"Thanks...b-but what's it for?" Jake questioned.

"Well..after you left yesterday..I uhh..managed to find it. You remember that device I mentioned? The one that stopped Project X's mind co-" Zack began.

"Wait! T-then this is..this is the device?!" Jake exclaimed.

"It is. I know how horrific it is...but considering it's already charged...mine as well put it to good use. We don't know what kind of traps Team Catalyst has in store for us, so best be sure." Steven explained.

"Ok.." Jake murmured, not too keen on the prospect of using such a terrible device. Upon pressing the power button on the bracelet, a faint dark aura surrounded Jake, letting him know the device was working.

"Oh umm..one last thing. Would you mind if I borrowed Telpo?" Zack asked. "It's important."

"Telpo? Umm...I-I don't know...what do you think Telpo?" Jake asked.

"If you're ok with it master, I'd be fine with helping." The Abra chimed.

"Ok then...umm........s-sure. I'll lend you Telpo." Jake stammered, handing the Abra's Pokeball to Zack.

"Thank you. I promise I'll return him to you safe and sound." Zack smiled.
"Now let's get going, Telpo, Turtwig and friends...we must hurry." Zack said, before exiting the room, the others right behind him.

"Y-you...didn't want Telpo to leave..d-did you?" Hazel questioned.
"Perceptive as always Hazel." Jake smiled. "But you're right...I didn't want Telpo to go. But...t-that's selfish right? I mean Zack...h-he needed Telpo's help. Maybe I'm...a bit too reliant on Telpo i-is all."

Hazel said nothing to this, instead looking to the floor, feeling slightly guilty at having brought the topic up.

"Well, let's get going. W-we don't have much time." Jake said.
With Hazel at his feet, the two made there way through the center archway, wondering just what was in store for them within the tower.
----
Going down the long hallway, Jake glanced into each room he passed by. Kitchens, barracks, laboratories..each and every room seemed to have a purpose. But there was one thing Jake noticed was missing as he passed more and more rooms. People.
After Jake and the others had entered the building, he hadn't seen a single person, or even a Pokemon that belonged to Team Catalyst. Where had they all gone? This was supposed to be Team Catalyst's main headquarters...so why was no one here? Zack had said that Chris's office was on the top floor...had they all made their way there?
As Jake continued to ponder this, the pair reached the end of the hallway. To his left and right was a door..the question was, which one was the correct one? Taking a wild guess, Jake grabbed the left door, slowly opening it, before peering inside.
The door led to what appeared to be a large laboratory. Various types of equipment could be seen scattered across the room, as if suddenly abandoned, and yet...there was still no sight of anyone.
With the laboratory leading nowhere, Jake went over to the right door, revealing another hallway behind it. This one was different then the previous one though. Instead of the white tile floor the previous hallway sported, this one had a clay floor. Was this used as a battle grounds? Jake couldn't really be sure.
What he could be sure of is what he spotted at the end of the hallway. It was a tall set of stairs, spiraling up higher into the tower! It seemed Zack had sent him on the right path after all. With renewed confidence, Jake sprinted towards the stairs, eager to move higher up the tower. But just before he could reach the stairs, a Mawile leaped out at him! Thinking quickly, Jake hopped to the side, narrowly escaping an Iron Head attack!

"Not so fast Jake Eclair, I'm afraid you're not going anywhere." A voice called out from behind him. Turning around, Jake spotted the owner of the voice.
The man was easily recognizable to Jake, for he had seen him only yesterday. The man was wearing a black lab coat, and bore a striking resemblance to Zack, though Jake now knew why that was.

"Steven..." Jake murmured as the Catalyst admin approached him.

"Breaking into Hagane Labs and destroying my hard work wasn't enough for you, huh? Now you're here to stop us once and for all, is that right?" Steven questioned. "Because I can't let that happen."

"O-of course. I will not sit by as Team Catalyst...a-as you attempt to complete y-your nefarious goals." Jake replied.

"Is that so? Tell me Jake...what do you have against this world? Why do you hate this world? Hate it so much as to want to throw it into chaos?" Steven questioned.

"Y-you've got it all wrong!" Jake exclaimed. "Team Catalyst is the one...t-they want to destroy this world!"

"I knew you'd say that." Steven said, letting out an audible sigh.
"Very well. If you're still convinced Team Catalyst are the bad guys...then we have no choice but to battle. But I'm warning you Jake, I won't be holding back this time. I won't let anyone take this world..the one that I hold so dear!"

----
Elite Catalyst Admin Steven Hagane appeared!

----


"Alright, Bubbles, you're up!" Jake called as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. From the ball materialized the Corphish, who snapped her claws at her opponent, showing that she was ready to fight.
"Ok Bubbles..I-I need you to give it your all. Y-you can do that, right?" Jake questioned.
"You bet!" Bubbles replied. She was all too eager to teach Team Catalyst a lesson. They had kidnapped her..forcefully taken her away from those she loved..and she wasn't going to let them get away with it!

"Alright, then let's do this. Bubbles...s-start with Dragon Dance, then Bubble Beam!" Jake ordered.

"Mawile use Crunch, then go for Fairy Wind!" Steven barked.

Eager to begin, Mawile lunged at Bubbles, using it's large jaws to snap at the Corphish!

Instead of attacking back, Bubbles instead opted to perform a mythical dance. The power of the dance gave strength to the ruffian Pokemon, increasing both her strength, and her speed!

But Bubbles wasn't finished yet! With her new found speed, the Corphish opened up her clawing, sending a beam of bubbles out from them and towards Mawile! Unable to react in time, Mawile cried out as the bubbles sent waves of pain through it's body as they each popped!
The water type attack seemed to be doing more damage then usual, perhaps it was because of Bubbles Adaptability?

In retaliation, Mawile sent out a sparking wind of fairy energy Bubbles way! The wind washed over the Corphish, dealing a light amount of damage to her.

"Mawile, Sucker Punch then go for Play Rough!" Steven barked.

"Bubbles...u-use Dragon Dance again..then Bubble Beam." Jake ordered.

This time it was Bubbles who moved first! Once again the Corphish began to perform a mythical dance, further heightening her speed and strength!
With Bubbles not coming anywhere near the deceiver Pokemon, Mawile had no choice but to give up on it's attempt at a sucker punch, instead Mawile charged towards Bubbles, ready to perform it's next attack!

Just before the Mawile reached her, Bubbles hopped out of the way! With it's target gone, Mawile was left wide open to attack. Taking advantage of this, Bubbles sent another stream of bubbles towards Mawile, scoring a direct hit on the deceiver Pokemon!

"Ok Bubbles..n-now it's time to get in close. Use Strength, then Strength again!" Jake ordered.

"Mawile, when Corphish gets close use Seismic Toss, the Thunder Fang!" Steven bellowed.

Starting things off, Bubbles charged towards Mawile at a high speed, her entire body glowing white with power!
As the Corphish rammed into Mawile, the deceiver Pokemon stumbled back. Mawile hadn't expected it's opponent to be so powerful! Focusing on it's trainers orders, Mawile grabbed onto Bubbles with it's large jaws! The deceiver then jumped into the air, before smashing Bubbles into the ground!
But Mawile wasn't finished yet! Coating it's jaws in electricity, the deceiver Pokemon descended upon Bubbles, sinking it's electrified teeth into the Corphish and scoring a direct hit in the process!

In retaliation, Bubbles rammed into Mawile once again, causing the deceiver Pokemon to fall backwards, before slowly rising to it's feet.

Both Pokemon seemed to be on their last legs..the next round was going to decide which one would emerge victorious!

"Let's end this Mawile! Use Play Rough! If that's not enough, follow with Thunder Fang!" Steven barked.

"Bubbles, u-use Bubble Beam, then Endeavor." Jake ordered.

Hoping to end things as soon as possible, Bubbles sent a wave of bubbles at her opponent! The bubbles popped as they touch Mawile's body, though the attack was not enough to finish the deceiver Pokemon off!

In retaliation, Mawile dove at the ruffian Pokemon, dealing a series of powerful blows to the Corphish.

But Bubbles managed to hang on, a sense of determination flowing through her. In a last ditch effort, Bubbles began to flail around, using her rage to boost the power of her attack!
This proved to be too much for Mawile, who let out a loud shriek before falling over!

"Mawile, return!" Steven called out, before returning the deceiver Pokemon to it's Pokeball. Wasting no time, Steven threw a second Pokeball onto the battlefield. From the ball emerged the sword blade Pokemon, Bisharp!

"Bubbles, use X-Scissor, t-then Bubble Beam!" Jake ordered.

"Bisharp finish this with Night Slash!" Steven bellowed.

With the last of her strength, Bubbles raced towards Bisharp, both her claws covered in bug energy. Crossing both claws, Bubbles slammed each of them into Bisharp! With the Corphish having her strength boosted twice, the attack left quite the mark on Bisharp!

In retaliation, the sword blade coated one of it's blades in a dark aura, before swinging it at Bubbles, striking the ruffian pokemon and causing her to topple over!

"Bubbles, return." Jake said, returning the Corphish to her Pokeball.
"Y-you were great out there...now rest well."

Bisharp was a steel type...so the easy answer to that was a ground type. But which one? There was the Gible twins...but each of them only knew tackle. There was also Dusty...but Jake didn't want to use her quite yet. Who knew if she was going to be needed later? That just left one ground type left, and Jake knew he'd be perfect for the job!

"Alright...Seiteki l-let's go!" Jake exclaimed as he tossed a regular Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the Stunfisk, who managed to give his opponent a small smirk, before laying flat on the ground.

"Ok Seiteki...you've got this..I-I believe in you!" Jake called to the Stunfisk.
"O-ok...I-I'll do my best." Seiteki stammered. In truth, he was fully confident in his abilities, his stammer only meant to mock his trainer. But Jake didn't need to know that, right? After his training with Aco, the Stunfisk was sure the battle ahead would be an easy one!

"Bisharp, Night Slash and Brick Break, let's go!" Steven barked.

"Seiteki, s-start with Shock Wave, then follow with Earth Power!" Jake called out to the Stunfisk.

Starting the round off was Bisharp, the sword blade Pokemon quickly charging towards Seiteki. With one of it's blades covered in a dark aura, Bisharp swung at the trap Pokemon, landing a solid hit!

In retaliation, Seiteki began to gather electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of him. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards Bisharp, following the sword blade Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

Bisharp then lunged at Seiteki, striking the Stunfisk with it's arm!

Ready for his next attack, Seiteki sent waves of ground energy into the ground below, causing it to crack and glow! The effects of Seiteki's attack continued to make their way across the arena, before erupting right under Bisharp's feet! The sword blade Pokemon let out a shriek as the super effective attack sent waves of pain through out it's body!

"L-let's keep it up, Seiteki! Start with Mud Slap, t-then Earth Power once more!" Jake ordered.

"Bisharp, go for Night Slash, then Poison Jab!" Steven bellowed.

Once again Bisharp covered one of it's blades in a dark aura, before slashing at Seiteki, striking the Stunfisk and sending the trap Pokemon flying back! But not all was well for the sword blade Pokemon...it seemed that that latest attack had triggered Seiteki's Static ability, leaving Bisharp paralyzed!

Seizing the opportunity to attack, Seiteki spat out a small amount of mud at his opponent! Bisharp tried to retaliate, but was unable due to the effects of paralysis!
With Bisharp stuck, Seiteki began to prepare his next attack! Once again the Stunfisk pumped ground energy into the floor, causing it to crack with energy, before erupting under Bisharp's feet!

"Bisharp, Facade, then Facade again!" Steven barked.

"Let's f-finish this Seiteki! Use Water Gun, follow with Earth Power!" Jake ordered.

With Bisharp struggling with the effects of paralysis, Seiteki was the first to act!
Gathering a small amount of water energy in his mouth, the Stunfisk shot a jet of water at Bisharp, hitting the sword blade Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage!

Fed up with the assault from it's opponent, Bisharp found the strength to charge towards Seiteki! In an act of rage, Bisharp slammed it's arm into the trap Pokemon, it's rage only further fueling the attacks power!

In retaliation, Seiteki pumped the ground with even more energy! The energy flowed through the ground, before erupting under Bisharp's feet!
This proved to be too much for the sword blade Pokemon, who let out a final cry, before falling to the ground!

"Bisharp, return!" Steven called out, returning the sword blade Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"Alright Lucario, you're next!" Steven exclaimed as he tossed another Pokeball into the arena. From the ball materialized the aura Pokemon, who let out a menacing growl upon making eye contact with Jake.

"Ok Seiteki, let's use Mud Slap, f-follow with Shock Wave!" Jake ordered.

"Let's keep our distance Lucario! Use Aura Sphere, then Dragon Pulse!" Steven barked.

Drawing from it's aura, Lucario created a sphere of energy, before firing it at Seiteki. The ball of energy homed in on the Stunfisk, before striking the trap Pokemon and causing him to fly back slightly!
In retaliation, Seiteki spat out a small amount of mud, dealing a decent amount of damage to Lucario!

For it's next attack, Lucario began to gather draconic energy into it's hands. The aura Pokemon then shot a wave of the energy in front of it, causing the energy to crash into Seiteki.

Seiteki once again began to gather electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of him. From the orb, a bolt of electricity shot out, homing in on Lucario before giving the aura Pokemon a shock!

"Lucario let's finish this! Quick Attack, followed by Bone Rush!" Steven bellowed.

"Seiteki, Flail, t-then Earth Power!" Jake called out to the Stunfisk.

Starting things off, Lucario charged towards Seiteki at an incredible speed! The aura Pokemon then slammed into the Stunfisk, dealing some small damage to Seiteki. But the Stunfisk wasn't out yet, and lunged at Lucario in an act of desperation! Fueled by his rage, Seiteki began to hit his opponent over and over again, causing Lucario to cry out in pain.

In retaliation, Lucario began to channel ground energy into it's palms, creating a large bone with it! The aura Pokemon then leaped at Seiteki, smashing the bone into the Stunfisk! But Lucario wasn't finished yet! In a fit of rage, Lucario swung the bone at Seiteki again and again, until the Stunfisk toppled over in defeat!

"Seiteki return." Jake said as he returned the Stunfisk to his Pokeball.
"R-rest well. You were great out there." Jake said, before another Pokeball from his bag. After tossing the ball into the air, a Chinchou emerged. Upon spotting the vicious Lucario, the Chinchou let out a screech, before dashing behind Jake's leg.

"Come on Lucky..I-I thought you agreed to this." Jake said, letting out a small sigh.
"Yeah...y-you did....I-I was there." Hazel added.
"I know it's scary but...c-can you do it? For me?" Jake asked.
"O-oh...u-u-u-ummmm ok....I'll do it." Lucky stammered, slowly walking out from behind his trainer's leg.

"Alright let's do this. Lucky, u-use Psybeam, then Water Gun!" Jake ordered.

"Lucario go with Bone Rush, follow it with Crunch!" Steven bellowed.

Once again Lucario began to channel ground energy into his palms, creating a large bone with it. The aura Pokemon then ran towards Lucky, ready to strike the Chinchou with it's new weapon!

Just before Lucario was able to reach it's target, Lucky leaped out of the way! With the aura Pokemon now wide open to attack, Lucky let out a multi-coloured beam at Lucario, knocking the aura Pokemon backwards!

In retaliation, Lucario laced it's fangs with dark energy, before biting down on the angler Pokemon! Lucky let out a sharp cry as Lucario's attack sent waves of pain through his body.

Ready to attack the Lucario once more, Lucky spat out a jet of water at his opponent, dealing a small amount of damage to the aura Pokemon!

Lucario, Close Combat then follow with Bone Rush!" Steven barked.

"Lucky, u-use Thunder Wave, then Electro Ball!" Jake ordered.

Lucario was the first to act! The aura Pokemon rushed towards Lucky, before lashing out at the Chinchou with it's arms and legs! Though the attack certainly left a mark on the angler Pokemon, all was not well for Lucario. In performing the attack, the aura Pokemon had left it's defenses in shambles. From now on, any attack Lucky hit Lucario was sure to hurt even more!

Determined to stay in the fight, Lucky sent out a wave of thick electric tendrils, striking Lucario...but strangely enough, the electricity appeared to do nothing to Lucario! That was until Lucario attempted to move, where it found that it was much slower then usual. Lucario had been paralyzed!

With Lucario out of commission, Lucky began to charge up electrical energy throughout his body, before firing an orb of it at Lucario! With Lucario's defenses and speed lowered, the power of Lucky's attack was almost enough to
cause the Aura Pokemon to topple over! But Lucario held on, rage and determination fueling it now. Once again Lucario summoned a large bone using ground energy, before swinging the weapon over and over again, dealing a great deal of damage to Lucky!

"Lucky, l-let's finish with Psybeam. If that's not enough, Water Gun!" Jake ordered.

"Lucario Reversal, now!" Steven bellowed.

Determined to win, Lucky fired a multi-coloured beam of energy at Lucario, striking the aura Pokemon and sending it flying back!

In a last ditch effort, Lucario surrounded it's body in fighting energy, before smashing into Lucky, causing the Chinchou's health levels to plummet to a critical point!

In retaliation, Lucky shot a jet of water out of his mouth, splashing the aura Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage. This proved to be too much for the Lucario, who let out one final cry before toppling over.

"Lucario, return!" Steven called as he returned the aura Pokemon to it's ball.
The Catalyst admin then grabbed his fourth Pokeball, before tossing it in the air. From the ball emerged a Steelix, which towered over everyone in the room.

Upon noticing the iron snake Pokemon, Lucky's eyes seemed to widen considerably, and the Chinchou began to shake. Despite this, the angler Pokemon stood his ground...he'd promised to do his best for Jake, after all!

"Ahh Jake, you haven't yet met my Steelix, have you? Unfortunately our previous battle arena was much too small for Steelix to fit." Steven explained.
"But no worries, now you'll feel the wrath of all my Pokemon. Steelix, Stone Edge, follow it with Iron Tail!" Steven bellowed.

"Lucky, Screech t-then Water Gun!" Jake called out to the Chinchou.


Starting the round off, Lucky let out a deafening screech, causing Steven, Jake, and Hazel top cover their ears. Steelix didn't have such a luxury however, and the terrible noise assaulted it and lowering it's defense harshly!

Angered by the Chinchou, Steelix let out a sharp shriek, before summoning several sharp stones around itself. The pointy rocks floated around the iron snake Pokemon for only a moment, before flying off towards Lucky!

Unable to react in time, Lucky let out a cry as the stones dug into his flesh, causing him to topple over in defeat!

"Alright Lucky, return." Jake said as he returned the Chinchou to his Pokeball.
"N-nice work out there." Jake murmured as he grabbed a Premier Ball and threw it into the arena. From the ball materialized a happy looking Weepinbell, who hopped up and down as she realized who she was facing.

"Oh it's one of you Catalyst bullies! You're totally going to pay for what you've done to my friends! You hear me?!" Sprout exclaimed.

Jake couldn't help but smile at the Weepinbell's enthusiasm. Though some might have thought he was foolish for picking a grass type to face Steelix, Jake knew Sporut's enthusiasm and variety of attacks would be enough to win the day!

"Ok Sprout, s-start with Giga Drain, then Chocolate Bomb!" Jake called to the Weepinbell.

"Steelix, Sunny Day, then Fire Fang!" Steven barked.

Eager to begin the match, Sprout hopped over to her opponent, before starting to concentrate. As the Weepinbell was concentrating, Steelix began to glow a bright green, before the flycatcher Pokemon zapped Steelix of it's energy!

In return, Steelix a bright beam of energy at the ceiling. Upon touching the ceiling, the beam evaporated, seemingly having no effect whatsoever.

Ready to attack again, Sprout summoned a chocolate heart in front of herself. She then threw the heart at Steelix, the chocolate projectile exploding upon impacting the iron snake Pokemon.

As soon as Sprout had finished attacking, bright light suddenly filled the arena. It seemed Steelix's previous attack had caused an artificial sunny day!

Jake smiled as the bright rays of sunlight rained down upon the battlefield. Steven had just made a big mistake!
Indeed, Sprout also seemed quite happy, the harsh sunlight fueled the Weepinbell, doubling her speed thanks to her Chlorophyll ability!

But Steelix wasn't finished quite yet! Coating it's fangs in flames, Steelix chopped down on Sprout, causing the Weepinbell to let out a loud cry! It seemed that the sunny day was a double edged sword for Sprout! Though the sunlight offered her more speed and helped her attacks become more effective, it seemed as if it also left her even more vulnerable to fire attacks!

"Alright Steelix, Ice Fang then Fire Fang, let's go!" Steven barked.

"Sprout, d-dodge it and use Sleep Powder! Then use Growth!" Jake ordered.

Coating it's fangs in ice, Steelix slither towards Sprout, before moving in to bite the Weepinbell! Prepared for her opponents attacks, Sprout bounced out of the way with great speed! With Steelix left wide open to attack, Sprout showered the iron snake Pokemon in an indigo powder! Having accidentally inhaled the powder, Steelix couldn't help but feel a little sleepy. Leeting out a loud yawn, the iron snake fell to the ground, deciding to take a nap then and there!

With her opponent resting, Sprout took the time to perform her next attack! The Weepinbell began to draw in the power of the sun, increasing her size and sharply boosting her attacking power!

"A-alright Sprout, now use Weather Ball twice!" Jake ordered.

"Steelix, you've got to wake up!!!" Steven cried. "Wake up and use Fire Fang! Steelix!"

With Steelix still sleeping away, Sprout began to gather energy in front of her mouth, creating a glowing sphere. With the harsh sunlight raining down on the sphere, the ball of energy suddenly transformed into a fire ball! Satisfied with this outcome, Sprout launched the flaming ball at Steelix, dealing an extreme amount of damage to it! The power of the attack so strong, it instantly snapped Steelix out of it's nap, the iron snake Pokemon letting out a deafening cry as it rose.

"Steelix, Fire Fang!" Steven barked.

All too happy to comply, Steelix coated it's fangs in red hot flames, before biting down on Sprout!

Sprout let out a loud shriek as the powerful flames sent waves of pain through out her, sending her health plummeting to a critical level!

In retaliation, Sprout once again summoned a glowing sphere of energy, which quickly transformed into a fire ball!
The Weepinbell then shot the ball of flames at Steelix once more, the powerful fire attack prompting Steelix to cry out in pain! It seemed both Pokemon were barely holding on, one good attack would be enough to end either of them!

"Steelix, Ice Fang then Iron Tail!" Steven barked.

"L-let's end this Sprout! Giga Drain!" Jake ordered.

With the sunlight still fueling her, the giant Weepinbell bounced towards her opponent at an incredible speed! Once again Steelix began to glow a bright green as the last of it's energy was absorbed by Sprout!
Letting out a final cry, the steel behemoth crashed to the floor in defeat!

"Steelix, return!" Steven called as he returned the iron snake Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"You've done well so far Jake, but no further! This is where I stop you once and for all!" Steven exclaimed as he chucked his final Pokeball into the arena. From the ball emerged a mighty Aggron, an arm band worn on it's left arm.

"Last time Aggron didn't get to show his true strength, thanks to your friends stupid Heatmor." Steven said, taking out a strange badge as he spoke.
"But now it's just you. So now my Aggron can have his revenge and crush every last one of you who dares threaten this world! Aggron it's time to Mega Evolve!!!" Steven exclaimed as he pressed the stone in the center of the badge.

Upon doing so, tendrils of energy shot out of the badge, linking to Aggron's band. It was then that the iron armor Pokemon began to transform! It began to grow bulkier, and a third horn began to grow on the center of it's head. Spikes poked out from each of it's arms, and it's tail grew even thicker.

Once Aggron was done transforming, it let out a loud roar, before facing it's opponent, eager to begin!

"Sprout, try one more Weather Ball, t-then Giga Drain!" Jake ordered.

"Aggron, finish this with Fire Punch!" Steven barked.

Starting things off, Sprout summoned another ball of energy, which after bathing in the suns rays, transformed into a ball of fire!
The fire ball flew towards Aggron, who let out a sharp cry as the super effective attack sent waves of pain through out it's body. Despite this, the attack didn't seem to do quite as much as it should have, thanks to Aggron's armour Filtering out some the attacks power!

In retaliation, the mega evolved Aggron covered it's fist in fire, before swinging it's arm at Sprout. As the flame covered fist struck, Sprout let out a final cry, before falling over in defeat.

No sooner had Sprout fallen, before the intense sunlight faded entirely, leaving the room in it's original state.

"Sprout, return!" Jake called as he returned the Weepinbell to her Premier Ball.
Returning the ball to his bag, Jake took the time to think about his next move. With Mega Aggron's formidable defense, it would be wise to use a Pokemon that could target the iron armor Pokemon's weaker special defense. A fire type like Vermillion would be perfect...but from his previous battle, Jake knew that Aggron had a few rock moves at his disposal. What he needed was a Pokemon with a variety of attacks, including fire type ones...but one that wasn't weak to much. With this in mind, Jake grabbed a regular Pokeball from his bag and threw it into the arena. From the ball emerged an angry looking Tauros, who let out a loud grunt upon noticing his opponent, his three tails flicking wildy in anticipation. The look Vernon was giving the mega evolved Aggron was enough to Intimidate the iron armor Pokemon, lowering it's attacking power slightly.

"Ok Vernon..I-I need you to give me your all. T-think you can do that?" Jake questioned.

In response Vernon gave a loud grunt and a firm nod. Of course he would give it his all! After his battle with Steven yesterday, the Tauros was eager for a rematch, and it seemed that time had come!

"Aggron, go with Iron Head, then Double Edge!" Steven barked.

"Vernon u-use Flamethrower, follow Rock Smash!" Jake called to the Tauros.

Eager to begin, Vernon began to channel fire energy into his mouth, before release a stream of it at his opponent!

In retaliation, the mega evolved Aggron charged head first at Vernon, it's shimmering with metalic energy! Upon being struck by the powerful attack, Vernon let out a cry, before stumbling back.
But the Tauros was nowhere near ready to give up! With his horns glowing a bright white, Vernon rammed into the iron armor Pokemon, lowering the mega evolved Aggron's impressive defense!

For it's next attack, Aggron recklessly charged towards it's opponent, it's own safety completely disregarded! With it's full weight behind it, Aggron slammed into Vernon, causing the the Tauros to cry out in pain! But Vernon wasn't the only one hurting! After attacking Vernon, the mega evolved Aggron stumbled back a bit, the attack's recoil kicking in!

"Vernon, use Rock Smash again. T-then Flamethrower!" Jake ordered.

"Aggron go for Head Smash and Brick Break!" Steven barked.

Once again Vernon's horns glowed a bright white as the Tauros charged towards his opponent, before ramming into it!
With it's defense weakened, the mega evolved Aggron let out another cry, before turning to face it's opponent. Once again Aggron charged towards Vernon, this time it's head covered in rock energy! Vernon let out a sharp cry before stumbling backwards, the same happening with Aggron. Both Pokemon were starting to grow tired after sustaining so many attacks, and it was beginning to show.

But Vernon was determined as ever, and began to gather fire energy in his mouth once more. The Tauros then sent a steady stream of flames at his opponent, completely roasting the iron armor Pokemon.

In retaliation, Aggron swung it's arm at Vernon, delivering a super effective strike using it's open hand!

"Let's finish this Aggron, Iron Head, then Brick Break, let's go!" Steven bellowed.

As Aggron charged towards Vernon, an idea suddenly sprung into Jake's mind. As it stood, Vernon would surely fall to Aggron's next attack, but Jake wasn't too sure a regular flamethrower from Vernon would be enough for Aggron to be defeated. But if the iron armor Pokemon were to be hit head on with the attack, maybe it'd be enough. Remembering to thank his friend later for giving him the idea, Jake turned his attention back to his Tauros.

"O-ok Vernon, hit Aggron with a point blank Flamethrower!" Jake exclaimed.

With the mega evolved Aggron quickly approaching, Vernon began to gather the last of his fire energy into his mouth. Just before Aggron struck him, Vernon let the flames fly out of his mouth, engulfing his opponent and scoring a direct hit!

Jake's plan went off without a hitch! Letting out a final cry, the mega evolved Aggron fell to the ground in defeat. Upon falling, Aggron began to glow, before turning back to it's original form.

"Aggron no!!!" Steven exclaimed as he rushed to the Aggron's side.
"No..Aggron..w-we were...we were supposed to save this world..together." Steven murmured, before returning the iron armor Pokemon to it's Pokball. With his final companion gone, Steven turned to face Jake and Hazel.

"Y-you may have defeated me....but you still have many to go....many people like me.....ones that would surrender their life to defend this world." Steven said.

"Y-you don't get it! Team Catalyst..t-they aren't trying to save this world, they're only trying to destroy it!" Jake replied.

"You're lying...the path you walk is the one that wishes for this world to be thrown into chaos...that's what you and your friends are all about. But I have no time to talk....I-I must report to my boss."

With that, Steven ran past Jake and up the spiraling staircase, leaving Jake and Hazel to themselves.

"..H-he sounded like...like he actually b-believed what he was saying." Hazel murmured, once he was sure Steven was gone.

"Yeah...I guess it's sad in a way. I-I mean...he sounds so genuine about his goals...b-but he doesn't realize he's only...going against them." Jake replied.
"Anyway let's get going...I-I'm assuming we'll have more members of Catalyst to deal with soon."

Giving a brief nod, the Eevee followed his trainer up the stairs, climbing higher up into the tower.
----
Catalyst Tower - Fifth Floor
----
In his office, Chris was glued to his computer, the man seemed to be hurrying to type something. In fact, he was so distracted by the computer, that he didn't notice as a a young woman entered the room.
She appeared to be no older then nineteen, and had a weird, creepy aura to her. She had dark purple hair, and much like Steven, she was also sporting a black lab coat. In her right hand appeared to be a Honedge, the sword Pokemon seemingly quite content in the woman's grasp.

"Sir, I've returned with the information you've asked of me." The woman said, causing Chris to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Oh, Olivia..it's just you. First off, how many times do I have to tell you? We're family..you don't have to call me sir." Chris replied.

"Right sorry brother..urr Chris? Yes..sorry Chris." Olivia apologized.

"No need to apologize...now, tell me what you were going to report." Chris said.

"Yes well...following your instructions, I ordered most employees to hide on the third floor barracks. I also sent Steven to take care of the intruders." Olivia said.

"Very good. Is there anything else I should know?" Chris asked.

"Yes...well...we've managed to get the identities of the intruders. The most important being that Zack Hagane appears to be leading them." Olivia replied.

"What?! You mean to tell me that Zack has betrayed us?!" Chris exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so si-Chris. Oh, and Jake Eclair is also among them. That is all."

"Hmm...very well. In that case, can you please return to your post..oh, and get Shelly and Ryan to guard the other two floors as well." Chris instructed.

"On it Chris!" Olivia replied, before exiting the office. With Olivia gone, Chris turned his attention back to his computer.

"I knew that Jake was against us from the start...but I didn't want to believe he'd take it this far." Chris spoke aloud.
"Jake...Zack....this world has so much to offer....why do you want to watch it crumble?"

----
Jake's Remaining (Healthy) Pokemon
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Old 07-04-2017, 02:00 AM   #17
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Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 2

"Neptune, Hydro Pump, then Focus Blast!" Sophie barked.

"Rhyperior, Stone Edge and Thunder Fang!" Trevor exclaimed.

Ready to end things, Sophie's Poliwrath began to gather water energy into it's mouth, before shooting out a large jet of water at Rhyperior! Rhyperior let out a sharp cry, but managed to stay in the battle!

In retaliation to Neptune's assault, Rhyperior summoned several sharp stones around it's body. After floating around the drill Pokemon for a moment, the pointy rocks flew towards Poliwrath!

Just before the rocks reached him, the tadpole Pokemon leaped into the air, avoiding the attack entirely! Neptune then began to amass fighting energy into it's hands, forming a tightly compacted sphere with the energy. The tadpole then shot the sphere of energy at Rhyperior, causing the drill Pokemon to let out a final cry, before toppling over.

"Rhyperior return!" Trevor called as he returned the drill Pokemon to it's Pokeball. Without another word, the Catalyst grunt quickly scurried away.

"Great work out there Neptune and Pyro!" Sophie exclaimed.
After splitting up from the rest of the group, Sophie and Tyler had been ambushed by three Catalyst grunts. Despite Team Catalyst having the advantage in terms of numbers, it seemed that Sophie and Tyler were still able to easily beat them.
Indeed, as Sophie turned to Tyler, she noticed that his Zebstrika had managed to finish off a grunts Torterra. Much like Trevor, the grunt was quick to return their Pokemon, before scrambling away without so much as a word. But that didn't matter, with the final grunt gone, Tyler and Sophie had emerged victorious!

"Hell yeah, Team Catalysts got nothing on us!" Tyler exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air as he did so.
To this, Sophie chuckled, before turning her attention to her Pokemon.
"A well fought battle, now rest up." She said, returning the Poliwrath and Blaziken to their Pokeballs.

"Hey, what's so funny?! We mopped the floor with them, didn't me?" Tyler asked.

"We did..it's just..your enthusiasm..it's amusing is all..." Sophie replied.

"Amusing, how so?" Tyler questioned, looking quite skeptical.

"It's just...I don't know...it's kinda scary being here...and yet you don't seem to mind this place at all." Sophie explained.

"Scary? What's there to be scared of?" Tyler asked.

"...Nothing I guess." Sophie murmured. "Look let's get going, we don't have much time."

"Right." Tyler nodded, the two making their way deeper into the tower.
----
Catalyst Tower - Second Floor
----
As Jake arrived on the second floor, he let out an audible sigh. It seemed much like the last floor, this one also had a series of long corridors, stretching out as far as the eye could see.
He had to pick one of the corridors..the only problem was each of them could lead to the stairs..or into a trap! Before Jake was able to decide, a faint voice began to call out to him.

"Hazel, do you hear that?" Jake questioned.
"Y-yeah..." The Eevee murmured. "Is it...a-a ghost?!"
"Jake..pick the middle one." The strange voice whispered, sending shivers down his spine. With it's message delivered, the voice suddenly disappeared, leaving Jake and Hazel to themselves.

"T-that was odd." Jake murmured..unsure of just what to do.
"D-do...a-a-are you going to follow it?" Hazel questioned.
Pondering Hazel's question for a moment, Jake eventually gave the Eevee a brief nod.
"Yeah..I-I think I will. I mean...i-it could be a trap...but what over choice do we have?" Jake questioned.
Not willing to argue with his trainers logic, Hazel gave him a weak smile, showing that he was ready to press on.
Giving a nod, Jake began to walk down the middle corridor. The pair had barely gotten started, before a voice called out to them, causing the pair to turn around.
Quickly approaching them was a Catalyst grunt. She appeared to be quite young..even younger then Jake! At her side was a Sudowoodo, the imitation Pokemon following as it's trainer continued towards the intruders.

"So you're the intruders the others warned me about, huh? I've gotta say..you don't look like someone who would want to destroy this world." The woman mused.

"Y-you've got it wrong! It's..Team Catalyst is the one trying to destroy the world!" Jake exclaimed.

"Chris said you'd say that as well..sheesh, you're as dumb as a pile of rocks." The grunt said, shaking her head.
"No matter. If you're so brainwashed that you can't see you're in the wrong, then we have no choice but to battle."
To this, the grunts Sudowoodo charged in front of it's trainer, ready to battle.

Jake groaned, he didn't have time for this! But it looked like he had little choice in the matter. With the girl using a Sudowoodo, and with every grunt specializing in a type, that meant that she used rock types. With most rock types having high defense, Jake figured it would be best to use a water type.
But Sudowoodo were capable of using grass type attacks...he'd need a water type that wasn't weak to grass types. Only one of his Pokemon fit that bill, and Jake knew she'd be a perfect fit!

With his choice of Pokemon decided, he rummaged through his bag, before producing a regular Pokeball. Jake tossed the Pokeball into the air, where a cheerful looking Qwilfish appeared. Landing on her tail, Hannah was able to balance herself perfectly, allowing her to get a good look at her opponent.
At the sight of the Catalyst grunt, her cheerful expression fell slightly.

"Alright Hannah, l-let's give it our all...ok?" Jake asked.
"You bet! I'm ready for anything!" Hannah chirped.

"Ok..Hannah use Spikes, f-follow with Bubble Beam!" Jake ordered.

"Sudowoodo, Slam then Head Smash!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

Eager to begin, Hannah bounced into the air. The multiple spikes on her body began to glow white, before raining down a series of spikes at her opponents feet! Once she was finished, Hannah once again landed on her tail.

With the Qwilfish wide open to attack, Sudowoodo slammed into Hannah with all it's might, sending the poor Qwilfish flying!

In retaliation, Hannah sent a stream of bubbles towards her opponent! With each bubble popping upon making contact with it's body, Sudowoodo couldn't help but let out a small cry.

Ready to attack once again, Sudowoodo surrounded it's head in rock energy, before recklessly charging towards Hannah!

Unable to react in time, Hannah was forced to take the full power of Sudowoodo's attack! But not all was well for the imitation Pokemon, for in it's reckless charge, it had entirely forgotten about it's own safety, and had sustained quite a bit of damage in the process!

"Sudowoodo, Wood Hammer then Bulldoze!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

"Hannah, u-use Mimic, follow with Hydro Pump!" Jake called to the Qwilfish.

This time it was Sudowoodo who made the first move! Surrounding it's arm in grass energy, the imitation Pokemon swung at Hannah, once again forgetting it's own safety!

As Sudowoodo performed the attack, Hannah watched intently, putting the knowledge of the move into her memory!

Once she had been struck by the powerful grass type attack, Hannah propelled herself into the air! The Qwilfish then coated her tail in grass energy, before spiraling down towards Sudowoodo. While the maneuver was quite impressive, it was also quite reckless as well! After striking her opponent with her tail, Hannah realized just how much damage she had sustained by performing the attack. If she was to use it later in the battle, she was definitely going to have to be more careful!

Angered by Hannah's assault, Sudowoodo began to stomp on the ground, sending shock waves throughout the building! At the sound of glass shattering, Jake had to wonder why the Catalyst grunt would order such an attack. Did she not care about the damage the building sustained, or was she just that desperate at this point?
Regardless of her intent, it seemed the attack had done quite a bit of damage to Hannah. But Hannah wasn't out quite yet! Gathering a large amount of water in her mouth, Hannah launched a powerful jet of water at her opponent!

Upon making contact with the water, Sudowoodo let out a sharp cry! It seemed that Hannah's last attack had been enough to weaken the imitation Pokemon considerably!

"Let's k-keep it up Hannah! Use Hydro Pump, then Water Pulse!" Jake ordered.

"Sudowoodo, Flail then Slam!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

Starting things off, Hannah once again gathered water energy into her mouth, before spraying Sudowoodo with a large jet of water!

In retaliation, Sudowoodo flung itself at Hannah! Using it's rage to fuel it's attack, the imitation Pokemon struck Hannah over and over again, causing the Qwilfish to let out a sharp cry!

Determined to win, Hannah sent an orb of water energy flying towards her opponent. Upon making contact, the orb exploded, causing Sudowoodo to let out a final cry, before toppling over.

"Sudowoodo, return." The Catalyst grunt called as she returned the imitation Pokemon to it's Pokeball. Wasting no time, the woman chucked a regular Pokeball in front of her.
From the ball emerged a Graveler, which cried out as it landed on several of the spikes laying around! But Jake had never seen a Graveler quite like this before! This Graveler seemed to have several crystals sticking out of it's body, as well as some iron on it's arm and face.
Confused about the appearance of the rock Pokemon, Jake took out his Pokedex and scanned it.

"Graveler, Alola Form. The rock Pokemon. A Rock and Electric type." The Pokedex droned. "They eat rocks and often get into a scrap over them. The shock of Graveler smashing together causes a flash of light and a booming noise."

"So that's..a different form of Graveler? A-and it's an Electric type?" Jake murmured. He was definitely going to have to look into it when he got home, but now wasn't the time for that! If the strange Graveler really was an Electric type, that meant that Hannah was in big trouble!

"Graveler, Thunder Punch and Double Edge!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Hannah, use Water Pulse, t-then Wood Hammer!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Hannah shot a sphere of water energy at Graveler. Upon making contact with the rock Pokemon, it let out a sharp cry, before stumbling backwards.

In retaliation, Graveler surrounded one of it's fists in electricity, before swinging at Hannah! The power of the attack was enough to send the Qwilfish flying backwards, though she managed to safely land on her tail.

Remembering Sudowoodo's earlier attack, Hannah bounced into the air, before coating her tail in grass energy! The Qwilfish then began to spiral down towards Graveler, striking the rock Pokemon with her tail!

Ready to attack again, Graveler recklessly charged at Hannah, slamming into the Qwilfish with no concern for it's own safety!

It seemed that Graveler's last attack was simply too much for Hannah, who let out a final cry before falling over.

"Hannah, return!" Jake called, returning the Qwilfish to it's Pokeball.
"Y-you were great out there. Now..r-rest well." Jake murmured as he placed the Qwilfish's ball into his bag, before grabbing another Pokeball.
Upon tossing the ball into the air, a Tangela emerged.

"Ok Kudzu, l-let's do our best." Jake said to the Tangela.
"Sure thing, I'll be sure to really rock this battle. Thanks to me, everything will be just vine." Kudzu replied, chuckling at his own puns.
"Yeah....ok then." Jake said, letting out a small sigh. "Kudzu u-use Leech Seed, follow with Confusion!"

"Graveler Double Edge then Rock Throw!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

Starting things off, Graveler charged towards Kudzu, it's own safety abandoned entirely! Kudzu stumbled backwards as he was struck by the rock Pokemon, but quickly regained his footing.

Ready to attack, Kudzu sent a single seed towards his opponent. As the seed made contact with Graveler, vines suddenly sprouted out, wrapping themselves around the rock Pokemon!

Angered by the Tangela's attack, Graveler summoned a large rock, before tossing it at Kudzu!

In retaliation, Kudzu began to concentrate on his opponent, a psychic aura surrounding the Graveler as he did so. The Tangela then lifted his opponent into the air using his psychic power, before slamming the rock Pokemon into the ground!

To add insult to injury, once the Graveler got it's feet, the vines surrounding it began to glow red, zapping Graveler of some of it's health, transferring it to Kudzu!

"Graveler, use Stone Edge and Double Edge!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Kudzu go with Confusion, t-then Nature Power!" Jake ordered.

Graveler was once again the first to act! The rock Pokemon let out a small cry, before summoning several sharp stones around it's body! The pointy rocks remained around Graveler for only a moment, before flying off towards Kudzu, piercing the Tangela's body!

In retaliation, Kudzu grabbed onto Graveler with his psychic power, before smashing the rock Pokemon into the floor!

Once again Graveler charged at Kudzu, slamming into the Tangela while also hurting itself!

Ready to Attack again, Kudzu began to draw power from the area itself, resulting in a Triangle of white energy forming in front of the Tangela.
From the triangle a red, blue, and yellow beam of energy shot out, striking the Graveler and sending it stumbling back. To make matters worse, it seemed that the attack had left Graveler with a nasty burn. Just when Graveler thought it was over, the vines around it began to zap even more of it's health!

"Ok Kudzu, Confusion once more. T-then Nature Power!" Jake ordered.

"Alright Graveler, Rock Blast and Brick Break!" The Catalyst grunt called to the Graveler.

Determined to win, Graveler summoned five large, smooth stones around it's body. The stones then flew towards Kudzu, and though the Tangela tried his best to dodge, three of the rocks still managed to hit their target!

In retaliation, Kudzu began to focus the last of his psychic energy on his opponent. Once again Graveler began to glow with psychic energy, before being lifted in the air, and quickly slammed back down!

Not ready to give up yet, Graveler lunged at Kudzu, delivering an open hand strike to the Tangela!

In retaliation, Kudzu once again summoned a powerful Tri Attack, blasting the rock Pokemon and causing it to stumble back a bit.

Once Kudzu had finished attacking, Graveler flashed the Tangela a small smile. Despite the Tangela's best efforts, Graveler was still in the battle, though only barely. Graveler's smile soon faded, replaced by a pained expression as it's previous burn inflicted a small amount of damage.
If that wasn't enough, once the pain from the burn had subsided, the vines surrounding Graveler began to glow red as they zapped the rock Pokemon of it's remaining health!

As the rock Pokemon fell to the ground, the vines surrounding it began to withdraw, leaving Graveler to the way it was before.

"Graveler return." The Catalyst grunt said, returning her Pokemon to it's Pokeball. She then grabbed another Pokeball, before tossing it in front of her. From the ball materialized a fearsome Rampardos, who let out a mighty roar upon noticing it's opponents, showing that it was ready to battle. That..or the spikes that dug into it's feet were the cause of the Rampardos's roar, Jake couldn't really be too sure.

"Let's do this Rampardos! Go with Stone Edge and Fire Punch!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Kudzu use Leech Seed, then Endeavor!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Kudzu sent a seed of energy flying towards his opponent! Upon making contact with Rampardos, the seed split open, and several vines sprouted out. The strange vines began to wrap around the head butt Pokemon, but seemed to do nothing else at that moment.

In turn, Rampardos let out a loud roar, before summoning several sharp stones around itself. The pointy rocks then shot out at Kudzu, striking the Tangela and causing him to cry out! It seemed that last attack had nearly been the end of Kudzu. But the Tangela held on, and with the last of his energy threw himself at his opponent. It seemed that all of the Tangela's rage and frustration was going into the attack, boosting it's power!

Once it's opponent had finished attacking, Rampardos coated it's arm in flames, before swinging it's fist at Kudzu, sending the Tangela flying! Upon landing back on the floor, Kudzu made no attempt at moving.

"Kudzu, return!" Jake called, returning the Tangela to his Pokeball.
"Rest up well, you did good." He said as he placed Kudzu's Pokeball back in his bag, before retrieving another one.
"A-alright, Neku you're up!" Jake exclaimed, tossing the Pokeball in front of himself as he did so. From the ball emerged the sleepy Gloom, though much to Jake's surprise and relief, Neku seemed to awake for the time being.

"Oh..it's you guys.." Neku murmured, before letting out a loud yawn. "Let's make this quick..ok? I was kind of hoping to take a nap soon..."

