FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

This story is a co-effort, cooked up and souped up by the combined efforts of myself and my good friend and fellow Pokémon fan, Ios BloodBlade. Neither of us own rights to Pokémon franchise such as Pikachu, Ash Ketchum, and others. However, I (Lionauthor) did create the characters Trent, Tirix, Wilstar, and Team Sol, as well as many Pokémon in this story. Ios BloodBlade is responsible for the storyline and the creation of the Pokémon anthropomorphs. That said, this is really his story, which I simply helped improve upon and tossed ideas into. So comments should really go to him, not to me.

* * *

Trent waited at the docks anxiously for his boat ride. He had received an email from the Ultimate Pokémon Stadium, where he was told the World's Most Powerful Trainer wanted to battle with him. The stadium was located on Emerald Island, a good distance away, and Trent was hoping to leave as soon as possible so he could arrive early.

His Pokémon, and secret mate, Tirix the Lucario, stood at his shoulder, looking out over the sea in an effort to spot their ship. He too wanted to get going and arrive at Emerald Island. The island wasn't that far away from Indir Island, a place of great memories. It was there that Trent had captured several new Pokémon, and saved the world twice.

Trent's legs were getting tired, and he was just about to sit down, when a voice suddenly said, "Trent? No way!" Both Trent and Tirix turned to see a familiar face under a red-and-black ball cap. A Pikachu stood on the new arrival's shoulder, smiling widely. "Pi-ka-chu!" the little Pokémon said happily.

"Ash!" Trent cried out, and held out a hand to his old acquaintance from Hoenn, who shook it warmly. "Good to see you again! Taking a trip through Sinnoh?" Ash nodded. "Yep, and I'm seeing all kinds of new Pokémon." Brock, another familiar face, stepped forward and also shook hands. "Long time, no see. Tirix looks great. Oh, Trent, I don't think you know Dawn, do you?"

Trent now focused on the third person in the party, a girl who looked to be around 10 years old dressed in a black top with a pink skirt, pink boots, black socks, a rose scarf, and a white knit cap. Dawn stepped forward and shook hands with Trent. "Hi. Ash and Brock told me about you. From the sound of things, you're quite a hero."

"Thanks. Hey, Ash, have you got any new Pokémon?" "Yep. Okay, everyone, come on out!" Ash threw his Poké-balls into the air, releasing a Gliscor, Grotle, Buizel, and Monferno. Trent's eyes widened. "That... is very cool." He grinned and drew his own Poké-balls, releasing an impressive display of Kiai, his Umrai, Turrel the Minké, Ferron, his Thundrwolf, Aria the Waivwolf, Chopper the Combusken, Phyle the Psyduck, Vivo the Sincain, Tilly the Thermeon, and Zag the Zulkross. Some of them had been taken from Trent and Ash's enemy, a violet-eyed youth named Wilstar, while others he had caught.

Ash looked at the collection, eyes wide. "Now that's impressive. You've been busy! Anyway, what brings you here?" Trent responded by telling Ash about the email he had received. When he finished, Ash smiled. "Well, I got the same message, and I'm on my way to Emerald Island, too! I guess we'll be facing each other in battle."

The friends then sat down and began discussing their adventures, Trent recalling his encounter with Levithan, a legendary Pokémon from the waters of Chaging Sea. Ash, meanwhile, also had many things to tell of, including a run-in with the legendary Pokémon Giratina, Palkia, and Dialga, which Trent listened to with great interest. Tirix joined in the conversation as well, using his ability to speak English for the benefit of Dawn, Ash, and Brock, as Trent had been given the ability to understand the language of Pokémon by the legendary Pokémon Equiox during one of his adventures.

Just as Ash was in the middle of telling about his first Sinnoh Gym Battle, they heard the sound of a ferry foghorn, and one of the lodge attendants announced, "The ferry for Emerald Island is now ready for boarding. Passengers, please have your luggage and tickets ready." At the sight of the beautiful female attendant, Brock's cheeks flushed, and he got a familiar look of elation. Trent could tell he was about to start off on one of his cheesy lines when Dawn suddenly grabbed him by the ear. "Don't even think about it."

Laughing, Trent and Ash recalled their Pokémon to their Poké-balls, all but Tirix and Pikachu who never traveled in theirs. Releasing Brock's ear but keeping ready to grab it again, Dawn straightened her skirt and grabbed her backpack. Brock rubbed his sore earlobe but said nothing. Together, they all went over to the attendant and showed their tickets.

"Thank you," the attendant said, "and have a nice voyage!" "Thanks!" Dawn said quickly, dragging Brock past the booth and towards the waiting ferry.

The ship itself was of moderate size, larger than a fishing boat but nowhere near as large as a cruise liner. There were several cabins, and the four friends quickly claimed a room with three bunk beds for their own. Trent and Tirix planted themselves in one bunk, Brock and Ash on another, and Dawn took the last for her own.

"So Trent," Dawn said casually, "are you and Tirix partners like Ash and Pikachu, or does he just not like traveling in a Poké-ball? I mean, since it seems like he's always outside, I was just wondering..." Trent and Tirix gave each other a momentary glance, unsure of how to respond. Then Trent said, "Tirix is more than my Pokémon; he's my friend, and you don't keep friends inside of a ball all the time." Dawn nodded in understanding. "Makes sense to me!"

Ash met Trent's eye and winked at him, and Trent responded with a grin. Among humans, Ash was the only person who knew that Trent and Tirix were really mates, not just friends. He had discovered it during their first adventure on Indir, and had made a solemn vow never to share their secret with anyone. Trent was grateful that he had a friend like Ash, who wouldn't betray his secrets to others.

And there are a lot of people who would do anything to get to me, Trent thought, Wilstar among them. He shuddered, just the thought of the violet-eyed youth bringing back painful memories. He had crossed Wilstar's path many times; the first time on Indir Island, where he had thwarted a plan to exploit the incredible powers of the legendary Pokémon Eisor; and once more on Indir's sister island, Vimo Isle, where he had narrowly prevented Wilstar's foolish plan to capture the three Behemoths (Quazinar, Gathovaz, and Medoxin) from resulting in the awakening of the legendary Levithan and the world's destruction. But though Wilstar had been stopped, he always managed to get away, and now who knew what he was planning? A mind like Wilstar's could never stop plotting. It's in his blood, and that will never change.

"All set to cast off," the Captain yelled, and with that, the boat pulled away from the dock, and the trainers were on their way...

For many hours, all was smooth sailing. The sky was clear, the air was fresh, and the sea was smooth. But then, the sky began to darken in the distance. The Captain knew what that meant; a storm was brewing, and the boat containing 4 Trainers and their Pokémon was beginning to be jostled by the slowly-growing waves. The ship was not built for handling weather as rough as the dark sky promised. The captain knew the limits of the vessel well, and the brooding sky worried him, but he was determined to bring his passengers safely to their destination.

Down under the decks, the four passengers and their Pokémon partners sat talking to each other. Dawn was busy helping Brock get dinner ready. Ash and Pikachu were busy talking to Trent and Tirix. But soon, their talk grew less festive as they felt the storm begin to rock the ship. As the boat began to rock more fiercely, the group exchanged glances of worry. Could the tiny vessel really stand up to the might of the sea? They surely hoped so, as their lives depended on it. Thunder began to rumble, and Pikachu hunkered down on Ash's shoulder, growing increasingly nervous. Then, the rocking grew a little less, though the sounds of thunder still rumbled overhead.

* * *

"James, pedal faster!" Jessie yelled, picking up her own pace as she pumped the drive pedals of their Magikarp submarine like a woman possessed. Behind her, James and Meowth panted and groaned, lacking the zeal (or was it the insanity?) of their female compatriot. Meowth in particular was starting to feel the strain.

"Why can't we just get some real engines on dis ting?" the cat Pokémon complained. "It'd sure be a lot faster dan just ped'lin'. My legs ah gettin' tired." "Jessie, Meowth's got a point. Why do we still have this old pile of junk instead of one of the newer models of subs? Or even just get a motor to drive this thing instead of us pedaling it all of the time."

Jessie turned to look at them both, eyes flaming. "If you don't pipe down, I'll give you something to whine about!!!" she shouted. "Now get pedaling! We can't lose the twerps now!"

The sub suddenly stopped as if it had struck a rock. But what was on the other side of the viewport was no rock. A pale body had curled around the sub, and was now immobilizing it in its coils.

"Hey, get off!" Jessie yelled, hitting a yellow button. A current of electricity ran out of the sub and into the Pokémon wrapped around it. They heard a cry of pain, and the curls unwrapped.

James looked out of the window to see a Pokémon more beautiful than any he had ever laid eyes on. In shape it was like a Milotic, and was the same basic color. Two straight violet antennae trailed behind its head, molding into eyebrows further down, with a long spike striped blue projecting back from its head. Three blue jewels and one large green one were set in its forehead, and small magenta orbs sat at the base of its jawline. Fins like feathers, blue with a magenta stripe on their leading edge, fanned outwards near the base of its neck, with flippers further down. Its tail was very similar in shape to Milotic's, composed of several separate fins, the outermost ones yellow with pale violet centers, the innermost ones deep blue, and the segments in between a beautiful cerulean.

Under good circumstances, James was sure that this Pokémon would rival even Milotic in beauty, but now the only thing he saw in this creature's eyes was rage. Its eyes flashed and narrowed, and it flared its fins in a display that no doubt signaled aggression.

"Um, Jessie, I don't think you should have done that," he said worriedly. Jessie looked out through the periscope, suddenly crying out as she saw the Pokémon. But she cried out in infatuation, not fear. "Oh, how beautiful! I need to have that Pokémon, a beautiful creature for a beautiful me!"

"Uh, Jessie," Meowth said in a quavering voice, "I tink you can just put away all dose ideas, 'cause we're about ta blast off!"

