B4 — 36. Taking Control!

12:24 p.m. October 26th, Monday, 106 PH (Post Hoopa Event). Day 139. 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 (39 days away).

Bolt’s eyes flicked to the new challenger as rainbow lights brought the Legendary Pokemon into the air over them. Lulu hovered above with an almost divine presence, and Bolt’s stomach squirmed as Rhea’s flaming aura of heat intensified, steam rising up around her from the damp rock. He felt Jason’s command reverberate through his spirit, urgent and strong.

“Foolish villains!” the ominous cloud proclaimed. “Tremble and fear, for darkness appears! I shall call you Black Lightning and Fluffy Foot!” 

“Defense, boys—all about defense now! Interrupt her, block, and lock her out!”

Pink eyes widening, time slowed in Bolt’s eyes as Quick Attack launched him forward, +2 Speed pushing him into a blur. Energy pulsed over the stony surface, electricity trailing him with the lightning-imbued rocks.

“I’ve got Alice—ack!” Sunny shouted through their bond. “Just stop that cloud!”

Jumping right for the imperial Cosmog, he cursed as her eyes flashed pink, her puffy hand inching toward him. Bolt was far faster, even when needing to close the distance; he clapped his paws just before her psychic force surrounded him.

“Disappear… Ack?!”

A pulse of disruptive energy rippled through the showy Cosmog, Fake Out collapsing her Move. Lulu’s eyes widened, but she didn’t falter. Her cosmic aura pulsed, and she remained steady. Bolt’s ears twitched in surprise. No Jynx! She’s strong… Really strong.

“Rhea can forcefully break Interrupts and Lockouts, like she did in Sabrina’s fight. It’s temporary!”

Sunny’s drowsy voice fed through their connection. “I’m losing strength…”

Maru cried out from within his Poke Ball. “Watch out, Bolt!”

Alice appeared in his peripheral vision a distance away, entangling her ears with Sunny’s and flipping around the drowsy rabbit to aim a punch through the air. Bolt reacted on instinct, activating Block Shot. A sharp burst of force ejected from his side, meeting the Mach Punch moments before it hit.

In a matter of milliseconds, Sunny was airborne, the larger bun throwing the sleeping rabbit into the air…on Rhea’s side of the field and outside of Poke Ball range. She moved with a grace that almost seemed unfair, her red-trailed eyes locked onto Bolt.

Really?! First, she gets Cute Charm on you, now Sleep Charm?!  Bolt shouted, preparing to defend as Alice’s intense gaze fixated on him; she was taking him seriously, and it showed; Jason could predict her next Move combination and was feeding him info, though.

“It’ll be a Quick Attack to get to you, followed by Circle Throw to distance you from Lulu. Foresight and Unaware make Double Team useless. She can affect you with Status Conditions using physical attacks, so her first goal is to close the distance, get you away from her powerhouse, and give her a chance to obliterate everything. Tank it and get the guaranteed!”

Sunny hit the ground like a ton of bricks as Alice shot toward him, a master of redirection by being a constant threat on the battlefield. Bolt delayed his Move, waiting to time it just right with the electricity charging the ground sparking through the air and along Alice’s fur in her dash; she appeared beside him in an instant.

“Hello, beautiful!” Bolt grinned, watching the bun’s narrowed eyes widen as Foresight told her what was about to happen while grabbing his fur to hurl him to the ground. “You look cute with your fur all puffed up. I bet that’s why Sunny’s been struggling so much.”

“You lured me in to save him,” Alice mumbled, static surrounding them and further puffing out her fluff.

“Best not to grab an electric mouse!”

Cheeks sparking, a wave of energy rippled over the close pair, sending Paralyzing force into their bodies. Gravity pulled Bolt into a whirlwind before he was launched into the stone; his energy matrix took a heavy hit as he tried to recover by slipping into a hollow point in the rock, likely created by Diglett.