"I-I'll try and make that happen. F-for now, use Razor Leaf, then Seed Bomb!" Jake called to the Gloom.

"Rampardos, go with Fire Punch and Take Down!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

Eager to end things as soon as possible, Neku sent out a flurry of leaves, which quickly flew towards Rampardos, striking the head butt Pokemon for a super effective hit!

In retaliation, Rampardos cloaked it's arm in a layer of flames! The head butt Pokemon then swung at Neku, causing the Gloom to cry out and stumble backwards.

Far from finished it's assault on Rampardos, Neku sent an orb of grass energy flying towards his opponent! Upon making contact with Rampardos, the ball of energy exploded, causing Rampardos to let out a deafening roar!

The head butt Pokemon then began to glow a bright white, before charging towards Neku, slamming into the Gloom, but also hurting itself in the process!

Once both Pokemon were finished attacking, the vines surrounding Rampardos began to glow red. The vines then zapped the head butt Pokemon of some of it's health, transferring it to Neku!

"Rampardos, Head Smash then Crunch!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Neku, use Growth, f-follow with Seed Bomb!" Jake ordered.

Once again Neku was the first to act! Instead of attacking, the Gloom began to gather in the energy from the light around it! Once finished, Neku appeared to be slightly larger then before, and his attack strength had grown as well!

Seemingly unphased by this development, Rampardos began to amass rock energy into it's head! Once satisfied with the amount it had collected, Rampardos charged towards Neku head first, it's own safety entirely forgotten!
Neku let out a sharp cry as Rampardos slammed into him, sending him flying back a good distance!

Landing on his feet, Neku quickly gathered grass energy, before firing a sphere of it at the injured Rampardos! Upon contact, the ball exploded, almost causing the head butt Pokemon to be swept off it's feet!

In retaliation, Rampardos charged towards Neku, it's entire mouth filled with dark energy! The head butt Pokemon then bit down on the Gloom, injecting the weed Pokemon with dark energy!

As the round came to a close, Rampardos let out a small cry as the vines surrounding it snatched even more of it's ever dwindling health!

"Alright, l-let's finish this! Neku, use Seed Bomb, follow with Mega Drain!" Jake ordered.

"Rampardos, Head Smash, then Crunch!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

Starting things off, Neku began to gather energy, before firing a sphere of it at Rampardos! Upon contact, the ball of energy exploded, causing Rampardos to let out a sharp cry and stumble backwards.

In retaliation, Rampardos covered it's head in rock energy, before charging head first towards Neku! The head butt Pokemon then rammed into Neku, hurting itself in the process.

Ready to attack once more, Neku began to gather energy before shooting a green beam at Rampardos. Upon making contact with the head butt Pokemon, the beam turned red and it began to zap Rampardos of the last of it's health!

Letting out a final cry, Rampardos toppled tp the ground in defeat!
"Rampardos, return!" The Catalyst grunt called as she returned the head butt Pokemon to it's ball.

"You...you may have won this time...but...well...just you wait till my mother hears about this. She'll wipe the floor with you!" The girl exclaimed, before retreating further into the tower.

"Mother?" Hazel murmured.
"I-I don't know Hazel....it's s-sad to see someone so young corrupted by Team Catalyst." Jake replied, before turning his attention to Neku.
He was about to praise the Gloom for his efforts, but it seemed that the weed Pokemon had already fallen fast asleep. Chuckling at this development, Jake quickly returned the Gloom to his Pokeball.

"Alright Hazel, l-let's get going." Jake said, continuing on his way down the large corridor.
----
Catalyst Tower - First Floor
----
"There it is, up ahead!" Tyler called as he approached a large spiraling staircase. After defeating Trevor and the others, Sophie and Tyler had continued their search for a staircase. Fortunately, they hadn't encountered any more Catalyst grunts along the way.
"Alright, then what are we waiting for? Let's go." Sophie replied, before making her way up the stairs, Tyler and Zebstrika right behind.
----
As Zack made his way onto the second floor, he let out a loud groan. Right ahead was a series of corridors, each of them stretching out as far as he could see.
"Well..this is problematic." Sophie said.

"You think?! Any one of these could be the correct path! There's no way we'll be able to check them all in time!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Now now, there's no need to yell." Sophie replied. "I think our best choice of action is to split up, that way we can cover more ground."

"Are you nuts?! There's no way we're splitting up! It'll make us easier targets for those Catalyst goons!" Tyler exclaimed.

"Really? Well..I thought you said Team Catalyst had nothing on you...unless you were lying?" Sophie questioned.

"Wh-but that's...fine you're right..." Tyler conceded. "I guess we have no choice but to split up."

"Alright, glad we're on the same page." Sophie smiled. "Now, I'll take the left, how about you take the right?"

"Fine. Come on Zebstrika, let's get going." Tyler said, before making his way down the right corridor. He wasn't entirely sure splitting up was the best choice, but he couldn't deny that it would help cover more ground. Glancing back at Sophie one last time, Tyler and Zebstrika continued their search, unsure of just what they'd find next.
----
As Jake and Hazel continued their search inside Catalyst tower, the pair came to large hallway. The hallway was quite similar to the one Jake had fought Steven in! Both had clay floors, as well as a large spiraling staircase at the back. After last time, Jake was a little more cautious about approaching the stairs. After Jake and Hazel had made their way to the center of the room, they stopped dead in their tracks. All around them, the sound of laughing could be heard, causing Hazel to shake.

"G-g-ghosts?!" Hazel stammered.

As if to answer the Eevee, a strange woman appeared in front of them, causing Jake to jump backwards. The woman appeared to be slightly older then Jake, and had dark purple hair. She was wearing a black lab coat, signifying that she was an admin of Team Catalyst. In her right hand rested an unsheathed Honedge.

"Aww..did I scare you? That's too bad." The woman cackled.

"W-who are you?" Jake questioned, slightly terrified by the woman's sudden appearance.

"Who am I? I'm Oliva...one of the admins of Team Catalyst." Oliva replied. "According to my brother...you're trying to stop us from saving this world..is that right?"

"N-no, that's not true! I don't know w-what your brother told you...but T-team Catalyst is in the wrong here!" Jake exclaimed, Hazel nodding in agreement.

"Is that so? Interesting. Tell me Jake, why do you defend Project X so? Why are you so determined in protecting it?" Olivia questioned.

"B-because......because..it's an innocent Pokemon..a-and it doesn't deserve to be hurt or used be people like you." Jake replied.

"Is that so? In that case why was it ok for Project X to hurt me!?" Oliva exclaimed.

"I get it...y-you must have been hurt when Project X ran away...b-but that doesn't excuse Catalyst's behavior." Jake replied.

"Hurt? Project X did a little more then hurt me, the beast killed me! So I don't want to hear you say you "understand" while defending the beast that took everything, including my life from me." Oliva said.

Jake was taken aback by Oliva's words. Project X had taken her life? Which meant that she was...a ghost?!

"Look..I-I-" Jake began, trying to rectify the situation.

"Enough! I don't want to hear your excuses and lies!" Oliva spat. "If you're so determined to defend your stupid beast, then I will take your life! In revenge for what was so rudely taken from me, as well as to help my brother succeed in his mission!"

----
Elite Catalyst Admin Olivia Jones appeared!

----


"Dusknoir, to battle!" Olivia exclaimed, tossing a Pokeball in front of her. From the ball materialized the gripper Pokemon, which a small growl upon noticing it's opponents.

"A ghost type...o-ok, Aco you're up!" Jake called as he tossed a regular Pokeball into the air. Emerging from the ball was a Shuppet, who looked unamused at being sent out.
"A-alright Aco, you've got this." Jake said to the Shuppet.

"Yeah yeah, I know. You don't need to tell me!" Aco snapped.

"Sorry...I-I just thought you might want to know t-that I have full confidence in you." Jake replied weakly.

"And I thought you might want to know how stupid you sound saying that." Aco retorted. "Now are you going to tell me what to do, or what?"
"Right...ok Aco, u-use Night Shade, then Shadow Ball!" Jake ordered.

"Dusknoir, Shadow Punch, next go with Dark Pulse!" Oliva called to the gripper Pokemon.

Starting things off, Dusknoir began to gather ghost energy into it's fist! The gripper Pokemon then swung it's fist at the air, causing a spectral fist to come flying out, before slamming into Aco, causing the Shuppet to be sent flying back.

In retaliation, Aco fired a black beam of ghost energy at his opponent. Upon striking the Dusknoir, the gripper Pokemon let out a small cry, before turning it's attention back to Aco.

The Dusknoir began to gather it's dark thoughts, using them as fuel for it's next attack! Dusknoir then sent a wave purple rings flying towards Aco, striking the Shuppet for a super effective hit.

Ready to perform his second attack, Aco began to gather ghost energy in front of himself, before firing a sphere of it at his opponent!

"Dusknoir, go with Confuse Ray, next use Hex!" Olivia ordered.

"Aco, use Night Shade, t-then Thunder!" Jake called to the Shuppet.

Once again Dusknoir was the first to act! Waiting for a moment to gather energy, Dusknoir sent out a strange beam of energy. Upon making contact with Aco, the Shuppet's vision began to spin. The beam had left him confused!

Trying to fight through the confusion, Aco fired a beam of ghost energy at what he believed to be his opponent, striking the Dusknoir and sending the gripper Pokemon flying back slightly.

Eager to finish things as soon as possible, Dusknoir summoned a large, spectral eye. From the eye a strange aura was produced, which quickly made it's way to Aco. Upon making contact with the Shuppet, Aco let out a loud cry! It seemed the strange aura was using Aco's confusion against him, further increasing the damage inflicted upon the Shuppet.
This proved to be too much for Aco, who fell to the floor in defeat.

"Aco, return!" Jake called as he returned the Shuppet to his Pokeball. He didn't bother telling Aco any words of encouragement, realizing that they would only be used against him. Instead, Jake turned his attention to his opponent, wondering what Pokemon he should choose.
With Dusknoir's powerful ghost type attacks, he reasoned that a normal type would probably be best. But he didn't want to use Pom unless he had to, and Hazel certainly wouldn't agree to battling..leaving him without a single healthy normal type. Wait no..there was one, one that Jake had almost forgotten entirely!

"Alright Shibo, let's go!" Jake called as he tossed a regular Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the Lickitung, who took one look at his trainer, before giving him a friendly lick!

"Ack, Shibo that stings!" Jake cried out.
"Sorry." Shibo apologized, before turning his attention to the battlefield.
"I'm ready to give it my all." The Lickitung added, giving his trainer a brief nod.
"T-that's all I can ask for." Jake replied, wiping some of Shibo's saliva off onto his sleeve. "Now Shibo, use Lick, then Thunder Punch!"

"Dusknoir, go with Fire Punch and Confuse Ray!" Olivia ordered.

Starting things off, Dusknoir flew towards Shibo, it's fist covered in flames! The gripper then swung at Shibo, causing the Lickitung to stumble backwards!

Eager to begin, Shibo coated his tongue in ghost energy, before delivering a lick to his opponent!

In retaliation, Dusknoir sent out another strange beam of energy, intent on confusing the Lickitung! But as the ray hit Shibo, he couldn't help but..laugh? It seemed the confusing ray had little effect on Shibo, thanks to the Licktiung's Own Tempo!

Seizing the opportunity to attack, Shibo coated his arm in electricity, before lunging at his opponent. Dusknoir cried out as Shibo landed a direct hit, sending the gripper Pokemon flying back!

"Dusknoir use Ice Beam, then go with Dark Pulse!" Olivia called to the gripper Pokemon.

"Shibo, u-use Thunder Punch, then Lick!" Jake ordered.

Dusknoir was once again the first to act! Gathering ice energy, the gripper Pokemon sent a beam of it towards Shibo, causing the Lickitung to cry out!

In return, Shibo began to gather electrical energy into his arm, before striking his opponent!

Angered by the Lickitung's assault, Dusknoir began to gather dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy! The gripper Pokemon then let loose the dark energy in the form of multiple waves. The dark waves crashed over Shibo, causing the Lickitung to stumble back!

For his second attack, Shibo once again cloaked his tongue in ghost energy, before licking his opponent, dealing a decent amount of damage to the Dusknoir!

"L-let's finish this Shibo! Use Lick twice!" Jake called to the Lickitung.

"Dusknoir, use Destiny Bond!" Olivia ordered.

This time it was Shibo who started the round! Coating his tongue in spectral energy, Shibo delivered a solid lick to his opponent, causing the Dusknoir to cry out!
Despite this, the Dusknoir didn't retaliate, almost as if it was waiting for it's opponent to attack again.

With his opponent refusing to attack, Shibo took the opportunity to attack again, delivering another successful lick to his opponent! This proved to be too much for the gripper Pokemon, who let out a final cry, before falling over.

But not all was well for Shibo, for as soon as his opponent had fallen, the Lickitung began to feel light headed. Crying out in surprise, Shibo also fell to the ground in defeat.

"Shibo return!" Jake called as he returned the Lickitung to his Pokeball.
"Y-you did great...now rest well." He added, before turning his attention to his opponent. In the time Jake had taken to return Shibo, Olivia had sent out her next Pokemon, a wicked looking Gengar.

Jake knew he had to pick his next Pokemon carefully. He had already lost two Pokemon, while Olivia had only lost one. He needed a Pokemon with mobility, as well as variety of attacks. With this in mind, Jake snatched a Love Ball from his bag, before tossing it in front of him.
From the ball materialized a Venomoth, her multi-coloured wings gleaming in the soft light of the room.

"Ok Opal, I-I'm counting on you..s-so let's do our best." Jake said to the Venomoth.
"Of course. I'll try my hardest." Opal replied.

"Gengar go with Fire Punch, then use Shadow Ball!" Oliva called out to the shadow Pokemon.

"Opal, u-use Psychic, follow with Ominous Wind!" Jake ordered.

Staring off the round, Gengar cloaked it's arm in flames, before floating over to Opal. The shadow Pokemon then swung at Opal, striking the Venomoth and sending her flying back.

Ready to attack, Opal began to concentrate, gathering a large amount of psychic energy. The Venomoth then released the energy in a series of waves, causing the psychic energy to crash into Gengar, who let out a sharp cry!

In retaliation, Gengar began to gather ghost energy in front of itself, creating an indigo sphere with it. The shadow Pokemon then fired the sphere of energy at Opal, striking the Venomoth and dealing a large amount of damage to her!

For her next attack, Opal began to rapidly beat her wings, summoning a strange, purple wind! Upon making contact with the wind, Gengar let out another cry, before stumbling backwards.

"Ok Opal l-let's keep this up! Use Psybeam, then Hidden Power!" Jake called to the Venomoth.

"Gengar use Fire Punch, then go with Thunderbolt!" Olivia barked.

Gengar was once again the first to act! Gathering fire energy into it's arm, the shadow Pokemon swung at Opal, slamming it's flame covered fist into the Venomoth!

Opal once again began to concentrate, gathering the psychic energy needed for her next attack. The Venomoth then sent a beam of the psychic energy out at her opponent, striking the shadow Pokemon and causing it to cry out!

In retaliation, Gengar began to amass electrical energy, before releasing a wicked beam of it at Opal! Unable to react in time, Opal was forced to take the full brunt of the attack!

Ready to attack again, Opal began to gather energy from within herself. Suddenly three orbs began to float around the Venomoth, as kind and caring as the earth itself. The orbs then flew towards Gengar, assaulting the shadow Pokemon and causing it to let out a loud shriek!

"Hang in there Gengar! Go with Shadow Ball and Dark Pulse!" Olivia ordered.

"Opal, use Psybeam, t-then Aerial Ace!" Jake called to the Venomoth.

Gathering spectral energy, Gengar sent out an indigo ball of energy towards Opal, causing the Venomoth to fly backwards.

In retaliation, Opal blasted her opponent with a powerful beam of psychic energy!

Not ready to give up quite yet, Gengar began to gather it'd dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy! The shadow then released the energy in the form of waves, the dark energy quickly flying towards Opal! The Venomoth couldn't help but let out a small cry as each wave of dark energy stabbed at her body without mercy!

Angered by the Gengar's assault, Opal flew towards her opponent at a blinding speed! At the last second, Opal changed course, striking her opponent from the side instead! To this, Gengar cried out in surprise, before toppling over in defeat!

Without a word, Olivia returned the shadow Pokemon to it's ball, before producing Pokeball and chucking it in front of her. From the ball emerged a Chandelure, the luring Pokemon giving a wicked laugh upon noticing it's opponent.

"Opal s-start with Hidden Power, then Ominous Wind!" Jake ordered.

"Chandelure, go with Flamethrower, then Heat Wave!" Olivia barked.

This time Opal was the first to act! Gathering her inner energy, the Venomoth once again summoned several orbs in the likeness of the earth. The orbs then flew towards Chandelure, striking the luring Pokemon and causing it to cry out in pain!

Angered by the Venomoth's assault, Chandelure pointed it's head towards it's opponent, before sending a stream of flames Opal's way, roasting the Venomoth!

In turn, Opal began to rapidly beat her wings, summoning a strange, purple wind. The wind flew towards Chandelure, washing over the luring Pokemon, who let out a loud shriek!

Ready to end things, Chandelure summoned a wave of heat from it's flames! The heated air made it's way towards Opal, scorching the Venomoth and depleting the rest of her health! With a final cry, Opal fell to the ground in defeat.

"Opal, return!" Jake called as he returned the Venomoth to her Love Ball.
"Great job out there, n-now rest well." He added, before grabbing a regular Pokeball from his bag and chucking it into the air.

From the ball emerged a Grimer, who seemed to be wearing a super hero mask.
"No need to worry, captain Botch is here to save the day!" Botch exclaimed, prompting a groan from Jake.
Of all the times for the Grimer to act like this, now wasn't the time. Still, Jake knew he wouldn't be able to convince Botch to stop, so he was just going to have to deal with it.

"Chandelure, use Shadow Ball, then go with Flamethrower!" Olivia called to the luring Pokemon.

"Botch, use Poison Gas, t-then follow with Venoshock!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Chandelure began to gather ghost energy in front of itself, creating an indigo sphere with it. The luring Pokemon then sent the sphere flying towards Botch, the attack causing Botch to fall backwards.

Eager to begin, Botch exhaled a large cloud of green gas at his opponent. Upon making contact with the gas, Chandelure let out a cry! The strange gas had left the luring Pokemon poisoned!

Angered by the Grimer's attack, Chandelure pointed it's head towards the sludge Pokemon, before roasting him with a stream of fire!

"My mask!" Botch exclaimed as Chandelure's flamethrower attack burned away the Grimer's mask.

"Eat this you villainous scum!" Botch yelled, before spewing a wave of green liquid at his opponent. Chandelure let out a yelp as the poisonous liquid washed over it, the liquid's power boosted thanks to the luring Pokemon having been poisoned!

Once Botch had finished attacking, Chandelure let out another yelp as the poison inflicted upon it attacked it's body!

"Alright Botch, u-use Shadow Punch, follow with Venoshock!" Jake ordered.

"Chandelure go with Flame Charge, then Flamethrower!" Olivia barked.

Chandelure was once again the first to act! Coating it's body in flames, the luring Pokemon flew towards Botch, before ramming into the Grimer!

In retaliation, Botch began to gather ghost energy into his fist, before throwing a punch into the air. From his farm a spectral fist flew out, homing in on Chandelure, before striking the luring Pokemon!

For it's next attack, Chandelure tilted it's head at Botch, before scorching the Grimer with another stream of flames!

For his second attack, Botch began to gather poison energy in his mouth, before sending a wave of green liquid towards his opponent! Thanks to Chandelure's current condition, the liquid dealt even more damage then usual, prompting a sharp cry from the luring Pokemon.

Once the round was over, Chandelure once again let out a yelp as the poison continued to hurt it.

"Chandelure, Flame Charge then go with Dark Pulse!" Olivia ordered.

"Botch use Venoshock, then go for Shadow Sneak!" Jake called to the Grimer.

Starting things off, Chandelure once again surrounded it's body in flames, before striking Botch, sending the Grimer flying backwards.

In retaliation, Botch spewed a wave of green liquid at the luring Pokemon. Fueled by Chandelure's state, the liquid dealt even more damage to the luring Pokemon!

Angered by the Grimer's assault, Chandelure began to gather it's dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy! The luring Pokemon then fired wave after wave of dark energy at Botch, causing the Grimer to cry out in pain!

Determined to win, Botch began to fuel his shadow with spectral energy. The Grimer's shadow began to extend, sneaking up to Chandelure, before striking the luring Pokemon with a powerful blow!
This proved to be too much for Chandelure, who let out a sharp cry, before falling to the ground. After returning the luring Pokemon to it's ball, Olivia produced a fourth Pokeball, before tossing it into the air.
From the ball emerged a Sableye, a wicked smile plastered on it's face. What really caught Jake's attention though, was the small head band the darkness Pokemon was wearing. In the center of the band was a colourful looking stone, indicating that the Sableye was capable of mega evolution.

"Sableye, the one you see standing before you believes our lives were worth nothing, that we deserved to die." Olivia began, producing a strange badge from her pocket.
"He supports the beast that took everything from us, but we cannot allow that. As such, I call upon you to Mega Evolve!!!" Oliva exclaimed, pressing the stone in the center of the badge as she did so. Upon doing so, tendrils of energy shot out of the badge, linking to Sableye's head band. It was then that the darkness Pokemon began to transform!
Sableye's teeth turned yellow, and it's ears grew longer. A small spike grew atop it's head, and it's eye's changed from blue to red! But the biggest change was the ruby in the center of Sableye's body. It began to increase drastically, serving as a new shield for the darkness Pokemon.
Once the darkness Pokemon was finished transforming, it let out a small cackle, eager to face it's opponent.

"Alright w-we can do this Botch. Start with Acid Spray, follow with Shadow Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Sableye, go with Zen Headbutt, follow with Psychic!" Olivia called to the mega evolved Sableye.

This time Botch was the first to act! Gathering poisonous energy in his mouth, Botch spat out a wave of acid at his opponent! The darkness Pokemon let out a sharp cry as the acid burnt it's skin, lowering it's special defense considerably!

Angered by the Grimer's assault, the mega evolved Sableye made it's way towards it's opponent, though it couldn't go very fast thanks to it's shield. Upon reaching Botch, the darkness Pokemon surrounded it's head in psychic energy, before smashing into the Grimer, causing him to cry out in pain!

In retaliation, Botch coated his fist in ghost energy, before swinging at the air. From his arm a spectral fist came flying out, quickly seeking the darkness before striking it!

For it's second attack, Sableye began to amass even more psychic energy. The darkness Pokemon then released the psychic energy in the form of a wave. The wave flew towards Botch, before crashing into the Grimer, nearly causing him to faint then and there. But Botch held on, determined to beat the darkness Pokemon!

"Sableye, let's end this now! Go with Power Gem and Shadow Ball!" Olivia barked.

"H-hang in there Botch. Use Mud Slap, then Venoshock!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Botch began to gather ground energy in his mouth, before spewing a glob of mud at his opponent!

Prepared for the attack, Sableye simply hid behind it's ruby shield, laughing as Botch's attack uselessly hit the large gem.

Now it was Sableye's turn to attack! Gathering up rock energy, the darkness Pokemon shot a brown orb of energy at Botch. Upon striking the Grimer, Botch let out a final cry, before falling over.

"Botch, return!" Jake called out as he returned the Grimer to his Pokeball.
"You did good, now rest well." He added, before withdrawing a Christmas Ball from his bag. Upon tossing it into the arena, a Nuzleaf materialized.

"Ok Kage, I-I need you to give this your all. Y-you can do that right?" Jake questioned.
"If you want me to, so be it." Kage nodded, before turning her attention to the battlefield.

"Alright. Kage g-get behind Sableye and use Razor Leaf. T-then Nasty Plot!" Jake called to the Nuzleaf.

"Sableye, Shadow Ball, then go with Dazzling Gleam!" Olivia ordered.

This time Kage was the first to act! The Nuzleaf quickly charged towards her opponent, before leaping over the darkness Pokemon. Now at the Sableye's back, Kage released a flurry of sharp leaves at the darkness Pokemon!
Unable to react in time, the mega evolved Sableye cried out as the Nuzleaf scored a direct hit!

In retaliation, Sableye turned to face it's opponent, gathering ghost energy in front of itself as it did so. Forming an indigo sphere with the energy, Sableye fired it at Kage, striking the Nuzleaf and causing her to fall back slightly.

Instead of attacking her opponent again, Kage instead opted to gather her dark thoughts and plans, sharply boosting her special attack!

With Kage left wide open, Sableye seized the chance to attack! The darkness Pokemon began to amass fairy energy into it's body, before releasing it all in a burst of light!

As the intense light washed over her, Kage let out a small grunt, though she held her position firmly.

"Sableye go with Brick Break, then use Power Gem!" Olivia barked.

"Kage use Shadow Ball b-behind Sableye, then Bullet Seed!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Kage once again charged towards her opponent, before leaping into the air! As she did so, the Nuzleaf began collecting spectral energy between her hands, forming a ball with it. Upon landing behind her opponent, Kage flung the sphere of energy at the Sableye's back, causing the darkness Pokemon to cry out in surprise!

With Kage left wide open, the mega evolved Sableye left it's shelter to attack! Coating it's arm in fighting energy, the darkness Pokemon struck the Nuzleaf with an open hand, causing her to stumble backwards.

With her opponent exposed, Kage prepared her next attack! Gathering grass energy in her mouth, the Nuzleaf fired a steady stream of seeds at the darkness Pokemon, prompting a loud shriek from it.

Once Kage had finished attacking, the mega evolved Sableye quickly retreated behind it's shield, before preparing it's next attack! Gathering up rock energy, the darkness Pokemon shot a brown orb of energy at it's opponent, striking the Nuzleaf and dealing a moderate amount of damage.

"L-let's end this Kage. Go for a Feint Attack and a Razor Leaf!" Jake called to the Nuzleaf.

"Sableye, go with Dark Pulse and Brick Break!" Olivia ordered.

Ready to wrap up the battle, Kage ran towards Sableye, before stopping in front of it. The Nuzleaf then threw a fake punch to the right of her opponent, causing the darkness Pokemon to turn in an attempt to shield itself. With her opponent left wide open, Kage delivered a powerful strike to it's side, causing the mega evolved Sableye to cry out in surprise, before falling to the ground in defeat! Upon hitting the ground, the darkness Pokemon began to glow, before reverting to it's original form!

"Sableye!" Olivia cried, rushing to her companion's side.
"I promise I'll avenge you....I swear it." Olivia said as she returned the darkness Pokemon to it's ball, before turning her attention to Jake.

"I will have my revenge......I will destroy you...for supporting that beast.......even if I have to do it myself!" Olivia exclaimed, pointing her Honedge at Jake.

"Hold on. Y-you don't have to do...anything rash." Jake began, but quickly stopped as Olivia began to...disintegrate?!

Not knowing quite what to say, Jake, Hazel, and Kage could only watch as Olivia's body disappeared like ashes on the wind, leaving only her Honedge and badge behind, the latter clattering to the floor.

"Your blood....I shall spill it across the floor....and then..all of your friends shall join you!" The Honedge exclaimed, though much to the groups surprise, Olivia's voice was coming out of it.

After a brief moment, it suddenly dawned on them. They had gotten it all wrong. The Honedge wasn't one of Olivia's Pokemon...Olivia was the Honedge! The body they had seen must have been nothing more then an illusion.

Eager to fulfill her words, Olivia flew towards Jake with an Iron Head attack!
Thinking fast, Kage began to gather ghost energy between her hands, firing an indigo sphere of it at Olivia, knocking the sword Pokemon to the ground.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to attack my trainer. You have a problem with that, you go through me." Kage said.

"That can be arranged. I was originally going to spare you, but if you have a wish for death, then I shall fulfill it!" Oliva exclaimed, before slashing at Kage with a powerful Fury Cutter attack!

Unable to react in time, Kage let out a small grunt as the powerful attack sent her stumbling backwards.

"Kage, Shadow Ball, t-then Feint Attack!" Jake ordered.

Hearing her trainer's words, Kage ran towards her opponent, gathering the last of her ghost energy between her hands as she did so. Just before she reached Olivia, the Nuzleaf leaped into the air, before firing the sphere of energy at the Honedge, prompting her to cry out as the powerful ghost type attack struck her.

In retaliation, Olivia coated her blade in bug energy, before striking her opponent with an even more powerful Fury Cutter, prompting a sharp cry from the Nuzleaf.
Hoping to end things soon, Kage dashed towards her opponent, before stopping in front of her. Using her right arm, Kage pointed behind Olivia, causing the Honedge to turn around. With the sword Pokemon now vulnerable, Kage struck the Honedge with her left arm, sending the sword Pokemon flying back!

"No...I..cannot lose here...I must defeat you...I will defeat you!" Olivia exclaimed as she drew fourth a Power, one Hidden deep within her. Suddenly three orbs began to float around the Honedge, burning as strongly as Olivia's desire for revenge.

With Kage on her last legs, the powerful fire attack would surely be enough to end the Nuzleaf.

"Kage! Dodge it and use Feint Attack!" Jake ordered.

Giving her trainer a brief nod, Kage charged towards her opponent. As the flaming orbs approached her, Kage leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the fire type attack! The wily Pokemon then dove towards Olivia, looking as if she was going to crash into the Honedge.
Instead, the Nuzleaf landed right beside her opponent, catching the Honedge off guard and leaving her wide open to attack!
Seizing the opportunity to attack, Kage swung at Olivia with all her might, sending the Honedge flying into the nearby wall!

With Olivia showing no sign of getting up, Jake turned his attention to Kage.
"You did amazing out there...n-now rest well." He said, returning the Nuzleaf to her Christmas Ball.

Though he had emerged victorious in the battle, Jake couldn't help but feel dejected. Much like Steven, Olivia had also seemed to be doing what she believed to be right..and Jake couldn't truly blame either of them for it, despite being his enemies.
Wait no, what was he thinking?! Olivia and Steven were the bad guys! He was in the right not them, and he had to do whatever it took to stop them, as well as Team Catalyst. With this in mind, Jake turned to Hazel, ready to inform the Eevee of what to do next.
His plan was briefly interrupted however, as Hazel poked at his pant leg, before showing him something in his mouth.

"Huh, what's this?" Jake questioned as he took the strange object from the Eevee's mouth. Of course, it was Olivia's badge! In the center her keystone rested, awaiting to be used again.

"W-why would I need this?" Jake questioned.
"I-I don't know. I just thought..w-well it could be useful....for that stone...i-if nothing else." Hazel replied.
"Fair enough." Jake nodded, tucking the badge into his pocket. "Thank you Hazel."

*Jake obtained Olivia's Badge!*

"Alright, well l-let's go....before Olivia awakes." Jake said, prompting a nod from Hazel.
With that settled, the two made their way up the spiraling staircase, wondering just what awaited them on the third floor...

----
Jake's Remaining (Healthy) Pokemon
Spoiler: show
(28.)





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Old 07-13-2017, 03:52 PM   #18
EpicSquirtle
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Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 3

As Chris continued to type on his computer, a knock came from his door, prompting the man to turn around.
"Come in." He said as the door swung open.

"I'm sorry sir....I've failed you." Steven murmured as he entered the office.
"Failed me? Nonsense." Chris replied, shaking his head. "I'm assuming you're here because...you lost to the intruders right?"

"That's right. I tried my best..but I just couldn't do it sir, I'm sorry." Steven apologized.
"There's no need to apologize. If you did your best, that's all I can ask for." Chris replied.
"Now..how about you go check on our employees in the barracks...the one on the third floor. I'm worried that these intruders might attack them, so they could use the extra defense."

"On it sir. Thank you sir." Steven nodded, before rushing out of Chris's office.

"So...Steven was no match for them..." Chris muttered to himself, turning back to his computer.

"Olivia, Shelly, Ryan...everyone...please stay safe."
----
Catalyst Tower - Third Floor
----
As Jake and Hazel made their way to the third floor, the pair was confronted with the same dilemma as before. In front of them was a maze of lengthy corridors, each stretching to the other side of the building. With no ghost to hint where they had to go, the pair were left to decide their path on their lonesome.

"Hazel..uh..which way should we go?" Jake questioned.

"I-I don't know." The Eevee murmured.

"That's not really helpful." Jake replied. "W-well then...how about left?"

In response Hazel gave a firm nod. As long as they kept moving, Hazel didn't really care which way they went.

With that decided, the two made their way to the left corridor, wondering just what would greet them there.
----
As Jake continued his search down the west corridor, he couldn't help but feel more and more confused at the lack of anything or anyone in many of the rooms he passed by. Had they evacuated? Or had these rooms long since been abandoned? For a criminal organization, Team Catalyst was lacking in quite a few departments.
Despite this, Jake continued to peek into every room he passed by. Surely something of importance was in one of these rooms, right?
Peaking into the next room, Jake realized that he had found a lunch room. Inside was a rather large table, with several chairs surrounding it. Glancing to the far end of the room, Jake noticed a Catalyst grunt sitting in the corner, eating what appeared to be a ham and cheese sandwich.
Though Jake admired the grunt for his great taste in sandwiches, he knew better then to leave himself within the grunt's sight. Slowly backing away, Jake nearly jumped as the grunt looked up, locking eyes with him.
With a better look at the grunt's face, Jake realized that he had seen him once before. He had been patrolling the halls of the Amperet Museum.

"Oh...are you the new recruit?" Michael questioned, placing his sandwich onto the table.

"Oh umm...y-yeah." Jake replied.

"Really? Wow...wait where's your uniform?" The man questioned. "Chris doesn't usually hire people without giving them one."

"Oh..w-well..I guess he forgot." Jake replied. "Anyway...I-I've gotta get going...bye."

"Bye! Good luck out there!" Michael waved, before returning his attention to his lunch.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Jake slipped out of the room, before turning to Hazel, giving the Eevee a small shrug. Without a word, the two continued their investigation. But before the pair could move more then a few steps, Michael cried out from the lunch room, causing the two to whirl around.

"My post! I totally forgot!" Michael exclaimed as he scrambled outside.
"Chris told everyone not to have a lunch break...to guard their posts! I was wondering why no one else was in there!" The grunt continued.

"W-well that sucks. I'd love to help...b-but I've gotta go." Jake stammered.

"Hey wait! Now that I look at you, you look awfully similar to Chris's description of one of those intruders!" Michael exclaimed.

"S-surely you're mistaken." Jake replied.

"No...you're definitely him! Think it's funny to break in and destroy all of our stuff huh? Well then I guess I have little choice bu to stop you!" Michael exclaimed as he grabbed a Pokeball from his belt, before tossing it in the air. From the ball emerged a Krabby, the river crab Pokemon snapping it's claws in anticipation for the battle ahead.

Jake let out a small sigh as Michael sent out the Water type. With the catalyst grunt convinced he was in the right, Jake knew his words would do little to dissuade him. Seeing that there was no choice but to fight, Jake took the time to consider what Pokemon he was going to use.
Krabby was a Water type Pokemon, which meant that a Grass or Electric type would be best. At the same time, maybe a Dragon type would help, thanks to their resistance to Water type moves. With this in mind, Jake snatched a regular Pokeball from his bag, before chucking in front of him.

From the ball materialized a Gible, who upon noticing his opponent, let out a small chuckle.
But once the Gible appeared, Jake realized the error he had made. Gible wasn't resistant to water types at all! Not only that...Toby only knew two moves.

"Well whatever..I-I can make it work." Jake murmured, before turning his attention to the battle.
"Alright Toby, y-you've got this, right?"
"Of course! For Aco!" Toby exclaimed.
"Right...ok, Toby u-use Dragon Pulse, then Tackle!" Jake ordered.

"Krabby, go for Metal Claw, then follow with Crab Hammer!" Michael exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Toby began to gather draconic energy in his mouth, before firing a beam of it at his opponent!

In retaliation, Krabby covered it's claws in metal, before scurrying towards it's opponent. Once the river crab Pokemon had reached the Gible, it swung it's claws at it, causing Toby to cry out in pain!

For his second attack, Toby flung himself at Krabby, causing the river crab Pokemon to stumble back.

Krabby then infused one of it's claws with water energy, before slamming it into Toby, scoring a direct hit!

"Krabby, go for Crab Hammer again, then follow with Slam!" Michael barked.

"Toby, use Dragon Pulse and Tackle!" Jake ordered.

Toby was once again the first to act! Amassing draconic energy, the Gible once again shot his opponent with a devastating dragon attack!

Angered by the Gible's assault, Krabby infused it's claw with water energy, before smashing it into Toby, sending the Gible flying back!

In retaliation, Toby lunged at Krabby, ramming into the river crab Pokemon with all his might!

For it's second attack, Krabby charged at Toby, striking the land shark Pokemon with all it's weight!

"Toby, s-start with Tackle, then Dragon Pulse!" Jake called to the Gible.

"Krabby, use X-Scissor, then follow with Knock Off!" Michael ordered.

Starting things off, Toby lunged at his opponent, once again performing a powerful tackle on the Krabby!

In turn, Krabby began to coat it's claws in bug energy, before charging towards Toby! With it's arms crossed, the river crab Pokemon swiped at it's opponent, causing Toby to cry out, before stumbling back.

For his second attack, Toby began to gather draconic energy into his mouth. Once the Gible had gathered enough energy, he fired a large beam of it at Krabby, sending the river crab Pokemon flying back!

Determined to stay in the match, Krabby surrounded one of it's claws in a veil of dark energy, before leaping towards Toby, striking the Gible with it's claw!

"Let's end this Krabby! Use Crab Hammer!" Michael barked.

"Toby, g-go with Tackle!" Jake ordered.

With both Pokemon eager to win, the pair lunged at each other, both of their attacks at the ready! Upon clashing, both Toby and Krabby were sent flying to the ground, each unable to get up.

"Toby, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Gible to his Pokeball.
"Y-you did well...now rest up." He added, before turning his attention to the battlefield, just in time to see Michael call out a Marill.

"A Marill? T-that means an Electric type would be best..." Jake murmured, before grabbing another Pokball from his bag and tossing it in the air. From the ball emerged a Helioptile, who quickly ran around in a circle, before facing his opponent.

"Oh..Oh! I know you! You're those Team Catalyst baddies!" Trix exclaimed.
"I may not look like much, but I'm not just a good spy, I rock in battle as well! I can easily beat you guys any day!

"Umm..Trix..y-you know he can't understand you..right?" Jake questioned.
"Oh..right...silly me." Trix replied sheepishly. "Well whatever, I'm ready to go whenever!"
"T-that's what I like to hear. Trix use Glare, then Iron Tail!" Jake ordered.

"Marill, go for Aqua Tail and Play Rough!" Michael barked.

This time Trix was the first to act! Trying his best to look intimidating, Trix stared down his opponent, prompting a small cry from Marill as it's muscles began to lock in terror.

Fighting through the paralysis, Marill surrounded it's tail in a veil of water, before swinging it at Trix! But instead of showing any signs of pain, the Helioptile simply smiled, his Dry Skin absorbing the attack's power.

With his opponent left wide open to attack, Trix coated his tail in a sheet of metal, before striking the Marill and sending it flying backwards!

In retaliation Marill dove towards Trix, striking the Helioptile with a flurry of blows, attacks that proved to be even stronger then usual, thanks to Marill's Huge Power!

"Marill, go for Brick Break and Facade!" Michael ordered.

"Trix, s-start with Cut, follow with Pound!" Jake called to the Helioptile.

Starting things off, Trix lunged at his opponent, swiping at the Marill with one of his arms.

Marill tried to retaliate, but found that it's muscles refused to work. It seemed that paralysis had taken hold of the aqua mouse Pokemon!

With his opponent left wide open to attack, Trix charged towards the Marill! Upon reaching the aqua mouse Pokemon, Trix slammed his tail into it, sending the Marill flying back!

Angered by it's current condition, Marill flung itself at Trix, slamming into the Helioptile and causing him to cry out in pain.

"Trix, use Cut, t-then Iron Tail!" Jake ordered.

"Marill go for Double Edge, then use Brick Break!" Michael barked.

Trix was once again the first to act! Lunging at his opponent, the Helioptile struck Marill with a swipe of his arm!

In retaliation, Marill charged towards Trix, it's own safety entirely forgotten. Upon making contact with the Helioptile, Trix let out a loud cry, before flying backwards! But not all was well for Marill, who seemed to be suffering from the recoil of the powerful attack!

Eager to end things, Trix coated his tail in a metalic aura, before leaping into the air! The Helioptile then began to descend upon the Marill, striking the aqua mouse Pokemon with all his might!
Letting out a sharp cry, Marill fell to the ground, Trix's last attack proving to be too much for it!

"Marill return!" Michael exclaimed as he recalled the aqua mouse Pokemon.
In it's place, Michael sent another Pokeball into the air. From the ball materialized a Prinplup, the penguin Pokemon letting out a small cry as it turned to face it's opponent.

"Prinplup, use Icy Wind, then go for Brick Break!" Michael barked.

"Trix, u-use Cut, then Glare!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Trix dove towards his opponent, swiping at Prinplup with his arm.

Unamused at the Helioptile's actions, Prinplup began to prepare it's first attack. Gathering ice energy into it's mouth, the penguin Pokemon breathed out an ice cold wind! The chilling attack made it's way towards Trix, causing the Helioptile to cry out in pain! If that wasn't enough, Trix began to feel more and more sluggish.
It seemed Prinplup's last attack had lowered his speed!

Taking advantage of it's opponent's slowed state, Prinplup leaped towards Trix, delivering a powerful strike to the generator Pokemon using it's fin!

This proved to be too much for Trix, who let out a sharp cry, before toppling over.

"Trix return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Helioptile to his Pokeball.
"Great work out there. N-now rest well." He added, returning Trix's Pokeball to his bag, before grabbing another.

"Bagel, let's go!" Jake exclaimed as he tossed the Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged a cheerful looking Axew, who began to bounce up and down upon noticing her opponent.

"Oh, oh! I'm finally in a battle! Maybe if I do good, Lenna will let me in her club!" Bagel exclaimed.
"I'll do my best! Even if this is my second battle...I won't lose!"

"Glad to hear it." Jake smiled. "Alright Bagel, u-use Shock Wave, then Leer!"

"Prinplup, go for Metal Claw, then Icy Wind!" Michael called to the penguin Pokemon.

This time Bagel was the first to act! Amassing electrical energy, Bagel summoned a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards her opponent, following the penguin Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

In retaliation, Prinplup coated it's flippers in metalic energy, before striking Bagel and causing her to stumble back.

Instead of directly attacking her opponent, Bagel instead cast a fierce look at Prinplup, her eyes glowing a bright red. Startled by the Axew's appearance, Prinplup left it's guard open, it's defense to physical attacks lowered.

For it's second attack, Prinplup began to gather ice energy into it's mouth, before spewing chilly air at it's opponent! As the cold air washed over her, Bagel couldn't help but cry out in pain! If that wasn't enough, Bagel was also starting to feel a little sluggish, the power of Prinplup's attack having lowered her speed.

"Prinplup, use Drill Peck, then go for Metal Claw!" Michael ordered.

"Bagel, use Assurance t-then use Counter!" Jake called to the Axew.

With Bagel feeling sluggish, it fell to Prinplup to make the first move. With it's beak glowing with energy, Prinplup dove towards Bagel, before beginning to spin! As the penguin Pokemon drilled it's beak into Bagel, the small Axew couldn't help but let out a loud yelp, before flying backwards!

Angered by Prinplup's assault, Bagel began to gather her dark thoughts, surrounding herself in a veil of dark energy. The tusk Pokemon then charged towards her opponent, before tackling the penguin Pokemon, her power fueled by Prinplup's earlier attack!

For it's second attack, Prinplup began to coat it's fins in metalic energy, before charging towards Bagel! Prepared for the Prinplup's attack, Bagel surrounded herself in fighting energy. Upon taking the powerful attack from Prinplup, Bagel slammed into the penguin Pokemon, inflicting twice the damage that she had sustained!

Once the round had ended, a strange blue aura began to surround Prinplup. Perhaps this was Prinplup's Torrent ability?

"Bagel, s-start with Shock Wave, then use Dragon Rage!" Jake ordered.

"Prinplup, go for Bubble Beam and Aerial Ace!" Michael barked.

Once again Prinplup was the first to act! With it's Torrent ability fueling it's power, Prinplup sprayed a beam of bubbles towards it's opponent.

Upon making contact, Bagel cried out as each bubble popped, sending waves of pain throughout her body.

In retaliation, Bagel began to gather electrical energy, before summoning a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards her opponent, following the penguin Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

For it's second attack, Prinplup charged towards Bagel at a great speed, it's flippers covered in flying energy. At the last second Prinplup changed directions, striking Bagel from the side instead!

Gathering draconic energy, Bagel spat out a blue fireball at her opponent, striking the Prinplup and causing it to stumble back.

"Prinplup, go with Brick Break and Bubble Beam!" Micheal barked.

"L-Let's finish this Bagel! Counter and Shock Wave!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Prinplup dove towards Bagel, prepared to deliver a powerful strike to the Axew.

As Prinplup made it's way towards her, Bagel surrounded herself in a coat of fighting energy. Upon taking the Prinplup's attack, Bagel slammed into the penguin Pokemon, dealing twice the damage that she had sustained.

This proved to be too much for the penguin Pokemon, who let out a final cry, before toppling over.

"Prinplup, return!" Michael exclaimed as he returned the penguin Pokemon to it's ball.

"Damn..I guess I lost.." Michael murmured, turning his attention to Jake.
"That's ok though...my Pokemon tried their hardest. I guess I'll leave the rest to the others." The Catalyst grunt added, before running past Jake and off into the unknown.

"That was...odd." Hazel murmured.
"Yeah...b-but that's not important. We should get going." Jake replied, before turning to Bagel.

"Y-you did well out there, now rest up." Jake said as he withdrew the Axew to her Pokeball.
With another battle behind them, Jake and Hazel pressed onwards, a bit more cautious of what rooms to peek into.
----
Continuing their search of the western corridor, Jake and Hazel eventually found themselves at a rather large door. Looking through the window, Jake spotted a large room with a clay floor, similar to the ones on the lower two floors. If he knew anything from his experiences in the tower, Jake figured one of the catalyst admins was stationed inside.

