Episode 27: Decisive Battle! The Final Trial

“You want me to raise my swords against a kid?” Lucca snapped. Panzer’s infant Pokémon drew closer, which only made the warriors back into one another.

“I will get to that insufferable Kangaskhan’s pretend story in due time. For now, listen well, warriors,” Panzer spoke above them all. Her voice now seemed to be amplified and echoed across the area. “Since time immemorial, Heroica has been a land wracked by conflict. Wars over provisions, conquests of kings and queens, a desire to survive against invaders… The humans who once claimed this land as their own were all but wiped out by their inability to coexist. We Pokémon took over.”

Despite Lucca’s complaints, the children attacked. Since they didn’t have weapons, they threw themselves at him with their natural abilities: claws, tails, any hard-hitting tackles. He refused to attack them back, even as he found himself surrounded. A Charmander attempted to scratch him from the left, while a Rowlet pecked from above and to the right. He rolled away from both, only to nearly be bitten by a Totodile. He shoved his sword in the way, and its jaws locked around his blade until he threw them off.

“We Pokémon are on track to falling to the same fate. We stay separated by our distinct races… the Pokémon, the Undine, and the Angels. Even more groups vie for independence, like the Aska and Van Akens. And it all happened because of that one Pokémon who claimed themselves a hero, and took away our Anima Energy!” Panzer continued. “Anima is the essence of Pokémon. Our attacks, our abilities, the very fabric of our life forms that connects us to the laws of nature: that is Anima.”

“That’s Bestia! What you just described is Bestia energy,” Azu called out. She was concentrated on keeping back a Torchic that continuously pecked at her. She had to kick a Treecko, and then spun to swing her tail around and knock back a couple of Tepig.

“Anima was our fool proof source of sustainable life. But the self-proclaimed hero who lost his love to Heroican conflict took away our Anima and reduced it to Bestia. Now we struggle to survive on this traditional Shining Warrior Journey, sucking up to the them like they are a god. This unrelenting routine creates endless conflict, and Heroica will never know peace. That is until today, when I defy the laws of nature and life itself,” Panzer announced.

Ruby’s fire spread across the area, forcing the children to run back to Panzer’s side. She still held the Parashelter open to defend against them, but they didn’t attack again. “Huh? Is that it?”

“I don’t get it, what does any of this have to do with us? Or me?” Crystal cried.

“I am to be Heroica’s new ruler. The only one smart enough to command Bestia and turn it back into Anima. In these dark times that rebel against the Shining Warriors, I am the one true warrior who shines in the darkness. The one who began this five-hundred year-long plan,” Panzer announced. “In this metal coffin, I do not age. My body ages, but my mind does not, leading to this decaying form you see before you. With my ever-growing knowledge, I learnt how to artificially resurrect bodies and create souls. I can create life. Shining Warriors! I made them. I made them all. Every child you see before you now. They are Shining Warriors!”

“Suzie’s kids?” Crystal whispered, and shook her head slowly.

“Whatever, you’re crazy!” Brine spat.

“No… I’m afraid she’s right,” Angel’s voice finally came through. “That’s why the legend is so messed up this time.”

“Angel? Wait, what?” Shelly gasped.

“Lucca, Mimia, Ruby, Shelly, Azu, and Brine… you six are meant to be the Shining Warriors. But Crystal wound up being one… she gives off the perfect spiritual energy to do so. So does Suzie. It confused me,” Angel came out of the amulet. “I can sense spiritual energy from each of the children, but it’s not stable enough for them to activate fountains and stuff.”

“That is because they are incomplete. Imperfect,” Panzer stated. The whole group flinched.

“Wait, you can see and hear me?” Angel gasped.

“I built these using the bodies of children who had perished young. I originally started by using adult bodies because they would have intelligence and independence. But the one perfect Shining Warrior I created, the one you called ‘Suzie’, was prideful enough to run away and call themselves a living being. They refused to aid me,” Panzer explained.

“No wonder she seemed to be invincible. She was a dead Pokémon that was created to be your perfect being,” Lucca shuddered at the thought.

“I began to work with infants who would depend on me for life and follow my every whim like a mother. But she returned. That accursed Kangaskhan plotted against me, and stole my shining children from me. Unbeknownst to her, Project Zero, the one you call ‘Crystal’, was my perfect being. My new vessel,” Panzer continued. “Project Zero’s immunity, their inherent obedience to me, combined with the power of my artefact, the Armlet of Transmutation…”

“So let me get this straight. You used science with ancient curses to puppeteer the bodies of dead Pokémon and make them into fake Shining Warriors, all so that you could fuse yourself with one and make yourself immortal?” Azu stated. Panzer was quiet. “Of course Suzie rebelled against you. Anyone would. You complain about a self-proclaimed hero taking Anima away from us, yet here you are disrespecting every moral rule to try and turn yourself into a legend. It doesn’t work that way!”

“No wonder Suzie was so desperate to stop us. You’re just a mad, weird… monster thingy!” Ruby shook her head.

“I’m… I’m really just a dead Pokémon? Made to be a Shining Warrior? So I can be your new body?” Crystal questioned. She couldn’t lift her head up. The whole thing sounded so surreal it made her head hurt trying to think about how it was possible.

“When my knights confirmed who you were, I observed you. I punished anyone and everyone who could pose a threat to me ever finding you. I used you to impose my judgement upon the world,” Panzer stated.

“Wait, Panzer! Don’t!” Lucca shouted.

“Those times where I lose control of myself? And it feels like I fall asleep,” Crystal looked up. Her eyesight was fluctuating all over. That pain in her head was making her dizzy enough to stumble. She felt like she might fall over and cry until it hurt, yet no tears came. Even that pain and dizziness wasn’t real. She was starting to see numbers. Fuzzy static. Radiation that blurred every last sense.

“Esther. Gladys Van Aken. Feather. I killed them all through my control over you. Anyone else who stands in my way and threatens the peace of Heroica shall be executed in this merciless manner,” Panzer stated.

“Queen Gladys? I’m the one who killed Gladys? But that was Lucca!” Crystal cried.

“No. Your ‘friend’ took the blame in order to spare you the guilt. But it was you who murdered them all. You through my command,” Panzer corrected.

Wait but… Feather and Esther are still alive. Were they meant to be dead? Crystal slowly glanced back at the others. They seemed to have realised the mistake as well, as their shifty eyes implied. However, they kept quiet. I can’t… I don’t understand anymore…

“The six fountains are awakened. You have served your purpose, Shining Warriors. Now it is time for the finale. For the world to witness its new age. The age of Panzer’s order,” Panzer announced.

The floor shook hard, and then the chains that held it down began to rotate fast enough that bursts of sparks came from below. An enormous pressure crushed the field as the platform rose at high velocity, pinning the group to the spot.

