I'm not sure how much goodwill a few days of working and living amongst the Platinum Clan has built up for me. Hopefully, it's a decent amount, because there's a fairly good chance that I'm about to go through it extremely quickly.

Well, I shouldn't say that. I've got one person on my side, after all. After my success introducing Hana to Dreepy, I proposed to her later that day that we should try to replicate that moment with the rest of the village.

The glow of having her first Pokémon hadn't faded yet, and she agreed super easily. In addition, since Hana's entire knowledge of Pokémon basically comes from me, she put me in charge of the whole thing. I even managed to free Ursula from most of her tasks, to be my consultant slash sidekick.

We've worked really hard on this presentation, drawing from all the work and experiences we've had in the village so far. I think it will appeal to the people here. I just hope they are receptive to what we're trying to convey.

Even though we're hundreds of years in the past, the style of governance isn't that different to the current one. No one elected Hana to be the leader. Everyone assumed that she was most qualified based on her leadership qualities and strength and experience and so on. To her credit, she's taken the position and ran with it.

Similarly, proving that you're the strongest Pokémon trainer in the region makes you the Champion, and everyone assumes because you ascended to that role, you've got all the skills necessary to lead a region.

It's worked out fine, but part of me thinks there is a little loophole, where someone who doesn't have the qualities of a champion gets to be one simply because of their strength as a trainer.

In any case, the leader of the village or not, Hana still consults with the people before she makes a major decision or change. And I think starting the process of integrating the Platinum Clan with Pokémon would classify as that.

So, Ursula and I do our best to knock on every door, which is difficult, considering none of these tent houses actually have doors, and get the people out for a public forum around the fire pit. We actually manage to get about three-quarters of the village to bring chairs and sit down, which is pretty good, considering the rest of them are kids, a couple sick individuals, and one very pregnant woman and the town midwife.

All these people staring at me is still kinda intimidating for someone who's bad at giving speeches and the whole social speaking thing in general. Especially when they're all staring at me like this. "Hello, everyone," I start awkwardly.

Someone gets up from their chair to interrupt me. "Why is she leading this meeting? She doesn't even live here!"

A fair point, but luckily, Hana comes to my defense. She gets up from her chair and claps me on the shoulders, which makes me wince. "Because," she says. "I'm tired of our fragile existence. Breaking our backs. Going to bed sore every day and waking up even more so. For what? All this work and we're still not able to build anything sustainable or leave anything for our children because our house of straw keeps getting blown over, and we keep having to rebuild it."

She pounds her first into her palm emphatically. "I, for one, am tired of living like this. I want change, and I've seen first hand how it can happen. Luna and Ursula have given me a vision, and they're here to explain it to you as well. Take it away, girls!" She gestures grandly to us.

That was quite the introduction, and as nice as it was, it also puts more pressure on us to impress them. "Right. Thanks, Hana. We had a few suggestions to make your lives easier, and give you more time to enjoy, and also to make it so you're not constantly looking over your shoulder, or wondering where your next meal is coming from."

I take a deep breath. "The first thing is to stop eating Pokémon."

Immediately, a man that's big-boned, to put it generously, manages to lift his bulk from his chair to yell at me. "You're not making any sense! You're taking away our food, but you say we won't have to worry about our next meal! I worry about my next meal constantly!"

Wow, I never would have guessed. Before I can respond, a woman stands up. "I agree with them. My daughter thinks Spheal are really cute! She doesn't want to hurt them!"

Another person gets up. "Oh, come on. Spheal isn't cute! It evolves into that big, fat, ugly Walrein! Is that what we're going to teach our kids? Be cute and get favors, and then grow up to be fat and lazy?"

"My daughter's five, she just likes how round Spheal is."

"Well, your daughter is an idiot. I say we eat more Spheal! Eat more Spheal! Eat more Spheal!" he chants, trying to get the crowd involved, but Hana bangs a wooden club against the edge of the fire pit.

"No chanting," she grouses, sounding like she's done this one too many times. "Continue, Luna. Where will we get food from, if not from Pokémon?"

Ursula's got way more of the showmanship gene than I do, so I take the back foot, literally stepping back to our assorted props, and throwing the first, a branch full of lump Oran Berries, high into the sky.

There's the usual chorus of horrified gasps and hushed finger pointing when Masquerain is sent out, but Ursula tunes them out and keeps her focus on the performance, like all proper coordinators should. She commands her Pokémon to use Air Slash, and I manage not to embarrass myself, and catch all of the berries out of the air."

"By working with Pokémon instead of looking at them as food, a whole host of options open up to you," Ursula educates the stunned crowd. "You won't any longer have to risk injury, climbing up the tallest of trees, or waste time pelting them with stones. In fact, most tasks become trivialized with the help of Pokémon."

She immediately summons Gabite and Meowth for our second demo, because I think Ursula believes that we need to bombard the crowd repeatedly with all the good having Pokémon does for you, so they can't interrupt us with questions.

Basically, not making the mistake I did in the first place. Gabite is not quite as adept at turning a random patch of land nearby into a tilled plot, ready for farming, as a Diglett would, for example, but he gets the job done. Meowth lazily flicks seeds into the upturned soil, as I search the crowd for the woman I farmed with the other day.