"You ready?" Jake asked the Eevee at his feet, prompting a small nod from Hazel.
With a sigh, Jake pulled open the door, before stepping inside, Hazel right behind him.
Once the pair entered the room, Jake's theory was proven to be true. At the far end of the room stood a rather tall woman with long, silky black hair. Much like Steven and Olivia, she was wearing a black lab coat, signifying her status as a Catalyst Admin.

"So...you've finally arrived Jake. Tell me...why must you always be in our way?" Shelly questioned.

"B-because..I'm not going to stand around, a-and watch as Team Catalyst destroys everything." Jake replied.
"Back at Ryuu town....y-you said you had another job...you said had it so you could raise enough money for the festival. Is that why y-you're doing this? For money? Does the world mean that little to you?" Jake questioned.

"You still don't get it, do you? I'm doing this so that Ryuu town can prosper!" Shelly exclaimed.
"I spent too long watching my home wither away, so I did something about it. After joining Team Catalyst, the money started flowing...and now Ryuu town is starting to recover. Not only that, but by joining Team Catalyst, I'm helping create a better future for my daughter and the rest of the world...can you say the same?" Shelly questioned.

"That's where you're wrong!" Jake exclaimed. "T-team Catalyst...they aren't making a better future! C-can't you see that?"

"You know...I thought that maybe you and your gang had a sliver of humanity left in you...but now I can see I was foolish to believe that." Shelly said, letting out an audible sigh.
"Very well. If you're so insistent on taking away a future from those I hold close..then you're going to have to beat me down to my dying breath!"

----
Elite Catalyst Admin Shelly Rose appeared!

----


With nothing left to say, Shelly grabbed a Pokeball from her belt and chucked it into the air. From the ball materialized a Magcargo, who let out a small cry of upon noticing Jake.

With Magcargo being a Fire type and a Rock type, Jake figured a Water type would be best. Considering he only had a single Water type left, Jake's choice was clear. Grabbing a Pokeball from his bag, Jake tossed the ball in front of him, revealing a Poliwag to be inside.

"Alright Blues...I-I need to try your best out there!" Jake called to the Poliwag.
"Like that wasn't obvious." Blues scoffed. "I always try my best, so you don't need to tell me."
"Ok then....Blues, s-start with Water Sport, then use Scald!" Jake ordered.

"Magcargo, Flamethrower and Stone Edge!" Shelly barked.

Eager to start things off, Blues sent a small jet of water into the sky. After a moment, the jet of water came raining down upon Blues, coating the Poliwag in a veil of water!

For it's first attack, Magcargo began to gather fire energy into it's mouth, before releasing a stream of flames at Blues! But with Blues being a Water type, as well as having a water shield, the attack seemed to have little effect on the Poliwag.

Still feeling as fresh as ever, Blues took the time to deliver his second attack. Amassing hot water in his mouth, Blues spat out a jet of the scalding water at his opponent, causing the Magcargo to cry out as the water washed over it.

In retaliation, Magcargo summoned several sharp stones around itself. The pointy rocks hovered around the lava Pokemon for a few moments, before flying out towards Blues! Unable to react in time, the Poliwag was forced to endure the powerful attack, crying out as the sharp stones dug into his flesh!

"Magcargo, Ancient Power and Earth Power!" Shelly barked.

"Blues, g-go with Scald, then use Psychic!" Jake called to the Poliwag.

Blues was once again the first to act! The Poliwag once again began to gather heated water in his mouth, before spewing it out at Magcargo!

In retaliation, Magcargo began to amass rock energy, converting it into a glowing sphere of energy, before sending the sphere flying towards Blues. Unable to react in time, Blues stumbled back as his opponent's attack crashed into him.

For his second attack, Blues started to collect psychic energy in his body. The Poliwag then fired a wave of psychic energy at Magcargo, causing the lava Pokemon to cry out and fall back slightly.

Angered by the Poliwag's assault, Magcargo began to pump ground energy into the floor, causing the clay to crack and glow, before finally erupting under Blues feet!

"Blues, use Scald t-then Scald again!" Jake ordered.

"Magcargo, Earth Power and Stone Edge!" Shelly barked.

Starting things off, Blues once again began to gather hot water into his mouth, before spewing it out at Magcargo, causing the lava Pokemon to let out a loud shriek.

In retaliation, Magcargo began to pump more ground energy into the floor, causing it to crack and shake, before erupting under Blues, sending the Poliwag flying back! If that weren't enough, the attack had also managed to lower Blues special defense, leaving the Poliwag wide open to any special attacks in the future!

Angered by the Magcargo's assault, Blues amassed even more hot water in his mouth, before spitting out the jet of water at his opponent!
This proved to be too much for the lava Pokemon, how let out a final cry, before falling over.

"Magcargo, return!" Shelly called as she returned the lava Pokemon to it's ball.
Shelly then grabbed a second Pokeball from her belt, before chucking it into the arena. From the ball emerged a Talonflame, who let out a mighty cry as it flew into the air.

"Talonflame, Hidden Power and Brave Bird!" Shelly barked.

"Blues, use Ice Ball, t-then Round!" Jake ordered.

This time Talonflame was the first to act! Tapping into a power from within itself, the scorching Pokemon summoned three balls of energy around itself, the energy glowing a bright yellow. The orbs then flew towards Blues, striking the Poliwag and causing him to cry out as the super effective attack sent him flying backwards.

In retaliation, Blues began to gather ice energy in front of himself, forming a small ball with it. The Poliwag then fired the ball of ice at Talonflame, dealing a small amount of damage to the scorching Pokemon.

For it's second attack, Talonflame flew as high as it could go, before diving towards Blues. Surrounded in a bright blue aura, Talonflame smashed into Blues, sending the Poliwag flying. Once Talonflame was finished attacking it was clear to see that Blues had been defeated.

"Blues, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Poliwag to his ball.
"You were great..n-now rest up." He added, before grabbing another ball from his bag and tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged an Emolga, who quickly began to check his surroundings.

"Aww...I was hoping some ladies would be watching." Voltaire said, letting out an audible sigh.
"No matter, I did say I'd try my best, and I have no intention of going back on that. I'm a gentleman, after all."

"Right...." Jake murmured. "Voltaire, u-use Fatal Attraction, follow with Thunder Shock!"

"Talonflame, use Flamethrower and Flare Blitz!" Shelly called to the scorching Pokemon.

Talonflame was once again the first to act! Gathering fire energy inside it's beak, the scorching Pokemon fired a beam of flames at Voltaire, causing the Emolga to cry out.

In retaliation, Voltaire released a dark pheromone into the air, hoping to send Talonflame into a state of extreme attraction. But upon inhaling the pheromone, Taloneflame seemed to be as fine as ever. The attack had failed!

With Voltaire left wide open, Talonflame began to prepare it's second attack. Surrounding itself in flames, the scorching Pokemon flew towards Voltaire, before ramming into the Emolga and sending him flying!
But not all was well for Talonflame, the powerful attack having inflicted some recoil damage upon it.

Hoping his second attack would work, Voltaire began to charge some electrical energy in his body, before releasing the small beam of electrical energy out at Talonflame!

"Talonflame, Quick Attack, then Flame Charge!" Shelly barked.

"Voltaire use Metronome, t-then Thunder Shock!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Talonflame flew towards Voltaire at lightning speed, striking the Emolga for a small amount of damage.

Leaving his fate to luck, Voltaire began to wiggle his finger, summoning a move from random! With his move selected, Voltaire began to gather water energy into his hands, forming a Water Shuriken with it. The Emolga then threw the water star at his opponent, before repeating the process again and again.
Though Talonflame tried it's best to dodge Voltaire's attacks, the Emolga had managed to land three successful hits!

Angered by Voltaire's assault, Talonflame covered itself in flames, before flying towards Voltaire, a bit more safely then last time. After striking the sky squirrel Pokemon, Talonflame could feel it's muscles loosen, increasing it's already impressive speed!

For his second attack, Voltaire began to gather a small amount of electrical energy, before firing it at his opponent, causing Talonflame to cry out in pain!

"Voltaire, u-use Thunder Shock, then Metronome!" Jake called to the Emolga.

"Talonflame, use Flamethrower and Flare Blitz!" Shelly barked.

Starting the round off, Talonflame began to amass fire energy in it's beak, before sending a stream of flames Voltaires way, scorching the Emolga and prompting a sharp cry from him.

Determined to win, Voltaire began to gather electrical energy in his body, before firing a small bolt of it at Talonflame! But with it's newfound speed, the scorching Pokemon managed to fly out of the way of the attack with little difficulty!

With Voltaire now left wide open, Talonflame covered itself in harsh flames, before smashing into Voltaire, sending him flying into the ground!

Slowly rising to his feet, Voltaire began to wiggle his finger once more, his fate resting on just what move he would summon. With his attack decided, Voltaire leaped into the air, before gliding towards his opponent. As the Emolga approached, he began to glow with energy, and he started to rapidly gain speed!
With the Emolga moving so fast, Talonflame didn't have time to react, and was forced to take the Sky Attack head on!
This proved to be too much for the scorching Pokemon, who let out a loud shriek, before crashing into the ground.

"Talonflame, return!" Shelly called as she returned the scorching Pokemon to it's ball. Shelly then snatched a third Pokeball from her belt, before tossing it in front of her. From the ball materialized a Pokemon Jake had never seen before! It sported a large yellow and red shell on it's back, and a small one on it's head.
The strange creature also had a plated tail, and a strange triangle snout.

Confused, Jake grabbed his Pokedex from his bag and scanned the strange Pokemon.
"Turtonator, the blast turtle Pokemon. A Fire and Dragon type." The Pokedex droned.
"It gushes fire and poisonous gases from its nostrils. Its dung is an explosive substance and can be put to various uses."

"Turtonator, use Stone Edge and Dragon Pulse!" Shelly barked.

"Voltaire, use Metronome, f-follow with Aerial Ace!" Jake ordered.

This time Voltaire was the first to act! Wiggling his finger, Voltaire once again took the gamble of deciding a random move to use. With his move decided, Voltaire began to gather rock energy using an Ancient Power.
Forming the energy into a sphere, Voltaire fired the ball of rock energy at Turtonator, causing the blast turtle Pokemon to let out a small cry.

For it's first attack, Turtonator summoned several sharp stones. After floating around the blast turtle Pokemon for a moment, the pointy rocks flew towards Voltaire, digging into the Emolga's flesh!
With a final cry, Voltaire fell to the ground in defeat.

"Voltaire return!" Jake called out as he withdrew the Emolga to his Pokeball.
"Great work out there." He added, before returning the ball to his bag.
After pondering for a moment, Jake grabbed a Safari Ball and tossed it into the arena, revealing a Carbink to be inside.

"Oh...a battle? I'll try not to let you down then." Diamanta said.
"Y-you're not going to let me down...just do your best." Jake replied.
"Now Diamanta, u-use Rock Tomb, then Rock Throw!"

"Turtonator, Smog and Head Smash!" Shelly barked.

Starting things off, Diamanta began to gather rock energy in front of her, forming a giant boulder with it. The Carbink then fired the boulder at her opponent, causing Turtonator to cry out, as well as lowering it's already pitiful speed.

For it's first attack, Turtonator exhaled a cloud of poisonous gas. Washing over Diamanta, the poisonous gas sent waves of pain through out the Carbink's body! If that weren't enough, once the gas had disappeared, it was clear to see Diamanta had been poisoned!

Angered by Turtonator's assault, Diamanta formed a smaller rock in front of herself, before firing it at Turtonator, landing a super effective hit on the blast turtle Pokemon.

In retaliation, Turtonator coated it's head in rock energy, before slowly charging towards it's opponent! Upon striking Diamanta, the Carbink let out a soft cry, before flying backwards from the force of the attack!
But not all was well for Turtonator, for it's last attack had also damaged it, thanks to it's recoil!

As the round came to a close, Diamanta cried out as the poison she had been inflicted with was starting to take effect!

"Turtonator, use Venoshock and Head Smash!" Shelly barked.

"Diamanta, go for Rock Tomb, t-then Rock Tomb again!" Jake called to the Carbink.

Diamanta was once again the first to act! Gathering rock energy in front of herself, the Carbink created another giant boulder! Diamanta then fired the boulder at her opponent, causing the blast turtle Pokemon to skid back upon being struck by the powerful rock type attack.

In retaliation, Turtonator spewed a wave of green liquid towards Diamanta. Upon making contact with the liquid, the Carbink let out a sharp cry. It seemed the powerful poison attack was being powered up even further, thanks to Diamanta's poisoned state!

For her second attack, Diamanta formed another boulder in front of herself, before striking her opponent with it, causing the Turtonator to fall back once more.

Once again Turtonator surrounded it's head in rock energy, before slowly charging towards Diamanta. Upon making contact with the Carbink, both Pokemon cried out, though only Diamanta flew backwards.

Once Diamanta had returned to her position, the Carbink cried out yet again, the poison having quite an effect on her.

With both Pokemon having sustained a hefty amount of damage, Diamanta and Turtonator looked to on their last legs. It was clear that the next round was going to decide which of them was to emerge victorious!

"Diamanta, u-use Tackle, then Rock Throw!" Jake ordered.

"Turtonator, Venoshock and Flamethrower!" Shelly barked.

Starting things off, Diamanta flew towards her opponent, ramming into Turtonator and dealing a small amount of damage to the blast turtle Pokemon.

With Turtonator as slow as ever, Diamanta took the chance to attack again! Gathering rock energy in front of herself, the Carbink formed a decently sized boulder with the energy. The jewel Pokemon then struck Turtonator with the boulder, causing the blast turtle Pokemon to let out a shriek, before toppling over in defeat.

As Shelly withdrew her Pokemon, Diamanta cried out, the poison inflicted upon her taking effect once more.

In Turtonator's place, a fierce Magmortar appeared. Giving Diamanta a growl, the blast Pokemon pointed one of it's cannons at the jewel Pokemon, showing that it was ready to battle.

"Magmortar, use Psychic. If that's not enough then Flamethrower!" Shelly barked.

"Diamanta, use Rock Throw, t-then Tackle!" Jake ordered.

This time Magmortar was the first to act! Gathering psychic energy, the blast Pokemon released the energy in a psychic wave! Flying towards Diamanta, the Carbink didn't have time to react as the wave of energy crashed into her, causing her to let out a cry, before falling to the ground.

"Diamanta, return!" Jake called as he returned the jewel Pokemon to her Safari Ball.
"Y-you were amazing...rest well." He added, tucking the Safari Ball into his bag. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Jake quickly grabbed a regular ball his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a Murkrow, who landed on the ground without making a sound.

Wait..that wasn't the Pokemon Jake had planned to pick! In his rush to send out another Pokemon, he had grabbed the wrong Pokeball!

"Guess I'll have to make this work too." Jake murmured, before turning his attention to the Murkrow.

"A-alright Robin, I need you to give this your all. Y-you can do that, right?" Jake questioned.

The mute Murkrow gave a quick nod, before taking to skies, ready for the battle to begin.

"Ok. Robin, use Double Team, f-follow with Twister!" Jake ordered.

"Magmortar, use Heat Wave and Thunderbolt!" Shelly barked.

Starting things off, Robin began to move rapidly from side to side. Soon Magmortar was seeing double..then triple! Once Robin had stopped moving, there was now four Murkrow's instead of one!

Looking quite unphased by this development, Magmortar began it's first attack. Gathering fire energy into it's arms, Magmortar blasted intensely heated air at the four Murkrow. As the powerful fire attack hit each Murkrow, three of them evaporated into thin air.
The last Murkrow, being the actual Robin, seemed to have sustained a severe amount of damage from the attack.

Angered by his opponent's assault, Robin laced his wings in dragon energy, before rapidly beating them. As he continued to beat his wings, a cyclone formed in front of the Murkrow. The cyclone spun towards Magmortar, striking the blast Pokemon and causing it to let out a small cry.

For it's second attack, Magmortar began to gather electrical energy into it's arm. Raising one of it's cannons at Robin, the blast Pokemon fired a wicked beam of electricity at the Murkrow. Unable to react in time, Robin displayed a pained expression as the powerful electric attack sent waves of pain through out his body.

"Magmortar, Thunder Punch and Thunderbolt!" Shelly barked.

Robin, u-use Peck...then Twister!" Jake called to the Murkrow.

Robin was once again the first to act! With his beak glowing white with energy, the Murkrow flew towards his opponent, striking the Magmortar with a jab of it's beak.

With Robin left wide open, Magmortar took the opportunity to strike! Coating it's arm in electricity, the blast Pokemon slammed it's arm into Robin, sending the Murkrow flying backwards!

Trying his best to stay in the battle, Robin began to beat his wings again, summoning a cyclone of dragon energy! The cyclone spun towards Magmortar, dealing a small amount of damage to the blast Pokemon and sending it stumbling back.

Angered by the Murkrow's assault, Magmortar began to amass electricity into it's arm. Pointing it's cannon at Robin, the blast Pokemon fired a beam of electric energy out at the Murkrow. Upon making contact with the powerful electric attack, a painful expression appeared on the Murkrow's face.
Once the attack had subsided, Robin feel to the ground, Magmortar's last attack proving to be too much for the darkness Pokemon.

"Robin, return!" Jake said as he withdrew the Murkrow to his Pokeball.
"Y-you did well...now rest up." He added as the placed the ball back in his bag.
Pondering his next choice for a few seconds, Jake picked another regular Pokeball from his bag. Making sure it was the right one, Jake threw the ball in front of him.

From the ball emerged an Ambipom, who let out an audible sigh upon noticing his former captor.

"Cyanide...I promised I wouldn't go after Team Catalyst..for fear of worrying you..and yet here I am." Pom murmured.
"While I regret breaking that promise, I won't regret making these scum suffer for all that they've done. That's a promise I fully intend to keep."
Turning to his trainer, Pom gave him a brief nod, informing him that he was ready to battle.

"Alright Pom, u-use Thunderbolt, follow with Mega Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Magmortar, Flame Burst and Flare Blitz!" Shelly barked.

This time Pom was the first to act! Gathering electrical energy in his body, the Ambipom released a bolt of electricity at his opponent. As the powerful attack struck Magmortar, the blast Pokemon cried out, before stumbling back.

In retaliation, Magmortar began to amass fire energy in it's arm. Magmortar then pointed one of it's cannons at Pom, before sending a blast of fire the Ambipom's way! Upon making contact with Pom, the fire ball exploded, sending embers throughout the room.

For his second attack, Pom began to gather energy into one of his tails, causing it to glow a bright white. The Ambipom then swung his tail at his opponent, striking the Magmortar and causing the blast Pokemon to cry out in pain!

Angered by his opponent's assault, Magmortar surrounded itself in a veil of flames. The blast Pokemon then charged towards Pom, before ramming into the Ambipom and causing him to let out a loud cry.
But Pom wasn't the only only hurting from the attack. Thanks to the power fire attacks recoil, Magmortar had also sustained some damage.

"Magmortar, Flamethrower then Flare Blitz!" Shelly barked.

"Pom, use Shadow Claw, t-then go with Swift!" Jake ordered.

Pom was once again the first to act! Cloaking his tail in a shadowy aura, the Ambipom lunged towards Magmortar, striking the blast Pokemon and sending it tumbling back.

Rising to it's feet, Magmortar started to gather fire energy in it's arm, before aiming a single cannon at Pom. Magmortar then fired a stream of flames out of it's cannon, the flames heading straight towards Pom! Unable to react in time, the Amibpom cried out as the orange flames washed over him, sending waves of pain throughout his body.

Angered by his opponent's assault, Pom gathered energy into one of his tails, before swinging it in the air. Upon swiping the air, several stars shot out, homing in on Magmortar before crashing into the blast Pokemon!
This proved to be too much for Magmortar, who let out a loud shriek, before falling to the ground.

"Magmortar, return!" Shelly called as she withdrew the blast Pokemon.
She then grabbed a fifth Pokeball from her belt, before chucking it in front of her. From the ball emerged a Houndoom, giving Pom a wicked smile as it noticed his opponent. On the Houndoom's neck appeared to be a collar, a strange stone resting in the center of it.

Pom recognized this Houndoom all too well. The reason he was taken captive....the reason his loved ones had to suffer without him...it was all because of this Houndoom!

But before anything could be said from either party, the sound of an alarm filled the room.

"Floor three barracks are under attack! I repeat, floor three barracks are under attack! Requesting back up immediately!" A voice rang throughout the building.

"No...but that's where..." Shelly murmured, before turning her attention to the trainer in front of her.

"So..you still think you're in the right do you?! How can you claim such things as your group attacks innocent people?!" Shelly exclaimed.

"W-what? I can assure you...t-that's not us." Jake replied.

"Once again you can't admit that you're in the wrong. He was right when he said you were to far gone to listen to reason." Shelly said as she pulled a rainbow stone out of her pocket.

"Houndoom, let's burn these scumbags to ashes! It's time for you to Mega Evolve!!!" Shelly exclaimed, gripping the rainbow stone tightly.

Upon doing so, tendrils of energy shot out of the stone, linking to Houndoom's collar. It was then that the dark Pokemon began to transform!
It's horns grew straight upwards, and it's claws began to glow red. It's tail split into a fork, and a large bone like structure appeared on it's neck, with two large spikes on either side of it. Once the dark Pokemon had finished transforming, it let out a menacing growl at it's opponent.

"L-let's win this Pom. Start with Brick Break, f-follow with Gunk Shot!" Jake ordered.

"Houndoom, use Fire Fang and Crunch!" Shelly barked.

Starting things off, Pom lunged at his opponent, before delivering a open hand strike to the mega evolved Houndoom, causing the dark Pokemon to let out a yelp.

For it's first attack, Houndoom coated it's fangs in flames, before charging towards Pom. Once Houndoom had reached the Amibpom, it sunk it's fangs into Pom's flesh!

Angered by his opponent's assault, Pom started to amass poison energy in front of himself, creating a ball of slime and garbage with it. With a swing of his tail, the poisonous sphere was sent flying into the mega evolved Houndoom, causing it to stumble back slightly.

For it's second attack, Houndoom laced it's fangs with dark energy, before making it's way towards it's opponent. Upon reaching the Ambipom, Houndoom bit down on Pom's flesh as hard as it could, causing Pom to cry out.

"Houndoom, Flame Charge then Dark Pulse!" Shelly barked.

"Pom, u-use Mega Punch, then use Brick Break!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Pom began to amass energy into one of his tails, causing it to glow a bright white. The Ambipom then swung his tail at his opponent, striking the Houndoom and causing the dark Pokemon to cry out in pain!

In retaliation, Houndoom began to cover itself in flames, before charging towards Pom! Once the dark Pokemon had finished attacking, it could feel it's muscles loosen, increasing it's speed!

For his second attack, Pom rushed towards Houndoom, before delivering a powerful open hand strike to the dark Pokemon, prompting a yelp from it.

Angered by Pom's assault, Houndoom began to gather it's dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy. The mega evolved Houndoom then fired a wave of dark energy at Pom, causing the Ambipom to stumble backwards.

"Pom, use Brick Break, t-then use Double Hit!" Jake ordered.

"Houndoom! Use Flamethrower and Dark Pulse!" Shelly barked.

This time Houndoom was the first to act! Gathering fire energy in it's mouth, the mega evolved Houndoom spewed a stream of flames Pom's way! Unable to react in time, Pom could only let out a sharp cry as the orange flames washed over him.

In retaliation, Pom lunged at his opponent, striking the dark Pokemon with a powerful open hand strike!

For it's second attack, Houndoom once again began to gather up it's dark thoughts, transforming them into energy. The mega evolved Houndoom then fired a wave of dark energy at Pom, striking the Ambipom and sending him flying back!

Not willing to give up quite yet, Pom began to prepare his next attack. Racing towards Houndoom, Pom swung his tails at the dark Pokemon, striking his opponent twice!

"Let's end this Houndoom! Use Inferno!" Shelly barked.

"Pom, dodge it and use Gunk Shot!" Jake ordered.

Eager to win, Houndoom began to gather up a massive amount of fire energy in it's mouth, before releasing a cyclone of blue flames!

Using his tails as a spring, Pom bounced high into the air, narrowly avoided the powerful fire attack. Wasting no time, Pom began to gather poison energy in front of himself, forming a large sphere of slime and garbage.
Swinging his tail towards his opponent, the ball of poisonous gunk flew towards Houndoom, striking the dark Pokemon and causing it to let out a loud shriek!
The dark Pokemon then fell to the floor, Pom's last attack proving to be too much for it. Upon hitting the ground, the dark Pokemon began to glow, before reverting to it's original form.

"Houndoom, return!" Shelly exclaimed as she withdrew the dark Pokemon to it's ball.

"...Ryan..it's up to you now." Shelly murmured, before quickly running out of the room, leaving only Jake and his Pokemon.

"W-where do you think she went?" Hazel questioned.

"I don't know. B-but let's not focus on that." Jake replied, before turning his attention to Pom.

"Y-you did amazing out there Pom, n-now rest up..you deserve it." Jake said, before returning the Ambipom to his Pokeball.

"W-well....what s-should we do now? S-should we check on the barracks? I-it's under attack, right?" Hazel questioned.

"Not now Hazel, w-we need to get to the top as soon as possible." Jake explained, before pointing to the spiraling stairs ahead of them.

"Ok..w-well...I-I'm with you..all t-the way." Hazel replied.

"Glad to hear it. Let's go." Jake nodded, before making his way up the stairs, Hazel right behind him.
----
Catalyst Tower - Second Floor
----
"Ninetails, no!" A catalyst grunt cried out as he watched his partner fall to the ground.

Returning the Alolan Ninetails to it's ball, the Catalyst grunt quickly fled, leaving only Tyler and his Pokemon behind.

"Hell yeah Magneton, you were awesome out there!" Tyler exclaimed. "We really cleaned up!"

Receiving a nod from the magnet Pokemon, Tyler grabbed a regular Pokeball from his belt, withdrawing the Magneton with it.
"Rest up well, you totally deserve it." The man added, clipping the ball back to his belt.

After splitting up from Sophie, Tyler had run into several Catalyst grunts, all of them desperate to stop him from going any further. But it seemed Tyler's earlier worries of splitting up had been for naught, as he had managed to easily beat each and every grunt so far.

Turning to his Zebstrika, Tyler was about to ask the thunderbolt Pokemon if he was ready to move on, when the sound of an alarm rang from all around him.
"Floor three barracks are under attack! I repeat, floor three barracks are under attack! Requesting back up immediately!" A voice rang throughout the building.

"What the? Their barracks are under attack? But how?" Tyler questioned.
As he continued to ponder this, Zebstrika gave him a firm nudge, turning his trainers attention to him.

"Huh? What is it? Did you want to check it out or something?" Tyler questioned.
Receiving a firm nod from his Pokemon, Tyler let out an audible sigh.

"Yeah well..I would too. But the barracks being on the third floor doesn't give us much clues to it's exact location." Tyler replied, prompting Zebstrika to roll it's eyes.

Approaching the stairs the grunt was guarding, Zebstrika pointed to the sign on the wall using it's nose.

"Barracks straight ahead..." Tyler read the sign aloud.
"Well I guess that answers that." Tyler chuckled, prompting another eye roll from the thunderbolt Pokemon.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's see what's going on!" Tyler exclaimed, before rushing up the stairs, Zebstrika right behind them. The pair wondering what exactly was in store for them....

----
Jake's Remaining (Healthy) Pokemon
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Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 07-20-2017 at 12:32 PM.
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Old 07-21-2017, 11:19 PM   #19
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Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 4

Making their way to the third floor of Catalyst tower, Tyler and Zebstrika stopped cold in their tracks upon noticing what greeted them. The walls and floor...it was caked in blood! And yet..neither of them could spot anyone, dead or alive in the sprawling corridor ahead.

"I don't like the look of this Zebstrika..." Tyler murmured, his voice filled with dread, instead of his usual enthusiasm.

The thunderbolt Pokemon gave a small nod. Just what had happened here?
Realizing that they wouldn't gain any answers by sitting around, the two pressed on, Zebstrika trying it's best to ignore the feeling of warm blood beneath it's feet.

Making their way through the blood soaked hallway, the pair eventually found themselves at a large doorway. The sign beside the door was covered in blood, making it illegible.
Debating if he should open the door, the man eventually caved, pushing open the large door against his better judgement.

What greeted him next could only be described as absolutely horrifying. While Tyler and Zebstrika hadn't been able to spot a single person in the halls, the pair could now see where they had all been. Much like the hall before, the room was covered in blood, even so much as caking the tables and beds.
On the ground was various people and Pokemon, some with their limbs intact...while others weren't so lucky. It took all of Tyler's willpower not to vomit.

Among the murdered Catalyst members, Tyler spotted a man wearing a black lab coat, beside him a fallen Aggron. It seemed even Catalyst admins hadn't been spared in the blood bath. Tyler was about to leave, when a weak voice called out to him.

"You're one of the intruders..." The voice said, causing Tyler to turn his attention to the source. In the corner of the room was a tall woman with long, silky black hair. She was wearing a black lab coat, and was standing over a dead Sudowoodo.

"You...you're an admin of Team Catalyst!" Tyler exclaimed. "Tell me what's going on here! Have you guys seriously gone mad?!"

"You...you really don't get it...do you?" Shelly questioned, sounding as if she was about to burst into tears.

"This is all on you. Because of you and your friends stupid mission...all of these innocent people are dead!" Shelly barked.

"Our mission? What the hell are you talking about?! We would never do something like this!" Tyler exclaimed, Zebstrika giving a firm nod in support.

"Sure maybe not directly...but by supporting Project X....you're allowing that foul beast to run rampant." Shelly explained. "With Project X running around...it's only a matter of time before it destroys everything else in it's path."

"What...no way...this is Project X's doing?" Tyler murmured.
"W-why should I believe you? Why should I believe any of you Catalyst scum?"

"Believe me if you want, I'm not going to convince you. I don't care any more." Shelly replied. "I've already lost my friends...and potentially my daughter as well."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that.." Tyler murmured, before turning to Zebstrika.
"Come on Zebstrika, we've got to warn the others." He said, prompting a weak nod from the thunderbolt Pokemon.
----
Catalyst Tower - Fourth Floor
----
"A-alright Hazel...we made it. Only a little longer to go." Jake said upon reaching the top of the stairs.

"Y-yeah." Hazel panted. "H-hopefully...n-no more Catalyst grunts show up."

Taking a look at his surroundings, Jake noticed that the fourth floor was somewhat different from the previous floors. Instead of a maze of corridors, this floor appeared to only have one, though much like the others, this corridor also appeared to stretch to the other side of the building.
At the far end of the hall, Jake spotted a rather large door, just like the one in the previous room. Suddenly the door opened, a Catalyst grunt having pushed it wide open. Wasting no time, the grunt ran down the hallway, only to stop upon noticing Jake.

"An intruder! I don't have time for this!" The woman exclaimed.

"T-then let me go..it's obvious you n-need to get somewhere..right?" Jake asked.

"No that won't do. I just need to deal with you quickly. Dustox, Beautifly let's go!" The grunt exclaimed as she chucked two Pokeballs in front of her. From them the two Bug types emerged, both looking rather eager to battle.

A double battle? Then Jake knew just Pokemon to pick! Grabbing two regular Pokeballs from his bag, Jake tossed them into the air, revealing a Plusle and Minun to be inside.

"A battle? I-I don't know about this..." Hiku murmured.

"It's going to be ok! We'll be able to do this together." Tasu said, trying her best to cheer the Minun up.

"Thank sis...alright I'm ready to go." Hiku replied.

"Beautifly, go for Air Cutter and Bug Buzz on Plusle. Dustox, go for Sludge Bomb and Silver Wind on Minun!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Ok...Tasu u-use Discharge and Quick Attack on Dustox. Hiku use Discharge a-and Quick Attack on Beautifly!" Jake ordered.

Tasu was the first to act! Gathering electrical energy, the Plusle released a large amount of electricity throughout the battlefield, striking Beautifly and Dustox, as well as Hiku! Not only that, but Tasu's attack seemed to be stronger then usual, thanks to Hiku's Minus ability!

Angered by the Plusle's assault, Beautifly began to flap it's wings, sending blades of wind flying throughout the battlefield, striking both Tasu and Hiku, causing the pair to cry out!

Ready to give it his all, Hiku copied what sister had previously done, before sending a large amount of electricity at both his opponent's, as well as at Tasu!
if that wasn't enough, it seemed Hiku's Discharge attack was stronger then usual, thanks to Tasu's Plus ability!

Focusing on Hiku, Dustox began to gather poisonous energy in front of it, before firing a barrage of sludge at it's opponent! Unable to react in time, Hiku was struck by the powerful poison attack, sending the Minun flying back.

For her second attack, Tasu charged towards Beautifly at a blinding speed. At the same time, Hiku began to copy his sister, dashing towards Dustox as fast as his legs could carry him. Upon reaching their opponents, the pair slammed into them, dealing a small amount of damage to the Beautifly and Dustox!

Ready to make it's next move, Beautifly began to flap it's wings, sending out waves of green bug energy. As the waves of green energy washed over her, Tasu couldn't help but cry out, the power of the attack causing her to stumble back.

With Beautifly focused on Tasu, Dustox took the opportunity to attack Hiku! Flapping it's wings, the poison moth Pokemon sent out silver blades of energy towards the Minun, striking Hiku and causing him to let out a small cry.

"Tasu use Discharge t-then Spark on Beautifly. Hiku g-go for Discharge then Nuzzle on Dustox!" Jake ordered.

"Beautifly go for Bug Buzz and Shadow Ball on Plusle! Dustox go for Psychic and Psybeam on Minun!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

Tasu was once again the first to act! After amassing a large amount of electrical energy in her body, the Plusle released it throughout the area, shocking both of her opponent's, as well as Hiku!

In retaliation, Beautifly began to beat it's wings, summoning waves of bug energy. The bug energy quickly washed over Tasu, causing the Plusle to cry out, before falling back slightly.

Now it was Hiku's turn to act! Gathering electrical energy into his body, the Minun then released it all around himself, striking Beautifly and Dustox, as well as Tasu!

Eager to join in, Dustox began to gather up psychic energy, before sending a wave of it flying towards Hiku! Unable top react in time, Hiku let out a sharp cry as the wave of energy smashed into him, causing him to be sent flying back.

For her second attack, Tasu surrounded herself in a veil of blue electricity, before running towards her opponent! Upon reaching the Beautifly, Tasu slammed into butterfly Pokemon, prompting a loud shriek from it.

Angered by the Plusle's assault, Beautifly began to gather spectral energy in front of itself, forming a sphere with it. The butterfly Pokemon then sent the sphere of energy flying towards Tasu, striking the Plusle and causing her to stumble back.

Ready to perform his second attack, Hiku charged his cheeks with electrical energy, before diving at Beautifly! The Minun then began to rub his cheeks on the butterfly Pokemon, prompting another shriek from it.
Once Hiku had finished attacking, Beautifly fell to the ground, the Minun's last attack having proved to be too much for it.
Even with it's teammate down, Dustox was determined to win! Gathering up more psychic energy, the poison moth Pokemon released a multi-coloured beam at Hiku! Upon striking the Minun, Hiku let out a small cry, before stumbling back at the power of the attack.

"Beautifly return!" The Catalyst grunt called out as she returned the butterfly Pokemon to it's ball.
"It's all on you now Dustox! Use Sludge Bomb on Plusle and Bug Buzz on Minun!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"L-let's finish this! Tasu use Chocolate Magic and Discharge. Hiku u-use Quick Attack then follow with Discharge!" Jake ordered.

This time Hiku was the first to act. With great speed, the Minun rushed towards Dustox, slamming into the poison moth Pokemon and dealing a small amount of damage to it.

Tasu was the next to act. Gathering energy in front of herself, the Plusle fired a blast of chocolate at Dustox! Upon making contact with the gooey chocolate, Dustox's wings began to grow heavier and heavier, until the poison moth could no longer support itself!
Falling downwards, the poison moth Pokemon couldn't help but let out a shriek upon smashing onto the floor!

Despite being stuck on the ground, Dustox still found the strength to continue! Gathering poisonous energy, Dustox released a barrage of hardened sludge at Tasu, causing the Plusle to cry out as she was struck but countless amounts of sludge.

For his second attack, Hiku started to amass electrical energy in his body, before sending it flying through out the area, shocking both Dustox and Tasu!

Following in her brother's footsteps, Tasu gathered up more electrical energy, releasing the built up energy and striking both Dustox and Hiku with it!
This proved to be too much for the poison moth Pokemon, who let out a loud shriek, before becoming unresponsive.

"Dustox return!" The grunt cried out, withdrawing the poison moth Pokemon to it's ball, before turning her attention to Jake.
"You're...stronger then you look. I-I can see why Chris is so interested in you." The grunt murmured, before scurrying off towards the stairs.

Though he was confused by what the grunt had meant, Jake knew he didn't have the time to ponder the exact meaning of the grunt's words. Instead he turned his attention to Tasu and Hiku. snatching their Pokeballs from his bag as he did so.

"You two were g-great out there. Now rest up for now." Jake said, before withdrawing the Plusle and Minun. Placing their Pokeballs back in his bag, Jake drew his attention to the path ahead. With another battle behind them, Jake and Hazel pressed onwards, growing ever closer to their destination.
----
"Alright, we've finally made it...the fourth floor." Turtwig said, having finished ascending a large spiral staircase.

"Yes, it is quite the relief." Telpo chimed. "Though I fear we will still have many trials ahead. How many floors did you say this tower has Zack?"

"Five. Though I fear Telpo is quite right, we shouldn't let our guards down just yet." Zack said, receiving a nod from the rest of the group in response.

Making their way down a large corridor, it quickly became clear to the group this wings purpose. On each side of them were countless cages. Though each of them was empty at the moment, it was doubtful that they had always remained this way.

"Zack is this-"

"Where they keep Pokemon for their experiments? I'm afraid so." Zack replied, cutting Telpo off.

"I see..then this is where my teammates were kept..right?" Telpo questioned.

"Yeah. This is the place." Boldore nodded.

"It's a shame what happened...I only wish we could have done something sooner." Turtwig murmured.

"It's not your fault." Telpo chimed. "There wasn't anyway you could have known."

"Yeah I know...but still. I owe Jake and you guys for saving me...so..I feel like I need to make it up to you. But all I've done is fail at helping you guys." Turtwig explained.

"Nonsense, you've been a big help." Telpo replied. "But I think I get what you mean. My master saved me from my fate at the adoption center...and so I've pledged to do whatever it is to protect him. Sometimes I feel like I've failed him...but he says that he would never consider me a failure." Telpo continued.
"Jake is nice like that...I'm sure he'd never consider you a failure...so just try your best, ok?"

"Wow...umm..thanks Telpo..I think I needed that." Turtwig murmured.

"I'm glad to hear that." Telpo chimed, before turning his attention back to the long corridor ahead.
Reaching the end of the hall, the group was about to turn, when the presence of a Catalyst grunt stopped them in their tracks.

"Their you are! I've finally found you!" The grunt exclaimed, a scowl forming on his face upon noticing Zack.

"Fancy meeting you here Zack. I had heard that you were siding with these intruders, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it...until now." The grunt said.

"Whatever, Zack or not, I'll destroy ever last one of you scumbags for what you've done. Venomoth let's go!" The grunt exclaimed as he tossed a Pokeball into the air.

From the ball emerged the Venomoth, who seemed unphased at the presence of the group in front of it.
But something was off about this Venomoth, Telpo realized. The Venomoth seemed somewhat familiar...but the Abra couldn't quite put his finger on it.
But Telpo didn't have to, as Turtwig and his friend's next words revealed just why that Venomoth seemed so familiar.

"Venomoth!? What are you doing here!?" Turtwig exclaimed in surprise.

"So you've decided to go back to Team Catalyst? After everything that happened at the bar...you've decided to go back?" Ariados questioned.

To his former teammates questions, Venomoth did nothing, his expression as blank as ever.

"Forget it, Venomoth was always on his side, remember? He won't listen." Drilbur said.

"Telpo what's going on?" Zack asked, confused by Turtwig's group and their reactions.

"Long story short you know how Turtwig and them used to be owned by Jake's father, right? Well..he also used to own a Venomoth...and somehow this guy now owns that Venomoth." Telpo explained.

"Come on Zack, let me at him! I'll take him down no problem!" Turtwig exclaimed, Telpo quick to translate.

"No, you guys stay back. Telpo is going to handle this." Zack replied.

"Alright...but don't forget I'm right here." Turtwig said, Telpo once again translating his words.

"Zack..are you sure I'm the best choice? I mean...my master doesn't usually use me in battle too much." Telpo explained.
"You'll do fine. Now Telpo, go with Fire Punch and Psychic!" Zack ordered.

"Venomoth, use Sludge Bomb and Silver Wind!" The Catalyst grunt ordered.

Starting the battle off, Venomoth began to gather poisonous energy, before firing a barrage of sludge at Telpo! Unable to react in time, Telpo was forced to take the full force of the attack, causing him to fall back slightly.

Now it was Telpo's turn to attack! Cloaking his fist in flames, Telpo floated over to the Venomoth, before delivering a powerful punch to the poison moth pokemon, causing it to let out a small cry.

In retaliation, Venomoth began to rapidly flap it's wings, sending silver blades of energy towards Telpo, striking the Abra with a super effective attack!

For his second attack, Telpo began to gather up psychic energy, before releasing it in the form of a wave. The wave of psychic energy flew towards Venomoth, striking the poison moth Pokemon and sending it flying back!

"Venomoth, use Energy Ball and Silver Wind!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

"Telpo use Psychic once more, then Ice Punch!" Zack ordered.

Venomoth was once again the first to act! Gathering grass energy in front of itself, the poison moth Pokemon sent a sphere of the energy flying in Telpo's direction! Unable to react in time, the Abra cried out as the powerful attack sent waves of pain through his body.

Gathering up more psychic energy, Telpo fired a wave of it out at his opponent, scoring another super effective blow on the Venomoth!

For it's second attack, Venomoth began to rapidly flap it's wings, sending silver blades of energy crashing into Telpo!

Cloaking his fist in ice, Telpo floated over to his opponent, before striking the Venomoth with a swing of his arm.

"Telpo use Fire Punch andPsychic!" Zack called to the Abra.

"Venomoth, go for Psybeam and Silver Wind!" The Catalyst grunt barked.

Collecting psychic energy, Venomoth fired a multi-coloured beam of it at Telpo, causing the Abra to fall back slightly.

Now it was Telpo's turn to act. Covering his fist in flames, Telpo floated over to the poison moth Pokemon, before delivering a powerful punch to his opponent, causing the Venomoth to let out a loud shriek.

Angered by the Abra's assault, Venomoth began to rapidly beat it's wings, sending blades of silver energy out towards Telpo. As the powerful attack slammed into him, Telpo let out a sharp cry! It seemed that the Abra had very little left in him.
Despite this, Telpo refused to give up! Gathering more psychic energy, the Abra sent another wave of it out towards his opponent.
Upon making contact with the Venomoth, it let out a loud shriek, before flying backwards into his trainer with enough force to knock the grunt of his feet! The pair proceeded to crash into a nearby wall, before falling to the floor.

"Wow Telpo, that was amazing! You knocked them both clean out!" Turtwig exclaimed.

"Thanks, but that wasn't really my intention." Telpo replied.

"What are we supposed to do with them now? Do we just leave them be?" Ariados questioned, Telpo translating for him.

"No, we can't just leave them here. We need a sure fire way of keeping them out of trouble." Zack replied. "Any ideas?"

"How about we put them in one of the cells?" Telpo suggested. "They're made for holding Pokemon..so I doubt either of them will be able to bust out."

"An excellent idea Telpo..I was just about to suggest it myself." Zack said.

"Wait, we won't be able to open or lock the cells without a key." Telpo chimed. "Unless we can find a key, we're going to have to come up with a new plan."

"Fret not Telpo...for there's another way to open these." Zack replied as he made his way to a small PIN pad on the side of a wall.

"You see, if I just punch in the code they should open." Zack explained as he punched various keys on the device, before all the cell doors swung open.

"Well that's definitely convenient." Telpo chimed. "It's a bit weird that it's the same password though...you'd they'd have changed it since you left."

"Yeah, I guess that's weird." Zack gave a light shrug. "Now I'm assuming everyone else is ok with the idea?"

Receiving a nod from the rest of the group, a small smile formed on Zack's face.
"Perfect. Well then, while Turtwig's group and I take care of that, Telpo can you scout ahead for us? It's important." Zack explained.

"Ok sure, I'll report back if I find anything." Telpo chimed, before floating off ahead, leaving Turtwig's group and Zack behind.

"Alright, now Boldore, Ariados, you take Venomoth. The rest of you, let's drag that grunt inside." Zack instructed, grabbing the Catalyst grunt's arms as he did so.

Following the man's orders, Turtwig began to push the grunt with all his might, Drilbur following shortly after.

Meanwhile, Ariados began to hoist his former teammate onto Boldore's back, being extra careful not to awaken the poison moth Pokemon.

Once inside one of the cages, the group took great care in placing the two gently on the concrete floor.

"Alright, let's get going then. We don't have much time." Zack said, receiving a nod from the others in response.

With that, Zack quickly exited the cell, watching as the others began to follow.
----
As Hazel and Jake continued their search of the tower, the pair came across a rather large door. Peeking through the window, Jake could see that the interior sported a familiar clay floor. Jake had seen enough of these rooms by now to know what was going on. Inside had to be the fourth Catalyst admin's post.
Taking in a deep breath, Jake slowly pushed open the door, Hazel right behind him. Once in side, Jake immediately noticed a large spiraling staircase at the back of the room. In front of them was a man all too familiar to Jake. Of course, it was none other then Ryan Williams, eighth time champ of the Electric Masters tournament.
Jake didn't want to believe it..but he knew this outcome was likely, considering the information they had obtained at Hagane Labs.

Despite the young trainer's presence in the room, Ryan seemed not to notice, instead paying full attention to his PokeGear.

"-there's no way! ...You're sure? Shelly too? T-thanks for running it by me though... Alright bye." Ryan said, before ending the call, shoving the black PokeGear in his pocket.

