Intermission 4.2

The Purpose: Continued

Blue plowed Freak Solga through the city streets. Freak Solga was able to finally get a hold of the situation by smashing down on Blue’s head with both hands. Blue fell out of its extreme speed and tumbled across the ground, smashing Freak Solga into the ground as they stopped.

Blue stood up quickly. “I refuse to let anyone else die! Your vengeance ends here!” It charged up a dragon pulse.

“This is much more than vengeance. This is to right a wrong that even you ignored.”

“Impossible I-!”

“Silence.” Freak Solga raised its knife-like hands and a bunch of small strands of vines erupted from the ground, entangling Blue and pulling it into the ground. “I know about you Zygarde. Possibly the most recognized legendary Pokémon of all time. The one Pokémon almost responsible for ending the whole world. You claim to be order incarnate, yet these ‘people’ are able to just take our lives away. So many are left to rot in an unknown land, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“You think me omnipotent?” Blue tore out of bindings and looked down upon Freak Solga. “You think I have the power to create a perfect world?”

“Who else but you, oh so powerful one.”

“You’re delusional.”

“And even as I am now, a being of vitriol and hatred, I am unable to go beyond the border of this settlement. Even in possession of a power that rivals the world on that fateful day, I am unable to think for myself. Not able to create anything even close to a sense of justice. My mission is here, and it is with that will that I can change the world.”

“Enough of your ramblings! No one dies today!” Blue continued charging dragon pulse. But that was when Greninja called from afar. It ran across the rooftops urging Blue not to fire Because it would hit the buildings.

Freak Solga heard this too and stood up with its arms wide open. “By all means, order incarnate. Is killing me worth killing others?”

“Tch! Coward, using the people here!”

“You have no choice brother!” said Red. “You cannot fight this way!”

“I agree,” said Clemont. “There are too many innocent people here! Fighting in your 50% forme would be too dangerous for them! Try fighting in your 10% forme!”

Blue’s dragon pulse energy dissipated. “Are you mad? We could barely handle the last two even with that kind of power, yet you expect even less from me?” said Blue.

“Tis all to the eye of the beholder brother,” said Red. “We have no choice but to move forward with the mind of a tactician.”

Blue began to demanifest. “I can only see this ending badly.”

Clemont’s head lit up. “I got it! I know how to help!”

“How so? I’ll take anything I can get.”

Clemont pushed up his glasses. “Heheheh! The future is now thanks to science!” He grabbed a tarp and tossed it to the ground. “Clemontic gear on!” What was uncovered was a wireframe box and a suit in the middle. “Behold my cognitive Zygarde trainer link box!”

“Still doesn't change,” said Red.

“I thought we might’ve encountered a situation precisely like this one.” Clemont slipped his legs through the harness. “With this box connected to Red’s cognitive feed, I am able to see exactly what Blue’s surroundings look like. With that information, I believe this invention will have me act fully as a trainer like I’m actually there. So all I ask of you Blue is to allow me to coordinate you through this battle as your trainer!”

A moment of silence.

“You cannot be serious.” Blue said.

“What-?” said Clemont.

“Submit myself to a human? As if my pride could take any more today…”

“Brother, this is for the greater good.” encouraged Red. “This is a person I trust dearly. I must insist you give up your pride if you choose to save Solga.”

“I’m also a gym leader. I know you can count on me.” said Clemont.

“Grrrr! Fine, so be it!”

“Ha!” Clemont placed a pair of VR like goggles over his face. “Cognitive Zygarde trainer function activated! Commencing link battle mode!” The harness tightened around Clemont and the floor shook as the machine whirred up. “I’m Clemont! The Lumiose city gym leader! It is under my leadership that this is the farthest you’ll go!”

Silence

“He cannot hear you,” said Blue.

Clemont fell to the floor. “Aw man, I sounded so cool.”

Greninja came flying at Freak Solga with water kunai. Freak Solga dodged but Greninja kept up the pressure. It dodged and maneuvered through every slash. Then it knocked Greninja’s arm away and bopped it in the head. Then a kick sent Greninja skidding down the street.

“Greninja needs our help. Now would be a good time!” said Blue.

“Good to go! So your moves are extreme speed, land’s wrath, dragon pulse, and thousand arrows.”

“Ugh, I feel so repulsed.”

“I got it! Use extreme speed! Knock that Freak back!”

Blue shrouded itself in green energy and zig zagged ahead with blinding speed. Freak Solga didn’t even react before it got bashed in the abdomen by Blue’s head. Freak Solga flew back, tearing up the brickwork trying to stop.

“Dragon pulse!” Blue shot a dragon pulse and Greninja threw water shuriken's.

Freak Solga growled. “Stay away from me!” It pierced its hands through the ground and a bunch of vines sprouted out, whacking the attacks away

“No good. We have to settle this by getting close.” said Clemont.

“How? We’ll be torn apart by those vines.” said Blue.

“Look at his hands. Every time he uses them, he has to throw them out in some way. If we can attack when that happens, or rid him of his arms entirely, we’ll have a chance.”

“Observant one isn’t he?”

“My, is that a compliment brother?” asked Red.

“Enough talk. Greninja, stop fooling around this instant and transform already.” Greninja scratched the back of its head and said that it's been trying since the conflict started, but there’s a problem. “You cannot right now? Well wake him! This is more important than any inconvenience he has.” Greninja reluctantly agrees and closes its eyes to concentrate. Eventually, it hears a voice.

“Huh? Greninja?” the voice asked. It yawned. “It’s like… 10:00 am! Oh no, I overslept! I gotta get going! Thanks Greninja I gotta-” Greninja quickly spoke of its intentions and stared right at Freak Solga. “Whoa, another one?” Greninja nodded. “This one is much smaller than the others, but feels just as powerful. Just what are these things?” Greninja said it would explain later. “Gotcha. Explaining this to professor Cerise is gonna be interesting to say the least. Hmph!

Alright! Full power now! Haaaaahhhhhh!”

Greninja exploded into a whirlwind of water and its body began to glow. The whirlwind burst apart and all consolidated into one point, creating the signature giant water shuriken on Greninja’s back. Then stood Ash-Greninja, standing defiantly against Freak Solga.

Freak Solga seemed to be put off by this. It pointed at Greninja accusingly. “You, you’re different. What the hell are you?”

Greninja started to pace while twirling a water kunai in its hand. “This is the result of Greninja and me’s trust in each other! With that trust, we’re able to raise our power to new unimaginable heights!” Greninja nodded.

Freak Solga grinded its wood-like teeth. “I can hear you.”

“What-?” said the voice and Blue.

“That energy is similar to mine, yet so much more graceful. A power of trust you could say. This is what you and your trainer achieved with each other?”

“By no means was it easy. It took a lot of hard work and training!”

“Then… Then where was our power?!” shouted Freak Solga, with a voice crack making it sound like it was about to break down crying.

“What do you mean by that?” asked the voice.

Freak Solga half laughed at itself. “Funny you should ask, I haven’t the foggiest idea. But I know someone was there. We had the utmost trust in each other.” Freak Solga stepped forward aggressively. “The best! Unbreakable, unwavering, unimaginable. What we had was special. It was us against the world! Yet you all decided to take that away from us! What of our power? What of our trust?!” Freak Solga took its hands out the ground and shot them at Greninja. A giant cascading spiral of vines surged down the street.

“Look out!” shouted Blue. But Greninja stood firm. It calmly took the water shuriken off its back and threw it straight down the vines. It cut through with ease, catching Freak Solga by surprise. It barely dodged the attack. All the vines wilted to the ground and Freak Solga stood with one arm missing.

“What of our hopes and dreams? What of… our future?”

“We don’t exactly understand it ourselves either.” said the voice. “But considering what you are, I can’t imagine you even deserved that power!”

This set off Freak Solga. “What would you know, huh?!”

“Whoa, his voice changed,” said Clemont.

“You don’t know me! You don’t know what we’ve been through!” Freak Solga’s body burned with a more intense red light. “For Arceus’s sake, we don’t even know! I must find Solga! We must end this pain with no memory!”

Greninja held both water Kunai in front of itself. “You’re gonna have to get through us. I don’t know exactly what you’re planning, but all that negative energy can’t be good. It’s overflowing with hatred, and that practically spells bad news on anyone you plan on using it on.

Freak Solga shriveled up and started cackling towards the sky. “Strange isn’t it? The powers of hate and trust clashing right before our eyes.” It then looked down to the ground, its body twitching erratically. “How cliché.” It then focused its piercing gaze on Greninja. “This is it then. You wanted a battle of the ages, I’ll happily provide one. For my hatred far exceeds the trust you have in each other.”

Greninja smirked. “We’ll see.”

Freak Solga growled and vines grew around his legs, creating a huge round platform for it to stand on.

“Knock him down a peg with thousand arrows!” shouted Clemont. Blue roared and launched huge green energy bolts. Each one hit with the explosive yield of a missile. Greninja jumped through the smoke and stabbed Freak Solga straight through the eye. It wailed loudly in pain as Greninja dragged it down to the ground. Freak Solga’s missing arm regenerated like a jutting out knife and it grabbed Greninja’s arm, forcibly pulling it out. Greninja was forced over and got punched away.

“Begone cretin, I will not be coerced by some naïve child!” shouted Freak Solga.

“Just how much are you able to see of me?” asked the voice. Greninja sprinted ahead.

Freak Solga smiled. “I know enough.” It then tapped its shoulder. Greninja looked to its own shoulder and saw a vine attached to it. It was instantly tugged forward and dragged across the ground. Freak Solga whipped Greninja into the side of a building, shattering the structure.

“We gotta get in there! Use extreme speed!” said Clemont. Blue surged ahead.

Freak Solga’s Shattered eye tracked Blue’s movements. “Heel hound!” It whipped Greninja into Blue, smashing them into the building on the other side of the street. Then Greninja was roped back into the air and whipped back into the ground.

The voice in Greninja’s head groaned in pain. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there Greninja, these things seem like such a handful. I promise to try and get there as soon as this is over.” Greninja said not to worry about it.

“I suggest you give up this fool's errand. Be at peace with our fate. The world cannot change unless you do.” Freak Solga reformed its vine pedestal and moved away. Greninja was still attached to the vine and got whisked along.

“He’s heading back towards the institute! We have to stop him!” shouted Clemont. “Use extreme speed to catch up!” Blue popped out of the shattered wall and surged ahead.

“Leave us in peace.” Freak Solga turned around and brought its hands together. Vines burst forth from the alleyways to form a giant wall. Blue smacked into its head first, but its elasticity made it bounce back.

“It’s like a rubber band,” said Clemont.

“Pardon me, but doubts are starting to set in,” said Blue.

“Ah! Believe in me a little longer, I’ve got a plan. But we need to find another way forward, and fast!” Blue looked to its left and ran off.

Greninja was being tugged along the streets by Freak Solga. It managed to stand up on its feet and slide. “Stop this!” yelled the voice, Greninja wrangling with the vine on its shoulder. “Do you even know what you’re doing?!”

“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t?” answered Freak Solga.

“You’re crazy!” Greninja then looked to the side. “Greninja! That wall!” Greninja nodded and steered itself to an alleyway. “Stop it, now!” Greninja pressed hard against the wall with its legs, almost crashing through. Within an instant, the attached vine tightened and Freak Solga was ripped from its pedestal. Greninja pulled harder on the vine, stringing Freak Solga towards it. An aerial ace punch sent it flying back. Greninja punched Freak Solga like a paddle board a few times until Greninja finished up with an axe kick aerial ace. Freak Solga gagged from the damage, but Greninja wasn’t done. Greninja quickly stood over Freak Solga and tied the vine around its neck. It then threw Freak Solga like a sling. The vine snapped tight, jerking Freak Solga’s entire body by the neck. Greninja spun around and around and tossed Freak Solga into the nearest building, embedding its entire top half within the wall.

“You ready to give it up yet?” asked the voice. Greninja cut off the vine with a water kunai.

“Your defeat is not a requirement of mine,” said Freak Solga. Suddenly, a bunch of vines sprouted Greninja. It dodged out of the way of the initial whips and cut away all subsequent ones. Once Greninja looked back, Freak Solga had just ran across the rooftop out of sight. Greninja jumped up and gave chase. Freak Solga moved to the top of a parking garage, using vines to lift itself.

“Up here!” shouted the voice. Greninja jumped high in the air and tossed a giant water shuriken

Freak Solga shot an orange orange from its hand and hit the shuriken, deforming it into a polluted splash of water. Greninja flew through it with water kunai. Freak Solga shot up a bunch of vines, Greninja cut through them all. It reached out to cut Freak Solga, but it was stopped when vines grabbed a hold from behind. The two stared each other off not even three inches apart from each other's eyes before Greninja was yanked back into the ground. Freak Solga jumped overhead, aiming to crush Greninja’s head with its foot. Greninja dodge to the side just as Freak Solga foot pierced through the blacktop, as well as all the subsequent layers of the parking garage. Greninja quickly countered by stabbing Freak Solga in the thigh with a water kunai and pulling its entire leg deeper into the concrete. Greninja then turned over and punched Freak Solga in the face into the ground with aerial ace. Freak Solga was knocked on its back and it's leg was torn off. Greninja fitted itself on top and punched Freak Solga in the face repeatedly. Each subsequent one cracking the concrete all around. Then one last big blow sent the both of them crashing through to the lower floor.

