“OHOHOHO!” Laughed Jessie from inside Team Rocket’s safe little perch, “Luring all those Pokemon to Goldenrod City ended up working in our favor!”

  “Indeed,” James chimed in, “Now nothing is in our way!”

  “Goodbye Pokemon, hello Boss!” Meowth added.

  As the Team Rocket Trio continued laughing, confident that they had won, Ash, meanwhile, took to attempting to free himself once more. “Alright,” He said to himself, “I may not be able to move, but…” His eyes narrowed at the large crack in front of him, “I can at least try to make it easier for everyone else.”

  The brilliant cyan of Ash’s Aura flared out, pouring through the gaps between his bindings. “Alright,” Ash said, mustering whatever Aura he could, “Let’s see what I can do!” Ash unleashed his Aura out, at every angle due to being unable to concentrate it with his hands. The brilliant cyan blue light struck out at the glass ball, but did nothing. Even the area with the crack seemed to not budge in the slightest. His efforts only elicited a laugh from the Team Rocket Trio.

  “It’s useless,” Chided Jessie. “Even with your fancy new ‘chosen twerp’ powers or whatever that is, not a single thing you do will be able to break that glass!”

  A frustrated growl escaped Ash’s lips, but he continued pushing against the glass with all of his might. “We’ll see about that,” He retorted, “By now, all of Goldenrod City must be following us! Not to mention all the wild Pokemon!”

  “Oh please,” Mocked Meowth, “With how fast we’re going, not a thing in the world can catch up to us!”

  Behind the rocketing Ultimeowth, Iris and Cilan had managed to push past the wild Flying-Type Pokemon and had nearly caught up to the colossal robot on the former’s Dragonite, but moving at such a speed did not come without drawbacks.

  “I can’t see anything in this wind!” Whined Cilan, holding his arm over his eyes.

  “Just hang in there,” Iris told him, “We’re gaining on them!” Though the proud Dragon Master in training would never admit it aloud, even she was having problems with these speeds. She was forced to cover her eyes as well, but could at least manage to keep her eyes open to an extent, and that extent was just enough to allow her to see.

  And what she saw was an opening. “There!” She cried to her Dragonite, “Use Ice Beam on one of the jet engines!”

  “DRAGOOO” Roared Dragonite mightily. From its mouth, it fired a crackling beam of concentrated ice at the jet engine on Ultimeowth’s right leg. The engine was coated in a thick layer of ice, making Ultimeowth lose its balance and tilt over on its side.

  Inside the pilot room of the robot Meowth, the Team Rocket Trio were flung from their seats. “Owwww,” Whined Jessie, “What just happened?!”

  James managed to grab hold of one of the seats and pulled himself up. Once he did, he quickly scanned the giant mechanical Meowth to find out what was wrong, and let out a gasp when he did.

  “Well, what is it?!” Demanded Meowth.

  Turning back around toward his two partners, he answered, “One of the jet engines was frozen solid!”

  “What?!” Screeched Jessie, making Meowth cover his ears from the shrillness of her voice, “How is that possible?!”

  James couldn’t help but giggle in embarrassment. “Sorry, I haven’t actually been checking the radar…”

  He was shoved forcefully from the chair by Jessie, who then climbed up onto it and proceeded to do what had somehow been working this entire time: pressing random buttons and hoping for the best. Yet again, this somehow worked, and the other jet engine on Ultimeowth’s left leg shut off as well and giving Ultimeowth balance once more.

  The Team Rocket Trio collectively sighed in relief. “Glad that nightmare’s over,” Whined James.

  Jessie nodded with a smirk planted firmly upon her face. “Thanks to my quick genius, it should be smooth sailing from here.”

  To Meowth, however, something seemed odd. “Wait a minute,” He said, “Is it just me, or are we moving...slower?”

  Jessie and James blinked. Now that they thought about it, it did seem that they weren’t quite moving as fast as they were previously. Then another problem arose. The radar had begun beeping sporadically, and a wall of red was quickly closing in on them. The panicked screams that followed could be heard by Iris, even though the intercom wasn’t even activated.

  The Dragon Master grinned as she sailed past Ultimeowth. “Looks like we got ‘em! Now to save Ash!” Iris was about to order Dragonite to go after Team Rocket, but stopped when she heard a groaning noise behind her. Cilan, whose face had now turned a sickly blue, was barely holding onto Dragonite. “...All right,” Iris said with a chuckle, looking up at the horde of Pokemon coming their way, “I guess we can let the others handle this.”

  Meanwhile, with the others, Riley and Alain were soaring through the skies next to one another. Having met up and subsequently passing Dawn, the two were now blitzing past the wild Pokemon in an attempt to get closer to Ash. Then the Aura Guardian noticed something peculiar. “Is it just me or...are they slowing down?”

  Alain looked up toward the giant robot and found that, to Riley’s credit, the Meowth-shaped battle mech was indeed getting closer. “I think you may be right, Riley.” The black-haired trainer raised his fist skyward, and Riley saw that he was wearing a wristband with a stone embedded into it that looked almost identical to the one in Charizard’s neck ornament.

  “That’s a…!”

  “KEYSTONE, LISTEN TO MY HEART!” Alain roared. At the trainer’s call, a brilliant, sparkling yellow light poured out from the two stones and locked together. The yellow light spread outward, covering Alain’s Charizard completely and forcing Riley to shield his eyes. “BEYOND EVOLUTION, MEGA EVOLVE!” When Riley was able to see once more, his eyes widened in shock. Alain’s Charizard had taken a completely different form. Where there was once orange, there was now a deep, jet black, and its underside was a shade of cyan blue. Twin spikes jutted out from either side of Charizard’s shoulders, and bright blue flames poured from the sides of its mouth.

  “This is Mega Evolution?” Asked an awed Riley. “I’ve never been able to see it before…”

  “Hey, Riley,” Alain called out, snapping the Aura Guardian out of his dazed stupor. Riley looked back up at him, and he was pointing at the approaching Ultimeowth. “I’m gonna rush ahead and see what I can do against that glass ball.”

  Without waiting for a response, Alain patted the side of his partner’s neck, and Charizard, getting the memo, blitzed forward toward Team Rocket. The ensuing shockwave from Alain’s Charizard’s speed nearly blew Riley off of Unfezant, and when he regained his composure, he merely stared at Alain dumbly.

  “...I wonder if Lucario can do that…”

  Alain’s Charizard rocketed toward Ultimeowth until it was right behind it. Swiftly ducking underneath the jet engines from Ultimeowth’s arms, Alain found himself directly underneath the glass ball containing Ash. “Long time no see,” Alain called up to him. “I was hoping we’d be able to meet again before Necrozma showed up, but I didn’t think it would be under these circumstances.” He gave Ash an odd look once he saw his Aura display. “Also...what’s up with the light show?”

  Ash replied something, but either due to the wind or the glass, Alain couldn’t hear it. “...I guess it’s best saved for after I get you out of there. Charizard, use Dragon Claw!” Alain’s Charizard roared in affirmation. Light green energy seeped out from Charizard’s claws, shaping themselves into other claws that extended outward. It struck the glass ball with them repeatedly, but didn’t end up making even a slight dent.

  “Tch,” Remarked Alain in annoyance, “This thing’s really durable, but Charizard and I aren’t about to give up that easily! Use Dragon Claw to pry open that crack!” Alain’s Charizard nodded and plunged its’ hands into the large crevice.

  Another beeping noise from the radar caught James’s attention. “Hm?” He leaned forward over the radar system. “What’s this?! Something is directly underneath us!”

  Jessie butted him out of the way with her shoulder, making him fly off his chair and into the wall of the cockpit. “What is it?! A wild Pokemon?!”

  Meowth simply chuckled. “Well, whatever it is…” He slammed his paw down upon one of the buttons. “It’s not gonna be there for long!”

  Alain’s Charizard continued to try and pry the glass open, making a strained grunt as it did so, but the glass didn’t budge in the slightest. “Still no good, huh?” Asked Alain. “Then let’s use Blast Burn and melt it down! Then it should be easier to-”

  Alain was cut off when the metallic plating of the robot’s chest shifted, turning into a third miniature arm and slamming into him. Ash’s eyes widened in shock. “ALAIN!” Alain appeared to have been knocked unconscious by the blow, but luckily for him, Charizard had managed to stay conscious and caught Alain at the cost of being left behind by Ultimeowth. Ash let out a sigh of relief, seeing Alain had ended up fine.

