Gary trembled on the spot, not believing his eyes. As many times as he’d run into this beast, battled her, and even once fought her with his bare hands, he still was in shock being in front of her now. Where’s my rage at? All that fury I had prepared for when I next met her, to kill her? he questioned himself. Working out and training hard, for this! Where’s the bravery from when I jumped off the helicopter and was physically able to almost match her?? Why aren’t I doing anything? He swallowed a huge, hard lump, now a cowardly mouse in front of an enraged Charizard ready to turn him into charcoal.

  No. Gary blinked and glared at the monster.

  He could still see Melissa’s body hit the ground.

  He could still see June being sucked into the Sapience Ball.

  No. I’ve been waiting for this for too long. Gary made fists and took a step forward. This bitch dies. Right nooooow! Right noooo-! “AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!” Gary felt the rage filling his body, and the confidence take over. He suddenly knew he could do it. He knew he could take her on, just like before. This was his final chance! He bent his knees, ready to lunge at Claire and beat her into the middle of the planet and melt her into the first pool of lava they landed in. Roaring out again, he was just about to kick off the ground and put an end to this once and for all.

  In the blink of an eye, Claire’s skin turned black.

  And just that fast, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Gary was on his knees screaming, gripping his hair while his skull itself was caving in, his brain shredding as if sharp claws were slashing it to pieces. Crying helplessly, Gary collapsed to his face.

  And in an instant, he realized that the assault on his head, all of the pain that had just left him in tears and unable to stand, had come to a stop! He could still remember just how bad it had felt when it started. Wondering now if he was just in the middle of waking from a bad dream, he started to push himself back up to his knees only to scream at the top of his lungs at the confirmation standing in front of him that he had been wide awake.

  Claire stared down at him with eyes intense if only because of how unnatural they were. “It is truth. You and me,” Claire spoke, her voice calm and in echoes. “I can see.” She raised one arm up slowly, lazily.

  Gary was afraid he’d be attacked and killed right there; so afraid that he couldn’t even move to escape.

  Luckily for him, the creature raised her arm higher and gently placed her hand against the side of her head. Her fat, pink tongue slithered along her jagged teeth, slurping and writhing; twisting and turning; finally curling and sliding back into her mouth. “Inside.”

  “Huh...?” Gary could see himself leaping into the monster’s middle and tackling her to the ground, but he also could feel himself ready to throw up at the thought!

  No. It’s not from fear, Gary realized. I feel sick out of disgust! Utter disgust that this bitch would dare show up in front of me like this! But even that sickened feeling was already gone, a returning rage boiling in him now! He was ready to-!

  Gary collapsed again, rolling onto his side, wailing in agony as he held the sides of his head carefully. Tears blurred his vision. A pressure in his head felt like his skull was expanding now! Once again, the pain was gone in an instant. He tried holding his breath to rid himself of the desire to vomit, but it didn’t help at all, so he breathed deeply, trying to will away the nausea.

  “It is you, after all,” Claire continued. “We are,” she stopped talking for a moment. Her head tilted to the side, keeping her eyes on Gary. A tongue too big to belong in her mouth plopped out, reaching far enough to lay against her chin, motionless for just a second before, with a blink from her eyes, it propped up and she said, “One.” Her head straightened, her tongue slipping into her mouth and vanishing like a Diglett, and her arm fell. ”I can - not kill you. Not now. I have to learn more.”

  And Gary screamed again, his face twisted in anger and desperation, tears streaming down his face before it all stopped again. Now, he was on his back, heaving heavily.

  “STOP IIIIT!!” June ran forward, dropping to her knees in front of Gary and outstretching her arms protectively.

  Gary shut his eyes. The pain was gone, but the memory of it was enough to keep him incapacitated. No. June! I won’t... Gary’s eyes opened swiftly. This won’t happen again! I won’t lose you again!! He grit his teeth and got himself up to his knees again.

  There was a strange but familiar noise, and then the familiar roar of, “SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUURRRRRRR!!”

  Gary turned and saw that Venusaur had come out!

  She stomped over, moving past Electivire and Charizard and then called out again. Her Vines came out and then Whipped towards Claire!

