B4 — 31. The Villainess Is The Heroine!

4:16 p.m. October 25th, Sunday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event). Day 138. Events: Rhea and the girls are on a Badge Hunt, trying to get all the Kanto Encrusted Badges before time runs out! Our girl started her journey on the 9th of June, and the end of registration for the Winter Indigo Cup is December 5th (40 days away).

Alice could feel the ghostly energy infusing her body, making her limbs feel lighter and her movements more fluid, yet also unnerving. A light red trail escaped from her enhanced eyes as she saw the Pumpkaboo’s big, blue eyes cast a faint glow through the darkness, unable to hide from Foresight.

Air rushing past her fur in her retreat, feet yet to touch grass while soaring over the field; she watched the Pumpkin Pokemon breathe deeply in slow motion, preparing his next assault. Rhea’s steady voice was filled with excitement and encouragement, informing her of the Pumpkaboo’s Moves and Abilities.

“We got this, Alice. Stay focused. You’re lighter than air. You’ll be faster and jump further. Take your time to adapt; keep your distance.”

Lulu’s young, cheery zeal followed. “I’m right here with you, Big Boss; I’ve got your tail!”

A small smile lifted Alice’s mouth; she’d been so focused on catching up to Nova and Mya that she’d lost some of her enjoyment in battles. She needed to reignite the dancing flames within her thumping heart again.

Landing in a patch of grass, she skipped backward, twisting in the air, sharp eyes carrying her out of the trajectory of the seeds that launched out of Cherry’s mouth. Bullets zipped past her pulled-in arms as her ears extended to change her direction, only to sink into a shadow that a drone above cast—not only did she have to worry about normal shadows, but also those cast by the floating cameras.

A bullet aimed right between her eyes came into focus, a second before it would land; she didn’t have enough time to touch the ground or gather enough energy to escape, and Protect this early was a horrible plan—she flickered, and the seed exploded against a floating flower head.

“Swap++,” the announcer cooly stated, “a potent Ability, but not one she should be able to use often.”

Appearing on the ground, Alice cartwheeled behind a boulder, being careful not to position herself in the shadow. Explosions came from the other side of the rock, a rush of flower petals being carried on the rush of wind.

Wow, this is rough, Rhea, Alice chuckled, her eyes darting around what she could see of the stadium, with the shadows of the drones overhead and moving lights, I can’t keep track of every—

Her thoughts were cut as Cherry’s illuminated eyes rose out of the boulder’s shadow to her right, a flash of ghostly light projected from his vision. She’d been too focused on the drones; it hit her just as she was about to use Quick Attack to escape—her body locked up—she couldn’t move: Disable.

In the next moment, a ball of ethereal energy flowed out of Cherry’s mouth, his voice a ghostly snicker. “Don’t feel bad; most Silver-tier Pokemon can’t deal well with Trick-or-Treat.”

Alice’s vision swam, her energy collapsing and reversing to eat at her own energy matrix.

“Disable into Confuse Ray. Our elusive bunny seems to be out of her element when unable to control her own body, and the shadows play tricks on the mind.”

Alice stumbled to the left, seeing triple, yet a grin lifted her face as a red beam connected to her, pulling her away from the next spine-tingling force that reached for her neck. Yeah, Erika had really read her like a book and exploited a weakness she didn’t even know she had.

“It’s okay! We’ll wait it out. Lulu, your time is now!”

Good luck, Little Dust Cloud! Alice giggled, her teammate’s words a jumbling mess in her mind. Why do I still see triple inside my Poke ball? I’ll get your back, short stack…

* — * — *

Lulu’s soul pounded with a mixture of excitement and determination to make her big sisters and mom proud. Rainbow lights carried her to the middle of the stadium, high over the field to stare at the bully who had made her Big Sister stumble and feel bad about herself. The announcer’s voice cracked with excitement, the air electrified with anticipation.

“Here we go, ladies and gentlemen! A Legendary Pokemon has graced our arena! I’m sure you all saw the awe-striking power of Ho-Oh a few months ago, and now we have the Pokemon the world fears before us…the fearsome salt-and-pepper Cosmog! It’s like the villain Darkness has escaped her cartoon to attack our Gym!”