“Do it. Stop wasting time and do it. Kill them all,” Panzer ordered.

Not long after, Crystal lost it and roared into the air. Her voice came out hoarse enough that it frightened even her, but that was the only feeling she seemed to get. A moment later, absolute silence fell, and everything seemed to stop.

“What? Hello?” she called out. Now her voice was an echo. Not a normal echo. There was complete darkness, and her anxious breaths cycled back to her like they were bouncing off nearby walls. If she could shake her head, she would. She was immobile.

One by one, her senses became known to her. She couldn’t see, and no matter how badly she wanted to move, she couldn’t, even though she could feel strains in her attempts. There was no sound except herself. It was just her and this screen that didn’t fully occupy her view.

Whimpering and muttering comforts to herself, she soon tried to focus. The darkness around the screen made it painfully bright to stare at, though she was forced to. It also didn’t help just how fuzzy it was. All four edges of the screen fizzled like they were underwater. The contents of the screen were obscured by multicoloured scanlines that scrolled so fast it could give someone a seizure. And despite all that, the screen still crackled and fizzed out as if it was barely maintaining itself.

But there was no noise. She couldn’t even imagine what it sounded like. Her echoes filled her head too much. She managed, somehow, to make out what was on that screen. The struggling, anxious stares of her friends. Ruby looked to be the most furious.

“Wait… guys? What’s?” Crystal whispered.

…

“What did you do? Give me back my sister!” Ruby shrieked.

“She is not your sister. She was never your sister. She is Project Zero. She has returned to me. My body. My new body. My perfect body. The vessel I have chosen with which to rule Heroica,” Panzer stated.

The platform arrived at its destination just then, slamming upwards into place so hard that a burst of dust and rocks came from the edges. A wave of cheers and shouts from a crowd stopped the group, followed by stage lights powered by several Ampharos. Nobody could help but stumble around in disbelief at it all.

They were in the middle of the citadel like they were the stars of a royal performance. Rows upon rows of seated crowds surrounded them, and all of them were colourful and upbeat. Cheers and shouts shook the arena, and there was even work to keep the lights focused on the group and Panzer.

“Seriously? You made it a show?” Brine raised an eyebrow. She was surprised her voice came out loud and clear, even though she spoke at average volume.

“The world is about to see your true colours and meet their new ruler. You are also the first group of Shining Warriors in many a decade to have gotten this far. It is only natural that they be here to witness the event,” Panzer replied.

“You think they’re happy about seeing a freak like you suddenly show up?” Ruby shouted. The crowd did go quiet at that, besides whispers and murmurs.

“So what I’m really getting is, there is no trial here. It’s just you standing in our way now,” Lucca stated. He grinned as he leaned forward, ready to pounce. “So really and truly, there’s no threat at all.”

“I would not do that if I were you,” Panzer warned.

“Oh shut up, just shut up and gimme back my sister!” Ruby roared. She released her flames at Panzer, surprising the others.

“R-Ruby, quick on the uptake, aren’t you?” Azu covered her mouth.

The Cyndaquil kept shooting, but her senses sparked. She stopped and rolled to the left, and an arrow missed her face by a fur. In fact it did scratch her face, as she felt a sharp sting there after she got up. She ignored it after a rub, but her breath was taken from her. Crystal had blocked her fire to protect Panzer.

“Crystal, what’re you doing?” Shelly cried. The Piplup didn’t move. She held her bow over her front, and her eyes were fixated on the group. They glowed brighter than ever, as if there was a captivated madness to her. “N-no… I-is that really Panzer’s control?”

Ruby shook herself off. “C’mon sis, get it together! You’re on our side!”

“Urf… I don’t think shouting at her is going to achieve anything,” Azu warned, trying to keep her voice down.

“Whaddya mean? This is my sister we’re talking about, we’ve gotta do something!” Ruby argued. “And don’t you freaking dare suggest attacking her, or I’ll attack you!”

“Ruby, stop and think,” Lucca hissed at her, alongside Mimia’s barking.

“I am thinking! And I’m not gonna let you guys hurt my only family… Not when we’ve gotten this far,” she cried.

“I was actually going to suggest attacking Panzer,” Azu said. “That machine is more than likely what controls her. If we can at least knock down Panzer, we can stop whatever this plan of hers is.”

“But as we just saw, Crystal’s going to protect Panzer with everything she’s got. Some of us will have to keep Crystal busy while the rest bring down that machine,” Lucca explained. Ruby growled furiously, and then bolted off to confront the Piplup. “Ruby! Damn it, this is not the time!”

Two arrows were fired as Ruby approached, but she dodged both of them with quick sidesteps. She halted a few paces away to stare. Crystal stared back, keeping an arrow nocked. To everyone’s surprise, she began to slowly lower her bow.

“That’s it. That’s more like it. You didn’t forget what we’re here to do, did ya?” Ruby began. “I said I’d do whatever it takes to save you. No amount of evil-witch-mind-control or whatever the hell Panzer’s doin’ to ya is gonna hold me back.”

“Ruby, be careful,” Brine cried.

“You shut up!” Ruby snapped at the others. The rest of the group flinched. “You’re not a monster, Crystal. You’re not a dead body. You’re not some useless weakling that other Pokémon don’t wanna be around. I know how it feels to feel that way, more than anyone. But you’re not that. You’re a Shining Warrior. And before that, you’re my sister. You’re Crystal!”

“Ruby…” Lucca muttered.

“I know you’re strong enough to fight this. You’re you! You do anything you wanna do when the goin’ gets tough. So fight it! Stop listening to Panzer and be you!” Ruby cried. Crystal began to shudder, and then cradled herself. She grabbed her head and choked, so Ruby helped her stay standing. “That’s it! I-I dunno exactly what you’re doing, but I know you’re taking control!”

“It’s… fine…” Crystal whispered. She caught her breath and faced her sister. “I could hear you the whole time. I… I’m sorry that happened. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Yeah? Well I was!” Ruby stood back. “You good?”

“I don’t believe it. She’s really?” Azu leaned toward them.

“I… I’m better than good. Let’s hurry before she tries something again,” Crystal pumped her flippers like fists.

Ruby frowned. “Hmpf. Now you’re speaking my language.”

She turned to Panzer for a second, glanced back at Crystal who was nocking an arrow, and then sprinted on all fours. Once she was halfway between Crystal and Panzer’s machine, Crystal raised her bow again, and aimed it straight at Ruby’s back.

“Ruby!” Shelly shrieked while the others flew into action.

The arrow was let fly before anyone could take more than a step, but Brine and Lucca dove into Crystal to pin her down anyway. Crystal wrestled the duo wildly, but they managed to keep her down to look up at their ally. Ruby was frozen to the spot and her head was leaned to one side. She had the most tired, livid appearance she had ever shown. Crystal’s arrow was at Panzer’s feet.