She seems utterly surprised, which I'm not sure is good or bad. Ursula isn't dawdling, moving to drive home our point. "Food is going to be the least of your concerns. Especially because you'll have a much easier time cooking it." She snaps her fingers, and Gabite's mouth lights up with Fire Fang, "And preserving it." One more snap, and Masquerain frosts over a wooden shelf box thingy we found that probably could serve as a very primitive refrigerator.

I think this is going well. She has their undivided attention.

"And that isn't even the tip of the iceberg," Ursula says. "There is no task or work that you perform that isn't easier without the help of Pokémon. Imagine having a blacksmith assistant that doesn't have to fear getting burned." Gabite, mouth still flaming, bites down on his arm and gives a fanged grin to the stunned crowd at his lack of reaction.

"Or," my friend continues, "having someone be able to carry all those heavy items needed for construction." This one's a little trickier, because Monferno isn't here to heft around some boulders with his Fighting-type strength, but Gabite does a decent job of carrying one around and keeping his face calm all the while.

This is sorta like contest practice, in a way. Showing off for an audience, but staying in control.

Hopefully that means Ursula and her Pokémon won't be rusty if and when we get back to the future for the Wallace Cup, assuming we make it back in time. Does one day here equal one day there?

For now, though, I don't have time to contemplate the mysteries of time travel. Because the baton is being passed to me. "So," I begin. "Instead of spending all day working, you'll have way more free time, with all of your tasks being done in a fraction of what they used to take. Any ideas of what you would do with it?"

I've already made a mistake, posing a question to the assembled villagers, but thankfully, they don't have any suggestions to take us off track. I quickly recover.

"Well, Pokémon are your answer to that as well. They're extremely intelligent creatures, and lots of people have one or more Pokémon as lifelong friends and companions. And you'll have so much fun with them."

Ursula brings out Helioptile to complete her whole team, and they do some basic contest combinations that she wouldn't dare bring out at the Wallace Cup. For this uninitiated into the world of contests crowd though, it must be like watching the greatest magician ever perform live. For free!

Masquerain blows out a stream of bubbles, promptly freezes them with Icy Wind, and then shatters them with Air Slash, leaving sparkling, miniscule shards of ice glittering in the sky. A couple fall to Meowth, who, strangely enough, joins in on the performance, balancing a couple ice bubbles on the tips of his claws and spinning them like basketballs.

For their part, Gabite and Helioptile are also cooperating, with Gabite making use of Sandstorm to encase himself. Helioptile then lights him up with Shock Wave, creating a glass statue of Gabite. Obviously, the Ground-type was unaffected by that attack, but there is a question of how he's going to get out without destroying the statue.

Which is answered when Ursula's first Pokémon burrows underground and pops up right next to his own statue.

I summon two of my own Pokémon to join the show. Bellossom is happy to put some of her patented Petal Dance pictures in the air, but how can I show off Glaceon without repeating what Ursula's already done?

After a few moments of mulling it over, I come up with something. It keeps with the theme, too, as far as being a magical moment. At least, everytime I witness it. Maybe it's the reason I like Ice-types so much…

"Glaceon, use Snowscape." She looks up at me sharply, knowing that we haven't quite pulled off the move other than an extremely localized version, but I give her a confident grin "You've got this. We've been practicing super hard, so let it rip!"

She nods once, concentrating furiously. It takes a few seconds, but a cloud starts appearing over us. Not a dark rain cloud, but a lighter, gray one, like a blanket, that quickly expands to cover all of our heads.

People gasp and point up, but those surprised gasps turn to ones of amazement, as the first white flakes begin to descend, slowly at first, but soon become a flurry of snow.

As I had hoped, the magic of snow turns this assembly of adults into a gaggle of children, some of them leaping up to try and catch the snow as it falls upon them. The others watch as it falls on their bodies with wonder in their eyes. With how Mt. Coronet has such a dramatic influence on shaping Sinnoh's weather patterns, this might be the first time any of these people have experienced snow.

There's so much commotion that everyone else in the village, who wasn't invited or couldn't make it, comes out to see what's going on. The few children that live here come sprinting out of their tents, and immediately start doing what kids do. First trying to taste the snow, and then gathering huge handfuls of it and throwing it everywhere.

Even the woman who's eight or nine months pregnant manages to waddle her way out of her tent with some help, though unfortunately, she's not able to bend over and pick up any of the snow herself.

It's an incredibly fun, heartwarming scene. I rub Glaceon on the head for such a job well done, but my hand slides on something slick. On closer inspection, it seems she's remembered my words about using the snow as a part of her defenses, and has crafted a thin coat of frost armor, one that won't hopefully impede her movement or attacks.

Plus, as the snow falls, she can replenish it as needed.

Things are really looking up, as the snowfall starts to slow, before finally fading away. Only one person hasn't been convinced. Daniel, the incredibly suspicious of us man we first met when we fell into Hisui.

"This is all well and good," he says slowly, making it clear that he is not as impressed with our presentation as the rest of the village has been. "But there is still one question that you haven't answered."

"Which is?" Ursula prompts him impatiently, tapping her foot.

"What are we supposed to do at the inevitable moment when the Pokémon you insist on having around us every day attack us?"

