An explosion of purple and blue energy sounded in the cave beneath the Alfronda Ruins, courtesy of a powerful Psychic attack.
"Tinka?" Above ground, A Large group of Tinkaton and their pre-evolution wandered around bored. Confused as to where the trainers they fought ran off to.
"Tinka Tink!" The biggest Tinkaton of the group yelled to get everyone's attention, Holding in front of her a large metal bowl filled with water, An Arrokuda poking his head out of the improvised fishbowl.
"Tuff?" A Fairy/Steel type asked, before the leader Tinkaton pointed her free hand at a cave entrance behind her.
"Ton! Tinkaton Ton Tinka!" She yelled, like a General motivating her army, Before she turned to the cave, Arrokuda in one arm and Hammer in the other, and ran towards the source of the annoying sounds.
"""Tinka!""" Her Army of little sisters yelled as they all ran after her.
"Arrokuda..." The sole water type sighed as he watched the Tinkaton that kidnapped him take him farther away from his Pond than he'd ever been before.
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"How much do you think repairs will cost?"
Staring at the ruined street in front of him for a moment, Dishon turned to look at the Battle Hotel before cringing as he saw the many cracks in the windows and the many chairs thrown on the floor in the lobby of the building.
"I'm sure Insurance covers this but sheesh, I'm glad we were out here and not in there," He nodded to the three Pokemon who stood beside him watching the scene.
Taking out his phone, Dishon tsked as he saw that there was no signal.
"Something must have happened to the local antennae after the last quake, Guess we need to wait for Orchid to come back," He shook his head as his Partner Salandit climbed back onto his waist, her body still covered with Poison Tera Crystals.
"Goth..." Gothorita nodded her head at those words, her body still covered in Normal Tera Crystals as she raised her arm and levitated a nearby bench back into its spot so the group could all sit down as they waited.
As the group consisting of a Human, his Poison Salamander Partner, His Boss's Psychic Beetle, and his Purple Gothic Psychic Coworker, Dishon let out an exhausted Sigh as his mind went back to the events of the day prior.
"Fanny, Do you think Dendra is mad at me?" He asked the Shiny Salandit, his hand moving to scratch the back of her neck.
"Sal?"
"I mean, There's not much else to talk about, what else are we going to do? Talk about the Earthquake? Not much to say, it's an Earthquake," Dishon rolled his eyes as he spoke.
"Salandit..." Fanny purred as she stuck out her tongue and gave Dishon's hand a lick, leaving a soft red mark on his skin, as if that portion of his hand just hovered over a cloud of steam for a bit too long.
"But seriously, think about it. We had this whole emotional moment, it was cute and everything, we planned on going on a date and all," The Human started explaining.
"Goth?" Gothorita stood up and climbed onto the back of the bench, slowly tip-toeing on it before standing on top of the human's shoulders, a faint glow of Psychic Energy keeping her balanced.
"But when the time comes, it turns out Dendra invites Tulip to join," Dishon continues, ignoring the Psychic-type on his shoulders, "So I thought, 'Oh, I guess this isn't a date and we're just going out as friends,'" He shrugs his shoulders, Causing Gothorita to temporarily levitate herself in order to not fall off before she sat down on his shoulders, her arms wrapping around his head like a glittery crown.
"But then her Hariyama accidentally broke a flower pot, so the restaurant asked us to leave, Which is understandable, But she just dashes away, leaving Me and Tulip behind to pay for the damages," He continued petting his Pokemon, not noticing the small crowd gathering around him.
"Gothorita?"
"Gothita Goth..."
"Goooth..."
"I dunno," Dishon sighed as he slumped down on the bench, "I Like her and everything, but that's a dick move to do, right? And then when we find her she's bleeding from the forehead, So obviously Tulip and I are panicking and we rush her back to the Hotel to stop the bleeding,"
"Goth..." The Gothitelle of the group said as she joined her children in listening to her coworker talk about his relationship problems.
"I'm rambling, you were there," He gave Fanny a tap on the cheek, "You know what happened, I'm just wondering..." Dishon paused for a moment and took and exhaled tiredly, sighing to himself.
"Was I too rough on Dendra? I know she likes me, And I like her, but she also likes Tulip, and I barely know Tulip, and-" And on and on he kept talking, receiving nods of understanding and tilts of the head from the small crowd of Psychic-types.
Before All of a Sudden, he stopped talking, stiff as a statue, as the voice of an old man sounded out in the minds of all the nearby Pokemon.
"What are you, A Corvisquire? Just tell her you like her you dramatic Oaf,"
"Goth!" The Gothitelle stood up from the crowd, a frown on her face as she glared at the Rabsca who sat on the bench.