“Yes, fear me, mortals!” Lulu roared from high above, wiping her puffy hand out extravagantly, repeating her favorite cartoon Cosmog hero. “I am the Darkness! I am the moon’s shadow upon the weak! Tremble before my mighty cosmic form! Know that no light can hide in the black… I see you!”

Her grin widened upon feeling Rhea’s entertained laughter at her terrifying entrance.

In response, the Pumpkaboo rose into the air, unable to hide from her all-seeing vision. She’d trained under the awesome power of Master Luna and the Ghost Sages of the Lavender Department Store. Her orange opponent increased in size, becoming a giant flying up to her.

“Ho-ho-ho! Foolishness!” Lulu roared, fanning out her fluff like a fan over her mouth like the awesome heroine Strange Lady. “I have seen your tricks before.”

More rainbow lights surrounded her, carrying her away in an instant to appear beside Cherry, the rush of wind flowing against her puffy form as she attempted to look regal, like Nova in her performance.

Cherry chuckled, eyes shifting to her with a flash. “Those are some quick Teleports, Ms—what?”

Lulu giggled as rays of hues carried her effortlessly to the Pokemon’s back; teleporting had become second nature to her. The blast of paralyzing force from her opponent’s attack didn’t even come close to touching her.

“Such arrogance, young one,” she sneered.

“I’m way older than you!” he retorted with a playful grin.

Dodging Cherry’s attacks with ease, Lulu yawned and fanned herself, mimicking the haughty demeanor of Sabrina’s twin. She refused to let Cherry use his deadly Trick-or-Treat Move on her, especially after witnessing its devastating effects on her Big Sister.

“…So boring. Where is that overwhelming power you were so proud of?”

Cherry’s forced smile faltered while ducking into the shadows. “It’s almost like you don’t have to gather energy to teleport at all; not even Sabrina’s Pokemon I’ve trained with are that fast… Erika was right: you are a little menace. This is good training.”

“To compare me to anything but myself would be a sin,” Lulu chortled. “Perhaps I should show you what real power looks like.”

Cherry’s nervousness was palpable as Lulu played out her favorite heroine vs. villain scenario in her mind; she practiced it every morning in the mirror.

“Oh?” he stammered. “Why not show me your biggest Move? Do you have one?”

Lulu tilted her head up with a devious smirk and snapped her fake fan closed, just like the Strange Lady; she was perfect! A strange tug came from Rhea, but she was too in character right now! She had to show him the truth. The villains were always so easily beat up by the heroine in the shows before the pesky villains powered up and always found a way to win in the end. This was real life, though, and the heroine always won!

Lulu channeled the confidence of her fictional heroines; her cosmic fluff twinkled under the bright light, her soft laughter projected over the stadium. “How bold of you, my adorable little puff-ball.”

Cherry’s mouth dropped open, eyes going big. “Huh? Puff-ball? Are you…quoting Mystery Doors of the Magical Land 2?!”

“Foolish children!” Lulu proclaimed dramatically, her cosmic body twinkling with energy. She drew upon Rhea’s Allocations, feeling a surge of exhilaration as she unleashed her most potent Move yet; she almost choked at the tingling pleasure that erupted within her from the open floodgates that exploded from her Trainer. “You believe you know what it means to hold real power? Such arrogance!”

A sinister aura enveloped her as she summoned dark energies, her eyes glowing with a malevolent torrent. The shadowy force swirled around Lulu as she appeared in the sky, transforming the atmosphere into one of foreboding. A haunting pulse erupted within her breast, surging out in a haunting wave of black clouds and pressure that swirled around her in a cycling vortex.

“What is that?!” the announcer exclaimed, voice trembling with awe and fear, as villains should when the heroine reveals her true strength. “That…is not a normal Night Shade!”

Drawing upon the teachings of the spectral beings she had encountered in Lavender Town, Lulu loomed over her petrified opponent with an eerie calmness. Her voice resonated with an unearthly depth, echoing with the power of the unknown.

“Beg not for mercy, for I have seen your world’s end…” Lulu intoned, her words carrying an ominous weight. “Behold, the blackening skies.”