With nothing left to distract him, Ryan turned to face the trainer in front of him.
"So Jake...you've finally arrived. I didn't want to tell you about my allegiance with Team Catalyst back at the tournament, but I guess there's nothing left to hide."

Before Jake could say anything, a strong pain gripped his head, causing him to cry out.

"Jake! A-are you ok?" Hazel questioned.

"I-I'm fine Hazel...I-I just..remembered something is all..." Jake murmured, the pain already subsiding.

"Y-you were there...you helped Shelly..steal my Pokemon." Jake said, turning his attention back to Ryan.
"How can any of you c-claim to be in the right....y-you're no better then common thieves!"

"I don't need to explain my reasons to you." Ryan replied, giving a shake of his head.
"You're not going to listen to me, just as I won't with you. We both have our own reasons, and nothing is going to change them..us battling here was inevitable."

"W-well then answer me this. Y-you saved me and Tyler..from those grunts in Rayo woods... I-if you're on the same side...then why did you do it?" Jake questioned, sounding genuinely curious.

"Let's just say some of us have a few conflicting ideals, and leave it at that." Ryan replied.

"Now, it's time for us to battle once again. I can assure you, I won't be holding back this time!"

----
Elite Catalyst Admin Ryan Williams appeared!

----


"Alright Raichu, you're up!" Ryan exclaimed as he chucked a Pokeball in front of him. From the ball emerged the mouse Pokemon, who patiently awaited it's trainers orders.

As Jake began to consider which Pokemon he was going to pick, a sudden idea sprung into his mind. Was it stupid? Jake had to admit that it was. Still, the thought of getting revenge for every Electric type Ryan had wronged was very appealing.
After a couple moments of debate, Jake had finally settled on the idea. He was going to try his best to use only Electric types against Ryan.

With this in mind, Jake snatched a regular Pokeball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball materialized a Pachirisu, who began to look around at her surroundings in disgust.

"It's so messy in here! How am I supposed to battle in such conditions?!" Patches exclaimed.

"C-calm down Patches. I just need you to do your best, o-ok?" Jake questioned.
"Alright fine. But don't expect me to be happy about it." Patches replied.

"Ok..Patches use Quick Attack then Seed Bomb!" Jake ordered.

"Raichu, start with Disarming Voice, then use Brick Break!" Ryan barked.

Not wasting a single moment, Patches raced towards her opponent at a great speed. Upon reaching the Raichu, Patches slammed into the mouse Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage to it.

In retaliation, Raichu let out a small cry, summoning pink sound waves from it's mouth. The sounds waves homed in on Patches, relentlessly chasing the Pachirisu before striking her, causing her to cry out.

But Raichu wasn't quite done yet. Gathering fighting energy in it's arm, the mouse Pokemon lunged at Patches, before delivering a powerful strike to the Pachirisu.

For her second attack, Patches began to gather grass energy in front of herself, forming a green sphere with it. Patches then fired the sphere of energy towards her opponent. Upon making contact with the mouse Pokemon, the ball of energy exploded, prompting Raichu to let out a sharp cry!

"Ok Raichu let's use Mud Slap, then Focus Blast!" Ryan barked.

"Patches, g-go with Shock Wave, follow with Seed Bomb!" Jake ordered.

This time Raichu was the first to act! Gathering a small amount of ground energy in it's mouth, the mouse Pokemon spat out a glob of mud at Patches! Unable to react in time, Patches let out a cry as the super effective attack sent her flying back.

For her first attack, Patches began to gather electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards Raichu, following the mouse Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

Gathering fighting energy inbetween it's hands, Raichu formed a large ball with the energy, before firing it at Patches. Unable to react in time, the Pachirisu was sent flying from the sheer power of the attack! If that wasn't enough, the attack had also lowered the Pachirisu's special defense, leaving her wide open to future special attacks!

Angered by her opponent's assault, Patches began to gather grass energy in front of herself, forming a ball with it. The Pachirisu then fired the sphere of energy out towards Raichu. Upon making contact with the mouse Pokemon, the orb of energy exploded, prompting a sharp cry from the Raichu.

"Patches, use Shock Wave t-then use Quick Attack!" Jake ordered

"Raichu, go with Hidden Power, then use Signal Beam!" Ryan called to the mouse Pokemon.

Starting things off, Raichu began to tap into a power, one hidden deep within the mouse Pokemon. Three orbs then began to circle the mouse Pokemon, orbs as cool as the winter breeze. Raichu then fired the icy spheres of energy out at Patches, causing the Pachirisu to cry out, before stumbling back.

In retaliation, Patches began to amass electrical energy creating a blue orb of it in front of her. From the orb, a wave of electricity flew out towards Raichu, following the mouse Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

Next, Patches charged towards Raichu at an incredible speed, before ramming into the mouse Pokemon!

Angered by the Pachirisu's assault, Raichu began to collect bug energy, before releasing it in the form of a rainbow beam! Upon being struck by the powerful attack, Patches let out a final cry, before toppling over in defeat.

"Patches return!" Jake called out as he withdrew the Pachirisu to her Pokeball.
"You did well...now rest up." He added as he placed Patches Pokeball back in his bag, before replacing it with a new one. Upon tossing the Pokeball in the air, a Zebstrika emerged, his eyes narrowing upon noticing who he was battling.

"Wait..he's with Team Catalyst?! Well no matter..that just gives me all the more reason to win this time!" Hayai exclaimed.
"Glad to hear it." Jake nodded.

"Raichu let's use Mud Slap, then use Fling!" Ryan barked.

"Hayai g-go for a Me First, then follow with Double Edge!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Raichu began to gather a small amount of ground energy in it's mouth. Copying it's opponents knowledge of the move, Hayai fired a glob of mud out at Raichu, sending the mouse Pokemon stumbling back.

In retaliation, Raichu fired it's own glob of mud out at Hayai. Despite the attack not being quite as powerful as Hayai's, it was enough to cause the Zebstrika to let out a small cry.

For his second attack, Hayai began to recklessly charge towards his opponent, his own safety entirely forgotten.
Letting out a sharp cry, Raichu flew back as Hayai rammed himself into the mouse Pokemon.
But in his reckless charge, Hayai had managed to hurt himself, thanks to the attacks recoil!

Fueled with rage, Raichu hurled a poison barb it had been holding at it's opponent! Unable to react in time, the thunderbolt Pokemon let out a sharp cry as the powerful dark type attack sent a sharp pain throughout him!
To make matters worse, once the pain of the attack finally subsided, a new pain emerged, causing the Zebstrika to cough violently, Hayai had been poisoned!

"Hayai use Double Kick, t-then use Double Edge." Jake ordered.

"Raichu start with Hidden Power, then go with Signal Beam!" Ryan exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Hayai ran towards Raichu as fast as he could. Upon reaching the mouse Pokemon, Hayai turned around, kicking his opponent with his back legs.

In retaliation, Raichu began to tap into a power hidden within itself. As it did so, three orbs as white as powdered snow began to circle the mouse Pokemon. After a moment, the three icy orbs shot out at Hayai, striking the Zebstrika and causing him to cry out.

For his second attack, Hayai began to charge recklessly towards Raichu, his own safety once again forgotten. Upon striking the mouse Pokemon, Raichu cried out, before falling over, Hayai's last attack proving to be too much for it.

Once the round had finished, Hayai began to cough violently, the poison inflicted upon him still in full effect.

"Raichu return!" Ryan called out as he returned the mouse Pokemon to it's ball.
"Alright Rotom, you're up!" The man barked as he chucked another Pokeball in front of himself. From the ball materialized the plasma Pokemon, though it was quite different from the last time Jake had seen it.
In his last battle against Ryan, the Rotom had taken the form of refrigerator. This time, the plasma Pokemon seemed to resemble a washing machine instead!

"Rotom let's use Hydro Pump, then use Hidden Power!" Ryan barked.

"Hayai, u-use Wild Charge, follow it with Double Edge!" Jake ordered.

Hayai was once again the first to act! Covering it's body in a veil of electricity, the Zebstrika charged towards his opponent. Upon making contact with Rotom, the plasma Pokemon was sent flying back with a small shriek.

Gathering water energy into the center of it's body, the plasma Pokemon fired a jet of water out at Hayai! Unable to react in time, the thunderbolt let out a sharp cry as he was sent stumbling back.

For his second attack, Hayai once again made his towards his opponent in a reckless charge. After slamming into the plasma Pokemon, Hayai cried out from the recoil of the attack, his health levels plummeting even further.

Collecting a hidden power from within itself, Rotom summoned three orbs of energy around itself. The spheres of energy, calm as the earth itself, hovered around the plasma Pokemon for only a moment, before shooting out at Hayai!

Upon striking the Zebstrika, Hayai let out a sharp cry, before toppling over in defeat.

"Hayai return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Zebstrika.
"G-good work out there. Now rest well." He said as he stuffed the Pokeball back in his bag.
After a moment, Jake grabbed another Pokeball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged an Electrike, who let out a growl upon noticing his opponent.

"Oh! Team Catalyst goons! Don't worry Jake, I'll protect you from these guys, no problem!" Alfie exclaimed.

"Uh.. glad to hear it." Jake murmured. "Now Alfie, u-use Snarl, follow with Signal Beam!"

"Rotom start with Hidden Power, then use Dark Pulse!" Ryan barked.

Starting things off, Rotom once again tapped into it's hidden power, summoning three spheres in the likeness of the earth, which began to circle the plasma Pokemon. After a moment, the orbs of energy shot out towards Alfie, striking the Electrike and sending him flying back.

In retaliation, Alfie snarled at his opponent, releasing several black sound waves into the air. Upon making contact with the sound waves, Rotom let out a shriek, before falling back slightly.
To make matters worse for the plasma Pokemon, the sound waves had managed to lower his special attack power, weakening any of the Rotom's special attacks in the future!

Gathering it's dark thoughts, the plasma Pokemon converted them into raw energy, before firing a beam of it out at Alfie, striking the Electrike and prompting a sharp cry from him.

For his second attack, Alfie began to collect bug energy in his mouth, before sending a muti-coloured beam towards his opponent! Unable to react in time, the plasma Pokemon was forced to take the attack head on, prompting another shriek from it.

"Rotom, go with Hidden Power, then use Return!" Ryan barked.

"Alfie, start with Snarl, t-then use Double Edge!" Jake called to the Electrike.

Rotom was once again the first to act! Tapping into the remainder of it's hidden power, the plasma Pokemon summoned three orbs in the likeness of earth, which began to circle around it. After a moment, the orbs shot out at Alfie, ramming into the Electrike and sending him flying backwards.

Landing on his feet, Alfie let out another snarl, sending more dark sound waves Rotom's way, lowering it's special attack further, as well as dealing a moderate amount of damage to the plasma Pokemon.

In retaliation, Rotom slammed into Alfie, using his general happiness to fuel the power of the move!

For his second attack, Alfie began to recklessly charge towards his opponent! Upon ramming into his opponent, the plasma Pokemon was sent flying backwards! But not all was well for Alfie, for the Electrike had managed to hurt himself in his reckless charge!

"Alfie, u-use Quick Attack, follow with Shock Wave!" Jake ordered.

"Rotom, use Shadow Ball and Hydro Pump!" Ryan exclaimed.

Starting things off, Alfie ran towards Rotom at an incredible speed, before slamming into the plasma Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage to it.

Gathering spectral energy in front of itself, Rotom transformed the energy into a sphere, before firing it at Alfie. Upon making contact with the attack, Alfie let out a loud yelp, before stumbling backwards. It seemed the Electrike had very little stamina left. If Alfie wanted to win the battle, he was going to have to put everything into his next attack!

Eager to win, Alfie began to collect electrical energy, creating a blue orb of it in front of him. From the orb, a wave of electricity shot out towards Rotom, following the plasma Pokemon, before striking it with a powerful shock!

In retaliation, Rotom started to amass water energy into the center of it's body, before releasing a jet of water out at Alfie! Unable to react in time, the Electrike let out a sharp cry upon making contact with the attack, before toppling over in defeat!

"Alfie return!" Jake called out as he withdrew the Electrike to it's ball.
"Rest well....you deserve it." He added, before stuffing the Pokeball back in his bag. In it's place, Jake retrieved a gold plated ball, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a special looking Pikachu. Not only was she sporting a black, heart shaped marking on her tail, the Pikachu was also wearing a beautiful dress and bonnet.

"Oh..umm..it's my turn to battle? Ok well..uh..I'll do my best." Tessa nodded, before turning her attention to her opponent.

"Rotom go for Dark Pulse, then use Shadow Ball!" Ryan barked.

"Tessa, s-start with Thunder Punch, then use Electro Ball!" Jake called to the cosplay Pikachu.

Starting things off, Tessa began to gather electricity in her fist, before charging towards her opponent. Upon reaching the plasma Pokemon, Tessa swung her electrified fist at it, striking the Rotom and causing it to let out a loud shriek.

In retaliation, Rotom began to gather up it's dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy! The plasma Pokemon then fired a beam of the dark energy out at Tessa, striking the Pikachu and causing her to stumble back.

For her second attack, Tessa started to gather electrical energy in her tail, forming a ball of it at the very tip. With a swing of her tail, the ball of electricity flew towards Rotom, before crashing into the plasma Pokemon! Letting out a final shriek, the plasma Pokemon fell to the floor in defeat.

"Rotom return!" Ryan called out as he returned the plasma Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"Heliolisk, you're up next!" The man bellowed as he tossed another Pokeball into the arena. From the ball emerged the generator Pokemon, who quickly scurried into position.

"Tessa use Quick Attack, t-then use Icicle Crash!" Jake ordered.

"Heliolisk, use Dark Pulse and Pound!" Ryan barked.

Starting things off, Tessa charged towards her opponent at a frightening speed. Upon reaching the generator Pokemon, Tessa slammed into it, dealing a small amount of damage and causing Heliolisk to stumble backwards.

In retaliation, Heliolisk began to collect it's dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy! With the energy, the generator Pokemon fired a dark beam towards Tessa, causing the cosplay Pikachu to be sent flying back upon making contact with the beam!

For her second attack, Tessa began to channel the power of her outfit to use her special move. The cosplay Pikachu then released a strange mist towards Heliolisk. Once the mist reached the generator Pokemon it started to thicken, creating a large icicle, which came crashing down upon Heliolisk, causing it to cry out in pain.

Angered by Tessa's assault, Heliolisk lunged at the cosplay Pikachu, before striking her with it's tail, sending Tessa flying backwards.

"Heliolisk go with Razor Wind, then use Dark Pulse!" Ryan barked.

"Tessa u-use Disarming Voice, then follow with Icicle Crash!" Jake exclaimed.

This time Heliolisk was the first to act! After gathering up a large amount of energy in it's tail, the generator Pokemon swung it's tail at Tessa, sending waves of compressed towards the cosplay Pikachu. As the waves of energy crashed into her, Tessa couldn't help but cry out, before stumbling backwards!

In retaliation, Tessa let out an emotional cry, sending pink sound waves flying towards Heliolisk. Though the generator Pokemon tried it's best to dodge them, it found the sound waves were unrelenting, continuing to home in on Heliolisk before striking it!

For it's second attack, Heliolisk began to gather even more of it's dark thoughts, converting them into energy. The generator Pokemon then fired a dark beam out at Tessa, striking the cosplay Pikachu and sending her flying back!

Upon landing safely on her feet, Tessa began to prepare her next attack. Channeling the special power of her outfit, Tessa released a strange mist out towards her opponent! Upon reaching the generator Pokemon, the mist solidified, creating a large icicle, which came crashing down upon Heliolisk!

"Tessa g-go for a Quick Attack, then use Icicle Crash!" Jake ordered.

"Heliolisk use Pound and Razor Wind!" Ryan called to the generator Pokemon.

Starting things off, Tessa charged towards her opponent as fast as she could, before slamming into the generator Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage to it.

In retaliation, Heliolisk swung it's tail towards Tessa, slamming the cosplay Pikachu with enough force to send her flying!

Once she had safely landed on her feet, Tessa started to perform her next attack! Using the last of her costumes special power, the cosplay Pikachu summoned a strange mist, which quickly floated over to Heliolisk. Upon reaching it's target, a large icicle was formed, which came crashing down upon Heliolisk.
Letting out a sharp cry, the generator Pokemon fell over in defeat, Tessa's last attack proving to be too much for it.

"Helioisk return!" Ryan exclaimed as he withdrew the generator Pokemon.
"Ok Ampharos, let's go!" The man barked as he tossed a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the light Pokemon, which gave both Tessa and Jake a nasty glare upon noticing them.

"Ampharos go with Signal Beam, then use Dragon Pulse!" Ryan bellowed.

"Tessa, start with Disarming Voice, t-then use Iron Tail!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Tessa let out an emotional cry, summoning pink sound waves from her mouth. Homing onto their target, the pink waves crashed into Ampharos, causing it to stumble back slightly.

After getting back it's footing, Ampharos began to gather bug energy into it's gem, before releasing a multi-coloured beam out towards Tessa. As the attack crashed into the cosplay Pikachu, Tessa let out a sharp cry, before toppling over in defeat!

"Tessa, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the cosplay Pikachu.
"Y-you were great out there...now rest up." He added, before slipping the gold platted ball back into his bag. He then grabbed a regular Pokeball from the bag, before throwing it in the air. From the ball materialized a Magneton, who began to circle around his trainer, before eventually stopping in front of him.

"Oh, Error finally gets to battle! Yay! Error loves battles! Error will make sure to do his best!" Error droned.

"Glad to hear it. Now, Error u-use Tri Attack, then go with Double Edge!" Jake exclaimed.

"Ampharos, start with Thunderbolt, then use Dragon Pulse!" Ryan barked.

Starting things off, Error began to gather energy, forming a white triangle in front of himself. From each point on the triangle a beam of red, blue and yellow shot out, striking Ampharos and causing the light Pokemon to stumble back.

Angered by Error's assault, Ampharos began to amass electrical energy in it's body, before releasing a bolt of electricity at it's opponent, though it seemed to have little effect on the Magneton.

For his second attack, Error began to recklessly charge towards his opponent, his own safety entirely forgotten. Upon reaching the light Pokemon, Error slammed into it with all his might, causing Ampaharos to let out a sharp cry.
But not everything was going smoothly for Error, for in his reckless charge, the Magneton had managed to hurt himself as well!

Gathering draconic energy in it's mouth, Ampharos fired a large shockwave of energy at Error, causing the Magneton to fly back slightly upon being hit.

"Ampharos, use Take Down and Wild Charge!" Ryan barked.

"Error, use Sonic Boom, f-follow with Tri Attack!" Jake ordered.

Error was once again the first to act! Gathering energy in front of himself, Error released a series tightly packed waves of sound towards Ampharos, prompting the light Pokemon to cry out in pain as the waves made contact with it's flesh.

It's entire body glowing in a bronze aura, the light Pokemon charged towards Error, before slamming into the Magneton with it's entire weight behind it! But in doing so, Ampharos had left itself susceptible to the attacks recoil, dealing a portion of the damage inflicted upon Error on itself!

Angered by his opponent's assault, Error once again summoned a triangle of energy in front of himself. From each point of the triangle, a beam of red, blue, and yellow shot out at Ampharos, striking the light Pokemon and sending it stumbling backwards.

For it's second attack, Ampharos surrounded itself in a veil of electricity, before charging towards Error! Upon Ampharos slamming into Error, the Magneton let out a small cry, but quickly recovered, turning to face his opponent with a look of determination.

"Error, g-go with Tri Attack, then use Double Edge!" Jake called to the Magneton.

"Ampharos, go for a Wild Charge, then Dragon Pulse!" Ryan exclaimed.

Starting things off, Error summoned a triangle of energy in front of himself. From each point of the triangle, a beam of red, blue, and yellow shot out at Ampharos, striking the light Pokemon and sending it stumbling backwards.

In retaliation, Ampharos covered it's entire body in electricity, before recklessly charging towards Error! Upon making contact with the Magneton, Error was sent flying back slightly.

For his second attack, Error performed another reckless charge, before slamming into his opponent! Letting out a final cry, Ampharos fell over, Error's last attack proving to be too much for the light Pokemon.

"Ampharos return!" Ryan barked as he returned the light Pokemon to it's Pokeball.
"Eelektross, you're up next!" The man called out as he grabbed a fifth Pokeball from his belt and tossed it in the air. From the ball materialized the elefish Pokemon, who let out a menacing growl upon noticing it's opponent.
Jake couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was certainly familiar about the Eelektross. Deciding to push the idea out of his mind for the moment, Jake instead turned his attention back to the battle.

"Eelektross let's use Crunch, then Aqua Tail!" Ryan barked.

"Error, use Tri Attack, t-then use Super Sonic!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Error summoned a triangle of energy in front of himself. From each point of the triangle, a beam of red, blue, and yellow shot out at Eelektross, striking the elefish Pokemon and sending it flying back slightly.

In retaliation, Eelektross coated it's fangs in a dark aura, before lunging at Error! Upon reaching the Magneton, the elefish Pokemon bit down on Error with all it's might.
Despite the Magneton's hard exterior, the energy contained in Eelektross's fangs was injected into the magnet Pokemon, causing Error to cry out in pain!

For his second attack, Error began to gather energy in front of himself, before sending several transparent rings of energy towards his opponent! Upon making contact with the elefish Pokemon, the Eelektross's head began to spin. Soon it could no longer tell anything apart in the swirling mess that was it's vision.

Trying it's best to perform it's next attack, Eelektross instead managed to hurt itself in it's confusion!

"Alright Error, now go with Tackle, t-then use Double Edge!" Jake ordered.

"Eelektross you've got to snap out of it! Use Facade and Crunch!" Ryan exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Error flew towards his opponent, before ramming into Eelektross, dealing a small amount of damage to the elefish Pokemon.

Trying to make sense of it's messed up vision, Eelektross swung it's arm at what it perceived to by Error...and landed a solid hit! With it's rage fueling the attack's power, Error was sent flying back from the force of the attack!

In retaliation, Error began a reckless charge towards his opponent, striking the elefish Pokemon, but also hurting himself in the process!

For it's second attack, the elefish Pokemon laced it's fangs in dark energy, before attacking what Eelektross thought to be Error, but was actually it's arm! Crying out as the dark energy assaulted it's body, the elefish Pokemon fell back slighty, it's vision still as confusing as ever.

"Eelektross, let's end this with Facade!" Ryan barked.

"Error, c-counter with Double Edge!" Jake ordered.

Eager to win the match, Error used the last of his strength to charge at his opponent, his own safety abandoned entirely.
At the same time, Eelektross swung it's arm at what it thought to be Error, it's rage fueling the power of the attack! Upon clashing, the two Pokemon were sent flying back, before collapsing to the ground.

"Error, return!" Jake called out as he withdrew the Magneton.
"Y-you did great..now rest up." He added, before turning his attention to the field in time to see Ryan send out his Manectric.

"Manectric...I knew it." Jake murmured. In his last battle against Ryan, Manectric had proven to be a powerful opponent, taking out both Crix and Hayai quite easily. Only Milo was able to eventually stop the discharge Pokemon. With his next Pokemon decided, Jake scoured through his bag, before grabbing a Thunder Ball and tossing it in the air.
From the ball emerged an Ampharos, his eyes narrowing upon noticing the Pokemon in front of him.

"I know I did promise to battle but I'm still not sure participating in such a barbaric sport was a great idea." Milo said. "Still...I suppose I can't complain about my choice of opponent. I shall crush him just as I did before."

But before the round could begin, Ryan produced a strange badge from his pocket, before turning his attention to Manectric.

"Manectric, it's time to stop Jake...no...this intruder from proceeding any further. As such, I ask you to Mega Evolve!!!" Ryan exclaimed as he pressed the stone in the center of the badge.

Upon doing so, tendrils of energy shot out of the badge, linking to Manectric's leg band. It was then that the discharge Pokemon began to transform!

It's mane started to grow considerably, now covering it's entire back! Over it's two earholes grew two large spikes, and the tufts on it's front legs grew small spikes as well. It's claw, previously white, were now completely red!

Once Manectric was finished transforming, it let out a loud growl, before turning to face Milo, eager to begin the fight.

"Alright Milo u-use Power Gem, then follow with Fire Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Manectric, go for a Headbutt, then use Hidden Power!" Ryan exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Manectric charged towards it's opponent head first, before ramming into the Ampharos, causing Milo to stumble back.

Gathering rock energy into the gem on his head, Milo released a brown sphere towards his opponent, prompting a small cry from the mega evolved Manectric upon impact.

Angered by Milo's assault, Manectric began to tap into a hidden power, summoning three orbs around its body. The spheres, as cool as the earth itself, lingered around the discharge Pokemon for only a moment, before flying off and striking Milo!

For his second attack, Milo surrounded his fist in flames, before charging towards his opponent. Upon reaching the Manectric, Milo swung his fist into the discharge Pokemon, causing it to cry out in pain!

"Manectric, use Flamethrower and Crunch!" Ryan barked.

"Milo, s-start with Electric Terrain, then Zap Cannon!" Jake called to the Ampharos.

Once again Manectric was the first to act! Gathering fire energy in it's mouth, the discharge Pokemon blew a stream of flames Milo's way, prompting a sharp cry from the Ampharos as the orange flames washed over him.

Instead of retaliating, Milo instead focused on the ground beneath him. Gathering up a large amount of electricity, the Ampharos pumped it into the clay floor, causing it to spark and crackle with electrical energy.

Seizing the opportunity to attack again, Manectric laced it's fangs in a dark aura, before rushing over to it's opponent. Upon reaching the Ampharos, Manectric sunk it's fangs into his flesh, caushing Milo to let out a pained yelp.

For his second attack, Milo began to gather electrical energy in front of his mouth. With the dancing electricity beneath his feet, Milo managed to charge the attack with even more power!
Once the energy had been formed into a large sphere, the Ampharos fired it at the mega evolved Manectric, striking the discharge Pokemon and causing it to fall back slightly.

"Milo, go with Thunder Punch, t-then Dragon Pulse!" Jake ordered.

"Manectric, let's use Hidden Power, then use Thunder Fang!" Ryan bellowed.

Starting things off, Manectric began to tap into it's hidden power, summoning three orbs in the likeness of the earth. After floating around the discharge Pokemon for a moment, the three orbs shot out towards Milo, striking the Ampharos and prompting a sharp cry from him.

Angered by his opponent's assault, Milo cloaked his fist in electricity, said electricity further amplified by the electrified ground. The Ampharos then ran towards his opponent, before striking the mega evolved Manectric with his fist, causing it to stumble backwards.

For it's second attack, Manectric laced it's fangs in electrical energy, before rushing towards Milo. Upon reaching the Ampharos, the mega evolved Manectric bit down on him with it's electrified fangs, causing Milo to cry out in pain.

Gathering draconic energy in his mouth, Milo fired an impressive beam of the energy out at his opponent, striking the Manectric and dealing a large amount of damage to it.

"Manectric, go for another Hidden Power, then Flamethrower!" Ryan barked.

"Milo, u-use Body Slam, then follow with Charge!" Jake ordered.

Gathering the last of it's hidden power, Manectric summoned three more earth like orbs. After hovering around the mega evolved Manectric for a moment, the orbs shot out towards Milo, causing the Ampharos to cry out and stumble back upon impact.

In retaliation, Milo threw himself at his opponent, his full weight behind him as he rammed into the discharge Pokemon, causing it to stumble backwards.

For it's second attack, Manectric began to collect fire energy in it's mouth, before breathing out a beam of flames at Milo, inflicting a large amount of damage upon the Ampharos.

Instead of attacking, Milo instead used his next turn to gather up electrical energy, before storing it in his body, ready to go for his next attack.

As the round came to a close, it was clear to see that both Pokemon were barely standing. If Milo wanted to finish things, he was going to have to do it with his next attack!

"Alright Milo, l-let's finish this with Zap Cannon!" Jake ordered.

"Oh no you don't! Manectric, counter with Hyper Beam!" Ryan bellowed!

Gathering up a massive amount of energy, Manectric released a massive orange beam, which flew towards Milo at a blinding speed.

To counter it, Milo fired a large sphere of electrical energy, one that had been boosted by the electric terrain, and Milo's previous charge! The two attacks clashed against each other, but after an intense moment, Milo's attack cut through, ramming into Manectric and prompting a loud shriek it.
After a moment, the mega evolved Manectric toppled over in defeat. Upon hitting the ground the discharge Pokemon began to glow, before reverting to it's original form.

"Manectric, no!" Ryan cried as he rushed over to his fallen partner.
"You did amazing out there....this isn't your fault." Ryan said as he returned the Manectric to it's ball. With Manectric gone, Ryan turned his attention to Jake.

"Jake.....you've....really improved....since our last battle." Ryan murmured, before rushing off up the stairs, leaving Jake and his Pokemon behind.

Before doing anything else, Jake turned to Milo, Thunder Ball in hand.
"Y-you did amazing Milo, now rest up." He said as he withdrew the Ampharos.

"Well then...t-this is it..the fifth floor is up ahead." Jake said.
"Y-yeah...I-I guess we s-should be going, right?" Hazel questioned.
"That's right. W-we don't have any time to lose." Jake nodded.
With Hazel by his side, Jake began to ascend the stairs, his heart racing at the thought of what would greet him.
----
Catalyst Tower - Fifth Floor
----
"Ryan...you're back. I presume you have a good reason for being late, right?" Chris questioned, Ryan having just entered his office.

"Y-yes Chris....I-I hurried...a-as fast as I could." Ryan panted, desperately trying to catch his breath.

"Well then...what of the third floor barracks? The intruders?" Chris questioned.

Upon hearing Chris's words, a grimace formed on Ryan's face.
"I-It's a bloodbath...countless people have been slaughtered!" Ryan exclaimed.

"What?! How is that possible?! What of Steven and Olivia? I sent them there earlier, are they ok?!" Chris exclaimed.

"I-I'm afraid not...Steven was among the casualties..Oliva..well we found a Honedge at the scene....in several pieces." Ryan murmured.

"No! No!" Chris cried out, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"That's not all....we also found Shelly, along with an intruder and his Zebstrika...it seems they also perished." Ryan murmured.

"T-the only one with such power....i-it has to be Project X." Chris murmured. By the look on his face, it seemed he was about to break down at any moment.

"Just my thinking Chris. Project X is actively attacking everyone here....it's only a matter of time before it comes to us. If that wasn't enough....Jake is on our trail as well." Ryan explained. "He'll be here any moment...what do you want me to do?"

".....Go...run to the hills..." Chris murmured.

"Are you insane?! There's no way I'm leaving you here!" Ryan exclaimed.

"P-please...I've already lost the others....I don't want your death on my hands too." Chris replied. "Just live...f-for me."

"...Alright....I-I will...." Ryan murmured, before slowly heading towards the door. Giving Chris one last look, Ryan exited the room, before sprinting for the nearest emergency exit.
----
"T-this is all my fault..." Chris murmured to himself, tears still pouring down his face.
"I-I was foolish enough...f-foolish enough to believe he could change for the better..." Chris continued, slowly pacing around his office.
"When...Jake gets here...I-I'll have no choice....I will strike him down!"

----
Jake's Remaining (Healthy) Pokemon
Spoiler: show
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Old 08-01-2017, 01:22 AM   #20
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Team Catalysts Final Stand! Part 5

Upon reaching the fifth floor, Jake's heart was still racing as fast as ever. Looking above him, Jake spotted a large glass dome, the same one he had seen back on the ship. It was funny, he had only been on the ship a short while ago, but after everything that had happened, it seemed like it had been an eternity.
Up ahead, Jake noticed a long stretching hallway, dimly lit by lights on either wall. At the very end, Jake spotted a single door, one he assumed to be his destination. Taking a deep breath, Jake began to make his way through the hall, Hazel right at his feet.

Upon reaching the door, Jake glanced to his left, only to notice another door, which had been swung wide open. Above it the words "Emergency Exit" were visible. Leaving the door out of his mind, Jake turned back to the door he was originally focused on. Without wasting another moment, Jake swung open the door, before stepping inside.

Behind the door appeared to be an office, with multiple desks and computers scattered about. But hat really caught Jake's attention was at the back of the room. Displayed on a white pillar, surrounded in a glass case, rested the golden Pokeball, the one that had started their whole journey to Catalyst tower in the first place.
In front of the pillar was the man Jake recognized as Chris, who immediately stopped pacing upon noticing him.

"Chris! L-look...we don't have to fight!" Jake began. "Y-you claim you want to s-save this world...and you can! J-just hand over the Pokeball...t-that's all you need to do."

"Silence! I've heard enough of your lies!" Chris bellowed. "Thanks to your stupid beast..my employees, friends...even my sister...are gone! And you still have the audacity to claim you're in the right?! You're no better then your father!

Jake was quite taken aback at the man's words. Everyone was gone....because of Project X? And what the hell did Chris mean when he was talking about his father?!

"D-don't compare me to him! W-we're...nothing alike." Jake stammered.

"Oh you're exactly the same. Both of you claimed to wish for a better world...but when it came down to it, you two threw it away for your own selfish reasons. I didn't stand with your father and his selfish goals...and I won't with you either." Chris replied.

"This world isn't for you to exploit...then toss away at the slightest whim. And I'll stand by that principle to my dying breath. So for this world...and everyone you've wronged....I will strike you down!"

----
Team Catalyst Leader Chris Jones appeared!

----


"Alright Glaceon, let's do this!" Chris exclaimed as he chucked a Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the fresh snow Pokemon, who seemed to be eyeing Jake quite wearily.
Glaceon was an Ice type...which meant a Fighting or Fire type would be the best choice. With this in mind, Jake grabbed a regular Pokeball from his bag and tossed in in front of himself. From the ball materialized a Machop, who began to flex his muscles in anticipation for the battle ahead.

"These people....Metta must fight them?" The Machop asked. "Ok, Metta will do his best then."

"T-that's nice to hear. Now Metta, use Low Kick, t-then use Thunder Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Glaceon, go with Ice Fang then Take Down!" Chris barked.

Glaceon was the first to act! Coating it's fangs in an icy aura, the fresh snow Pokemon rushed towards it's opponent, before sinking it's fangs into the Machop, causing him to cry out.

In retaliation, Metta swung his leg out at Glaceon's feet, causing the fresh snow Pokemon to crash onto the tile floor!

For it's second attack, Glaceon surrounded its entire body in a bronze aura, before recklessly charging towards Metta. Upon making contact with it's opponent, the Machop was sent stumbling backwards, though he quickly regained his footing.

Metta then covered his fist in electricity, before swinging it at Glaceon, dealing a large amount of damage to the fresh snow Pokemon.

"Glaceon, use Icy Wind, then use Shadow Ball!" Chris barked.

"Metta, s-start with Dual Chop, then Low Kick!" Jake called to the Machop.

Starting things off, Glaceon began to gather more frosty energy into it's mouth, before exhaling a frigid wind out at it's opponent. Upon making contact with the wind, Metta could feel his muscles going slightly numb. It seemed Glaceon had lowered his speed!

Angered by his opponent's assault, Metta started to collect draconic energy into each of his fists, before charging towards his opponent! Once he reached the Glaceon, Metta swung at the fresh snow Pokemon with an open hand, before delivering a second chop to it's flesh with his other hand!

For it's second attack, Glaceon started to gather spectral energy, forming a sphere of it in front of itself. The fresh snow Pokemon then fired the ball of energy out at Metta, prompting a small cry from him as he was sent stumbling backwards.

In retaliation, Metta once again threw his foot under his opponent's legs, causing Glaceon to crash down onto the floor!

"Alright Metta, go with Low Kick, t-then Thunder Punch!" Jake ordered.

"Glaceon, let's start with Take Down, then go for your Blizzard attack!" Chris exclaimed.

Glaceon was once again the first to act! Covering its body in a bronze aura, the fresh snow Pokemon once again rammed, into Metta, dealing damage to the Machop, as well as some to itself!

In return, Metta threw his foot underneath the fresh snow Pokemon, causing the Glaceon to trip and fall onto the hard floor.

In retaliation, Glaceon began to collect a large amount of icy energy in it's mouth, before releasing a blast of ice, snow and sleet at Metta! Unable to react in time, the Machop cried out as the powerful ice attack washed over to him. Once Glaceon's attack was over, Metta fell to the ground in defeat!

"Metta, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Machop.
"Y-you did great..now rest up." He added, before tucking the Pokeball back in his bag.
Not willing to waste anymore time, Jake quickly took another Pokeball from his bag and tossed it into the air. Emerging from the ball was a Torkoal, who let out an audible sigh upon noticing his opponent.

"Why do we always have to battle these guys? Why can't we attack a burger joint, or an all you eat buffet for once?" Vermillion questioned. "Oh well, provided we stop by one of those after..I guess I'll put some effort in."

"Glaceon use Bite, then use Shadow Ball!" Chris barked.

"Alright. Vermillion, s-start with Stealth Rock, then use Eruption!" Jake called to the Torkoal.

Starting the round off, Glaceon dashed towards it's opponent, before sinking it's fangs into Vermillion's flesh, causing the Torkoal to cry out in pain.

After gathering up rock energy, Vermillion summoned several sharp stones, which floated around the Torkoal for only a moment, before flying off towards Glaceon. Instead of striking the fresh snow Pokemon, the rocks instead found their home on the floor, waiting for whichever Pokemon Chris would send out next.

For it's second attack, Glaceon started to gather spectral energy in front of itself, forming an indigo ball with it. The fresh snow Pokemon then fired the sphere of energy out at Vermillion, causing the Torkoal to stumble back from the force of the attack.

Collecting fire energy in his shell for a moment, Vermillion fired a large stream of fire and rock at his opponent. With the powerful fire attack washing over it, Glaceon let out a final cry, before falling to the ground!

"Glaceon return!" Chris called out as he returned the fresh snow Pokemon to it's ball.
The man then grabbed a second Pokeball from his belt, before chucking it in front of himself.
From the ball emerged a vicious looking Krookodile, who let out a sharp cry upon making contact with the sharp stones embedded on the floor.

"Vermillion, use Eruption, t-then go for a Skull Bash!" Jake ordered.

Krookodile, let's start with a Dragon Claw, then go for Rock Tomb!" Chris exclaimed.

Krookodile was the first to act! Gathering draconic energy into it's claw, the intimidation Pokemon rushed towards Vermillion, before delivering a power slash to the Torkoal!

For his first attack, Vermillion began to gather a massive amount of fire energy into his shell, before firing a large stream of flames and rocks out at his opponent! Despite the attack not being at it's full power, it was enough to prompt a sharp cry from Krookodile, before the intimidation Pokemon was sent stumbling backwards.

Angered by Vermillion's assault, Krookodile began to gather rock energy above itself, forming a large boulder with it. Grabbing ahold of the large rock, Krookodile tossed the boulder at Vermillion, sending the Torkoal flying back upon impact!

Tucking his head into his shell, Vermillion began to gather up energy, raising his defense in the process! The Torkoal then began to charge towards his opponent, before slamming into the Krookodile, causing it to cry out in pain!

"Krookodile let's end this! Go for another Rock Tomb. If that's not enough, use Bite!" Chris barked.

"H-hang in there Vermillion! Start with Skull Bash, t-then use Ember!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Krookodile began to gather more rock energy above itself, creating a large boulder with it. Grabbing onto the boulder, Krookodile tossed it at Vermillion, prompting a sharp cry from the Torkoal as he was sent flying backwards.

With what little energy he had left, Vermillion tucked his head in his shell, raising his defense even further! The Torkoal then charged towards his opponent, before slamming into the Krookodile with all his might!

In retaliation, the intimidation Pokemon lunged at Vermillion, before sinking it's sharp fangs into the Torkoal's flesh! This proved to be too much for Vermillion, who let out a final cry, before toppling over in defeat.

"Vermillion, return!" Jake called out as he withdrew the Torkoal to his ball.
"R-rest up well, you deserve it." He added, before stuffing the ball back in his bag.
Pondering his next choice for a moment, Jake withdrew another Pokeball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a Snorunt, who began to bounce back and forth in anticipation for the battle ahead.

"Alright Willbert, I-I need you to give it your all...t-think you can do that?" Jake questioned.

"Of course! Oh! This moment would be great for a new play! I can imagine it now." Willbert said as he started to blissfully drift away from the battle.

"Willbert, y-you need to focus, ok? Now, start with Powder Snow, t-then use Shadow Ball!" Jake ordered.

"Krookodile use Thunder Fang, then use Rock Tomb!" Chris exclaimed.

Krookodile was once again the first to act! Coating it's fangs in electrical energy, the intimidation Pokemon lunged at Willbert, before sinking it's teeth into the Snorunt, causing him to cry out in pain.

Gathering a small amount of icy energy in his mouth, Willbert exhaled a sparkling blue wind out at his opponent. Upon making contact with Krookodile, the intimidation Pokemon let out a sharp cry, before falling back slightly.

For it's second attack, Krookodile began to gather the rest of it's rock energy above itself, forming a large boulder. Grabbing ahold of the boulder, the intimidation Pokemon tossed the boulder at it's opponent, sending Willbert flying back with a sharp cry.

Collecting a large amount of spectral energy, Willbert formed an indigo sphere of the energy in front of himself. The Snorunt then fired the indigo sphere of energy out at Krookodile, though it seemed not to do too much to the intimidation Pokemon.

"Krookodile let's start with Dragon Claw, then go for a Dark Pulse!" Chris bellowed.

"Willbert, g-go with Powder Snow, then Powder Snow again!" Jake called to the Snorunt.

Cloaking one of it's claws in draconic energy, Krookodile lunged at Willbert, before delivering a powerful slash to the Snorunt, sending him flying back!

Landing on his feet, Willbert started to collect icy energy in his mouth, before exhaling a sparkling blue wind out at his opponent. Upon making contact with the freezing wind, Krookodile let out a sharp cry, nearly toppling over! It was clear to see that the intimidation Pokemon wouldn't be in the fight for much longer!

Angered by Willbert's assault, the intimidation Pokemon began to gather up it's dark thoughts, converting them into a dark energy. Krookodile then fired a beam of dark energy at Willbert, prompting a pained cry from the Snorunt.

Determined to win, Willbert began to gather even more icy energy in his mouth, before spewing a freezing blue wind towards his opponent. As the chilling wind washed over Krookodile, the intimidation Pokemon let out a shriek, before falling over!

"Krookodile, return!" Chris called as he returned the intimidation Pokemon to it's ball. Team Catalyst's leader then grabbed a third Pokeball from his belt, before chucking it in front of himself. From the ball emerged a massive Golurk, it's sheer size enough to intimidate the small Snorunt in front of it. But as soon as the automaton Pokemon landed on the ground, it let out a deafening shriek! The stones laid down earlier by Vermillion had managed to inflict some damage on Golurk!

"H-hang in there Willbert, start with Shadow Ball, t-then use Shadow Ball once more!" Jake ordered.

"Golurk use Shadow Punch, then use Fire Punch!" Chris barked.

This time Willbert was the first to act! Gathering up spectral energy in front of himself, the Snorunt formed a indigo ball with the energy. Willbert then fired the indigo sphere out at Golurk, causing the automaton Pokemon to let out a shriek.

In retaliation, Golurk began to focus spectral energy into it's fist, before swinging at the open air. From it's arm a spectral fist flew out, which quickly homed in on Willbert, striking the Snorunt and sending him flying.

For his second attack, Willbert focused the rest of his ghost energy in front of himself, forming an indigo sphere with it. The Snorunt then fired the ball of energy at Golurk, striking the automaton Pokemon with a super effective blow!

Cloaking it's fist in flames, Golurk swung at Willbert, striking the Snorunt and sending him flying into a nearby wall! As the snow hat Pokemon fell to the ground, it was clear to see that he had been knocked out!

"Willbert, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Snorunt.
"You were amazing out there, t-thank you." Jake added, before stuffing the Snorunt's ball back in his bag. With Willbert now out of the picture, Jake was left to wonder what Pokemon he should pick next.
Of his remaining Pokemon, most of them were either weak to Ground types...or were to weak to stand a chance against the automaton Pokemon. There was always Dusty...but Jake wanted to save her for later. If Chris still had the same Pokemon since their last encounter, Jake knew that he was going to need to save the Vibrava.
As he continued to ponder his choice, a sudden idea sprung into his mind. Fetching another Pokeball from his bag, Jake quickly tossed it into the air. From the ball emerged a Luxio, who gave her opponent a glare upon noticing it.

Despite the Luxio's small size, Golurk couldn't help but feel intimidated by the spark Pokemon. It was the Luxio's eyes, sheer determination flaring inside of them.

"Alright Lenna, I-I need you to give it your all...b-but I don't really need to tell you that, huh?" Jake questioned.

"Of course, I'll give it a hundred and ten percent! A battle between a mighty Golurk...it'll be a whole new adventure!" Lenna exclaimed.

"Golurk, go for a Fire Punch, then use Mega Punch!" Chris barked

"Lenna, l-let's start with Leer, then use Night Slash!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Lenna cast a fierce loom towards Golurk, her eyes glowing a bright red. Startled by Lenna's attack, Golurk's defense fell, leaving it vulnerable to future physical attacks!

Surrounding it's fist in flames, the automaton Pokemon swung it's arm at Lenna, striking her and dealing a large amount of damage to the Luxio!

For her second attack, Lenna began to coat her claws in an aura of dark energy. The Luxio then leaped at her opponent, delivering a powerful slash to the Golurk and sending it stumbling back with a loud shriek!

Gathering energy into it's arm, Golurk's right fist began to glow a bright white! The automaton Pokemon then swung it's fist into Lenna, sending the Luxio flying!

"Lenna, go with Night Slash, t-then use Fire Fang!" Jake called to the Luxio.

"Golurk, use Shadow Punch, then use Hammer Arm!" Chris exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Lenna once again surrounded her claws in a dark aura, before charging towards her opponent. Upon reaching the Golurk, Lenna struck it with a powerful slash, prompting a shriek from the automaton Pokemon.

In retaliation, Golurk began to focus spectral energy into it's fist, before swinging at the open air. From it's arm a spectral fist flew out, which quickly homed in on Lenna, striking the Luxio and sending her stumbling back.

For her second attack, Lenna laced her fangs in orange flames, before lunging at her opponent! The Luxio then sunk her fangs into Golurk's arm, landing a solid hit on the automaton Pokemon.