  Aly and June gasped.

  Gary was surprised, but he kept silent, his teeth grit tight.

  The Vines smacked Claire repeatedly, but she didn’t even flinch! Her arm then moved like a whip itself and in a split second, she had both vines in one hand. In the next instant, she yanked hard, Venusaur yelping out in shock as she was forced along the ground!

  The two Shaymin yelled out as they got out of the way.

  Gary’s eyes widened on the pair of injured Shaymin for a moment before he shook off what he thought he had heard and looked back to Claire and Venusaur.

  Claire’s skin was that startling white again. She had Venusaur’s vines gripped in the air, her other hand extended out to Venusaur’s face. There was a big smile on her face that was full of something resembling pride and compassion, but her face was only meant to inspire nightmares. “I am here to offer you clarity. Join me, as Shayameen, and many more Pokemon of the world will. I am not interested in fighting you. My, friends. The humans, are the enemies.” Her voice sounded a lot more peaceful, and flowed calmly. There was an aspect to it of being underwater, echoing and rippling beautifully.

  While Claire was speaking, the inside of Venusaur’s bulb was glowing white, absorbing sunlight for an undeniable attack! Claire didn’t seem to be paying attention to it, or she just wasn’t concerned.

  The Solar Beam launched.

  Claire never looked away from Venusaur, but she released her vines and held out her other hand against the blast. She took no other action, completely unbothered by the attack that exploded against her. Her hand lowered to her side. Her tongue slurped along her large, bottom lip and then went back in her mouth. And that was all. She never lost her smile.

  “Venusaur!!” Venusaur looked stunned.

  She didn’t move a step! Gary thought with horror. But, didn’t she fall the last time she took Solar Beam? And from Ivysaur? Gary recalled back in Kanto’s Viridian City. She fell to that! Was that just a fluke? Or is she stronger?

  Charizard roared, already flying, and used Flare Blitz!

  Claire’s arm whipped out again, wrapping around the blazing ball of Fire Charizard was inside of, and then raised and finally slammed him to the ground!

  The Fire around him went out like a candle, Charizard roaring out, shock on his face as he bounced into the air and came down hard.

  “VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRE!!!” Electivire blasted with Thunder.

  “Electivire!!” Gary called out. “NO! Try your Psychic instead!”

  Claire swiped in front of her and a blue barrier appeared. Thunder crashed into it, making the barrier spark strongly. A few seconds later, it was gone.

  Electivire stood a few feet from Claire. His eyes glowed blue and Claire’s body was surrounded by the Psychic attack.

  Claire didn’t budge.

  We got her! Holding his breath, Gary grabbed his secret weapon out of his pocket, but he hesitated.

  Gary threw the Master Ball at Claire.

  She turned to the ball and watched as it hit her shoulder, and a red beam engulfed her. Her hair came to life, sparking blue while the rest of her body remained red as the Master Ball made its attempt to capture her. Several thin strands of her hair struck the Master Ball and BAAAAAMMMMM!!!

  The Master Ball came down in destroyed pieces of dust and metal.

  Gary remembered the time the Master Ball had failed to capture Claire as he held the expensive Ultra Ball in his hand. I only have two, he thought. If a Master Ball failed... Wait a second! Breathing out, he suddenly remembered one thing and while putting away the Ultra Ball with one hand, pulled out his Pokedex with the other.

  No Pokemon entry found.

  Gary clenched his teeth. So is it a Pokemon or not? Even the Pokedex doesn’t know? But all Pokemon have Mew DNA. Poke Balls and the Pokedex work based off of that fact. If anything, this confirms she’s not a Pokemon. Right?? Or maybe it doesn’t. It only said an entry wasn’t found for her, not that she’s not a Pokemon. Gary was startled out of his thoughts as Claire started walking forward.

  Charizard got back up, extending out his wings and roaring to the sky.

  “Vire!!” Electivire leaned forward and extended his hands out, putting his all into keeping Claire back.

  Claire seemed entirely unaffected, moving easily while still in the hold of the Psychic attack.