The Pokémon, a young Durimeer, reared back its head and howled in anger before launching a devastating Whirlpool Attack that surrounded the sub in a cyclone of water. Team Rocket spun faster and faster, their faces turning green, and then a sudden Dragon Pulse Attack caused a massive explosion, sending the crooks flying with an all-too-familiar "We're blasting off agaaaaaain!"

* * *

The Captain entered their quarters, accompanied by his Pokémon, a species native to Vimo Island called a Gryteron, a small Dragon-type Pokémon. In shape, it was like a lizard, pale in color, with a large golden crest on its head that extended upwards and curved a bit forward. Its feet had two digits each, and its long tail ended in a vaguely heart-shaped tip.

"Is dinner ready, Brock?" the Captain asked. Brock smiled and pointed to the bubbling soup pot. "It will be in a few minutes." "All right!" The other three Trainers shouted. Brock's cooking was worthy of restaurants, and those who tasted it never forgot.

"Captain," Dawn asked worriedly, "are we out of the storm yet?" The old sailor nodded. "It's behind us now, and we should be able to reach the Blazestone Isles before daybreak." The Gryteron barked in agreement, its little tail wagging. Dawn smiled. "That's great! Now, let's eat!"

As always, Brock's cooking was superb, and everyone had seconds or even thirds! "Much better than most boatfare," the Captain had remarked with a laugh, and the rest of them had chuckled in return. After dinner, the kids suddenly felt very sleepy, as one does sometimes after a large meal, and went to bed. Dawn climbed in one of the three bunk beds in their cabin, Brock and Ash took the second, and Trent and Tirix slept in the third, the Lucario opting to sleep curled up on Trent's legs.

When they awoke, sunlight streamed in through the porthole. The sky seen through the glass was a beautiful blue, and when Trent looked out, he saw no sign of any clouds. Then he saw the trees and the beach, and thought, Wait a moment. If there's trees out there, we must have reached land!

Land they had reached indeed, but there was no sign of any dock or port, and strangest of all, no sign of the captain. A fair sandy beach stretched beyond their line of sight, a thick jungle beginning suddenly a little over 200 feet from the shore. It was altogether a beautiful place, but not one they recognized, and certainly nothing like the Blazestone Islands pictured in Brock's guidebook. "Where are we?" Ash wondered aloud, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

* * *

On a cliff far above the islands' jungle, two beings watched as a trio of less-than-cheerful beings emerged from the ruins of what had once been a Magikarp submarine. They looked over the two humans and the Meowth with a trained eye, evaluating them carefully. Their powers of observation and the ability of one of them to sense the thoughts and intentions of others quickly deduced who they were. "Team Rocket members Jessie, James, and Meowth. Certainly not ones to make the Good Guy List, crooks that they are." He looked further down to see a tug boat stranded on the shore, four humans and two Pokémon walking around nearby. "Hmmmm. Ash, Trent, Tirix, Dawn, Pikachu, and Brock. What brings you to my island, I wonder?"

The being who had just spoken retrieved a blue cloak from within the cave behind him and slipped it on, concealing his less-than-normal form beneath its folds. Casting a glance at his companion, he made a flying leap from the ledge and landed some 100 feet below with practiced grace, receiving only a slight jar from his landing. He leapt again, descending down the face of the cliff before landing in the jungle below. Getting a fix on the group, he quickly turned and headed in their direction.

* * *

"Well, looks like we're stuck here," said Brock, casting another glance at their beached boat. "No way are we moving this, and even if we do, we don't know how to drive it or where we need to go." Trent nodded. "I guess we'll just have to wait for someone to come looking for us. Strange that the boat radio didn't work, huh? I mean, it wasn't damaged, and there seemed to be a signal."

A sudden rustling in the jungle undergrowth was noticed only by Pikachu, whose tall ears twitched as they picked up the sound. He listened hard, swiveling his large auditory organs in an effort to detect the sound again. There! Another rustle, closer this time. Something was coming.

Curiosity overcame the little Pokémon, and he scampered over towards the jungle, his departure unnoticed. The yellow critter began sniffing at the bushes, searching for whatever had made the sound... and came nose-to-boot with the hooded figure. The Pokémon jumped and turned to run, but was stopped when he felt a strong hand grab his tail. Unable to fight, he cried out, "PIKA-CHU!"

Ash's head shot up as he heard the cry. "Pikachu? Where are you, buddy? PIKACHU!" "Guys, look!" Trent cried, pointing towards the jungle. They all turned to see a tall figure walking towards them, Pikachu suspended by the tail clutched in the stranger's hand and struggling to break free. As the being drew nearer, they realized that whoever it was, the figure was huge, around 10 feet tall. About ten feet from them, it stopped, gazing at them from beneath the hood of its robe, eyes flashing.

The "person" lifted the arm that held the struggling Pikachu, and they noticed that the being's skin was blue and... furry? "Is this your Pikachu?" the stranger said in a deep, unmistakably male voice and in Pokétongue. Tirix and Trent translated at the same time, the human having been given the ability to understand and speak Pokétongue by the legendary Pokémon Equiox during one of his adventures. Ash replied angrily, "Who are you?! Let Pikachu go, now!" The figure just cocked its head. "So it is yours?"

Pikachu tried a Thunderbolt attack, lightning sparking out from the sacs on its cheeks and running to the being's arm, electricity snaking out to coat the cloaked figure. But the bolts dissipated, leaving the being unharmed.

That's when Tirix noticed the "person's" hands and pointed at the back of the guy's hands where he had noticed something odd. "He's not human," the Pokémon said. "Look at his hands, the backs of them. Do you see them?" Trent looked, and gasped as he saw the iron spikes jutting from the stranger's hands. Instantly, he knew what they were. "Guys, look! On his hands! Those spines, that fur... It's a Lucario!"

Ash looked at Trent in surprise "What?!" "Look at his hands," said Tirix in English. "On the backs of them, you'll see what I mean." Ash took one look and saw the spines, gasping in amazement. "You're right, it is a Lucario! But... how?"

The being chuckled, throwing back his hood to reveal a Lucario's muzzle and face, but shorter and with smaller ears. It was clear that while he was truly a Lucario, there was something different about him. More surprises were in store as the new arrival spoke in English. "If you think I am a Lucario, then you are... half right."

The Trainers and their Pokémon gasped as they heard the being talking, and Tirix asked how the strange Lucario knew English. The being smiled and said, "I learned to speak the language of humans over three hundred years ago, when my love, and Trainer, and I were still together. I can see from your faces that you wish to know more. But the story of my life would take too long to tell, and time is short. Evil is rising up. But know that the time I speak of was when Trainers like you, those with kind hearts and a love of Pokémon, were far more numerous than they are now. But if you do not return to your time, I may not survive to speak with you. You will, most likely, be approached by my Trainer when you reach Emerald Island. Do not refuse his offer for help, as you will need it to find me. Now, it is time for you to go. Wake up."

As soon as they heard that, the six companions awoke and found themselves back on the boat. They looked at each other in surprise. "Did you all have the same dream I had?" Ash said softly. As one, the others nodded, hardly daring to believe it was true. But unlike many dreams, the memory of this one still hung heavy upon them.

It wasn't long before the Captain had pulled the ship up to the Emerald Island Dock. Remembering the words of the dream-Lucario, the group began looking around in search of the Trainer that he had mentioned. For a while, they could see no-one that looked likely to be the one they sought. Then, Tirix pointed and said, "There, by the water."

Turning, they saw the youth that Tirix had indicated. He looked to be right in between Ash and Trent's age, and seemed to radiate kindness like an aura. No doubt, this was the one they were looking for. "Hey!" Trent called, waving to the boy, who looked up and quickly spotted them. He smiled and waved back before making his way up towards them. "Welcome to Emerald Island," he said brightly as he made it. "Pretty cool place, huh? You must be here for the tournament!" Ash and Trent nodded, and the youth smiled. "Well, I just arrived on a boat like you, hoping for some good battling. But it's strange. No-one can get in to the Coliseum. It's all closed up! And on top of that, my Lucario, Sage is missing! Oh, my name's Terris, by the way."

Suddenly, a vessel looking very much like a pirate galleon pulled up to the dock. Quickly, four green-cloaked figures swung off the sides, mooring lines trailing behind them, and landed on the dock, quickly tying the ship off. Once secured, the gangplank came down to rest on solid ground, and a large group of beings wearing green cloaks descended from the ship, escorting someone who was completely hidden by their bodies. Curiosity consumed the Trainers as they tried to see who the emerald-robed figures were protecting, though their efforts were at first in vain. They followed the group to the gates of the Coliseum, wondering all the while. Then, when they reached the doors, the two figures at the front and those at the rear moved away to allow everyone to see the individual in question. It was a young man with snow-white hair and emerald green eyes which seemed to pierce the soul. He pulled a key from inside his emerald green uniform and unlocked the door, throwing it open to admit himself and all of those gathered.

As the trainers entered, they noticed that the beings in the procession were not the only ones in leaf-colored dress. People in similar cloaks were everywhere in the Coliseum, talking and patrolling about in groups of three or four. Though many of these little groups appeared isolated, other green-robed individuals were behind desks, handing out tickets to seats, food, and even getting information booths set up. It seemed that they formed the mainstay of the work force here.

The group that contained Terris, Trent, Ash, Dawn, and Brock suddenly felt someone watching them, and turned around to see an emerald-cloaked figure holding a crate that had "weapons" written on it standing right behind them. Ruby eyes flashed beneath the figure's cloak, sending chills through Ash's spine. "Do you need any help?" the hooded figure asked. Ash had tensed when the being had first started speaking, expecting a growling, dragonish tone, but the stranger's voice was in fact rather handsome-sounding, as if he were a young man in his mid-twenties.

The stranger looked them over again, a light suddenly dawning in his eyes. He smiled, and Ash glimpsed what looked like pointy canine teeth, which was slightly unnerving but not frightening. "Wait, you're Ash, Trent, and Terris, correct?" the being asked enthusiastically. The three mentioned Trainers nodded. "Yeah, we are. Who are you?" they asked in unison.

