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"The Bisharp and his Century were forced to retreat, but they successfully drove the people back into the town," a Saberwing who had been assigned to recon reported, "The people have fled into the forest. As far as we are aware, most of the townsfolk have been evacuated."

"They were ready for us," said Asya, her arms crossed, "They've been planning this for some time, it seems." She looked at the Saberwing, "What is the current location of the people?"

"We don't know."

Asya scowled. "What do you mean you don't how? How can you not?"

"We were watching from afar when the forest shimmered and they all vanished," he reported. "When I attempted to come in lower, a Talonflame raced out of the woods and drove me away."

Asya's scowl deepened. "The Zoroark," she whispered and caught a curious look from Sakkaku standing beside her. "Not you. One of the rescue teams here has a Zoroark among them; a potent illusionist."

"Is that so?" Sakkaku growled, a permanent scowl present on his face as he looked back at Asya. "If that's the case, then what do you plan to do about it?"

Asya rubbed her chin in thought, considering the scenario. "We know the people have fled into the woods," she said, "the rescue teams will be making a stand to prevent us from pursuing. Our meteor bombardment strategy will not avail us here - we cannot move the ship any closer due to the shallow waters."

"They are using their battlefield well," Calhoun admitted, "If we are to get them fighting on our terms, we must flush them out of the trees somehow."

"Leave that to us," another Skarmory, Sound-Breaker, remarked, his talons clicking against the floor as he hopped forward. "My men will perform a bombing run on the forest surrounding the town, and flush them toward the beach where you can begin your assault."

"Very good," said Calhoun.

"Be mindful of that Talonflame, and I recall there is also a Zapdos that serves with them," Asya cautioned, "They will undoubtedly come out to stop you."

"That insect got lucky the last time, and if you recall, I took down that Zapdos while my wingmen held off Talonclaw and that other flier over Hadleigh," Sound Breaker remarked. "Back then we were out on reconnaissance. This time I'm bringing the full might of my squadron to battle. He won't last ten seconds against us."

"I hope that will be more than a boast," said Asya. "Go then, Sound Breaker."

The Skarmory nodded. "Ma'am," he said, then turned to face the town and flared out his metal wings. "Saberwings. Our target is the forests surrounding the town. Destroy anything and everything in the area," he said with a grin. "Beaks sharp, men. Light them up."

With that, the squadron of fifty Skarmory all took to the air in a tight formation, spreading out as they soared toward Azure's borders. Once over their destination they broke formation and began flying like a swarm of Beedrill, swooping low and unleashing Flash Cannons down at random parts of the town. Buildings, trees, and other structures were taken down during their attack runs, leaving nothing more than burning wreckage in their wake.

Just as they drew closer to the outlying forest, however, three cones of fire erupted seemingly from nothing, and shot up toward the formation, five of them were caught in the blaze, melting into their metal feathers, and sending them plummeting to the ground, while the rest all veered off and broke their attack run to regroup at the safety of the beach.

As they retreated, a flaming streak shot out of the trees and struck one of the Saberwings with Flame Charge, knocking him out of the air as it flew by. The streak of fire then performed a one-eighty and shot back down, this time aiming for Sound-Breaker himself. The squadron leader saw it coming out of the corner of his eye and quickly performed a barrel roll to escape the attack, the streak shooting past him and leveling out down below.

"Talonclaw!" He growled, grinding his beak together. "All wings! Blast that fiery hatchling out of the sky!!" He ordered.

His squadron all shrieked as they gave chase to the Talonflame as he kept low to the ground. Eagle Eye looked back and smirked when he saw almost all the Skarmory chasing his tail, prompting him to change direction and deploy evasive maneuvers as he dodged around every Flash Cannon that was fired upon him.

"Eagle Eye to Lightning Rod! I got their attention and am heading to your coordinates. ETA thirty seconds!" He squawked.

"Be ready to accelerate as soon as you pass me!" Lighris called back over the earpiece.

"Please, I'm not even at top speed yet!" Eagle Eye squawked back as he soared over the tree line, checking his six and grinning when he saw the Saberwings still chasing after him. "Little closer," he muttered, quickly approaching the rendezvous point.

He could see Lighris emerging from his hiding spot, coming out of the trees with his body already crackling with electricity as he soared, seemingly at Eagle Eye, but his target was behind the Talonflame. As Eagle Eye raced past, Lighris shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Here's one for my hometown, you suckers!"

He unleashed the Discharge, electricity exploding in all directions around him, attracted to the metal bodies of the Saberwings; even those who tried to veer away at the last second were too late to escape the lightning. The metal-clad birds were unable to break off their pursuit when Lighris appeared, all of them getting caught in the omnidirectional blast of electricity and paralyzing each and every one of them before they dropped out of the sky, sizzling even as they hit the ground below.

"Damn you!!" Sound-Breaker shrieked as he watched his squadron fall.

Lighris looked in Sound Breaker's direction and flashed a derisive grin at him. "What's wrong? Angry that you got your ass kicked, or that you didn't see that coming?" he said, goading the Skarmory as he flew high.

Sound Breaker let out a shrill shriek as he and his remaining two wingmen shot up toward Lighris, easily keeping pace and zeroing in on the large lightning bird above. However, in his rage he failed to remember that there was another involved, which he realized too late when Eagle Eye swooped up from below, discharging two Fire Blasts that nailed the wingmen as he flew past, sending them plummeting to the ground along with the rest of the fallen squadron.

His anger quickly gave way to shock as he registered what just happened, looking down at his men on the ground, then back at the two birds above him. His eyes darted between the two of them, now unsure of what he should do now that he was down his squadron... He knew facing them alone was suicide, but his pride and his desire for revenge against Eagle Eye was fighting for control his actions, making him hover back and forth as he struggled with a decision.

"You ought to quit while you're still breathing, tinhead," said Lighris, "Or don't; I'd like to even the score for Hadleigh still."

Those words made him finally reach a decision. Sound-Breaker scoffed angrily as he regarded the two, then quickly turned and began retreating to the Ravager, not even daring to look back.

"Yea, that's right! Run away to your posse, old man!" Eagle Eye squawked after the fleeing Skarmory.

"Ha! That was a piece of cake," said Lighris, "And you said your old squad struggled with these jokers?"

"Hey, don't knock them. They earned their reputation as the Red Talons' rivals." Eagle Eye firmly said back to Lighris. "Sure they had numbers, but we had skill. One Red Talon was worth about two Saberwings, and we didn't always win those battles."

"Well in this case, apparently a Red Talon and a Zapdos are worth a whole flock of Saberwings," Lighris added with a snicker.