Before Greninja could attack again, a vine wrapped around its neck and suplexed it on its head. Freak Solga crawled over quickly and smashed Greninja into the next lower floor with an air pressure ball. They both fell, but Greninja recovered first, kicking Freak Solga through the concrete wall into the street before it even landed.

“Now’s our chance!” shouted Clemont. “Use land’s wrath!” Blue roared into the sky and stamped its front paws into the ground. An orange light traveled through the ground. Before freak Solga could even tell what was going on, a huge explosion enveloped it entirely. The ground ripped apart ferociously and fragments of brick flew everywhere. Greninja took cover behind what was left of the parking garage wall. The explosion shook the entire town. Dust fell out from gutters and the windows rattled. Even Blue had to stand its ground against the wind.

Soon, it all died down. The sound faded and the dust settled. In the middle of the street, a giant crater formed where Freak Solga was supposed to be. Blue and Greninja approached cautiously.

“Did we get it?” asked Clemont. Blue looked down inside the crate, but only ashes remained.

“Greninja, can you spot something?” asked Blue. Greninja scanned the area, but only saw lower than average negative energy level. Greninja told of what it saw. “Still, I have a bad feeling. Go down there and check.” Greninja nodded and slid down the side of the crater. It walked up to the center and looked around. Then a flash of red sparked up before Greninja could react. A vine gripped Greninja by the neck followed by an overwhelming amount of other vines. They all wrapped around Greninja in a frenzy, creating a thick cocoon to trap it in.

“Greninja!” shouted Clemont and Blue. “Use extreme speed to get him out!” Blue exploded with green energy, but Freak Solga sprouted out of the ground and pressed Blue into the ground by the neck.

“Your meddling ends here!” Freak Solga tossed Blue into the sky, then jumped up and smashed it into Greninja’s cocoon. The vines then quickly wrapped up Blue within the cocoon as well.

“No Blue!” shouted Clemont.

“Brother!” shouted Red in desperation.

Freak Solga lowered itself slowly to the writhing cocoon. Vines held him high. Its face was smashed in, an eye was shattered with a hole, vines flew around vigorously out of the missing leg as if trying to reform its nervous structure, and the crystals at the top of the crown were broken.

“I offer an accord.” Freak Solga said, “Give it up now, and I will let you live. Continue to be a pest, and I’ll have no choice but to exterminate you.”

“We’ll never give up!” shouted the voice. “You’re planning on hurting people, and I can’t let that happen. We’ll stop you, no matter what!”

“What a waste. To throw your perfectly good lives out the window.” Freak Solga closed its fist hard and all the vines tightened. The ground and structure they were sprouting from all fractured with the increased tension. Blue and Greninja struggled to breathe as their bindings got tighter.

“Can you do anything Blue?!” asked Clemont in a panic, “Maybe thousand arrows will work!” Blue mustered all of its strength and formed one singular green bolt of energy. Freak Solga saw this however and gripped its fist again, making the bindings tighten twice as fast.

“No good.” Blue said with a strained voice. Greninja struggled to move in any capacity and began to heave for air.

Freak Solga then formed two air pressure balls in its hands and smashed them together. “The wind calls to me. Within it, we can hear their name!” It blasted the air forward. The attack enveloped the entire street with roaring wind and silver flitters. Each one cut through Blue and Greninja’s bodies like razors, making them both scream out in pain.

“We gotta do something!” said Clemont. “W-What can we do?!”

Red looked helplessly on the monitor, its view being obscured by encroaching vines. “I… I don’t know.” it said.

The two continued suffering through the attack. As it happened, Freak Solga couldn’t help but give a sadistic smile. “Yes, that is what you all deserve! How dare you all sit idly as our life is taken away from us! We will begin anew, and our newfound pain will help change the world in our own image!” It then laughed maniacally.

“Use rock wrecker!” shouted a voice. A Rhyperior tore a giant boulder out from the ground and launched it as hard as it could at Freak Solga.

Freak Solga ceased its attack and turned around. “What the fu-!” The boulder hit with an earth shattering force, breaking apart on impact. Freak Solga was torn from its vines and got sent on a tailspin down the street. It flew through some of the vines holding Greninja and Blue. skipped across the ground a few times, and smashed against a building easily a thousand feet away, shattering the entire wall on impact.

“Makuhita, hurry and get them out of there with cross chop!” ordered Kara. Makuhita ran forward and chopped up the vines as best it could until Greninja and Blue were able to free themselves.

“Thank goodness, we’re saved.” said the voice. “Just who are they, Greninja?” Greninja shrugged, mentioning it had only met the woman for about thirty seconds.

Kara came running by their side. “Are you two okay?”

“Why save us human?” asked Blue. “Have we not betrayed your trust?”

“In a way, you did. But just look at that thing.” Kara gestured to Freak Solga, who was struggling to pull itself out of the rubble. “That thing gives me the creeps. And it looks like Solga no less. What is going on?”

“You’re taking this pretty well. More than others at our previous encounters.”

“There were more?! N-No, forget that! B-But… Ah! There’s just so many questions!”

“Start by explaining what it did to you back at the institute,” said the driver. He walked up alongside his Rhyperior.

“O-Okay. At first, I felt so angry and confused, I was about to blow my top off. But when that thing focused on me, it was like he stole my anger away. It was such a drastic change that I just collapsed on the floor, and when I woke up I was calm as a Gallade.”

“Stealing anger? But what for?” asked Blue. It then remembered how Freak Solga regenerated. “Of course! It must’ve stolen your anger in order to recover from its wounds!”

“Using an intense emotion as an energy source?” asked Clemont. “But that can’t be possible!”

“That's all we have to go off at the moment.” Blue stood up and stared down the street. “This is going to be a lot tougher than we could’ve ever imagined. Just how will we achieve victory if we are unable to anger? It will just steal it and regenerate again. Blast these Freaks!”

“Hold on, there may be more to it.” said Clemont. “I’ll try to find a weakness. Be careful until I do.”

“Understood.” said Blue.

“Who are you talking to?” asked Kara.

Clemont gasped. “Ah! Don’t tell her about me! I don’t think it would go over well if she found out that the Lumiose gym leader was involved in this!”

Blue sighed. “It is… a friend.”

“Aww.”

“Oh! And what kind of Pokémon are you?” asked Kara. “I’ve never seen anything like your species, much less any that can talk.”

“That is the legendary Pokémon Zygarde.” said the driver, walking down the street towards Freak Solga. “Order incarnate. If it’s here, then this thing must’ve really upset the balance of the world. So no more questions until we deal with it.”

“I-If you say so,” said Kara.

“He knows who you are?” asked Clemont, “And to a good detail too. Just who is this guy?”

Blue looked at the driver. “If we are to work efficiently, I suggest you introduce yourself. It would seem we all have to involve ourselves in this.”

The driver turned around. He kept his hands inside his black slack pockets. He wore a gray vest over a white button up with the sleeves rolled just over halfway up his forearm. His graying, ashy black hair stood neatly and swayed in the wind. And his tired eyes did a good job of hiding his faded green pupils.

“I am Christianson. Christianson Wesser.”

“I am thankful for your assistance Christianson. And…?”

“K-Kara.” said Kara, “Kara Vroanne.”

Blue inspected her. “You must be the caretaker of the institute.”

“Y-yes, how did you know?”

“The facility is named after you.”

Kara scratched the back of her head. “Oh yeah. Kinda just started business five months ago and it still doesn’t feel like it's real. It’s been a real dream come true-”

“Save it Kara,” said Christianson. “Here it comes.” Everyone looked down the street.

Freak Solga dragged itself up from the rubble. It took a few steps before falling on its hands and knees. It coughed in its hands as if hacking up blood. Looking upon them, nothing had stained them.

“A being without blood to spill. No mind left to corrupt our emotion. A perfect vessel to answer the call of the allure.” Freak Solga inhaled and shook violently. The crystals at the tip of the crown reformed like jutting knives. “If this is what it takes. I will gladly accept the burden.” Freak Solga yelled into the sky. The air began to rush with silver wind. Kara watched in shock as the attack came her way.

“Rhyperior!” ordered Christianson. Rhyperior stood in front of everyone and blocked the attack with superpower. The silver wind roared all around them.

“What’s happening?” asked Kara.

“A mutation.” explained Blue. “A horrid personification of their sins. Should these freaks not get their way, they will change what they represent in order to complete even a little bit of what their original mission is.”

“So like a second phase in a boss fight?” asked Christianson. Everybody except Rhyperior looked at him confused.

“Pardon, a what?” asked Blue.

Christianson sighed. “Sorry, I kinda take care of kids as a job and I really haven’t been around a lot of people lately.”

“It’s basically like a really tough video game bad guy,” said Clemont.

“The analogy was already lost on me and your clarification does not improve my understanding,” said Blue.

“S-Sorry,”

Freak Solga opened its arms elegantly.

Insincere for what we have

Forever in debt for our gift of life

Yet Clamoring for something more

Desperate for what's past our mortal strife

Greninja sensed a weird energy. Violent pulses of purple energy surged through the ground, almost overshadowing the negative energy. All of it culminated into Freak Solga. The air grew heavy with psychic energy, spreading Freak Solga’s voice with a distorted reverb.

Even in our growing peace, conflict still resides

Built so tall, yet so brittle

Salvation be damned, for I seek the guidance of the river

For my own fate I choose not to whittle

Christianson’s eyes widened. “I know what it’s saying!”

“It said something similar on the way to the institute,” said Blue. “Do you have an idea as to what it means?”

“In Vertant’s words, the owner of that weird precognition crown, it works like a password in order to have the crown's power granted to the user.”

“But it doesn’t have the crown. Why would it recite it now?”

“That’s the big question, isn’t it?” Christianson tried to peek around Rhyperior as best he could, trying to see what was happening to Freak Solga. “Whatever the case, it can’t be good. Rhyperior, try to advance!” Rhyperior nodded and slowly walked forward. The silver wind continued to roar wildly.

Take the reins of my soul and mark my days

As I am content with my path being erased

For even the masters of our time see no change taking place

All our faith is lost, our effort gone to waste

Freak Solga’s crystal eye grew back, this time with a purplish hue. It looked to the sky as if it saw something divine. It then closed its hand around the full moon.

Unbound by the strings, released of my fate

The future shall be all but mine to desire

My heart grasps at this new beginning

As my passion soars ever higher

Freak Solga’s face cracked right down the middle, the silver wind dying down immediately as this happened. A flash of purple light shined from overhead, seeming like it was a star. Suddenly, Greninja felt a huge energy spike from behind. A huge pillar of purple energy shot up into the sky.

“What is that?!” exclaimed Kara.

“No…” said Blue, devastated. It looked back at Freak Solga, which was frozen in place. “I-Impossible.” Blue took a step back in horror.

“That pillar,” said Christianson, “You don’t think it could’ve hurt Vertant, do you?”

“Why? What does he have to do with this?” asked Kara.

“He was planning to move the crown to a more secure location tonight. I know because I had to visit him for some information earlier today.”

“Then that pillar is where he is right now?”

“He doesn’t matter. What matters is that he brought the crown into town, where this thing can reach it.”

“Huh?!” Kara looked at Freak Solga as well. “Oh no…”

“What’s going on Blue?” asked Clemont, “What is Freak Solga doing?”

Blue looked down. “It called upon the power of the Destine Crown. Its sight will become inescapable.”

The pillar of purple light surged into the sky and connected with the purple star in the sky, acting like a focusing point. Then the purple light came crashing down upon Freak Solga, completely obscuring it.

“We’re not letting it!” shouted Christianson. “Rhyperior! Use super power on that thing!”

“No!” shouted Blue. But Rhyperior charged ahead along with Christianson. Greninja sighed and ran with them. Kara cautiously followed.

Rhyperior came up to the pouring light and used superpower on it, only to have its fist grinded upon like a belt sander. Rhyperior quickly retracted its hand and held it in pain, it glowed red hot. Greninja could only stand back and watch. The pouring light then ended abruptly. There Freak Solga stood, steam rising from its body. Its crown was now white and had purple crystals. A new purple energy flowed like veins along with the negative energy in Freak Solga’s body. It opened its sparkling purple eyes and looked down upon everyone there.

“Alas, a new sight has been bestowed upon me.” it said, “The future is clear to me now. I know what I must do.”

“We won’t let you!” shouted the voice in Greninja’s head. Greninja yelled in agreement. Everyone else except Blue hardened their stances for battle.

“Strange. Even with this power, there is no discernible way to end this confrontation with peaceful means. No matter any explanation, as I am now, and those who stand amongst us will see to it that this conflict prolongs. A terrible shame. But I will not stand idly. Solga will cease as he is now, in order for the world to become a better and more beautiful place.”

Freak Solga raised its hands and vine sprouted up from all around. Pouring out of the ground, the sides of buildings, out from under Freak Solga itself. They all flailed like tentacles, reaching for anything they could get a hold of.