  Dark type? Gary thought. Is that what Looker would say? Is she immune to the Psychic? Or is she just moving through it because she’s that strong?

  There was a sudden POP! Kirlia had come out on his own! He looked back at Gary with serious eyes and then turned to Claire.

  “Kirlia!” Gary yelled. “What are you doing??”

  Kirlia used his own Psychic against Claire, his hands also held outward. “Kiiiiirliiiii! Aaaaaaaaaa!!”

  Claire stopped!

  We got her? We got her! Gary smiled. “Yeah Kirlia!!” he celebrated.

  Too soon.

  Claire turned to Kirlia easily, having kept her smile this entire time. She then continued moving to Electivire, not deterred in the slightest by their combined Psychic efforts.

  “NO!” Gary responded.

  Claire stopped in front of Electivire and reached out. “Please. You don’t know. We have the same enemy. We are not. We must serve The One, by gaining clarity and destroying humanity.” Her voice now flowed like leaves carried atop a running stream, the tones of several different voices in the mix as she spoke. She placed a hand on Electivire’s shoulder. “Let us fight to destroy them.” She looked beyond Electivire, to where Gary, June, and Aly were.

  The Psychic attack around the monster came to an end with an exhaustive huff from Kirlia while Electivire bared his teeth silently. Moving swiftly, Electivire pulled back his leg to attack!

  Claire’s foot reacted even faster. Before anyone even knew what happened, Electivire was on his back, Claire gripping his ankle with her clawed foot as if it were her hand!

  Electivire was squirming and screaming painfully.

  Everyone watched completely dumbstruck.

  Nothing we’re doing is working! Gary saw. She’s absolutely unstoppable! There’s truly nothing we can do here. Damn it - when are these supposed “powers” of mine supposed to kick in, huh, Looker? When do I get to control her or get super strong or something to help us out here?? This is entirely hopeless! That was when Gary’s eyes lit up and he held back a gasp. My gun!! Get your gun!

  I can’t!! In front of June and Aly??

  That doesn’t matter! We’re saving lives! The world! Do you really wanna be responsible for more deaths?? It’s bad enough you didn’t let Team Solace kill her before, and you lost your sister for it!!

  That’s right, Gary agreed. I can stop this once and for all. I can kill her right now! But by the time I get the gun out... The instant I make a move, this monster will- Gary’s eyes suddenly widened, realizing something important: we could be killed at any moment if Claire desired it. And that only raised the question: why are we still alive?

  Electivire let out a groan of relief as his ankle was released and he held it, rocking on his back pathetically.

  June looked startled by this.

  Electivire then turned to June, a look of pain on his face. A sign of weakness that only Claire could bring to such a proud and powerful Pokemon like Electivire. For just a couple of moments he looked honest; humbled. But suddenly he toughened up and, growling at her, released his foot and turned to Claire to bark out at her.

  “Why do you refuse to join me?” Claire maintained a gentle smile, but it did start to fade. “I don’t want to kill you, friend.”

  Whoa! Gary thought, stunned by this last sentence. What kind of thing is that to say?

  “Oh my gosh,” June’s trembling voice whispered.

  Claire frowned and her skin went black. When she spoke again, her voice was as if lightning crashes and raging fires had become vocalized and blended together into several different voices. It was a horrifying sound meant to create fear and disturbance. “But for The One, Arceus, there is nothing I would not - to stop my way. You should not displease The One, Arceus. And if you - if you are not here...” She stopped speaking.

  Everyone was just staring at her, not a single breath heard.

  Why did she stop talking? What’s going on? Gary wondered.

  She finally went on, “I have demonstrated my strength. Why do you still resist me?” She turned around, now staring right at Gary. “All of you!!” Her voice was now in just a singular, inhuman tone of rage. “You all are disgusting!! Of the insects you hate you are below them! Creeping things! The Pokemon and I will kill you all!!”

  A cry made Gary look back and see June flinching and twitching, her hands in fists against the sides of her face. Seeing her like this made him recall when June would react badly when Claire would speak. As if she couldn’t even stand to hear her voice and had to cover her ears and cower. June wasn’t reacting quite as strongly as in the past, but she seemed to be struggling with something.