"Maybe so, but keep in mind we've been training our tail feathers off to get stronger." Eagle Eye returned. "But enough chatter. Let's regroup with the others and give them a sitrep."

"Right with you," said Lighris.

As the hours went by, there seemed to be no additional activity coming from the Ravager. The Pawniard had regrouped in the town, with their Centurion, but they were holding position rather than pushing toward the forest. Things had fallen silent over the town...

Yet somehow, that was more troubling than anything to Lashanne, watching from her hiding spot concealed by Hank's illusion. On either side of her stood Hank and Tristan, taking in the stillness and the lack of activity...

"Something is wrong here," said Lashanne, "why aren't they pressing their attack?"

"It don't add up," Tristan agreed, "They weren't this... Slow back in Hadleigh. They never let up for a moment, so why now?"

"Think maybe they're changing up their game plan?" Hank asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he also started to feel unnerved by all the silence. "Maybe they're tryin' to wait us out or something."

"Yes, to the change of gameplan," agreed Lashanne, "but it's as to what they're planning... That's the real question."

Tristan looked up at the sky. "Gonna be night soon... You suppose that's got somethin' to do with it?" He asked.

"Maybe. They might try something under the cover of night," replied Lashanne.

"Then shit... Kinda wish we had Luke or Minato with us here," Hank remarked. "They'd be able to sniff out an ambush easily."

At that moment, Doug emerged from the ground behind the three, with Lashanne being the first to hear him. She turned to the Dugtrio and knelt to eye level with him. "Did you find anything," she asked, "is the town clear?"

"Just about. Luna managed to find the mayor and bring him to the tunnel, and the clinic staff have evacuated the town." He answered.

"Oh, thank fuck," Hank muttered, heaving a sigh of relief, knowing that meant his husband was safe.

Lashanne nodded, "Alright, good. We got everyone clear then," she said, relieved, "Now it's back to the question of what the hell are they waiting for?" She rubbed her chin in thought, and then looked at Doug. "Are there any signs they've learned about the tunnel or where it is?" She asked.

"Not that I've seen or sensed," the Dugtrio answered, "I haven't detected any seismic activity near the tunnels, so it's safe to say they're still hidden."

Lashanne nodded. "Remind me, where did you guys put the other end of the tunnel - is it far?"

"Not too far," Doug answered. "I put it near the north road, coming out at the fork leading to Bluegrove, just in case we had to make a break for it should they advance too close for comfort."

"Good call," the Delphox commented, "As long as the people remember the evac plan, they should head straight to Bluegrove. That'll apprise Sickle of what's going on over here; we just have to hold on until backup arrives."

"Hopefully sooner rather than later," Hank remarked. "Call me crazy, but... I got a bad feeling all of a sudden."

Lashanne glanced at Hank, and then turned her gaze back toward the town, confirming that the Bisharp and his platoon were still there. She squinted her eyes, trying to peer out to the bay, certain she could see some activity out on the water... But she couldn't be sure. For now, all that the Delphox could think to do was keep her guard up, and keep watching...

The townsfolk of Azure were huddled together in various groups in the woods, not too far from their hometown that had suddenly become a battleground. Families and friends stayed together, and accepted food and water offered to them by the small lizards who wandered between them. Jora herself brought a basket of berries to a family with three children, setting it down between them to let the children eat, and nodding to the parents when they thanked her.

Yet despite her brave face, the Salazzle was troubled... A little over half of the townsfolk had come out to the woods, but with night closing in she could not take them out any further. She knew it was only a matter of time before the Crusade made some sort of move... But to travel at night was too risky. Somehow, she had to protect them here.

Among the townsfolk was one who was not a refugee, but still walked among them when she saw the Salazzle. Luminara was directing her other two boys to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for anything suspicious before she started tending to the townsfolk and doing her best to help them remain calm. Along the way, she eventually crossed paths with Jora, the Salazzle giving her a second look as they passed.

Overtime, Jora realized she was staring, and Luminara caught on as well, meeting the Salazzle's gaze. "Oh, please forgive me," she said, sheepishly, "You resemble someone I know."

"Is that right?" Luminara asked, coming over to the Salazzle and looking at her from head to toe, "You wouldn't be talking about my youngest, would you?"

"Your youngest... Would that be Luke, by any chance?" the Salazzle asked.

"That would be him," Luminara answered with a nod, "And you must be the Salazzle he saw fit to give another chance to."

Jora nodded. "I am called Jora," she said, bowing her head politely, "He mentioned his mother to me before, but I do not recall your name?" she asked.

"I am Luminara," She introduced herself, gently taking Jora's claw into her paw and shaking it gently. "My son spoke highly of you after he returned from his mission to save his friend. You were a valuable help to his team."

Jora smiled. "It was the least I could do, after all he has done for me," she said in a tone of fondness, laying her claws over her chest. "I did... Terrible things, once... But he saw me for who I was and helped me find my way again." she looked around, regarding the people surrounding them, "Now, I seek to do my part to help these people in this time of crisis," she said.

"It seems to me like you already are," Luminara said, gesturing to the townsfolk around them. "We wouldn't have gotten this far without your help."

"I only wish I could lead them further, but when night falls it will be too perilous to-" She trailed off, her gaze snapping to something she saw behind Luminara. "Wait, don't do that!" She called, dropping to all fours and scrambling past the Lucario to a gathering behind her; five Pokémon huddled around a pile of kindling. "You must not light a fire!"

"But it's going to be dark soon," one of the group complained, "and it'll be cold! Why shouldn't we light a fire?"

"If you make a fire, the light from it will reveal our location to the Crusade," Jora reasoned, "If they see where we are, they will rain Draco Meteors upon us. We must stay hidden."

The five of them shared a look with each other, with the one holding the box of matches immediately snapping it closed. Jora gave them a nod of affirmation. "Please, I know it is difficult," she began, "but we will try to bring you blankets if we can. In the meantime, stay close together to stay warm."

With that, Jora turned back to Luminara. "My apologies for the interruption," she said.

"It's no trouble. You were just trying to keep everyone safe," Luminara assured her. "Besides, my other two boys are keeping watch with their Aura Sense. They will alert you if they sense something wrong."

Jora nodded gratefully to Luminara. "That helps put my mind at ease," she said, "I had better return to my work, then."

"As you were, Jora," Luminara answered with a nod, letting her get back to her duties.

In another area of the camp, the patients who had been evacuated from the camp were set apart from the rest of the townsfolk, placed somewhere quiet where they could get their rest. Mordecai and Gex were tending to the patients, doing everything they could to make them more comfortable; Mikhail wanted to assist them, but he had his own job to do, using his Aura Sense to watch for danger.