“Gah! Get back!” shouted Christianson. Everyone jumped back from the tidal wave of vines. Makuhita had to carry away Kara, who was slower to react. Greninja slid to a halt and stared Freak Solga down.

“Be it as it may, I assure you, none of you need to die today. That, I am certain of.” said Freak Solga.

“Not if we’ve got anything to say about it!” shouted the voice in Greninja’s head. “We’ll stop you! No matter what!”

“You repeated ramblings prove nothing. I shall demonstrate what results are.”

Freak Solga stepped through the ground. Greninja back-flipped away from a vine that shot out of the ground like a spike. But vines wrapped around Greninja’s hands as soon as they landed, pulling it under.

“No! Dammit! Use rock wrecker!” shouted Christianson. Rhyperior raised its hands over its head and began forming a huge boulder. A vine shot out from the ground, whipping Rhyperior on the horn, stunning it. Then another vine pulled Rhyperior’s foot through the ground.

Kara then gasped. “Oh no! Help me!” Vines had taken her by the hip and took her to the air. Makuhita jumped after her, but was quickly beaten back down to the ground.

“Rhyperior, use superpower to get yourself out! I’m going after her!” Christianson pulled a knife out a sheath on his side and ran after Kara. But vines sprouted out afterward, pinning him to the ground. Rhyperior desperately pounded the ground trying to get free, only resulting in it sinking deeper.

Freak Solga then heard a voice. “Use double team!” The ground bulged out and a whole army of Greninja’s poured out. “Weird how we never thought to use this with the previous freaks, right Greninja?” Greninja shouted for the voice to keep its focus. “Right! Use water shuriken!” The whole army threw giant water shurikens. Freak Solga sighed and effortlessly swatted every single one away with its vines.

“Don’t stop now! Aerial ace!” The Greninja’s charged in. Freak Solga raised a hand. The vine holding down Rhyperior tore out of the ground and flung it straight into the clones. It was a direct hit on the real Greninja and the vine continued to plow them straight through a building. The two crashed through to the other side of the street, starling many sleeping families.

“What the hell is going on!?”

“O-Our house!”

“Just who do you think you are!?”

All these voices fell silent upon viewing Freak Solga. Its opposing appearance sent the locals screaming and running.

“I-It’s no use! All of you! He can see everything! Don’t you understand? His precognition is unbeatable!” pleaded Blue.

“Blue! What are you saying?” asked Clemont. “Red, you can’t seriously-”

“Unfortunately, it is true.” Red said solemnly. “They have no chance out there. This Ceailean has truly created an unbeatable monster.”

“B-But there has to be a way! If you launch a powerful enough attack, surely its precognition can only show him his doom!”

“Oh yes, how long would it take for you to get me there?”

Clemont scratched his head. “The fastest way right now is by helicopter. But even at full speed, it would take us two and a half hours to get there.”

“And I cannot get there myself considering the two of them took eight days to get there on foot at full sprint. So I believe it is time we start to think about preservation.”

“A-Are you sure brother?” asked Blue.

“I am. We must ensure that you can live to fight another day.”

Clemont gasped. “Wait! You’re just gonna let it take Solga!”

“That is precisely what I’m thinking. The power of the freak and the Destine Crown is just too much to bear. We lost this battle, but at least this way we can fight another day.”

“But-”

“Would you rather us die over the life of one? If that happens, you’ll have no one left to track the negative energy spikes and combat them. And I’ll be unable to realize my full power ever again. I know it isn’t easy, but this is the only way we can fight another day.”

Blue hung its head. “I understand.” It then dematerialized into its core form. “If this is the only way.”

“Tch! What a load of crap!” Blue, Red, and Clemont all looked up. “It’s over when it's over! Until then, we’ll keep trying!” Greninja looked down on blue from atop a building with its arms crossed, it spoke everything the voice said at the same time.

Blue was stunned. “Greninja, you must realize-”

“Oh I’ve realized all right! Realized that you don’t have what it takes to stand your ground anymore! Well we’re not budgin’! We’ll see this through to the end!” Greninja then jumped down and charged straight towards Freak Solga.

“No stop!” shouted Blue.

“Use water shuriken!” Greninja tossed out a giant water shuriken. Freak Solga swatted it out of the way. A wave of vines then poured down the street. “Jump up and double team!” Greninja leapt into the air, dodging the initial wave of vine. It then separated into hundreds of clones. “Now cut!” All the Greninja’s yelled and flew it with hundreds of water kunai. Freak Solga then held its hand at one particular Greninja and shot vines at it. Greninja’s eyes widened as it was immediately taken by the throat, but still tried to charge in. All the clones around it poofed into dust as it got closer to Freak Solga. The water kunai was so close to Freak Solga, but it kept Greninja at arms length.

“Surely you must see how fruitless this path you take is. Give it up, now.” said Freak Solga.

“N-Never, you freak! I won’t… let you lay a hand on… Solga!” said the voice.

“Fool, you could’ve saved yourself the suffering.” Freak Solga then tossed Greninja straight into the air, lashed it rapidly with vines, and then shot an orange glob right in Greninja’s face. Greninja’s face became sickly, becoming an orange hue with orange bubbles popping around it.

“Augh! What is this?” asked the voice.

“Begone, pairing of will. May your future path be as fruitful as mine will be.” Freak Solga then blasted a huge attack up into the sky. A volcano of silver wind rushed into the sky, Greninja being right in the middle of it. Greninja was being slashed something fierce from the silver glitter in the air stream. It flew up high and landed near where the pillar of purple light is with a huge dust explosion on impact.

“Greninja!” cried out Blue, Red, and Clemont.

“Use psychic fangs!” shouted a voice. Freak Solga turned its head to the side to see a Manectric advancing on it. It sighed and shot vines at it. But the Manectric dodged every single one and bit through a few.

Freak Solga gasped. “I can’t see you-!” Manectric jumped and bit down on Freak Solga’s neck, pulling it off its vine hill into the ground. It continued to violently thrash around until Freak Solga blasted it away with silver wind. Freak Solga coughed and picked itself off the ground. “Just… what are you?”

“I should be asking that myself,” said the voice. Up stepped Officer Jenny. “You look like Solga. Only if his sinful desires were thrown through a can of Spaghetti-odes.”

“You must think you’re clever.”

“Well I don’t like to brag, but I faced something similar to you already. Now I don’t know what kind of hole you crawled out of, but I don’t take too kindly to anyone destroying half the town. I’ll be arresting you on two counts of assault, four counts of assaulting a Pokémon, an unquantifiable amount of property damage, and conspiracy to murder.”

Kara struggled against the vines. “H-How did you know that last one?”

Officer Jenny looked up at her. “We got it from your husband. He showed us the footage of the conversation you were having with them in the institute.”

“Harold? Thank goodness.”

Officer Jenny stared down Freak Solga. “As for you. I suggest you stand down.”

“And what can you do? You’ve effectively only got one viable move.” said Freak Solga.

“That is where you’re wrong. Now!” A bunch of officers with various psychic type Pokémon poked out from buildings all around.

“Use psycho cut!”

“Use stored power!”

“Use psyshock!”

Freak Solga was immediately bombarded by a plethora of psychic type attacks.

“Say hi to the escort force meant to help take the Crown out of town,” said Officer Jenny. “Just so happens that today isn’t your day.”

The vines binding Christianson and Kara loosened. Kara was caught by officers and Christianson stood up to watch the bombardment.

“Ma’am, I suggest leaving the area immediately. You’re in danger here.” an officer told Kara.

“You don’t gotta tell me twice! Makuhita return!” Kara returned Makuhita to its pokeball and ran off.

“I suggest you wait as well sir.”

“No, I’ll stay. Consider me a concerned party for a certain someone’s well being. I’ll be sure to help whenever we can.” said Christianson.

“You can’t when the crown is involved. Only psychic type moves have the ability to bypass the crown's precognition.”

“What? Seems like such an obvious flaw. But still, Rhyperior!” Rhyperior walked right up behind Christianson, seemingly out of nowhere. Christianson sighed. “I’m still not used to that. But it's still useful.”

Blue watched the entire scene go down. “Impossible. How could they have detected a flaw so quickly? It doesn’t make any sense. Why wasn't there an answer before?”

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

() Greninja crashed straight through the corner of a building and plowed halfway through a concrete planter. It gagged in pain as the tree leaves fell around it.

The voice groaned in pain. “Ah man, I hope I’m able to ask for the day off today. This guy is tough.” Greninja then gave a sickly cough. “Oh yeah, there’s that too.” Greninja stood up and wearily looked around. “It feels like we’re falling constantly and everything feels stiff. Are we poisoned?” Greninja shook its head and said no. This was something else.

“Whatever the case, we have to hurry and get back-” As soon as Greninja took a step, it stumbled to the ground. “Ahh! It feels like our entire body feels asleep! Just what is this stuff?” Greninja groaned.

“Is that what fell over here?” asked a voice.

“It has to be. Do you see the trail of destruction?” said another.

“Look! Do you think it’s poisoned?”

“It’s hard to say. This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“I have a Pecha berry. Let’s just feed it that and hope it works.” Greninja opened its eyes and saw a vaguely pink object floating in front of it. “It’s a Pecha berry. Trust me.” Greninja accepted the offer and ate the Pecha berry.

A moment passes before Greninja’s eyes fly open. “Woo! Now that hits the spot!” said the voice. Greninja jumped up high in the air and landed on the side of a building. “Thanks you guys! You all really saved us in a pinch!” Greninja gave a thumbs up.

“It seems grateful son. You have done a good deed.” said the voice belonging to the older man.

“That doesn’t fix what’s currently happening, does it?” said the voice belonging to the late teenage boy. “You there! I don’t suppose you have anything to do with this?” The boy brandished a crown-like object. Greninja was shocked to see that it was glowing with the same purple power that Freak Solga called upon itself. It pulsed and hummed with power.

“Is that what Squishy was talking about?” asked the voice in Greninja’s head. Greninja jumped down to take a closer look. But the boy and old man stepped back defensively, both taking out their pokéballs.

“Ahh Ah! Some serious shit is going down and I’m not particularly keen on handing this out to anyone. Especially to no Greninja I’ve ever seen before.” said the boy. Greninja raised its hands up defensively.

“We mustn't be so hasty. I suggest we start with introductions.” said the old man, putting away his pokeball. “I am Culdaver Fraziure. Resident of the Culdaver palace just outside of town. And this is my son, Vertant Fraziure.” Greninja bowed to the two of them.

“You’re talking to a Pokémon dad.” pointed out Vertant. “I don’t think we’ll understand what it has to say to us.” Greninja sighed in disappointment. The town is then rocked by a distant explosion, followed by a group of screams. “Does that have something to do with this too? Officer Jenny had to detach our escort for something.”

Greninja nodded. “There isn’t much time. We’ll just have to show him.” Greninja vanished in the blink of an eye.

Verdant stepped back. “What the-” Greninja grabbed Vertant and jumped up to the roofs. “AHH! Why!?” Another explosive cloud rises from the street. Freak Solga rises from the ground with Rhyperior chasing close behind. Rhyperior throws superpower upon superpower and Freak Solga dodges every single attempt easily, even throwing subtle counterattacks between swings. “Is that… Solga?”

Greninja shook its head no. Rhyperior was shot back by a vine, crashing it through the roof. Freak Solga turned around and looked at Vertant. “You hold the power of the crown?”

Vertant hid the crown behind his back. “Uh… no?”

“Hm.” Freak Solga immediately moves in. Greninja immediately threw a water shuriken, only for Freak Solga to dodge slightly to the side.

“Musharna! Lend me your strength once more!” Vertant threw out a pokeball and Musharna popped out. “Stored power!” Musharna launched a pillar of psychic energy into the sky.

“Pointless,” said Freak Solga. It formed a barrier of vines over its head, blocking the attack in its entirety.

“What the hell is that?!” said Vertant. “No point in psychic attacks if he’s that powerful!” Greninja nodded and formed water Kunai.

“Vertant, I offer an accord.” said Freak Solga, spreading out its arms.

“Oh yeah? What’s that? You want me to be your lackey while you take over the world? Do some dirty work while you sit on a throne?”

“My intentions are very different from who I represent. I assure you, should I get what I want, you shall never hear of me again.”

“He’ll never take your deal!” shouted the voice. Greninja hardened its stance.

Vertant stood for a moment. “And if I don’t?”

“Then I will do what I must.” Freak Solga closed its fist. Greninja immediately knew what was going on and jumped back. Spike like vines burst from the rooftops around them. Greninja got away, but Musharna was left trembling in fear.

“Stop! Let’s talk about this!”

“Huh!? No way! You can’t do that-!” Freak Solga shot an orange glob at Greninja, making it dodge back further. The glob melted into the roof.

“This so-called bond of will power exhibits such selfish fortitude.” Freak Solga taunted.

Greninja clenched its fists. “What was that!?”

“You ask others to blindly follow your lead to fight a battle they cannot possibly hope to win. Even now, you ask him to fight even when I have his Pokémon by the throat. Is it not right for him to take my accord to save his Pokémon's life. Isn’t this the so-called bond of trust you told of?”