  Riley flew up to Alain’s side with worry painted on his face. “Alain!” He exclaimed in panic. He sensed his life force and found it to be stable, earning a relieved sigh from him. “Oh, good, he’s alright…” Looking up at Charizard, he told it, “You just head back to Goldenrod for now.” The Aura Guardian’s eyes narrowed, and he turned toward Ultimeowth. “I’ll handle it from here.” He patted Unfezant, and the two rocketed toward the flying robot.

  Seeing another red dot coming closer on the radar, James shouted, “There’s something else closing in!”

  Jessie growled in frustration. “These twerps just don’t know when to quit!”

  Meowth’s cocky demeanor didn’t falter at the news. “Who cares? Ultimeowth is invincible, so we’ll just slap ‘em away!” He mashed down on another button, and the plating of Ultimeowth’s legs shifted. This time, they turned into another arm and attempted to, literally, slap Riley away. The Aura Guardian was able to sense the intentions of Meowth beforehand and commanded Unfezant to duck just in time to avoid the hands, but instead of flying underneath where Ash was located, he flew over the robot’s back and leapt off of Unfezant, using his Aura to launch himself forward just enough to grab onto what appeared to be a door handle in the form of a metal bar.

  However, the moment he grabbed it, the door flung open and nearly sent him flying off the robot. “What in the-?!” He exclaimed, “THOSE IDIOTS LEFT IT UNLOCKED?!” He shook his head and tried to suspend his sense of disbelief for now, pulling himself forward into the entrance and slamming the door shut behind him. Glaring at the door, he made sure to lock it this time.

  The Team Rocket Trio watched the radar intently, and let out a relieved sigh as they saw the dot, that being Unfezant, flying away back toward the main horde. “Hah!” Jeered Meowth, “Guess that slap got ‘em good!”

  “Yeah, we sure showed them!” James added with a mocking laugh, “They never knew what hit them!”

  Jessie followed with their laughter. “Ohohoho! Those twerps may be persistent, but they’re no match for the might of Team Rocket!”

  The Trio’s laughter was cut short by the sound of a metal footstep behind them. Confused, the three of them turned around, and their faces turned a pale shade of white. Riley, whose face was shadowed by his hand, stood over them and crunched his knuckles. “Who are you idiots calling twerp?”

  Dawn, who was the next closest one to the giant mechanical Meowth, tilted her head in confusion. She was looking up at Ultimeowth, which now seemed to be flailing around in the air and swerving around wildly. “What the heck is going on with them?”

  Riley leapt past the Team Rocket Trio for the controls, only for Jessie to leap onto his back and attempt to pull him away. “Oh, no you don’t!” She exclaimed. “I don’t know who you think you are, but if you think you’re going to interfere with Team Rocket, you’ve got another thing coming!” Riley threw Jessie off of him, making her slam into the metal wall behind them. “OWW!” She cried. “What’s wrong with you?! Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to hit a lady?!”

  Riley, his expression remaining blank, summoned Aura to his fists and cracked his knuckles. “The hammer of justice is unisex.” With that, he turned back around a took the middle seat, summoning a barrier of Aura around himself just in time to block the Team Rocket Trio who attempted to tackle him all at once, only to slam face-first into said barrier and slide down onto the floor.

  “Now,” He said, scanning the myriad of colorful buttons scattered across the keyboard, “Which one of these is the stop button?”

  From outside the barrier, Meowth laughed at him. “Hah! As if a chump like you could figure out how to stop this!”

  “Yeah, not even we know!” James chimed in, only to have Jessie’s fist slam down on his head.

  “Don’t tell him that!” She hissed.

  Riley rolled his eyes, doing his best to ignore the annoyance that was the Team Rocket Trio. “Well, I’m not going to get anywhere by doing nothing, so…” He eyed the array of buttons carefully, taking his time deciding which one was the best possible option. Eventually, he decided to press one at random and awaited what would happen with baited breath. The Team Rocket Trio flinched and ducked their heads, expecting the machine to simply shut off or something.

  ...But nothing happened.

  Raising an eyebrow, Riley pressed the button again. Still, there was no response. So, he pressed another button, only for the same result. He went for another, and another until eventually becoming frustrated and sliding his hands across the entire keyboard. Yet still, Ultimeowth refused to respond to Riley’s commands.

  The Team Rocket Trio dared to look back up and found that nothing had happened, and Meowth laughed at the blue-clad man’s expense. “Hah! Looks like it only responds to us!”

  Jessie laughed as well. “Ohoho! Serves you right for treating a lady like that!”

  “You should probably just give up!” James exclaimed, pointing a finger at Riley. “Apparently, only we can pilot this thing!”

  The Trio continued laughing at the Aura Guardian, who stood up from his seat and turned back to face them. Once again, a shadow covered his face, and he cracked his knuckles. “Thanks for telling me that,” He said, “I guess I’ll just have to knock you all out and use your hands then.”

  Team Rocket stopped laughing.

  Below that whole ordeal in the sky, Gary ran through the forest on his quick-footed Dodrio and, due to its training, was able to quickly pass up most of them. He even began to catch up to Ultimeowth, though there wasn’t much he could do while still on the ground. “Dang it,” He exclaimed, “How am I supposed to get up there?!”

  Then, he noticed something else flying above him. It was another Flying-Type bird-like Pokemon with, from the angle he could see, grey feathers and incredibly sharp-looking talons. “Wait a minute,” Said Gary as an idea of what it was struck him, “Is that...Ash’s Talonflame?!”

  Indeed, the Pokemon flying above Gary was none other than Ash’s Talonflame, whose bright red feathers looked almost as if they were burning. What’s more, Ash’s Grenininja was riding on top of Talonflame, as well as Pikachu.

  Gary suddenly heard the sound of loud stomping behind him, and when he turned around, he saw a stampede of Tauros rushing toward him. They were even carrying other, smaller Pokemon on their backs. The brown-haired former rival of Ash saw an Infernape and a Sceptile among them, and behind the herd were a few Pokemon Gary recognized, following closely behind, like Muk and Snorlax.

  “Are these Ash’s Pokemon?”

  Talonflame let out a shrill screech and began flying higher toward the robot, and several more of Ash’s Pokemon that could fly leapt off the Tauros and soared after it. Gary counted a Noivern, a female Unfezant which lacked the bright pink ribbon around its head of its male counterpart, the shiny Noctowl Ash used during the Johto League, a Swellow, a Gliscor, a Staraptor, a Heracross, and of course, Ash’s Charizard, whom Gary would never be able to forget.

  Each of these Flying-Type Pokemon carried another smaller Pokemon on their backs, being Bulbasaur, Totodile, Corphish, Buizel, Gible, Oshawott, Snivy, Scraggy, and Leavanny, and took off after Talonflame toward Ash’s location.

  Gary couldn’t help but chuckle. “Well, if anyone would end up saving Ash’s behind, I guess it would be them.”

  “Alright,” Said Riley, dusting off his gloves now that his ‘handiwork’ was done, “Now, let’s see If I can shut this thing down.” Grabbing hold of the now-unconscious Meowth’s wrist, he walked away from the other two Team Rocket members, whom he also knocked out, and walked back to the keyboard. He pressed Meowth’s paw into one of the buttons, awaiting a response with baited breath. Yet again, nothing happened.

  Needless to say, Riley was confused. “What?!” He used Meowth’s hand on a few more buttons with the same result. “Why isn’t it working?!” Unceremoniously dropping Meowth back to the floor, he went over to Jessie, yanked her by the wrist, and dragged her over to the keyboard as well. Still, there was no response from Ultimeowth.

  “What in the Distortion World?!” Yelled Riley. “Why isn’t it working?!” Tossing Jessie on the nearest seat, he rushed over to James and tried yet again...and yet again, nothing happened. He dropped the purple-haired man to the floor and growled in frustration. “What’s wrong with this thing?! Why isn’t it taking orders?!”