I can't help but roll my eyes. "Have you learned nothing, man? If you treat and respect them as your treasured friends, then you have nothing to fear. And as for wild Pokémon, or other people using Pokémon against you-"

My voice dies in my throat as I hear a sound of something that should not be here. Ursula and I look at each other in concern. These people may not recognize the sound of an engine, but we most certainly do. And we both know who around here has a motor vehicle.

"You're going to get another demonstration, actually," I tell Daniel, before I let Hana know that we need to evacuate the village. "Having Pokémon at your side means that you have nothing to fear."

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

Unfortunately, we couldn't get the whole village out of there before the poachers made their appearance. There are some elderly people who can't really run, along with the pregnant lady. In any case, I don't want to leave the village to the mercy of the poachers without any resistance.

Because clearly, they are out for revenge. I wince as the first poacher's Lampent spews fire onto a tent house as soon as it comes out of its Pokéball, burning it to cinders. Gabite traps it with Sand Tomb long enough for Glaceon to take out with Water Pulse, before we trap the poacher in a similar prison of mud.

It's not just the homes that are being targeted. Remember the barrier we built with rocks and mud? A Scrafty smashes through it before it gets put down with a combination of Moonblasts and Air Slashes.

My team and I race around the village, putting out fires and taking out poachers as we go, finding a Muk that has ruined one farming field with its poisonous body. Despite our best efforts, it pushes through my team's attacks to poison the water well the village uses, before Ursula joins up with me and Gabite sends it flying with Dig.

One on hand, it's a good thing that the enemy Pokémon are more concerned about destruction than actually fighting us, but how is the Platinum Clan going to rebuild from this? Their existence is already so fragile as it is.

Glaceon frosts over a Fearow Drill Pecking through tents so Helioptile can electrocute it, and Meowth taunts a Golem into rolling at us, where it's met with every super effective attack we can muster. We sprint by its prone body, finding the poacher's truck back where we started, at the shrine of Almighty Sinnoh.

Or, what was the shrine. It's been run over. Despite me telling the village to flee, someone has stayed behind to try their luck and fight.

It's Hana, and for all her strength, she's lying prone on the ground, clutching a fainted Dreepy in one hand. Only the slight rise and fall of her chest tells me she's alive.

I quickly survey the opposition. Gliscor, Gourgeist, Hariyama, Mightyena, and an Ariados, along with the remainder of the poachers. I get the sense that the one smoking a cigarette is the leader.

"Masquerain, pull Hana out of there with String Shot. Ursula, take the rest of your team and tunnel under the truck and wait for your moment. No doubt there are more Pokémon imprisoned there. We'll handle these."

"All by yourself?" she questions worriedly, but I think my serious tone gets her to understand. "Be careful," she mutters, before climbing on Gabite's back and disappearing into a hole, Meowth and Helioptile following her.

Not one of these Pokémon is a Shadow Pokémon, thankfully. Of them, Gliscor, hovering in the air, is going to see Masquerain and chase after her when she flies overhead, so that's got to be my first target. Of course, it helps that it's quadruple weak to ice, too.

"Flash Frost!" I whisper, pointing out the flying scorpion bat. Glaceon fires it at max power, and the sound made by the thunk of it connecting, and Gliscor dropping to the ground, is enough to get the poachers attention, giving Masquerain a window to circle behind them.

Gourgeist and Ariados are the first to charge us, the spider spitting webs, with its Halloween pumpkin partner floating close behind. Charmeleon scorches through the Sticky Web easily, roasting the enemy Pokémon. When he aims for Gourgeist, however, it meets the attack with its own Fire-type move.

"Teeter Dance."

Bellossom makes herself incredibly distracting, falling all over herself and spinning in circles like a drunkard, catching the Ghost-type's red eye. Eventually, it starts firing its flames at ghosts, ironically enough, allowing Glaceon and Charmeleon to hose it down with fire and ice until it's down for the count.

Hariyama is up next, and when it charges straight through the combo attack we have going, unbothered, I know this is going to be difficult, due to its Thick Fat ability. Its huge palm lights up with power and it thrusts it down with incredible force.

Thankfully, its sumo-wrestler build means it moves fairly slow. "Quick Attack onto it!" Glaceon leaps into the air and scrambles onto the Fighting-types tree trunk-like arm. "Charmeleon, go for its legs. Make yourself a nuisance."

Glaceon's Ice Fangs, Bites, and Ice Shards at the Pokémon's head and neck, along with Charmeleon's Metal Claws, Fire Punches, and Fire Fangs at its legs, are like mosquito bites, to this mammoth of a Pokémon. But they're buying us time so we can hit much harder. "Growth, Bellossom. We need the power to take down this one."

My Grass-type stretches up to the sun, soaking the energy in for as long as she can, until I finally give the command. "Moonblast!" Right before she can throw the silver ball at Hariyama, Mightyena, who's been skulking around the edges of this battle, unnoticed by me, darts in with Sucker Punch, straight into Bellossom, though she doesn't lose her balance or focus.

As Mightyena retreats, she looks at me pleadingly. "Yeah, take it out first." Moonblast is whipped towards the hyena, and it yelps as the attack consumes in it an explosion of silver.

With it taken care of, we can return our attention to Hariyama. It takes four Moonblasts right in the chest before it finally staggers backwards, and I call Glaceon and Charmeleon back. The sound Hariyama makes when it falls on its back is unbelievable, as is the mini earthquake that ripples through the ground.