A few times, he couldn't resist the urge to reach out and see what was happening near the town. Through the aura, he could see his friends gathered nearby, but he couldn't quite reach out far enough to peer into the town itself. He dearly hoped that nobody had been left behind when the town was evacuated - or, in the event any had, they would have the good sense to stay hidden until the crisis was over...

With that, Mikhail focused his attention back on their surroundings. He sensed the auras of the other townsfolk; people he knew, with only a few he was less familiar with. Being a town doctor had its perks, as over the years he had become familiar with the aura of nearly everyone who called Azure home. It was for that reason that when he spotted three auras he did not immediately recognize that he became alert...

Three auras, moving swiftly... As far as he could tell, they were below ground; each aura was too big to be Doug, and they were approaching from the wrong direction. Then, his heart skipped a beat, realizing that one of the strange auras was heading directly toward the patients!

Without even thinking for his own safety, Mikhail quickly dashed to the patient whom he sensed was in danger, practically grabbing him and throwing both to the ground. The doctor that was treating him exclaimed in surprise, asking what the hell the Lucario was thinking, but that's when the attacker erupted from the ground.

It was all that saved them, as the shark-like creature exploded from the ground under where the doctor had been. A patient screamed at the sight of the Garchomp, scrambling to get away; the dragon set its sights on the scurrying patient and went for them, claw raised to impale them.

Mikhail quickly fired an Aura Sphere at the Garchomp before it could attack the patient, striking it clean in the face and making it recoil. Mik then took that moment to shout at the other patients. "Everyone! Run deeper into the forest! It's an ambush!!"

People scrambled to get to their feet and run from the Garchomp as it recovered. But they did not get far before two more of the Dragon/Ground-types erupted from the earth, snarling at the panicked townsfolk. Screams erupted, catching the attention of others nearby, including Degra who was taking care of Ignus, Caulin and Qiang; the Blaziken female immediately picked up the three boys in her arms and held them protectively against her.

Jora, Luminara and Rigel - coming from the other end of the camp, ran to investigate the screams, and saw the Garchomp trio, two of them pursuing Mikhail while the third continued to chase the infirm, who had only Gex and Mordecai to try to protect them.

Rigel immediately went for one of the Garchomps chasing Mikhail, protective instinct spurring him on as he intercepted the closest one to him and clubbed him with a fiery Sky Uppercut attack. Alongside of him, Luminara jumped over Mikhail and attacked the other Garchomp with a flying kick straight into its snout, knocking him back a fair distance as she landed and prepared to fight her opponent.

Rigel came to stand by his brother and hoisted him up to his feet, dusting him off before turning to the Garchomp he had attacked. "C'mon bro. I know you don't like fightin', but if we're gonna protect these people, we gotta put up our dukes!" he said as he entered his stance, his fists blazing.

"I-I... I know." Mikhail stammered, looking at the Garchomp and feeling quite intimidated by its glare. He then sighed and forced himself to relax, then took off his glasses and shot a glare back at the Garchomp, activating his Laser Focus attack as he got into stance with his brother. "Garchomps are physically tough and can deal damage to you just through their Rough Skin. Special Attacks are our best shot but aim for its joints and its nose. Those are their weak spots."

"Got it," Rigel said with a smirk. "Let's show 'em what for, bro."

The last Garchomp was being held off by Mordecai and Gex. The Sceptile relied mostly on his Leaf Blades to counter the slashes from the Garchomp, while Gex attacked with a heavy flurry of punches and Ice Fangs to push the foe away from the rest of the patients. The Garchomp tenaciously pressed them, hacking away with Dragon Claw to ward the two off.

But as they managed to force it back, the Garchomp leapt into the air, and dove, its body spinning like a drill before it plunged into the ground, burrowing beneath the earth once more.

"Tch, damnit," Gex growled, flexing his claws and standing back to back with Mordecai. "Get that Frenzy Plant of yours ready... I'm thinking we're gonna need it."

"Alright but stand clear when I unleash it. I don't want you getting caught in it," Mordecai replied.

"Gonna take more than roots to hold me down," the Feraligatr reassured his fellow surgeon.

The shaking ground was the only warning they had, and they leapt away from each other only a second before the Garchomp erupted between them, swiping at both of them with claws while throwing rocks and dirt around itself. Mordecai's Leaf Blades managed to save him from any extensive damage, but Gex growled as he felt his arms being cut into, sending blood spraying from them and onto the Garchomp's body as it rose.

However, despite the damage he had just taken, Gex was grinning and jumping away. The seeds along Mordecai's back started popping open and thick roots started quickly emerging from them, arching around their caster, and reaching out to start winding around the Garchomp while he was still airborne. The Garchomp was caught by surprise, having not expected the counterattack; it tried to slash at the vines, succeeding in slashing one but failing to cut another before its arms were caught.

"Got you," Mordecai muttered as the rest of the roots started whipping around the Garchomp, winding around its torso, neck and legs before going taut, practically choking the landshark Pokémon.

But such a powerful creature was not so easily held down, not even by a Sceptile. The Garchomp snarled angrily, and its body became engulfed in Dragon-type power as it triggered Dragon Rush, shooting into the air and pulling the vines taut as it tried to take off like a rocket. Mordecai's vines broke one after the other, unable to bear the strain, until the Garchomp was free.

They shot high into the air before coming around in a U-turn, and dive-bombing at Mordecai, still covered by Dragon Rush. Gex responded by coming in between the two before the Garchomp could finish his attack and caught the falling Pokémon. Being physically stronger than the Sceptile, he was able to keep the Garchomp at bay to allow the fatigued Sceptile to move out of the way, then Gex stepped to the side and let the Garchomp hit the ground, rubbing his injured arms once he had a moment of reprieve.

The Garchomp left a deep gouge in the ground as it struck, tumbling for a short distance before catching itself with its claws. It leered at Gex before running at him, full sprint, and attacking with another swing of Dragon Claw. It missed, but it kept turning; Gex noticed too late that it was following up the attack with Dragon Tail!

"Shit!" he growled, unable to dodge out of the way and forced to block the attack with his arms. The force of the impact knocked him from his feet, and he felt his arms were now even worse off than before thanks to them being cut earlier on in the fight. He was thrown into a tree by the Dragon Tail, briefly stunned.

Then, the Garchomp came in again, too quick for him to recover. He felt searing pain from his chest and abdomen, and a voice screaming his name as the Garchomp's claws pierced deeply into his body...