  Leaning back into the seat next to the one Jessie was slumped over, Riley mulled over whatever ideas he could come up with to figure out why the robot was suddenly not obeying commands. “Perhaps,” He said aloud, “It’s not actually controlled manually at all?” He leapt up from the seat and went about looking through the piloting room for any hint as to how to control the machine, and eventually came upon a large green button underneath the desk with a phone icon. Upon pressing it, a virtual screen appeared above the keyboard in the visor’s window.

  The screen showed the figure of a man cloaked in shadow sitting in a large chair, but before Riley could question the man, he pressed a button on the arm of his chair, shutting the screen off. “What the?!” Riley quickly ducked back under the desk to press the button once more, but it was now greyed out. He pressed it anyway, but it responded about as well as the keyboard.

  Riley stepped away from the screen and placed a hand to his chin in thought. “Who was that man…? Could this robot actually be controlled by him?” He shook his head to dispel his thought process and looked down at the collapsed Team Rocket Trio. “Well, whoever’s controlling this thing, it’s certainly not these three. My best bet now…” He looked out of the visor’s window to the sky, which had now started to become orange as day threatened to fade to night. “...Is getting off this thing, and taking Ash with me.”

  Riley’s attention was caught by a sudden beeping. It was the radar, which still functioned normally due to being run automatically rather than at the press of a manual button, and it showed multiple beings approaching the robot from behind. “What? Who could that be?”

  Outside of Ultimeowth, Ash’s Pokemon had now caught up. The Flying-Types nodded to one another, then leaned to the side to fly down onto the robot. Upon landing on its large back, they were immediately greeted by the sight of a door being kicked open. The loyal group of Pokemon prepared for battle, growling menacingly at whatever might come out of the door until Riley emerged, holding his hat to his head so it didn’t fly off due to the high winds.

  Riley’s face lit up in surprise, and the Pokemon who knew him mirrored it. “Oh, it’s you!” He said, a smile emerging on his face, “You couldn’t have picked a better time!” He looked around at the various Pokemon while the ones that knew him told the others he wasn’t a threat, and chuckled at their sheer numbers. “Ash told me he had a lot of Pokemon,” He said, “But this comes as a surprise.”

  Pikachu couldn’t help but smile and sigh. Riley didn’t know the half of it, what with the larger Pokemon still racing after them on foot. He couldn’t wait to see his reaction to Ash’s thirty Tauros. He dashed the thoughts and did his best to ask Riley where Ash was with body movement. Luckily for the electric mouse Pokemon, Riley was quickly able to figure out his meaning.

  “Oh, Ash?” He asked. “He’s actually on the underside of this thing, right on the chest.” He pointed over at the door he emerged from. “I already tried taking control over this thing, but apparently it’s being controlled by an outside signal.” He walked over to the robot’s side and pointed at the jet engines next. “We can’t shut those off either, as a fall from this height would likely end up crushing Ash.”

  Pikachu’s ears fell in disappointment, but they quickly regained their perkiness as an idea came to his mind. Ash’s first partner Pokemon looked up to Talonflame and asked it if it could use the technique it used back in Viridian Forest, the one that ended up burning most of it to the ground, in order to flip Ultimeowth onto its back and get to Ash. Talonflame replied that it didn’t actually know how to use that power, and it was just some kind of spontaneous incident. Not to mention, using the attack resulted in the destruction of most of the forest, which was an incident it did not wish to repeat.

  Riley looked at the two of them curiously. “I wonder what they’re talking about.”

  Pikachu, seeing as he wasn’t getting anywhere with Talonflame, told the other Pokemon about his plan to flip Ultimeowth over, which quickly won them all over. The yellow mouse Pokemon then rushed to the robot’s edge and hopped onto the jet engine, with the rest of the land-dwelling Pokemon following suit. The Flying-Type Pokemon leapt off the side of the robot underneath the engine to catch them, as flipping the robot would inevitably lead to the others falling off.

  Pikachu nodded to the others and unleashed a Thunderbolt into the sky. The other members of Ash’s team took this as a signal and fired their own attacks into the sky as well. Bulbasaur, Snivy, and Leavanny used Solarbeam while Corphish, Buizel, and Totodile used Hydro Pump. Gible and Scraggy ended up repeatedly firing Dragon Pulses and Focus Blast into the air, repeatedly. However, their struggle amounted to nothing, and the robot hardly tilted over at all.

  “Ah, so that’s what they were scheming,” Said Riley, “But it doesn’t look like they’re making much headway…” He then noticed that Greninja had not followed the others and went to ask why. “What’s up?” He asked the ninja Pokemon, “How come you’re not with everyone else?”

  Greninja replied to the best of his ability that none of his attacks would have that much force behind him, not that Riley could understand, and that they were more useful in a fight rather than for pure raw power. Riley nodded, to Greninja’s surprise, getting the basic gist of what he meant using his Aura. “I see,” Said Riley, “You don’t have any especially powerful attacks, do you?”

  The Aura Guardian hummed in thought, then pointed over toward Ultimeowth’s head. “Perhaps you could try going underneath the robot and softening up the glass ball Ash is trapped in?” Greninja’s eyes lit up at that. Continuing, Riley said, “The other Pokemon wouldn’t be able to get close to the ball right now, but you should be able to stick to the robot in order to get closer, yeah?” He clasped a hand on Greninja’s shoulder, and the Pokemon felt a sudden surge of energy. It wasn’t to the extremes he felt with his synchronization with Ash, but it was still incredible.

  “That’s about half of my Aura,” Riley told him after taking in a deep breath to make up for the sudden fatigue he felt. “It should give you a considerable boost in power.”

  Greninja, after snapping out of his little stupor that came with the sudden rush of power, nodded to Riley, then rushed over toward Ultimeowth’s head. Placing his flippers firmly down upon the robot’s cold, steel exterior, he began crawling down its face until he came to a window. That, of course, being the main visor. Looking into it, he saw the Team Rocket Trio still lying unconscious and scowled at them for a moment before quickly moving on.

  After crawling down the rest of its face and upper chest, Ash’s Greninja came upon a large, glass ball. So, this was what Riley was talking about. The ninja Pokemon hopped down from the chest and onto the glass ball, making an audible thud. Ash, who had abandoned his assault on the glass after running out of steam, looked up at the noise. A smile came to his face when he realized who it was, which Greninja happily returned.

  “Greninja!” Cried Ash happily.

  Though not being able to hear Ash, Greninja was able to understand his lip movements. He nodded to him and used Cut, summoning a kunai-shaped white completely created from energy, and crawled over to the large crack running down its front. Lifting the kunai high up into the air, Greninja stabbed it firmly into the crack in an attempt to break through, but only succeeded in breaking the kunai. Not being one to give up so easily, Greninja next used Water Shuriken and attempted to plunge it into the crack. Proving for the umpteenth time to be quite durable, the glass ball encasing Ash repelled the attack with ease.

  Seeing this, Ash proposed an idea. “Hey, how about we try synchronization?” Greninja nodded eagerly. Ash attempted to summon his Aura in order to perform their Battle Bond, but found it difficult to concentrate. “It’s no use,” He told Greninja, “I’ve used up most of my Aura already, and these bindings are making it difficult to concentrate.”

  Greninja hummed in thought, contemplating what his next course of action should be, then remembered the Aura Riley had gifted to him just previously. Ordinarily, Greninja would not be able to manipulate this Aura in any other way than a power boost like Riley intended, but the earlier synchronization the two of them performed against Necrozma allowed Greninja to use the Aura of Ash, and so he might be able to perform something like this after all. Placing his hand on the crack, Greninja closed his eyes and allowed Riley’s Aura to flow from his body through it.

  As Ash witnessed the Aura slowly seep through the crack, his eyes widened in shock. “Is that Aura?!” Deciding it was a question best asked for later, Ash summoned his own Aura to act as a sort of magnet, pulling Greninja’s Aura toward him. As it made contact with him, Ash realized who it actually belonged to. “Wait,” He said, “This is Riley’s…thanks, Greninja.”

  With his Auric strength renewed, Ash allowed his cyan blue Aura to flare out once more, establishing the link between himself and Greninja. The frog ninja Pokemon’s body began glowing a bright cyan shade, and when it faded, Greninja’s form changed to the personification of Ash and Greninja’s bond: Ash-Greninja.