The person placed his crate down in a pile of similar boxes before turning back to them, still smiling. "I'm Scythe Scimitar, one of the strongmen of the Coliseum. But that's not important right now. What is important is that you need to get ready for your match if you don't want to be late. I'll take you to the Trainer's lockers. Follow me." With that, he turned and walked off at a brisk pace, which the others had to jog in order to keep up with.

As they were walking, they suddenly saw a man in an increasingly familiar emerald green uniform who appeared to be talking to a Lucario in English, which was surprising, and got even more so when the Pokémon talked back. As he looked at the Lucario, Ash noticed that the Pokémon seemed more familiar the more he looked at it. Then it dawned on him. The Lucario from our dream! That must be it!

Scythe walked up to the man and cleared his throat. "Sir, here are today's contestants." The man turned and smiled at Scythe, looking over the group with bright eyes. "Thanks, Scythe, for bringing them to me. As you know, you three, you are to have a battle today. But, since there's three of you and no clear choice as to who will go first, I've decided to put two of you together in a match. The winner of that match faces the last Trainer, and whoever wins that match will go on to fight me, the Pokémon Master General, in solo battle."

He turned to Terris, a smile on his face. "Oh, and I believe this is your Lucario?" "Sage!" Terris cried out, running over to embrace the Pokémon. "I was wondering where you wandered off to!"

The Master General laughed. "Sage is fine. Don't worry. I'm always willing to help any Pokémon, much like you are." Terris looked up in confusion. "How did you know that about me?" "Sage told me." The Trainers' eyes told Terris that Sage had told him much more than that, and Trent had a feeling he knew what that was. But, they also told him that this Trainer could be trusted to keep a secret.

The Master General smiled and clapped Trent and Ash on the shoulders. "Come on, I'll take you to the Battle Arena." With that, the Master General strode off through the crowds towards the entrance to the stadium.

As they drew nearer to the grand, high walls of their inevitable destination, the Trainers saw a band of the cloaked figures snap to attention as the General passed, arms raised in a respective salute. Eyes of many different colors, including red, gold, and pure black, gleamed beneath their hoods, giving them a creepy feeling. Finally, they reached a pair of double doors next to a stair case, and when they went through the doors, they saw a huge stadium surrounding them.

"Welcome to the Ultimate Pokémon Stadium," the Master General said. "It is here that you will do battle. If you'll wait a short while, we will be ready to begin." "Great!" Ash said with enthusiasm, a smile on his face. "We'll wait!"

Soon, people began to file in and take seats by the hundreds, as did many of the green-garbed figures. The Master General then entered the judge's box.

"This Pokémon Tournament will now begin!" he announced loudly. "This battle will be composed of two qualifying matches, and the winner of both will move on to face the Pokémon Master General in battle! First, Trent and Terris will go up against each other!"

"I wish we didn't have to wait to see the Master battle," Dawn said in disappointment. Her complaint was heard somehow over the clamoring of the crowd, and the General looked at her in amusement. "So, missy, you'd rather see me battle right away?" he asked, his question reverberating around the stadium as he had spoken into the microphone before him. Instantly, a loud roar of "YEAH!!!!!" rose from the crowd.

The General laughed and held up his hands. "Okay, okay. I can't resist such a loud affirmation. Ash, you're up first." With that, the General leapt into the arena and stepped into the trainer's box... where he just stood without moving. "What's he doing, Brock?" asked Dawn. "I... don't know. I wonder why he's standing there."

When Ash was standing in the Trainers' Circle at the other end, the General called out, "Are you ready, Ash?" In response, Ash grinned and held up a Poké-ball. "I sure am."

Drawing his first Poké-ball as well, the Master General called out, "Good. Then I choose-"

The General never got to finish his sentence, as a cloud of dust suddenly blasted into the arena, accompanied by an incredibly loud thumping noise. Everyone shielded their faces from the wind which tore through the stadium, flinging dirt everywhere. Hundreds of unsecured hats flew into the air, blown away by the gust. "What's... happening!!!" Dawn yelled as she held her own cap onto her head. "I... don't... know..." Brock responded, covering his mouth and nose with his shirt to keep from inhaling the dust.

The wind finally settled down some, and the cloud dispersed, leaving many of the audience brown with the coating they had received. But they quickly forgot all about their dirty clothes, as they saw the new arrival in the stadium.

Hovering over the ground was a dual-rotor helicopter, a brilliant yellow in color, but it reflected the light to such a degree that no-one could look at it for very long without turning their heads away from the glow that seemed to emanate from it. The aerial vehicle was incredibly large, bigger than a bus, and obviously designed to transport a large number of people. Looking at its color and light-reflecting qualities, Trent, Ash, and Brock got a sinking feeling that they knew who this chopper belonged to.

With a soft whoosh, one of the vehicle's side doors slid open, the black interior of the chopper standing out in stark contrast with its gleaming shell. For a moment, it was impossible to discern anything at all inside of the helicopter. Then, as their eyes grew accustomed to the change, the three friends saw the one person they had hoped never to see again.

In appearance, he was not overly threatening, a youth around seventeen years of age and only around five-foot-seven. But he radiated malice and evil like a foul stench. Dressed as he was in a blue dress shirt and black trousers, he looked to be well-off in money. His skin was pale, almost abnormally so, like one who had had the color drained from him. His face was perhaps the oldest part of him, with its scars and sharp lines, giving him an angry visage. His raven-black hair seemed to absorb the light, and beneath those locks gleamed eyes as violet as amethysts that gleamed with a harsh light, as if they were trying to destroy everything they saw merely with the power of their gaze.

Trent, Ash, and Brock shot to their feet, reaching for their Poké-balls. They knew this youth, knew him like one knows a fatal disease. Only one person they had met had those eyes and that face; Wilstar, a boy as arrogant and prideful as he was dangerous and cruel. But to their surprise, the Pokémon Master General seemed to know him as well. He glared up at the youth, eyes gleaming with anger. "Wilstar! I thought I told you that you were banished from here! We have no room for such dark souls as you. Now get out!"

Wilstar just smiled, a cold leering look that held no mirth, only disdain and cruelty. "Well, General," he said, spitting out the name like a curse, "that may be so. But I am not one who gives up easily, and I have unfinished business here. Now why don't you just calm down, and I can get what I came for and leave with minimal damage done."

"Hah!" the General responded. "If you think I'm about to just lay down my defenses and let a murderous beast like you root all around our Island, you hardly earn that reputation of brilliance that some have seen fit to bestow upon you. Last chance; get out, or you will be forcibly removed."

Wilstar chuckled coldly. "Always so hasty, General. It really doesn't suit you at all. Now I'm going to give you one last chance. Either lay down your weapons, or say good-bye to this precious stadium of yours. And don't think I'll wait for you to get everyone out of it, either."

The General shook a fist at the youth. "Never! Besides, you couldn't possibly accomplish all you threaten to do on your own." Wilstar grinned down at the General and snapped his fingers. Instantly, he was surrounded by yellow-robed figures, though their brilliant uniforms failed to divert the attention of the crowd from the boy they stood beside.

"As you can see, General, once again you have leapt to conclusions. I took the liberty of bringing along some friends of mine. This entire chopper is stocked with members of my generous benefactor group, Team Sol, as well as a wide variety of weapons that can easily reduce this lovely Coliseum of yours into dust." Wilstar folded his arms. "Now, I do believe the odds are in my favor."

Now it was the General's turn to smile. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Wilstar. Now, Team Emerald! Get rid of him!"

Suddenly, all of the cloaked figures stood and threw off their cloaks, to reveal... "Whoa, what are they, Brock?" asked Dawn. The trainer just shook his head, too shocked to speak. Someone else then provided the answer.

"We," said a voice from beside them, one that they recognized from earlier, "Are Pokémon anthros, or Humanoid Pokémon." Brock and Dawn both turned and gasped in amazement. The voice belonged to Scythe Scimitar, but instead of the handsome young man his voice reminded them of, Scythe was in fact an Absol anthro, his body covered in white fur, save for his black face, with a blade on each shoulder instead of one on his head. His eyes gleamed a brilliant ruby red, but held no malice or hate, making them seem as beautiful as gemstones.

The arena was filled with similar anthropomorphic Pokémon, including Lucario, Houndoom, Zangoose, and Raichu. All were impressive, but one stood out from the others: Captain Jolt Talion, a Mightyena anthro with an X-shaped marking on the top of his muzzle where it met with the space between his eyes. The nearby trainers jumped away in shock when Cpt. Talion removed his mask to reveal his visage. The Mightyena glared up at the youth in the helicopter, rage in his eyes.

Wilstar's eyes gleamed in recognition, like one who has just laid eyes on someone who once tried to plunge a knife in their gut. "Oh, look who we have here," he said haughtily. "Still up and about, Jolt? I haven't seen you since that time in Hoenn, back when you worked for Team Rocket. I must say, I'm surprised you're still whole after what happened the last time we met. Well, maybe it's time I rectify that."

Captain Talion growled up at Wilstar angrily, looking like he wanted to leap up and tear the insolent youth's head from his shoulders. Then, he seemed to relax a little, though he was still tense and ready for a fight. "My days as a Rocket are over, Wilstar. I have no grudge against them, either. You, on the other hand... I've still got the scars from our last encounter, and they still pain me, so I think it's about time I settle that score, once and for all."

"How utterly juvenile," Wilstar said. "Honestly, Talion, I expected better from you. A Pokémon with your reputation, reduced to such childish squabbles?"

Talion smiled up at Wilstar, revealing his pointed teeth. "Oh, but that squabble will end now. Are you going to fight, or just stand up there like a coward?"