“Maybe you think I was born yesterday. But it looks like I know my sis better than you,” Ruby said in a low, quiet tone.

“How charmingly annoying. Despite everything I have just told you, you attach yourself to that project’s fake story, while still acknowledging the reality of your situation,” Panzer stated. “It could be seen as admirable. You are a Shining Warrior for a good reason.”

Lucca and Brine grunted as they were blasted aside by a sudden force. Crystal flapped her flippers like wings to shoot into the air, and promptly landed beside Panzer. Her eyes were glowing brighter than before. Gritting their teeth, the group joined Ruby’s side again.

“But you are just foolish. That Kangaskhan was nothing more than a project. A cowardly failure in my experiments. She did not adopt children and she did not raise a family. She merely delayed the inevitable. The legend I created!” Panzer began to rant. “I am the perfect Shining Warrior. I will bring peace to Heroica through my rule, and I will do so forever, in my eternal body. If you will not obey me, then you are failures, just like the previous Shining Warriors. You have served your purpose. The fountains are awakened; thus, I no longer need any of you. If you are smart enough to know what is good for you, I would choose your next actions very carefully.”

“Panzer, please listen to me. The trials aren’t about ruling Heroica. The Pokémon you speak of, the original Shining Warrior, they don’t see themselves as a god. They’re not keeping Anima from Pokémon just to weaken everybody,” Angel pleaded.

“Oh? They aren’t?” Panzer calmed down. “Well then? What good reason could they have to seal off Pokémon from being Pokémon for such a long time?”

Angel looked down as she pondered her words. “You… you just have to understand. It’s not something I can explain to a mortal.”

“We just ‘have to understand’? You are the guide of the Shining Warriors and the one responsible for ensuring that we Pokémon continue to live, and the best answer you can give as to why we continue to suffer without our powers is ‘we just have to understand’?” Panzer began to shout. “Continuing to obey you and your precious ‘laws of nature’ is asinine. This whole thing is totally a war against you and your high and mighty attitudes. This ends today. Heroica enters a new age!”

Crystal signalled the start of battle by raising her bow, while her eyes gleamed. Panzer didn’t seem to move or press anything on her machine to cause that, but the legs on the side of the machine did straighten. The machine stepped back, and each step created a loud clang.

“Raise your weapons like the foolish, war-hungry children you are, or pray for peace. Pray for mercy and peace at Panzer, the new ruler of Heroica!” Panzer announced.

“Grr, you just dunno when to shut up, do you?” Ruby snapped. She let out another burst of fire at Panzer, but once again, Crystal vanished from sight and appeared to block them. Ruby quickly stopped this time, only to have to shield herself with her Parashelter. In a flash, five arrows struck it so hard that they lodged into the canopy, making her flinch in surprise.

The others sprang into action. Lucca, Mimia, and Azu attempted to execute their original plan to target Panzer while Crystal was occupied, while Shelly and Brine joined Ruby’s side to help her. Several arrows kept firing at Ruby, but Brine soon stopped them from hitting completely by holding a bubble of water in the way.

Lucca’s party spread out around Panzer to attack from different angles. Lucca leapt up high, Azu attacked from the front, while Mimia slid beneath the machine to strike from behind. From this high up, Lucca got a good view of Panzer, and almost felt remorse as he flew toward her decayed body. He gave an upbeat cry as he swung both of his swords down as hard as he could, and hit so hard that recoil shook his form.

“What the?” he coughed. His blades met Crystal’s bow, and the brightness of her eyes blinded him. He kicked back with his tail as hard as he could, but she fired arrows at him lightning fast. It took everything he had in the moment to guard from them, so much so that he scraped his body across the floor instead of landing safely.

As for Mimia and Azu, their assaults were faced with the sharp legs of Panzer’s machine. Again, without any input from Panzer herself, her machine turned sideways. One leg on each side kept her coffin held up, while the remaining three on each side were thrust like weapons at the two Pokémon. Mimia backed off entirely, growling and grunting, while Azu desperately blocked with her staff.

“The Shining Warrior legend is truly a farce. You Pokémon pride yourselves on withstanding a host of inhumane situations, all so you can claim yourselves as strong and righteous. Your prayers feed the fountains’ glow, which then releases into the atmosphere as Bestia…” Panzer said. “What you believe for this world, your hopes, your dreams, your feelings when you succeed each fountain… that is what manifests as power for the next ten years. The potency of the outcome is based purely on your experience.”

There was a pause as the group landed beside each other again. The heroes panted, and their weapons were scratched with marks where they had defended themselves. Meanwhile, Crystal and Panzer’s machine were untouched.

“Don’t you see how foolish that is? How… needlessly convoluted it all is? When you could just believe in my science. The fact and reality that I’m capable of, that I’m creating… who cares if I’m using dead bodies? Their souls have already left this world. There’s no pride in letting a body decay until it becomes part of this earth. It’s like recycling, except that I’m actually saving the world in the process,” Panzer continued.

“Brine, water ropes. Go!” Lucca huffed.

Brine crouched as she focused. Vines of water appeared below Crystal and attempted to ensnare her, but the Piplup noticed in time and shot into the air to avoid them. She fired more arrows down at the party, but Ruby shielded Brine with her Parashelter.

“Hit her, just do it! Lock her down already!” Ruby grunted.

“After me!” Shelly called out, drawing attention to himself.

Several of her arrows missed him by a fur as he desperately danced around the spot, but that was all the time Brine needed to focus on her attack. She sent her ropes after Crystal again, and this time caught the Piplup by the leg. The moment the water wrapped around the target, Brine shouted and slammed her fists down, which pulled Crystal down hard, too. She hit the floor so hard a cloud of dust blew up from the impact.

Lucca and Mimia sprang into action again. They charged Panzer with swords and knife drawn, and this time were fully prepared from the way the legs of her machine worked. They were like bladed Ariados legs, each as sharp as a knife and with a layer of armour, on top of being heavy enough to stab holes in the ground. Each leg was also huge enough to give Panzer and her machine the appearance of a giant once they got close.

A smooth dodge to the right, and then a sharp lean to the left, followed by a hard swing of his blades to knock away a third leg, and then Lucca was right up in Panzer’s face again. The Flygon was as dead as before, eyes shut and body curled slightly. His swords bounced harmlessly off the glass protecting her, but Mimia showed up to renew his hope. The Stufful smashed his paws down where Lucca had hit, yelled from recoil, but earned a dangerous crack in the glass.

Before Lucca could think about how to follow up, his senses spiked, and he twisted his body. Three of Crystal’s arrows just about missed him, and then the Piplup landed beside him on top of Panzer’s machine.