The Garchomp pulled back and rounded on the voice, as a very enraged Zoroark came running onto the scene. Hank let out a primal roar as he tackled full tilt into the Garchomp, grabbing onto the shark and laying into him with Night Slash after Night Slash, a crazed expression in his glare as he kept attacking without remorse. The Garchomp took a few of the hits before it finally managed to kick Hank off it.

Elsewhere, Tristan came charging onto the scene where Luminara and her sons had engaged the other two Garchomp, aiming for the one that she was fighting alone, and tackling it head-on, the two tumbling into the foliage, while the other was struck by a Psybeam as Lashanne arrived just behind the Aggron.

The boys looked back at Tristan and Lashanne as they entered the scene, with Rigel wiping his nose with his paw as he regarded the Aggron. "Peh. We had him covered," he remarked indignantly. "...But uh, I guess we could use the extra pair of hands."

"Not the time, Rigel," Luminara remarked scoldingly as she turned to Lashanne. "Your timing is impeccable, miss."

"We heard the screams and came running as fast as we could," said Lashanne, looking around until her eyes found Hank, still fighting the Garchomp, and behind him the wounded Gex still lying on the ground. "We've got wounded!" she exclaimed, putting a paw to her ear. "Serena, get over here; we need you!" She said as she ran over to help Hank.

The Garchomp struck by Lashanne's Psybeam had disappeared underground, and Luminara and Rigel could see that it was running away, having lost its courage to being outnumbered three to one. The one Tristan was fighting had managed to throw the Aggron off itself, and attempted to take him down with Bulldoze, striking the ground with its foot to produce a localized tremor.

Tristan activated Magnet Rise, floating off the ground to evade the Bulldoze, and then hit the Garchomp with Flash Cannon fired from his mouth. The Garchomp staggered back, and when Tristan hit the ground again, he charged and landed a powerful Iron Tail, throwing the Garchomp painfully into a tree that splintered from the impact. Just to add insult to injury, Tristan rammed head-first into the Garchomp, breaking the tree and collapsing it on top of the land shark/dragon.

With the second Garchomp down and out, the one that had wounded Gex was all that remained, engaged now by both Hank and Lashanne. Hank was attacking with reckless abandon, a crazed look in his eyes as he went again for the Garchomp's face, only to be smacked away with its claw. Hank skidded along the ground before jumping into the air, roaring as he unleashed a full-power Night Daze from above, bombarding his foe with a relentless overload of dark energy that also resulted in reduced vision to the target.

The Garchomp tried to defend itself with its arms, but to no avail. Hank's onslaught finally overwhelmed it, and it collapsed, letting out a groan as it hit the ground and slipped out of consciousness. Hank stood over the downed Garchomp, panting heavily and spitting on his face out of spite before he quickly turned and ran to the fallen Feraligatr.

Mikhail and Mordecai were already at Gex's side when Hank scrambled over, the two of them putting their medical expertise to work as they tried to stabilize the Feraligatr. Blood had pooled beneath Gex as they worked, and his scales were paling because of his blood loss.

"Come on, don't quit on me," Mordecai growled as he and his husband tried to stop the bleeding.

"Mordecai... I-I..." Mik stammered, causing the Sceptile to look at him. "I can't staunch the bleeding... His heart... it's been-"

"It's been what?!" Hank exclaimed, looming over Mikhail and making him yelp in surprise. "You guys are the best surgeons in Azure! You can fix this, right?!" He demanded.

Mordecai shot a stern glare at Hank for talking to his mate like that but decided to see for himself what Mikhail was talking about. His eyes widened at what he saw, and he looked at Gex with a gaze of horrified shock before he closed his eyes, coming to terms with the situation.

"...His left ventricle has been ruptured," he said in a low voice.

At that moment, Serena arrived, and was already running over to join the others. But Lashanne held out her paw, stopping the Vaporeon and shaking her head at her, knowing there was nothing that could be done. Lashanne knew as well as Mordecai and Mikhail did that even with Serena's special healing powers, it was too late to save Gex... Not even she could repair a ruptured heart.

Hank was already breaking down at that point, kneeling next to his husband and holding his cheeks in his claws to try and rouse him, begging him to wake up. When Gex's head slowly slumped forward and let out a long sigh, Hank's heart skipped a beat and he froze on the spot, just staring at Gex for a long moment of silence before the tears started rolling down his cheeks again, and he proceeded to hold the Feraligatr's head against his chest as he begged him desperately to wake up...

Mordecai and Mikhail hung their heads somberly for a moment before the former lifted his head and looked at his watch. "...Time of death... Twenty-one thirty-eight," he said softly. "Mikhail, please find a tarp or blanket so we can cover the body..."

"Y...Yes, doctor." Mikhail answered, trying to maintain a professional manner like his husband, but tears were already starting to roll down his cheeks even as he left.

Lashanne and Serena hung their heads sadly, and Tristan came onto the scene to see what was happening.

"Ah... Shit," the Aggron mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Tristan... Head back to the others," said Lashanne, heavy-hearted, "Serena, help out anyone else who was injured and get back there as well... I better talk to Hank."

The two nodded, and went to carry out her instructions, while Lashanne walked slowly over to the mourning Zoroark. He was still wailing when she approached, still clutching onto his deceased husband against his chest, no longer pleading for him to wake up. He knew Gex was dead, but part of him still didn't want to believe it as he wept, hoping that his warmth would bring the Feraligatr back.

Lashanne knelt beside Hank, and gently put a paw on his shoulder. Hank winced at first, almost throwing her paw off of him but he relaxed when he recognized who was touching him, looking at her over his shoulder with tear stained eyes.

"Hank... I'm so sorry," she whispered to him.

At that, he frowned at her, his face contorting into a mix of anger and sorrow... But Lashanne knew that anger wasn't directed at her; she could see that plain as day as the Zoroark turned his attention back toward the direction of the town.

"One of those Garchomp got away... When I see them, I'm gonna gouge that motherfucker's eyes outta his head, and shove them down his throat," he said dangerously.

Lashanne said nothing to either back or refute that claim, not wanting to stoke his anger any further. She stood with him and looked around at the townsfolk. There had been no other casualties among the people; Jora confirmed that to Lashanne with a nod, and - for a personal reassurance, she looked for Caulin and saw the Riolu waving to her, safely in the company of Degra.

"Come whenever you're ready," she said to the Zoroark as she started back toward town, "we still need you if we're going to win this."

"I'm _done_waiting...I'm ready to end this..." That was all Hank said as he gently let go of Gex, slowly standing up and stalking ahead of her to rejoin the others.