  “All right!” Cheered Ash. “Now, let’s use Aura Shuriken and break through the glass!”

  “NIN!” Bellowed Greninja with a nod. Raising his arm above him, which ironically meant pointing toward the ground at his angle, he summoned a shuriken of water that spun fiercely above him. Due to his Battle Bond, the Water Shuriken grew to immense sizes and began shimmering a beautiful shade of glowing cyan with Aura. Greninja plunged the Aura Shuriken into the crack, spinning it fiercely like a buzz saw.

  “That’s it,” cheered Ash, “Just keep on pushing, and you’ll break through in no time!”

  Talonflame watched the other Pokemon trying their hardest to flip the robot over. Unfortunately, they still hadn’t actually made any headway and were quickly running out of steam. Then, Talonflame and the other flying Pokemon of Ash’s saw something that made their hearts sink. In the distance, an ocean was rapidly approaching. If they couldn’t free Ash or stop the robot before long, they would find themselves in Kanto and be exactly where the Team Rocket Boss wanted them.

  Talonflame let out a screech to tell Pikachu and the others of this, and they hastily began firing at an even faster rate. Unfortunately, it amounted to nothing, and Ultimeowth’s position was still rooted firmly in place. There was only one last hope for them, and it lay within Talonflame: The attack it had used on that day to lay Viridian Forest to ruin, which Professor Kukui had named Firestorm.

  The Scorching Pokemon soared down underneath the wing opposite to the one the others were perched on before the other fliers could question them. Pointing its head down, it attempted to summon that power to itself once more and spewed flames from its mouth. However, it only succeeded in using Flamethrower and had no success in even moving the robot’s wing.

  Refusing to give up, Talonflame shut its eyes tightly and further pushed itself. The jet of flame rushing from its beak increased in size and power slightly, but still couldn’t hope to match the sheer scope of the jet engine. It tried, desperately, to summon upon that destructive power once more, and received no answer in kind.

  Talonflame opened its eyes once more to look at where they were, and to its horror, the ocean was vastly closer than it expected it to be. It shut its’ eyes again and unleashed an even stronger Flamethrower from its’ throat with such force and heat that it sent waves of pain throughout its’ body. However, thanks to Ash, Talonflame didn’t know the meaning of giving up, and continued blasting away at the air beneath it.

  Greninja, who was still trying to break Ash free from the glass container, turned around when he heard something odd, and to his horror, he saw an ocean quickly approaching, and whipped back around to Ash, pushing the Aura Shuriken against the glass with all his might.

  The Pokemon on the jet engine opposite to Talonflame were on their last legs. Their stamina was falling fast. The weakness of their bodies was catching up to them. Scraggy was the first to collapse after trying to fire one last Focus Blast and failing, falling flat onto his face instead. Gible followed soon after. Snivy winced suddenly as a sudden dizziness struck her, and she, too, collapsed.

  Corphish wobbled suddenly, and its Hydro Pump was cut off. It tried one last time to fire another, but ended up collapsing on its’side. Buizel and Totodile soon fell afterward. The ever-elegant Leavanny stumbled forward and was forced to cease its Solarbeam attack. It tried to raise its’ arms to the sky once more, but fell onto its knees when it was unable to. Bulbasaur, who had managed to remain steady up until then, now collapsed from exhaustion with the rest of its teammates. That left Pikachu alone, but unlike the others, Ash’s long-time friend refused to let his fatigue get the better of him and continued pushing on even if he knew it meant nothing.

  Charizard looked down at them in frustration. He wanted to help them and knew he had the power to do so, but also realized that if he wasn’t prepared to catch them if the robot actually flipped over, then many of the Pokemon would fall. Seeing the predicament of Ash’s Pokemon, Riley pushed himself back onto his feet.

  Summoning his Aura, he said, “Greninja’s not back yet...I guess I should give ‘em a hand too.” However, when he took his next step, he tripped and fell onto his knees. “What the hell?” He exclaimed. “I must have given more Aura to Greninja than I intended...but…” He forced himself back on his feet, and then a glistening caught his eye toward Ultimeowth’s head. “Is that...an ocean?!”

  Talonflame felt a sudden wave of dizziness. The burning it felt from its own heat, along with the fatigue of producing it, was wearing her down. The stinging it felt in its throat was akin to what one would feel during a bad flu, only dialed up to eleven. Talonflame could no longer take it. It had wasted so much power in this fruitless ordeal to re-create a miracle that it no longer even had the strength to fly. The only thing keeping it airborne was its’ Flamethrower pressing Talonflame against the metal of the jet engine, but that too was fading. The stream of flame weakened until scarcely being more than the width of a pipe. With its’ stamina gone, Talonflame could no longer ward off its’ exhaustion, and closed its’ eyes.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

  …

  Talonflame awoke to a world where there was seemingly nothing but white. It was incredibly bright no matter where its gaze turned to, yet it wasn’t blinding, and nor did it feel any pain, fatigue, or anything really. Anything but...what it could only describe as solace. Talonflame’s first thoughts were that this was death. Yet...it didn’t feel fear or sadness. It only felt relief.

  Then it saw something. It was a being of pure white light, and though it should have been invisible amidst their surroundings, Talonflame could somehow see it, clear as day. Its sheer size was unfathomable, as was its shape. Talonflame knew it should have felt fear, yet it didn’t somehow. Though Talonflame could not make out the entity’s shape, it saw what it was completely sure was an arm reach out toward it. Like the rest of its body, the arm was unimaginably massive. Everything about this being seemed to defy all laws of reality. There was no face or structure to it besides the arm.

  As the being reached out to Talonflame, holding it gently within the palm of its hand, the Scorching Pokemon suddenly heard a voice speak out to it. Its volume was incredible, yet not deafening or even pain-inflicting in the slightest. It shook Talonflame to its very core, yet did not instill any sense of fear in the Pokemon. It echoed endlessly throughout the void the two of them occupied. It said…

  “I SEE YOU ARE IN QUITE THE PREDICAMENT. HOWEVER, FATE WILL NOT TAKE YOU ON THIS DAY. YOU ARE STILL NEEDED IN THIS WORLD, TALONFLAME. ALLOW ME TO GIVE YOU POWER ONCE MORE. POWER...TO SAVE ASH, AND SAVE THIS WORLD.”

  With that, the entity faded away, and with it, the white void as well. Talonflame was left entranced. Just what in the world had happened? As Talonflame mulled over that question, it failed to notice that Ultimeowth ended up sailing right past it. It was brought back to reality suddenly, though by what, Talonflame didn’t know. Taking off after Ultimeowth, Talonflame noticed that it felt...lighter. Incredibly lighter. A smirk appeared on the bird-like Pokemon’s face, and it rocketed after the robot.

  Pikachu finally collapsed alongside the others. Now completely drained of energy, his only hope was that they could somehow outsmart the Team Rocket Boss once they inevitably arrived to wherever this machine was taking them. Riley hopped down next to Pikachu, offering him an Aura-coated hand.

  “Here,” He said, smiling down at the yellow mouse, “It’s not over yet.”

  Pikachu returned the smile gratefully and reached up to take the hand. That was, until it noticed something in the distance behind the Aura Guardian. A bright-red ball of fire was approaching Ultimeowth at speeds rivaling that of a comet. Pikachu leapt back onto his feet, pointing it out to him. Riley, as well as the other Pokemon, raised an eyebrow at Pikachu’s odd behavior, but looked up to where he was pointing nonetheless. When they saw it, their mouths were left agape.

  “What the heck is that?!” Cried Riley.

  As Talonflame approached the colossal robot, it swerved downward underneath it toward the jet engine and slammed into it. The resulting tremors from the blow were felt all throughout the robot, sweeping Riley and the Pokemon off their feet and tilting it over. Seeing this, the other flying Pokemon quickly zoomed down toward them, managing to catch everyone before they slid off. Riley was saved by Charizard, along with Pikachu, though Riley had the misfortune of being carried by Charizard’s claws rather than gently landing on the draconian Pokemon, unlike Pikachu.