Wilstar just sighed, drawing a Poké-ball. "If you insist on engaging in such petty actions as a battle, I see no reason to refuse. Starbrite, come on out." He tossed the ball into the air, and it opened in a flash, revealing a strange Pokémon. In shape, it was vaguely like a star, with an orb for a body core with spokes sticking out that were bent over, giving it a spiral-like appearance.

"Solar Beam," Wilstar said calmly, and the Pokémon glowed briefly before firing a blast of solar energy at Talion. The Mightyena responded by throwing up a Safeguard and defending both himself and those around him.

"Rapid Spin," Wilstar called, and Starbrite launched itself at Talion, spinning rapidly and transforming its spokes into spinning blades like those of a buzzsaw. Talion launched a Shadow Ball that connected with the incoming Pokémon, which stopped its rotations but did little damage.

"Pikachu, ThunderBolt!" Ash suddenly yelled, and a wave of lightning arched up to connect squarely with Starbrite. The Pokémon stiffened and gave a loud buzzing sound, electricity racing over its body. It tried to resist the force of the attack, but it did no good, and it was thrown back into the chopper next to Wilstar.

Wilstar wasted no time with any signs of disappointment, instead throwing another Poké-ball. "Skowl, show these mutants what power really is. Use Visioneer!"

The purple gas cloud that was Skowl appeared, its eight eyes glaring out at the world. Every one of them glowed an evil yellow, and suddenly Talion began looking around him frantically, as if surrounded by a large number of rapidly-moving foes. The Pokémon turned to look at Ash and Trent, and the two were suddenly bombarded with images of places, peoples, and times that they didn't know, rapidly appearing and changing before their eyes so that they didn't know where to look.

"Sage, Aura Sphere!" Terris yelled. "Skowl, Blinding Rage!" The images faded away as Skowl switched attacks. They saw Sage leap towards the Pokémon, an Aura Sphere forming in his hands, but suddenly twin beams of red light blasted from Skowl's largest eyes, striking the Lucario in the chest. Sage glowed for a moment, and then suddenly cried out, convulsing as he tried to fight the consuming anger that was welling up in him.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" Dawn yelled, throwing the Fire Pokémon's ball. The little Pokémon burst free and launched a stream of flames at Skowl. The Pokémon dodged, but at that same time ran into a ThunderBolt launched by Pikachu.

"Tirix, Aura Sphere!" Trent yelled. The Lucario leapt for Skowl, a ball of energy forming in between his hands. In seconds, it was fully charged, and he launched it at the purple Pokémon, striking it and sending it flying right into Wilstar, who was knocked to the ground.

Talion leapt to stand beside the Master General, and together they pointed at the chopper, crying out, "Now, Team Emerald. Fire!"

As one, the Anthros charged their various attacks and sent them flying, a barrage of Solar and Hyper Beams, Shadow Balls, Flamethrowers, Psybeams, and Aura Spheres streaking towards the helicopter. Wilstar took one look at the incoming onslaught and leapt from the door of the chopper, pulling a strap attached to his knapsack, which opened to reveal a pair of hang glider wings and a powerful engine, which quickly got him away from the doomed vessel. The members of Team Sol also leapt free, but without any wings, they simply plummeted to the ground, and not a moment too soon.

The attacks connected with the helicopter, which promptly exploded in a storm of fire, reducing metal to dust. Flying debris was deflected by Safeguards thrown up by the anthros. When the flames cleared, the chopper was completely disintegrated, no-one was hurt, and the Team Sol members were being lead away.

"Well," Talion observed, "that was certainly impressive." The General nodded. "Indeed."

With that, he turned to the crowd. "Apologies for the delay, ladies and gentlemen, and thanks to those who helped get rid of those intruders. Now, how about a BATTLE!" Instantly, the stadium erupted in cheers. Ash grinned and stepped into his Trainer's box, the General getting into his own.

"Ash," the General called, "you choose first." "Okay! Then my first Pokémon is...

* * *

"Oooh, where are we?" Jessie moaned, as she dragged herself along the rocky shoreline. "I hope it's somewhere with a nice hot spring, because I need to relax. What was that Pokémon, anyway?"

"Dat was a Durimeer," Meowth said, rubbing the rather large bump on his head. "Part Water-type Pokémon, so you shockin' it hurt, but it's also part Dragon, so it's stronger against electric than a full Water type. What that shocking business really did was just make it mad."

"Wait!" James yelled. "I know where we are! We're on Emerald Island!" He ran ahead, laughing like a kid reunited with a toy that had been lost. "This is the site of the Pokémon Ultimate Coliseum, the home of the world's greatest Pokémon Master, the Master General!"

Jessie grinned, a new fire in her eyes. "If the greatest master lives here, you can bet there'll be some pretty awesome Pokémon to steal, too."

"Right!" Meowth said. "Now let's get a plan together."

James walked back to his two friends, looking a little worried. "Jessie, Meowth, if you're thinking of stealing from the Master general, I wouldn't. His Pokémon are the strongest in the world."

"Oh, fiddlesticks!" Jessie stood, her eyes blazing. "We're Team Rocket! Now, let's go grab some Pokémon!"

"Okay," James said softly, and then added under his breath, "but you'll be sorry."

* * *

"Gliscor," Ash yelled, "I choose YOU!!!" "GoldCross, go!!!" the Master General called at the same time. Two Poké-balls flew into the air, popping open to release beams of white light that coalesced to reveal Ash's Gliscor and a Metagross.

Right away, Ash noticed something strange about the Master General's Pokémon, whom he had called GoldCross. Instead of being the usual bluish-green of normal Metagross, this Pokémon was a brilliant golden in color, as if it was composed of the precious metal. "A shiny Pokémon," Ash realized, gazing at the beautiful glint of the Metagross's shell.

"Let the match begin!"

The Master General wasted no time in getting the battle underway. "GoldCross, Meteor Mash!" The Pokémon responded by taking off across the field at extreme speed, its front leg glowing with a white light. Ash prepared to call out an attack, but he was too slow. The Meteor Mash connected with a sickening thud, colorful comet-like bursts of matter scattering from the contact site. Gliscor moaned and toppled to the ground.

Ash stared in shock. The battle was barely five seconds underway, and already one of his Pokémon had been downed. He recalled Gliscor and replaced the Poké-ball, then pondered his opponent. A Steel type like Metagross should be weak against Fire attacks, so I choose... "Monferno, go."

The monkey-like Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, fire blazing on its tail. The Master General grinned. "A good choice, Ash, using a Fire type against a Steel type like Metagross. But if you think that will be enough to win, you're wrong. GoldCross, Bullet Punch!" The Pokémon streaked towards Monferno. Ash knew that when it reached its target, Monferno would be bombarded with a series of rapid punches too fast to block or defend against.

"Quick, Monferno. Dig!" He watched as the Fire Pokémon began tunneling into the ground, vanishing in seconds. And just in time, as the first punch from GoldCross connected with the spot where Monferno had been only moments before.

GoldCross stopped short, unsure of where its opponent would come next. Before it could figure it out, Monferno erupted from the earth, slamming its palms into the metal Pokémon and knocking it several meters away.

"Flame Wheel!" Ash yelled, and Monferno charged for its opponent, wrapping itself in flames. It seemed like the battle was over.

"Goldcross, Hyper Beam!" the Master General shouted. Ash's eyes widened. At the speed Monferno was moving, there was no way for it to stop. The only hope was for his Pokémon to connect first.

Monferno made it, colliding with the solid metal body of Metagross and sending flames dancing across its surface, the Iron Leg Pokémon's golden shell glowing cherry red. But at that moment, a beam of golden energy blasted from the cross on its head, slamming into Monferno and bathing it in bright light. The energy build-up was too great, and the arena was suddenly engulfed in an explosion of dust.

For several minutes, nothing could be seen of the combatants. Then, the wind picked up, and the dust was whipped away to reveal both Pokémon lying prone on the field. "Goldcross and Monferno are both unable to battle," the judge called out.

Ash and the Master General called back their Pokémon at the same time, and Ash sent out his third Pokémon, his Buizel. The Water Pokémon appeared in the arena and crossed his arms, surveying its surroundings calmly. He seemed just as confident as Ash usually was, though right now Ash was feeling a little under-par compared to his opponent.

The General chose his next Poké-ball, tossing it into the air to release a large Luxray. Ash could tell that the Gleam Eyes Pokémon had been raised well from the luster of its coat, the fire in its eyes, and the sparks that crackled in its fur. It crouched and fixed its piercing gaze on Ash and his Buizel.

Ash felt his heart drop down to his gut. Buizel was at a huge type disadvantage to start off with, and his opponent was obviously far stronger than any normal Luxray. He managed to summon up enough courage to start the battle off. "Buizel, Aqua Jet!" "Counter with Thunder Wave, Luxter."

Buizel disappeared inside of a shell of water and suddenly blasted towards Luxray, moving almost too fast to see. Not fast enough. Luxter released a devastating wall of lightning crackling across the field, one bolt narrowly missing Ash, another knocking off his hat. Buizel, fully commited to the Aqua Jet, could do nothing to stop himself as he flew right into a web of electricity, crying out as lightning raced across his body, halting his attack and blasting the water shell away, leaving the Water Pokémon unprotected.

"Water Gun!" Ash cried, forgetting all about his hat. His eyes were fixed on his Pokémon as he struggled to collect himself enough to attack. He managed to finally squeeze off a pulse of water which flew across the field and splashed into Luxter's face, doing no damage but distracting it enough to ruin the Thunder Wave. As the lightning dispersed, Buizel slumped to the ground, struggling to get back on his feet.

Luxter quickly shook off the effects of the Water Gun, and the General shouted, "Thunder Fang! Let's end this!" Ash looked at the Luxray as it opened its maw, revealing its sharp canines, and watching in anxiety as a yellow glow crackled across the shiny enamel.