“What?” he coughed before she attempted to stab him with an arrow. A moment of swordplay ensued, but her small form made her difficult to keep up with. She was a blur to him, and Panzer’s machine moving about threatened to make him fall off. He let himself drop to the ground to flip away, but even that turned into a sequence of close calls where he desperately dodged more arrows.

“Damn it, what gives? You’re- supposed to be—” Lucca grunted as he fought her. Mimia came between them, forcing Crystal to back off. The instant she did, Lucca spotted three arrows in her bow, so he scooped up a barking Mimia and threw himself aside to avoid them.

Ruby’s fire hit right beside him as he fell, making him grunt again. There was a blast strong enough make him release Mimia, and the two collapsed to the ground. Azu was the one to help them up and run to safety.

The combatants were back to staring each other down again. Lucca panted and felt strains and stings all over his body, so he could only imagine how the others felt. Yet, the only visible achievement was the crack Mimia made on Panzer’s coffin. He growled and tensed up, holding both his swords over his front.

“This is not easy,” Lucca admitted.

“It’s all well and good we have a plan, but this is still Crystal we’re talking about,” Brine huffed. “She’s at least as strong as the rest of us, and only the gods knows what else Panzer’s done to her.”

“It’ll take so many of us to stop Crystal, but then Panzer’s machine is super strong on its own,” Shelly added.

“Then now what? We’ve gotta do something,” Ruby shifted back.

“Anybody else got any bright ideas? Brute force won’t cut it,” Azu asked.

“You’re asking us? But brains and strategy are your job!” Ruby cried.

“Since when?” Azu gasped. Mimia barked at them, and the team focused. Crystal and Panzer glared at them with all their evil intent.

“We’ve really put ourselves in it this time,” Lucca tightened his pose. The others growled as they did the same, though there was a clear reluctance from any of them to attack.

“Helloooooo down there!” a familiar voice sung, echoing aloud thanks to the magical volume of the area. Even Crystal and Panzer stopped to look up and around, and promptly spotted an armoured Tropius as it swirled down towards them. Elise was on its back, and waved to the team.

“Elise?” Shelly gasped.

“You guys look like you could use a paw or two,” Elise laughed.

“Get away, it’s not safe!” Shelly cried.

At his warning, Crystal hopped onto Panzer’s machine and then launched herself into the air, meeting Elise face to face. The Steenee had a second to gasp as she stared an arrow in the face, but just before it was fired, Crystal was knocked down by a bigger, faster Pokémon.

“What’s going on?” Ruby started dancing on her toes.

Lucca had to shield his eyes. Thanks to the Ampharos show lights, most of the night sky was visible to him. Now that he was focused there, he could make out the figures of countless other Tropius flying around the area.

Elise promptly hopped off her mount to help Kusha, who had body slammed Crystal earlier. Feather surfed down on her tail not long after. Though Crystal lacked emotion right now, there was clear hesitation as she found herself faced with more Pokémon than she knew what to do with. And more were still coming, as Tropius seemed to swoop down into the arena in an endless supply.

“Aight everyone, it’s our show, now. Sorry Shining Warriors, your act’s up!” Esther announced cheerfully. From atop her own glittery Tropius, she danced about with a megaphone in hand. Several of the lights focused on her as she stole the show, while the crowd perked up and began to cheer.

“You mortals are still alive?” Panzer questioned, though she sounded unsurprised.

“You guys need to take out her machine to turn Crystal back into one of us, right? Go do your thing!” Kusha ordered, looking back at them.

“Right!” Lucca nodded to her, then the rest of his team. “Let’s make it quick!”

“Please try not to hurt her,” requested Ruby.

“The quicker you are, the less likely she will. Trust us, we’ve got a plan,” Feather smirked. Ruby nodded and joined her friends at last.

There were no words this time. Everything just descended into a ruthless battle with Panzer’s machine. Lucca, Mimia, and Azu charged all at once, while Brine opted to use her water ropes to keep Panzer down. She managed to pin down four legs, two on each side, which let Lucca and Azu take on the remaining two. Mimia and Ruby were the first two jump up top, Mimia aiming to smash the glass open for good while Ruby breathed in for a strong Flamethrower.

With the battle against Crystal nearby, everything was as manic as expected. There were shouts, heavy clangs as Panzer’s machine stomped around, sparks and grunts from Lucca as his swords grinded against those bladed legs. Mimia’s triumphant howls were followed by glass shattering, and then a cry from Panzer as Ruby’s fire swamped the battlefield. Feather, Kusha, and Elise were barking orders as they fought fiercely against the merciless Crystal. All the while, Esther sang pop music above it all, though her song distorted weirdly thanks to her Tropius circling the arena.

Shelly stood clear away from both battles, but observed them intently with a paw inside his Treasure Orb constantly. Crystal brought pain to her enemies, and he came to their aid immediately, procuring Oran Berries or Heal Seeds for them at a moment’s notice.

“Enough!” Panzer’s voice boomed like thunder. All sound in the area cut in an instant, even Esther’s song. Crystal obeyed another invisible order, and jumped over to Panzer’s side. “You are alive when I believed you had fallen. That is of no consequence to me.”

“Just gimme back my sister and back off already. What’s your deal, anyway? What the heck does fighting us here do for you?” Ruby challenged.

There was a pause. With the glass on Panzer’s machine broken, her heavy breathing could be heard loud and clear. “That is an interesting question. Shining Warriors, what do you intend to do with your lives once Bestia is restored?”

“That’s none of your business. Our lives are our lives,” Lucca answered.

“I see. But what do you intend to do with the Bestia itself?” Panzer continued. “The legend only lasts for a decade at best. Would you revere yourselves as heroes for that time?  New warriors would be chosen regardless of whether you perished in those ten years or not.”

“I doubt you’re going to listen, but I’ve been working on a way to avoid us having to rely on the legend, you know,” Azu informed. “Your method isn’t it. It’s not even tested or proven. The fact that you had to raise dead humans as a means to put your plan into motion says enough that even you know no one else would stand for it.”

“Think, professor. Why would I rely on conventional means of executing anything, when I can use autonomous beings who would follow an order without so much as a question?” Panzer explained. “It matters not whether mortals would agree with my methods. The knights are perfect for any task, and require no sustenance or maintenance. They are slaves with no controversial drawbacks.”

“They’re dead bodies! What the heck are you saying?” Lucca snapped.

“They are not alive. They care not for your feelings or their own. They are like machines recycled from mortal flesh. They are replaceable and fulfil any task greater than any tool or weapon,” Panzer explained. She sat up at last, and shook her head. “It matters not. You think you have won, when the show is only just beginning. This is the extent that you would go to stop me from controlling Bestia…”

“I don’t care!” Ruby cried. She was completely exasperated, now. “I just want my sister back. I just want this stupid quest to be over so I can live with her again. I don’t care about anything else; you can go do what you want with the knights!”