“Ahh! I’m all…poofy!” Lulu cried. “Humph. You think you can hide from justice, villain?” Lulu’s voice was both mocking and powerful. “The Strange Lady sees everything…”

Rhea’s aura blazed stronger as Bolt peeked out, spotting Alice wincing as she touched the stone and fell to a knee, her Speed cut in half with energy sparking around her as Electric Terrain faded. Lulu’s fiery glow intensity, her presence now larger than life while enshrouded in flames, energy pouring into the Pokémon. Bolt felt a chill run down his spine.

“Are you trying to kill us?!”

Lulu began to channel dark energy with melodic, dark cackles, the shadows around her growing and twisting into a malevolent force.

“Night Shade,” Jason mumbled in dread. “I don’t know how to block this, boys. Sunny, you’re back! If you two can survive this, it will take a chunk out of Rhea’s V-supported power!”

“Ugh… Bolt! Use Wish and prepare to Protect!” Sunny’s rousing voice rang out, filled with urgency. “I’ll handle the rest!”

Bolt could feel the oppressive power building, ready to be unleashed, with Lulu laughing overhead about how weak and insignificant villains were, like tiny Caterpie.

Trusting his rabbit friend and leader, twinkling light surrounded him in the hole, determination renewed by Sunny’s confidence. He focused, summoning the soothing energy to surround him. A soft glow enveloped him, a promise of healing to come. He then readied the strongest Protect he could muster.

Alice clapped her hands, spotlights and confetti appeared over Bolt, but he ducked further into the hole, dodging the searching light and evading the Encore. Sunny charged right toward him, the battlefield a whirlwind of motion.

Bolt’s ears lowered in shock as Lulu laughed, her voice echoing with an eerie timbre. The Cosmog looked down on them like insects, her eyes becoming the abyss itself. Bolt’s body became numb as malevolent energy began to radiate from her small, floating form.

The atmosphere darkened, shadows coiling around Lulu like living serpents. Bolt felt a cold sweat break out along his fur. It was unlike any Night Shade he had seen before. The swirling darkness seemed to blot out the sun, casting the battlefield into a chilling twilight.

Lulu’s voice was a haunting melody, taunting and powerful. “Foolish children! Tremble and despair, for darkness has come to claim you for herself!”

A cyclone of black fog erupted outward from Lulu, the shadows swirling and growing, reaching out with tendrils of darkness. Bolt’s muscles tensed, fear gripping his heart, yet he had to time it right. Sunny was already moving, positioning himself between Bolt and the encroaching shadows.

“Protect!” Sunny shouted, his voice strained with effort. A shimmering, translucent barrier formed around himself, blocking the first wave of shadows as it enshrouded them.

Bolt quickly followed suit, summoning his own blue shell. The swirling darkness crashed against their barriers like a storm, force unlike anything he’d experienced gripping him. It was as if a massive monster’s claws were closing around them to crush everything into paste, the impact resonating through his bones.

To Bolt’s horror, Sunny’s barrier began to crack under the relentless assault. Sunny’s expression was one of grim determination, his eyes locked onto Bolt’s as he hugged his Protect.

Sunny!

“I’m good, Bud!,” he chuckled, the twinkling light of Wish resonating brighter. “Just finish things up for me!”

Just as the barrier shattered, a thick white outline surrounded Sunny—Endure. Bolt watched in disbelief as Sunny braced himself, taking the brunt of the attack, funneling all of his remaining offensive energy into his defensive matrix.

The shadows enveloped them both, a cold, suffocating blanket. Bolt could hear nothing but white noise, the world around him becoming a blur of darkness. His own Protect started to falter, cracks spider-webbing across its surface. As the barrier finally gave way, he felt a sudden surge of energy counter the thinning tendrils of shadows coiling around him—Wish. The healing energy filled him, pushing back the encroaching darkness.

When the abyssal veil finally receded, Bolt felt Sunny’s limp body fall over him, Wish’s fading rejuvenating force also touching the rabbit. Spinning vision glancing around at the devastation, he found them lying in a massive crater, the ground around him shattered and broken.