"Buizel, try Water Pulse, and aim it at the ground." Buizel nodded and formed a ball of water between his front paws, which rapidly grew in size until it was as large as Buizel's head. He lifted the sphere above his head before slamming it into the earth at his feet. The ball exploded to form a wave of water which blasted towards Luxter, who was just leaping for Buizel. The Luxray's eyes widened and it yelped as it was hit by a miniature tsunami that swallowed it up and carried it across the field until it slammed into the wall of the arena, where it splashed outwards in a fan of water before dispersing, leaving Luxray plastered to the wall, immobilized.

Ash grinned and was just about to run out to Buizel when the Water Pokémon wobbled unsteadily, moaning. He struggled to stay upright, bracing himself with his two tails, but despite his efforts the exertion of the battle had taken its toll. Buizel slumped to the ground, unable to fight.

Two double knockouts, Ash marveled to himself, and I only knocked out Luxray this time because it got slammed into a wall at high speeds. No wonder this guy's called the Master General!

Ash drew his next Poké-ball, releasing his Grotle onto the field. The Grass-type Pokémon bellowed loudly and stomped the ground, only to recoil when the Master General released his next Pokémon, a massive Typhlosion. It was larger than normal, and the flames leaping from its body looked as hot as if they were spouting from the mouth of a volcano.

"This isn't good," Brock said as he watched from the stands. "So far, Ash has lost three of his Pokémon, and he's only managed to take out two of his opponent's. And now, he's facing a Pokémon that has a definite type advantage. I wonder how he'll pull this off?"

"Flamey, Roar!" the Master General called. The Typhlosion threw back its head, inhaled, and let out a thunderous bellow that seemed to shake the whole arena. Grotle trembled in fear before suddenly reverting back to an energy state and being sucked back into its Poké-ball.

"Well," Dawn said, "that answers that question. He won't."

Ash thought for several moments before finally settling on his next Pokémon, Staraptor. The proud Flying Pokémon entered the field with a loud cry, eyes gleaming. Flamey growled up at the large bird, the flames on its back raging.

"Flamey, Fire Spin!" "Staraptor, counter with gust!"

Flamey released a massive, spiraling blast of flames, directing it right at Staraptor, which stirred up a powerful stream of wind at the same time. The two attacks collided, battling for dominance for several seconds with neither one gaining any ground, finally resulting in a small explosion.

"Aerial Ace, Staraptor!" Ash yelled. The Pokémon nodded and charged for Flamey at incredible speeds, then suddenly seemed to vanish, its sheer velocity moving it too quickly to see. Flamey's eyes widened in confusion as it tried to locate its opponent, only to howl out in shock as the raging bird connected with it.

"Now Wing Attack!" Staraptor whirled away from its startled opponent, before looping back around and charging at Flamey once more, its wings shimmering as the feathers hardened to provide protection and its primaries' edges growing sharp. Before the Typhlosion could make a move to defend itself, it was struck again.

"Flamey, return!" the Master General called, recalling the Pokémon to its Poké-ball for a rest and then drawing his next one. "Now, Armorhide, I choose you!"

The Pokémon which sprang from the Master General's ball was an Armaldo, which surprised Ash seeing as the Pokémon was near-extinct. He quickly reviewed all that he knew about Armaldo, which wasn't much, and decided on what seemed to be the best strategy for attacking it. "Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!"

Staraptor gave a cry and dived for its enemy. Then, Ash's blood went cold as he heard the Master General cry out, "AncientPower!"

Armaldo was absorbed in a white glow which grew in intensity until Ash could barely stand to look at it. The light halted Staraptor's attack as it forced it to close its eyes, leaving it completely vulnerable. A large portion of the energy streamed from Armaldo, coalescing into a silvery sphere of pulsating light in between its forearms. With a loud cry, it hurled the orb at the still-dazed Staraptor.

"Staraptor, Aerial Ace. Quick!" Ash could only watch as Staraptor tried to get its bearings, but too slowly, as the sphere of energy connected full-on, knocking it to the ground. One look told Ash that it wouldn't be able to fight any longer.

Recalling Staraptor, he turned to Pikachu, who was standing by his feet. "Buddy, it's all up to you now, 'kay?" "Pika!" the little yellow Pokémon responded, leaping onto the field.

"This is bad," Brock observed as he looked down at the battle field. "Ash is down to his last Pokémon, and not only that, but this match-up is a veritable nightmare. Pikachu's electric attacks won't have much effect at all." "That's really bad," Dawn said worriedly. "I hope Pikachu will be alright."

"Pikachu, let's go. Start off with Volt Tackle!" Pikachu started running, rapidly picking up speed until he was just a yellow blur streaking across the field, electricity shrouding his body.

"Armorhide, stop it with Rock Tomb!" With a growl, Armaldo raised its claws, a white glow emitting from their tips, before slamming them down onto the ground. A wave of displacement rushed across the field, and pillars of solid stone rose from the ground. Pikachu cried out in surprise and stopped short to avoid colliding with the obstacles, the electrical shell dissipating.

"Pikachu, use Thundershock to get rid of those rocks!" Ash yelled. Pikachu released a series of electrical blasts that arched across the field, striking the rocky towers and reducing them to rubble. Within moments, every last obstacle had been obliterated.

"Now Iron Tail!" Pikachu charged forward at Armorhide, leaping into the air when it was within range, its tail hardening and morphing to become solid steel.

"Armorhide, use Rock Blast!" The Plate Pokémon drew back its arms, sand whirling around the points of its claws, before bringing a claw around at extreme speed to connect with Pikachu, sending the little Pokémon flying.

"Now finish with Stone Edge!" Armorhide lifted its hands to the sky, its eyes glowing a fierce blue, as sand and bits of rock from the battlefield rose and coalesced, melding to form a fleet of sharpened stones. With a cry, Armorhide brought its arms down in a throwing motion, sending the projectiles flying for Pikachu.

"Dodge it!" Ash cried out. Pikachu leapt to his feet and began to dance away from the missiles, dodging several. Then, a large spear of stone found its mark, striking Pikachu in the leg and sending him flying back.

"Pikachu, are you alright, pal?" Ash called out. The Pokémon nodded and tried to stand, but cried out and pressed a paw to his leg. Ash took one look and made a decision. "That's it. I forfeit the match. Pikachu can't fight like this, not with a hurt leg."

The Master General nodded. "A wise choice. You fought well, Ash Ketchum, and did better than anyone has done in a long, long time. I have a feeling you're on your way to becoming a great Pokémon master."

Ash smiled, picking up Pikachu, and walked over to shake hands with the General. "Thank you, sir. It was great fighting you." With that, Ash turned and walked to the edge of the arena, exited through a gate, and climbed the steps to sit with Dawn and Brock.

"Alright then," the General said, "Terris is up next. Let's go, lad!" Terris stood and entered the arena, smiling widely. "Alright! Ready when you are. Sage, you're up." The Lucario leapt into the arena, obviously ready to fight.

"Sevi, I choose you!" the General called, releasing a powerful-looking Seviper onto the field.

"Sage, Aura Sphere!" "Sevi, Haze to Counter!" Sage brought his hands together, forming a sphere of glowing blue energy, but before he could launch it, Sevi was enveloped in a cloud of thick mist, making it impossible to see exactly where it was.

"Now Sevi, use Flaming Sludge!" From the heart of the cloud, balls of flame-engulfed, toxic slime suddenly appeared, flying straight for Sage.

"What's a Flaming Sludge?" Dawn asked. Brock looked hard at the attack being used. "It's a combination of Flamethrower and Sludge Bomb. While Seviper spits up that sludge, it generates flames that coat them. The result is a barrage of Sludge Bombs on the hot side."

Sage was obviously feeling the heat, as he danced to and fro to avoid the incoming attacks. Terris called out, "Use your Aura, Sage. Feel where they're coming from, and where your opponent is, too." Sage nodded and closed his eyes, the false ears hanging down from the back of his head standing erect and quivering. His movements became more fluid and certain as he ducked, leaned, and leapt to avoid the flaming missiles.

All at once, Sage let loose a cloud of golden star-shaped energy bolts, which flew into the mist cloud and seemed to carve a rent in the fog. A loud, shrill cry rang from inside of the vapor, and the cloud dispersed, revealing Sevi being bombarded by a stream of Swifts.

"Sevi, dig underground!" With a shriek, the Seviper tunneled beneath the surface of the earth, escaping the Swift attack. Sage looked around, trying to locate his opponent. Then, just as he was about to use his aura to detect Sevi, the ground beneath him erupted upwards. Sage was hurled skyward as the General's Seviper burst free of the ground, venom streaming across its tail.

"Try and counter it, Sage. You can do it!" Sage made a move as if to try an attack, but Sevi was too fast. It brought its tail around and slammed it into the Lucario with incredible force.

"Follow up with Flamethrower!" Sevi opened its mouth and unleashed a wall of white-hot flames directly at Sage, which engulfed the Lucario. Terris gave a cry as Sage vanished within the fire, only to reappear as he was tossed into the sky.

"Sage, try and land on your feet. You'll take less damage." At first, it seemed as if Sage would fail to do so, but with a sudden burst of determination, he managed to direct a Hyper Beam at the ground, slowing his fall and flipping him upright, allowing him to land lightly on the balls of his feet. But just as he settled down, he stumbled, obviously weakened.

"Now, Sevi, finish with Poison Tail!" With a loud shriek, the Seviper leapt forward, venom streaming over the blade on its tail.

"Sage, dodge!" Terris cried. Too late. Sevi's tail connected with the Lucario's chest, sending him flying back into the arena wall. Groaning, he slumped to the ground, out cold.

"Sage is unable to battle. Sevi wins, and the match goes to the Master General!"

The General turned his emerald eyes to Trent, fixing him in their gaze. "You're up, son," he said. Trent nodded and stepped onto the arena, confidence showing on the outside, but feeling like an ant at the mercy of a kid. Good thing I don't have to worry about that Metagross of his, he thought. But the General's other Pokémon are really strong, too. I just hope mine are up to the challenge.