“We’ll find a way! I won’t just let you trade lives!”

“Enough Greninja!” shouted Blue. Greninja looked to see it behind Freak Solga. “You can’t win this one. I’m sorry. I’ve seen what that crown can do. Within the hands of this freak, the damage could be more catastrophic than even I could imagine.”

Greninja began to freak out. “But-!”

“Stop!” shouted Vertant. Greninja was shocked. “I don’t care! Whatever you’re saying, just stop!” He pointed at Freak Solga. “Just who are you? And what do you want?”

“I am simply a manifestation of someone’s great act of sin. You may call me Freak Solga, but should it bring you any reconciliation, I myself do not know of my true purpose as of now.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Then we shall move on. I simply require the audience of Solga Telin. From there, my purpose shall be served.”

“You’ll leave us all alone, just for him?”

“I guarantee you this outcome.” Vertant stood for a moment.

“Don’t do it Vertant!” shouted the voice, Greninja expressing an equal plea.

“Hush Greninja!”

Vertant looked up at Freak Solga. “Fine. Get this over with and leave Musharna alone.” Greninja was so frustrated it was breaking roof tiles by sinking its toes into them. But then it eyed something and got an idea.

“A wise decision.” Freak Solga recalled the vines surrounding Musharna. It moved swiftly past Vertant, almost knocking him down.

“Damn! Watch it asshole!” he mumbled to himself. Freak Solga jumped off the roof, heading in the direction of the facility.

Greninja then appeared behind Vertant. “Sorry, need to borrow this.” Greninja swiped the crown away from him.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“What the?! Hey!” Vertant tried to catch Greninja, but it jumped back down to the street.

“Now we just-” Greninja took a deep breath and put the crown on its head. It stood for a moment. “I don’t feel any different, do you Greninja?” It shook its head.

Blue peeked from overhead. “Just what do you think you’re doing?!” It jumped down and confronted Greninja.

“Evening the playing field.” said the voice, Greninja relaying the same message.

“If you think I’m gonna let you throw away your life for this-”

“We’ll be fine. I won’t let that happen.”

“You cannot just let it not happen, you’ll-”

“Come on.” Greninja gave an assuring nod.

Blue stepped back. This feeling was one it hadn’t felt since the Battle for Kalos. One where it was inspired by their endless will and tenacity. It grit its teeth.

“Ugh! Fine! Remember the verses he spewed out before that pillar of light hit that Freak?”

“Yeah.”

“It acts like the signing of a contract. Once signed, there is no going back. Are you absolutely sure about this?”

“I am. Whatever it takes.” Greninja gave Blue a thumbs up.

Clemont sighed. “You see so much of Ash inside Greninja you know. It’s almost uncanny, like they’re the same person.”

“You and me both, Clemont.” said Red, bowing its head sentimentally. “Proceed onward brother. For the safety of Kalos and her people.”

“Understood. Greninja, say exactly what I say. The first verse should be sufficient enough.

“Got it.” Greninja looked ahead to Freak Solga rushing down the street.

Insincere for what we have

Forever in debt for our gift of life

Yet Clamoring for something more

Desperate for what's past our mortal strife

Greninja uttered the verse carefully along with Blue. After it was finished, a huge pulse of energy washed over Greninja. The crown shifted and locked in place, sending pain all through its body. It yelled and clawed at the crown, falling to its knees.

“Greninja! Are you alright?” asked Blue. Greninja continued to writhe. A purple energy pulse washed through the ground, shocking Blue’s paws. A second one made it get knocked back somewhat.

Vertant then peeked over the roof. “Where did you go-! AHH! What the heck are you doing?! You trying to get yourself killed!? Musharna, stop it with stored power!”

“Wait, don't!” shouted Blue. Musharna launched its attack and pounded it upon Greninja, with little to no effect. The psychic energy washed over its body, seemingly soothing away the pain.

“What happen- oh yeah, dark type. Duh. Use moonblast!” Musharna launched a moonblast. Greninja then opened its eye and cut the moonblast in two in the blink of an eye. The two halves exploding harmlessly down the street.

“D-Did it work, Greninja?” asked Blue.

Greninja gave it a thumbs up. “No problem! Piece a cake! Though we probably have Vertant to thank for it. That psychic attack helped somehow.” Blue stood astounded.

Vertant pointed his finger. “Use-” Greninja sped down the street before Vertant could say anything, leaving behind an updraft of dust.

“We can see now!” said the voice. Greninja nodded. “Time to go faster! Stronger!” Greninja sped up, its feet becoming a blur. “Hey! Freak Solga! We’re not done yet!”

Freak Solga turned around to see Greninja rapidly approaching. “Quite selfish indeed.” it said to itself. It made a fist and vines poured out of the buildings on all sides. Greninja formed water kunai and brute forced its way through, slashing them all like tall grass. Freak Solga grew frustrated and sent more vines. Greninja retaliated by throwing a water shuriken directly at Freak Solga’s face, cutting through every vine in the way. Freak Solga barely dodged out of the way, a slight cut on the cheek made it realize something.

“I can’t see you! Ah-!” Greninja appeared right in front of Freak Solga and used aerial ace to punch it into the side of a building, cracking the exterior.

“How does it feel to play on an even battlefield?” asked the voice.

Freak Solga growled and popped itself out of the building. “This is impossible. You’d throw away your own life for the sins of one man? One whom you haven’t met?”

“I won’t allow you or anyone kill anybody while I’m around.”

“We shall see. But do you really think you can take me on your own?”

“We’re gonna try!” Greninja formed water kunai.

“Enough of this!” Freak Solga aimed its hand.

“Double team!” Greninja rapidly multiplied. Freak Solga shot a random one, only for it to disappear into smoke. “Now use cut!” The army charges ahead equipped with water kunai. Freak Solga attempted to mow down as many as it could, but the vines were quickly cut away. A Greninja jumped on Freak Solga’s shoulders and stabbed through its back. It then flipped forward, taking Freak Solga with it. “Aerial ace!” Freak Solga looked up to the sky and saw two Greninja diving in with aerial ace kicks. They made impact, crushing Freak Solga and the clone beneath. Freak Solga grit its teeth and slammed itself off the ground. It cupped its hands together and launched silver wind in all directions. The Greninja were mowed down one by one. The real one had snuck up behind and jumped off the building to attack with water kunai. But then, a third arm sprouted out from Freak Solga’s spine and took Greninja by the throat.

“Predictable!” Freak Solga slammed Greninja on the ground, the stone bricks shattering upon impact. Freak Solga’s arm then sprouted into a blade and it went in for the kill.

“Rock wrecker!” Rhyperior formed a huge boulder and launched it at Freak Solga. It foresaw the attack and dodged out of the way, making the boulder shatter to pieces upon impact.

“I still see you.” Freak Solga attempted to have vines attack Rhyperior, but Greninja recovered just in time to cut off its hand with water kunai. “Gah! You pest!”

Greninja jumped off the side of the building to join Rhyperior. Christianson ran up behind them. “I saw you were able to fight without psychic type attacks. And you’re wearing the crown. I’m sure Vertant won’t like that.”

“You do what you gotta do.” Greninja crossed its arms. “Rhyperior, we’ve got an idea. Listen closely.” Freak Solga began charging a powerful silver wind. “So, you got it?” Rhyperior nodded while also briefly expressing the plan to Christianson.

“Understood. Let’s get this show on the road.” Christianson said.

“Oh and also,” Greninja ran its hand along Rhyperior’s leg. A small pool of purple energy flowed through it. “Just a little gift from me. We just so happened to see this too.” Rhyperior smiled and pumped its fist.

Freak Solga felt something crack in its mind, like a car going from 80 to 0 in a second. “I-I can’t see you either! What are you doing?!”

“Use double team!” Greninja burst into so many clones that it completely filled the street. “Now go!” Rhyperior roared and charged ahead. The Greninja crowd swarmed around it.

“Leave us be! This is not your conflict to resolve!” Freak Solga blasted the entire street with silver wind. All the Greninja were quickly mowed down. The clones popped into clouds of smoke, billowing out across the entire street. Freak Solga observed the smoke closely. Suddenly, Rhyperior jumped out of the smoke with seven Greninja clones coming from behind. Freak Solga was absolutely pounded by a superpower fist, making the entire vine pedestal slide across the ground. A Greninja flew up with water kunai. Freak Solga slashed the clone away, but another emerged from the smoke. Freak Solga moved back, only for that Greninja to fling up another one with dual water shuriken. It made two deep gashes on Freak Solga’s face. Then another Greninja cut through the clone left behind with water kunai. Freak Solga sprouted blades on both arms and bashed it away. But then two more Greninja punched through that one with aerial ace, impacting the wide open Freak Solga hard and knocking it to the ground. Rhyperior then jumped through those two and landed right on Freak Solga with a double superpower bash. The ground shredded apart all around them. Rhyperior followed up with two more right and left hooks and then one more bash.

A vine then wrapped itself around one of Rhyperior’s arms, trying to tug it away, Rhyperior responded by gripping Freak Solga's neck and blowing itself away with rock wrecker. Freak Solga barely recovered in time to see another Greninja fly in from the sky, ready to pound two huge water shurikens upon it. It rolled out of the way just as Greninja made impact.

“We’re not done yet! Aerial ace!” Greninja’s feet shined white with power. It then kicked the water shurikens embedded in the ground one at a time straight towards Freak Solga. Freak Solga retaliated by lobbing an orange glob, but it was deflected effortlessly. The two made impact, blowing Freak Solga away.

“I’m in this too, damn it!” said Blue, racing down the street. “Tag me in!”

Greninja smiled. “Nice to see you back!” said the voice. Greninja tapped Blue’s head as it passed by. A light coat of purple energy washed over it.

“I fear you no more Freak! I shall do what the humans have shown me time and time again!” Blue jumped over Freak Solga, “Fight until the very end!” Blue roared up into the sky. Several dozen green bolts of energy formed in the sky. Blue sent them down. The rained fire, exploding the area up something fierce. Greninja then noticed all the negative energy in the ground converging on the ground. It yelled up to warn Blue. “What?”

Freak Solga exploded up from the ground. A tidal wave of vines rocketed up around Blue. They wrapped around it and ensnared it in a giant grasp. All the vines quickly formed into a giant pair of hands. “I’ll squash you like a bug type!” Freak Solga yelled as it closed its giant hands with great effort.

“I think not!” Blue then exploded with green energy. The hands were blasted apart. Green ribbons of energy flowed out across the sky. Scraps of vines littered the skies and Blue was left there in its core form feeling surprised with itself. “Huh, how about that?” Suddenly a hand gripped Blue tightly. “Gah! You fiend! Unhand me this instant or you’ll regret it!”

“I take my chances.” said Freak Solga. It then opened its mouth.

Blue began to panic. “W-Wait! I don’t wanna do this anymore! Noooo-!” Freak Solga ate Blue. Greninja was shocked while Christianson and Rhyperior were disgusted. Freak Solga then spread its hands out wide. Geysers of vines sprouted forth, wrapping themselves around Freak Solga. They all formed a huge muscular body for it standing 20 feet tall.

“Greninja! You shall not impede upon my destiny!” shouted Freak Solga as it fell to the ground. Its voice was now deep and guttural. Freak Solga crashed into the ground, overturning the pavement like splashing water. Greninja then pulled out a water shuriken, brandishing it intimidatingly. Freak Solga charged in. Each step its new body made shook the entire town.

Christianson ran up behind Rhyperior. “Might actually be a challenge, you up for it?” Rhyperior nodded with a slight glimmer of excitement in its eyes. Christianson smiled. “Hah, then get in there!” Rhyperior roared and charged in, smashing apart any debris in the way. Freak Solga wound up its huge arm for a colossal punch. “Use bulldoze!” Rhyperior slammed the ground hard with its foot. The ground deformed like a rolling wave, knocking Freak Solga off balance. “Now superpower! Full strength!” As Freak Solga fell, Rhyperior uppercutted its jaw with superpower. Greninja jumped over and launched a water shuriken directly upon Freak Solga’s head, smashing its face back to the ground. Rhyperior then latched on its face. “Now give it a pummeling of super powers!” Rhyperior bashed against Freak Solga’s face, but it was able to shake it off and grab hold of Rhyperior. “Get out of there!” Rhyperior tried to form another boulder for rock wrecker, but Freak Solga tossed it through a whole bunch of trees with sidewalk planters. “Rhyperior!”

Freak Solga chuckled a bit before Greninja landed on its head and implanted water kunai deep into it. Freak Solga howled in pain and tried to reach up for Greninja. “W-Whoa, we can figure out how to drive this thing! Just give us a sec-” Greninja then spotted a bridge in their path. “Oh no.” They crashed straight through the stone bridge. Freak Solga tumbled to the ground, flinging Greninja off onto a grass lawn. Brick and stone spewed all over the ground. As the rubble settled, Greninja picked itself up from the ground in a daze. Its vision was blurry and it rubbed its head for comfort. But then a sharp pain pierced its head.