It gets the attention of the leader, who turns around from viewing the destruction he's wrought, and throws his cigarette to the ground after one last puff of smoke. His face is weathered and scarred, and coupled with his sharp military style haircut, I feel like this guy has seen real combat before.

His raspy and gravelly voice makes me think he's been smoking a long time. It's a shame one of the multitude of cancers associated with it hasn't taken him out yet. "So. You're the trainer causing my men so much trouble."

Masquerain has started slowly dragging Hana away to safety. I see Ursula and Gabite pop up next to the truck, and I know I have to keep him talking so he doesn't turn around again, while Meowth jimmies the door. "That's right. Not the first time, and not the last time, I will either."

He makes a sound between a laugh and a cough. "Ah. So you interfered with that mission catching the fossils near Mt. Coronet too, did you? Cost us two good lives that day, girlie."

What's he talking about? "I didn't kill anyone, Pokémon or human," I defend myself from his accusation.

The lead poacher stomps on his cigarette to put it out, and gives me a yellow grin. "Never said you did. Hunter J offed two of us for their failure to defeat or keep you out. She's a right bitch, isn't she? I've had enough of her, honestly. You're pretty strong. What say you join up with my forces to take her out? Name's Robinson, but you can call me Sarge."

Ursula's got the door open, and after a few seconds, I see the driver slide out of the door where she came, unconscious. She's doing extremely well. I should buy more time, but I can't find it within myself to entertain this offer for even a second.

"How about you go to hell instead." I spit on the ground to make my disgust for him clear.

Sergeant Robinson makes that sound again. "If you're willing to throw your life away in defense of these vermin, so be it. I, for one, know that Ho-oh's Sacred Fire is going to burn me for eternity rather than birthing me anew, but I don't intend to go there for a while." We all tense as he pulls out a Pokéball. "Go, Ursaring! Tear them in half!"

A hulking bear emerges, and I curse internally as this opponent is encased in a purple and black cloud. I suppose it was wishful thinking to assume that they've used up all their Shadow Pokémon. "This one's like the others," I warn my team as quietly as I can. "It won't stop for anything."

That doesn't mean we can't disable it, though. The Shadow Pokémon rushes at us, claws extended for a Slash attack. "Stun Spore!" In its mindless rage, it charges straight through the cloud of spores, breathing them in.

I hear the flick of a lighter from behind Ursaring. "Bad move," the sergeant calls.

The reason for that quickly becomes apparent. I was so focused on this being a Shadow Pokémon, and what that entails, namely, not feeling any fear or pain and fighting to the absolute finish, that I forgot about one of Ursaring's special abilities. Guts, which activates when it's afflicted with a status condition. And it's now paralyzed.

It roars with bloodlust like the feral beast it is, and charges us by swiping its claws through the attacks my team sends its way. We all scatter as it cocks back a fist and winds up a Mega Punch that leaves a crater in the ground.

"Belly Drum!" I hear the sergeant's order.

Ursaring doesn't even retract its claws as it beats on its belly, a cruel haze of red appearing around it to mix with the purple and black cloud I see. Each vicious slap draws blood and tears into its own flesh, but its power level has shot to the moon.

"Earthquake!" It leaps into the air and comes down with ridiculous force. There's no jumping to try and avoid the tremors from this attack. We try of course, but they're present long after we land, and everyone is sent painfully tumbling into the ground, me included. Pain lances through my head as my jaw takes the brunt of the impact. I'm almost certainly going to bruise badly.

Still, I know in my heart that Bellossom, with her low center of gravity and resistance to ground, is probably not stumbling to find her feet. "Petal Dance!" I manage, voice muffled a bit.

As I look over, my hunch was correct, Bellossom summons a storm of petals to swirl around here, and fires streams of them, as Ursaring turns his attention to her. The bear's fists light up with fire, and it punches wildly, not caring as if it misses or if it gets it as it advances.

None of her attacks, no matter how powerful, are stopping it. As Ursaring nears, Bellossom pulls all the petals back and interlocks them into a shield, but that gets ripped through like paper as well.

"Hammer Arm!" Robinson calls. Ursaring rears up, bringing both glowing arms behind its head near its neck as it prepares to hammer down on my much smaller Pokémon.

There's no fear on Bellossom's face, but there certainly is in my heart. I can only think of one thing that might be powerful enough to stop this rampaging beast, and we haven't used it in a long time.

"Sunny Day!" Bellossom's last move before she gets slammed down on mercilessly is to intensify the sun's rays so that they're sweltering. I recall her hastily, and look at Charmeleon, who's been groaning, trying to shake off that Earthquake. He snaps to attention when he realizes what I've done.

Ursaring's not the only one with a special ability that gives a massive power boost at a cost. I haven't used Solar Power since the battle against Gardenia, fearful of Charmeleon going overboard, but I need every ounce of that power right now.

To be fair to him, he's been doing a phenomenal job of controlling himself and not going too crazy recently, though. "Flamethrower!" I shout. Ursaring turns around to face our attack, and fire bursts from Charmeleon's mouth, an all-encompassing, burning inferno of flame, scorching everything in its path.

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A normal Pokémon would have run, or dodged, or tried to defend itself. Ursaring, a husk of whatever it used to be, charges forward instead, being consumed from head to toe in fire. Somehow, it slowly walks forward against our attack.