Lashanne let out a breath, surprised by Hank's change of demeanour, yet she could hardly blame him for it. She looked briefly back at the body of Gex as it was covered by Mikhail, offering a small prayer to Xerneas - the same as she had for Minato's late wife on Arc Island, and returned to the group with Hank...

~~~~~

"Three Lucario," Calhoun repeated as the Garchomp made her report, "did any of them happen to be wearing a blue scarf?"

"No, sir," the Garchomp replied in a very gravelly voice, "One was a female - very plain, the other two stood out more. One of them wore sport's tape around his arms," she pantomimed with her claws to describe it, "and the other wore eyeglasses."

"Here I was starting to worry they had somehow made it back here before we did," said Asya, "those other Lucario must be his family, then."

Calhoun grinned. "Then I look forward to making him bury all three of them when he returns. Who else did you see?"

"A Sceptile and a Feraligatr were protecting the infirm; one of my brothers managed to strike down the Feraligatr," the Garchomp replied, "There was also a Salazzle alongside the Lucario, though she was not much of a problem, and some of the defenders came rushing to the aid of the townsfolk; an Aggron and a Delphox. They arrived too late to make much of a difference for that Feraligatr," she added coldly with a smile.

"A Delphox," Crane spoke up from his place behind Seji. "That has to be Lashanne; she was at the South Nexus along with the others."

"And a Salazzle; that must be that traitor, Jora. It can be no one else," added Asya.

Calhoun turned to the Lycanroc beside him. "Do you have all you need to know, Asya?"

"Indeed," replied Asya, "they may have been ready for our attack, but even without the Saberwings, we can break them. I suggest we send our heavy forces ashore and join them with the Century. The combined arms of the Bisharp and the Golurk will push through."

"Will that not push the townsfolk deeper into the woods?" Crane dared to ask.

"That is where you come in, Crane," said Asya, "I want you to take your cohorts and a small detachment of volunteers, and circle around the defensive line. Your target will be the townsfolk."

Crane smiled and nodded. "I have just the people in mind," he said, "I'll head ashore immediately."

"By our heavies... Should we send Eberon as well?" Calhoun asked as Crane left them.

Asya looked at the dark Blaziken curiously. "Is he ready?" She asked.

"Seji tells me he is fully recovered, and no longer requires treatment."

"I mean, will he know friend from foe?" Asya asked. "The last two times we used him, we had to send him alone because we cannot be sure of his loyalty."

"As long as we give him something to kill, he won't care who he's fighting for," stated Calhoun, "send the Golurk ashore, and press the attack. If they manage to hold, then we unleash the Black Titan."

It was into the small hours of the morning when the next attack came. They heard the Bisharp calling out to his Pawniard Century and began marching toward the defensive line at the trees, still concealed behind Hank's illusion. But this time, they were accompanied by four giant Pokémon, each of them taking point and towering over the rest of their comrades.

The giants were blue in colour, and their bodies seemed composed of fired clay shaped to resemble a suit of armour, animated by strange powers. There were spiral-shaped markings along their arms, covering their spiked shoulders and the flats of their forearms, and they wore thick bronze-hued bangles around their wrists and ankles. Each of them stood taller than the houses across Azure; one even walked through the corner of a building and barely seemed to notice the obstacle.

"Golurk," said Lashanne, grimacing worriedly, "the sons of bitches brought a whole squad of Golurk with them."

"Where did they even find them?" Serena asked, "I thought Golurk usually guarded old ruins?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Serena," replied Lashanne, shaking her head, "there are plenty of ruins across the West Continent where they could have found them, but how they made them leave their charges, I have no idea. Either way, they're going to be a problem."

"Who cares where they found 'em?" Sol remarked as he punched his paws together. "They're just fodder to us anyway. The real threat is that big pussy cat they have."

"Take heed, Sol. Golurk may not be as strong as Eberon, but they are still a threat to us in numbers," Katsu stated.

"How bout you leave them to me?" Doug suddenly asked, "I got a little something I've been meaning to try out, and they might be just the punching bags I need."

Everyone turned to look at him, the surprise and puzzlement evident on their faces.

"Uh... Not sayin' you aren't strong, bud," began Tristan, "But... You're talking about you - just, little 'ol you," he gestured at Doug with his claws, and then in the direction of the Golurk, "against four of them - ya are aware that they're big enough to step on you and probably not even notice, right?"

"And _you're_forgetting that when it comes to the earth and the science of tectonics, there ain't no one out there better than me," Doug answered back confidently. "Besides, whether you remember or not, _you_gave me the inspiration I needed to work on my new little trick."

Tristan tilted his head, eyes crossed. "I did?"

"You did. And today, you're about to see the fruits of my labour thanks to your words," Doug added confidently.

"Tristan helped you come up with this idea?" Lashanne asked, equally puzzled, "I get the saying that 'even a broken clock is right twice a day' applies here, but, what exactly did he help you think of?"

"Hey," Tristan growled, indignant, "I'm not so stupid I don't know when I've been insulted, Lashanne."

"Coulda fooled me," Hank remarked offhandedly, his gaze still forward at the upcoming battle ahead.

"Whoa, uh... Hey, that was kinda a low blow, dontcha think?" Doug remarked after all eyes fell on the Zoroark.

Sol was about to add in his own two cents, finding the absence of Hank's usual demeanour odd when his ear twitched, turning his head to look behind him. "...We got company."

"Who-?" Lashanne asked as she and the others collectively turned to look over their shoulders. Behind them came two other figures stepping into view of the group, the smaller one being Luna, and the other, to their surprise, being Luminara herself.

Sol smirked when he saw his brother approach them. "Couldn't resist the urge to play the hero again, eh?" He remarked.

"I'm not playing anything, Sol," Luna remarked rather firmly, then looked squarely at Lashanne. "Are you in charge of our Azure's defenses?" he asked.

"With Volcan and Luke away destroying the East Nexus... Yeah, it would seem I am," she said.

"Let me fight with you," Luna stated firmly. "Azure's just as much my responsibility as it is yours, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just sat by and let its people die..."

Lashanne didn't even need to think long about Luna's offer. "I've seen you spar with Volcan, so I know you can fight," she said, "and we need all the fighters we can get. So, if you're sure about it, you're in."

"Thank you," Luna answered with a nod. "I won't let you down."

Lashanne then turned to Luminara. "You want in as well?" she asked.

The elder Lucario nodded in return. "I understand that this is your duty, and as a stay-at-home mother, I have no right in meddling in Guild affairs," she began, "But I am my son's mother, and I know a thing or two about combat. Without someone versed in Aura, I fear you might struggle against these forces invading our town."