  Claire was silent now, sneering. Her tongue came out again, flickering out slowly, not quite like a snake’s, but more like a human imitating a snake as her eyes from June, to Aly, to Gary, randomly and repeatedly.

  She seems confused, Gary considered. Maybe there’s a way to end this. Right now. I can’t kill her. Not like this. But I can maybe... Gary fought against himself, unsure if he should say a word. But the moment his mouth opened, the words came out. He couldn’t stop them. “Are you a Pokemon? Or a human? What are you?”

  The universal silence returned.

  Claire’s tongue went back in her mouth, her eyes stuck on Gary. Just when he believed he had gathered up the strength to ask his questions again and more, she spoke up. “I am the servant of Arceus, The One, and nothing more or less.” Her voice was back to echoing and was now a lot calmer. “I will be what Arceus is most happy and nothing else. Humans will die. Pokemon will die if they fight me. I am Arceus... m-m-m-” Claire stopped talking again, her wide eyes on Gary. “The Funny Man would say I am Arceus’... mess... I think.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  The Funny Man... “The Trick Master. What do you mean? Arceus’ mess?” Gary couldn’t believe he was having a conversation with the monster that had killed his sister. He wondered where this was going. What would happen when it ended. If they kept talking, it was a few more seconds everyone was still alive!

  “Mess...ing. A mess...er for Arcues.”

  “A messer?” Gary said under his breath. Messing...? Mess...ing...er...? “A messenger?” Gary burst out. “He called you the messenger for Arceus? Is that what he thought?”

  Claire was motionless for a couple of seconds before speaking again. “But you can’t die until we know you.”

  “I can’t... die? What do you mean?”

  Claire then reached within her hair and pulled out an object. It was tiny, and in an instant, it was larger. A ball. The Sapience Ball! The top of the ball was colored blue-gray, the bottom half was pale green, and the button in the middle was white.

  Claire began walking towards Gary.

  Vines flew forward and wrapped around Claire’s legs. “SAAAAUR!!”

  Claire’s legs were pulled out from under her!

  “Venusaur!” Aly and Gary cried out happily in unison.

  But Claire never fell. Instead, her body continued to flip! With a strong shout, her legs went over her head and kicked out, pulling Venusaur through the air, over the monster herself!

  “Venuuuuuu??!” Venusaur continued past Claire and slammed hard on her face.

  Claire finished her flip, landing easily on her feet. She glanced over at Venusaur, her skin white again. Her face actually looked sad.

  “VENUSAUR!!” Aly ran to her Pokemon.

  “Aly! Stop!” Gary urged, grabbing her shoulders. A strong feeling of déjà vu gripped him, when he had yelled similarly at Aly in the Kanto Radio Tower. He blinked hard, shaking his head and struggling hard with Aly who was fighting back. He wrapped an arm across her chest to keep her with him. “It’s just too dangerous!” he insisted in her ear.

  “They would do it for us!” Aly screeched. “No matter the risk! Now let go of meeee!!”

  Claire looked over to the arguing children and her skin went back to black as she raised her arm with the Sapience Ball in it.

  Everyone froze.

  Shit! This is really it! Gary panicked.

  Claire’s voice was again a multitude of vocalizations of burning flames and crackling electricity. “Move.” She approached the group. “I only want the boy.”

  “What??” Gary gasped.

  Aly was shrieking at the top of her lungs.

  Gary clutched her even tighter out of sheer terror!

  “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” June leaped in front of them and extended her arms. “TAKE ME! LEAVE HIM ALONE!!” Claire used her free hand to smack June down with her palm, leaving her facedown on the ground.

  Gary finally snapped out of it, releasing Aly.

  A very noticeable, distractingly warm breeze blew through the air, going right through everyone.

  Venusaur was on her feet using Razor Leaf.

  Electivire used Psychic.

  Kirlia used Psychic.

  Charizard used Dragon Pulse.

  In response to all of this, Claire waved both arms in front of her, creating another protective, blue barrier that sparked while protecting her from the attacks.

  And Riolu, with both fists glowing white, tore through the barrier and uppercut Claire in the chin!