"What? We were all thinking it! Don't act like you weren't ya' old hag!" Rabsca yelled Telepathically, his voice sounding annoyed.
"Gothitelle!" The Gothitelle widened her eyes in alarm as she flinched back from the Rabsca.
"Don't yell at me," Rabsca grumbled at Gothitelle before he turned to look at an Alarmed Dishon, "Listen, Kid, You like Dendra, Dendra likes you, You don't seem to dislike Tulip, and Tulip doesn't seem to dislike you either, Just go for it! What's the worst that could happen?"
"You- You can speak?!" Dishon yelled as he stared at the Bug/Psychic type.
"That's your takeaway from this entire conversation? Wow, you really are an Oaf. I'm a Rabsca, I have Telepathy, Catch on Kiddo," Rabsca rolled his eyes at the Trainer before he jumped onto his head, "Now look sharp kid, She's coming."
"Wha- Wait a minute don't skip ahead, what are you talking about-" Dishon stammered as he quickly stood up, Fanny latching on to his waist like a Purple Diamond Belt, Gothorita still sitting on his shoulders like a child covered in Light colored Crystals.
"No time, She's here," Rabsca told him before a flash of light appeared beside him, revealing a tired Kirlia gasping for breath.
"Kirl... Lia..."
"What the hell is going on?!" Dishon exclaimed as the Kirlia placed her hand on his shoulder, and with a burst of Psychic-type Energy, The Four Pokemon and the Human disappeared.
"..."
"..."
"...Gothita?"
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Ten Minutes Earlier.
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"And That's the situation,"
Walking deeper into the Cave, not bothering to give orders to their Pokemon as the hordes of Team Flare Pokemon threw themselves at them only to be defeated swiftly by the powerful Pokemon, Geeta gave Lorenz an explanation of the events.
"I see." The Alfronda City Gym Leader nodded his head, finally caught up on what Geeta discovered of the situation, "Team Flare is trying to absorb Tera Particles for their Illegal activities," He stroked his chin for a moment before he stopped, "Question,"
"Yes?" Geeta raised an eyebrow as she turned to look at the older man from the corner of her eye, Making sure not to step on an unconscious Team Flare Grunt and his Zubat.
"Why haven't we noticed anything they've been doing here, Have the Rangers been neglecting their duties?" He frowned at the thought such a scandal could cause.
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"It is a much simpler explanation, sadly," Geeta shook her head as she stepped over another unconscious body, "The local Rangers are Team Flare,"
"What?!" Lorenz shouted, his eyes widening in shock at such a preposterous idea.
"I didn't want to believe it myself, but it is true," Geeta said calmly, "The Tinkaton Overpopulation Issue, Team Flare, the lack of any warning from the Rangers, and most incriminatingly," Geeta stopped over the body of a bald Team Flare member, opening his suit and retrieving a small badge he had on an inside pocket.
"Is that-"
"Yes," Geeta quickly cut him off as she hoisted the badge, "A Paldean Wildlife Rangers Badge," She read the small letters on the badge surrounding a green Arboliva.
"Bronzong!" A Gonging Metal sound came from in front of the two trainers, causing them to turn back to the matter at hand.
The Cave the group of Trainers walked down opened up into a large room, a metal machine in the center of it sparkling with an aurora of colors.
"WHAT?! How did you get in here!" On the other side of the Cavern, Behind a table of computers connecting to the machine in the center, stood one last Team Flare member.
"It doesn't matter," Tulip said as she stood beside her team, watching her father and boss enter the Cavern behind her from the corner of her eye as she stared at the Team Flare member. "You've been caught, surrender yourself quietly," Tulip wished she didn't, she had a lot of stress to take out as of late.
"Yosh! You show her Tultul!" The other trainer, Dendra, cheered a few meters away, Her Falinks and Medicham standing beside her, ready to burst into action at a moment's notice.
"SHUT UP!" The Team Flare Scientist on the other side of the machine yelled, "I had like Thirty People here! You can't just walk in here like that, IT'S NOT FAIR!!!"
"Enough playing around," Geeta said as she walked ahead of the group, "I am placing you under arrest," She shook her head as her gloved hand went to another Pokeball in her suit, ready to pull out another member of her team in case the scientist tried anything.
"NO! You can't arrest me!" Mable screamed as she grabbed the loops of hair on the side of her head and pulled, "Not when I'm so close to proving myself!" In almost an instant, the fierce scowl on her face transformed into a feral smile as she slammed her hand on the table in front of her, hitting a button on one of the computers.