"Make that two well-versed Aura Users."

From behind Luminara, Victor slowly emerged and stood next to her. "I may be past my prime, but this old veteran can still offer his sword when it is needed. I've already let one past home fall to these monsters; I shan't repeat that mistake."

Lashanne nodded again. "We'd welcome the help," she said, "Okay, let's-"

"One moment!"

They turned to a new voice that called out to them, and they saw Jora approaching. By her side was the brilliant yellow Zeraora, Koa, walking beside the Salazzle Matron.

"Koa wishes to help as well," Jora explained.

"Well, we certainly won't pass it up, but can he understand us yet?" Lashanne asked. "I thought he was still learning the language?"

"He is. But I've taught him some basic instructions - things such as 'attack', or 'help', or anything else that might be needed," explained Jora, "Do not fear for his safety; he is strong, and he will be of great help to you all."

"Hey, I'm not gonna knock any reinforcements that come our way," Eagle Eye squawked, flapping his wings a little. "If he's as good as you say he is, then I say let him join."

Lashanne nodded for a third time. "Okay; we're glad to have him then. Just make sure he knows to avoid those Golurk; they're Ghost and Ground-types - he won't be able to hurt them."

Jora nodded back and relayed Lashanne's instructions to Koa. The Zeraora looked out toward the town and the forces gathering for the assault. He spoke to Jora again, and she looked back.

"He will focus on the Pawniard and any other forces he finds among them," Jora promised, "but he will avoid the Golurks as you suggest."

"Excellent. Then we're as ready as we'll ever be," said Lashanne. "Okay, Doug; show us this new trick. Katsu, Hank - you're his backup; you two stand the most chance against those Golurk out of any of us. Strike hard, strike fast, and then pull back - don't let them surround you."

"Of course," Katsu returned, already drawing his swords.

"Yea, whatever," Hank answered back, claws flexed at his side and twitching slightly.

"Alright... Here we go." Doug muttered, taking a moment to focus before he started moving forward as fast as he could, with Hank and Katsu following next to him. "Yo! Ghosties!" the Dugtrio hollered as he exposed himself.

The four Golurk turned their attention to him, and the Bisharp between them did likewise, narrowing his eyes at the Dugtrio as his Pawniard followers stopped marching behind their leader. Doug kept approaching them with his comrades escorting him, weapons and claws ready as they charged in, all while Doug was using his powers to gather up some earth around him.

"What the-?" Lashanne asked, seeing the ground as it bulged around the Dugtrio, seemingly being pulled into him.

"The heck?" Tristan asked, his jaw dropping.

Then, the unthinkable happened. The Dugtrio suddenly shot upward as the earth he had gathered all accumulated around him, dragging more of it with him as he ascended to at least eight feet tall. The earth Doug was manipulating then started to mold into a shape, turning into a large body, complete with arms and legs, and compacting so densely that it was like he had hardened the earth into solid rock.

When his escorts looking up at him stared on in shock, Doug let out a gleeful cackle as he charged forward and punched the first Golurk closest to him with a heavy haymaker, sending it toppling down toward the ground. "AAHAHAHAA! It worked!! It freakin worked~!" he exclaimed, practically singing his delight. "I feel invincible, baby!!"

The Bisharp Centurion and his followers were dumbfounded by the display, seeing the Dugtrio do what could only be described as animate the earth around him, forming it into a body to become a golem, with the three-headed mole as... Well, the head. The other three Golurk moved to attack, each of them coming in with a Shadow Punch.

Two of them were stopped by Katsu and Hank, the former attacking with Razor Shell across its chest while Hank rapidly assaulted the other with Night Slashes. Doug's construct took the hit from the third's Shadow Punch, but the construct barely even flinched when it made contact. Doug was giggling and wiggling about like a maniac as he commanded his construct to stomp into the ground, unleashing a devastating Magnitude 10 attack directly at the Golurk and any others close enough to be in its radius.

The Bisharp Centurion ordered the Pawniard to attack; the small Dark/Steel-types surged forward, intending to swarm Katsu and Hank and chip away at Doug's construct. But Koa and Luna intervened, the two of them dashing into the fray trailing bolts of lightning behind them; with their blinding speed, a dozen of the Pawniard fell within seconds, beaten down by the two.

With that, Lashanne and the others also joined the battle, engaging the Pawniards and their leader. The Bisharp set his sights on the closest of the targets, settling on Victor - catching a glimpse of his missing arm and eye and singling him out as an easy target. The Bisharp charged at the handicapped Lucario, but his initial assumption was further from the truth than he thought. The elder Lucario quickly turned and swung out with his sword, which he had hidden in his cloak and managed to land a glancing blow on the Bisharp when he tried to dodge out of the way.

"Targeting an old man because of his handicap," he remarked in a condescending tone to the Bisharp. "You youth these days have no measure of respect for us veterans."

Rather than reply, the Bisharp attempted to follow up its initial attack with another, moving in with a Night Slash with its right arm, followed by a second with its left. Victor dodged out of the way of the first, then parried the second with his blade before turning sharply and making it so his cloak blinded the Bisharp momentarily, exposing him to a hard kick to the face before pointing his sword at his opponent.

'Hmm, good. My injury has not been aggravated,' he thought inwardly, smiling a bit as he kept his gaze forward. 'Nevertheless, I must make short work of this foe, lest I increase that risk.'

The Pawniards, though having a tremendous advantage in numbers, were not powerful opponents. Against the hard armour of Tristan, the sheer brutality of Sol and so on they had little chance against the well-disciplined and coordinated rescue teams. Even as Doug, Katsu and Hank dealt with the Golurk, the battlefield advantage was clear to either side - even to the Bisharp, who found that despite the handicap suffered by the Lucario he fought he still could not overcome his opponent.

"Pull back!" The Centurion commanded.

The Pawniard broke off their attack. Reduced now to less than half their original eighty, and the Golurk likewise retreated at the Bisharp's command. The teams gained a reprieve for the moment.

"So far, so good," whispered Lashanne. "Still... Volcan, Luke, wherever you guys are you better hurry up."

Asya fought hard to keep her collected demeanour even as she saw the latest attack fail. They had the rescue team members outnumbered four to one, and yet they still could not break their line...

"They failed," she said. "Once again, I underestimate the resourcefulness and power of our enemy. We are getting nowhere now."

"Agreed. As it stands, all we've done so far is send Venomoths to the flame. Even without their leaders, they still put up a powerful resistance," Seji remarked. "At this rate, we will have to directly become involved in this battle..."