  Gary’s jaw dropped wide.

  Claire’s head shifted from the blow, her attention now on the little Pokemon. She smirked. “So cute.” The only effect on her voice were echoes now.

  “RIOLU GET OUT OF THERE!!” Gary demanded.

  “Ri?!” Riolu’s eyes were wide with surprise and regret as Claire snatched her up in one hand. “Rrriiiii! Ri! Ri! Ri! Ri!” She was frantically swinging her little fists at Claire.

  A sudden, tremendous gust of wind blew through and a rumble of thunder was heard from above.

  Inhaling deep, Gary balled his fists and then let out a roar of fury and shoved past Aly and June, the girls shouting out in shock as he charged straight for Claire. Fear in his body mixed in with overwhelming bravery. This is it, you bitch, he thought, getting angrier, his teeth tightening. This is what you want. I want it, too!

  But, no. This isn’t it, Gary realized, his face softening to fright, his feet scrambling to a stop. I’m not mad enough. Not like when I leaped out the helicopter. Where’s that confidence? Where’s the connection at? This isn’t the same feeling!

  Gary! he insisted to himself, tears filling his eyes. There is no fucking connection you idiot!!

  Claire pulled back her arm to toss the Sapience Ball, Riolu falling from her grasp.

  June and Aly were screaming Gary’s name.

  The Pokemon were all watching in disbelief.

  The only possible thing that not only could have taken, but also keep, the attention of Gary, Aly, June, Electivire, Riolu, Charizard, Kirlia, Venusaur, and even Claire, was the black vortex in the sky. It was a wide, swirling black cloud with blue light right in the middle of it, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling.

  “Oh... My...” Aly uttered.

  “What is that??” June cried.

  There was a strong pull, as if Gary’s skull were made of metal and a giant magnet had appeared somewhere. But the feeling was more mental than anything else, like an urging, eventually forcing him against his will to turn from the vortex. It was in that moment he realized just how hot it had gotten. Hotter than he had ever felt in Sinnoh. And he saw the reason for it and screamed.

  From where Gary was now facing, a huge wave of fire was blazing through the field towards him. The numerous white-and-green fairies were flying from the grass, trying to escape the blazing assault burning up the plants.

  When Gary turned back around to run, he was stunned by the black vortex, something now coming down from it! I’m dead, Gary was sure. We’re all dead! But - what’s going on?! He wanted to just cry, scream, curl into an ever-shrinking ball until he vanished from reality. But there was no way out of this apocalyptic-looking event, trapped between approaching fire, and a lightning demon that was descending to Earth.

  Its body was black as paint, almost matching Claire’s tone, but somehow her body was darker than the darkest things imaginable. The eyes of this new monster glowed red. Its tail was like a rounded, bulbous jousting lance with brightly glowing light-blue sections.

  What kind of - thing is that? Gary struggled to take in what he was witnessing.

  This thing finally landed, towering intimidatingly behind Claire by at least two feet.

  The mental demand to look back was overwhelming and Gary turned back to the blazing ball of fire that was still heading for him, ready to kill him. He anticipated the burning hell and torture arriving.

  And there it was; the end of life as Gary knew it, literally inches away. But it wasn’t burning the young boy to cinders! Rather, the ball of flames stopped right in front of him and became a dazzling glow of transforming energy! It grew extremely tall and broad. The blinding light went away, replaced with the clean-white body of an incredible monster! This one completely contrasted the black monster by Claire. The two monsters leered at each other scarily.

  Okay. Okay. Just what the fuck is this?! Gary freaked out in his head, having no idea what else to do but cry. Are these Pokemon?? He couldn’t even bring himself to pull out his Pokedex to confirm what they were.

  The black monster’s eyes weren’t glowing anymore but remained red. Its tail was just black, no longer glowing, as if it had been turned off. The top of its head had a designed crest with light-blue tips. Each of its hands and feet had three clawed digits each. A pair of stiff wings were on its back.