…

Back with Crystal, if she could have tears in her eyes right now, she would. Her chest was heavy and her heart raced. The screen appeared to show everything her body could see while it was under Panzer’s control. Right now, it had a clear view of her friends, and she could hear everything anyone said.

“Are you saying you no longer care about the legend?” Panzer challenged.

“That’s not what I’m saying, and I’m sure you know it. Don’t be stupid!” Ruby cried. “I just… I’m so tired of all this. No one deserves to be treated like this. Those knights, Suzie and her kids, i-if you see them all the way you see those knights, then you’re vile! ‘Cos they’re alive. It’s not about what they are, what they do, whether they can eat or whatever… They’re here. Working. Fighting. Doing what they can do. They’re alive! Isn’t that enough for you to feel like they’re alive?”

Crystal felt so sick, so anxious and tortured right now. She wanted to move, to speak to her sister more than anything in the world.

“For the final time, they are not alive. I raised the dead with science, Ruby! All of these things are of no use other than to serve me. They are dead, they are my possessions!” Panzer ranted.

“You don’t even get it. Forget it, you’re too blinded by your own big-headed… whatever,” Ruby gave her last exhausted sigh. Her back flared and she stomped her feet. “You think I’m gonna just sit here and let a Pokémon who thinks like you rule the world? Well I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do. You took my sister from me, so I’m gonna incinerate you until there’s nothing left.”

“A Pokémon like you with such a disregard for life that they’d go to these extremes just to cheat life, has no business claiming themselves as our ruler,” Lucca stated, and swiped his swords aside.

“I don’t even get it. You said you hate the original hero because they claimed themselves a god and made Heroica what it is today, yet you can’t even see the problem with your plan and how you’re doing the same thing!” Brine remarked, and readied her kendama. “Forget you. I’ll just treat you like our last trial and take you down all the same!”

“It’s not fair that you get to decide what’s right or wrong, who is alive and who isn’t. There are all kinds of Pokémon in this world, and Crystal’s shown us that she’s just as different as all of us. There’s no one person who can dictate everything!” Shelly cried.

“We want a world where Pokémon can be Pokémon, just like you do. But unlike you, our world is going to be free for everyone, even Pokémon like Crystal, Suzie, and her children. And the Aska, too,” Mimia stated. He looked down for a moment, settled his thoughts, and then stood forward with a fierce grip on his knife in his mouth. “Panzer, stand down or we will strike you down!”

“I hope you’re starting to understand,” Azu came forward at last, and put her staff beside her. “Why we were chosen as Shining Warriors, and not you. When we’re done here, we’re going to make a peaceful world for everyone: the Pokémon, the Undine, even the knights you’ve raised. And we’re going to find a solution to the legend. If it’s the last thing I do, I will see to it.”

“Everyone…” Crystal sniffled. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing and hearing. “I’m sorry. I thought you all were afraid of me. But really, I was so scared of everything that we were finding out about me, that I was the one most afraid of myself. I wish I understood how you all felt sooner…”

There was a long moment of silence until Panzer spoke. “Well said. I understand fully that we will never come to an understanding. You are going to fight against me, but you are too late to stop me. You were too late before we even began. From the moment I gained control over Project Zero and retrieved my Armlet of Transmutation, the power to make myself an invincible Shining Warrior was mine.”

Panzer raised a claw, and the armlet on it gleamed so brightly it blinded everyone. A low, eerie howl took over the area as that gleam turned into a deep blue swirl of energy. The group gasped and shifted nervously as that energy came from their amulets, followed by a crying Angel. The Togekiss had her head in her wings and scrambled to root herself to the spot, but it was fruitless. Lucca and Brine made an attempt to grab her, but they went straight through her as if she wasn’t there, as usual.

“What’s happening?” Crystal panicked as she felt the same. From this conscious realm of wherever she was, a powerful vacuum of energy drew her towards the screen, and it took everything she had not to get dragged in. She scraped her feet and flippers, and then stabbed an arrow into the ground as hard as she could to root. It worked, but the way the wind pulled at her, she felt like her flippers might get torn off. “Darn it… it hurts!”

Pathetic coughs and cries came out whether she wanted to or not, though now was not the time to be embarrassed about the way she sounded. She forced her eyes open, but they ached from how powerful the wind was. She could hardly move thanks to all this effort, desperate to do something, anything to relieve this predicament. There was nothing around except for her and that screen however, so her mind came up short.

“Wa-wait a minute,” it hit her, and she gasped. “I can feel pain. Why now? What’s?”

She twisted her body so that she faced the screen while still holding on. If that screen showed her eyesight, then her controlled body was still resisting, too. Or maybe it had already been taken, and was no greater than an empty vessel for the real her.

The others were firing their attacks at Panzer in an effort to stop her, but it appeared to be fruitless. There were blasts, but nothing seemed to deal any damage. “If the real me is here, then all I have to do is… I’m coming, Ruby!”

Crystal nocked another arrow into her bow as best as she could, and then hung on by a single flipper, grunting and growling from effort. The moment she let go to slide towards the screen, Angel finally gave in as well, and she hit the screen around the same moment Crystal did. The dark realm Crystal had been trapped in instantly exploded into a massive burst of light, and everything shattered like glass.

…

“They’re… fusing?” Azu gasped as she staggered back with everyone. The group stood over her, though even they were hard pressed to appear confident.

Panzer’s form had taken on a white glow while it shaped into whatever was happening. It morphed violently, sprouting bulges and spikes temporarily as if it couldn’t decide what it was going to mutate into. Powerful pulses periodically came from it, each enough to force everyone, even the audience, to cower and shield themselves. Eventually, Ruby planted her feet to shoot fire at it.

“Ruby, what’re you doing?” Lucca shouted.

Her flames spread all over it and then exploded, though the smoke didn’t linger. Soon after, Panzer’s form began to take shape at last. Her original machine remained, with its eight legs and cuboid centre. At its front grew a round face with three horns, while another form began to emerge from the back, this one imposing and draconic. One last tail sprouted from the coffin’s centre, though this one seemed to separate from the main body. It shot out and landed between both parties.

“What?” Lucca whispered. The wind stopped, and silence fell. The figure that came off shrunk to about Ruby’s height, smoothly morphed into the shape of a Piplup, and then the white glow faded away in a flash. Crystal was left behind, complete with her bow and scarf. It almost looked like her blue body was a gentler colour, and her eyes were a normal Piplup’s.

“Crystal?” the group all said in surprise.

Crystal shuddered for a moment. She slowly looked at them, then at her flippers, and then pinched herself. She cringed and rubbed her body, and then gave everyone a gleeful look. “It’s me. I’m here.”

“Here as in… oh hold on. No more of this crap. You’re lucky it’s me simping over you and not Shelly,” Ruby flared her back.