As the deadly clouds swirled and converged, a malevolent torrent of ghostly energy erupted from Lulu’s eyes, uniting with the fog and engulfing the fleeing Pumpkaboo. The ethereal tendrils snaked around the hapless Pokemon as he tried to escape behind the boulder Alice had used, trapping it within their righteous embrace.

Lulu’s manic laughter echoed through the stadium as the darkness intensified with the elation Rhea’s Fortitude brought, casting eerie shadows across the ground. Cherry’s blue eyes were wide with fear as the shadows converged in a cyclone around his makeshift barrier, locked in by the rays that had escaped her eyes.

But the power of Lulu’s heroine arc was on full display, and it knew no bounds; a honeycomb-blue barrier formed around the trembling ghost, breaking the bindings, but also sealing him within a prison of his own making. Her voice mixed with the harrowing maelstrom.

“Against mine chaos, even the gods will fall from the heavens. Join the shadows and despair!”

Pride welled up in her breast as the dust settled and the echoes of her proclamation faded, the stadium left in utter silence at her awe-striking performance. The air crackled with the remnants of her extraordinary display of shadowy heroism, soaking everyone in the awe of her awesomeness.

Lulu blinked, feeling a sense of disbelief that washed over her upon seeing the actual result of her showy Move; it was supposed to be strong, but not that strong. Had she truly unleashed such overwhelming force? No, of course, she did!

“Mia-hahaha! Behold the strength of justice!” she roared, spotting the villain lying motionless in the center of the devastation, the boulder and surrounding flowers turned into a spooky crater fit for a graveyard. “Who dares challenge the Lady in Black?!”

“Cherry almost loses his life… Lulu is the victor.”

A stillness followed, reverence for her righteousness! And then…

“…We surrender.”

“What?” Lulu fell from the sky to plop down on the grass, looking up at her sweating and shaking Trainer, a strained smile on her face. “Oh, no… Did I do a Big Sis Mya?!”

* — * — *

Rhea tried to comfort her worried cosmic galaxy as she teleported onto her head, hugging her tight and crying.

“Nee?! Ne-ne-ne? Ne!”

Having trouble keeping herself stable, Rhea comfortingly patted the little girl. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I made sure to let Erika know that I’d call it off once I really started running low. You got into the mood… It happens. It’s okay. This was your first real battle.”

She puffed out a long breath, closing her eyes and reaching out to the First Gate within herself as Maria had taught her. A short burst of V’s energy revitalized her soul, rekindling her stamina. Her heart rate increased dramatically, bringing on more sweat, but at least she wasn’t feeling weak anymore…just dehydrated.

Opening her eyes, she saw a quick replay of the act, her body being momentarily encircled by flames before fizzling out; she was getting good!

She held a guilty Lulu against her neck while looking at Erika’s soft expression in the holographic display. A rush of cheers came from the stands, and Rhea let herself calm down. Luckily, it took several seconds for the throng to settle down, giving her time.

“…Well, that was quite the surprise,” the Gym Leader said, looking up at the frightening display. “Legendary Pokemon are named such due to their amplifying attributes. A normal Move can be transformed into something otherworldly with their unique energy, and mix that with a potent Trainer that has a high reserve of Fortitude… We get this stunning display.”

Rhea strained a smile. “To be fair, Nova’s little show against Sabrina was also pretty powerful. Was this at Platinum-tier, as well?” She didn’t add the fact that V and Legendary Energy had been involved there, as well.

Erika was quiet for a few moments as she studied the replay, everyone hanging on her words. “To be frank, Rhea, I was close to stopping the attack myself, but due to Lulu’s desire to put on a flashy show, she wasted much of the actual damage on the vortex.

“The actual damage was within the Gold-tier, but had it been properly channeled and directed, it could have been in the Master-tier. Lulu’s energy spiked within the match, pushing her into Gold-tier. Such is the power you can wield due to your unique circumstances.”

Rhea reassured Lulu that she was fine and not in trouble. She understood the hidden meaning behind Erika’s explanation, though. Just like Master Balls, Buddy Bonded Pokemon had the ability to draw in far more energy than the typical capsule. Ash had warned her about it, and that warning had come true.