With Lenna left wide open, Golurk swung it's arm down upon it, causing the Luxio to cry out as the entire building began to shake!

"Golurk, go for a Mega Punch, then use Ice Punch!" Chris bellowed.

"L-let's finish this Lenna! Use Night Slash, then Fire Fang!" Jake ordered.

Determined to win, Lenna began to gather the last of her dark energy into her claws, causing them to glow purple. The Luxio then leaped towards Golurk, delivering a powerful slash to the automaton Pokemon! This proved to be too much for Golurk, who let out a final shriek, before toppling to the floor, causing the room to shake once more!

"Golurk return!" Chris exclaimed as he returned the automaton Pokemon to it's ball.
Grabbing a fourth Pokeball from his belt, Chris quickly tossed the ball into the air, revealing a Breloom to be inside. As soon as the mushroom Pokemon landed on the floor, it let out a sharp cry! It seemed it too had become a victim of Vermillion's earlier stealth rock attack!
Upon noticing it's opponent, the mushroom Pokemon started to throw some practice punches, eager for it's rematch against Lenna.

"Lenna, l-let's start with a Fire Fang, then use Double Kick!" Jake ordered.

"Breloom, use Counter, then use Bullet Seed!" Chris barked.

Starting things off, Lenna started to collect fire energy, cloaking her fangs in an aura of flames! The Luxio then rushed towards her opponent, sinking her flames into Breloom's flesh! But the mushroom Pokemon was fully prepared for the assault, it's entire body covered in fighting energy.
With Lenna left wide open, Breloom struck the Luxio with twice the power she had shown the mushroom Pokemon

With Lenna still reeling from it's attack, Breloom took the opportunity to perform it's second attack! Gathering grass energy in it's mouth, the mushroom Pokemon spat out a barrage of seeds at it's opponent, prompting a pained cry from Lenna!

Angered by Breloom's assault, Lenna charged towards her opponent. Upon reaching the mushroom Pokemon, Lenna turned around, before delivering two solid kicks to Breloom using her hind legs!

"Breloom, go for a Swords Dance, then use Sky Uppercut!" Chris exclaimed.

"Lenna, go with Fire Fang, t-then use Tackle!" Jake ordered.

This time Breloom was the first to act! Instead of attacking though, the mushroom Pokemon instead began to perform a special dance, heightening it's attack power!

Taking advantage of Breloom's vulnerable state, Lenna began to perform her first attack! Using the remainder of her fire energy, Lenna cloaked her fangs in flames, before lunging towards her opponent! Upon reaching her opponent, the Luxio sunk her teeth into the mushroom Pokemon, prompting a sharp cry from it.

In retaliation, Breloom charged towards Lenna, it's arm glowing blue with energy. The mushroom Pokemon then leaped into the air, delivering a powerful uppercut to it's opponent!

Letting out a final cry, Lenna fell to the ground, Breloom's last attack proving to have been to much for her.

"Lenna return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Luxio.
"Y-you did great..now rest up." He added, before stuffing Luxio's ball back in his bag. In it's place, Jake withdrew another Pokeball, before chucking it in front of himself. From the ball materialized a Rotom, who began to cackle upon noticing where he was.

"Ah! Another battle of fate is about to commence, but what unlucky soul shall be my opponent today?" Arthur pondered aloud.
"Oh! A demonic mushroom is it? Very well, as a legendary hero of darkness, I'm sworn to destroy everyone in my path! Nothing personal." The Rotom continued.

Refusing to comment on the Rotom's antics, Jake instead turned his attention to the battle ahead.
"Alright Arthur, let's start with Thunder Wave, t-then use Signal Beam!" Jake ordered.

"Breloom, use Sleep Powder, then use Seed Bomb!" Chris barked.

Starting things off, Arthur fired out a wave of thick electric tendrils, striking Breloom...but strangely enough, the electricity appeared to do nothing to the mushroom Pokemon! That was until Breloom attempted to move, where it found that it was much slower then usual. The mushroom Pokemon had been paralyzed!

Trying it's best to perform it's first attack, Breloom found that it's muscles had completely locked up on it, preventing it from attacking!

With Breloom currently out of commission, Arthur seized the opportunity to start his next attack! Collecting a large amount of bug energy in front of himself, the Rotom fired a beautiful rainbow beam at his opponent, prompting a sharp cry from the mushroom Pokemon as it stumbled backwards.

Trying it's best to fight through it's paralysis, Breloom began to gather up some grass energy, before sending a sphere of it flying towards Arthur! Upon making contact with the Rotom, the sphere of energy exploded, causing Arthur to let out a pained cry!

"Breloom, go for another Seed Bomb, then use Bullet Seed!" Chris barked.

"Arthur, g-go with an Uproar, then use Uproar again!" Jake called to the Rotom.

Starting the round off, Arthur let out a loud shriek, summoning several blue sound waves from his mouth. The sound waves quickly rushed towards Breloom, dealing a large amount of damage to the mushroom Pokemon!

Angered by Arthur's assault, Breloom tried it's best to retaliate, but found that it's muscles had once again locked up, preventing it from taking any actions!

Seizing the opportunity to perform his second attack, Arthur once again let out a loud shriek, sending more blue sound waves towards his opponent. Upon making contact with the sound waves, Breloom let out a pained cry, nearly toppling then and there.

Fighting through it's paralysis, Breloom began to gather grass energy in it's mouth, before spewing a barrage of seeds out at Arthur, prompting a pained cry from the Rotom as he was sent flying back.

"L-let's finish this Arthur. Use Signal Beam, t-then Shock Wave!" Jake ordered.

"Breloom, use Bullet Seed, then use Seed Bomb!" Chris barked.

Arthur was once again the first to act! Collecting a large amount of bug energy in front of himself, the Rotom fired a beautiful rainbow beam at his opponent. Upon making contact with Breloom, the mushroom Pokemon emitted a sharp cry, before falling over in defeat!

"Breloom return!" Chris exclaimed as he withdrew the mushroom Pokemon.
Grabbing a fifth Pokeball from his belt, Chris tossed it into the air, revealing a mighty Hydreigon! But as soon as the brutal Pokemon entered the battle, the sharp stones embedded in the floor shot out of their hiding place, stabbing into Hydreigon and causing the Dragon type to let out a shriek!

"Hydreigon, go for a Defog, then use Dark Pulse!" Chris exclaimed.

"Arthur, u-use Thunder Wave, then go with Signal Beam!" Jake called to the Rotom.

Starting the round off, Hydreigon began to rapidly beat it's tattered wings, summoning a strong wind throughout the room. Due to the force of the wind, the rocks embedded in the floor began to fly out of their previous homes, eventually crumbling upon impact of the back wall.

For his first attack, Arthur sent out a wave of thick electric tendrils, striking Hydreigon and paralyzing it!

Angered by Arthur's assault, Hydreigon began to gather up it's dark thoughts, converting them into raw energy. Aiming one of it's heads at Arthur, Hydreigon fired a beam of the dark energy out at the Rotom, prompting a loud cry as Arthur was sent flying into the back wall. As the Rotom fell to the floor, it was clear that he had knocked out!

"Arthur return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Rotom to his ball.
"T-thank you for trying best...now rest up." He added, before slipping the Rotom's ball back in his bag. Hydreigon...now this was just the Pokemon Jake was waiting for. He had fought the brutal Pokemon just earlier that day..where it had proven to be a tough opponent.
What better way to stand up to the Dragon type, then with another dragon? Snatching another Pokeball from his bag, Jake hurled the ball into the air.
From the ball emerged a Vibrava, who quickly flew into position, looking quite eager to battle.

"A fight against another dragon? A fitting use for my skills." The Vibrava commented.
"But I'll do everything in my power to strike any of these Catalyst freaks down, dragon or not."

"Glad to hear it. Now Dusty, s-start with Bug Buzz, then use Dragon Breath!" Jake ordered.

"Hydreigon, use Dragon Rush, then use Hyper Voice!" Chris exclaimed.

Gathering bug energy into her wings, Dusty began to rapidly beat them, sending green sounds waves flying towards Hydreigon, causing the brutal Pokemon to cry out in pain as the super effective attack washed over it.

Fighting through the paralysis, Hydreigon surrounded it's body in a veil of draconic energy, before soaring towards Dusty! Upon making impact with it's opponent, the Vibrava was sent flying backwards into a wall!

Recovering from the impact, Dusty once again took to the air, ready to perform her second attack! Collecting draconic energy in her mouth, the Vibrava exhaled green flames at her opponent, prompting a shriek from Hydreigon as the powerful attack washed over it.

Trying it's best to retaliate, Hydreigon found that it's muscles were unwilling to cooperate!

"Hydreigon, let's start with a Dragon Rush, then use Dragon Pulse!" Chris barked.

"Dusty, use Signal Beam, t-then go for Mimic!" Jake called to the Vibrava.

Collecting even more bug energy, Dusty fired a rainbow beam out at her opponent, causing Hydreigon to fly back with another shriek.

In retaliation, the brutal Pokemon summoned more draconic around itself, before flying off towards Dusty and slamming into the Vibrava, sending her flying back!

Copying her opponent, Dusty covered her body in a draconic aura, before rushing towards Hydreigon. Upon reaching the brutal Pokemon, Dusty slammed into it with all her might, sending the Dragon type flying back with a shriek!

Trying it's best to fight through the paralysis inflicted upon it, Hydreigon began to gather draconic energy in it's mouth, before sending a shock wave of the energy Dusty's way, causing the Vibrava to let out a pained cry!

"Hydreigon, use Dark Pulse, then use Hyper Voice!" Chris barked.

"Dusty, go with Bug Buzz, t-then use Dragon Rush!" Jake exclaimed.

Gathering the last of her bug energy, Dusty focused it all into her wings, before rapidly flapping them, sending multiple green sound waves towards her opponent. Upon making contact with the sounds waves, the brutal Pokemon emitted a harsh cry, though quickly managed to recover from it.
With it's attention back on Dusty, the brutal Pokemon began to collect even more of it's dark thoughts, transforming them into raw energy. Aiming one of it's heads at the Vibrava, Hydreigon fired a beam of the dark energy out at Dusty, sending her flying back with a pained cry!

Remembering the move her opponent had performed earlier, Dusty surrounded herself in a aura of draconic, before slamming into Hydreigon, prompting a deafening shriek from the brutal Pokemon. It seemed that the Dragon type Pokemon was on the verge of fainting!

Angered by Dusty's assault, Hydreigon emitted a sharp cry from it's mouth, sending blue sound waves towards the Vibrava and sending her flying backwards upon impact!

"L-let's end this. Use Dragon Breath!" Jake exclaimed.

"Hydreigon, go for another Hyper Voice!" Chris barked.

Eager to finish her opponent off, Dusty began to collect more draconic energy into her mouth, before exhaling a wave of green flames! As the flames washed over it, the brutal Pokemon let out a final cry, before crashing to the floor in defeat!

"Hydreigon, return!" Chris called as he withdrew the brutal Pokemon. The man then grabbed a sixth Pokeball from his belt, before chucking it in front of himself. From the ball materialized a Pinsir, who began to snap it's pincers in anticipation for the battle ahead.
But what really stood out to Jake was the leg band the stag beetle Pokemon was wearing.

"Though I hate to admit it....you are quite the powerful opponent, Jake." Chris called out.
"If only that power wasn't wasted on you, one so desperate to seize Project X for their own selfish goals."

Now Jake was confused. What did Chris mean by him seizing Project X for himself? Before he could ask, the man continued his rambling.

"But it's pointless to think what could have been...I must focus on the present. Pinsir! This is our last brave stand...our final hope to protect this world! As such I call on you to Mega Evolve!!!" Chris exclaimed, producing a keystone from his pocket as he did so.
Upon firmly grasping the stone, tendrils of energy shot out of it, linking to Pinsir's leg band. It was then that the stag beetle Pokemon began to transform!

From it's back, wings sprouted, and wing covers appeared as well. It's pincers began to grow longer, along with their spikes! It's arms also began to grow, and Pinsir's eyes turned a bright yellow.

Once the stag beetle Pokemon was finished transforming, it let out a small cry, before taking to the skies.

"Alright Pinsir, use Quick Attack, then use X-Scissor!" Chris barked.

"Dusty, start with Rock Slide, t-then use Rock Slide again!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Pinsir flew towards Dusty at a great speed, before slamming into the Vibrava and dealing a small amount of damage to her.

In retaliation, Dusty summoned several rings of energy, which quickly flew over Pinsir. From the rings several large boulders appeared, causing Pinsir to let out a pained cry as the boulders came crashing down upon it.

For it's second attack, Pinsir coated it's pincers in bug energy, before flying towards Dusty. Once it had reached the vibration Pokemon, Pinsir swiped at her, sending Dusty flying back in to a wall with a sharp cry. Unlike last time though, Dusty was unable to get up, Pinsir's last attack proving to have been to much.

"Dusty, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Vibrava.
"You did great..n-now rest up." He added, before returning the Vibrava's Pokeball to his bag.
With Dusty having been his sixth Pokemon, Jake suddenly realized what that meant for him. He had lost the battle against Chris! Wait no...what was he thinking?! This wasn't an official match, he could use as many Pokemon as he needed!
Feeling somewhat stupid for forgetting that, Jake turned his attention to the mega evolved Pinsir in front of him. The stag beetle Pokemon appeared to be quite the powerful opponent..and Jake wasn't entirely sure any of his Pokemon would be able to defeat it by themselves.
Pondering his choice for a moment, a sudden idea sprung to his mind. He'd use some of his weaker Pokemon to deal a bit of damage to the stag beetle Pokemon, then use his strongest to finish it off.

With this in mind, Jake grabbed a regular Pokeball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a Gible, who upon noticing his opponent, let out a small chuckle.

"Alright Charlie, I-I need you to do your best...now's not the time for games..o-ok?" Jake questioned.

"...Fine...just this once though..." The Gible murmured, before turning his attention to the battle.

"Ok Charlie, g-go with Iron Head, then use Tackle!" Jake ordered.

"Pinsir, go for a X-Scissor, then go with Double Edge!" Chris barked.

Pinsir was once again the first to act! Coating it's pincers in bug energy, the stag beetle Pokemon flew towards Charlie, before delivering a powerful swipe to the Gible with it's pincers, sending him flying back.

In retaliation, Charlie surrounded his head in metalic energy, before diving towards his opponent head first! Despite the Gible's best efforts, the attack did little more then provoke the stag beetle Pokemon!

Angered by Charlie's attempted assault, the mega evolved Pinsir recklessly charged towards the Gible, before slamming into him with all it's weight, sending the land shark Pokemon flying! But something was off about the Pinsir's attack..it seemed almost too powerful...
Of course! The mega evolved Pinsir's ability, Aerilate, was boosting the power of it's Normal type moves!

For his second attack, Charlie was again lunged at his opponent, before slamming into Pinsir with all his might!

"Pinsir, use Return, then use Double Edge!" Chris barked.

"Charlie, s-start with Iron Head, then use Tackle!" Jake called to the Gible.

Starting things off, Pinsir flew towards Charlie at an alarming rate. Upon reaching the Gible, the mega evolved Pinsir slammed into him, using it's happiness and well being to fuel the attack! With Aerialate's power, the attack was strong enough to send Charlie crashing into a wall!

But Charlie wasn't out quite yet! Covering his head in metalic energy, the land shark Pokemon dove at his opponent, before crashing into Pinsir using his head!

For it's second attack, Pinsir recklessly flew towards Charlie, it's own safety entirely forgotten! Upon making impact with the Pinsir, Charlie was sent flying once again! Once the Gible had fallen to the ground however, it was clear to see he wouldn't be getting up.

"Charlie return." Jake called as he withdrew the Gible.
"T-thanks for trying your best, now rest well." He added as he placed the Pokeball back in his bag.
Not willing to waste anymore time, Jake snatched an aqua Cyber Ball from his bag, before throwing it in front of himself.

From the ball materialized a Dedenne, who quickly began to sniff at his surroundings.

"Hmm..based on my deductions...I'd say, I am to battle these people? Very well then, I'm on the case!" Tantei exclaimed.

"Ok.....Tantei, use Tail Whip, t-then Tackle!" Jake ordered.

"Pinsir, go for Poison Jab, then Poison Jab again!" Chris exclaimed.

Starting things off, Pinsir cloaked one of it's arms in poisonous energy, before flying towards it's opponent! Upon reaching the Dedenne, the stag beetle Pokemon thrust it's arm at him, causing Tantei to let out a pained cry.

In retaliation, the Dedenne swung his tail at Pinsir, doing absolutely no damage to the stag beetle Pokemon. At it's opponent's pathetic attempt at an attack, Pinsir couldn't help but lower it's guard around it, leaving it vulnerable to physical attacks!

For it's second attack, Pinsir covered it's arm in even more poisonous energy, before charging towards Tantei. As it reached the Dedenne, Pinsir once again thrust it's arm into him, this time sending Tantei flying backwards!

In retaliation, Tantei threw himself at his opponent, causing the mega evolved Pinsir to cry out in surprise!

"Now Pinsir, end this with Poison Jab!" Chris barked.

"Tantei, u-use Tackle!" Jake hopelessly called to the Dedenne.

Pinsir was once again the first to act! Surrounding one of it's arms with the last of it's poisonous energy, the stag beetle Pokemon flew towards Tantei, before delivering a powerful thrust of it's arm to the Dedenne, sending him flying back with a sharp cry.
Once the Dedenne had crashed into the ground, it was clear that he wasn't getting up...

"Tantei, return!" Jake called as he returned the Dedenne to his aqua Cyber Ball.
"Y-you did well...now rest up for now." He added, before stuffing the Cyber Ball back in his bag.

Continuing with his plan, Jake grabbed another Pokeball from his bag, before chucking it into the air. Emerging from the ball was a Drowzee, who eyed his opponent with curiosity.

"Hmm..it's a shame we have to fight, friend...." Somnus said, his voice echoing through out the room.
"I'm kind of hungry, and I'd love to see what kind of dreams you're cooking up...but I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

"We can focus on that later Somnus. For now, s-start with Pound, then Pound again!" Jake ordered.

"Pinsir, use X-Scissor, then use Bug Bite!" Chris exclaimed.

Pinsir was once again the first to act! Coating it's pincers in bug energy, the stag beetle Pokemon flew towards Somnus, before delivering a powerful swipe to the Drowzee with it's pincers, sending him stumbling back.

In retaliation, Somnus swung his arm at Pinsir, striking the stag beetle Pokemon and causing it to cry out in surprise!

For it's second attack, Pinsir flew towards it's opponent as fast as it could. Upon reaching the Drowzee, Pinsir bit down on the hypnosis Pokemon, injecting bug energy into it's blood stream!

Letting out a pained cry, Somnus stumbled back, though quickly regained his footing. With the mega evolved Pinsir now wide open, Somnus swung his arm at his opponent, sending the stag bettle flying back ever so slightly.

"Pinsir, go for a Quick Attack, then go with X-Scissor!" Chris barked.

"Somnus, go with Pound, t-then another Pound!" Jake called to the Drowzee.

Starting things off, Pinsir charged towards Somnus at an incredible speed! Unable to react in time, the Drowzee was sent stumbling back upon making impact with Pinsir!

In retaliation, Somnus once again swung his arm at Pinsir, receiving another surprised cry from the stag beetle Pokemon.

For it's second attack, Pinsir covering it's pincers in bug energy, before flying towards Somnus. Once it had reached the Drowzee, Pinsir swiped at him with it's pincers, sending Somnus tumbling to the floor, where he refused to get up.

"Somnus, return!" Jake called, before withdrawing the Drowzee.
"N-nice work. Rest up for now." He added, before putting the Drowzee's ball back in his bag. He then turned his attention to Pinsir, wondering what his next choice of Pokemon would be.
By now, Pinsir was showing signs of fatigue...two well placed attacks would probably be enough to finish it, Jake figured.

With this in mind, Jake fetched a Cherish Ball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball materialized a Galvantula, who eyed his opponent with a look of disgust.

"Alright Sparky..t-this is it. This is our final obstacle to stopping Team Catalyst. S-so I need you to give it your all!" Jake called out.

"Of course! They want to make the world a better place? We'll grant their wish, by destroying Team Catalyst in it's entirety!" Sparky exclaimed.

"Alright. Sparky use Thunderbolt, t-then let's end this with Electro Ball!" Jake exclaimed.

"We cannot lose here Pinsir! Double Edge, then Double Edge again!" Chris bellowed.

This time Sparky was the first to act! Gathering up the electrical energy in his body, Sparky fired a bolt of electricity out at Pinsir, causing the stag beetle Pokemon to emit a sharp cry!

In retaliation, Pinsir recklessly flew towards Sparky, it's own safety entirely forgotten! Upon making impact with the Pinsir, Sparky let out a pained cry, the force of the Flying type attack enough to send him flying back.

For his second attack Sparky began to collect electrical energy inbetween his pedipalps, forming a large ball of energy with it. Letting out a determined cry, the Galvantula fired the ball of electricity out at his opponent! As the ball of electricity crashed into it, Pinsir let out on last cry, before falling to the ground in defeat!

"Pinsir, no!!!" Chris cried out as the stag beetle Pokemon began to glow, before resuming it's usual form.

"W-we won! Hazel...Sparky, we did it!" Jake cheered, prompting the Eevee and Galvantula to join in.

Returning Pinsir to it's ball, Chris turned his attention to Jake, a pained expression on his face.

"You did it...congratulations...." Chris murmured.
"You've earned it....all you have left is to kill me....then Project X is yours to control."

"W-what are you talking about?" Jake questioned. "I-I'm not here to take Project X...and I currently won't kill you..i-if I don't have to."

"What?! Of course you are! That was the whole point you came here!" Chris exclaimed.

"No, that's not why we're here...a-at all." Jake replied, shaking his head.
"We're here to stop you guys..f-from using Project X for your selfish goals..as well as stopping your horrific experiments!"

"What experiments? And what's this about snatching Project X? Our reason for grabbing that special Pokeball was to capture and destroy Project X in it's entirety!" Chris exclaimed.

At Chris's words, Jake's heart stopped, if only for a moment. There was no way Chris was telling the truth, was there? Had they been wrong about Team Catalyst the whole time? No, Chris had to be deceiving him!

"You know exactly what experiments! T-the ones at Hagane Labs, on the first three floors!" Jake exclaimed.
"And why would you want to destroy Project X anyway? W-what's in it for you?"

"The first three floors of Hagane Labs? Sorry, that ain't us. The bottom three floors are still owned by the original owner. As for Project X...isn't it obvious?! The beast is on rampage!" Chris exclaimed.

"Please...you've got to listen....you've got to believe me...if you have any love left for this world, promise me yo-" Chris began to plead, but was quickly cut off as something struck him from behind.
Jake couldn't quite make out what had hit Chris, but the next thing he knew, the man had fallen to the ground, a pool of blood starting to surround him.

"Chris!" Jake cried out, quickly rushing to the mans side along with Sparky.
But Hazel had other concerns, the Eevee frozen in fear at the sight of the figure approaching his trainer.

"Hello, Jake." The familiar voice called out, causing Jake to turn his attention to it.

"Sophie?! What's going on here?" Jake questioned.

"I don't know, seems pretty clear cut to me. That piece of shit got exactly what he deserved." Sophie replied.

"Huh...w-what are you saying Sophie?" Jake questioned, off put by his friend's change of tone.

"A-actually never mind. Chris said something interesting. A-apparently Project X is going on a rampage. I-if that's true..we need to stop it!" Jake exclaimed.

"Stop it, now why would we want to do that?" Sophie questioned.

"Are you ok?" Jake questioned. "I-I mean..if it's going on a rampage...innocent lives are in danger!"

"Innocent lives? Don't make me laugh. None of humanity is truly innocent, Jake." Sophie replied.

Upon hearing her words, Sparky shifted himself between the pair, clearly picking up on Sophie's startling change in tone.

"Sophie...." Jake murmured, though said nothing more.

"I suppose I must thank you Jake. Without you and Zack, I'd have had no hope in destroying Team Catalyst and getting my revenge." Sophie said, a small smile on her face.

"Your revenge? Sophie what is going on? E-explain yourself!" Jake exclaimed.

"Explain myself? Oh Jake, you really are quite dimwitted. But I suppose that's what I like about you." Sophie replied.
"So easy to manipulate...it made my job quite easy. But I guess I owe you an explanation now." She continued.

"You know Team Catalyst's story by now? How they can be traced back to their creation of Project X? Well, how about I tell you what happened to their creation after. After being thrust into this world, Project X felt scared and alone. In a meager old lab, scientists constantly poking and running tests.
Eventually, Project X decided that wasn't what they wanted in life, and so they escaped." Sophie explained.

"That should have been the end of it, but after leaving, a need for revenge started to brew inside Project X. It need to destroy all that had wronged it, no matter the cost. At the same time, Team Catalyst began to form. Thinking that the beast might go insane, they aimed to capture it, then destroy it...to prevent harm to the world.
Realizing that it would need help in destroying Team Catalyst, Project X began to plot. Eventually, Project X searched the Unova region for a trainer that could help. One that showed lots of potential, but also one easy enough to mold however it wanted." Sophie continued.

"Eventually Project X found just what it was looking for. A young trainer that would obey it without question, given enough time. Eventually, Project X subtlety guided the trainer to the Fizzytopia region, home to Team Catalyst's new base of operations.
Of course, in order for the trainer to succeed, Project X had to do some tampering. Altering memories, or even giving the trainer special abilities. Eventually, Project X guided the trainer, along with their friends, to Team Catalyst's Headquarters.
Using the group as bait, Project X began to murder the scum that had taken everything from it." Sophie finished.

"There's no way...that means that-" Jake began.

"-I am Project X" Sophie finished for him.
As if to demonstrate, the form Jake knew as his friend began to glow white, before a Ditto took her place. It lasted for only a moment however, for soon the Ditto reverted back to her human form.

"Why me? C-couldn't anyone have done?" Jake questioned.

"Why you? Well, your ties to Team Catalyst certainly helped. I guess I also liked your sense of determination, as well as how naive you can be at times." Sophie explained.

"But technically, there wasn't really any reason. I just needed someone to distract Team Catalyst for awhile."

"A-and why are you telling me this? I-If you have mind altering powers..w-why aren't you using them?" Jake questioned.

"Well there's two reasons, the first..and most obvious, is that device you're wearing." Sophie replied.

"Device, w-" Jake began, before glancing at his arm, the black bracelet Zack had gifted him still firmly attached. Of course, Zack had said this device prevented mind control, so long as it was active!

"And the second reason?" Jake questioned.

"It's because I haven't yet had my revenge. Team Catalyst is only a small part of that. To quench my thirst for it, I must destroy all of humanity." Sophie explained.

"That's why I'm telling you this Jake, because I thought you deserved to know, before you join the others."

"Y-you don't have to do this!" Jake exclaimed.
"Team Catalyst..t-they don't represent all of humanity! Please...there are people and Pokemon...that'll listen to you. I know I will..a-and Zack as well!" Jake continued.
"You were there, w-when one of your own wanted to meet you. Back at Hagane City...he said you were like family to him. D-do you really want to throw that a-away?"

"Jake's right, you have to stop while you're ahead." Sparky nodded.
"I know you're angry at Team Catalyst, but you shouldn't take it out on the rest of humanity, it'll accomplish nothing. I mean, Jake's father murdered my colony...but you don't see me killing every human in sight."

"I know you both have good intentions, but I cannot live in peace, knowing even one human draws breath. And as for the Ditto you speak of? It's one of my biggest regrets, not being able to talk to him truthfully." Sophie replied.

"But enough talking, I'm growing impatient. With you out of the picture, I'll finally be free to destroy everything in my path!" Sophie cackled, her body glowing once more as began to change forms. This time, the form Project X took was one that Jake had only seen in books and dreams. Mewtwo!

"Farewell Jake. It was fun while it lasted, but now you must join the blood bathes!"

----
Fallen Creation Project X appeared!

*Project X's aura flared to life!*
*Project X's Defense rose sharply!*
*Project X's Special Defense rose sharply!*

----

Turning to his trainer, Sparky gave Jake a firm nod, letting him know that he was ready to battle.

"I-I guess we have no choice. Start with Signal Beam, t-then use Bug Bite!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Project X began to glow, clearly ready to Transform! Before it could, a strange light shot out of Jake's bracelet. Upon making contact with Project X, the Mewtwo's attempts at transforming were ceased entirely! Had the strange light Imprisoned Transform's usage?

Seizing the opportunity to attack, Sparky began to gather up bug energy, before firing a rainbow beam at Project X, causing the Mewtwo to fall back slightly.

In retaliation, Project X started to collect rock energy, before summoning several sharp stone around itself. After floating around the transform Pokemon for a moment, the rocks flew off towards Sparky.
But instead of striking the Galvantula, the rocks instead found their home on the floor, waiting for whichever Pokemon Jake would send out next.

For his second attack, Sparky laced his fangs with bug energy, before lunging at Project X! Upon reaching the transform Pokemon, Sparky bit down hard upon it's body, sending the bug energy into Project X's bloodstream!

"Sparky, go for Cross Poison, t-then Bug Bite!" Jake ordered.

Project X was once again the first to act! Enveloping itself in a white light, the Mewtwo began to spin, sending sharp, white Spikes across the floor!

For his first attack, Sparky crossed his pedipalps, before covering them in a poisonous energy. The Galvantula then dived at his opponent, before swiping at Project X and scoring a direct hit on her!

In retaliation, Project X started to collect fire energy in front of itself, before releasing a powerful Flamethrower attack towards Sparky.
As the powerful orange flames washed over him, Sparky couldn't help but let out a sharp cry!

As determined to win as ever, Sparky laced his fangs in bug energy, before charging towards Project X! Upon reaching the transform Pokemon, Sparky leaped towards her, sinking his teeth into Project X's flesh!

"Sparky, use Signal Beam, t-then Slash!" Jake ordered.

Gathering up psychic energy, Project X released a wave of red and pink out at Sparky. Unable to react in time, the Galvantula emitted a sharp cry as the Psystrike sent waves of pain throughout his body.

Angered by the Mewtwo's assault, Sparky collected even more bug energy, before firing a rainbow beam out at Project X, causing the transform Pokemon to stumble back.

Regaining her footing, Project X began it's second attack. With a cry, several sharp stones began to surround Project X, before flying towards Sparky, prompting a pained shriek from the Galvantula as the stones dug into his flesh!

At this point, it seemed Sparky was completely tuckered out. Even one attack was probably enough to finish the Galvantula off, Jake realized.

Despite this, Sparky seemed unwilling to give up! With one of his pedipalps glowing white, Sparky rushed towards his opponent as fast as he could! Upon reaching Project X, Sparky swung his pedipalp at Project X, causing the transform Pokemon to fall back once more!

"Hang in there Sparky. L-let's start with Thunderbolt, then Pin Missile!" Jake ordered.

Project X was once again the first to act! Collecting even more energy, the transform Pokemon sent a wave of Psychic energy flying towards Sparky! As the wave of energy crashed into him, Sparky let out a pained cry, before dropping to the ground.

"Sparky, return!" Jake called as he withdrew the Galvantula to his Cherish Ball.
"Y-you were amazing out there, now rest up." He added, before returning the ball to his bag.
With little choice on his next Pokemon, Jake grabbed a Thunder Ball from his bag, before tossing it into the air. From the ball emerged a rather large Electivire, who let out a pained cry as his feet landed upon the sharp stones and spikes on the floor.

"Crix, I need you to give it your all..o-ok?" Jake questioned.

To his trainers words, Crix gave a brief nod. Anything he had to say, he'd let his actions convey.

"Alright Crix, l-let's start with Cross Fire, then Wild Charge!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Project X began to stomp the ground repeatedly, causing the whole building to shake as powerful shockwaves from Mewtwo's Bulldoze attack sent both Crix and Jake falling to the ground! In the confusion Jake didn't even notice as his Thunder Stone flew out of his bag!

Once the shockwaves had subsided, both Jake and Crix managed to rise to their feet.

Having recovered from Project X's attack, Crix began to retaliate. After crossing his arms, the Electivire surrounding them in orange flame, before charging towards his opponent! Upon reaching the transform Pokemon, Crix swung both arms at her, landing a direct hit, and causing Project X to let out a pained cry!

For her second attack, Project X began to collect more energy, before firing a Psychic wave out at Crix, causing the Electivire to stumble backwards upon impact!

Regaining his footing, Crix covered his entire body in electricity, before rushing towards his opponent. Upon making contact with Project X, both the transform Pokemon, and Crix seemed to stumble back, each taking a fair amount of damage from the attack.

"Ok Crix, use Fire Punch, t-then use Ice Punch!" Jake exclaimed.

Starting things off, Project X began to gather a large amount of fighting energy between it's hands, forming a sphere with it. The transform Pokemon then fired the ball of energy out at Crix, prompting a pained cry from the Electivire as he fell back slightly.

Angered by the Mewtwo's assault, Crix coated his fist in flames, before rushing towards his opponent. Upon reaching the transform Pokemon, Crix swung his arm into the Mewtwo, sending her stumbling back.

For her second attack, Project X once again began to stamp the ground, causing the building to shake and Crix and Jake to fall off their feet.

As the shockwaves subsided, Crix rose once more to face his opponent. Covering his fist in icy energy, the Electivire rushed towards his opponent, before slamming his fist into the transform Pokemon!

"Crix, g-go with Dual Chop, then Thunder!" Jake ordered.

Starting the round off, Project X began to amass even more energy in it's body, before releasing a Psychic wave of it! Homing in on Crix, the Electivire let out a pained cry as the powerful wave of energy sent him stumbling backwards.

For his first attack, Crix focused draconic energy into his arms, causing them to glow purple. The thunderbolt Pokemon then rush towards his opponent, before striking the transform Pokemon with each of it's arms!

Angered by Crix's assault, Project X began to gather grass energy in front of itself, creating a sphere with it. After a moment, the transform Pokemon flung the ball of Energy at her opponent. As the ball of energy crashed into him, Crix let out a pained cry, before toppling over in defeat!

"Crix, no!" Jake cried out, quickly rushing to the Electivire's side.
With Crix showing no signs of getting up, all that Jake could do was return him to his Thunder Ball.
"Y-you were great, now rest up." He murmured, before stuffing the Thunder Ball in his bag.
It was hopeless, Jake realized. Crix had been his last truly healthy Pokemon. Anyone left had already sustained too much damage, and would surely fall to the traps laid upon the floor. As he pondering on what to do, a sudden tug on his pant leg snapped him back to reality.
Glancing at the floor, Jake noticed just who had been pulling on his pant leg. Once Project X had revealed herself, Jake had totally forgotten about Hazel's presence in the room!

"Hazel..y-you're willing to battle?" Jake questioned.
"I-I...r-really don't have a c-choice." The Eevee stammered.
"Right...Ok then Hazel, let's give this our all! S-start with Bite, then Take Down!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Project X began to draw power from within herself, forming a sphere of Aura with the energy! After waiting a moment, the transform Pokemon fired the sphere of energy out at Hazel! Upon making contact with the move, Hazel let out a sharp cry, before flying back across the room!

Rising to his feet, Hazel turned to face Project X once more! Covering his teeth in a dark aura, the Eevee sped towards the Mewtwo, before biting down hard on her flesh, causing Project X to cry out.

For it's second attack, Project X began to gather icy energy in front of itself, before firing a beam of the Ice out at Hazel! As the frosty beam of energy struck him, Hazel couldn't help but emit another sharp cry!

In retaliation, Hazel charged towards his opponent, his body glowing with a bronze aura! Upon reaching Project X, Hazel slammed into the Mewtwo with all his might, sending both the transform Pokemon, as well as himself, stumbling back!

"Hazel, g-go with Quick Attack, then Bite!" Jake ordered.

Starting things off, Hazel began to charge towards his opponent at a great speed! Upon reaching Project X, the Eeeve slammed into her with all his might!

In retaliation, Project X gathered more energy inside itself, before releasing a Psychic wave throughout the room. Unable to react in time, Hazel emitted a harsh cry as the powerful psychic attack sent him tumbling backwards.

Determined to stay in the fight, Hazel laced his teeth with dark energy, before rushing towards his opponent. Once he had reached the transform Pokemon, Hazel bit down on her as hard as he could, causing Project X to let out a sharp cry!

For her second attack, Project X began to Focus the last of her fighting energy between her hands, forming a sphere with it. The Mewtwo then blasted the sphere of energy towards Hazel!
As the ball of fighting energy made contact with Hazel, the Eevee let out a sharp shriek, before flying back into his trainer, sending the two falling to the ground.

"Pathetic." Project X spat, her voice having a familiar echo to Jake.

"Is that all you've truly got? I should have figured. If the Eevee can't even form a proper sentence, how could it stand to give me a little challenge?" Project X taunted, slowly approaching the pair as she did so.

"Now how about we stop wasting my time and just end this, hmm?"

"N-never!" Hazel exclaimed, rising to face the Mewtwo once more.

"How cute, but you're really in no condition to fight me. How about you be a good little Eevee and stand aside. Or do you have a death wish?" Project X questioned.

"I-I won't back down!" Hazel exclaimed, surprising Jake and even himself at his sudden courage.
"M-my teammates and I..w-we came here to p-protect this world from Team Catalyst. A-and they did their part...e-every last one of them, a-and now it's my turn." The Eevee continued.
"E-except now we know i-it's not Team Catalyst we should have b-been looking out for. B-by aiming to slaughter millions o-of people, y-you're not as bad as Team Catalyst, your worse!" Hazel continued.
"A-and I'll do e-everything in my power to stop y-you!" The Eevee finished.

With Project X distracted by his speech, Hazel rushed over to the Thunder Stone Jake had dropped earlier, and slapped his paw onto it.

Instantaneously, the stone evaporated, and Hazel began to glow with energy!
"Hazel, y-you're evolving!" Jake exclaimed, taking the opportunity to rise to his feet as Hazel began to transform! He began to grow taller, and the fur on his body began to spike out! His legs began to toughen up, and more spiky fur began to cover his back.
Once the light faded, Hazel was no longer a Eevee, but a !

Admiring Hazel's new form, Jake quickly took out his Pokedex, before scanning the Jolteon.

"Jolteon, the lightning Pokemon, and the evolved form of Eevee. An Electric type." The Pokedex droned.
"When its fur stands on end, that's a sign it's about to give off a jolt of electricity. It can send out electrical charges of about 10,000 volts."

"Alright Hazel, let's turn this around! S-start with Pin Missile, then use Discharge!" Jake ordered.

With his new found speed, Hazel began to gather bug energy inside his body, causing his fur to stand on end! From his pointy fur, five missiles of energy shot out, before homing in on Project X! Unable to react in time, the transform Pokemon let out a pained cry as all five projectiles sent her stumbling back.

In retaliation, the Mewtwo released another wave of Psychic energy out at Hazel, dealing a large amount of damage to the Jolteon!

For his second attack, Hazel began to tap into his new electrical energy pool, before sending sparks of electricity throughout the room!

Angered by the Jolteon's assault, Project X let out a cry, summoning several sharp stones around itself. After floating around the transform Pokemon for a moment, the rocks shout out towards Hazel, prompting a sharp cry from him as the stones dug into his flesh.

As the round came to a close, it was clear to see both Pokemon were barely standing. It all came down to the next attack, Jake realized.

"It's time to end this once and for all Hazel! Hidden Power!" Jake exclaimed.

Tapping into a power hidden deep with in himself, three orbs began to surround the Jolteon. The orbs had a soft blue glow to them, like the ever changing ocean!

At the same time, Project X also began to draw from a hidden power, summoning three orbs around itself. These orbs had a harsh red glow to them, like the destruction of a burning fire!

With both Pokemon ready to go, they each fired their respective orbs at one another! After clashing, it seemed Hazel's will was stronger, and his Hidden Power effortless cut through Project X's, before slamming into the transform Pokemon.

Letting out a deafening cry, Project X began to glow, before returning to it's Ditto form.

This was it, they had won! They had saved the world from Project X's destruction! And yet, as he watched Project X fall to the ground, Jake couldn't help but feel terrible about what he had done.
Project X had threatened to kill all of humanity, so why was his victory so bitter sweet? Their friendship was nothing but a tool for the transform Pokemon, so why was he trying to hold onto it? Jake didn't truly know the answer, but he did know one thing.

He had to help.

With Hazel be his side, the pair quickly rushed over to Sophie, not knowing quite what to expect...
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Old 08-02-2017, 06:07 PM   #21
EpicSquirtle
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A Journey's End

Quote:
This was it, they had won! They had saved the world from Project X's destruction! And yet, as he watched Project X fall to the ground, Jake couldn't help but feel terrible about what he had done.
Project X had threatened to kill all of humanity, so why was his victory so bitter sweet? Their friendship was nothing but a tool for the transform Pokemon, so why was he trying to hold onto it? Jake didn't truly know the answer, but he did know one thing.

He had to help.

With Hazel be his side, the pair quickly rushed over to Sophie, not knowing quite what to expect...
----
"Sophie, a-are you ok?" Jake questioned upon reaching the Ditto's side.
At the same time, Sophie began to slowly rise from the ground, snapping back to her senses.

"A-am I ok? W-why do you even care?" The Ditto murmured. "I'm your enemy...you should hate me!"

"I know...but I can't bring myself to. Y-you're still my friend..." Jake explained.

"Look Jake...I-I don't have much time..." Sophie muttered, ignored Jake's previous statement.

"Not much time? I-I don't understand." Jake replied. "We have no reason to fight anymore...w-we can put this all behind us..."

"I-I'm afraid we can't Jake....it's much too late for that." The transform Pokemon said, shaking her jiggly head.
"My strength...i-it's already starting to return. Soon..I'll be overtaken by desire of destruction once more." As she said this, her voice sounded rather calm, as if she already accepted it.

"N-no! T-that's impossible, there's got to be something, a-anything we can do!" Jake exclaimed.

"There is one thing. Jake...y-you said you wanted to protect this world...does that still hold true? Do you still hold that desire in your heart?" Sophie questioned.

"O-of course." Jake nodded.

"Then kill me. Only then can I be freed of this curse." Sophie replied. "But you must hurry, for I fear I have little time...."

"A-are you insane?! I-I can't kill you!" Jake stammered.

"You must...it's the only way. If not..countless lives are in peril." Sophie explained. "Please...this world has no use for a monster like me anymore...it can only bring needless suffering."

"I-I can't...." Jake murmured. "Please..don't make me do this."

"You can...I know you can. You're strong enough to do it."

"Sophie I....I-I'm not as strong as you think I am." Jake stammered.

"You are. I've watched you stand for your beliefs time and time again...so please, I beg for you to stand by them...just one last time."

Jake opened his mouth to respond, but before the words could escape his mouth, he watched as a golden Pokeball flew by his head, before smacking into Project X! Immediately, the Ditto was absorbed into the ball, before the capture device was sent flying back to it's owner.

Turning around, Jake's grimace transformed to a small smile as he recognized the friendly face.

"Zack! Am I glad to see you!" Jake exclaimed.

Indeed, right in front of Jake stood none other then the leader of the CPA. In his hand, he was clutching the golden Pokeball, the one they had strived to snatch from Team Catalyst's clutches. By the man's side floated Duosion, though Telpo and the others seemed to be absent.

"I'm glad to see you too Jake, though may I ask what is going on?" Zack questioned, glancing at Chris's body.

"I-I'll explain it later. What we need to do...w-we.....we need to destroy Project X." Jake replied.

"Destroy Project X? Why?" Zack asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Project X, it's going insane. W-with it's power, it's going to go on a rampage." Jake explained.

"Oh I'm fully aware of that, which is exactly why it's now contained in this ball." Zack replied. "What I meant to say is, why would I destroy Project X, after everything I've done to obtain it?"

"Zack..d-don't tell me..." Jake stammered, his entire body going numb.
At the same time, Hazel stepped in front of his trainer, before giving Zack a low growl.

"Ah, it seems this moron is finally catching on Zack." Duosion chimed, a large smirk plastered on his face.

"Zack, y-you truly mean to betray us?" Jake choked out. "W-why would you do such a thing?!"

"Betrayal? I guess you could think of it like that. But I don't like to think so, considering I was never on your side in the first place." Zack replied.

"As for why? Isn't it obvious? I want Project X for myself." The man continued.

"Ever since I first heard about Project X from Chris, I knew I needed that kind of power for my own. So I joined, pretending to work to stop the beast. At the same time, I began to create a resistance group, in hopes of weakening Team Catalyst. That was, until Sophie approached me.
Of course, I knew from the start who she really was, though I never let on about that. After letting her join the CPA, I began to work on phase two of my plan. I began to feed the CPA with information about Team Catalyst, claiming that they sought to capture and use Project X, and that there was no reasoning with them.
I did the same with Team Catalyst, claiming that the CPA wanted nothing more then to enslave Project X" Chris explained.

"S-so everything you said about Team Catalyst...i-it was lie?!" Jake exclaimed.

"Correct. With each group butting heads, it was easy to distract them from the mastermind behind the conflict. The assault on Hagane Labs? The destruction of the Ebony flute? All just a part of the plan to continue the war between you two. Eventually, I let everyone to attack Team Catalyst's headquarters.
While Sophie went on her little rampage, I took the opportunity to eliminate anything that threatened to stop the eventual fight between you two." Chris continued.

"Pitting you guys against each other, it was a sure fire way of capturing Project X. Because even if you won or lost, Project X would have been weakened enough for me to capture."

"But what about Hagane Labs? S-surely Team Catalyst was still in the wrong, w-with all their horrific experiments." Jake stammered, desperately trying to grasp onto something, anything, to justify his choice of stopping Team Catalyst.

"And that's where you're wrong again!" Duosion exclaimed.

"Right. You see, while I may have lead you and your friends to believe Team Catalyst owned all of Hagane Labs, in truth, they only own the top two floors." Zack added. "The floors with all the "horrific experiments", as you and your friends put it, are owned by none other then yours truly."

"T-then....this device." Jake stammered, glancing at the bracelet on his wrist.

"Is my finest work. Not only does it prevent Project X's mind control, but it also Imprision's it's use of Transform, as well as generates a field to weaken it." Zack explained. "But now that this beauty is in my grasp, there's no point in limiting it's power, so I'll be taking that, thank you!"