“Urgh, seriously? We’re still on this?” Crystal slumped. “After everything you said just now, you’re really still doing that, Ruby?”

“Holy crap it’s actually you,” Ruby calmed right down and gasped.

“Crystal!” everyone gasped and surrounded her. She let out a light laugh and blushed.

“Geez er… g-guys, you’re making it sound like I did something special,” she giggled and scratched her back.

“Are you kidding? I was so scared that you’d… you’d… Panzer…” Shelly shuddered.

“That was a close call if I’ve ever called one. But I should’ve had faith. You’re one of us, after all,” Lucca bragged.

“What have you done…?” gurgled a monstrous, distorted voice. Despite the audience erupting into screams and cries of terror, the voice was so loud the group flinched from it, and rushed back to fighting positions.

The white glow had vanished from Panzer, leaving behind a grotesque mutation. Split into two halves, it was as if Panzer had combined with not just her machine, but Angel as well. The bottom half retained the shape and texture of Panzer’s machine; a mechanical bed with four bladed Ariados legs propping it up on either side, though it now boasted enormous Togekiss wings on top. It was no longer solid metal, with visible veins and streams bulging out that pumped a red fluid through it. The metallic finish stopped at the front, where it suddenly turned into a feathery Togekiss head, with many veins and loose feathers where metal met normal body. The Togekiss head retained the ghostly colour of the form to a point it didn’t have the usual red and blue tufts, so they more resembled horns. Its eyes and mouth looked to be peacefully shut.

The upper half of the mutation sprung from a thin tail at the back of the machine that widened out into the form of a dragon, a Flygon no less. Once again maintaining a ghostly white across its form, the Flygon loomed over the front of the machine, giving the whole mutation the shape of a Scorpion. Unlike Panzer’s fragile form, this Flygon boasted exaggerated wings, claws, and maw, with thick scales all across its sturdy muscles. Everything was bigger, sharper, and more monstrous than any Flygon was known to be.

“Uh, okay… I know my species, but this thing is not a Pokémon,” Azu shuddered hard. “What in the world did you do?”

“Wasn’t she meant to use Crystal as her vessel or something? If I know my words, then she should be in Crystal’s body,” Lucca replied, just as panicky. He dared to glance back at the Piplup, who was confused.

“But sis is right here,” Ruby pointed out. “If she didn’t go into Crystal’s body, then what the heck happened to her?”

All eyes scanned Panzer, who stepped forward and forced them all to edge back. Mimia barked incessantly, to which Panzer began to growl at a low volume that shook the air. As her volume increased, so did the pitch, to the point her cry almost resembled an eagle.

“Angel, and that machine,” Brine stated. “If Crystal’s here, then it’s like she escaped at the last moment. Her experiment’s gone awry, and she fused with Angel and her machine instead.”

“Hey er, guys? You don’t expect me to ad lib this, do ya? This is way outta my league,” Esther warned.

“We’ll get the public outta here, so this is where we bail,” Feather added. She was already on her own Tropius, alongside Kusha and Elise who had their own, too.

“Please be careful Shelly, everyone!” Elise called out. “I know you can beat that monster!”

Almost as if acknowledging the situation, Panzer didn’t act while the Tropius flew off. Orders were shouted left right and centre, and within minutes, the arena was empty save for the warriors and this monster. Both sides continued to glare at one another, baring fangs, tightening grips on weapons, and the slightest shifts as the wind howled through the area.

“It’s just us and you. So… what do you have to say now?” Lucca challenged. “If this doesn’t prove to you that Crystal is alive with her own soul, then I don’t know what does. Everyone’s rejecting you, so I’d think long and hard about what you do next.”

“The power to resist me matters not. Legend cannot be denied, and I am legend incarnate. I am my own legend, a Shining Warrior that will end this endless cycle!” Panzer replied. Every word was distorted and came out at a different volume and pitch. Were it not for how slowly she spoke, it would be difficult to understand her. “Project Zero’s autonomy will not stop me. None of you feeble mortals can stand up to me. I will simply erase you all, and save this world once and for all!”

The battle started at last. The lower portion, Panzer’s machine, raised itself high and brought several of its bladed legs together to create one large spike, and leapt towards the group with the spike thrust front and centre. Everyone coughed as they separated to the left and right to dodge it. Panzer landed so heavily that the spike created a ditch in the floor, while the whole area shook hard enough to take everyone off balance.

“Don’t blame her for being past the point of no return,” Azu gasped. “Where do we even start with trying to take this thing down?”

“Same way as always!” Ruby got up and flared her back. She shot flames at the side of the machine, earning a grunt and grumble as Panzer cowered to shield herself.

With a bark and a cry, Mimia was next. He charged toward Panzer as she turned to face him, and dove on top of the machine portion to slam his legs down. He bounced as if he hit hide, while Panzer cursed again. Her draconic half reared back get a good view of Mimia, giving him a moment where their gazes met. Panzer attempted to slash him with her claws, but Mimia jumped away at the last moment, latching himself to her bulky arm. There was an attempt to thrash to throw Mimia off, but she nearly tripped over instead. Brine’s water ropes had her tied down.

“Go you guys!” Brine grunted in effort, crouched down to focus on her move. Her ropes of water were thick, and had six legs tangled up and rooted to the spot.

Lucca was next. He flew forward as if swimming through the air, and aimed to thrust his swords directly into Panzer’s chest. She ignored Mimia for an instant to glare at him, and then raised her head high and yelled at the top of her voice. For an instant, her whole body glowed with a fiery blue aura which burst off of her with a powerful shockwave. Lucca was knocked to the ground before he got close, while Brine was knocked out of her attack.

“Something’s coming!” Shelly warned, standing guard over his brother.

He was right. There was a blue glow in the area, as if Panzer’s aura had become a substance in the air. She reared back again, breathing in with a frighteningly high-pitched sniff. Flames and smoke leaked from her maw, which she soon exhaled a sea of fire.

“Gah, what the—” Lucca coughed and twisted to his side. Despite his natural resistance to flames, he couldn’t help but wail in pain as every inch of his body was smothered in unbearable heat. The fire came at a force as wicked as the prior shockwave too, so even though he attempted to brace, he was sent scraping across the floor so hard it felt like his skin tore.

The others were little better. They shielded themselves as best as they could, hiding behind Brine who desperately conjured a wall of water in front of her. The water was evaporated and a discomforting wave of embers singed the group, earning grunts and cringes.

“Lucca, are you okay?” Shelly cried, helping him stand back up.

“Ye-yeah… just wasn’t expecting such powerful fire,” the Brionne growled.

Mimia continued to take on the monster, though that fight looked dire. The Stufful used his size to climb and scuttle around Panzer’s body, but he didn’t dare stop to attack for even a moment. Panzer hacked away with elongated claws like a wild beast, slashing the air with so much force her arms were a blur, alongside heavy whooshes of wind. Mimia eventually gave in and jumped back to the group’s side, where he hung his head to catch his breath. He was dripping with sweat, and had a few cuts.