  The white one was only minorly less intimidating. It appeared to be taller, but it was hard to confirm with them apart from each other. It was so beautiful and elegant, with flowing wings and feathers on its body. A gorgeous, flowing white mane streamed past each side of its head, both of them joined at the thing’s snout. A long, white neck had two gray neckbands around it. Its eyes were blue. Plates at the back of the hands of the being looked like what were around its neck. Its large feet held three claws with one more at the back, lifting the back a little like high heels. It had a tail just like the black monster. It also had a mass of plume, ribbon-like extensions, and two bands like what were around its neck.

  Reshiram. The Vast White Pokemon. A Dragon/Fire-type Pokemon. A Legendary Pokemon from the Unova region. Her tail is like a jet engine, enabling high flight speeds. The heat from her tail is said to be able to change the weather and utterly burn the world in the name of truth.

  Zekrom. The Deep Black Pokemon. A Dragon/Electric-type Pokemon. A Legendary Pokemon from Unova said to be after righteousness, he will use his power to defend the planet with his ideal lightning strikes.

  Aly’s white-pink Pokedex was shaking in her hands as she stared at the tremendous beasts. “I knew it! Reshiram and Zekrom!” Aly exclaimed. “But there’s no way!”

  Behind Reshiram, most of the field was on fire far and wide and it was growing by the second, a complete inferno, smoke rising and spreading.

  Gary gawked at the sky, watching the flying things above. Those are Shaymin’s Sky Forme, he recognized from his research. They’re all trying to escape from this - madness!

  The Sky Forme of Shaymin looked drastically different from the other Forme. Now, the flying Shaymin were taller and slimmer. Rather than the grassy, green back of the Land Forme, the Sky Forme kept just the white fur and now wore a green mohawk. The pink flowers gone, the airborne Shaymin had a red flower at the left side of their necks instead, resembling a scarf. On each side of their heads was a large, white appendage like wings that didn’t flap as they flew away to safety.

  At once, both Reshiram and Zekrom moved! Reshiram’s tail lit up a fiery red as if it were mechanical and someone had flipped the switch inside of it. Zekrom’s tail did the same, glowing light blue again. There was a roar coming from inside of the two, like an engine.

  Vocally roaring now, Reshiram’s wings flapped, lifting her several feet into the air and she formed a ball of Fire with two rings of flames surrounding it, crossing each other in an X.

  Zekrom roared outwardly at the same time, his body surrounded in a sphere of violet electricity and he ascended after Reshiram, although his wings didn’t move.

  Screaming, Gary and his friends, Pokemon and human alike, ran for all their lives were worth.

  Only Claire stayed to watch the two Legendary Pokemon with a surprisingly blank face.

  Reshiram launched her attack, Zekrom flying to Reshiram, and the attacks collided in a giant, fiery explosion!

  Fire swept through the area and Claire raised her arms and waved them in front of her and outward at her sides. The fire spread out right in front of her, her blue forcefield revealed, a long and wide wall crackling with electricity.

  Seeing this, Gary stumbled backwards. No way. I can’t believe it. She’s... protecting us? No. Gary was shaking his head. We’re just lucky. She’s protecting herself. Sure. But that doesn’t explain any of this! Feeling something on his jeans leg, he looked down to see Riolu was trembling, clinging to him.

  Aly was coughing hard now from the smoke, using her jacket to cover her face, using her other hand to recall Venusaur.

  June did the same, choking through her red jacket while returning Electivire.

  Seeing Aly and June doing this snapped Gary out of his daze and he called Charizard, Riolu and Kirlia to their Poke Balls.

  The two Legends remained in the air, roaring at each other.

  Claire’s skin suddenly went all white and she raised a hand in the air. “This is enough. This is not our mission. Who is here to confirm clarity. Both?”

  Reshiram and Zekrom now looked over to Claire. The lights glowing in their tails turned off, and the roaring engines died out.

  “No. It is you, isn’t it? You are the one.” It wasn’t clear who she was talking to at first.

  Zekrom let out a roar and then descended in front of her. The two just stared at each other silently, Zekrom with a solemn look, Claire smiling. But her smile soon faded, and her skin went blacker than Zekrom’s. She turned behind her, looking where Gary and his group were, and let out a sharp, staticky scream that rang through everyone’s ears.