Charmeleon redoubles his efforts, opening his mouth as wide as it can go, roaring as he pushes out every drop of flame that he can muster from his belly. The stench of burned fur and flesh becomes almost unbearable, (pun not intended, because nothing about this is funny), until he finally collapses from the effort, drained.

But he's done it. Ursaring looks like a steak that's been left on the grill for a couple of hours. The world's biggest piece of charcoal.

Had it not weakened itself so severely with Belly Drum, I don't know we would have beaten it. But we can add Charmeleon to the list of my Pokémon that have taken a life. I know it doesn't matter to them, but it does to me. I never wished for them to have to do this.

Sergeant Robinson has some sympathy, it seems, for the fact that he sent his Pokémon to a fiery grave. Teaming up with him to take down Hunter J isn't an option, though. There's no doubt he's angling to take her place once she's gone. "A pity. Ursaring was a fine soldier. Last chance to surrender, and I'll make your death quick and painless."

"I'll take my chances fighting, thanks," I snark back. "I'd rather not trust the mercy of a war criminal like you."

"War criminal?" he repeats incredulously. "There are no such things as war crimes. Take it from someone who's actually survived war. Noble ideals have no place on the battlefield. All that matters is victory."

So, that's what we're dealing with. I'd argue that modern society has evolved past that point, but he brings out another Pokéball. A lady poacher tenses, pulling her pistol from her thigh holster. Instead of loading it with a cartridge of bullets, though, she loads it with a clear vial of liquid.

Robinson's Pokémon is as still as a statue when it comes out, so I assume it's the antidote and not the tranquilizer. But what is that thing? It's like a zombified version of Primeape or something.

The Pokédex tells me I'm right, in the precious few moments that we get as this Pokémon is getting shot with the antidote. "Annihilape. The Rage Monkey Pokémon. When a Primeape's anger grows to the point of no return, it gains phenomenal power at the cost of its physical body."

Not only does it have that incredibly ominous description, but it's also a Ghost/Fighting-type, which means it has unresisted coverage with only its STABs. Worse still, as the antidote starts to work, it comes to life, and that awful dark cloud appears around this Pokémon as well.

I thought Ursaring was bad, but this is going to be even worse. Charmeleon is worn down, Bellossom has been knocked out, and Absol isn't here. "It's all on you, Glaceon," I tell my first Pokémon worriedly.

She nods confidently, and gets in a ready stance as the berserk Shadow Pokémon immediately charges us, waving its fists. Repeated Icy Winds slow it down considerably, but we already know it can't be stopped with anything other than death.

"Flash Frost!" I know we just pulled off Snowscape, and that should give me confidence in pulling off Shadow Ball too, but I couldn't risk it failing.

"Rage Fist." I can hear the smirk in Seargent Robinson's ruined voice. I've never heard of this move before, and while it's clearly a punch, it's unlike none I've ever seen.

The size of the energy around Annihilape's fist is bigger than that of Hariyama's giant hand! What is this attack? I've seen Giga Impact, and that's not stronger than this! It blows through Flash Frost like it was nothing, and Glaceon is sent flying by the ungodly force of the move.

She lands with a thud, and I can hardly believe my eyes. One hit is all it took to knock her out?

Charmeleon, brave, foolish, hotheaded Charmeleon peels himself off the ground where he's been gathering his breath and lights his fists on fire to charge Annihilape, but he too gets blasted straight back.

I barely have time to hold out my arms to catch him as we both are sent tumbling into the dirt. Charmeleon's not responding to me now, either. I look on in horror as Annihilape advances again.

The only Pokémon I have left is Basculin, and as I've found out, my new fish needs a water source to function. The most I can get out of him without one is a single Aqua Jet, before he needs to be recalled.

That's not going to stop this thing. Neither is the truck doors swinging open triumphantly, as Ursula holds her end of the bargain up, freeing the various Pokémon that the poachers had stuck in there. Some of them jump out, while others huddle together in fear, and a few are frozen, tranquilized statues.

Her proud face quickly pales when she realizes the situation we're in. Sergeant Robinson proves to me that Annhilape's focus can be redirected by throwing a rock at its head, so the Pokémon turns around. All the poachers quickly get out of the way, some of them chasing and shooting after the escaped Pokémon with their tranquilizer guns, to make sure Ursula's the only one in its line of sight.

I can see my friend gulp as it charges. Gabite and Helioptile are first to meet it, but Gabite gets flung aside like a ragdoll from the power of another Rage Fist. Helioptlie gets to use Shock Wave, but the damage inflicted is useless, because quickly he's pounded into the ground with a Drain Punch.

The Growlithe Ursula has befriended recently comes sprinting in, growling and puffing out its chest, though it isn't all that intimidating, trying to make the enemy Pokémon back off. It leaps forward with Fire Fang, but gets easily knocked aside as well.

If this is how it ends, I at least have to give everyone a chance to escape. "Basculin, Aqua Jet!" I throw down the last card in my hand, even though it's not exactly an ace. As soon as Basculin emerges from his ball, he covers himself with water and shoots forward, hitting Annihilape in the back and turning its attention towards me.

I recall Charmeleon and Glaceon, and prepare to throw them as far as I can behind me, in the hopes of Lucas or somebody finding and saving them, but as Annihilape surges towards me, I find out it's not my time.