"It would seem that is inevitable," agreed Calhoun, uncrossing his arms, "When our forces have regrouped, we will join them for the next attack. But... I do believe it's time for us to send forward our surprise to soften them up," he added with a smile. "Asya, command of the ship is yours. Seji, get Sash; he's not going to want to miss this."

"Heads up guys," Lashanne called, alerting the others, "looks like they're sending more people ashore."

Out on the waters was a single boat, heading toward the beach. Though it was too far for most of them to see who was on it, it wasn't a problem for Eagle Eye or Lighris; they perched themselves on the tree branches above and stared out to the bay to get a look.

On the boat, they made out ten occupants, each a different Pokémon - though they couldn't see all of them clearly, but it was the three at the front that caught their attention. An elderly Alakazam, a Gallade, and him.

"That dark Blaziken at the lead... That's Calhoun, isn't it?" Lighris asked Eagle Eye, as the only one of the two who had actually seen Calhoun up close.

"Uh oh, heads up guys!" Eagle Eye squawked. "The big boss himself's joining the battle!"

Lashanne, of course, heard the two talking. "...So, he's coming to settle things himself," she said.

"Fine by me," Hank growled, grinding his claws together, his eyes fixated on the Dark Blaziken as he and his group approached.

"Hank, I know you're angry right now, but you know as well as I do none of us can take Calhoun alone," Lashanne tried to reason with him. "Some of us here have tried; no one has succeeded."

"Yer talkin' to someone who doesn't have anything to lose... You think I care?" Hank asked rhetorically, still looking ahead and keeping a furrowed brow.

The others all looked at Hank incredulously for a moment, then back at each other before Eagle Eye spoke up again. "Did... we miss something? Who are you and what have you done with Hank?"

"Hank-" Serena started to speak, but Zoroark ignored her, putting up a paw to let her know to be silent.

"...Well, that aside," said Tristan, "What's our plan, boss lady?"

Lashanne let out a sigh and looked out to the bay again. "No matter what, we cannot let those guys past us. We-"

"Hang on," Lighris called. "They've reached the shore, but a different one's taking the lead now... A huge red and black cat."

Tristan jerked as if he'd been hit. "Fuck! Are they sending the Black Titan as their lead?! That nutcase will tear this whole place apart!"

Lashanne looked over at Sol. The Typhlosion was sizing up Eberon from where he stood, his paws clenching so tightly his knuckles were cracking. He didn't look scared at the sight of the large Incineroar... rather, he looked _excited,_a broad grin crossing his face the longer he stared at him.

"I'm gonna enjoy making that pussy cat eat the dirt..." He remarked. "Any of you get involved, and I can't guarantee you won't get caught in the crossfire, so stay the fuck away from me."

"No argument there." Said Doug.

"Sol... are you-" Luna began.

"I'm sure," Sol interjected sharply. "You're more of a team player than I am. You stick with the others."

"We'll be here in case they try anything funny," Lashanne promised, "and, I know you're confident but, watch yourself - this guy earned his reputation as a blood-thirsty monster."

"Yea well, takes a monster to beat one," Sol remarked, almost derisively despite the confident smirk he wore on his face.

As Sol made his way forward, he could see the colossal feline coming toward him. Eberon - the Black Titan, lived up to that alias. He was huge, standing even taller than Volcan or Sol himself - perhaps even taller than Nido or Torolf. Sol had seen some big Pokémon in his life, but Eberon was definitely up there with the biggest.

On top of being tall, he was very buff; his muscles were thick and corded, visible even through his fur, and he bore the scars of many battles. His arms were covered in defensive wounds, and he had a smaller scar on his chest indicative of a puncture wound - likely from some horned Pokémon that had tried to run him through.

But perhaps most alarming was the look in his eyes. Anger... Hatred... Not even directed at Sol; it was almost as though the furious behemoth were looking through him, to something else...

Sol resisted the urge to look behind him when he got the impression Eberon was looking through him, knowing that if he turned away for even a second, he'd be vulnerable to a surprise attack. Instead, he ignited his neck flames as he continued forward, flexing his paws a few times before he clenched them into fists and letting out a long breath to keep himself focused. He was ready for possibly the fight of his life, and he was going to enjoy it no matter what.

Eberon began to increase his pace, the ground shaking with his steps as he bared his teeth, and ran straight for Sol, recognizing him as a challenger. The tiger Pokémon - an Incineroar, he remembered him being called - launched himself at Sol with a Flame Charge and swiped at him with his claws; there was a whoosh as the air around his sweeping arm broke under his swing.

Sol tensed up and quickly brought his arms up to block the attack. His feet dug into the sand, and he winced when he felt the sheer power of Eberon's swing vibrating through his body, but he held his ground and smirked back at the Incineroar, then let himself fall back onto his hands, then threw his legs up for a Double Kick right to his face to send him stumbling back a bit. He then rolled back to his feet and charged at Eberon, quickly curling up into a ball and rolling toward him.

As he rolled, rocks started to gather around Sol's body and latch onto him as he increased his speed, aiming to run him over with a new move he had learned during their off time: Rollout. Eberon stood his ground, putting out his hands and letting Sol come rolling into him; despite the super-effective Rock-type move, Eberon did not relent, digging his feet into the ground as Sol's momentum pushed him back, creating drag marks in the grass.

When Sol stopped rolling, Eberon lunged; the rocks fell away just as the Incineroar grabbed the Typhlosion in a powerful bearhug that forced the air out of Sol's lungs. Then, he bent back, and suplexed the Typhlosion headfirst into the ground behind him, sending stars dancing across Sol's eyes. He groaned a bit after being suplexed, but he was quick to recover and growled angrily, then he pushed himself back to his feet, breaking out of Eberon's grasp and turning around for a Mega Punch right to his face, then another to his stomach as hard as he could.

Eberon took both hits, and yet despite Sol being reputed as being very strong - even for a Typhlosion, the Incineroar did not relent - he barely even recoiled from the punches before he was back on Sol again. The two traded vicious blows, fist and claw clashing again and again. Sol was driven by his need to win, Eberon was driven by his sheer fury.

Sol could see it... Feel it even. Eberon cared nothing for the cause he fought for - he followed Calhoun only because the Dark Crusade presented him with the opportunity to satisfy his bloodthirst and would continue to do so. He was ruled by his hatred, fueled by his anger; he was a storm that would keep going, keep on raging, until he had nothing left - until he literally burned himself out, or until he died.

So furious. So wild.

So familiar...

Sol was looking at a reflection of what he had nearly become. It made him pause for a moment as they stared at one another during their exchange, his own expression appearing less angry than before in that moment of reflection. Then his expression hardened again, and his neck flames started burning brighter, his own rage fueling him and pushing him into his Berserker state.