“Augh! What is that?” said the voice. Greninja’s eyes flew right open. A vision came to its mind. Solga, being held up in the air by the neck. “Ah! Greninja, where are we?” Greninja looked and realized something about the grass it stood on. They were just outside the facility. The pain still resided in Greninja’s head. It rubbed its head again, but it brought its hand back, there was something inside. Inside its palm were spiral shavings. The mixed black and red color gave Greninja a sense of familiarity, like it was looking at itself. The ground shook violently. Freak Solga was getting back up. Greninja dodged to the side right as a giant hand crushed down where it was.

“Begone from my sight! My, no our, destiny is at hand!” said Freak Solga.

“It’ll be no destiny of yours!” said the voice. Greninja launched two water shurikens, only for Freak Solga to block both with its palm.

“Must you continue to remain oblivious! What I do, I do for the betterment of this world! Solga is only the first step. A series of events must be set in motion.”

“If you want it so bad. Then fine!” shouted Solga, walking up with his arms out. “Come get me you bastard!”

“What are you doing!?” shouted the voice. Greninja raced ahead to protect him. But vines burst out of the ground. Greninja did its best to cut through them, but a giant one pierced Greninja’s abdomen, launching it into the sky. Then thin vines wrapped around its body and snapped tight.

“Enough of you,” said Freak Solga. “It would seem he has realized his purpose.”

“N-No!” said the voice. Another sharp pain pierced Greninja's head, causing more shavings to blow away in the wind.

Solga looked at his Freak self with uncertainty. “Yes… you?”

The giant vine body kneeled down and opened itself to reveal Freak Solga’s original body inside. “Afraid to face who you are? You know well who I am. I am thou, and thou art I.”

“Is… is that a reference to something-” Freak Solga swiftly hovered to Solga face. “Whoa! I guess we’re flying now.”

“The longer this battle rages, the more I must adapt to complete my mission. Now,” Freak Solga put its finger up to Solga’s forehead. “Shall we begin?”

“Yeah, just gimme a sec.” Solga took a deep breath. He then dropped to the ground. “Do it now!” Freak Solga looked to its side to see a giant flash of pink. It was hit with another plethora of psychic type attacks. “Fool you twice! Ha!”

“It matters little.” said Freak Solga through the smoke. Solga tried to get away, but a vine took him by the throat. Greninja cried out and mustered all its strength to tear away from one vine. It then threw a precise water shuriken straight at the vine, freeing Solga. “It's always you, isn’t it?”

Solga picked himself up and ran. “Come on guys, let’s get hell outta here!” Various policemen came out of their hiding spots and bolted down the lawn.

“Stop running from who you are, Solga. You only delay the inevitable.” A vine snatched up Freak Solga and put it back in the vine body. The vines holding Greninja tore out from the ground and joined the body, strapping Greninja to its side. Greninja tried to get free, but with every movement the body made, they grew tighter.

“Use psyshock!”

“Psybeam!”

The policemen’s pokemon fired their attacks, but none even made a dent in the body. Officer Jenny was urging a crew out of the facility. “Hurry! This is the last of them!”

Solga ran up to her. “Yo, are we ready to go?”

“Almost done.” The body's' footsteps shook the earth. Its towering appearance filled the two with dread as it approached. Suddenly, Officer Jenny’s pokeball broke open and an injured Manectric popped out. It charged up an attack, but Officer Jenny jumped onto it to make it stop. “No Manectric! You’ve done plenty already.”

“What happened?” asked Solga.

“At our last ambush, we thought we had it. We knew that crown was weak to psychic attacks but that didn’t matter anymore. That power, just where did it come from?”

“I don’t know. But let’s hurry! He’s coming. That was the last guy to evacuate right?”

“Yes it was.” Officer Jenny pounded the side of the ambulance. “Let’s go!” The ambulance sirens activated and it sped off.

“Wait wait! What about me?”

“We cannot deny that this monster is after you and only you alone. I cannot risk the lives of patients, so you’ll be coming with me.”

“F-Fine. Let’s just hurry up already! I don’t wanna die.”

Officer Jenny led Solga to her bike. “Manectric, return.” Solga hopped into the side car.

“A bit cramped, ain't it?”

Officer Jenny revved her engine. “It wasn’t built for you.” Her tires squealed as she lurched forward. However, Freak Solga only reached out his hand and immediately wrapped the bikes tires up with vines, bucking the both of them off. As Officer Jenny tried to get up, she saw the vines tear her bike apart like it was only paper. “Just who did you piss off this time, Solga?” she asked.

“How am I supposed to know!” Solga groaned, “I’m not him right now, I don't know what he did!” Solga got up and looked at the body. “No! Nonononono! I don’t wanna die!” He ditches Officer Jenny and runs down the lawn.

“Tch! Coward.” Freak Solga mumbled to himself.

Solga ran while covering his head in fear. “It's only been a couple days! I don’t even know who I am! And then I find out this thing wants to kill me?” A vine popped out of the ground and tripped Solga. Before he could recover, more vines sprouted out trying to hold him down. He backed away on his butt until he hit a tree. He looked forward in horror, vines sprouting and flailing all around him. “I just wanted to know who I was. Is that so much to ask? As I am now, can you even call me a person?”

The body gave a deep exhale. “Know this for certain, you adamant, amnesia acquired adolescent.” Freak Solga said, “You’re previous self has made one wish in his dying breath. That was to live on. In a great despair, he cried out to the world, wishing for anything that would allow him a second chance.”

Greninja felt the vines swirl around it. “Uh oh.” the voice said. The vines wrapped tightly around its limbs and brought it to the body's' head. The head split open like a sideways Carnevine’s mouth and Freak Solga stepped forward to grasp Greninja by the neck.

“The land, sea, and sky ignored him. But I was there to answer the call. Although, I suppose you could say I lied. I myself never would’ve heard you. But with the assistance of this,” Freak Solga held Greninja out and gestured the crown on its head. “The Destine Crown. Having already formed a link with you it saw all of your futures, but only the one past you chose to live. Though I can hardly grasp it myself, I feel as if it had taken pity upon you. So in his last gasp, the residual power sent the message far and wide, spreading the message to anything it could link to. And that is where it found me, developing and dormant underground. From that moment forward, I became unlike my other kin. Monsters only acting on a residual instinct my creator left behind. No, now I am much more. Branded with the wish of the Destine Crown, I awaken at my creator’s request. With our own rage and the Destine Crown's blessing, you Solga, shall be reborn.”

“Look pal, I’m not part of one of those religions that believe in rebirth,” said Solga, “So I’d like to remain alive in any way possible.”

“Why does it matter to you?” Freak Solga tossed Greninja to the side, capturing it in more vine and tying it to the ground. “You said it yourself, did you not? What more could you have for yourself? An entity less than that of a person. You wouldn’t even have a name if someone wasn’t there to tell you what it was.”

“I-I can start over, can’t I? I can change, I have changed!” Solga began to hyperventilate and his brows rose up as he tried to hold back tears. “You can get that right? R-Right? Just… Just, please don’t kill me!” Tears streamed down Solga’s face as he crumpled up into a ball against the tree.

Freak Solga sighed. “I really am sorry it has to be this way.” Freak Solga made the vines wrap around Solga's neck. “But the crown had told me in a faint whisper that you’d be leaving someone behind. Even now, I feel a sort of sentiment on the earth. An entity of great sorrow, angry with itself more than anything.”

Greninja’s eyes widened. “So you can sense them? You can find them? Save them even?” said the voice.

“Anger never leads to an individual. It is mixed with the negative energy. I can only sense the type of anger. Anger at oneself, anger of the past, anger of their lack of control. It becomes generalized and comes together to form the negative energy we see here. So as it stands, who’s to say the one I’m sensing even needs saving.”

“Please!” Solga said through a choked throat, “H-Help me! Please!”

Greninja tried to push itself off the ground. “Come on Greninja! We gotta go now! We gotta be stronger!” Greninja yelled out as loud as it could. The water shuriken grew into a massive size, cutting the vines apart. It jumped up and grabbed the water shuriken, but then something caught its eye. A ribbon of green energy flew across the air at blazing speed and pierced straight through the giant body.

“What?” said Freak Solga, surprised. Then the whole night was lit up by the ribbons. Each one flew viciously inside the body like bullets. Tens of thousands all shooting and cutting through the vines like tilling dirt. Freak Solga tried to defend by using vines to whack them away, but they shot through those too. “What is going on?”

That was when Greninja noticed what was going on. “Oh heck yeah! Blue Squishy, you rock!”

“Impossible.” Freak Solga looked down upon the giant body to see that all the holes and cracks began to spew out an overwhelming amount of green energy. Within that instant, the giant body was blown to bits and Blue burst forth in its 50% forme. Freak Solga was blown back straight into the air.

“To think I let you do such an insufferable and humiliating action such as that!” Blue shouted vehemently. “Consuming me!? Are you serious! Do I look like some kind of gummy snack to you?! You have incurred the wrath of Zygarde, prepare to be wiped off the face of the planet!” Blue drenched itself in green energy. Suddenly, thousands of green energy bolts dotted the sky.

“Time to go Greninja!” shouted the Voice. Greninja nodded and made a run for it.

“HAAAAAAH!” Blue lowered its head with great intensity. Each of the green bolts came down with ferocious speed. Each one exploded indiscriminately all around the remains of the giant body. The explosions were much larger than normal, almost as if that single area was bombed by an entire airborne division. The explosive force blew Greninja forward across the lawn.

“Calm yourself brother!” shouted Red. “What if you hit the others?!” Blue only continued yelling as it laid waste to the area.

”By Arceus,” said Red. “This the second angriest moment I’ve ever seen my brother express for as long as I can remember!”

“W-What was the first?” asked Clemont.

“Take a guess.”

Clemont remembered back to the Battle for Kalos. “Oh yeah, heh heh.”

The explosions slowed. Blue stood over the devastation menacingly. A giant section of the institute's lawn and the public road were nothing but charred brown rock. Blue looked up to the sky. “Now for you.”

Freak Solga’s crown crystals had shattered once more. The crown's purple energy pulsed calmly through its body. “I understand now.” It clenched its fists, white energy bursting at the seams. Greninja felt the crown crushing its head like a soda can. “You cannot stop me anymore.” it said calmly. It clasped its hand together and jutted them forward, unleashing a huge blast of silver wind. Blue braced for impact. The attack forced it back to the ground.

“You… won’t… get away with this!” shouted Blue. Greninja called out to blue and jumped next to it. “Right! Finish it in one shot Greninja!” Greninja nodded and jumped on Blue’s head. Blue exploded with a neon green and burst forward, straight through the attack.

“Use cut!” said the voice. Greninja formed two water kunai and got ready to attack.

“Next.” mumbled Freak Solga. It ceased silver wind and shot orange glob at Blue. Blue thought fast and launched Greninja straight at Freak Solga using its head. The orange glob hit Blue in the face.

“Oh no! Are you okay!?” asked the voice.

“Keep going! Finish it!” urged Blue, crashing down on the ground. Greninja focused up and gripped its kunai hard.

“And lastly.” mumbled Freak Solga. It formed its arms into blades and fell to meet Greninja head on. As they approached, the sun's orange hue began to peek over the horizon. The light hit Greninja’s eye, making it squint. Freak Solga took this opportunity to swing. Greninja swung as well. Trails of red and blue crossed both of their bodies.

Greninja landed on the ground. It kneeled down in pain. “Augh! I’m really thinking putting this on wasn’t a good idea.” Greninja agreed, pulling more shavings from its head right as Freak Solga crashed into the ground. Its bladed arm was cut in half and its head detached from its body. Greninja stood up to look at the damage. “So, how’s that?”

For a moment, nothing happened. But then Freak Solga’s body began to twitch. It put both hands on the ground and slowly stood up. The vision of Freak Solga choking Solga still sent pain through Greninja’s mind. It smacked the side of the crown. “Shut up, will you?”

Freak Solga’s body wearily felt around until it found its severed head. It picked it up and held it high. A pulse of negative energy flowed into the head. Freak Solga hacked up dust and fell to its knees. “How about that? You surely are no ordinary pokemon. Tell me, who is the one who put so much trust in you, Greninja? The one able to instill so much power within you?”

Greninja pointed to its chest. “I’m Ash Ketchem!”

“Ash Ketchem? Very interesting.” Freak Solga stood back up to face Greninja. Greninja stepped back in disgust. Freak Solga’s head was now fused into the body's hands. Its eyes and mouth seem to forcibly intrude into the arms and its eyes were so wide it looked wild. The crown’s remains folded over and pierced through what was left of the fused body like nails.

“Ugh! What did you do?”

“I survived, that is what I did.” Freak Solga slowly walked towards Greninja, limping and cracking like wood in a fire. “I ask of you, Ash Ketchum. What would you do to save the world?”

Greninja clenched its fist. “Whatever it takes! No matter what!”

“Really? Even sacrifice a stranger?” Greninja scoffed at this. “How about your best friend? Perhaps even, your deepest lover?” The two stayed silent for a moment. “The choices that need to be made require that of the strongest wills. Thinking otherwise is selfish. Would you really risk the lives of billions for the life of one?”