  Nevertheless, Riley was grateful for the save all the same. “Thanks, Charizard,” He said with a laugh, “I owe you one!” Charizard simply grinned down at him, letting out a small roar in response. Riley’s smile was wiped from the Aura Guardian’s face when he realized something. “Wait a minute!” He cried. “Greninja’s still with Ash!”

  Talonflame grit its beak as it continued pushing against the bottom of the jet engine. Though it was finally making headway at moving the thing, the ocean was approaching faster than Talonflame was moving Ultimeowth. However, the Pokemon still felt much power left dwelling within it. It felt as if there was no limit to its strength, and though Talonflame didn’t quite understand what was happening, it was more than ready to use its power to the fullest.

  Talonflame shut its beak sharply and puffed out its chest. Flames hotter and more intense than anything Talonflame had experienced bubbled up within the Pokemon, and were only growing hotter by the second. The body of Talonflame grew brighter and brighter until it was a blinding shade of white. Riley and the others stared on in awe.

  “What is this power?!” He exclaimed. “I’ve never seen anything like this! Is this...Aura?!”

  Greninja suddenly stopped its’ assault on the grass as it felt Talonflame’s heat. His eyes widened, as did Ash’s. “What is...that light?!” Cried Ash. He felt a familiar sensation from the light. It irked at his mind until the realization struck him. “That Aura...it’s Talonflame!”

  Talonflame reared its head toward the ground and opened its beak. A shrill, whistling noise pierced the ears of all nearby. The heat escaping from its mouth seemingly set the air itself aflame, but the heat that was there now paled in comparison to what came next. From Talonflame’s beak, an impossibly-large column of white-hot fire burst down toward the ground. It took the shape of a spiral, making it look like an upside-down tornado. Once again, Talonflame had used the power of Firestorm.

  The blast of fire created an opposing force to the jet engine, slowly tipping Ultimeowth sideways. The powerful metal creaked in resistance, and small parts of it closest to Talonflame began blackening and crumpling from the sheer heat. Then, finally, Talonflame managed to completely push the wing over and flip Ultimeowth onto its back.

  Ash was now able to see Talonflame and grinned once he did. “Talonflame!” He cried. “I knew it was you!”

  Hearing what Ash said with his Aura, Riley was now left even more in shock than before. “Hold on,” He shouted, “That was Talonflame?! Just what kind of power does it have?!”

  Talonflame was able to hear Ash’s voice even from inside the glass ball and sent a grin his way. But in doing so, noticed, that Ultimeowth had already gone past the shore and was now over the ocean anyways. This, however, didn’t snap Talonflame out of its’ mood. Right now, Talonflame felt like it could do just about anything.

  Rocketing back down toward Ultimeowth, Talonflame turned its back on the robot and crashed into its face. Once again, the Scorching Pokemon puffed out its chest and summoned its newfound powers forth, using Firestorm once more. The blindingly-white flames pushed against the jet engine’s own flames, and at first it seemed to have little effect. The metal creaked and groaned, as if in protest of the two forces pushing against one another.

  “Hey, is it just me, or…” Riley trailed off, staring in awe at the scene playing out before his eyes. “...Is that thing...slowing down?!”

  Indeed, Team Rocket’s mechanical menace was, at last, slowly being brought to a halt by Talonflame’s godly power. The spot where its back was pressing into dented inward, threatening to collapse under the stress of the sheer force of Talonflame’s power. Despite this, Talonflame only pushed itself even more. Ultimeowth’s movement continued slowing down until finally coming to a halt. Talonflame’s Firestorm attack increased in power, forcing Riley and the Pokemon to shield their eyes to avoid becoming blinded by its brilliance.

  Ultimeowth’s movement picked up again, only this time, it was in the opposite direction. It started off slowly, and the groans and creaking from the robot increased, but it was beginning to be pushed back all the same. It didn’t take long for it to reach the speed it had just before, and Johto’s shores were coming closer by the second.

  A grin came to Riley’s face, and he couldn’t help but pump his fist in the air and cheer. “Alright! It shouldn’t be long before we’re back in the city at this rate!” The Aura Guardian noticed something else as well as he looked down at the shore. The myriad of people and Pokemon also in pursuit of Team Rocket had gone to the land’s edge and waited there. He could see them cheering from atop Charizard as Ultimeowth got closer and closer.

  Turning to Ash’s Pokemon, he said, “Now’s our chance! Let’s fly back onto that robot and free Ash!” The Pokemon cheered heartily and took off toward their trainer and friend. Upon landing, all of Ash’s Pokemon raced to the glass globe as fast as their wings and feet could take them.

  Ash’s face lit up at seeing them. “Hey, guys!” He called out. “You’re all here!”

  Riley smiled down at his pupil and chuckled. “Of course! What would we do without our Chosen One?” He got a kick out of seeing Ash cringe at him calling him that. Turning to the Pokemon, he pointed at the glass ball and said, “You guys know what to do! Let’s-”

  A sudden sensation made the Aura Guardian cut himself off. He felt something flying toward them rapidly. “BRACE FOR IMPACT!” Riley, ushered them to run from the glass ball, and though the Pokemon were confused, they quickly followed his orders. Pikachu and Greninja looked back at Ash with uncertainty practically painted on their faces. Ash smiled and gave them a nod, knowing to trust Riley’s intuition, and the two of them followed the others.

  Overhead, a figure cloaked in black energy raced through the sky toward the robot until it was directly over Ash, then burst down and crashed directly on top of the glass ball. Ash winced, shutting his eyes at the collision. When he opened them once more, he saw a familiar face.

  “Zero!” Ash cried happily. “Where’ve you been?!”

  The black energy dispersed, revealing the silver-haired young girl. She giggled down at Ash. “It’s a...long story...but…” Zero looked back up to the sky, where another figure raced down toward them as well. “I ended up making a new friend along the way.”

  Ash could scarcely believe what he was seeing. “Hydreigon?!” The Dark Dragon Pokemon, who had just previously been cowering helplessly in the face of its own xenophobia and trauma, had rushed to Ash’s aid at breakneck speeds.

  “Dreigon!” Chirped Hydreigon.

  “I came as soon as I heard you were in trouble,” Zero said, raising her arm to the sky. Hydreigon, seeing this, followed suit. “When I heard that, I assumed the worst, but…” She tilted her head past Ash at Ultimeowth and scrunched her face up. “Judging by the design of this thing, it’s those three idiots, right?”

  Ash laughed. “Yeah, it’s them.”

  Zero could only let out a sigh and shake her head. “Well, let’s save the talk for later. For now…” The elements of every Pokemon type rushed up from her body, sparking around her hand. Hydreigon closed its eyes and inhaled. Pushing past whatever lingering doubts and fears that plagued it, the Dark Dragon Pokemon summoned a crackling red energy to its arm, preparing to use its hatred toward Damian and use Frustration. It was its way of using its loathing of Damian to save Ash, like using one’s terrible past to open a way to a brighter future. A future that only one such as Ash could provide.

  Hydreigon and Zero let out a roar and slammed their fists into the glass. The ball shook and shuddered for a few seconds before shattering altogether, and its pieces flew away into the wind. Zero next took hold of the metal bindings and tore them apart, freeing Ash at last.

  Letting out a sigh of relief, Ash laughed and said, “Aw man, I can’t tell you how good it feels to finally move again!” He stretched out his arms, revelling in the sensation of movement he’d taken for granted all his life. He turned back down to the two of them with an appreciative smile, ruffling their heads. “Thank you both,” He said, “Now, how’s about we get out of here and head back to Goldenrod?”

  Zero covered her mouth and giggled. Ash couldn’t put into words how much he loved that sound. “I would love nothing more,” Said Zero. Hydreigon turned away from Ash and crouched over, pointing at his back.

  Ash tilted his head. “Hmm? Are you...offering to give me a ride?”

  Zero nodded, floating into the air. “I believe they are.”

  Ash smiled down at Hydreigon and gently put his hand upon the Dragon-Type Pokemon’s back. He made sure to coat his hand in the small remainder of his Aura, as to not make it feel uncomfortable, soothing Hydreigon upon the touch before putting himself in a position where he could ride them. Gently patting Hydreigon’s shoulder, he asked, “You ready to go?” Hydreigon nodded.