"There," She said in a calm voice that didn't fit her enraged face, taking a few steps back, "I've just won, You can't capture me now," Her voice bounced around the cavern as a holographic barrier surrounded her, appearing around her like a bubble, silencing the trainers as she confidently crossed her arms over her chest.
"But..." Tulip paused as she looked at the barrier surrounding the other side of the wide cavern, "But your computers and machine aren't with you now," She felt a headache approach her as she pointed at the table of electronics and computers, clearly not inside the range of her high-tech barrier.
"..." Mable said nothing as she turned her head to look at the computer that controls her Tera Absorption Machine, A Meter away from her Barrier.
"...Fuck why didn't I see that..." She whispered to herself, her quiet voice still loud enough to echo across the cavern to be heard by the Trainers.
Geeta pointed a finger at the computer, "Shut down that machine!" She ordered, Dendra following her finger and running to the Computer.
"WHAT?! NO!!! Weavile! Houndoom! Do Something!" Mable yelled as she banged her fists on the barrier, trying to somehow reach the computer before the Trainers Did.
"She has Pokemon?!" Lorenz shouted as he quickly turned around to see a pair of terastallized Pokemon jump his Bronzong.
"Bronzong! Shake them off with a Gyro Ball," The Alfronda Gym Leader yelled as the two powerful Dark Type Pokemon attacked his Partner.
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Dendra jumped over the table holding the computers, Her back to the barrier as she looked at the screen in front of her.
"...Tulip help me!" She yelled out, her best friend and Crush quickly arriving beside her.
"What is it- You don't know how to use the Computer, do you..." Tulip didn't even ask, she simply accepted her friend like that as she pushed her to the side and took a look at the screen.
"So, What do we do?" Dendra asked as she leaned beside her, staring at the messy screen of numbers and letters.
"How should I know? I'm not a programmer, I have no idea what I'm looking at here," Tulip said before she turned around, glaring at the Team Flare Scientist who was smearing her face on the barrier like a petulant child.
"You! How do we turn this off?!" The Makeup Artist yelled at the Team Flare Scientist.
"Huh?" Mable turned away from watching her Pokemon beat up a team with a type disadvantage, "You talking to me?" She blinked in confusion.
"Of course, I'm talking to you! You built this machine! How do we turn it off!" Tulip yelled, punching the barrier in anger.
"Heh, I'm not telling," Mable said smugly before returning to her Pokemon, the smug look on her face immediately wiping off of her as she watched an Oranguru hit her Weavile with a Focus Blast.
"Dammit, Geeta! Do you know programming?" Tulip yelled at the Champion who calmly walked towards her and looked at the screen as well.
"I'm sorry to say that I do not," She shook her head and looked at Lorenz, watching as his team beat up the two remaining Pokemon of Team Flare before asking him the same question,
"Programming?! I Can't send an email! That's why I hired Dishon!" He yelled before striking a pose, his Magician's cape fluttering behind him as an explosion as a powerful Dazzling Gleam hit the Houndoom and sent her and the Weavile flying into the wall knocked out.
"Indeedee!" Dee cheered as her attack won the battle, joining her trainer in striking a cute post.
"Well we need to shut off this machine soon, or who knows how many more earthquakes will hit!" Tulip slammed her fist on the table, her eyes suddenly widening as an Idea entered her mind.
"That's it!" She turned to her Kirlia, seeing the Psychic type already tired from all the fighting, but still up and standing, "I know how we can turn off this machine!"
"You do?" Dendra tilted her head like a Yamper as she asked that question.
"Of course, Dad just said it, didn't he? We need a programmer who can read what's going on this screen, and we have a Programmer just like that at home!" Tulip said as a smile stretched on her face.
"If you know someone, go get them," Geeta nodded her head in acceptance of the plan, "We might not have time if this machine keeps destabilizing the environment," Her eyes turned to the Tera Absorption Machine, watching it shake and spark with colorful energy as a layer of tiny crystals started growing on the floor below it.
"Great, Kirlia," Tulip turned to her Pokemon, "Do you think you can Teleport to Alfronda and Back? We need Dishon," She said, watching her Pokemon nod her head before teleporting away in a burst of light.
Only to return a minute later panting in exhaustion as she fell to the ground, Followed by a Human, a Terastallized Salandit, a Terastallized Gothorita, and a Rabsca.
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"What the hell is going on?!" I yelled as I fell onto a cold stone floor, Three small objects impacting on my back soon after. The Kirlia that dragged me here disappeared in a beam of light as she returned to her Pokeball.
"There's no time to explain, We need you to turn off this machine," I looked to the side to see Tulip, Dendra, Lorenz, and the Champion of Paldea.