"Tilly, you're up!" he called out, throwing a Poké-ball painted with flame patterns. The ball sprang open to reveal Trent's Thermeon. In shape, she was rather weasel-like, but with a long strand of flame extending back from her head that flickered and danced. Her eyes blazed with energy, fully charged and ready for battle.

The Master General grinned. "So, you've chosen a Thermeon. Native to the Satimo Isles, particularly Indir Island. A good choice, but will it be enough? Flamey, show them the true power of the inferno!" He threw his own Poké-ball, which opened to reveal his Typhlosion, Flamey. To Trent's surprise, it seemed that the Fire Pokémon had recovered from its last battle, and looked almost as good as new.

Shaking off his worry, Trent called, "Use Flame Whip, Tilly!" Tilly leapt forward, the flames that covered strand on her head leaping up and growing even hotter, flecks of blue licking through them as the band lengthened.

"Flamey, use Fire Blast!" Flamey reared its head back and let loose a flaming symbol, reminiscent of a stick figure, which went streaking straight for Tilly. Just as it was about to connect with her, Tilly whipped her head around, bringing the flaming streamer swinging into the incoming attack. The velocity of her whipping motion broke through the flames, creating an opening through which she flew, bringing the Fire Whip attack to bear upon the Typhlosion. The flaming brand connected with the larger Pokémon's side, leaving a mark that was half-burn, half-welt. Flamey cried out in pain as Tilly landed lightly on her feet.

"Now, use Fire Spin!" Tilly opened her mouth and released a spiraling beam of flames that sped across the short distance between her and her opponent, striking full-on.

Suddenly, Flamey held up a hand, a green disk of light appearing in front of it, reflecting the fire away. It's using Protect, Trent realized. Well we've got a way to combat that. "Use Smokescreen." Tilly nodded and exhaled a cloud of thick, black smoke onto the field, obscuring her opponent's vision. Flamey looked around in confusion, unsure where the next attack would be coming from.

It came from below. Using dig, Tilly tunneled beneath the earth, coming up beneath the Typhlosion in the midst of a Heat Wave attack she had generated. Flamey was lifted from the ground, flames licking across its body, completely vulnerable for Tilly's next attack. And Tilly was perfectly ready to take advantage of the opportunity. She pulled a paw back, blue light surrounding it, and brought it around with incredible speed to deal a devastating Focus Punch.

"That a girl, Tilly!" Trent called enthusiastically as the Thermeon cart-wheeled in midair and landed on her feet. Her opponent, however, fell hard onto his back.

We've got him now, Trent thought, until... "Flamey, use Rest!" The Typhlosion closed its eyes and was surrounded by a green aura.

Damn it! Trent shouted inwardly. "Quick, Tilly, use Fire Spin again!" The Thermeon unleashed another attack, which struck the green aura, but it seemed to do little good. Attack after attack failed, until Flamey awoke again, fully healed and recharged.

"Now Flamey, use Flamethrower!" The Typhlosion unleashed a wall of fire far larger than Tilly could ever produce with the same attack, hot enough to make the air shimmer. When it struck Tilly, it would do serious damage. If it strikes at all... "Double Team!"

Tilly shimmered briefly, and suddenly over a dozen identical Thermeon appeared on the field. The Flamethrower struck two of them, and both copies vanished out of existence. But the deception was quickly broken as Flamey spun around, wiping out copy after copy until the flames struck the real Tilly, sending her flying.

"Follow with Swift!" Flamey released a storm of energy stars, which connected with the dazed Thermeon, propelling her even further. When she hit the ground, it was obvious the battle was over.

Trent recalled Tilly to her Poké-ball with a quiet apology before removing his next choice, releasing Aria. The Waivwolf appeared on the field in a sitting position, tail curled around her legs.

"Alright Aria. Let's show these guys how it's done. Use Rain Dance!" Aria howled to the sky, her body glowing a soft blue, before an azure beam fired from her into the sky, exploding in light high above the stadium. Almost instantly, black clouds raced to the spot, bellies swollen with rain. Within seconds, the stadium was consumed in a torrential downpour.

"Good move," Brock observed. "By using Rain Dance, Aria's filled the whole field with water, which will give her an advantage over Typhlosion, and not only that, but that rain will weaken Flamey's attacks." "Trent sure knows what he's doing!" Dawn said happily. "Do you think he'll be able to win?" Ash laughed. "Come on, this is Trent we're talking about here! He could beat the pants off of anyone!"

"Flamey, use Flame Wheel!" The Typhlosion took off running for Aria, flames surrounding its body, but Trent noticed that it was moving slower and its fire appeared smaller and cooler than normal. Aria, on the other hand, seemed stronger than ever, and easily dodged the incoming attack. She leapt clear over her opponent, turning in midair and unleashing a powerful Hydro Pump, which struck Flamey square in the back. The Typhlosion stumbled, fires faltering, though at first it seemed to have the strength to resist the attack. Then, the flames suddenly winked out, and Flamey stumbled to the ground.

As it struggled to get up, Trent seized the opportunity. "Aria, Aqua Tail to finish!" As soon as Aria touched the ground, the Waivwolf leapt for her opponent, water coalescing around her tail. With a howl, she brought her Attack to bear, streaking across the field.

"Flamey, use Rest!" Flamey relaxed, preparing to fall asleep, but was too slow. The Aqua Tail Attack connected with the back of the Typhlosion's skull. Flamey staggered, moaned... and fell to the ground.

"Flamey is unable to battle. Aria wins!"

"Good work, Trent," the General called, "but let's see you combat this. Ninjet, I choose you!" He threw his next Poké-ball to reveal a large Ninjask. As it appeared, Ninjet slashed its arms through the air, the claws on their tips seeming to leave rents in the very fabric of space.

"That's a high-level Pokémon. Aria, do you think you can handle it?" Aria nodded in affirmation, tensing to fight.

"Let's start this battle off. Ninjet, Night Scissor!" the General called. Trent was completely at a loss. Night Scissor? What the heck is that?

Ninjet sped towards Aria, claws raised in the X-Scissor starting position. But something was different. Trent saw a black and violet corona surround the claws, sparking and crackling with power. Of course! Night Scissor is the result of combining Night Slash and X-Scissor, heightening both moves' power! "Aria, use Counter!"

Aria threw up a barrier around herself, one that in theory would deflect any attack and send it flying back at the opponent with twice the power. Ninjet swung its arms, the shadowy claws striking the barrier and struggling with it for a second. Then, to Trent's shock, the Night Scissor broke through the barrier, Ninjet's arms coming together in an X motion to slash across Aria's chest, sending her flying back.

"Well done, Ninjet. Now, Shadow Ball!" Ninjet formed a sphere of dark energy in between its hands and threw it at Aria, a trail of shadowy matter streaming out behind it. "Dodge it, Aria!" he shouted. Too late. The Shadow Ball struck full-on, exploding in a mass of dark matter. A cloud of dust flew up, and when it cleared, Trent could see Aria out cold in the center of the field.

"Aria, return." After recalling Aria, he tossed his next Poké-ball into the air. "Chopper! Time to turn up the heat!" The Combusken appeared on the field, fire in his eyes and a shine on his feathers.

"Ninjet, Ominous Wind!" "Chopper, use Fire Blast!" With a loud buzz, Ninjet began beating its wings at high speed, a crackling maroon corona surrounding them, generating a stream of wind tainted with a ghostly violet. At the same instant, Chopper unleashed a spiraling stream of fire. The two attacks collided and battled for dominance, but the power of Ominous Wind proved to be the stronger, plowing through the fires and slamming into Chopper.

"Now use Agility, Ninjet!" The Ninjask became a blur of motion as it zigzagged across the field at lightning speed before slamming into Chopper and zipping away. Time and again it collided with the Combusken before moving off, always changing position.

"Now, finish with Night Scissor!" Ninjet charged at Chopper, arms raised, before delivering the attack, putting the Combusken down for good. Trent recalled his Combusken and chose his next Pokémon. "Zag, let's give them a taste of their own medicine!" The Zulkross appeared on the field, slashing its claws and seeming to rend the air just as Ninjet had done.

"Zag, Dark Pulse!" "Use Silver Wind, Ninjet!" Zag held up his claws, twin beams of deep violet and midnight black streaking from them, while Ninjet flapped its wings to release streams of wind, powdery scales like tiny flecks of glass giving it a silvery sheen. The attacks collided and halted for a few moments before Dark Pulse broke through, but Ninjet dodged before it could be hit.

"Blade Step, Zag!" The Zulkross charged forward towards Ninjet, legs held out to his sides, before somersaulting and slashing down with his bladed limbs, bringing them together on... nothing. Ninjet had vanished.

"Now, Night Slash!" Ninjet suddenly appeared above Zag, a shadow-enveloped claw sweeping through the air. Trent could only watch as the attack hit home right at the base of Zag's head. The Zulkross faltered, trying to stay aloft.

"Zag, use Quick Attack, then Metal Claw!" Zag streaked towards Ninjet, claws growing as hard as steel.

"Ninjet, Double Team to dodge." Ninjet suddenly flashed, several identical Ninjask appeared in the air. Zag's Metal Claw passed right through one of the Ninjask, which vanished like a wisp of smoke. Damn it! How do we find the real one?

"Ninjet, use Night Scissor!" As one, the multiple Ninjask charged, claws raised and crackling with shadowy power. Just before impact, all of the copies vanished to leave behind a single Ninjask, the real Ninjet. "Zag look out!" Trent shouted. Too late. Ninjet's Night Scissor connected with a flash of energy. Zag gave a weak gurgle, wings flickering, before tumbling to the ground.

"Zag is unable to battle. Ninjet wins!" the judge called. Trent recalled Zag to his Poké-ball before sending out his next Pokémon. "Phyle, I hope you're head's pounding, 'cause we'll need that Psychic stuff of yours."