  Screaming, Gary and his friends fell back and covered their ears. Now Gary was coughing against the smoke getting in his lungs.

  The two Legendaries gave a sharp shake of their heads but otherwise seemed fine against Claire’s shriek.

  Claire’s face was full of fury and disgust. Her tongue hung out of her mouth lifelessly. “Human contaminant!” Her voice was like an overwhelming, uncontrollable forest fire; and she was looking directly at Gary! But her eyes then shifted to June, briefly landed on Aly, and then went back to Gary. Her tongue went back in her mouth. “But why?? YOU!!” Her facial expression softened, but she still looked pissed. Or perhaps, just really annoyed? She almost looked... pouty? Breathing out in a huff, she turned to Zekrom. Her skin went white and in her echoey voice she said, “We will leave.”

  Zekrom lowered his body.

  Claire placed a hand atop his back, but turned to Reshiram. Looking to Gary, her skin went black, but her voice stayed the same as she said, “The Truth may lie with you, but the future has been promised. It is my ideals.” With those words, she swiftly slid her way onto Zekrom’s back, similar to a snake.

  Zekrom straightened up and looked to the sky. He began to smoothly rise from the ground.

  And from out of the grass, another Pokemon rose. It was a Sky Forme Shaymin. It rose alongside Zekrom. Looking down, it smiled sinisterly off to the side at something, ignoring the children.

  The black Pokemon gave Reshiram one last look and then flew high, his wings motionless, leaving behind the coughing children.

  Claire never took her eyes off of Gary and the others as Zekrom took her from them.

  That one Shaymin kept up with Zekrom.

  “HEEEEEEY!! Get-!” That was all Gary could get out before he fell to one knee, holding his chest as he choked.

  “Gary!” June and Aly ran over to him, June placing one hand on his back.

  “Please! Don’t!” June was choking out her words. “We’ll suffocate!”

  Gary fought to look back up at Claire, feeling drained.

  They were getting further away.

  What was it all for?! he wanted to scream. He fell forward, his arms holding him up as his other knee fell.

  Gary didn’t care about anything anymore. Not about breathing, not about making it out of this alive, not about what this meant for his friends, and not even about the Reshiram still hovering by them. He no longer cared because he saw no escape from this. His Charizard was beaten up, and even if he wasn’t, he couldn’t just carry three people out of here. So Gary did all he felt he could do and screamed his final words at the planet’s biggest evil. “ARCEUS WOULDN’T WANT THIIIIIIIIIS!! LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DOOOOOOOOOOONE!!!” And he fell flat out in exhaustion, coughing repeatedly, waiting to die.

  Aly’s coughing was getting worse.

  Gary raised himself up to his hands and knees again and looked around wearily, stopping on the Reshiram who was looking back at him. This is it. We’re dead, he told himself.

  “Shaymin!” June coughed hoarsely.

  Everyone looked down to where June was staring to see the beaten up Shaymin in the grass! Drenched entirely in blood, it crawled weakly, a determined look on its face, and then rolled over onto its side. The little creature wasn’t breathing properly, both eyes shut tight and its mouth wide open. Its left eye opened as it glared up into the sky, growling.

  Suddenly the smoke nearest them was being pulled in streams into the seeds on its back! The flowers on its head turned black as the smoke was being removed from the air and sucked into the Pokemon!

  “It’s sucking up the smoke!” Aly exclaimed as she coughed some more.

  Reshiram then descended, scooping up Shaymin and then flying back up. She was high away from the kids before she tossed Shaymin up through the air!

  Shaymin yelled out, its body now a tiny dot in the sky. It glowed brightly before the Pokemon exploded!! Gary and his friends gasped, staring in horror at the light-green eruption above them.

  “Reshiram killed Shaymin!!” Aly accused. “After it just saved us by clearing the air!” She kept hacking out even harder.

  The fires were still going, meaning the smoke was returning quickly. The air was now more glittery.

  “That can’t be. That doesn’t make sense!” Frowning, Gary pulled out his Pokedex.

  Seed Flare. A Grass-type attack known only by the Mythical Pokemon Shaymin. The user absorbs any pollutants in the air, and depending on how toxic it is, causes an explosive blast with varying power.