  “All right then,” Said Ash, looking up to the darkening sky, “Let’s get outta here!”

  The trio leapt up into the air, at last freeing Ash. However, there was still something left to do. “Hey, Talonflame!” Ash called down. “How about we put this thing in the ground?”

  Seeing that their trainer had been freed, Talonflame nodded eagerly and rocketed up from their position in the now-crumpled forehead of Ultimeowth. The Scorching Pokemon flew up higher and higher into the air until it decided its height was enough. Glaring down at Ultimeowth and surrounding itself in its’ brilliant white flames, Talonflame descended upon the robot, crashing into it with a Flare Blitz and sending it careening back down into the ground with a thunderous crash.

  …

  Team Rocket awoke to the feeling of aching heads and stiff backs.

  “Oi vey,” Whined Meowth, rubbing his head, “I feel like I got hit by a truck, and there’s no Mew underneath to speak of!”

  Jessie growled irritably, fury practically seeping from her voice. “You think you have it bad?! Just look at my hair!” Jessie’s aforementioned hair had lost its normal point and curl, now sprawling out in all directions as a fuzzy mess.

  James woke up next, rubbing a large bump on his forehead. “Ugh, I had the most terrible dream. My ex-fiance Jessiebelle was there, and she chased me around with a whip for hour-” James saw Jessie and yelped, due to his ex-fiance and Team Rocket partner’s near-identical appearance. “OH MY ARCEUS, IT’S REAL!” He shuffled over to the corner of the pilot room, holding up his arms to shield himself from his living nightmare. “STAY AWAY, YOU MADWOMAN! I’D SOONER EAT GROWLIE THAN MARRY A PSYCHOPATH LIKE YOU!”

  Jessie took it upon herself to give James a second bump on his head. “For once in your life, James, stop being an idiot.”

  Meowth suddenly let out a scream and pointed to the roof of the cabin. “W-w-what the heck happened to Ultimeowth’s head?!”

  Jessie followed Meowth’s gaze and found that the roof of the piloting bay was caved in. Jessie whistled. “Sheesh, and I thought my head had quite the bump, but poor Ultimeowth got it the worst.” She blinked in realization. “Wait...Ultimeowth?! Meowth, where are we?!”

  Meowth hopped onto James’s chair and checked the various screens for their location. “The GPS is broken,” Replied Meowth, “But we’ve landed...what could that mean?”

  James leapt back up onto his feet. “Wait, if we’ve already landed, then that means…!”

  Meowth and Jessie’s eyes shot open once they caught onto what James meant. “WE’VE ALREADY ARRIVED AT THE BOSS’S BASE!”

  The Team Rocket Trio quickly hopped back into their seats and rapidly pressed the keyboard’s buttons, making Ultimeowth hop back onto its feet and pump its arms into the air. “Why hello!” The three of them called out using the intercom. “We’re sorry to keep you waiting, Boooo-ohhhhhhhh…”

  Upon jumping back to their feet, the Team Rocket Trio realized that they weren’t exactly in the situation they’d hoped for. They were surrounded by Trainers and Pokemon, and none of them looked happy. They all wore scowls on their faces, directing them right at Team Rocket. Overhead, the colossal flock of Pokemon circled around, blacking out the night sky. They were completely surrounded on all angles, and as that dent on Ultimeowth’s forehead proved, far from invincible.

  “Gah!” Cried Meowth. “We ain’t stickin’ around here, no thanks! Prepare for lau-”

  James cut him off, shoving his arm in front of Meowth’s face. “Wait! Look down there!”

  James pointed down at the frontmost trainer, who was none other than their former prisoner, the chosen twerp Ash. He, along with every other trainer there, looked far from pleased. At Ash’s sides were his closest friends, such as Serena, Riley, Misty and more.

  “WHAT?!” Bellowed Jessie, knocking Meowth and James from their chairs. “How did the twerp escape?!”

  Alain stepped forward. If the other trainers looked annoyed, Alain looked absolutely pissed in comparison. “He had a little help,” Said Alain, “And we all aren’t exactly happy with having our last day before Necrozma shows up wasted by you.” His fierce glare could practically be felt by the Team Rocket Trio, especially with Alain’s Charizard mirroring its trainer’s expression. “I also don’t appreciate cheap shots.”

  Serena took a firm step toward them next with her hands placed on her hips. “Seriously, I knew you three weren’t the brightest, but I didn’t think you’d pull this kind of stunt at a time like this.”

  Riley went next, looking absolutely furious. “Do you imbeciles not know what’s at stake?! If Necrozma wins, everyone dies!” He shook his head. “As an Aura Guardian, I was trained to love and respect all living things…” His Aura flared up in his eyes, making it look as if they were genuinely set aflame. “But that does not extend to those who don’t!”

  “It’s no use talking to a buncha morons like them,” Said Gary, “It’s probably for the best that we don’t waste any more time and send these chumps packing.”

  Ash nodded and stepped toward Ultimeowth as well. “A few years ago, I wouldn’t have ever said this, but…” Ash cracked his knuckles, and all of his Pokemon growled at Ultimeowth threateningly. “I think you’re right, Gary.”

  The Team Rocket Trio made Ultimeowth leap back in fright and bow to Ash on its’ hands and knees. “Wait, wait, wait!” Protested James. “We’re terribly sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused, honestly!”

  “Yeah,” Added Jessie, “And what’s more, I think we have a proposition you can’t refuse!”

  “If you forgive us, we’ll happily help you twer- I mean, guys fight against that nasty Necrozma!” Chirped Meowth. “So, whaddya say, old chums? It’s the last day before the end of the world after all, so how about we let bygones be bygones?”

  “Yeah, not happening,” Snapped Ash harshly.

  Inside Ultimeowth’s pilot room, Jessie slammed Meowth out of his seat and took over the controls. “Fine, then! If you want to be troublesome…” She raised Ultimeowth’s arm into the air threateningly. “I’ll just have to crush you all and take back the chosen twerp myself-”

  A streak of blue light tore through Ultimeowth’s arm suddenly, knocking the robot over and eliciting a surprised yelp from Jessie. The arm crashed to the ground with a thud, forcing everyone nearby to shield their eyes from the resulting dust, and sparked at the severed area for a moment before going dead completely.

  “What the-?!” Cried Alain. “What was that?!”

  Riley pointed up into the sky. “Up there!”

  Upon tracing where Riley was pointing, Ash and the others saw something coated in a brilliant, deep blue light, and it was moving back toward them at incredible speeds. The blue light dispersed suddenly, revealing a Pokemon. It appeared similar to a bird, yet also different. Most of its body was blue, save for a white stripe on its back that coated the entirety of its head and neck. Its wings looked similar to those of a jet’s and had two jagged fin-like structures jutting out from the back of its underside.

  “Wait a sec,” Said Ash, recognizing the Pokemon, “That’s a Latios!”

  “There’s someone on top of it! Serena pointed out.

  Ash looked at her in disbelief for a second, but upon looking back up at the supersonic Pokemon, he found that there was, in fact, someone clad in dark clothing riding atop Latios. The person stood onto their feet, smirking down at those below. The Latios swerved down toward them suddenly, zooming by and leaving its rider behind, who was crouched over on the ground. The figure slowly rose back to their feet, allowing Ash to get a better look at him. The chosen one’s eyes shot open once he realized who it was.

  “You’re-!”

  Latios’s rider was a tall man with wavy, grayish-blue hair that draped over one of his light green eyes. He wore a long, crimson, cape-like coat that draped over all of his body except for his thick, black boots. He smiled as if he were greeting an old friend, but his gaze also carried a certain fearsomeness to it that told Ash he had seen many battles and was more than willing to see many more.

  “Tobias!”

  “Indeed,” Said the man, now identified as Tobias, “I see my reputation precedes me.” He turned down to Ash with a smile that the aforementioned young trainer couldn’t tell was genuine or not. “How do you do, O’ Chosen One?”

  “Hold on,” Said Serena, “You’re Tobias?!” Now she remembered the name. That powerful trainer from the school in the woods with the Sandslash said he was soundly defeated by this Tobias guy, and since that trainer defeated Ash’s Noivern...just how powerful of a trainer was he?