At Zack's words, the bracelet began to glow with a Psychic aura, before flying off of Jake's arm. After floating in front of Duosion, the mitosis Pokemon guided the device over to his trainer.

"Thank you Duosion. Now, let's turn this off for now." Zack said, before clicking a button on the device, presumably shutting it off.

"Y-you won't get away with this! H-hazel and me...we'll stop you!" Jake exclaimed.

"That's cute, but you morons wasted all your energy on Team Catalyst and Project X!" Duosion chimed.

"Maybe that's true....b-but even if we can't, Tyler, Telpo, and Turtwig's group....t-they won't let you do this!" Jake exclaimed.

"Those fools? I'm sorry to tell you Jake, but they're all...kind of occupied." Zack chuckled.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Flashback (Catalyst Barracks)
"What...no way...this is Project X's doing?" Tyler murmured.
"W-why should I believe you? Why should I believe any of you Catalyst scum?"

"Believe me if you want, I'm not going to convince you. I don't care any more." Shelly replied. "I've already lost my friends...and potentially my daughter as well."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that.." Tyler murmured, before turning to Zebstrika.
"Come on Zebstrika, we've got to warn the others." He said, prompting a weak nod from the thunderbolt Pokemon.

"Not so fast." A voice called out to him, causing Tyler to look up.

"Zack, what are you doing here? Where are the others, well besides Duosion?" Tyler questioned.

"They're scouting out the place ahead, but I thought Duosion and I should come check out the barracks, and I'm glad we did." Zack replied.

"Huh, why? It's a blood bath in here! We need to warn the others immediately!" Tyler exclaimed.

"And that's why I'm glad I came as soon as I did. You seem to have learned too much. I'm afraid I can't let either of you leave here alive."

"Wha- Zack explain yourself!" Tyler exclaimed.

"You heard me, neither you nor Shelly will be alive to tell your story. Doing so puts my plans into jeopardy." Zack replied.

At Zack's words, Shelly rushed towards Tyler.

"Like hell you are! First you betray Team Catalyst, now you're threatening to kill me and your friend? You're a total slime ball, and I'm not standing for it!" Shelly barked.

"Oh Shelly, even in grief, you're as hot-headed as always." Zack chuckled. "But hey, cheer up. After this, you and your daughter can reunite."

"Why you little-" Shelly began, but stopped herself as she began to glow in a purple aura.

"Zack! Stop! Stop this instant!" Tyler exclaimed, desperately trying to move, but to no avail! Duosion's Psychic was holding them firmly in place!

Calm yourselves you two, this will only hurt for a moment." Zack snickered.
"Farewell."
----
A moment later, Zack, Shelly and Zebstrika had joined the others, soaked in the warm blood pooling on the floor.

"Well that went over pretty well, wouldn't you say?" Duosion questioned.

"Yes.....yes it did." Zack nodded. "Now let us hurry. We need to dispose of the others, and soon."
"N-no...you killed them?!" Jake exclaimed.

"Mhmm. Tyler and Shelly were messing with my plan, they had to go." Zack replied. "Now as for Turtwig's group...."

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flashback (Catalyst Holding Cells)

Receiving a nod from the rest of the group, a small smile formed on Zack's face.
"Perfect. Well then, while Turtwig's group and I take care of that, Telpo can you scout ahead for us? It's important." Zack explained.

"Ok sure, I'll report back if I find anything." Telpo chimed, before floating off ahead, leaving Turtwig's group and Zack behind.

"Alright, now Boldore, Ariados, you take Venomoth. The rest of you, let's drag that grunt inside." Zack instructed, grabbing the Catalyst grunt's arms as he did so.

Following the man's orders, Turtwig began to push the grunt with all his might, Drilbur following shortly after.

Meanwhile, Ariados began to hoist his former teammate onto Boldore's back, being extra careful not to awaken the poison moth Pokemon.

Once inside one of the cages, the group took great care in placing the two gently on the concrete floor.

"Alright, let's get going then. We don't have much time." Zack said, receiving a nod from the others in response.

With that, Zack quickly exited the cell, watching as the others began to follow. Or they tried to, anyway. For as soon as Zack had exited the jail cell, the door swung shut, locking Turtwig's group inside!

"Hey! What's going on?!" Turtwig exclaimed, looking to the pin pad that had previously let them in. Floating next to it was none other then Duosion! The mitosis Pokemon couldn't help but laugh as Turtwig began to bashed his head into the door.

With Duosion translating the groups words, Zack began to explain everything,

"What's going on? Let's just say...I'm disposing of you." Zack replied, a large smile on his face.

"What? Disposing of us?!" Ariados exclaimed.

"That's right. While you've been a great help to me, your usefulness has officially run out. I need you gone in order for the final part of my plan to work." Zack explained.

"Zack...we've been friends for years, this is unbelievable!" Turtwig shouted.

"Friends? I have no need for friends. I cannot reshape this world with such pathetic things." Zack scoffed.

"But consider yourselves lucky that he's letting you live for a few moments, some of the others didn't fare so well." Duosion snickered.

"That's right." Zack nodded, before pulling a remote out of his pocket.
"You see...this entire building is rigged with explosives. One press of a button, and a minute later....well, let's just say pieces of you will be flying all the way to the mainland!"

"N-no..." Turtwig murmured.

"You better believe it." Duosion snickered.

"Well, while I'd love to stay and chat, I have a Ditto to catch. Enjoy your final moments here." Zack said, before taking his leave, Duosion right behind him.
"Telpo...well I've left him on patrol duty. But rest assured, he's next in line for the slaughter." Zack said.

"N-no." Jake murmured.

"Do you see now? You have no hope left! I've won!" Zack exclaimed.

"Hazel...I-I'm sorry." Jake muttered, turning his attention to the Jolteon.

"Don't be." Hazel said, shaking his head. "I...understood the risk of entering this place, I think everyone did. But.....I-I don't think we should give up, not quite yet."

"Y-you're right. W-we'll stand against him till we can no longer." Jake nodded, turning back to face Zack.

"A noble sentiment, but I'm afraid your road ends here. Duosion, hold them down!" Zack exclaimed.

Giving a brief nod, Duosion's eyes began to glow, before a Psychic aura surrounded Jake and Hazel, locking them in place.

"Now it's time to kill you where you stand, Project X, will you do the honors?" Zack questioned, before tossing the golden Pokeball into the air.

Emerging from the ball was Project X, though the Ditto looked completely soulless now, as if the ball had taken away any of it's free will!

"Alright Project X, Transform into Mewtwo, then use Psycho Cut on these fools!" Zack bellowed.
----
Somethings not right. Telpo thought as he continued to watch the stairs leading down to the fourth floor. Surely Turtwig and the others should be back from their patrol by now. And where's Zack? He said he was going to scope out the room ahead, but that was several minutes ago....

Growing restless, Telpo turned his attention to the door at the end of the dimly lit hall. It was highly out of character for the Abra to be so distracted, and yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong.

Following his gut, Telpo began to float down the hall, before reaching the door. As he peaked inside, the Abra struggled not to call out.

In the center of the room was his master, along with a Jolteon that Telpo assumed to be Hazel. And had Zack just ordered for their death?! Telpo didn't know quite what was going on, but as he watched Project X emerge from it's ball, Telpo knew he had to take action.
----
Completely frozen in place, Jake could only watch as Project X took the form of Mewtwo once again. After that, it was if time slowed to a crawl. Gathering psychic energy in front of itself, Project X threw a blade of the energy out at Jake and Hazel!
Preparing themselves for the worst, both Jake and Hazel were completely caught off guard as Telpo appeared in front of them in a flash of light. Thinking fast, the Abra grabbed onto the pair, before using Teleport just as the energy blade reached them.
In a flash of light, the three disappeared, leaving Zack, Project X, and Duosion behind.

"D-did that just happen?" Duosion questioned.

"Yeah...they managed to escape." Zack replied calmly.

"How are you so calm?! This is serious!" Duosion exclaimed.

"No, it does not matter Duosion. With Project X by our side, we're unstoppable. Who cares if the boy lives? He certainly can't stop us." Zack explained, before returning Project X to it's ball.
"Now let's be off. There's no need to linger in this dump any longer."
Producing a remote from his pocket, Zack firmly pressed the center button, before grabbing ahold of Duosion. In a flash of light, the pair Teleported out of the room, leaving the soon to be ruins of Catalyst tower behind.
----
Just quit it Turtwig, there's no way we're getting out of here." Drilbur said as the tiny leaf Pokemon proceeded to bash his skull into the cell door once again.

"Drilbur's right, we're toast. Mine as well just accept it." Ariados added.

"What, you guys are giving up that easily?!" Turtwig exclaimed. "We have to keep trying! There's no way we're dying here."

"What's the point? Even if we do break out, we're no match for Zack." Drilbur replied.

"Yeah, he's probably defeated the others as well, it's hopeless." Ariados added.

"H-how can you say that?! We've come so far...we can't lose now." Turtwig said. "If we j-"

"-Guys, Venomoth is awake." Boldore reported, cutting Turtwig off.

Indeed, no sooner had the words left Boldore, that the poison moth Pokemon rose to the air. Seeing the predicament it was in, the Venomoth began to rapidly fly about, before ramming into the cell wall, desperate to escape.

"Whoa whoa, Venomoth you need to calm down." Turtwig said. "We can do this, we can get out alive...together."

Upon hearing words, Venomoth's composure changed entirely. Instead of it's panicked flying, the poison moth instant calmed down, and unless he was mistaken, Turtwig could have sworn the Venomoth seemed...happy?

"Together....as a team?" The Venomoth questioned.

"Yes Venomoth...as a team. I hadn't realized it until now, but that's how things always should have been with us. I-I'm sorry we left you behind." Turtwig apologized, leaving the rest of the group completely stunned.

"R-right...as a team." Boldore nodded.

"Yeah.." Ariados murmured.

"Well, this is nice and all...but I hate to be the bearer of bad news." Drilbur spoke up. "Us being a team isn't going to help us escape."

"Escape? I can help." Venomoth replied. "I know the move Teleport! But I can only transport one Pokemon at a time."

"Perfect, that's all we need." Turtwig smiled.
"I really don't want to abandon Jake and the others....but I think we should retreat for now" He added.

"So the entrance to the tower it is then." Boldore nodded.

"But who's going to go first?" Drilbur questioned.

"I'd say the leader should go first." Ariados said, receiving a nod from Drilbur and Boldore in response.

"Alright, if you insist." Turtwig nodded, before walking over to Venomoth.

Grabbing onto the Turtwig's back, Venomoth disappeared with the tiny leaf Pokemon in a flash of white light.
----
Catalyst Tower Entrance
----
A moment later, the pair reappeared in front of Catalyst Tower.

"Alright, thank you Venomoth. You sure you've got enough energy to get everyone?" Turtwig questioned.

"O-of course. I'll be back in a moment." The poison moth Pokemon replied, before disappearing in another flash of light.

No sooner had the Venomoth disappeared, a deafening explosion shook the ground, sending Turtwig tumbling back. At the sound of more explosions, the tiny leaf Pokemon sprinted away from the tower.
Dodging falling debris, the Turtwig didn't have time to stop and think. In that moment, all that the Turtwig knew to do was to run.
Reaching the shore, Turtwig spun around just in time to watch Catalyst tower collapse in on itself, causing the ground to shake even more as the once proud building scattered upon impact with the earth.

It was only then that the consequence of said explosions sunk in for the tiny leaf Pokemon. Boldore, Ariados, Drilbur, Venomoth....and anyone else that might have still been in the tower....

They were gone.
----
???
---
Opening his eyes, Jake was met with the sight of darkness. That was odd, just where was he? Rising to his feet, Jake began to reach for his bag, before realizing that it was nowhere to be found! Before he could begin to search for it though, a familiar voice called out to him, drawing Jake's attention to it.

"Master, I'm so glad to see you!" Telpo chimed.

"Telpo." Jake smiled as the Abra came into his line of vision.

"Huh? Where are we?" Hazel questioned, causing Jake to turn to the Jolteon.

It was a fair question. Wherever they were, it seemed to be covered in a darkness usually reserved for the dead of night. And yet, there was no sign of a moon at all!

"I'm not really sure." Jake replied. "B-but it's definitely nothing like I've ever seen, t-that's for sure."

"Hmm, how about we ask that person over there?" Telpo questioned, pointing to a strange man not far from where they stood.

"I-I'm not sure sure." Jake murmured. "But..I guess he's our only choice."

"I mean...if we have to." Hazel nodded.

With no objections to the idea, trio began to walk towards the man. Upon reaching him, Jake realized that he was completely transparent!

"Eep! It's a g-ghost!" Hazel stammered, before running for cover behind Jake.
At the sound of the Jolteon, the man spun around, before jumping back at the sight of Jake's group.

"Whoa! You're alive?!" The man exclaimed.

"Umm, yes?" Jake replied. "W-why wouldn't we be?"

"Oh.....hmm I guess there's a first for everything then." The man chuckled.

"Look, I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, but we need your help." Telpo chimed. "You see, we're kind of lost, we were hoping you could tell us where we were."

"Where you are? Well...this place doesn't have a proper name." The man explained. "But this realm is the link between the world of the living, and the spirit world."

"What?! That's insane!" Jake exclaimed.

"I agree. If we're alive, then how did we end up in such a place?" Telpo questioned.

"Beats me. Maybe you just got really unlucky with a Teleport or something. The man shrugged. "One's thing for sure, you best be getting out of here quickly."

"Huh? W-why?" Jake questioned.

"Because this realm is no place for the living. Should you stay here too long, you could end up looking like me. A spirit, forced to roam this place for Arceus knows how long." The man explained. "Pokemon won't decay as quickly though. Hell, even the dead ones take awhile to resemble a spirit."

"Is there anyway out? Do you know?" Telpo questioned.

"Well there is one way." The man replied, before pointing to a small mountain in front of them. "This mountain...rumor has it that the gateway between worlds lies at the top. You can go to the land of the living, or even the spirit world with it...so I've heard."

"Thank you, w-we'll get going then." Jake replied.

"Good luck!" The man smiled. "Oh, I nearly forgot! At the gate, there's said to be one who guards it. If you intend to get through, you may have to bargain with it."

"We'll keep that in mind." Telpo chimed.

With that, Telpo and Jake made their way towards the mountain, Hazel following shortly behind.
----
"So master, considering the length of this climb, maybe now is the best time to explain what happened?" Telpo questioned as the group began their ascent up the mountain trail.

"What happened, y-you mean back at Catalyst tower?" Jake asked.

"What else could I be referring to?" Telpo replied.

"Good point." Jake chuckled, though his expression darkened considerably as he began to tell the Abra what had happened. His fight with Steven, and how the man had wished to save the world from Project X.
Then there was Olivia, she had wanted to kill Project X after it had murdered her in cold blood. Next was Olivia, and her desire to create a stable future for her town and for her child.
As Jake explained each of the Catalyst Admin's and there desires, he couldn't help but feel worse and worse about his prior actions. Though he couldn't exactly claim Team Catalyst was in the right, he also couldn't deny their true intentions on putting a stop to Project X's rampage.
Speaking of Project X, that was the next thing Jake had to explain to the Abra.

"Wait, so Sophie was Project X the whole time?" Telpo questioned.

"Y-yeah. Apparently she was using us, j-just so she could get her revenge." Jake replied, before jumping back to the tale.

Jake then came to Zack, and his betrayal. How he had pitted Team Catalyst and the CPA against one another, in order to lure Project X into his grasp.
After Jake had finished the story, a brief silence followed.

"Master, I'm sorry." Telpo finally spoke up.

"Huh, why?" Jake questioned.

"Because I was with him." Telpo replied. "I was with Zack for most of the time in Catalyst tower, and yet I still never suspected him. If I had, we could have stopped him, and we wouldn't be in this whole mess."

"Nonsense, t-this isn't you fault." Jake said as he shook his head. "N-none of us saw it coming. I-it's as much your fault, a-as it is anyone else's."

"Right." Hazel nodded. "Besides...y-you did save our lives......well sorta. If anything, we kinda owe you."

"Master, Hazel...thank you." Telpo chimed.

"I-it's no problem." Jake replied. "W-we're going to get through this...I-I promise."
----
Several hours later, the trio continued their rough climb up the mountain. But with little opportunity to rest, both Jake and Hazel were starting to feel more then a little tired.

"Are we *yawn* almost there yet?" Jake questioned, his energy slipping away faster by the minute.

"I would guess we only have a little left to go." Telpo replied. "But it's hard to know, considering how dark it is."

Indeed, only a short amount of the path was visible to the trio. The rest was covered in the same shroud of darkness that had first greeted them.
Trudging along the dirt path for a few more minutes, a large hole on the wall of the mountain was enough to grab Hazel's attention.

"Guys wait!" Hazel called out, before letting out a yawn.

"What is it Hazel? We're in a hurry, if you couldn't tell." Telpo chimed.

"It's a cave! M-maybe we could.....take nap here?" Hazel questioned.

"Out of the question Hazel, we simply don't have time." Telpo replied. "If we don't hurry, master is in serious peril!"

"No....I-I think it's a good idea." Jake murmured. "W-we can....have a short nap, t-then we'll have e-enough energy....to push through."

"Fine, but only a short one." Telpo conceded.

"Alright." Hazel nodded, before entering the cave, the rest of the group right behind him.

Inside was a small hollowed out room, a cozy fit for the three of them.

"Ok, while you two sleep, I'll take guard duty." Telpo chimed, before floating back in front of the entrance.

Exhausted, Jake slowly eased himself onto the cavern floor. It most certainly wasn't comfy, and Jake wondered if doing this was such a good idea in the first place. He didn't have too long to wonder that though, for soon his eye lids closed, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
----
Drip, drip, drip. As the sound of droplets filled the cavern, Hazel's eyes shot open. No matter what he did, the Jolteon was couldn't get comfy! Rising to his feet, Hazel began to stretch, before glancing at his trainer. By some miracle, Jake was fast asleep on the cold rock floor.
Feeling slightly jealous, Hazel turned his attention the Abra in front of the cave.

"Hey Telpo." Hazel whispered as he approached the Abra.

"Hello Hazel." Telpo greeted the Jolteon.

"A-aren't you going to get some sleep?" Hazel questioned.

"Me? No. I'm just not tired." Telpo replied.

"Not tired? B-but aren't Abra supposed to sleep for...umm, a long time?" Hazel asked.

"Did you hear that from a Pokedex? They tend to exaggerate you know." The Abra explained. "But yes, Abra usually do have to get alot more rest then usual."

"T-then why aren't you tired?" Hazel questioned, tilting his head.

"Well...I've just been thinking about some things, is all." Telpo replied.

"Oh, I-I see..." Hazel murmured

"Uh Hazel, I have a favor to ask of you." Telpo spoke up after a moment.

"A-a favor? What is it?" Hazel asked.

"There will come a time when I'm no longer able to protect master, and that time might be sooner then you think. When that happens...I want you to protect him for me...no matter the cost." Telpo replied.

"W-what?! Y-you won't have to worry about that f-for a long time Telpo!" Hazel exclaimed.

"After all that we've been through, can you be so sure?" Telpo questioned.

"No but..I-I...why me?"

"Because I know you can do it. I can tell you've already grown a great deal since we last met, and I know you'll keep on improving in the future."

"Telpo...." Hazel murmured.

"You don't have to give me your answer right away. Maybe you should sleep on it?" Telpo suggested.

Giving the Abra a swift nod, Hazel slowly returned to the cave. After hearing Telpo's question, the Jolteon was sure he wasn't going to get any sleep.
----
A few hours had passed, but Jake wouldn't have known it, were it not for Telpo's rather rude awakening.

"I'm sorry master, but we really must get going." The Abra chimed, before floating outside of the cave. Looking to make sure Hazel was ready, Jake followed the Abra out into the darkness.

It almost felt claustrophobic, the way the darkness surrounded the trio on their march. It certainly brought up a few questions about the spirit world to Jake. Was it this dark as well? Did the spirit world have day and night cycles? Or was it forever trapped in shadow, like this realm?
Jake was definitely going to have to look into it when he got home.

If he got home.

Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine. No, I will return home. We're going to make it back. All of us. Jake reassured himself.

As long as he kept putting one foot in front of the other, they were going to reach the top. And there, the gate back home would show itself.
----
After what felt like ages, the road upwards eventually stopped, revealing the summit to Jake and the others.

"So, somewhere here is the gate between worlds then." Telpo chimed.

"R-right, I wonder where it is." Jake muttered, taking a glance at his surroundings.

"Look! I-I think I found something!" Hazel called out, before rushing off into the darkness.

"Hazel wait up!" Jake called back as he sprinted after the Jolteon.
After catching up with Hazel, Jake spotted just what the lightning Pokemon had been talking about. Right in front of him stood a rather large statue of a Dusknoir. Underneath it was a plaque, which drew Jake's attention instantly.

"Place a hand on the statue, to call forth the gate keeper." Jake read aloud.

"Are we sure that's such a good idea master? Do you remember what happened last time you touched a statue?" Telpo questioned.

"Y-yes...but this is different. We have no choice." Jake replied, before pressing his hand onto the statue. Almost instantly, the dark fog dissipated, allowing the group to get a better view of their surroundings.

But what really grabbed the groups attention was the man standing in front of the statue.

"Y-you're that guy from before. What are y-you doing here?" Jake questioned.

"Me? Hmm. Well, you three may have thought of me as a simple spirit, but in actuality-" The began, before fading away. In his place floated a Dusknoir in likeness of the statue in front of it.

"-I am the keeper of the gate between worlds." The Dusknoir finished.

"Wait, then this was all a test then?" Telpo asked.

"Exactly. It's my job to guide lost souls to the spirit world, but I also help lead the living who've stumbled here back home." Dusknoir replied. "But first I must test their resolve...their drive to return home."

"So, w-we're able to return home now?" Hazel smiled.

"Not quite...you see....there's a bit of a problem regarding your trainer." Dusknoir said.

"Huh? What's the problem?" Telpo asked.

"You see..as you three began to climb the mountain, your bodies started to decay. You've spent so long on the mountain, that I'm afraid your trainer will perish if he were to return as he is." The gripper Pokemon explained.

"W-what?" Jake choked out.

"B-but that's entire your fault!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Yeah. If you didn't force us to do your test, then this wouldn't have happened." Telpo chimed.

"I'm fully aware of that, which is why I said "as he is"" The Dusknoir replied.

"He has passed the test, and was still alive when he entered this realm, which means he's allowed to return." The gatekeeper continued.

"But to do so, one must accept the consequences. Either he perishes upon his return, or he returns anew."

"R-returns anew, w-what does that mean?" Jake questioned.

"It means you'll have to return in a new vessel. Reincarnation, if you will." Dusknoir replied. "It's method used to send spirits back to the world of the living. Since you're stuck between life and death, you could either return as yourself, where you'll die soon after.
Or, you could return in a different body, where you'll be allowed to continue on with life. The question is...will you take that risk?"

"It's up to you master, I'll stand by your choice either way." Telpo chimed.

"M-me too." Hazel added.

"I-I'll do it." Jake nodded. "I mean..if I just stay, I-I'll be dead anyway. Mine as well t-try for a second chance."

"A wise choice." Dusknoir replied. "With your choice made, I shall open the gate to the living for you."

Focusing a black energy into it's palms, the gripper Pokemon fired into the air. After floating away for a moment, the ball of energy froze in the air, before rapidly expanding!

"The portal is now complete, the human and Jolteon may now depart." The gatekeeper instructed.

"Huh? W-what do you mean? Telpo can come too right?" Jake questioned.

"Oh, I thought myself clear when I said only living creatures may pass through the portal." The gatekeeper responded.

"T-there must be some mistake...T-Telpo isn't dead!" Jake exclaimed, before turning to the Abra. "Come on Telpo, t-tell him. It's just a m-mistake."

"I'm sorry master, but I'm afraid that a mistake hasn't been made." Telpo chimed.

"W-what? Telpo...I-I don't understand." Jake stammered.

"Master, I've been dead since we've arrived here. I'm the whole reason you and Hazel are even in this realm."

"W-what, there's no way..." Hazel murmured.

"I awoke before either of you two in this place, and so I had a look around. Eventually I found Dusknoir, where he informed me where I was." Telpo explained.
"It was easy to deduce from there. When I teleported you two out of Catalyst tower, I was struck and killed by Project X at the same time. With my spirit leaving the world of the living, I ended up dragging you two with me, confusing the entire process."

"Not only that, but if I were to guess, Telpo's teleportation failure must have scattered most of your belongings Arceus knows where." Dusknoir added.

"Telpo...t-this is a dream.... This isn't true!" Jake exclaimed. "I-it can't be..."

"I'm sorry master, but this is the truth. I cannot come with you anymore." Telpo replied. "It was hard at first...for so long, I'd been looking forward to that future we were going to create together....but now I see that the future...it can go on without me."

"B-but I can't...." Jake stammered, tears running down his face.
"Telpo, please...d-don't leave me..."

"It's going to be ok master. You have everyone else with you...to guide you...to protect you....you don't need me anymore."

"But Telpo..." Jake murmured.

"Shhh, there's no need to cry master." Telpo chimed. "I promised you back in the Adoption Center that I would gladly sacrifice my life for you, my master. I'm glad I was able to keep my word."

"Now before you leave master....I do have some regrets...I hope that you can help ease them...if only a little."

"A-anything Telpo.." Jake murmured, drying his eyes with the arm of his sweater.

"Tell Millic-" The Abra began, before remembering who was around him. His face glowing red, the Abra sent the rest of the message to Jake through telepathy.

"O-ok Telpo..I-I'll tell her you said that." Jake nodded.

"Thank you." Telpo smiled. "Now you should go, you have so much to do, master."

"O-ok Telpo, I-I will." Jake stammered, before approaching the portal.

"Telpo, umm, I-I'll take g-good care of him." Hazel stammered.

"I know you will." Telpo smiled.

"F-farewell Telpo." Jake called to the Abra, tears threatening to burst out again at any moment.

"Farewell? I don't think so." Telpo said, shaking his head. "If you wish for it...we'll surely meet again."

Giving his trainer a final wave, Telpo watched as Jake and Hazel stepped into the portal, before disappearing entirely.
----
The End.
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Old 08-17-2017, 06:58 PM   #22
EpicSquirtle
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A Land of New Beginnings

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flashback (Adoption Center, December 2012)
Pushing through the doors of the Adoption Center, a thirteen year old Jake entered the building. He had only one mission in mind, to add another member to his slowly expanding team. But looking around, Jake couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed.
The only Pokemon that met his gaze was a Corphish, a Pokemon Jake had just recently obtained himself. Spotting the clerk behind the counter, Jake approached them, hoping they could help solve the dilemma.

"Excuse me." Jake called. "Is this all the selection you have here?"

"Huh? Oh umm....possibly." The man murmured, before glancing away.
"You seem like a new trainer though, s-so I'd recommend the Corphish."

"What do you mean "maybe"?" Jake questioned. "Is there more or not?"

"Well you see....there is one more." The man whispered. "But it's a very wild and dangerous Pokemon...so we've locked it in the back."

"Wild and dangerous?" Jake murmured. He was tempted to leave then and there, for he had no need for such a temperament on his team.

"C-can I see it?" Jake asked, his curiosity overtaking his judgement.

"If you insist....follow me." The man said, before guiding the young trainer to the back door.

"Now please...be very careful. And don't say I didn't warn you." The attendant added, before swinging open the door.

Entering the room, the young trainer immediately spotted what appeared to be a sleeping Abra in the center of the room.
This is the wild Pokemon? It looks so calm. Jake thought as he approached the psi Pokemon.

"Hello." A voice rang in Jake's head, startling the teen and causing him to jump back slightly.

"Have you come to adopt me? Or the much more likely outcome, pass me by in favor of someone better?" The voice questioned.

Confused by the voice for a moment, it suddenly dawned on Jake where it was coming from. It must have been from the Abra!
"What, n-no I'm not going to pass you by!" Jake replied.

"Are you sure? It's highly likely there's another Pokemon here, one deserving of love, one deserving of a home, one who deserves it far more then me." The Abra chimed.

"No...don't say that. You deserve those things to, w-which is why I want to adopt you. I-If you'll let me, that is." Jake said.

"You.....really mean it?" The Abra questioned.

"Of course I do. I have three other Pokemon, and I care for them with all my heart, and I think you'll fit right in." Jake replied.

"Thank you." The Abra chimed, a smile forming on his face.

"Alright now let's get those papers filled out.....Telpo." Jake replied.

"Telpo? I like that name, master." Telpo responded.

"Huh, master? You don't have to call me that you know." Jake chuckled.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. It shows that I'm willing to serve you, and even give my life for you if it comes down to it." The Abra explained.

"But...why would you do that for me?" The young trainer questioned.

"Because, your gratitude has given my life purpose....it's my way of repaying you." Telpo chimed.

"Well ok. But you don't have to worry about sacrificing your life for me. That's never going to be a concern."
Jake's eyes suddenly fluttered awake, giving him the view of a white ceiling. His whole body was aching, and his vision was more then a little hazy. He had been dreaming about Telpo... It wasn't odd for Jake to have a dream about one of his Pokemon, but the timing of said dream was enough to make Jake feel like vomiting.
Telpo..how could it have ever have come to this. He thought.

No..now wasn't the time for this! He could mourn the Abra later, for now he had to figure out where he was. But before Jake could even begin his search, a voice called out to him, bring his attention it.

"Oh it's good to see you're awake." A nurse said upon entering the room.
"Some of us thought you'd never wake up! You've given our little village quite the talking point."

"W-where am I?" Jake questioned. As his voice left his mouth, Jake's eyes widened. Unless his mind was playing tricks, he could have sworn his voice sounded higher then it had been before.

"Where are you? This is Tabunne Clinic, in Isshin Village." The nurse explained.
"I'm Nurse Joy, you were found collapsed on the beach, alongside a Jolteon. You've been unresponsive for the past two days....some of the villagers thought you'd never awaken."

"I see..." Jake replied. His voice was definitely higher.

"But enough about that. Can you tell me what happened? What's your name?" Joy questioned.

"It's umm...Jake." He replied.

"Huh? I said your name." The nurse replied, before tilting her head. "Are you sure you're ok? Do you want me to get you something?"

That was odd, did the nurse not believe him? But while she was asking, something came to Jake's mind.

"Could I have a mirror?" Jake asked.
Back in the strange realm, Dusknoir had said that Jake would need to take on a new form, or else he would perish upon returning to the world of the living. And considering he felt very much alive, it stood to reason that he looked a bit different. In which case, Jake wanted to check just what had happened.

"A...mirror? Umm...ok. I should have one around here, hold on one moment." Nurse Joy replied, sounding as confused as ever as she searched the room. Finally, she pulled out a small hand mirror out of a drawer, before returning to Jake's bedside.

"Here you are." The nurse said, handing the mirror to Jake. Before she could say anything else though, a ringing sound could be heard, drawing the nurse's attention.

"Sorry, I just have to answer that." She apologized, before exiting the room.

With mirror in hand, Jake raised it to his face, where he just about fainted on the spot!

Though he still sported dark brown hair, and dark blue eyes, it was now obvious to the young trainer why the nurse had seemed so confused by their previous answer.

They could easily be mistaken for a young woman. Or rather, that was the form they had taken!

But how had they not noticed earlier? Chocking it up to their dulled senses, they turned their attention back to the mirror. Something was definitely familiar about their face, the young trainer realized.
But before they could figure out just why it seemed so familiar, Nurse Joy reentered the room, this time with another guest. She seemed to be around eighteen years old, and was wearing a brown sunhat.

"Oh, you're awake, I'm so glad!" The girl exclaimed as she rushed over.
"When I found you on the beach, I was so worried, but I'm really glad you're doing ok." She smiled. "I'm Anna by the way, what's your name?"

"Anna, calm down, you're probably scaring her." The nurse scolded. "Besides I'm not sure she knows her name, do you?"

With the attention now all on them, the young trainer spat out the first name that came to mind.

"Robin.....i-it's Robin...Robin Eclair."

"Robin, that's a nice name." Anna smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hmm....well then, do you know how you managed to wash up on shore?" Nurse Joy asked.

"....No sorry." Robin lied. It'd be best not to tell them just what had transpired before her arrival, she figured.

"That is troubling then...." The nurse murmured. "I'll back in a moment."
With Nurse Joy taking her exit, Anna turned her attention back to Robin.

"So, that Jolteon is yours right? So you're a Pokemon trainer?" Anna questioned.

"Umm...yeah." Robin replied, still getting used to her new voice.

"I knew it, I knew it! You've gotta help me out then!" Anna exclaimed.

"Huh? Help you with what?" Robin questioned.

"Well you see, I've always wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, and explore the entire region, but my dad says I'm not experienced enough to leave the village." Anna explained.
"And our village, it holds this festival every year, and today is when it's being held this year! To celebrate, my father is awarding me and some others a Pokemon of our own. So I was thinking, once I get a Pokemon, maybe you could help me train it, so I can leave the village."

"That...seems kind of complicated. Can't you just ask your dad to help?" Robin asked.

"Yeah well...he's usually pretty busy. Besides, he's rarely left the village either...I want a real adventurer to help me!" Anna exclaimed.

"Umm..ok, sure. I'll do it." Robin smiled.

"Really? Oh thank you! This going to be awesome!" Anna cheered.

No sooner had Anna finished her cheer, did Nurse Joy enter the room, clutching various papers in her arms.

"Sorry about that, just had to grab some stuff." The nurse explained.

"So, is Robin free to leave?" Anna questioned. "I want to show her around!"

"I'm not so sure...I think she may need to stay another night..just in case." Nurse Joy replied.

"But she's just fine. You are fine right Robin? Come on, show her!" Anna pleaded. "Just, stand up or something"

Though Robin wasn't one hundred percent sure she was as fine as Anna was insisting, she had noticed that she was feeling a little better. For one, her vision had cleared up, and the aching she had felt earlier had begun to subside.

Pushing the blankets she had been provided for her, Robin slowly eased her way off the bed, before placing her feet on the ground. As she started to stand though, the young trainer nearly fell over. It seemed it was going to take a bit to adjust to her new frame.

"See look, perfectly fine." Anna smiled, ignoring what had actually happened.

"....You're not going to quit until I let her go, are you Anna?" Nurse Joy questioned.

"That's right. She seems perfectly well to me." Anna replied.

"...I guess she can go, on a few conditions." Joy conceded, before turning to Robin.
"One, please stay with Anna for the time being, I don't need you getting lost or hurt. Two, no straining physical activities for the time being. And finally, please sign this." Nurse Joy finished, before thrusting a pen and paper in front of Robin.

Grabbing the paper, Robin placed it on the nearest wall, before filling in everything she needed to. Upon reaching the part where they needed her signature, she froze up. The name she had given them wouldn't pop up on records, according to the government, she didn't even exist.
But she didn't have time to deal with that, not now anyway. She'd cross that bridge when the time came. For now, she signed the paper with her new name, before handing it back to Nurse Joy.

"Thank you." Joy said as she accepted the paper. "Now, I'm assuming you don't have any clothes...and you can't just leave wearing those robes..."

"Don't worry, I'll let her borrow some of mine." Anna replied. Uhh...if that's ok.."

Blushing slightly, Robin gave the girl a brief nod, confirming that she was ok with the idea.

"Perfect, I'll go grab them, you stay put." Anna said, before exiting the room.

"Sorry about her." Nurse Joy apologized. "She's a bit of a handful at times..."

"Don't worry about it, it's fine." Robin replied. "But uh...you said you found me with a Jolteon? D-do you know where he is? Along with the rest of my Pokemon?"

"Rest of your Pokemon? I'm sorry to say, but all we found with you was your Jolteon, it's Pokeball and your bag." Nurse Joy explained. "Come to think of it, your bag did have a few empty Pokeballs, maybe they escaped? Regardless, you can find them over in that room." Joy said, pointing to a room directly to her right.

"Thanks." Robin replied, before making her towards the door, trying her best not to trip.
----
Once inside, she immediately spotted Hazel, lying on a small cot. Beside it, a tattered bag she could only barely recognize as her own.

"Hazel, I'm here, we're free to go." Robin called out, causing the Jolteon to turn his attention to her with a confused look.

Of course, Hazel doesn't recognize me anymore.

"Hazel listen....it's me..your trainer. I know that might be hard to believe, but it's true."

To this, Hazel's look changed from confused to skeptical.
"H-how can I believe you? You're probably j-just trying to deceive me." Hazel replied, not looking one bit trusting of Robin.

"I'm trying to deceive you Hazel...it really is me. For one, how many people do you know that can understand you like this?" Robin questioned.

"And two....I remember us hiking up that mountain..in the strangle realm to get home. You and me, w-we'd be the only two to know about that. D-Dusknoir said this could happen."

"Oh...I umm...." Hazel murmured. "S-sorry for doubting you...it's just a little weird. I mean....you're a girl now?"

"Uh..y-yeah." Robin murmured, her face glowing a soft red.

"And you seem oddly ok with that?" Hazel questioned.

"Y-yeah. I-it's....a long story." She muttered, her face turning an even brighter shade of red.

"S-sorry, I-I didn't mean to..." Hazel murmured.

"No, it's fine. I get it. I-It might take awhile for you to get used to it." Robin replied.

Before more could be said, rapid knocking could be heard on the door, drawing the pairs attention.

"Alright I'm back, and I brought you some stuff." Anna said as she swung open the door.

"Now hurry, the festival's going to start soon! We wouldn't want to be late." She added, handing Robin a small bag of clothes. "There should be change rooms across from here."

"Right...well Hazel let's get going." Robin said as she slowly made her way to her old bag. Retrieving Hazel's Pokeball from it, Robin tapped the Jolteon on the head, absorbing him inside the ball. She then grabbed her old bag, before making her way out of the room.
----
Isshin Village
----
As Robin exited the hospital, the first thing she noticed was the warm breeze that flew throughout the area. That was odd. Last she remembered, it had been late January, but it was way too warm for it to be so now, so just how long had she been sleeping?

"Uh..this might sound a bit stupid...but what day is it?" Robin asked.

"August 17th, why?" Anna questioned.

August 17th? How was that even possible? Had it really been almost seven months since she had set foot on Kairyu island?

"Are you ok? You kind of look like your spacing out." Anna said, waving a hand in front of Robin.

"Huh? Oh, I-I'm fine...I was just thinking." She murmured.

"If you say so." Anna replied, before rushing towards the edge of the large hill the trio stood upon.

"See that right there? That's the town square." Anna explained, pointing to the rather modest area.

"It looks beautiful from up here." Robin said, upon reaching Anna's side.

"You're just saying that." Anna replied, shaking her head slightly. "You said you were an adventurer, so you've probably seen way better then our little village."

"N-no....I mean it. It looks great from up here...isn't that right Hazel?" Robin questioned, turning her attention to the Jolteon.

"Right." Hazel responded with a nod.

Despite not understanding the Jolteon, Anna seemed to get the message, a warm smile forming on her face.

"Thank you...that means a lot to me." Anna replied.
"Now let's get going, we need to make it to the opening ceremony! I'm sure everyone will be excited to meet you!" Anna exclaimed, before running off towards the square, leaving Robin and Hazel behind.

"I-I'm a bit nervous truth be told..." Robin murmured as she watched Anna continue towards the village square.

"I'm sure....it'll be ok." Hazel replied. "I mean...it's just a small festival, right?"

"I...guess you're right." Robin conceded.
"Let's get going then." She added, before following the path down the large hill, Hazel following right behind her.
----
Upon reaching the foot of the hill, Robin was greeted with a better look of the village square. From what she could see, the square contained two small fountains, and several stalls for the upcoming festival. In the center of the area, a raised platform stood.

"Oh, it's about time you made it!" Anna called out, waving Robin and Jolteon towards her.

"Sorry for leaving you back there...it's just...I'm so excited! I'm actually going to get my first Pokemon!" Anna exclaimed as she slowly led the pair to their destination.

"I guess it can be pretty exciting." Robin replied. "So...do you know what Pokemon you're getting?"

"Yeah! My dad managed to get three super rare Pokemon. Apparently these Pokemon can be chosen by starting trainers in the Hoenn region. At least..that's what my friend said." Anna explained.

"I see..." Robin murmured as they entered Isshin square. Already a small crowd had started to form. Was she being paranoid, or were the people talking about her? No..this definitely wasn't her mind paying tricks. Robin could only watch as various people began to steal glances at her, before turning to whisper to someone.

"Anna, you're late." A voice called out, drawing Robin's attention to the source.
Approaching them was a man with dark brown hair. If Robin had to guess, he seemed to be about Anna's age.

"Yes well I'm sorry, I had to check Tabunne Clinic...like I already told you, Lukas." Anna replied.

"I can see that....so you're the girl Anna found on the beach." Lukas said, turning to face Robin. "What's your name?"

"Oh umm...Robin..." She murmured.

"Alright. I guess I'm obligated to introduce myself now. I'm Lukas, Anna's older brother." Lukas replied.

"You are not!" Anna exclaimed. "We're twins, you can't be older!"

"Am too, by five minutes, that counts." Lukas retorted.

"No it doesn't!" Anna barked.

"Yes it does!" Lukas exclaimed.

"Just what did we get ourselves into..." Robin murmured as she watched the two continue to fight.

"I....don't know." Hazel replied.

After what seemed like forever, the pair eventually ceased their argument, allowing Robin to speak up.

"Lukas, didn't you say Anna was late?" She questioned.

"Oh, that's right! I'll inform Chloe that we're ready to start." Lukas said, before walking towards the raised platform.

"Chloe?" Robin questioned.

"She's the vice mayor. Since my father's out, she's taking over running the festival." Anna explained.

"Huh? So that means, your father's the mayor?" Robin questioned.

"I didn't tell you? Yeah he is." Anna nodded.

Well that certainly explains some things... Robin mused, before turning her attention to the raised platform in front of her.

On the platform rested three small boxes, in front of them stood Lukas, and who Robin assumed to be Chloe.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention." Chloe called out, causing the sound of the crowd to die down.
"As you know, our mayor will unfortunately be absent for the start of our wonderful festival, and so I'll be taking over his duties for the time being. But rest assured, for he shall return before long." Chloe continued.
"But before we begin, I'd like to start things off by welcoming Anna and Owen onto the stage."

At the sound of her name, Anna gave her new friend a small wave, before making her way up onto the stage. At the same time, Robin noticed a boy she assumed to be Owen approach the stage. He had blond hair, and was wearing
black glasses. Once he had reached his destination, the boy stood in front of one of the three boxes, with Anna and Lukas taking the other two.

"Yes..today is a very special day for these three. Thanks to our mayors generous support, these three are about to receive their very first Pokemon! Let's take a look." Chloe said, before approaching the box Lukas stood behind. With a slight tug, the box opened up, and a Treecko emerged.
Giving the small crowd a quick glance, the wood gecko then crossed it's arms, showing the crowd it's shoulder.

As the crowd began to cheer, Chloe took the time to approach the box Owen had picked. As the vice mayor pulled the box open, inside was revealed to be a Mudkip, who seemed highly unamused at his shelter being destroyed.

With the crowd giving another hearty cheer, Chloe walked towards the third box on the stage. But before she could open it, the Torchic inside burst out all on it's own! Glancing around for a moment, the chick Pokemon began to bounce around, before circling Anna's feet.

"Aww, hi there little one...I'm going to be your trainer...what do you?" Anna asked as she kneeled down to face the Torchic.

"Chic?" Torchic questioned, giving Anna a skeptical look.

"Now then, with each of their Pokemon revealed, it's now time for-" Chloe began, but was cut off as a loud roar filled the sky.

Looking up, Robin spotted what appeared to be a giant Salamence flying towards everyone!

As the dragon Pokemon descended upon the crowd, screams of terror could be heard, and everyone began to disperse. Robin was transfixed on the Salamence though. Something was definitely familiar about it, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it...

Once the giant Salamence had landed, a women leaped off of it's back and onto the floor. She was wearing all black, and she appeared to be carrying three strange Pokeballs in her hands.

"Salamence, Flamethrower!" The woman barked.

This was enough to send the rest of the villagers into a frenzy, even Anna and the others began to retreat. In the confusion though, they appeared to have left their Pokemon behind!

In the resulting chaos, the strange woman began to walk towards the center stage, before chucking a Pokeball at Treecko!

This was enough to snap Robin out of her shock. She needed to stop the pair!

"Come on Hazel." Robin said, ushering the Jolteon over as she reached the center stage.

"Stop right there!" Robin called out as she scrambled onto the stage, blocking the woman from a very frightened looking Torchic.

"Oh, one of you has the guts to face me....how amusing." The woman said, before giving a small chuckle.
"I think it'd be wise if you join your friends though....otherwise you're just wasting everyone's time."

"N-never! You'll be giving back that Treecko and Mudkip...or else!" Robin exclaimed.
At his trainers words, Hazel let out a growl, informing everyone that he was fully intent on following through with what Robin had said.

"Or else what? Honestly, if you're going to threaten me, at least come up with something better." The woman scoffed.
"Whatever, if you want to fight me so badly, I'll be happy to oblige."

At her words, the previously rampaging Salamence flew towards the stage, causing the entire thing to shake under it's weight!

"Salamence, Dragon Pulse and Crunch!" The strange lady barked.

"Hazel...u-use Thunder Fang, then Thunder!" Robin ordered.

Starting the round off, Hazel sped towards Salamence, his teeth covered in electricity! As he reached the dragon Pokemon, Hazel bit down on it's flesh, dealing a moderate amount of damage to his opponent.

Letting out a deafening roar, Salamence began to prepare it's first attack! Gathering draconic energy in it's mouth, the dragon Pokemon fired a shockwave of the energy out at Hazel, sending the Jolteon flying back!

Upon landing, Hazel seemed to be having a hard time rising to his feet. Of course! Robin hadn't even thought of the condition Hazel was in. With the amount of time since his last battle, it stood to reason that the Jolteon would be more then a little rusty.

With Salamence and it's trainer clearly focused on the battle, Robin took the time to grab hold of the shaking Torchic at her feet, something the Fire type was happy to accept.