  “So that was an attack?” Aly questioned.

  “Then where’s-?” June started.

  But Reshiram cut her off, returning back from the sky and landing before them. In her arms was the beaten up Shaymin! The Mythical Pokemon was unconscious.

  Gary squinted for a moment, thinking hard, confusion lifting as he tried answering the questions surrounding all of this. “You were trying to attack Zekrom, weren’t you? You weren’t hurting Shaymin. Right?” Coughing a bit more, Gary straightened up. Slowly, he got one foot flat on the ground shakily as he struggled to breathe properly.

  Reshiram then knelt down, still cradling Shaymin.

  “What is Reshiram doing?” Aly asked. And then, “What are you doing, Gary??”

  Gary had gotten onto both feet and hobbled his way over to Reshiram. He reached out and touched her back. “I’ll explain later. If I’m understanding things right, Reshiram is our friend. She’s going to take us out of here, and once we’re safe, we’ll ask questions. Come on!” Moving with a sense of understanding that he didn’t understand the origin of, he followed his new energy, hoisting himself onto Reshiram’s back, and looked down to June and Aly.

  The girls exchanged glances, Aly shocked, June fearful, but June moved first. She rushed to Reshiram and Gary helped her onto the Pokemon.

  “LE- Aack!” Gary choked. He couldn’t even shout anymore. “Aly!”

  “June? You, too? Can you read Reshiram? Is she really a friend??” Aly moved to them with a smile of amazement on her face and with June’s help, was able to climb up and sit behind her. “This is unbelie-!”

  Everyone screamed and gripped Reshiram tight when the Legendary Pokemon stood up straight. With a roar, she flapped her wings and flew into the sky. The kids screamed again when she shot forward.

  Zekrom and the others were nowhere to be seen.

  The children were desperate to clear their lungs as they watched the horrible, burning sight below. It didn’t take long to get away from the flaming Gracidea Garden. They had been choking out much of the flight, but by the time Reshiram was descending somewhere safe, they had all gone mostly silent.

  Now, the kids stood on the ground in front of Reshiram in the middle of a foggy forest, unable to see each other clearly despite standing only feet apart with the sun still high. The kids’ wide eyes were stuck on the white Dragon. It was almost comically ironic that it was so foggy as it was already impossible enough to believe they were really in front of a real, live Reshiram. The entire past half hour or so had seemed like some kind of nightmare. There was just no way any of this was real.

  Reshiram let out a grunt and reached out her arms.

  Gary looked down at the Shaymin she held. “Oh! Is Shaymin okay?”

  Reshiram grunted, but it was really hard to make out any movements she made with the fog clouding her white body.

  “June, what is she saying?” Aly whispered.

  But June didn’t respond.

  “Shaymin needs help, doesn’t it?” Gary asked.

  “Is Shaymin okay? Do we need a Pokemon Center? Why did we get dropped off in the middle of nowhere? Huh? Why are we here? Huh? Huh?”

  Gary reached into his pocket, trusting his instinct on this decision he made in the moment. His hand came out, and he hit the button to enlarge the Ultra Ball. “What this means is-” He tried to think of a way to explain what he was thinking. Feeling. But he couldn’t come up with the right words. So instead, he tapped Shaymin with his Ultra Ball, sucking it inside by a red beam.

  The ball shook in his palm.

  And shook.

  Shook some more.

  Shook again...

  PING!

  Aly and June gasped.

  Not done yet, Gary continued, taking out his last Ultra Ball. He enlarged it.

  “Gary!” Aly let out. “Wait... You’re-?”

  Gary’s hand tightened around it as he leered at Reshiram and stepped back with his right leg. He pulled his arm back. “This is what this is all about, right? She has Zekrom, so that means I-!”

  Reshiram inhaled and then let out a powerful roar, making Gary fall backwards, dropping the Ultra Ball and swallowing his heart, June and Aly also screaming for their lives.

  Reshiram then flapped her huge wings and flew into the skies above, gone from the sight of the kids in seconds.

  Leaving them stuck in the fog, scared and confused.