  Tobias raised his arm and bowed Serenas way. “That I am.” Turning back toward Ash, he said, “I must apologize for being so late, but my Pokemon have been acting quite erratic lately, and so it’s been quite difficult to travel. I can only assume the reason is this Necrozma.”

  “Well,” Ash said, shaking himself out of his stupor and offering a hand to Tobias, “It’s a pleasure to have you! When you and I battled back in Sinnoh, your Legendary Pokemon completely mopped the floor with me.”

  Gary’s eyes shot wide open. “Hold on a sec, did Ash just say this guy had Legendary Pokemon?!”

  “Yeah,” Replied Brock with a nod, “I haven’t journeyed with Ash since Sinnoh, but from what I know, Tobias is the most powerful Trainer Ash has ever fought, and since he exclusively used Legendary Pokemon…” Brock’s eyes, somehow, narrowed even further. “...He might be the most powerful Trainer in the world.”

  Tobias accepted Ash’s hand, shaking it firmly before retracting it back to his side. “It’s a pleasure to be here,” He replied. “With my Legendary Pokemon, warding off Necrozma should be a relatively trivial matter.” His smile faded, and he turned toward the collapsed Ultimeowth next. “But first, I suppose I should dispose of these cretins.”

  “Tch,” Spat Jessie with a scowl. Raising Ultimeowth back onto its feet, she said, “I don’t know who you think you are, but all you did was get in a cheap shot! If you think you can match up to the power of Team Rocket, then- mmmph!” Jessie was pulled from her chair by James and Meowth, who covered her mouth before she could say anything even more idiotic.

  “Don’t you remember who that guy is?!” Hissed James.

  “He’s that Darkrai trainer that knocked the pants off the chosen twerp back in the day!” Meowth shrieked.

  Jessie’s face went blank for a second, then curled into an expression of horror once she recalled the man in question. Hopping back into her chair, she chirped, “What I meant to say was, er,” She faked a bright smile as best she could, and knew she wasn’t fooling anyone with the act, evidenced by her twitching eyebrow. Still, she continued on with the facade, choosing her next words very carefully. “That...um…oh to Distortion World with this! Come here, twerp!”

  She attempted to make a quick grab for Ash, and Tobias, in response, snapped his fingers. At the signal, Latios circled back around and tore through the robotic arm once more as if it were nothing more than sandpaper. “I may have just arrived,” Tobias said, reaching into his coat and pulling out five more Pokeballs, “But you’ve already managed to waste more than enough of my time.”

  He threw the Pokeballs up into the sky, releasing their contents in the form of a brilliant white glow that forced everyone to shield their eyes. Once the light faded, everyone who bore witness to the full might of Tobias’s team had their jaws dropped. There was, of course, Darkrai, Tobias’s signature Pokemon, as well as Latios floating next to him. Then came the ones nobody besides Tobias himself had ever seen before.

  The first was a quadrupedal Pokemon coated in a muddy red and shimmering silver coating. It had bright orange eyes similar in design to that, of a frog’s, carried some kind of metal armaments on each of its legs, as well as four grey toes on its feet that stretched out in a plus-sign formation. Its jaw was massive, and its teeth looked to be made of pure metal. This Pokemon was the Lava Dome Pokemon, Heatran.

  The second was a Pokemon with a swan-like body. It was light blue on its sides, but a light yellow stripe ran up the bottom of its chest and stretched out to its neck and head. It had two shimmering pink winks on its sides and one more curled around its back. It had no feet, but instead two tiny, dark pink arms at its front. Curled around the Pokemon’s head was a yellow growth that looked similar to the shape of a crescent moon. This was the Lunar Pokemon, Cresselia.

  The third of Tobias’s previously-unseen Pokemon was anthropomorphic, almost human-looking in terms of shape. It had what appeared to be a black dress on, with a green stripe on its abdomen, and white legs poked out from the bottom of the dress. The Pokemon possessed no feet on its legs nor fingers on its black, music note-shaped hands. Its head was large compared to the rest of its small, thin-looking body. It had green, wavy hair that looked almost like sheet music. The right side of the Pokemon’s head looked almost as if it were wearing a microphone. This was the Melody Pokemon, Meloetta.

  The last of Tobias’s Pokemon looked similar to Heatran. It was quadrupedal and mostly had red coloring on its body. However, it stood taller than Heatran, and its hind legs were smaller than its front ones. It had a pointed yellow mandible for the underside of its jaw, along with two yellow diamond-shaped growths with a thin black stripe running halfway through each on the front of its chest. Its feet were large and cylindrical, with three pointed, yellow claws at their fronts. The majority of its body was egg-shaped, and it had a tail running off its backside. On its back, a large, pipe-like structure curled around into a u-shape. The pipe had six blue lines, along with six cyan blue circles lining it. At the top of the pipe were four yellow growths that seemed to hold the pipe together. Its head vaguely resembled that of a cat’s, with its ears jagged-looking and pointed outward diagonally. It also had what appeared to be yellow eyebrows, though there wasn’t an inch of hair or fur on the Pokemon’s body, and its eyes were bright blue. It was the Steam Pokemon, Volcanion.

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Gary exclaimed.

  “I’m afraid not,” Tobias said, facing away from him. “Now then...you three called yourselves Team Rocket, yes? I’d say it’s high time you lot were sent flying.” Tobias raised an arm to the sky. His team of Legendary Pokemon positioned themselves for battle, tensing up as they awaited their trainer’s orders. “Now, then,” He said, a devious smirk appearing on his face, “Fire at will.”

  Team Rocket scarcely had the time to scream before Ultimeowth was assaulted with a barrage of attacks from Tobias’s team of Legendary Pokemon. In a matter of seconds, the once-mighty robot thought to be invulnerable was reduced to burning scrap metal, and the trio inside, were launched into the sky.

  “Grrrr!” Fumed Jessie. “We were so close to winning!”

  “And we would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for those meddling Legendary Pokemon,” Said Meowth with a long-winded sigh.

  “Erm, I hate to add salt to the wound, but…” James trailed off, pulling out a rectangular device with a screen on it about the size of James’s head. James himself looked sick, turning pale. “We have a call from the Boss!”

  Jessie and Meowth’s eyes shot open. “THE BOSS?!”

  The screen on the device seemed to answer the Team Rocket Boss’s call on its own, and the shadowed figure of Giovanni himself appeared. The trio stifled a yelp and quickly bowed before their leader. “Hello, Boss!” The three cried in usison. “To what do we owe the pleasure of-”

  “Save it,” Hissed Giovanni, making the trio freeze up. “Anyways, I see the three of you have been defeated.”

  “We’re sorry, Boss!” The Trio Cried.

  Giovanni waved them off. “It is of no concern.”

  “Wait,” Said Meowth, “Really?”

  “But what about the mission?” Asked Jessie.

  “Yeah, and what about Ultimeowth?” James asked. “You said it was the pinnacle of Team Rocket’s technology! You’re...not angry about losing it?”

  “Of course not,” Snapped the Boss, “That thing was never even close to the real potential of Team Rocket’s technological might. What I gave you is middle of the line, scrap metal in comparison to what I truly have in my arsenal.” He leaned back into his chair, letting out a long-winded exhale. “Of course, you were never even piloting it to begin with, so I can’t quite blame you either.”

  Jessie blinked in confusion. “Wait, what do you mean?”

  “I mean exactly what I said,” Replied Giovanni. “You were never controlling that machine at all. I was. Knowing your track record, I would never trust the likes of you with such technology, even if it is subpar in the long run. I simply had you three act as pilots and, more importantly, scapegoats in case I failed.”

  “I don’t understand, sir,” James said, “I understand that we’re...not exactly the greatest at our jobs, so why choose us to participate in the mission, then?”

  Giovanni leaned forward, clasping his gloved hands together. “It’s quite simple. My target was that boy, Ash, and you three happen to always be following wherever he goes. You may be inept when it comes to actual assignments, but your travels have gifted me with knowledge of the world’s regions and Pokemon.” The screen changed, now showing the various exploits of the Team Rocket Trio, such as them running from the disappearing city of Alamos and assisting Ash at the Orange Islands to stop the three Elemental Birds from fighting.