For his second attack, Hazel began to gather more electrical energy in his body, before releasing a wicked bolt of it out at Salamence! Upon impact, Salamence let out a small roar, before turning it's attention to the Jolteon in front of it.

Lacing it's fangs in a dark aura, the dragon Pokemon flew towards Hazel at an astonishing rate. As it closed in on the Jolteon, Salamence chomped down on it's opponent, prompting a sharp cry from Hazel. After Salamence had finished attacking, the lightning Pokemon began to wobble.
This wasn't good. At this rate, Hazel wouldn't be able to withstand even a single attack, Robin realized.

But she couldn't give up..not now anyway. The people and Pokemon of Isshin needed her help! With this in mind, Robin began to call out orders to Hazel, but was stopped as a firm hand grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing?! We need to get out of here!" Lukas barked.

"I can't...I've got to stop her! People are in danger!" Robin exclaimed, desperately trying to pull herself out of the man's grasp.

"You and your Jolteon are in no condition to fight! Now let's go!" Lukas shouted, giving the girl another tug.

Though Robin didn't want to admit it, Lukas was right. Hazel was barely standing, and she felt a little lightheaded herself. Giving the strange woman and her Salamence one last look, Robin followed Lukas as he began to escape from the square, Hazel right behind them.

As it watched the group leave, Salamence couldn't help but let out a loud roar!

"Hush...it's ok." The strange woman said, giving the dragon Pokemon a pat on it's side.
"We still got two of them. Besides, I have a hunch we'll see them again real soon..."
----
Mayor's house
----
When Robin and the others had arrived, they were met with warm greetings from both Anna, and Owen. After the attack on the square, the two had taken refuge in Anna's house. With the safety of the town in question, Lukas volunteered to survey the damages, leaving everyone waiting in anticipation for his return.

"I wonder when Lukas is coming back...he's been out for a long time." Anna murmured.

"Yeah." Robin nodded, though she wasn't really listening. Instead, her attention was on the Torchic pacing around her.
I'm sorry little one, I should have been able to save all of your friends.

"It hasn't been that long..though I think if anything terrible had happened to the village, we would have at least heard back from him by now." Owen replied.

"Unless....do you think that woman has taken Lukas hostage?!" Anna exclaimed.

"I don't think so...your brother is pretty tough after all." Owen said.

"I-I think Owen is right." Robin added. "I mean...he seemed that way to me. I don't think you need to worry."

No sooner had she finished her sentence, Lukas walked in, causing everyone to let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad you're ok!" Anna exclaimed, giving her brother a hug.

"So, did you find anything? Just what happened?" Owen questioned.

"Everything looks to be in ok condition." Lukas replied as he escaped his sister's embrace. "As for that woman and her Salamence, I saw them heading back towards Isitsubute Cave."

"Isitsubute Cave?" Robin questioned.

"It's a small cave on the beach nearby." Owen explained. "It used to be a great place to hang out, until that woman took it for her own awhile back."

"Wait, so this isn't the first time you've seen her?" Robin asked.

"I'm afraid not." Lukas said, giving his head a small shake. "She's been seen snatching various Pokemon from nearby...but we've been powerless to stop her."

"Yeah." Anna nodded. "My father said that we shouldn't provoke her...but it seems that didn't work..."

"One of the villagers claims they even saw her take a strange Pikachu a few days back." Owen added. "It had like, a black heart on it's tail or something like that. I don't know what she's planning on doing with it though..."

"Come again...a Pikachu with a black heart tail?" Robin questioned.

"Yeah. I've heard those things are extremely rare. Maybe she plans on selling it?" Owen pondered.

It couldn't be Tessa could it? Robin thought.
No that was silly, Tessa wasn't the only Cosplay Pikachu around. And yet, something in her gut told her to check Isitsubute Cave anyway. Even if Tessa wasn't there, the woman inside had done more then enough to deserve being driven out.

"That settles it then. I'm going to Isitsubute Cave and putting a stop to this!" Robin exclaimed.

"Are you stupid? I just saved your ass from her a short while ago, and now you want to storm her turf?!" Lukas exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's definitely a bad idea." Owen nodded. "Your Jolteon seems to be in poor shape, there isn't a chance you could beat her."

Out of everyone's reactions, only Torchic seemed to be on board with the idea.

"Yes, finally someone that understands me!" The chick Pokemon exclaimed as he began to bounce up and down. "We need to save my friends, and everyone else too! So please take me with you!"

"It's times like this that I wish I could understand what a Pokemon is saying." Owen said. "I can't tell if it's happy, or mad at what you just said."

"Torchic says that he wants to go along as well." Robin explained, causing everyone to give her a skeptical look.

"And how would you know that?" Owen questioned.

"Well umm...I can kind of...understand most Pokemon." Robin explained.

"Wait really?! That's so cool!" Anna exclaimed.

"She's pulling your leg Anna, she's probably just guessing what that Torchic said." Lukas scoffed.
"Regardless, that puny Torchic isn't going to help you. I doubt it can harm a Caterpie"

Angered by the man's words, Torchic fired a small Ember at him, causing Lukas to cry out. With the front door still wide open, Torchic dashed outside and towards the beach.

"Torchic!" Robin called out as she ran after the chick Pokemon.

"Idiots...all of them." Lukas mumbled.
----
Sunabā Beach
----
Giving chase to the wild Torchic, Robin found herself quite winded, and decided to sit on a nearby log. But this didn't seem to matter to Torchic, who kept on running until he was no longer in Robin's sight. What was she thinking?
Nurse Joy had specifically told her not to anything too strenuous, yet here she was, jumping into dangerous situations like she had done before. No, that had cost her too much already, she had to be more level headed in the future.

"P-please don't do that next time." A voice called out, turning Robin's attention to it.

"Oh Hazel! I-I'm sorry...I forgot about you for a moment." Robin murmured.

"It's ok. I just figured you'd need my help." Hazel replied. "I....know I won't be much help..but I'll try my best."

"That's all I need." Robin said as she rose to her feet, nearly falling over in the process. "Alright then, how about we go save those Pokemon?"
Receiving a nod from the Jolteon, both Robin and Hazel began to follow the Torchic tracks laid out on the sand.
----
After a few minutes of walking, the pair eventually came across a strange metal door sticking out of the cliffside. To the right of the door was a small pinpad.
Despite this, there was no sight of the chick Pokemon anywhere. That was until Hazel pointed to a small crevice with his snout. It seemed to be quite small..had Torchic managed to squeeze it's way through it?
Robin wasn't certain, but one thing she was certain about, was that Hazel and her stood no chance of getting in that way. Pondering on how they should proceed, a sudden idea sprung to her mind.

"Ok Hazel, I want you to use Thunder on the pinpad!" Robin ordered.

Following his trainer's instructions, Hazel began to gather electrical energy in his body, before releasing a large beam of it at the wall! Upon making contact with the pinpad, the device began to spark, and the door slowly began to slide open. With the door open, the device exploded, causing black smoke to rise into the sky.

"Alright, let's get going." Robin said, before cautiously entering the cave.
----
Isitsubute Cave
----
As soon as they entered, Robin and Hazel were greeted to a small room. Inside contained...nothing? The room was completely empty, from what they could see anyway, as the cave had very little light in it at all! Despite the horrid lighting, Robin was all but certain that nothing important was contained inside the small area.
What she did find however, was a small staircase, nestled near the corner of the room.

"Maybe they're deeper inside?" Hazel suggested.

"Probably." Robin nodded.

With nothing to see, the pair headed towards the staircase they had spotted, and began to descend deeper into the cave.
Upon reaching the second floor, Robin and Hazel were relieved to find the small hallway they were in to be much more forgiving in terms of lighting. Looking around, Robin quickly noticed another set of stairs, leading further down into the cave. In front of them, the hallway stretched onwards.

Mine as well check this out while we're here. Robin thought to herself, before making her way down the narrow corridor. With Hazel behind her, the pair soon found a set of twin doors to their right.

Giving the Jolteon beside her a small shrug, Robin pushed through the doors. Inside, the room was decorated with a variety of cages, ranging from tiny to large.

So this is where that lady is keeping the Pokemon. Robin thought as she scanned the room. Catching her eye was a small cage near the center of the room. Well it wasn't actually the cage, but it's inhabitant that managed to grab her attention.

"Tessa!" Robin exclaimed as she rushed to the Cosplay Pikachu's location.
Turning around, Tessa seemed rather confused at the girl who was approaching, instead taking an interest to the Jolteon that accompanied her.

"Wow..umm...do I know you? You um...seem really familiar." Tessa murmured as she studied the Jolteon. After a few moments, a sudden idea sprung into her mind.

"This uh..might sound silly...but..., you're Hazel, right?" The Cosplay Pikachu questioned.

"That's right." Hazel nodded. "We're...here to get you out."

"Really? Yay!" Tessa exclaimed. "But umm...who's your friend? I uh, don't recognize her. But umm...maybe I'm just being forgetful...

At Tessa's words, Robin let out a small sigh. Of course, Tessa wouldn't recognize her..or any of her other Pokemon they would eventually find. Which meant, the story of how she had become like this would have to be told over and over again. Just thinking about was enough to give her a headache.

"Umm, Hazel? Mind explaining it this time? I'm...going to try and find a way to get Tessa out." Robin explained.

Giving his trainer a brief nod, Hazel began to launch into the tale, giving Robin ample time to scavenge the room for something, anything that she could use.

After noticing a small cabinet in the corner of the room, Robin wandered over to it, wondering just what it contained. Opening the first and second drawer, the girl sound nothing but dust. Focusing on the last drawer, Robin pulled it open to find a small black case. Inside appeared to be five, Pikachu sized costumes.

I'm sure Tessa is going to be glad I found these. She thought as she tucked the case into her bag. Still, there was no sign of anything to help break the Cosplay Pikachu out. After glancing around a bit more, Robin noticed a small container opposite of where she stood.
Feeling a bit silly for not noticing it early, Robin quickly approached the box, before tearing it open. Inside she noticed a variety of different Pokeballs, though one stood out in particular.

Perfect. Robin thought as she scooped out the golden-plated Pokeball. It certainly wasn't a key, but it would do in a pinch. With Tessa's ball in hand, Robin approached the pair, Hazel having finished the story a few moments prior.

Tapping the button on the special Pokeball, a red beam shot out at Tessa, absorbing the Cosplay Pikachu inside. Robin then tossed the special Pokeball in the air, releasing Tessa on the outside of the cage.

"Yay! I'm free! Thank you!" The Cosplay Pikachu exclaimed, before hugging Robin's leg.

"A-anytime Tessa." Robin murmured.

"I'm umm...sorry I didn't recognize you earlier. It's just, you uh..look so different Jak- umm Robin." Tessa corrected herself.
"But uh..if you're willing to have me, I'd love to continue adventuring with you."

"Of course I would...welcome back Tessa." Robin smiled as she picked up the Pikachu, giving her a small hug.

The moment was cut short however, as the small sound of footsteps approached them.

Fearing for the worst, Hazel ran in front of his trainer, giving the doors a low growl as he mentally prepared himself for whatever would come through.

But instead of a fierce opponent, a Torchic burst through the door.

"Oh! I found you! I found you!" Torchic chirped as he bounced towards Robin.

"Torchic, you're ok." Robin smiled as she slowly put Tessa back on the floor.

"What are you doing here though?" Hazel questioned.

"Oh right! I found my friends! But I couldn't get them out, so I came looking for something to help with that." Torchic explained. "But then I ran into you guys, so it's all ok! Yay, we're going to save everyone!" The chick Pokemon exclaimed as it continued to bounce around.

"Uh, your friends?" Tessa questioned.

"It's a long story." Robin replied, before turning to the bouncing Torchic. "So, where are your friends? Can you lead us to them?"

"Of course! They're on the bottom floor! I'll show you!" Torchic exclaimed, before scurrying out of the room.

Just before the trio left, a sudden thought popped into Robin's head, causing her to pull a black case out of her bag.

"Tessa...if we need to fight, you should probably be at your best, so can you put one of these on?" Robin asked as she handed the Cosplay Pikachu the case.

Giving her trainer a nod, Tessa opened the case, before pondering her choice of apparel. After a moment, the Cosplay Pikachu grabbed a dress and bonnet from the case, before slipping them on. Once she was done, Tessa handed the case back to her trainer, whom placed the case in her bag.
With that sorted out, the group made their way out of the twin doors, and back to the stairs they had previous been at.

Upon reaching the stairs, Robin couldn't help but notice that Torchic was nowhere to be seen.
He must have gone on ahead. She realized. Turning back to see the others were ok, Robin descended further into the cave.

As they reached the third floor, both Robin and Hazel were happy to see that the hallway they had entered was also well lit. In front of them stood the Torchic they had been following.

"There you guys are! Geez you take forever! Let's hurry!" Torchic exclaimed, before running off straight ahead. Glancing around, Robin noticed that the hallway also stretched to the east and west.
Though she was curious where they lead, she knew they didn't have the time to explore. Turning back to the path straight ahead, the group began to follow Torchic into the room ahead.

The first thing Robin noticed as she entered the room was just how big it was. The ceiling stretched so high, even a Steelix could fit inside, Robin realized.

"Here they are, here they are!" Torchic exclaimed as he rushed over to several pedestals to the side of the room. On each of them, a strange Pokeball rested. Instead of the classic red and white, or any other pattern Robin had seen, these were jet black.
Turning her attention away from the strange coloured Pokeballs, Robin glanced at the labels on the various pedestals.
Caterpie, Pikachu, Sandygast....it seemed that it wasn't just Tessa and Torchic's friends who had fallen victim to the strange woman and her Salamence. Scanning the rest of the labels, the young trainer eventually found the Pokeballs containing Treecko and Mudkip.
Before Robin could reach for them though, a voice called out to her, freezing her in her tracks.

"Well well well, look who's back." The voice echoed throughout the room, causing Robin to turn around.

Upon noticing the woman from before, Robin couldn't help but let out a small groan. Nothing ever went to plan, did it?

"First you try and stop me from nabbing those Pokemon back at the square, and now you're trying to take back my hard earned work? You really do have a death wish." The poacher said as she continued to approach Robin.

"But I'll give you one last chance. Surrender all of your Pokemon and I'll spare you your life."

"Never. Your days of terrorizing the people and Pokemon of Isshin are over!" Robin exclaimed.

"Fine, if your so eager to die, then I'll grant you your wish. Salamence let's go!" The woman barked as she chucked a jet black Pokeball into the air. From the ball emerged the giant dragon Pokemon. Upon landing, the ground began to shake for a moment, before eventually calming down.

"You know, my Salamence used to be revered as a guardian from where it was from. Do you truly believe you can stand up to that kind of power?" The poacher questioned.

A giant guardian Salamence...the sound of that was awfully familiar. The only time Robin had had experience with such a thing was back in Ryuu town. Back then, Dusty had been the one to stop it's rampage. But now she didn't have such luxury...it was up to Hazel and Tessa now.

"Alright Hazel, you're up first." Robin said, causing the Jolteon to step forward and face the giant dragon Pokemon once more.

"Start with Double Edge, then Thunder!" Robin ordered.

"Salamence, Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw!" The woman barked.

Starting the round off, Hazel began to run towards his opponent, his own safety completely absent from his mind. Upon reaching the dragon Pokemon, Hazel slammed into it with all his might, dealing a severe amount to the Salamence, but also hurting himself in the process!

For it's first attack, Salamence began to gather draconic energy in it's mouth, before spewing a stream of blue flames across the room, scorching the floor and causing Hazel to let out a pained cry upon impact!

After recovering from his opponent's assault, Hazel started to collect electrical energy into his body, before releasing a large bolt of it out at his opponent.

For it's second attack, Salamence took to the air in a single flap of it's wings. The dragon Pokemon then flew towards Hazel, it's claw surrounding in a draconic aura. As it reached the Jolteon, Salamence swung it's massive claw at him, causing Hazel to be sent flying into the wall!

Upon falling to the ground, Hazel was slow to rise back on his feet. Much like last time, it seemed the Jolteon was in terrible shape. But they had little choice otherwise. If the Pokemon poacher in front of them was to be defeated, Hazel had to push on!

"Let's end this, Dragon Pulse!" The poacher bellowed.

"Hazel, use Thunder Fang, then Quick Attack!" Robin called to the Jolteon.

Hazel was once again the first to act! Lacing his teeth with electricity, the Jolteon ran towards Salamence as fast as he could, before biting down on it's leg!

Ready for his second attack, Hazel leapt backwards, before charging towards his opponent at an even faster speed then before!

Unfortunately for Hazel, Salamence was fully prepared for the oncoming Jolteon, and sent a shockwave of draconic energy from his mouth! Unable to avoid the blast of energy, Hazel was sent flying back with a sharp cry! This time, the Jolteon made no attempt of getting up...

"Hazel, return!" Robin called out as she withdrew the Jolteon.

"Ok Tessa...it's your turn now." She added, ushering the Cosplay Pikachu onto the battlefield.
"Start with Disarming Voice, then Icicle Crash!"

"Salamence, Flamethrower and Dragon Claw!" The woman barked.

This time it was Salamence who was the first to act! Gathering fire energy in it's mouth, the large dragon Pokemon spewed a stream of orange flames out at Tessa, causing her to fall backwards a bit.

Landing on her feet, the Cosplay Pikachu let out an emotional cry, sending pink soundwaves from her mouth. The soundwaves flew towards towards Salamence, who let out a roar as the attack sent waves of pain throughout it's body.

For it's second attack, the dragon Pokemon once again took flight, before rushing towards Tessa! As it reached the Cosplay Pikachu, Salamence swung it's massive claw at her, causing Tessa to be sent crashing into the nearby wall!

Rising to face her opponent, Tessa began to channel the power of her outfit in order to unleash a special move! The Cosplay Pikachu then unleashed a strange icy mist, which began to float towards Salamence. As it reached the dragon Pokemon, the mist thickened, creating a large icicle, which came crashing down upon Salamence's head!

"Salamence, Crunch and Dragon Pulse!" The Pokemon poacher roared.

"Tessa, go with Iron Tail and Icicle Crash!" Robin called to the Cosplay Pikachu.

Starting things off, Tessa coated her tail in a metalic glow, before rushing towards her opponent. As she got to the Salamence, Tessa leaped into the air, before swing her tail towards it's head!

Thinking fast, Salamence grabbed onto Tessa's tail with it's teeth, rendering the attack useless! With the Cosplay Pikachu now trapped, Salamence sunk it's energy laced fangs into Tessa's tail, causing her to let out a pained cry! Seeing no further use for it's opponent, Salamence threw the Cosplay Pikachu into the wall with a swing of it's head!

But Salamence wasn't finished yet! As Tessa rose to her feet, she was met with a beam of draconic energy, sending her crashing into the wall once again!

This time, Tessa seemed to struggle to find her standing as she rose to face her opponent. If things kept up, Tessa wouldn't be able to battle for much longer!

Focusing on the battle ahead, Tessa began to gather more special energy from her costume, before releasing a icy mist into the air. As it floated over Salamence, the mist thickened, transforming into an icicle! As the icicle made impact with it, the dragon Pokemon let out a pained roar, though managed to pull itself together.

"Let's go with Icicle Crash and Thunder Punch!" Robin exclaimed.

"Salamence, use Flamethrower and Dragon Pulse!" The strange woman ordered.

Starting the round off, Salamence began to collect the last of it's fire energy in it's mouth, before exhaling a wave of orange flames at Tessa! Unable to react in time, the Cosplay Pikachu let out a pained cry, before stumbling back.

Gathering the rest of her costumes special energy, Tessa sent more icy mist flying over her opponents head! Once it reached it's destination, the mist solidified, forming a giant icicle, which came crashing down upon Salamance!

In retaliation, Salamance fired a shockwave of draconic energy at Tessa, sending the Cosplay Pikachu crashing into the back wall! This time though, Tessa showed no signs of getting up.

"Tessa...return." Robin murmured as she withdrew the Cosplay Pikachu.

This was it..she was doomed. The only Pokemon even capable of fighting now was Torchic. But would he listen to her orders? And even if he did...the Torchic wouldn't have the power to stop such a strong foe....would he?

"I'll fight! I'll fight!" Torchic exclaimed, before taking Tessa's place on the battlefield.
"You're..willing to listen to me?" Robin questioned.
"Of course! Anything to save my friends!" The chick Pokemon exclaimed as he began to bounce up and down.

"Well ok then..." Robin murmured as she instinctively went to grab her Pokedex from her bag, only to find nothing. That was right, her Pokedex must have gotten lost on her journey here....as had her Xtransceiver.

"So uh Torchic...what kind of moves do you know?" Robin questioned, already mourning the loss of her Pokedex.

"Oh I know lots of moves! Like Scratch, Growl, Ember, Hidden Power...oh and Bounce!" Torchic exclaimed.

"Alright then, use Hidden Power and Scratch!" Robin ordered.

"Salamence, Dragon Breath and Hydro Pump!" The Pokemon poacher barked.

Gathering draconic energy in it's mouth, the giant Salamence exhaled a wave of blue flames across the room, scorching the ground and causing Torchic to fly back with a pained cry!

Determined to win, Torchic began to tap into a power hidden deep within it, summoning three orbs around itself. The orbs were as blue and vibrant as a lightning bolt, and crackled as they continued to circle the chick Pokemon.
After a few moments, the spheres of energy shot out towards Salamence, though the dragon Pokemon appeared largely unphased by the attack.

For it's second attack, the dragon Pokemon began to collect water energy, before firing a tightly compacted jet of water from it's mouth! With a sharp cry, Torchic was sent flying into the nearby wall, where after he refused to get up.

"Torchic!" Robin cried as she rushed to Torchic's side.

"Aww, all out of Pokemon are we? I told you stood no chance against me." The woman cackled.

"But I'm feeling generous today, so my offer is still on the table. Hand over everything you have, and you're free to go."

Last time the woman's offer was something Robin refused to consider..but now, it was a lot more tempting. If she refused, she would be killed anyway, and the others would still fall into the poacher's hands.

But Robin didn't have to make a choice, for what happened next decided it for her.

"Stoutland....Breakneck Blitz!" A man bellowed, drawing all attention to him. Sometime during the battle, he must have entered the room, though neither combatant had noticed till now.

Once a powerful energy had poured into it, the Stoutland began to charge towards Salamence at an astounding rate! With Z-Energy surrounding it, the big-hearted Pokemon slammed into Salamence, prompting a pained roar from the dragon Pokemon as it was flung into a wall, causing the entire room to shake!
Due to all the shaking, many of the pillars began to tip over, sending the jet black Pokeballs flying throughout the room. Upon touching the floor, several of them opened, causing many of the Pokemon the poacher had captured to pop out, including Treecko and Mudkip!

"Salamence return!" The woman called out as she withdrew the dragon Pokemon.

"This isn't over! I'll be back!" She shouted before taking her leave...but not before snatching a very confused Mudkip!

"Mudkip!" Robin cried out as began to give chase to the woman.

"Stop, you can't pursue her!" The man said as he took hold of her arm.

"Let go of me...we can't let her get away!" Robin exclaimed as she started to thrash around.

"No..your in no condition to battle." The man replied.

"Yeah...I thought you'd learned that by now." A familiar voice added.
Looking up, Robin noticed both Anna and Lukas had entered the room, and her demeanor changed, if only slightly.

"Yeah, I'm just glad you're ok! I was really worried!" Anna exclaimed.

"Tell me about it. If I hadn't stopped you, you probably would have gotten yourself killed." Lukas scowled.

"I'm glad to see you both...but we need to save that Mudkip..." Robin murmured.

"Unfortunately we can't. It's sad...but sometimes these things have to happen." The man said.

"I'm sorry but..who are you?" Robin questioned.

"That's our father, and you thank him for saving your life." Lukas explained. "Without him, you probably would have died like a complete idiot."

"Oh..thank you....but, how did you get here? Anna said you were out..." Robin murmured.

"I was, but I got a message from the vice mayor that I was needed urgently. So I rushed back as soon as I could...only to discover you had run off to stop that Pokemon poacher all by yourself." Anna's father explained.
"So I went after you. And it's a good thing I did."

"Oh...I'm sorry for causing trouble." Robin apologized.

"Don't be. In truth, I'm just glad everything turned out ok." The mayor replied. "In fact, with that poacher now gone...I'd say we have an even bigger reason to celebrate."

"Oh yeah the festival!" Anna exclaimed. "So it's still on then?"

"You bet it is! So about we get going then. We can sort everything else later."
----
Sunabā Beach (Nightfall)
----
The events of the day were still swirling around in Robin's mind. It had all started by waking up in a hospital bed, and now she was going to be a resident of Isshin Village! She had to admit, that was more then a little surprising to her at first.
Up until the festival, she had had no intentions of staying more then a few days, that was, until the mayor's offer. He had been so grateful for her help back in Isitsubute Cave, that he had gifted the cave for Robin to use as a new base.
That or he just didn't want to be responsible for the clean up, Robin wasn't quite sure. Still, it was more then a little exciting, and also a little nerve racking, to be part of a whole new community.

"You sure you're going to be ok here? My father did offer for you to stay at our place tonight." Anna said as she continued her path along the beach.

"I"ll be fine. Besides, I didn't want to intrude." Robin replied.

"Well ok then if you insist..." Anna murmured.

Before the conversation could continue, the pair had arrived at Isitsubute cave. Though a new wooden door had already been installed, Robin knew the inside wouldn't be quite as welcoming...not yet anyway.

"Ok here you are." Anna said, passing her friend a rolled up sleeping bag.

"Thanks." Robin smiled as she accepted the sleeping bag. "Goodnight."

"Robin wait...I wanted to talk to you about something." Anna said.

"Umm, sure...w-what is it?" Robin asked, a little nervous at Anna's change of tone.

"It's about Torchic." She replied, gazing at the chick Pokemon circling her feet.
"Back at the festival, I accepted Torchic to be my Pokemon..but I'm having my doubts."

"Doubts? You'll be a fine trainer." Robin smiled. "Everyone is more then a little nervous at first."

"It's not that!" Anna exclaimed, giving her head a shake. "It's that...I feel like...maybe he's better off somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?"

"Yes. I think you should have Torchic." Anna replied.

"What? Anna...I can't take Torchic from you." Robin said.
"You said that you wanted a Pokemon so badly...so why do you want to give him away?"

"Well...I've noticed that ever since you and Torchic ran off to stop that poacher....he seems much more happy with you." Anna explained. "It's true that I've wanted a Pokemon for awhile...but Torchic deserves to go with who he wants...right Torchic?"

"Right! I want to go with you! Please? Please?" The Torchic asked as he began to circle Robin's leg.

"Fine...if that's what you want...then I'll be happy to have him." Robin smiled.

"Ok...then here's his Pokeball." Anna said as she handed the ball to Robin.

"Look Anna....how about we go shopping tomorrow? We can grab you some supplies, and then we'll go and get you a Pokemon." The young trainer offered.

"You would do that?!" Anna exclaimed, her eyes practically lighting up.

"Yeah. You deserve it. Besides...I need some new supplies as well." Robin chuckled, glancing at the sorry excuse for her bag.

"Alright then, tomorrow it is!" Anna smiled. "Goodnight Robin...oh and you too Torchic!"

With everyone saying their goodbyes, Anna began to walk back through the sand and towards her home, leaving Torchic and Robin by themselves.

"So now that you're on my team...how about we think of a name for you..." Robin murmured, slowly racking her brain for ideas.

"Oh! How about Cayenne?" Torchic suggested.

"Cayenne? As in Cayenne pepper?" Robin questioned.

"Yeah! It's greatbecauseIlovecookingandpeppersareawesomeand-" Torchic said, talking way to fast for Robin to understand.

"Alright, Cayenne it is then." The young trainer replied. "Now let's get going shall we? We have a big day tomorrow."

"Oh yes, of course!" Cayenne exclaimed, his speech seemingly back to normal.

With that the pair entered the cave, eager to get a good night's rest.

Whatever the future held, Robin couldn't help but feel nervous, but a little bit excited at the same time. After all, this was her second chance.
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Old 08-21-2017, 02:41 PM   #23
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SS: The Deity from Springtide Isle

As Voltaire continued to walk through the streets of Digda village, the Emolga couldn't help but feel more and more annoyed. While it was true the Passimian beside him had helped him off Springtide Isle, the pair now found themselves completely lost.
And with their boat long gone, the two were now wandering aimlessly around a village completely unknown to them.

One thing was for sure though, the people of this place sure loved Diglett, from what Voltaire could tell. Wherever he looked, the Emolga spotted some sort of memorabilia regarding the mole Pokemon.
Regardless, the village's obsession with Diglett certainly wasn't going to help him find his way home. For that, he was going to have to talk to one of the Pokemon from around these parts, but which one?
Before Voltaire could figure that out, a large object smacked him in the head, sending the sky squirrel Pokemon flying, along with the basket he had been carrying.

"Sorry." Passimian apologized as she scooped up the offending item, a large coconut.

"It's fine." Voltaire grumbled, though his voice betrayed his true feelings on the matter. After he had turned down Passimian's offer of throwing him back on Springtide Isle, the teamwork Pokemon had gravitated towards a coconut Voltaire had found for her.
The Emolga soon regretted this, for ever since he had become the accidental punching bag for every mishap with the coconut. At this point, Voltaire had had just about enough of Passimian's antics.

But no, he couldn't give up on the teamwork Pokemon now! He had given it his all to obtain a new Pokemon for his trainer, and he wasn't about to let his efforts go to waste!
But as the Emolga began to continue his search of the village, something crashed into him yet again, sending the Emolga falling to the ground.
Rising to his feet, Voltaire has about to yell at the Pokemon beside him, before he noticed a man in front of him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I hope you're ok..I didn't see you there!" The man apologized.

"And I apologize too...my trainer can be so clumsy sometimes." An Espeon added as it approached the group.

"It's fine really." Voltaire replied. "But if you really want to make it up to me, we could always stop by somewhere to eat...just the two of us..."

"I'm good. Really." The Espeon scoffed.

"Wait, hold it. Is that a Passimian?! I've been looking all over for one!" Espeon's trainer exclaimed. "You've gotta trade it to me! Please, please, please!"

Upon hearing the man's words, a small smirk formed on Voltaire's face and he gave the Pokemon beside him a quick glance.

"What do I get in return?" The Emolga questioned.

Once Espeon had translated the Emolga's words, the man in front of him began to scavenge through his bag, before pulling out a regular Pokeball.

"I caught this guy back on Springtide Isle. I was originally going to sell him here...but if I can have that Passimian, it's yours." The man said.

Turning to Passimian, Voltaire could see that the teamwork Pokemon seemed rather ok with the idea.
Perfect. Voltaire thought. With this trade, he'd have a chance of obtaining a better Pokemon for his trainer and get Passimian out of his fur. Two Pidgeys, one stone.

"Alright then...it's a deal."
----
Upon exiting the Cable Club, Voltaire began to admire the Pokeball inside the basket he was carrying. Whatever was inside, Voltaire was relieved to know it wouldn't be throwing coconuts at his head.
Placing the basket down on a patch of dirt, Voltaire snatched the Pokeball, before tossing it into the air. From the ball materialized a Diglett, but of a variety Voltaire had never seen.
Unlike the Diglett figures scattered around the village, this one sported three golden strands of hair atop it's head.

"Hello." Voltaire greeted the Diglett. "My name is Voltaire, and I'm your new teammate. What's your name?"

"It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." The Diglett smiled. "This may be hard for you to believe, but my name is Papahānaumoku."

"Papah-who?" Voltaire questioned.

"Papahānaumoku. She's sometimes worshiped as the earth mother goddess in the Alola Region." The mole Pokemon explained.

"Ok then.." Voltaire murmured. "I don't see how you tie into that."

"Well you see. It is said that Alolan Diglett and Dugtrio are Papahānaumoku incarnate, so I thought it fitting to take up her name." The Alolan Diglett explained.

"Right...so you're the second coming of the goddess of earth..." Voltaire said, sounding very skeptical at best.
No wonder that guy wanted to get rid of this one, he's totally nuts! Just my luck... The Emolga thought.

"Now you're getting the hang of it!" Papahānaumoku exclaimed. "Now then, what did you need from me?"

"Well...I'm looking for my trainer...I'm kind of lost. I was hoping..maybe..possibly...you could help?" Voltaire questioned.

"You need to find your trainer? Alright then, I will help you do so." The Alolan Diglett replied. "It shall be quite easy for one such as I."

"Ok then. Thanks Paph- you know what, I'm just going to you Pa." Voltaire said.

"I guess that will do." Pa replied. "Now then, this way!"

"Are you even sure that's the right way?" The Emolga questioned. "I haven't even told you where we're going."

"There's no need. As Papahānaumoku Incarnate, I know where everything is that touches this earth, so just trust me, alright?"

"Alright." Voltaire replied, not sounding at all sure of the Alolan Diglett.

Following Pa out of the village, the Emolga couldn't help but let out a small sigh. Just what had he gotten himself into?
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Old 08-24-2017, 05:29 PM   #24
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The Terror of Isshin Forest

"Umm, are you ok? You've uhh...been pacing for a while." Tessa said.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Robin apologized, slightly embarrassed that the Cosplay Pikachu had noticed.
"It's just...I'm a bit nervous...is all."

"Umm...nervous? I don't think you have anything to be nervous of..." Tessa murmured. "Uh, I mean...you're just helping Anna..right?"

"I know, but...are you sure I look ok?" The young trainer asked, gesturing to her new outfit.

"I uh....it looks great." Tessa smiled.

"You mean it?" Robin questioned.

"Yep." The Cosplay Pikachu nodded. Even if she didn't mean it, there was no way Tessa would even dare say it.
Yesterday, it had taken her trainer over an hour just to find something she was comfortable wearing. She knew, because Cayenne wouldn't stop ranting to her about it the entire time.

"Alright.....let's double check some things then." Robin said as she went to inspect her new handbag.

"Pokedex...check." She said, pulling out a new Kanto model Pokedex she had purchased yesterday.
"Pokegear...check....extra Pokeballs...ok, I think we're good." The young trainer smiled as she threw her new bag over her shoulder.

"Oh umm...I don't think I've uh....ever seen you this prepared..." Tessa murmured.

"Huh? I-Is that a bad thing?" Robin questioned, adjusting her visor as she did so.

"It's not....it's umm....a nice change of pace. To me at least." The cosplay Pikachu replied.

"Alright, if you say so. Now let's get going, we shouldn't keep Anna waiting." Robin said, before taking her leave from Isitsubute Cave.
----
Isshin Village
----
Approaching the door to the Mayor's house, Robin could feel her heart racing. What if Anna wasn't home? Maybe she had simply picked someone better to help her capture a Pokemon? These fears proved to be for naught, for as soon as Robin gave a knock, the door swung open, revealing the woman inside.
She was wearing her classic brown sunhat, as well as the new backpack she had bought yesterday. Upon noticing Robin, her face instantly lit up, and she nearly knocked the young trainer over as she pulled into her a hug, causing Robin to cry out in surprise.

"Oh I'm sorry....I think I got a bit carried away." Anna apologized, before pulling away from her friend.

"It's ok." Robin replied. "So..I'm guessing you're ready to go?"

"You bet! I was hardly able to sleep last night." Anna smiled.
"So w- oh, you brought your Pikachu!" Anna exclaimed as she noticed Tessa beside her trainer, causing the Cosplay Pikachu to blush.
"I've got to give this a try then!" She added as she grabbed her new Pokedex from her bag.
"Pikachu, the mouse Pokemon. An Electric type." The Pokedex droned. "It has small electric sacs on both its cheeks. If threatened, it looses electric charges from the sacs. This is a special variety, known as a Cosplay Pikachu."

"Cosplay Pikachu?" Anna questioned.

"A Cosplay Pikachu is a Pikachu able to draw forth power from special costumes, in order to perform moves most Pikachu are incapable of learning." The Pokedex droned, as if to answer Anna's question.

"So that's why you were wearing that cute costume earlier." Anna smiled at Tessa.

"Yeah. So...you know this area better then me. Where should we go to get your first Pokemon?" Robin questioned.

"Well....I was asking Owen yesterday...and he said Isshin forest has a lot of Pokemon living there." Anna explained. "So, how about we go there?"

"Isshin forest? That sounds like a good place to start." Robin nodded. "So...where is it exactly?"

"Oh that's easy. It's just east from here." Anna replied. "I'll show you the way, so let's go!"
----
Isshin Forest (Entrance)
----
"So this is Isshin forest..." Anna murmured as she gazed at the hundreds of trees lying in front of her.

"You've never been here?" Robin questioned.

"No." Anna shook her head. "I've always wanted to, but I was never allowed."

"I see...well there's a first for everything." Robin replied.

"Yeah. This will be like it's own adventure! I can't wait!" Anna exclaimed.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry inside." Robin said. Glancing back to make sure Tessa was still following, Robin made her way into the forest, Anna following right beside her.

Upon entering the forest, both Robin and Tessa seemed quite relieved at the sight of a dirt path, which seemed to guide any travelers through the dark and slightly mysterious area.

"Oh wow, this place is so cool!" Anna exclaimed as began to admire her surroundings.

"Shhhh. We need to be quiet." Robin cautioned. "We don't want to scare off any Pokemon."

"Oh..you're right. Sorry." Anna whispered, trying her best to remain as quiet as possible.

Tip toeing along the path, Anna made sure to keep her eyes peeled for the sight of any Pokemon that could potentially be hiding within the plant life. But unfortunately for her, not a soul could be found as she continued to follow Robin and Tessa deeper into the woods.
After a few minutes of walking, the pair found themselves at a fork in the road. The left path seemed rather clean and straight forward, while the one on the right barely looked like a path at all. With tree branches and prickle bushes poking out through the road, it was clear to see which path was more frequently used.
But of course, their choice wasn't all so simple. Guarding the left path was a large web of thick silk. Whoever it's owner was, it was clear it didn't want anyone passing through.

"So..which way are we going?" Anna whispered.

"I don't know. The left path will probably be safer." Robin replied. "I can always have Cayenne burn down the web for us. But it's up to you."

Giving it some thought, Anna was about to pick a path, when the sound of ruffling leaves could be heard, drawing the groups attention to it. Peaking out from the right path was a Sewaddle, who began to scurry over to the group with interest.

Curious about the creature, Anna grabbed her Pokedex from her bag, before scanning the Pokemon in front of her.

"Sewaddle, the sewing Pokemon. A Bug and Grass type." The Pokedex droned.
"This Pokémon makes clothes for itself. It chews up leaves and sews them with sticky thread extruded from its mouth."

"Well hi there little one, aren't you a cutie." Anna smiled as she leaned down toward the sewing Pokemon.

At that moment, Sewaddle lunged at the woman, striking her leg and causing her to fall backwards. The sewing Pokemon then began to crawl down the right path, slowly leaving the groups sight.

"Don't just stand there Robin, we've got to go after it!" Anna exclaimed as she rose to her feet. Without waiting for a response, Anna began to run as fast as possible down the right path, seeming not to care about the spikes that stuck out through out the path.

Giving Tessa a small shrug, Robin began to give chase, albeit much more carefully then her friend had.

After weaving through countless obstacles, the group eventually found themselves at a large clearing. At the center stood the Sewaddle from before.

"I've finally found you! You're not going to get away this time!" Anna exclaimed, before turning to Robin.

"Can I borrow Cayenne? I need to weaken a Pokemon before catching it, right?"

"Sure......here you are." Robin replied, handing the Torchic's ball to Anna from her bag.

"Ok I can do this....Cayenne let's go!" Anna called as she threw the Torchic's ball in front of her. From the ball materialized Cayenne, who began to bounce in excitement upon noticing the Pokemon in front of it.

"Ok Cayenne..I need you to listen to Anna for a bit..is that ok?" Robin questioned.

"Of course!" Cayenne chirped. "I'm willing to give it my all, no matter what!"

"Cayenne use....wait what moves do you know?" Anna questioned.

"He knows Scratch, Growl, Ember, Hidden Power and Bounce" Robin replied.

"Ok then...Cayenne use Ember!" Anna ordered.

Eager to begin things, Cayenne started to gather fire energy in his beak, before spewing a few small fireballs out at his opponent!

Watching as the fireballs began to head it's way, the Sewaddle shot a sticky string of silk at a tree branch hanging above it. The sewing Pokemon then began to reel itself up, narrowly avoiding Cayenne's attack!

The Sewaddle then began to swing on the branch, before cutting the string shot, sending it plummeting towards Cayenne with a powerful Tackle!

Upon making impact with the Sewaddle, Cayenne was sent flying backwards! Landing on his feet, the Torchic faced his opponent with even more determination then before! Preparing for his next attack, the Torchic stopped as the Sewaddle in front of him let out a loud cry!

At the Sewaddle's call, the sound of rustling could be heard around the group, before eight Swadloon emerged from all around them! At the sound of even more rustling, everyone's attention was turned to a massive Leavanny who had just revealed itself.
Letting out a sharp cry, the massive nurturing Pokemon began to approach Robin and the others, the eight Swadloon's following suit.

The Sewaddle, had it purposely lead them into a trap? Robin wasn't quite sure...but she didn't really have the time to figure it out. She had to deal with the oncoming Bug Pokemon.

Grabbing a regular Pokeball from her bag, Robin tossed it in the air, revealing a Jolteon to be inside.

Taking one look at the giant Leavanny approaching it, Hazel began to shake, but stood his ground. He had to be strong...he had to keep his trainer safe!

"Let's stay calm everyone. Cayenne use Ember on Leavanny, Tessa use Iron Tail on Swadloon and Hazel use Discharge!" Robin exclaimed.

Starting the round off, Hazel began to collect electrical energy in his body, before releasing the electricity throughout the area striking every Pokemon currently in battle! This proved to be rather unfortunate for Cayenne, who let out a sharp cry as the powerful electrical attack sent him stumbling backwards.
Tessa seemed to benefit from the attack, using her tail as a Lightning Rod in order to absorb the electricity, boosting her special attack power!

Angered by the attack, the giant Leavanny coated it's arm in green energy, before slashing at Tessa, scoring a direct hit on the Cosplay Pikachu and sending her flying into a nearby tree!

Chasing after the Cosplay Pikachu, the eight Swadloon's lunged at Tessa, taking there turns to deliver Tackle after Tackle on the mouse Pokemon!

With her tail glowing in a metalic aura, Tessa swung it out at the Swadloon surrounding her, knocking a fair few back! But as she rose back to her feet, it was clear to see that Tessa wouldn't be able to stand for much longer! Already the Cosplay Pikachu was starting to wobble....

Not willing to be left out of the action, Cayenne began to collect more fire energy in his beak, before spewing several embers out at Leavanny, causing the nurturing Pokemon to cry out, before Slashing at Cayenne, sending the Torchic tumbling backwards.

"I-I'm so sorry Robin...if I hadn't chased after that Sewaddle..." Anna murmured.

"It's fine...we're going to get out of this." Robin replied, though she wasn't so sure of the words she was saying. Was there anyway to beat all ten of these Pokemon? Wait no..make that nine. In the resulting chaos, it had just registered to Robin that the Sewaddle Anna had chased had entirely disappeared!

Regardless, nine Pokemon was still too much for even Hazel, she realized. There had to be a way to end things much more easily. Pondering it for a moment, a sudden idea sprung into Robin's mind. If they could take out the groups leader, the Swadloon would surely flee, right?
It was definitely worth a shot! The only problem was making sure the Swadloon didn't get in the way...

"Tessa!" Robin called out the Cosplay Pikachu. "Think you can handle those Swadloon for a bit?"

"What?! I uh...don't think so..." Tessa replied. "But I'll uh..try my best."

"Perfect. Ok then...Cayenne use Ember then Bounce. Hazel use Pin Missile and Double Edge!" Robin ordered.

Hazel was once again the first to act! The Jolteon began to gather bug energy inside his body, causing his fur to stand on end! From his pointy fur, five missiles of energy shot out, before homing in on Leavanny!
Though it tried it's best to evade Hazel's attack, the nurturing Pokemon was struck by all five missiles of bug energy, causing it to let out a pained cry!

In retaliation, Leavanny began to cross both it's arms, coating them in bug energy in the process. The giant nurturing Pokemon then swiped it's arms at Hazel, sending the Jolteon stumbling backwards.

Over with the Swadloon, Tessa began to coat her fist in electricity, before swinging at her opponents with a powerful Thunder Punch!
Unfortunately for the Cosplay Pikachu, the swarm of Swadloon were too fast for her, and managed to easily avoid the oncoming attack.

With Tessa left wide open, one of the Swadloon took the opportunity to let off a Razor Leaf attack, sending the Cosplay Pikachu flying back into the tree.

This was bad, Tessa realized upon rising to her feet. With what little energy she had left, there was no way she could take on all eight Swadloon that were facing her. But she didn't have to, right? Her trainer had said to handle them for a bit...so maybe she just needed to distract them.
That would work, wouldn't it? With nothing else coming to mind, Tessa decided to put her plan to action. Giving her trainer one last look, Tessa turned around, before sprinting off deeper into the forest! This seemed to anger some of the Swadloon, and soon six of the eight leaf-wrapped Pokemon began to give chase to Tessa!
The remaining Swadloon instead opted to join the battle against Hazel and Cayenne, each firing a powerful Razor Leaf attack their opponents way!
----
Weaving her way through bushes and tree branches, Tessa continued to run as fast as she could. Turning back for a moment, she noticed the six Swadloon hot on her trail. The leaf-wrapped Pokemon were surprisingly fast..almost too fast!
And everything seemed too bright for a forest, Tessa realized. Had someone cast a Sunny Day? That would certainly explain why her opponents were moving so fast, their Chlorophyll ability had kicked in!

Happy that she managed to reach that conclusion, Tessa's attention to what was ahead disappeared entirely, and before she knew it, the Cosplay Pikachu had crashed into something!

Or someone as it turned out, for as Tessa began to rise, her eyes caught the sight of the young man she had crashed into. She definitely recognized him from somewhere, she realized, before it suddenly clicked with her.
She had seen him back at the festival in Isshin village...Owen was it?

"Ouch.....watch where you're going. Owen murmured as he picked himself up off the ground.
"Wait a minute...I've seen you before....you're Robin's Pikachu, right?"

"Right." Tessa nodded.