“We’ll always find another way!” Freak Solga stopped walking. “Me and Greninja, we’ve always found a way to move forward. Not just us, but all my pokemon, and my friends too! That is our strength. We won’t compromise anyone!” Freak Solga gasped. Suddenly, a crowd of people and pokemon began to form around the two. “What you’re doing won’t fix anything. But all together, we can right all the wrongs in this world. One step at a time.”

Freak Solga looked around. It saw Christianson, Vertant, Culdaver, Kara, and all their pokemon staring it down. Solga cautiously watched from behind them all. A tomato berry then splattered on its face.

“Get out of here! You’re destroying the whole town!”

“Wicked monster! Crawl back to whichever hole you crawled out of!”

“We’ve lost so much because of you! Go away you freak!”

Then a grumpy looking Snorlax shot a hyper beam right behind Freak Solga. The explosion sent it flying face first into the ground right under Greninja’s feet. The crowd cheered in triumph. Greninja only continued to look down upon Freak Solga. More berries and assorted items were being thrown at it. Blue slithered its way up to the front of the crowd and watched.

“Odd, this feeling. It is as though I have felt it before. Shunned by society, not even one person would be willing to hear my voice.”

Greninja crouched down. “But you can stop all this. Do what Solga said. Start over, use your powers for good. Help People and Pokemon live in harmony.” said Ash.

Freak Solga smiled sadly. “And yet there would be one to try and understand. I have caused you so much pain and yet you still choose to forgive me. I truly am glad that you saw the potential for good in me. But alas, it cannot be so.”

“No, everybody has the chance to change! You can-!” A vision of the future caused Greninja to collapse to the ground.

“I really am sorry, Ash Ketchum, Greninja. But my purpose has already been predetermined. What I do here will be much greater than that of what my brothers sought. A chance to save the world. But you’re right about one thing. People and pokemon will help change this world, one step at a time.” A pulse of negative energy rushes through the ground.

Ash gasped. “Greninja! Stop it with cut!” Greninja formed a water kunai and reached out to stab Freak Solga. But it was knocked back by a wave of vines instantly.

Freak Solga rose triumphantly on a pedestal of vines. “Here me, all of you. Your anger is justified. To me, to each other, to the world. But I assure you, I will guide that anger to those who deserve it most.” Everyone in the crowd started to pass out one by one. They all ran in a panic every which way, only to lose consciousness themselves.

Greninja can feel its energy being drained. “It’s absorbing all our negative energy!” said Ash.

Blue rushed to Greninja’s side. “Jump on! I’ll get you out of here!”

“But that weird poison stuff! Are you okay?”

Orange bubbles and electricity emanate from Blue’s body, making it wince. “I’m fine! Hurry!” Greninja stood up and got on Blue’s back. Then Christianson did the same quickly. “What? I never asked for you!”

“Surely the oh so powerful Pokémon of order can carry one more.” said Christianson sarcastically.

“Fine. But you better hold on.”

“Much obliged. Rhyperior return!” Christianson returned Rhyperior to its pokeball.

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

() Kara collapsed to the ground. “Augh. I don’t feel so good. Makuhita? Are you alright?” Through her blurry vision, she could see it also fell to the ground. All their strength seemingly leaving their bodies. “By Arceus. Just what did I get into.”

A pair of arms then grasped around her back and legs. “Man, to think you ran head first into a mess like this. You made me worried sick.”

“H-Harold? What are you-?”

“I had to come save you after hearing some monster was tearing up the town. Couldn’t help but think you were involved.”

“W-Wait!” Kara forces herself from Harold's arms. “What about the kids?”

“They’re safe. I made sure of it. But right now-” An explosion set them both off balance. The two looked to where Freak Solga was. A huge wave of red electricity was rushing through the ground. “Right now it looks like you’re the one who needs saving.” He fished a pokeball out of her pocket. “Makuhita return.” He returned Makuhita to its pokeball and placed it in Kara’s hand.

“But-”

“Hurry it up! We only have room for one more!” urged Christianson.

Blue was agitated. “I did not-!”

“Please Blue, we’ll hold onto her,” said Ash.

Kara turned around. “What are you guys-” Harold then pushed her on top of Blue. “Wait!”

“See you on the other side! Go!” Harold waved them off.

“No! You don’t know what that thing will do to you!” Kara tried to get back up.

“She must stay here! Stop her!” shouted Christianson. Him and Greninja quickly grabbed her and forced her to stay down. Blue imbued itself in green energy.

“Nononononono! Stop!” Blue rocketed up to the sky. Harold became smaller than a Durant in her vision in an instant. “Harold!” The red electricity wave washed over him, spreading through his entire body. He twitched violently before falling to his knees and falling unconscious.

“A noble sacrifice. Be proud of what he did.” said Christianson comfortingly. Kara pressed her hands into her face and bawled her eyes out as they rocketed to the sky.

The red electricity wave spread throughout the entire town and nearby hills. Light bulbs popped and lights went out all over the town. Freak Solga in the center of it all raised its head towards the sky and enveloped itself in huge vines. The structure the vines were creating towered over even the tallest castles in the area.

Everyone winced as they heard a voice in their head. “This enigma has been haunting me ever since my conception. A being of great significance that I cannot see as more than a shadow. Just who is this being, and why does it call to me? Only through the ceasing of Solga's current perception may I reveal this answer.”

“Not happening!” shouted Ash. Blue landed back on the ground and everyone jumped off. Kara immediately ran over to the nearest body and checked for a pulse. She then checked another person, then another.

“Oh, thank Arceus they’re all okay.” she said with a sigh of relief.

“As for that however,” said Blue. They all stared upon the huge vine construction before them. A massive sphere with a long and stout body. A sharp cloak-like object fitted the back of the sphere and large slabs of vines on the bottom of the sphere seemed to indicate a mouth of some sort.

“That’s the biggest one yet, Greninja,” said Ash. “Just how are we gonna beat that thing. They stood in silence for a moment. “Wait! I’m not sure if it will work from this far away, but it's worth a shot. Give me a minute okay?” Greninja nodded and stood firm.

“This enigma,” said Kara, “Could it be Solga’s Pokémon?”

“Sewaddle?” asked Christianson. “Why does it matter now?”

“How did you know about that?”

“I had a discussion with Vertant about a different subject that involved Solga. I was just heading out of town when you stopped me.”

“Well, Sewaddle was the pokemon he used to carry out his heist. For criminals, they had an unusually strong bond with each other. But Sewaddle was stolen on the day of the jail break.”

“But does this represent?”

“I wouldn’t know anymore than you.”

Blue winced in pain as orange electricity sparked off of it. “How about you two, Brother, Clemont? What should we do here?”

“I… I don’t know.” said Clemont.

“I concur,” said Red.

Greninja eyes flashed. It threw a giant water shuriken at the giant structure. The attack embedded itself in the head and hit hard enough to shift the weight of the entire thing.

“My, spotted me already.” said Freak Solga in everyone’s heads. “It’s always you, isn’t it?

“Greninja! I got it!” exclaimed Ash. “It’s been a while, so I don’t think you’ll know what this is. Just follow my movements, I’ll do the rest from here.” Greninja nodded and prepped itself. “Alright then!” Greninja’s vision flashed yellow. It swung its arms to its left like waves and brought them over to the right. A symbol flashed right in front of it, signaling completion.

“W-What is that!?” said Blue, “Greninja is now absolutely pouring in power!”

Clemont yelled. “Ahh! That has to be what they call a Z-move! The Z-crystals to use them can only be found exclusively in the Alola region! Due to its remoteness, you hardly ever see these anywhere else! I’ve only seen footage of those attacks! It’s so cool to see one… uh, kind of in person.”

“Here we go! Full power now! Use hydro vortex!” Greninja raised its hand in the air and yelled intensely. An absolute torrent of water cascaded from its palm like a whirlpool. Greninja wasn’t done. It released even more power. An orb of water formed on its palm and all the water circled around it, getting absorbed. Then the water jutted out, forming an absolutely massive water shuriken. It spun with such power that everyone struggled to keep their balance. The wind blew a massive amount of dust away from it.

“What’s that?” asked Freak Solga. “Why won’t the crown show me what this is?”

“It’s over Freak Solga! No one else is getting hurt today!” shouted Ash.

“Blue, I’ve had an idea!” said Clemont. “Incorporate your power into the attack! Let’s make sure that we defeat this freak once and for all!”

“Heard!” said Blue.

“Use dragon pulse!” ordered Clemont. Blue charged up the attack. Almost immediately, the attack’s purple flames started to get absorbed by the hydro vortex.

“Thanks Blue!” said Ash. “Let’s keep it going!”

“Rhyperior! Get out here and add rock wrecker to that attack!” Christianson sent out Rhyperior, who formed a giant boulder in its hands. Sections of it were stripped off and absorbed by the hydro vortex.

“You too Makuhita! Use Focus blast!” Kara sent out Makuhita. Makuhita charged Focus blast in its hands, in which its yellow energy was absorbed.

“This attack is super powerful! Blue, I’ll need your help to tell the other two where to attack. Freak Solga for sure won’t be taking this lying down.” said Ash, Greninja relaying the message at the same time.

“Understood. You two, we require your utmost assistance. Protect Greninja at all costs! It will need to focus. I will guide you.”

Christianson nodded. “Got it. Rhyperior, stand guard!” Rhyperior stood in front of Greninja and hardened its stance.

Kara feebly stood her ground. “I’ll… I’ll try my best. Give it your all Makuhita!” Makuhita nodded and hardened its stance as well.

“This is it guys!” said Ash, “Make it count!” Greninja brandished its attack. The massive water shuriken had sharpened stones at the end of its blades, dragon pulse energy flowed off the tips like fire, and the focus blast fitted up in the center of it all. “Do it now!” Greninja lurched itself forward, launching the shuriken as hard as it could. A mach cone formed at the end as it blasted off the ground.

“Solga’s fate is sealed. Your attacks mean nothing.” said Freak Solga calmly. The massive head opened four humongous pincers on its mouth and shot out silver wind. The attack merely deflected it like minor turbulence. “Impossible.” Freak Solga shot vines from the massive head.

“Time to take control!” said Ash. Greninja crossed its arms on its chest, a flitter of water strings shined in what little light there was. It swung its arms to the side, shifting the attack the same way. Freak Solga shot more vines, but Greninja expertly dodged every single one.

“This is getting infuriating.” Freak Solga then set its sights on Greninja.

Greninja signaled to Blue. Blue pointed its head at Christianson. “Christianson, right in front!”

“Rhyperior! Use bulldoze!” ordered Christianson. Rhyperior smashed its foot into the ground. The ground shifted like a wave until the underground vines all spewed out in a frazzled mess. “Use superpower to tear them out!” Rhyperior's arms turned a bleached orange as it took all the vines and tore them out of the ground.

Greninja signaled again. “Now Kara, behind!”

“Makuhita, focus blast!” ordered Kara. Right as a vine sprouted out, Makuhita shoved the focus blast into its root, destroying it.

Greninja gave another signal. “This one's ours,” said Blue. “Clemont! Six approaching from below!”

“Jump up and use dragon pulse!” ordered Clemont. Blue jumped and shot a dragon pulse straight into the ground. The vines jutted out at Greninja, but withered before they could get close.

Greninja continued to dodge airborne interceptions while everyone else protected it. Freak Solga gave one last ditch effort, spewing forth a web of vines. Greninja’s head hurt more than ever and more shavings flew away in the wind.

“Gaugh!” shouted Ash in pain, “It’s pointless now! We win!” The shuriken tore through all the vines like nothing. It cut straight through the head like butter, causing it to explode apart. Freak Solga itself was suspended in the air, an arm torn clean off.

“Grrrr! It would seem like you missed!” it said.

The attack pulled on Greninja, causing it to fly forward. Greninja pulled back as hard it could, grinding its feet against the ground. “We’re not done! Stronger Greninja! Give it everything!” Greninja and Ash yelled as intensely as they could. The shuriken swung around, heading straight back for Freak Solga.

“Nooo!” growled Freak Solga. It formed a blade on its remaining arm and tried to block. The shuriken pierced straight through, stabbing Freak Solga straight through the abdomen. It spun along with it all the way down to the ground. Greninja jumped back before it got hit with its own attack.

Blue looked over. “Still not done?” Freak Solga was pinned into the ground. It tried to pry off the shuriken with its remaining arm to no avail. Then the dragon pulse energy began to pour into its body. It overflowed all throughout. Freak Solga’s body crackled and popped as geysers of dragon energy poured out from the cracks.

“My purpose shall be served!” shouted Freak Solga. “Solga must accept his fate and begin anew!”

“We’ll see about that!” said Blue confidently. “Let’s see how you fare against the land's wrath!”

Clemont jumped in fear. “Wait! Not while everyone’s so close!” Blue ignored this and blasted the surrounding area with energy.

“Oh no!” shouted Ash. “Rhyperior! Hurry and help me protect everyone!” Rhyperior nodded and picked up Christianson.

“Hey! What are you-!” Rhyperior then put Christianson next to Kara and turned around with its arms out wide. Makuhita stood behind Rhyperior and did the same.