  “I chose you,” Giovanni said, “Because you know that boy better than any other member of Team Rocket. If I wanted to capture him, my best bet was pretending it was you three after him instead of me. That way, should you, or rather I, be defeated, then neither he nor anyone else would question it. It would practically be any other day of the week for him.”

  Though it hurt their pride to know their leader only valued them as scapegoats, the Trio couldn’t see any flaws in his reasoning, save for one.

  “Alright,” Said Meowth, “But how come you’re not upset about...erm…”

  “Failing?” Giovanni finished for Mewoth, earning a hesitant nod from the feline Pokemon. “To be honest, I didn’t really care either way. If I had succeeded in capturing the boy, then that’s just another asset, I suppose.” The screen changed back to Giovanni’s shadowed figure, who now leaned back into his seat with one leg perched on top of the other. “If I lost, then it’s not a terrible blow. I have my doubts that the Legends would simply surrender themselves because of one human boy, Chosen One or not, as you three were led to believe.”

  Giovanni shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a moment. “Er, on another note, how exactly did you three make that projection appear?”

  The Team Rocket Trio looked at one another in confusion. “What do you mean?” Asked Meowth. “You were controlling it, weren’t you?”

  “I programmed no such thing into that machine,” Giovanni replied, leaning toward the camera. “How in the name of...never mind.” He sat back in his chair with an exasperated sigh. “Back to the point, capturing that boy was never a true priority for me. Besides, it wasn’t even my order.”

  “Not...your order?” Asked James. “Then, whose was it?”

  “It’s nothing,” The Team Rocket Boss replied quickly, “I’ve said too much already. I want you three to return to headquarters as soon as possible. We’ll all be retreating to an underground shelter before Necrozma arrives.”

  Meowth furled his eyebrows. “Shouldn’t we...help fight Necrozma? If he wins, then-”

  “He won’t,” Snapped Giovanni, “That, I know for certain.”

  Giovanni shut off the communications, and the device James was holding let out a spark and died. The Team Rocket Trio looked at one another blankly, unsure how to process that whole conversation, so they did what they normally did in a situation like this.

  “WE’RE BLASTING OFF AGAIIIIIN!”

  Ding!

  …

  It took Ash and the others about an hour to return back to Goldenrod City. With the looming threat of Necrozma mere hours away, everyone simply wanted to spend what could be their last moments with their loved ones. The city was quiet. Deafeningly so. There was such an air of choking dread that hardly anyone dared to speak. There was the occasional conversation between Ash and his friends, but they only lasted a minute or two before dying down.

  As the group arrived at their tents, Tobias told Ash he was leaving until Necrozma’s arrival. He said that his Pokemon were becoming uneasy, as if something was calling to them. Upon releasing his Pokemon from their Pokeballs, his team of Legendary Pokemon gave their trainer one last look of uncertainty. Tobias told them that if there was something they needed to do, they should just do it. He gave them one last smile and thanked them for the journey he’d gone on with their help, and that once what they needed to do was done, that he would always welcome them back. Tobias’s Pokemon nodded to their trainer and flew up into the sky before disappearing in a flash of light.

  Ash ended up meeting with Paul on his way back to his tent and asked him if he was alright. Even someone like Paul must be terrified out of his mind at the threat of complete annihilation after all. Paul simply said that Ash should worry more about himself, being the Chosen One and all. Though Paul didn’t outright say it, Ash knew that what Paul meant by that was far more than what he said. He wished Paul good luck for tomorrow, then headed back toward his tent.

  On his way back to his tent, Ash talked with his friends in their tents, telling them that everything would end up alright, to try and put their minds at ease. In truth, Ash himself didn’t know that. It wasn’t as if he himself had any real power. He was just a figurehead to be used in Arceus’s stead, and only Arceus had the power to stave Necrozma off.

  Upon reaching his tent, he found all of his Pokemon waiting for him, along with Riley and Serena. Riley told Ash he could sense his doubt and fear. When Ash admitted it, Riley followed suit. He told Ash that he was utterly terrified of tomorrow in all honesty. He also told Ash that he believed in him. Arceus chose him, sure, but Ash was Riley’s pupil, and while they hadn’t travelled together for long, that time they spent together meant the world to him. He believed in Ash not because he was Arceus’s chosen one, but because he was a dear friend. He also said Lucario felt the same way. With that, Riley and Lucario walked back to their tent to retire for what could be their last night.

  When Ash turned to Serena, next, she had tears in her eyes and was trembling. She told Ash that she was scared. So much so that she could hardly breathe. She’d been able to hold that fear back all day, putting it out of her mind due to Ash’s capture, but now she could no longer hold it back. She told Ash that the solemn air that hung over Goldenrod City was choking. Ash embraced her, telling her that everything would be all right in the end. Serena knew Ash was lying, but the sentiment was at least appreciated. She asked Ash if she could sleep with him tonight. How could Ash refuse?

  Ash, however, did not sleep in his tent. He instead went out to his Pokemon and laid down on the soft grass in the middle of them all. Serena joined him, holding Ash in a tight embrace. Ash’s Pokemon huddled together around their trainer. To them, there was nowhere else they’d rather be. It didn’t take long for Serena and Ash’s Pokemon to fall asleep, but Ash himself had trouble. He got up, carefully stepping in between his Pokemon to not wake them, but noticed Noivern was awake as well. He smiled down at Noivern, and ushered the Pokemon to follow him.

  Zero, who had been resting beside her new friend Hydreigon, had been avoiding Ash ever since she rescued him from Team Rocket. She knew she shouldn’t, and that every second with Ash was more precious than any kind of gem. Especially at a time like this. However, she couldn’t bring herself to actually go to his side because of Ryder’s words that still lingered endlessly in her mind even now.

  “You don’t have much time left, Project Zero. Your mind will devolve until the only thing you can think about is destruction. You will destroy everything you’ve ever come to love, or you can come with me and become the weapon you were always meant to be. Those are your only options.”

  Zero grasped at her head, violently shaking her head. If she were to tell Ash now, it would only cause him more stress, which was the last thing he needed at a time like this. If Zero told him...about her fate...then he would obviously do anything to stop it...but right now, the world itself was in danger, and her own personal worries meant nothing in comparison. If they defeated Necrozma...no...when they defeated Necrozma, she would tell him. She would make sure of that, no matter what.

  Serena awoke to find that Ash was missing. She looked around for him, but couldn’t find him. Pikachu noticed this as well and pulled at her pajama leg. Braixen appeared from her Pokeball, insisting that she accompany them. Serena nodded and placed Pikachu atop her shoulder, carefully stepped past Ash’s Pokemon, looking around the site but finding no sign of him.

  Pikachu hopped off her shoulder, urging Serena and Braixen to follow. The three of them ran through a forest until finding a clearing. It was a hilltop that overlooked the entirety of Goldenrod City. Serena’s eyes glistened in awe at the view, but then she noticed Ash. She ran up to him until she realized what he was doing. Ash and Noivern stood, overlooking the city with a Pokeball in his hand. The Pokeball of Hawlucha.

  Noivern was letting tears flow freely, dripping onto the grass beneath. Ash put a hand on Noivern’s shoulder, attempting to soothe them. He then wrapped his arm around his Pokemon’s shoulder, embracing them. However, he could not do the same for himself. Ash clenched the Pokeball in his hands as he tried with all his might to hold back his own tears, but they squeezed right on through anyway. He couldn’t help it.

  Serena raced up to Ash, enveloping him in a deep hug. Ash had spent their entire journey together helping her and consoling her. Now, she returned the favor. She gently caressed his hair as he sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. Once Ash’s tears finally died down, he looked back at Hawlucha’s Pokeball once more, holding it up to the light of Goldenrod City.

  “Will...you bury it?” Serena tentatively asked.

  Ash shook his head. “No...not yet.” His grip on the Pokeball increased, straining the metal. “Not until Hawlucha is avenged.”

  Serena looked down at the grass, letting out a deep exhale. She fiddled with her fingers uncomfortably, and her face flushed up as she decided what she was going to do next. She tapped on Ash’s shoulder, and before he could say anything, she planted her lips firmly into his. His eyes widened in shock...but he didn’t pull away.