"That means Robin must be here! Can you take me to her? It's an emergency." Owen explained. "You see, I was researching something in the forest wh-" Owen continued, but stopped as he noticed six angry Swadloon's surround them.

"Ah! T-they're back!" The man exclaimed. "Y-you know some moves right...t-then do something!"

Owen had a point, she did know some moves, and she probably could help. But in her condition, Tessa doubted she could beat even one Swadloon.
Fortunately for Tessa, she didn't have to, for as the leaf-wrapped Pokemon continued to close in on the pair, an Emolga glided into view! Not wasting any time, the Emolga slammed into three Swadloon with a powerful Aerial Ace! Turning to the other Swadloon, the Emolga leaped into the air, before performing another Aerial Ace.

Once he was finished, the Emolga turned to Tessa, a small smirk on his face.
"Hello there, you can thank me for saving your life. So how about you repay the favor by going out with me? I'm sure you won't regret it."

"Huh, Voltaire?!" Tessa exclaimed.

"Tessa! I'm sorry, I didn't notice it was you for a second...I was probably too overwhelmed by your beauty." Voltaire replied. "My offer still stands though..about the date, I mean."

"Uh...no thanks..." The Cosplay Pikachu murmured.

"Oh well...it was worth a shot." Voltaire chuckled, unaware of one of the Swadloon approaching him.

"Uh, Voltaire...behind you!" Tessa warned.

But the Cosplay Pikachu's warning was for naught, for as soon as the words left her mouth, a strange Diglett popped out of the ground, before delivering a Scratch attack to the Swadloon, sending it tumbling back.

"Ah, Pa, just in time." Voltaire smiled as he noticed the Alolan Diglett.
"Pa, this is one of my....teammates Tessa, Tessa this is one of my friends, Pa."

"Uh..it's nice to meet you." Tessa said, giving the Diglett a small wave.
"The pleasure is all mine Tessa, but I'm afraid Voltaire misspoke. My name is Papahānaumoku" Pa explained.

"O-ok...." Tessa murmured.

"I'm sorry, you must be very confused about what's going on, huh?" Pa asked Owen in perfect English.

"Ah! A talking Diglett!" Owen exclaimed.

"Yes, well it's not that weird. My name is Papahānaumoku." The Alolan Diglett explained.

"Papah-who? I'm sorry, it's a pretty long name..." Owen murmured

"If it's really that difficult for you, then Pa is ok." Pa replied.

"So umm...how do you uh...find us?" Tessa questioned.

"Why I could find a pretty face like yours from anywhere." Voltaire smiled.

"He's lying. I was the one that suggested we come here." Pa explained.

"Yeah, after taking us way out of our way!" The Emolga exclaimed.

"Did not, that was you that told me to take the left exit, I told you the right exit would take us to Cloud Garden." Pa replied.

As the two continued to argue, Tessa turned her attention to the sound of rustling. It seemed the Swadloon from before were starting to rise from the ground, and they seemed rather angry!

"Looks like they're ready for round two. No need to worry Tessa, I'll be sure to protect you." Voltaire said, giving the Cosplay Pikachu a wink.
----
"Cayenne!" Robin called as the Torchic was struck with a powerful Leaf Blade, sending him tumbling to the ground.

Things weren't looking too good for Cayenne and Hazel. Thanks to the Sunny Day above them, their opponents were much to fast for either of them to keep up, and every attack hit as hard as a truck!

But not everything was going in Leavanny's favor either. With Sunny Day still in effect, Cayenne's fire attacks were even more powerful, and the Torchic had managed to soften up the two remaining Swadloon considerably.

"Alright... Hazel use Quick Attack and Pin Missile on Leavanny. Cayenne use Ember twice on Swadloon!

Starting the round off, Hazel sprinted towards Leavanny as fast as his legs could carry him, before slamming into the nurturing Pokemon!

Letting out a sharp cry, Leavanny released a flurry of sharp leaves out towards it's opponent. Following their leader, the pair of Swadloon fired their own Razor Leaf attacks at Hazel and Cayenne! Unable to react in time, the pair cried out as the storm of razor sharp leaves cut into their flesh!

Determined to win, Cayenne started to collect fire energy in his beak, before spewing several small embers out at one of the Swadloon! Under the power of the Sunny Day, the Torchic's flames grew even hotter, and Swadloon couldn't help but let out a screech as the embers scorched it's body, causing it to tumble over in defeat!

Eager to avenge the fallen Swadloon, Leavanny began to gather energy from the artificial sun, it's entire body glowing in light.

Robin recognized the move..it was Solar Beam! Such a move would surely be devastating to Hazel and Cayenne, and she was unsure if either of them would even be able to stand after.

As the nurturing Pokemon prepared to launch the powerful beam of energy, a shrill cry could be heard from above. Robin and Anna watched as a Sewaddle came falling from a tree, before slamming into Leavanny with a Tackle!
This seemed to throw the nurturing Pokemon off balance, and as it fired the solar beam, the ray of energy flew past it's target, instead destroying a few tree branches. This seemed to startle a few Starly, who quickly flew away, but otherwise the attack proved useless.

Angered by Sewaddle's defiance, Leavanny sent the sewing Pokemon flying with a powerful Slash!

"Sewaddle!" Anna called out as she ran over to the sewing Pokemon, before scooping it into her arms.
"Sewaddle, are you ok?" Anna questioned.
But the Sewaddle didn't answer, seemingly much to weak to even squirm out of the woman's grasp.

With this going on, Hazel took the opportunity to attack again! The Jolteon began to gather bug energy inside his body, causing his fur to stand on end! From his pointy fur, five missiles of energy shot out, before homing in on Leavanny!
Letting out a pained cry, the nurturing Pokemon stumbled backwards as all five missiles of bug energy dug into it's body.

For his second attack, Cayenne released even more embers from his beak, scorching Swadloon and causing the leaf-wrapped Pokemon to be sent tumbling back!
Trying to recover from the powerful fire attack, Swadloon was completely unprepared as an Emolga smashed into it with an Aerial Ace attack, causing the leaf-wrapped Pokemon to fall over in defeat.
Following the Emolga, Tessa, Owen and an Alolan Diglett emerged from the bushes, before joining the rest of the group.

"Tessa, I'm glad you're ok." Robin smiled. She was tempted to greet Voltaire as well, but she knew the Emolga wouldn't recognize her..so instead the young trainer turned her attention to the others.

"Owen!" Anna exclaimed as she rushed over to her friend, Sewaddle still in her arms. "What are you doing out here? And how did you manage to find us?"

"We can save that for another time. For now, how about we contend with this beast." Owen suggested.

"Good point." Anna nodded, though she wasn't quite sure how she could contend with the beast. Or Owen either, for that matter. The only one who had any Pokemon was Robin, and so that responsibility fell to her.

"Look, I know you're not my trainer, but I'm willing to listen to your orders for now." Voltaire said.

"Thanks." Robin said, before turning back to the battle at hand.

"Ok, Hazel use Quick Attack, Tessa use Iron Tail, Voltaire use Aerial Ace, Cayenne go with Ember, and Diglett...use your best attack!" Robin ordered.

Starting things off, Hazel raced towards Leavanny before crashing into the nurturing Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage to it, and sending it stumbling back.

Angered by the Jolteon's assault, Leavanny coated it's arm in grass energy, before swinging it at Hazel.

At the same time, Tessa jumped into the air, her tail coated in metalic energy. As Leavnny's arm swung at Hazel, Tessa threw her tail in front of the attack. After clashing for a moment, the two Pokemon flew back slightly, neither attack more powerful then the other!

Seizing the opportunity to attack, Voltaire leaped as high as he could, before gliding towards the nurturing Pokemon at a blinding speed. Just as he reached his opponent, Voltaire changed his course, instead striking Leavanny from the side, causing it top cry out in surprise.

With Leavanny left wide open to attack, Pa quickly burrowed through the ground, before reaching his opponent. Though the Alolan Diglett's attack didn't do much damage, it did manage to capture Leavanny's attention!

Coating it's arm in grass energy, the nurturing Pokemon struck Pa with a powerful Leaf Blade attack, sending him falling back.

Hoping to get in on the action, Cayenne fired several embers at his opponent, their power increased under the harsh rays of sun light. Upon striking the Leavanny, the terror of Isshin forest let out a final pained cry, before falling over in defeat.

As the nurturing Pokemon hit the ground, the artificial sunlight it had created began to fade, turning the forest back to it's gloomy self.

"Yay, we did it! We actually beat that thing!" Anna exclaimed. "Or...I guess you did Robin..me and Owen kind of just watched..."

"It's ok, I'm just glad everyone is ok." Robin smiled.

"Well now that that's over...Tessa I've been meaning to ask you something." Voltaire said as he approached the Cosplay Pikachu.
"Me and Pa here are looking for our trainer, so how about we work together? I'm sure you're missing him too."

"Oh umm..." Tessa murmured. "Well actually...." The Pikachu continued as she whispered something into the Emolga's ear.

As this was going on, Anna felt Sewaddle began to stir, before opening it's eyes. Upon noticing just where he was, the sewing Pokemon wriggled free of the woman's grasp, before jumping back onto the ground.

"Sewaddle, I'm so glad you're ok..I was really worried." Anna smiled at the sewing Pokemon.

Upon hearing her words, the Sewaddle's face fell, and it began to murmur something Anna couldn't understand.

"Sewaddle said he's sorry for deceiving us...and that he doesn't deserve your sympathy." Robin translated.

"Nonsense. You stood up to Leavanny in the end right? I think that was pretty brave."

As the Sewaddle began to murmur another response, Robin continued to translate.
"He says that he isn't brave at all, he was a coward working for that Leavanny."

"Wow, you really weren't kidding when you said you could understand some Pokemon." Owen said. "That's kind of amazing really, I'm going to have to study up on that sometime."

As Anna and the Sewaddle continued to talk, Robin's attention was turned to Voltaire as the Emolga called out to her.

"Hey umm...sorry about earlier. Tessa explained everything to me." Voltaire said.
"This is still kind of weird and all...and I don't know if I can get used to this. But I know I've had quite a few fun adventures with you so...if you'll have me back, I'd love to rejoin the team."

"Of course, welcome back Voltaire." Robin smiled.
"But, what about your friend there?" She asked a moment later. "What are they going to do."

"Well he's going to be joining us! If that's ok obviously." Voltaire replied.

"It's not, I'm afraid." Pa said, startling both Voltaire and Robin.

"What do you mean Pa? We've been adventuring together for months! I even lost everything from my trip to Springtide! You can't tell me your not ok with this!" The Emolga exclaimed.

"You requested my help in finding your trainer. It seems that you two have reunited, and as such, our companionship has come to a close." Pa explained.

"A deity of the earth cannot simply stay put, especially under the ownership of a trainer, that's just how it is."

"But..you can't! I won't allow it!" Voltaire exclaimed.

"Votaire, if he doesn't want to join us, he doesn't have to." Robin said.

"See, your trainer makes a good point, so I must be off. My Pokeball please." The Diglett requested.

"It's with that guy, remember?" Voltaire said, pointing to Owen. During their battle with the Swadloon, the pair had entrusted Pa's Pokeball with the man.

"Right then. Farewell Voltaire, it's been wonderful." The Diglett said, before burrowing off towards Owen.

With the Diglett now gone, both Cayenne and Hazel walked over to Voltaire. Cayenne seemed super happy to have the Emolga on the team, while Hazel just seemed relieved to see another old face.

Now that that was settled, Robin turned back to Anna and Sewaddle, who seemed to have stopped talking.

"So..what did I miss?" The young trainer asked.

"I'm not sure...Sewaddle's been trying to say something, but not quite sure what." Anna explained.

After consulting the sewing Pokemon, Robin turned back to Anna, a small smile on her face. "Sewaddle says that he wants to go with you..if you'll have him." She explained.

"Really? Sewaddle...you truly want to go with me?" Anna questioned.

In response, the sewing Pokemon gave a brief nod, before smiling at the woman.

"Ok...ok then!" She exclaimed, before digging through her backpack. After a moment, Anna produced a Nest Ball from the bag.

Leaning down, Anna tapped the Sewaddle with the ball, and the sewing Pokemon was instantly absorbed inside. After shaking for a moment, the ball made a small noise, confirming that the Sewaddle had been captured.

"Yes, I just caught my first Pokemon!" Anna exclaimed as she held the Nest Ball high above her head.

"Congratulations." Robin smiled.

"Yeah, you definitely earned that one." Owen added.

"Thank you, Robin, Owen." Anna said, before giving Owen a perplexed look.
"I know I asked earlier, but just what were you doing here?"

"Well, you remember how I suggested you come here to find a Pokemon, right? Well afterwards, I decided to do more research into the area." Owen explained.
"It turns out several people around here had reported a Pokemon much larger then usual attacking various people and Pokemon who entered. So I decided to investigate."

"Without any Pokemon?" Robin questioned.

"Yeah, I know it was foolish, but my curiosity got the better of me." Owen admitted. "Anyway, I managed to run into the beast, and long story short, I ended up having to hide. That's when I ran into your Pikachu and the Emolga and Diglett...and well the rest you already know."

"Wait..so that thing has been attacking others then?" Anna asked

"That's what I said. So I guess by stopping it...we're heroes!" Owen exclaimed.
"Or rather..I guess Robin is, we didn't really do anything." The man admitted.
"So uh, thanks for saving us again."

"A hero? I don't think I'd go that far..." Robin murmured. "But thanks anyway. Now...we should probably get going."

"Yeah, we shouldn't stay here to long." Owen nodded. "The exit should be...this way." He said, before walking off, leaving Robin and Anna behind.

"Anna, aren't you going to let out your new Pokemon? Or give it a nickname?" Robin questioned.

"Oh right, I nearly forgot." Anna chuckled as she lightly tossed the Nest Ball on the ground, causing her new Sewaddle to emerge.
Giving his trainer a smile, the sewing Pokemon jumped onto her arm, before crawling up onto her shoulder.

"Hi there little one....I was thinking of a name for you." Anna explained. "How does Leif sound?"

In response, the Sewaddle gave a nod, showing his approval of the name."

"Ok then...welcome aboard Leif." Anna smiled. With that, she took off after Owen, Leif clinging to her shoulder the entire time.

Glancing back to make sure her Pokemon were following, Robin chased after the others.

Today had been a good day, she realized. She had stopped a giant Leavanny, and had been reunited with another one of her Pokemon. On top of that, she had managed to help Anna capture her very first Pokemon.
For once, things were starting to look up for her.

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 09-21-2017 at 03:20 PM.
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Old 09-21-2017, 03:16 PM   #25
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A Town in Shambles.

It was another beautiful, sunny day in the land of Fizzytopia. The suns rays beat down on the land, while a soft breeze ensured that almost no trainer would be too hot outside. Yes, it was the perfect day for a walk, which is exactly what one young trainer was doing....
Clutching a small, brown parcel was none other then Anna. Wearing her classic brown sunhat, and with a large smile on her face, it took all of Anna's willpower not to skip down the dirt path she was following.

This was it, her first adventure! And with Leif by her side, err...on her shoulder, she was feeling unstoppable!
Of course, it wasn't much of an adventure, Anna had to admit. Earlier that day, her father had wanted to deliver a package to an old friend of his. He was originally planning to deliver it himself, but after much pleading from her, the man had relented.

"So Leif, what do you think is in the package?" Anna questioned, giving the parcel a light shake.

"Sew Sewaddle..." Leif murmured, unsure of what kind of response his trainer was looking for.

"Oh, I guess you can't really answer me, huh?" Anna questioned, letting out a small chuckle. "I'm sorry."

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured once again, before turning his attention to the road ahead.

"Sewaddle! Sew Sew Sewaddle!" Leif exclaimed a moment later, pointing a stubby leg at the scene ahead. Just over the horizon the pair could see their destination. Ryuu Town.

"Huh, I would have guessed it'd be bigger." Anna thought aloud as she approached the town gate. "I guess it's still bigger then home though..."

Upon entering the gates, the first thing the girl noticed was a large statue of a Flygon. Riding on it's back was a young woman, who seemed to be pointing to the sky. But for some reason, the statue seemed oddly familiar to Anna.
Like she had seen it somewhere before. No, now wasn't the time for that, she could look into that later. At the moment, she had a parcel to deliver!

"Ok Leif let's keep our eyes peeled." Anna said, turning to the Sewaddle on her shoulder.
"According to my dad...he said his friend lived in a small red house. And her name was...umm...whatever, that's not important."

Hearing his trainer's words, Leif let out a small sigh, before nodding.

Looking around, Anna and Leif couldn't help but notice how unusually quiet the place was. Even Isshin Village had more activity at this time of day. What few people they did pass by, simply glared at the pair.
Just what had happened here, they had to wonder. Still, Anna was on a mission, and she was determined to see it through. Any questions she had about the place could come afterwards.

After a few minutes of searching, Anna and Leif manged to spot a small red house. It was exactly what they were looking for!

"Alright. That wasn't too hard, was it, Leif?" Anna questioned, slowly approaching the door.

"Sew." The Sewaddle replied, giving a small nod. He liked it that way. The easier things were, the better.

Once the pair had reached the door, Anna gave a couple of light knocks, excited to see just who would greet her.

After a few moments of anticipation, the door slowly opened. Peaking out was a rather old looking woman. If Anna had to guess, she looked to be at least eighty years old.

"Huh? Can I help you?" The woman asked, casting a nasty glare at the pair, not unlike the people from before.

"Oh umm....I'm here to deliver you a package. You know my father apparently." Anna explained.

At this, the old woman narrowed her eyes, before widening them, as if realizing something.

"Oh! You must be Anna! I'm sorry!" The woman apologized. "Your father informed me you'd be coming. Please, come on in."

"Thank you." Anna replied, flashing the woman a small smile, before stepping inside.

Once inside, the young trainer noticed a small table, with four wooden chairs neatly tucked under it.

"Please, have a seat dear." The old woman spoke up.

"Thanks." Anna nodded, before pulling out one of the seats. She then placed the parcel she had been holding on top of the table.

"You're in luck, I've just boiled some water. Did you want some tea?" The old lady asked.

"Sure. I'll have some Green tea if you have it." Anna replied.

"Good choice." The old lady smiled, before she slowly exited the room.
Once she was no longer in sight, Anna turned to Leif, a look of worry on her face.

"Is it just me, or is she acting a bit weird?" Anna whispered to the Sewaddle.

"Waddle...." Leif murmured.

"Or maybe she's just being really nice. Or maybe that's how people do things around here? I don't know." Anna said rather loudly, forgetting she was supposed to be whispering.

With nothing else to do while she waited, Anna decided to glance around the room. The first thing to catch her eye was a rather small painting, hung right next to the door she had only just entered. Unable to make out the details of the painting, Anna got up from her seat and went over to inspect it.
The artwork appeared to be depicting a young woman, about her age, if Anna had to guess. Beside the woman was a Flygon, and the two seemed to be doing some sort of dance.

Now that she thought about, Anna realized that the woman in the painting was the same one as on the statue she saw earlier.

"You've taken in interest in that one I see." The voice of the old woman spoke up, startling Anna.

"Oh! I didn't see you there...sorry." Anna apologized, adjusting her sun hat slightly as she did so.

"It's quite alright dear. Your teas ready whenever." The old lady replied, pointing to the tea cup which had been set down on the table.

Giving her a brief nod, Anna returned to her seat at the table, before taking a sip of her tea.

"So what's up with painting?" Anna questioned. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Of course I don't mind dear." The old lady replied. "That painting is a depiction of the great hero that saved our town, about seventy years ago."

"A hero? That's so cool!" Anna exclaimed.

"Sewaddle." Leif nodded.

"Indeed. It's a shame her work had to go to waste." The old lady murmured, her tone now somber.

"Why? What happened?" Anna questioned.

"It's ok, I don't want you to get roped into things." The old woman replied, shaking her head. "You've delivered my parcel safely, that's more then enough."

"But I want to help!" Anna exclaimed, not even realizing what she was saying until the words left her lips.

What was she thinking? Could she really help what was ailing the old lady?
That's what good adventurers did, right? Anna had heard a tale or two of her friend, Robin's adventures, and she had managed to help quite a few people and Pokemon.

If Robin can do it...I can too. She reassured herself.

"Well ok....if you want to hear it, I'll explain what happened." The old lady relented.

"It started a couple years ago. Our town used to be prosperous, and very inviting of any travelers that passed by. That all changed when mayor....what was it? I forget, but I don't think his name was too important." The old lady explained.

"He was a greedy man, and under him, or town began to wither away. Many grew to dispise him, and any travelers that happened to stop by. Eventually, he was removed from office, and a new mayor took over. My granddaughter, Shelly.
But even though the old mayor was long gone, many residents were still very untrusting, both of Shelly and any outsiders." The old woman continued.

"It came to a head when about a year back, a treasure of the town was stolen. The townsfolk were quick to blame a passing Lickitung, and decided to put it to death. It was barbaric, but it was luckily stopped by two young trainers, and they managed to recover the treasure for us, and drive out the thieves."

"I thought our town would go back to normal after that, but it only changed for the worse. A couple months later Shelly.....she was killed. And not long after that, a Pokemon poacher arrived in Ryuu town, and snatched the Salamence which was supposed to look after our town.
Now the townsfolk won't even talk to any outsiders...and I fear even I've started to grow a bit cold as well. And then there's Roxie..."

"I'm really sorry to hear that..." Anna murmured. "But you mentioned Roxie, who's that?"

"Did I? I'm sorry I didn't mean to." The old woman apologized. "I'm surprised you don't remember her, you two used to play together when you were younger. Roxie is my great-granddaughter. She hasn't been coping all to well since her mother passed away.
Earlier today she....took off, and I haven't seen her since. Some of the townsfolk have been looking....but they haven't found her."

"I'm...sorry to hear that." Anna repeated, before racking her brain for ideas.

"Leif, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Anna finally asked, her attention now turned to the Sewaddle.

"Sewaddle...." Leif murmured. While he wasn't entirely sure what his trainer was thinking, the Sewaddle had a terrible feeling about it.

"Do you happen to know where Roxie went off to?" Anna questioned. "I'm just curious."

"According to one of the townsfolk, they noticed her taking off to the north, but she could be anywhere by now..." The old woman replied.

"Off to the north?" Anna repeated, slowly rising from her seat. "Then it's settled. I'll bring her back for you."

"Sewaddle?!" Leif exclaimed at his trainers words.

"Anna, you don't have to do this. We have no idea where Roxie could be...and I don't want you to get into danger." The old woman said.

"It's fine, I want to help." The young trainer replied. "Besides, I have Leif with me. I'll be ok."

"Alright....but please...be safe."

"I will." Anna nodded. With that, the young woman exited the house, ready to begin her search...
----
"Still no sign of her anywhere." Anna murmured as her eyes swept across the field ahead. The pair had already been searching for over half an hour, but there hadn't been a single sign of Roxie anywhere. Not that they knew what she looked like, Anna realized.
In her hurry to help the old woman, she hadn't even asked what her great-granddaughter even looked like. That didn't matter too much though, right? She would just have to ask anyone they ran into their name.

"Sewaddle...Sew Sewaddle." Leif murmured, looking rather discouraged.

"You're not thinking of giving up, are you?" Anna questioned. Though she couldn't understand the Sewaddle, his expression and tone was enough to answer her questioned.

"Sew Sew." Leif nodded slowly.

"Well don't worry, we've got this Leif. I'm sure we'll find Roxie...we've just got to keep up our search."

"Sewaddle..." Leif replied, not sounding too confident in his trainers words.

"Oh! What about there?" Anna asked, pointing to a small burrow in a nearby cliffside.

"It looks like a secret base! Maybe Roxie is hiding there?" Anna suggested.

"Sewaddle." Leif nodded, sounding much more confident.

"Right. It's definitely worth checking out." Anna smiled, before making her way to the cliffside. As the pair reached their destination, they both noticed a dim light emitting from inside the cavern. It seemed Anna was right, something was definitely inside.
But just who or what dwelled inside remained a mystery to the young trainer. One thing was for sure though, she was about to find out!

Considering the entrance to the cave was rather small, Anna reluctantly lifted her sunhat off her head, before holding it sideways in front of herself.
Giving Leif a small smile, Anna began to make her way through the small passage, the strange light glowing brighter as she reached her destination. Once inside, Anna was quick to place her sunhat back firmly on her head, before inspecting the room she had entered.

The first thing she noticed was a small lantern, the source of light both Leif and her had seen previously. The next thing the girl laid her eyes on was a Poliwag to her right. The tadpole Pokemon seemed to be practicing it's Water Gun attack, paying no mind to Anna's presence.

"Can I help you?" A voice called from Anna's left, startling the young trainer.

Turning her attention to the owner of the voice, Anna spotted a young girl in the corner of the room. She was hard to see in the dim light of the room, but if Anna had to guess, she couldn't have been older then fifteen.
But with her attention now on the girl, Anna found it quite odd she hadn't noticed her early, considering how much her blue hair stood out.

"I said can I help you." The girl repeated, much more aggressive then before.

"Yes, I'm sorry. My names Anna, and this is Leif." Anna said, pointing to the Sewaddle to her shoulder.

"Sew Sewaddle." Leif said, giving a small wave to the girl.

"I meant if you had any business here. If you're just here for a chat, you best be on your way." The girl snapped.

"I'm sorry, I'm not actually here to talk. I just need to know...are you Roxie by chance?" Anna asked. "Or maybe you know where she went?"

"Why? What's it to you?" The girl asked.

"Well Leif and I are actually looking for her. You see her great grandmother is very worried about her, and so we've decided to help find her." Anna explained.

"Sew Sew." Leif nodded.

Upon Anna's explanation, the girl paused for a moment, taking the time to glance at the Poliwag instead.

"So Flora's roped another fool into her schemes." The girl finally spoke up, returning her gaze to Anna. "I was hoping she would have left everyone else out of it."

"Flora? So you know Roxie's great grandmother's name? Does that mean you know Roxie at least?" Anna questioned.

"Geez..I thought it was already obvious. It's like talking to a pile of rocks." The girl said, letting out a slightly exaggerated sigh.

"Oh...I think I get it." Anna spoke up after a moment. "So then...you're Roxie?"

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured.

"That's right." Roxie nodded. "And before you ask, no I'm not coming back with you. So you can leave now."

"Why not? I'm sure...Flora is worried about you." Anna said.

"Sewaddle Sew." Leif nodded.

"I said I didn't want anyone else involved. I meant it, now leave!" Roxie barked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Anna murmured.

I can't just leave now. I need to bring her back safe..for Flora's sake. The young trainer thought, her eyes diverting to the Poliwag, still hard at practice.

"I see your Poliwag's hard at work there. Are you two preparing for a battle or something?" Anna questioned.

"What? No, that isn't my Pokemon." Roxie said. "I just found it earlier. It looked pretty hungry, and so I fed it."

"So it's been following you ever since?" Anna asked, thrilled that the girl was starting to open up, if only slightly.

"For a bit, yeah. I've been thinking about catching it, but I'm not so sure." Roxie explained.

"Not so sure? I'm sure it'd make a great companion." Anna smiled. "Then maybe you can show Flora that you manged to capture your first Pokemon."

"It wouldn't be my first Pokemon, for your information." Roxie snapped. "And even if it was, there's no way in hell I'm going back to Flora."

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to assume-"

"But you did. So how about you drop it!" Roxie barked, cutting Anna off completely.

"As for your question, the reason I'm not so sure, is because I haven't seen it in a battle yet." Roxie said after a few moments. "If I'm going to capture a Pokemon, it better be able to hold it's own. Otherwise it's a complete waste of my time."

"Oh I see..." Anna murmured, clearly caught off guard by Roxie's attitude.

"Sewaddle..." Leif muttered.

"Hey I have an idea!" Anna exclaimed after a few moments.

"You said you wanted to test that Poliwag in a battle, right Roxie? Well then how about you battle Leif and I."

"Hmm...sounds interesting I guess." Roxie said, giving a light shrug.

"But there's a catch. If you lose, then you have to come back with me." Anna added.

"What's in it for me?" Roxie questioned.

"What's in it for you?" Anna repeated. "Well umm...if you win.....then Leif and I will leave you alone."

"And I'm assuming you two aren't going to leave otherwise?"

"That's right." Anna replied.

"Sewaddle Waddle." Leif nodded.

"Guess it's a deal." Roxie said after a moment of hesitation.

With that, the blue haired girl emerged from the corner of the room, slowly making her way towards Poliwag.

"Hey Poliwag." She called to the tadpole Pokemon, causing it to stop it's training.

"Wag?" The Poliwag questioned, it's attention now turned to the girl in front of it.

"You seem pretty focused on your training...but how about you prove yourself in a battle? Me and you against her and Leif." Roxie said, gesturing to the pair behind her.

"Poliwag! Wag Poliwag!" The Poliwag exclaimed, giving the blue haired girl a firm nod.

"That's what I like to hear." Roxie said, giving the tadpole Pokemon a faint smile.
"Alright then. I'm guessing we're going to be battling outside? It'd be really stupid to have one in here." Roxie added, her attention now on Anna.

"That would make sense." Anna nodded, before gesturing to the exit.

Without another word, Roxie and Poliwag made their way out of the cavern, with Anna following a few moments later.
----
"Alright Leif..this is it. I need you to give it your all, ok?" Anna asked.

"Sewaddle!" Leif exclaimed, before hopping off his trainer's shoulder. In front of him stood his opponent, the tadpole Pokemon looking rather eager to start the match. In contrast, Roxie looked rather bored, like she didn't want to be there at all.

Though she had been the one to suggest it in the first place, as the time drew near for the battle to begin, Anna couldn't help but worry. She'd never been in a battle before...and Leif only knew two different moves. If that wasn't enough, Anna knew almost nothing about the opponent Leif was to be facing!
Racking her brain for ideas, a sudden thought popped into Anna's head. Though her and Leif's lack of experience couldn't be solved, there was a way to get to know Leif's opponent better. Reaching into her backpack, Anna manged to pull out her Pokedex, before scanning the Pokemon in front of her.

"Poliwag, the tadpole Pokemon. A Water type." The Pokedex droned.
"Poliwag has a very thin skin. It is possible to see the Pokémon's spiral innards right through the skin. Despite its thinness, however, the skin is also very flexible. Even sharp fangs bounce right off it."

"A Water type...that means we have the advantage then." Anna said as she tucked the Pokedex back in her bag.

"Ok then...Leif use String Shot! After, use Tackle!" Anna ordered.

Following his trainer's orders, Leif spat out a string of sticky silk, which quickly flew towards Poliwag! But Poliwag was much too fast for Leif, and leaped out of harms way, allowing the string of silk to fall uselessly on the ground.

With it's opponent left wide open, Poliwag took the opportunity to attack! Gathering water energy in it's mouth, the tadpole Pokemon unleashed a beam of Scalding water, prompting a sharp cry from Leif as the hot water washed over him.

Ready to perform his second attack, Leif flung himself towards Poliwag, his full weight behind him. Unlike last time, Poliwag wasn't able to evade it's opponent's attack, and was sent flying back upon making contact with the sewing Pokemon.

After landing on it's feet, Poliwag began to gather Ice energy in front of itself, forming a Ball with it. After letting out a loud cry, the tadpole Pokemon fired the ball of icy energy out at it's opponent!

Unable to react in time, Leif let out a pained cry as the super effective attack sent him tumbling backwards! The battle had only just begun, but Leif was already looking more then a little tired. The gap in power between the Sewaddle and Poliwag was clear to see.

With the action of the first round coming to a close, Anna took the time to turn her attention to Roxie, a look of confusion on her face.

"Aren't you going to give Poliwag some orders?" She asked.

"What's the point?" Roxie responded with a shrug. "It's not like I know it's moves anyway. Besides, it seems to be conducting itself fairly well."

Roxie was right, Poliwag was good at conducting itself, Anna had to admit. Almost too good. Was this really a wild Pokemon? Or had it had prior training?
That wasn't important, not now anyway, Anna realized. If she was going to beat the Poliwag, she had to have her full attention on the battle ahead.

"Let's hang in there Leif! Let's begin with Tackle. Then String Shot!" Anna exclaimed.

Leif was once again the first to act! Locking eyes with Poliwag, the sewing Pokemon threw himself at the tadpole Pokemon, dealing a small amount of damage to the Poliwag and sending it stumbling backwards.

To retaliate, Poliwag began to collect more water energy in it's mouth, before spraying another beam of Scalding hot water Leif's way! Despite his best efforts to avoid the attack, Leif proved to be too slow, and let out a sharp cry as the hot water washed over his body!

But Leif wasn't done yet! The Sewaddle was just about to fire another string of silk, but stopped at the sound of....stomping?

"Snover! Snover! Snover!" A loud cry could be heard, turning everyone's attention away from the battle at hand. Right on top of the cliffside was a strange Pokemon that almost looked like a snow covered tree. Whatever it was, it seemed to be thrashing about violently, no care for anyone or anything around it!

"We have to do something...that Pokemon is going to get itself hurt!" Anna exclaimed.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, did the frost tree Pokemon lose it's footing, and was sent tumbling downwards with a sharp cry!
Without even thinking, Anna and Leif rushed towards the strange Pokemon as it hit the ground with a large thud.

"Hey...are you ok?" Anna asked, but received no response.

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured, giving the Pokemon a light poke.

"Lovely....just what I needed." Roxie scoffed, rolling her eyes at the fallen Pokemon.

Ignoring Roxie's comment, Anna turned to Leif, a look of worry on her face.
"What do you suppose we do? We can't just leave it here."

"Sew Sewaddle...." Leif murmured, quite unsure himself.

Fortunately for the pair, their decision was made for them, for the frost tree Pokemon began to rise from the ground with a loud cry.

"Sewaddle!" Leif exclaimed, glad that the strange Pokemon was ok. In return, the Sewaddle received a Razor Leaf to the face, sending him tumbling backwards. The strange Pokemon then began to thrash about, looking as angry as ever.

"I...guess the fall didn't calm it down..." Anna murmured.

"Well don't just stand there!" Roxie exclaimed. "If it's not going to calm down on it's own, the best way to stop is to beat it in a battle."

"Poliwag!" Poliwag exclaimed, looking rather eager to take down it's new opponent.

"See? Poliwag is up for it, so how about you help." Roxie added.

"Right. Let me just do this first." Anna said, before retrieving her Pokedex from her bag.

"Snover, the frost tree Pokemon. A Grass and Ice Type." The Pokedex droned.
"During cold seasons, it migrates to the mountain's lower reaches. It returns to the snow-covered summit in the spring. "

A Grass and Ice Type, that meant Snover was really weak to fire attacks.
If only Cayenne was with me. Anna thought to herself. Though she didn't regret giving the Torchic to her friend. At times like these, she really wished she had that kind of power on her side. But now wasn't the time to think about that, she had to make do with what she had!

"Alright Leif..let's give it our all here...ok?"

"Sewaddle!" Leif exclaimed. Though the sewing Pokemon was rather tired after his brief battle with Poliwag, he was still determined to win. He wouldn't let his trainer down.

"Ok then. Leif, start with Tackle. Then use Tackle again!" Anna ordered.

Now on the offensive, it was Poliwag who started the round off! After gathering Psychic energy in it's body, the tadpole Pokemon released a wave of it out at it's opponent!

Following shortly behind, Leif dove towards Snover, sending the frost tree Pokemon stumbling back upon making impact with it.

Letting out a loud cry, Snover summoned several sharp leaves, before firing them at the Pokemon in front of it. Though Leif was able to evade each and every Razor sharp Leaf that flew his way, Poliwag wasn't so lucky. Letting out a sharp cry, the tadpole Pokemon stumbled backwards as each leaf cut at his flesh.

Eager to retaliate, Poliwag started to collect water energy in it's mouth, before spewing a wave of Scalding hot water at Snover. The frost tree Pokemon let out a yelp as the boiling water crashed over it. Once the attack had subsided, Snover was still hurting, thanks to it's new burn!

For his second attack, Leif once again threw himself at his opponent, in hopes of delivering a powerful tackle. But this time, Snover was prepared for the advancing Sewaddle.
Taking a deep breath, the frost tree Pokemon exhaled a wind, laced with Powdered Snow! Unable to stop himself in time, Leif flew right into the icy wind, before flying backwards onto the hard ground!

"Hang in there Leif. Go with Tackle. After, use Tackle again!" Anna exclaimed.

Poliwag was once again the first to act! Collecting more Psychic energy into it's body, the tadpole Pokemon then sent a wave of the energy flying towards Snover, causing the frost tree Pokemon to let out a sharp cry.

The next to act was Leif. Once again the Sewaddle flung himself at Snover, delivering a powerful tackle to his opponent and sending the frost tree Pokemon stumbling backwards.

In a fit of rage, Snover began to thrash around even more, before summoning several sharp leaves in front of itself.
Unlike last time, not even Leif could evade every Razor sharp Leaf that flew his way. With pained cries, both Poliwag and the Sewaddle fell back, though quickly regained their footing.

Unwilling to give up quite yet, Poliwag began to prepare it's next attack! Gathering Ice energy in front of itself, the tadpole Pokemon managed to form a Ball with the cool energy.
Poliwag then fired the icy ball at Snover, dealing a small amount of damage to the frost tree Pokemon.

For his second attack, Leif once again threw himself at Snover with all his might in an attempt to deliver a strong tackle. But Snover was once again prepared for the sewing Pokemon, and exhaled a frezzing wind packed with Powdered Snow.
With a sharp cry, Leif was sent flying backwards, before crashing into Poliwag! The two Pokemon were then sent tumbling backwards, before collapsing on the ground.

After a moment, Poliwag managed to rise from the ground, though the same couldn't be said for Leif.

"Leif!" Anna called as she rushed over to the Sewaddle, before scooping him up into her arms.

"You did great out there....amazing even." She reassured the sewing Pokemon.

"Sew...." Leif murmured weakly.

"We've just got to leave it to Roxie and Poliwag now. I'm sure they'll be able to handle this from her." Anna added.

But despite her words, Anna wasn't at all confident in either of them. Poliwag seemed more then a little tired, even a few well timed attacks would surely cause the tadpole Pokemon to fall over. Unless....Snover seemed quite tired as well, now that the young trainer had a good look at it.
She had to remain positive! Poliwag and Roxie were going to win this and stop the raging Snover! They had to!

This time it was Snover who started the round off! With a loud cry, the frost tree Pokemon summoned several sharp leaves in front of itself, before firing them towards Poliwag! But this, Poliwag had a plan!
Using it's tail, the tadpole Pokemon began to Dig into the earth, narrowly avoiding a Razor sharp Leaf!

With it's opponent now out of sight, Snover began to thrash around in a fit of anger!
But Poliwag didn't remain hidden for long. With a cry the tadpole Pokemon re-emerged from under it's opponent, sending the Snover tumbling backwards!

With the frost tree Pokemon now left wide open, Poliwag took the opportunity to gather up water energy in it's mouth. The tadpole Pokemon then spewed a beam of Scalding hot water at Snover.
Having managed to score a direct hit on the frost tree Pokemon, Snover let out one last cry, before falling to the ground in defeat.

"We did it.....we actually did it." Anna smiled, turning to Roxie in order to see her reaction.

"It's just a wild Pokemon, nothing to be too proud of, considering your embarrassing defeat." Roxie said as she shook her head.

Before anything more could be said, the fallen frost tree Pokemon began to stir once more, putting everyone on high alert.

"It really wants to fight again? We've already beaten you once!" Roxie exclaimed, letting out a small groan.

"Poli Poliwag!" Poliwag exclaimed, looking rather eager to battle once again.

"Stop. I have no intentions to fight." The Snover said, catching everyone off guard.

"A talking Pokemon?" Anna questioned. "Did I hear that right?"

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured.

"You did." Snover replied. "I....apologize for earlier. I...don't know what got into me."

"It's ok. I'm just glad you're alright." Anna smiled. "But a talking Pokemon...I haven't heard of that before. Isn't it amazing Roxie?"

"It's a wasted talent on such a weak Pokemon." Roxie scoffed. Not willing to pay the frost tree Pokemon another moment of her time, the blue haired girl instead turned to the Poliwag beside her.

"On the other hand...I think you did pretty good Poliwag." Roxie said, flashing the tadpole Pokemon the smallest of smiles.

"Poli! Poliwag Wag!" Poliwag exclaimed, clearly happy at the praise it had received.

"You know...you're not the strongest around...but I think you have a lot of potential. How about coming with me?" Roxie suggested.

"Poliwag....Poli Poliwag...." Poliwag murmured, it's expression suddenly quite sad looking.

"You..don't want to?" Roxie asked, somewhat confused.

"Poliwag says that he already has a trainer." Snover translated.

"Is that why you were carrying that silly Pokeball around?" Roxie questioned.

"Poliwag." The tadpole Pokemon nodded slowly.

"Tell you what, how about you bring that thing to me, and maybe we can arrange something."

"Poliwag Poli." Poliwag nodded, before rushing off towards the cavern.

"Pokeball? What's that about?" Anna questioned.

"You really are nosy." Roxie said, letting out a small sigh.
"That Poliwag was carrying a Pokeball on it's tail when I found it. I didn't knwo what it was originally for, till now. Happy?"

"I get it." Anna nodded. "But just what are you planning to do?"

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured in confusion.

Receiving no answer, Anna and Leif simply waited until the Poliwag returned, carrying a regular Pokeball on it's tail.

"Hmm...well before I discuss my plan with you...I need a name." Roxie said. "Just calling you Poliwag every time is getting kind of annoying."

"Poliwag! Wag!" The tadpole Pokemon exclaimed.

"He says his name is Blues." Snover translated.

"Blues huh? Not a bad name. It'll do." Roxie said, before snatching the Poliwag's Pokeball from it's tail.

"Alrigh then, just give me a moment." The blue haired girl said as she opened up the ball and began to fiddle with it. Finally, a loud snap could be heard and Blues Pokeball had been destroyed.

"Roxie, that's someone's Pokeball! You can't just break it!" Anna exclaimed.

"Sewaddle!" Leif added.

Ignoring the pair, Roxie tossed the broken Pokeball over her shoulder, before grabbing a Dive Ball from her belt.

"Alright Blues. Your old trainer may not have wanted you, but I can promise you'll be a big help with me." Roxie said, flashing the Ploiwag another small smile.

"Poliwag!" Blues exclaimed, before slapping the ball with his tail. In a flash of light, Blues was sucked into the ball, which barely shook at all, before making a small ping sound. The Poliwag had been caught!

"Alright, now that's more like it." Roxie said, pumping her fist into the air.

"Roxie...." Anna murmured. No matter what she said, she knew the blue haired girl wasn't going to listen. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to suggest Blues capture in the first place...

"Well that was certainly an experience, but I'm afraid I've gotta go now." Roxie said, giving a light wave to Anna and Leif.

"Wait Roxie! You can't just leave! You said you'd come back with me to Flora!" Anna exclaimed.

"No. The deal was if you won, that I'd go back." Roxie replied. "Considering that bug of yours is in no condition to fight, I'd say you lost."

"But....but..." Anna stammered. Roxie was right, she had lost, one way or another. And there was no way she could stop the blue haired girl...had her mission truly ended in failure?

Before Leif or her could say anything more, Roxie took off, leaving them to wonder just what they could have done.

"Come on Leif....we should report to Flora..." Anna murmured, not nearly as cheerful as she usually was.

"Sew..." The sewing Pokemon added, looking equally as sad as his trainer.
----

With her back to her old home, Roxie continued to march onwards, not a single glance behind her. Instead, the blue haired girl seemed to be fixated on a strange badge in her hand. The one her mother had given her on that horrible day.

"Poliwag?" Blues questioned, noticing that Roxie's pace had slowed to a crawl.

"Oh..I'm sorry Blues...I was just thinking." Roxie murmured.

"Wag." Blues nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer.

With her new Poliwag a decent pace ahead, Roxie took the time to admire the badge a moment longer, before looking at the scenery ahead.

Mother....I will avenge you. I promise.
----

Taking one last look at the town of Ryuu, Anna and Leif took off down the dirt path...the one leading towards home. Much to their relief, Flora hadn't taken the news of Roxie's disappearance nearly as bad as they had thought.
The old woman did make a good point. All they had come to do was deliver a package...anything else was going above and beyond. So even though she hadn't managed to bring Roxie back...Anna was feeling better, if only slightly.

"Please...wait!" A voice called out to the young trainer, causing her to stop and turn around.

Running down the dirt road was a Snover...the same one as before!

"Snover....what are you doing here? Don't you have a home to return to?" Anna asked, genuinely confused.

"I'm afraid not." Snover replied, shaking his head.
"You see...I got separated from my tribe awhile back....and I haven't been able to find them since."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Anna replied.

"Sewaddle..." Leif murmured.

"It's ok. The reason I approached you...is I would to request to join you." The frost tree Pokemon explained.

"Join us? Really?" Anna questioned.

"Indeed. You're a trainer...so I can learn even more together then I did up on the mountains. And maybe during our travels...I'll find my old friends." Snover explained.

"Well if you want to....we'll be happy to have you." Anna smiled, before searching her bag for a Pokeball.

"Now you need a name.....how does Benny sound? The young trainer suggested.

"Benny....a fitting name." The Snover nodded.

"I'm glad you like it." Anna smiled, before tapping the Snover with the retrieved Pokeball. In a flash of light, the frost tree Pokemon was sucked inside the ball. After a small shake, the ball made a small piing, confirming the capture.

"Yes....I caught a Snover!" Anna exclaimed, holding Benny's Pokeball high in the air.

"Sewaddle Waddle!" Leif exclaimed.

"Alright Benny, come on out." Anna said as she tossed the Pokeball lightly into the air. In a flash, the Snover emerged from the Pokeball, before giving his new trainer a wave.

"Thank you miss." Benny said, bowing slightly.

"You can just call me Anna." The young trainer chuckled.

"Anna it is." Benny nodded.

"Alright then...Benny, Leif...let's go home." Anna smiled, before continuing down the dirt path, her new Snover right behind.

Though the day hadn't gone exactly as planned, Anna had to admit, it had been pretty exciting. And there was so much more exciting things to come, the young trainer realized.
After all, her journey had only just begun....

Last edited by EpicSquirtle; 09-21-2017 at 06:07 PM.
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