A white and black blur passes in front of me eyes, driving his horn into the enemy Pokémon and forcing it back with a loud grunt. "Absol?" I breathe, scrambling to my feet. "We can't win this-" I start, but he cuts me off by shaking his head, and pointing with one leg to my right.

When I see who's with him, I gasp, before my face lights up with a smile. We might have just been saved.

Lucas seems regretful that he took so long getting back, judging by the mournful expression he has on seeing what's left of the Platinum Village. But I couldn't be more happy to see him. The two wardens are with him, along with Meditite, a random Luxray that wasn't there before, his whole team, and who I assume is the Lord of the Shadows, floating over their heads. That's the individual that gets the poachers attention, and has them stammering in fear and shock. A couple of them fall to their knees and plead to not be cursed with eternal nightmares.

"D-D-Darkrai?!"

The Pitch-Black Pokémon immediately sends a Dark Pulse at Annihilape, to get the heat off of Absol and I. I wave my hands in their air to get Lucas's attention, whirl around, point at my shadow, and then point at Annihilape.

His eyes widen as he gets the message. "Everyone stays away from that thing except Darkrai! Help the Pokémon, and take down these poachers!"

"Make sure you don't get shot, either!" I chime in loudly, as Absol uses Detect to bat down a dart aimed at him. He lunges forward to take the poacher's legs out from under her, but doesn't do any more than that as she groans on the ground in pain, which is a relief.

Another poacher trips over Rockruff, and Monferno bounces on his stomach, making him wheeze as the fire monkey swings over to throw a different poacher to the ground. When the man tries to get up after rolling over a few times, he freezes when realizes his head is right next to Rockruff's teeth.

As for their leader… Sergeant Robinson isn't concerned. I think he thinks he and Annihilape can win this, easily. After seeing how strong his Pokémon is, I can understand his reasoning, even against a Darkrai. "Close Combat!" he roars, a perfect move for a Shadow Pokémon, considering its all offense and no defense, and Annihilape throws itself at Darkrai.

But every wild punch and kick it throws at the enemy Pokémon does nothing. Literally, nothing. Darkrai is just hovering there, laughing at Annihilape, as it furiously tries its damndest to make its opponent feel anything.

"They're making fools of you! Show it your Rage Fist!" Annihilape rears back and throws that massive, anger-fueled punch that it destroyed my Pokémon with, but this again also does nothing to Darkrai.

Is this the power of a legendary Pokémon? Regular attacks have no effect on it?

I don't think so. I feel like they're still subject to type-advantages and disadvantages.

Sergeant's Robinson's next orders fall on deaf ears, because something in Annihilape's brain cannot fathom that it can't hurt this Darkrai. The dark cloud swirling around it doubles in size and becomes tinged with red, as the Shadow Pokémon goes completely berserk.

It swings wildly, pure rage coursing through it as it desperately tries to inflict some sort of punishment, each failed attack, or hit delivered by Darkrai seemingly making it somehow angrier than the next. The Pokédex said Annihilape's anger had reached a critical point to where it evolved. We might be getting there again, and I don't know what will happen this time.

Its master tries to help, shooting his own tranquilizer dart at Darkrai, but at Lucas's warning, it vanishes into the ether, reappearing behind Annihilape and dealing a devastating blow that has the enemy Pokémon staggering to stay upright. Still, with no concern for its own health, Annihilate throws itself into the fray again.

Darkrai understands, I think, that this can only end with Annihilape's death. This time, it creates a purple cloud above itself and crystalizes it into shards of ice, as another massive Rage Fist is thrown its way.

Despite the crystals sticking in every part of its body, and having thrown itself through Darkrai's body again, Annihilape turns around and screams as it goes for round two. Darkrai's eyes flash as it creates a Shadow Ball, and in an instant, the attacks are switched.

A taste of its own medicine is too much for Annihilape. It finally gets stopped cold, having been hit right between the eyes with its own Rage Fist. It sways, and collapses to the ground. I catch a glimpse of its expression as the dark cloud around it fades away.

It… looks strangely calm. In an odd way, I'm happy that Annihilape could at least find peace in death, when it never could in life. But with it falling, the enemies trump card has been rendered useless.

We've won.

A huge cheer goes up from our side, and all the Pokémon we've saved, and in twos, and fours, and then small groups, the villagers of the Platinum Clan come wandering in, eagerly helping tie up all the poachers and line them up back-to-back like sardines. They throw in a few kicks in the ribs, for good measure.

We also strip the poachers of their Pokéballs and guns, administering the antidote to everyone that's been turned into a statue, and recalling their fallen Pokémon as well as the ones we've previously captured, barring what's left of Ursaring and Annihilape, of course. I slip one vial each of the tranquilizer and the antidote into my pocket. Hopefully, that will give us an edge against Hunter J and her goons next time around.

Ursula comes running out of the truck with a map in her hands, pausing only for a second to let Masquerain land on her head. She holds it up for me to see. "Look!" she all but shouts. "There's an X marked as another portal near this lake to the south. We can make it home!"

I'm not so sure. Can we really leave the village in this state? One individual has no such qualms. Darkrai nods to Lucas, who bows deeply and formally. "Thank you for everything. I hope one day, we can meet again."