His flames quickly changed from red to blue, and the air temperature around him intensified to the point where the sand at his feet was starting to turn to glass, and he slowly pushed Eberon back enough so that he could headbutt him, then roared as he launched an even more devastating punch to Eberon's cheek, actually sending him off of his feet and flying into a nearby tree.

Yet once again, Eberon was back up. He looked back at Sol, growling before he grabbed the tree he was thrown into, and pulled. Sol heard the wood splintering as the tree was snapped in two by the Incineroar's overwhelming strength, and he used the upper portion of the tree as a giant club, bringing it around and bludgeoning Sol with it.

Sol was sent flying like a baseball as he was hit by the tree, crashing through the wall of a nearby house, but he wasn't down for long. He burst out of the house almost immediately after he was knocked inside of it, rushing forward on all fours and rearing up as if to deliver another punch.

However, right at the last second, Sol suddenly leapt up and over Eberon, flipping and grabbing at him by his head as he flipped over him. With the momentum he had, he landed behind Eberon and roared as he forcefully yanked him up and over his head, then slammed him into the ground in front of him. He then reared his other arm back and punched him square in the chest, unleashing a massive Earthquake attack once the attack landed and causing the ground under the Incineroar to crack and shake uncontrollably.

Eberon felt the vibration rock through him, his teeth grit together as he received the incredibly devastating blow from Sol. But just as Sol started to pull away, Eberon rolled onto his front, and sprang, delivering a punch to Sol's stomach that nearly made the Typhlosion throw up his dinner while he was thrown onto his back, feeling his body become heavier as tendrils of energy flowed up the Incineroar's arm and entered his body, rejuvenating him.

Sol recognized the attack as Drain Punch, and he growled as his anger peaked despite his power leaving him. "No, you fucking don't!!!" He roared as his neck flames suddenly burned brighter, increasing in size and slowly forming into large fiery wings. His claws also became immolated with blue fire, to which he used to grab at Eberon's arm and force it away from his stomach with his enhanced divine power.

The Typhlosion then used Double Kick to push Eberon once again off him, then with explosive power he pushed himself upright and came at Eberon with a Focus Blast in his right paw, slamming it as hard as he could directly into the Black Titan's face and holding it there until it exploded, sending them both flying back from the explosion.

The two lay motionless from one another, with both sides watching wordlessly as they waited to see which of the two would rise first. Lashanne and the others held their breath, their attention on the Typhlosion, while on Calhoun's side, they were watching Eberon expectantly. For a while, it seemed like both were down...

But then, Eberon moved, lifting his paws, and using them to push himself up, still growling, still enraged - perhaps even more so now despite the damage he had taken. Sol, however, was not out of the fight yet, as only seconds after Eberon the Typhlosion began to rise again as well, shakily, but he was soon able to put both feet under him. The point-blank explosion had left both haggard, yet neither one was willing to be the first to fall.

Sol panted and wiped some of the blood away from his lip, watching as his opponent. He clenched his paw tightly at his side and took a moment to gather himself, then opened his paw and held another Focus Blast in it.

"Yer a lot like I used to be," he muttered as he readied himself for their next clash. "Always angry, throwin' yer power around without a care in the world and destroying everything in yer path," he added. "Well, as a certain kung fu chicken once told me, Power ain't measured by how much of it you have, but what you do with it."

Eberon tensed, raising his arms again, and widening his stance as his claws extended. Dark energy flowed from both of his hands and suddenly he began to spin like a top, balanced on one heel as he went spiraling across the ground toward Sol, leaving a deep groove in the soil as he went.

Sol charged, ready to meet Eberon's Darkest Lariat head-on as he conjured another Focus Blast into his paws, lifting it to meet Eberon's attack. He let out a roar as the two attacks met, his fiery wings flapping furiously to generate more momentum and try to push the Black Titan away.

"Without something to focus that power... You just burn away until yer just a husk!! That's why yer gonna lose, asshole!!!" he hollered angrily, his eyes shrinking to beads and vibrating heavily as he poured every ounce of his monstrous strength into overpowering Eberon.

Eberon's dark-matter-powered claws tore away at the Focus Blast piece by piece as he tried to power through it. But ultimately, the Focus Blast won out; his momentum faded, and when Sol released the Focus Blast, the Black Titan was sent hurtling through the air like he was fired out of a cannon, smashing through everything in his path until finally coming to a stop amidst a pile of destroyed houses, fallen trees and other debris that was mangled beyond recognition.

Eberon did not stir after that...

From the forest, Sol's teammates were about to throw up their arms and cheer in celebration, when they saw Sol teetering. The Typhlosion's vision blurred, all strength leaving his body as the adrenaline of the fight faded away, and he collapsed, landing hard on his back. He was sure he lost consciousness for a few seconds, but when his eyes opened again and his vision cleared, he was staring up at the open sky far above Azure. He could hear Reshiram's voice calling out to him, asking if he was okay, but he paid it no mind... He was just so tired.

Somehow, Sol had met someone who was so much like him... Someone forced to endure hell without anyone to have his back, and ultimately be shunned for it. They had walked the same path; Eberon was everything that Sol could have been - a shadow to what the Typhlosion was now, showing what he could have become - what he almost did become until he had been set straight by Volcan...

Yet in the end, Sol was the last man standing.

He managed to get out a weak chuckle, smirking as he turned his head toward Calhoun's group. With the last of his strength, he lifted his paw and flipped the Dark Blaziken off before uttering the words "...Suck it... bitch..."

Calhoun was livid, seeing Eberon fall before the Typhlosion after the truly chaotic battle between the two. Seji and even Sash were awestruck, barely able to believe what had occurred before their eyes, to see the seemingly unstoppable Black Titan be defeated in battle.

'First the Typhlosion defies my will over his - twice in fact,' thought Calhoun, 'and now he defeats one of my most powerful assets... These beings are more than just mere nuisances, all of them - they are dangerous. To both of us.' He directed his thoughts to Giratina that time, unsure if the dragon could see what Calhoun saw, or even feel what he did, but trusting that the dark god at least understood that their entire mission was in jeopardy.

'Then it is obvious what you must do next.' Giratina answered firmly. 'Their most powerful asset has fallen. You have a numbers advantage, and you have a final card to play.' The ghostly dragon added before uttering three final words to Calhoun, his voice dripping with bloodlust.

'Wipe...them...out...'