Greninja tried to toss the crown to the side, but it stuck like glue. Doing so also caused Greninja to stumble due to the pain in its head. It pulled more shavings from its head than it could fit in its palm. The same vision of Freak Solga choking Solga still persisted. “We can’t get this off! This isn’t gonna be good!” But then it looked at Rhyperior. “Ah man, this is gonna suck. But that's all we can come up with!” Greninja begrudgingly nodded.

Freak Solga watched as the orange energy underground began to envelop it. “You… would dare… subvert… justice!” The ground and the shuriken detonated. A gigantic expanse of white blinded everybody. With a split second, Rhyperior saw Greninja jump in front of it to take the blow. The explosion shook the entire town something fierce. The shock wave plowed through the streets, shattering any windows in its way. Ash and Greninja yelled in pain as the last thing they saw was all encompassing white, then straight to black.

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

() Greninja stirred. Its vision was blurry and everything ached. But nothing hurt more than its head. It felt around and realized that the crown was gone. It gave a sigh of relief and looked around. It was on a pokemon center operating table. It exhaled and wondered how it got there. That was when the door lock beeped and clicked open. Nurse Joy stepped inside.

“Now, one more check up on Greninja- Huh! W-Where did it go?” Nurse Joy frantically looked around. A draft of wind flew through the open window nearby.

Greninja dusted itself and walked out of the pokemon center garden. It was glad to see that it was still in Camphrier, but everything was in disrepair. Building missing entire sections, windows all boarded up, and the brick roads torn to shreds. Greninja scratched the back of its head guiltily and decided to explore the town.

It’s been so long since Greninja was alone. It walked the town as the people seemed to just go on with their daily lives. People passed it by, giving no mind. The wind felt relaxing and the air smelled refreshing. There was no conflict, no urgency. Just the world and the people living in it. Greninja jumped up into a nearby tree and decided to kick back and relax. That was when an explosion went off nearby. Greninja audibly groaned and it jumped up to the rooftops to investigate.

“Use bubble beam Dewpider!’ shouted a trainer.

“Counter it with fairy wind Swirlix!” shouted another trainer.

The two attacks clashed and exploded. It was just two fledgling trainers having a battle. Greninja gave a sigh of relief and sat down to watch. The pokemon were slow and barely packed any power, but it was still humbling. Greninja remembered back to when it was just a Froakie traveling the region with Ash. It felt like so long ago. But now Ash is gone, exploring the world on his own. While Greninja had to remain here, forever trapped within the borders of Kalos. Though, it didn’t have the heart to blame anyone for it. It had a responsibility to fulfill.

One of the trainers then glanced up to the roof and saw Greninja. “Whoa, do you think that Greninja is the one?”

“I dunno, it doesn’t look quite like it.”

“But remember the Kalos league finals five years ago? That was Ash-Greninja and Ash-Greninja was here too! It’s a transformation. Quick, ask it for a battle.”

“No, I’m shy. Y-You ask it for a battle.”

“Ugh. You’re hopeless, Topaz.” The trainer boy cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey! Are you Ash-Greninja?” Greninja pointed to itself questioningly. “Yeah, you!” Greninja hesitantly nodded. “Ha ha! I told you!”

“It could be any Greninja, Falt.” said Topaz.

“But still, it would be cool to fight our first fully evolved Pokémon. Whadaya say?”

Topaz thought it over for a moment. “Grr, fine!”

“Heh heh, yeah! Hey Greninja! Do ya wanna battle?”

Greninja seemed astounded by the question. It’s been so long since it's been asked to battle anyone. Greninja blushed slightly at their offer. It stood up, excitedly ready to battle for fun this time.

“Whoa there Greninja.” Greninja froze in place and turned around to see Blue in its 10% forme. “Nurse Joy gave us a call and said you had left. Though I am sure you would love to, I simply cannot allow you to battle right now. Too much time has passed already.” Greninja asked how, it had only been out for a few hours. “Greninja, I regret to inform you that you’ve been unconscious for approximately three days.” Greninja was shocked. Three days! That was so long. “Though, that is partially my fault. For that, I deeply apologize.”

Blue bowed its head to Greninja. Greninja then said it only did it to get the crown off. “Yes, a brilliant plan on your part. The crown cannot latch itself to an unconscious host. Though I wish there was a less drastic way of doing so.” Greninja said it was fine. “Now come, we have much to discuss.”

“Hey Greninja!” shouted Falt. “You comin’?” Greninja looked back and hesitantly waved goodbye before following Blue. Falt slumped his shoulders. “Aww.”

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

() Greninja and Blue arrived at the institute and walked inside. The place was now busy with nurses and patients walking every which way. Blue led Greninja up to the front desk. “We’re here to see Kara.” Blue said.

“You got an appointment?” said the reception lady.

“No, but we must see her immediately. We have an important matter to discuss.”

“Sorry weird talking Houndoom looking thang, but Kara is absolutely swamped with work right now. I can’t make any-”

“Christie, let them in dammit.” said Kara with a heavy sigh. Christie rolled her eyes and buzzed the gated stairs. Greninja and Blue followed her up to her office.

Greninja asked if everything was alright. Kara looked confused. “W-What?”

“Oh yes, Greninja is simply asking if everything is alright?” explained Blue.

“Not really.” she said accusingly. She sat on her desk chair and sighed, “Part of the facility is torn to shreds, the lawn is a charred wasteland, and I’m getting Emails coming everywhere demanding I move my patients. And apparently the worst part is that insurance doesn’t really cover ‘weird vine monster powered by rage’. Not even counted as Pokémon damage, those people!”

“I do understand your plight, Kara. I do apologize for any damage we may have caused.” Blue bowed apologetically.

“Save it. What were we supposed to do anyway? That thing was a monster. Couldn’t just let it get to Solga, no matter how bad he was.”

“Speaking of which, how is he doing currently?”

“Same as usual I guess. Loudmouth, cocky, a smidge narcissistic, refuses to sit still. Almost like everyone else here. Though, he just seems kinda aimless. Like he has no idea what he’s supposed to do at all times.”

“That’s understandable. Starting from a clean slate mustn't be easy for anybody.” Blue sighs, “May we check on him before we go?”

“Don’t know what else you’re gonna get out of him. Not even psychics can read any memories. There’s just nothing there.”

“False hope perhaps.”

Kara sighed, “Yeah. By the way, I got what you asked for. Greninja, you’ve been out for a while so try to keep up.” Greninja nodded. “This Ceailean fellow you’re looking for,” Kara placed a file on the desk. Greninja picked it up and flipped through it. An irritated picture of Ceailean as an eight year old was paper clipped to the documents. Greninja showed it to Blue.

“Seems like a fun person,” said Blue.

“I highly doubt it. This boy had lived in Snowbelle for the past four and a half years.”

“We know that much.”

“But, according to his therapist, he had lived in Lumiose prior. Meaning he was ground zero for the Battle for Kalos.

“That doesn’t mean anything on its own yet. Many people suffered through that day.”

“I can only tell you what the report says. Ceailean had severe PTSD following that day. Though he himself did not confess it, his mother had said that his father passed away that day.”

“That’s awful.”

“It is believed that he was there to witness it, but he refused to give the details of what happened even up to this day. That’s practically all I can tell you. He rarely showed up for any sessions. Cited saying, ‘I have more important things to do’. Seems somewhat contradictory to what Vertant told me.”

“Have you found an updated picture. With it, I can track him down easier if you do.”

“Yes I have. His mother was very cooperative and gave me a few more details. He hasn’t been answering her calls, almost as if he blocked her or something and she’s worried sick. And through the information Clemont told me, it seems like their next stop was Cyllage city. She’s going to intercept him there. Oh, and Christianson will be there as well at the request of Marie’s father. He is already on his way there now.”

“Yes. Thank you for all you’ve done for us. We’ll be on our way now.”

“Call me if ya need me.”

Blue and Greninja headed downstairs. “Alright, we need to make one last visit to Solga’s room before we go. I just want to make absolutely certain we’ve got all we can from him.” Greninja nodded and followed Blue to Solga’s room. There he sat on his bed under his sheets, flinging his motion controller every which way at his TV screen.

“Come on! I am doing it the way you are telling me to game! What the hell do you want?!” he shouted. A ‘too bad’ flashed on screen, making Solga throw his motion controller to the side. He then noticed Greninja and Blue walk in. “Motion controls were a sham anyway.”

“You seem to be doing alright for yourself,” said Blue.

Solga kicked the sheets off him and stood up. “I’ve been doing a lot better actually. Ever since you punched out this huge hole in my wall,” Solga knocked on the wood covering said hole, “My room finally hasn’t felt more refreshing. Those dingus’s out there like to keep it 78 degrees in here. Are you kidding me? That’s practically uninhabitable!” Greninja opened its hand to feel the air and felt that it was fine.

“Very interesting indeed. But I am sure you’ve already guessed why we’re here.”

“I’ve told you everything I know already! Which is what everyone else told you. I know nothing more than what everyone else does. And do you think bringing Greninja will help jog my memory? Get over yourself, it wasn’t even here when I supposedly stole that crown.”

Blue sighed. “Fine then. Come Greninja, there is nothing left for us here. Let us be off for Cyllage.” Greninja nodded and followed Blue out the door.

“Finally, now back to my game.” Solga slumped on his bed and began to play. Greninja gave one last glance back at Solga, immediately noticing something strange. An absolutely massive, amalgamation of negative energy formed right outside the board covering the hole in the wall. Greninja shouted for Solga.

The board exploded, dropping Solga and Greninja to the ground. Out stepped Freak Solga, dawning a new appearance. Its skin was now a glossy red magenta. Sharp red crystals jutted out from its shoulders like armor. The white birch crown topped with its purple crystals glowed more brightly than ever.

“Impossible!” shouted Blue. Greninja ran up and immediately stabbed Freak Solga with water kunai, but within that instant the blades boiled within Greninja’s hands. Greninja backed away and fell on the ground in pain of its scalded hands.

“I must thank you, Solga.” said Freak Solga. It commanded vines to pick up Solga with the raise of a hand. “The enigma of your mind has enabled me to form a catalyst for myself to gain unimaginable power. So much so that it's almost a shame that we’ll never see it demonstrated to its maximum potential.”

“Don’t you ever give up asshole?” said Solga, struggling to speak through the hold on his throat.

“Be grateful, Solga.” Freak Solga smiled, “You never gave up either.” It took hold of Solga’s throat with its own hand.

“Solga!” shouted Blue. It exploded with green energy while Greninja charged in with aerial ace. A hexagonal shield formed around Freak Solga, repelling both attacks. Blue fell back, but Greninja kept pounding away at the shield as fast and strong as it could.

“Alone at last Solga,” said Freak Solga calmly. “Here I am to grant this tragic soul's last wish.”

“I did-?” Solga managed to squeeze out.

“All I ask of you is to accept your fate, and begin anew.” Freak Solga jutted its arm forward. With that action, Solga’s neck snapped. His arms fell to his side and his entire body fell limp. Greninja yelled in devastation. Freak Solga exhaled. “It is done.” It took Solga’s body over to the body and carefully laid it down, taking extra care to close his eyelids and place his arms over his chest. The crystals atop the crown began to squeak and shatter, eventually the whole thing rotted away and fell to the ground. Freak Solga slowly walked out of the room through the hole. Its body was deteriorating quickly. The crystals lost their color and shattered, its body cracked and snapped like dry wood, and its movements became less refined. The shield lost power and faded. Greninja immediately ran to Solga’s side, desperately shaking his body in an attempt to wake him up.

“Greninja.” said Blue sadly, “I… I think we lost.” Greninja was fighting back tears. Its extreme grief turned into unfathomable rage. It furiously walked over to the hole and huge water kunai the size of swords, only to see Freak Solga on its knees in the dirt. Freak Solga looked up directly at the sun, its crystal eyes turning black.

“So this is who we were?” said Freak Solga weakly, “I… look forward to taking back what’s ours.” It reached out and formed a fist over the sun. Then two water kunai pierced its chest, Greninja making extra sure to dig them in real good. Freak Solga reacted little to this. “Our pain is over Greninja. But only another will take its place.” Freak Solga looked back, its blackened crystal eye barely visible. “Are you ready to face it?” Greninja forcefully removed its kunai and shoved Freak Solga back on its knees. Greninja formed one water kunai and got ready to cut Freak Solga, execution style. But right as Greninja swung, Freak Solga gave on last sigh and disintegrated into ash.

The kunai flew straight through the particles and hit something with a ‘tink’. A red crystal flower flew to the side and embedded itself in the dirt. Electricity ran through its interior like an internal thunderstorm.

Greninja’s breaths were heavy. It shouted up into the sky in frustration, falling to its knees and pounding the ground. Blue hesitantly walked up behind it, unsure of what to say. But then a red light caught its eye. It looked at Solga’s body and was shocked to see what was happening.

“G-Greninja! Something is happening to Solga.” it shouted. Greninja turned around. It saw Solga’s body enveloped with red electricity. His body twitched and writhed violently. Nurses from the hall began to panic as their voices crowed each other on what they should do. Greninja took action and tried to hold Solga down, but his body was hard to get a grip on.