Darkrai flies off, and Lucas joins us rather awkwardly. "Hey-"

I cut him off by doing my best Barry impression, jumping up and down in sheer exuberance. "You met Darkrai?! And brought it back to save us?! What can't you do?! You're the hero of the day!"

His face goes a little red from all the praise I'm heaping on him. "Well, not exactly. It wasn't a Darkrai."

That gets me to pause in my celebration. "It wasn't? It sure looked like one. What was it, then?"

He shakes his head mysteriously. "It isn't for me to say. If you ever meet him, then you'll understand."

Before I can ask more questions, Hana comes out, supported by two villagers, who've patched her up the best they can with the traditional medicines they have here. She's limping, but she has a huge smile on her face, even as someone runs up to her to tell her that we're no doubt about to skedaddle out of here.

"Leaving, are we?"

I wince at her words and search for an explanation, though my brain isn't supplying one. "Er, that is, we were simply discussing the possibility?"

Hana laughs it off, though she grimaces when she's done. "It is fine. While I was taking a nap on the ground, I heard something about the fires of rebirth. While what happened here might not have been sacred, it does give us a chance to start anew."

She waves off her helpers, and hobbles over to where the captured Pokémon who haven't immediately run away have congregated and are milling around. Some of them are understandably nervous, so Hana stops a respectful distance away from them.

"Hi, there. I know many of you have been abducted against your will, and I wouldn't fault any of you for trying to go back, but, as you can see, we've lost our home too." Hana takes a deep breath. "So, maybe you could stay here, instead, and we could build a new home, where all of us can live in peace, together! How does that sound?"

I hold my breath at the fragile silence that ensues, which is finally broken when a Machop steps forward, flexing its muscles, as if to say leave it to me.

The rest of the Pokémon converse amongst themselves shortly, before also stepping up and agreeing. One by one, the villagers carefully step forward, introduce themselves and what they do, and leave excited, with a Pokémon partner in tow to help them kick off this rebuilding process, until it's only us, Hana, and the two wardens left.

My breath whooshes out as I see the scene play out. Somehow, we've managed to make a difference in this place. I have no doubt in my mind they're going to build a beautiful town for both people and Pokémon to live in.

But as quickly as one problem is solved, another one presents itself. Hana nods at Kuro, and the male warden draws his sword. It's only me shouting that stops him from bringing down the shining blade on the first tied up poacher's neck.

"Wait! You're going to kill them? Just like that?"

Kuro raises a quizzical eyebrow at me, but he lifts his sword an inch from the poacher's terrified face. "What else would you have me do? They attacked us and burned down the village!"

It is hard to craft a rousing defense, in the light of those crimes. Especially when the defendants don't seem to be cooperating with me.

"To the victor go the spoils," Sergeant Robinson says gravely. "Let them do it, girl. I'd have done the same to all of you."

I glare at the former military man. "Shut up, idiot. I'm trying to save your worthless life!"

"You agree that their lives are worthless, but you still want to spare them?" Shira asks me confusedly. "Even when you would not issue the same courtesy to you?"

How am I supposed to explain modern morals to the people of the past? As I rack my brain for an explanation, Ursula steps in to explain.

"That's precisely why they should be spared," she says, glancing disgustedly at the poachers. "These individuals would kill, steal from, and hurt innocents without remorse about their actions. They are the lowest of the low. We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard, and executing them while they are unarmed and defenseless would be wrong. We should show mercy instead."

I gesture triumphantly at Ursula for making my argument for me so eloquently, but our counterparts aren't convinced. Hana shakes her head. "Sorry, girls. You've been right about so many things, but I can't agree with you here. I won't put the village in danger by letting them stay near us."

"We could take them with us?" I suggest after a moment. "I promise they'll face justice."

"They committed crimes against us." Hana puts her foot down with authority, leaving no room for argument. "They'll face their punishment here."

I'm all out of steam, and it seems Ursula is too. One member of our group hasn't spoken up, however. "What say you, Sky Faller?" Kuro prompts Lucas. "You've been rather quiet."

The savior of the day is looking over at the destroyed shrine. "Why not leave it in the hands of Almighty Sinnoh? They'll be in your situation, after all. Nothing but the clothes on their back, trying to survive in this harsh land. If they make it, then they would have changed enough to deserve it. If not, then they would have deserved that too."

Hana, Kuro and Shira confer for a little, but I think they're convinced. "Fine," Hana finally agrees. "But Kuro and Shira will exile them to the Alabaster Icelands, or the Coronet Highlands. If they can create a life there, then they will have deserved to survive. If not, Almighty Sinnoh's cold embrace will take them soon enough."

The poachers are blindfolded and led off by the two wardens, not before they wave goodbye to Lucas. Stoic Kuro bows to him. "I won't forget the lessons I've learned from you, or your help," he promises.

His sister isn't far behind. "I'll remember too! Plus, I'll build a place where I can pass down your lessons, so everyone can have the chance to learn how to become a trainer!"

Hana watches them go with a much softer expression on her face, one she keeps as she turns to us. "I really do appreciate everything you've done for us, and you'll always be welcome if you ever decide to visit. If you recognize this place when you come back, that is."

I don't have the heart to tell her that we probably will never be back here, but I nod warmly nonetheless. "You'll do a fantastic job. I have no doubt."