Water from the nearby lake was rushing in, filling the depression and sliding over their fur. Dust and debris settled around them, Sunny’s hot breath pressing against his face; he was alive! The Wish had restored some of Sunny’s energy, but it hadn’t been enough to wake him.

Bolt’s eyes widened in disbelief at the extent of the damage when the dust was swept away. The battlefield had been utterly transformed, their Trainers holding their hands in front of their faces. I survived, but Sunny…

Franky floated out of the filling ground, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips. “Sunny is unable to continue,” he declared, his voice dripping with amusement. “Congratulations on surviving a Legendary Pokemon’s fully-developed attack. Momentary break to swap Pokemon! Best get that little puff-ball out of the action.”

* — * — *

Jason surveyed the battlefield, his stomach churning at the sight of the devastation. The massive crater was now forming a small, growing pond. The rocky terrain around it was torn-up and showed imprints of the tentacle-like tendrils that had crawled across it, creating a sense of eerie unease from the lingering Ghostly force. It practically split the field in half and turned it into a partial lake stage.

I underestimated Rhea’s maximum output, he whispered to his awestruck Pokemon. The raw power of Lulu’s Legendary Energy, mixed with V’s enhancing abilities, is… insane.

He held out Sunny’s Poke Ball as Bolt pushed his buddy up with the water rushing in, recalling the rabbit to a well-earned rest. Sorry you couldn’t show Alice more, but I’d say you showed off plenty, man… Leave the rest to us.

He glanced at the hologram of Rhea, noting the sweat beading on her forehead and the heavy rise and fall of her chest. Her strained smile was a mix of exhaustion and pride.

“Wow! That was a rush… I thought Franky would stop us,” she mumbled, her voice breathless yet laced with admiration as the fire around her nearly went out. “I guess you really have gotten strong if you managed to survive our ultimate attack.”

Jason’s gaze shifted to Alice, who was holding a confused and dazed Lulu; the Cosmog looked drained, her previous divine presence now diminished as she clung to Alice for support. It was far from over, though.

Bolt swam toward their side of the field, less than a quarter of his energy matrix remaining, which was a miracle only possible due to the mid-attack Wish. He saw his father running over to him with a Hyper Potion in hand, a Revive in the other to restore Sunny’s secondary energy matrix.

“That was awesome, Son! I was even nervous for Sunny, but he handled that like a real champ!”

“Thanks, Dad,” he said, handing the Poke Ball to him. “It’s not over yet, though.”

He then looked out across the filling crater, its size sinking in. It was a testament to the sheer power Lulu had unleashed. A smile tugged at his lips, sensing Bolt’s thankful heart, but his Pikachu was a little shaken up.

“For the record, Rhea, that was way stronger than the one Lulu used against Erika. But that might actually help me in the end,” he grinned, still doing fine on their fortitude reserves. “If it wasn’t for Sunny’s quick thinking, we would have been done for.”

Rhea took a calming breath as her flaming aura finally died. “Let’s see if you can handle the rest of my team, then. Lulu might be a little drained now, but Alice is far from done, and just you wait until Alice gets Limber! Mya’s ready for a strong fight, and she’s been rearing to go! Can you even survive Lulu’s normal attacks before Mya comes out?”

Jason’s focus sharpened. “I guess we’ll see. Bolt, come back and take a rest.”

“Pika?” His yellow mouse’s ears tilted to the side, shaking off the dirt and wet from his white and black coat. “Pika-pi!”

Rhea blinked, steadying herself and putting a hand on her hip while looking out across the vast field, seeing her parents clapping. “You’re calling back Bolt? If that’s how you want to play it, then Lulu, return, as well. It’s time for the Steely and Speedy girls to tag-team this to a victory!”

Jason knelt down to pick up his damp Pikachu, giving him a cute chirp and rubbing cheeks. “Haha. We’ll see about that, Ms. Joltik. We’re no slouches ourselves.”

Pulling out his two last Poke Balls as his dad tended to Sunny in the background, he tossed them both in the air before catching them. “Blitz, Maru, I know this is going to be a rough one, but we’ve been training hard in Kalos for this day…and we’re not about to lose! Day after day, Serena put us through the ropes. We’re ready.”