"Okay, Just turn off a machine and-" I stop as I look at a barrier of hard light in front of me, staring at the blue-haired woman with the Visor over her eyes and a bright orange outfit.
"Is that Team Flare?" I asked before blinking that thought away, "You know what, I'm not paid enough to question this, Let's see what you need me to-" I once again paused, my eyes widening at the sight in front of me.
Looking like a larger version of that one machine from Cloudy and a Chance of Meatballs, I watch as colorful crystal dust gets absorbed by the bottom of the machine, filling up a tank of colorful energy at the top.
"Ha!" The Team Flare Scientist, who was definitely in the games but I don't remember her name, barked a laugh, "Are your eyes enraptured by the Beauty of my mind? Isn't it a wonderful sight, My miracle of Scientific research? You won't be able to stop our plan! The Beautiful World will-" I shut her monologue out as I turned to the computer screen in front of me, years of coding and Computer Science coming to the front of my mind before I nodded to myself.
"It will take you weeks to figure out how my amazing prowess works! You won't be able to shut this off in even a month! I have already Won this-"
"Oh, this is easy, It'll only take a minute or two," I interrupted whatever the Lady was about to say as my fingers started dancing on the keyboard.
"WHAT?! Nuh huh!" The Team Flare lady yelled at me.
"What do you mean Nuh huh? This is child's play, This language hasn't been used in mainline systems in years, this code is practically a Fossil," I said, eyes not leaving the screen as the lines of code changed as my fingers danced on the keys.
Like Moses parting the Red Sea, The lines of Commands, numbers, and letters, parted away before my eyes.
"NO! You can't just shut off my machine like that!" The Team Flare lady banged her fists on the barrier as she watched me effortlessly dismantle what must have been months of coding for her.
"I just did," I say as I finish my work and press enter confirm on the prompt that popped up, watching on as the machine in the center of the room rumbled on for a bit before the lights on it turned off, quieting down.
"Salandit Sal!" Fanny slapped my back with her tail as she cheered.
"Good Job, Dishon, You really saved our hide right now," Lorenz smiled at me as he slapped his hand onto my back, "You'll be getting a bonus at the end of the month,"
Whatever complaints I was ready to bring up at being forced into this situation were immediately discarded at the prospect of a Bonus.
"Just doing my job, sir." I gave a mock salute as I turned away from the console, eyes quickly moving over Tulip and Geeta, staying just a second longer on Dendra, before I looked at the Team Flare Lady who was busy angrily tapping buttons on a remote.
"Come on come on, AHAH!" She yelled from the other side of the barrier, "You think you've defeated me!" She yelled as she pointed at me, her finger slamming into the barrier as if she was poking a window.
"Are- Are you pointing at me or...?" I turned to look at the four other trainers surrounding the barrier, all of whom were much more powerful than me.
I don't even know all of the Moves Fanny knows yet!
"Of course I'm talking to you! You who dared insult my masterful machine!" It wasn't that good "You who called me a fossil!" I called the programming language you used a fossil, not you.
"And you who dared insinuate a Child could do what I did!" Just because I called it Child's play, doesn't mean I think a child could do it.
Did this chick never learn what a figure of speech was?
"And you!" She turned and pointed at the Champion, "I'll never be taken in by you! You and your slim legs and long hair and your hot suit and your stupid sexy eyes! You think you're better than me?!"
Geeta froze as she looked at her gloves, a complicated expression on her face.
"Ha! Eat shit Losers! For A Beautiful World!" And with a final yell, she tapped a button on her remote and disappeared in a flash of light.
Leaving behind nothing, as even her Pokemon teleported with her.
"...So that just happened," Dendra chimed in and I had to agree with the audible groan that left Tulip.
The Awkward Silence that followed was broken by a horde of short Pink Pokemon running into the room, flailing hammers over their head as they all leaped at the machine in the middle of the Cavern, hitting it with hammers.
"Ton Ton Tinkaton!"
"Tinka Tinka Tinkatuff!"
"So..." I started talking, my eyes looking away from the pile of Fairy/Steel types, "I'm just gonna' head out now, The Goths need help fixing the plaza, So Yeah, See you back at the hotel I guess," I waved to the other trainers, receiving a nod from Lorenz as I just left the cave, briefly locking eyes with an Arrokuda that was being dragged around in a metal fishbowl before the Tinkaton that carried him ran into the cavern to join the others.
As I walked out of the cave, following the directions Rabsca was giving me, My Partner Pokemon wrapped around my waist with a Gothorita on my shoulders, I opened my mouth and said what was on my mind.
"What the actual fuck just happened?"