Phyle, Trent's Psyduck, appeared on the field, his face fixed in his usual clueless look. Chuckles and awns came from the crowd, but Trent ignored them. I have to focus on the battle, or we're toast. "Now, Phyle, use Focus Punch!" "Ninjet, counter with Nightshade!" Phyle leapt for his opponent, hand glowing with energy as the Focus Punch readied itself. But it was at that moment that Ninjet released twin blasts of dark energy at the Psyduck, striking him full-on. Phyle dropped to the ground with a cry, unconscious from the force of the impact.

"Phyle!" Trent shouted, looking at his Psyduck in shock. One attack and Ninjet takes him out. How is that possible? He recalled Phyle before tossing his sixth Poké-ball. This one released Turrel, the Minke's fur glistening.

"A Ground type against a Flying type? We'll just see how that works out. Ninjet, use Sandstorm!" "Turrel, Dig to escape!" Ninjet beat its wings furiously whipping up the dust on the battlefield to produce a swirling twister of sand that blasted towards Turrel. Just in time, the Minke dove into the ground, and the dust devil passed harmlessly overhead.

"Now Turrel, use Quick Attack!" Turrel erupted from the ground at high speed, flying vertically towards his opponent. Ninjet started in surprise and made to dodge, but Turrel's sudden appearance had done its job, throwing off the Ninjask's reaction time. The Minke struck home, square in Ninjet's chest.

"Ninjet, use Fury Cutter!" the General called. Ninjet suddenly turned in midair and began slicing with its bladed claws, pummeling Turrel with a barrage of devastating strikes. The Minke cried out as he was ravaged by his opponent.

"Now, finish with Shadow Ball!" Ninjask formed a ball of shadowy energy between its claws and hurled it at Turrel, striking the Minke below his chin. Turrel cried out and fell to the ground. After a few seconds, he managed to stagger to his feet.

"Turrel, can you do Swift?" Trent asked. An attack like that would take little energy, and if Turrel was unable to manage it, he would recall the Minke. Turrel nodded and turned to Ninjet, releasing a sudden bombardment of golden stars. It looked like a meteor shower was flying from Turrel's mouth.

"Ninjet, use Ominous Wind!" The Ninja Pokémon beat its clear wings, sending the attack towards the incoming Swift stars. The two collided, battling for dominance. Then, a few of the stars managed to break through, flying to strike Ninjet in the face. The Ninjask hissed and shot upwards, its attack breaking as it moved, though its climb allowed it to avoid the rest of the attack.

"Ninjet, quick. Use Giga Drain." Trent gasped. Giga Drain was a devastating attack that allowed the user to absorb energy from its opponent, strengthening itself while weakening the foe. "Turrel, if you can get underground they shouldn't be able to hit you!" Turrel nodded and dove beneath the earth.

"Very good, Master Trent. But in this case, you're wrong. Ninjet, aim your attack at the hole." Ninjet nodded, its claws glowing a pale green, before it fired twin beams of green energy from them. The bolts flew true, straight down the hole Turrel had dug.

With a blast of earth and a green glow, Turrel suddenly flew from the ground, crying out as he was wrapped in a green corona of energy. The trail pulsed, a spike of power traveling down into the hole, reappearing at the other side and shooting up to connect with Ninjet. Pulse after pulse followed, and with each one Turrel grew weaker while Ninjet gained strength. Finally the beams winked out, and Turrel slumped to the ground, completely drained.

"This isn't good," Ash said. Pikachu stopped in mid-cheer and turned to look at Ash. "Pika-chu," he said, before turning back to the battle with a worried look. "Trent's down to four Pokémon," Dawn said in concern, "and that Ninjask... How can all his attacks be missing while all of his opponents are striking their mark?"

"Level," Brock responded. "Ninjet is obviously at the highest of levels possible, much higher than any of Trent's Pokémon are, and with that kind of power, its attacks are far stronger and faster than Trent's. Not only that, but that Giga Drain just fixed any damage Ninjet may have taken up to this point."

"Kiai," Trent yelled while releasing his next Pokemon, "I need your help!" His Umrai appeared on the field, the simple-looking appearance of the Pokémon belying its true power. Umrai's Psychic powers were equal to that of some legendary Pokémon.

"Psybeam!" Kiai released twin blasts of shimmering energy from her eyes, only for the attack to be stopped by beams of black power from Ninjet. The result was an explosion that filled the arena with smoke.

"Kiai, use Detect and then Lock On!" Kiai nodded and closed her eyes, her body glowing a soft blue. Then, a beam of golden power lanced from her, piercing through the smoke. "Good. Now, use Psycho Boost!" Kiai began to wave her hands in circular motions, forming a bubble of multi-colored energy in between them, before sending it hurtling towards Ninjet.

"Use Shadow Ball to counter!" Ninjet quickly formed the attack and sent it flying, the dark sphere sailing through the air to connect with the incoming Psycho Blast to produce a massive explosion. Before the smoke had a chance to even thin, Trent heard the Master General shout out, "Now, use Nightshade!"

Twin beams of black energy streaked through the cloud to strike Kiai square in the chest, sending her flying. At the same time, the smoke was whipped away by a powerful Silver Wind attack that flew and connected with Kiai as well, the two attacks swirling around her in a dance of deadly power. With a cry, the Umrai seemed to wilt.

"Now, finish with Leech Life!" Ninjask leapt forward and stabbed Kiai with its claws, an angry red light glowing as it drained her of energy. Trent could only watch in horror as Kiai was sucked dry, leaving her unconscious.

He... he beat Kiai. That's one of the most powerful Pokémon, short of legendaries. How can I stand up to such power?

It was then that Trent noticed Ninjet's choppy flying, and he realized that the Pokémon's right wing had been slightly injured in the explosion, not enough to put it out but definitely making flight more difficult. That's it! If I can just exploit that weakness...

"Vivo," Trent called out, throwing his next Poké-ball, "I choose you!" The Sincain appeared on the field, eyes sparkling with power. "Throwing Star Attack!" Vivo responded by holding his paws back, the stars on his wrists glowing, before making a motion like throwing a Frisbee. Four-pointed stars flew from his wrists, glowing white at first, but rapidly hardening to become steel projectiles.

"Ninjet, use Air Cutter!" Ninjet prepared to flap its wings at high speeds in order to form and release the energy blades that make up Air Cutter, but suddenly hissed and faltered, right wing spasming. While it was still trying to recover, Vivo's Star Blade attack connected, sending the Bug Pokémon flying.

"Follow up with Vacuum Blast!" Vivo brought his paws together, a golden, rippling mass of energy forming in between them, before thrusting its arms forward and released a wall of pure vacuum straight at Ninjet. A whistling sound filled the stadium as air was drawn to the vacuum in an attempt to fill the field of nothingness. The attack sped across the battlefield to connect with Ninjet, sending the Ninja Pokémon flying into the wall. It slumped to the ground, out cold.

"Ninjet is unable to battle. Vivo wins!"

The General recalled Ninjet, only to send out Sevi once again. "All right my friend, let's win this one. Use Flaming Sludge!" Sevi spat a stream of Sludge Bombs, coating each one in a layer of fire.

"Vivo, use Throwing Star to counter!" Vivo released the attack, the hardening stars flying towards the fiery muck balls. The two attacks connected, the stars slicing through the sludge bombs and reducing them to splatters.

"Now, use Focus Punch!" "Sevi, use Poison Fang!" Vivo leapt forward, energy crackling around his paw, while Sevi coiled up before launching itself like a spring, maw open to reveal venom streaming around its fangs. The two connected in midair, Vivo's Focus Punch smashing into Sevi's jaw and snapping it shut.

"Use Poison Tail!" the Master General called. Before Vivo could leap away, Sevi had brought its poisoned tail up and struck him in the back. Vivo cried out as he was hit.

"Swift!" both called out at the same time, each hoping to take out the other before they themselves were hit. Both Pokémon launched their attacks at the same time, and cried out simultaneously as they were hit by energy stars. They fell away from each other, neither one able to continue.

"A double knockout!" Ash said in wonderment. "And now Trent's only got two Pokémon left, Ferron and Tirix, while the Master General's still got Armorhide and who knows what else.

The General and Trent recalled their Pokémon before releasing their next choices. "Ferron, let's give 'em a jolting!" "Armorhide, time to rock the house!" Both Pokémon appeared on the field, Armorhide with a slashing of claws, Ferron in a burst of sparks.

"Armorhide, use AncientPower!" "Ferron, use ThunderWave!" Armorhide formed a ball of silvery energy between his claws and threw it at his opponent, while Ferron released a dazzling wave of lightning, bolts of electricity crackling through the air. The two attacks collided, exploding on contact, filling the arena with a choking cloud of smoke.

"Use Dig!" the Master General's voice sounded. There was a loud crash, and when the cloud dispersed, all evidence of Armorhide, save for a hole in the earth, had vanished.

"Listen for it, Ferron," Trent called, "and then dodge when it comes up." Ferron closed his eyes, ears twitching as he listened carefully for the next attack. He suddenly leapt to the right an instant before the ground beneath him erupted upwards, Armorhide emerging from the storm of dust and clumps of earth, sand streaming from his claws in a Rock Blast attack.

"Now, Ferron! Use Iron Tail!" Ferron leapt forward with a howl, his tail hardening to become a spiked steel mace. Swinging around, he dealt Armorhide a devastating blow to the chest. The Plate Pokémon stumbled back from the force of the impact.

"Now Armorhide, Ancient Power!" Armorhide formed another sphere of energy and threw it at his foe. "Counter with Thunderbolt!" Trent called out. Ferron fired a stream of lightning at the incoming sphere, but when it hit, there was a definite shift of power. The effort of generating Iron Tail had weakened Ferron's attack, and the silvery energy broke through his defenses to strike him. He fell back with a cry.

"Armorhide, finish with Stone Edge!" Armorhide held up its claws, summoning a cloud of razor-edged stones, and sent them flying towards Ferron.