Outside, the crystal flower released a huge energy beam into the sky, visible for miles. Its radiant hum shook the entire town. It continued pouring energy until it stopped with the sound of a thunderclap. Solga’s eyes flew open, illuminated red.

“You!” he shouted. His arms shot forward as he grabbed Greninja by the throat. He ran off his bed and smashed Greninja's head into the TV, breaking it. “To think, you almost took everything from me!” Solga smashed Greninja’s head against the TV again. Greninja shoved both of his arms down, which only resulted in Solga throwing punches. They didn’t hurt very much, but Greninja was still flabbergasted. It blocked and dodged to the best of its ability while trying to ask what was wrong.

“I’ll kill everyone, you know! Sychic! Doyle! Everyone in that damned police station who dared let what happened to me happen! But for certain, I’ll be killing Poyzyne! In the most excruciating, painful way possible! Let’s start with you, for almost ruining the last chance I had for my revenge!” Solga brought his fist back for a huge swing. Greninja disappeared within the blink of an eye, making him punch the wall. He staggered back in pain. “Where did you-?”

Greninja chopped the back of Solga’s neck. His body fell limp on the ground. Greninja stepped back in shock of what happened. Kara pushed her way through the crowd.

“Move dammit! What’s going-?” She saw Solga's body on the floor and Greninja still in its hand chop pose. “W-What did you do?!”

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

Part 2: The Fallen

Armageddon sat by the side of Meowstic’s infirmary bed. His shoulders slumped and his elbows on his knees. He watched endlessly over Meowstic’s unconscious body. He had lost count of how many times the heart rate monitor had beeped.

“How could I let this happen to you?” he said to himself. “What more must be given for the betterment of this world?” He watched for a few minutes longer. “I am… unsure- no… I am certain. I cannot do this without you also. Who else is left but you?” Meowstic’s breath periodically fogged up the inhalator. Not a single word was spoken.

There was a knock at the door. A Team Harmonious grunt walked in. “Sir, they’re ready for you to take the stage.” Armageddon didn’t respond. “Sir?” The grunt walked up to him. “Sir, I know it's hard. But there are hundreds of people out there, waiting for what you have to say to them.”

“What good is my word?” said Armageddon. “A mad man’s fantasy. An empty promise,” he looked at Meowstic a little while longer. “A leader to our demise.”

The grunt kneeled down next to him. “Get a hold of yourself sir! Why would you say that?”

“Look at her Sigmund.” Armageddon gestured to Meowstic, “She believed wholeheartedly in our mission, and I pushed her to do her best. Now look at what I’ve done. What does it matter if Gordon was right? What does it matter if I hold Miskivin’s power within the palm of my hand? If this is what awaits us, why keep going?”

Sigmund swiveled around and faced Armageddon directly. “Sir, I must inform you that Meowstic’s condition was due to the overexertion of its own abilities, not through Miskivin’s manipulation. Its power is still waiting to be tapped into. What you’ve found is what all of us at Team Harmonious have been dreaming of. A true way to unite everyone!

You’ve given us so much, Armageddon. I remember before I was a part of Team Harmonious, the carnal sin of conflict plaguing the very foundation of life as a whole. I was caught right in the middle of it. But out of anybody in the world, it was you who reached out your hand and accepted me to be a part of your family. I would’ve had nothing, possibly even dead if you did not offer your guidance that day. Most of us in Team Harmonious are the same way. So let us give back. Let us contribute to the society you envision. I, and assure you, the rest of Team Harmonious is ready to throw down everything they have for you. If that cannot happen, Team Harmonious is doomed. After all, who else would be left but you?”

Armageddon looked at Sigmund. “Alright son.” He stood up slowly. Sigmund hovered his arms around Armageddon as if he could fall over. “I’ll get ready. Be ready in the atrium. I’ll be there soon.”

Sigmund saluted. “Yes sir. I can’t wait!” Armageddon then hugged him. Sigmund was shocked, but he slowly accepted his embrace.

“Do not act as if I am your commander. We are a family of brothers and sisters. I need not be more than a father to you all.”

Sigmund teared up a bit. “Y-Yes, of course. Armageddon. I’ll join my brothers and sisters now.”

Armageddon gave him a pat on the back. “You best.” Sigmund nodded and left the infirmary. Armageddon made his way to the door. He gave Meowstic one last look before shutting off the lights and closing the door. In the darkness, Meowstic shed one singular tear.

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

() “Orientation begins in five minutes everyone!” said grunt to a group of people. “Team Harmonious members enter on the right and take your seat! Recruits! Please speak to the recruiter before entering! You will fill out some prerequisite information. When that is done, members will guide you to the farthest available seating.”

People filed through the doors separated by stanchions. Inside was a huge auditorium with rows of hundreds of seats lined from front to back. The place was packed with Team Harmonious members taking up most of the seating. They all had plain white t-shirts and jeans. While the recruits took up a very small amount of the seats up in the top right corner. They were made obvious by the assorted clothing they wore.

The three available admins stood front and center of the stage, just under the lectern. Slaughter stood in the middle, while Rival and Debt stood on the sides. Debt, a small little brunette girl, scanned her eyes across the members' crowd. That is when a hand rose over the crowd.

“Hey Debt!” called Hymina.

Debt excitedly waved back. “Hi Hymina!”

Slaughter cleared his throat. “Please do show restraint, Debt. We have new recruits today.”

“Aw come on ya big meat head.” said Debt. “At least socialize a little.”

“There is a time and place for socialization. Here, we must be presentable, lest you feel like embarrassing the entirety of Team Harmonious.”

“But being presentable is so boring!”

Rival whistled at the two of them. “Both of you please, just keep quiet.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Armageddon walked up to the three of them. They could hear a slight wave of lighter coming from the recruits.

“Armageddon!” Rival stood up straight. “We were just wondering how we should present ourselves.”

“You needn’t mull over something so trivial. We are all family here, and I think it's best I let you all act however you feel like family means.”

“Oh really?” said Debt. She hoisted herself up upon the stage and sat down, swinging her legs off the edge. “Ahhh. That feels way better.”

Armageddon smiled. “Whatever makes you feel at home.”

Rival was a little flustered. “S-Sir, this is our very first orientation. This is much more than just street recruiting. Don’t you think we should show that we as an organization-”

“We as a family, Rival.” corrected Debt.

“-as a ‘family’, that faith can be put into us in the most basic way possible?”

“Rival,” said Armageddon. He put his hands on Rivals shoulders and pointed her at the crowd of recruits. “Of course I want people to have faith in our family, in all of us. But we shouldn’t have to sacrifice who we are in order to do so. Look among them, Rival. Family, friends, lovers, they’ve all come here because they believed in our message, if only slightly. I’d love to show that they needn’t sacrifice anything in order to be a part of our family. This will be their new home, and we’ll be here to accept them with open arms, along with all of our brothers and sisters.”

Rival looked amongst the recruits. They talked, they laughed, they showed affection. So many people here seemingly all coming together. It really wasn’t like street recruiting. Be they family or friends, this had more meaning to Team Harmonious that she could comprehend.

“Y-Yes Armageddon.” said Rival. “Thank you for reminding me of why we’re here. Of who we must be.”

Armageddon patted her shoulders. “Good. The speech will start soon. Do not feel obligated to stay here however. Not for me, not for anyone.”

Slaughter immediately walked off and headed towards the back of the auditorium. Debt tried to stretch her head over the crowd to see if any seats near Hymina were free, only to see that it was too late now. She pouts and rests her head on her hand.

Rival leaned against the stage. “Thank you Armageddon, but I think I will stay here. I’ll support you however I can.”

“My deepest gratitude, Rival.” said Armageddon. He then walked around to the stairs of the stage and made his way up. The lights dimmed as he approached the lectern and the crowd grew quiet. He taps the microphone and the feedback rings across the room.

“Crisis, I wish you were here.” Rival said under her breath.

“Allow me to welcome everyone here. This moment is pivotal for the future of Team Harmonious as a whole.” Armageddon took a peek at the speech cards in his hands, but he decided to place them down. “As I am sure all of you are aware of today. Team Harmonious stands as the shining beacon to those who strive against the greatest failing of life itself. That failing is conflict itself. Conflict exists within the deepest fibers of life. One could say that there is no life without conflict.

To that I say, why? Why must our existence consist of these qualms and disagreements? I’ll be the one to tell you why. One can only love thy neighbor for so long before it starts to become a detriment. Whether it be from said individuals unable to support people because they are unable to support themselves any longer, or from others feeling that this individuals presence is agitating, perhaps others take their help for granted. There are many many flaws standing in the way of true unity.

That changes once you become a member of Team Harmonious.” Armageddon activated a holo-projector above him showing various tasks of Team Harmonious grunts doing various tasks. “Here, we are family. I have heard many stories from all our faithful members. Criminals in which society refused to give them a second chance, orphans unable to show who they really are, fragments of broken families simply looking to be loved again. I have taken all seeking betterment and love under my wing. Here and now,” Armageddon gestured to the Team Harmonious members, “they stand side by side as brothers and sisters.” A wave of applause rolled through the crowd.

“Being that as it may, we also cannot stand idly while others suffer. Many of us here, including myself, have been subject to the absolute worst conflict can dish out. We’ve paid, we’ve survived, we’ve settled. But the world as it is now is fueled by this conflict.” Armageddon then showed images of the Battle for Kalos on the holo-projector. “This is the result of the world's greatest conflict yet. An extinction level event set in motion by the twisted desires of one man, Lysandre. In some ways, we would’ve agreed on certain aspects of the effects of conflict. But our solutions highly differed.

He believed that the only way to end conflict was to end life as a whole. If there is no perspective, there is no conflict. But we at Team Harmonious have something that Lysandre and that the entirety of Team Flare did not. We have the love for life, the love for each other. If our perception were to cease, who else would be left to witness the beauty this world has to offer.” Images of beautiful environment started to scroll through the Holo-projector.

“Life as we know it, is a gift. We are alive to feel, to see, to experience. To let that go to waste would be a damn shame on our part! In order to ensure that we live our lives to their fullest, Team Harmonious vows to bring upon you all a form of unity the likes of which the world hasn’t seen before! One in which we can end all conflict and still perceive the world. All that I ask of you is to place your faith in our family!”

The crowd cheered. Team Harmonious grunts started to hand out bagged white t-shirts and jeans in vacuum sealed bags to the recruits. Behind Armageddon, the walls along the auditorium began to open. God rays poured through and revealed a brightly lit waterfall flowing down the glass structure of the auditorium. “Forgive our debts! Settle our rivalries! End our Slaughter! Support me! Support all of us at Team Harmonious! Join our greatest vision of unity so that we may endure through all forms of crisis! May we stand together and push for our brightest future!”

The crowd erupted in applause. Everyone stood up cheering, whistling, even throwing their recently acquired uniforms. Armageddon exhaled as he moved his eyes slowly across the crowd. He then covered the mic and lowered his head to Rival. “Rival?”

She looked at him. “Yes, Armageddon.”

“Take who you trust the most and begin Operation Communion.”

Rival stood up somewhat shocked. “A-Are you sure?”

“I am ready to move to the next step. We must finish Operation Communion before we proceed however. We must be certain that those individuals can be reined in.”

Rival stood for a moment. “Okay, as you wish. Debt, let’s go.”

“What?!” said Debt, “But I just got back to base! I wanted to spend time with my sisters!”

“I know, but it's Armageddon's wish.”

Debt flopped down on the stage. “Ugggh!”

Armageddon peeked over to her. “I only ask.”

Debt shoved her hands on her face. “MMh, fine! Let’s go!” Rival and Debt exited the auditorium to their right. Armageddon raised his arms at the crowd and their cheer reinvigorated.

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

() Rival pushed open a metal door. “Operation Communion is a go! Get into positions!” The grunts around the area quickly moved along with her. They approached four box trucks.

“Sister, if I may ask?” said a grunt, “Just what is the plan?”

“Our targets have been separated into four locations.” Rival pressed a button on her wrist communicator. “My team will handle the one in Laverre city while Debt’s team approaches the one in Coumarine City. Once we have them, we will drop them off back at base and approach the one held inside Lumiose City. That one will be the hardest to extract. Expect at least a couple months of down time.”

“Aww! But Rival!” complained Debt through the communicator, “I didn’t sign up to be gone for so long!”

“You’re the best person I know that can get a job like this done. I am placing my faith, as well as Armageddon's, in you.”

“Tch, you’re lucky flattery is my weakness!”

Rival sighed. “Once we have the Lumiose target, we will head back to base through route five to pick up the last target. They are holed up in a small developing town called Faena. Once we drop off those two, Operation Communion will only be half done. But at least what we’re doing now is the hardest part.”

“Understood.” The grunt entered the divers side of the truck while Rival got in the passenger side. Garage doors slowly opened to reveal a dirt path. All the trucks left the garage and rumbled down the dirt path. The grass swayed as they passed by.

“I sure hope this works out, Rival.” said Debt over the communicator.

“It has to,” said Rival. “For Armageddon.” The trucks diverged in pairs at the first turn and drove out of sight into the forest.