He threw his two Pokemon onto the altered field, and the pair burst out of their Poke Balls as Rhea tossed Mya onto the stone to join Alice. Maru and Blitz slapped tails together as Mya bumped fists with Alice, likely throwing a little playful shade at each other.

“Breloom!”

“Zig-Zig.”

“Mawile. Maw.”

“Pun-pun… Lopunny!”

“Gengar…” Franky floated out of the now-filled pond, the surface not even rippling at his presence as he pulled out two big flags from inside his abyssal body and raised them up. “Gen…gar!”

* — * — *

Maru’s pink eyes flared as the battle resumed. He jumped into action from his vantage point, atop a chunk of rock that had been dislodged. He surged forward, every detail of the chaotic terrain etched into his mind.

Still in motion, he glanced at Blitz, right beside him. It’s all or nothing, Bud! Let’s make this a fight to tell the others!

“I can just imagine Len or Lucian’s Pokemon running in circles after seeing Lulu’s attack, screaming at the top of their lungs! I can’t believe we’re actually in the battle after Training so hard for this. Let’s do this!”

Gathering energy, Maru darted from rock to rock on the side of the field, currently the only way across the gaping hole. His small arms flexed as his powerful feet found sure purchase and his tail waved behind him for balance.

Blitz’s gaze locked onto Alice and Mya, standing on their side of the grounds, stretching out and smirking at them, waiting for them. However, they weren’t going to play their game. Mist swirled around Mya, creating a milky and cosmic cloud to obscure and empower her. Alice pulled into a ball, strengthening her Defense and trying to wait out the Paralysis.

Ready, Blitz? Alice and Mya are close-range fighters, so why play their game on their side of the field?

“Right?!”

Pausing just at the center point, Maru sucked in air and drew in Jason’s Fortitude. He released it in a spray of seeds, causing Alice to shove Mya out of the way with a short laugh, elegantly maneuvering around the pellets. Fur spiking up, Blitz sent a hail of needles after the pair, forcing them to attack them; they’d practiced to face Mya and Alice together.

Just as they’d predicted, Maru’s attack finished first, and Mya zeroed in on the Galarian Zigzagoon; shadows enveloped her to escape the spray, allowing the Mawile to pop out from Blitz’s blind spot—it wasn’t blind to Maru.

Drawing back his small fist, Maru drew in a large amount of Jason’s Fortitude, launching toward the materializing Steel Pokemon as a colossal amount of Fighting Energy enveloped his hand. Mya’s eyes grew big, yet, they hadn’t expected her response.

Canceling the Sucker Punch, Mya’s whole body illuminated a silvery color as her Misty Terrain began to cycle around them. Focus Punch hit Mya right in the jaw, launching her into the sky and over the large pond. She flipped through the air, stabilizing herself and opening her second mouth, where all the force he’d sent to her was absorbed and channeled.

A sphere of pure Steel Energy grew inside her wide, frightening jaws and shot right at him. Alice was almost right on top of them, the Metal Burst incoming.

“Not bad!” Blitz chimed. He threw up a Protect and jumped in front of the ball; it cracked his shell, but it held. “Maru!”

“Got it, Bud!”

Shaking his mushroom head, he threw a veil of Sleep Powder ahead of them to zone Alice. Mya yelled at them while falling into the murky water.

“That was uncalled for; I suck at swimming—blgrrr!”

Maru threw a Mach Punch to match Alice’s, canceling each other out. “We can’t win in a fair fight! Oh… Well, I didn’t see that coming…” he mumbled as a cyclone of water exploded out of the pond to sweep them out of the field and wash away his Sleep Powder.

Mya stood at the bottom of the pond, a tornado of Fairy-laced wind sending a spay of rain around them as she jumped out of the hole to land next to Alice. They’d taken the strip and pushed them back onto their side of the field.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she grinned, her slick metal frame glistening in the sunlight. She held out a hand, forming a glowing sword. “Let’s get a bit more serious, boys.”