“If we get hit by those claws… I don’t wanna think about it,” Crystal worried. She quickly fired an arrow at Panzer, and it lodged into the side of her machine. Panzer grunted from it, but a little tense of her body, and the arrow came out. “It’s useless…”

Another shockwave of blue aura came from Panzer. This time her upper half retreated while the lower half raised itself again. The Togekiss’ face remained asleep, but her mouth opened as she let out a serene cry. As the machine stomped the ground, a flare took over the Togekiss, which turned into a wave of pink lasers which rained from the sky with enough ferocity that the ground quaked.

“Brace yourselves!” Lucca warned as he cowered again. So many lasers hit the area that smoke drowned the arena. Once again, he found himself shouting as destructive energy soaked into him. No amount of defence could have prepared him for the strength of those lasers as they drilled beneath his skin, making him feel like his body was burning inside.

When the attack was over and the smoke cleared, the group were revealed to be no better. Everyone was fallen on one hand, breathing heavily, and covered from head to toe in burn marks. Panzer roared triumphantly at the sight of it, once again sounding like an eagle.

“I thought I wasn’t seeing things… that’s our ticket to victory,” Azu grunted, forcing herself to her feet.

“There was a weakness in that? What?” Ruby cried, barely any better.

“Didn’t you see? That Flamethrower, and then Dazzling Gleam,” Azu lowered her voice. “When she’s about to attack, excess Bestia floods into the air.”

“So even without Angel, she’s giving us power,” Crystal remarked.

“Aqua Jet it is?” Lucca proposed.

“Aqua Jet, Hydro Pump, Overheat, whatever the heck we can blast her with. We need to end this, fast,” Azu corrected forcefully.

“Agreed. If I take another one of those moves, I dunno if I can stand again,” Brine admitted. She clenched her fists and began to swirl her kendama. “Let’s do this. Shelly, beef us up!”

Rummaging through the Treasure Orb, Shelly emerged with an All Power-Up Orb and cast it without a second of thought. A wave of orange light took over the area, surrounding everyone except Panzer in an orange glow. Now boosted, the group split up and rushed towards Panzer from all directions.

Ruby was first to attack as always, choosing to shoot Scald. She aimed for Panzer’s head, but it was blocked by the dragon’s arm. This let Mimia get on top of the monster, where they engaged in another moment of close combat. Mimia climbed around Panzer’s body, pricking it with his knife or punching wherever, while panzer thrashed and slashed to try and throw him off. Ruby kept her Scald attack going the whole time, and soon Panzer had a few red marks sizzling across her front.

“There’s no way I can miss. Wrecking Ball!” Brine cheered as she spun to ball of her kendama around. As it twirled above her, water gathered around the ball until it became a huge orb of water, far too heavy for Brine to twirl above her head. It took a grunt, both arms, and her full body movement, but she dragged this wrecking ball of water over to Panzer, where it smacked the monster’s side so hard they were dragged across the area.

“Wicked hit!” Lucca praised, appearing in the air above Panzer. Crystal was on his back with a couple of arrows nocked, and fired them the instant Panzer glanced up at them. This time the arrows pierced right between Panzer’s eyes, causing the monster to violently thrash in agony.

With a flip and a spin, Lucca flew towards her again. He shouted at the top of his voice as he brought both swords down with all his might. He just barely missed her face, but cut into her chest, dragging his swords down as far as he could pull them. Panzer seemed to take so much damage her voice was lost in the way she roared.

Or so he thought. She quickly leaned over him, adopting he blue glow again. He had only a moment to act, and grit his fangs as he braced for the worst once again. Another shockwave came out, and even with his flippers crossed over his front, he was winded, and choked on his own breath as his tail skidded across the ground.

“We’ve only got one shot…!” he grunted. His head was rushing, his body ached, and his vision was blurry, but he knew what he had to do. Primal instincts awoke in the moment, locking his senses on nothing but Panzer and the Bestia in the air. He drew it into himself as water surrounded him, and then shot through the air faster than a bullet with both swords pointed forward.

His Aqua Jet impaled Panzer’s chest so hard the blades of his swords were dug deep into her skin. Water loudly splashed around the point of impact, giving Lucca a wicked recoil that made him bounce back. His strength gave way, and he landed roughly on his side.

Mimia charged in not a second later, surrounded by energy that made him appear as a bright white bullet. He impacted the spot Lucca had hit, digging Lucca’s swords straight through. The energy burst from Mimia as well, erupting straight up in a pillar that sounded like an explosion went off. Mimia fell back to Lucca’s side, just as exhausted though he landed on his feet.

Ruby was last. The whole time she had drawn in as much Bestia as she could muster while she breathed in deep. Her back overflowed with so much fire it swamped her sides. She released her attack when Mimia was free, exhaling a powerful stream of flames so intense they resembled lava. It almost looked like the attack burst out of her mouth, and beamed straight through the wound Lucca and Mimia had created. It once again exploded on impact, though rather than an explosion of energy like most Pokémon attacks, hers resembled a volcanic eruption, destructive and searing in nature. White blasts outlined by fire took over Panzer, splattering yellow streams all over while an intense wave of heat rebounded against everyone else, who had to shield their eyes.

“Was that Overheat?” Crystal gasped in disbelief.

“I dunno. I just did a fire move. Hopefully that did something,” Ruby replied.

The group waited anxiously for the result as sooty smoke bellowed into the air. Gasps came from the all as it began to clear, revealing their attacks had worked almost too well. Panzer twitched and snorted violent with a body that was so broken up it was a miracle it still functioned enough for the monster to growl and glare. The tail connecting the dragon to the coffin had enormous circles cut out of it, while the body dangled in the air like melted wax. The coffin had a bit of this as well, making it look like the Togekiss face was crying.

“My body… is fragile… n-no!” Panzer stuttered. Her voice was still distorted like before, but now it was dry and quiet. The eagle tone returned as she stretched up and roared into the air. “Stay where you are! You are mine!”

“Are you serious? She might still try something!” Azu covered her mouth. However, Panzer merely slumped, and she was cringing hard.

“I am… my perfect body was right there… I can’t lose now!” Panzer shivered dryly. Her body started to rumble as blasts of light took over. “I was perfect! I am perfect! We can still save Heroica… stay with me! Crystal, come to me! We can, we will be perfect!”

The speed and size of the blasts gradually increased until they were massive spheres that forced the team to shield their faces. All that could be heard was Panzer’s monstrous scream, which gradually devolved in volume and tone until it was no greater than a gritty, desperate whine.