The clan leader crushes our hands with her stupidly strong handshake one last time before limping off, leaving us with our conscious Pokémon.

"Come on, everyone. It's time to go home." Ursula and Lucas look ready to walk, but I have other ideas, considering we might be on a time limit.

Lucas is a bit dubious as I climb into the poachers' truck after we recall our Pokémon, and start adjusting the seat and the mirrors because of force of habit. "Can you actually drive this thing?"

"Of course I can drive it." I dismiss his concerns. "It's just like riding a bike. I may have not done it in a while, but you never forget how to."

I'm not sure my words convinced him, but the fact that I look like I know what I'm doing as I turn the key while pressing on the brake gets him to hop inside.

"You coming, Ursula? There's plenty of space in the front."

She hesitates a few seconds before getting in on the passenger side. "Sorry, I was looking for someone, but it seems they aren't here any more…"

With no other hold ups, I hit the gas and roll out, waving goodbye out the window to anyone we see. There's a very basic dirt path headed southwards, which is what I try to follow to reach our destination.

"Do you need anything from us?" Lucas asks me, after fifteen minutes of driving.

"Snap your fingers under my nose or something, if you see my nodding off," I say, keeping my eyes on the road. "I can drive a long time, but having extra sets of eyes never hurt anyone. Try to keep an eye out for Pokémon. I haven't ever run over someone, and I don't plan to start today."

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

It goes well for an hour or two, but I get too comfortable, looking outside at the beauty of Hisui for what's probably going to be the last time, when Lucas has to yell at me, and I have to slam on the brakes. There's a yelp from the covered back of the truck, and while Ursula goes to investigate that, I apologize to who we almost hit.

Having a Ninetales snarling at you, with all its nine tails fanned is pretty frightening, but I lean out the window and apologize profusely to slowly calm it down. "I'm so sorry! I sneezed, that's all!" I throw out the usual excuse for when I mess up driving. Thankfully, for all Ninetales's wisdom, it can't read my mind. "I didn't mean to scare or attack you or anything."

The fox Pokémon slowly puts all its tails down, and turns away, nudging a small Vulpix across the trail. The evolved version follows, though it doesn't take its eyes off of us the whole way.

I wipe the sweat off my brow when mom and kit have disappeared. "Close one. Ursula did you figure out where that noise came from?

She comes out of the back holding Vulpix's counterpart. "Someone decided to hide in here and wait for us to take off," she says, teasing Growlithe, who is melting into her touch, tail wagging madly.

"Are you going to bring that back?" Lucas asks, looking between them.

Since I'm already guilty of what Ursula's doing, I butt in to defend her, though I don't exactly come clean. "We can't let Growlithe go here, and this thing eats gas like no one's business. We don't have enough to head back to the village and make it to the portal."

Lucas sighs at my logic. "It is what it is, I suppose. Congratulations, Ursula."

She isn't the least bit perturbed by his disappointment. "Thank you!"

Another two hours of driving, and the blue light exuded by the portal becomes extremely apparent as we approach the lake. It's actually rather massive. Probably as big as one of the three great lakes of SInnoh.

We leave the truck behind once we actually see it considering it belonged to poachers, and we don't know what's waiting for us on the other side. "Ready?!" I ask rhetorically.

Ursula has captured Growlithe in a Pokéball already. "There isn't any guarantee that takes us back to our time though, correct?" she says.

"Sometimes, you need to take a leap of faith," Lucas tells her. "That's something I've learned while I was here."

He seems a little sad that we're finally leaving. "Are you alright? I know this is a dream come true for you and everything…"

"It was fun while it lasted," he admits, "but it's time to go home." He does take a few seconds for one last look around. "Who knows? We made it here once. Maybe we'll find our way here again."

With nothing else to do, I take a deep breath and dive straight into the portal. It's a good thing I did, because I come out underwater somewhere. I hope Ursula and Lucas are holding their breaths too as they come in, though hear some coughing behind me. I can't see the surface even when I open my eyes, but there is one thing I can do.

It's a struggle not to flail around in panic, but I keep my cool, and bring out Basculin, and point upwards. My newest Pokémon gets the point, and I grab onto Lucas's hand, and he grabs onto Ursula's and I latch onto Basculin's tail so he can swim us up.

He's a strong swimmer, but carrying three people is asking an awful lot. It's agonizingly slow, as I struggle not to take in any water, though I'm dying for a breath of air.

I can see the light, but are we going to make it? My face is all scrunched up, trying to hold on for just a few more seconds…

Just as I'm about to give in, something shimmering wraps around us and thrusts us forwards, out of the water, onto the beach, where we roll around in relief, gasping for air.

A face appears over my head as I open my eyes. He's got hair the same color as a sea lagoon, and is incredibly handsome. "Now, where did you three pop out from? You're lucky Milotic was there to find you."

Foreign accent, green hair, Milotic… Combine all that with Ursula making a strangled sound and fainting on the spot, I think I know who this is. Only one question left to ask. "Is this Hoenn?"

Wallace seems amused, as he waves some lifeguards over. "No, this is Lake Valor, last I checked. Although quite a few people have been arriving from my home region, both to spectate, and to compete in the upcoming contest. None as dramatically as you, though."

Well. No getting lost in the timestream today. It seems we've made it back. Just in time, too.

"Cool."