Alice jumped up and down as her Paralysis passed. “There we go… No need to keep up, stink breath. I’ll bring them right to you,” she said with a dark chuckle.

“Sounds good,” Mya chimed, swinging around her illuminated sword as it absorbed into her body. “Show us what you’ve got, boys! We expect to be wowed.”

Blitz sent a wide spray of needles at the pair, Alice easily dancing around them through the sparkling mist as Mya was swallowed by shadows. Maru darted to the side, every muscle coiled and ready. His fist glowing with Fighting Energy as he swung, countering the Sucker Punch aimed at his teammate.

Maru kept his focus on Mya, dancing around her reaching jaws, frothing with icy mist to freeze him. His tail struck a rock, charging it with his Ability and landing it under the surprised Mawile’s chin, throwing her into the air.

Blitz was keeping Alice busy, kicking up sand to blind her and focusing on weakening her with stat-reducing Moves. The Zigzigoon had a special surprise for Alice’s Sleeping punches.

Maru had his full attention on the steely powerhouse, though; her empowered Sucker Punch had totally countered his Focus Punch, and a single hit at the right area could instantly take out Blitz. Part of the trouble was the Mawile’s Attack couldn’t be lowered with Hyper Cutter; it was just something they had to deal with. Alice didn’t have the same protection, though, something Blitz was taking full advantage of by giving the bun his Baby-Doll Eyes.

All he needed was a good one more, powerful, critical Focus Punch to land since Alice’s Attack was getting lowered into oblivion. Mya had a counter for almost anything he could throw at her, but there was something they’d concluded she wouldn’t be ready for; it was a gamble, though.

A brown aura surrounded Mya, splitting out into four large stones as she recovered in the air, and she threw them at him with a vicious smile; luckily, he was Resistant to Rock-Type damage.

Grinning in return, Maru’s body shone with green energy, and he shot several small seeds out of his mushroom head around them. They struck Mya, sinking into her skin—it worked! Bracing himself, rocks broke over his body.

He peered through the smoke and sparkling clouds, obscuring Blitz’s battle, but Jason and him were keeping him updated through their bond. Mya struck the ground in a full body slam, her eyes spinning and breathing heavily as panic gripped her mind. Maru swiftly took a deep breath and puffed out a cloud that floated toward the Mawile.

“Eh-wha…what did you do to me?!” she stammered, jumping and swinging at shadows within her own mist; the cloud hit her trashing arm, absorbing into her skin, raising her Attack further to +4, and making her eyes spin. “Why are there more—I’m not scared! Grrr…”

Maru breathed a sigh of relief as Worry Seed and Swagger took effect. Obscured in the mist and away from Alice with her mind a total mess, Mya was totally vulnerable. Now, to see if the gamble worked. He winked at the charming Mawile, sending a heart her way. It struck, lowering her Attack to +2: Insomnia had replaced Hyper Cutter.

Grinning, he aimed one more at the panicking Mawile, too confused and frantic to properly use any of her Moves. Adapting on the spot now that he had the advantage, he was about to charge up a Focus Punch when Blitz sent a panicked message.

“Maru, she Copycatted my Hone Claw—oof… I need to Rest!”

Jason made a quick decision, interrupting. “I know it doesn’t look good, but Maru, you have to take out Mya now! If you don’t, and she gets back up, she could take either of you out in one hit! Rhea gave us the most favorable matchup since Nova is out and can’t heal Mya. If Mya gets ramped up and Worry Seed fades… We won’t get another chance. Hold out, Blitz!”

“I’ll try! Ach—she’s so fast and accurate now… It’s like she’s increased her Speed, but it’s just her Accuracy and Foresight!”

Mouth tightening, Maru darted forward, ready to take a hit from Mya, whatever it was to deliver the final blow against the powerhouse of a Mawile. Pushing as much of Jason’s Fortitude and his own energy into his fist, he charged at the slowly recovering Mawile, jumping at shadows—she locked onto him.