"Dodge it!" Trent shouted. Ferron leapt away just in time, the stones pummeling the ground where he had just been standing.

"Quick, Armorhide. Hyper Beam!" The Armaldo reared back and launched a devastating blast of energy that flew through the air to strike the Thundrwolf. Ferron cried out as he was enveloped in the beam, and then fell to the ground, paralyzed.

Trent stared in shock. He took out all of my Pokémon but one... I hope Tirix can beat his next few Pokémon, or we're toast. "Tirix, you're up!"

Tirix smiled and leapt onto the field, entering a fighting stance. One could tell from his attitude that he was pumped up and ready to go.

"Ready when you are," Tirix called over to the Master General, who smiled and nodded. "That's what I like to see; spunk, real devotion to the battle. Armorhide, start off with Rock Blast!" Armaldo leapt forward, sand erupting from its claws.

Tirix then did something that surprised Trent greatly. Bringing his paws together, he formed a bar of glowing energy that quickly solidified into a large bone that shone like steel. With a cry, he leapt forward, spinning the weapon like a baton and parrying the incoming blow before spinning it again and cracking the base of Armorhide's head with the club-shaped end.

"Bone Rush," Trent said with realization. I didn't know Tirix could do that. "Alright, Tirix! Great job! Now, finish with Force Palm!" Tirix leapt on top of Armorhide, palms glowing, and placed his paws on his opponents head, releasing a blast of energy that sent Armorhide crashing to the ground, groaning weakly and obviously unable to fight.

"Armorhide is unable to battle. Tirix wins!"

The General recalled his defeated Armaldo with a whispered word, and then threw his next Poké-ball. "Old friend, now is the time. Come out, Lucarian!" The Poké-ball opened, releasing a tall Lucario. Immediately, Trent could see this one was very high level in the radiance of its fur and the gleam in its eyes, not to mention the power that rippled in its muscles.

"Alright, Tirix. Use Bone Rush!" "You too, Lucarian!" Both Lucario leapt forward, bones forming in their hands, before swinging at each other. The two weapons connected with a loud crack. The next few moments were a blur of motion as the two Pokémon dueled like fencers, before Tirix managed to trip his opponent. He raised his club to deal the next blow, but was suddenly stabbed in the chest. As he stumbled back, both bones disappeared.

"Tirix, Zen Headbutt!" "Lucarian, use Iron Defense." Tirix lunged forward, his ears laid back as a shield of solid energy covered his head. At the same time, Lucarian crossed his arms, a blue aura surrounding him. Tirix's attack struck, but as his skull contacted his foe he cried out and stumbled back, clutching his sore head.

"Tirix, use Protect and then Rest." Tirix nodded, a sphere of energy surrounding him, and closed his eyes, falling into a light sleep while his energy was restored.

"Lucarian, use Aura Sphere!" Lucarian formed a blue sphere of energy and fired it at Tirix, striking the force field that surrounded the sleeping Lucario, but the defense held, and the Aura Sphere dissipated. The Master General's eyes widened. "Most impressive. You've clearly raised that Lucario well."

"Well we're just getting started," Trent called back as Tirix awoke, fully restored. "Aura Sphere, Tirix!" Tirix formed his own energy ball and launched it, the blue sphere streaking straight for Lucarian. The Pokémon dodged at the last second, but now the sphere was headed straight for the Master General!

The Aura Sphere suddenly exploded as it came into contact, surrounding the General in a thick cloud of smoke. Trent looked on in horror. Oh my God! I hope I didn't hurt him! That was a strong attack!

A beam of red light suddenly flew out of the smoke, striking Lucarian and transforming him into pure energy, which then retreated. Trent realized the Lucario had just been recalled. Then, there was a loud whooshing sound, and the smoke was suddenly whipped away to reveal the Master General, unharmed and surrounded by a psychic barrier!

"Very good. But now, it's time for me to bring out my best," the General said. With that, he took two steps forward, and suddenly seemed to shiver. Then, he began to change, his body morphing to become... what?

It was obviously a Pokémon, but not one Trent had ever seen before. It stood nearly ten feet tall, towering over Trent and Tirix. In shape, it vaguely reminded Trent of a Dark Night, cloaked in black armor, but it seemed as though the plates were coated in velvet, giving them a slightly maroon tint. The chestplate it wore was emblazoned with a Jolly Roger symbol. The armor itself was rather scale-like in appearance, flanged along the edges and giving it an appearance rather similar to that of a pinecone. The head was partially concealed by a black helmet, the forehead of which was stamped with a symbol just like the one on its chest. Trent could see a single emerald-green eye hidden inside of the confines of the helmet.

The Pokémon held up his hands, releasing twin blasts of black fire. Tirix started and tried to leap away, but the shock of the Master General's transformation was still burning in his mind. He was too slow, and the attack connected fully, wrapping the Lucario in black flames and sending him flying. He landed on the ground several yards away, skidding a few yards more before coming to a stop. He struggled to get up, but suddenly yelped and slumped to the ground.

"Tirix is unable to battle. SkullKross wins, and the victory goes to the Master General." Trent was surprised that the referee appeared so at ease with the sudden transformation. Seeing Tirix still lying on the ground, he ran to his friend's side.

"What is that thing?" Tirix asked. Trent shook his head and pulled out his Pokédex. "I don't know, but maybe Dexter can tell us." He aimed the device at the Pokémon, waiting for analysis. *SkullKross, the Black Night Pokémon. SkullKross is an evolved form of Dusclops. Little is known about this Pokémon, though it is believed to be a three/type Pokémon, Ghost/Dark/Light. Rumored to have untold power, SkullKross has no known weakness.*

SkullKross stomped over to Tirix, hands held out in front of him. Trent moved to protect his friend, unsure of whether or not this new Pokémon planned to attack, but SkullKross simply moved him out of the way with Psychic, before leaning down to Tirix's level. "Can you stand?" it asked in a deep, echoing voice. Tirix shook his head meekly, intimidated by the sheer size of the Pokémon before him. SkullKross nodded and gently lifted the injured Lucario before turning to Trent. "Come with me," he said softly, the emerald green eye inside of the helmet locking with Trent's aquamarine ones. Trent could only nod and obey, hearing Ash, Brock, Terris, and Dawn running up behind him.

"What's going on?" Ash asked, shaking Trent's shoulder. Trent turned to his friend and shrugged. "I don't know, but SkullKross wants us to follow him." Dawn shuddered. "We're supposed to follow that thing? You saw what it did to the Master General!"

Trent shook his head. "Dawn, SkullKross didn't do anything to the Master General. It is the Master General. Don't you get it? It takes that human form most of the time to avoid frightening people, and reveals itself when it battles so it can use its abilities to the full of their potential." Dawn's eyes suddenly lit up in understanding.

The humans soon found that even with the burden of carrying Tirix, SkullKross was faster than its size suggested, and they had to hurry to keep up as the Pokémon left the Coliseum and began walking through the streets. The crowds parted to let the Pokémon pass, giving Trent and the others an easier time. SkullKross seemed to be leading them towards the docks upon which they had arrived, though they knew not why.

Once they reached the seashore, SkullKross turned left, towards what could easily have been the largest galleon Trent and the others had ever seen or imagined. But unlike a normal galleon, this ship was made of solid steel instead of wood. Cannon ports riddled the sides, attesting to the ship's power, and Trent doubted that any other vessel could have taken it down. The tall masts sported sails of a deep emerald green that flapped in the wind.

SkullKross strode up the gangplank, the five friends following it, and then crossed the deck towards a glass door that Trent expected led to the quarters for the crew and captain. As SkullKross neared the portal, Trent was surprised to see it swing open of its own accord to admit the Pokémon. It remained so while the followers passed through it as well, only closing once everyone had made it inside.

They followed SkullKross down several passageways and through several doors, each one opening just like the first had, until it finally led them to a brilliantly-decorated door. Stepping inside, they were greeted with what could only be the captain's quarters. It was large enough to hold twenty men easily, with a massive bed, a dining table, writing desk, private kitchen, and even a full-wall window that gave a magnificent view of the sea. The walls were a beautiful shade of blue, the exact same color of Tirix's own fur, while the floor was a deep ultramarine, like a night sky.

SkullKross laid Tirix down on the bed and removed its helmet, revealing a head very similar to that of a Darkrai. Then, it held its hand over the Pokémon's body, a golden glow streaming from its palms. Tirix sighed and relaxed, eyes closing as he fell into a deep sleep. The glow continued, bathing his body in golden beams, and a soft chime filled the air. As Trent and the others watched, Tirix's scratches and bruises vanished, and his fur regained its luster. His muscles relaxed, and within minutes SkullKross had completely healed Tirix of both his wounds and his weariness.

The healing complete, SkullKross held a hand over Pikachu, bathing the little yellow Pokémon in a golden light. Pikachu started, but then relaxed as he felt the weariness of battle and the pain in his leg vanish. Then SkullKross stepped back, and a black smoke swirled around it, completely concealing the Pokémon. After several moments, it dispersed, fading away to reveal the smiling face of the Master General.

He spread his hands. "I welcome you to my ship. We will be departing shortly, and you are all to accompany me. I desire a rematch with each of you, and you will shortly have the opportunity to train for that battle. Now, I would like to talk with Trent alone."

"Why?" Dawn asked before she could stop herself. The General smiled. "It is a matter that is best kept personal." Scythe suddenly entered the room, and Dawn smiled at the Absol. "I'll show them to their cabins," Scythe said, taking Dawn's hand and leading her from the room, Ash, Brock, and Terris following.

Once the others had left the room, the Master General held up a hand, and the door swung shut. He then turned to Trent, his green eyes boring into the boy. "I believe I have discovered a secret that you are hiding. Do not fear so, for I will not reveal it. But I must be sure. You and Tirix, you are lovers, aren't you?"