Crystal and Ruby were at the front, and their eyes widened and mouths dropped. Angel had split off from the monster, but was collapsed like she had been through a grinder, surrounded by feathers, cuts and marks all over her panting form. Panzer had returned to before, though her machine had broken down and was so dull it was hard to see in the darkened stadium. Panzer herself leaned out of the broken glass, but her body was so weak and shrivelled that she couldn’t so much as tremble another inch. Her colours decayed right before their eyes, turning grey and washed out.

Crystal knew what was happening, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn away or say anything. She shivered, keeping her flippers over her mouth as Panzer faded right before her eyes. The Flygon uttered the weakest sounds she had ever heard from a Pokémon as they gradually began to resemble their skeleton. It was like their skin was melting into their bones, but once that got tight enough that they were nothing but skin and bones, their scales began to disintegrate into the air. Just a minute later of silence, and all that was left of Panzer was a silent, dry corpse.

Something clicked in Crystal’s mind, though. She acknowledged it enough to close her beak and give her own silent, respectful prayer. Panzer had mouthed something, and her eyes had shut, too. They weren’t strained shut. There was the lightest smile, as if she had fallen asleep. A pleasant, peaceful sleep.

“That… j-just happened, right?” Shelly finally asked. “W-we… d-did we kill her?”

“Urf… maybe this is a morbid way to look at things, but she was essentially already dead. And you can’t kill what’s already dead,” Azu replied. “That machine’s way out of my league technology-wise, but I’m pretty confident guessing it was keeping her alive. Er, functional.”

“How is that any better than what she was doing?” Crystal snapped.

“Don’t bother trying to go there,” Brine replied sternly. “Panzer was an evil Pokémon that used the dead bodies of Pokémon and humans for her own needs, and tried to live forever, claiming herself the ruler of Heroica. We and her cannot be compared.”

“After everything, I’m surprised you care about that,” Ruby asked.

“Oh don’t you start. I just… care about other Pokémon. A lot,” Crystal sighed. Ruby continued to stare at her, making her nervous. The Cyndaquil had a bright smile on her face, and her eyes glinted a bit. “Wha-what? What’s with that look?”

“Oh, you’re so modest! Have you forgotten already?” Ruby remarked. Crystal cocked her head, but that only made her eyes gleam even brighter. “You’re here… you’re really here. Right beside us again…”

“And there’s no one… threatening to control you, either,” Lucca panted.

“Lucca!” Mimia cried worriedly.

“It’s okay buddy, I’m fine, I promise,” he forced himself to sit up. He was in an absolute state with how much damage he’d taken. Even his ruffles were ripped in places. “Honestly, that’s the biggest win out of this.”

“Er… even I’m concerned. You look like you might disintegrate too,” Azu remarked.

Lucca attempted to stand on his front like usual, but something ached him and he stifled a curse. He had to twist to lie on his back, but sat up carefully. “Her machine. Check her machine.”

Ruby was the closest, so she hopped up to it and rummaged around. The Brionne’s swords were there. Only now did she notice how dirtied they’d gotten from this and their other recent battles, but also because they were beside another clean, golden item: the Armlet of Transmutation. She hesitantly retrieved it and rushed over to the others.

“Technically this thing is mine, since I found it first,” Ruby grinned. Everyone gave her furrowed brows. “Buuuut seeing as how dangerous and weird it actually is, I think one of you should take it. Shelly or Azu, you’re the smart ones.”

“Why me?” Shelly flinched.

“You can put stuff in your Treasure Orb, right? You could keep it safe on the island,” she proposed.

“But then one of the soldiers could take it or something,” Shelly shook his paws.

“… I think I’m better off holding on to it. Gives me a chance to study it properly, too,” Azu suggested. The others agreed. “Still though… what a way to end all this. That was quite an explosion Panzer dropped.”

“I’ll explain later…” Angel huffed. She managed to stand, but she looked as weakened as Lucca, if not, worse. “I hope you weren’t planning on activating the fountain right now… I’m sorry, but there’s just no strength left.”

“We can see that, like whoa! And it’s not like the rest of us are any better. I don’t wanna fight for like, a year,” Brine agreed.

“The fountains restore energy, but it can’t be used to heal wounds. I’m sorry…” Angel sighed. She promptly disappeared into the amulets, but her voice came through. “I’ll be okay from tomorrow for sure.”

“I… feel the same for some reason,” Crystal admitted. She slumped too, but Ruby caught her.

“Whoa, you okay? Uh, don’t everybody else die on us!” Ruby gasped. Crystal trembled a bit in her grip, and froze when a low but loud rumble came from her. Ruby broke off, and she was blushing deeply.

“U-uh-er, it’s not me, that’s you. That’s your stomach!” she objected. Ruby kept staring again, gawking at her. “What? Don’t look at me like that.”

Crystal tried not to look at anyone, but all eyes were on her. She gave in to her embarrassment, only for it to turn into surprise. Ruby had tears in her eyes. “R-Ruby? Uh…”

“You’re… hungry. Your stomach growled,” Ruby said quietly.

“Ye-yeah? It’s only normal, right?” Crystal blushed again. She folded her wings and tapped her foot impatiently, looking away. Her stomach rumbled again, making that blush even deeper. Ruby giggled, but it was stifled by tears. “What’s up with you?”

“You’re hungry!” Ruby cheered as she threw herself into a hug with her sister. “You’re hungry… and tired… and… and… you’re you again.”

“Did I… go somewhere?” Crystal was confused.

“Only to like… Crystal, this is proof that you’re back, you’re alive!” Azu remarked as everyone crowded around her. “When that stuff started to happening to you, you couldn’t eat, you couldn’t sleep, or any of that stuff. But if you’re hungry now—”

“Okay, okay, but can we like, do something about it? Sis, you’re suffocating me!” Crystal complained.

“Yeah, of course! I could eat a whole mountain,” the Cyndaquil cheered as she broke away. “Let’s do ramen again! You didn’t get to try it before.”

“Was that place really that good? I still haven’t gotten to try cake, either,” Crystal tilted her head.

“Why not both? It’ll be great now that you’re around, sis!” Ruby bounced around her.

“I’ve never seen Ruby so happy,” Shelly commented. His own eyes were gleaming, too. “But it is a good time to party, right? That’s okay, ain’t it?”

“He’s right. This fountain can be done anytime Angel wakes up. If that’s not a good excuse for a celebration, then what is?” Brine agreed.

Lucca remained sat back with Mimia, but even he had a warm smile at it all. He lay back and tucked his flippers behind his head, worrying Mimia until he snickered. “Hey, Mimia?”

“Yes Lucca?” he replied.

Lucca hesitated to respond, confusing the Stufful. He gestured to come close, and then gave his partner an affectionate rub on the chin and the side of his face, prompting Mimia to sigh happily and join him in laying down.

“Thanks for sticking it through to the end, buddy.”