Unlucky… Power through!

Fire sparked in Mya’s maw, her anger and confusion clearing up as she jumped at him, large jaws closing around him. Maru’s fist connected with her chin, launching her once again into the air and causing her flaming teeth to glaze against his body, the energy still eating deep inside him with the Super Effective Fire Fang, but…her energy matrix shattered.

Maru dropped to his knees, less than 10% of his energy matrix left after a single glancing blow from the super-powered Mawile. The mist dispersed and Mya landed on the ground beside her. Alice came into view, hugging an unconscious Blitz in her arms, his tongue hanging out and eyes spinning. 

“Well, Muk,” the bun muttered with a sad chortle, staring at her unconscious teammate. “She’s going to be so mad… You were totally ganging up on her, though. Some of Blitz’s Stat drops were aimed at her. Hey, I actually survived almost the whole match!” she grinned. “Mya really should get more love. I almost feel bad with how little she was in the battle. I can totally see her perspective now.”

Maru forced a smile as he strained himself, guessing Alice was still above 70% of her energy matrix. “When you spend most your life dedicated to dodging, I guess you’ll last a long time in a fight.”

“My thoughts exactly!” she chirped as Jason returned Blitz and Franky called the two knockouts. “We were really worried about him dropping my Attack so low since it’s a visual attack and not easily dodged, but I’m liking Hone Claw,” she commented, showing her sharp talons. “You’ve had some good tactics! Rhea’s impressed. Is Bolt coming back?”

“Yup! Hey, Alice.”

“Hey, Bolt!” she said, waving and looking far more lighthearted now. “Oh, and you’re awake, Sunny! Great job with protecting Bolt. Super impressed. You were super cool!”

Maru glanced back with a snicker as Sunny tried to act cool, pulling up his neck scarf over his mouth, looking away, and shoving his hands into his fluff.

“Yeah, you were pretty cute—eh, cool, too.”

“I am pretty cute!” she returned with an unabashed grin. “Thanks for noticing. Uh, by the way, yeah…” She glanced back at her Trainer across the field, bending over and looking to be struggling. “Rhea says she’s kind of running low on time and energy. She’s never used her Fortitude like this and it looks like it’s going downhill pretty fast, so…she wants to handle the match results with our new baby Pokemon.”

Maru breathed a sigh of relief as Jason’s laughter echoed through their link.

“Rhea overexerted herself, boys. Taunting her to use all she’s got worked with the defense strats! Yes! Now…all of it comes down to this, Serenade. Are we ready for our debut?”

The calm, deceptively sophisticated, and feminine voice of their newest teammate came through their bond. “I have been watching and taking notes. I look forward to showing the fruit of my labor over the last few days. I should have the advantage since I am a few days older.”

“Not like they need to know that,” Bolt said with a sly chuckle.

Sunny rubbed his nose and bumped Bolt’s fist as he neared Jason with his father, talking out the details and congratulating them all on how far they’d come in only a single Battle Season.

Maru jogged over to Jason’s father and took the Revive off him before going to Mya and spraying her once with it. The Mawile jolted and cracked open her eyes with a dull look at the clouds.

“I…lost, didn’t I?”

“A tie!” Maru said with a jolly tone, holding out his tail to help her up. “You were just too scary to let you do whatever you wanted on the battlefield.”

Mya smiled at that and accepted his offer. “I am pretty strong… Thanks! So, what’s going on?”

Bolt jumped down to dance with Lulu as the Cosmog teleported over. “It’s the final fight! Oh, you’ve got some good moves, Lulu, and you really are the heroine with that kind of power!”

“You think so! I practice every day in the mirror!”

“Twist and slide… Hands up! That’s it!”

Maru chuckled, happy to have the intense part done with. Now, it was all up to their newest members to bring their Trainers together. It all came to a head as Jason walked over to meet with Rhea so she didn’t have to walk around the field, his voice filled with anticipation, anxiety, and hope.

“We’re almost to the finish line. My golden-haired Joltik goddess is almost mine.”

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