I wanted to see you do your best, Lulu, she comfortingly whispered. I wanted you to have fun. So that resonated between us, as it often does with Pikachu and Ash to super-charge their Moves. It’s an additional amplifier unique to Buddy Bonded Pokemon. Mix that with your Legendary Energy, while sucking up all of mine in a single attack… Boom! An awesome Move.

Erika looked a tad troubled while returning her Pokemon and placing him in the transporter to be healed. She considered what she was going to say next before speaking again.

“I am the first to allow your use of Lulu’s power in order to get a proper read on where things stand. I suggest you and your team work on restraint. There is room for them to take part in your Encrusted Gym Battles, but I think you understand the risk of what that brings now.”

Rhea slowly nodded, swapping Lulu to her head again and telling her to be proud. “It’s a race against the clock. Even Lulu’s Teleports were noticeable chunks from my Fortitude when she blitzed Cherry with them. It puts a lot of strain on our souls, so it’s not likely to win any kind of stall strategy, which I’m sure your second Pokemon was more than capable of.”

Erika took out an Ultra Ball from within her sleeve with a devious smile. “Indeed, she is quite the wall. On the bright side, it is heartwarming to see you wanting to have more fun in battling. Cherry will be fine. Now, I think it would be best if you go cool off in the showers… I’m sure you will feel a decline in a few hours.”

Rhea laughed and waved her off, knowing she meant the boost V gave her and its effects when wearing off. “Thank you for allowing Lulu a chance to gain some experience. We’ll be back before the Silver Conference for that badge!”

“I look forward to the rematch.”

Holding her head high and feeling happy for the first time after a loss, Rhea went back into the locker rooms to take a shower. Amira was next, and she was sure the redhead would kill it.

She brought Lulu down to grin at her teary-eyed puff-ball. You’re amazing, my little villain!

A spike of protest came from the frowning galaxy, her light spiritual nudges telling her she was the heroine, not the villain. Cosmog were always villains in the Pokemon cartoons, and she just wanted to relate to someone who looked like her.

Awww. I know you are. Rhea’s heart went out to her youngest teammate, who was struggling with the guilt and energy coursing through her. We’ll get better, but in the meantime, that was awesome!

Flashes of light broke out of the Poke Balls on her waist, expanding on their own before minimizing and revealing her supportive girls. Alice still had her ghostly attribute, crying out the second she touched the shadow and started sinking into it; her other Pokemon gasped in horror, likely thinking she’d sink to the middle of the world.

Lulu jumped down to land on the Lopunny’s head, begging her not to leave her as Nova and Mya tried to pull the panicking bun up. Kneeling down, Rhea simply lifted her up to hold against her chest, Lulu clinging to her neck now.

It’s okay! It will pass soon. Haha. Maybe we should call in some help from back home to see if a certain ghost can help us learn how to deal with that Move. What do you think?

Her girl’s pink eyes lit up at the thought of training with the infamous Grandmaster Ghost of her childhood, making Rhea smile. She had to shift Alice in her arms as Amira came out last, bumping fists with her.

“Good luck, Red!”

Amira chucked, adjusting Mariah in her arms to rub Lulu’s cheek. “I’m ready for it. I see you’re taking what your aunt said to heart… After this, no matter what happens, we’ll be qualified as a team for the Silver Conference. Thanks for pushing us this far, Rhea. You really have been an inspiration.”

Rhea’s heart glowed as they split apart. “We’ll be watching you!”

The redhead shook her head with a light, back-turned glare. “You hit the showers. We can go over the details tonight before bed… Really, get some rest. You’re getting your new egg after this, and you need to save some energy for our celebration after.”

“Okay! Okay! I promise I’ll go take a shower,” Rhea said, trying to hide an impish smile; Amira really was putting off confident vibes. “I know you’ll kill it!”

Giggling to herself as she ran off, Amira’s distrustful stare on her back, she whispered her plan to her girls, making them laugh. Thanking all the women who commented on her performance as she jogged through the locker room, Mya grabbed the bag she’d brought from the locker and met her in the showers.

We’ll watch her from my phone while we wash up; we didn’t lie!

As the battle started, she turned on the water, and she got a little distracted by the intense match-up. In the end, as she’d expected, Amira won.

Rhea knew she probably scared a few girls with her squeal from inside the shower. They were set for the Silver Conference. Everything after this was training and preparing for Gold-tier.

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